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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": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States and Britain said Wednesday they are committed to remaining in Afghanistan, despite increased military casualties and declining public support for the war effort. U.S. Marines partrol part of the Gharmsir district in Afghanistan's Helmand province on Wednesday. \"We went into this together, and we will work it through together because we are stronger together,\" British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said after a half day of talks at the State Department with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Clinton praised Miliband's approach on Afghanistan, including the call for the government to reconcile with moderate elements of the Taliban. \"His analysis of the way forward is very much consistent with ours, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of our common objectives,\" Clinton said of her counterpart. In a speech at NATO headquarters on Monday, Miliband called for rank-and-file Taliban to be given the chance to reconcile with the Afghan government, even as the campaign continues against Taliban commanders who are waging jihad. He also urged greater burden sharing not only among NATO allies in Afghanistan but by the Afghan government. \"There is a lot of talk, rightly, about burden sharing within the coalition, but the greatest burden sharing must be between the international community and the government of Afghanistan, which increasingly needs to take the lead -- the security lead, as well as the political lead -- in shaping the future of that country,\" he said. Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told reporters that boosting the training of Afghan forces would be a big focus after the country's August 20 election. When asked whether the election would be fair, Holbrooke, who just returned from the region, said he had heard complaints from all sides but was not \"unduly upset.\" \"It's an extraordinary thing to hold an election in the middle of a war, and this is the first contested election in Afghanistan in history,\" Holbrooke said, adding the United States has no favorite candidate but only wants \"an election whose outcome is accepted as legitimate by the Afghan people and the world, which reflects the desires of those who vote.\" July has been the deadliest month for U.S. and British forces since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, with 39 U.S. troops and 22 British troops killed. Miliband said the effort was going through a \"tough phase,\" but added that the British people understood the \"vital nature\" of the mission to stabilize Afghanistan. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been under under enormous pressure from his opposition, which charges that British troops don't have proper resources to fight the war, including helicopters. But he was sanguine. \"I think the British people will stay with this mission, because there is a clear strategy and a clear determination on behalf of the United States and other coalition members to see this through,\" he said, adding that the British people understood the mission's \"vital nature.\" Americans, too, have questioned whether the war in Afghanistan is winnable and worth the effort. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and members of Congress, including Democrats, have predicted that President Obama has a year to show progress in Afghanistan before public support for the war further erodes. Clinton said Britain and the United States \"have made significant gains in the recent operations\" against the Taliban, but \"there remains much work to be done.\" \"We know that this is a challenge that is not going to be easily resolved in a short period of time,\" she said, adding \"both of our countries are still threatened by the same enemy, an enemy that has attacked London, New York and Washington.\" \"We know they've attacked us in the past, and, unfortunately, we know that they plot against us even today,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "July deadliest month for U.S., British forces in Afghanistan since '01 invasion .\n\"We will work it through together,\" British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says .\nMiliband calls for Afghan government to reconcile with moderate Taliban elements .\nU.S. official: Boosting the training of Afghan forces will be a big focus ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Scotland's Susan Boyle gives new meaning to the term \"overnight sensation.\" The \"Britain's Got Talent\" contestant was expected to be something of a joke when she first sauntered on stage, but she absolutely wowed the audience, the judges -- and then the world via the Internet -- with her stunning rendition of \"I Dreamed a Dream.\" Along with Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden is a judge on \"Britain's Got Talent.\" But like others who stumble upon sudden fame, she found the pressure and scrutiny to be overwhelming. \"Talent\" judge Amanda Holden and Dr. Drew Pinsky of VH1's \"Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew\" joined CNN's Larry King Tuesday night to discuss Boyle's hospitalization for stress and the toll the spotlight and media criticism might have taken on her mental health. They also discussed whether Boyle will develop the emotional stamina for a high-pressure singing career. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity: . Larry King: What do we know right now? Amanda Holden: Basically, we've spoken to Susan's brother. He, in fact, spoke on [CBS' \"The Early Show\"] this morning to say that his sister was very keen to come home as soon as she possibly could and that she was resting up in a clinic in London and that she was very much looking forward to coming out and seeing what was available to her when she felt better. King: Is the show, Amanda, paying for the hospital bills and are they taking care of her? Holden: I have no idea if they're paying the hospital bills. I would imagine that they are. We're a very loyal show. We love Susan very much. In fact, all the contestants that appear on our show are extraordinarily well looked after. King: Your fellow judge, Piers Morgan, has said that there was talk of taking her off the show because of all the pressures on her. Were you involved? Were there any discussions like that? Holden: I wasn't involved in any discussions like that. And I think Piers has a slightly closer relationship with her. ... The only thing I'm worried about with Susan Boyle is that she seems to have a crush on Piers Morgan. ... I think that Piers kind of reassured her during the final that she was doing well and that she mustn't pay any kind of attention to the press and all the other stuff that was going . King: Despite all the tumult, there's no disputing that Susan sang her heart out during the finale of the competition. I know the dance troupe [Diversity] was terrific. But, frankly, why didn't she win? Holden: Honestly, I can't criticize the decision because it was the British public that voted in the end. I have no real idea, to be honest. I wonder whether it could be that Diversity was utterly fantastic on the show that night. They decimated the show. They really, really were amazing. And I just wonder whether maybe younger people voted and were quicker on the texts than the kind of people that were voting for Susan. But as I keep saying, if Susan is a loser, then surely she is the biggest and best loser that we have in the world. And coming second is no bad thing. Watch Amanda Holden discuss Susan Boyle » . King: She came in, though, [as] a small-town amateur singer, [with] learning disabilities due to suffering oxygen deprivation at birth. Some say the program exploited her and her vulnerabilities. Do you agree? Holden: I couldn't disagree more. You know, she's a grown woman who applied to come on a talent show. She enjoyed every second of every moment that I met her or saw her behind the scenes. She was very excited. She was very proud to be taking part in the show. I think the downturn in press in our country [Britain], I think, maybe stressed her out a little bit. And I think she was just quite upset about all the exaggerated stories and the kind of falsehoods that were being written about her. I think that everybody gets upset about bad press when you're in this business. And she's somebody that's gone from anonymity to [an] absolute worldwide phenomenon. King: Yes. Holden: So how is she expected to handle that? Nobody can handle that with the best will in the world. I've been in the business 15 years, and I'm still not media savvy. [Dr. Drew Pinsky joins the show] . King: What do you make of this Susan Boyle thing? Pinsky: The problem here is that here's a woman that's suddenly under the scrutiny of the spotlight who maybe has some developmental issues, who is under tremendous stress and [now] is in a psychiatric hospital. The question is, did the show harm her? King: Did it? Pinsky: It's hard to say. This is the first time these kind of experiences have really been undertaken by people. People that come out of nowhere all of a sudden are international superstars. King: Should we be, Amanda, concerned about that? Holden: First of all, I just want to say that Susan's brother said on British television this morning that, yes, Susan has experienced learning difficulties. But in actual fact, when she was at school, she did as well as any of her other siblings. But throughout her childhood, always before an exam or anything else, she always got quite anxious. [Before the show], she was feeling nervous. But she went out there and she nailed it. You know, she did the best performance that we've seen. And let's not forget, this is actually only the second or third time we've heard her sing. ... She is in a place where celebrities go when they are burnt out. Now, I am obviously not a doctor. I have no factual information to give to you. I can only say to you her brother ... has said she wants to come home within a matter of days, rather than weeks. Pinsky: That's excellent. King: Would you guess, Dr. Drew, that she still has a career in front of her? Wouldn't you bet she does? Pinsky: Oh, I bet she does, absolutely. And she will learn to become accustomed to this kind of stress, I am sure. But let's make sure she has the care she needs. And let's be sure that ... everybody that goes on shows like this has access to things that help them deal with the stress of these kinds of environments." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Amanda Holden: Boyle is \"a grown woman who applied to come on a talent show\"\nHolden believes negative press coverage stressed out the overnight sensation .\nThough Boyle was exceedingly nervous before finale, Holden says she \"nailed it\"\nDr. Drew Pinsky: Contestants on high-pressure shows should get help with stress ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Relatives and friends of a judge and court reporter killed in a 2005 shooting at Atlanta's Fulton County Courthouse took the stand Thursday in the penalty phase of the gunman's trial. Some wept as they spoke of how the deaths have affected their lives and of their continued struggles with sadness, fear and anger. Claudia Barnes, widow of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, recalled asking permission to hold her husband's hand one last time before his body was cremated. \"He and I held hands constantly for 13 years,\" she said. She remembered running her hands over the judge's face -- over the temple, where the bullet fired by escaped prisoner Brian Gene Nichols entered his head -- and over the judge's beard, which she always kept trimmed. \"I hope the love of my life did not suffer,\" Claudia Barnes said softly, reading from prepared notes. \"My faith in God has allowed me to remain sane. ... At times, it almost seems too much for me, but I try to do the best that I can.\" She said her life with the judge \"was not long enough.\" Nichols, 36, was convicted this month of 54 counts including capital murder. He overpowered Fulton County Deputy Cynthia Hall on March 11, 2005, as he was being led into Barnes' courtroom to face a second trial on rape charges. Nichols then took Hall's gun from a lockbox and fatally shot three people at the courthouse: Barnes, court reporter Julie Ann Brandau and Fulton County Deputy Sgt. Hoyt Teasley, who attempted to apprehend him outside the building. Nichols was also convicted of killing David Wilhelm, a federal customs agent, hours later at Wilhelm's home in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. Jurors heard victim impact statements Thursday as part of Nichols' penalty phase, in which they will decide whether he will receive the death penalty sought by prosecutors. As relatives of his victims spoke, Nichols appeared somber, with his eyes downcast, but showed no further emotion. \"Nothing anybody does will bring my daddy back,\" said an emotional Kiley Barnes, the judge's daughter. She said her father raised her from age 2 and \"made it his life's work to conquer becoming a single parent.\" She recalled her father asking her to bring him her Barbie doll and show him how to create pigtails on either side of her head, and said the judge once literally gave the shirt off his back to a man at a Christmas party after the man complimented him on it. She said her father shared his passion for the law with her, and she remembered how proud he was at her college graduation, as she was one step closer to becoming a lawyer. Kiley Barnes said she was hoping that after Nichols' conviction, she would feel better because justice had been done. \"Instead, I feel as heartbroken and as lonely as I did on March 11, 2005,\" she said. Brandau's daughter, Christina Scholte Greenway, was an 18-year-old college freshman at the time of the shootings. She told jurors her mother could not attend her graduation from college or nursing school or her wedding last month. \"My husband never got a chance to meet my mother,\" she said. \"I know in my heart that she would have loved him. ... I walked down the aisle wearing her veil.\" Brandau's sister, Trudy Brandau, said she lost the only remaining member of her immediate family. The two sisters had grown close after the deaths of another sister and both parents, she said. \"Julie's death changed everything in my life.\" Candee Wilhelm told jurors about her husband's death and how she was \"ripped in two\" when he was killed. \"David was simply the most wonderful person I will ever know,\" she said. Both she and sister-in-law Allison Wilhelm spoke of Russell, Wilhelm's mentally challenged brother, who was especially close to him. David Wilhelm planned to become his guardian when his parents grew too old to care for him, Allison Wilhelm said. Candee Wilhelm said she was adopted, and her husband helped her through the difficult process of locating her birth mother. The woman died in 2006, she said, but \"in a way, she was a gift from David.\" She remembered looking at her husband's body in the funeral home. \"As I stood there looking at this handsome man, bruised and battered from his murder, I remember thinking, 'This isn't my husband.' I touched his hand, his arm, his leg. David wasn't there anymore. I touched his hair. It was the only thing that really seemed familiar and real to me.\" Teasley's widow, Deborah, told jurors she had thought of the courthouse as a \"safe haven\" for her husband. \"I hate to think that he was dying outside on the street,\" she said of her husband. \"But the truth is, he was.\" She said her husband \"was and still is our hero. He was the love of my life, my husband and my friend.\" Deona Teasley said she was in the third grade when her father died. \"Why did someone do this to such a good person?\" she asked. \"He didn't deserve to die. He did not do anything wrong. ... We meant the world to him, and he meant the world to us.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Officer's daughter: \"He didn't deserve to die. He did not do anything wrong\"\n\"I hope the love of my life did not suffer,\" judge's wife says .\nJudge's daughter feels as \"heartbroken and as lonely\" as day father was shot .\nNichols could be sentenced to the death penalty ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The mayor of Portland, Oregon, publicly apologized Tuesday for lying about a sexual relationship he had with an 18-year-old male in 2005, and for asking the teen to lie about it. \"This was a serious error that happened about four years ago,\" Portland Mayor Sam Adams tells reporters. \"I want to apologize to the people of Portland for my dishonesty and for embarrassing them,\" Mayor Sam Adams, a Democrat, said at an afternoon news conference. But the mayor -- who is openly gay and whose election last year possibly made Portland the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor -- said he has no plans to resign. \"This was a serious error that happened about four years ago,\" Adams said. \"My job now is to come clean -- I mucked it up -- and to press forward.\" Adams returned to Portland from Washington, where he had planned to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama, to hold the news conference. A day earlier, Adams issued a statement saying: \"In the past, I have characterized my relationship with Beau Breedlove as purely nonsexual. That is not true. Beau Breedlove and I had a sexual relationship for a few months in the summer of 2005 after he turned 18 years of age.\" Adams issued the statement Monday after a local newspaper, the Willamette Week, published a story about the relationship between Adams, who was a city commissioner in 2005, and Breedlove, then a legislative intern. During the mayoral campaign, questions had emerged about whether Adams and Breedlove had a sexual relationship. Adams said he had lied about the relationship during the campaign, and had asked Breedlove to lie, because of \"untrue rumors being circulated saying that I had broken the law regarding sex relations with a minor.\" \"The allegation coming at me was 'sex with a minor,' \" Adams said. \"But still, I should have told the truth at the time and taken the consequences.\" The relationship was consensual and \"although inappropriate, was legal,\" Adams said. \"I'm the one that should be held accountable. I'm the older adult,\" he said. Adams was 42 and Breedlove was 17 when the two met, according to the Willamette newspaper. Adams emphasized that what he called a \"romantic\" relationship with Breedlove did not begin until after Breedlove was 18. Adams said the two had \"maybe three or four dates\" over two or three months in 2005 before the relationship ended. The mayor apologized to Breedlove for asking him to lie, and to Portland's gay community \"for embarrassing them.\" It was not clear whether Breedlove was in attendance at Tuesday's news conference. Adams said that \"this is fundamentally an issue of a public official lying.\" \"I don't think this fundamentally is an issue about sexual orientation,\" he said. \"Other people can debate that but, for me, it's about an error in judgment and then seeking to make amends for that and being very up-front about the mistake and then carrying on,\" he said. Asked by a reporter if he lied to get elected, Adams said: \"I definitely lied to avoid what I thought was another lie that I couldn't overcome. So, in a way, yes.\" Asked if he had thought he could get away with lying, Adams responded: \"I think that's going to be up to my colleagues and the people of Portland.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Portland Mayor Sam Adams says he has no plans to resign .\n\"I want to apologize\" for mistake, Adams says at news conference .\nAdams had affair with 18-year-old intern in 2005, then asked him to lie about it .\nAdams makes admission after newspaper reports relationship ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- For pro-surfers like nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, flying from continent to continent looking for the perfect wave seems like a freewheeling lifestyle, but for amateurs, it requires careful planning. Surfing champ Kelly Slater gains altitude at Hossegor, France, in 2002. Surfers checking out unique vibes at sites in Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii and France are driven by the buzz that comes from exhilarating swells, breaking waves and amazing barrel tubes created by truly awesome forces of nature. Unlike other travelers, surfers are interested in surfer-friendly places to crash, snagging the best airline rates for surfboards and where to hang out. Here's Slater's list of five great surfing meccas along with some hints about how to fully enjoy your search for the proverbial endless summer. See photos of Slater surfing his five great sites » . BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu, Hawaii . Event: Billabong Pipeline Masters, December 8 to December 20, 2009 . \"I grew up mesmerized by it, and it never lets you down,\" Slater said. \"It's just an amazing place to be and a wave that always challenges you.\" The vibe: Surfers compare this event to professional golf's Master's tournament. Since the 1950s and '60s, mobs of fans have traveled to view one of the sport's great venues to watch competing surfers. How to get there: To find this quarter-mile long treasure trove of breaking waves, drive southwest of Ehukai Beach Park along the Kamehameha Highway, about seven miles northeast of Haleiwa. During competition season -- in November and December -- visitors can soak up a lot of action on the beach, said Scott Bass, editor at Surfer Magazine. \"It's a unique spot because a large, crazy death-defying surf breaks only 100 yards from shore. It's very accessible as a viewer,\" said Bass. See map and more photos of Slater's surfing spots » . Where to stay: Keiki Beach Bungalows offers tourists the best of both worlds: proximity to the Pipeline and a break from the crowds. Located on the beach about a mile away from Pipeline, the quiet bungalows also provide convenient access to a shopping complex with food and coffee shops about a quarter mile away. One and two-bedroom cottages range from $145 to $220 per night, depending on length of stay. Searching for more elegant digs? Turtle Bay Resort offers hundreds of luxurious guest rooms, suites and cottages not far from Pipeline. On a budget? Less than an hour's drive away, campers can pitch near the Pacific at Barbers Point Beach Park. Where to hang out: Got something sweeter in mind? Matsumoto Shave Ice has become a Hawaiian institution during its 60 years, serving the namesake snow cones, candy and crack seed, an island snack of dried fruits. Where to get lunch: Locals will tell you that hanging out on the North Shore must include a stop at some of the island's tried and true mom and pop shops. Macky's Sweet Shrimp Truck is literally just that -- a brightly painted RV parked in a private lot. Macky's specializes in serving succulent shrimp, rice, fruit and veggies. CLOUDBREAK, Tavarua, Fiji . Best waves: April to October . \"One of the great surf discoveries ever,\" said Slater about Cloudbreak, the name given to a surfing reef about two miles off Fiji's island of Tavarua. The South Pacific waters off Fiji offer the perfect temperature and a \"really good swell window\" for timing waves, Slater said. \"The wave has so many different faces to it. It's challenging and perfect.\" The vibe: Exclusive. The Tavarua Resort on the island controls access to the reef. How to get there: Surfing Cloudbreak can cost you, both physically and monetarily because of its distance off the island and the expense of traveling to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Surfers get to the reef on local boats or jet-skis -- or by paddling on their boards, which will take a lot out of you. Where to stay/hang out: Options are very limited. Surfer tourists can expect to spend at least $200 per night at the island resort. SNAPPER ROCKS, Kirra, Australia . Event: Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast February 28 to March 11, 2009 . It's no secret that surfing is a national pastime in Australia, especially during pro-surfing competitions in February and March, when the weather is toasty warm and the water is aqua blue. How to get there: Arrive at the Gold Coast airport at Coolangatta or at the airport in Brisbane, which is about 68 miles (109 kilometers) to the north on the Pacific Motorway. The stretch of breaking waves between Snapper Rocks and Kirra is called the Superbank. The waves are \"perfect, hollow, fast,\" said Slater. Superbank's sandy-bottom, barrel point break makes it worthy of his list. \"On its day, it's the wave you would draw on your school books,\" he said. The vibe: The Gold Coast during competition season is similar to Spring Break in the United States, said Bass, a globetrotting surfer who has produced a documentary about the Vietnam War's surfing soldiers. Gold Coast spectators tend to be young, hip trendy, college-age surf fans. For tourists with wider interests, the scene includes a music festival and skateboard competition. Where to stay: Take your pick. There are plenty of hotels along the Gold Coast, ranging from upscale three or four-star destinations to modest beach motels. For $20 (Australian) you can grab a bunk bed in a backpacker hostel. At the posh Palazzo Versace, you can spend thousands of dollars for one night's lodging. Apartments near the shore run from $80 to $250 Australian per night. Book early if possible. TEAHUPOO, Tahiti . Event: Billabong Pro Teahupoo May 9 to May 20, 2009 . Cloudbreak's remoteness is matched by Tahiti's Teahupoo, which is described by Slater as \"one of the most challenging waves and confronting waves in the world.\" When negotiating Teahupoo's South Pacific monster waves, said Slater, \"Just make a decision and follow it. No second guessing.\" The vibe: Teahupoo is very exclusive and expensive, according to Bass. \"It's a grand spectacle along the same lines as the Pipeline, just not as accessible.\" How to get there: You might have to pay a boater for transportation to the wave, which is about a quarter mile off shore, said Bass. Where to stay/hang out: Small pensions,homes that island residents rent to tourists, are the way to go in Tahiti, said Bass. Hiti Moana Villa offers bungalows for $110 to $160 per night. HOSSEGOR, France . Event: Quiksilver Pro France September 23 to October 4, 2009 . For nonsurfers, Hossegor is a big secret. \"People don't realize how good the surf is there but it's incredible very often,\" said Slater. The elbow-shaped Bay of Biscay near the French-Spanish border offers \"lots of swell and good weather that Ireland and England don't get.\" The vibe: More waves, more surfing, less competition. The Hossegor area offers many fine beach breaks that result in abundant waves. These \"peaky\" beach breaks democratize the surfing experience. With more good waves, there's less jockeying among surfers for position. During most of the year, surfers will need to wear a wet suit. The Bay of Biscay is really cold. Where to hang out: The area has great food, according to Slater, and, \"Spain is just right next door for something different.\" Across the Spanish border, surfers can discover crashing waves along the shore of San Sebastian, the town made famous in Hemingway's \"The Sun Also Rises.\" Continue down the coast to experience amazing waves off the Spanish towns of Zarautz and Mendexa. There, surfers will discover a pure point break, with waves breaking off cobblestone rocks on the ocean floor. Where to stay: All along the coast are dozens of beach hostels offering low-cost lodging. Also, there's camping in the area, if you feel like really roughing it. The Hortensias du Lac hotel offers rooms from €170 to €220 per night. How to get there: From Paris, drive about 6 hours southwest to Bordeaux and then drive about 2 hours south to Hossegor. By train from Paris takes about 6 hours and costs about $130. TOTING YOUR BOARD . The relationship between surfers and their boards is close. Sometimes very close. Many surfers feel their boards are like a physical part of them. As a result, they accept no substitutes -- or rentals. They bring their boards. Traveling with a 9-foot, 70-pound piece of sporting equipment can be expensive. Several airlines hit surfboard-toting travelers with stiff fees, sometimes hundreds of dollars. But a few carriers will allow surfboards to be checked as baggage free, within certain guidelines. Here's a quick list of policies among major airlines for travel with surfboards as checked baggage: . American Airlines charges a special handling fee. British Airways bans surfboards as checked baggage. Delta Airlines charges a special handling fee. Singapore Airlines offers free baggage check for surfboards within certain guidelines. Otherwise, travelers are charged a handling fee. United Airlines charges a special handling fee. Virgin Atlantic offers free baggage checking within certain guidelines. CNN's David Banks, a lifelong surfer, contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pro-surfing champ Kelly Slater likes Australia, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii and France .\nFiji's Cloudbreak wave is \"one of the great surf discoveries ever,\" said Slater .\nThe vibe at primo spots varies from Spring Break-like to exclusive .\nAirline surfboard baggage policies range from free to pricey ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- And now, the rejects. The photographs show the Boeing VC-25 making a steep bank not usually seen with passenger aircraft . Three months after the White House released a single photograph taken during a photo op of \"Air Force One\" flying over New York -- a flight that caused panic on the streets below -- the U.S. Air Force on Friday released the remaining 145 photos taken during the flight. The photographs show the Boeing VC-25 -- a military version of a 747 -- making three passes by the Statue of Liberty, at one point accompanied by an F-16 fighter jet and at another point making a steep bank not usually seen with passenger aircraft. That latter move may have contributed to the chaos below. The photographs and several lengthy government e-mail chains were released in response to Freedom of Information Act requests by CNN and other news organizations. The e-mail chains show that the flight's government organizers were aware of many New Yorkers' fears of low-flying aircraft before the April 27 flight, and show a flurry of second-guessing, finger-pointing, damage control and occasional expressions of regret in the hours immediately after the flight. Watch a compilation of still images of the flyover » . \"Thanks for the heads up on sensitivities in the New York area,\" an Air Force colonel wrote in an e-mail two days before the flight. \"This is an issue that PAG [the Presidential Airlift Group] has also been concerned with. As a result, their coordination has been substantial.\" But while the White House, the military and numerous federal and local government agencies coordinated the flight, the federal government demanded secrecy, preparing a news release that was to be distributed only if there were media inquiries. Those inquiries came during the morning flight, triggering a quick chain of e-mails among government officials. \"We...need to construct some sort of timeline on when folks became aware of it if that is possible,\" one Air Force official wrote, responding to the public interest. \"I agree we... need to accomplish damage control, but we aren't the POC [point of contact],\" the response reads. \"Nor do I want to become a belly button for NORAD to push on this one.\" Wrote one top Pentagon spokeswoman: \"Nothing like having everyone point the finger at someone else so we ALL look like a big bunch of buffoons... can you say Moe, Larry & Curly!??!?!\" In addition to the informal e-mail banter, the documents show the regimented system the Pentagon uses to monitor and respond to breaking news stories. A U.S. Northern Command document offers this \"assessment\" of the story: \"Last 4 hours: Story reported quickly. Covered by AP, CNN, FOX major news outlets. Local reporting very critical, highlighting 'scare' factor. Local populace very critical of event, due to 9-11 sensitivities.\" It continues: \"Web site blog comments 'furious' at best. Twitter search reveals 'tweets' regarding two F-16's chasing commercial airliner. Rate of 1 tweet per minute and growing.\" \"No positive spin is possible. Admit mistake,\" it concludes. In another e-mail, USAF Col. Scott M. Turner, commander of the Presidential Airlift Group, was doing just that. \"Again, my apologies sir. Real intent here was to honor NYC, not cause mass chaos,\" it reads. The next day, the Northern Command's internal memo included depictions of New York's three major tabloids featuring the headlines, \"Scare Force One,\" \"Just Plane Stupid!\" and \"How Dumb Was This!\" The photographs released Friday, meanwhile, show the presidential aircraft making a steep bank, seemingly well beyond the 30-degree maximum for Boeing 747s carrying passengers, according to one airline pilot consulted by CNN. That may have contributed to the anxiety on the ground. The Pentagon estimated the cost of the flight at $328,835, which includes the Boeing aircraft and the two fighter jets that accompanied it. But, they said, \"the hours would have been flown regardless, and the expenses would have been accrued on a different mission.\" The VC-25 aircraft is designated \"Air Force One\" only when the president is aboard. President Obama was not on the plane during the photo op. After the incident, Louis Caldera, the director of the White House Military Office responsible for the flyover, resigned. \"I have concluded that the controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group's aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible for me to effectively lead the White House Military Office,\" Caldera said in a letter to Obama. \"Moreover, it has become a distraction to the important work you are doing as president. After much reflection, I believe it is incumbent on me to tender my resignation and step down as director of the White House Military Office.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Presidential plane's flight over New York led to panic on ground .\nAir Force releases 145 new photos of flight; 1 had been released previously .\nGovernment e-mail chains from day of flight also released .\n\"No positive spin is possible. Admit mistake,\" says one ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- A man accused of entering New York's LaGuardia Airport with a bag containing wires and batteries, sparking suspicion and leading to a large-scale evacuation, was ordered Saturday to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, a prosecutor said. LaGuardia Airport's Central Terminal is being treated as a crime scene. Scott McGann, 32, appeared in court after authorities said he walked into LaGuardia's Central Terminal Saturday morning with what was determined to be a fake bomb. The terminal was reopened after several hours. Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said McGann was charged with placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the first degree; placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in a transportation facility; and making terrorist threats. McGann appeared in court Saturday, but his arraignment was postponed, Brown said. McGann is being held without bail. \"The defendant is clearly a very troubled young man,\" Brown said. \"As a result, the Court has directed that he be examined to determine whether he has the capacity to understand the proceedings against him and assist in his defense.\" Earlier, officials said McGann wouldn't speak to his lawyer or anyone else. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday. McGann allegedly arrived at a checkpoint in the terminal at about 4:50 a.m., carrying a backpack and refusing to answer security questions. Authorities said the officer at the checkpoint was informed that a suspicious package was attached to the bottom of McGann's backpack, and that McGann allegedly grabbed what appeared to be a trigger device with a red button connected to the backpack. McGann allegedly pressed the button several times before a Port Authority officer grabbed the trigger and the package away from him. The package turned out to be a device consisting of batteries, cylinders and electronic components that could have been used to make a bomb, Brown said, but the bomb squad found that it didn't not contain any explosives. McGann had a ticket on a United Airlines flight to Chicago and a seat on two other connecting flights with his final destination Oakland, California, according to a law enforcement official close to the investigation. Watch passengers talk about the confusion » . McGann has three prior arrests in the New York area, the source told CNN. The most recent involved June charges of tampering with evidence and resisting arrest. He was also arrested twice in 2008, the source said. Port Authority spokesman John Kelly said McGann \"was just acting crazy.\" The arresting officers described McGann to Kelly as \"extremely disheveled and dirty,\" in a \"near catatonic state\" and \"staring off into space,\" Kelly said. McGann had been homeless for at least a year. Authorities evacuated the terminal after 5:20 a.m., and allowed passengers back in to all areas except Concourse C by midmorning, Kelly said. The concourse was reopened shortly before 11 a.m., according to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Holly Baker. Watch the chaotic evacuation scene » . Authorities had stopped flights from taking off or landing at the airport, but by a little after 9 a.m., flights resumed, Baker said. Central Terminal is one of four terminals in the airport, which is in the borough of Queens. It is about eight miles from Manhattan. The incident disrupted travel plans for many passengers, and caused American Airlines to cancel 16 flights, said an airline spokesperson. American Eagle, Continental Airlines and Southwest also reported delays. iReport: Watch crowds start moving back into the terminal . CNN i-Reporter Jose Ojeda, 24, had been sitting on the tarmac on a plane headed to Chicago, Illinois, when the evacuation was ordered. \"We were all ready to go,\" Ojeda, of Bronx, New York, said of his flight, which he said had been scheduled to leave at 6:10 a.m. \"They didn't make any announcement other than, 'You need to evacuate,'\" he said. \"I thought it was standard procedure, but then once we got out of the plane, they kept pushing us back and back, out of the terminal out of the actual airport.\" CNN's Chuck Johnston, Aspen Steib, Ross Levitt, Laurie Segall and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suspect must undergo psychiatric evaluation before court appearance .\nScott McGann, 32, of New York, faces 3 charges, including making terrorist threats .\nMan had bag stuffed with wires and batteries, appeared intoxicated, official says .\nFlights resume at busy LaGuardia Airport after evacuation ends ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Hoboken, New Jersey, Mayor Peter Cammarano III -- one of dozens of politicians and rabbis arrested last week in a corruption scandal -- has resigned, the city attorney said Friday. Hoboken, New Jersey, Mayor Peter Cammarano III is accused of taking thousands of dollars in bribes. Steve Kleinman said City Council President Dawn Zimmer will be sworn in immediately as acting mayor. He said Cammarano's letter of resignation, delivered to the city clerk at 9:15 a.m., said his resignation would be effective at noon Friday. The Democratic Hoboken mayor was one of 44 people arrested in last week's federal corruption probe. In his letter to the city clerk, Cammarano, 32, denied all criminal wrongdoing, but said the charges have disrupted the city government and his ability to perform mayoral duties. \"It had been my hope and expectation that I could remain in office and perform my official duties until I had the opportunity to resolve the legal charges against me in court,\" he wrote. \"Regrettably, it has turned out that the controversy surrounding the charges against me has become a distraction to me and an impediment to functioning of Hoboken government.\" He apologized to Hoboken residents for the \"disruption and disappointment\" the case has caused, but said, \"I am innocent of any criminal charges and I intend to fight the allegations against me.\" Authorities said that 29 public officials and associates took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, and that 15 people -- including five rabbis -- engaged in money laundering. Read about some linked to investigation » . One of the federal complaints alleges that Cammarano took about $25,000 in bribes from a government witness posing as a real estate developer. Dennis Elwell, 64, the Democratic mayor of Secaucus, in northern New Jersey, resigned Tuesday after being charged with accepting $10,000 from a confidential informant. Elwell's attorney, Thomas Cammarata, said the mayor had decided that resigning was in the best interest of his family and the people of Secaucus, but was not an admission of guilt. \"Dennis pleaded not guilty to the charges, is presumed innocent and will vigorously defend the unproven allegations made against him,\" the attorney said. Other city leaders arrested include Anthony Suarez, 42, the Democratic mayor of Ridgefield, New Jersey, and Leona Beldini, 74, the Democratic deputy mayor of Jersey City, prosecutors said. Earlier this week, Democrats L. Harvey Smith and Daniel Van Pelt -- two members of the New Jersey State Assembly who were among the officials arrested in the probe -- were stripped of their legislative pay and benefits, Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. announced. When the arrests were announced July 23, prosecutors said investigators had searched about 20 locations in New Jersey and New York to recover \"large sums of cash and other evidence of criminal conduct,\" and executed 28 seizure warrants against bank accounts that they believe were involved in laundering money." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoboken, New Jersey, Mayor Peter Cammarano III steps down in wake of scandal .\nCammarano, one of 44 arrested in corruption probe, accused of taking bribes .\nSecaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell resigned earlier after being linked to investigation .\nBoth maintain their innocence, saying stepping down is not admission of guilt ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- For most people, Post-it Notes are disposable, ordinary office papers used for note-taking and reminders. But for 19-year-old David Alvarez of Leavenworth, Washington, they were the perfect medium for a 10-foot-tall mosaic depicting Ray Charles. David Alvarez, right, made this 10-foot-tall mosaic of Ray Charles using Post-it Notes. Using more than 2,000 of those ubiquitous brightly-colored sticky scraps, Alvarez composed a three-dimensional representation of the famous musician. The piece has just gone on display at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Washington, where Alvarez is in his second year of studies. \"It's something so simple. You can still see the flaps sticking out on some of them,\" he said. \"Naturally the Post-it Note just sort of flaps out.\" While learning new techniques in Adobe Photoshop in a class, he experimented with taking a photograph of Ray Charles and making it look like a mosaic on the computer screen. He then translated this idea into the Post-it work. He spent three months constructing the mosaic, sometimes sacrificing schoolwork for his art. At least one of his papers for his summer English courses suffered, but he persevered so that he could participate in an art show July 28 at the Stanley Civic Center in Wenatchee. Originally, the Post-it Notes stayed in this unique format only by virtue of their manufactured stickiness, which does not hold up as well as glue, Alvarez found. When he displayed his work at the show, he monitored the project for 14 hours, continuously replacing notes that were falling off. The aspiring art teacher now uses glue to hold the notes in place. For his next project, he is considering a mosaic using 4-inch x 4-inch notes, up from the 3-inch x 3-inch size used in the Ray Charles piece. \"Part of me wants to, part of me doesn't,\" he said. \"It was so hard to align. It took a lot of time and patience.\" E-mail to a friend ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "David Alvarez makes mosaic with more than 2,000 Post-it Notes .\nMosaic on display at Wenatchee Valley College, Washington .\nArtist wants to teach art ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Piracy is expected to pick up in the high seas off Somalia after a lull caused by monsoon season, maritime officials warned Monday. Suspected Somali pirates sit behind bars during the first hearing in their trial at Aden port court on July 15. The Combined Maritime Forces urged crews to take up safety measures, including using recognized transit corridors in the Gulf of Aden and reporting to the European Union's security center before transit. \"The prior preparation and vigilance of merchant mariners at all times of day and night is more important now than ever,\" said Rear Admiral Caner Bener of the Combined Task Force. International forces made up of more than 30 ships and aircraft from 16 nations will continue patrolling the waters to help fight pirates, according to officials. \"While our ability to deter and disrupt attacks has improved over time, we are constantly adapting the way we do our business as the pirates adapt and modify their tactics,\" Bener said. The waters off Somalia are rife with pirate activity, despite increased measures by military forces and shipping companies to ward off attacks. Heavily armed pirates have struck the busy Indian Ocean shipping lanes and the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. They have captured dozens of vessels and hundreds of hostages, making off with millions of dollars in ransom. It was unclear whether a ransom was paid. The Gulf of Aden, off northern Somalia, has the highest risk of piracy in the world." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Earlier this month Somali pirates release German ship held since May .\nIts crew was unharmed, NATO says .\nGulf of Aden, off northern Somalia, has the highest risk of piracy in the world ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- One man's trash is another man's mystery. Nick DiMola holds what he believes are about 60 artifacts and pieces of artifacts from Mexico. Five years ago, Nick DiMola's rubbish removal company was hired to clean out a Manhattan apartment following the death of the owner, abstract artist Clinton Hill. The contents of a barrel that DiMola salvaged from the trash then has today raised a series of questions. What DiMola holds are about 60 artifacts and pieces of artifacts that he thinks are from Mexico, dating to between 300 B.C. and 500 A.D. The mystery, which the Mexican Consulate in New York is trying to solve, is twofold: How much are the artifacts worth? And, if authentic, whom do they belong to? DiMola first saw the collection of pottery and figurines while cleaning Hill's apartment in 2004. He stored the barrel in his warehouse instead of disposing of it, then promptly forgot about it. Last week, DiMola rediscovered the pieces, only this time he told the New York Daily News about what he had found, announcing that he would sell them. That caught the attention of the Mexican government, which is studying the origins of the items and has claimed them. Now, DiMola wants to donate his find, but not necessarily to Mexico, he told CNN. The Queens native was excited about his discovery when he allowed representatives from the Mexican Cultural Institute to examine and photograph nearly all the pieces, DiMola said. His curiosity about them was growing, and he was expecting an appraisal from the government officials. What he got instead was a heads-up about a possible petition to return the entire collection to Mexico. \"My reaction is that that is not very diplomatic,\" DiMola said. \"It's a blow to the jaw.\" Ruben Beltran, Mexico's consul general in New York, was not available for comment Tuesday. However in an interview with the U.S.-based Spanish-language TV network Telemundo, he said that if the pieces are part of Mexican culture, the government will try to get them back. But as of now, no one is certain what the pieces are. Howard Nowes, an ancient art dealer who does appraisals, examined a handful of the pieces that DiMola holds. Nowes told CNN he saw a mix of authentic and non-authentic pre-Columbian pieces, which he valued at $3,000. The pieces were broken and weren't very artistic, he said, adding \"from what I can see, it was mostly junk.\" Unfazed, DiMola thinks all the pieces probably are worth more than $16,000 total, he said. \"Something like this, you can't put a price on, because I may have a figure that no one has seen before,\" DiMola said. \"There's a big value in these pieces.\" The Mexican government isn't taking any chances, and is conducting its own research into the authenticity and significance of the pieces. Museums in Houston, Texas; San Francisco, California and Washington, D.C., have expressed interest in the pieces as well, DiMola said. He said he'd like to donate the artifacts to museums across the country, and some to the Mexican Cultural Institute at the Mexican Consulate in New York City, but that could change if Mexico uses international law to claim the items. The foundation that hired DiMola to clean the house is unlikely to try to reclaim the pieces, said John Koegel, the attorney who handled Hill's estate. When Hill died, he left all his possessions to his lifelong partner, Allen Tran, Koegel told CNN. In turn, Tran bequeathed all of Hill's possessions to a foundation \"to carry out his artistic legacy,\" he said. Hill had some pieces from Mexico in his apartment that were cataloged, but the artist had no strong connection to the country, Koegel said. For DiMola, all the fuss stems from a simple truth. \"Sometimes you find things that are good and salvageable in the trash,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nick DiMola finds Mexican artifacts worth thousands in trash barrel .\nBarrel belonged to deceased abstract artist Clinton Hill .\nMexican government claims it owns artifacts, seeks their return .\nDiMola says he wants to donate artifacts to museums across U.S." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Two of Turkey's main political parties are pushing for a constitutional amendment to lift bans on headscarves at public universities, a move that has caused concern among Turkey's secular population. The lifting of the ban on headscarves has caused concern among Turkey's secular population. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated the move, saying it would create equality in Turkey's higher education. The constitutional commission will discuss the proposal -- submitted by the AKP and MHP parties -- in the coming days before sending it to the floor for a vote. If approved, it would need President Abdullah Gul's approval, which is expected. Under the proposal, veils, burqas or chaddors -- all of which cover a woman's face -- would not be allowed. Bans on headcoverings were imposed in the early 1980s by Turkey's universities because they were seen as political symbols and conflicted with Turkey's secular governing system. The proposal to change Turkey's constitution sent chills through Turkey's secular population. Women's groups went to parliament Tuesday to voice their rejection. \"This is a direct threat to the republic and its foundations,\" said Deniz Baykal, leader of Turkey's main secular party, CHP. Another CHP lawmaker said she fears that if the proposal is enacted, parents will feel pressure to have their daughters wear headscarves, even in elementary school. Mustafa Akaydin, head of Turkey's Higher Education Commission, is against the proposal. He said that allowing headscarves would be a rejection of Turkey's secular system of government. \"It is an attempt to create a counterrevolution,\" Akaydin said. \"It will be a breaking point.\" He said a majority of female high school students at one school were wearing headscarves during last weekend's entry exams -- a rarity in Turkish schools. The Higher Education Commission will meet Friday in Ankara to discuss the proposed changes. E-mail to a friend ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Turkey's ruling party agrees to lift ban on head scarves in universities .\nBan introduced after military coup in 1980 as seen as a sign of religion .\nTurkey is a secular nation but its population is mainly Muslim .\nProposal has brought protests among the secular population ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(Entertainment Weekly) -- Jaden Smith is getting a small taste of what it's like to walk in dad Will's action-blockbuster shoes. Keanu Reeves stars in the remake of the 1951 sci-fi flick \"The Day the Earth Stood Still.\" As expected, the remake of the 1951 sci-fi flick starring Keanu Reeves easily replaced \"Four Christmases\" atop the box office leader board with an opening weekend gross of $31 million, according to Sunday's estimates. Despite mediocre reviews, the film held fairly steady throughout the weekend, falling slightly shy of our $36 million estimate. The Vince Vaughn-Reese Witherspoon yuletide comedy came in second with $13.3 million, bringing its three-week total to just under $88 million, while \"Twilight\" faded to the third spot during its fourth week with just over $8 million. The teen vampire romance managed to reach one milestone, however, grossing a total of $150 million -- the amount director Catherine Hardwicke surmised the movie would have to suck in for sequel \"New Moon\" to get the go ahead. Obviously, Summit executives saw the writing on the wall weeks ago and have hired Chris Weitz (\"About a Boy,\" \"American Pie\") to direct next fall's follow-up. Rounding out the top five are Disney's doggie flick \"Bolt\" with $7.5 million and Baz Luhrmann's underperforming \"Australia\" with $4.3 million. The weekend's other new major release -- \"Nothing Like the Holidays,\" starring John Leguizamo and Debra Messing -- got coal in its stocking with a measly $3.5 million during its first weekend. Also of note is the Clint Eastwood-starring \"Gran Torino\" (rumored to be the actor-director's last turn in front of the camera). Although it opened in only six theaters (three in New York, three in L.A.), the film scored the best per screen average, $47,333, with a gross of only $284,000. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Day the Earth Stood Still\" debuted with a weekend gross of $31 million .\nThe yuletide comedy \"Four Christmases\" slipped to second with $13.3 million .