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ohio <tsp> ( cnn ) -- health authorities indicated friday there have been 361 cases of mumps in central ohio , a significantly higher number than was reported just a few weeks ago . most of these cases -- 208 , to be specific -- have been linked to ohio state university in columbus , the city 's health department said . the 361 total includes cases from franklin , delaware and madison counties and was current as of 2:30 p.m. friday . some 139 of those diagnosed were students at ohio state , while a number of others worked at or otherwise had a connection to the university . as recently as march 21 , the same agency was reporting 63 mumps cases , of which 45 were tied to the university . the outbreak originated in february with a cluster of cases at ohio state . mumps outbreak spread beyond ohio state campus melanie amato , an ohio department of health spokeswoman , attributes the spike to many students heading home , where they could end up spreading mumps or at least be seen and diagnosed by doctors . we do n't expect the numbers to go down soon , ' amato said . eleven people have been treated at area hospitals for mumps , according to columbus public health . but none were still in hospitals as of friday , and no deaths have been linked to the disease , amato said . those affected range in age between 4 months and 80 years old , with about 60 % being female . the ohio department of health reports the first symptoms tied to this outbreak arose on january 7 . jose rodriguez , a columbus health department spokesman , has said that the earliest osu case was on february 11 . cnn health library : learn more about mumps there is a vaccine available for mumps , but it 's only 88 % effective , amato points out . she explains : a lot of these people who got mumps were vaccinated . ' mumps typically begins with a fever , headache , muscle aches , fatigue and loss of appetite , which is followed by the swelling of salivary glands , according to the cdc . it is a highly infectious disease ' that spreads the same way as a cold or flu does -- through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes . there is no specific treatment for mumps , and patients usually recover after a week or two , but occasionally the disease can cause serious complications such as encephalitis , meningitis , deafness or inflammation of the breasts or ovaries in girls who have reached puberty , the cdc said . five days of isolation is required , and that can be complicated in a university setting , ' according to rodriguez . even more frightening -- one-third of cases have no symptoms , he said . mumps is n't the only infectious disease outbreak that ohio is dealing with . earlier this week , authorities reported 68 people had come down with measles in the state , part of what is already an 18-year high of measles cases in the united states . 2013 : east coast mumps outbreak linked to nightclub | columbus health department : 361 cases of mumps in central ohio |
kurdish <tsp> istanbul ( cnn ) -- crowds of mourners gathered sunday to bury a young man in the southeastern turkish city of diyarbakir after clashes the previous day between kurdish protesters and turkish security forces turned deadly . a member of parliament from a pro-kurdish political party told cnn at least two people were shot dead in saturday 's clashes , with at least two more in critical condition . the violence unsettled a peace process between the turkish government and kurdish rebels , who have been waging a guerrilla war in the predominantly kurdish southeast for 30 years . the diyarbakir governor 's office put the blame for the unrest squarely on what it described as attackers , ' according to a statement released online saturday . as a result of an armed attack on security forces ensuring security on the diyarbakir-bingol road , two attackers were injured . one attacker was airlifted to dicle university by military helicopter but lost his life despite all efforts , ' the governor 's office said . but sebahat tuncel , a parliament member from the pro-kurdish peoples'democratic party , blamed the deaths on the turkish government . tuncel told cnn that locals had been demonstrating for more than two weeks against the construction of new outposts for turkish security forces near lice . a week ago i was there and what the people there were telling me is'we do n't believe they ( the government ) are earnest about the peace process . people who are honest about the peace process would not be building more outposts ,' said tuncel , speaking by phone from the funeral of ramazan baran . baran , 24 , died in saturday 's clashes . for more than a year , the government of turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogan has been in negotiations with abdullah ocalan , the jailed leader of the kurdistan workers'party , or pkk . the turkish state , as well as the united states and the european union , have long designated the pkk a terrorist organization . the negotiations brought a relative lull to violence that has claimed the lives of more than 30,000 people in southeastern turkey over the last three decades . the kurds are turkey 's largest ethnic minority . they were long the target of discriminatory policies , which banned the use of the kurdish language and even kurdish names . since his party was first elected to power in 2002 , erdogan has implemented a number of reforms , including creating a kurdish-language state tv channel , removing the ban on the kurdish letters q , ' x ' and w , ' and allowing kurdish-language education in some private schools . | violence unsettles peace process between turkish government and kurdish rebels |
selvarasa padmanathan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a leader of the defeated tamil tiger rebel group has been arrested in bangkok , thailand , state television in sri lanka reported thursday . selvarasa padmanathan , also known as kp , was the self-appointed ... leader and chief arms dealer ' of the tamil tigers , according to lankapuvath , the national news agency of sri lanka . it also reported the arrest , citing the sri lankan government information department . the sri lankan military defeated the tamil tigers this year . the rebel group is formally known as the liberation tigers of tamil eelam . it fought a 25-year war seeking an independent state for minority tamils in sri lanka . at least 70,000 were killed . remnants of the battered tamil tiger group decided in july that padmanathan would lead us into the next steps of our freedom struggle , ' according to a published account . that happened after the sri lankan military killed the group 's long-time leader , velupillai prabhakaran , in the final days of a bloody offensive that ended the war . | selvarasa padmanathan was ' self-appointed leader tamil tigers ' |
mcchrystal <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- gen. stanley mcchrystal lost his job when rolling stone magazine ran an article in which some of his aides made disparaging remarks about the vice president and others . but a newly released investigation by the department of defense inspector general finds neither mcchrystal nor any of his aides did anything wrong . in the article called the runaway general ' reporter michael hastings wrote that one of mcchrystal 's aides referred to vice president joseph biden as bite me ' and another referred to then-national security adviser gen. james jones as a clown . ' after interviewing 15 people , the inspector general 's office completed its report on april 8 . it was made public monday after a freedom of information act request by the new york times . neither mcchrystal , who cooperated with an earlier army investigation , nor hastings were interviewed for the inspector general 's report . in the report , the inspector general writes , the evidence was insufficient to substantiate a violation of applicable dod standards . ' the report goes on to say , not all of the events at issue occurred as reported in the article . ' it concluded none of the matters we reviewed warrant further investigation . ' mcchrystal , who had been in charge of all u.s. and international security assistance force units in afghanistan , was brought back to washington after the article was published . after meeting with president barack obama , he resigned his command and later retired from the military . but four days after the inspector general 's report was completed , the white house announced mcchrystal would be part of the michelle obama 's and jill biden 's new joining forces initiative . the organization is set up to support and honor america 's service members and their families . mcchrystal is now a senior fellow at yale university . | mcchrystal resigned his command and later retired from the miliary |
mcchrystal <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- gen. stanley mcchrystal lost his job when rolling stone magazine ran an article in which some of his aides made disparaging remarks about the vice president and others . but a newly released investigation by the department of defense inspector general finds neither mcchrystal nor any of his aides did anything wrong . in the article called the runaway general ' reporter michael hastings wrote that one of mcchrystal 's aides referred to vice president joseph biden as bite me ' and another referred to then-national security adviser gen. james jones as a clown . ' after interviewing 15 people , the inspector general 's office completed its report on april 8 . it was made public monday after a freedom of information act request by the new york times . neither mcchrystal , who cooperated with an earlier army investigation , nor hastings were interviewed for the inspector general 's report . in the report , the inspector general writes , the evidence was insufficient to substantiate a violation of applicable dod standards . ' the report goes on to say , not all of the events at issue occurred as reported in the article . ' it concluded none of the matters we reviewed warrant further investigation . ' mcchrystal , who had been in charge of all u.s. and international security assistance force units in afghanistan , was brought back to washington after the article was published . after meeting with president barack obama , he resigned his command and later retired from the military . but four days after the inspector general 's report was completed , the white house announced mcchrystal would be part of the michelle obama 's and jill biden 's new joining forces initiative . the organization is set up to support and honor america 's service members and their families . mcchrystal is now a senior fellow at yale university . | mcchrystal commanded u.s. and isaf forces in afghanistan |
dc <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- chris brown must stay locked up in the los angeles county jail for at least another week while his lawyer negotiates with the prosecutor about his probation violation , a judge said thursday . brown attended a hearing thursday wearing an orange jail suit , just hours after a cross-country trip from washington to los angeles on the federal government 's inmate transport system , informally known as con air . ' he 's doing remarkably well under the circumstances , ' brown lawyer mark geragos told cnn . it 's a challenging situation to be in . ' geragos and assistant district attorney mary murray agreed to hold talks over the next week concerning brown possibly admitting that he violated his probation . if that happens , it will be announced at a hearing next friday . otherwise , the judge will set a date for a trial on his probation revocation . i 'm hoping we get it resolved and we get it resolved quickly , ' geragos said after the hearing . geragos said he would also file a motion to have brown released from jail , which would be considered at the may 9 hearing . brown , who turns 25 next monday , spent most of the past week traveling back to los angeles following a delay in the start of his trial on a misdemeanor assault charge in washington . u.s . marshals , who took brown from the los angeles county jail for extradition to washington four weeks ago , handed him back to los angeles sheriff 's deputies just hours before thursday 's hearing , according to deputy u.s . marshal laura vegas . brown 's probation for the 2009 beating of ex-girlfriend rihanna fenty was revoked after his washington arrest . he 's spent the past six weeks in custody and previous five months in court-ordered rehab . the prosecutor said last week that she would strenuously object ' to brown being released because it appears likely brown will be found guilty of the assault charge in washington . assistant district attorney mary murray argued the only change since brown was jailed in march is that his case has gotten worse . ' the washington judge who found his bodyguard guilty in the assault case also concluded that brown was the initial aggressor ' in the incident , murray said . a los angeles judge refused a request last week to free the singer from custody so he could make his own way back from washington . he and bodyguard christopher hollosy were arrested on assault charges in washington for allegedly beating a man who tried to take a photo of brown last october . the arrest led to a revocation of brown 's probation , but he was allowed to enter a rehab program instead of going to jail . he was ordered to jail last month when he was kicked out of the rehab program for rules violations . planes , chains and automobiles : chris brown 's miserable trip to trial ' i think it 's a little over the top to have him in custody on this misdemeanor when everybody saw the bodyguard 's trial and which was nothing more than a bloody nose , ' brown lawyer mark geragos told reporters in washington last week . and you have got the bodyguard who was convicted and who readily admitted he was the one who did the punching.â so all of this is much ado about nothing . ' chris brown 's freedom at stake with 2 cases the delay in brown 's washington trial came after prosecutors refused to grant immunity to hollosy so he could testify without jeopardizing his own case . on monday , hollosy was found guilty of assaulting a man on a washington sidewalk before brown 's trial was to begin in the case . the prosecutors cited hollosy 's refusal to talk to them about his testimony as a major reason for the decision not to grant immunity . their motion also said they suspected he might lie in his testimony to help brown . | brown 's october dc arrest triggered 5 months rehab , 7 weeks in jail |
meredith kercher <tsp> perugia , italy ( cnn ) -- family members of meredith kercher said saturday they were satisfied with the verdict that found american amanda knox and her italian ex-boyfriend , raffaele sollecito , guilty of the fatal knifing of the british student . ultimately we are pleased with the decision , ' said lyle kercher , meredith kercher 's brother . but it was not a moment of celebration . we are here because our sister was brutally murdered . ' the victim 's sister , stephanie kercher , talked friday about her family 's grief . our lives have been on hold , really . you ca n't really carry on as normal , ' she said . you have to take each day as it comes . it 's not ever going to be the same without [ meredith ] . ' knox and sollecito were found guilty of murder friday after a lengthy , sensational trial . knox was given a 26-year sentence ; sollecito was sentenced to 25 years . both will appeal , attorneys said . knox and sollecito were convicted on all charges except theft . the pair was accused of staging a theft to cover up the killing . authorities said 300 euros ( about $ 444 ) was discovered missing from kercher 's purse . the pair must pay 5 million euros ( $ 7.4 million ) to kercher 's family . in addition , knox must pay 40,000 euros ( nearly $ 60,000 ) to a man whom she falsely accused of the killing . one of knox 's sisters said saturday that amanda had a rough night . ' her mother , edda mellas , said , she had a lot of support . the inmates and the guards were all taking great care of her . they care a lot . amanda , like the rest of us , is extremely disappointed -- upset about the decision , ' mellas said . we 're all in shock ; we 're all heartened by the support ' that she said residents of perugia and other italians had shown . people from all over the world have been sending us messages of support all through the night , ' mellas said . we told her she 's going to get out of there . it 's [ just ] going to take a little longer . ' sollecito 's lawyer , luca maori , criticized his client 's punishment -- less than the life sentence the prosecution requested but far short of exonerating sollecito -- as making no sense . for the grave crimes they claimed , you either sentence them to life . ... or you acquit . there is no middle way , ' maori said . public prosecutor giuliano mignini told cnn he feels he presented a strong case . he said about 20 magistrates worked alongside police during the investigation . however , he said that in the face of the planned appeals , clearly the conviction is not final . learn how the murder case played out people who disagree with the verdict should at least respect it , because so many professionals were involved in the investigation , mignini said . i believe , evidently , that they think there was violence . they are the deputies who establish the foundation ' of charges , he said . and they did this . ' the victim 's mother said she believed the defendants were guilty of the slaying . you have to go with the evidence , ' arline kercher said . take a look at the evidence against knox knox 's lead defense attorney , luciano ghirga , said that when he met with his client saturday morning , she was angry and continued to proclaim her innocence . he told cnn the situation has been a trying experience , and knox hardly slept friday night after the verdict . she was consoled by the other prisoners , who managed get her a cup of warm milk , ghirga said . the jury reached its verdict after deliberating nearly 11 hours on the 11 counts . jurors must submit an explanation of how they reached their decision to the judge within 90 days , and this jury motivation ' will be made public . prosecutors had asked for a sentence of life in prison . italy does not have the death penalty . cnn 's richard greene and hada messia contributed to this report . | knox , her former boyfriend raffaele sollecito sentenced for meredith kercher 's murder |
meredith kercher <tsp> perugia , italy ( cnn ) -- family members of meredith kercher said saturday they were satisfied with the verdict that found american amanda knox and her italian ex-boyfriend , raffaele sollecito , guilty of the fatal knifing of the british student . ultimately we are pleased with the decision , ' said lyle kercher , meredith kercher 's brother . but it was not a moment of celebration . we are here because our sister was brutally murdered . ' the victim 's sister , stephanie kercher , talked friday about her family 's grief . our lives have been on hold , really . you ca n't really carry on as normal , ' she said . you have to take each day as it comes . it 's not ever going to be the same without [ meredith ] . ' knox and sollecito were found guilty of murder friday after a lengthy , sensational trial . knox was given a 26-year sentence ; sollecito was sentenced to 25 years . both will appeal , attorneys said . knox and sollecito were convicted on all charges except theft . the pair was accused of staging a theft to cover up the killing . authorities said 300 euros ( about $ 444 ) was discovered missing from kercher 's purse . the pair must pay 5 million euros ( $ 7.4 million ) to kercher 's family . in addition , knox must pay 40,000 euros ( nearly $ 60,000 ) to a man whom she falsely accused of the killing . one of knox 's sisters said saturday that amanda had a rough night . ' her mother , edda mellas , said , she had a lot of support . the inmates and the guards were all taking great care of her . they care a lot . amanda , like the rest of us , is extremely disappointed -- upset about the decision , ' mellas said . we 're all in shock ; we 're all heartened by the support ' that she said residents of perugia and other italians had shown . people from all over the world have been sending us messages of support all through the night , ' mellas said . we told her she 's going to get out of there . it 's [ just ] going to take a little longer . ' sollecito 's lawyer , luca maori , criticized his client 's punishment -- less than the life sentence the prosecution requested but far short of exonerating sollecito -- as making no sense . for the grave crimes they claimed , you either sentence them to life . ... or you acquit . there is no middle way , ' maori said . public prosecutor giuliano mignini told cnn he feels he presented a strong case . he said about 20 magistrates worked alongside police during the investigation . however , he said that in the face of the planned appeals , clearly the conviction is not final . learn how the murder case played out people who disagree with the verdict should at least respect it , because so many professionals were involved in the investigation , mignini said . i believe , evidently , that they think there was violence . they are the deputies who establish the foundation ' of charges , he said . and they did this . ' the victim 's mother said she believed the defendants were guilty of the slaying . you have to go with the evidence , ' arline kercher said . take a look at the evidence against knox knox 's lead defense attorney , luciano ghirga , said that when he met with his client saturday morning , she was angry and continued to proclaim her innocence . he told cnn the situation has been a trying experience , and knox hardly slept friday night after the verdict . she was consoled by the other prisoners , who managed get her a cup of warm milk , ghirga said . the jury reached its verdict after deliberating nearly 11 hours on the 11 counts . jurors must submit an explanation of how they reached their decision to the judge within 90 days , and this jury motivation ' will be made public . prosecutors had asked for a sentence of life in prison . italy does not have the death penalty . cnn 's richard greene and hada messia contributed to this report . | meredith kercher 's sister : it 's not ever going to be the same ' |
qatari <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's said nothing is certain in life except for death and taxes . for french football clubs it 's a new punitive tax law that 's worrying them to death . they fear one of europe 's top leagues , newly resurgent following significant investment from mega wealthy qataris and russians , could be irreparably damaged by the tax . on thursday , french president francois hollande told a delegation of professional french football club leaders he would n't abandon the government 's plan for a 75 % tax on salaries reaching more than a $ 1.35 million . the clubs have been lobbying hard against the tax , arguing it endangers their future . it 's estimated the tax could increase their costs by up to 30 % . and they feel so strongly over the matter that they plan to go on strike . so if you 're a french football fan do n't expect to be watching the likes paris saint-germain striker zlatan ibrahimovic or monaco forward falcao in action between 29 november and 2 december . if it goes ahead it would france 's first football strike ' since 1972 . ibrahimovic is one of more than 10 players at qatari-owned psg -- france 's richest club -- whose yearly pay exceeds $ 1.35 million . while the average ligue 1 player 's salary is estimated at just under $ 800,000 , ibrahimovic reportedly takes home $ 17.5 million a year . many players would already be taxed at france 's top marginal rate of 49 % , which kicks in at $ 675,000 a year . just for ibrahimovic 's hefty pay packet alone , psg 's costs would increase by nearly $ 12 million under the hollande plan . since world-class players have their choice of what countries they play in , french teams would have to absorb the increased taxes themselves if they want to attract top talent . ahead of this weekend 's games , psg and monaco are joint top of ligue 1 . but psg could be at a further disadvantage in future given monaco are exempt from french taxation laws and the principality club 's tax expenditure would be $ 67.5 million less than the french champions per year . the high-income tax of 75 % , which was included in the 2013 draft budget of france , will have a disastrous effect on the competitiveness of french football , ' said the professional union of football clubs ( ucpf ) in a statement . before the start of the season some of the world 's best players -- like edinson cavani who joined psg from napoli -- if the taxation impasse remains , it is likely french clubs would struggle to attract the very top talent . french teams will be at a disadvantage with regard to english clubs who only pay 40 % tax , ' former monaco chief executive tor-kristian karlsen told cnn . that will affect the standard of the league . it might also affect money coming into french football from foreign investment -- - potential owners might be tempted to get more value for money elsewhere . monaco and psg have raised the popularity and exposure of french football outside france , ' added karlsen . some in france are still quite skeptical as to why and how they have got involved , but if you are supporter or if you enjoy watching french football they have brought only positive dimensions . as an international observer , it is going to be difficult to uphold the current standard in the years to come if this tax comes in to play . ' french football has a strong tradition of developing young players through its academy system , but a french club has n't won the champions league -- europe 's top competition -- for over 20 years , though last season psg reached the quarterfinals . in the short term clubs would have to buy cheaper players for lower transfers and would pay lower salaries to avoid paying the 75 % , ' said karlsen as he outlined a grim future for french football . when the player reaches a level where he starts to attract offers from abroad and will attract wages far above €1 million , or when a player becomes an international or starts to play well in european competition then there is no other option for him than to move abroad . ' karlsen added : what is a concern for the clubs is that their budgets relate to long-term contracts they have already agreed with players . they feel the goalposts have been moved and it makes it extremely difficult for them to continue or plan to be successful in an environment that is already very challenging . ' earlier this week ucpf president jean-pierre louvel unveiled a study outlining the economic benefits french football brings france , given it has an annual turnover of $ 5.8 billion and there are potentially 25,000 jobs at stake . the return on investment for the state is $ .5 billion ' , said louvel , who is also the president of second division club le havre . in addition , each euro generated by clubs creates additional 2.5 euros ( $ 3.38 ) in the country 's economy . ' a survey by pollster opinionway in october suggested 85 % of voters did not think football clubs should be exempted from the high tax rate , which requires approval from the french parliament . and given france 's economic problems -- it has only just emerged from recession -- some members of the french football community remain uneasy about the proposed strike . i think that if our corporation goes on strike , we 'll have to go into hiding , i mean really go into hiding , ' evian coach pascal dupraz , was quoted in l'equipe as telling radio station rtl . i 'm not totally for ( the strike ) personally , what worries me of course is that there is this tax , but , all french people suffer from having to pay taxes . i just do n't understand the anger from the club presidents ; i just do n't get it at all . ' it is not all bad news for french football fans given some observers expect a compromise to be reached . i remain confident that some sort of solution will be found before the date of the strike voted for by the club 's chairmen , ' julien laurens , a french football expert and writer for le parisien , told cnn . | paris saint-germain and monaco owned by qatari and russian billionaires respectively |
luke donald <tsp> ( cnn ) -- rory mcilroy capped off a remarkable year by being named as the pga tour player of the year . the 23-year-old is the youngest player to win the trophy , named after 18-time major winner jack nicklaus , since tiger woods triumphed back in 1998 mcilroy enjoyed a stellar 2012 , winning four times on the pga tour , topping both the pga and european money lists , as well as helping europe to a stunning ryder cup success against the united states . mcilroy targeting major assault in 2013 the northern irishman claimed victory at the honda classic , pga championship , deutsche bank championship and bmw championship , pocketing a cool $ 8,047,952 on the u.s.-based circuit . mcilroy has been top of the rankings for 17 consecutive weeks and has held top spot for 24 weeks in total . he becomes the third european to win the award after england 's luke donald ( 2011 ) and ireland 's padraig harrington ( 2008 ) . rookie of the year meanwhile , john huh was named as pga tour rookie of the year . the 22-year-old was the only rookie to qualify for the tour championship and the youngest since sergio garcia made it through at the age of 21 in 2001 . huh claimed his first win at the mayakoba golf classic in february , finished 29th in the fedex cup and 28th on the money list with $ 2,692,113 . huh , who was born in new york but currently lives in dallas , is the first player of korean descent to win the award . on behalf of the pga tour , my congratulations to rory and john for their outstanding accomplishments this season , ' said pga tour commissioner tim finchem . these awards are significant to these players as they are bestowed upon them by their peers , one of highest compliments a player can receive . ' | becomes third european to win title after luke donald and padraig harrington |
pga tour <tsp> ( cnn ) -- rory mcilroy capped off a remarkable year by being named as the pga tour player of the year . the 23-year-old is the youngest player to win the trophy , named after 18-time major winner jack nicklaus , since tiger woods triumphed back in 1998 mcilroy enjoyed a stellar 2012 , winning four times on the pga tour , topping both the pga and european money lists , as well as helping europe to a stunning ryder cup success against the united states . mcilroy targeting major assault in 2013 the northern irishman claimed victory at the honda classic , pga championship , deutsche bank championship and bmw championship , pocketing a cool $ 8,047,952 on the u.s.-based circuit . mcilroy has been top of the rankings for 17 consecutive weeks and has held top spot for 24 weeks in total . he becomes the third european to win the award after england 's luke donald ( 2011 ) and ireland 's padraig harrington ( 2008 ) . rookie of the year meanwhile , john huh was named as pga tour rookie of the year . the 22-year-old was the only rookie to qualify for the tour championship and the youngest since sergio garcia made it through at the age of 21 in 2001 . huh claimed his first win at the mayakoba golf classic in february , finished 29th in the fedex cup and 28th on the money list with $ 2,692,113 . huh , who was born in new york but currently lives in dallas , is the first player of korean descent to win the award . on behalf of the pga tour , my congratulations to rory and john for their outstanding accomplishments this season , ' said pga tour commissioner tim finchem . these awards are significant to these players as they are bestowed upon them by their peers , one of highest compliments a player can receive . ' | rory mcilroy named 2012 pga tour player of the year |
pga tour <tsp> ( cnn ) -- rory mcilroy capped off a remarkable year by being named as the pga tour player of the year . the 23-year-old is the youngest player to win the trophy , named after 18-time major winner jack nicklaus , since tiger woods triumphed back in 1998 mcilroy enjoyed a stellar 2012 , winning four times on the pga tour , topping both the pga and european money lists , as well as helping europe to a stunning ryder cup success against the united states . mcilroy targeting major assault in 2013 the northern irishman claimed victory at the honda classic , pga championship , deutsche bank championship and bmw championship , pocketing a cool $ 8,047,952 on the u.s.-based circuit . mcilroy has been top of the rankings for 17 consecutive weeks and has held top spot for 24 weeks in total . he becomes the third european to win the award after england 's luke donald ( 2011 ) and ireland 's padraig harrington ( 2008 ) . rookie of the year meanwhile , john huh was named as pga tour rookie of the year . the 22-year-old was the only rookie to qualify for the tour championship and the youngest since sergio garcia made it through at the age of 21 in 2001 . huh claimed his first win at the mayakoba golf classic in february , finished 29th in the fedex cup and 28th on the money list with $ 2,692,113 . huh , who was born in new york but currently lives in dallas , is the first player of korean descent to win the award . on behalf of the pga tour , my congratulations to rory and john for their outstanding accomplishments this season , ' said pga tour commissioner tim finchem . these awards are significant to these players as they are bestowed upon them by their peers , one of highest compliments a player can receive . ' | mcilroy won four times on pga tour in 2012 |
fabian llerenas <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the only sound christian myers heard in his classroom at arapahoe high school was the constant buzz of vibrating cell phones -- calls from panicked parents trying to reach their children . the sophomore and his fellow classmates were hunkered down in a corner of a darkened room . minutes earlier , they had heard the sound of gunshots . that was followed by a dire warning from a teacher . he just yelled ,'lockdown !'' myers , a sophomore , told cnn on friday . he goes'do what would you do in a lockdown drill . this is not a drill . '' it was a shotgun' it was just after 12:30 p.m. friday at arapahoe high school with its student population of more than 2,200 in centennial , colorado , when the shooting began . some students were on lunch break at the open campus ; others were still in classes . janitor fabian llerenas was on the north side of the building when he saw a student running side-to-side , kinda military style . ' the student was carrying something . llernas did a double take . it was a shotgun , ' he told cnn affiliate kusa . so right away , i got on the radio to alert everyone on the staff , ' he said . ... and that 's when i heard the shots . ''a really loud bang' one minute , ninth-grader whitney riley was getting ready to retrieve her computer from her locker at arapahoe high school . the next minute , she was running . we were having fun and laughing and then , all of a sudden , we heard a really loud bang , ' the 15-year-old told cnn . my teacher asked what it was and then we heard two more and we all just got up and screamed and ran into a sprinkler system room . ' inside the windowless room were five students and two teachers . we were shaking , we were crying , we were freaking out , ' riley said . i had a girl biting my arm . ' they soon heard people yelling , and walkie-talkies crackling , and then they heard police asking someone to drop the gun , put the gun down , and hold his arms up , she said . she did not hear another gunshot , though the people doing the talking could have moved farther away , she said . soon , they heard police ordering them out . three shots eric waugh was in his physics class when he and his classmates heard a bang . initially , the teacher opened the door , he said . the teacher and students initially thought it might be an explosion from a chemistry class . ' then , they heard a gunshot . and then another . and then another . the teacher locked the door and turned off the lights . he yelled at us to go and get in the corner , and we were in the corner in two seconds , ' waugh said . later , swat officers came to the classroom door . the students filed out in single file , their arms above their heads , he said . we never thought this would happen at our school , ' waugh said .'are you ok ?'myers , the sophomore , and his fellow classmates were sitting in the dark when he started to think about his twin brother , austin . he knew his brother should be in class . even so , he was worried about him . are you ok ? ' myers texted . there was no answer . he texted again : you doing ok ? ' still , there was no reply . myers was overwhelmed with fear . was his brother one of those who had been shot ? he tried several more times to raise his brother by text message to no avail . then he sent a text message to a friend , who he knew had a class with his brother . have you seen my brother ? myers asked . the answer : austin never showed up to class today . ' panicked and in tears , myers reached out to his father by text message : dad , austin is missing . moments later , his father responded : austin stayed home today . he was n't feeling good this morning . cnn 's jake tapper and anderson cooper contributed to this report . | janitor fabian llerenas saw a student armed with a shotgun , running military-style |
centennial <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the only sound christian myers heard in his classroom at arapahoe high school was the constant buzz of vibrating cell phones -- calls from panicked parents trying to reach their children . the sophomore and his fellow classmates were hunkered down in a corner of a darkened room . minutes earlier , they had heard the sound of gunshots . that was followed by a dire warning from a teacher . he just yelled ,'lockdown !'' myers , a sophomore , told cnn on friday . he goes'do what would you do in a lockdown drill . this is not a drill . '' it was a shotgun' it was just after 12:30 p.m. friday at arapahoe high school with its student population of more than 2,200 in centennial , colorado , when the shooting began . some students were on lunch break at the open campus ; others were still in classes . janitor fabian llerenas was on the north side of the building when he saw a student running side-to-side , kinda military style . ' the student was carrying something . llernas did a double take . it was a shotgun , ' he told cnn affiliate kusa . so right away , i got on the radio to alert everyone on the staff , ' he said . ... and that 's when i heard the shots . ''a really loud bang' one minute , ninth-grader whitney riley was getting ready to retrieve her computer from her locker at arapahoe high school . the next minute , she was running . we were having fun and laughing and then , all of a sudden , we heard a really loud bang , ' the 15-year-old told cnn . my teacher asked what it was and then we heard two more and we all just got up and screamed and ran into a sprinkler system room . ' inside the windowless room were five students and two teachers . we were shaking , we were crying , we were freaking out , ' riley said . i had a girl biting my arm . ' they soon heard people yelling , and walkie-talkies crackling , and then they heard police asking someone to drop the gun , put the gun down , and hold his arms up , she said . she did not hear another gunshot , though the people doing the talking could have moved farther away , she said . soon , they heard police ordering them out . three shots eric waugh was in his physics class when he and his classmates heard a bang . initially , the teacher opened the door , he said . the teacher and students initially thought it might be an explosion from a chemistry class . ' then , they heard a gunshot . and then another . and then another . the teacher locked the door and turned off the lights . he yelled at us to go and get in the corner , and we were in the corner in two seconds , ' waugh said . later , swat officers came to the classroom door . the students filed out in single file , their arms above their heads , he said . we never thought this would happen at our school , ' waugh said .'are you ok ?'myers , the sophomore , and his fellow classmates were sitting in the dark when he started to think about his twin brother , austin . he knew his brother should be in class . even so , he was worried about him . are you ok ? ' myers texted . there was no answer . he texted again : you doing ok ? ' still , there was no reply . myers was overwhelmed with fear . was his brother one of those who had been shot ? he tried several more times to raise his brother by text message to no avail . then he sent a text message to a friend , who he knew had a class with his brother . have you seen my brother ? myers asked . the answer : austin never showed up to class today . ' panicked and in tears , myers reached out to his father by text message : dad , austin is missing . moments later , his father responded : austin stayed home today . he was n't feeling good this morning . cnn 's jake tapper and anderson cooper contributed to this report . | the shooting at arapahoe high school in centennial began just after 12:30 p.m . |
the matrix <tsp> ( mental floss ) -- sean connery was n't supposed to be james bond . keanu reeves was n't supposed to be the one . ' so , who were the original choices ? i would have absolutely messed up'the matrix ,'' will smith told wired about turning down the role of neo . here are 5 actors and the legendary roles they turned down : 1 . the role : james bond in dr. no ' who let it get away : cary grant despite being bond producer albert broccoli 's best man , grant said , i do n't ' to the offer , and sean connery got the role instead . of course , many studio executives objected to the decision , and even bond creator ian fleming said connery was n't exactly what i had in mind . ' regrettability meter : low by the 1960s , cary grant already had a spectacular film career . if he 'd accepted the role ( as broccoli later revealed ) , it would 've been just a one-movie deal . mental floss : name that 007 tune 2 . the role : neo in the matrix ' who let it get away : will smith turned it down to star in the forgettable action flick wild wild west , ' and the part went to reeves . regrettability meter : low in an interview with wired , smith said , i would have absolutely messed up'the matrix .'at that point i was n't smart enough as an actor to let the movie be -- whereas keanu was . ' 3 . the role : vincent vega in pulp fiction ' who let it get away : michael madsen , who was stuck in lengthy rehearsals for wyatt earp . ' john travolta got the role instead and , almost overnight , transformed from a hollywood has-been into one of the most bankable stars in the business . regrettability meter : high madsen called wyatt earp ' a big waste of time . ' mental floss : kim jong il , the director he kidnapped , and the awful godzilla film they made together 4 . the role : gandalf in the lord of the rings ' trilogy who let it get away : sean connery , who 'd never read the j.r.r . tolkien series and claimed he did n't understand the script . ' ( can you say karma ? ) regrettability meter : high in return for playing the role , new line cinema offered the scottish actor up to 15 percent of worldwide box office receipts , which would have earned connery more than any actor had ever been paid for a single role -- as much as $ 400 million . 5 . the roles : sundance in butch cassidy and the sundance kid , ' jimmy popeye ' doyle in the french connection , ' and captain benjamin willard in apocalypse now ' who let them get away : steve mcqueen regrettability meter : tragically high mcqueen turned down the role of sundance simply because costar paul newman refused to give him top billing . later , mcqueen declined the lead in the french connection ' because he felt the part was too similar to the tough cop he 'd played in 1968 's bullitt . ' gene hackman took the part and won an oscar for it . and finally , in 1978 , mcqueen told apocalypse now ' director francis ford coppola to shove off when he was offered the lead . mcqueen 's non-negotiable asking price was $ 3 million ; plus , he did n't feel like spending four months shooting in the philippine jungle . instead , martin sheen landed the role , and despite suffering a heart attack during the stressful production , he gave one of cinema 's greatest performances . mental floss : the 9 battles of martin scorsese for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved . | imagine will smith as neo in the matrix ; ' he declined the role |
caribbean <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the slayings of two super-yacht staff within two weeks have shaken the luxury yacht industry and sparked calls for crews to exercise extreme caution . australian luxury yacht captain drew gollan was killed in january in english harbor , antigua . both slayings occurred in popular yachting destinations in the caribbean and involved violent attacks . last week , u.s. luxury yacht chef sara kuszak , of savannah , georgia , was killed after being abducted during a morning run in puerto rico . the body of kuszak , who was five months pregnant , was found with a slashed throat in a field . a local man has been arrested by police in connection with the incident . on january 22 , australian drew gollan , captain of perini navi yacht perseus , was shot dead in what was described as a failed robbery ' in english harbor , antigua . gollan , 38 , was described as a widely respected member of the yachting community . ' his death came less than a year after the double killing of a british couple on the island . suspects have been arrested and charged with murder in both cases . antigua , in particular , is highly dependent on the luxury yacht industry to boost its local economy -- and it appears news of the crimes is already having a negative impact . in a press release , the antigua charter yacht meeting acknowledged that a number of boats have decided to leave antigua in the wake of this incident . ' further reports from yachting magazine superyachtworld suggest several captains on the island have also decided to leave . meanwhile , luxury yacht staff who are remaining in the caribbean have been urged by industry web site yotcru.com to exercise vigilant personal safety at all times . ' after the death of gollan , local antigua politicians and yacht industry representatives held an emergency meeting to discuss the problem . at the meeting , the prime minister of antigua and barbuda , baldwin spencer , said : antigua is still a safe place to be . it 's an unfortunate situation , however we are all hoping that justice will be done , ' superyachtworld reported . spencer also pledged new security efforts to help prevent future crimes . an international charter company manager and luxury yacht industry expert , els bucknell , said yacht crews and clients were shocked and saddened ' by the deaths , and there would likely be a short-term impact on the caribbean region . most people assumed that this part of antigua was safe and i think it has come as a shock , ' she said . some boats have already left and i think you will see some of that . ' however , bucknell felt the incident would not affect the region in the long term . people do forget about these things over time ... and the local business people with police and other authorities have made a serious attempt to make it safer . the economy being the way it is has more to do with how business operates than these kind of things , ' she said . | reports indicate some yachts and crew members leaving caribbean |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- on a typical monday morning , lines of travelers heading toward the security checkpoint at washington 's reagan national airport snake past a sign that reads : not much longer . 25 min . approximately from this point . ' but wait times could lengthen if millions of dollars in mandated spending cuts force the transportation security administration to trim the number of agents that screen passengers and cargo for bombs , guns and other prohibited items . from military training to educational grants to border patrols to hurricane relief , federal agencies face $ 85 billion in automatic , government-wide spending cuts this year . it was part of a $ 1.2 trillion deal struck by congress and signed by president barack obama in 2011 to extend u.s. borrowing authority and cut the deficit . by the numbers : automatic spending cuts that budget measure -- a kind of fiscal doomsday device called sequestration -- was extended for two months this year already . unless congress and the president reach a deal to avert them , those spending cuts come due on march 1 . federal agencies are busy trying to find ways to minimize the impact and delay immediate reductions . lawmakers are wringing their hands with forecasts of doom and gloom , all the while playing a game of political chicken . democrats , who offered their own plan thursday , want to replace the automatic cuts with a mix of tax increases and more gradual spending cuts . republicans want to replace it solely with other spending cuts . then there are those who may be willing to bring the hammer down and let the cuts occur , hinting that a dramatic curtailment in spending is exactly what the government needs to ease its multi-trillion-dollar debt . tea party people are saying the sequester is a pittance , ' sen. rand paul , a leader of the tea party faction of the republican party , told cnn 's candy crowley . it 's just very much the beginning . $ 1 trillion ? we 're going to increase spending by $ 9 trillion . so even with the sequester , spending goes up by $ 7-or- $ 8 trillion over the next several years . we 're not even getting close to scratching the surface of the problem . ' still , caught in the middle are thousands of u.s. military members , teachers and federal workers who are at the backbone of government 's basic ability to function . military pay in play in game of political poker cuts could hit education , the irs , border patrols in education , those cuts could mean $ 725 million less for a program that allocates funding to districts and schools with high percentages of lower income students , education secretary arne duncan told lawmakers thursday . it also could mean cutting funding to 70,000 low-income children who rely on head start for early childhood education programs . it might mean fewer teachers and staff , larger class sizes , less tutoring and higher unemployment , duncan said , adding that he considered such cuts morally indefensible . ' the most vulnerable students will be hurt the most , ' duncan said . duncan , along with office of management and budget federal controller daniel werfel , housing and urban development secretary shaun donovan and deputy defense secretary ashton carter testified before the senate appropriations committee on the impact of the proposed cuts . earlier this week , homeland security secretary janet napolitano sent a letter to lawmakers saying sequester cuts could mean a potential cut in border patrol agents ; difficulties for immigration and customs enforcement in sustaining current detention and removal operations ; increased passenger wait times at airports ; reduced federal emergency management agency funding : furloughs , and more . spending cuts to hurt homeland security donovan testified that hurricane sandy recovery efforts , the federal housing administration 's ability to process loans and tens of thousands of jobs could all be affected . air force bases cancel air shows officials at langley air force base in virginia and luke air force base in arizona on friday canceled their upcoming air shows , citing both budgetary pressures and the expected consequences of sequestration . i can not in good conscience spend some of our limited resources to host an open house while the defense department considers potential civilian furloughs , ' said brig . gen. michael rothstein , 56th fighter wing commander at luke . the open house and air show was scheduled for march 16 and 17 . a statement from the base said officials were taking other money-saving steps , such as deferring non-mission-critical repairs and supply purchases and significantly reducing flying not directly related to pilot training . the air force has to consider the fiscal challenges affecting the department of defense and the nation , ' said col. korvin auch , 633rd air base wing commander at langley . we 're taking prudent steps now in order to be good stewards of taxpayer resources while focusing on maintaining readiness . ' senate democrats offer plan to avert mandatory cuts sequester may be inevitable despite varying efforts to come up with a solution to avert sequester , some leaders are acknowledging the cuts may be inevitable . it is pretty clear to me that the sequester is going to go into effect , ' senate minority leader mitch mcconnell told reporters tuesday . in the last congress , the gop-led house passed the same measure twice to replace the across-the-board cuts with another set of federal reductions . but that bill went nowhere in the democratic controlled senate . the $ 110 billion measure proposed thursday by senate democrats calls for replacing the sequester with a combination of increased tax revenue from millionaires , ending agriculture subsidies and reducing defense spending after the war in afghanistan ends . by the numbers : recent defense spending but congressional republicans have made clear any tax increases to avoid the sequester are a non-starter . house speaker john boehner criticized the cuts , even though they were part of the 2011 debt-ceiling proposal he brokered . he has worked to pin the blame for them on democrats . the sequester is bad policy . it 's taking a meat ax approach to cutting government spending . that 's why the president ought to be forthcoming with a plan to replace his own sequester , ' boehner said . defense secretary leon panetta put it a bit more bluntly . for those of you who have ever seen ( the movie )'blazing saddles ,'it is the scene of the sheriff putting the gun to his head in order to establish law and order , ' panetta said in a speech at georgetown university . that is sequestration . ' cnn 's jim acosta , ted barrett , tom cohen , jeanne sahadi , matt snith and deirdre walsh contributed to this report | some republicans feel even more cuts are needed , while democrats offer a plan of their own |
apple <tsp> ( cnn ) -- somebody really , really wants to get an audience with apple ceo tim cook . an anonymous bidder paid $ 610,000 to chat over coffee with apple 's chief executive , according to online-auction site charity buzz , which began accepting bids about three weeks ago . tuesday 's winning bid came only several minutes before the auction closed at 4 pm et . the auction site had valued the meeting with cook at $ 50,000 . proceeds from the auction will go to the rfk center for justice and human rights , an international nonprofit founded as a memorial to robert f. kennedy by his family and friends . the auction saw 86 bids , many of them from companies that do business ( or want to do business ) with apple . the coffee chat will happen at apple 's cupertino , california , headquarters . the winner may bring along one guest . travel and lodging for the visit , which will last between 30 minutes and an hour , are not covered . visitors will be required to sign a nondisclosure agreement and are subject to a security screening . also , they ca n't liveblog or tweet during their meeting . the move fits in with the more open public persona cook has adopted since replacing late apple ceo and co-founder steve jobs . in the past 18 months cook has met with members of congress on capitol hill and toured factories in china that make apple products . by some measures , a $ 600,000 coffee meeting with the chief of the world 's leading tech company might be a bargain . an anonymous bidder paid $ 3.4 million last year for lunch with star investor warren buffett . | the coffee chat will happen at apple 's cupertino , california , headquarters |
apple <tsp> ( cnn ) -- somebody really , really wants to get an audience with apple ceo tim cook . an anonymous bidder paid $ 610,000 to chat over coffee with apple 's chief executive , according to online-auction site charity buzz , which began accepting bids about three weeks ago . tuesday 's winning bid came only several minutes before the auction closed at 4 pm et . the auction site had valued the meeting with cook at $ 50,000 . proceeds from the auction will go to the rfk center for justice and human rights , an international nonprofit founded as a memorial to robert f. kennedy by his family and friends . the auction saw 86 bids , many of them from companies that do business ( or want to do business ) with apple . the coffee chat will happen at apple 's cupertino , california , headquarters . the winner may bring along one guest . travel and lodging for the visit , which will last between 30 minutes and an hour , are not covered . visitors will be required to sign a nondisclosure agreement and are subject to a security screening . also , they ca n't liveblog or tweet during their meeting . the move fits in with the more open public persona cook has adopted since replacing late apple ceo and co-founder steve jobs . in the past 18 months cook has met with members of congress on capitol hill and toured factories in china that make apple products . by some measures , a $ 600,000 coffee meeting with the chief of the world 's leading tech company might be a bargain . an anonymous bidder paid $ 3.4 million last year for lunch with star investor warren buffett . | charity-auction bidding has closed on a coffee chat with apple ceo tim cook |
apple <tsp> ( cnn ) -- somebody really , really wants to get an audience with apple ceo tim cook . an anonymous bidder paid $ 610,000 to chat over coffee with apple 's chief executive , according to online-auction site charity buzz , which began accepting bids about three weeks ago . tuesday 's winning bid came only several minutes before the auction closed at 4 pm et . the auction site had valued the meeting with cook at $ 50,000 . proceeds from the auction will go to the rfk center for justice and human rights , an international nonprofit founded as a memorial to robert f. kennedy by his family and friends . the auction saw 86 bids , many of them from companies that do business ( or want to do business ) with apple . the coffee chat will happen at apple 's cupertino , california , headquarters . the winner may bring along one guest . travel and lodging for the visit , which will last between 30 minutes and an hour , are not covered . visitors will be required to sign a nondisclosure agreement and are subject to a security screening . also , they ca n't liveblog or tweet during their meeting . the move fits in with the more open public persona cook has adopted since replacing late apple ceo and co-founder steve jobs . in the past 18 months cook has met with members of congress on capitol hill and toured factories in china that make apple products . by some measures , a $ 600,000 coffee meeting with the chief of the world 's leading tech company might be a bargain . an anonymous bidder paid $ 3.4 million last year for lunch with star investor warren buffett . | winning bidder paid $ 610,000 for up to an hour with the apple chief |
katrina <tsp> texas gov . rick perry and others are lashing out at president barack obama 's decision not to tour border facilities overwhelmed by a flood of undocumented children , saying the u.s. leader needs to see with his own eyes what both sides agree is a humanitarian crisis . the american people expect to see their president when there is a disaster , ' perry told cnn 's kate bolduan in an interview that aired thursday , citing obama 's trip to the east coast to tour damage caused by superstorm sandy in 2012 . he showed up at sandy . why not texas ? ' both republicans and the white house have described the crush of central american children as a humanitarian crisis , but obama said wednesday that visiting facilities where the children are processed and detained would be little more than a photo opportunity . there 's nothing that is taking place down there that i am not intimately aware of and briefed on . this is n't theater . this is a problem , ' obama said wednesday . the controversy has been compared to president george w. bush 's initial decision not to tour the storm-ravaged gulf coast after 2005 's hurricane katrina . bush opted instead to fly over the coast in air force one , resulting in a famous picture of the president peering down at the devastation from his jet . it left many feeling that bush was detached and uncaring . bush later acknowledged that failing to land and at least express solidarity with victims was a mistake . perry alluded to that wednesday in an interview on the fox news program hannity . ' i 'm pretty sure that if george bush had said ,'well i sent my fema director multiple times ,'he still would have been criticized greatly , ' he told hannity , ' according to a report on the network 's website . because you need to go . that 's what governors do , that 's what presidents do , ' perry said . when there are natural disasters , when there are crises like these , a president needs to be there to show the american people , no . 1 , that he understands . ''go down there and see what we 're facing' even some democrats were critical of the decision . u.s. rep. henry cuellar , d-texas , said on cnn 's new day ' that it 's important for obama to see what the children are going through . i 'm interested in him looking at the kids . the kids that i 've talked to , little innocent little boys and girls that have come across and have traveled over 1,000 miles , that one-third of the girls have been abused and raped on the way up here , ' he said . the last young kid was an 11-year-old little boy from guatemala that died of dehydration . that is the face that i want him to see . do n't take any cameras , mr. president , but go down there and see what we 're facing . ' obama has called on congress to quickly approve his request for $ 3.7 billion in emergency funding to deal with the crisis , which has seen thousands of undocumented children crossing the border without their parents . many have surrendered themselves to u.s. customs and border protection officers on the belief they will be allowed to stay in the country , and officials have struggled to house the children amid a staggering backlog of immigration cases . obama said wednesday that the problem here is not a major disagreement around the actions that could be helpful in dealing with the problem . ' the challenge he said , is whether congress is prepared to put the resources in place to get this done . ' are folks more interested in politics , or are they more interested in solving the problem ? ' he said . is the immigration crisis rick perry 's second act ? process overwhelmed the surge of undocumented youths from central america has overwhelmed federal facilities and revived the debate over an immigration policy overhaul , one of the most partisan issues in the already overheated political climate of an election year . u.s. authorities estimate that 60,000 to 80,000 undocumented children will cross the border without their parents this year . while many have been released to family pending deportation hearings , others have been detained by authorities amid a growing backlog of pending cases . obama administration officials blame the influx on dire conditions in countries such as guatemala , honduras and el salvador . critics , however , say the administration invited the problem by halting deportations of some young immigrants who arrived illegally in past years . the children are a symptom of policies that have enticed them to come , ' perry said . the first thing you have to do is stop the flow , because if we do n't , then the problem 's not going to be the size we have today . ' republicans have called for the repeal of a 2008 law signed by president george w. bush that requires deportation hearings before sending back children from countries that do not border the united states . i do n't think we can solve the problem unless we revisit ' the law , texas republican sen. john cornyn said . what 's happened is these children are placed with family members in the united states and given a notice to appear for a later court hearing . some have called this a notice to disappear , not a notice to appear , ' as most do n't show up , he said . another republican , sen. ron johnson of wisconsin , said the united states should immediately fly the children back to their home countries . it would cost less and signal u.s. intolerance for those who enter the country illegally , he said . funding request obama 's emergency funding request seeks $ 1.6 billion to bolster customs and border efforts as well as crack down on smugglers . another $ 300 million would go to help mexico and central american governments counter claims by smugglers to desperate parents that u.s. officials wo n't send their children back . while we intend to do the right thing by these children , their parents need to know that this is an incredibly dangerous situation and it is unlikely that their children will be able to stay , ' obama said . the request also includes $ 1.8 billion to provide care for unaccompanied children crossing the border . the request is about 10 % of the $ 30 billion in proposed border security funding included in the immigration reform bill passed by the senate but stalled in the republican-controlled house . perry said lawmakers are n't going to back obama 's funding request if the government does n't act to stop policies they see as encouraging children to show up at the border . he told obama in a meeting that he wants 1,000 national guard troops deployed to help secure the border , an option obama seemed less than enthusiastic about . what i told him was we 're happy to consider how we could deploy national guard down there , but that 's a temporary solution , ' obama said of his discussion with perry . that 's not a permanent solution . and so why would n't we go ahead and pass the permanent solution , or at least a longer-term solution ? ' it was unclear how much cooperation obama will get from congressional republicans on his funding request . a spokesman for house speaker john boehner said the request would be considered . cornyn and cuellar plan to introduce legislation thursday to repeal the 2008 deportation hearing law . the bill , cuellar said , will include protections for children who come to the united states because of concerns about drug or sex trafficking . democrats want to keep the law intact to ensure that children who deserve asylum receive a full hearing . 5 things you need to know about the immigration crisis what obama can and ca n't do on immigration one night in denver : the president and governor walk into a bar | obama 's decision not to tour border facilities is compared to bush 's katrina response |