\nTeen vampire romance \"Twilight\" reached a gross total of $150 million ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's personal chef Kai Chase says June 25 was shaping up as another typical day in the superstar's usually peaceful and orderly home until an urgent plea from Jackson's personal doctor sent panic sweeping through the household. Michael Jackson's personal chef Kai Chase appeared on CNN's \"Larry King Live\" Thursday night. In an interview with CNN's Larry King that aired Thursday night, Chase described the chaotic events that fateful day and what life was like inside the Jackson family before the singer's shocking death. Chase said she was downstairs preparing lunch for Jackson -- being sure to wrap it in Saran wrap because the singer liked his meals served room-service style -- when Dr. Conrad Murray called out for her. Murray is the central focus of a federal investigation into the singer's death, a law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday. Around noon or a little after, Chase said, \"Dr. Murray comes down the stairs. There was a stairwell that leads into the kitchen. And he's screaming: Hurry! Go get Prince. Call security. Get Prince.\" Chase said she quickly got Jackson's oldest son. \"Within minutes, the paramedics are there. And the security is running upstairs, skipping stairs and all of a sudden we're all, you know, panicked,\" Chase told King. \"So the energy in the house had just kind of changed from that happy kind of day that we were having and preparing lunch and having a good time to just kind of eerie.\" Watch Chase's interview with Larry King » . Chase said Jackson's daughter, Paris, started crying and calling out for her father as people in the home came to realize how serious the medical situation was. \"We started crying and we all come together in unity in a circle and we started holding hands. And we started praying,\" Chase said. The chef said she was not allowed into the upstairs quarters of the home, but she had seen Michael Jackson downstairs on Wednesday, June 24. Nothing she saw the day before cause her alarm. \"He ate lunch with his children at the dinner table. And then I packed ... his dinner for him to go to his rehearsal. He seemed like he was just, you know, tired,\" Chase said. She attributed the way he felt to his long rehearsals. Chase said Jackson did complain once about his demanding schedule. \"The third day I was there, when I came back, he had told me, 'You know, they're killing me. They're killing me because I'm working too much. I'm rehearsing too much.' \" Between 1 and 1:30 p.m. June 25, Chase said security asked her to leave the home, and she never saw Michael Jackson being transported to the hospital. She didn't learn of Jackson's death until later that day on the radio. Chase said that Murray was in the house often in June and she attributed the doctor's frequent presence to Jackson's rigorous rehearsal schedule for an upcoming series of concerts in London, England. Search warrants filed Thursday in court in Clark County, Nevada, and carried out at Murray's offices imply that investigators looking into his death believe the singer was a drug addict. In his interview with Chase, King pressed for details of evidence of drug use by Jackson: . King: Did you notice oxygen tanks, because if it was Diprivan and they have to measure ... your blood pressure? They also need oxygen tanks if you're giving that drug. Did you notice them? Chase: I saw the oxygen tanks, yes. King: Where were they? Chase: I would see Dr. Murray carrying the oxygen tanks down in the mornings. King: On that morning or other mornings? Chase: No. I didn't see him that morning. I saw him in the afternoon, but other mornings. King: He would carry them down? Chase: Carry them down. King: They were portable oxygen tanks? Chase: Yes. Chase said she just recently learned the warrants to search Murray's offices cited her name as a suspected alias for Michael Jackson. \"I was just made aware of that from my publicist. I think that is ... appalling. I have no clue what that is about,\" Chase said. She said detectives came to her home right after the death but did not ask her about her name being on any prescriptions. \"I don't know what make of it,\" Chase told King. Chase, who said she's been a professional chef for about 14 years, said she's seen the Jackson children since June 25. \"They're doing great. And I saw them a couple of weeks ago,\" she said. \"And they look great and they're playing with their cousins and having a good time.\" Chase said she was first employed by Jackson in March but was let go. She said Jackson asked her to come back to their California residence in June and that the children were happy about her return. She said the children gave her a \"box of happiness\" on return that contained little gifts and letters. One of them read in part: . \"Dear Kai, thank you for the gifts and the gumbo. I hope you enjoy the gift. I think you'll like it. Love, Prince Jackson.\" Chase said she said no evidence that Michael Jackson was a poor eater. In fact, she said just the opposite was true from her observations. \"He ate very well,\" she said. \"He ate organic and fresh. He [was] into the health foods and juices and things of that nature.\" Chase briefly addressed other subjects: . • On Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother: \"I saw the interaction with them when I went to the home. ... They love their grandma, you know. It's a beautiful bond that they have together.\" • On Jackson's ex-wife having visitation rights to her children: \"I think Debbie Rowe should see and raise her children.\" • On Jackson's planned London shows: \"We started talking about bringing, you know, video games and stuff to the private jet. And it was just, you know, he was very excited about going on this -- doing this tour. This is his comeback.\" Life in the Jackson household -- from Chase's account -- was a loving and cheerful one and that he loved his three children. \"You know, I would bring ... the lunches and set them on the table and they'd all come in and sit, close the door and they'd dine privately. And you would just hear laughter and story-telling and just beautiful things. Those were his babies.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kai Chase served as Michael Jackson's personal chef, said he ate well .\nShe says she and Jackson children held hands, cried, prayed during health crisis .\nChase says she saw Dr. Conrad Murray bring oxygen tanks into Jackson household .\nLife in the Jackson household was orderly and loving, the chef observes ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(Budget Travel) -- Prohibition-style bars and speakeasies have been popping up all over, but these lounges go beyond the gimmicks in their near obsessive devotion to the art of old-time cocktails and decor. The perpetually packed Beehive in Boston is known for its Beehive julep and champagne cocktails. The Edison, Los Angeles, California . The 1920s scene at legendary watering holes like the Cocoanut Grove and Ciro's of Hollywood inspired this cavernous lounge, where current industry players mingle in their best vintage cocktail dresses and blazers. The Edison is in the basement of a former power plant; leather furniture surrounds preserved industrial elements like furnaces and power generators. Silent movies play on brick walls, and a circus troupe performs weekly. On Soup Kitchen Fridays, drinks mixed from house-made Bath Tub Gin are 35 cents from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and come with free grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. edisondowntown.com. The Violet Hour, Chicago, Illinois . Luxurious floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains create intimate spaces inside the Violet Hour, discreetly hidden behind an unmarked, wood-paneled door. Circles of high-backed leather chairs and the warm glow from crystal chandeliers and working fireplaces encourage conversation. So does a strict no-cell-phones policy. Eight kinds of ice -- shards, crushed and cubes of varying shapes -- are tailored to specific drinks, which gives an idea of how seriously this bar takes its cocktails. A favorite is the Juliet and Romeo, Beefeater gin with mint, cucumber and rosewater ($12). theviolethour.com. Budget Travel gallery: See the bars . APO Bar + Lounge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Look for the pharmacy cross marking the entrance to APO, short for apothecary -- a place where ingredients like gin and bitters were put to medicinal use way before the cocktail was born. Inside the sleek, green-hued lounge, barkeeps sporting '30s-style suits serve cocktails spruced up with creative, unusual ingredients. The Booty Collins, for instance, is green-tea-infused gin with brandied cherries, passion fruit and homemade seltzer, finished with agave nectar, cayenne pepper and fresh valerian root ($10). The bar recently introduced a simpler recession-proof menu of $6 drinks that lose the exotic accents and just mix fine spirits with fresh fruit juices. apothecarylounge.com. Flatiron Lounge, New York City . In a landmark 1900 building in Manhattan's Flatiron District, this lounge evokes jazz-age glamour with velvet bar stools, red circular booths and an entire wall covered in blue vintage mirrored-glass tiles. The anchor is the 1927 mahogany bar salvaged from The Ballroom, where Frank Sinatra partied. Painstakingly crafted drinks range from fresh-fruit-infused cocktails ($13) to daily martini flights -- three mini cocktails with a common theme, such as the Flight Back in Time, featuring a Sazerac, a Sidecar and an Aviation martini ($22). flatironlounge.com. The Beehive, Boston, Massachusetts . Named for a Paris café des artistes that once hosted artists Marc Chagall and Amadeo Modigliani, this Moulin Rouge-esque supper club presents jazz, cabaret and burlesque performances on a shimmering stage draped with theatrical red-velvet curtains. At round stage-side tables, diners feast on stick-to-your-ribs comfort food like gravy-smothered poutine. Chandeliers hang among exposed pipes over the perpetually packed bar, known for champagne cocktails and Beehive juleps ($10.50). beehiveboston.com. Velvet Tango Room, Cleveland, Ohio . This funky 1800s brick house was a speakeasy during the '20s, and it feels like not much has changed since then, as evidenced by the well-used jazz piano and the secret room hidden behind a two-way mirror. Bartenders measure ingredients on scales to ensure exact proportions go into cocktails ($15) made with throwback mixers like frothy egg whites, fresh-brewed bitters and homemade ginger soda. velvettangoroom.com. Illusions Magic Bar, Baltimore, Maryland . With custom-made chandeliers above the cherry wood bar and jazz and swing played on the piano, Illusions gives the impression of being like any other roaring '20s-themed jazz club. Not so on Friday and Saturday evenings, when the stage -- cut into the middle of the bar -- hosts a one-hour vaudeville-style magic show ($5 cover). House magician Spencer Horsman escapes from a straitjacket while hanging upside down from the ceiling, a feat best appreciated while sipping a multilayered \"magic\" martini of Hpnotiq liqueur, Stoli raspberry vodka, pineapple juice and Chambord ($12). The low-key second-floor lounge has leather sofas and retro magician posters that go nicely with Magic Hat beers ($3). illusionsmagicbar.com. Shanghai 1930, San Francisco, California . China's largest metropolis was known as the Paris of the Orient during the pre-WWII era, when diplomats, artists and expats mingled at over-the-top Chinese dining palaces. That decadent ambience is re-created at this supper club, which has dark wood booths, art deco red-velvet chairs and ornate Chinese rugs. After feasting on opulent dishes like minced roast duck in lettuce petals ($13) guests retire to the backlit Blue Bar for live jazz and absinthe-spiked cocktails ($9-$14). shanghai1930.com. Sazerac Bar, New Orleans, Louisiana . The fabled bar that first popularized the Ramos Gin Fizz and its namesake Sazerac reopened on July 1 in the revamped Roosevelt Hotel. Paul Nina's original art deco murals adorn the walls of the bar, which has been closed since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Also inside the hotel, the legendary Blue Room supper club -- where Louis Armstrong and Jimmy Durante cut their chops -- will once again host periodic evenings of Dixieland jazz and big band music. therooseveltneworleans.com. Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved. Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Velvet Tango Room in Cleveland was a speakeasy during the '20s .\nThe Violet Hour in Chicago mixes cocktails with eight kinds of ice .\nIn Boston, The Beehive presents jazz, cabaret and burlesque performances ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's former trade minister, who resigned this month amid accusations of corruption, was arrested by security forces as he was trying to leave the country, officials confirmed to CNN. Abdul Falah al-Sudani resigned as Iraq's trade minister under allegations of corruption. Abdul Falah al-Sudani was aboard a flight to Dubai from Baghdad International Airport when police contacted the pilot and told him to fly back to the airport, Sabah al-Saedi, chairman of Iraq's parliamentary integrity committee told CNN. Al-Sudani -- arrested on a warrant issued in Samawa on Saturday -- was seized after the plane landed, al-Saedi said. Lawmakers and government officials have raised questions with al-Sudani about Trade Ministry issues: the importation of goods intended for distribution in government food rations but rejected as unsuitable for human consumption; missing shipments of food; a missing $39 million; and obstruction of justice. Al-Sudani acknowledged that his ministry has had problems with corruption but denied he was personally involved. Al-Saedi said al-Sudani didn't know that a warrant would be issued, but he was well-aware of the corruption accusations against him and had been told by lawmakers and officials not to leave Iraq." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ex-trade minister Abdul Falah al-Sudani resigned in corruption scandal .\nAl-Sudani arrested after authorities tell pilot to return plane to Baghdad .\nFormer official denies involvement in ministry's corruption problems ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's life has ended, but the legal battles over his possessions, his debts and his children are likely just beginning. Michael Jackson, seen here with two of his three children, died suddenly on Thursday. Perhaps the biggest and saddest question is what will happen to the late singer's two sons and his daughter: 12-year-old Prince Michael I, 11-year-old Paris and 7-year-old Prince Michael II. Normally in such cases, care of the children would be taken over by the surviving parent or a close relative. But as with many other aspects of Jackson's life, his family situation was complex, unusual and far from normal. Born to two mothers -- Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe and an unidentified woman who reportedly served as a surrogate -- the children lived and traveled the world with Jackson, their faces often covered by veils and masks when appearing in public. Rowe gave up her parental rights to her two kids with the singer, but later battled to have them restored. She may be considered to take over custody for Prince Michael I and Paris, said CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who has followed Jackson's legal woes for years. \"Certainly any court that is looking at that sort of question will say, if the father dies who is the mother and would we consider giving the children to the mother?\" Toobin said. \"As I understand it, in later years after a substantial amount of time when Debbie Rowe didn't see those children at all, she started to have a relationship with them again. So she'd certainly be an obvious candidate for custody of those two children.\" Watch Toobin talk about Jackson's legal issues » . The question of custody for the third child would be even more up in the air since his mother was likely never involved in his life, Toobin added. The three kids are staying with their paternal grandmother, Katherine Jackson, People magazine reported. She may just wind up keeping them, observers said. \"Katherine is the logical choice -- she has all the grandkids and nieces around her but it will be up to the courts,\" said Brian Oxman, a former Jackson family attorney, according to People. \"I wouldn't be surprised if there are more proceedings regarding the children.\" Complications may already be looming on the horizon. Katherine Jackson may wish to keep the children, but Michael Jackson wanted them to be taken care of by their nanny if anything happened to him, ABC News reported, quoting Stacey Brown, co- author of \"Michael Jackson Behind the Mask.\" Meanwhile, Rowe's former attorney tells People that a judge returned parental rights to Rowe in 2005, so she is the legal parent of her two children with Jackson and can gain custody of them. Chaotic legal life . Instructions specifying who should care for children after a parent's death are often left in a will, but it's not known whether Jackson had one prepared before his untimely passing. \"Michael Jackson led an extremely chaotic financial and legal life. ... Given how chaotic his life was, did he even have a will?\" Toobin said. Beyond the question of Jackson's children, a will may also be key to answering questions about what's left of his estate. The pop star's financial ups and downs have been as well-chronicled as his personal problems, including a near-bankruptcy and the threatened foreclosure of his Neverland ranch. Jackson accumulated almost $500 million in debt by living large over the years, but he also had considerable assets when he died, including his own music royalties and a 25 percent stake in a music publishing library that contained many Beatles songs, Fortune reported. Those assets might prompt new legal battles and it may be a long time before the dust settles. \"[Jackson] was surrounded by some of the sleaziest, most unethical advisers who came in and came out and he has had a tremendous amount of litigation in his life,\" Toobin said. \"His death will be followed by a great deal of further litigation. ... The sad thing about that is that if it does, it will be part of a pattern that those of us who followed Michael's life saw, which is that ... lots of people with no talent, with none of his charisma, with none of his spirit, lawyers, publicists, hangers on who made money off of his earnings continuing after his death.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Michael Jackson had three children with two women .\nEx-wife gave up her parental rights, but later fought to have them restored .\nShe may be considered to take over custody for her two kids with Jackson .\nIt's not known whether Jackson left a will ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Billy Mays always let you know who you were talking to. OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays, king of the \"yell and sell\" technique died Sunday morning at his home in Tampa. \"Billy Mays, here.\" The 50-year-old became famous for hawking products like OxiClean (\"Powered by the air you breathe!\") and Mighty Mendit (\"Before you throw it away, let Mighty Mendit save the day!\"). You needed more space in your closet, Mays had a special hanger for that. You wanted to hang a picture without putting a hole in your wall, he had some supernatural putty you needed to know about. You had a spill? One word. Zorbeez. \"I'm a pitchman, my business comes from the pitch, nothing else,\" Mays said recently in an interview with Portfolio. \"My voice, my likeness is my livelihood. That's it. I keep it simple. I pick good products.\" Mays died Sunday at his home near Tampa, Florida. The Hillsborough County medical examiner Dr. Vernard Adams said Monday that Mays had heart disease. Listen to the 911 call » . Mays' wife, Deborah Mays, released this statement Monday: \"While it provides some closure to learn that heart disease took Billy from us, it certainly doesn't ease the enormous void that his death has created in our lives.\" Handsome in a Brawny Towel Guy sort of way, Mays seemed to be as boisterous off camera as he was on, at least in interviews. He once compared his hands to \"weapons\" for the way they would whip around a product like a fast-dancing showgirl. And even when he didn't feel like cracking a smile, he dug deep. \"When I'm up against a wall, that's when Billy Mays performs best,\" he told a Fortune magazine writer earlier this year while driving his Bentley near his home. At the time, Mays' bum hip was hurting him. He had his hip replaced last year and recently talked about using a special gel insole to help him with the pain -- another product he planned to push. How well does that work? Mays had demonstrated it informally in interviews by wrapping his hand in the insole and whacking it with a hammer. That was just Mays: A sunshiny attitude and an \"I've tried it\" believability. Even on Saturday, less than a day before his wife found him dead in their home, Mays was cheerful as he described being conked on the head by falling luggage when his US Airways flight had a rough landing at Tampa International. \"I gotta hard head,\" he said, shrugging. Watch Billy Mays smile and sell » . Mays' success in the $300 billion infomercial industry was his ability to come off sincere, a magical feat for what is, essentially, huckstering, said Marian Salzman, partner at advertising PR giant Porter Novelli. \"He was the everyday Burt Reynolds; Burt in a next-door neighbor format,\" she said. \"Burt Reynolds was not approachable, but Billy appealed to the 'Mrs. I Push My Cart in Wal-mart.' Friend: \"No better pitchman on Earth\" » . \"He was that good looking guy at the end of the cul de sac that you could talk to, and even though you know he was going to talk a lot of nonsense, there was going to be an integrity in there.\" Mays often told interviewers of being raised in Pennsylvania, where he played high school football. He left college and began pushing products on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a vibrant scene a few decades ago. \"There'd be one here, one there, you know, it's just the knife, the slicer, the Vitamix, you know, the Washamatic,\" Mays told ABC's \"Nightline\" in April. \"And there would be tons of people coming in and you just had to, you know, attack these people, stop them, you know, where they're shopping and tell them the story and sell the product.\" Perfecting what has been called the \"yell 'n sell,\" Mays traveled around the country, selling various doohickeys and thingamabobs. He met another salesman, Max Appel, a guru of cleaning products, and the two forged a friendship. In 1996, Appel scored a chance to go on the Home Shopping Network and wanted Mays to appear as the pitchman, according to Fortune. That was the day the wood cleaner Orange Glo was born, a golden road that ended in a $325 million pay day when Appel sold the company to Church & Dwight, the maker of OxiClean. Celebrity was on the horizon. In the late 1980s cable TV was taking off as a marketplace as segments of late night airtime were relatively cheap. There was a science to what would evolve as a cottage industry. Keep the pitches short and bright. Demonstrate, don't describe. Noting the commercials air globally, Mays joked with Portfolio magazine that he speaks 57 languages. Affordability is an international language. \"I feel that the magic number on the infomercial, the two-minute spots, it's kind of hard to get past $20,\" Mays told Portfolio. \"That seems to be the magic number. Or $19.95. The best things in life are free and $19.95.\" Mays also knew how to make fun of himself, including in a series of promos for ESPN. \"Billy Mays here for ESPN360.com, the revolutionary tool for watching sports,\" he shouts, crouching under a desk and pointing to a cable. \"The secret is in the Internet connection live sports travel on this wire to the back of your desktop!\" Mays had recently starred in a Discovery channel reality show with fellow pitchman Anthony Sullivan, a Briton who has made many think, perhaps at 3 a.m., that purchasing a Smart Chopper is the best move they've made in months. Sullivan and Mays appeared together in a TV Guide television interview to talk about the show. \"America will realize that Billy doesn't shout all the time,\" Sullivan said. \"He has another volume.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Billy Mays was \"Burt Reynolds in next-door format,\" advertising expert says .\nMays started his career on the boardwalk of Atlantic City, New Jersey .\n\"I'm a pitchman, my business comes from the pitch, nothing else,\" he said.\nMays was found dead in his Tampa, Florida, home on Sunday ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Drew Peterson, the former police sergeant who authorities call the prime suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, has been indicted on murder charges related to his third wife, Kathleen Savio, the Illinois state attorney's office said. Drew Peterson was arrested Thursday on murder charges relating to his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Illinois State Police said Peterson was taken into custody about 5:30 p.m. Thursday after a traffic stop near his home. Police had staked out his home all day, said police Capt. Carl Dobrich, but waited for Peterson to leave to arrest him out of concern for his three children, who were inside the house. Peterson, through his attorney, denied any wrongdoing in either case. Wills County State's Attorney James Glasgow said he believes the case is strong and said Peterson is being held on $20 million bond. \"This is an extremely grave and serious matter and it is reflected in the bond,\" Glasgow said. Peterson's attorney Joel Brodsky told CNN's Larry King he believed the bond was excessive and would seek a more \"reasonable\" bond, noting it was the most expensive bond he'd seen in 10 years. Watch Peterson's attorney address his client's arrest » . Charles B. Pelkie, spokesman for the state's attorney in Will County, Illinois, said a grand jury indicted Peterson in the murder of Savio, whose death had been ruled an accidental drowning. Brodsky said in a written statement that prosecutors won't be able to prove their case because \"he didn't do it.\" \"There is no evidence that links Drew Peterson to the death of Kathleen Savio or anyone else for that matter,\" Brodsky said. \"Drew did not harm Kathleen; he has said so from Day One. We're obviously disappointed a grand jury indicted him. But an indictment does not mean guilt.\" Pelkie said the grand jury continues to meet and is studying the possibility of charges in Stacy Peterson's disappearance. Watch family members react to the arrest » . After Stacy Peterson went missing in October 2007, media frenzy and police scrutiny on Peterson revealed Savio had died mysteriously a few years earlier during a nasty divorce. Savio died just before the division of the marital assets was finalized, making Drew Peterson the sole beneficiary. Savio was found in the dry bathtub of her home. At the time, the death was ruled an accidental drowning. But her family continued to insist that Savio died as a result of foul play. The investigation into Stacy Peterson's disappearance brought renewed interest in Savio's death. Authorities exhumed Savio's body, further tests were conducted, and her death has now been ruled a \"homicide staged to look like an accident.\" Brodsky told King he believes the case has always been about circumstantial evidence and that he will bring a pathologist to trial who will say Savio died from an accidental drowning. \"I think the jury's going to see that, in fact, this always has been an accidental death and still is an accidental death,\" Brodsky told King. Kathleen Savio's brother, Nick, told CNN affiliate WLS-TV he received a call from his sister saying Peterson had been arrested. Watch police arrest Peterson » . \"The state police had been telling us the day was coming,\" he told WLS-TV. \"We kept hearing it for about eight months. I'm almost in tears here. It's been so hard for our family.\" \"Hopefully, we'll get the justice we've always been waiting for.\" Martin Glink, attorney for the Savio family, said they were hopeful the grand jury felt there was enough evidence to charge Peterson. \"We're very happy that the wheels of justice have continued to move and they are pointing in his direction,\" Glink told WLS-TV. The news was also bittersweet for Stacy Peterson's family, who continue to wait for news about her disappearance. \"We have anticipated this coming. We have dreamed about it. We have been patient over it,\" Pam Bosco, spokesperson for Stacy Peterson's family told WLS-TV. \"Now that it's here, it's almost a little bit calm. We're waiting for the storm to calm now. The calm before the storm.\" Bosco said while she had not heard about any charges relating to Stacy Peterson's death, she was hopeful those charges would follow. \"We always said from the very beginning that Kathleen and Stacy had one thing in common -- and that was Drew Peterson,\" she said. \"So, hopefully, we'll have news soon about Stacy, too.\" Ernie Raines is also relieved about the arrest. His daughter, Christina Raines, is dating Peterson and was living with him before his arrest. Ernie Raines told CNN's Anderson Cooper he was with his daughter and Peterson as recently as last week, when they talked about going to Las Vegas, Nevada, and getting married. Thursday night he spoke with his daughter after the arrest. \"My daughter was terrified, very emotional, upset,\" Ernie Raines said. \"And I tried to tell her from the beginning that this was going to happen, be prepared.\" Ernie Raines said more than anything, when he heard about the arrest, he was relieved. \"I'm glad justice finally came -- before he hurt my daughter,\" he said. Police put Peterson's three minor children in the custody of the state's children and family service department. His adult son was contacted, at Peterson's request, to take them, according to Capt. Dobrich. Dobrich said Peterson cooperated with police during his arrest. CNN's Susan Roesgen contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dad of girlfriend: I'm glad justice finally came -- before he hurt my daughter\"\nDrew Peterson arrested in the slaying of his third wife, Kathleen Savio .\nRenewed interest in Savio's death came after Peterson's fourth wife disappeared .\nPeterson, through his attorney, denies any wrongdoing in either case ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Federal authorities indicted 24 people Wednesday on charges of selling, buying or exchanging archaeological artifacts stolen from Native American lands -- part of what Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar called a crackdown on smugglers of such relics. The artifacts include burial and ceremonial masks, decorated pottery and a buffalo-hide headdress, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. \"Let this case serve notice to anyone who is considering breaking these laws and trampling our nation's cultural heritage that the BLM [Bureau of Land Management], the Department of Justice and the federal government will track you down and bring you to justice,\" said Salazar, who was in Salt Lake City, Utah, to announce the crackdown. President Obama is \"committed to a new relationship with America's first Americans,\" Salazar said, adding that Wednesday's announcements of indictments was a show of that commitment. Officials said the artifacts -- some stolen from grave sites -- were taken from the Four Corners area, so called because it is the intersection of four states: Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. The area also has a rich history of Native American culture. The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department manages the Four Corners Monument, which attracts tourists as the only point in the United States where four states come together at one point. Authorities recovered 256 artifacts worth about $335,685, said Deputy Attorney General David Ogden. About 150 agents assisted in an undercover investigation that tracked the suspects for more than two years, Ogden said. They had the help of an individual who knew about the smuggling ring, officials said. The investigation is ongoing, said Ogden. The recovered artifacts are evidence, but at some point after the investigation those that are privately owned will be returned to their owners, said Craig Leff, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management. The suspects face charges carrying sentences ranging from one to 10 years in prison for violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation, Ogden said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "24 indicted for selling, buying, exchanging archaeological artifacts .\nArtifacts stolen from Native American lands .\nAuthorities recovered 256 artifacts worth about $335,685 .\nUndercover investigation tracked suspects for more than two years ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- The woman whose death has come to symbolize Iranian resistance to the government's official election results did not die the way the opposition claims, government-backed Press TV said Sunday. A boy lights a candle beside a photo of Neda during a protest against Iranian elections in Frankfurt, Germany. Two people told Press TV there were no security forces in the area when Neda Agha-Soltan, 26, was killed on June 20. Neda's death was captured on amateur video -- most likely by a cell phone -- and posted online. Within hours, she had become the iconic victim of the Iranian government crackdown. Eyewitnesses say Neda was shot by pro-government Basij militiamen perched on a rooftop. But Press TV said the type of bullet that killed her is not used by Iranian security forces. A man who told the state-funded network he had helped take her to a hospital said, \"There were no security forces or any member of the Basij\" government-backed paramilitary present when she was killed. Press TV did not name the man, who spoke Farsi and was subtitled in English on the broadcast. CNN has not identified him and cannot confirm his account. Watch more about Neda's death » . \"I didn't see who shot who,\" he said. \"The whole scene looked suspicious to me.\" A second man, whom Press TV identified as Neda's music teacher who was with her when she died, told the station there was \"no security forces in this street\" when she was shot. Press TV did not name the man, who had a gray mustache and ponytail. He spoke Farsi and was subtitled in English as he walked and pointed at what Press TV said was the scene of the shooting. She was with a family friend who is a music teacher when she was killed. He appears to be the man who spoke to the Iranian broadcaster. \"There was no sign of a protest,\" he said. \"We crossed the street to the other side to get a cab... When we reached this spot, a gunshot was heard. There was no shooting here... There were no security forces in this street. There were around 20, 30 people in this street. One shot was heard and that bullet hit Neda.\" \"The bullet was apparently fired from a small caliber pistol that's not used by Iranian security forces,\" the Press TV anchor said. Iran has strict gun-control laws that bar private citizens from carrying firearms. U.S. President Barack Obama said Tuesday he had seen the video of Neda's death and called it \"heartbreaking. \"And I think anyone who sees it knows there's something fundamentally unjust about it,\" he said. The shaky video of her death shows her walking with a man, a teacher of music and philosophy, near an anti-government demonstration. After being stuck in traffic for more than an hour inside a Peugeot 206 -- a subcompact with a poorly working air conditioner -- Neda and the friend decided to get out of the car for some fresh air, a friend of Neda's told CNN after her death. The two were near where protesters were chanting in opposition to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose calls for an end to anti-government demonstrations have sparked defiance across the nation. Neda, wearing a baseball cap over a black scarf, a black shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes, does not appear to be chanting and seems to be observing the demonstration. Suddenly, Neda is on the ground -- felled by a single gunshot wound to the chest. Several men kneel at her side and place pressure on her chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding. \"She has been shot! Someone, come and take her!\" shouts one man. By now, Neda's eyes have rolled to her right; her body is limp. Blood streams from her mouth, then from her nose. For a second, her face is hidden from view as the camera goes behind one of the men. When Neda's face comes back into view, it is covered with blood. Iran's ambassador to Mexico -- one of few Iranian officials who has spoken to CNN since the disputed June 12 presidential election -- suggested American intelligence services could be responsible for her death. \"This death of Neda is very suspicious,\" Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Ghadiri said. \"My question is, how is it that this Miss Neda is shot from behind, got shot in front of several cameras, and is shot in an area where no significant demonstration was behind held? \"Well, if the CIA wants to kill some people and attribute that to the government elements, then choosing women is an appropriate choice, because the death of a woman draws more sympathy,\" Ghadiri said. CIA spokesman George Little responded, \"Any suggestion that the CIA was responsible for the death of this young woman is wrong, absurd and offensive.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Press TV: No security forces in area when Neda Agha-Soltan, 26, was killed .\nHer death was captured on amateur video and posted online June 20 .\nEyewitnesses say Neda was shot by pro-government Basij militiamen .\nPress TV say type of bullet that killed her not used by Iranian security forces ." } ]

[ { "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) -- Search warrants filed Thursday in court in Clark County, Nevada, and carried out at properties of Michael Jackson's doctor imply that investigators looking into his death believe the singer was a drug addict. Dr. Conrad Murray was with Michael Jackson on the day that he died. The warrants, signed by District Judge Timothy Williams and given to CNN by Las Vegas affiliate KTNV, say \"there is probable cause to believe\" that searches would uncover evidence at the Las Vegas home and office of Dr. Conrad Murray of excessive prescribing, prescribing to an addict, excess treatment or prescribing, unprofessional conduct, prescribing to or treating an addict and manslaughter. They cite \"probable cause to believe\" that the premises contained \"records, shipping orders, distribution lists, use records relating to the purchase, transfer ordering, delivery and storage of propofol (Diprivan).\" A source told CNN on Monday that the Texas-based cardiologist allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol -- commonly known by the brand name Diprivan -- in the 24 hours before he died. A source involved in the investigation into Jackson's death has told CNN that investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in his $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills, California. Watch report on the warrants » . The items taken from Murray's home included copies of his computer and cell phone hard drives. They were to be turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department, which is leading the investigation into Jackson's death last month at age 50. Murray is the central focus of a federal investigation into the singer's death, a law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday. Authorities have subpoenaed the records of various doctors who have treated Jackson over the years, but \"Dr. [Conrad] Murray is the only one we're looking at,\" the federal law enforcement official said. The disclosures were among several developments Wednesday in a story that continues to gather steam more than a month after the death of the pop icon on June 25. Other recent developments: . • Jackson's father, Joe, acknowledged that a 25-year-old Norwegian performer is Jackson's son -- even as the man himself denied the relationship in various news reports. • Jackson's estate is worth at least $200 million, a source with knowledge of the estate's dealings told CNN. Murray and the drug investigation . Despite the comment from the federal law enforcement official, Murray's lawyer does not think an arrest is imminent because autopsy results into Jackson's death are pending. Police have interviewed Murray twice since Jackson's death. Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, said his client is ready to talk to investigators again, but a meeting has not been scheduled. Murray has consistently denied he prescribed or administered anything that could have killed Jackson. Watch a profile of Murray » . On Tuesday, investigators searched Murray's home and office in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chernoff said he won't comment on \"rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources.\" Watch CNN's Ted Rowlands report on drug allegation » . Meanwhile, Murray failed to make a payment of $15,000 on his $1.65 million home in January and has racked up debt since. If he does not make a payment by mid-August, he will lose his home to foreclosure, a spokeswoman confirmed. \"He was to be paid $150,000 a month by Michael Jackson,\" the spokeswoman said. \"He was not [paid] by AEG, the tour promoter, or Jackson, for the two months he worked for them. So he's low on money.\" Murray has been beset by financial difficulties since graduating from medical school. He filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in 1992 and accumulated $44,663 in state tax liens in Arizona and California from 1993 until 2003, according to court documents. He has also has been hit with several judgments related to unpaid bills, child support payments and defaults on education loans. On Wednesday, CNN learned Murray was arrested on a charge of domestic violence disorderly conduct in Tucson, Arizona, in 1994. Murray's then-girlfriend accused him of having an affair and threw something at him, Tucson law enforcement officials said. Murray allegedly pushed the woman down. The doctor was acquitted five months after the incident. Joe Jackson: Jackson had another son . In an interview with the Web site NewsOne, Jackson's father, Joe, said the singer had another son, a 25-year-old Norwegian performer, Omer Bhatti. \"Yes, I knew he had another son. Yes, I did,\" Joe Jackson said. \"He looks like a Jackson, he acts like a Jackson, he can dance like a Jackson. This boy is a fantastic dancer. As a matter of fact, he teaches dancing.\" At Jackson's memorial service this month, Bhatti was seated in the front row between the pop star's father and sister. CNN has been unable to confirm the relationship. And Bhatti has told various media outlets that he and Jackson were close friends. Battle brews over Jackson's will . Jackson's estate is worth at least $200 million and could amount to much more, an informed source told CNN on Wednesday. Earlier this month, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted control of Jackson's assets to the executors of his will: John Branca, Jackson's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend. A third executor, accountant Barry Siegel, recused himself. Jackson's mother, Katherine, now wants the judge to install her in the open slot. The judge has scheduled a hearing on Monday. \"The question is, will all this get resolved on Monday, when there is a hearing?\" said CNN legal analyst Lisa Bloom. \"Or will this blow up into a huge dispute between Katherine and the executors?\" CNN's Randi Kaye and Ted Rowlands contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Search warrants say there is probable evidence of prescribing to an addict .\nNEW: Source says numerous prescription drugs found in Michael Jackson's home .\n\"Dr. [Conrad] Murray is the only one we're looking at,\" law enforcement official says .\nSinger's father confirms Michael had another child, says \"he looks like a Jackson\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Verified Identity Pass Inc.'s Clear security system -- the program that expedited airport security line waits for paying customers -- ended operation Monday night because the company couldn't reach a consensus with its senior creditors, according to its Web site. Clear promised to help passengers avoid security lines like this one at San Francisco International Airport. The New York-based company founded by entrepreneur Stephen Brill targeted business flyers, promising passengers that they would whisk through tedious airport security lanes more rapidly by being placed in private lines. Verified Identity Pass officials couldn't be reached for comment. Clear's fast-lane program began at Orlando (Florida) International Airport in 2005. By the time the company shut down, it was operating in more than 18 locations, including major airports in Atlanta, Georgia; Denver, Colorado; San Francisco, California; and Washington. USA Today reported that the company had about 250,000 members. With nearly 700 million passengers traveling domestically in 2006, Clear company officials touted their program as a way to help avoid bottlenecks and, in some instances, reduce the wait time in security lines to as little as five minutes. Passengers using the Clear program doled out more than $200 a year. After announcing the shutdown, the company released no information on whether customers would receive refunds. John Harrington, a freelance photographer in Washington, renewed his Clear membership for the next two years about a month ago. He said he was disappointed to receive an e-mail from Clear officials saying the program had been terminated. Harrington relied on the quicker lanes when he traveled for assignments out of Reagan National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. \"With Clear, I could get into my gate in less than 15 to 20 minutes,\" said Harrington, who is flying to San Francisco next week and will now have to arrive at the airport an hour earlier. \"Try that with regular airport security. It's going to cost me time.\" The Clear program required applicants like Harrington to provide information such as a Social Security number and previous address for a background check. The applicant's fingerprints and iris were scanned. The information was placed into a credit-card-size pass and for scanning at an airport Clear booth. After checking in at the Clear booth, customers were shuttled into a separate line overseen by the Transportation Security Administration. In some airports, Clear members were taken to security lanes reserved for them. In other airports, they used employee security lanes. Clear members went through the same security procedures; they had to take off their shoes and take out laptops. Clear arrived at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the United States, last fall, officials said. At the same time, the airport added 12 security lanes, cutting the average security wait time to 10 minutes, airport spokeswoman Katena Carvajales said. \"Clear shutting down is not impacting our passengers at this airport,\" Carvajales said, adding that customer service officials are stationed near the Clear booths to instruct members on where to go. Some critics argued that the Clear lines were no faster than regular security lines. The Air Transport Association, the industry representing the major U.S. airlines, said the program didn't enhance security. Spokesman David A. Castelveter said airlines already offered frequent travelers and elite members separate lines with no charge. In 2008, the TSA also began expanding its free Black Diamond Self-Select Lanes program to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, Orlando and Spokane (Washington) International Airport. The program features a series of lanes broken down into categories for expert business travelers who fly frequently, casual travelers who don't fly as often, and skiers or families with strollers who need special assistance. The program has helped decrease wait times at pilot locations in Denver and Salt Lake City, Utah, according to a TSA statement. \"Clear was a personal decision by travelers,\" Castelveter said. \"If they could afford it, then they could buy it, but it didn't offer anything that wasn't already there.\" Seven years ago, Congress approved the creation of a speedier airport clearance system that would make the skies safer after September 11 rattled the travel industry. Government officials wanted to vet passengers and put those with a clean history into a separate, quicker line. But government officials worried that potential terrorists could sneak onto the approved list. The government program was handed off to private companies, like Verified Identity Pass, that saw the convenience factor as something they could sell." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Clear security system allowed passengers to use different security lines .\nClear was operating in 18 airports and served 250,000 passengers .\nAir Transport Association said the program offered few benefits to travelers .\n\"It's going to cost me time,\" says one traveler who relied on the Clear program ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Pirates hijacked a British-owned bulk carrier Saturday in the Indian Ocean, but NATO forces stopped an attack on another vessel in the Gulf of Aden hours earlier, NATO maritime authorities said. 11 pirates are arrested by Yemeni security forces in an operation last month. The UK cargo ship, the MV Ariana, was carrying 35,000 tons of soya about 250 nautical miles (287 miles) northwest of the Seychelles when it was seized around dawn. The crew members are Ukrainians and they are not believed to harmed, NATO said. It is unclear how many crew members were aboard the vessel and how it came to be attacked. NATO said it was unaware of ransom demands or any threats against those aboard. NATO said a European Union Protection Aircraft has been deployed to monitor and track the MV Ariana, which is making its way toward Somalia -- the epicenter of the pirate industry. The Seychelles is a republic consisting of a group of islands off East Africa. On Friday evening, a NATO operation conducted by a Portuguese warship disrupted a pirate attack on a Bahamas oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden. The tanker, the MV Kition, broadcast an emergency alert when a pirate-filled skiff approached. NRP Corte-Real, the closest NATO ship, and its helicopter responded and intercepted the pirates. Portuguese Navy special forces boarded a pirate mother-ship. They found and destroyed four AK-47s, a rocket-propelled grenade and four explosives. They seized 19 suspected Somali pirates but released them after consulting with Portuguese national authorities. Piracy has been soaring off the coast of eastern Africa -- particularly Somalia, which has not had an effective government since 1991. Somali pirates have defied foreign navies patrolling the waters and have collected large ransoms from shipping companies. Ransoms started out in the tens of thousands of dollars and have since climbed into the millions. Journalist Ashleigh Nghiem contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pirates hijack British-owned bulk carrier in Indian Ocean .\nNATO forces stop attack on another vessel in Gulf of Aden hours earlier .\nPiracy is a major problem in the waters off Somalia .\nSomalia has not had a stable government in place since 1991 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(AOL Autos) -- Letting someone else deal with the day to day expenses of maintaining an automobile (and just paying for what you use) seems to be a novel idea. Joining a \"car share,\" such as the popular Zipcar car sharing service, is gaining in popularity as consumers look to other ways to save money. Car-sharing services let you avoid paying for gas and insurance, but there are fees and rules. By using a car share, you're not only shedding monthly car payments, taxes, insurance and upkeep, but you can let someone else worry about whether the old rattle trap will make it another year. You simply pay a fee and drive the car when you need it. By maximizing the utilization of a single automobile among many users, car sharing services claim they are helping to reduce pollution, too. Every single Zipcar removes about 15 personal cars from the road, the company says. Unclogging traffic and dialing back the amount of single-occupant vehicles burning fuel has a greening effect. Reducing expenses and saving the polar ice caps aren't the only reasons; there's as much justification for joining a car share as you can dream up, from impressing the client at a business meeting with a fancy car to going over the river and through the woods for family gatherings, all without actually owning a car (or paying for its gas or insurance). But is a car share for you? The concept seems best suited to metro areas, where car insurance rates and parking costs can be high. On the other hand, if you work out of your car, use it on a daily basis or live in a more rural or expansive suburban region, you might be better off keeping your current car. AOL Autos: Top 11 distracting things people do in their cars . \"The ideal candidates for car sharing are consumers and businesses in cities where owning a car is costly, where there is good public transit, and where most amenities are within walking distance,\" Zipcar President and COO Mark Norman said. \"In other words, where you don't really need to own a car. In addition, students are ideal car sharing members, given the high cost of ownership as well as the increasing limits on parking on campus.