obama <tsp> texas gov . rick perry and others are lashing out at president barack obama 's decision not to tour border facilities overwhelmed by a flood of undocumented children , saying the u.s. leader needs to see with his own eyes what both sides agree is a humanitarian crisis . the american people expect to see their president when there is a disaster , ' perry told cnn 's kate bolduan in an interview that aired thursday , citing obama 's trip to the east coast to tour damage caused by superstorm sandy in 2012 . he showed up at sandy . why not texas ? ' both republicans and the white house have described the crush of central american children as a humanitarian crisis , but obama said wednesday that visiting facilities where the children are processed and detained would be little more than a photo opportunity . there 's nothing that is taking place down there that i am not intimately aware of and briefed on . this is n't theater . this is a problem , ' obama said wednesday . the controversy has been compared to president george w. bush 's initial decision not to tour the storm-ravaged gulf coast after 2005 's hurricane katrina . bush opted instead to fly over the coast in air force one , resulting in a famous picture of the president peering down at the devastation from his jet . it left many feeling that bush was detached and uncaring . bush later acknowledged that failing to land and at least express solidarity with victims was a mistake . perry alluded to that wednesday in an interview on the fox news program hannity . ' i 'm pretty sure that if george bush had said ,'well i sent my fema director multiple times ,'he still would have been criticized greatly , ' he told hannity , ' according to a report on the network 's website . because you need to go . that 's what governors do , that 's what presidents do , ' perry said . when there are natural disasters , when there are crises like these , a president needs to be there to show the american people , no . 1 , that he understands . ''go down there and see what we 're facing' even some democrats were critical of the decision . u.s. rep. henry cuellar , d-texas , said on cnn 's new day ' that it 's important for obama to see what the children are going through . i 'm interested in him looking at the kids . the kids that i 've talked to , little innocent little boys and girls that have come across and have traveled over 1,000 miles , that one-third of the girls have been abused and raped on the way up here , ' he said . the last young kid was an 11-year-old little boy from guatemala that died of dehydration . that is the face that i want him to see . do n't take any cameras , mr. president , but go down there and see what we 're facing . ' obama has called on congress to quickly approve his request for $ 3.7 billion in emergency funding to deal with the crisis , which has seen thousands of undocumented children crossing the border without their parents . many have surrendered themselves to u.s. customs and border protection officers on the belief they will be allowed to stay in the country , and officials have struggled to house the children amid a staggering backlog of immigration cases . obama said wednesday that the problem here is not a major disagreement around the actions that could be helpful in dealing with the problem . ' the challenge he said , is whether congress is prepared to put the resources in place to get this done . ' are folks more interested in politics , or are they more interested in solving the problem ? ' he said . is the immigration crisis rick perry 's second act ? process overwhelmed the surge of undocumented youths from central america has overwhelmed federal facilities and revived the debate over an immigration policy overhaul , one of the most partisan issues in the already overheated political climate of an election year . u.s. authorities estimate that 60,000 to 80,000 undocumented children will cross the border without their parents this year . while many have been released to family pending deportation hearings , others have been detained by authorities amid a growing backlog of pending cases . obama administration officials blame the influx on dire conditions in countries such as guatemala , honduras and el salvador . critics , however , say the administration invited the problem by halting deportations of some young immigrants who arrived illegally in past years . the children are a symptom of policies that have enticed them to come , ' perry said . the first thing you have to do is stop the flow , because if we do n't , then the problem 's not going to be the size we have today . ' republicans have called for the repeal of a 2008 law signed by president george w. bush that requires deportation hearings before sending back children from countries that do not border the united states . i do n't think we can solve the problem unless we revisit ' the law , texas republican sen. john cornyn said . what 's happened is these children are placed with family members in the united states and given a notice to appear for a later court hearing . some have called this a notice to disappear , not a notice to appear , ' as most do n't show up , he said . another republican , sen. ron johnson of wisconsin , said the united states should immediately fly the children back to their home countries . it would cost less and signal u.s. intolerance for those who enter the country illegally , he said . funding request obama 's emergency funding request seeks $ 1.6 billion to bolster customs and border efforts as well as crack down on smugglers . another $ 300 million would go to help mexico and central american governments counter claims by smugglers to desperate parents that u.s. officials wo n't send their children back . while we intend to do the right thing by these children , their parents need to know that this is an incredibly dangerous situation and it is unlikely that their children will be able to stay , ' obama said . the request also includes $ 1.8 billion to provide care for unaccompanied children crossing the border . the request is about 10 % of the $ 30 billion in proposed border security funding included in the immigration reform bill passed by the senate but stalled in the republican-controlled house . perry said lawmakers are n't going to back obama 's funding request if the government does n't act to stop policies they see as encouraging children to show up at the border . he told obama in a meeting that he wants 1,000 national guard troops deployed to help secure the border , an option obama seemed less than enthusiastic about . what i told him was we 're happy to consider how we could deploy national guard down there , but that 's a temporary solution , ' obama said of his discussion with perry . that 's not a permanent solution . and so why would n't we go ahead and pass the permanent solution , or at least a longer-term solution ? ' it was unclear how much cooperation obama will get from congressional republicans on his funding request . a spokesman for house speaker john boehner said the request would be considered . cornyn and cuellar plan to introduce legislation thursday to repeal the 2008 deportation hearing law . the bill , cuellar said , will include protections for children who come to the united states because of concerns about drug or sex trafficking . democrats want to keep the law intact to ensure that children who deserve asylum receive a full hearing . 5 things you need to know about the immigration crisis what obama can and ca n't do on immigration one night in denver : the president and governor walk into a bar | but obama says such a trip would have been little more than a photo op |
obama <tsp> texas gov . rick perry and others are lashing out at president barack obama 's decision not to tour border facilities overwhelmed by a flood of undocumented children , saying the u.s. leader needs to see with his own eyes what both sides agree is a humanitarian crisis . the american people expect to see their president when there is a disaster , ' perry told cnn 's kate bolduan in an interview that aired thursday , citing obama 's trip to the east coast to tour damage caused by superstorm sandy in 2012 . he showed up at sandy . why not texas ? ' both republicans and the white house have described the crush of central american children as a humanitarian crisis , but obama said wednesday that visiting facilities where the children are processed and detained would be little more than a photo opportunity . there 's nothing that is taking place down there that i am not intimately aware of and briefed on . this is n't theater . this is a problem , ' obama said wednesday . the controversy has been compared to president george w. bush 's initial decision not to tour the storm-ravaged gulf coast after 2005 's hurricane katrina . bush opted instead to fly over the coast in air force one , resulting in a famous picture of the president peering down at the devastation from his jet . it left many feeling that bush was detached and uncaring . bush later acknowledged that failing to land and at least express solidarity with victims was a mistake . perry alluded to that wednesday in an interview on the fox news program hannity . ' i 'm pretty sure that if george bush had said ,'well i sent my fema director multiple times ,'he still would have been criticized greatly , ' he told hannity , ' according to a report on the network 's website . because you need to go . that 's what governors do , that 's what presidents do , ' perry said . when there are natural disasters , when there are crises like these , a president needs to be there to show the american people , no . 1 , that he understands . ''go down there and see what we 're facing' even some democrats were critical of the decision . u.s. rep. henry cuellar , d-texas , said on cnn 's new day ' that it 's important for obama to see what the children are going through . i 'm interested in him looking at the kids . the kids that i 've talked to , little innocent little boys and girls that have come across and have traveled over 1,000 miles , that one-third of the girls have been abused and raped on the way up here , ' he said . the last young kid was an 11-year-old little boy from guatemala that died of dehydration . that is the face that i want him to see . do n't take any cameras , mr. president , but go down there and see what we 're facing . ' obama has called on congress to quickly approve his request for $ 3.7 billion in emergency funding to deal with the crisis , which has seen thousands of undocumented children crossing the border without their parents . many have surrendered themselves to u.s. customs and border protection officers on the belief they will be allowed to stay in the country , and officials have struggled to house the children amid a staggering backlog of immigration cases . obama said wednesday that the problem here is not a major disagreement around the actions that could be helpful in dealing with the problem . ' the challenge he said , is whether congress is prepared to put the resources in place to get this done . ' are folks more interested in politics , or are they more interested in solving the problem ? ' he said . is the immigration crisis rick perry 's second act ? process overwhelmed the surge of undocumented youths from central america has overwhelmed federal facilities and revived the debate over an immigration policy overhaul , one of the most partisan issues in the already overheated political climate of an election year . u.s. authorities estimate that 60,000 to 80,000 undocumented children will cross the border without their parents this year . while many have been released to family pending deportation hearings , others have been detained by authorities amid a growing backlog of pending cases . obama administration officials blame the influx on dire conditions in countries such as guatemala , honduras and el salvador . critics , however , say the administration invited the problem by halting deportations of some young immigrants who arrived illegally in past years . the children are a symptom of policies that have enticed them to come , ' perry said . the first thing you have to do is stop the flow , because if we do n't , then the problem 's not going to be the size we have today . ' republicans have called for the repeal of a 2008 law signed by president george w. bush that requires deportation hearings before sending back children from countries that do not border the united states . i do n't think we can solve the problem unless we revisit ' the law , texas republican sen. john cornyn said . what 's happened is these children are placed with family members in the united states and given a notice to appear for a later court hearing . some have called this a notice to disappear , not a notice to appear , ' as most do n't show up , he said . another republican , sen. ron johnson of wisconsin , said the united states should immediately fly the children back to their home countries . it would cost less and signal u.s. intolerance for those who enter the country illegally , he said . funding request obama 's emergency funding request seeks $ 1.6 billion to bolster customs and border efforts as well as crack down on smugglers . another $ 300 million would go to help mexico and central american governments counter claims by smugglers to desperate parents that u.s. officials wo n't send their children back . while we intend to do the right thing by these children , their parents need to know that this is an incredibly dangerous situation and it is unlikely that their children will be able to stay , ' obama said . the request also includes $ 1.8 billion to provide care for unaccompanied children crossing the border . the request is about 10 % of the $ 30 billion in proposed border security funding included in the immigration reform bill passed by the senate but stalled in the republican-controlled house . perry said lawmakers are n't going to back obama 's funding request if the government does n't act to stop policies they see as encouraging children to show up at the border . he told obama in a meeting that he wants 1,000 national guard troops deployed to help secure the border , an option obama seemed less than enthusiastic about . what i told him was we 're happy to consider how we could deploy national guard down there , but that 's a temporary solution , ' obama said of his discussion with perry . that 's not a permanent solution . and so why would n't we go ahead and pass the permanent solution , or at least a longer-term solution ? ' it was unclear how much cooperation obama will get from congressional republicans on his funding request . a spokesman for house speaker john boehner said the request would be considered . cornyn and cuellar plan to introduce legislation thursday to repeal the 2008 deportation hearing law . the bill , cuellar said , will include protections for children who come to the united states because of concerns about drug or sex trafficking . democrats want to keep the law intact to ensure that children who deserve asylum receive a full hearing . 5 things you need to know about the immigration crisis what obama can and ca n't do on immigration one night in denver : the president and governor walk into a bar | obama 's decision not to tour border facilities is compared to bush 's katrina response |
americans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the united states temporarily closed its government facilities in south africa on tuesday after a possible threat ' to its embassy , the u.s. state department said . the u.s. consulate in johannesburg , south africa , is among the american facilities closed tuesday . the u.s. embassy in pretoria and other government offices in south africa will remain closed wednesday as the security threat is being monitored , embassy spokeswoman sharon hudson-dean said . state department spokesman ian kelly said the action was a precaution . we are ... notifying the american community in south africa to remain vigilant , ' kelly said . we are also maintaining close contact with south african authorities on this issue . ' he had no further details on the possible threat ' to the embassy in pretoria . a note on the embassy 's web site said all u.s. government facilities in south africa were temporarily closed following information recently received ' by regional security officials . kelly said the embassy 's emergency action committee met and is formulating an appropriate course of action . cnn 's nkepile mabuse and elise labott contributed to this report . | americans in south africa told to remain vigilant ' |
al nisr al saudi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- pirates have hijacked a tanker that sailed under a saudi flag , authorities said wednesday . the pirates struck in the gulf of aden , a body of water between somalia and yemen , the european union naval force said in a statement . the al nisr al saudi was en route to jeddah , saudi arabia , with a crew of 14 , when pirates hijacked it monday , the statement said . the ship 's master is greek ; the crew 's nationality has not been confirmed , but they are believed to be well , the statement said . authorities believe the ship is near garacad , somalia , which the european union naval force described as a well-known pirate stronghold . ' | the al nisr al saudi was headed to saudi arabia |
air force <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the top military and civilian leaders of the u.s. air force were forced out thursday over the handling of nuclear weapons , the defense department secretary said . air force chief of staff gen. michael moseley , left , and secretary michael wynne have stepped down . chief of staff gen. t. michael moseley and secretary michael w. wynne resigned over the department 's concern over two incidents , including the august flight of a b-52 bomber that flew across the country with nuclear weapons . focus of the air force leadership has drifted ' in terms of handling nuclear weapons and equipment , defense secretary robert gates said . in august , a b-52 bomber flew from north dakota to louisiana with the crew unaware that six nuclear-tipped missiles were on board . four officers were relieved of duty afterward , including three colonels . gates also cited this year 's discovery that components designed to arm and fuse nuclear warheads were accidentally shipped to taiwan in 2006 . watch gates talk about the firings » critics also cite last month 's news that the air force 's 5th bomb wing failed a defense nuclear surety ' inspection -- despite having months to prepare and being under close scrutiny after the previous incidents . the inspection found deficiencies in the wing 's ability to protect its part of the nation 's nuclear stockpile . the resignations come after a report on a navy admiral 's investigation that criticized the air force 's reactions to the incidents . gates said the report depicts a pattern of poor performance ' in which air force brass did n't act to improve security after mishaps and air force personnel handling nuclear weapons consistently failed to follow existing rules . air force leaders not only fell short in terms of specific acts , they failed to recognize systemic problems , to address those problems or , when beyond their authority to act , to call the attention of superiors to those problems , ' gates said . the investigation found that although the taiwan incident did n't compromise the integrity of the u.s. nuclear force , it represented a significant failure ' by the air force to ensure sensitive military components , gates said . gates said the report concluded that erosion in the branch 's command and oversight standards helped lead to the incidents , and that they could have been prevented if the oversight programs had functioned correctly . he said he asked for the resignations after consulting president bush . sen. carl levin , the democratic chairman of the senate armed service committee , welcomed gates'decision . secretary gates'focus on accountability is essential and had been absent from the office of the secretary of defense for too long , ' levin said . the safety and security of america 's nuclear weapons must receive the highest priority , just as it must in other countries . ' rep. edward j. markey , a massachusetts democrat and a senior member of the house homeland security committee , also welcomed the resignations . markey said he 's long been concerned about what he called a series of dangerous air force missteps in handling nuclear weapons . the magnitude and frequency of these errors indicate a deep-seated problem within air force culture , practice and training , ' markey said . the entire department of defense should immediately recommit itself to ensuring the safety and security of our nuclear stockpile before one of these mistakes has lethal consequences . ' a senior military source said the august nuclear weapons incident was the straw that broke the camel 's back but that other leadership issues also factored into moseley 's and wynne 's resignations . a previous investigation into the b-52 flight uncovered a lackadaisical ' attention to detail in day-to-day operations at the air bases involved , an air force official said in october . maj. gen. dick newton , assistant deputy chief of staff for operations , said the investigation found a failure to follow procedures ' by a limited number of airmen ' at the two bases . newton defended the procedures themselves . wynne is not the first secretary of a military branch to resign since gates became defense secretary . in march 2007 , gates announced the resignation of army secretary francis j. harvey in the wake of reports of substandard conditions at walter reed army medical center in washington . cnn 's jamie mcintyre and barbara starr contributed to this report . | report criticizes u.s. air force 's reactions to incidents |
breno <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in 2008 , the future looked bright for breno . a sought-after brazilian soccer star , the teenager was leaving his homeland and heading to germany to sign for one of europe 's most famous teams , bayern munich . but four years later the defender 's career , and his life , had unraveled . in july 2012 he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for burning down his munich villa while reportedly battling depression . the time in prison has been very hard for me , ' confessed breno at a news conference on monday . now aged 23 , the former sao paulo star has been offered a shot at redemption . having served 13 months of his sentence , breno is being allowed to leave prison on day release and has been given the chance to rejoin bayern as part of the coaching staff at the club 's youth academy . i 'm a little nervous , ' added breno . but i 'm in good shape now . i 'm delighted , and i 'd like to thank the prison authorities and bayern for this chance . ' breno will be collected from the correctional facility in stadelheim at 0830 every morning by bayern youth director wolfgang dremmler and returned at 1330 . blog : can moyes meet man utd challenge ? the length of his day release could be extended to eight hours in a couple of months , according to bayern 's website . i think it 's excellent that the prison authorities and all the authorities in munich involved in the case have helped to open up this opportunity , ' said bayern president uli hoeness . the opportunity breno has been given at bayern , and the fitness work he has been doing in prison , could see the former brazil under-23 player given an unexpected chance to resurrect his career . former club sao paulo were in munich for the audi cup , a preseason tournament held at bayern 's allianz arena , and they opened the door for breno to return to his former club . reports in december 2012 went as far as to suggest sao paulo had already offered breno a contract , despite his incarceration . a playing career back in brazil might be the only option for breno , with hoeness claiming he will face deportation from germany on his release from prison . breno has n't played a professional match since coming on as a substitute in bayern 's 5-1 win over bayer leverkusen on april 17 , 2011 , but he will be allowed to work on his fitness in conjunction with his coaching duties . it means i can train again and maybe play again later on -- that 's my dream , ' said breno , while hoeness confirmed , at the audi cup , the people from sao paulo confirmed their strong interest in that . ' hoeness assured breno he will receive bayern 's full backing , despite no long being under contract at the club . fc bayern will do everything it can to help , ' said hoeness . we 've been informed by the prison authorities that he has behaved impeccably and has been an exemplary prisoner . his behavior here will be just as flawless . ' | incarcerated player breno to work with bayern munich 's young players |
breno <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in 2008 , the future looked bright for breno . a sought-after brazilian soccer star , the teenager was leaving his homeland and heading to germany to sign for one of europe 's most famous teams , bayern munich . but four years later the defender 's career , and his life , had unraveled . in july 2012 he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for burning down his munich villa while reportedly battling depression . the time in prison has been very hard for me , ' confessed breno at a news conference on monday . now aged 23 , the former sao paulo star has been offered a shot at redemption . having served 13 months of his sentence , breno is being allowed to leave prison on day release and has been given the chance to rejoin bayern as part of the coaching staff at the club 's youth academy . i 'm a little nervous , ' added breno . but i 'm in good shape now . i 'm delighted , and i 'd like to thank the prison authorities and bayern for this chance . ' breno will be collected from the correctional facility in stadelheim at 0830 every morning by bayern youth director wolfgang dremmler and returned at 1330 . blog : can moyes meet man utd challenge ? the length of his day release could be extended to eight hours in a couple of months , according to bayern 's website . i think it 's excellent that the prison authorities and all the authorities in munich involved in the case have helped to open up this opportunity , ' said bayern president uli hoeness . the opportunity breno has been given at bayern , and the fitness work he has been doing in prison , could see the former brazil under-23 player given an unexpected chance to resurrect his career . former club sao paulo were in munich for the audi cup , a preseason tournament held at bayern 's allianz arena , and they opened the door for breno to return to his former club . reports in december 2012 went as far as to suggest sao paulo had already offered breno a contract , despite his incarceration . a playing career back in brazil might be the only option for breno , with hoeness claiming he will face deportation from germany on his release from prison . breno has n't played a professional match since coming on as a substitute in bayern 's 5-1 win over bayer leverkusen on april 17 , 2011 , but he will be allowed to work on his fitness in conjunction with his coaching duties . it means i can train again and maybe play again later on -- that 's my dream , ' said breno , while hoeness confirmed , at the audi cup , the people from sao paulo confirmed their strong interest in that . ' hoeness assured breno he will receive bayern 's full backing , despite no long being under contract at the club . fc bayern will do everything it can to help , ' said hoeness . we 've been informed by the prison authorities that he has behaved impeccably and has been an exemplary prisoner . his behavior here will be just as flawless . ' | breno was sentenced to prison in july 2012 after burning down his own house |
breno <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in 2008 , the future looked bright for breno . a sought-after brazilian soccer star , the teenager was leaving his homeland and heading to germany to sign for one of europe 's most famous teams , bayern munich . but four years later the defender 's career , and his life , had unraveled . in july 2012 he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for burning down his munich villa while reportedly battling depression . the time in prison has been very hard for me , ' confessed breno at a news conference on monday . now aged 23 , the former sao paulo star has been offered a shot at redemption . having served 13 months of his sentence , breno is being allowed to leave prison on day release and has been given the chance to rejoin bayern as part of the coaching staff at the club 's youth academy . i 'm a little nervous , ' added breno . but i 'm in good shape now . i 'm delighted , and i 'd like to thank the prison authorities and bayern for this chance . ' breno will be collected from the correctional facility in stadelheim at 0830 every morning by bayern youth director wolfgang dremmler and returned at 1330 . blog : can moyes meet man utd challenge ? the length of his day release could be extended to eight hours in a couple of months , according to bayern 's website . i think it 's excellent that the prison authorities and all the authorities in munich involved in the case have helped to open up this opportunity , ' said bayern president uli hoeness . the opportunity breno has been given at bayern , and the fitness work he has been doing in prison , could see the former brazil under-23 player given an unexpected chance to resurrect his career . former club sao paulo were in munich for the audi cup , a preseason tournament held at bayern 's allianz arena , and they opened the door for breno to return to his former club . reports in december 2012 went as far as to suggest sao paulo had already offered breno a contract , despite his incarceration . a playing career back in brazil might be the only option for breno , with hoeness claiming he will face deportation from germany on his release from prison . breno has n't played a professional match since coming on as a substitute in bayern 's 5-1 win over bayer leverkusen on april 17 , 2011 , but he will be allowed to work on his fitness in conjunction with his coaching duties . it means i can train again and maybe play again later on -- that 's my dream , ' said breno , while hoeness confirmed , at the audi cup , the people from sao paulo confirmed their strong interest in that . ' hoeness assured breno he will receive bayern 's full backing , despite no long being under contract at the club . fc bayern will do everything it can to help , ' said hoeness . we 've been informed by the prison authorities that he has behaved impeccably and has been an exemplary prisoner . his behavior here will be just as flawless . ' | breno hopes to relaunch his player career when he is released from prison |
bayern <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in 2008 , the future looked bright for breno . a sought-after brazilian soccer star , the teenager was leaving his homeland and heading to germany to sign for one of europe 's most famous teams , bayern munich . but four years later the defender 's career , and his life , had unraveled . in july 2012 he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for burning down his munich villa while reportedly battling depression . the time in prison has been very hard for me , ' confessed breno at a news conference on monday . now aged 23 , the former sao paulo star has been offered a shot at redemption . having served 13 months of his sentence , breno is being allowed to leave prison on day release and has been given the chance to rejoin bayern as part of the coaching staff at the club 's youth academy . i 'm a little nervous , ' added breno . but i 'm in good shape now . i 'm delighted , and i 'd like to thank the prison authorities and bayern for this chance . ' breno will be collected from the correctional facility in stadelheim at 0830 every morning by bayern youth director wolfgang dremmler and returned at 1330 . blog : can moyes meet man utd challenge ? the length of his day release could be extended to eight hours in a couple of months , according to bayern 's website . i think it 's excellent that the prison authorities and all the authorities in munich involved in the case have helped to open up this opportunity , ' said bayern president uli hoeness . the opportunity breno has been given at bayern , and the fitness work he has been doing in prison , could see the former brazil under-23 player given an unexpected chance to resurrect his career . former club sao paulo were in munich for the audi cup , a preseason tournament held at bayern 's allianz arena , and they opened the door for breno to return to his former club . reports in december 2012 went as far as to suggest sao paulo had already offered breno a contract , despite his incarceration . a playing career back in brazil might be the only option for breno , with hoeness claiming he will face deportation from germany on his release from prison . breno has n't played a professional match since coming on as a substitute in bayern 's 5-1 win over bayer leverkusen on april 17 , 2011 , but he will be allowed to work on his fitness in conjunction with his coaching duties . it means i can train again and maybe play again later on -- that 's my dream , ' said breno , while hoeness confirmed , at the audi cup , the people from sao paulo confirmed their strong interest in that . ' hoeness assured breno he will receive bayern 's full backing , despite no long being under contract at the club . fc bayern will do everything it can to help , ' said hoeness . we 've been informed by the prison authorities that he has behaved impeccably and has been an exemplary prisoner . his behavior here will be just as flawless . ' | incarcerated player breno to work with bayern munich 's young players |
bayern <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in 2008 , the future looked bright for breno . a sought-after brazilian soccer star , the teenager was leaving his homeland and heading to germany to sign for one of europe 's most famous teams , bayern munich . but four years later the defender 's career , and his life , had unraveled . in july 2012 he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for burning down his munich villa while reportedly battling depression . the time in prison has been very hard for me , ' confessed breno at a news conference on monday . now aged 23 , the former sao paulo star has been offered a shot at redemption . having served 13 months of his sentence , breno is being allowed to leave prison on day release and has been given the chance to rejoin bayern as part of the coaching staff at the club 's youth academy . i 'm a little nervous , ' added breno . but i 'm in good shape now . i 'm delighted , and i 'd like to thank the prison authorities and bayern for this chance . ' breno will be collected from the correctional facility in stadelheim at 0830 every morning by bayern youth director wolfgang dremmler and returned at 1330 . blog : can moyes meet man utd challenge ? the length of his day release could be extended to eight hours in a couple of months , according to bayern 's website . i think it 's excellent that the prison authorities and all the authorities in munich involved in the case have helped to open up this opportunity , ' said bayern president uli hoeness . the opportunity breno has been given at bayern , and the fitness work he has been doing in prison , could see the former brazil under-23 player given an unexpected chance to resurrect his career . former club sao paulo were in munich for the audi cup , a preseason tournament held at bayern 's allianz arena , and they opened the door for breno to return to his former club . reports in december 2012 went as far as to suggest sao paulo had already offered breno a contract , despite his incarceration . a playing career back in brazil might be the only option for breno , with hoeness claiming he will face deportation from germany on his release from prison . breno has n't played a professional match since coming on as a substitute in bayern 's 5-1 win over bayer leverkusen on april 17 , 2011 , but he will be allowed to work on his fitness in conjunction with his coaching duties . it means i can train again and maybe play again later on -- that 's my dream , ' said breno , while hoeness confirmed , at the audi cup , the people from sao paulo confirmed their strong interest in that . ' hoeness assured breno he will receive bayern 's full backing , despite no long being under contract at the club . fc bayern will do everything it can to help , ' said hoeness . we 've been informed by the prison authorities that he has behaved impeccably and has been an exemplary prisoner . his behavior here will be just as flawless . ' | the brazilian defender joined bayern from sao paulo in 2008 |
western <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the strong performance of islamist parties in the egyptian elections this week raised eyebrows in some western capitals . on the one hand , analysts say , the west is inclined to support popular arab spring movements that have toppled dictators and brought nascent democracy to the region . on the other hand , they worry about the ascension of radical islamist movements in a region of critical interest to the united states and its allies . secretary of state hillary clinton reflected that tension this week when she urged islamist parties in egypt to embrace democratic norms and rules ' by creating a government that respects the full range of human rights . transitions require fair and inclusive elections , but they also demand that those who are elected embrace democratic norms and rules , ' clinton said tuesday in a speech to the organization for security and cooperation in europe , meeting in lithuania . the muslim brotherhood , an islamist party widely seen as being relatively moderate , won more than 40 % of the vote , according to initial election results . the more hardline al-nour party took as much as 25 % . run-off votes were held at the start of this week and more ballots are to come , as egypt 's complicated election process continues . we ... expect all democratic actors and elected officials to uphold universal human rights , including women 's rights , to allow free religious practice , to promote tolerance and good relations among communities of different faiths , and to support peaceful relations with their neighbors , ' clinton said . analysts say the strong showing of islamist parties in the first parliamentary elections since the ouster of former president hosni mubarak , a long-time u.s. ally , could inflame regional tensions and complicate key relationships . i do n't think any western government is happy about the result of the elections , ' said marina ottaway , a middle east analyst at the carnegie endowment for peace . while the muslim brotherhood has pledged to respect minority rights and work with liberal parties , much of the concern has focused on the success of al-nour , a salafist party that supports broader application of strict islamic law in egypt . how the united states deals with the often unpredictable results of democracy will be key . the old formula is not going to work and if we want to be in a position to influence , it will depend on our credibility and the strength of our support for the processes of change , ' said steven heydemann , senior adviser for middle east initiatives for the united states institute of peace , an independent conflict management think tank created and funded by the u.s. congress . in may , president barack obama suggested a new formula , saying that the arab spring movements were an opportunity to show that america values the dignity of the street vendor in tunisia more than the raw power of the dictator . ' he followed up last month , when protests flared again in cairo 's tahrir square over concerns that the egyptian military was trying to cling to power . at the time , he called for the move to a civilian government that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the egyptian people , as soon as possible . ' but the ability of the united states to influence that change came into focus again tuesday , when the ruling supreme council of the armed forces granted most presidential powers to prime minister kamal ganzouri . he took office wednesday and swore in his cabinet , which will serve until presidential elections are held next june . despite obama 's statements of support for a civilian government , rami shaath -- a member of the egyptian revolutionary alliance -- reiterated previous statements contending that ganzouri is a figurehead for the supreme council installed to serve the need of the u.s. in the region over its people 's demands . ' he was chosen by the supreme council with no political base from tahrir , ' shaath said . when we demanded a national salvation government , we wanted a representative from the revolutionaries , not a puppet that serves the goals of the military who do not have the right to choose him anyway . ' criticisms such as shaath 's show how little influence the united states has over what 's happening in egypt , and how little it has to gain even if it supports democratic movements there , ottaway said . the most they can do is put some pressure on the liberal parties to make sure they really keep on talking to the muslim brotherhood , ' she said . should the united states pull back from its support for democratization in the region , it will lose all credibility among the egyptian people , ottaway said . but even if the united states and other countries do continue to support democratic movements in the middle east , public opinion in the region has barely shifted , heydemann said . the arab spring dividend has proven elusive for the obama administration , ' he said . the best course , analysts say , is for the united states to continue to support democratic movements while setting out expectations , much like clinton did tuesday in lithuania . if they do , the problem may sort itself out , cnn 's fareed zakaria said in an opinion piece on cnn.com . for decades , political islam was the language through which people resisted dictatorial regimes . that gave these parties a special status , a kind of halo effect , which has helped them once the dictators fell , ' he said . but the only way these parties can retain their popularity once in power is to govern effectively , he said . and to be competent at governing and to stay in power , these groups have to moderate themselves , ' he wrote . the history of countries from indonesia to pakistan suggests that over time , the more radical political elements lose their popular appeal because their mystical attraction was tied up in their opposition to the dictatorships . once the dictatorships go , their appeal dwindles . ' but it wo n't be a quick process , heydemann said . the region is in for years of tumult during which the new arab spring democracies sort out the differences between conservative and liberal visions of islamic democracies . and in many respects , the west will be left on the sidelines , watching and waiting , he said . across a broad spectrum of issues , we face a long period of uncertainty , ' he said . we 're kind of stuck in a way . ' | western leaders are n't happy about islamist success , analyst says |
star scientific <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- prosecutors hope to determine by labor day whether virginia 's first family broke any laws regarding a gift-giving scandal that has engulfed gov . bob mcdonnell and tarnished the once-sterling reputation of the republican politician , a source with knowledge of the matter told cnn . lawyers for mcdonnell and his wife met with prosecutors in the city of alexandria on monday as the justice department sought clarity over previously undisclosed gifts given to the governor and his family by the chief executive of a troubled dietary supplement company . mcdonnell had no comment on the meetings . the desire to reach some kind of conclusion about the direction of the investigation in coming weeks revolves around the virginia election in november to chose mcdonnell 's successor . the justice department generally avoids bringing cases against politicians if it might impact an election . that race is one of the nastiest gubernatorial contests in the country . it 's between republican attorney general ken cuccinelli , who has his own ties to the man behind the mcdonnell scandal , and democrat terry mcauliffe , a heavyweight political fundraiser , businessman and close friend of bill and hillary clinton . it has been a stunning turn of events for mcdonnell , a well mannered former star in republican politics who rose from state legislator to virginia attorney general to governor . mcdonnell 's future was so bright not long ago . he won the governorship handily in 2009 and had maintained his popularity in a southern presidential battleground state that votes blue , but just barely . his fundraising acumen , message discipline and understated charm helped lift him to the chairmanship of the republican governors association in 2011 , a post other governors have used as a springboard to a presidential campaign . he was mentioned as a possible running mate for mitt romney . clearly bob mcdonnell has had a great interest in national office . it was clear following his landslide victory for governor , ' said jeff schapiro , columnist for the richmond times-dispatch . but things came apart this year over revelations about the first family 's ties to jonnie williams of star scientific , a friend and campaign contributor . questions center on gifts : $ 15,000 for catering costs for mcdonnell 's daughter 's wedding , $ 15,000 for clothing purchases for his wife , maureen , and $ 6,500 for a rolex watch . maureen mcdonnell also bought stock in the company and promoted its products at a luncheon at the governor 's mansion in richmond . a key question remains : did mcdonnell accept things of value in exchange for official acts -- which he denies -- or did he willfully turn a blind eye to gifts for his wife ? mcdonnell maintains he did n't know about the gifts or the stock and has denied wrongdoing . mcdonnell said he has already repaid williams tens of thousands of dollars and said he has broken no laws . he and his allies have cautiously defended the lack of disclosure as consistent with virginia law , which does not require elected officials to report gifts provided to family members like mcdonnell 's wife and daughter . elected officials in virginia are allowed to accept gifts over $ 50 , as long as they are publicly disclosed . mcdonnell has reported other gifts from williams , including a stay at a lake house and private plane travel . williams has also given generously to mcdonnell 's political organization . andrew mcbride , a former u.s. attorney in alexandria , told cnn this would be a very difficult case for prosecutors without clear evidence of a quid pro quo . you have the money aspect , and you have the receipt of the money , what i do n't see for a federal crime right now is the governor acting in his official capacity in order to aid star scientific , in exchange for the money , ' said mcbride . there are calls for mcdonnell to step down , but he said in july that he plans to finish his term . although prosecutors apparently do not like for these kinds of investigations to impact elections , cuccinelli has not escaped the controversy . he owned stock in williams'company but sold off shares earlier this year . he also collected more than $ 18,000 in gifts from the executive and stayed at his vacation house . an ethics investigation of cuccinelli 's relationship with williams cleared the attorney general of any wrongdoing but revealed that cuccinelli put the executive in touch with an attorney who could help him win grants from a state agency . resignation would solve one problem , create another cnn 's peter hamby contributed to this report . | latest discovery is that mcdonnell 's wife maureen bought star scientific stock |
mcdonnell <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- prosecutors hope to determine by labor day whether virginia 's first family broke any laws regarding a gift-giving scandal that has engulfed gov . bob mcdonnell and tarnished the once-sterling reputation of the republican politician , a source with knowledge of the matter told cnn . lawyers for mcdonnell and his wife met with prosecutors in the city of alexandria on monday as the justice department sought clarity over previously undisclosed gifts given to the governor and his family by the chief executive of a troubled dietary supplement company . mcdonnell had no comment on the meetings . the desire to reach some kind of conclusion about the direction of the investigation in coming weeks revolves around the virginia election in november to chose mcdonnell 's successor . the justice department generally avoids bringing cases against politicians if it might impact an election . that race is one of the nastiest gubernatorial contests in the country . it 's between republican attorney general ken cuccinelli , who has his own ties to the man behind the mcdonnell scandal , and democrat terry mcauliffe , a heavyweight political fundraiser , businessman and close friend of bill and hillary clinton . it has been a stunning turn of events for mcdonnell , a well mannered former star in republican politics who rose from state legislator to virginia attorney general to governor . mcdonnell 's future was so bright not long ago . he won the governorship handily in 2009 and had maintained his popularity in a southern presidential battleground state that votes blue , but just barely . his fundraising acumen , message discipline and understated charm helped lift him to the chairmanship of the republican governors association in 2011 , a post other governors have used as a springboard to a presidential campaign . he was mentioned as a possible running mate for mitt romney . clearly bob mcdonnell has had a great interest in national office . it was clear following his landslide victory for governor , ' said jeff schapiro , columnist for the richmond times-dispatch . but things came apart this year over revelations about the first family 's ties to jonnie williams of star scientific , a friend and campaign contributor . questions center on gifts : $ 15,000 for catering costs for mcdonnell 's daughter 's wedding , $ 15,000 for clothing purchases for his wife , maureen , and $ 6,500 for a rolex watch . maureen mcdonnell also bought stock in the company and promoted its products at a luncheon at the governor 's mansion in richmond . a key question remains : did mcdonnell accept things of value in exchange for official acts -- which he denies -- or did he willfully turn a blind eye to gifts for his wife ? mcdonnell maintains he did n't know about the gifts or the stock and has denied wrongdoing . mcdonnell said he has already repaid williams tens of thousands of dollars and said he has broken no laws . he and his allies have cautiously defended the lack of disclosure as consistent with virginia law , which does not require elected officials to report gifts provided to family members like mcdonnell 's wife and daughter . elected officials in virginia are allowed to accept gifts over $ 50 , as long as they are publicly disclosed . mcdonnell has reported other gifts from williams , including a stay at a lake house and private plane travel . williams has also given generously to mcdonnell 's political organization . andrew mcbride , a former u.s. attorney in alexandria , told cnn this would be a very difficult case for prosecutors without clear evidence of a quid pro quo . you have the money aspect , and you have the receipt of the money , what i do n't see for a federal crime right now is the governor acting in his official capacity in order to aid star scientific , in exchange for the money , ' said mcbride . there are calls for mcdonnell to step down , but he said in july that he plans to finish his term . although prosecutors apparently do not like for these kinds of investigations to impact elections , cuccinelli has not escaped the controversy . he owned stock in williams'company but sold off shares earlier this year . he also collected more than $ 18,000 in gifts from the executive and stayed at his vacation house . an ethics investigation of cuccinelli 's relationship with williams cleared the attorney general of any wrongdoing but revealed that cuccinelli put the executive in touch with an attorney who could help him win grants from a state agency . resignation would solve one problem , create another cnn 's peter hamby contributed to this report . | prosecutors trying to determine by labor day whether to bring charges against mcdonnell |
mcdonnell <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- prosecutors hope to determine by labor day whether virginia 's first family broke any laws regarding a gift-giving scandal that has engulfed gov . bob mcdonnell and tarnished the once-sterling reputation of the republican politician , a source with knowledge of the matter told cnn . lawyers for mcdonnell and his wife met with prosecutors in the city of alexandria on monday as the justice department sought clarity over previously undisclosed gifts given to the governor and his family by the chief executive of a troubled dietary supplement company . mcdonnell had no comment on the meetings . the desire to reach some kind of conclusion about the direction of the investigation in coming weeks revolves around the virginia election in november to chose mcdonnell 's successor . the justice department generally avoids bringing cases against politicians if it might impact an election . that race is one of the nastiest gubernatorial contests in the country . it 's between republican attorney general ken cuccinelli , who has his own ties to the man behind the mcdonnell scandal , and democrat terry mcauliffe , a heavyweight political fundraiser , businessman and close friend of bill and hillary clinton . it has been a stunning turn of events for mcdonnell , a well mannered former star in republican politics who rose from state legislator to virginia attorney general to governor . mcdonnell 's future was so bright not long ago . he won the governorship handily in 2009 and had maintained his popularity in a southern presidential battleground state that votes blue , but just barely . his fundraising acumen , message discipline and understated charm helped lift him to the chairmanship of the republican governors association in 2011 , a post other governors have used as a springboard to a presidential campaign . he was mentioned as a possible running mate for mitt romney . clearly bob mcdonnell has had a great interest in national office . it was clear following his landslide victory for governor , ' said jeff schapiro , columnist for the richmond times-dispatch . but things came apart this year over revelations about the first family 's ties to jonnie williams of star scientific , a friend and campaign contributor . questions center on gifts : $ 15,000 for catering costs for mcdonnell 's daughter 's wedding , $ 15,000 for clothing purchases for his wife , maureen , and $ 6,500 for a rolex watch . maureen mcdonnell also bought stock in the company and promoted its products at a luncheon at the governor 's mansion in richmond . a key question remains : did mcdonnell accept things of value in exchange for official acts -- which he denies -- or did he willfully turn a blind eye to gifts for his wife ? mcdonnell maintains he did n't know about the gifts or the stock and has denied wrongdoing . mcdonnell said he has already repaid williams tens of thousands of dollars and said he has broken no laws . he and his allies have cautiously defended the lack of disclosure as consistent with virginia law , which does not require elected officials to report gifts provided to family members like mcdonnell 's wife and daughter . elected officials in virginia are allowed to accept gifts over $ 50 , as long as they are publicly disclosed . mcdonnell has reported other gifts from williams , including a stay at a lake house and private plane travel . williams has also given generously to mcdonnell 's political organization . andrew mcbride , a former u.s. attorney in alexandria , told cnn this would be a very difficult case for prosecutors without clear evidence of a quid pro quo . you have the money aspect , and you have the receipt of the money , what i do n't see for a federal crime right now is the governor acting in his official capacity in order to aid star scientific , in exchange for the money , ' said mcbride . there are calls for mcdonnell to step down , but he said in july that he plans to finish his term . although prosecutors apparently do not like for these kinds of investigations to impact elections , cuccinelli has not escaped the controversy . he owned stock in williams'company but sold off shares earlier this year . he also collected more than $ 18,000 in gifts from the executive and stayed at his vacation house . an ethics investigation of cuccinelli 's relationship with williams cleared the attorney general of any wrongdoing but revealed that cuccinelli put the executive in touch with an attorney who could help him win grants from a state agency . resignation would solve one problem , create another cnn 's peter hamby contributed to this report . | mcdonnell said that he has paid back gifts to him and his family from businessman |
mcdonnell <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- prosecutors hope to determine by labor day whether virginia 's first family broke any laws regarding a gift-giving scandal that has engulfed gov . bob mcdonnell and tarnished the once-sterling reputation of the republican politician , a source with knowledge of the matter told cnn . lawyers for mcdonnell and his wife met with prosecutors in the city of alexandria on monday as the justice department sought clarity over previously undisclosed gifts given to the governor and his family by the chief executive of a troubled dietary supplement company . mcdonnell had no comment on the meetings . the desire to reach some kind of conclusion about the direction of the investigation in coming weeks revolves around the virginia election in november to chose mcdonnell 's successor . the justice department generally avoids bringing cases against politicians if it might impact an election . that race is one of the nastiest gubernatorial contests in the country . it 's between republican attorney general ken cuccinelli , who has his own ties to the man behind the mcdonnell scandal , and democrat terry mcauliffe , a heavyweight political fundraiser , businessman and close friend of bill and hillary clinton . it has been a stunning turn of events for mcdonnell , a well mannered former star in republican politics who rose from state legislator to virginia attorney general to governor . mcdonnell 's future was so bright not long ago . he won the governorship handily in 2009 and had maintained his popularity in a southern presidential battleground state that votes blue , but just barely . his fundraising acumen , message discipline and understated charm helped lift him to the chairmanship of the republican governors association in 2011 , a post other governors have used as a springboard to a presidential campaign . he was mentioned as a possible running mate for mitt romney . clearly bob mcdonnell has had a great interest in national office . it was clear following his landslide victory for governor , ' said jeff schapiro , columnist for the richmond times-dispatch . but things came apart this year over revelations about the first family 's ties to jonnie williams of star scientific , a friend and campaign contributor . questions center on gifts : $ 15,000 for catering costs for mcdonnell 's daughter 's wedding , $ 15,000 for clothing purchases for his wife , maureen , and $ 6,500 for a rolex watch . maureen mcdonnell also bought stock in the company and promoted its products at a luncheon at the governor 's mansion in richmond . a key question remains : did mcdonnell accept things of value in exchange for official acts -- which he denies -- or did he willfully turn a blind eye to gifts for his wife ? mcdonnell maintains he did n't know about the gifts or the stock and has denied wrongdoing . mcdonnell said he has already repaid williams tens of thousands of dollars and said he has broken no laws . he and his allies have cautiously defended the lack of disclosure as consistent with virginia law , which does not require elected officials to report gifts provided to family members like mcdonnell 's wife and daughter . elected officials in virginia are allowed to accept gifts over $ 50 , as long as they are publicly disclosed . mcdonnell has reported other gifts from williams , including a stay at a lake house and private plane travel . williams has also given generously to mcdonnell 's political organization . andrew mcbride , a former u.s. attorney in alexandria , told cnn this would be a very difficult case for prosecutors without clear evidence of a quid pro quo . you have the money aspect , and you have the receipt of the money , what i do n't see for a federal crime right now is the governor acting in his official capacity in order to aid star scientific , in exchange for the money , ' said mcbride . there are calls for mcdonnell to step down , but he said in july that he plans to finish his term . although prosecutors apparently do not like for these kinds of investigations to impact elections , cuccinelli has not escaped the controversy . he owned stock in williams'company but sold off shares earlier this year . he also collected more than $ 18,000 in gifts from the executive and stayed at his vacation house . an ethics investigation of cuccinelli 's relationship with williams cleared the attorney general of any wrongdoing but revealed that cuccinelli put the executive in touch with an attorney who could help him win grants from a state agency . resignation would solve one problem , create another cnn 's peter hamby contributed to this report . | latest discovery is that mcdonnell 's wife maureen bought star scientific stock |
labor day <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- prosecutors hope to determine by labor day whether virginia 's first family broke any laws regarding a gift-giving scandal that has engulfed gov . bob mcdonnell and tarnished the once-sterling reputation of the republican politician , a source with knowledge of the matter told cnn . lawyers for mcdonnell and his wife met with prosecutors in the city of alexandria on monday as the justice department sought clarity over previously undisclosed gifts given to the governor and his family by the chief executive of a troubled dietary supplement company . mcdonnell had no comment on the meetings . the desire to reach some kind of conclusion about the direction of the investigation in coming weeks revolves around the virginia election in november to chose mcdonnell 's successor . the justice department generally avoids bringing cases against politicians if it might impact an election . that race is one of the nastiest gubernatorial contests in the country . it 's between republican attorney general ken cuccinelli , who has his own ties to the man behind the mcdonnell scandal , and democrat terry mcauliffe , a heavyweight political fundraiser , businessman and close friend of bill and hillary clinton . it has been a stunning turn of events for mcdonnell , a well mannered former star in republican politics who rose from state legislator to virginia attorney general to governor . mcdonnell 's future was so bright not long ago . he won the governorship handily in 2009 and had maintained his popularity in a southern presidential battleground state that votes blue , but just barely . his fundraising acumen , message discipline and understated charm helped lift him to the chairmanship of the republican governors association in 2011 , a post other governors have used as a springboard to a presidential campaign . he was mentioned as a possible running mate for mitt romney . clearly bob mcdonnell has had a great interest in national office . it was clear following his landslide victory for governor , ' said jeff schapiro , columnist for the richmond times-dispatch . but things came apart this year over revelations about the first family 's ties to jonnie williams of star scientific , a friend and campaign contributor . questions center on gifts : $ 15,000 for catering costs for mcdonnell 's daughter 's wedding , $ 15,000 for clothing purchases for his wife , maureen , and $ 6,500 for a rolex watch . maureen mcdonnell also bought stock in the company and promoted its products at a luncheon at the governor 's mansion in richmond . a key question remains : did mcdonnell accept things of value in exchange for official acts -- which he denies -- or did he willfully turn a blind eye to gifts for his wife ? mcdonnell maintains he did n't know about the gifts or the stock and has denied wrongdoing . mcdonnell said he has already repaid williams tens of thousands of dollars and said he has broken no laws . he and his allies have cautiously defended the lack of disclosure as consistent with virginia law , which does not require elected officials to report gifts provided to family members like mcdonnell 's wife and daughter . elected officials in virginia are allowed to accept gifts over $ 50 , as long as they are publicly disclosed . mcdonnell has reported other gifts from williams , including a stay at a lake house and private plane travel . williams has also given generously to mcdonnell 's political organization . andrew mcbride , a former u.s. attorney in alexandria , told cnn this would be a very difficult case for prosecutors without clear evidence of a quid pro quo . you have the money aspect , and you have the receipt of the money , what i do n't see for a federal crime right now is the governor acting in his official capacity in order to aid star scientific , in exchange for the money , ' said mcbride . there are calls for mcdonnell to step down , but he said in july that he plans to finish his term . although prosecutors apparently do not like for these kinds of investigations to impact elections , cuccinelli has not escaped the controversy . he owned stock in williams'company but sold off shares earlier this year . he also collected more than $ 18,000 in gifts from the executive and stayed at his vacation house . an ethics investigation of cuccinelli 's relationship with williams cleared the attorney general of any wrongdoing but revealed that cuccinelli put the executive in touch with an attorney who could help him win grants from a state agency . resignation would solve one problem , create another cnn 's peter hamby contributed to this report . | prosecutors trying to determine by labor day whether to bring charges against mcdonnell |
inter milan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- inter milan will learn their early group opponents as they begin their defense of the champions league crown when the draw is made in monaco on thursday . milan , who beat bayern munich in last may 's final , are in the same top-seeded pot with the germans . they are joined by british trio manchester united , chelsea and arsenal , spanish giants barcelona , city rivals ac milan and french side lyon . inter could face real madrid , now managed by jose mourinho , who led them to their triple serie a , champions league , italian cup triumph last season before departing to the bernabeu . real are in the second pot as are spanish rivals valencia . another potentially tricky hurdle might be english premier league side tottenham hotspur , who are in the third pot of eight . tottenham qualified for the champions league group stages with a thumping 4-0 , aggregate 6-3 win , over young boys of berne . under champions league rules they can not face either of the other three english clubs at the first stage . scottish champions rangers are also in pot three , while the favorites will also want to avoid portuguese side braga , who put out la liga 's sevilla in the result of the third qualifying round this week . pot four contains the likes of russian champions rubin kazan and dutch title winners fc twente . the 32 qualified teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams , with the top two from each group going through to the last 16 knockout stages . each group will contain a top seed , plus one club each from the second , third and fourth pots . the opening set of group games will take place on september 14 and 15 , with the final scheduled for england 's famous wembley stadium on may 28 , 2011 . | 32 sides have qualified for the group stages led by title holders inter milan |
iran <tsp> geneva , switzerland ( cnn ) -- amid increasing optimism that a deal could be within reach , u.s. secretary of state john kerry is heading to geneva to help in negotiations over iran 's nuclear program . kerry will fly to geneva on friday in an effort to help narrow differences in negotiations ' with iran , two senior state department officials said . european union high representative catherine ashton invited kerry to the talks , the officials said . news of kerry 's travel plans came hours after iran 's foreign minister said that officials could reach an agreement by friday evening . i believe it is possible to reach an understanding or an agreement before we close these negotiations ( friday ) evening , ' iran 's foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator , javad zarif , told cnn 's christiane amanpour . though he would not detail what such an agreement could include , he told the state-run iranian news agency , we expect to make a breakthrough . ' u.s. president barack obama also said thursday night that a deal could be reached . there is the possibility of a phased agreement ' with iran on nuclear issues , obama told nbc . the first step , if agreed upon , would require iran to halt advances in its nuclear program in return for very modest relief ' from economic sanctions , he said . but the united states would still keep core sanctions ' in place , obama said . so that if it turned out during the course of the six months when we 're trying to resolve some of these bigger issues that they 're backing out of the deal , they 're not following through on it , or they 're not willing to go forward and finish the job of giving us assurances that they 're not developing a nuclear weapon , ' obama told nbc , we can crank that dial back up . ' the comments came after a day of meetings in geneva between iranian negotiators and technical teams from the united states , france , britain , russia , china and non-nuclear-armed germany -- a group referred to as the p5+1 or eu3+3 . uranium enrichment is the key issue on the table during the talks with iran over the future of its controversial nuclear program . we are at a very sensitive stage of negotiations , and it is best if these negotiations are done at the negotiating table rather than on live television , ' zarif said . but i can tell you that we are prepared to address some of the most immediate concerns that have been raised , and we expect reciprocally our concerns to be met by the p5+1 . ' iranian negotiator : various issues on the table the framework has been agreed to , he said . i hope by tomorrow morning we can start serious work in order to prepare some sort of a joint statement . ' it would address an end game that we all try to reach within a limited period of time , hopefully in less than a year ' and a series of actions that both sides would take reciprocally in order to build confidence and address the most immediate concerns , ' he said . many of those concerns center on iran 's nuclear ambitions , which some countries worry seek a nuclear weapon , an assertion that tehran has denied . zarif said the nuclear program would continue -- in some form . there wo n't be a suspension of our enrichment program in its entirety , ' he said . but we can deal with various issues , various issues are on the table . ' the concerns of each side have been dealt with , he said . zarif said hassan rouhani 's assumption of the presidency in august has opened a window of opportunity that needs to be seized . he acknowledged that international sanctions have resulted in economic hardship for iranians , but said they represent a failed policy . instead of 160 centrifuges that were spinning 10 years ago or eight years ago , today we have 19,000 centrifuges , ' he said . so that is what sanctions and pressures and intimidation has brought these people who are continuing to advocate that type of behavior . ' u.s. officials outline possible deal two senior u.s. administration officials said a deal on iran 's nuclear program is in the works . one of the officials said the deal is designed to stop iran 's progress by stopping the shortening of time by which they could build a nuclear weapon ' while also providing temporary , reversible sanctions relief to iran . that official cautioned the deal is not done , but said it could happen if the iranians agree to the p5+1 's demands . they said that , under the potential deal , iran would agree : -- to stop enriching nuclear fuel to 20 % purity ; -- to render unusable most of its existing stockpile of such fuel ; -- to agree not to use advanced ir-2 centrifuges , which can enrich nuclear fuel five times faster than older centrifuges ; -- not to activate a plutonium reactor at arak . in turn , the p5+1 would agree : -- to unfreeze some iranian assets held in banks overseas ; -- possibly to consider easing sanctions banning trade in gold , precious metals and petrochemicals . other sweeteners were also under consideration , they said . the officials added that the measures could be reimposed if iran did not comply with its end of any bargain .'getting to the root of the problem' the details were hashed out during a bilateral u.s.-iran meeting -- part of an apparent effort on each side to mend fences -- which lasted about an hour on the sidelines of broader talks under way in geneva . the u.s. delegation was led by under secretary of state wendy sherman . the iranian delegation was led by deputy foreign minister abbas araqchi . iran talks : do we want a deal or a war ? the main issue is getting to the root of the problem , which is the enrichment issue and all things that lead from that , ' michael mann , spokesman for ashton , said on the sidelines of negotiations . iran 's supreme leader'not optimistic'about nuclear talks moments later , the iranian state-run fars news agency tweeted a quote from araqchi : enrichment is our red line and its suspension is unacceptable . ' when cnn asked araqchi about the issue of uranium enrichment , he declined to answer . the talks are extremely complex and are now going into a serious phase , ' mann said . we want to focus on substance and hope there will be concrete progress over the next couple of days . ' u.n. nuclear watchdog : program could have'military dimensions' u.s. official : we think iran wants a nuclear deal -- and fast the united states and its partners have accused iran of diverting resources from its civilian nuclear program to try to develop a nuclear bomb . iran has repeatedly denied those assertions and says it has no desire to build nuclear weapons . resolutions and sanctions passed by the united nations in 2006 called on iran to halt all enrichment activities and clarify that its nuclear facilities were being used for peaceful purposes only . in its august report , the u.n. nuclear watchdog , the international atomic energy agency , estimates that since declaring its nuclear program , iran has processed 10 metric tons of uranium to 5 % purity , the level used for nuclear power plants . the iaea estimates that iran has a stockpile of 185 kilograms of uranium at 20 % purity . weapons experts warn that this uranium could be further refined for use in a nuclear warhead . although experts suggest that amount would not be enough for a single warhead , the iaea has warned that it believes iran 's nuclear program could have possible military dimensions . ' cnn 's karl penhaul reported from geneva . cnn 's elise labott reported from washington . | european union spokesman : uranium enrichment is the focus of talks with iran |