\" AOL Autos: Cheapest cars to own . Automobiles can be a huge hassle and expense if you only drive occasionally, so we've set out to look at what car sharing involves. AOL Autos: Pay as you drive insurance . How does it work? The biggest North American car share, Zipcar, aims to be convenient, easy, and technologically savvy. Far more streamlined than an old-school rental car, Zipcar makes getting the use of an automobile about as easy as making a withdrawal from an ATM. The concept of car sharing had its genesis in Europe and has spread to the North American market as interest in frugality and environmental consciousness has increased. AOL Autos: Twenty cars of the future . The first step to using Zipcar is signing up. As a member, you'll get a \"Zipcard,\" which allows you to reserve a vehicle near you via the company's Web site or from a new iPhone application. Once you've reserved a car (or truck -- the beauty of car sharing services is that you can get a big car when you need it, not when you don't), a pretty neat technology unlocks the doors when you walk near your vehicle (we won't bore you with the details, but if you're wondering, it's called radio frequency identification). When it senses the card on you, the doors unlock, at which point, you're on your way. Cars are located all over metro areas (Zipcar gives you a map to the location of the car you've booked). While application approval is usually quick, it takes a few days to get the Zipcard mailed to you. If your city has a Zipcard office, you can pick up your card there. Where can you find car sharing? Car shares are springing up across the U.S., but you're likely to find them in major cities with a traffic problem. Zipcar is the largest service of its kind in the United States, maintaining a fleet of 6,500 automobiles that service 300,000-plus users. Twenty-eight states have at least one Zipcar outpost, and Zipcar has expanded its user base by 100 percent per year since 2004, so new service areas will spring up where demand supports it. Zipcar also operates in Canada, as well as London in the UK. The service is strongest on the coasts, with the Northeast being particularly thick with coverage, but even Des Moines, Iowa has Zipcars available. Zipcar claims that as consumers are moving toward more \"access\" models (such as buying music by the song for your MP3 player), cars could also move in this direction. \"Car sharing has always represented great value for consumers by giving them the freedom of car ownership without the cost and hassles,\" Zipcar's Norman said. \"Now more than ever, in an economic recession and with gas prices on the rise, people and businesses are turning to car sharing. In addition, in an era where people buy music by the song, driving a car by the hour makes a lot of sense.\" Municipalities often tout car sharing if a service is available. Check with your city to see if there are any plans to bring car sharing to your city. What are the costs? Since Zipcar is the most popular, we'll take a look at their fee structure for a sample of what car sharing might cost you. Rates vary by city, but on average a Zipcar account costs $75 to startup and there's an annual fee of $50 for an occasional driving plan. Additional drivers from the same household can be added to an account for $25 each. Insurance and fuel are covered -- each Zipcar has a gas card for fillup time. Overstay your reservation, and you'll get whacked for at least $50; late fees are $50 per hour with a $50 minimum. Reminders can be set up so users aren't caught off guard by poor time-management. Extra value plans wipe away the annual fee for a monthly commitment of at least $50. Ideal for heavy users, the rates are lower across the board. Businesses and Universities are also in Zipcar's crosshairs, and the Zipcar fleet could save many businesses money on company cars. AOL Autos: Rental car prices can change in a heartbeat . Zipcar touts its fleet as the most diverse of its kind with everything from Priuses to pickup trucks. There are premium nameplates in Zipcar's fleet that command higher prices -- the cars for the image-conscious versus plain-jane driver. Full-day rentals are $65, and a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. business day runs $56. Cars come with a full tank of fuel, and you get 180 miles per day before you start paying by the mile. Other car sharing services . Zipcar isn't the only game in town, of course. Traditional car rental services offer one-way rentals, which Zipcar does not; this is something to consider depending on your travel plans. Hertz has jumped into the breech with its \"Connect by Hertz\" product, a veritable clone of Zipcar. Hertz only offers its service in five locations so far: New York City; Park Ridge, New Jersey; Ohio State University; Pepperdine University in California; and Washington D.C. UHaul has also tossed its hat into the ring with its UCarShare service, mostly based around specific college campuses in a small number of locations. UCarShare's rates are higher and terms more restrictive than Zipcar's. Regional players also abound, most based around a particular region. Bay area residents can use City Carshare, Chicago has I-GO, and there are small car sharing services in places like Denver, Philly, St. Louis, or Cleveland. Rates for these competitors vary from on par to more expensive. Terms of service may be different, some offering included miles, some charging for each mile -- it runs the gamut." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It is possible to drive a car when you want without owning it .\nMany big cities, some colleges have companies offering car-share services .\nZipcar has U.S. fleet of 6,500 automobiles that service 300,000-plus users .\nYou pay membership fee, monthly fee -- but don't pay for gas or insurance ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- Michael Jackson had a level of hero worship on a par with Elvis Presley or the Beatles but he was the first black star to inspire such a massive following around the world. Michael Jackson, the ultimate showman, craved attention and was rarely disappointed. Total worldwide sales of more than 350 million records over his 40-year career give just a hint of the adoration there was for the \"King of Pop.\" The fact that his death came on the eve of a comeback tour in London will leave his devotees feeling even more bereft. While his career -- and wealth -- had waned greatly in recent years, there was still enough support for the concerts to sell out at a rate of nearly 40,000 an hour. Fans from as far afield as Japan, Germany and Dubai queued to buy their tickets. Steve Greenberg, founder and CEO of S-Curve Records, was a disc jockey in Tel Aviv, Israel, when \"Thriller\" first dropped and witnessed first-hand how Jackson became an international icon. His was a global appeal, Greenberg said, among fans and artists worldwide. \"He was as big in the Middle East and Southeast Asia as he was in America and Europe,\" Greenberg said. \"He had that universality that not many people had. The Beatles had it, Muhammad Ali had it, but not many other people have had it.\" Jackson was known for far more than his music though. Speaking after his death in Los Angeles was announced, U.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to the work of a \"trailblazer\" in helping people around the world through his charities. How will you remember Michael Jackson? Sharpton added that the song Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie, \"We Are the World,\" a 1985 charity single that raised an estimated $50 million for famine relief in Africa, ushered in Live Aid and the era of celebrity philanthropy. Jackson was the supreme showman who had an unrivalled knack of grabbing headlines. From his precocious abilities as the 11-year-old singer in the Jackson 5 to his legendary \"moon-walk\" dance, the star craved attention, and was rarely disappointed. Jackson \"as big as it gets\" » . But in the years after his colossal 1982 hit album \"Thriller\" and its 1987 follow-up \"Bad,\" much of the focus did not cast him in a good light. In 1996 the lead singer of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, caused a furor at the Brit Awards in London when he invaded the stage during Jackson's performance of \"Earth Song\" in protest \"at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing.\" Jackson failed to see the humor in Cocker's mockery, responding that he was \"sickened, saddened, shocked, upset, cheated, angry\" by the protest. He also alleged that Cocker had attacked children on stage, something that the Pulp singer denied. But many in the music industry backed Cocker, who was arrested but later released without charge. The theme of children was one that continued to haunt Jackson. In 2002 he caused a public outcry by dangling his baby son Prince Michael II from a third-floor hotel balcony in Germany before the world's press. He later said he regretted the incident. Watch video of the incident » . And in a 2003 interview with British journalist Martin Bashir that was supposed to repair his image around the world, the singer revived allegations of child abuse when he said of sharing a bed with a young boy: \"It's a beautiful thing. It's very right, it's very loving. Because what's wrong with sharing a love?\" A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of sexually molesting 12-year-old Gavin Arvizo. Jackson surrendered himself to police amid a media furor. In the 2005 trial conducted in the glare of the world's media spotlight, Jackson was cleared of child molestation charges. Following the trial, Jackson's finances took a hit and he was forced to sell his Neverland ranch in California. He later kept a low profile in the United States and spent time in Britain, where his friends included psychic spoonbender Uri Geller and Harrod's owner Mohamed Al Fayed, and also in Bahrain. But in November last year, Jackson was sued by an Arab sheikh at the High Court in London for $7.7 million. They parted \"amicably\" after agreeing a settlement. Jackson had been invited with his children and entourage to Bahrain by the king's son, Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who lavished money on Jackson and built a recording studio, which he believed would be used to record albums by Jackson using material the sheikh had helped to write. But Jackson insisted there was no valid agreement and that the sheikh's case was based on \"mistake, misrepresentation and undue influence.\" He said sums of money paid out by the sheikh were \"gifts.\" As fans around the world mourn it is likely Michael Jackson will be remembered as a musical hero -- but also a man with human flaws." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Michael Jackson was adored by fans around the world .\nTotal sales exceeding 700 million records over his 40-year career .\nU.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to his charity work ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After years of rising cholesterol levels from fatty diets and pudgy waistlines, there's finally good news, experts say. More people who are trying to lower their cholesterol are actually succeeding in getting their low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, down to healthy levels. Research suggests that decreasing LDL -- via drugs, exercise and/or diet -- can ward off heart attacks and strokes. However, there's still room for improvement, according to research from nine countries, including the United States and Canada. And there's good reason to stay focused on lowering your cholesterol: Research suggests that decreasing LDL can ward off heart attacks, strokes, and other health problems. In the new study, which was funded by Pfizer and published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, an international group of researchers led by David D. Waters, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, looked at 9,955 people with an average age of 62 to see whether cholesterol-lowering efforts -- including taking medication or trying diet and exercise alone -- were having the intended effect. For healthy people, the current target for LDL cholesterol is less than 160 mg/dL, and for those with two or more heart disease risk factors, it's less than 130 mg/dL. For people with heart disease, LDL should be less than 100 mg/dL and possibly even less than 70 mg/dL for those at super-high risk. The survey, known as the Lipid Treatment Assessment Project 2, is an update of a similar survey done in the United States in 1996 and 1997. At that time, just 38 percent of Americans in general and 18 percent of people with heart disease who were trying to lower cholesterol actually had their LDL cholesterol under control. Health.com: 4 tips for healthy drinking while dieting . Things have definitely gotten better. Waters and his colleagues found that in 2006--2007, 73 percent of people had their LDL cholesterol in an acceptable range. This included 86 percent of people at relatively low risk of heart problems, 74 percent at moderate risk, and 67 percent at high risk. But just one in three people, or 30 percent, who already had heart disease and at least two other risk factors (such as obesity and smoking) had their LDL cholesterol in the healthy range. About 75 percent of the patients in the survey were taking statins, 16 percent were treated with only diet and exercise, and the remainder took a cholesterol-lowering medication that was not a statin. Statins include brand-name drugs like Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor, among others. The findings \"should be a wake-up call\" to people who already have or are at risk of heart attack and strokes, says Gregg Fonarow, M.D., the codirector of the UCLA Preventative Cardiology Program, who was not involved with the research. People with cardiovascular disease should not \"assume that just because they're under medical care that they've optimized their cardiovascular health,\" he says. Health.com: Ultimate guide to fresh fruits and veggies . However, Dan Hackam, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Western Ontario and the Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre in London, Ontario, says the survey may not be a fair representation of people with high cholesterol. The survey included only people who had been using the same cholesterol-lowering approach for at least three months. \"There's lots of people in the general population who should be on these drugs who aren't on them,\" Hackam says. \"I see a lot of patients who've had heart attacks and strokes who aren't on these medications.\" Nevertheless, according to Hackam, the findings are \"very good news.\" When the original survey was done, he says, there were just a couple of major clinical trials showing the health benefits of cholesterol reduction with statins. Since then, there have been around 50 such trials, he adds, including some with women, minorities, and seniors. \"There's just so much more awareness now among physicians of the clinical evidence,\" he says. Health.com: 10 celebrity couples: Who's healthy, who's not? Fonarow says there are still plenty of doctors out there who don't treat cholesterol as aggressively as they should. \"The threat to the patient is something that plays out over many years or decades; it's not an immediate threat,\" he notes. This time lag can make it difficult for some people to see the benefits of treating high cholesterol just as aggressively as they would a heart attack, says Fonarow. Hackam says he measures his patients' heart disease and stroke risk by giving them a 12-hour fasting cholesterol test and a scan of the walls of the arteries in their neck. If the scan shows fatty plaques, he recommends cholesterol-lowering therapy even if the patient's cholesterol levels are normal. Health.com: New iPhone apps for healthier, more earth-friendly shopping . Other steps people can take, aside from seeing their doctor, include quitting smoking and exercising more, Hackam says. There's even a home cholesterol test -- just like the home glucose tests used by people with diabetes -- that patients could use. \"People can be very proactive,\" he explains. To find out if your cholesterol levels are where they should be, and what to do if they aren't, Fonarow recommends checking out the interactive Web sites run by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. Why are more people hitting cholesterol targets? It probably isn't because more patients are taking their medication properly or sticking with their diet, according to an editorial published with the study. It's more likely that the newer cholesterol-lowering drugs do a better job of curbing LDL, writes Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., M.D., D.Phil, of Weill Cornell Medical College, in New York City. About half of the study participants were taking one of these newer drugs, he notes. Health.com: The medical tests every woman must have . Gotto is a consultant for Merck and other companies and is on the advisory board of DuPont and Novartis. Waters and other study coauthors have received consulting fees from Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Study: More heart patients are succeeding in getting cholesterol to healthy levels .\nIn 2006-07, 73 percent of people had LDL in healthy range vs. 38 percent in 1996-97 .\nLikely that the newer cholesterol-lowering drugs do a better job of curbing LDL .\nThere's still room for improvement, says one expert ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States will provide $73 million in aid to Zimbabwe, President Obama announced Friday after meeting with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House. President Obama (right) praised Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House on Friday. \"I obviously have extraordinary admiration for the courage and tenacity that the prime minister has shown in navigating through some very difficult political times in Zimbabwe,\" Obama said. \"There was a time when Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of Africa, and [it] continues to have enormous potential. It has gone through a very dark and difficult time politically.\" Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe \"has not acted oftentimes in the best interest of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the democratic changes that need to take place,\" Obama said. \"We now have a power-sharing agreement that shows promise, and we want to do everything we can to encourage the kinds of improvement not only on human rights and rule of law, freedom of the press and democracy that is so necessary, but also on the economic front.\" The U.S. aid will not be going to the government directly \"because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy, human rights and rule of law,\" Obama said. \"But it will be going directly to the people in Zimbabwe.\" In a CNN interview following his meeting with Obama, Tsvangirai said he is grateful for the generosity. \"Whether it is humanitarian aid or transitional support, it adds up to the relief that Zimbabwe is seeking,\" he said. Watch Tsvangirai discuss importance of aid to Zimbabwe » . Tsvangirai said he told Obama he would like the United States to use its global influence to assist Zimbabwe in dealing with the challenges it faces. Tsvangirai said he understood other nations' reluctance to support the Zimbabwean government, given Mugabe's controversial history. \"I think it's fair,\" he said. \"I understand it, given our history, and I'm not going to defend President Mugabe.\" But, he noted, the two have agreed to work together and help Zimbabwe progress as a nation. In remarks with Obama, Tsvangirai said progress has been made by the transitional government, but much remains to be done. \"It is the problems of implementation,\" he said. \"... even by the standard of our own benchmarks, there are gaps that still exist.\" He said he would continue to strive to meet those benchmarks, not for the international community, but because \"it gives [the] people of Zimbabwe freedom and opportunity to grow.\" The power-sharing arrangement between Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and Mugabe came after contested elections last year. \"Of course we cannot brush away that history, that sad history,\" Tsvangirai told CNN. But he said he is hoping the country will heal and move forward, and wants even those skeptical of Mugabe to appreciate the transition process. Asked whether he believes Mugabe should retire, Tsvangirai said \"at the age of 85, I think one needs to retire.\" But, he said, for his own legacy, it's important for him to be thinking about a \"dignified exit.\" \"I think that [the power-sharing government] provides him with this opportunity,\" Tsvangirai said. Asked about his relationship with Mugabe, he said, \"We don't have to fall in love to work together. But we have accepted that we have made an agreement to have a workable relationship between the two political parties.\" He said there had been acrimony between the two, but they realized it was not helping the Zimbabwean people. \"We are inspired by people like Nelson Mandela, who had to go for 27 years in jail but still come out and say, 'Let's forget about the past' ...\" he said. He and Mugabe have chosen the process of dialogue rather than violence, Tsvangirai said. \"Let history judge whether this historic experiment was the right course of action.\" CNN's Elise Labott contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "President Obama praises Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai, offers $73 million in aid .\nTsvangirai in power-sharing agreement with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe .\nTsvangirai on Mugabe relationship: \"We don't have to fall in love to work together\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- As many of the world's industries struggle in the face of global economic hardship, the inaugural Abu Dhabi Yacht Show went ahead earlier this month. On show: The recent Abu Dhabi Yacht Show attracted some of the world's biggest super-yachts. Showcasing some of the top super-yachts in existence, the show symbolizes a luxury industry which is still thriving in the area. At the show, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, said the United Arab Emirates is becoming one of the world's greatest super-yacht hubs. \"This show demonstrates Abu Dhabi's commitment to be recognized as a global super-yacht player at the same level as leading centers in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean,\" he said. Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority chairman, Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, hailed the event as proof that the region was still growing and performing well economically. \"It is a clear indication of continuing international confidence in this emirate's robust and resilient economy.\" Evidence of positive developments in the region's luxury yacht industry is written all over the emirate. In addition to the yachting infrastructure already complete in Abu Dhabi, a marina is planned on Saadiyat Island, in the historic marine district of Al Bateen. Another marina is planned on Yas Island, where there will be a dedicated mega-yacht marina. In total, 16 new marinas are planned in Abu Dhabi in the next decade. The inaugural Abu Dhabi show also attracted 20 of the world's top super-yachts with a combined value of more than $500 million. Most of the globe's top brokers were also in attendance. Senior yacht broker at Burgess Yachts, Rupert Nelson, told CNN that Abu Dhabi is committing to the industry -- a move which should help the emirate stay one step ahead of other destinations. \"Across the globe this year there has been a huge slow down, but in the Gulf they don't seem to be too worried about it.\" Burgess Yachts recently sold a Dubai-built super-yacht called Al Hanem for just under $20 million, he added. Although the industry faces a number of challenges in the Gulf region, Nelson said the growth of marinas, yacht-builders, brokers and other related business should help to create jobs. \"The size of boats there is growing, the number of yachts there is growing ... and it seems they want to continue,\" he told CNN. The question on many lips is whether this growing industry could help the United Arab Emirates, and the wider Gulf region, survive the worst of the wider economic downturn. Probably not, is the answer from regional business experts. But it may ease some of the pain . Middle East business expert and author of \"Dubai & Co: Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States,\" Aamir A. Rehman, told CNN there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism in the Gulf luxury sector. Earlier this year Rolls Royce reported Abu Dhabi and Dubai had become the biggest and second-biggest markets for their cars after a 48 percent jump in sales during 2008 compared with 2007. Rehman said Rolls Royce's results of were promising for the wider luxury industry -- and could also indicate potential growth for the super-yacht industry. \"Transportation and the entire infrastructure around transport are important to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). There's significant investment being made in transportation, suggesting potential for growth in related industries.\" However, despite the high-profile nature of the luxury yacht industry, Rehman feels there are still limitations. \"The Gulf is a relatively small market overall and the number of high-end buyers, while substantial, may be limited compared to regions with larger population bases.\" Liz Martins, head of Middle East and North Africa in the Country Risk department at Business Monitor International, told CNN the current economic climate would have a lasting impact on the luxury sector. \"I think it's an area where people will cut back. There's still a lot of wealth out there but some of these people have lost a lot of money.\" Martins said the boom period of the last decade had reached unsustainable levels of growth and, although the Gulf region doesn't have a \"saving culture\" she predicted some changes. \"We're not forecasting recession for many Gulf states ... but the last few years have been debt-fueled boom and I just don't see things getting back to what they have been.\" Subscribe to SuperYachtWorld . COPYRIGHT © 2009 IPC MEDIA LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The inaugural Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was held this month .\nSuper-yachts are growing in popularity in the Gulf region .\nAbu Dhabi wants to become world's top super yacht destination .\nExperts say it is unlikely luxury yacht industry will have big impact on the economy ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Angered by what he perceived as the systemic discrimination of the minority Tamils by successive Sri Lankan governments, 18-year-old Velupillai Prabhakaran, armed with just a revolver, set out in 1972 to right the perceived wrongs by forming a militant group. Sri Lanka's defense ministry says this handout photo shows troops with a captured Tamil Tiger craft. That group eventually morphed into the Tamil Tigers, who have engaged in a brutal 25-year insurgency for an independent Tamil state that has left more than 70,000 dead. Along the way, the group has been declared a terrorist organization in 32 countries, pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks and, according to the FBI, invented the suicide belt. It was also behind the assassination of two world leaders -- the only terrorist organization to do so. Over the weekend, the militants offered to \"silence\" their guns after an intense military offensive decimated their ranks, usurping them from their stronghold in the north and east of the country, and cornered the remaining rebels on a small stretch of land. Watch more on the possible end to the conflict » . On Monday afternoon, the Sri Lankan government said it had killed Prabhakaran. If the rebels now follow through on their announcement, the action will potentially mark the end of the longest-running civil war in Asia. Who are the Tamils? The Tamils are an ethnic group that makes up about 12 percent of Sri Lanka's population of about 20 million. They mostly dominate the northern and eastern part of the country. Tamils are mostly Hindu and speak Tamil. That sets them apart from Sri Lanka's majority group, the Sinhalese, who make up 74 percent of the population. They are Buddhists and speak Sinhala. The tension between the two ethnic groups date to the British colonization of the country -- an island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. At the time, the country was known as Ceylon. Many Sri Lankans regarded the Tamils as British collaborators and resented the preferential treatment they received. The tables turned when the country achieved independence in 1948 and the Sinhalese majority dominated government. It was the Tamils then who claimed they were being discriminated against in politics, employment and education. By the 1970s Tamil politicians were demanding a separate Tamil state. It would be called Tamil Eelam. In this climate Prabhakaran emerged with his militant group, formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Who is Prabhakaran? Prabhakaran operated from a secret jungle base in the northeastern part of the country, granting few media interviews and remaining an elusive figure to even many Tigers. He was reputed to wear a cyanide capsule around his neck -- to swallow rather than risk capture. And he reportedly expected the same dedication from his troops. As a result, few Tigers have been captured alive. To Prabhakaran's supporters he was a hero fighting for the rights of his people. The Sri Lankan government deemed him a war criminal with disregard for civilian casualties. He was wanted by Interpol on charges including terrorism and organized crime. In 1975, three years after forming his group, Prabhakaran was accused of fatally shooting the mayor of Jaffna, his birthplace. Prabhakaran was also accused of masterminding the killing of then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 in the Tamil-dominated Indian state of Tami Nadu. Sri Lankan authorities allege that Prabhakaran was avenging Gandhi's decision to send Indian peacekeepers to Sri Lanka. Two years later, a Tigers' suicide bomber, allegedly acting under Prabhakaran's orders, detonated explosives that killed Sri Lanka's then-president, Ranasinghe Premadasa, during a rally. Watch aid agencies fear for Sri Lanka » . Who are the Tamil Tigers? The Tigers reportedly number about 10,000, recruited from villagers in Tamil-dominated areas and unemployed Tamil youths who think they were passed over for jobs because of their ethnicity. Their armed struggle began in July 1983 when the Tigers killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers. It led to, what was until then, the largest outburst of violence in the island's history. Hundreds of Tamils were killed, thousands left homeless and more than 100,000 fled to south India. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Tigers have -- until now -- shown no signs of being overpowered by the Sri Lankan military. The Tigers are infamous for suicide bombings, with men and women strapping on suicide vests for more than 200 attacks against Sri Lankan citizens and dozens of high-profile political leaders. In addition to perpetrating the attacks that killed Gandhi and Premadasa, the rebels have carried out the assassinations of two lawmakers and four ministers. A suicide bomber targeted Sri Lankan then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga in December 1999 while she was campaigning for re-election. She was wounded but survived. The Tigers, however, have refrained from targeting Western tourists out of fear that foreign governments would crack down on Tamil expatriates who raise money for them abroad, the U.S. State Department said. Have there been peace talks? Periodically fighting has briefly halted because of a handful of peace agreements. By February 2002 the Tigers had dropped their demands for a separate homeland in exchange for a power-sharing deal with the government. Norway and some other countries agreed to monitor the ceasefire. A year later the rebels dropped out of the negotiations, saying they were being marginalized. They launched a suicide bombing campaign soon after. What led to renewed fighting? In January 2008 the Sri Lankan government announced it was annulling the nearly six-year-old truce with the rebels, declaring that it would crush the rebels. The fighting intensified with security forces driving the rebels from their strongholds in the east and north of the country. The government asked the rebels to lay down arms; the rebels vowed to continue. Caught in the crossfire were civilians, thousands of whom were displaced and hundreds killed. International aid groups expressed concern that both the government and the rebels disregarded civilian safety even in no-fire zones and hospitals. Both sides blamed the other for civilian casualties and exaggerated accounts of their victories. With journalists not allowed into the battle zones, their claims could not be independently confirmed. On Sunday, the Tigers posted an \"urgent statement\" on a pro-rebel Web site, saying the battle had reached \"its bitter end.\" \"We have decided to silence our guns,\" the statement said. Euphoria gripped the war-wracked nation. And Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa readied to announce to Tuesday that military operations had ended. But one last order of business awaited: The capture, dead or alive, of Prabhakaran. In the past, the Tigers have emerged from near-defeat. But if Prabhakaran's death is confirmed, the government is optimistic that it can write off the Tigers. CNN's Melissa Gray contributed to this report, which includes information from various sources. They include the U.S. State Department, the FBI, Interpol, Human Rights Watch, the Council on Foreign Relations, the CIA Factbook, and previous CNN reports." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "25-year long insurgency has killed more than 70,000 people .\nTamil leader reportedly wore a cyanide capsule around his neck .\nFBI says group pioneered use of suicide belts for bomb attacks ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's supreme leader on Friday rejected opposition claims that last week's presidential elections were rigged, describing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's win as \"definitive\" and demanding an end to days of protests. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first address since the June 12 presidential elections. In his first speech since the June 12 election outcome sparked the country's worst unrest in 30 years, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the vote accurately reflected the will of the people and accused \"enemies of Islam\" of stoking anger. He warned opposition leaders, who are planning a new rally on Saturday, against staging further demonstrations, saying they would be held accountable for any violence. The \"Islamic establishment would never manipulate votes and commit treason. The legal structure in this country does not allow vote-rigging,\" Khamenei said, in his first address since the elections. He told a large crowd at Tehran University that the \"historic\" 85 percent turnout of more than 40 million people was a \"political earthquake\" and was too large to have been manipulated. \"There is a difference of 11 million votes. How can vote-rigging happen?\" he added. Watch Khamenei dismiss claims of fraud » . Ahmadinejad, whose hardline policies have antagonized Western nations, claimed victory with more than 62 percent of the votes, surprising many experts who had predicted a stronger showing from main opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi. The Ayatollah's speech was likely to come under heavy scrutiny in Iran, amid expectations that, despite conciliatory comments, his strong endorsement of Ahmadinejad will do little to appease Moussavi's emboldened supporters. Read about Iran's power structure » . Moussavi's allegations of ballot fraud and calls for a fresh vote have rallied thousands on the streets of Tehran and other cities, in scenes not witnesses in country since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 toppled its monarchy. The unrest prompted Iran to place restrictions on foreign media, limiting their reports on six days of street protests, police arrests and some outbreaks of violence that have left at least eight people dead. Watch militia crackdown » . Khamenei described the dispute over the election outcome as a disagreement within Iran's establishment, accusing \"foreign enemies\" and \"Zionists\" -- including the United States, Britain and Israel -- of fomenting violence, and criticizing international media coverage of the unrest. Britain's Foreign Office confirmed shortly after the speech that it was summoning Iran's London ambassador in response to Khamenei's comments. His speech was punctuated with exhortations from the crowd, including: \"Allah is Great,\" \"Death to Israel,\" \"Death to America,\" and \"Death to Britain.\" Expressing support for Ahmadinejad, Khamenei accused rival election candidates of insulting the president in the run-up to the vote. \"They swore and called the president superstitious and called him names, which is embarrassing. They forgot about morality and law,\" he said. Khamenei, who has authorized a partial vote recount, said proper legal channels should be used for any challenge to the election outcome. He called for an end to street protests, warning that perpetrators of violence would face punishment. On Thursday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Iran's capital for the sixth day in a row. Some estimates put the total number of participants in the hundreds of thousands. See where protests have taken place » . Moussavi spoke through a bullhorn from atop a building to the throngs of marchers who snaked through the city, in what was described as a peaceful protest. He spoke hours after the Iranian government agreed to meet with candidates for crisis talks to discuss complaints stemming from the election. With restrictions on reporting the unrest, much of the news, video and images emerging from Iran have come via social networking sites, often bypassing authorities' attempts to block applications such as Facebook and Twitter. CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour described Khamenei's address as a heartfelt defense of Iran's establishment but said it was uncertain the opposition would heed his call to end demonstrations. Watch Amanpour discuss speech. » . \"That's the all important question. Whether or not the leaders of the opposition -- Mir Hossein Moussavi -- will call on these people to stop their protests is unclear,\" she said. \"Whether they will end and whether the people on the the streets will listen -- because the protests have been spontaneous. It will be intersting to see after this call from the supreme leader, from whom all power in Iran flows.\" Moussavi, who called for a boycott of Khamenei's prayer sermon, was absent from the audience, which included Ahmadinejad and, next to him, parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, who has previously had a tense relationship with the president. Former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has been in a power struggle with Khamenei, was not visible on the TV broadcast of the event. Rafsanjani is chairman and overseer of the Assembly of Experts -- which is responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader. iReport.com: Share images from Iran . In his speech, Khamenei defended Rafsanjani from charges of corruption made by Amhadinejad during a pre-election debate. However, he opened the door to corruption charges against Rafsanjani's relatives. In discussing Iran's support of human rights, Khamenei slammed U.S. policies in Afghanistan and Iraq . He even made an apparent reference to the deaths of people -- what he called the \"burning alive\" of 80 men, women and children -- during the federal siege of the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas in 1993. \"We have raised the flag of human rights through Islam,\" Khamenei said. There have been arrests and casualties in civil unrest, with human rights group Amnesty International saying reports suggest that up to 15 people have died. The government maintains seven people have died. Iranian TV Thursday night aired confessions from people who authorities say were paid to destabilize Iran. It aired remarks from some \"terrorists\" who said the United States paid them to enter from Iraq to committing terrorist acts against the Iranian leadership. CNN's Badi Badiozamani contributed to this report ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Iran's supreme leader rejects claims of ballot rigging in presidential vote .\nAyatollah Khamenei delivers first speech since election outcome sparked unrest .\nHe criticizes protests, says those who caused violence would be held accountable .\nHe also criticizes international media for how they have portrayed the election ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb has turned down a move to Inter Milan in favor of returning to Bundesliga club Stuttgart on loan for the season. Alexander Hleb is presented to the media after completing his loan move to former club Stuttgart. Hleb had been expected to be part of the swap deal that saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o switch clubs earlier this week. But the 28-year-old Belarus international has opted against joining Cameroon striker Eto'o at the San Siro due to the limited prospects of regular football under Jose Mourinho, and instead decided to return to Germany. Hleb left Stuttgart four years ago to move to English Premier League side Arsenal, where he spent three seasons -- including reaching the Champions League final in 2006, which the Gunners lost to Barcelona. Top 20 summer transfer targets . Hleb eventually ended up moving to the Nou Camp last summer, but struggled to claim a place in the side and was omitted from the 18-man squad that beat Manchester United in this year's Champions League final. Hleb told Stuttgart's official Web site he had moved to Markus Babbel's side because of their prospects for the coming season. \"I have opted for Stuttgart because the team has great potential and I am convinced that we can achieve a lot together,\" the 28-year-old said. Stuttgart general manager Horst Heldt added: \"We have signed a world class player with Alexander Hleb. He will increase the quality of our squad even further.\" Stuttgart had seen moves for both Real Madrid's Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Vagner Love of CSKA Moscow break down in recent weeks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb has turned down a switch to Inter Milan .\nHleb had been expected to be part of the Ibrahimovic and Eto'o swap transfer .\nHowever, he has chosen to rejoin former club Stuttgart in a one-year loan deal ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- A 4-year-old Ohio girl who vanished more than three weeks ago was found alive and in good condition, halfway across the country in southern California, authorities said. Haylee Donathan was found with her mother and her mother's boyfriend, fugitive sex offender Robbie Potter. Haylee Donathan, her mother Candace Watson and Robbie Potter were discovered hiding for the past week at The Morning Star Ranch, a retreat in Valley Center, near San Diego, said Peter Elliott, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio. Potter is a registered sex offender, officials said. He was being sought by the U.S. Marshal's Service. Late Tuesday Haylee was in the custody of a children's protective services agency in the San Diego County area, Elliott said. She was doing well but may have chicken pox, he added. \"We understand she is healthy and happy and I believe, waiting to come back to her grandmother here,\" he said. Watch authorities announce their find » . The journey west took them more than two thousand miles from Mansfield, the north-Central Ohio city where the girl and her mother live. \"I am very happy that my granddaughter's coming home,\" said Mary Watson, Haylee's grandmother. \"And I just want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.\" Watson, 24, and Potter, 27, were arrested without incident and held by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. When asked their reaction, Elliott said, \"I believe a little shocked that we were able to find them.\" Potter and Watson were still using the same vehicle, a 1980s blue Chevrolet pickup truck they drove from Ohio, Elliott said. Watson's hair was a bit darker and Potter also changed his appearance slightly. Authorities had feared Haylee was endangered. Potter, a sex offender, had escaped a half-way house on May 28, the day the girl and her mother fell out of sight. Countless tips came in while they were missing but one in particular led to the breakthrough on Tuesday, Elliott said without elaborating. But a tip from members of the ranch could have lead to the raid and arrest, a ranchmember told CNN. Kevin Carlin, a member of the ranch in the neighborhood of Valley Center, told CNN in a telephone interview that ranch members became suspicious when a former ranch guest saw billboards urging help in finding Haylee and the two adults. Elliott also praised intense national news coverage from programs such as HLN's Nancy Grace and Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, as well as local media and Clear Channel, which put up missing child billboards across the country. When she is returned to Ohio, Haylee will be placed in the custody of her grandmother, Elliott said. The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of 27-year-old Potter. Potter was wanted on a state warrant for parole violation and a federal warrant for probation violation. He is a convicted tier three sex offender, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, a unit of the Justice Department. While on the run, Potter and Watson were reportedly seen on surveillance video on May 31 at a Wal-Mart Store in Marion, Ohio, 40 miles from Mansfield. Haylee was not on that video. Adding to concerns, Watson's roommate, Samantha Covert, said last week in an interview on Nancy Grace that she saw the little girl in bed with her mother and Potter the morning they disappeared. Covert said Watson carried a basket of clothing, pillows and blankets. Watson will likely face state charges, including harboring a fugitive, according to Elliott. In addition to other charges, he said Potter may be prosecuted under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, a federal sex offender registration and self-reporting law that carries a multi-year felony sentence if violated. On its Web site, the Morning Star Ranch describes itself as \"a community of growers of organic, pesticide-free avocados, grapefruit, persimmons, nuts, and other produce.\" Elliot said he believed it is a rehab facility and also called it a Christian retreat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Missing Ohio girl found alive near San Diego, California, authorities say .\nTip led authorities to raid communal farm .\nHaylee Donathan was with mother, boyfriend who's a fugitive sex offender .\nHaylee, mother were last seen May 28 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Somewhere, it's engraved in stone: \"Thou shalt remove thy laptop from thy bag.\" Beginning Saturday, travelers will be able to leave laptops in bags that meet TSA screening requirements. But savvy travelers can begin ignoring that commandment of air travel beginning Saturday, when the Transportation Security Administration begins recognizing the latest innovation in aviation security -- checkpoint-friendly computer bags. The TSA said it has worked with bag manufacturers to address one of the biggest frustrations of air travelers, the need to remove computers from carry-on bags and place them in bins. It asked manufacturers to design bags that give X-ray machines a clear, unobstructed view of the laptops. Some 60 manufacturers responded to the TSA's solicitation, with 40 of them submitting prototypes for testing. About a dozen manufacturers are currently advertising checkpoint-friendly bags. Many of the bags are deceptively simple. One common design resembles a clam shell. The case unzips into two, with one side holding the computer and the other holding computer peripherals, keys and other personal items. All of the bags are devoid of metal zippers, clips and buckles on the side of the bag that holds the computer. Learn about the TSA's laptop bag requirements » . Travelers at Reagan National Airport near Washington had different opinions on the hassles of carrying computers but were uniformly supportive of having checkpoint-friendly bags. \"Sign me up,\" said traveler Seth Robertson, who was carrying a computer bag and a large, stuffed pony, a present for a friend in Nicaragua. Getting the computer through the checkpoint was more difficult than the stuffed animal, he said. \"The laptop, I have to take out of the bag and put it separately,\" Robertson said, whereas the pony, he could \"just stuff right through.\" Screeners didn't even look the gift horse in the mouth. The TSA says about one-third of all air travelers carry laptops. And the current screening procedures are cumbersome for travelers who sometimes leave laptops at the checkpoints in their haste. Watch a screening demonstration with a new laptop bag » . In fact, about 4,800 laptops are lost at airport checkpoints every day, according to a study conducted this year by the Ponemon Institute for the Dell computer company. It is not known how may are quickly recovered, an institute official said. But a checkpoint-friendly carrying case could potentially alleviate problems caused when folks grab the wrong computer by mistake, or grab the bag and forget the computer, he said. TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe said the bags may even improve speed at checkpoints. \"Less time (is) spent putting things in the bin and putting things back in at the other end, so it may help the process along,\" she said. For a bag to meet TSA requirements, it must meet the following five standards: . The TSA says it is not approving or endorsing any bag design, but it says manufacturers have stepped up to the plate, providing a number of bags that qualify." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Checkpoint-friendly computer bags will be eligible for TSA screening Saturday .\nTravelers must use bags with a designated laptop-only section .\nThere must be no metal snaps, zippers or buckles obstructing the view ." } ]