obama <tsp> geneva , switzerland ( cnn ) -- amid increasing optimism that a deal could be within reach , u.s. secretary of state john kerry is heading to geneva to help in negotiations over iran 's nuclear program . kerry will fly to geneva on friday in an effort to help narrow differences in negotiations ' with iran , two senior state department officials said . european union high representative catherine ashton invited kerry to the talks , the officials said . news of kerry 's travel plans came hours after iran 's foreign minister said that officials could reach an agreement by friday evening . i believe it is possible to reach an understanding or an agreement before we close these negotiations ( friday ) evening , ' iran 's foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator , javad zarif , told cnn 's christiane amanpour . though he would not detail what such an agreement could include , he told the state-run iranian news agency , we expect to make a breakthrough . ' u.s. president barack obama also said thursday night that a deal could be reached . there is the possibility of a phased agreement ' with iran on nuclear issues , obama told nbc . the first step , if agreed upon , would require iran to halt advances in its nuclear program in return for very modest relief ' from economic sanctions , he said . but the united states would still keep core sanctions ' in place , obama said . so that if it turned out during the course of the six months when we 're trying to resolve some of these bigger issues that they 're backing out of the deal , they 're not following through on it , or they 're not willing to go forward and finish the job of giving us assurances that they 're not developing a nuclear weapon , ' obama told nbc , we can crank that dial back up . ' the comments came after a day of meetings in geneva between iranian negotiators and technical teams from the united states , france , britain , russia , china and non-nuclear-armed germany -- a group referred to as the p5+1 or eu3+3 . uranium enrichment is the key issue on the table during the talks with iran over the future of its controversial nuclear program . we are at a very sensitive stage of negotiations , and it is best if these negotiations are done at the negotiating table rather than on live television , ' zarif said . but i can tell you that we are prepared to address some of the most immediate concerns that have been raised , and we expect reciprocally our concerns to be met by the p5+1 . ' iranian negotiator : various issues on the table the framework has been agreed to , he said . i hope by tomorrow morning we can start serious work in order to prepare some sort of a joint statement . ' it would address an end game that we all try to reach within a limited period of time , hopefully in less than a year ' and a series of actions that both sides would take reciprocally in order to build confidence and address the most immediate concerns , ' he said . many of those concerns center on iran 's nuclear ambitions , which some countries worry seek a nuclear weapon , an assertion that tehran has denied . zarif said the nuclear program would continue -- in some form . there wo n't be a suspension of our enrichment program in its entirety , ' he said . but we can deal with various issues , various issues are on the table . ' the concerns of each side have been dealt with , he said . zarif said hassan rouhani 's assumption of the presidency in august has opened a window of opportunity that needs to be seized . he acknowledged that international sanctions have resulted in economic hardship for iranians , but said they represent a failed policy . instead of 160 centrifuges that were spinning 10 years ago or eight years ago , today we have 19,000 centrifuges , ' he said . so that is what sanctions and pressures and intimidation has brought these people who are continuing to advocate that type of behavior . ' u.s. officials outline possible deal two senior u.s. administration officials said a deal on iran 's nuclear program is in the works . one of the officials said the deal is designed to stop iran 's progress by stopping the shortening of time by which they could build a nuclear weapon ' while also providing temporary , reversible sanctions relief to iran . that official cautioned the deal is not done , but said it could happen if the iranians agree to the p5+1 's demands . they said that , under the potential deal , iran would agree : -- to stop enriching nuclear fuel to 20 % purity ; -- to render unusable most of its existing stockpile of such fuel ; -- to agree not to use advanced ir-2 centrifuges , which can enrich nuclear fuel five times faster than older centrifuges ; -- not to activate a plutonium reactor at arak . in turn , the p5+1 would agree : -- to unfreeze some iranian assets held in banks overseas ; -- possibly to consider easing sanctions banning trade in gold , precious metals and petrochemicals . other sweeteners were also under consideration , they said . the officials added that the measures could be reimposed if iran did not comply with its end of any bargain .'getting to the root of the problem' the details were hashed out during a bilateral u.s.-iran meeting -- part of an apparent effort on each side to mend fences -- which lasted about an hour on the sidelines of broader talks under way in geneva . the u.s. delegation was led by under secretary of state wendy sherman . the iranian delegation was led by deputy foreign minister abbas araqchi . iran talks : do we want a deal or a war ? the main issue is getting to the root of the problem , which is the enrichment issue and all things that lead from that , ' michael mann , spokesman for ashton , said on the sidelines of negotiations . iran 's supreme leader'not optimistic'about nuclear talks moments later , the iranian state-run fars news agency tweeted a quote from araqchi : enrichment is our red line and its suspension is unacceptable . ' when cnn asked araqchi about the issue of uranium enrichment , he declined to answer . the talks are extremely complex and are now going into a serious phase , ' mann said . we want to focus on substance and hope there will be concrete progress over the next couple of days . ' u.n. nuclear watchdog : program could have'military dimensions' u.s. official : we think iran wants a nuclear deal -- and fast the united states and its partners have accused iran of diverting resources from its civilian nuclear program to try to develop a nuclear bomb . iran has repeatedly denied those assertions and says it has no desire to build nuclear weapons . resolutions and sanctions passed by the united nations in 2006 called on iran to halt all enrichment activities and clarify that its nuclear facilities were being used for peaceful purposes only . in its august report , the u.n. nuclear watchdog , the international atomic energy agency , estimates that since declaring its nuclear program , iran has processed 10 metric tons of uranium to 5 % purity , the level used for nuclear power plants . the iaea estimates that iran has a stockpile of 185 kilograms of uranium at 20 % purity . weapons experts warn that this uranium could be further refined for use in a nuclear warhead . although experts suggest that amount would not be enough for a single warhead , the iaea has warned that it believes iran 's nuclear program could have possible military dimensions . ' cnn 's karl penhaul reported from geneva . cnn 's elise labott reported from washington . | obama : there is the possibility of a phased agreement ' |
state department <tsp> geneva , switzerland ( cnn ) -- amid increasing optimism that a deal could be within reach , u.s. secretary of state john kerry is heading to geneva to help in negotiations over iran 's nuclear program . kerry will fly to geneva on friday in an effort to help narrow differences in negotiations ' with iran , two senior state department officials said . european union high representative catherine ashton invited kerry to the talks , the officials said . news of kerry 's travel plans came hours after iran 's foreign minister said that officials could reach an agreement by friday evening . i believe it is possible to reach an understanding or an agreement before we close these negotiations ( friday ) evening , ' iran 's foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator , javad zarif , told cnn 's christiane amanpour . though he would not detail what such an agreement could include , he told the state-run iranian news agency , we expect to make a breakthrough . ' u.s. president barack obama also said thursday night that a deal could be reached . there is the possibility of a phased agreement ' with iran on nuclear issues , obama told nbc . the first step , if agreed upon , would require iran to halt advances in its nuclear program in return for very modest relief ' from economic sanctions , he said . but the united states would still keep core sanctions ' in place , obama said . so that if it turned out during the course of the six months when we 're trying to resolve some of these bigger issues that they 're backing out of the deal , they 're not following through on it , or they 're not willing to go forward and finish the job of giving us assurances that they 're not developing a nuclear weapon , ' obama told nbc , we can crank that dial back up . ' the comments came after a day of meetings in geneva between iranian negotiators and technical teams from the united states , france , britain , russia , china and non-nuclear-armed germany -- a group referred to as the p5+1 or eu3+3 . uranium enrichment is the key issue on the table during the talks with iran over the future of its controversial nuclear program . we are at a very sensitive stage of negotiations , and it is best if these negotiations are done at the negotiating table rather than on live television , ' zarif said . but i can tell you that we are prepared to address some of the most immediate concerns that have been raised , and we expect reciprocally our concerns to be met by the p5+1 . ' iranian negotiator : various issues on the table the framework has been agreed to , he said . i hope by tomorrow morning we can start serious work in order to prepare some sort of a joint statement . ' it would address an end game that we all try to reach within a limited period of time , hopefully in less than a year ' and a series of actions that both sides would take reciprocally in order to build confidence and address the most immediate concerns , ' he said . many of those concerns center on iran 's nuclear ambitions , which some countries worry seek a nuclear weapon , an assertion that tehran has denied . zarif said the nuclear program would continue -- in some form . there wo n't be a suspension of our enrichment program in its entirety , ' he said . but we can deal with various issues , various issues are on the table . ' the concerns of each side have been dealt with , he said . zarif said hassan rouhani 's assumption of the presidency in august has opened a window of opportunity that needs to be seized . he acknowledged that international sanctions have resulted in economic hardship for iranians , but said they represent a failed policy . instead of 160 centrifuges that were spinning 10 years ago or eight years ago , today we have 19,000 centrifuges , ' he said . so that is what sanctions and pressures and intimidation has brought these people who are continuing to advocate that type of behavior . ' u.s. officials outline possible deal two senior u.s. administration officials said a deal on iran 's nuclear program is in the works . one of the officials said the deal is designed to stop iran 's progress by stopping the shortening of time by which they could build a nuclear weapon ' while also providing temporary , reversible sanctions relief to iran . that official cautioned the deal is not done , but said it could happen if the iranians agree to the p5+1 's demands . they said that , under the potential deal , iran would agree : -- to stop enriching nuclear fuel to 20 % purity ; -- to render unusable most of its existing stockpile of such fuel ; -- to agree not to use advanced ir-2 centrifuges , which can enrich nuclear fuel five times faster than older centrifuges ; -- not to activate a plutonium reactor at arak . in turn , the p5+1 would agree : -- to unfreeze some iranian assets held in banks overseas ; -- possibly to consider easing sanctions banning trade in gold , precious metals and petrochemicals . other sweeteners were also under consideration , they said . the officials added that the measures could be reimposed if iran did not comply with its end of any bargain .'getting to the root of the problem' the details were hashed out during a bilateral u.s.-iran meeting -- part of an apparent effort on each side to mend fences -- which lasted about an hour on the sidelines of broader talks under way in geneva . the u.s. delegation was led by under secretary of state wendy sherman . the iranian delegation was led by deputy foreign minister abbas araqchi . iran talks : do we want a deal or a war ? the main issue is getting to the root of the problem , which is the enrichment issue and all things that lead from that , ' michael mann , spokesman for ashton , said on the sidelines of negotiations . iran 's supreme leader'not optimistic'about nuclear talks moments later , the iranian state-run fars news agency tweeted a quote from araqchi : enrichment is our red line and its suspension is unacceptable . ' when cnn asked araqchi about the issue of uranium enrichment , he declined to answer . the talks are extremely complex and are now going into a serious phase , ' mann said . we want to focus on substance and hope there will be concrete progress over the next couple of days . ' u.n. nuclear watchdog : program could have'military dimensions' u.s. official : we think iran wants a nuclear deal -- and fast the united states and its partners have accused iran of diverting resources from its civilian nuclear program to try to develop a nuclear bomb . iran has repeatedly denied those assertions and says it has no desire to build nuclear weapons . resolutions and sanctions passed by the united nations in 2006 called on iran to halt all enrichment activities and clarify that its nuclear facilities were being used for peaceful purposes only . in its august report , the u.n. nuclear watchdog , the international atomic energy agency , estimates that since declaring its nuclear program , iran has processed 10 metric tons of uranium to 5 % purity , the level used for nuclear power plants . the iaea estimates that iran has a stockpile of 185 kilograms of uranium at 20 % purity . weapons experts warn that this uranium could be further refined for use in a nuclear warhead . although experts suggest that amount would not be enough for a single warhead , the iaea has warned that it believes iran 's nuclear program could have possible military dimensions . ' cnn 's karl penhaul reported from geneva . cnn 's elise labott reported from washington . | two senior state department officials say kerry will go to geneva |
beljan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a cinderella story taken straight from the script of a disney classic . on friday , charlie beljan thought he was dying at the magnolia golf course in florida , with his professional golf career also about to take a potentially fatal blow . but two days later the american rookie was celebrating his first victory on the u.s.-based circuit , retaining his tour card for 2013 after a win at the appropriately named children 's miracle network hospitals classic . beljan was taken to hospital after friday 's second round suffering from an elevated heart rate and numbness in his left arm after finishing the day 's round as leader of the tournament . ignoring advice from doctors to rest , beljan played on over the weekend and carded a three-under-par round of 69 on sunday , which secured him a two-shot victory over compatriot matt every . as beljan celebrated with his seven-week old son on the 18th green a band played zippity-do-dah ' -- from the 1946 disney song of the south ' -- and a wonderful day for the arizona native was complete . every day i drove underneath that disney sign coming in here that said ,'where dreams come true ,'and that 's just what happened this week , ' the 28-year-old told the pga tour 's official website . and i 'm so grateful and so honored . ' the win means beljan will not have to navigate the pga tour 's offseason qualifying school . it was incredible , ' beljan said after picking up the eighth win of his pro career . i was happy that i was a pga tour champion . i was happy that my wife and my baby were here . it still is n't real . ' the good news kept coming for beljan , who also pocketed a winner 's check for $ 846,000 . you never know what 's going to happen in this game or in the game of life , ' he added . you keep plugging away . ' i believe that everything happens for a reason , and sometimes days like friday were n't very enjoyable , but the score was wonderful , and i think it taught me that it does n't matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke . ' i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up . ' | beljan : i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up ' |
beljan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a cinderella story taken straight from the script of a disney classic . on friday , charlie beljan thought he was dying at the magnolia golf course in florida , with his professional golf career also about to take a potentially fatal blow . but two days later the american rookie was celebrating his first victory on the u.s.-based circuit , retaining his tour card for 2013 after a win at the appropriately named children 's miracle network hospitals classic . beljan was taken to hospital after friday 's second round suffering from an elevated heart rate and numbness in his left arm after finishing the day 's round as leader of the tournament . ignoring advice from doctors to rest , beljan played on over the weekend and carded a three-under-par round of 69 on sunday , which secured him a two-shot victory over compatriot matt every . as beljan celebrated with his seven-week old son on the 18th green a band played zippity-do-dah ' -- from the 1946 disney song of the south ' -- and a wonderful day for the arizona native was complete . every day i drove underneath that disney sign coming in here that said ,'where dreams come true ,'and that 's just what happened this week , ' the 28-year-old told the pga tour 's official website . and i 'm so grateful and so honored . ' the win means beljan will not have to navigate the pga tour 's offseason qualifying school . it was incredible , ' beljan said after picking up the eighth win of his pro career . i was happy that i was a pga tour champion . i was happy that my wife and my baby were here . it still is n't real . ' the good news kept coming for beljan , who also pocketed a winner 's check for $ 846,000 . you never know what 's going to happen in this game or in the game of life , ' he added . you keep plugging away . ' i believe that everything happens for a reason , and sometimes days like friday were n't very enjoyable , but the score was wonderful , and i think it taught me that it does n't matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke . ' i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up . ' | charlie beljan wins first pga tour event after being hospitalized |
beljan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a cinderella story taken straight from the script of a disney classic . on friday , charlie beljan thought he was dying at the magnolia golf course in florida , with his professional golf career also about to take a potentially fatal blow . but two days later the american rookie was celebrating his first victory on the u.s.-based circuit , retaining his tour card for 2013 after a win at the appropriately named children 's miracle network hospitals classic . beljan was taken to hospital after friday 's second round suffering from an elevated heart rate and numbness in his left arm after finishing the day 's round as leader of the tournament . ignoring advice from doctors to rest , beljan played on over the weekend and carded a three-under-par round of 69 on sunday , which secured him a two-shot victory over compatriot matt every . as beljan celebrated with his seven-week old son on the 18th green a band played zippity-do-dah ' -- from the 1946 disney song of the south ' -- and a wonderful day for the arizona native was complete . every day i drove underneath that disney sign coming in here that said ,'where dreams come true ,'and that 's just what happened this week , ' the 28-year-old told the pga tour 's official website . and i 'm so grateful and so honored . ' the win means beljan will not have to navigate the pga tour 's offseason qualifying school . it was incredible , ' beljan said after picking up the eighth win of his pro career . i was happy that i was a pga tour champion . i was happy that my wife and my baby were here . it still is n't real . ' the good news kept coming for beljan , who also pocketed a winner 's check for $ 846,000 . you never know what 's going to happen in this game or in the game of life , ' he added . you keep plugging away . ' i believe that everything happens for a reason , and sometimes days like friday were n't very enjoyable , but the score was wonderful , and i think it taught me that it does n't matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke . ' i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up . ' | beljan 's two-stroke win guarantees him a pga tour card for the 2013 season |
pga tour <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a cinderella story taken straight from the script of a disney classic . on friday , charlie beljan thought he was dying at the magnolia golf course in florida , with his professional golf career also about to take a potentially fatal blow . but two days later the american rookie was celebrating his first victory on the u.s.-based circuit , retaining his tour card for 2013 after a win at the appropriately named children 's miracle network hospitals classic . beljan was taken to hospital after friday 's second round suffering from an elevated heart rate and numbness in his left arm after finishing the day 's round as leader of the tournament . ignoring advice from doctors to rest , beljan played on over the weekend and carded a three-under-par round of 69 on sunday , which secured him a two-shot victory over compatriot matt every . as beljan celebrated with his seven-week old son on the 18th green a band played zippity-do-dah ' -- from the 1946 disney song of the south ' -- and a wonderful day for the arizona native was complete . every day i drove underneath that disney sign coming in here that said ,'where dreams come true ,'and that 's just what happened this week , ' the 28-year-old told the pga tour 's official website . and i 'm so grateful and so honored . ' the win means beljan will not have to navigate the pga tour 's offseason qualifying school . it was incredible , ' beljan said after picking up the eighth win of his pro career . i was happy that i was a pga tour champion . i was happy that my wife and my baby were here . it still is n't real . ' the good news kept coming for beljan , who also pocketed a winner 's check for $ 846,000 . you never know what 's going to happen in this game or in the game of life , ' he added . you keep plugging away . ' i believe that everything happens for a reason , and sometimes days like friday were n't very enjoyable , but the score was wonderful , and i think it taught me that it does n't matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke . ' i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up . ' | charlie beljan wins first pga tour event after being hospitalized |
pga tour <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a cinderella story taken straight from the script of a disney classic . on friday , charlie beljan thought he was dying at the magnolia golf course in florida , with his professional golf career also about to take a potentially fatal blow . but two days later the american rookie was celebrating his first victory on the u.s.-based circuit , retaining his tour card for 2013 after a win at the appropriately named children 's miracle network hospitals classic . beljan was taken to hospital after friday 's second round suffering from an elevated heart rate and numbness in his left arm after finishing the day 's round as leader of the tournament . ignoring advice from doctors to rest , beljan played on over the weekend and carded a three-under-par round of 69 on sunday , which secured him a two-shot victory over compatriot matt every . as beljan celebrated with his seven-week old son on the 18th green a band played zippity-do-dah ' -- from the 1946 disney song of the south ' -- and a wonderful day for the arizona native was complete . every day i drove underneath that disney sign coming in here that said ,'where dreams come true ,'and that 's just what happened this week , ' the 28-year-old told the pga tour 's official website . and i 'm so grateful and so honored . ' the win means beljan will not have to navigate the pga tour 's offseason qualifying school . it was incredible , ' beljan said after picking up the eighth win of his pro career . i was happy that i was a pga tour champion . i was happy that my wife and my baby were here . it still is n't real . ' the good news kept coming for beljan , who also pocketed a winner 's check for $ 846,000 . you never know what 's going to happen in this game or in the game of life , ' he added . you keep plugging away . ' i believe that everything happens for a reason , and sometimes days like friday were n't very enjoyable , but the score was wonderful , and i think it taught me that it does n't matter about your golf swing or your putting stroke . ' i was literally fighting for my life and i just think that you ca n't ever give up . ' | beljan 's two-stroke win guarantees him a pga tour card for the 2013 season |
orbital <tsp> orbital sciences corp. sent up its first entry into the space freight business wednesday with the launch of a new unmanned cargo carrier to the international space station . it 's the first flight for the company 's cygnus spacecraft and the second for its antares booster rocket . liftoff was at 10:58 a.m. at nasa 's launch facility at wallops island , virginia , about 90 miles north of norfolk . about 10 minutes after launch , a cheer went up in the company 's flight control room in dulles , virginia , outside washington , when the craft separated from the second stage of the booster . its solar arrays deployed successfully about 15 minutes later . the spacecraft is working really well right now , ' frank culbertson , the head of orbital 's advanced programs group and a former astronaut , told reporters after the launch . cygnus is slated to perform three days of tests before being cleared to approach the iss and it 's scheduled to rendezvous with the space station until sunday . the launch had been scheduled for tuesday , but was postponed for a day because of bad weather and a technical glitch that delayed the craft 's roll-out on friday , nasa said . unlike the spacex dragon capsule , which is designed to be reused and eventually carry passengers , the can-shaped , 17-foot cygnus is a one-shot craft that will burn up on re-entry after its flight to the space station . it carried about 1,500 pounds of cargo into orbit on wednesday , but is capable of carrying up to 4,400 pounds ( 2,000 kilos ) , the company says . after about a month , the craft will be packed with trash from the station and cut loose to burn up in the atmosphere , culbertson said . it 's going to be an exciting and fascinating and interesting time for everybody involved , ' he said . nasa hired orbital and spacex to start making cargo runs to the space station after retiring its fleet of space shuttles and turning much of its focus toward exploring deep into the solar system . orbital has a $ 1.9 billion contract with nasa to make eight flights to the space station under the space agency 's commercial supply program . we look forward to the rendezvous with the station on sunday , and with that we 'll have orbital joining spacex as one of our providers , ' nasa associate administrator robert lightfoot said . spacex has so far made two of its 12 scheduled flights to the iss under a $ 1.6 billion contract . | nasa has a $ 1.9 billion contract with orbital for eight flights to the iss |
orbital <tsp> orbital sciences corp. sent up its first entry into the space freight business wednesday with the launch of a new unmanned cargo carrier to the international space station . it 's the first flight for the company 's cygnus spacecraft and the second for its antares booster rocket . liftoff was at 10:58 a.m. at nasa 's launch facility at wallops island , virginia , about 90 miles north of norfolk . about 10 minutes after launch , a cheer went up in the company 's flight control room in dulles , virginia , outside washington , when the craft separated from the second stage of the booster . its solar arrays deployed successfully about 15 minutes later . the spacecraft is working really well right now , ' frank culbertson , the head of orbital 's advanced programs group and a former astronaut , told reporters after the launch . cygnus is slated to perform three days of tests before being cleared to approach the iss and it 's scheduled to rendezvous with the space station until sunday . the launch had been scheduled for tuesday , but was postponed for a day because of bad weather and a technical glitch that delayed the craft 's roll-out on friday , nasa said . unlike the spacex dragon capsule , which is designed to be reused and eventually carry passengers , the can-shaped , 17-foot cygnus is a one-shot craft that will burn up on re-entry after its flight to the space station . it carried about 1,500 pounds of cargo into orbit on wednesday , but is capable of carrying up to 4,400 pounds ( 2,000 kilos ) , the company says . after about a month , the craft will be packed with trash from the station and cut loose to burn up in the atmosphere , culbertson said . it 's going to be an exciting and fascinating and interesting time for everybody involved , ' he said . nasa hired orbital and spacex to start making cargo runs to the space station after retiring its fleet of space shuttles and turning much of its focus toward exploring deep into the solar system . orbital has a $ 1.9 billion contract with nasa to make eight flights to the space station under the space agency 's commercial supply program . we look forward to the rendezvous with the station on sunday , and with that we 'll have orbital joining spacex as one of our providers , ' nasa associate administrator robert lightfoot said . spacex has so far made two of its 12 scheduled flights to the iss under a $ 1.6 billion contract . | orbital sciences successfully launched its cygnus cargo ship wednesday |
abdel-fattah el-sisi <tsp> egypt 's military-backed government resigned monday , adding new uncertainty to the nation 's three years of upheaval . the government headed by prime minister hazem beblawi turned in its resignation to president adly mansour , state-run nile tv reported . mansour accepted the resignations and thanked the prime minister and his cabinet for their service . the presidency greatly values the tireless efforts of dr. beblawi and members of the government at a pivotal moment in the nation 's history , ' mansour said in a statement . state media reported that mansour is expected to appoint a transitional prime minister in the coming days who will be tasked with putting together a new cabinet to manage state affairs until presidential elections in april . the resignations come as disorganized strikes ripple through the work force . in recent weeks , doctors , low-ranking police officers , postal workers , transport workers and textile workers have all gone on strike for short periods of time . analysts expect army chief abdel-fattah el-sisi , who served as defense minister , to run for president . the supreme council of the armed forces has said it would support an el-sisi candidacy . if he does run , el-sisi would need to give up his post . but with no clear contender , his chances of winning the presidency are high . if elected , he will become the sixth military leader to rule egypt since its independence . egypt 's government has been unsettled since a popular revolt toppled the 29-year rule of former strongman hosni mubarak in 2011 . mohamed morsy , the former head of the muslim brotherhood 's political arm , was elected president in 2012 . shortly after he winning , he resigned from the muslim brotherhood and its freedom and justice party in an effort to show that he would represent all egyptians . but he was ousted in a coup about a year later amid widespread protests against his rule , with opponents accusing him of pursuing an islamist agenda and excluding other factions from the government . morsy and other brotherhood leaders were rounded up after the coup and now face a variety of counts , including organizing attacks on egyptian troops in the sinai peninsula and fueling sectarian sedition with the aim of igniting civil war in egypt . ' supporters say the military-backed government that replaced morsy has returned to the authoritarian practices of mubarak . | analysts expect army chief abdel-fattah el-sisi to run for president |
defense department <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a politically active marine who has questioned president barack obama 's authority said thursday that he is facing administrative discharge proceedings over his comments . sgt . gary stein , who founded the armed forces tea party , said his commanding officer at camp pendleton near san diego has accused him of violating a catch-all military justice provision against conduct endangering good order and discipline . ' he is also accused of violating a department of defense policy limiting the political activities of service members . stein came under scrutiny from marine officials after saying he would not obey obama 's orders . in a january 26 post to the armed forces tea party facebook page , stein called obama a liar . two days later , he said the president is the'domestic enemy'our oath speaks about . ' in a march 4 posting , he questioned obama 's birth certificate . another discussion on the site in march said he would refuse to obey orders given by obama . he later clarified to say he meant illegal orders , which he has explained as orders such as sending the military to syria without congressional approval . the allegations drummed up against me are no more than an agenda by the marine corps to use me as an example , ' stein said in a statement posted to his page . if i am guilty of anything it would be that i am american , a freedom loving conservative , hell bent on defending the constitution and preserving americas greatness . ' he noted that the opinions he expressed were his own , saying , i have never spoken on behalf of the marine corps or in uniform . ' appearing on cnn on thursday morning , he called the charges a pr thing . ' they have to make some sort of stand with this , ' he said . a marine corps spokesman confirmed thursday that stein 's commanding officer had chosen to address the allegations through administration action ' after he had received the results of a preliminary inquiry into the case . while the first amendment to the u.s. constitution protects the free speech rights of ordinary citizens , a defense department rule prohibits service members from engaging in some forms of political activity . among the prohibited activities are publishing partisan political articles or serving in an official capacity with a partisan political club . stein has said that has carefully followed the defense department directive . he said thursday that his unit has known about his off-duty activities since he joined the outfit eight months ago . he also said a similar investigation two years ago found that he had done nothing wrong and officers at the time told him he could continue running the site so long as it carried a disclaimer . the facebook page notes that it does not represent and is not affiliated with the military or government . about 18,000 people follow posts on the page . comments tuesday on the page were largely , but not entirely , supportive of stein . gary stein i stand behind you 100 % . keep up the good fight , ' one poster commented . like it or not obama is the commander in chief and this marines job is to protect him right or wrong , ' another poster said . stein is not the first service member to face controversy over comments about obama . in 2010 , a military court sentenced army lt. col. terrence lakin to six months in prison and removal from the military over his refusal to deploy to afghanistan . lakin argued that obama was not born in the united states and therefore was not legally president , making his orders illegal . cnn 's adam levine contributed to this report . | he 's also accused of violating a defense department rule against some political activity |
ireland <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a colorado woman charged with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists pleaded guilty on tuesday , according to a u.s. justice department statement . prosecutors say jamie paulin-ramirez aided colleen larose , a woman who called herself jihad jane , ' in a conspiracy plot to commit murder . larose is suspected of communicating with paulin-ramirez in august 2009 , when the pair allegedly conspired to obtain military-style training in south asia , traveling to europe to participate and support violent jihad , according to a superseding indictment in 2010 . paulin-ramirez accepted larose 's invitation , traveling to ireland with her child with the intent to live and train with jihadists , it said . keeping our community and the country safe are a top priority of this office , ' said u.s. attorney zane david memeger , who lauded the importance and success of international collaboration when fighting terrorism . ' last month , larose pleaded guilty at a federal change-of-plea hearing in philadelphia after being indicted in 2009 on four counts , including conspiring to support terrorists and kill someone overseas . she was allegedly part of a plot to murder swedish cartoonist lars vilks , who outraged some by depicting the prophet mohammed with the body of a dog in 2007 . but paulin-ramirez 's attorney jeremy ibrahim denies the broader conspiracy claim . it 's clear that she is not implicated in the larger conspiracy involving colleen larose , a conspiracy involving a plot to kill , ' he said . paulin-ramirez was arrested in ireland after larose . if convicted , she faces up to 15 years in prison and a possible $ 250,000 fine at sentencing . five other co-conspirators were allegedly involved , but have not been named by the government . | paulin-ramirez was arrested in ireland after larose |
kimberley process <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a major international environmental group has pulled out of the process to guarantee that diamonds do not come from conflict zones , saying the kimberley process had refused to evolve and address the clear links between diamonds , violence and tyranny . ' so why are so-called conflict diamonds ' so controversial ? what are conflict diamonds ? conflict or blood ' diamonds are illegally traded to fund conflict in war-torn areas , particularly in central and western africa , according to the world diamond council , which represents the commercial diamond trade . the united nations defines conflict diamonds as ... diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments , and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments , or in contravention of the decisions of the security council . ' they are generally in rough ' form , meaning they have recently been extracted and not yet cut . at the height of the civil war in sierra leone , it is estimated that conflict diamonds represented approximately four percent of the world 's diamond production . who suffers ? apart from the innocent people caught up in the conflicts that the trade fuels , thousands of men , women and children in countries such as sierra leone are used as slaves to extract diamonds . they are often forced to use primitive , back-breaking methods such as digging into mud or gravel along river banks with their bare hands . the collected material is then separated using hand-held sieves . what is the kimberley process ? the kimberley process started when southern african diamond-producing states met in kimberley , south africa , in may 2000 , to discuss ways to stop the trade in conflict diamonds and ensure that diamond purchases were not funding violence . the result was an agreement by the united nations , european union , the governments of 74 countries , the world diamond council -- representing the industry -- and a number of interest groups such as global witness . they established the kimberley process certification scheme ( kpcs ) , whereby members are required to certify that all rough diamond exports are produced through legitimate mining and sales activities and are conflict-free . ' each shipment carries a certificate that details where the diamonds came from , how they were mined , where they were cut and polished , the parties involved , and their ultimate destination . the idea is that members of the kimberley process can not trade with non-members . is it working ? according to amy barry of global witness , the kimberley process has yet to demonstrate itself capable of stopping the trade because of a lack of political will among member states . zimbabwe , for example , is a test case for the kp , ' she told cnn in 2010 , alleging that robert mugabe 's regime has benefited from the sale of blood diamonds despite it being a member of the kimberley process . she said the huge marange diamond fields of eastern zimbabwe are operated by military-run syndicates who beat or kill miners who do n't mine for them or pay bribes . the extreme violence perpetrated by the military even included the mass murder of hundreds of miners by helicopter gunships , she added . but with just one or two member states able to veto any punitive action against abuses or infringements of the kp scheme , no decisive action has been taken against zimbabwe . this consensus decision-making means tough decisions do n't get made , ' said barry . certain countries are putting economic and political interests in front of defending the fundamental principles of the scheme . ' is the conflict trade ' limited to diamonds ? no . according to global witness , rebel fighters and army units have hijacked the trade in mineral ores , used in the production of mobile phones and computers , from eastern democratic republic of congo ( drc ) , while subjecting the local population to massacres , rape , extortion , and forced labor . the conflict minerals ' are then laundered into the global supply chain by export houses , before being transformed into refined metals by large international smelting firms . global witness says the operations of some of the world 's leading consumer brands are now being scrutinized for evidence of links to this rogue trade . | global witness : kimberley process has not shown itself capable of stopping trade |
samisoni viriviri <tsp> ( cnn ) -- new zealand may have retained rugby 's sevens world series in fine style , but fiji 's samisoni viriviri claimed the honor of being named the competition 's leading player following the finale in england . the flying winger was in imperious form throughout the season , as his searing pace and clinical finishing combined to produce 52 tries -- 19 more than his closest rival tim mikkelson . new zealander mikkelson , who was player of the year in 2013 , had been one of four players in contention this time , along with south africa captain kyle brown and england skipper tom mitchell . i am very proud to win this award and be the first fijian to be named sevens player of the year , ' viriviri told the hsbc sevens world series'official website after sunday 's awards ceremony . he has been the most lethal finisher this season and his all round game has been outstanding , ' added fiji coach ben ryan . he 's scored some incredible tries and defended superbly well - i think i can remember one time in this whole season when somebody went round him . ' despite viriviri 's individual brilliance , fiji could only finish the season in third place , trailing second-placed south africa and champions new zealand . securing the title for the fourth year in succession , the all blacks wrapped up their 12th win in 15 series during the group stages of the season-ending event in london . they were defeated by host nation england in their final pool a game at twickenham but earlier victories over argentina and wales took the kiwis to the knockout stages while simultaneously confirming them as champions . gordon tietjens'side thrashed south africa in the quarterfinal , won a tight semifinal 12-10 against the fijians before rallying from 21-0 down against australia in the final to win 52-33 . the dramatic turnaround ended australia coach michael o'connor 's dream of finishing with a title in his last match in charge of a series event . i am going to miss the series . i 'll be back though but i probably wo n't have the seat i have at the moment , ' o'connor said afterwards . but i will miss the players , the teams we play against , the people , the staff at the international rugby board -- it is an amazing tournament and really a world class event . ' unlike his rivals for player of the year , viriviri was also named in the sevens dream team , which featured new zealand duo d.j . forbes and scott curry , canada 's john moonlight and phil mack , as well as cameron clark of australia and south african justin geduld . we have worked so hard as a team to get things right and it has paid off this year , ' mack said on the world series website . to be recognized for it is great . it is a special feeling , and as a team we have made huge strides and we will share this with them . 'mooner'brings everything , his leadership is awesome , and the team follow behind him . i am super happy . ' next season 's series starts in october , with australia hosting the opening round , prior to its climax in london in may 2015 . with rugby sevens making its olympic debut in two years'time , extra incentive will be added by the knowledge that the top four-ranked nations will qualify directly for the 2016 games in rio . | fiji 's samisoni viriviri named player of the 2013-2014 series |
uc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- after nearly five years as homeland security secretary , former arizona gov . janet napolitano surprised the nation and many of her friends with last week 's announcement that she was being nominated for appointment as the 20th president of the university of california . but no one who knows her ( i have , personally and professionally for more than 30 years ) is at all surprised at why the uc system wants her , or why she emerged as the nontraditional but consensus choice for the job among a pool of talented and qualified candidates . napolitano will leave her cabinet post as one of the most respected , trusted and personally admired figures of barack obama 's presidency . her new job will be another first in napolitano 's career : she was the first woman valedictorian at the university of santa clara ; the first woman to be elected governor of arizona by popular vote ; first woman to head the mammoth , sprawling and unwieldy department of homeland security . and now the first woman president of the nation 's largest public university system . her positions have involved widely different subject portfolios , but there are common threads which reveal and reinforce her strengths . napolitano knows how to herd cats . as governor and as dhs secretary , she presided over many disparate organizational fiefdoms . her great success in both jobs was to know how to play to their strengths to achieve common goals . in arizona a $ 1 billion deficit became surplus , without a tax increase . at homeland security , she helped transform 22 agencies from across the federal government into what most now view as a single integrated cabinet department . in the process , she has overseen the maturation of that department 's one-size-fits-all ' security approach to one that matches the strategy to the threat : intelligence-driven and risk-based . fema -- the federal emergency management agency -- was a late-night talk show joke before she took office . remember hurricane katrina and heckuva good job , brownie ' ? napolitano worked together with a top-notch professional , fema director craig fugate , to lead the federal response to historic natural disasters ranging from hurricanes sandy , isaac and irene to record flooding in the midwest and major forest fires in the west . in the process , fema turned from a talk-show joke into a top-performing disaster response agency . napolitano is not a limelight-seeker . she 's a results-obsessed lawyer and public servant who sets priorities . at the arizona border discussing immigration , on gulf coast beaches taking stock of daily progress in dealing with the bp deepwater horizon explosion and oil spill , visiting tornado-devastated communities in the midwest and hurricane-ravaged new jersey beach towns , she walked beside those who were directly affected and ceded the key camera shots to them . she assumed responsibility and when she did take center stage it was as a public figure unafraid to deal with hostility and criticism -- as she did as the administration 's sole witness during the recent senate judiciary committee hearings on the immigration reform bill . she brought years of front-line experience to the immigration debate and was a central figure in the ongoing discussions of reform . her approach was not to throw the baby out with the bathwater . it was to focus on getting rid of criminals and threats to national security , while understanding that immigrants -- like her own italian family -- have contributed much to this nation 's prosperity and security . she has been was willing and ready to roll up her sleeves and work with all sides to construct an approach on immigration that works -- one that addresses both national security needs and immigrant potential . she applied her experience and expertise in many ways and behind the scenes , including in the final days of senate debate on the gang of eight ' initiative , to remove roadblocks and move the process forward . janet napolitano is also one of the warmest and most caring individuals i know . few are aware of the time she has devoted to help staff , family and friends in need . one example among many : a longtime mutual friend who served as director of constituent services in her arizona office was unexpectedly stricken with illness . the woman lingered in ill health for many weeks before her untimely passing . away from public and press attention , napolitano went daily to her bedside , de facto family for an employee and friend who had lost most of hers long ago . in announcing the death , napolitano paid tribute not only to the professional accomplishments but to the person with whom she had connected and befriended . [ she ] played a critical role in the governor 's office , ' napolitano wrote . what people may not know is that she was also an author , a hospice volunteer and a woman of deep faith . we 're only beginning to grasp how much we will miss her . ' napolitano has done exemplary work at the department of homeland security , most of it away from the spotlight . she played a critical role in helping this administration succeed in areas where previous administrations had not . what people may not know is that she is a fan of football and opera and a friend who has your back . the students , faculty , administrators and regents who make up the university of california system are about to find all this out . i suspect that as the administration looks to replace her , it will begin to grasp how much it will miss her . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of douglas wilson . | doug wilson : people who know janet napolitano not surprised she 's to head uc system |
uc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- after nearly five years as homeland security secretary , former arizona gov . janet napolitano surprised the nation and many of her friends with last week 's announcement that she was being nominated for appointment as the 20th president of the university of california . but no one who knows her ( i have , personally and professionally for more than 30 years ) is at all surprised at why the uc system wants her , or why she emerged as the nontraditional but consensus choice for the job among a pool of talented and qualified candidates . napolitano will leave her cabinet post as one of the most respected , trusted and personally admired figures of barack obama 's presidency . her new job will be another first in napolitano 's career : she was the first woman valedictorian at the university of santa clara ; the first woman to be elected governor of arizona by popular vote ; first woman to head the mammoth , sprawling and unwieldy department of homeland security . and now the first woman president of the nation 's largest public university system . her positions have involved widely different subject portfolios , but there are common threads which reveal and reinforce her strengths . napolitano knows how to herd cats . as governor and as dhs secretary , she presided over many disparate organizational fiefdoms . her great success in both jobs was to know how to play to their strengths to achieve common goals . in arizona a $ 1 billion deficit became surplus , without a tax increase . at homeland security , she helped transform 22 agencies from across the federal government into what most now view as a single integrated cabinet department . in the process , she has overseen the maturation of that department 's one-size-fits-all ' security approach to one that matches the strategy to the threat : intelligence-driven and risk-based . fema -- the federal emergency management agency -- was a late-night talk show joke before she took office . remember hurricane katrina and heckuva good job , brownie ' ? napolitano worked together with a top-notch professional , fema director craig fugate , to lead the federal response to historic natural disasters ranging from hurricanes sandy , isaac and irene to record flooding in the midwest and major forest fires in the west . in the process , fema turned from a talk-show joke into a top-performing disaster response agency . napolitano is not a limelight-seeker . she 's a results-obsessed lawyer and public servant who sets priorities . at the arizona border discussing immigration , on gulf coast beaches taking stock of daily progress in dealing with the bp deepwater horizon explosion and oil spill , visiting tornado-devastated communities in the midwest and hurricane-ravaged new jersey beach towns , she walked beside those who were directly affected and ceded the key camera shots to them . she assumed responsibility and when she did take center stage it was as a public figure unafraid to deal with hostility and criticism -- as she did as the administration 's sole witness during the recent senate judiciary committee hearings on the immigration reform bill . she brought years of front-line experience to the immigration debate and was a central figure in the ongoing discussions of reform . her approach was not to throw the baby out with the bathwater . it was to focus on getting rid of criminals and threats to national security , while understanding that immigrants -- like her own italian family -- have contributed much to this nation 's prosperity and security . she has been was willing and ready to roll up her sleeves and work with all sides to construct an approach on immigration that works -- one that addresses both national security needs and immigrant potential . she applied her experience and expertise in many ways and behind the scenes , including in the final days of senate debate on the gang of eight ' initiative , to remove roadblocks and move the process forward . janet napolitano is also one of the warmest and most caring individuals i know . few are aware of the time she has devoted to help staff , family and friends in need . one example among many : a longtime mutual friend who served as director of constituent services in her arizona office was unexpectedly stricken with illness . the woman lingered in ill health for many weeks before her untimely passing . away from public and press attention , napolitano went daily to her bedside , de facto family for an employee and friend who had lost most of hers long ago . in announcing the death , napolitano paid tribute not only to the professional accomplishments but to the person with whom she had connected and befriended . [ she ] played a critical role in the governor 's office , ' napolitano wrote . what people may not know is that she was also an author , a hospice volunteer and a woman of deep faith . we 're only beginning to grasp how much we will miss her . ' napolitano has done exemplary work at the department of homeland security , most of it away from the spotlight . she played a critical role in helping this administration succeed in areas where previous administrations had not . what people may not know is that she is a fan of football and opera and a friend who has your back . the students , faculty , administrators and regents who make up the university of california system are about to find all this out . i suspect that as the administration looks to replace her , it will begin to grasp how much it will miss her . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of douglas wilson . | it 's another first woman ' nod for her . she was first uc santa clara valedictorian , first az governor |
french <tsp> ( cnn ) -- while zlatan ibrahimovic showed more evidence of his importance to paris saint-germain on saturday , barcelona responded with an ominous warning of the club 's powers even without lionel messi . with the four-time world player of the year battling to be fit for wednesday 's visit by the french league leaders , having injured his hamstring in last week 's 2-2 draw , cesc fabregas put up his hand for a role in the second leg of the champions league quarterfinal . in a messi-esque performance , the spain midfielder took his chance to impress as he scored his first hat-trick for barcelona in a 5-0 thrashing of mallorca that kept the catalan side 13 points clear of second-placed real madrid in la liga . alexis sanchez , another midfielder who has struggled to consistently impress since his 2011 arrival at the camp nou , chimed in with the other two goals . the match was also notable for the second-half introduction of french defender eric adibal , making his first senior appearance since his liver transplant last april . by that stage tito vilanova 's side , much-changed from the trip to paris , were already five goals ahead as both fabregas and sanchez netted twice in the opening period , toying with the visiting defense . fabregas was taken off as a precaution after completing his treble with an assist from andres iniesta , but sanchez hobbled off late with an injury that casts doubt on his fitness for the psg clash . barca hope to have messi back for that match , as his injury is not as bad as feared . the argentine netted the opening goal of the first leg , his 57th this season , but it was ibrahimovic who had the last word as he set up a late equalizer . the sweden forward , who was able to play -- and also score -- last week after having his european suspension halved , has now netted 26 league goals this season following another opportunistic effort in saturday 's 2-0 win at rennes . ibrahimovic finished off from close range in time added on after halftime substitute david beckham chipped the keeper , denying the veteran englishman his first goal since signing in january . jeremy menez had earlier scored a fine individual goal as qatar-funded psg moved seven points clear at the top of the table after the club 's first win at rennes since 2002 . real madrid , meanwhile , came from behind to crush levante 5-1 as mesut ozil scored two late goals after fellow substitute cristiano ronaldo also netted -- his 29th in the league , second best behind messi 's 43 . striker gonzalo higuain volleyed a spectacular equalizer while kaka put real 2-1 ahead at the break with a penalty . it continued real 's form from last week 's 3-0 champions league win over galatasaray , ahead of tuesday 's trip to turkey . the istanbul side went seven points clear in the turkish super league on saturday with a 3-1 win at home to mersin , as veteran striker didier drogba scored twice . real sociedad consolidated fourth place in spain with a 4-2 win against malaga which established a four-point lead over the visitors with eight games to play . it dented any hopes malaga have of playing in next season 's champions league -- if the club 's appeal against a suspension for financial fair play discrepancies is successful -- and placed even more importance on tuesday 's second leg of the quarterfinal tie away to german side borussia dortmund , which is level at 0-0 . juventus bounced back from last week 's champions league defeat against bayern munich by moving 12 points clear in italy 's serie a with a 2-1 win over bottom club pescara on saturday . montenegro striker mirko vucinic scored two late goals before a long-range effort from emmanuel cascione ensured a tense finish . second-placed napoli host genoa on sunday , when third-placed ac milan travel to fiorentina . | champions league opponents psg extend french lead with win |
lionel messi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- while zlatan ibrahimovic showed more evidence of his importance to paris saint-germain on saturday , barcelona responded with an ominous warning of the club 's powers even without lionel messi . with the four-time world player of the year battling to be fit for wednesday 's visit by the french league leaders , having injured his hamstring in last week 's 2-2 draw , cesc fabregas put up his hand for a role in the second leg of the champions league quarterfinal . in a messi-esque performance , the spain midfielder took his chance to impress as he scored his first hat-trick for barcelona in a 5-0 thrashing of mallorca that kept the catalan side 13 points clear of second-placed real madrid in la liga . alexis sanchez , another midfielder who has struggled to consistently impress since his 2011 arrival at the camp nou , chimed in with the other two goals . the match was also notable for the second-half introduction of french defender eric adibal , making his first senior appearance since his liver transplant last april . by that stage tito vilanova 's side , much-changed from the trip to paris , were already five goals ahead as both fabregas and sanchez netted twice in the opening period , toying with the visiting defense . fabregas was taken off as a precaution after completing his treble with an assist from andres iniesta , but sanchez hobbled off late with an injury that casts doubt on his fitness for the psg clash . barca hope to have messi back for that match , as his injury is not as bad as feared . the argentine netted the opening goal of the first leg , his 57th this season , but it was ibrahimovic who had the last word as he set up a late equalizer . the sweden forward , who was able to play -- and also score -- last week after having his european suspension halved , has now netted 26 league goals this season following another opportunistic effort in saturday 's 2-0 win at rennes . ibrahimovic finished off from close range in time added on after halftime substitute david beckham chipped the keeper , denying the veteran englishman his first goal since signing in january . jeremy menez had earlier scored a fine individual goal as qatar-funded psg moved seven points clear at the top of the table after the club 's first win at rennes since 2002 . real madrid , meanwhile , came from behind to crush levante 5-1 as mesut ozil scored two late goals after fellow substitute cristiano ronaldo also netted -- his 29th in the league , second best behind messi 's 43 . striker gonzalo higuain volleyed a spectacular equalizer while kaka put real 2-1 ahead at the break with a penalty . it continued real 's form from last week 's 3-0 champions league win over galatasaray , ahead of tuesday 's trip to turkey . the istanbul side went seven points clear in the turkish super league on saturday with a 3-1 win at home to mersin , as veteran striker didier drogba scored twice . real sociedad consolidated fourth place in spain with a 4-2 win against malaga which established a four-point lead over the visitors with eight games to play . it dented any hopes malaga have of playing in next season 's champions league -- if the club 's appeal against a suspension for financial fair play discrepancies is successful -- and placed even more importance on tuesday 's second leg of the quarterfinal tie away to german side borussia dortmund , which is level at 0-0 . juventus bounced back from last week 's champions league defeat against bayern munich by moving 12 points clear in italy 's serie a with a 2-1 win over bottom club pescara on saturday . montenegro striker mirko vucinic scored two late goals before a long-range effort from emmanuel cascione ensured a tense finish . second-placed napoli host genoa on sunday , when third-placed ac milan travel to fiorentina . | cesc fabregas scores his first hat-trick for barcelona in absence of injured lionel messi |