[ { "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 based on interrogation reports that form part of the prosecution case in the forthcoming trial of six Belgian citizens charged with participation in a terrorist group. Versions of those documents were obtained by CNN from the defense attorney of one of those suspects. The statement by Bryant Vinas was compiled from an interview he gave Belgian prosecutors in March 2009 in New York and was confirmed by U.S. prosecutors as authentic. The statement by Walid Othmani was given to French investigators and was authenticated by Belgian prosecutors. Al Qaeda recruits say they received training in how to handle rockets, explosives and bombs. (CNN) -- The interrogations of two accused Westerners who say they trained and fought with al Qaeda in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region provide an inside view of the terror group's organizational structures. Arguably, they shed more light on the state of al Qaeda than any material previously released into the public domain. The documents reveal training programs and the protective measures the terrorist organization has taken against increasingly effective U.S. missile strikes. Bryant Vinas -- a U.S. citizen who says he traveled to Pakistan in September 2007 to fight against Americans in Afghanistan -- stated that between March and July 2008 he attended three al Qaeda training courses, which focused on weapons, explosives, and rocket-based or -propelled weaponry. During these classes, attended by 10-20 recruits, Vinas was taught how to handle a large variety of weapons and explosives, some of them of military grade sophistication, according to his account. Read how al Qaeda is now operating . Vinas stated he became familiar with seeing, smelling and touching different explosives such as TNT, as well as plastic explosives such as RDX, Semtex, C3 and C4 -- the explosive U.S. authorities have stated was used in al Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000. Vinas also learned how to make vests for suicide bombers. Vinas stated he was also instructed how to prepare and place fuses, how to test batteries, how to use voltmeters and how to build circuitry for a bomb. Read how Vinas met with al Qaeda leaders . According to his account, al Qaeda also offered a wide variety of other courses including electronics, sniper, and poisons training. Instruction in the actual construction of bombs, he stated, was offered to al Qaeda recruits who had become more advanced in their training. Vinas' training during this period was very similar to the training described by members of a French-Belgian group who also spent time in the tribal areas of Pakistan in 2008. Walid Othmani, a French recruit, stated the group were given explosives training and taught how to fire rocket launchers and RPGs. Othmani provided French interrogators with an account of his time in Pakistan after being arrested on his return to Europe. Three other members of his group are now in Belgian custody awaiting trial for \"participation in a terrorist group.\" Belgian prosecutors told CNN Othmani has been charged in France with participation in a criminal conspiracy with the aim of preparing a terrorist act. A Belgian legal document detailing his interrogation report was obtained by CNN. Like Vinas, Othmani said the group had been required to sign forms before their training. Othmani stated his group was required to pledge absolute obedience to their handlers and indicate whether they wanted to become suicide bombers. Othmani provided interesting new details about the training facilities being used by al Qaeda in the tribal areas. His group trained in a small mountain shack, a far cry from the large camps al Qaeda had run in Taliban-era Afghanistan, when it had been able to operate with little danger of being targeted by military strikes. Othmani's account made clear that al Qaeda has had to decentralize its operations in Pakistan in response to the growing effectiveness of U.S. Predator strikes. However the wide number of training courses described by both Vinas and Othmani suggest that al Qaeda has been able to adapt well to the new security environment. By operating a larger number of smaller facilities, al Qaeda would also appear to have increased its resilience to attack. Read how al Qaeda is looking for Western targets . While the classrooms are safer from drone attacks than the pre-9/11 sessions on the mountainsides the content seems to have changed to match new targeting plans. Suicide vest and IED construction show how the curriculum is being modified for today's combat with U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Making and handling explosives, as well as fuse construction, show the sessions may also be geared for killing in Europe and the United States. These are the very skills the July 7, 2005 London bombers Shehzad Tanweer and Mohammed Siddique Khan came to Pakistan to learn. Al Qaeda, it would seem, may still want to pull off the spectacular attack in Europe or the United States. Vinas says he took a course in propelled weaponry with Hicham Bouhali Zrioul, a former taxi driver in Brussels, Belgium, whom he first met in March 2008 and formed a friendship with. Vinas stated that when they completed their training, Al Qaeda instructors did a written evaluation of their performance. Vinas had been judged qualified to participate in missile attacks against U.S. and NATO bases in Afghanistan, according to his account. That suggests al Qaeda has maintained its capacity for administration and paperwork even in a harsher security environment. When their training finished in the summer of 2008, Vinas and Zrioul lived in the same house in the mountains of Waziristan. Zrioul managed to acquire a computer which he rigged up to watch jihadist videos. During a mountain walk with Zrioul one day, Vinas says he was told about a new course being taught by al Qaeda called \"international operations\" set up by al Qaeda's head of international operations whom Vinas later identified as Abu Hafith. Hafith, he stated, was responsible for recruitment and direction of terrorist cells, and attacks outside Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hafith was identified by his initials in the legal document but CNN obtained his name from a source briefed on the case. He is believed to be still at large in the Pakistan-Afghan border area. Vinas was told that the training course that Hafith set up focused on kidnapping and assassination, including instruction on the use of silencers and how to break into and enter a property. The revelations raise the possibility that al Qaeda was developing a program of targeted assassinations. Though al Qaeda has carried out some assassinations in the past, most of its attacks in the West have not targeted any particular individuals but crowded areas, such as mass transport. According to Othmani, al Qaeda fighters totaled between 300-500 in Pakistan's Tribal Areas -- spread out in groups of 10. Such decentralization was a function of the growing deadliness of U.S. Predator strikes. Hicham Beyayo, a Belgian jihadist volunteer, said the group moved around a lot because such strikes were known to be \"very effective,\" his lawyer Christophe Marchand, told CNN. The loss of an increasing number of operatives, stated Othmani, prompted an order from al Qaeda's top command for fighters to remain inside as much as possible. In order to keep in touch, jihadists operated a courier service across the region, according to the Frenchman's testimony. The decentralization of al Qaeda's structures appears to have created some costs for recruits. Two members of the Belgian-French group now in custody describe feeling increasingly cut off, bored, and fed up with the primitive living conditions in their mountain shacks, according to documents obtained by CNN and the defense lawyer of one of those charged. They often did not seem to know what their next orders would be or where their handlers would take them. They also described being deeply frustrated at being repeatedly given false promises that they would be able to fight in Afghanistan. Othmani also described the group's frustration at having to pay for their own weapons and training -- at a cost of 1,300 euros each (about $1,800) -- which if true might lend credence to reports that al Qaeda has come under financial strain. Vinas, for his part, made no mention of having to make payments to his handlers. Vinas and Othmani's accounts also suggest that al Qaeda may be having leadership problems. While able to find fresh recruits to replace those killed and arrested, the group seems to have more difficulty replacing senior military trainers and other key operational figures. A former U.S. government official, specializing in counter-terrorism, commented that the insider accounts suggest the same people are leading training as a decade ago. The only difference, there are fewer of them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Al Qaeda recruit tells of weapons and explosives training courses .\nGroup trained in a small mountain shack -- a far cry from large Afghan camps .\nAl Qaeda also offered electronics, sniper, and poisons training courses .\nSome sessions could be geared for killing in Europe and United States ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- Fans of Michael Jackson lined the streets outside Harlem's Apollo Theater on Tuesday for a chance to pay their respects to the late \"King of Pop\" at the hall that helped launch his career. A hat and glittery glove represent Michael Jackson at the Apollo Theater tribute. The crowd stood eight to 10 abreast in the sun and 80-degree weather for 10 blocks, waiting for hours for a chance to enter the theater. Fans were allowed in 600 at a time, where they lay flowers and other mementos at the foot of the stage and danced to Jackson's music as it played over the sound system. \"We left our house at 4 o'clock in the morning and got here at 9, and we were lucky to get here,\" said Angela Staples, who came to New York from Pennsylvania with her daughter Jasmine. \"I'm so happy about the outpouring of love and the crowd and the people. It's so respectful to Michael.\" Those in the hall observed a moment of silence at 5:26 p.m. -- the time Jackson was pronounced dead Thursday in Los Angeles, California. The cause of the 50-year-old singer's death has not yet been determined. An autopsy on the 50-year-old singer was was inconclusive, leaving authorities waiting on the results of toxicology tests to determine what killed him. Fans have been gathering outside the theater since last week to remember Jackson, who at age 9 won a 1967 Apollo amateur night showcase with his brothers in the group the Jackson 5. \"While he went on from the Apollo stage to achieve international fame on an unprecedented level, to us and all of you, he's family because he started out here,\" said Jonelle Procope, the legendary venue's CEO. Jackson became an idol of both black and white fans and was among the first African-American artists to get widespread play on the music-video channel MTV. But in later years, he was known more for a roller-coaster personal life, including extensive plastic surgery, financial woes and a 1995 trial and acquittal on child-molestation charges. The Rev. Al Sharpton, the New York civil rights activist who became a friend of the Jackson family, urged Jackson's fans not to let critics \"scandalize\" a groundbreaking performer. \"Michael wasn't no freak,\" Sharpton said. \"Michael was a genius. Michael was an innovator. You can't take someone with extraordinary skills, extraordinary talent, and make him an ordinary person. He was extraordinary. He lived extraordinarily, and we love him with an extraordinary passion.\" The Apollo had been one of the top venues for jazz, gospel and soul artists for decades before the Jacksons' breakthrough. Sharpton said the theater was home to \"the best and the baddest.\" \"You've got to come from the stage of the Apollo and go all over the world to understand Michael,\" Sharpton said. \"We understand his journey, because we were with him every step of the way.\" The Jackson brothers' amateur night win led to a $1,000 deal for 31 shows at the Apollo, said Bobby Schiffman, whose family owned the theater. \"Shortly after their appearance, Diana Ross took them on an NBC special that she did, and there was no looking back after that. They just skyrocketed,\" Schiffman said. Jackson at the time \"was a sweet little boy,\" he said. \"He was extremely talented, extremely easy to get along with,\" Schiffman said. \"He always had a smile on his face, and it was a pleasure to see him working in the theater.\" CNN's Aspen Steib contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fans line streets for blocks to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Apollo Theater .\nFans lay flowers, mementos at the foot of the stage, dance to Jackson's music .\nJackson 5 won amateur night contest at Apollo in 1967 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Two snowmobilers died Wednesday in an avalanche on Logan Peak north of Salt Lake City, Utah, a sheriff's department official said. Two people died after being trapped on Utah's Logan Peak during an avalanche. Lt. Matt Bilodeau of the Cache County Sheriff's Office told CNN that someone using a satellite phone called at 10:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. ET) and told authorities about the incident. \"Two people were trapped,\" he said. \"They have both been recovered.\" The body of only one of them, a male, had been taken down the mountain, he said. Logan Peak's summit is at an altitude of 9,710 feet. Though the area is not off limits to snowmobilers, they had been warned of the danger after a recent snowstorm. \"The media's been putting that in the paper, on the radio and on TV,\" Bilodeau said. \"We are still in extreme avalanche danger,\" he said, and he urged snowmobilers to \"take into account they need to stay in probably the areas that have less of a slope to them.\" CNN's Scott Spoerry, who grew up in the area, said a recent avalanche knocked out the water supply for the city of Logan's 47,000 residents. \"Every year, there's a few avalanches,\" he said. The area is also popular during the summer, when hang gliders launch themselves from the peak." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sheriff's Office says two people had been trapped in avalanche .\nCall about avalanche came in at 12:30 p.m. ET .\nSheriff's Office says people had been warned of danger after recent storm .\nBody of one victim has been brought down from Logan Peak ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- For years, Alfonso Torress-Cook followed the rules in his quest to eliminate hospital-acquired infections. Patients at his hospital received large doses of antibiotics and were scrubbed down with alcohol-based soaps, as he and his colleagues aimed to kill every bacterium possible. Search and destroy was the mantra. By upending conventional wisdom, Alfonso Torress-Cook was able to slash hospital-acquired infection rates. Still, patients became sick with bacterial infections after checking in. Some died. \"I never saw anything change. I saw things getting worse,\" Torress-Cook said. Torress-Cook eventually joined Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, in California, where as director of epidemiology and patient safety, he changed the rules and slashed the number of patients who become infected. Torress-Cook is part of a growing movement in medicine that no longer accepts hospital-acquired infections as inevitable complications. Every year, such infections sicken 1.7 million and kill 99,000 people in the United States. At Pacific Hospital, Torress-Cook doesn't go after all bacteria, just the dangerous ones. The staff members at the 184-bed hospital use antibiotics sparingly, feed patients yogurt to replenish healthy bacteria in the gut and bathe patients daily, using a soap that maintains the natural pH of the patient's skin, killing only bacteria that don't belong there. Meet some of the people fighting hospital-acquired infections » . Torress-Cook is also obsessive about hygiene: Nurses clean under patients' fingernails and brush their teeth daily. He also enlisted the hospital's cleaning crew as part of the infection-fighting team. Rooms receive a thorough cleaning every day -- more than simply emptying the trash and mopping the floor, he says. Under Torress-Cook, Pacific Hospital's infection rate for the so-called superbug MRSA is down to 0.01 per 1,000 discharges, 430 times better than the national average. Approximately one out of every 22 patients who checks into a U.S. hospital acquires a bacterial infection, adding more than $28 billion to health care costs, according to a 2009 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there are signs of improvement. Pennsylvania, which requires the most extensive reporting of hospital-acquired infections, saw the annual rate for all infections drop 8 percent, according to the most recent figures available from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. And there are other signs of progress. The development and use of a simple checklist for a common procedure that threads a so-called central line to supply medicine directly to the bloodstream has been extraordinarily effective. The checklist made central line infections almost nonexistent at the 108 intensive care units in Michigan that adopted it. More than 1,700 lives -- and $246 million -- were saved in the first three years the checklist was adopted, according to the state hospital association. The checklist is now being adopted in all 50 states and three countries: the United Kingdom, Spain and Peru, says checklist designer Dr. Peter Pronovost, from Johns Hopkins University and Hospitals. At hospitals large and small, raising the head of the bed for patients on ventilators, brushing patients' teeth and taking other precautions have dramatically reduced ventilator-associated pneumonia, another common and costly infection. Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, has used these techniques to cut its ventilator-associated pneumonia rate by more than half, to 2.7 cases per 1,000 ventilator days. \"Our goal is zero,\" says Michelle Farber, a registered nurse who is Mercy's senior infection preventionist. Simply requiring hospitals to report their infections has forced them to be more accountable to their patients, says Lisa McGiffert, who heads Consumers Union's Stop Hospital Infections campaign, which among other things has pushed for more transparency. Twenty-six states now have laws requiring hospitals to report rates for urinary tract and other infections. Paul Levy, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, is a big fan of publishing infection rates. He puts the hospital's rates on its Web site and on his blog. Simply putting the spotlight on hospital-acquired infections keeps the staff focused, he says. Hospitals also have a new financial incentive to cut infections. As of October 1, 2008, Medicare no longer pays hospitals for the added costs incurred by patients who develop catheter-related urinary tract infections and other catheter- or surgery-related infections. McGiffert says there's been a cultural shift in the past five years. \"I think it's moving us toward eradication of infection or at least where infections are rare and will not be accepted,\" she says." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Every year, hospital-acquired infections sicken 1.7 million, kill 99,000 in U.S.\nThey add more than $28 billion to health care costs annually .\nSmall changes -- using a checklist and brushing patients' teeth -- can lower rates .\nExpert: Attitude is slowly shifting away from accepting infections as inevitable ." } ]

[ { "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) -- Michael Jackson knew \"exactly how his fate would be played out\" and feared his death would echo that of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley wrote in an online blog posted Friday morning. Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley in 1994. Presley says, \"I loved him very much\" and believes he loved her. Presley -- the daughter of Elvis, the \"King of Rock,\" and the ex-wife of Jackson, the \"King of Pop\" -- wrote on her MySpace page that she wanted \"to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once.\" Her publicist confirmed Presley wrote the blog. She said her short marriage to Jackson -- from May 1994 until January 1996 -- \"was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press,\" but she divorced him because she was \"in over my head in trying\" to save Jackson \"from the inevitable, which is what has just happened.\" Jackson talked with her about his death during \"a deep conversation\" 14 years ago about \"the circumstances of my father's death.\" Watch more from Presley on Jackson » . \"At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did,' \" Presley wrote. \"I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.\" That conversation haunted Presley as she watched television coverage of Jackson's death Thursday, she said. \"I am sitting here watching on the news [as] an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears,\" she wrote. \"A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened.\" Elvis Presley collapsed in the bathroom of his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion -- Graceland -- on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. While his death was ruled the result of an irregular heartbeat, the autopsy report was sealed amid accusations that abuse of prescription drugs caused the problem. \"As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play the exact scenario I saw happen on August 16, 1977, happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted,\" she wrote. \"I wanted to 'save him',\" she wrote. \"I wanted to save him from the inevitable, which is what has just happened.\" \"The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow,\" Presley wrote. Their marriage, which some suggested was only to help Jackson's image, was real, she said. \"It was an unusual relationship, yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a 'normal life' found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part,\" she wrote. \"Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much.\" Presley called Jackson \"an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated.\" \"When he used it for something good, it was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad,\" she wrote. Presley's blog entry ended with a thank you to those who would read it. \"I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening.\" Presley's blog can be found online at http://bit.ly/5wR7p ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lisa-Marie Presley, Jackson were married from 1994 to 1996 .\nShe says Jackson feared he would die like her father, Elvis Presley .\nPresley says their marriage was not \"a sham\" as press has said .\n\"I wanted to save him from the inevitable,\" she says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Houston Rockets team physician Tom Clanton has said the foot injury currently sidelining Chinese center Yao Ming could threaten the seven-foot-six-inch player's career. Yao Ming's entire basketball future could be in danger due to his persistent foot injury. \"At this point, the injury has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career-threatening,\" Clanton told the Houston Chronicle regional newspaper. \"One of the things we are trying to get is a consensus opinion on that, to make certain there is no option we are overlooking that would provide an earlier return or would be an option for treatment that he would prefer rather than doing additional surgery,\" he added. Yao fractured his left foot last month during a semifinal match against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Western Conference semifinals and has been visiting specialists ahead of treatment since then. Clanton continued: \"At this stage, he is having no symptoms or physical signs, he has no tenderness, no swelling, no redness. When he came back in, he was feeling like everything was perfect, and he would start rehabilitation and get ready to play. \"The findings on the CT were shocking for him and for us. You don't treat a CT scan; you treat a patient. We are looking for every reason to treat this on clinical findings but don't want to put him at risk for a greater fracture,\" he added. The diagnosis raises doubt over the playing future of one of the biggest stars in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one of the most famous celebrities to hail from China. Yao is a national hero in his homeland, and the news has prompted a frenzy of postings on the internet, arguing about the why's and wherefore's of his injury. \"He is really tired,\" says one Netizen posting on Sina.com. \"He needs to rest, we cannot let the giant fall!\" \"I wish everything will work out well for Yao Ming,\" says another teenage basketball fan. \"There is always a way to deal with injuries. We should not give up.\" Some Yao supporters think he should take a long break -- even for the whole season -- and make a comeback later. \"I think his injury is very bad,\" opines Ma Jian, a TV commentator who played for the Chinese national team. \"With all the weight training the team have put him through in the past seven years, Yao has gained about 20 kilos in his upper body. But his lower body, especially his feet, did not gain much strength to hold his large frame.\" The 28-year-old Yao has been a perennial pick for the NBA All-Star teams since moving from the Shanghai Sharks to the Rockets in 2002. Yao also captained the Chinese team as hosts at the 2008 Beijing Games, as well as taking the role of flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Yao was awarded the honor of \"model worker\" in 2005 by China's ruling Communist Party. However, despite his popularity, Yao still has his share of detractors. Known as \"Yao hei\" -- they are people who are out to smear the player. \"He is a man made of glass,\" says one posting on Sina.com. \"Should we call him Yao the glass or Yao the porcelain?\" asks one rhetorically. Yao is now a multi-millionaire, earning millions of dollars yearly, not just from his NBA team but from lucrative commercial endorsements. Admirers say Yao has done more for improving China's image overseas than any modern-day politician or diplomat. Next to the giant panda, Yao is perhaps China's best known and much loved, icon, in part because exudes a wholesome, feel-good image. \"He is such an affable, likeable guy,\" recalls Colin Pine, who used to serve as his personal translator during his years as an NBA rookie in Houston. His demeanor on and off the court has endeared him to the media and multitude of basketball fans overseas, who admire his modesty and maturity. His loyal fans hope Yao will get an extension of his already long and successful career." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Houston Rockets physician says Yao Ming injury could \"threaten his career\"\nYao fractured his left foot playing for Houston against the L.A. Lakers in May .\nThe 28-year-old was flag-bearer for China at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games .\nYao has been perennial All-Star selection since he moved to the U.S. in 2002 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Two U.S. filmmakers were injured Saturday when their small plane crashed into a three-story residential building in downtown Nairobi. People gather around the wreckage of a plane that struck a building in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Saturday. Dan Parris, 25, and Rob Lehr, 26, both from St. Louis, Missouri, were shooting an independent documentary on poverty in Africa. Both men were hospitalized and expected to survive, according to David Peterka, who was part of the film crew, but was not aboard the plane. He said that all four aboard the plane were Americans. A flight engineer, whose name was not released, was critically injured and was in a coma, Peterka said. The pilot, whose name has not yet been released, was killed in the crash. The crew had been in the east African nation for four days and was shooting video of Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa. The plane was headed to nearby Wilson Airport, where most light aircraft land in the Kenyan capital. \"The pilot had warned that he was going to hover and go slow,\" Peterka said. \"They were surprised when they went to about 50 feet off the ground --- and then they hit electrical lines and the plane flipped into the building.\" Just before the plane crashed, the listening devices went off and they could not communicate with the pilot, Peterka said. Peterka said Lehr, who was ejected because the doors were open for filming, ran back in to rescue the others. Parris crawled out and Lehr, with the help of bystanders, pulled the pilot and the engineer out as the plane burst into flames, Peterka said. \"Local residents were using water, dirt to put the fire out\" before the fire department arrived, Peterka said. \"Before the plane crashed, witnesses said it was flying unusually low,\" said Francis Mwaka, a Kenyan federal communications official. The four-seater plane was owned by African Inland Missions company. No one on the ground was injured, Mwaka said. The crash is under investigation. CNN's Ben Brumfield contributed to this story." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pilot killed, three passengers injured when plane crashes into building .\nTwo victims were U.S. filmmakers shooting documentary on African poverty .\nDan Parris, Rob Lehr were taken to hospital, expected to survive .\nWitnesses say plane was \"flying unusually low\" before crash ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao's two-round demolition of Ricky Hatton has set up the prospect of the biggest money-spinning fight in the history of boxing. Pacquiao lands a solid right to Hatton on his way to a comprehensive victory. The Filipino knocked out the plucky but outclassed Briton in Las Vegas on Saturday night -- earning him by a conservative estimate at least $2 million dollars per minute. Hatton, who could well now hang up his gloves, will pocket more than $8 million as a consolation. Pacquiao's all-action style is popular with boxing followers and in his native Philippines the theaters which screened his fight live with Hatton were sold out well in advance with a ferocious demand for tickets. But the really big money lies in the Pay Per View (PPV) revenues generated by the U.S. Home Box Office (HBO) network. USA Today reported Monday that early indications from cable companies were that the scheduled 12-round light-welterweight bout could get as many as two million buys. Co-promoter Bob Arum was delighted with the figures especially as initial estimates were suggesting about one million boxing fans would shell out their cash. \"We know based on those early numbers and based on experience the event will perform extremely well. If I had to guess, anywhere between 1.6 million and two million homes, which is a home run,\" he said. The record for a PPV event is the 2.4 million buys for 'Golden Boy' Oscar De La Hoya's May 2007 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., which generated a staggering $134 million in revenue. Mayweather, who also beat Hatton in another 'superfight' at the back end of 2007, astutely chose Saturday night in Vegas to announce he was coming out of retirement. Mayweather, nicknamed 'money' because of the enormous revenues he generates, will face Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 in his return to the ring. But the talk of the boxing world is an eventual match up against Pacquiao with the notional pound for pound title at stake as well as a massive pay day. \"If Mayweather wants a piece of the 'little Filipino', just be my guest,\" Arum said before the dust had barely settled on the Hatton fight. With the flamboyant De La Hoya retired after being handed a painful beating by Pacquiao at the back end of 2008, the mantle of PPV king is set to fall to one of the two men who ended his ring career. Despite the global recession, the appetite for top prize fighting remains strong, but it is the more flamboyant characters who draw the biggest audiences. Last November's HBO clash between former pound for pound champion Roy Jones Jr. and the brilliant undefeated Welsh world champion Joe Calzaghe drew less than 250,000 buys. The only potential obstacle to a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout, the dangerous Marquez aside, is the relative sizes of the two men. Mayweather is a natural welterweight and would want a fight at 147 pounds, with Pacquiao, who started his remarkable career at light-flyweight, wanting the match at a lower weight. But big business and money is set to talk and many predict the showdown will come late this year, almost certainly in Las Vegas." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Manny Pacquiao set to make a fortune after beating Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas .\nFilipino boxer proves a massive draw among Pay Per View fans in U.S.\nShowdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. looms as American comes out of retirement ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- Baz Luhrmann is the type of director for whom the word innovative was invented. Luhrmann and his costume designer wife Catherine Martin, who is a long time collaborator. With a filmography comprising of just three full-length feature films, (and one currently in post-production) Luhrmann has produced a stunning and highly visual body of work that is loved and loathed in equal measures. His films have a tendency to suck the viewer up into a swirling vortex of lush imagery and a lavish production style, often with a frenetic pace that one critic described as being like \"a madman on Benzedrine\". But there is a method to Luhrmann's madness. The trio of films, \"Strictly Ballroom,\" an adaptation of William Shakespeare's \"Romeo and Juliet\" and \"Moulin Rouge!\" all form part of a specific filmmaking technique described by Luhrmann as \"The Red Curtain\" cinema. Luhrmann incorporates traditional theatrical conventions into his films and morphs them to create visual treats in stories set in heightened otherworlds. Simple devices like song and dance are then used to drive the action. He always surrounds himself with the same creative team for all of his projects. His wife, production and costume designer Catherine Martin, who is known as CM, is intrinsic to his striking visual style. In his directorial debut \"Strictly Ballroom,\" Luhrmann injected dazzling colors and energetic dance moves into the stuffy world of ballroom dancing and was credited with making the genre hip again. Luhrmann himself was a ballroom dancer from the age of six, and the film reflects his affection for and intimate knowledge of that world. An intensely personal director who always draws on his own experiences, Luhrmann told CNN's The Screening Room: \"Art and life cannot be separated, they feed each other and creative decisions are based on what will make life rich and what will enrich the story telling. What I make comes from a personal level.\" It paid off for \"Strictly Ballroom,\" which became a global hit, winning eight Australian Film Institute Awards, three BAFTAs, and the Cannes Film Festival's Prix de Jeunesse in 1992. In 1996, Luhrmann worked his magic again in \"William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet,\" an MTV-style version of the classic love story set in latter-day Miami Beach, complete with warring gangs wielding automatic weapons. But it was in \"Moulin Rouge!\" that the Red Curtain's opulent and extravagant theatrical style would explode in, spectacular, some would say violent, fashion. Starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, it explored a young writer's foray into the bohemian underworld of Montmartre, Paris. Following the film's box-office success Luhrmann landed a highly lucrative Chanel contract, making a Red Curtain-inspired 2004 film for Chanel No. 5, starring Nicole Kidman. At $36m, it is reputedly one of the most expensive adverts of all time. The maverick movie-maker began his film career as an actor, training at the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney, but it wasn't long before he was employing his flamboyant and creative talent behind the scenes. What seems to drive Luhrmann is his huge passion and appetite for all art forms. He is a veritable Jack-of-all trades: a writer-director who has produced theatre and opera pieces, worked as a guest editor for Australian Vogue and in 1999, Luhrmann scored a surprise-hit single with \"Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen).\" Following his Red Curtain trilogy, Luhrmann planned to move onto epic storytelling. He started work on a retelling of Alexander the Great, set to star Leonardo DiCaprio. But the film was set aside when Oliver Stone's version was released -- and flopped -- in 2004. \"\"My next great passion after musicals is the epic-- telling a recognizable universal story using a vast canvas of a far away place and historical events,\" he tells CNN. \"I embarked on that in my exploration of doing Alexander the Great. At one stage, I was collaborating with DreamWorks and Steven Spielberg. \"We were looking at sets around the world and studios were built in Northern Africa and Thailand. It got a long way down the road but for various reasons, not just because of the competing project, we walked away from it,\" he explains. \"For where we were in our life particularly because we were embarking on a very personal part of our story to have children, it wasn't right. \"It's all about the timing and what is right for your life in that moment in time. We walked away from that and I never regret that for a second.\" After a seven-year hiatus, during which he and CM have had two \"magical, incredible children,\" Luhrmann has finally made his epic film, simply titled \"Australia,\" with a budget of $130m, making it the expensive movie ever made in the country. \"Australia\" is a love letter to his home country. In it Nicole Kidman plays an English aristocrat who travels to 1930s Australia to sell a cattle ranch. A grueling journey across country with a rough drover (Hugh Jackman) ends with the pair witnessing the Japanese bombardment of Darwin at the start of the Second World War. \"It's been a long time since we've had those huge banquet like motion pictures, when I was a kid, if a big epic was coming it was a big event and the whole family went,\" Luhrmann says. \"It's big drama, comedy, landscape -- a huge banquet and I would like to invite the audience to this cinematic table.\" Luhrmann is unsure if the departure from his normal style is a good career move but is adamant \"it's a good life move.\" \"We found our inner spirit enlivened again,\" he says. Luhrmann, (unlike CM), has been thus far overlooked for an Oscar award, but \"Australia,\" a big, bold movie with a vast emotional landscape is just the sort of film the Academy loves. Come 2009, it seems they will no longer be able to ignore Luhrmann's considerable -- and -- inimitable talents. What do you think of Luhrmann's cinematic style? Do you love it or loathe it? Tell us your views in our Sound Off box below." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Baz Luhrmann's early cinema style is known as \"The Red Curtain\"\nA striking and highly visual and theatrical style exemplified in \"Moulin Rouge!\"\nHis new epic film \"Australia\" is a departure from this cinema style ." } ]

[ { "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) -- Questions swirled Friday about the possible role prescription medications may have played in the death Thursday of pop idol Michael Jackson, people close to him said. The cause of pop star Michael Jackson's death has not been determined after Friday's autopsy. His autopsy was completed, but further tests must be carried out before the cause of death can be determined, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner said. Craig Harvey said the tests would take four to six weeks, after which \"we anticipate being able to close the case and issuing a final cause of death.\" Among the tests to be carried out, he said, are neuropathology (brain) and pulmonary (lung) tests. Harvey added, \"We know that he was taking some prescription medications,\" but said he was not able to divulge what. The possibility that Jackson may have been taking medication that could have contributed to his death at the age of 50 weighed heavily Friday on a number of people close to the star. Watch coroner's office discuss Jackson's death. » . In 2005, after he was cleared on charges of child molestation, Jackson spent a week at a center run by Dr. Deepak Chopra, a physician who focuses on spirituality and the mind-body connection. During that week, Jackson asked Chopra for a prescription for a narcotic, the doctor told CNN. \"I said, 'What the heck do you want a narcotic prescription for?' And it suddenly dawned on me that he was probably taking these and that he had probably a number of doctors who were giving him these prescriptions, so I confronted him with that. At first, he denied it. Then, he said he was in a lot of pain.\" Chopra said he responded to Jackson that there were plenty of other ways for him to handle his pain, but that the arguments were not persuasive. Watch CNN's Sanjay Gupta discuss Jackson's death » . \"For a while, I lost him,\" he said. \"I have had that happen with me with other celebrities in Hollywood. There's a plethora of doctors in Hollywood, they're drug peddlers, they're drug pushers, they just happen to be having a medical license and I hope that this episode today, this tragic death of a great human being, will bring to light the huge problem we have in Hollywood with some of the medical establishment, the celebrity doctors, who not only initiate people into the drug experience, but then they perpetuate it so that people become dependent on them.\" Chopra said Jackson had recently gone on a diet to prepare for his planned comeback tour, which was to have begun next month in England, and was excited about his planned resumption of his performing career. \"He was practicing, he was fasting, and yet he wasn't physically in the condition to do this, and he was not confronting his drug addiction, which is the big problem,\" Chopra said. He blamed Jackson's death on drug abuse, though he offered no direct evidence. \"When you have enough drugs in your system, your heart goes into an arrhythmia and your respiration stops,\" he said. \"I think the drugs killed him.\" Chopra said he had known Jackson to take the opium-derived painkiller OxyContin at one time, as well as injections of the narcotic pain reliever Demerol \"and other narcotics, and I was really desperate to try to help him, but you know you can't help somebody who would go into denial.\" Watch crowds gather at the hospital. » . Jackson typically would refuse to call Chopra for several weeks at a time, the doctor said. \"Then he would call me two or three weeks later and say he was sorry, that he had been busy and it wasn't the drugs -- but it was the drugs.\" Chopra, who said he knew Jackson for more than two decades, described him as \"my little brother -- I feel very bad for him.\" Brian Oxman, a former attorney for the Jackson family who was with the family in the hospital emergency room on Thursday, also expressed concern about medications the pop star was taking. \"I talked to his family about it, I warned them -- I said that Michael is overmedicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop,\" Oxman told CNN's \"American Morning\" on Friday. He referred to Anna Nicole Smith, the former model and reality TV show star who died of an overdose in 2007. \"I said, 'If that's what's going to happen to Michael, it's all going to break our hearts.' And my worst fears are here.\" Oxman emphasized that he did not know what killed Jackson, and was not making accusations against any individual. Jackson's ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said in an online blog posted Friday that she was not surprised by Thursday's news. She said she divorced him in January 1996, after less than two years of marriage, because she was \"in over my head in trying\" to save Jackson \"from the inevitable, which is what has just happened.\" Jackson talked with her about his death during \"a deep conversation\" 14 years ago about \"the circumstances of my father's death,\" she wrote, referring to Elvis Presley. The singer collapsed in the bathroom of his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion -- Graceland -- on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. While his death was ruled the result of an irregular heartbeat, the autopsy report was sealed amid accusations that abuse of prescription drugs caused the problem. The similarity to the \"King of Rock\" apparently resonated with the \"King of Pop.\" \"At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did,' \" Presley said. Watch crowds gather at the hospital. » . \"I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.\" That conversation haunted Presley as she watched television coverage of Jackson's death Thursday, she said. \"I am sitting here watching on the news [as] an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears,\" she wrote. \"A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened.\" Her blog can be found online at http://blogs.myspace.com/lisamariepresley . CNN is seeking response from the family. Meanwhile, police -- who had spoken Thursday with Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with Jackson when he died -- were trying to reach him again Friday. A car that Murray had parked at Jackson's home was impounded and may contain medications pertinent to the investigation, said Detective Agustin Villanueva of the Los Angeles Police Department. Public records show the impounded car was registered to a Texas woman who is an associate of the cardiologist, who is licensed in California and Texas and also has an office in Las Vegas, Nevada. CNN's calls to Murray's office were not returned Friday. AEG Live, the promoter of Jackson's planned tour, said their deal with the singer included a dedicated private physician of his choosing and that Jackson chose Murray, his physician of three years. A source close to the family said Murray spent much of the last two months with Jackson, as he prepared for his upcoming concert series. The doctor is said to be cooperating with officials. Jackson was in cardiac arrest when paramedics took him Thursday from his home to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where the music idol was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. (5:26 p.m. ET). Listen to the 911 call » . He had been preparing for a comeback tour -- aimed at extending his legendary career and helping him to pay off hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. Jackson began his professional work at age 5, singing with his brothers, before shooting to superstardom as a solo singer. He had numerous No. 1 hits -- the best known being \"Thriller,\" the best-selling album of all time, at an estimated 50 million copies worldwide. After dominating the popular music scene for years, Jackson became reclusive and mired in scandals that included child molestation charges. He reached a settlement with one accuser and was acquitted in another case after a highly publicized trial in Santa Maria, California, in June 2005. Jackson is survived by his three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II. Condolences and appreciations continued to pour in Thursday from around the world. President Obama said he considered Jackson a \"spectacular performer\" and expressed his condolences to the Jackson family, the White House said Friday. At a briefing with reporters, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said he spoke with the president Friday morning about the death of the pop superstar. \"He said to me that, obviously, Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer, a music icon. I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown's 25th anniversary.\" But Gibbs said the president also noted that \"aspects of his life were sad and tragic. His condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourned his loss.\" In a written statement, Jackson's second ex-wife, Debbie Rowe Jackson, said, \"Though Michael is now at peace, the world has lost a beautiful and loving soul. I appreciate the outpouring of support and prayer for Michael, all of his family, me and our children, and hope our privacy can be respected at this difficult time.\" CNN's Alan Duke and Drew Griffin contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Deepak Chopra believes prescription drugs killed \"King of Pop\"\nCause of Michael Jackson's death deferred; no trauma or foul play found .\nSpokesman: Jackson was taking prescription medications .\nPhysician's car may contain \"medications pertinent to the investigation\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The World Health Organization cautioned that the swine flu outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead, despite claims by the health secretary of Mexico -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- that the virus \"is in its declining phase.\" The number of confimed cases of the H1N1 virus continue to multiply. The outbreak is only about 10 days old, and even if the illness is declining, it could return, said Gregory Hartl, the WHO spokesman for epidemic and pandemic diseases, at a briefing Sunday. \"I ... would like to remind people that 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,\" Hartl said. \"And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people.\" Mexican authorities believe the virus's most active period in Mexico was between April 23 and April 28, and Mexican Health Secretary Jose Cordova described the outbreak as being in decline in his country. As of late Sunday, Mexican health officials reported 568 cases and 22 fatalities linked to the flu. WHO says it has confirmed 506 cases and 19 deaths in Mexico. The world has 898 confirmed cases of the virus, known to scientists H1N1 virus, in a total of 18 countries, WHO said Sunday. The United States has reported 226 confirmed cases in 30 states. The U.S. cases include one death -- a Mexican toddler visiting relatives in the United States. According to WHO, Canada has 70 confirmed cases; the United Kingdom has 15; Spain has 13; Germany has 6; New Zealand has 4; Israel has 3; France has 2; and Austria, China, South Korea, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Ireland each have one. In China, officials have quarantined 68 people, including 13 crew members, who were passengers of a Mexico City to Shanghai flight, which carried a passenger who tested positive for the virus, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. None of the other passengers has exhibited any flu-like symptoms, one health official said. About another 110 people who were on the Aeromexico plane went on to other destinations, and may face quarantines elsewhere, the news agency said. Fifteen have been quarantined at a Beijing hotel. Shanghai's airport is now barring other Aeromexico planes from landing there, a representative of the airline told CNN. Aeromexico is suspending flights to Shanghai until May 15, the representative said. The airline does not fly to Hong Kong or Beijing. In the United States, New York has the most confirmed cases, with 63, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas has 40; California has 26; Arizona 18; South Carolina 15; Delaware 10; Massachusetts and New Jersey each have seven; Colorado has four; Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin each have three; Connecticut, Kansas and Michigan each have two; Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Utah each have one. California officials suspended visitation and other \"nonessential activities\" at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County after an inmate was suspected of having swine flu. The case has yet to be confirmed with lab testing. On Sunday, health officials in North Carolina and Pennsylvania announced the first confirmed cases in those states, and Louisiana's governor said his state had seven confirmed cases. The cases from those three states were not immediately included in the CDC tally. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius, appearing on CNN's \"State of the Union,\" warned that even if the flu outbreak wanes, \"it could come back with greater force in the winter and fall, when we get into flu season.\" \"So, this is no time for complacency,\" she said. \"We want to stay out ahead of this.\" Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's interim deputy director for public health, told reporters Sunday that she was \"heartened\" by Mexican authorities' reports but still is \"very cautious.\" \"I know that influenza can be surprising, and the time course here in the United States is later. We believe we're just on the upswing here, and in several parts of Mexico, cases began quite a while ago,\" Schuchat said. \"From what I know about influenza, I do expect more cases, more severe cases and I do expect more deaths,\" she added. \"And I'm particularly concerned about what will happen in the fall.\" Acting CDC Director Richard Besser, also speaking on \"State of the Union,\" said U.S. health officials are examining whether people who received flu shots for the swine flu in 1976 may have some level of protection from the current swine flu. \"That's going to play in very, very big as we move forward with our plans around vaccines, because that may help guide some of the issues around who is most at risk at getting this in the future,\" Besser said. Offering a general picture of the state of U.S. efforts to combat the virus, Besser said \"there are encouraging signs.\" \"We're not out of the woods yet,\" he said. \"But what we've learned about the virus itself -- it doesn't contain the factors that we know are seen in much more severe flu strains.\" While the new virus strain in the recent outbreak has affected humans, Canadian officials said it has shown up at a pig farm in Alberta, Canada. Officials said the pigs may have been infected by a Canadian farmer who recently returned from a trip to Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak. The pigs have since been quarantined. \"We have determined that the virus H1N1, found in these pigs, is the virus which is being tracked in the human population,\" said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. iReport.com: How should H1N1 be handled? Evans and other officials said it is not uncommon for flu viruses to jump from humans to animals, and that it does not pose a risk for consuming pork. The number of pigs infected was not disclosed. The infected farmer had flu-like symptoms, but he is recovering, Evans said. Learn about the virus » ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "WHO has confirmed 898 cases of H1N1 virus worldwide .\nMexico says illness declining there; WHO warns it could return .\nMexico has largest number of confirmed cases, followed by U.S., WHO says .\nCanadian officials claim pigs at farm have been affected by virus ." } ]

[ { "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) -- \"Slumdog Millionaire\" leaves audiences uplifted. But that is hardly how one of its child stars felt on Thursday. Indian authorities demolished the home of \"Slumdog Millionaire\" child actor Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail. Despite the hit movie's mega-millions in box-office receipts, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail's life changed little after he returned home to Mumbai, India's, Garib Nagar, or city of the poor. On Thursday, even the roof over the real-life slum dweller's head was taken away as Indian authorities tore down the shanty where Ismail's family lived. Authorities said the home and about 20 others around it were illegally built. Senior Inspector Rahim Sheikh told CNN that the shanties were brought down as part of a municipal drive to clear encroachments on public land. Bulldozers leveled the slum built on a municipal garden, said Sheikh, who is in charge of the locality in Mumbai where Ismail lived. The little boy sat among twisted corrugated metal and other debris, surrounded by filth and squalor. Memories of Hollywood's glitz and glitter were distant as tears streamed down his face. He said his family was given no notice of the demolition and did not have time to remove their belongings. But, they said, they plan to return and rebuild. Watch 'Slumdog' actor's home razed. » . \"Slumdog Millionaire\" is the story of Jamal, an impoverished, uneducated teen who competes on an Indian game show. Ismail, who played a young Jamal's brother, Salim, traveled to Los Angeles, California, in February for this year's Academy Awards, where the movie won eight Oscars, including best picture. CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this story." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail's home is in Garib Nagar, or city of the poor .\nIndian authorities say the home, 20 others, were illegally built .\nFamily says they got no notice, plan to rebuild ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "PARIS, France (CNN) -- French Internet users who download files illegally could have their service cut off under a new law enacted by the French government. French filmmaker Luc Besson attended the vote passing the new law into action. The \"three strikes and you're out\" law will see violators getting up to two warnings before their Internet service providers could be allowed to cut service for as long as a year. The tough new legislation sailed through the French Senate this week, even as opponents promised to continue to fight it in the courts. The law sets up a special government anti-piracy agency to monitor \"internauts,\" as French Internet users are called. It will ensure users are paying for movies and music that they download. While there are countries with stricter penalties such as jail time, in France opponents of the law are angry that the new government agency will be outside the judicial process. That means it can disconnect Internet service without oversight. Opponents of the law worry the government agency could be packed with over zealous enforcers who will side with filmmakers and the recording industry, or even invade the privacy of Internet users. The legislation has split France's political opposition, which protested against the new law. The political left -- traditionally supported by performers and artists -- found that on this issue the creative types were on the government's side, seeing the legislation as a way to protect the intellectual rights that are the foundation of their livelihood. Though the new law still faces a court test and may not be compatible with European legislation, the government plans to have the agency up and running by next year." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "French Internet users downloading files illegally could have their service cut off .\nNew law enacted by French government could see users banned for year .\nSpecial government anti-piracy agency to monitor violations ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Maybe marriage to Kate Winslet isn't all that bad. Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski star as a couple on the road in the comedy \"Away We Go.\" After cruelly dissecting marital malaise in \"American Beauty\" and again, just six months ago, in \"Revolutionary Road,\" Winslet's husband Sam Mendes takes a slightly more optimistic view of family life in the edgy comedy \"Away We Go.\" Not that he's offering a whole-hearted endorsement of the institution. Burt and Verona (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) aren't legally bound -- she staunchly resists his repeated proposals -- but nevertheless they're a couple about to go nuclear: She's six months pregnant. He sells insurance to insurance companies. She's an illustrator with a lucrative line in anatomical drawings. Nevertheless, they're struggling to make ends meet. \"Are we losers?\" wonders Verona (only she uses a more colorful expression). \"We have cardboard windows... I think we must be.\" Insomuch as they have a plan at all, it hinges on the support they're expecting from Burt's doting parents. So it's a nasty wake-up call when Jerry and Gloria (Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara) announce they're taking off for a new life in Belgium -- yes, even before the baby's out. There is a silver lining: Realizing they no longer have any reason to stay, Burt and Verona decide to widen their horizons. They could move to Arizona where Verona's sister lives. Burt has a job prospect in Madison, Wisconsin. Or they have college friends in Montreal. Their destiny awaits them, all they have to do is go out and find it. And away they go. Although the couple racks up a good few miles in their search for home, the movie doesn't betray much interest in location. Arizona is hot and arid. In Montreal they pour gravy on French fries. Don't expect cultural insights. It's never explained how these stragglers can afford such speculative wandering, and when they do find their dream home it's mystifying that it hasn't occurred to them before. Still, the movie's loose-limbed, spontaneous quality is a good part of its appeal, and a refreshing change of pace from other movies by Mendes, whose artfully designed compositions often seem self-conscious and painfully detached. In keeping with Indie-wood's vogue for shuffling snide satire and sentimentality (see \"Juno\" and \"Little Miss Sunshine\"), \"Away We Go\" presents its trepidatious travelers with half a dozen starkly contrasted parental figures, including Allison Janney's monstrously vulgar alcoholic, Maggie Gyllenhaal's radical earth-mother (who has shortened her name to \"LN\"), and Paul Schneider as Burt's rawly dumped brother, who wonders aloud if it would be wrong to tell his daughter her mom has been murdered. There's a level of bile here that some audiences may find alienating -- I can't see it being a big hit in Phoenix -- but Dave Eggers' and Vendela Vida's writing is a cut above the average, and it's performed with gusto. They may not be the most dynamic duo to hit the road, but the relationship between Burt and Verona feels touchingly true. Burt is a boy still trying on manhood for size (with a beard for extra emphasis), and though we've seen Krasinski do this before, he seems to have fine-tuned the performance to the point where he could very happily play it for the next two decades. Unlike his character, he's an actor who has found himself. Maya Rudolph is the joy of this picture. Give or take her role in Altman's \"Prairie Home Companion,\" the \"Saturday Night Live\" star hasn't made much impact in movies before now. With her frazzled, freckled face, she's not the glamour girl who would normally be shoe-horned into the romantic lead, but she seizes her chance and runs with it. Mendes brings out a more thoughtful and nuanced presence than the brittle comedienne, and Rudolph makes you consider how rarely we see a real woman at the center of things. Even her occasional tentativeness works for the part. Verona is so fresh and alert, she can't help but doubt herself as they trail from one family disaster to the next and wonder what kind of parents they are going to make. It's an uneven picture about the bumps in the road, and not immune to the odd dramatic shortcut or jocular cheap shot. But it does catch an anxiety that will be acutely familiar to anyone contemplating imminent parenthood, and -- in a beautifully judged cameo by Melanie Lynskey -- the deep anguish of someone who has had that prospect snatched away. More often than not, and where it really counts, \"Away We Go\" hits home. \"Away We Go\" is rated R and runs 98 minutes. For Entertainment Weekly's review, click here." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph star as a couple expecting a baby .\nTheir onscreen relationship feels touchingly true .\nDirector Sam Mendes brings out a great performance from Rudolph .\nMovie's loose-limbed, spontaneous quality is a good part of its appeal ." } ]

[ { "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 Chris Brown song called \"Not My Fault\" was recorded three years ago and is not about Rihanna, its producers said. Chris Brown pleaded guilty in an assault case regarding his ex-girlfriend Rihanna. The music appeared online Tuesday, a day after the singer admitted guilt to assaulting Rihanna, his former girlfriend. Brown's record label also said the music was not \"new.\" Although Brown accepted a plea deal in which he could avoid jail time, any appearance that he is not remorseful could be damaging, since the judge is not bound by those terms when she sentences him in August. The song, which appeared on YouTube, includes the line \"It's not my fault, right?\" The publicist for the Neptunes, a music producing duo that has worked in the studio with Brown, said the music was a demo recorded three years ago. She said they do not know how the song made its way onto YouTube. Jive Records, which distributes Brown's music, said \"there are no 'new' songs from Chris Brown currently being promoted by Chris or his record label.\" \"There are several old demos circulating that are being falsely promoted as new material from Chris,\" a Jive Records statement said. In the song, Brown sings: . \"I picked up the paper and the headline reads, it says 'singer brokenhearted in some satin sheets.' And I'm like, why? We had a hell of a time.\" \"When I first met you, I told ya that you'll be safe. In the midst of arguing something, falls to the floor and breaks. You look down and see what you dropped, oh, it's your heart.\" \"Shortie's caught up from a long night. She's ready to fall but she's all right. That's just something that can happen when you put it down. She's caught up, it's not my fault, right.\" \"You see, her mama called me, really steamed. She said 'My daughter won't eat and she don't sleep. She just cries.' \" Brown was arrested in connection with an altercation that began with an argument with Rihanna inside a rented Lamborghini on a Hollywood street in February. Prosecutors agreed to recommend five years of probation and 180 days of community service for Brown in exchange for his guilty plea on one count of assault with the intent of doing great bodily injury." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Chris Brown song \"Not My Fault\" appeared online Tuesday .\nSong was recorded three years ago, has nothing to do with Rihanna, say producers .\nBrown agreed to a plea deal Monday in case involving ex-girlfriend Rihanna ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- With record low approval ratings and intense criticism for his handling of the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina and the economy, the word most used to label George W. Bush's presidency will be \"incompetent,\" historians say. President Bush makes remarks on the presidential transition November 6. \"Right now there is not a lot of good will among historians. Most see him as a combination of many negative factors,\" said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. \"He is seen as incompetent in terms of how he handled domestic and foreign policy. He is seen as pushing for an agenda to the right of the nation and doing so through executive power that ignored the popular will,\" he added. But like so many presidents before him, Bush's reputation could change with time. Harvard University political history scholar Barbara Kellerman said when President-elect Barack Obama takes over in January, people may view Bush in a new light. Watch Bush address staff about transition of power » . \"I think it's possible when people have stopped being as angry at the Bush administration as they are now ... that they will realize that some of this is just ... the luck of the draw.\" Kellerman, author of the book \"Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters,\" noted that Bush has not had luck on his side for the past eight years. \"He [Bush] has been a quite unlucky president. Certain things happened on his watch that most people don't have to deal with -- a 9/11, a [Hurricane] Katrina, the financial crisis, being three obvious examples,\" she said. \"And yet they happened on his watch. He is being blamed,\" she said. And that fact -- coupled with approval ratings around 27 percent, according to CNN's poll released October 21 -- is in large part why Obama and Democrats won big on November 4. Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian and professor at Rice University, said the country is dealing with a \"lame duck president\" who will most likely face an uphill battle in getting anything passed through Congress before he leaves office. \"We're dealing with an economic meltdown ... We're dealing with two wars. So everything Obama does now is going to be seen as he is the de facto president,\" Brinkley said Thursday. Read Zelizer's take on what Obama should avoid . Historians, beginning to examine Bush's legacy, note that the 43rd president could end up with a better reputation down the road -- something that happened to Harry Truman. At different points in his presidency, Truman earned some of the highest and the lowest public approval ratings in history: 87 percent approval in June 1945 vs. 23 percent approval in January 1952, according to a CNN analysis of polling at the time. Truman, who is often noted for his upset victory over Thomas Dewey in 1948, faced several domestic and foreign policy problems throughout his term in office, which lasted from 1945-1953. Most notably: The Korean War, World War II and later, Cold War relations with an aggressive Soviet Union. \"One of the things that has been conventionally done is to compare George W. Bush to Harry Truman, both of whom had upon leaving office dismal approval ratings and of course as it is well known by now, Harry Truman's reputation has, by virtually every account, not only improved, but I would say escalated nearly to the top of the list of greater American presidents,\" Kellerman added. Another president Bush may be compared to down the road? Ronald Reagan. Prior to leaving office, Reagan faced strong backlash from Republicans and Democrats on opening negotiations with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev during the Cold War era as well as the handling of the Iran-Contra Affair. \"He was seen as bumbling; he was seen as unintelligent; he was seen as a guy driven by his advisers,\" Zelizer added. \"And now he's being talked about like FDR, one of the great presidents in American history and we have a new look at who he was.\" Reagan is often invoked by Republicans in presidential races -- most recently with the campaign of Sen. John McCain -- looking to shore up the conservative base. Bush, meanwhile, who has long defended his decision to invade Iraq as a way to spread democracy, could also see criticism dissipate over time if Iraq becomes a thriving, stable country. \"If you imagine that an Iraq in 10,15 years is actually a vibrant, stable democracy and other countries neighboring it move in that direction ... I think you'd have a strong Bush revisionism,\" Zelizer said. \"How things unfold in coming decades can help repair a battered presidency,\" he added. Kellerman said that while many will credit Bush for taking charge of democracy-spreading, his \"incompetence\" will still be noted. \"The level of incompetence after the initial 'mission accomplished' was so acute that my guess is, even if the decision to invade might be historically justified, the incompetence that succeeded it ... I think that's going to be very difficult to ever alter our negative perception of that.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Presidential historians weigh in on how history will perceive President Bush .\nZelizer: \"There is not a lot of good will among historians\" for Bush .\nBush is often compared to Harry Truman, whose reputation improved over history .\nKellerman: Bush will be remembered for his \"incompetence\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka said Sunday they have \"decided to silence our guns\" as government forces closed in on their last stronghold. Sri Lanka's defense ministry says this handout photo shows troops with a captured Tamil Tiger craft Thursday. It is not the first time the rebels have called for an end to fighting when backed into a corner by the Sri Lankan military. But should they follow through on their announcement, the decision would potentially end a bloody 25-year civil war in the country. \"This battle has reached its bitter end,\" Selvarasa Pathmanathan, a spokesman for the rebels said in an \"urgent statement\" posted Sunday on Tamilnet.com, a pro-rebel Web site. \"It is our people who are dying now from bombs, shells, illness and hunger. We cannot permit any more harm to befall them. We remain with one last choice -- to remove the last weak excuse of the enemy for killing our people. We have decided to silence our guns,\" he said. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to announce that \"military operations\" against the Tiger rebels have ended in an address to the nation from Parliament on Tuesday, the government said Sunday. The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (LTTE) -- have fought for an independent state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka since July 1983. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began. Government forces have trapped the remaining rebels in a small stretch of land in the north of the country -- and possibly thousands of civilians with them, an international aid worker in the country told CNN. The civilians are \"under intense fire\" and \"essentially on their own\" in the area, which the government says contains only rebels, the aid worker said. The Tigers themselves claim 25,000 civilians are dead or dying, a rebel identified as Col. Soosai said in a statement on Tamilnet.com. Independent confirmation was not possible since media are not allowed into the area. Reports indicated fighting had intensified as troops scrambled to clear a remaining 1.2 square kilometers before the government could announce that military operations had ended. The army destroyed six Tamil Tiger boats and killed 70 rebels in a lagoon on the western edge of a no-fire zone early Sunday, Sri Lanka's Media Center for National Security said. Sri Lanka's prime minister warned Saturday that his country \"stands on the brink,\" as its soldiers cornered Tamil Tiger fighters in an assault which the United Nations fears is trapping more than 50,000 civilians on a small plot of coastal land. Government troops seized the last remaining coastal stretch under the control of Tamil Tiger rebels, the Ministry of Defense said Saturday. The seizure marks the total capture of coastline territory previously controlled by the rebels, it said, after army divisions advanced from the north and south to link up. An international aid worker said the United Nations was expecting about 20,000 of them to arrive in refugee camps Sunday. There were no medical services in the no-fire zone, the aid worker said. Watch aid agencies fear for Sri Lanka » . The Media Center for National Security claims 50,097 have come out of battle zones. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned from Amman, Jordan, on Sunday. Rajapaksa was attending a summit of developing nations and the World Economic Forum. In an address to the summit in Amman on Saturday, Rajapaksa said the Sri Lankan armed forces had defeated the rebels. \"I will be going back to my country Sri Lanka that has been totally freed from the barbaric acts of terrorism of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30 long years,\" Rajapaksa said. Journalist Iqbal Athas contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Soldiers have cornered rebels in assault that has trapped 50,000-plus civilians .\nTamil fighters have called for an end to fighting before when backed into a corner .\nRebels have fought for an independent state for minority Tamils since 1983 .\nAs many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began 25 years ago ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- For someone who claims to be incredibly laid back, Jason Mraz is certainly piling up the accomplishments. Jason Mraz was recently honored with a songwriting award for his work, which includes the hit \"I'm Yours.\" The singer-songwriter was the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award at last week's Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee ceremony in New York. The honor typically goes to newcomers striking a chord in the music industry. Or, as Mraz puts it, \"I hope it has something to do with their savvy freshness.\" Mraz, who turned 32 this week and took his parents to the celebratory dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square June 18, says he feels great about the honor. \"I never thought my songs would escape my bedroom,\" he said. \"To have the music shared all around the world, and to be acknowledged by communities like this ... it's inspiring.\" Mraz's 2008 album \"We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things\" has been a runaway success, with more than 2.5 million copies sold worldwide. It also led to three Grammy nominations, including song of the year and best male pop vocal performance for the reggae-inflected hit \"I'm Yours.\" Mraz (whose name reflects his family's Czech heritage) hits the festival circuit overseas before kicking off his stateside \"Gratitude Café Tour\" July 25. The tour's quirky title was inspired by a wholesome San Francisco, California, restaurant Mraz loves. A fan of maintaining a diet of predominantly raw foods, Mraz is also a farmer of sorts: He owns an avocado farm in his home city of San Diego, California. He's also a juggler, a skill Mraz taught himself during the downtime that comes with touring. Watch the multitalented Mraz perform » . Mraz shared tales of his avocado farm, as well as what it's like to get the cold shoulder from Simon Cowell, when he sat down with CNN recently. CNN: So, you live on an avocado farm. What's that like? Jason Mraz: It's fantastic. Anytime you're harvesting something in your yard -- whether you have a small herb garden or I've got avocados, and now we have a solar system so we're also harvesting sun energy, which is great -- for me that's when I became an environmentalist. I was like, \"Wait a second. This is my environment. This is my piece of the Earth that I'm responsible for.\" Yes, the trees give me avocado and fruit that we sell and we eat tons of, but I feel like I have a role to play back to that, too. So it's cool. CNN: So if you're at home, daily how many avocados would you eat? Mraz: At least two. Sometimes three or four. CNN: So you must have very nice oily skin. Mraz: I do, thank you. It's the avocado. I just lather it on. CNN: Do you really? Mraz: I do. Yeah, why not? I've got tons of them! CNN: Do you cook? Mraz: I prepare. There's not much cooking in our household. We do a lot of raw food so it's more about putting the right ingredients together to create something scrumptious. See Mraz's chocomole recipe . CNN: When eating healthy is so important to you, how difficult is that to maintain when you're traveling around the world so much? Mraz: Well, I bring tons of backup supplies with me. CNN: How did you like performing on the \"American Idol\" final? (Mraz performed \"I'm Yours\" with contestants Anoop Desai and Alexis Grace.) Mraz: I loved it. It was such a great event. And I have compassion for every one of those kids that dares audition. I wasn't a contestant. I was just there to sing, and when I saw Simon at the end of that panel I freaked out. I was like, \"What does he think?\" And then I had to stop myself and say \"Dude, you're not a contestant.\" He's aloof. But I watched during the rest of the night and he did it to all the acts. That's just his way. CNN: Do you think you could hack it as an \"American Idol\" contestant? Mraz: It is really tough. I watch what those guys do backstage between songs and their weekly schedule is super intense -- to learn new songs, to shoot videos, to learn dance moves and all this. They actually go through a pretty amazing transformation during the course of that show. I just don't know that I could commit myself to something like that. I'm a little more laid back. And some days if I can't show up to work, I don't show up to work. And I love that (laughs). CNN: Were you surprised by the success of \"I'm Yours\"? Mraz: Very surprised. There's something simple about it ... like a nursery rhyme. I thought it was so playful. I never expected the world to really grab it and run with it the way they have. CNN: Can you talk me through how you went about writing that song? Where were you? What were you doing? Mraz: I was at home. It was a sunny afternoon. And just as any afternoon where I play music, I was playing on an electric guitar, just chugging around, feeling a little reggae in me you know, and the melody and the words just started to pop out rather quickly and so I recorded it rather quickly. And the whole process only took about a half an hour. CNN: You're about to go overseas to play various festivals. Is there anywhere you'll be going for the first time? Mraz: This year we're going to explore South America, which I've visited as a tourist, but I've never taken my music down there. I hear the crowds turn up in masses, so I really want to see what that's like. I love getting to bounce around and explore so much. I love Scandinavia. I love Spain. It's so mystical and romantic, yet it's gritty. CNN: Do you speak Spanish? Mraz: No, but I have the Rosetta Stone. I have begun my level one training." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jason Mraz recently honored with songwriters award .\n\"I'm Yours\" artist amazed at where music has brought him .\nMraz intimidated by appearance on \"American Idol\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Cleanup efforts unfolded Monday in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, after torrential monsoon rain over the weekend killed dozens, cut power to 15 million and broke a 32-year record. Pakistanis push a stranded auto-rickshaw along a flooded street in Karachi on Sunday. Officials combed the city looking for bodies. The health department confirmed 32 deaths and said it received reports of more. \"Most of them are either from drowning or they were deaths when the walls or roofs of their houses collapses,\" said Dr. A.D. Sajnani of the health department. \"The entire city is disrupted,\" said Muhammad Aly Balagamwala, a Karachi businessman. \"Most places lost power for 28 to 30 hours, and some are still without power. The rain flooded offices. We lost water. Everything is shut down.\" Many residents took to the streets to protest the massive power outage in the southern city. They threw rocks at the offices of the power company and burned tires. \"I guess there comes a point you just snap and you can't take it anymore,\" Balagamwala said. \"To the credit of the government, a lot of cleanup work has been done since last night.\" The rain began Friday night, and by Sunday the city had received almost 9 inches (22.9 cm), the most since 1977, said Mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal. Storm drains overflowed, water-logging streets and alleyways. Monsoon rains sweep across the subcontinent from June to September. While they bring much-needed relief to often-parched farmlands, they also leave a trail of landslides, home collapses and floods that sometimes claim dozens of lives." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "By Sunday, Karachi had received almost 9 inches (22.9 cm) of rain, mayor says .\nLast time city received as much rainfall was in 1977, mayor adds .\nDeaths mostly from drowning, wall or roof collapses, health department official says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino, whose \"People Power\" movement pushed out longtime strongman Ferdinand Marcos less than three years after her husband's assassination, has died at age 76, her family announced Saturday. \"She was the agent of change in Philippine democracy,\" said Ray Donato, the nation's consul-general in Atlanta. Aquino, the first woman to lead the Philippines, had been battling colon cancer since March 2008 and died of cardio-respiratory arrest at 3:18 a.m. Saturday (3:18 p.m. Friday ET), said Mai Mislang, a spokeswoman for her son, Philippine Sen. Benigno Aquino III. Funeral arrangements were being set up, Mislang said. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has also announced a 10-day mourning period for the former president, said Ray Donato, the country's consul-general in Atlanta. \"She was the agent of change in Philippine democracy, and almost all the Filipinos I know revered her during her presidency,\" Donato said. Aquino had been born into a wealthy family and was educated in the United States. She had not been involved in politics before her husband, opposition leader Benigno \"Ninoy\" Aquino Jr., was gunned down at Manila's airport in August 1983 as he returned from exile. The political novice took over the leadership of her husband's movement after his death and challenged Marcos in a 1986 election, making a yellow dress her trademark and bolstered by the support of the country's Roman Catholic churches. Marcos had been backed by the United States, the former colonial power in the Philippines, for two decades as a stalwart anti-communist. He and his wife Imelda were friends of then-President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. But widespread allegations of electoral fraud and a mutiny by the country's military led the Reagan administration to withdraw its support, and Marcos went into exile in Hawaii. Aquino took office in a country with a $28 billion debt, widespread poverty and a persistent Marxist insurgency. She put in place a U.S.-style constitution that limited presidents to a single six-year term and survived seven coup attempts -- including one that was supressed with American help. She also oversaw the closure of the major U.S. military bases in the country before leaving office in 1992. The bases had been a bulwark of American power in the Pacific since the early 1900s and employed nearly 80,000 Filipinos, but Aquino's opponents argued the country was too dependent on the United States. Aquino announced in 1990 that it was time to begin negotiating the \"orderly withdrawal\" of U.S. forces." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Funeral arrangements are being set up, spokeswoman says .\nPresident Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announces 10-day mourning period .\nAquino had been battling colon cancer since March 2008 .\nShe took up opposition to Marcos regime after her husband's 1983 assassination ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons purchased by Venezuela have ended up in the hands of guerrillas, Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro talks on the phone with President Hugo Chavez in Caracas Monday. In an interview with Caracol Radio Monday, Santos addressed local reports of anti-tank weapons manufactured in Sweden being seized from members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and traced to Venezuela. \"This is not the first time that this happens,\" Santos said. \"In several operations in which we have recovered weapons from the FARC, we have found powerful munitions and powerful equipment, including anti-tank weapons, from a European country that sold them to Venezuela and that turned up in the hands of the FARC.\" The weapons have been identified as AT4 shoulder-fired rockets manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden, according to Jane's Defence Weekly. They were seized in 2008 from a guerrilla base, the Colombian magazine Semana reported. Jan-Erik Lovgren, the Swedish official who oversees weapon exports, told Radio Sweden on Monday that his country stopped selling weapons to Venezuela in 2006. Venezuela on Monday denied allegations that they gave the weapons to the guerrilla group. \"To me it seems that this is a new attack against our government based on lies,\" Venezuelan Minister of the Interior and Justice Tareck El Aissami said at a news conference Monday. \"We absolutely deny that our government or our institutions are providing assistance to criminal and terrorist organizations,\" El Aissami told reporters. \"It's laughable, it sounds like a cheap film made by the American government.\" Previous instances of Venezuela's government being accused of aiding the FARC include one last year, when the U.S. Treasury Department accused two senior Venezuelan intelligence officials and one former official of assisting the guerrillas with drug trafficking. The department froze any assets the three men may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibited Americans from conducting business with them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden made the arms, Jane's Defence Weekly says .\nWeapons seized in 2008 from a guerrilla base, Colombian magazine Semana says .\nVenezuela denies the allegations ." } ]

[ { "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 fan of English football club Arsenal has been injured after the bus he and other supporters were traveling in was ambushed before the sides' Champions League clash in Rome, Wednesday night. Winners: Arsenal beat Roma 7-6 on penalties after one of their fans was injured before the game. A spokesman from the British Embassy in Rome told CNN the fan was understood to have suffered wounds to the leg -- but it was unsure if he had been stabbed or injured by broken glass. The spokesman said the mini bus, which was not an official tour bus, became lost near the stadium and \"ended up at the wrong part of the ground\". Roma fans nearby set about attacking the bus, the spokesman said. \"They smashed the windows and then one of them managed to get on the bus. This appears to be where the injury occurred,\" he said. Police were quick to arrive and the bus managed to move on to safety, where the fan was treated for the wound, he said. The visiting side went on to win the tie 7-6 on penalties after Roma won the game 1-0, leaving the two-match tie level 1-1 on aggregate. Arsenal had distributed a booklet to its estimated 3,500 traveling fans warning that they were \"at risk\" if they traveled alone to the Stadio Olimpico. The booklet warned supporters to stay clear of areas that were known gathering points of Roma's \"Ultra\" fans -- a group known for creating conflict with rival supporters. Last month ten football fans were shot dead in the south of Nigeria on the way to support their team. The victims were traveling supporters of the Ocean Boys Football Club in Nigeria. Also in February, one fan was killed and at least 40 more injured when violence broke out at football matches across Brazil. In 2007, Manchester United fans were injured after violence in two separate incidents with Roma fans when the teams met in Rome. In 2003 five England fans suffered gunshot wounds during a violent incident in Zurich, Switzerland, before the side played a Euro 2004 qualifier with Liechtenstein." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fan injured during ambush on bus before Champions League game in Rome .\nArsenal bus attacked when it arrives at wrong part of Stadio Olimpico .\nWindows on bus smashed by Roma fans and one fan enters bus .\nArsenal go on to win match 7-6 on penalties after it finishes 1-1 on aggregate ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- Olga A. Mendez, a ground-breaking Puerto Rican politician from New York City, has died after a long battle with cancer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced. Mendez, widely reported to be the first Puerto Rican woman elected to a state legislature in the mainland United States, was 84. \"Olga's election to the state Senate as its first Puerto Rican woman was a tremendous symbol of hope for a community that now had a seat at the table,\" Bloomberg said in a release Wednesday. \"But Olga's life was an inspiration to countless others, because the doors she bravely pushed opened stayed open for everyone else.\" Mendez served in the New York state Senate 13 consecutive terms, from 1978 until being defeated in 2004. A long-time Democrat, she had switched to the Republican Party in 2002 and failed to win re-election to her heavily Democratic 28th district, which included East Harlem and parts of the Bronx. \"Mendez was brash, bold and aggressive because she had to be,\" New York's El Diario newspaper said Thursday. \"She cut her teeth in the Senate and became a battle-ready politician. And she balanced what few politicians were able to do well -- an on-the-ground constituency services with the ability to achieve critical legislative negotiations. This, in a Senate that was controlled by Republicans during the entire 26 years she served.\" Bloomberg noted Mendez's bipartisanship. \"When I first entered public service eight years ago, Olga sat me down and impressed upon me -- in her inimitable way -- the importance of reaching across partisan lines to do what's right for your constituents,\" the mayor said. \"That's a lesson I carry with me every day.\" El Diario noted that \"Mendez successfully fought for an increase in the state's minimum wage, ushered in legislation that provided basic rights to migrant farm workers and secured funding for senior citizen centers. She also fought for resources for early childhood development and gained bipartisan support for affordable housing and economic development initiatives in her district.\" Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Mendez moved to the Mainland U.S. after receiving a bachelor's degree from the Universidad de Puerto Rico in 1950. She received a master's degree in psychology from the Teacher's College at Columbia University in 1960 and a doctorate's in educational psychology from Yeshiva University in 1975. An early widow, she had no children. Mendez underwent surgery for breast cancer in 1993. \"Olga didn't recoil from public life or attempt to hide her condition,\" Bloomberg said. \"Instead, she shared her story and her struggle with others.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mendez said to be first Puerto Rican woman elected to a state legislature in U.S.\nShe died after a long battle with cancer, Mayor Bloomberg says .\nMendez served in the New York state Senate 13 consecutive terms .\nA long-time Democrat, she had switched to the Republican Party in 2002 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- An Al Qaeda-linked militant group waging war against Somalia's fragile government is becoming an increasing threat to Western ally Kenya and could potentially destabilize the region with dire consequences for global security, officials and analysts warn. Al-Shabab fighters count their bullets in neighborhood of Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab, one of the strongest Islamic militias battling for control of Mogadishu, has gained ground in recent weeks, according to officials, and has started to flex its muscles beyond Somalia's border with terror strikes, kidnappings and recruitment drives. They warn that unless the world takes action the group, which wants to impose an extreme type of Islamic sharia law, could extend its grip across parts of East Africa to gain control of a region that flanks busy shipping routes already plagued by Somali pirates . Appeals by Somalia's government for international help to unpick its long-running civil conflict have escalated Al-Shabaad's threats with the group behind warnings of an attack on the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. And, say experts, the group is being backed by foreign fighters -- some said to have links to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network -- a situation that draws direct comparisons with the group's influence in pre-9/11 Afghanistan. \"Al-Shabaab is a threat to the whole world,\" Somali Information Minister Farhan Ali Mohamoud told CNN. \"First to Somalia, to the neighborhood, and to everywhere they have disagreed with.\" Watch more on Somalian threat » . Mohamoud, whose transitional government has largely failed in its long-term goal of reconciling Somalia's militias, concedes Al-Shabaab is making major gains on his administration and says the global community must act to prevent their threat escalating. \"Somalia's problems are not for Somalia alone to solve. Not only for the African Union to solve. It is a global and regional issue. We are very appreciative that the international community understands that, but they need to act now, rather than later.\" \"The issue is not Somalis taking over from other Somalis. But the issue is foreign jihadists imposing their ideas into the region. So Somalia can be a launching pad for a greater and wider jihadist issue.\" Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua told CNN his country did not yet fear direct attacks from Al-Shabaab but said it was becoming increasingly alarmed about its activities and its links to foreign networks. Despite the concerns, Mutua said the problem was nothing new and while his country struggled to exert control over its porous border with Somalia, it was taking steps to limit the danger. But he warned the threat was not limited to Kenya and could have global reach. \"We do believe that Al-Shabaab poses a threat, not only to Kenya, but to all neighboring countries such as Ethiopia and Eritrea,\" he said. \"It is not just a problem that we foresee in Kenya, just because we are neighbors to them, it is a problem that we foresee that may occur to a lot of countries and also poses a threat to outside even this region,\" he added. \"Our concern is not limited to Al-Shabaab. We know that Al-Shabaab are not able to do it without foreign intervention in terms of money and weapons that they are getting from other countries.\" Ernst Jan Hogendoorn, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, told CNN that while Al-Shabaab had whipped up concerns with headline grabbing acts such as the recent kidnap of two French citizens in Mogadishu and three aid workers on the Kenyan side of the border, countries such as Kenya should pay heed. \"I think that Kenya could do a much better job. There is always the possibility that someone could sneak across the border and launch an attack against a soft target. Obviously Kenya has been the target of attacks in the past that are very, very challenging to prevent.\" But, says Hogendoorn, with an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia proving largely ineffective, and Ethiopian military presence withdrawn in January ahead of an Al-Shabaab push, Kenyan military involvement was unlikely to offer any quick fix. \"The problem is once [Kenyan troops] are on the ground they open themselves up to guerrilla style attacks and suicide attacks that could lead to significant loss in life.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Experts, officials warn of growing threat from Somali militant group .\nAl-Shabaab is one of strongest Islamic militias battling for Mogadishu .\nKenya says danger is to region and world despite threats on Nairobi ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- International troops in Afghanistan endured another deadly attack Tuesday, a day after 10 NATO-led troops were killed in that country. The body of a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan arrives in the United States on Monday. A U.S. coalition service member \"died as a result of injuries\" on Tuesday afternoon in a roadside bombing attack on a convoy in western Afghanistan, the U.S. military said. This follows 10 NATO-led deaths on Monday, the highest single-day total in Afghanistan in nearly a year, according to NATO and U.S.-led coalition numbers. Seven Americans, two Canadians and one Briton died in four separate incidents Monday. On August 18, 2008, 10 French soldiers were killed when about 100 insurgents attacked a patrol in Kabul Province, and a British soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan when insurgents attacked a patrol with a roadside bomb. A month before that, 10 American troops were killed in two separate incidents on July 13, 2008. The latest deaths came as U.S. troops cranked up their fight against the Taliban, a push that includes a major Marine-led offensive against the militants in the southern province of Helmand. Roadside bombs Monday killed four Americans in the northern province of Kunduz and two in southern Afghanistan, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said. A seventh American died in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, ISAF confirmed. Two Canadian air crew members and a British soldier were killed when a helicopter crashed during takeoff in Zabul province, the Canadian and British defense ministries said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.S. soldier killed in roadside bombing on a convoy in western Afghanistan .\nFollows deaths of 7 Americans, 2 Canadians, 1 Briton in separate incidents .\nLatest deaths come as U.S. forces ratchet up fight against Taliban ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- A 90-year-old Holocaust survivor was found strangled Thursday in his Upper East Side apartment, a spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner said Friday. Felix Brinkmann dances at a 2008 party marking his 90th birthday. Felix Brinkmann, a native of Latvia, escaped death for a year while he was in the Nazis' Mauthausen, Ebensee and Auschwitz concentration camps. Five times he had been slated for the gas chambers, but each time he used his fluency in German to talk his way out. After the war ended, he was stunned to discover that his wife, who had also been shipped to Auschwitz, was alive and well in Poland. The Brinkmanns immigrated to America, where Felix spent years in the bar and nightclub business, co-founding in 1971 Adam's Apple disco in Manhattan. In recent years, he had served as the real estate manager of a mixed-use building in the Bronx, working \"seven days a week, without fail,\" said his son Rick Brinkman, who spells his last name differently than his father. On Thursday, the building's superintendent grew concerned when Brinkmann did not show up to work. He notified Brinkmann's son and received permission to enter the father's apartment, where he had lived alone since his wife died last year. Brinkmann's body was found lying face down in his bedroom, his hands bound, his body showing blunt-force trauma wounds, police said. Brinkmann's blue 2009 Honda Civic may have been stolen and a safe in his apartment tampered with, police said. A police spokesman said authorities were looking for \"a man and a woman\" in connection with the homicide. Rick Brinkman speculated that the killing was random in nature. \"Anybody who knew him really liked him,\" the son said. \"He was not the kind of guy who had enemies.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Felix Brinkmann, a native of Latvia, was a survivor of three concentration camps .\nBrinkmann spent years in the nightclub business after he and his wife immigrated .\nHe had lived alone in an Upper East Side apartment since his wife died last year .\nPolice: \"Man and a woman\" being sought in connection with the homicide ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Severe turbulence shook a Continental Airlines flight Monday, injuring dozens of passengers and forcing the aircraft to divert to Miami, Florida, according to the airline and a fire official. Oxygen masks hang from a damaged part of the plane Monday, in a photo by passenger Camila Machado. There were 168 passengers and 11 crew members on Flight 128, which was heading from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Houston, Texas, according to a statement from Continental Airlines. \"I've never seen turbulence like that, so I really thought we wouldn't make it,\" passenger Giovani Loss told CNN affiliate WSVN-TV. Loss, who is originally from Brazil, said he is a lawyer in the United States and frequently travels between the two countries. He said passengers were afraid the turbulence may have been the result of mechanical problems with the plane. \"People [were] screaming, then there was a huge silence for like 30 minutes,\" Loss said. Ambulances and other vehicles were lined up on the runway to treat and transport the injured passengers when the plane landed at Miami International Airport at 5:35 a.m. Watch passengers describe what happened » . \"People that weren't seat belted in flew up and hit the ceilings,\" passenger John Norwood told WSVN. \"So their faces, their heads hit the plastics and broke all the plastics up top.\" Continental said seven passengers were transported to nearby hospitals, and approximately 28 other passengers were treated at the scene. Lt. Elkin Sierra of the Miami-Dade Fire Department said 26 passengers were injured, including four seriously. The Boeing 767-200 hit turbulence about 50 miles north of the Dominican Republic at about 38,000 feet, according to an official with the Federal Aviation Administration. It landed in Miami an hour later with its seat belt signs illuminated, the airline said. Many of the passengers said they did not hear any warning before the turbulence hit. Injuries received included bumps, bruises, neck pain and back pain, Sierra said. Passengers said they saw several people bleeding from their heads, including one woman who sustained a serious gash to her head. The flight is scheduled to depart Miami for Houston later in the morning, according to Continental's Web site. It had been scheduled to arrive in Houston at 6 a.m. local time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Airliner hits turbulence, is forced to divert to Miami, Florida .\nAt least 26 people hurt, four of them seriously .\nJet had been en route from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Houston, Texas ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Army staff sergeant will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor after he sacrificed his own life in an effort to save another soldier in Afghanistan, the White House said Friday. By acts of \"immeasurable courage,\" Staff Sgt. Jared Monti earned the Medal of Honor, the White House said. Staff Sgt. Jared Monti will receive the medal, the nation's highest military honor, on September 17 for his actions in combat, the White House said in a statement. His parents, Paul and Janet Monti, \"will join the president at the White House to commemorate their son's example of selfless service and sacrifice.\" Monti, of Raynham, Massachusetts, died June 21, 2006, while deployed with the 10th Mountain Division, according to a Web site set up by family and friends to announce a scholarship in his honor. He was 31 when he died. Monti's reconnaissance team occupied a surveillance position when they were attacked near Gowardesh, Afghanistan, and he was killed by enemy fire, the Web site says. The White House statement said Monti \"displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor -- eventually sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his comrade,\" but did not provide details of his actions. Monti's military decorations already included the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals and three National Defense Service Medals, the White House statement said. He is survived by his parents, his sister and brother and a niece. Monti was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class. The Medal of Honor is awarded to U.S. soldiers who distinguish themselves with \"gallantry above and beyond the call of duty,\" the White House said. \"The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "White House: President will present medal to soldier's parents in September .\nStaff Sgt. Jared Monti showed \"immeasurable courage\" in Afghanistan .\nWhite House says Monti gave his life for comrade in combat, but no other details .\nMuch-decorated soldier was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Three members of a U.S. Navy helicopter crew were killed after their helicopter went down in the waters off San Diego, California, a Navy spokeswoman said Wednesday. Rescuers are still searching for the two remaining crew members from the helicopter, which went down late Tuesday night, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Karin Burzynski said. No further details concerning the deaths were immediately available. Burzynski said the helicopter was operating from the USS Nimitz. The Navy received word that the helicopter went down around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, she said. It crashed about 20 miles off the Mexican coast, the Navy said. Coast Guard spokesman Henry Dunphy told CNN earlier that Coast Guard helicopters and boats, as well as vessels from other agencies, were helping in the search." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Rescuers still searching for two people missing from Tuesday night crash .\nCoast Guard using helicopters and boats to search ocean for crew .\nCopter was doing training off coast of Mexico, near San Diego, when it crashed ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing. Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood. The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, California, on Monday afternoon. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry. The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background, Burton was extremely gracious and polite. \"Everything with Dolla was 'please' and 'thank you,' \" said Ant Rich, manager of A&R for Jive Records, who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later. \"The streets did not define him at all. He was bigger than that.\" Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon, who collaborated with him on his first single, \"Who the F--- is That?\" which also featured another high-profile artist, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, \"Feelin' Myself,\" appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie \"Step Up.\" According to his official MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after. He was 5 years old when he and his older sister, Divinity, witnessed their father committing suicide. After that incident, their mother moved the family to Atlanta, according to his biography. The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday: . \"First and foremost we, the family, would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers. Furthermore, the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false. \"Due to the circumstances of the situation, no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private. \"Additionally, information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate.\" Rich said Dolla, who also did some modeling for P. Diddy's Sean John label, loved his family deeply. He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives, Rich said. \"You would tell him 'Look Dolla, you don't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this' and he would say 'No, no you got it last time, let me,' \" Rich said. \"The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart.\" DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network's \"Spring Bling\" event last year. He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry. \"That energy was what drew me to him,\" said Jones, who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events. \"A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper, but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be.\" Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred. Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence. \"Hip-hop gets such a bad rap, ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac,\" Jones said. \"[Dolla] just wanted to be successful, help other people and do the right thing. What's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading, because he was definitely on the right course.\" Jerry Barrow, senior editor for The Urban Daily, a publication devoted to African-Americans in pop culture, noted that it was unfortunate that Dolla is finding mainstream recognition posthumously. \"With his modeling and his music, he did more before the age of 20 than many people do,\" Barrow said. \"It's a shame that this is how many people are now discovering him and his music.\" Rashan Ali, a disc jockey with Atlanta's Hot 107.9 radio station, said the city has a thriving hip-hop community. Her station, which plays hip-hop, often has its lobby filled with aspiring artists trying to get their music heard. With the success of Atlanta-based artists like rappers T.I., Outkast, and Young Jeezy, more and more young people are drawn to the area to try and make the connections that will find them fame, Ali said. That Dolla was killed while pursuing his craft is especially sad, she said. \"[Dolla] was minding his business, in Los Angeles trying to record his music and this happens,\" Ali said. \"It's horrific and now a mother has to bury her child. It's senseless.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Those who knew rapper Dolla mourn his loss .\nThe Atlanta-based rapper was killed at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles .\nFamily releases a statement asking for privacy to mourn .\nDolla, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, was 21 ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- The United States almost provided one of football's biggest upsets when they were narrowly beaten by Brazil in the final of the Confederations Cup in South Africa. The U.S. players cut dejected figures after their Confederations Cup final defeat to Brazil . Goals from Clint Dempsey and captain Landon Donovan had given the U.S. a 2-0 lead at half-time, before Luis Fabiano struck twice after the break and Lucio headed home the winner six minutes before the final whistle to give Brazil the title. While the presence of the U.S. in the final reflects the significant progress made since the country hosted the World Cup in 1994, it will undoubtedly raise expectation levels for the 2010 World Cup. Central to this is whether the current crop of players in coach Bob Bradley's squad possess the credentials to make the next step and become serious challengers to the European and South American elite. World Soccer magazine columnist and U.S. Soccer expert Paul Gardner felt that while the exploits of the national team were impressive, the country is still some way short of fulfilling their potential on the world stage. \"The way the tournament went it really opened up for the U.S. and certainly the progress made is there for all to see, particularly in the victory over Spain who had been on an good run up until that point,\" Gardner told CNN. \"Undoubtedly things have moved on a great deal since the World Cup was staged here in 1994, but if you look at the bigger picture there is perhaps a slight sense of underachievement because of the huge resources available. \"In terms of organization, facilities and sheer participation numbers the U.S. has massive potential which has not quite yet been matched by what has happened at national level.