manchester united <tsp> ( cnn ) -- leading figures in the world of soccer , including superstar david beckham , on thursday blasted fifa president sepp blatter for controversial remarks he made on racism in an interview with cnn world sport . the head of world football told cnn 's pedro pinto there is no on-field racism in football and that any player who has been abused should simply shake hands with his opponent at the end of the match and move on . manchester united 's rio ferdinand , a former england captain , expressed his outrage on twitter , blasting blatter 's comments as so condescending it 's almost laughable . ' i think the remarks were appalling , personally , ' beckham said in an interview with cnn 's paul vercammen . all i care about is keeping racism out of soccer and out of sport . because it 's not just in sports it 's in life in general . so it has to be stopped and we 're part of that . ' beckham , who plays in the united states for la galaxy , said something should be done , but he stopped short of saying blatter should step down . pedro pinto : my crazy day with sepp the chief executive of england 's professional footballers'association , gordon taylor , told cnn that blatter should quit . he should step down , ' he said . this is the straw that broke the camel 's back . we need football to set a good example , so this is inexcusable . the swiss was re-elected unopposed as the head of football 's governing body in june after his main rival was suspended amid corruption allegations . the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 world cups was also dogged by bribery allegations . soon after blatter gave his interview to cnn on wednesday , his position appeared to be undermined when the english football association charged liverpool 's luis suarez with racism toward a fellow player . suarez allegedly taunted manchester united 's french defender patrice evra . suarez , from uruguay , denies the claims . london 's metropolitan police are also investigating allegations of racism against chelsea and england captain john terry . he denies claims he racially abused the brother of rio ferdinand , anton , during a premier league match . blatter : no on-field racism in football the uk sports minister hugh robertson echoed calls for blatter to quit . racism is a criminal offense in this country and anybody who is caught will face criminal sanctions , ' he told cnn . what sepp blatter has said , in this country , is just completely wrong as well as morally indefensible . this is the latest episode that calls into question whether this man should be the head of world football . for the sake of the game , he should go . we have been consistent in our calls for improved governance at fifa and this underlines the need for that once more . we must never be complacent in our efforts to tackle racism . there is no place or excuse for it either on or off the pitch . ' the kick it out ' group , who campaign against racism in football , said blatter 's comments were worryingly out of touch . shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to , and trivializes the work of campaigns like kick it out . ' blatter clarified his comments in a statement on fifa 's website that carried a picture of him embracing tokyo sexwale , a prominent south african politician who has campaigned against racism . ferdinand responded to the picture on his twitter account , saying : fifa clear up the blatter comments with a pic of him posing with a black man .. i need the hand covering eyes symbol ! ! ' blatter comments spark twitter fury thursday , blatter responded to ferdinand directly on twitter , writing : the'black man'as you call him has a name : tokyo sexwale . he has done tremendous work against racism and apartheid in africa . we have done several joint activities to raise awareness on the struggle against racism in south africa . fifa has a long standing and proud record in the area of anti-discrimination which will continue . ' later ferdinand replied : to say what you said about racism in football spoke volumes of your ignorance to the subject . if we want to stamp out racism in society a football pitch is a good place to start -- loved by billions of people around the world ( sic ) . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn , premier league chief executive richard scudamore said racism was still prevalent in football , but the top tier in the english game was fighting hard to eradicate it . he said : racism certainly still exists in football , albeit reduced , but there are still issues , of course there are , and we 're not complacent about that . but i think it 's a bit of a stretch to say it does n't exist because it does . ' the english game had led and been at the forefront of reducing incidents of racist behavior -- it 's totally unacceptable , everybody in the game in england understands it is totally unacceptable . we have that reputation , as far as i 'm aware , that reputation is still intact but the game will deal with whatever is thrown against it . there is no place for it in football , let alone in england , and we will strive to eradicate it . ' sports journalist and london evening standard columnist mihir bose said blatter 's views demonstrated that he is out of touch with the modern game . he told cnn , this wo n't topple him . it will damage him further but you could argue he was damaged goods anyway . blatter wants to be a showman , he wants to be in the public eye ... but these comments are incredibly insensitive and crass . ' bose said that although great strides have been made in the fight against racism in football , there is still much work to do . much of the racist attitudes that saw bananas being thrown onto the field at black players has gone , but there is still a pervasive racism , ' he added . white players feel racism has been conquered but there remains a feeling of discrimination in the game which is why black players have reacted with outrage at blatter 's comments . they feel there is still not a level playing field -- they feel all they have fought for over the years has been devalued . ' can european soccer stamp out racism ? there have also been several instances of racism in european football this year . former brazil player roberto carlos walked off the pitch during a game in russia when a banana was thrown at him and chelsea 's israeli midfielder yossi benayoun was taunted during a game in malaysia . cnn 's paul vercammen contributed to this report . | manchester united 's rio ferdinand called remarks condescending ' |
uk <tsp> ( cnn ) -- leading figures in the world of soccer , including superstar david beckham , on thursday blasted fifa president sepp blatter for controversial remarks he made on racism in an interview with cnn world sport . the head of world football told cnn 's pedro pinto there is no on-field racism in football and that any player who has been abused should simply shake hands with his opponent at the end of the match and move on . manchester united 's rio ferdinand , a former england captain , expressed his outrage on twitter , blasting blatter 's comments as so condescending it 's almost laughable . ' i think the remarks were appalling , personally , ' beckham said in an interview with cnn 's paul vercammen . all i care about is keeping racism out of soccer and out of sport . because it 's not just in sports it 's in life in general . so it has to be stopped and we 're part of that . ' beckham , who plays in the united states for la galaxy , said something should be done , but he stopped short of saying blatter should step down . pedro pinto : my crazy day with sepp the chief executive of england 's professional footballers'association , gordon taylor , told cnn that blatter should quit . he should step down , ' he said . this is the straw that broke the camel 's back . we need football to set a good example , so this is inexcusable . the swiss was re-elected unopposed as the head of football 's governing body in june after his main rival was suspended amid corruption allegations . the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 world cups was also dogged by bribery allegations . soon after blatter gave his interview to cnn on wednesday , his position appeared to be undermined when the english football association charged liverpool 's luis suarez with racism toward a fellow player . suarez allegedly taunted manchester united 's french defender patrice evra . suarez , from uruguay , denies the claims . london 's metropolitan police are also investigating allegations of racism against chelsea and england captain john terry . he denies claims he racially abused the brother of rio ferdinand , anton , during a premier league match . blatter : no on-field racism in football the uk sports minister hugh robertson echoed calls for blatter to quit . racism is a criminal offense in this country and anybody who is caught will face criminal sanctions , ' he told cnn . what sepp blatter has said , in this country , is just completely wrong as well as morally indefensible . this is the latest episode that calls into question whether this man should be the head of world football . for the sake of the game , he should go . we have been consistent in our calls for improved governance at fifa and this underlines the need for that once more . we must never be complacent in our efforts to tackle racism . there is no place or excuse for it either on or off the pitch . ' the kick it out ' group , who campaign against racism in football , said blatter 's comments were worryingly out of touch . shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to , and trivializes the work of campaigns like kick it out . ' blatter clarified his comments in a statement on fifa 's website that carried a picture of him embracing tokyo sexwale , a prominent south african politician who has campaigned against racism . ferdinand responded to the picture on his twitter account , saying : fifa clear up the blatter comments with a pic of him posing with a black man .. i need the hand covering eyes symbol ! ! ' blatter comments spark twitter fury thursday , blatter responded to ferdinand directly on twitter , writing : the'black man'as you call him has a name : tokyo sexwale . he has done tremendous work against racism and apartheid in africa . we have done several joint activities to raise awareness on the struggle against racism in south africa . fifa has a long standing and proud record in the area of anti-discrimination which will continue . ' later ferdinand replied : to say what you said about racism in football spoke volumes of your ignorance to the subject . if we want to stamp out racism in society a football pitch is a good place to start -- loved by billions of people around the world ( sic ) . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn , premier league chief executive richard scudamore said racism was still prevalent in football , but the top tier in the english game was fighting hard to eradicate it . he said : racism certainly still exists in football , albeit reduced , but there are still issues , of course there are , and we 're not complacent about that . but i think it 's a bit of a stretch to say it does n't exist because it does . ' the english game had led and been at the forefront of reducing incidents of racist behavior -- it 's totally unacceptable , everybody in the game in england understands it is totally unacceptable . we have that reputation , as far as i 'm aware , that reputation is still intact but the game will deal with whatever is thrown against it . there is no place for it in football , let alone in england , and we will strive to eradicate it . ' sports journalist and london evening standard columnist mihir bose said blatter 's views demonstrated that he is out of touch with the modern game . he told cnn , this wo n't topple him . it will damage him further but you could argue he was damaged goods anyway . blatter wants to be a showman , he wants to be in the public eye ... but these comments are incredibly insensitive and crass . ' bose said that although great strides have been made in the fight against racism in football , there is still much work to do . much of the racist attitudes that saw bananas being thrown onto the field at black players has gone , but there is still a pervasive racism , ' he added . white players feel racism has been conquered but there remains a feeling of discrimination in the game which is why black players have reacted with outrage at blatter 's comments . they feel there is still not a level playing field -- they feel all they have fought for over the years has been devalued . ' can european soccer stamp out racism ? there have also been several instances of racism in european football this year . former brazil player roberto carlos walked off the pitch during a game in russia when a banana was thrown at him and chelsea 's israeli midfielder yossi benayoun was taunted during a game in malaysia . cnn 's paul vercammen contributed to this report . | uk sports minister hugh robertson said blatter 's views were morally indefensible ' |
piper comanche <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a single-engine airplane made an emergency landing on a california highway sunday morning , though no major injuries were reported , authorities said . the piper comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on the southbound lanes of u.s. highway 101 . the piper comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on the southbound lanes of u.s. highway 101 just outside santa barbara and a few miles from the airport , said california highway patrol spokesman officer james richards . the plane 's engine quit , and as the pilot descended , he lost control of the plane and landed in the southbound lane facing oncoming traffic . the plane struck two vehicles while landing , then spun and hit another one with its tail , richards said . one vehicle passenger was treated for minor injuries , he said . no other injuries were reported . the landing happened at 10:36 a.m. ( 1:36 p.m . et ) and held up traffic for less than two hours , richards said . he added that the plane had departed temecula in southwestern riverside county , california , and was destined for the airport in santa barbara , a flight of about 180 miles . the pilot told authorities that he attempted to switch fuel lines during the flight , but was unable to restore power to the plane . he said he alerted a tower at the airport that a landing on the highway was imminent , richardson said . | piper comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on u.s. highway 101 |
soule shaun <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- michael jackson 's father filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against dr. conrad murray on friday , the anniversary of the pop star 's death , joe jackson 's lawyer said . the suit alleges that murray gave paramedics and doctors false information about the polypharmacy ' of drugs michael jackson had been given and hindered efforts to revive him in an ambulance and at ucla medical center , according to a copy obtained by cnn . the suit said that other parties responsible for michael jackson 's death ' would be added but that the plaintiff has not yet gathered sufficient information regarding their potential liability or responsibility . ' a complaint filed by joe jackson with the california medical board this month also named aeg , the company that was producing his son 's comeback concerts . murray was hired to serve as jackson 's personal doctor two months before the london debut of the concerts were set . the los angeles county coroner ruled that michael jackson 's death was caused by an overdose of propofol , a powerful anesthesia that murray has acknowledged the pop star used to help him sleep . joe jackson attorney brian oxman obtained a court order this year giving him medical records from ucla medical center , where michael jackson died on june 25 , 2009 . the suit also alleges that murray delayed calling for paramedics for over an hour , after he found jackson not breathing minutes after he injected him with propofol to help him fall asleep . the suit contends that murray used the time to hide evidence of drugs he had been giving jackson . when the ambulance carrying michael jackson from his home arrived at the emergency room at 1:13 p.m. , he was identified as soule shaun , ' the suit said . he had no pulse , blood pressure , spontaneous respiration or heartbeat , ' it said . murray , who had taken over control of resuscitation efforts from paramedics , said nothing to emergency room doctors about the propofol or other drugs ' he had given michael jackson earlier in the day , it said . it quoted a report written the next day by one of those doctors , who wrote that murray told them the patient had been working long hours but had not been ill. ' ' the only reported medications reported for the patient were valium and flomax , ' dr. richelle cooper wrote . there is no history of drug use by the patient as reported by dr . murray . ' a police report said murray told investigators two days later that he was afraid michael jackson was addicted to propofol . ' he had a history of addiction , and the defendant was trying to wean him off the drugs , yet he told dr. cooper two days earlier that michael jackson had no drug use history , ' the suit said . the toxicology results included in the autopsy report said the propofol level found in michael jackson 's body was equal to what would be used to sedate a patient for major surgery . murray , who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in michael jackson 's death , did not give him that much of the anesthesia , his defense lawyer said recently . there is no way that dr. murray pumped michael jackson full of propofol sufficient for major surgery , ' attorney ed chernoff said . no way . i would stake anything that i own on this fact . ' the lawsuit contends that jackson showed neurological , pulmonary , and amnesia signs ' in his final weeks as he rehearsed in los angeles for the london shows . it said jackson borrowed jackets from others and used a heater at rehearsals to control the shivering . ' in may and june , 2009 , michael jackson was confused , easily frightened , unable to remember , obsessive , and disoriented , ' the suit said . he has impaired memory , a loss of appetite , and absence of energy . he was cold and shivering during the summer rehearsals for his show , and as shown in photographs and motion pictures of him , he uncharacteristically wore heavy clothing during the rehearsals , while other dancers wore scant clothing and were perspiring from the heat . ' cnn 's ted rowlands contributed to this report . | jackson was admitted to hospital as soule shaun ' |
u.s . <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the obama administration may very well be right that the attack in benghazi which claimed the lives of ambassador christopher stevens and three other u.s. officials was part of a pre-planned terrorist operation . it would have happened sooner or later regardless of any protests against an obscure anti-islam film made in america . the attack apparently occurred because in recent days , the al-qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri posted a video online calling on libyans to avenge the killing of al-qaeda 's second in command , abu yahya al-libi . according to our own sources at quilliam foundation , the attack was the work of roughly 20 militants prepared for a military assault . it is rare , for example , that an rpg7 -- an anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher -- would be present at a civilian protest . the attack against the consulate had two waves . the first attack led to u.s. officials being evacuated from the consulate by libyan security forces , only for the second wave to be launched against u.s. officials after they were kept at a secure location . news : how the benghazi attack unfolded jihadists will want the world to believe that the attack is just a part of the protests against an amateur film produced in the u.s. , which includes crude insults regarding the prophet mohammed . they will want the world to think that their actions represent a popular libyan and wider muslim reaction ; thus , reversing the perception of jihadists being outcasts from their own societies . since there were similar protests in egypt against the film , it is possible that more protests may erupt in muslim-majority countries such as pakistan and afghanistan . the jihadists may also feel that by killing u.s. citizens , they will win the support of local populations . they are wrong . this attack was committed by a small group of extremists who do not represent the libyan population . they seek to destroy any reconstruction attempts in my mother country . as often is the case , extremists try to take advantage of the absence of security in a country that has just gotten out of a civil war . they try so hard to destabilize the peace that the majority of the population have fought so hard to establish . ambassador stevens himself was well known for advocating peace and stability in libya . the recent election results in the country are testament to his conviction that libya can achieve progress . that libyans did not vote the radicals into office in the elections proves that libya is not a nation of extremists . the extremists'response to their electoral defeat comes in a language they relish : violence . opinion : will egypt 's leaders calm or fan the crisis ? the attack on the u.s. consulate is a truly tragic event . libya has lost one of the few foreign figures that really sought to invest time and energy into our country and believed in its future . ambassador stevens was one of a select number of international public figures based in libya , who had refused to give up on libya and its deteriorating security situation in recent months . he was an extremely successful envoy , who traveled the country to meet with all groups of libyan society , and did not confine himself to international circles in the capital . no village or town was too far , and he was always keen to understand local customs . his death is a loss not just for americans , but for many libyans . i hope that the libyan government will take this time to reflect on the security vacuum in the country , in particular around benghazi , and rebuild the defense and security sectors in an accountable , professional and responsible manner . i also hope that libyan authorities will look to revise their policy of disarmament , demobilization and reintegration ( ddr ) so that the situation on the ground can be improved . opinion : libya killings show u.s. at risk in arab world we have welcomed the international community into our country , and i know that we want to continue our collaboration with the nato community and member states , including , and especially , with the united states . these countries helped free us from the tyrannical rule of colonel muammar gaddafi , who was in power for 42 years . many libyans are forever grateful to america for its support in freeing our country from dictatorship . this attack does not reflect the attitude of the libyan population . for the international community , withdrawal of support from libya will only play directly into the hands of jihadists , and that is the opposite of what we should do . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of noman benotman . | he says attack does not represent views of most libyans , who are grateful to u.s . |
kent <tsp> it 's only as i 'm inviting my friend to lunch that i realize the prospect might not sound that appetizing . there will be a murder , ' i say . someone will die . ' surprisingly undeterred , he agrees to meet me at london 's victoria station the following week and it 's only once we 're standing on the platform amid a rapidly swelling crowd that he starts to look a little worried , nervously asking : who are all these people ? ' we 're being joined by a diverse crowd on our lunch date , which is probably only to be expected since we 're booked in for an afternoon of fine dining with an extra helping of homicide . that 's the menu on board the murder mystery lunch train , a luxury rail ride around the english countryside that pitches passengers into a cloak and dagger world worthy of agatha christie -- but with greater quantities of champagne . many of our fellow diners -- some celebrating anniversaries or birthdays -- are entering into the spirit , dressed in 1920s flapper dresses , gangster suits or as extras from downton abbey . ' it 's hard to say whether the passing commuters are doing double takes at this oddly attired throng or at the train : the magnificent belmond british pullman . golden age of travel this king of the railroad is -- appropriately for a trip that 'll involve murder -- a sister to the orient express and its 11 gleaming carriages that channel the spirit of a golden age of travel . amid this eccentric crowd , a portly gentleman dressed all in gray stands out more than others . the double-breasted suit , the hair , the hat are gray . as is the cat cradled in his arms which , he tells us with a perfectly straight face , is called pussy . pussy is n't real , you do realize that ? ' says mr. gray as i tickle his stuffed feline under its chin . mr. gray is the first of a string of actors we meet , each stopping by like an old pal for a chat , exchanging cheeky repartee and dropping clues . before we can meet any more of the cast , we 're shepherded on to our carriage . it has plenty of dark wood , polished brass , art deco finishing and plush armchairs . on the table , between the silverware and crystal-cut wine glasses , is a sheet of paper -- one side is printed with an incomprehensible set of clues , the other is blank for us to take notes . there 's also a section for us to name the suspect and their motive . after all , this afternoon is n't just about getting tipsy before sundown -- there 's a murder to solve . we do n't have to wait long for the killer to strike . the train has barely left victoria station when a woman stumbles into our carriage and declares , i 've been stabbed ! ''do n't panic !'she screams , flails about and then staggers out the carriage , giving us a good view of the dagger sticking out of her blood-splattered back . we have our victim . the stabbed woman 's cries can still be heard as a dashing young man called matt storms into the carriage , shoves a gun in my face and shouts : there 's been a murder . do n't panic ! ' it 's hard not to laugh . at times the acting is as hammy as a deli counter . there are , however , more somber moments along the journey when we get to question characters , including a detective , a newspaper reporter and the head of british intelligence agency mi5 , about what 's going on . the champagne makes it easy to slip into this whodunit on wheels . bubbles before noon always feels decadent , but the added buzz from the mix of murder , mystery and a 170-mile journey quickly goes to the head . do n't bother looking out the window , it 's the same view as on the cheap train , ' quips the train manager as he passes through the carriage making polite conversation . we mistake him for one of the cast and begin grilling him on the murder before realizing that he is in fact the real train manager . despite what he says , it 's worth taking in the view as the train rolls through the county of kent , a rural corner southeast of london known as the garden of england because its rolling landscape of farms and coastline has long supplied some of the country 's best crops . back in the carriages , lunch arrives and the waiting staff appear to be in on the game , making quips about the suspects without letting anything slip . life-changing event the five-course meal that began with murder finishes with a cheese platter . by now everyone is putting forward their theories , some wilder than others , in the hope of winning a take-home bottle of champagne . an enthusiastic young american comes up with an elaborate theory involving a tin of paint that surprises the world-weary detective . i 've been doing this six years and i 've never heard that one , ' he remarks . an older honeymooning couple , both on their third marriage , have conflicting suspicions . she thinks it 's mr. gray 's daughter , he suspects the head of mi5 , but each group can only nominate one suspect . he backs down and goes with her suggestion -- a man with the wisdom of two marriages behind him . by the time train slips back into victoria station everyone is swaying slightly as though disembarking from a boat . the young american wins the champagne -- nothing to do with paint -- and farewells are said as though we 'd shared a life-changing event . and we had : we dined , we drank and someone died . the next murder mystery lunches on the british pullman are on october 2 and november 13 , departing victoria station at 11 : 45 a.m. tickets cost £510 ( $ 833 ) including a five-course lunch with champagne and wine ; +44 845 077 2222 | murder mystery lunch train departs london 's victoria station for a trip around rural kent |
brazil <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the music was pounding , the lights pulsing . the concertgoers , who packed the club , were rocking with wild abandon to the sound of the band on stage . but the party quickly turned to horror as flames sparked by pyrotechnics swept up the walls and across the ceiling . this was n't the kiss nightclub in southern brazil , where more than 230 souls lost their lives sunday . it was the station nightclub in west warwick , rhode island , where 100 were killed during a show by '80s heavy metal band great white . for survivors of that february night fire in 2003 , the sunday blaze in santa maria brought back memories of their own brush with death . photos : hundreds dead in brazil nightclub fire ' i ca n't help but watch because i 'm one of them , ' gina russo told cnn affiliate wpri-tv . it 's just devastating that someone else has to experience it . ' russo suffered serious burns in the fire , but the flames claimed the life of her fiance , fred crisostomi . a sad sense of deja vu in the years since the blaze , station fire survivors have felt the same sadness numerous times : in december 2004 , when 194 people were killed in a nightclub fire in argentina 's capital , buenos aires ; in december 2008 , when fireworks triggered a fire and panic at a nightclub in perm , russia , killing 156 people ; and in january 2009 , when a new year 's eve blaze at a bangkok club claimed 64 lives . now , the reality of another such tragedy tears at the heart of dave kane , whose 18-year-old son nicky was the youngest victim of the station fire . it has n't stopped . nobody has learned anything , ' he told cnn affiliate wjar-tv . what else do you need to get through to somebody ? i do n't know what that is . ' sunday , the station fire memorial foundation offered its condolences and sympathies to those affected by the fire in brazil . the loss of life and injuries sustained are almost too heartbreaking to comprehend , ' a statement from the organization said . one can not help but notice the similarities between this tragedy and the station nightclub fire that occurred nearly ten years ago . ' read more : 3 arrested in deadly brazil nightclub fire fire brings changes the station fire brought changes to rhode island law , requiring sprinklers at buildings that can house more than 150 people and limiting pyrotechnics . the nightclub had had no sprinklers , and the foam used to deaden sound in the venue was highly flammable . michael and jeffrey derderian , the two brothers who owned the club , pleaded no contest to 100 counts each of involuntary manslaughter . a judge sentenced michael derderian to four years in prison , but spared jeffrey derderian jail time with a suspended sentence . he received 500 hours of community service . changes were made nationally , too . the fire prompted many states to pass laws forbidding pyrotechnics in nightclubs , mandating sprinklers and the presence of at least one trained crowd manager . read more : how to stay safe living in the aftermath for russo and kane , the years have taught them that time -- lots of time -- can sometimes gradually heal the emotional wounds . it 's astounding pain , and your entire life gets completely mangled , ' said kane , who wrote a book after the fire called 41 signs of hope . ' only through the grace of faith and hope can you mange to pull yourself out and live again to start anew , because the sun does come up the next day . ' russo also penned a book after the tragedy : from the ashes , surviving the station nightclub fire . ' you can heal from it , ' she said . it just takes time and patience and to know you 're not alone . ' john barylick , an attorney who represented victims in wrongful death and personal injury cases arising from the fire , knows the pain well , too . in coming days , rhode islanders will follow the unfolding news from brazil with a sense of queasy deja vu -- the rising body counts , the victim identification process , the grieving families , and the assigning ( and dodging ) of blame , ' he said . if only they had learned from our tragedy . ' no concert is worth your life . ' deadly blazes : nightclub tragedies in recent history | more than 200 people have been killed in a club fire in southern brazil , authorities say |
nazi <tsp> a suspected nazi war criminal died in philadelphia overnight tuesday , just hours before a u.s. court ruling cleared the way for him to be extradited to germany to face trial . johann breyer , 89 , died at thomas jefferson university hospital of unknown causes , according to james burke of the u.s . marshals service . on wednesday , u.s. magistrate judge timothy rice granted the u.s. government 's request for an extradition certification based on breyer 's role as a nazi'death 's head guard ,'in the murder of 216,000 european jews at the auschwitz ii-birkenau death camp ' and one other location from 1943 to 1945 . as outlined by germany , a death camp guard such as breyer could not have served at auschwitz during the peak of the nazi reign of terror in 1944 without knowing that hundreds of thousands of human beings were being brutally slaughtered in gas chambers and then burned on site , ' judge rice said in court documents released wednesday . he was facing 158 counts of contributing to murder , one charge for each trainload of european jews who were forcibly deported to auschwitz , in southern poland , between may and october 1944 , according to court documents . breyer 's attorney was not immediately available for comment wednesday . an exact extradition date had not been set . breyer was arrested in philadelphia last month and held without bail . he was awaiting the extradition hearing when his health deteriorated and he was transferred to the hospital on saturday . he had lived in the united states since the 1950s , most recently with his family in a red brick row house in northeast philadelphia . the u.s. case against breyer dates to the 1990s , when federal authorities sought to strip him of his u.s. citizenship , arguing that nazis were not eligible . breyer maintained his citizenship , however , after he was able to establish that his mother was born in pennsylvania and returned to germany before world war i . after world war ii , breyer migrated to the united states in 1952 and claimed citizenship as a displaced person . authorities alleged that he admitted to serving as a guard but deliberately made false statements to minimize his role in the holocaust . philadelphia man accused of war crimes as nazi death-camp guard owner of art collection suspected to contain nazi loot dies an extraordinary story of holocaust defiance | breyer , an accused guard at a nazi death camp , faced 158 counts of contributing to murder |
nazi <tsp> a suspected nazi war criminal died in philadelphia overnight tuesday , just hours before a u.s. court ruling cleared the way for him to be extradited to germany to face trial . johann breyer , 89 , died at thomas jefferson university hospital of unknown causes , according to james burke of the u.s . marshals service . on wednesday , u.s. magistrate judge timothy rice granted the u.s. government 's request for an extradition certification based on breyer 's role as a nazi'death 's head guard ,'in the murder of 216,000 european jews at the auschwitz ii-birkenau death camp ' and one other location from 1943 to 1945 . as outlined by germany , a death camp guard such as breyer could not have served at auschwitz during the peak of the nazi reign of terror in 1944 without knowing that hundreds of thousands of human beings were being brutally slaughtered in gas chambers and then burned on site , ' judge rice said in court documents released wednesday . he was facing 158 counts of contributing to murder , one charge for each trainload of european jews who were forcibly deported to auschwitz , in southern poland , between may and october 1944 , according to court documents . breyer 's attorney was not immediately available for comment wednesday . an exact extradition date had not been set . breyer was arrested in philadelphia last month and held without bail . he was awaiting the extradition hearing when his health deteriorated and he was transferred to the hospital on saturday . he had lived in the united states since the 1950s , most recently with his family in a red brick row house in northeast philadelphia . the u.s. case against breyer dates to the 1990s , when federal authorities sought to strip him of his u.s. citizenship , arguing that nazis were not eligible . breyer maintained his citizenship , however , after he was able to establish that his mother was born in pennsylvania and returned to germany before world war i . after world war ii , breyer migrated to the united states in 1952 and claimed citizenship as a displaced person . authorities alleged that he admitted to serving as a guard but deliberately made false statements to minimize his role in the holocaust . philadelphia man accused of war crimes as nazi death-camp guard owner of art collection suspected to contain nazi loot dies an extraordinary story of holocaust defiance | alleged nazi war criminal johann breyer , 89 , died overnight tuesday |