\" Does the Hispanic community hold the key for the future of U.S. football? Sound Off here. Crucially Gardner believes that for the U.S. to shake the tag of nearly men there must be a stronger emphasis placed on tapping into the abundance of talent provided within the country's Hispanic population. \"The experience that players have gained from playing in Europe has improved the players and Bob Bradley has molded a side which can hold it's own against some of the bigger nations,\" Gardner explained. \"But for the U.S. to become a real force then it must begin to tap into the quality of talent available in the Hispanic community which can be nurtured to take the game to the next level. \"The Major Soccer League has yet to really embrace this idea and I think that needs to change in the first instance to enable the development of players capable of winning matches at the very top. \"MLS side Houston Dynamo is a case in point. Something like 50 percent of their support is Hispanic, 90 percent of their youth talent is Hispanic but have only have a few Hispanic players in the team. \"And that extends to the national team. The composition of the side at the moment is very much the team that Bob Bradley and Bruce Arena built and they -- like a number of MLS coaches -- have gone for players they can trust and rely on. \"The Hispanic players have the game in their blood and their skill and technical levels need to be embraced rather than maybe having a dependence on players who fit a specific system.\" For Gardner, at least, it seems that development of the Hispanic talent must therefore become a keystone policy for the U.S. Soccer Federation to put them into the bracket of serious World Cup contenders in years to come. But what of their chances at next year's World Cup in South Africa? He added: \"The U.S. should not get carried way with their performance at the Confederations Cup and the players should not look beyond getting past the group stages in South Africa. \"A good run in Japan and South Korea in 2002 was followed by elimination before the knockout phase in Germany 2006 so they need to be cautious. \"Winning the World Cup will probably be beyond the U.S. next year. Bradley will make them a difficult team to beat, and I don't think anyone will get an easy game against them so it will be interesting to see how they do.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.S. national team have made progress since hosting the World Cup in 1994 .\nResources to develop the game in the U.S. are among the world's best .\nExpert Paul Gardner believes the country needs to tap into Hispanic talent ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Richard Strandlof said he survived the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon. He said he survived again when a roadside bomb went off in Iraq killing four fellow Marines. He'd point to his head and tell people he had a metal plate, collateral damage from the explosion. Richard Strandlof says he didn't mean to cause harm when he lied about being a military veteran. Crowds ate up his story. He canvassed Colorado appearing at the sides of politicians. Inspiring and seemingly authentic, he spoke on behalf of veterans at the state Capitol. It turns out the whole thing was a lie. He wasn't at the Pentagon. He was never a Marine. He never served his country. He never graduated from the Naval Academy. He claimed his name was Rick Duncan. He formed a group called the Colorado Veterans Alliance, and the FBI is now investigating whether he embezzled money as a result. Watch Strandlof defend himself » . Where was he on 9/11, the day he said he witnessed heroism firsthand? \"I was in San Jose, California, watching it in horror on TV with a few other people,\" Strandlof told CNN's Anderson Cooper. He was at a homeless shelter at the time. Strandlof denies being a pathological liar. He says he suffered from \"some severely underdiagnosed mental illness\" and that he got caught up in the moment around \"people who are passionate and loved what they did.\" He told CNN he had put on a \"production, which I'm sorry for.\" \"Hopefully the people that I hurt can in some way gain closure from that, and I myself don't know what I can do short of leaving them alone and not being in their lives, to make that happen,\" Strandlof said. He said he's not sure exactly how he's hurt people. \"It's not for me to say, and time will tell,\" he said. Hal Bidlack, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel, is one of those people. He ran for Congress as a Democrat and had Strandlof appear with him. Bidlack isn't too happy. \"Once one lie fell apart, the whole series of things ... just cascaded into an ocean of lies,\" he said. Bidlack was at the Pentagon when it came under attack on September 11, 2001. He now realizes that Strandlof stole portions of his own story. \"Now that we know he's a lying fraud,\" Bidlack said, \"I think he was just parroting my own story back to me.\" \"There are an awful lot of things that he kept straight to try to fool an awful lot of people for an awful long time.\" Doug Sterner has catalogued hundreds of people claiming to be military veterans who never served in the military. He says it's typical for those perpetuating the hoaxes to claim mental illness. \"I don't buy that,\" Sterner said. \"What he was doing was looking for a cause to promote himself. I see this repeatedly. I've had a hundred cases just this year like Rick Strandlof's. ... What they're doing is building a kingdom of self and feeding their own ego.\" Sterner has pushed for a federal database listing the names and citations of all decorated military veterans to help put an end to such cases. He said Strandlof has robbed true veterans of their veracity. \"Doing good does not take away from the bad that he did,\" he said. \"Because of Rick Strandlof, the next global war on terrorism veteran that speaks in a school or talks to the media or gets involved in politics is going to be questioned.\" According to the Denver Post, Strandlof came to authorities' attention first in 1997, when he was sentenced to five years on forgery and bad-check charges. With the FBI now investigating him for fraud, he told CNN he's innocent. \"We did not take money to use on non-veterans projects. I did not enrich myself on this. I did not gain any money from this,\" he said. That's not the point, said Sterner. \"The one thing he robbed from every veteran that comes out now is credibility.\" CNN's Joe Johns contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "FBI investigating man who posed as military veteran for fraud .\nMan said he survived 9/11 Pentagon attack; he was actually at homeless shelter .\nRichard Strandlof formed veterans group in Colorado .\nFormer friend: \"He was just parroting my own story\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- When Navy snipers rescued an American cargo-ship captain last month from Somali pirates, it sounded like something from a movie. This shooting game by Games2Win.com lets players try to rescue a ship captain from Somali pirates. But in today's instant-gratification culture, there's no need to wait for Hollywood to re-enact that dramatic high-seas story. Video game developers are already on the case. Online gaming site Games2Win launched \"Saving Captain Phillips,\" a simple, two-dimensional shooting game, within nine days of the actual rescue. Not to be outdone, Kuma Games followed soon afterwards with \"Somali Showdown: Pirates on the High Seas,\" a PC multiplayer action game that puts players in the middle of a pirate attack on a cargo ship -- and even lets them become one of the pirates. These are just several of many online and cell-phone games based on recent news events. \"Hero on the Hudson,\" a primitive Flash game, lets people pretend they're pilot Chesley Sullenberger and navigate a plummeting airliner to a safe water landing. A successful attempt brings applause, while a botched landing results in a sinking plane, accompanied by ominous gurgling sounds. \"Baseball Juiced,\" launched last month with a social message and already played 1.4 million times online, forces batters to pick between using steroids or working out in a gym. In \"Swinefighter,\" gamers seek to save the world from the spread of swine flu. And \"Trillion Dollar Bailout\" lets players try to boost the economy by awarding government cash to shady corporate fat-cats or struggling homeowners (well, duh). Such topical, and satirical, games speak to our need for a light-hearted break from serious news, said DigitalTrends.com publisher Scott Steinberg. \"So many events in the news are devastating,\" he said. \"These games are a fun escape. They're good for a laugh, and nobody gets hurt -- unlike in the real world.\" The idea to publish games based on news events was inspired in part by the success of viral videos such as JibJab's \"This Land,\" an animated online parody that became an instant sensation during the 2004 presidential election season, said David Williams, who heads up the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Games Group. \"It went around the world like wildfire,\" said Williams, whose group runs Addicting Games, a teen gaming site that he said had 11.7 million unique users last month. The success of \"This Land\" signaled that people who got a kick from watching a topical video spoof online might just as easily spend a few minutes playing a similar game. Some early examples included \"Cheney's Fury,\" inspired by the former U.S. vice president's 2006 hunting mishap, and the \"Zidane Head Butt Game,\" which invited players to relive the startling 2006 World Cup moment in which French soccer player Zinedine Zidane went after an Italian player head first. As several global leaders have discovered, almost any embarrassing episode can be turned into a video game. Last December's incident at a Baghdad news conference, at which an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush, inspired several games. Out of the United Kingdom came one hastily-published version, \"Sock and Awe,\" which encouraged players to throw shoes at Bush. As of this week, sockandawe.com reports that more than 94 million virtual size-10 shoes have walloped the former leader of the free world. And as if viral videos of his dozing off at a Group of Seven news conference in February weren't embarrassing enough, former Japanese Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa soon had a game to remind him of his slumber blunder. Translated by a spokesman for the Japanese developer LiveWare Inc. as \"Doze off while answering question!,\" the Flash game for mobile phones challenges players to keep the minister awake long enough to answer reporters. Gamers win points by having Nakagawa answer journalists' questions on time, but the game ends if the minister falls asleep while being asked a question. More recently, Cellufun, a New York-based company that fosters mobile communities, launched \"Made Off,\" a game that invites online players to outscam businessman Bernard Madoff, who pleaded guilty to defrauding thousands of investors. \"Think you've got what it takes to build a better Ponzi scheme than Bernie?\" the site asks. \"Always wanted to rob, cheat and steal from innocent investors? Well now's your chance! ... Play as a slimy Fund Manager, a savvy investor, or both.\" Some reality-based games hit too close to home, however. Late last month, publisher Konami killed one controversial game before it was even released. \"Six Days in Fallujah\" was billed as a documentary-like experience in which players could feel like they were part of the 2004 U.S. campaign against insurgents in the Iraqi city. Although Iraq War veterans were enlisted as consultants in the game's development, critics accused the publisher of trivializing one of the bloodiest battles of an ongoing war. A Konami spokesperson told CNN he couldn't comment on the matter. A few ambitious game developers such as NewsGaming.com publish challenging, event-inspired online simulations. \"September 12\" lets players explore the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, while \"Madrid\" takes a similar approach to the March 11, 2004, attacks in Spain. \"Traditionally, videogames have focused on fantasy rather than reality, but we believe that they can be a great tool for better understanding our world,\" explains the site. \"We prefer games that encourage critical thinking, even if the player disagrees with our games' ideas.\" But most news-related games are simple Flash games that are churned out quickly to capitalize on current events. While amusing at first, they lack the complexity to hold gamers' attention for long, experts say. \"They're not very sophisticated. They're pretty much like home brew ... made by two or three people in their basement for a laugh,\" said DigitalTrends' Steinberg. \"They're flashes in the pan. They can rack up millions of plays, but three years from now, will anybody still be trying to get the high score on 'Swinefighter?' \"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Developers are creating online and cell phone games inspired by real news events .\nGamers can land a plane on the Hudson or build a Madoff-like investment scheme .\nMany are primitive, two-dimensional Flash games that don't hold long-term interest .\nOne controversial game, \"Six Days in Fallujah,\" was yanked by its publisher ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Whether you're into baseball or backgammon, Harry Potter or heavy metal, Ning has an online network for you. Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning, says her site brings together people with common interest and passions. A fast-growing, free Web site launched two years ago, Ning lets members custom build their own social-networking platforms based around their passions and pastimes. As Facebook and MySpace connect people to friends and family, Ning gathers users around common interests. The site hosts networks for hip-hop music lovers, video gaming moms and teens obsessed with the Twilight book and movie franchise. Other popular Ning networks bring people together online for political and social causes such as \"Pickens' Plan,\" which advocates wind energy. Ning had 4.7 million unique visitors as of January and surpassed 1 million social networks -- about one-fifth of them considered active -- last month. Ning also enhanced its site in March with new features such as a real-time activity feed so users can get up-to-the-minute reports -- not unlike Twitter's tweets -- about what others are doing. CNN spoke recently to Ning CEO Gina Bianchini, a Silicon Valley native and former Goldman Sachs analyst, about the company and the future of social networking. Watch Bianchini chat about Ning » . CNN: Where did this idea for Ning come from? Bianchini: We really started with a very simple premise. What if you gave people the opportunity to create their own social experiences for their own unique passions/topics/interest? We started on the ground floor to build it in such a way that it can be customized and programmed and made truly unique for each individual. I believe the most powerful ideas are the most simple. CNN: What is the mission of Ning? Bianchini: It's a way to get people to organize and get people to meet around their passions. CNN: Did any specific Web sites or companies inspire you to create Ning? Bianchini: We were really inspired by the first wave of Internet companies truly native to the Web like Craigslist and eBay. They were really around people connecting to other people. They were really about the Internet connecting people to each other. It's completely unique to the Internet -- you can't do it via television or newspapers. CNN: Did you expect the idea of connecting people though common interests to be so successful? Bianchini: Social behavior is really what people want to do online. It was clear for the rapid adoption of social networking in general that it is very much the case. CNN: What are some of the interesting social networks on Ning? Bianchini: There are 200,000 social networks are active right now, and they are across tens of thousands of unique passions. There is a network called 'This is 50.' It's like a hip hop TMZ. Another is the 'Pickens' Plan.' It's a way they are organizing more than 200,000 people around wind-energy policy. There is another one for cricket, specifically Indian cricket, which has added half a million people in the last two and a half weeks. There is another about the Twilight saga for teens. So it ranges from 50 Cent to teens talking about Twilight to serious adults looking at how to make changes in government policy. That's the power of the Internet and the power of connecting people. CNN: What do you attribute to the growth of Ning? Bianchini: What's fundamental in the adoption of Ning is that people are unique. They have unique interest and passion and they like having a contact for that experience and for their identity. CNN: What makes Ning different from other social-networking sites? Bianchini: It's focused on providing the [means for] people to create new social networks around their interests and passions and connect new people around those passions. We think that's a very critical element of organization. The Facebook phenomenon connects you to people you already know and Twitter is amazing for news and real-time events. What we see with people who gravitate to Ning is meeting new people with similar interests. CNN: How can Ning be useful to organizations or corporations? Bianchini: When you can bring people together around a common cause there is incredible potential to do fundraising and to organize volunteers. CNN: How does your site make money? Bianchini: If you want to add a feature like making your own domain, you can pay a la carte for options. On the free service there are ads contextual to what the network is. CNN: What are your thoughts on the future of social networking? Bianchini: Niche social networking sites are absolutely something people want to do. People clearly want to do this. . .[and] as people get more comfortable with social networking via Facebook, Twitter, they will look around and say, 'I want a social network for this particular group.' CNN: What are some of your company's goals in the future? Bianchini: We are really focused on making our service perfect for people who come to meet new people. We're growing really rapidly and we're seeing a lot of interest and new people joining social networks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "CNN talks to Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning, a fast-growing Web site .\nNing lets people with common interests gather around niche social networks .\nThe site boasts more than 1 million social networks -- some 200,000 of them active .\nIn March, the site added a real-time activity feed to help users stay updated ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Search crews have recovered the bodies of the flight captain and a steward from the Air France flight that crashed off the coast of Brazil. A Brazilian diver floats on wreckage of Flight 447 earlier this month. The search for more debris continues. The two flight members are among the victims that have been identified, Air France said in a statement Thursday. About a dozen victims have been identified among roughly 50 bodies recovered from the crash of Flight 447, which killed 228 people on June 1, authorities in Brazil said this week. Crews continue to search for bodies, wreckage and flight-data recorders that apparently rest deep on the ocean floor. Data from the recorders may be crucial in helping investigators determine what caused the plane to crash. Watch more wreckage recovered from crash » . Autopsies conducted on some of the 50 bodies found so far show they suffered broken bones, including arms, legs and hips, Brazilian authorities have told French investigators, according to Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the French accident investigation board. Such injuries suggest that the plane broke apart in midair, experts have said. Asked about that theory, Air France Chief Executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told France's RTL radio this week that he would not go that far. \"What I know is that the investigators would like to know the causes of death,\" Gourgeon said. \"That knowledge of causes of death will better clarify what exactly happened. Were the victims killed before the impact, or during impact?\" Searchers have found dozens of pieces of debris in the water and think they know the general location of the wreck, but Arslanian said this week that there is a chance the entire aircraft may never be found. Air France plans to pay relatives of the victims an initial compensation equivalent to about $24,500, or 17,500 euros, for each victim, Gourgeon has said. The airliner said this week that it has been in touch with about 1,800 relatives of the people who died when the Airbus A330 crashed, but that it has been difficult tracing the relatives of all 228 victims. \"The modern world is different and we often have only a cell phone, and as you can imagine, this cell phone is unfortunately in the aircraft,\" Gourgeon said. \"So we probably (will put in) more hours to access all the relatives.\" The company is also providing families with counseling, he said. The were 32 different nationalities present on Flight 447." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Search crews recover bodies of flight captain and steward from crash .\nAll 228 people onboard flight 447 from Brazil to France were killed .\nNone of names of bodies recovered have been released at request of families ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- The United States successfully tested a sea-based component of its missile defense shield Thursday evening, intercepting a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said. A dummy missile is launched from a ship during a 2008 test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program. The exercise was the 19th successful test in 23 attempts of the system -- known as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program -- since 2002. A target missile was fired from Hawaii about 5:40 p.m. (11:40 p.m. ET) and was tracked by Navy ships hundreds of miles away. The USS Hopper, one of three Navy ships tracking the launch, fired an interceptor missile, which struck the target about 100 miles above the Earth. The process -- from launch to shoot-down -- took less than five minutes, according to the U.S. military. The United States plans to use the sea-based system on Navy Aegis-class ships to protect against incoming short- to medium-range missiles fired from hostile countries. Eighty-six of the ships eventually will have the capability. Another part of the missile defense protection -- ground-based midcourse defense -- is designed to strike at long-range missiles. Both the sea-based and ground-based systems are part of the Pentagon's \"layered\" missile defense plan. Much of the missile defense program is still under development, including lasers fired from a plane that the military hopes would destroy an enemy missile during launch. Other parts of the missile defense would fire short-range missiles at incoming warheads that are close to hitting their targets. Over the past seven years, the U.S. military has spent billions of dollars on the missile defense program. Pentagon officials have said that each missile defense test costs about $85 million." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ship-based system shoots down dummy missile from hundreds of miles away .\nAegis Ballistic Missile Defense has 19 successful tests in 23 tries, agency says .\nMore than 80 U.S. Navy ships eventually will be equipped with system ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(Entertainment Weekly) -- It was a glass half-full, glass half-empty kind of weekend at the box office for \"Funny People,\" writer-director Judd Apatow's comedic meditation on fame, humor, life, and death. Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen star in \"Funny People,\" which took the No. 1 slot at the box office this weekend. According to figures from Hollywood.com Box Office, it opened at the top spot with an estimated $23.4 million, better than Apatow's The 40 Year-Old Virgin ($21.4 million) -- hence, the glass is half full. But that figure is far lower than the debut for Apatow's \"Knocked Up\" ($30.7 million), and it's the worst opening for a comedy for star Adam Sander since his 2000 turkey \"Little Nicky\" -- hence, the glass is half empty. Of course, \"Funny People\" was billed more as a thoughtful dramedy than a balls-out Sandler laugh-fest, and when matched against the opening frames for Sandler's serious efforts \"Reign Over Me,\" \"Spanglish,\" and \"Punch-Drunk Love,\" Funny People is far and away the winner -- and the glass is half full again. But whether it's a comedy, drama, or dramedy, \"Funny People's\" $75 million budget is quite the handful of pretty pennies, and with a shaky \"B-\" Cinemascore, the film is going to have a hard time overcoming tepid word-of-mouth -- and we're back to the half-empty glass. So let's just move on, shall we? The cup of a certain adolescent wizard, meanwhile, definitely runneth over. Thanks to its debut on IMAX (and the premium ticket prices that come with it), \"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince\" came in second with $17.7 million, a soft 40 percent drop from last weekend for $255.5 million total. At this rate, the film is well on its way to the upper ranks of the 'Potter' franchise. The guinea pigs of \"G-Force\" were right on its heels at third place, nibbling up $17.1 million, a decent 46 percent drop for a two-week cume of $66.5 million. And Katherine Heigl's romcom \"The Ugly Truth\" took in an additional $13 million, a 53 percent drop for fourth place and $54.5 million total. Of the two other wide releases this weekend, at least the sci-fi family comedy \"Aliens in the Attic\" -- which grossed a meager $7.8 million for fifth place -- broke into the top 10. The torture porn flick \"The Collector\" collected a grisly $3.6 million and plopped dead at 11th place. Box office on a whole was down a massive 22 percent from last year, when The \"Dark Knight\" and \"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor\" both took in over $40 million, but the specialty market showed some vibrant signs of life. Bone fide indie hit \"(500) Days of Summer\" expanded to 266 theaters for $2.7 million, a $10,338 per theater average. And three widely disparate films opened in four theaters each to healthy per theater averages: The quirky romantic comedy \"Adam\" ($16,566 per theater), the stylish vampire film \"Thirst\" ($13,793 per theater), and the eco-thriller-cum-documentary \"The Cove\" ($13,600 per theater). Finally, a true milestone was reached this weekend by \"The Hangover.\" With $5.1 million this weekend for a running total of $255.8 million, the summer's biggest die hard blockbuster has passed \"Star Trek\" and (for a brief moment) \"Harry Potter 6\" as the third highest grossing movie of the year. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Funny People\" is No. 1 at box office with an estimated $23.4 million .\n\"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince\" came in second with $17.7 million .\nThe guinea pigs of \"G-Force\" were right on Potter's heels at third place .\nSee what other flicks made this week's top 10 box office chart ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Four years ago, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei kissed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the cheek before he was sworn in as Iran's new leader. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could be in for a rocky second term as Iranian president, analysts say. Song and prayer heralded a new start for Iran with the hard-line Tehran mayor, virtually unknown to the outside world in 2005. He promised to stamp out corruption and fight for justice. With time, the world came to know the Iranian leader with his signature beige jacket and combative -- often anti-Israeli -- rhetoric. Monday, Iran's supreme leader endorsed Ahmadinejad for a second term in office, but there was no hug or kiss this time around. Video from the event shows Ahmadinejad leaning toward Khamenei before the supreme leader raises his left hand to block him, leaving Ahmadinejad to gingerly kiss the cleric's robe. The awkward scene seemed to only bolster the tensions that have emerged in the once strong relationship. Under Iran's constitution, the incoming president must receive the supreme leader's approval before being sworn into office. Khamenei's endorsement is the first step in that process. On Wednesday, Ahmadinejad will take the oath of office before Parliament. But he will begin his second term in a deeply fractured Iran, one in which the conservative leader finds himself under assault from the legions of pro-democracy supporters and the nation's powerful clerical establishment. Given the unprecedented fissures in Iranian society, some longtime scholars and observers now doubt whether Ahmadinejad will finish his second term in office. Some question whether the clerical establishment will sacrifice him in order to save the Islamic republic. Ahmadinejad's main political problem is \"legitimacy,\" said Alex Vatanka, senior Middle East analyst at IHS Jane's, a provider of defense and security information. \"Can you operate for four years with huge questions over whether you are the rightful president?\" Vatanka said. \"I think that would undermine everything he does.\" Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of Iran's June 12 election, but thousands took to the streets in the aftermath to protest what they believed was a rigged vote. They chanted the name of Ahmadinejad's chief rival, reformist Mir Hossein Moussavi, the crowds a sea of green, the color of the opposition candidate's campaign. Since then, widespread demonstrations have plagued Iran's leaders, who have ordered security forces to crack down swiftly and violently. Iranians have been arrested and jailed, their treatment condemned by global human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. Khamenei stood by his president, but strains in the relationship have surfaced in recent days after Ahmadinejad refused at first to heed the supreme leader's orders to change a controversial vice-presidential pick. Iran's clerics have made it known they would like Ahmadinejad \"to remain a powerful and popular president\" and reminded Iran that the supreme leader's word is the last one in the Islamic Republic. On the eve of his inauguration, Ahmadinejad sought to downplay any rift. In a public address, he compared his relationship with Khamenei to that of a father and son. But Kazem Alamdari, lecturer in sociology at California State University, Northridge, said Ahmadinejad has alienated the clerics just as he has the reformists. Alamdari said Ahmadinejad risks losing conservative supporters who may feel that Iran's system has been placed in danger and that the situation has \"created an atmosphere for external forces to attack Iran.\" If convinced the system is truly threatened, Khamenei could use his power to dismiss Ahmadinejad, Alamdari said. It wouldn't be the first time a supreme leader has made such a move. The Islamic Society of Engineers, a conservative group and ally of Ahmadinejad, in a statement warned that he could suffer the same fate as Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq. He lost the support of the clerics, consequently the people, and eventually was deposed in a 1953 CIA-backed coup. Iran's first president after the 1979 Islamic revolution, Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, was forced to flee the country after he stood against the clerics, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The Islamic Society of Engineers statement asked Ahmadinejad for \"absolute obedience of the supreme leader.\" Adding to Ahmadinejad's political worries is a faltering economy. The world may have viewed Iran's June 12 vote through the prism of individual freedoms and nuclear weapons, but most Iranians paid close attention to a staggering inflation rate, double-digit unemployment and the expenditure of oil revenue. With oil prices plummeting to below $40 a barrel, the Iranian government may be facing unsustainable budget deficits. Some analysts said the president's first-term economic mismanagement had already earned him the ire of the establishment, long before any controversy erupted over his political legitimacy. One scholar, who is currently in Iran and did not want be identified for safety reasons, said it is increasingly clear the regime has not chalked out a perfect path to the future -- and how long Ahmadinejad will be along for the ride. Vatanka said Ahmadinejad lacks the political mindset for consensus and collaboration. But what empowers him may be his belief in himself. And one other weapon: he thinks God is on his side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slated to be sworn in for second term as Iran president .\nSupporters of opposition candidates have protested election result .\nAhmadinejad must have support of clerics to stay in office, analyst says .\nFaltering economy has added to Ahmadinejad's troubles ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- He was not able to fulfill his childhood dream of being a pilot, but Ghanaian scientist Dr. Ave Kludze has arguably gone one better: developing and flying spacecrafts for NASA. The moon, Mars and beyond: All are in the sights of Dr. Ave Kludze. The 43-year-old didn't enter orbit when controlling a NASA rocket to launch the Calipso environmental satellite in 2006, instead piloting it from the control center on the ground. Nevertheless from growing up in Ghana to being an astronautical engineer and strategist for NASA, he has had a similarly stratospheric rise to the top. Growing up in Accra, Kludze was fascinated by science and how things worked. \"I was a very curious kid and I always questioned lots of things, and most of my friends I grew up with, they knew that. And my parents, they were a little bit concerned because sometimes I would take apart a lot of things they would not want me to touch,\" he told CNN. When he realized he could not become a pilot because of his eyesight he channeled his energies into studying engineering, moving to the U.S. to complete a course in electrical engineering at Rutgers University. On graduating Kludze initially planned to return to Ghana to develop solar technologies, but then NASA came calling in 1995. \"I never did dream of working for NASA. I admired what they did, but it never did cross my mind. I did not see how a kid like me could work for NASA,\" he said. He commanded his first spacecraft from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and has gone on to develop an extra-vehicular infra-red camera as well as other projects for the space agency. While he didn't return to Ghana as he originally planned, he still believes that his work -- and NASA's -- has had some benefits to his native country and more down-to-earth lives. \"Well, NASA has done a lot for Africans. Maybe Africans they no know that. They have cell phones, glasses, anti-scratch and all those things. We have portable water system that NASA has developed for Africa. They're using it,\" he said. \"And one thing people often forget, NASA doesn't only develop space technology, we also develop aeronautical technology. So when the planes they fly and other flying objects, NASA's technology has been involved in that.\" Kludze is also keen to pass on the message that for young Africans, the sky is the limit in terms of what they do with their lives. \"I've learned that being given the freedom to think and think openly helps bring in new ideas. So in community, like in an African communities, I think younger generations and both the old and the young should freely share ideas and break those old barriers. \"So I believe that with some determination and some hard work most of the younger generation can get whatever they want to. They can even go into space, they can do anything.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "American-Ghanaian engineer is one of NASA's top strategists .\nGrew up in Accra before studying in U.S.; joined NASA in 1995 .\nHas remotely piloted space craft; believes other Africans can follow in his footsteps ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Why would an award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and single mother want to tack reality TV star onto her long list of accomplishments? Kandi Burruss says she is happy to join the \"Real Housewives of Atlanta\" cast. For Kandi Burruss, the newest member of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, the answer is simple: \"I was a fan last year. I love the show.\" The second season of Bravo's hit show is set to premier on Thursday with Burruss replacing cast member DeShawn Snow. Burruss is well-known in the music industry as a former member of the platinum-selling R&B girl group Xscape and co-writer of such hits as Destiny's Child's \"Bills, Bills, Bills\" and TLC's \"No Scrubs,\" for which she won a Grammy. The Atlanta native almost ended up on another reality show with former group mate and writing partner Tameka \"Tiny\" Cottle, who is the fiancée of rapper T.I. and now stars on BET's \"Tiny & Toya\" alongside Antonia \"Toya\" Carter, the ex-wife of Lil' Wayne. The deal for that show didn't work out and Burruss said she was more than happy to sign on with Bravo's wildly successful southern edition of the \"Housewives\" franchise, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent African-American women in the ATL. Burruss was already friendly with cast mate Lisa Wu Hartwell, whom she met through their mutual friend Cottle. Having watched the show -- which last season enraptured viewers with a mix of constant infighting, lavish lifestyles and a healthy dose of drama -- Burruss said she was more concerned with being thrust into the public eye than she was with getting along with the cast. \"The only thing that made me hesitant about wanting to be a part of the show is the fact that people are so critical of the show,\" she said. \"Just dealing with people on the outside judging you. That part is going to be something that I am going to have to get used to.\" The artist has already had to get acclimated to people smearing her personal life on the Internet. Watch Burruss discuss her time on the show » . Newly engaged to a father of six children, Burruss has watched him get attacked in blogs and is protective of the man who she said even her mother isn't thrilled about her marrying. \"[The show] has been very, very stressful on the relationship,\" she said. \"I guess [people] couldn't find anything bad [to say] about me, so they wanted to go in on my fiancé.\" Her caring nature and laid-back personality make Burruss special in the industry, said rapper Rick Ross. \"She's a very humble person, maybe one of the most humble people among the biggest songwriters in the industry,\" said Ross, who collaborated with Burruss on a track for a new solo album she has in the works. \"It's good to be around the greats and she most definitely is one of the greatest in the industry.\" Her home music studio attests to that. The walls are covered with gold and platinum records for her work with several high-profile artists including Alicia Keys, *NSYNC, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Being part of a girl group helped prepare her for the drama of dealing with the other housewives' personalities, Burruss said, though she admitted clashing with outspoken cast mate NeNe Leakes during filming. \"I was a fan of hers last year,\" Burruss said. \"All that wild and crazy stuff she says to people, when you're watching it, it's funny, it's hilarious... but when it's directed at you, it's not funny anymore.\" Burruss got along better with aspiring singer Kim Zolciak, who Burruss will assist in achieving her dream of breaking into the industry. Last season, fans of the show -- and some of the other housewives -- slammed Zolciak for her less-than-stellar voice. \"Everybody loves to hate on Kim. But what I have to say is that Kim is actually cooler in person than she came off on the show,\" said Burruss, who in 1999 won top songwriter of the year from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. \"I wanted to help her out because I love helping the underdog.\" The busy artist said she has no idea if she will be invited back for another season. Appearing on the show, which Burruss said is not scripted, was fun, but she is busy with an upcoming album and with caring for her daughter, Riley, she said. She doubts she will be addicted to appearing on reality TV like she is addicted to music, Burruss said. \"It's just another way for people to get to know you and hopefully they see me in a good light,\" she said. \"You always hope that it doesn't backfire.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kandi Burruss is the newest member of Bravo's \"Real Housewives of Atlanta\"\nAn accomplished singer/songwriter/producer, she was a fan last season .\nBurruss confirms she and cast mate NeNe Leakes didn't get along .\nThe single mother hopes fans will see her in \"a good light\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(Entertainment Weekly) -- It couldn't top its predecessors, but \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine\" still brought in quite a haul, grossing an estimated $87 million for the opening weekend of the summer movie season. Hugh Jackman stars as the title character in \"X-Men Origins: Wolverine.\" The Hugh Jackman pic brought in a strong $21,225 per-theater average in 4,099 movie houses, despite generating mixed reviews. The film fell $15 million short of 2006's \"X-Men: The Last Stand\" but it is still an enormous success for Jackman and director Gavin Hood. Matthew McConaughey's \"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past\" generated an estimated $15.3 million for a second place bow. It's not a shabby opening but it is far less than McConaughey's previous romantic outings including last year's \"Fool's Gold\" ($21.6 million) or 2006's \"Failure to Launch\" ($24.2 million). (Perhaps women were too busy checking out all those hunky mutants this weekend?) The two new openers did help the industry maintain its year-over-year increase of 16 percent. Also aiding that statistic was Beyonce Knowles' \"Obsessed.\" Dropping a not-surprising 57 percent for its second weekend in theaters, the thriller earned another $12.2 million to put its ten-day gross at a shockingly strong $47 million. And Zac Efron's \"17 Again\" showed surprising stamina, too, grossing an additional $6.3 million its third weekend for a total take of $48.4 million. The other new wide release for the weekend was the anemic 3-D animated sci-fi film \"Battle for Terra.\" Opening on 1162 theaters, the Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood-voiced feature proved to be little competition for the other 3-D movie in the marketplace. Dreamworks Animation's juggernaut \"Monsters vs. Aliens\" grossed another $5.8 million its sixth weekend for the fifth slot in the rankings, while newcomer \"Terra\" couldn't muster more than $1 million for a twelfth place in the box office derby. Summer has officially begun -- at least in Hollywood -- so expect a giant event film every weekend. Wolverine may have bowed mightily but with \"Star Trek\" hot on its heels next weekend, the Marvel superhero is going to need more than adamantium to maintain its box office lead. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Wolverine\" takes the top slot at the box office, earning an estimated $87 million .\n\"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past\" took in an estimated $15.3 million for second place .\nDreamworks Animation's \"Monsters vs. Aliens\" grossed another $5.8 million .\nCheck out the rest of the top 10 movies at the box office this weekend ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's bizarre private life and change in appearance ended up eclipsing his musical achievements, according to the world's media. A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's home after a 911 call. Jackson's death from cardiac arrest Thursday has sparked an outpouring of grief from fans, and his life has been given a more measured summing up by news media. Britain's Guardian newspaper said \"his bizarre life-style and personal notoriety eclipsed his talent and his numerous achievements.\" The Guardian said his fame, from the age of 11, \"had such a damaging effect that his life was permanently affected.\" Watch why Jackson is \"as big as it gets\" » . \"A combination of dysfunctional family and invasive fame ate away at the essentially private singer, whose initially minor eccentricities escalated into grotesque changes to his appearance and lifestyle. \"If ever there was an illustration of the adage that celebrity destroys what it touches, Jackson was it,\" the Guardian said. Daily Mail agreed, saying Jackson \"courted controversy and acclaim in equal measure.\" Watch Jesse Jackson share memories » . \"It was the tales of oxygen chambers, chimp chums, shopping sprees and physical transformation that have brought intrigue and amusement and earned the singer the nickname Wacko Jacko.\" The Mail said star's behavior drew increasing alarm following a \"documentary in which he pronounced sharing a bedroom with a child to be 'charming' and an incident in Germany in which he dangled his baby son Prince Michael II over a balcony.\" The country's Times newspaper said only a \"handful of performers -- (Elvis) Presley, (Frank) Sinatra, the Beatles -- could outrank Michael Jackson as the most successful popular music entertainer of all time.\" However, \"as he approached middle-age, it was Jackson's abiding interest in children which was his undoing.\" iReport.com: Your Michael Jackson tributes . Australia's Sydney Morning Herald newspaper also compared Jackson to Presley. \"Just as Presley was the iconic voice and presence of the 1950s so Jackson enjoyed a similar status during 1980s and 1990s. And just as Presley, driven by the strange demons that seem to haunt the super-famous, died before his time so Jackson has died, aged 50, in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest.\" France's Liberation newspaper described Jackson as the \"total artist,\" but said his physical transformation and way of life brought controversy. Le Monde said Jackson was one of the most famous singers of the 20th century but his image was tarnished by his private life. Kingston: Jackson \"a legend\" » . Germany's Bild tabloid agreed, saying Jackson's private antics had seem him \"dethroned\" as the King of Pop. China's People's Daily newspaper said Jackson had \"set the world dancing to exuberant rhythms for decades.\" \"Jackson's dramatic stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world. Sharpton: Jackson \"was a trailblazer\" » . \"His one-gloved eccentric style also earned him plenty of critics and another nickname, \"Wacko Jacko.\" Thailand's Bangkok Post newspaper said: \"While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with electric dance moves like the backwards \"moonwalk\" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his colorful public behavior, his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jackson pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT on Thursday after cardiac arrest .\nEarly fame had very damaging affect on Jackson's life, says newspaper .\nJackson compared to Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Brazil have returned to the top of the FIFA world rankings after a two-year absence, following their Confederations Cup final victory over the United States in South Africa on Sunday -- FIFA.com have reported. The Brazilian national side top the FIFA world rankings again after an absence of two years. Dunga's side came from behind to defeat the United States 3-2, a result which sees them replace Spain after the European champions were beaten in the semifinals to finish third in the Confederations Cup. Other changes in the top 10 see the Netherlands slip down a place into third while world champions Italy remain in fourth despite failing to make it past the first round in South Africa. Of the other countries that took part in the Confederations Cup, the United States are up two places to 12th, Egypt are up two to 38th and hosts South Africa are also up two to 70th. Meanwhile, disappointing performances from Iraq (94th, down 17) and New Zealand (100th, down 18) caused them to lose ground. In other news, Algeria (47th, up 19) and Tunisia (49th, up two) have climbed into the top 50 at the expense of Burkina Faso (51st, down one) and Finland (52nd, down three). Latest FIFA world rankings: . 1. Brazil 1672 points (+4 places) 2. Spain 1590 (-1) 3. The Netherlands 1379 (-1) 4. Italy 1229 (0) 5. Germany 1207 (-2) 6. Russia 1161 (+3) 7. England 1135 (-1) 8. Argentina 1091 (-1) 9. France 1082 (+1) 10. Croatia 1031 (-2)" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Brazil are back at the top of the FIFA world rankings after a two-year absence .\nDunga's side return to head of the list after winning recent Confederations Cup .\nEuropean champions Spain drop to second position after their semifinal defeat ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Brazil's economic powerhouse was once thought of as the ugly sister to Rio de Janiero's beach-fronted glamour. São Paulo, the world's fifth largest city, is the fashion capital of Brazil. But, over the past few years, São Paulo' fashion, music and design scenes have gained such momentum that it's tipped by some as cooler destination than more touristy Rio. True, São Paulo doesn't have a beach, nor does it go out of its way to cater to foreign visitors, but hidden in the sprawl is a trove of hip hotels and restaurants, modernist architecture and some of the best shopping south of the Equator. It would take a lot longer than a day to discover everything São Paulo has to offer, but our guide should help visitors short on time to navigate the city's immense grid of skyscrapers and traffic jams to find an entirely different Brazilian experience. Watch the sun come up over the world's fifth largest urban area like many of its mega-wealthy inhabitants -- with a helicopter ride over the city. Tourist rides normally leave from Campo de Marte Airport and take in aerial views of city landmarks like Ibirapuera Park and Avenida Paulista. You may have worked up an appetite by now so head back into town for breakfast on Rua Oscar Freire, São Paulo's answer to Rodeo Drive. Eat delicious cheese bread known as pão de queijo, fruit, yoghurt and granola and wash it down with a freshly squeezed juice or coffee at Oscar Cafe. The prosperous, tree-lined avenues of the surrounding area, known as Jardins, are perfect for a bit of shopping. Look out for Clube Chocolate where you can buy upscale designerwear in divine surroundings ( Rua Oscar Freire 913) and Endossa, a collaborative shop filled with cubes of shelving where entrepreneurs can rent a cubby-hole to sell their wares. It's possible to walk to Avenida Paulista, São Paulo's financial district from here, and there you can mill past some of the most expensive real estate in South America with the Paulistano business folk on your way to take in some culture at MASP, also known as São Paulo Museum of Art. Once you've had your fill of high culture, take in some of São Paulo's famous street art on Beco de Batman, which translates as \"Batman Alley.\" Every inch of this street in the super hip Vila Madalena area is covered in graffiti, much of it by well-known local artists. Recharge your batteries with a beer and snack on empadas, delicious miniature pies with a variety of fillings like palm hearts, Portuguese salted fish and cheese at Empanadas (Rua Wisard 489, Vila Madalena). Otherwise, why not hop in a cab and head over to Liberdade and check out the home of the biggest Japanese community anywhere in the world outside Japan. Check out the Buddhist temple (Rua São Joaquim), the karaoke bars and sushi restaurants -- one of the best of which is Takô (Rua da Glória 746, Liberdade). With a shimmering green-copper facade, the Unique Hotel is just one example of São Paulo's stunning modern architecture. The highlight of this area, if you happen to be lucky enough to be there at the right time, is the anything goes weekend market Feira da Liberdade (Praça da Liberdade) and if you're even luckier you might catch one of the sumo competitions held there from time to time. After all these hours in the concrete jungle you may be longing for a bit of green, which you can find in ample supply in the enormous Ibirapuera Park. As you wander the tree-lined walkways, dodging throngs of body-conscious Paulistanos exercising along the way, you will encounter one masterpiece of modernist architecture after another -- mostly designed by the father of Brazilian modernism Oscar Niemeyer. Look out for the beautiful sci-fi dome, Oca and the Grande Marquise an extraordinary white pavilion which houses MAM (Museu de Arte Moderna) and features expanses of covered concrete which attract many of the city's skateboarders. No visit to São Paulo, or indeed any part of Brazil, is complete without a trying a caipirinha -- a winning combination of the local firewater, cachaca, smashed limes, sugar and ice. If spirits are a bit much for you, try a divine -- and very Paulistano -- twist on the original with squished kiwi fruit and sake. You could combine a few cocktails with catching the final rays of the day on the rooftop of of another of São Paulo's modernist masterpieces, Edifício Itália (Terraza Italia Restaurant, Avenida Ipiranga 344). Here you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama, with another Niemeyer masterpiece -- the wavy-facaded Edifício Copan -- in full view. It's got to be dinner time by now. In São Paulo your options are almost unlimited. With huge populations of Japanese, Italians and, even Lebanese, the problem is not where to eat but how to choose. A highlight of the Sao Paulo's dining scene has to be Restaurante Figueira Rubaiyat where you can eat awesome steaks and very good seafood in a dining room that has been built around an enormous fig tree. If you're still raring to go after that little lot, São Paulo's nightlife options are almost endless. You can shake your moneymaker with the best of them at one of the city's clubland stalwarts Love Story, or if you are looking for something a little more low key then why not round off the day on the rooftop terrace of the Skye Bar at Hotel Unique. The hotel's space-age green copper facade is indeed unique, and it is also a good bet for a bed for the night in really special surroundings." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "São Paulo's art, fashion and music scene means it's no longer second to Rio .\nAmong the grid of skyscrapers is iconic modernist architecture by Oscar Niemeyer .\nUniquely Brazilian, the city also has a twist of other cultures .\nDo what the Paulistanos do and sample street side delicacies and top cocktails ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- Hours after the sitting president was deposed by a military-led coup, a new president of Honduras was sworn in Sunday. Honduras President Jose Manuel Zelaya was detained and sent to Costa Rica, the government said. But the former president was not ready to give up his powers. The political developments that swept Honduras over the past weeks and led up to Sunday's coup had the makings of a crisis, but the situation in the Central American nation of 8 million people was calm. Roberto Micheletti was sworn in as provisional president to the applause of members of Congress, who chanted, \"Honduras! Honduras!\" Outside the building, supporters of ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya protested, but their numbers were limited, and the streets remained mostly peaceful. Micheletti told CNN en Español Sunday evening that he has imposed an \"indefinite\" curfew. Micheletti, the head of Congress, became president after lawmakers voted by a show of hands to strip Zelaya of his powers, with a resolution stating that Zelaya \"provoked confrontations and divisions\" within the country. A letter of resignation purported to be from Zelaya was read to members before the vote. But the deposed president, Zelaya, emphatically denied in an interview with CNN en Español that he wrote the letter. Speaking from Costa Rica, where he was taken after the coup, he said he plans to continue exercising his presidential duties with a trip to Managua, Nicaragua, to attend a summit of Central American heads-of-state. Zelaya awoke to the sound of gunfire in his residence and was still in his pajamas when the military forced him to leave the country Sunday morning, he told reporters. He was flown to Costa Rica, where he has not requested political asylum. \"This was a brutal kidnapping of me with no justification,\" Zelaya said. He called the coup an attack on Honduran democracy. \"There are ways to protest without arms,\" Zelaya said. The coup came on the same day that he had vowed to follow through with a nonbinding referendum that the Honduran Supreme Court had ruled illegal. Watch details on \"curious situation\" in Honduras » . The coup was widely criticized in the region, in strongest terms by Zelaya's leftist allies, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. A statement from Venezuela's foreign ministry said Zelaya was \"violently expelled from his country by a group of unpatriotic, coup-mongering soldiers.\" The Bolivian government also condemned the coup, accusing Honduran troops of kidnapping Zelaya and violently expelling him from his country. Elsewhere, Jose Miguel Insulza, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, strongly condemned the coup in a statement. And in Washington, President Obama said in a statement that he was \"deeply concerned\" by the news. \"I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter,\" Obama said. \"Any existing tensions and disputes must be resolved peacefully through dialogue free from any outside interference.\" The president of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, called the Honduran military's intervention a \"criminal action.\" But in Honduras, the Supreme Court said in an official statement that the military was acting in accordance with a court order to put an end to Sunday's scheduled vote, which the court's justices had found illegal. Micheletti addressed the issue directly in his first remarks as provisional president. \"I did not reach this position because of a coup,\" Micheletti said. \"I am here because of an absolutely legal transition process.\" No other countries immediately recognized Micheletti as president. Zelaya, a leftist elected in 2005, had found himself pitted against the other branches of government and military leaders over the issue of Sunday's planned referendum. It would have asked voters to place a measure on November's ballot allowing the formation of a constitutional assembly that could modify the nation's charter to allow the president to run for another term. In various interviews Sunday, Zelaya characterized the vote not as a referendum, but as a survey to gauge receptiveness toward a constitutional assembly. He denied that he would have been the beneficiary of any future constitutional changes. Zelaya, whose four-year term ends in January 2010, cannot run for re-election under current law. The Honduran Supreme Court had ruled the poll illegal, and Congress and the top military brass agreed, but Zelaya had remained steadfast. In the end, it appeared the opposition to Zelaya was too great. The military confiscated the ballots from the presidential residence, in effect canceling the disputed vote. In separate appearances Sunday, Zelaya, Venezuela's Chavez and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that the military had also detained Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas, further raising regional tensions. Speaking in Havana, Rodriguez said that the Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan ambassadors to Honduras had tried but were unable to protect Rodas from a group of masked soldiers who forcibly took her from their grasp. Further details regarding that incident were unclear. \"If they attack our ambassadors, they will be declaring a state of war,\" Chavez said. \"If they have weapons, then we have weapons, too.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Honduran Congress strips president of powers, names provisional president .\nObama statement: \"I call on all ... to respect democratic norms\"\nMilitary detains President Jose Manuel Zelaya, flies him to Costa Rica .\nZelaya says he plans to continue exercising presidential duties ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In Paul Syverson's photo album, there is only one family picture, taken right after his little sister was born. Paul, then 7, and his father beam with an identical grin. Amy Syverson visits the Iwo Jima memorial with mentor Kohn Fisher as part of a camp for kids of fallen soldiers. Two months later, his father, Army Maj. Paul Syverson III, was killed in action in Balad, Iraq. Five years after his loss, the pain still reverberates with sickening suddenness. To help cope, Paul headed out to spend the Memorial Day weekend with a young military volunteer mentor instead of his dad. \"I try not to think about the bad stuff,\" Paul said. \"I just try to remember him as an awesome guy and what a great dad he was.\" Paul, 12, and his sister, Amy, now a cheeky and rambunctious 5-year-old in pigtails, joined 350 other grieving children at a camp for military families in Washington this Memorial Day. For many, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, camp is a yearly tradition, a time for kids to play together and pay homage to their loved ones' sacrifices. Watch as the children share losses and joy » . \"It's just a great way to come and be together and acknowledge the loss, and learn coping mechanisms and ways to get through the loss,\" said Paul's mother, Jackie. \"The kids, they love it. It's just a great way they can talk about their dads but still have a great time and still just be together.\" TAPS is a nonprofit funded by private donations that has helped military families for 15 years. Families pay for their hotel rooms and a small registration fee for the camp. Donations usually cover the airfare. Military families often learn about the survivor camps in the casualty packet they receive when they are notified of a parent's death. Each child at the camp gets assigned a military mentor who is at his or her side throughout the weekend. The mentors -- many of whom are in their early 20s -- seem to form instant and deep connections with their charges. Some play touch football in the workshop rooms, the young children wildly tackling their muscular military escorts. Others color together or play board games. And sometimes they talk about pain and loss. \"They even ask me questions. They go, 'I don't know what a landmine is. What is a landmine?' \" said Matt Thibodeau, an active-duty soldier who was assigned to mentor Paul for the weekend. \"There were a couple children who didn't understand how their parents had passed away, and we try to just help to be there to support them if they need it, kind of a shoulder to cry on.\" Thibodeau said volunteering for TAPS seemed almost like a duty, an extension of the brotherhood of the military. \"I thought, if I were to have children and I were to go and pass away, that I would want somebody to do the same for me,\" he said. \"A lot of people don't realize what their parents have done for the country, and we're to try to support that and give them a little of what they're missing.\" During the weekend, the children take in the sights of the nation's capital. The mentors accompany them to the Fort Myer military base in Virginia to visit the horses that pull the caisson wagons during military funerals. At the Iwo Jima and Washington monuments, the groups pause to contemplate the sacrifices that generations of service members have made for the country. The groups also planned to attend President Obama's speech and wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day. \"This is their chance to reconnect with the military culture, learn coping strategies, learn how, on Memorial Day, America honors those who have served and died, and that their family is part of this national legacy,\" said Bonnie Carroll, founder of the TAPS program. For some campers, the circumstances of their loss make their feelings more complicated. Joey Ruocco, 15, lost his father in 2005. Marine Maj. John Ruocco committed suicide before he was to ship out for his second tour in Iraq. \"Dealing with something like your dad dying is one thing, and then having to think about all this stuff about suicide, about why, and is there something I could have done? Could have said?\" said Joey, who was 10 when his father died. \"But you can't think about that stuff. You have to think about the happy stuff, what he did with you.\" The first time Joey came to camp, he said he worried he might be dogged by the stigma of his dad's suicide. But Joey said he was accepted without comment, and he's learned to be proud of his father's service and sacrifice -- and of his life -- all the same. \"Everything that you take for granted, all sorts of silly things, like being able to ride your bike down to the corner store to get a slushie or something, wouldn't be possible if it weren't for men like our friends out there, our dads,\" Joey said. \"They're keeping our country free and being able to do stuff like that.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Camp offers refuge to military families, kids adjusting to loss of loved ones .\nArmy Maj. Paul Syverson III killed in action in Balad, Iraq, in 2004 .\n\"I just try to remember him as an awesome guy,\" his son says ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Farrah Fawcett, whose public battle with anal cancer has brought new attention to a rarely discussed disease, has not been given a timetable from her doctor about how much time she has left, according to her friend Alana Stewart. Farrah Fawcett, seen here in 2006, has waged a very public battle with anal cancer. \"No one has said to her you have two months to live,\" Stewart said Monday. \"So I'm looking at that as a really good sign.\" Stewart talked with Lara Spencer, host of \"The Insider,\" who discussed her interview with Fawcett's close friend on CNN's \"Larry King Live\" Monday night. Spencer said Fawcett, her family and friends are clinging to hope for a recovery. \"She [Alana Stewart] doesn't want to throw out a number. And neither does Farrah. ... They're still hoping for that miracle,\" Spencer said. \"Farrah's Story,\" a documentary-style program that has followed the course of her illness and showed her grueling treatment in graphic detail, aired on NBC Friday and was viewed by almost 9 million people. Fawcett and partner Ryan O'Neal watched the show together, Spencer confirmed. \"Alana said it was the ultimate in bittersweet,\" Spencer said. \"You know, they're reliving two years of hell that they've endured together.\" King asked Spencer whether Fawcett, who made her name a household word on the hit '70s TV series \"Charlie's Angels,\" and O'Neal might marry. \"He said you never know. He was cagey about it,\" Spencer said. \"And, you know, I think he would in a second. He's so madly in love with her.\" King also had a panel of medical experts on his show to discuss Fawcett's cancer. Dr. Thomas Vogl, who at one time treated the actress in Germany, called her medical condition \"very, very serious.\" Dr. Allyson Ocean, a medical oncologist in New York, said only about 5,000 cases of anal cancer are diagnosed in the United States yearly. Unlike Fawcett's case, it usually doesn't spread, and only about 10 to 15 percent of cases are advanced, Ocean said. Fawcett's cancer, however, is in Stage 4 and has spread to her liver. Ocean said there are various causes of anal cancer. \"One of the causes is a virus called the human papilloma virus, which is a sexually transmitted virus. It seems to be more common in women, in general, outside of any viral infections. Smoking is actually a risk factor,\" she said. King asked Dr. Paul Song, a radiation oncologist, if he had seen Stage 4 cancer cured. \"Not with anal cancer. I have seen it with other GI malignancies such as rectal cancer,\" Song said. \"But anal cancer is a little bit more difficult to treat.\" Despite the bleak outlook, Song had praise for Fawcett and her documentary. \"I think one of the most powerful things that Miss Fawcett did in this documentary was give patients a sense of hope and to just show how she's handled this with such courage and dignity,\" Song said. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta told King that doctors have to strike a delicate balance when they are caring for patients such as Fawcett. \"You have to be absolutely honest with patients, but, you know, you don't want to strip away their hope and optimism, either. There are people, Larry, as you know, who beat the odds,\" Gupta said. Vogl told King he developed a close relationship with Fawcett during the time he treated her in Germany and expressed admiration for his one-time patient. \"From a lot of treatments and contact and communication, I think she is extremely special, an extremely brave person,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Insider\" host Lara Spencer says friends, family holding out for a miracle .\nFarrah Fawcett has been fighting Stage 4 anal cancer, which has spread .\nDoctor who once treated her calls condition \"very, very serious\"\nAnother doctor said actress has handled illness with \"courage and dignity\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- A Colorado company's recall last week of beef products possibly contaminated with E. coli has been expanded, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said this week. The recall came as a result of \"an ongoing investigation into 24 illnesses in multiple states,\" the USDA said. The initial recall of 41,280 pounds announced last Wednesday was voluntarily expanded Sunday to include an additional 380,000 pounds of products made by the JBS Swift Beef Company, of Greeley, Colorado, the USDA said. The recall came as a result of \"an ongoing investigation into 24 illnesses in multiple states, of which at least 18 appear to be associated,\" the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a written statement. USDA spokesman Brian Mabry said no fatalities had been reported. On its Web site, the company said the suspect beef was produced at its Greeley plant on April 21 and distributed nationally and internationally. \"Each of our customers will be personally informed of this recall by phone,\" the wholesaler said. A spokesman would not identify those customers to CNN. \"That's ridiculous!\" said Sarah Klein, a staff attorney for the Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest. \"JBS should be able to say who they sold meat to, and those companies should be able to say, 'These are the products we created from them.' \" She expressed concern that nearly seven months into the Obama administration, a key undersecretary position at the USDA has not been filled, which may be slowing the government's ability to respond to such health threats. \"That person in that position would have significant public health experience and understand how these processes work, how meat enters the chain of commerce,\" Klein said. The recall underscores the need for \"a comprehensive animal identification system\" that would allow meat suppliers to trace their products to an individual ranch, she said. Klein urged supermarkets that use customer loyalty cards to track shoppers' purchases to determine those who have bought the recalled meat. Boxes of the recalled product bear the establishment number \"EST. 969\" inside the USDA mark of inspection, the identifying package date of \"042109\" and a time stamp ranging from \"0618\" to \"1130,\" the statement said. It added that some of the beef products might have undergone further processing and might not have the \"EST. 969\" marking on products for sale directly to consumers. The USDA urged any customers with concerns to contact the store where they bought the meat. JBS spokesman Chandler Keys said his company's products may have had nothing to do with the outbreak. \"It is important for consumers to note that the recalled product from the date in question was sold by JBS as whole muscle cuts, not as ground beef,\" Keys said on the company's Web site. \"The ground beef that might have been associated with illness was produced by other companies who often do not use the antimicrobial intervention steps we employ in our facility to reduce the risk of the beef products.\" He said JBS agreed to expand its recall \"out of an abundance of caution for consumers.\" Symptoms of infection with E. coli bacteria can include severe or bloody diarrhea, vomiting and severe abdominal cramping. The USDA urged consumers to cook all ground beef or ground beef patties to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria. CNN's Sabriya Rice contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Recall includes more than 420,000 pounds of meat from JBS Swift Beef Co.\nUSDA spokesman Brian Mabry said no fatalities had been reported .\nJBS agreed to expand its recall \"out of an abundance of caution,\" spokesman 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) -- A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Monday approved an agreement granting Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, permanent custody of his children. Katherine Jackson has accused the executors of her son Michael's estate of \"keeping her in the dark.\" A hearing is scheduled for October to look at some remaining issues. An agreement between Katherine Jackson, 79, and Debbie Rowe, mother of Jackson's two eldest children, cleared the way for an uncontested custody hearing. Rowe, who was briefly married to Michael Jackson, agreed not to fight for custody in exchange for visits with the children. Katherine Jackson was in the courtroom along with her daughters LaToya and Rebbie and a son, Randy. Rowe did not attend Monday's hearing, but her attorney, Eric George, spoke briefly outside the courthouse. \"She's faced difficulties and pressures none of us know, and today's agreement shows that she responded with heart, integrity and selflessness,\" George said of Rowe. He also praised Katherine Jackson's attorneys for their part in bringing about the agreement. Michael Jackson's two oldest children -- Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., 12, and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, 11 -- signed consents to the agreement. He also has a 7-year-old son, Michael Joseph Jackson II, known as Blanket, with an unidentified surrogate. The custody agreement does not involve any financial payments to Rowe \"apart from the continuation of spousal support payments\" that Michael Jackson personally agreed to make to Rowe after the divorce, their lawyers said in a joint statement. Watch Rowe's attorney talk about the decision » . Jackson's children have been living with their paternal grandmother at her Encino, California, home since their father's death June 25. Also at the hearing Monday, attorneys for Jackson's dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, said he sought a role in the children's lives and wanted \"in some way to be involved\" in respect to their education and medical care, although he was not objecting to the custody agreement. But Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied Klein's request to be a party to the hearing. Details of how the children were conceived and who was the biological father have been closely guarded amid much public speculation. In an interview last month on ABC's \"Good Morning America,\" Klein did not rule out being the biological father of the children. \"Not to the best of my knowledge,\" he said when asked by Diane Sawyer whether he was the father. \"All I can tell you is, best of my knowledge, I am not the father of these children. But I am telling you, if push comes to shove, I can't say anything.\" Asked about Klein's attorneys saying he wants a role in the children's lives, George declined comment. Klein was not in the hearing Monday. Rowe and Jackson divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving him full custody while she got an $8.5 million settlement, according to court documents. Jackson later agreed to additional support. Rowe gave up parental rights to Jackson in 2001, but she changed her mind more than two years later and sought temporary custody of the children. A California appeals court ruled that her rights were improperly terminated, opening the door for a possible custody battle. On Monday, Beckloff awarded Katherine Jackson all of the family allowance funds she requested but gave only 83.5 percent of what she requested in support of the children. He said he disallowed money for one item, which he described as \"quite a large amount\" that he was not sure was necessary. The allowance order is sealed. Beckloff set a hearing to revisit the allowance matter in January. Also Monday, Beckloff ordered Katherine Jackson be given copies of her son's contracts in connection with a series of concerts that had been scheduled for this summer. She sought the contracts between Michael Jackson and AEG, the company that was organizing and promoting the concerts, along with others involved in the tour. She has agreed to keep the contract provisions confidential. Sharing of the contracts was a major point of contention between Katherine Jackson and the two men who control her son's estate: John Branca, Michael Jackson's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend. Branca's attorney argued in a court filing that his client had no choice but to request confidentiality from Katherine Jackson, since the contracts have a provision keeping them confidential. Katherine Jackson has also challenged the two men named as executors of her son's will. However, Beckloff did not rule on that matter Monday, saying he would like attorneys for the two sides to attempt to reach a resolution on their own. The attorneys conferred on the estate dispute during a morning recess that stretched to more than 90 minutes without reaching an agreement. Lawyers for Branca and McClain suggested Beckloff appoint them as executors of the will, but Beckloff instead extended their appointment as special administrators of Jackson's estate for another 60 days while he considers Katherine Jackson's objections. \"We believe the judge did the right thing,\" Branca's attorney, Howard Weitzman, told reporters after the hearing. \"We're quite pleased that the judge did what was appropriate.\" He took no questions. During Monday's hearing, Beckloff asked one of her attorneys, Burt Levitch, if there was any objection to admitting the will for probate -- without deciding who its executors will be. Beckloff noted that no one has come forward to object to the terms of the will itself. Levitch agreed, and Beckloff officially admitted the will for probate. The action starts a 120-day clock running for the will to be probated. The will, written in 2002, places all of Michael Jackson's assets into a family trust benefiting his mother, his three children and unnamed charities. Katherine Jackson's attorneys filed a petition last week accusing the men who now control the estate of being \"intent on keeping her in the dark\" about deals they've made or are negotiating. Londell McMillan, Jackson's lead attorney, raised questions about \"a suspicious circle of relationships\" involving Branca and McClain. Katherine Jackson is asking the judge to order Branca, McClain and others to answer questions under oath about their business agreements to determine if they are \"fit and able\" to administer the estate. The men also were served with a 19-page demand for documents, including the AEG contracts. Branca's lawyers argued that Katherine Jackson's demand for documents is too broad and burdensome. But, McMillan said, \"such measures will not be necessary if Mrs. Jackson is appointed a co-executor of the estate.\" Beckloff expressed concern, however, about delaying the appointment of executors for too long, since they must deal with any creditors to the estate that come forward. McMillan, in an interview with CBS Thursday, estimated the Jackson estate was worth $2 billion, while the executors have estimated in court that its value is around $500 million. The next hearings in the matter are scheduled for August 10 and August 28 to deal with safe harbor motions. Katherine Jackson wants Beckloff to set aside a provision in her son's will that anyone who challenges its terms can be dropped from the will." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Katherine Jackson named permanent guardian of Michael Jackson's kids .\nShe will be given copies of Michael Jackson AEG contracts .\nLawyers' petition accuses executors of keeping singer's mother \"in the dark\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's impact on pop culture is indelible. But perhaps his biggest legacy will be how he changed the music industry. Jackson's impact on the music business still reverberates today. \"As a performer he changed history ... his singing, his songwriting, his choreography, his dancing, his business acumen,\" said Howard Bragman, a public relations expert who worked with Jackson to launch the singer's shoe line with L.A. Gear. \"He rewrote the history of the entertainment industry in his time,\" Bragman said. Jackson crossed color lines and broke down barriers between musical genres. He followed in the footsteps of Elvis and the Beatles to create a transnational fan base that prefigured the era of globalization. And Jackson became a canny power broker who helped lead artists from stage performers into major boardroom players. \"That gets lost in the last five and 10 years, with all the litigation battles -- what he did the first 30 years to set the landscape for these other artists,\" said James Walker, an entertainment attorney. \"Michael transcended race before Michael Jordan, before Oprah, before Tiger Woods, before Barack Obama. \"You can't underestimate what his did for black artists -- and artists as a whole -- as a business man,\" Walker added. His 1982 album \"Thriller\" has sold more than 50 million records worldwide -- a record that, considering the decline of record sales in the wake of new media, is likely to stand for some years to come. \"Records just don't sell that much anymore. The industry has changed. ... Now it's in shambles because of technology,\" said Gideon Yago, head of the IFC Media Project and a former correspondent for MTV News. Videos that accompanied the album became landmarks that set the industry standard, as MTV and cable television began to proliferate, creating ready outlets for a growing marketing tool. At the time, Jackson's label had to fight to get onto MTV, which then featured only rock artists. \"Walter Yetnikoff (former president of CBS records) drew a line in the sand and said, 'We believe in this guy and you're going to play his videos or we're going to pull all our videos,'\" Walker said. \"What he did was so cutting-edge regarding videos; he defined the video age as we know it,\" said Tommy Mottola, who succeeded Yetnikoff as head of CBS. Though his personal finances were in disarray at the end of his life, Jackson made some canny business decisions at the height of his power -- most notably buying half the Beatles music catalog in 1985 for $47.5 million. \"When you look at his royalties and his copyrights, he's probably got a half a billion to a billion (dollar) catalogue,\" Walker added. The current value of his estate is unclear. His debts stood at about $500 million, according to a Wall Street Journal story earlier this month. As the music industry model moved more toward live events in the face of dwindling album sales, two billionaire businessmen stepped in to bank on Jackson's comeback with a series of concerts scheduled in London. Tom Barrack, head of hedge fund Colony Capital, teamed with Philip Anschutz, owner of AEG Live, to plan a third-act comeback for Jackson, with a sold-out 50-date stand at AEG Live's O2 arena scheduled to begin next month. Future business plans included a world tour, a Broadway musical and even a \"Thriller\" casino. \"You are talking about a guy who could make $500 million a year if he puts his mind to it,\" Barrack told The Los Angeles Times in an article last month. \"There are very few individual artists who are multibillion-dollar businesses. And he is one.\" Billboard magazine estimates $85 million in ticket sales from the sold-out concert series. Additional packages, merchandise and secondary market sales could have raised the total to $115 million. AEG Live declined to comment. \"There will be a process put in place for ticketing (refunds). I don't know what it is at the moment,\" said Lucy Ellison, spokeswoman for O2 stadium. \"We'll leave it for his family to say what they want to say before we discuss ticketing information.\" Jackson was expected to earn $50 million from the London shows. CNN's Pauline Chiou contributed to this report ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jackson transformed the role of artists as power brokers .\nEstate includes ownership of half the Beatles catalogue .\nBragman: \"He rewrote the history of the entertainment industry in his time\"\nReport: Debts estimated at $500 million at the time of his death ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ON PUGET SOUND, Washington (CNN) -- When commercial diver Kenny Woodside takes to the depths, he enters a world of murky low light and dangerous currents. Diver Kenny Woodside descends to the murky depths to retrieve an abandoned net. Until recently Woodside and about 100 hundred other divers searched Puget Sound for sea cucumbers and urchins to sell to buyers in Asia, where the items are considered delicacies. But demand for the fishermen's catch dried up with the worldwide economic crisis and left many of these divers without a reason to go out on the water. \"The fishing industry has slowed from a full-time job to just a couple months a year,\" said Doug Monk, the captain of the boat from which Woodside dives. \"The red sea urchin market is almost non-existent.\" But thanks to a small piece of the federal stimulus recovery plan, Monk, Woodside and about 40 other fishermen will get back to work hauling in a very different catch: lost fishing nets. While many stimulus projects have come under fire as pork barrel spending, backers of the nets program say it is a model for helping those battered by the economic downturn while completing needed public works. Thousands of the large nets stretch across the floor of Puget Sound, where they create an environmental hazard. Some of the nets were lost by fishermen to the rocky coastline decades ago but continue to catch and kill. According to the Northwest Marine Conservation Initiative, the nets are responsible for killing tens of thousands of marine life, mammals and birds every year. The nets, some of which extend larger than a football field, can also tangle the propellers of boats and pose a danger to scuba divers. After struggling to find funding, the group received $4.6 million in stimulus funds to recover most of the nets that litter the unique Puget Sound ecosystem. The only reason the nets have remained underwater for so long, said Ginny Broadhurst, director of the Northwest Marine Conservation Initiative, is because the damage they are doing to the environment is invisible from the surface. \"If you had nets strung along the streets that are catching bunny rabbits and squirrels, we wouldn't be discussing whether we should be removing them. We would be pulling them. It would be immediate,\" said Broadhurst. \"When those threats are underwater it's so much harder to know what impacts they are having.\" But pulling those nets is no easy task. Divers swim close to 100 feet down to an environment that is anything but friendly. Instead of using scuba equipment, they breathe through air hoses running from the boat above. When the divers find the fields of nets, they begin the labor of cutting them free piece by piece and all by hand. Removing one net can take days. Watch the divers at work » . The nets are then pulled to the boat waiting on the surface. In just a few hours on the water, the divers can pull free about 1,000 pounds of nets. Inside are the bones of countless fish and birds, along with several species of protected sharks and crabs. Anything still alive is cut free and thrown back in the water. Then, biologist Jeff June notes what they have brought up. So far, he says, the group has identified 112 distinct species trapped in the nets. The fishing nets themselves are considered toxic after the years of catching so much sea life. The divers seal them in heavy duty plastic bags and, once on shore, take the nets to a landfill. But biologist June said the group is working on a plan that would have the nets burned, creating energy from lost fishing nets. Over the next 18 months the group expects to pull some 3,000 nets from Puget Sound. And in that time the fishing industry could bounce back from its slump, allowing Doug Monk and his crew to return to catching urchins and sea cucumbers. But, the boat captain said, recovering the fishing nets has greater meaning than just riding out a rough economy. \"We feel we are doing a good thing,\" he said. \"[With] harvest diving we are taking from the resources; here we are giving them back.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Worldwide economic downturn has hit fishing industry hard .\nStimulus money is paying fishermen to haul up lost nets in Puget Sound .\nNets kill thousands of marine life, birds, mammals each year .\nSome of the nets are longer than a football field ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "NEW YORK (CNN) -- A Bronx woman has been charged with murder and robbery in the death of an 89-year-old Nazi concentration camp survivor, and police said a man is still being sought in connection with the death. Felix Brinkmann dances at a 2008 birthday party. \"He was not the kind of guy who had enemies,\" his son says. Angela Murray, 30, was arrested Saturday, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office, and is accused of strangling Guido Felix Brinkmann on Thursday in his Upper East Side apartment. Murray was arraigned Sunday and charged with one count of murder in the second degree and three counts of robbery. Brinkmann, a native of Latvia, was a Holocaust survivor who escaped death for a year while he was in the Mauthausen, Ebensee and Auschwitz camps. He had been slated for the gas chambers five times, but each time, he used his fluency in German to talk his way out, said his son, Rick Brinkman, who spells his last name differently. After the war, he was stunned to discover his wife, who had also been shipped to Auschwitz, alive and well in Poland. The Brinkmanns immigrated to America, where Brinkmann spent years in the bar and nightclub business, co-founding the Adam's Apple disco in Manhattan in 1971. In recent years, he had been the real estate manager of a mixed-use building in the Bronx, working \"seven days a week, without fail,\" Rick Brinkman said. On Thursday, the building's superintendent grew concerned when Brinkmann did not show up for work. He notified Brinkmann's son and received permission to enter the father's apartment, where he had lived alone since his wife died last year. Brinkmann was found face-down in his bedroom, his hands bound behind his back and his body showing blunt-force trauma wounds, police said. Brinkmann's blue 2009 Honda Civic had been stolen, along with one of two safes in his apartment, police said. The vehicle was later recovered in the Bronx. Rick Brinkman speculated that the killing was random. \"Anybody who knew him really liked him,\" the son said. \"He was not the kind of guy who had enemies.\" CNN's Jason Kessler contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Bronx woman charged with murder, robbery; police say a man is still being sought .\nGuido Felix Brinkmann, 89, was found strangled Thursday in Manhattan apartment .\nLatvia native had lived alone since wife died last year; son suspects killing is random ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Lebanese voters were heading to the polls on Sunday with their main choices to lead the next government a Hezbollah-backed alliance or a U.S.-backed coalition. Hezbollah party workers in the southern town of Nabatiyah hope for an election victory. Analysts say the race will be tight, with the Hezbollah-dominated \"March 8 alliance\" possibly winning a majority of seats in parliament. The polls opened at 1200 GMT and will close 12 hours later. Turnout is expected to be high among the country's 3 million registered voters. About 50,000 troops were on the streets, but the run-up to the balloting had been free of violence. The vote comes at a critical time for Lebanon as it sits amid a power struggle between a weakened pro-Western government and a stronger pro-Syrian Hezbollah political bloc that has gained political momentum in recent years. The United States considers Hezbollah -- which is supported by both Syria and Iran -- to be a terrorist organization. The group grew in popularity after its militant wing claimed victory over Israel after a 34-day military conflict in 2006. Since then, it has been more widely perceived by its supporters to be the \"defenders\" of Lebanon. Though U.S. President Barack Obama didn't mention the Lebanese general election in his address on Thursday, he did call for religious tolerance in the Muslim world, noting sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites and the struggles faced by religious minorities. \"The richness of religious diversity must be upheld -- whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt,\" he said, referring to Christian groups in those countries. \"And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.\" In Lebanon's unique power-sharing government, the presidency is reserved for Maronite Christians, the speaker of parliament is always a Shia Muslim, and the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim. The law was created to balance power among Lebanon's three main religious groups. Analysts say the Hezbollah-dominated \"March 8 alliance\" may win a parliamentary majority with the support of Christian opposition leader Gen. Michel Aoun -- the only prominent Christian politician to back the bloc. \"They keep trying to scare the Christian voters with their stories about Hezbollah's weapons, so to all of those who complain about Hezbollah, can they tell us how they will disarm the party,\" Aoun told supporters Friday. \"Hezbollah's weapons will no longer be a problem when the causes behind its existence disappear, including the borders' issues.\" A close look at Lebanon's political landscape reveals that the country's Christian voters are split on how they will cast their ballots. Some Christian voters want their representatives to step out of the shadows of Hezbollah and Saad Hariri, who leads the Sunni-dominated \"March 14 coalition.\" Christian voters are divided between supporting Aoun and other Christian leaders who want Hezbollah to disarm. \"In these elections, Christians look more divided than ever while others seem more unified than ever,\" said Shibley Telhami, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. For the Obama administration, the elections could be indicative of the president's odds of pushing stability in the region. Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jimmy Carter said the United States should work with whichever coalition wins. Carter was in Beirut as part of more than 200 international observers monitoring the election. He also oversaw balloting in Gaza during the elections in the Palestinian territory in January 2006. The Palestinian militant group Hamas won that race \"fairly and squarely\" by a huge margin, Carter said. The United States and Israel later refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Hamas win. \"And it's resulted in a split in the Palestinians and a very difficult situation there,\" Carter added. \"I think they (the United States) learned a hard lesson that they should accept the results of an election.\" Two senior Obama administration officials -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden -- have visited Lebanon in recent months, signaling concerns with a possible Hezbollah victory. During his trip to Beirut two weeks ago, Biden warned the country that while the United States supports Lebanon's democratic process, it will reconsider its assistance to the country if its next government strays from certain \"fundamental principles.\" Biden's visit followed Clinton's April trip to Beirut in which she called for an \"open and free\" election without outside interference -- a veiled reference to Iran and Syria. Such rhetoric has been dismissed by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as \"meddling.\" The Hezbollah leader has been increasingly vocal in the lead-up to the election, blasting the current government as powerless. However, part of the reason Lebanon's government is crippled is that it made concessions to Hezbollah -- including giving them veto power -- in order to end a political stalemate that boiled over into violence of historic proportions last year. While some analysts are concerned Hezbollah could gain more control over Lebanon's government after Sunday's vote, a key Lebanese politician, Dori Chamoun, warned that assessment may be misleading. Chamoun, who opposes the March 8 alliance, said talk of Hezbollah's possible victory may be based on \"rumors\" and propaganda being spread by the Shiite militia and their political allies. \"They (Hezbollah) think they can scare many but no one is scared,\" Chamoun told CNN. \"They can spread all kinds of rumors on their four TV stations saying that they will win this upcoming elections.\" Chamoun, whose father, Camille Chamoun, was Lebanon's president in the 1950s, is running for a seat in parliament. Even if a Hezbollah-dominated government does move in, it could have trouble working with Christian and Sunni Muslim politicians who -- under Lebanese law -- must participate in the government. It would also be difficult to find a Sunni political figure willing to serve as prime minister in a Hezbollah-led government since the majority of Lebanon's prominent Sunni politicians are aligned with Hariri's March 14 coalition, which has declared it will not participate in any government if Hezbollah wins. Lebanon's political landscape could be shifting after a similar shift in neighboring Israel. Voters in the Jewish state overwhelmingly supported conservative parties over more moderate groups, bringing into power Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year. Netanyahu is viewed in the Arab world as more hawkish than his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, who ordered the war against Hezbollah in 2006. A Hezbollah victory in Lebanon could further inflame tensions with Israel, particularly with an estimated 30,000 rockets pointed at Israel from southern Lebanon -- all under the control of Hezbollah. CNN's Cal Perry, Octavia Nasr and Saad Abedine contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Analysts say the race will be tight .\nSome say the Hezbollah-dominated alliance may win a parliamentary majority .\nTurnout is expected to be high among the country's 3 million registered voters .\nAbout 50,000 troops deploy to the streets ." } ]

[ { "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) -- The Mexican navy said Wednesday that it rescued five Ecuadorians who had been adrift without supplies in a fishing boat for more than two weeks off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas. Mexican medical personel examine two of five Ecuadorians rescued at sea. Mexican authorities initiated the rescue, which occurred Tuesday, after the U.S. Coast Guard alerted them that sailors aboard a fishing boat located 45 nautical miles (83 km) southeast of Port Chiapas had signaled to a passing plane that they needed help. The Mexican navy dispatched a helicopter, which located the 15-meter-long (49-foot-long) vessel and carried out the rescue by air, the navy said in a news release. The five aboard identified themselves as Jaime Arturo Alaba Chavez, the 35-year-old captain; Víctor Hugo Alaba Chavez, the 32-year-old cook; Edison Prado Alaba, a 27-year-old sailor; Carlos Cheme Vazquez, a 37-year-old sailor; and Raul Contreras Vera, a 64-year-old machinist. The sailors were taken to the Naval Sanatorium of Puerto Chiapas, where doctors determined they were dehydrated. They said they had departed Costa Rica's on May 6 but, five days later, their motor stopped working and, unable to repair it, they had been adrift and without food since. A naval patrol boat towed the boat to Puerto Chiapas, arriving there Wednesday morning. It will be inspected to rule out the possibility that it may have been used for illicit activities, the navy said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Mexican navy said Wednesday that it rescued five Ecuadorians adrift at sea .\nMen apparently without supplies in a fishing boat for more than two weeks .\nMen found off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- \"Wolverine.\" \"Star Trek.\" \"Angels & Demons.\" \"Terminator: Salvation.\" The summer movies roll out, one weekend after another, like dreadnoughts leaving port to bombard a battle-scarred ocean. Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody star as \"The Brothers Bloom,\" a pair of successful con artists. So won't a little film about a pair of con-artist brothers, with nary an indestructible alloy in sight, get overrun by these blockbusters? Rian Johnson, the 35-year-old director of the charming \"The Brothers Bloom,\" doesn't see it that way. \"I actually kind of like it,\" he says of the strategy of premiering his film during summer movie season. (\"Bloom\" opens Friday in limited release and expands nationwide May 29.) \"I feel like we're scampering in between the feet of these giants.\" Make no mistake, adds Johnson: \"I love the big summer movies.\" But, he says, audiences will see the big movie of the week \"and then want something different. That's the advantage coming out in this season has.\" \"Bloom\" has already proved itself nimble. Watch the stars talk about \"Bloom\" » . The film started earning buzz at the Toronto Film Festival last September, and its distributor, Summit Entertainment, launched a shrewd marketing campaign by putting the first seven minutes on the Internet earlier this year. Johnson, who directed the critically acclaimed \"Brick\" -- a film noir set in a high school -- has been praised for another inventive mix of genres, combining the con-man film with a touch of screwball comedy, some international intrigue and more than a little whimsy. Mark Ruffalo, who stars as Stephen Bloom, the mastermind of the duo, describes \"Brothers Bloom\" as \"its own world.\" \"What I loved about it was its tonal shifts,\" he says. \"It goes from broad, almost slapstick stuff to the brother story and a love story. It's not traditional in that sense.\" The film follows Stephen Bloom and his brother, played by Adrien Brody, as they embark on one last con: an attempt to swindle a wealthy shut-in, Penelope Stamp, played by Rachel Weisz. Instead of being upset, Penelope is tickled by the new world before her and the opportunities for freedom, even as the younger Bloom (simply called \"Bloom\") wants to move on to something else. Johnson is nothing if not a student of film, and \"Bloom\" features references to other con-man works. \"Paper Moon,\" with its examination of character, was a favorite, says Johnson. There are also nods to \"The Sting,\" David Mamet's works, and even Agatha Christie. But, as Ruffalo says, \"Bloom\" exists in its own world. Though the film is set in the present day, the Blooms wear suits and hats as if they walked out of 1910. Much of the film was shot in the sunny byways of coastal Eastern Europe, with its weathered 19th-century resorts and glamorous Old World style. (The backdrop made the story \"much more real for all of us,\" says Johnson.) Add Johnson's invocations of Fellini's \"8½,\" Marcello Mastroianni and (of all things) the Band documentary \"The Last Waltz\" to his cast, and Ruffalo says it was easy to find the film's personality. \"That was the starting point -- a threadbare elegance,\" he says. \"There's an appreciation of eccentricity,\" agrees Johnson. Whimsy can be hard to maintain, he says, but \"the heightened style comes from a story-based place.\" (Johnson wrote the film's script.) That can be a lot for the moviegoing public of today -- weaned on CGI, armored rogues and thin romantic comedies -- to take in. But Johnson says he has faith \"The Brothers Bloom\" will find an audience. \"I'm pretty optimistic that with ... the ease with which media is now archived and made available to the public, I'm hoping that actually opens the doors for people to have more access to this stuff,\" he says. The director maintains a message board at rcjohnso.com, where young filmmakers \"constantly talk about older films,\" he says. In the film, Stephen Bloom says the perfect con is one in which \"everyone gets what they want.\" Johnson (and his studio) hopes for a financial success, of course, but he couldn't be happier with the way \"The Brothers Bloom\" turned out. \"I learned so much doing this film,\" he says. \"It's like I got paid to go to grad school.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Brothers Bloom\" about a pair of con artists and woman they snooker .\nFilm being released into teeth of summer movie season; no problem, says director .\nStar Mark Ruffalo: Film is \"its own world\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "LONDON, England (CNN) -- The mysterious disappearance of Flight AF 447 over the Atlantic Ocean has fueled speculation among aviation experts about what caused the state-of-the-art airliner to come down. An airliner is struck by lightning strike at Washington's Dulles airport last year. According to Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence about 02:15 a.m. local time Monday (10:15 p.m. ET Sunday), three hours after the jet carrying 228 people left Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for Paris, France. At that point, the plane's automatic system initiated a four-minute exchange of messages to the company's maintenance computers, indicating \"several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down.\" The jet, which was flying at 35,000 feet and at 521 mph, also sent a warning that it had lost pressure, the Brazilian air force said. Its last known contact occurred at 02:33 a.m., the Brazilian air force spokesman added. The assumption is that these electrical problems led to a catastrophic failure of the aircraft's controls. What brought Flight AF 447 down? » . Some experts have said that a lightning strike was a possibility, particularly since the plane disappeared in a storm-prone area along the equator known as the Intertropical Convergence zone (ITCZ). This is where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge. The intense sun and warm water of the equator heats the air in the ITCZ, raising its humidity and making it buoyant. Aided by the convergence of the trade winds, the buoyant air rises, releasing the accumulated moisture in an almost constant series of thunderstorms. The airliner's route » . According to CNN's Mari Ramos, these storms can reach altitudes of 52,000 ft -- way beyond the capacity of commercial airliners to fly over. Watch more about the weather systems » . Retired airline pilot John Cox told CNN that modern aircraft receive a constant stream of real time weather data which allows them to plot a course around storms. \"Because safety is the paramount concern, airliners don't fly into storms. They fly around them,\" he said. \"The ITCZ is no different. Planes fly through it every day. \"At 8 miles per minute, modern jets can easily fly around storms. Even if they encounter turbulence, they're designed to absorb it.\" When lightning strikes a plane, the bolt typically hits a sharp part of it, such as a wing tip. Huge amounts of energy surge through the aircraft before exiting out of another sharp point, such as the tail. But sometimes high voltages can cause electrical damage if components are not well-grounded. Unlike other aircraft where the pilot's controls are manually attached to the flaps and rudders, Airbus 330 airliners are equipped with a \"fly by wire\" system that sends electronic signals from an onboard computer to move key control surfaces. Experts say that it is possible for this system and its back-up computers to be disabled by lightning. \"If you have a massive electrical problem it's possible that you could cut off all the commands out to the control surfaces,\" said aeronautics expert John Hansman. However, Kieran Daly, from the online aviation news service Air Transport Intelligence, told CNN that this scenario, while not impossible, is inconceivable. \"It's more likely that lightning would cause a fire or punch a hole through the aircraft structure,\" he said. \"It could be significant that the jet reported a loss of pressure.\" He added that the aircraft would be able to continue without the fly-by-wire system. The \"trim tab,\" which enables the pilot to manually manipulate controls such as the rudder, would allow the crew to fly the aircraft safely. \"Pilots are routinely trained for these kinds of events in a simulator,\" he said. Former Airbus pilot John Wiley said on average every airliner is hit by a strike once a year. \"They don't go down,\" he said. According to Air France, the captain of Flight AF 447 had a record of 11,000 flight hours and had already flown 1,700 hours on Airbus A330/A340 aircraft. Of the two first officers, one had flown 3,000 flight hours (800 of which on the Airbus A330/A340) and the other 6,600 (2,600 on the Airbus A330/A340). The aircraft had totaled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005. Its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Air France Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence .\nCEO: \"Several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down\"\nSome experts have said that a lightning strike was a possible cause .\nFlight 447, traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, was carrying 228 people ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(CNN) -- While China is seriously cracking down on the exchange of virtual currencies for real cash, virtual economies backed by newfound legitimacy elsewhere are quickly gaining ground in the real world. There's gold in them there screens: Real-money transactions in virtual worlds are finding new legitimacy. On June 24, 2009, the role-playing game 140 Mafia launched on Twitter, following in the footsteps of highly lucrative games Mob Wars and Mafia Wars on Facebook (and now iPhone) to link virtual-currency exchanges to real-money transactions. In March 2009, MindArk -- creator of the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Entropia, where one player famously bought an island for US$26,500 in 2004 -- saw its wholly owned subsidiary Mind Bank granted a banking license from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. The new license allows Mind Bank to be the first bank to directly incorporate real-money transactions with virtual-world activities. Selling virtual assets directly between players for real-world cash has been strictly prohibited by most game publishers, which find themselves looped out of the profits. What has been profitable in the meantime to some hardcore players of World of Warcraft and EverQuest (and other games) is \"gold farming\" -- accumulation of \"gold,\" weapons and other status symbols of a seasoned player -- followed by the online auction of such assets or user accounts. Since games publishers began policing eBay for this type of unauthorized activity, several Web sites such as PlayerAuctions have adopted a PayPal-like approach in order to broker the trading legally, acting as an open marketplace for player-to-player exchange of digital assets. Dual-currency economies . However younger games (often aimed at younger audiences) are ditching the conventional subscription-based model of the above games to adopt the \"freemium\" model, which lets users play for free, but allows them to enhance their experience by purchasing accessories or other premiums through micropayments. Frenzoo, a \"3D fashion game for girls\", is one game that has adopted this model. CEO Simon Newstead explains: \"The idea with dual currencies is that there is a paid currency [Gold Coins], which is paid for using real money and exchanged between sellers and buyers. In addition, there is a second currency -- a free or so-called 'earned' currency [Silver Coins] -- which is gained through activity and progression in the world or game.\" \"In this way,\" he continues, \"the economy can recognize different forms of contribution, and in newer economies these can also be traded between each other. For example, people earning currency and selling it to people who have less time but have real money.\" Mirrored economies . As one of the first successful virtual economies, Second Life's huge marketplace includes objects and services for sale, as well as a real estate market. In 2008, more than $100 million worth of the world's Linden dollars were bought and sold on Second Life's official LindeX exchange, according to its Web site. \"In Linden Exchange, the U.S. dollar part of the transaction is via PayPal, a well-known entity, so there's a certain amount of trust that comes with it,\" says Darrly Chang, co-founder of D&D Dogs, a two-man freelance venture that sells virtual dog pets and avatars to Second Life residents. Recently, however, business has slumped along with the real-world recession. \"We'll continue to see a proliferation of alternative currencies associated with specific platforms and communities, much as frequent-flier miles are associated with individual airlines or even networks of airlines,\" says Dan Jansen, CEO of Virtual Greats, which specializes in creating branded, copyrighted material for virtual worlds. \"In the longer term we may see a global standard for virtual currencies, but it will take some time.\" Golden e-currency? James Turk, chairman of digital-gold company GoldMoney, agrees. \"But,\" he adds, \"inevitably digital gold currency will make significant inroads in global commerce because it lowers the cost of transacting with one another. Reducing transaction costs creates more opportunities for global commerce.\" In March 2009, GoldMoney launched a dedicated iPhone application allowing its account holders to exchange gold and silver units within minutes. Putting a trendy iPhone application that allows people to manage their own digital gold on par with other popular banking applications branded by well-established banks brings e-currency a step closer to the modern mobile end-user. Furthermore, GoldMoney is firmly anchored to real-world assets and individuals, notably strictly forbidding anonymous accounts -- unlike the former incarnation of the pioneering company E-Gold, whose founder this month ends his six-month house arrest in Florida after pleading guilty to money laundering-related crimes. So how realistic is the prospect of a single, global, digital currency? \"It all comes down to trust,\" says senior economist Frederic Neumann. \"We trust the government to guarantee our 'virtual' money for real currency. [With digital gold] the gold standard is guaranteed by a private company. Governments already have several hundred years of sovereignty engrained in people's minds, so that trust is very difficult to establish.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Entropia Universe's Mind Bank has been granted a real-money banking license .\nDual-currency economy allows for free trading between virtual and real money .\nSecond Life can be profitable, but also suffers from real-world recession .\nDigital gold currency may be promising, but still lacks trust of people ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "(Travel + Leisure) -- Stockholm has a reputation for being one of Europe's most expensive cities. T+L hits the streets of the fashionable capital and proves otherwise. Stockholm's Strommen River . 9:00 a.m. I plot my day over a complimentary breakfast of homemade yogurt and knäckebröd (crispy bread) at Hotel Anno 1647 (3 Mariagränd; 46-8/442-1680), housed in a former tobacco and clothing factory in the hip island neighborhood of Södermalm. My room ($170), No. 21, is small and peaceful, with rustic pine floors, an antique crystal chandelier, and, thankfully, blackout drapes -- essential in a city that gets 18 hours of sunlight a day in the summer. 10:00 a.m. The hotel is around the corner from Götgatan, one of Stockholm's most seductive shopping strips. Though it feels a little early to start spending, I can't resist a jar of cloudberry honey ($6) from Iris Hantverk (37 Götgatan; 46-8/641-9190), a store that specializes in handmade items by visually impaired artisans. I crave almost everything I see in DesignTorget (31 Götgatan, 46-8/462-3520), which carries an eclectic range of accessories by Swedish designers, including hand-printed dish towels and colorful kids' toys. But I force myself to move along. 12:00 p.m. For lunch, I circle back to busy Slussen square -- Stockholm's answer to Grand Central. The main attraction here (besides a major subway stop) is the humble Nystekt Strömming (fried herring) wagon, encircled by picnic tables crowded with locals on their lunch breaks. I sidle up and order the signature dish ($6.25) topped with a dollop of crème fraîche. From my bench, I can see the silhouette of Gamla Stan, the old section of the city just across the bridge. 1:00 p.m. Down along the harbor, a freckled blond girl at a candy cart snips off a sample of her salt licorice (free), a delicious flavor called Häxvrål -- \"scream of the witch,\" she translates. After a short stroll past the steamboats and Baroque mansions of Östermalm, I arrive at the Vasamuseet (14 Galärvarvsvägen; 46-8/5195-4800), a maritime museum built around a meticulously reconstructed boat that was shipwrecked in the 17th century. I buy a ticket ($15) and explore the gigantic ship, feeling a little like an extra on the set of \"Pirates of the Caribbean.\" 3:30 p.m. Risking museum burnout, I head to the galleries ($12.50 admission) of the Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen; 46-8/5195-5200), designed by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, to see its collection of 20th-century European and American art. Here, I discover the contemporary Swedish painter Karin Mamma Andersson, whose lush, layered paintings look like dreamscapes. I also find one of the city's best photo ops -- the panoramic view of the port from the glass-walled museum café. 5:00 p.m. I forgo a pricey taxi ride across the city in favor of an infinitely more charming and scenic walk toward Gamla Stan, which is touristy but irresistible once I'm weaving through a knot of cobblestoned streets and storybook 17th-century houses. My reward is a hot chocolate ($4.70) at Kaffekoppen (18-20 Stortorget; 46-8/203-170), a candlelit cellar with tea-stained walls and low vaulted ceilings. 7:00 p.m. While wandering the alleys of Gamla Stan, I stumble upon what may be the city's top bargain: a classical music concert ($11) at Storkyrkan, Stockholm's central cathedral (1 Trangsund, Gamla Stan; 46-8/723-3016). I take a seat in a wooden pew as a local pianist fills the space with the music of Chopin. Dusky evening light filters in through leaded glass windows and shimmers off the golden angels on the high brick ceiling. Divine. 9:30 p.m. The lingering sunlight has affected my eating schedule, but I'm finally hungry again. On the patio of Babylon (4 Björns Trädgårdsgränd; 46-8/640-8083), surrounded by chattering clusters of young fashion plates and artist types, I wrap myself in one of the restaurant's green fleece blankets and gobble down a late dinner of potatoes and röding ($25.80), a local fish. From my barstool, I watch skinny blond skateboarders dip and sail around a cement half-pipe in the adjacent park, and revel in a priceless travel high: the giddy feeling of having discovered the coolest place in town. TOTAL SPENT: . $251.25 E-mail to a friend . Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hotel Anno is located in the hip island neighborhood of Södermalm .\nLocals crowd around the fried herring wagon in Slussen square .\nModerna Museet features a collection of 20th-century European and American art ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Editor's note: CNN affiliates report on where job seekers are finding work across the country and how those looking for employment are coping with the situation. Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, shown in April, once worked in a city jobs program as a youth. (CNN) -- Some of the stimulus money from the U.S. government is going to programs that help young adults find jobs. In Baltimore, Maryland, the city wants to put more than 7,000 to work, mostly in local government jobs. It will use more than $6 million from the federal government and sponsorship money, according to WBAL-TV in Baltimore. Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon recalled her days as a young worker. \"I worked at a camp, and then in high school, I was able to continue to work in the program,\" she said. Read the full report on WBAL . In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Kahtoya Wesley, 20, has had difficulty finding a job, but she has a better chance of finding work now because she has joined the Summer Youth Employment Program, according to WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach. So far 200 people have landed jobs through the program, an initiative of the Workforce Alliance of Palm Beach County, WPBF reported. The organization is using $3 million of stimulus money to fund the positions the young adults find, the station said. iReport.com: Share your job hunt story . The group also prepares the job seekers for interviews and provides seminars in how to deal with work-life situations. \"I got fired like five times. It was bad,\" John Hill told WPBF. He chose a seminar on working better with a supervisor. \"Because I usually don't,\" he told the station. Read the full report on WPBF . The state of Arkansas is using federal money to fund jobs for at-risk students in Springdale, according to KHBS-TV in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The town's youth center hired five teens to work in clerical and maintenance positions, KHBS reported. David Cook told the station he has had trouble motivating himself to go to school. The summer job was helping him with a shift on focus. \"It gives me a sense of responsibility of showing up on time, working on a schedule and with other people,\" he told KHBS. Read the full report on KHBS . West: FedEx center brings 650 jobs to Oregon . Even before a new FedEx shipping center brings hundreds of jobs to Troutdale, Oregon, it is helping with employment through road construction jobs, according to KPTV-TV in Portland. The new hub, which is expected to be completed in July 2010, will bring more than 1,000 additional cars to the area, so the Oregon Department of Transportation called for two additional lanes at a nearby major intersection, KPTV reported. FedEx is expected to employ 650 workers at the facility once it opens, according to KPTV. \"We're creating family wage jobs, because this project will take place this summer,\" Troutdale Mayor Jim Kight told the station. Oregon's unemployment rate was a record 12.4 percent in May. Read the full report on KPTV . South: No job? Create your own . He was once a senior loan officer who had been laid off and was looking every day for a job anywhere there might be an opportunity. When he couldn't find the right chance, he created his own. Kenneth Hodge is now a small business owner, the founder of SFG Records. \"If you look at your failures, if you stare at your failures too long, you'll never go anywhere,\" Hodge told WPBF. \"But if you look beyond your failures, you can move to and fulfill your dreams. You can do that. I think I can do that, and we are doing that.\" Six recording artists are featured on his Web site, and Hodge told the West Palm Beach station that he has already hired seven employees. Read the full report on WPBF . Midwest: Iowa town sees trickle-down effect from stimulus . Federal stimulus money indirectly helped an air conditioning company bring 110 workers back to its plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, according to KCCI-TV in Des Moines. The town's economic development director told KCCI that Lennox was able to hire back the workers because of increased demand. \"There's money from the federal level from tax rebates, and there's usually always money on the other side from the electric company helping out with tax rebates and most people are saying 'Yes, I want to do that,' \" Joel Akason told the station. Lennox is being cautious in its hiring, Akason told KCCI. Most of the positions are temporary, but 45 are permanent, the station reported. Read the full report on KCCI . Around the nation ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Baltimore, Maryland will hire 7,000-plus teens to work city jobs .\nFedEx center in Oregon bringing jobs now and in future .\nMan starts record label after losing position as loan officer .\nLennox plant needs more workers due to pickup in air conditioning business ." } ]

[ { "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) -- A 16-year-old Hong Kong boy makes two phone calls for delivery: One for pizza, the other for the drug ketamine. Two teenage girls are found semi-conscious in a car park after overdosing on ketamine. A 13-year-old boy joins a gang and is given free ketamine. Glass capsules containing ketamine, which has become the drug of choice for Hong Kong's youth. These are anecdotes told to CNN by police, a family doctor and a former gang member. Ketamine has become the drug of choice among young people, as the number of people under 21 taking drugs has surged 57 percent in the last four years in Hong Kong, said Commissioner for Narcotics, Sally Wong. \"We started off with a very small number of young people taking drugs. We are now more worried about the trend,\" Wong said. \"We don't want a runaway trend; that's why we are stepping up action.\" Ketamine, an animal tranquilizer, can put users in a dazed stupor for about two hours, doctors said. Long-term use of ketamine can impair cognitive function and damage internal organs. Watch Pauline Chiou's report on ketamine sweeping Hong Kong » . An oversupply of the drug in Hong Kong and the fact that it is cheaper than other narcotics makes ketamine popular with young people, said Superintendent Wilson Fok of the Hong Kong Police Narcotics Bureau. One gram of ketamine sells on the street here for $13 and is enough to be shared with two other people, while cocaine, for example, sells for $103 a gram, Fok said. The drug is legal for medical use, but it is trafficked into Hong Kong from other parts of Asia, such as India and mainland China, and sold on the streets illegally, Fok said. Police have recently stepped up their efforts to crack down on drug use at clubs and bars in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, a city in mainland China just across the border. Nearly 120 alleged drug users from Hong Kong, mostly under the age of 30, were arrested at entertainment venues in Shenzhen in July and held for 15 days in sweeps that made headlines for days here. However, narcotics police said entertainment venues are not the only places they find drug abuse. \"Forty percent of young people abuse drugs in public toilets and playgrounds. That's what our recent data from last year shows,\" Fok said. \"They want to find some other places to take drugs.\" The problem has gotten so bad that authorities have decided to do something never done here before: random school drug tests. Beginning in September, some two dozen schools will conduct tests, as part of a trial program. Officials say the drug screening will most likely be in the form of urine tests, though they are still working out the details. Ketamine can be detected in urine for at least three days, doctors said. Watch a doctor explain how the test works » . Dr. Cheng Chi Man, a family practice doctor, runs a seminar that trains doctors to detect the signs of drug abuse in young patients: drowsiness, skin problems, frequent urination (ketamine can affect bladder function) and frequent sick leave. \"When we were 10 years old, we were still in primary school watching TV and eating candy. But they are now taking drugs.\" Alman Chan, principal of Hong Kong's only drug rehab school for youth, the privately-run Christian Zheng Sheng School, said he has watched as drug use has grown. See photos of the rehab school in remote Hong Kong » . \"Just look at our school development. I was here 14 years ago. At that time, I was the only teacher. I had 18 kids. I only had one student who was 15,\" he said. \"But now, I have one third -- about 40 of them -- who are 15 years old or younger. That shows you the number of students getting into drugs is bigger and also getting younger and younger.\" There were a few reasons why children were getting involved with drugs, such as troubled homes and difficulties at school, he said. \"People are more concerned about material things and they are getting lost,\" he added. Hong Kong Police have arrested children as young as age 13 for drug offenses, according to Commissioner for Narcotics, Sally Wong. Police last week reportedly busted a network that allegedly recruited teenagers to sell illegal drugs-- mainly to students. One of those arrested -- a 14-year-old school dropout -- was found with 28 grams of ketamine, according to the South China Morning Post. But ketamine abuse is not limited to young people. It is the second-most popular drug among all age groups in Hong Kong, Superintendent Wilson Fok of the Hong Kong Police Narcotics Bureau said. Many young drug abusers end up in Alman Chan's drug rehab school for youth, which is located in a remote part of Lantau Island west of Hong Kong. CNN visited the campus, which is home to 99 boys and 24 girls. The closest road is a three-hour hike through the woods. Chan calls the school \"the last stop before jail\" for drug abusers. That was the case for Tai Ming Hung's son Keith, a former gang member. She learned he was using ketamine when he ended up in the hospital after taking the drug a few years ago. \"I was in denial. I just didn't believe it was true. When I first heard about it, we all didn't know how to react, because we hadn't heard of those drugs before,\" she said. \"I didn't really understand why we have these harmful drugs in the world. And I was so afraid that it would kill my son.\" 18-year-old Keith, who said he began using ketamine at the age of 13 when he joined a gang, has recovered and is now living at Chan's school. \"I have a feeling that he's really growing up, he keeps improving,\" his mother said. The school's curriculum involves regular school subjects and chores. The goal is for each student to finish their court probation and either sit for the university exam or continue on to a vocational school. Many of the students have become interested in video editing and photography. There is a video lab on campus and the students showed CNN some video projects they have done. Other students run a pizza parlor and tea shop on a neighboring island. The average stay at the school is three years and students are encouraged to plan for life after rehab. \"We have vocational training. We help them get some marketable skills; therefore, they may get a job or continue training afterward,\" Chan said. \"I believe everyone deserves a second chance.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Police: Ketamine is the top drug of choice among young people in Hong Kong .\nDrug use among those under 21 has jumped 57 percent in the last four years .\nPolice stepping up crackdowns, say parks and public toilets hot spots for drug use .\nHong Kong has one drug rehab center for youth, located on a remote former pig farm ." } ]

[ { "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) -- While the coroner's report on what killed Michael Jackson has been delayed indefinitely, new evidence emerged that the singer shopped for a doctor who would give him the drug investigators suspect led to his death. A doctor of Michael Jackson says he prescribed drugs to the alias Omar Arnold. Dr. Allan Metzger, whose name appeared on a search warrant served this week, refused Jackson's request in April for the anesthetic propofol -- commonly known by the brand name Diprivan, Metzger's attorney said. Investigators suspect another physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, gave the drug to Jackson in the 24 hours before he died, according to a source, who asked not to be named because the individual was not authorized to speak to the news media. Metzger, who practices in West Hollywood, California, told Jackson during a visit to his Holmby Hills home that the drug was \"dangerous and potentially life-threatening and could not be used outside of a hospital,\" attorney Harland Braun said. Metzger's medical records for Jackson, whom he treated until 2003, have been given to the coroner, Braun said. He said Metzger prescribed drugs for Jackson under the alias Omar Arnold and Michael Jackson, which was not illegal since he used both names together. The doctor did that because he thought it was \"his duty to protect the privacy\" of his patient, Braun said. Omar Arnold is one of 19 aliases listed in the warrant used by Los Angeles police and federal drug agents Tuesday to search the Las Vegas, Nevada, office and home of Murray, a Texas-based cardiologist. The warrant also mentioned Cherilyn Lee, a nurse practitioner who treated Jackson earlier this year. Lee said Jackson begged her for propofol to help him get a good night's sleep. She said she refused, telling the pop star that if he took the medicine, he might never wake up. The same warrant, signed by a Las Vegas judge, implied that investigators suspected Jackson was a drug addict. Dr. Deepak Chopra said in a recent interview that when Jackson asked him for a narcotic, he told him absolutely no. \"I said to him, 'Michael, you're going to die one day from this,' \" Chopra said. During a world tour in the mid-'90s, sources close to Jackson told CNN, the pop star suffered from insomnia and traveled with an anesthesiologist who would \"take him down\" at night and then \"bring him back up.\" According to a report on a 2004 Santa Barbara, California, police investigation, security guards in Jackson's inner circle said he traveled the country getting prescriptions from doctors. The Los Angeles County coroner, who must rule on the cause of Jackson's June 25 death, met Thursday with the Los Angeles District Attorney, who must decide if anyone will be prosecuted for his death. During the meeting, it was decided that an announcement of the coroner's findings would be delayed indefinitely, according to a source close to the investigation. An official in the coroner's office had previously indicated to reporters that the findings would be made public within days. Katherine Jackson goes to court Monday . Katherine Jackson's legal battle for some control of her son's estate returns to court Monday in front of the same judge who is expected to award her permanent guardianship of his children. Jackson's lawyers filed a petition Tuesday accusing the men who now control the estate of being \"intent on keeping her in the dark\" about deals they've made or are negotiating. Jackson lawyer Londell McMillan raised questions about \"a suspicious circle of relationships\" involving John Branca, the singer's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend -- who were named executors in Jackson's will. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff gave Branca and McClain temporary control of the estate until Monday's hearing. In the Jackson lawyers' petition, they asked the judge to order Branca, McClain and others to answer questions under oath about their business agreements to determine if they are \"fit and able\" to administer the estate. They also served the men with a 19-page demand for documents. Branca has refused to let Katherine Jackson see Michael Jackson's contracts with AEG, the company that was organizing and promoting his planned concerts, unless she agrees to keep them confidential. Branca's lawyer argued in a court filing that he has no choice since the contracts have a provision requiring confidentiality. Branca's lawyers also argued that Jackson's demand for documents was too broad and burdensome. \"Such measures will not be necessary if Mrs. Jackson is appointed a co-executor of the estate,\" McMillan said. McMillan, in an interview with CBS on Thursday, estimated the Jackson estate was worth $2 billion, while the executors have estimated in court that its value is around $500 million. The will written in 2002 places all of Jackson's assets into a family trust benefiting his mother, his three children and unnamed charities. The judge is also expected Monday to finalize Katherine Jackson's guardianship of her son's three children. An agreement between Jackson and Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two eldest children, cleared the way for an uncontested custody hearing. Rowe, who was briefly married to Michael Jackson, agreed not to fight for custody in exchange for visits with the children as recommended by a psychologist. The agreement does not involve any financial payments to Rowe \"apart from the continuation of spousal support payments\" that Michael Jackson personally agreed to make to Rowe after their divorce, their lawyers said in a joint statement. Jackson's children have been living with their paternal grandmother at her Encino, California, home since their father's death. The eldest child, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., was born in February 1997. A daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, was born the next year. Details of how the children were conceived -- and who was the biological father -- have been closely guarded amid much public speculation. The couple divorced in 1999 with Rowe giving Jackson full custody while she got an $8.5 million settlement, according to court documents. Jackson later agreed to additional support. Rowe gave up parental rights to Jackson in 2001, but she changed her mind more than two years later and sought temporary custody of the children. A California appeals court later ruled her rights were improperly terminated, opening the door to a possible custody battle. CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Coroner's report on what killed Michael Jackson has been delayed indefinitely .\nDoctor's attorney says Jackson sought Diprivan, drug suspected in his death .\nCoroner, district attorney decide not to release coroner's findings .\nHearing Monday on control of estate, custody of children ." } ]

[ { "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) -- Katherine Jackson's legal battle for some control of her son's estate returns to court Monday in front of the same judge who is expected to award her permanent guardianship of Michael Jackson's children. Katherine Jackson has accused the executors of her son's estate of \"keeping her in the dark.\" Dozens of lawyers are expected to pack a Los Angeles courtroom where a judge will consider the Jackson family matriarch's challenge of the lawyer and former music executive who were named as executors in Michael Jackson's will. Katherine Jackson's lawyers filed a petition last week accusing the men who now control the estate of being \"intent on keeping her in the dark\" about deals they've made or are negotiating. Londell McMillan, Jackson's lead attorney, raised questions about \"a suspicious circle of relationships\" involving John Branca, the singer's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff gave Branca and McClain temporary control of the estate until Monday's hearing. Katherine Jackson is asking the judge to order Branca, McClain and others to answer questions under oath about their business agreements to determine if they are \"fit and able\" to administer the estate. The men also were served with a 19-page demand for documents. Branca has refused to let Katherine Jackson see Michael Jackson's contracts with AEG -- the company that was organizing and promoting his planned concerts -- unless she agrees to keep them confidential. Branca's lawyer argued in a court filing that he has no choice, since the contracts have a provision requiring confidentiality. Branca's lawyers also argued that Jackson's demand for documents was too broad and burdensome. \"Such measures will not be necessary if Mrs. Jackson is appointed a co-executor of the estate,\" McMillan said. McMillan, in an interview with CBS Thursday, estimated the Jackson estate was worth $2 billion, while the executors have estimated in court that its value is around $500 million. The will written in 2002 places all of Michael Jackson's assets into a family trust benefiting his mother, his three children and unnamed charities. Judge Beckloff will consider at Monday's hearing who will have permanent control of the estate. The judge is also expected Monday to finalize Katherine Jackson's guardianship of her son's three children. An agreement between Jackson and Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two oldest children, cleared the way for an uncontested custody hearing. Rowe, who was briefly married to Michael Jackson, agreed not to fight for custody in exchange for visits with the children as recommended by a psychologist. The agreement does not involve any financial payments to Rowe \"apart from the continuation of spousal support payments\" that Michael Jackson personally agreed to make to Rowe after their divorce, their lawyers said in a joint statement. Jackson's children have been living with their paternal grandmother at her Encino, California, home since their father's death. The oldest child -- Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. -- was born in February 1997. A daughter -- Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson -- was born the next year. Details of how the children were conceived -- and who was the biological father -- have been closely guarded amid much public speculation. The couple divorced in 1999 with Rowe giving Jackson full custody while she got an $8.5 million settlement, according to court documents. Jackson later agreed to additional support. Rowe gave up parental rights to Jackson in 2001, but she changed her mind more than two years later and sought temporary custody of the children. A California appeals court later ruled her rights were improperly terminated, opening the door to a possible custody battle. While the coroner's report on what killed Michael Jackson has been delayed indefinitely, new evidence emerged that the singer shopped for a doctor who would give him the drug investigators suspect led to his death. Dr. Allan Metzger, whose name appeared on a search warrant served this week, refused Jackson's request in April for the anesthetic propofol -- commonly known by the brand name Diprivan -- Metzger's attorney said. Investigators suspect another physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, gave the drug to Jackson in the 24 hours before he died, according to a source, who asked not to be named because the individual was not authorized to speak to the news media. Metzger, who practices in West Hollywood, California, told Jackson during a visit to his Holmby Hills home that the drug was \"dangerous and potentially life-threatening and could not be used outside of a hospital,\" attorney Harland Braun said. Metzger's medical records for Jackson, whom he treated until 2003, have been given to the coroner, Braun said. He said Metzger prescribed drugs for Jackson under the alias Omar Arnold and Michael Jackson, which was not illegal since he used both names together. The doctor did that because he thought it was \"his duty to protect the privacy\" of his patient, Braun said. Omar Arnold is one of 19 aliases listed in the warrant used by Los Angeles police and federal drug agents Tuesday to search the Las Vegas office and home of Murray, a Texas-based cardiologist. The warrant also mentioned Cherilyn Lee, a nurse practitioner who treated Jackson earlier this year. Lee told CNN Jackson begged her for the propofol to help him get a good night's sleep. She said she refused, telling the pop star that if he took the medicine, he might never wake up. The same warrant, signed by a Las Vegas judge, implied that investigators suspected Jackson was a drug addict. Dr. Deepak Chopra told CNN in a recent interview that when Jackson asked him for a narcotic, he told him absolutely no. \"I said to him, 'Michael, you're going to die one day from this,'\" Chopra said. During a world tour in the mid-'90s, sources close to Jackson told CNN, the pop star suffered from insomnia and traveled with an anesthesiologist who would \"take him down\" at night and then \"bring him back up.\" According to a report on a 2004 Santa Barbara police investigation, security guards in Jackson's inner circle said he traveled the country getting prescriptions from doctors. The Los Angeles County coroner, who must rule on the cause of Jackson's June 25 death, met Thursday with the Los Angeles District Attorney, who must decide if anyone will be prosecuted for his death. During the meeting, it was decided that an announcement of the coroner's findings would be delayed indefinitely, according to a source close to the investigation. An official in the coroner's office had previously indicated to reporters that the findings would be made public within days. CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Katherine Jackson looking for some control of her son's estate.\nLawyers' petition accuses executors of keeping Katherine Jackson \"in the dark\"\nJackson wants executors to answer questions about business arrangements ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Are you looking for an easy way to reduce your monthly budget? Look no further than your cell phone bill. Clark Howard says consider switching to a less known cell provider to save money and avoid signing contracts . If you're with one of the four big providers -- AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile -- you're almost certainly overpaying for service. In addition, all four have a business model that's based on cowardice. They've developed lousy, stinking, rotten two-year contracts because they're afraid to compete in the marketplace. Thankfully, there are a variety of smaller players in the market who offer nationwide coverage for less money with no contracts. Before considering any adjustment to your cell phone plan, you'll need to start by assessing how much you talk, text and surf the Web on your phone. Watch Clark discuss the pros and cons of bundling services . If you use less than 300 minutes per month, you'd probably do much better with a prepaid plan where you buy minutes as you need them. Net10.com is one service I usually recommend -- no roaming charges, no long distance charges, no monthly fees and a flat 10 cents per minute for calls. If you use more than 300 minutes per month and you travel from time to time, you might want to consider either Metro PCS or Cricket. Both have plans ranging from $25 to $50 and offer unlimited calling. The difference in price points is based on how many other features you want -- texting, Web surfing and so on. But there are never any contracts or overages. For heavy cell phone users, there are Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Both are engaged in an all-out price war that can directly benefit you. Virgin Mobile is offering $49.99 per month unlimited calling -- no roaming charges and no contract. If you want texting, you'll pay an additional $10 per month for unlimited service. If you want high-speed Internet, you'll pay another $10 per month on top of that for a 50MB plan. Boost Mobile's $50 per month plan already includes unlimited calling, texting and Web access. And that $50 even includes junk fees! One caveat here: Remember, my definition of \"cheap\" means that I'm willing to accept lower quality for a lower price. So consider this caveat carefully and do your own research before making any final decisions about your cell provider. Speaking of cheap, a new competitor in the marketplace may have both Boost and Virgin beat. Straight Talk offers a cellular plan for $30 per month. You get 1,000 minutes, 1,000 text messages and 30MB of data for that price. It's important to remember that very few people use more than 1,000 minutes per month. The typical person clocks in at 790 minutes and pays an average monthly contract bill of $67, according to Nielsen Mobile studies of U.S. adults on individual cell phone contract plans. So, what are you waiting for? Consider firing your \"Big 4\" cell provider and going with one of the smaller guys. The savings are there for the taking. Finally, CellTradeUSA.com can help you get out of your existing contract by trading it away to someone else. This tends to work particularly well if you have a hot phone that everybody wants." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Smaller players in cellular market can offer nationwide coverage for less .\nNielsen Mobile says typical customer uses 790 minutes, pays average $67 a month .\nHoward says do your research before making decisions about your cell provider ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The case of Janet Jackson's \"wardrobe malfunction\" on national television -- and subsequent fines against CBS -- will be re-examined at the order of the Supreme Court. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson perform at the Super Bowl just before the infamous \"wardrobe malfunction.\" The justices Monday sent the case back to a federal appeals court in Philadelphia that had thrown out a $550,000 government fine against the broadcast network and its affiliates for airing the incident during halftime of the 2004 Super Bowl. The pop singer's breast was briefly exposed during a performance with singer Justin Timberlake. After viewer complaints and national media attention, the Federal Communications Commission said the Jackson incident was obscene. In addition to CBS Inc., 20 of its affiliates also were fined. Congress quickly reacted at the time to the visual shocker by increasing the limit on indecency fines tenfold, up to $325,000 per violation per network. And it said each local affiliate that aired such incidents also could be punished by the same amount. But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded the communications commission had acted \"arbitrarily and capriciously.\" The Supreme Court's action marks the second time in recent days that it has dealt with cases involving broadcast standards. Last week, the justices narrowly upheld the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to punish networks for airing profanity. The government clampdown on obscene images and words began in 2003. Enforcement of the law, as well as fines and sanctions for the incidents, have been put on hold while the cases are being argued. The television networks say their scripted shows no longer air nudity, racy images or expletives, even after 10 p.m., when some potentially vulgar words are permitted. They worry, however, about unplanned, often spontaneous indecent or profane incident at live events, such as awards shows and sporting events. Company officials say such programs are often on a five-second delay, and censors are on hand to bleep any offensive language. But some indecent words can slip through, they admit, and they want to be protected from heavy government fines. Critics call that laughable. \"This past summer, CBS edited into a show that had to go through multiple reviews, by multiple people in the organization, the F-word,\" said Tim Winter, who heads the Parents Television Council, and is supporting the FCC's efforts. His group advocates \"responsible\" programming, and warns parents about questionable program content. The show in question was \"Big Brother 10,\" a taped series. The Jackson incident was not on a five-second delay. CBS issued a statement Monday afternoon it is confident that the appeals court \"will again recognize that the Super Bowl incident, while inappropriate and regrettable, was not and could not have been anticipated by CBS.\" The issue is an important one \"for the entire broadcasting industry,\" it said, \"because it recognizes that there are rare instances, particularly during live programming, when despite best efforts it may not be possible to block unfortunate fleeting material.\" In the case involving profane language, the high court concluded 5-4 that the communications commission has the authority to sanction broadcast TV networks that air isolated incidents of profanity, known as \"fleeting expletives.\" But the justices in that case refused to decide whether the commission's policy violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech. It ruled only on their enforcement power. The justices ordered the free-speech aspect to be reviewed again by a federal appeals court. The \"wardrobe malfunction\" case is FCC v. CBS Corp. (08-653)." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "U.S. Supreme Court has asked that \"wardrobe malfunction\" case be re-examined .\nJanet Jackson inadvertently flashed breast during Super Bowl halftime show in 2004 .\nCBS and several affiliates were fined; appeals court disagreed with decision .\nNetworks have clamped down on nudity, language; still worry some slips through ." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution Friday that says it supports \"all Iranians who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and the rule of law.\" Throngs in Tehran cheer Thursday for defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi, center. The resolution was approved by 405 lawmakers, while one -- Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas -- voted against it. Two others, Reps. Brad Ellsworth, D-Indiana, and Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, voted \"present.\" In a statement on his Web site, Paul said he voted against the measure because he is \"always very cautious about 'condemning' the actions of governments overseas.\" \"I have always hesitated when my colleagues rush to pronounce final judgment on events thousands of miles away about which we know very little,\" said Paul, who attracted attention last year during his unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination. \"And we know very little beyond limited press reports about what is happening in Iran.\" The resolution, which also \"condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators,\" was sponsored by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, D-California, and two Republicans, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia. Speaking shortly after the resolution passed, Pence called it a message from Americans to the Iranian people. \"As Americans have done throughout our history, this Congress today, on behalf of the American people, has spoken a word of heartfelt support to all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and the rule of law,\" he said. He urged U.S. senators to support the identical resolution that Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, introduced Friday. Both Pence and McCain have been outspoken in their criticism of President Obama's response to massive rallies in Iran against the results of last week's presidential election. Watch as Obama walks a fine line » . Supporters of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi have taken to the streets this week calling for a new election after the results of the June 12 vote showed an overwhelming victory for hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The rallies also have denounced the Iranian government's crackdown on the protests in which at least eight people have died. Obama has said he is \"deeply troubled\" by the violence, but he has avoided siding with Ahmadinejad's opponents, telling reporters, \"It is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran's leaders will be.\" \"It's not productive, given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations, to be seen as meddling, the U.S. president meddling in Iranian elections,\" Obama said this week. But several Republicans, particularly McCain -- Obama's opponent in last year's presidential race -- have criticized the administration's position. McCain introduced a resolution on the Senate floor Friday morning that he said would be \"an expression of support by the government and the people of the United States of America\" for those protesting the election results. \"It is unfortunate in a way that this resolution is required since the administration does not want to 'meddle' and has refused, the president has refused to speak out in support of these brave Iranian citizens, most of them young, who are risking their very lives to protest what was clearly an unfair and corrupt election,\" McCain told his fellow senators. Watch what else McCain said about Obama » . The resolution passed Friday states that the House: . On Thursday, Cantor joined the critics of the White House, saying the United States has a \"moral responsibility\" to condemn attacks on protesters. \"The administration's position that what's going on in Iran is a 'vigorous debate' is absurd,\" he said. \"People are being brutalized and murdered by the regime in Tehran. We have no idea exactly how many have died or have been seriously injured since the regime has restricted journalists. In no way do these actions constitute a 'vigorous debate.' \" Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House, added, \"America has a moral responsibility to stand up for these brave people, to defend human rights and to condemn the violence and abuses by the regime in Tehran.\" Watch amateur video of protesters under attack » . Pence has called on the United States \"to take a half-step back from this administration's olive branch and the apology approach to enemies and countries that have been hostile to the United States of America and our allies, particularly with the road to Iran.\" But Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Washington would be making an \"enormous mistake\" by taking sides in the Iranian protests. \"There is no need for the United States of America to step into the middle of it and make this about America,\" Kerry told CNN's \"The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer.\" \"It is an Iranian moment, spurred on by Iranians, thoroughly supported by Iranians to the degree that the supreme ayatollah has now backed off his own support for the elections [and] called for an investigation,\" he said. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs defended the administration's approach this week, saying that Obama \"believes that he's struck the right tone.\" \"I know some people agree with what Sen. McCain said. Some people agree with what other Republicans have said that's very much like the president's position,\" Gibbs said Thursday. \"The president strongly believes that we should -- and have -- spoken out to ensure the demonstrators have the universal right and principle to demonstrate without fear of harm. But at the same time, we have to respect their sovereignty.\" Moorhead Kennedy, a former diplomat who was among those taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979, said he supports the Obama administration's position. \"I think if I had any conclusion to draw, we would have been much better off not interfering in Iran now,\" Kennedy told CNN's \"American Morning.\" Because the United States backed a 1953 coup that put Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in charge, and supported him until the 1979 revolution that created today's Islamic republic, Kennedy said, \"There are a great many resentments there.\" CNN's Paul Steinhauser, Deirdre Walsh, Peter Hamby and Dan Lothian contributed to this report." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Lone dissenter: \"We know very little ... about what is happening in Iran\"\nHouse votes 405-1 for resolution supporting democracy in Iran .\nRepublican Sen. John McCain offers similar resolution in Senate .\nMcCain, other Republicans criticize President Obama's warning against \"meddling\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "You are a summarization AI. Provide a succinct and relevant summary of the provided text." }, { "from": "human", "value": "CLOVIS, California (CNN) -- Jeff Hubbard fought back tears as he talked about his boy -- a \"great, great young man\" who was killed last week in Iraq in a helicopter crash. It's the second time he's had to bury a son killed in the Iraq war. Jeff and Peggy Hubbard with sons Army Spc. Jason Hubbard, left, and Cpl. Nathan Hubbard. This time, it was made even more tragic. His third son, also a soldier in Iraq, was immediately on the scene of last week's helicopter crash and watched as soldiers carried the remains of his brother, 21-year-old Army Cpl. Nathan Hubbard, from the crash site. Nathan's flag-draped coffin arrived in Fresno earlier this week and eventually to his hometown of Clovis. Watch \"We love you Nate\" » . Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday to remember Nathan at St. Anthony of Padua, the same church where his oldest brother's funeral was held in 2004. Nathan will be laid to rest at Clovis Cemetery, beside his brother, Jared. Nathan and his other brother entered the military shortly after Jared was killed -- to honor his sacrifice. \"Their decision to join the military was motivated by a love for their brother and a desire to serve their country,\" the priest told mourners Friday. \"The death of Jared touched him deeply. Losing a brother and a friend made a profound impact on him, and brought to his attention the seasons of war and grief and loss.\" Jeff Hubbard spoke to reporters Thursday ahead of the funeral, struggling to find words to describe how much his youngest son meant to him and his family. \"I want everybody to remember and celebrate Nate in their own way, the way they want,\" he said. \"We want him honored, remembered and celebrated -- he was a great, great young man. Wonderful young man.\" Tragically, the Hubbards have gone through this anguish before. In 2004 their son, Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Hubbard, was on patrol in Iraq with his best friend and fellow Marine, Jeremiah Baro -- also from Clovis -- when a roadside bomb exploded, killing both. Jeff Hubbard says there's no way for a parent to prepare for the agony a second time. \"They're each absolutely individual terrible instances that you deal with the best you can as you go forward,\" he said. Six months after Jared was killed, Nathan and Jason Hubbard decided to enlist and serve together -- to follow in their brother's footsteps. On August 22 after returning from a scouting mission south of Kirkuk, Iraq, the Blackhawk helicopter carrying Nathan and 13 other soldiers crashed. Jason, who served in the same Army platoon, was in a separate helicopter when his brother went down and was ordered to secure the crash site. When he and his men reached the downed Blackhawk, Jason says he realized it was his brother's unit. \"We also had to remove as many of the men as we could out of that helicopter,\" Jason remembered. \"And I couldn't participate in that. I knew my -- I knew Nathan was in there. I tried several times to kind of gather myself, but I just -- I couldn't.\" Jason says as the men carried bodies out of the wreckage, he spotted his younger brother. \"At one point they did carry Nathan by me. And that's when the reality, the complete reality, and complete understanding of the situation came to me and I began dealing with it.\" Under the Department of Defense sole survivor policy, Jason says he was told he will not be allowed to return to war. His wife and young son will join him at his base in Hawaii. E-mail to a friend ." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "NEW: Funeral held Friday for Army Cpl. Nathan Hubbard .\nMarine Lance Cpl. Jared Hubbard was killed by a roadside bomb in 2004 .\nJared's brothers Nathan and Jason Hubbard were inspired to enlist .\nNathan was killed August 22; Jason was ordered to return home for good ." } ]