tiger woods <tsp> ( cnn ) -- some of golf 's biggest names failed friday to make the cut at the u.s. open , victims of the olympic club 's unforgiving roughs and slick greens . the departure of such big names as defending champion rory mcilroy , bubba watson and world no . 1 luke donald seems to have paved the way for the sport 's biggest star , tiger woods . woods had another solid day friday , moving to a tie for the lead with jim furyk and david toms . they all ended 1-under through two rounds . furyk , winner of the 2003 u.s. open , said he will be ready for the weekend . i feel solid and in control so far , ' furyk told reporters . i know it 's going to get even ... firmer and faster and even more of a stern test for the weekend . ' u.s. open leaderboard others struggled on the tree-lined san francisco golf course despite the near-perfect weather . mcilroy finished 10 over . the 23-year-old northern irishman may have sealed his fate on the last hole friday . mcilroy seemed to have a birdie putt set up nicely to get him to eight over . instead , he three-putted for a bogey in a shaky performance that had the crowd groaning and mcilroy looking to the sky in frustration . you really have to be so precise out there , and if you 're not , you 're going to get punished , ' mcilroy told reporters . it 's just something that you have to adjust to in this tournament . i was n't able to do that very well this week . ' watson finished at 9 over as he continued to struggle hitting fairways . the grouping of woods , phil mickelson and watson was billed as the marquee pairing of popular champions , but woods was the only one who lived up to the billing . five-time u.s. open runner-up mickelson barely made the cut by ending at 7 over . the veteran lefty got a birdie at the end of the round . also having a disappointing showing was donald , who wilted on the northern california course , finishing 11 over . donald said his game was off both thursday and friday . i think i missed nine putts inside 10 feet yesterday and just could n't get the feel for the greens , the reads , the speed , ' the 34-year-old englishman told reporters . another crowd favorite missing the cut was 14-year-old andy zhang . the chinese teen , who is the youngest golfer to ever compete in the u.s. open , was widely followed . he had some good shots both thursday and friday but was plagued by stretches of bogeys and double bogeys and ended 17 over . casey martin , playing his first major since the u.s. open at the same venue in 1998 , missed the cut by one shot . he carded 75 to be 9 over along with watson and 20 other players including major winners lucas glover , y.e . yang and louis oosthuizen . now a coach , the 40-year-old needs a cart to get around the course due to a birth defect which causes pain in his right leg . he was the first golfer to use a cart in a major 14 years ago , causing controversy and sparking a law suit by the pga tour . | tiger woods is tied for the lead at the u.s. open after two rounds |
dali <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when an anonymous donor gave art to the goodwill as an early holiday gift this month , the staff thought it was junk . across the board they thought it was ugly , ' said shea munroe , who sorts the art and collectibles donated at goodwill industries in federal way , washington . co-workers told her : what is that ? and why would anybody want that ? ' the art is actually a salvador dali original , by the master surrealist who in his day relished the role of public provocateur with his mind-bending imagery . the work is a colored etching , and the framed piece even features the familiar dali motif of a melting watch , placed on the wrist of a pointing hand . its title is reflection ' or reflections , ' from the cycles of life suite , ' and the art is signed by dali and numbered 126/150 . ' the work is also labeled as an etching and photolithography from collage . ' munroe was familiar with dali , and she researched the work and its attached letter of authenticity . she confirmed she had something special , though several co-workers knew nothing of the surrealist , not even his famously flamboyant moustache . stolen salvador dali painting returned from abroad ' this is probably the real deal , ' munroe said of her discovery of the dali work . the manager knew who he was right away , and we were both really excited . ' goodwill is now auctioning the art on its website . as of late friday afternoon , the bidding reached $ 10,505 . goodwill has noted that the artwork 's paper has some warping , as if from humidity , ' with some discolored speckling to one part of the matting and a few deep scratches and scuffs to the glass and frame , the website says . the online auction ends monday at 7:30 p.m. pst . goodwill does n't know the donor , who managed to sneak away during a busy time at the drop-off facility , munroe said . but the donor kept intact the back of the frame , which contained an envelope with a certificate of authenticity and registration number from a defunct gallery in north hollywood , california . an appraiser retained by goodwill also confirmed the authenticity of the dali , and the charitable organization also ensured the art was n't stolen , said amanda bedell , spokeswoman for goodwill in tacoma , washington . the nonprofit provides employment and training programs to people with disabilities and disadvantages , and the group sells donated goods in more than 2,600 stores . goodwill held on to the dali for a week in case someone claimed it was accidentally donated , bedell said . we do n't know the background of what the circumstances were , ' bedell said of the donation . it 's a steady stream of people coming in . it 's not necessarily documented what every person comes in with . ' about 74 million people in the united states and canada donate annually to goodwill , bedell said . we have a very busy donation door , and we have several people who work that door , ' munroe said , explaining how the donor was able to remain unknown . when a signed piece of art arrives at a donation center , goodwill sets it aside for special review , munroe said . most donated goods are sold at goodwill stores , but prizes such as the dali are auctioned online -- to maximize their value , said munroe , who works for goodwill 's online department . the dali is the highlight of her past six years of working for the nonprofit , in addition to her two years of service in the 1970s , she said . until this month , the biggest donations she oversaw were professional 35-mm cameras that fetched $ 8,400 on goodwill 's auction website , she said . to the anonymous donor , munroe , 58 , offered a message : i would say thank you for helping us with our mission because we have a lot of programs that put people to work , and it 's people right here in the communities . ' the bidding for the dali piece is still short of the most prized art auctioned by goodwill : a frank weston benson oil painting , dated 1924 and also donated anonymously , was sold online by goodwill in 2006 for $ 165,002 . | goodwill is auctioning the dali on its website until monday : bidding is now $ 10k+ |
dali <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when an anonymous donor gave art to the goodwill as an early holiday gift this month , the staff thought it was junk . across the board they thought it was ugly , ' said shea munroe , who sorts the art and collectibles donated at goodwill industries in federal way , washington . co-workers told her : what is that ? and why would anybody want that ? ' the art is actually a salvador dali original , by the master surrealist who in his day relished the role of public provocateur with his mind-bending imagery . the work is a colored etching , and the framed piece even features the familiar dali motif of a melting watch , placed on the wrist of a pointing hand . its title is reflection ' or reflections , ' from the cycles of life suite , ' and the art is signed by dali and numbered 126/150 . ' the work is also labeled as an etching and photolithography from collage . ' munroe was familiar with dali , and she researched the work and its attached letter of authenticity . she confirmed she had something special , though several co-workers knew nothing of the surrealist , not even his famously flamboyant moustache . stolen salvador dali painting returned from abroad ' this is probably the real deal , ' munroe said of her discovery of the dali work . the manager knew who he was right away , and we were both really excited . ' goodwill is now auctioning the art on its website . as of late friday afternoon , the bidding reached $ 10,505 . goodwill has noted that the artwork 's paper has some warping , as if from humidity , ' with some discolored speckling to one part of the matting and a few deep scratches and scuffs to the glass and frame , the website says . the online auction ends monday at 7:30 p.m. pst . goodwill does n't know the donor , who managed to sneak away during a busy time at the drop-off facility , munroe said . but the donor kept intact the back of the frame , which contained an envelope with a certificate of authenticity and registration number from a defunct gallery in north hollywood , california . an appraiser retained by goodwill also confirmed the authenticity of the dali , and the charitable organization also ensured the art was n't stolen , said amanda bedell , spokeswoman for goodwill in tacoma , washington . the nonprofit provides employment and training programs to people with disabilities and disadvantages , and the group sells donated goods in more than 2,600 stores . goodwill held on to the dali for a week in case someone claimed it was accidentally donated , bedell said . we do n't know the background of what the circumstances were , ' bedell said of the donation . it 's a steady stream of people coming in . it 's not necessarily documented what every person comes in with . ' about 74 million people in the united states and canada donate annually to goodwill , bedell said . we have a very busy donation door , and we have several people who work that door , ' munroe said , explaining how the donor was able to remain unknown . when a signed piece of art arrives at a donation center , goodwill sets it aside for special review , munroe said . most donated goods are sold at goodwill stores , but prizes such as the dali are auctioned online -- to maximize their value , said munroe , who works for goodwill 's online department . the dali is the highlight of her past six years of working for the nonprofit , in addition to her two years of service in the 1970s , she said . until this month , the biggest donations she oversaw were professional 35-mm cameras that fetched $ 8,400 on goodwill 's auction website , she said . to the anonymous donor , munroe , 58 , offered a message : i would say thank you for helping us with our mission because we have a lot of programs that put people to work , and it 's people right here in the communities . ' the bidding for the dali piece is still short of the most prized art auctioned by goodwill : a frank weston benson oil painting , dated 1924 and also donated anonymously , was sold online by goodwill in 2006 for $ 165,002 . | but it 's a salvador dali etching , signed by the master surrealist |
jansen <tsp> it 's graduation day and professor jonathan jansen strolls around the campus of the university of the free state . every now and then he stops to greet his gown-clad students , standing out amid a crowd of beaming parents and proudly grinning teachers . as rector of the formerly all-white educational institution in bloemfontein , south africa , jansen is about to use his graduation ceremony speech to teach his students one last lesson . i urge you , in a country where there 's still a lot of rage , never respond by rage , respond through reason and you will have gotten not just a degree , but an education , ' says jansen , looking into the eyes of his students . jansen , the first black dean of education at the university of the free state , is one of south africa 's leading academics and intellectuals . throughout his long and esteemed educational career , which has taken him from teaching biology in high school classrooms to leading one of south africa 's premier learning institutions , jansen has been doing everything he can to keep education uppermost in the minds of his students . the way out of poverty is through learning and those basic values i have carried with me throughout my leadership , ' says jansen , who is not only an academic but has a wider audience as author , newspaper columnist and the president of the south african institute of race relations . read more : oprah a'proud momma'as first academy students graduate the son of a preacher , jansen was born in cape flats , a violent , gang-infested area on the fringes of cape town . life was tough for the future educator , coming of age in a country plagued by apartheid -- he says that growing up as a black boy in cape flats , there was a greater chance ' of going to prison than going to university . but despite the disadvantages of his surroundings , jansen believes he thrived , thanks largely to the example set by his parents -- he described them as old testament figures -- my father being abraham , my mother being sarah . ' here you had parents that raised you in a bubble of decency , of this is what you do and do n't do , this is the direction out of poverty , ' he says . even though his parents'families were both materially dispossessed under apartheid , jansen says his father and mother raised their children with a strong sense of not being bitter , of being generous to those who are poor and of living a life without respect for color . ' that helped us enormously , ' he says , so as i looked outside i could see people killing each other , i witnessed the rape of women , i saw horrible things happening around me , but it was as if it did not happen because in this bubble that abraham and sarah raised us , there was an understanding of yourself that was unshakeable -- central to that was education . ' passionate about the transformative power of knowledge , jansen holds strong opinions about the state of education in south africa . he argues that years of maladministration left the country with a failing state education system . he is also regularly heard lambasting the country 's low teaching standards , which allow students in some cases to pass exams with as little as 30 % . it 's odd for me because it 's like we do n't get it that in a modern interconnected economy you better be up there playing with the best , ' he says . i take this to be another symptom of how we 've succumbed to the apartheid message that we ca n't , that we 're inferior , that we need to beg for participation and that does much more damage than any politician can imagine . ' read more : elite boarding school aims to create africa 's future leaders a firm believer of the society 's responsibility to insist on a qualitative education system , jansen , a fulbright scholar , assumed his current role at the university of the free state in 2009 after the institution faced controversy over racism and racial integration . in 2008 , a video surfaced of four white students at the university urging at least five black housekeepers to eat what appeared to be urine-tainted beef stew . the incident sparked national outcry and shed light over south africa 's racial integration problems . citing reconciliation on a deeply divided campus , ' jansen decided to invite the students to return to the university and resume their studies , regardless of their legal consequences . we decided ... to offer to the boys an institutional message of forgiveness and acceptance , that they could come back in and participate in a process of reconciliation with the people that they had hurt . ' the students were fined after pleading guilty to deliberately injuring another person 's dignity , but they rebuffed jansen 's invitation to return to the university . jansen was roundly criticized for that gesture , which only served to contribute to his reputation for being outspoken . if in the process of forgiving and reconciling , we enable other transformations to take place , which is exactly what happened , then that is a better way to go than the thirst -- the understandable thirst let me say -- for vengeance , ' he says . back at the graduation ceremony , jansen 's moral code of reconciliation over retribution returns once again . i do n't care what else you 've learned at the university of the free state , ' he tells the graduates , but you know this is a university that in the world is regarded as a place that chooses reconciliation over revenge , that chooses compassion over striking back , that chooses mercy over retaliation . ' | jansen is passionate about teaching his moral code : reconciliation over retribution |
jansen <tsp> it 's graduation day and professor jonathan jansen strolls around the campus of the university of the free state . every now and then he stops to greet his gown-clad students , standing out amid a crowd of beaming parents and proudly grinning teachers . as rector of the formerly all-white educational institution in bloemfontein , south africa , jansen is about to use his graduation ceremony speech to teach his students one last lesson . i urge you , in a country where there 's still a lot of rage , never respond by rage , respond through reason and you will have gotten not just a degree , but an education , ' says jansen , looking into the eyes of his students . jansen , the first black dean of education at the university of the free state , is one of south africa 's leading academics and intellectuals . throughout his long and esteemed educational career , which has taken him from teaching biology in high school classrooms to leading one of south africa 's premier learning institutions , jansen has been doing everything he can to keep education uppermost in the minds of his students . the way out of poverty is through learning and those basic values i have carried with me throughout my leadership , ' says jansen , who is not only an academic but has a wider audience as author , newspaper columnist and the president of the south african institute of race relations . read more : oprah a'proud momma'as first academy students graduate the son of a preacher , jansen was born in cape flats , a violent , gang-infested area on the fringes of cape town . life was tough for the future educator , coming of age in a country plagued by apartheid -- he says that growing up as a black boy in cape flats , there was a greater chance ' of going to prison than going to university . but despite the disadvantages of his surroundings , jansen believes he thrived , thanks largely to the example set by his parents -- he described them as old testament figures -- my father being abraham , my mother being sarah . ' here you had parents that raised you in a bubble of decency , of this is what you do and do n't do , this is the direction out of poverty , ' he says . even though his parents'families were both materially dispossessed under apartheid , jansen says his father and mother raised their children with a strong sense of not being bitter , of being generous to those who are poor and of living a life without respect for color . ' that helped us enormously , ' he says , so as i looked outside i could see people killing each other , i witnessed the rape of women , i saw horrible things happening around me , but it was as if it did not happen because in this bubble that abraham and sarah raised us , there was an understanding of yourself that was unshakeable -- central to that was education . ' passionate about the transformative power of knowledge , jansen holds strong opinions about the state of education in south africa . he argues that years of maladministration left the country with a failing state education system . he is also regularly heard lambasting the country 's low teaching standards , which allow students in some cases to pass exams with as little as 30 % . it 's odd for me because it 's like we do n't get it that in a modern interconnected economy you better be up there playing with the best , ' he says . i take this to be another symptom of how we 've succumbed to the apartheid message that we ca n't , that we 're inferior , that we need to beg for participation and that does much more damage than any politician can imagine . ' read more : elite boarding school aims to create africa 's future leaders a firm believer of the society 's responsibility to insist on a qualitative education system , jansen , a fulbright scholar , assumed his current role at the university of the free state in 2009 after the institution faced controversy over racism and racial integration . in 2008 , a video surfaced of four white students at the university urging at least five black housekeepers to eat what appeared to be urine-tainted beef stew . the incident sparked national outcry and shed light over south africa 's racial integration problems . citing reconciliation on a deeply divided campus , ' jansen decided to invite the students to return to the university and resume their studies , regardless of their legal consequences . we decided ... to offer to the boys an institutional message of forgiveness and acceptance , that they could come back in and participate in a process of reconciliation with the people that they had hurt . ' the students were fined after pleading guilty to deliberately injuring another person 's dignity , but they rebuffed jansen 's invitation to return to the university . jansen was roundly criticized for that gesture , which only served to contribute to his reputation for being outspoken . if in the process of forgiving and reconciling , we enable other transformations to take place , which is exactly what happened , then that is a better way to go than the thirst -- the understandable thirst let me say -- for vengeance , ' he says . back at the graduation ceremony , jansen 's moral code of reconciliation over retribution returns once again . i do n't care what else you 've learned at the university of the free state , ' he tells the graduates , but you know this is a university that in the world is regarded as a place that chooses reconciliation over revenge , that chooses compassion over striking back , that chooses mercy over retaliation . ' | professor jonathan jansen is one of south africa 's top academics |
turkey <tsp> istanbul , turkey ( cnn ) the questions turks asked on tuesday were tinged with fear . what 's going on ? what happened ? why ca n't i get into the subway ? ' asked an elderly woman in a white headscarf with several shopping bags as she stood outside the barricaded entrance to one of istanbul 's busiest subway stations . she was one of millions of turks left confused and concerned by the worst power outage to grip the country in more than a decade . dozens of cities across turkey lost power for hours on tuesday . millions of people were affected , including passengers stranded on paralyzed trains and subways . municipal workers were forced to evacuate istanbul 's marmaray tunnel , where the black-out left commuters trapped deep beneath the rushing waters of the bosphorus strait . more than 24 hours later , turkish officials were still at pains to explain the power outage . the energy minister suggested a possible failure in transmission lines . the prime minister did not rule out the possibility of a terror attack . the mysterious collapse of much of the country 's energy grid triggered a burst of wild conspiracy theories across social media . some twitter users went so far as to suggest the black-outs were a warm up for elections scheduled to take place in june . there is fertile ground for rumor-mongering in turkey . over the last five years , security forces have arrested hundreds of army generals , journalists , prosecutors , civil society activists and police commanders and accused them of being members of assorted plots aimed at toppling the government . the government 's increasingly heavy-handed repression of public dissent , combined with overt censorship of the media and the internet , have also contributed to a hyper-polarized and deeply mistrustful political atmosphere . even turkey 's veteran deputy prime minister , bulent arinc , recently observed that opposition supporters now look at him with hatred ' rather than the grudging respect he enjoyed when his political party first swept to power in elections in 2002 . meanwhile , mysterious black-outs are a sore spot for some turks , after a surreal 2014 incident on election night -- allegedly involving a feline saboteur . that is -- a cat that allegedly wandered into a power transformer . that was almost exactly a year ago , a smaller series of power outages affected some polling stations during nationwide municipal elections , prompting unsubstantiated accusations of vote rigging . the ruling justice and development party ended up winning by a comfortable margin , but few turks were reassured by the energy minister 's explanation that the voting day black-outs were caused by a cat getting lost . as electricity was just starting to come back on in istanbul on tuesday , a second crisis erupted . websites linked to an extremist leftist militant group known as the dhkp-c began publishing chilling photos of a masked man holding a pistol to the head of a hostage in front of communist flags . two gunmen had somehow infiltrated the palace of justice , the monolithic court house in the center of istanbul . there they took hostage mehmet selim kiraz , the prosecutor in charge of one of the most politically sensitive trials in the country . the gunmen demanded the confessions of police officers accused of shooting a tear gas canister at berkin elvan , a 15-year-old boy who was critically wounded during anti-government protests that raged across istanbul in 2013 . the boy 's death after months in a medically-induced coma triggered a fresh burst of protests and riots against the government . on tuesday , in the midst of the hostage crisis at the court house , the turkish government imposed a gag order banning broadcasters from reporting on the palace of justice siege . the broadcast ban is a measure that the turkish government has repeatedly used in recent years to stifle reporting on deadly terrorist attacks . the government also famously shut down twitter and youtube in an effort to kill highly embarrassing political scandals involving corruption . ultimately , tuesday 's court house siege ended in a deadly hail of bullets that left both gunmen dead and the prosecutor mortally wounded . turkish officials say special forces raided the court house only after the militants began shooting . online and in the streets , some turks began linking the massive electricity blackouts to the hostage-taking inside one of turkey 's best-protected buildings , even though there is little to suggest the two incidents are connected . just hours after the shooting , tensions exploded yet again at the court house . istanbul 's police chief had called for a press conference . as journalists jostled their way through security at the entrance to the largely deserted courthouse , some bystanders began chanting government thieves . ' just hours after a devastating lapse of security at the palace of justice , police began detaining the demonstrators hurling abuse at their elected government . the reactions to tuesday 's bewildering series of events revealed several truths about contemporary turkey . the country is tense and confused after years of back-to-back political crises . heavy-handed censorship has left the mainstream media widely distrusted and discredited by broad segments of society . and the absence of a common , credible space for sharing information has pushed critics of the government to the fringes of social media . amid the burst of optimism and civil society activism in the early heady days of the arab spring in 2011 , turkey was often cited as a possible democratic model for countries in the middle east . many of those arab countries have since descended into conflict , repression and instability . in the meantime , turkey feels increasingly vulnerable to demons of its own making . | reactions reveal contemporary turkey is tense and confused after years of political crises |
turkey <tsp> istanbul , turkey ( cnn ) the questions turks asked on tuesday were tinged with fear . what 's going on ? what happened ? why ca n't i get into the subway ? ' asked an elderly woman in a white headscarf with several shopping bags as she stood outside the barricaded entrance to one of istanbul 's busiest subway stations . she was one of millions of turks left confused and concerned by the worst power outage to grip the country in more than a decade . dozens of cities across turkey lost power for hours on tuesday . millions of people were affected , including passengers stranded on paralyzed trains and subways . municipal workers were forced to evacuate istanbul 's marmaray tunnel , where the black-out left commuters trapped deep beneath the rushing waters of the bosphorus strait . more than 24 hours later , turkish officials were still at pains to explain the power outage . the energy minister suggested a possible failure in transmission lines . the prime minister did not rule out the possibility of a terror attack . the mysterious collapse of much of the country 's energy grid triggered a burst of wild conspiracy theories across social media . some twitter users went so far as to suggest the black-outs were a warm up for elections scheduled to take place in june . there is fertile ground for rumor-mongering in turkey . over the last five years , security forces have arrested hundreds of army generals , journalists , prosecutors , civil society activists and police commanders and accused them of being members of assorted plots aimed at toppling the government . the government 's increasingly heavy-handed repression of public dissent , combined with overt censorship of the media and the internet , have also contributed to a hyper-polarized and deeply mistrustful political atmosphere . even turkey 's veteran deputy prime minister , bulent arinc , recently observed that opposition supporters now look at him with hatred ' rather than the grudging respect he enjoyed when his political party first swept to power in elections in 2002 . meanwhile , mysterious black-outs are a sore spot for some turks , after a surreal 2014 incident on election night -- allegedly involving a feline saboteur . that is -- a cat that allegedly wandered into a power transformer . that was almost exactly a year ago , a smaller series of power outages affected some polling stations during nationwide municipal elections , prompting unsubstantiated accusations of vote rigging . the ruling justice and development party ended up winning by a comfortable margin , but few turks were reassured by the energy minister 's explanation that the voting day black-outs were caused by a cat getting lost . as electricity was just starting to come back on in istanbul on tuesday , a second crisis erupted . websites linked to an extremist leftist militant group known as the dhkp-c began publishing chilling photos of a masked man holding a pistol to the head of a hostage in front of communist flags . two gunmen had somehow infiltrated the palace of justice , the monolithic court house in the center of istanbul . there they took hostage mehmet selim kiraz , the prosecutor in charge of one of the most politically sensitive trials in the country . the gunmen demanded the confessions of police officers accused of shooting a tear gas canister at berkin elvan , a 15-year-old boy who was critically wounded during anti-government protests that raged across istanbul in 2013 . the boy 's death after months in a medically-induced coma triggered a fresh burst of protests and riots against the government . on tuesday , in the midst of the hostage crisis at the court house , the turkish government imposed a gag order banning broadcasters from reporting on the palace of justice siege . the broadcast ban is a measure that the turkish government has repeatedly used in recent years to stifle reporting on deadly terrorist attacks . the government also famously shut down twitter and youtube in an effort to kill highly embarrassing political scandals involving corruption . ultimately , tuesday 's court house siege ended in a deadly hail of bullets that left both gunmen dead and the prosecutor mortally wounded . turkish officials say special forces raided the court house only after the militants began shooting . online and in the streets , some turks began linking the massive electricity blackouts to the hostage-taking inside one of turkey 's best-protected buildings , even though there is little to suggest the two incidents are connected . just hours after the shooting , tensions exploded yet again at the court house . istanbul 's police chief had called for a press conference . as journalists jostled their way through security at the entrance to the largely deserted courthouse , some bystanders began chanting government thieves . ' just hours after a devastating lapse of security at the palace of justice , police began detaining the demonstrators hurling abuse at their elected government . the reactions to tuesday 's bewildering series of events revealed several truths about contemporary turkey . the country is tense and confused after years of back-to-back political crises . heavy-handed censorship has left the mainstream media widely distrusted and discredited by broad segments of society . and the absence of a common , credible space for sharing information has pushed critics of the government to the fringes of social media . amid the burst of optimism and civil society activism in the early heady days of the arab spring in 2011 , turkey was often cited as a possible democratic model for countries in the middle east . many of those arab countries have since descended into conflict , repression and instability . in the meantime , turkey feels increasingly vulnerable to demons of its own making . | this week , turkey was gripped by a massive power outage and a deadly hostage crisis |
mideast <tsp> istanbul , turkey ( cnn ) the questions turks asked on tuesday were tinged with fear . what 's going on ? what happened ? why ca n't i get into the subway ? ' asked an elderly woman in a white headscarf with several shopping bags as she stood outside the barricaded entrance to one of istanbul 's busiest subway stations . she was one of millions of turks left confused and concerned by the worst power outage to grip the country in more than a decade . dozens of cities across turkey lost power for hours on tuesday . millions of people were affected , including passengers stranded on paralyzed trains and subways . municipal workers were forced to evacuate istanbul 's marmaray tunnel , where the black-out left commuters trapped deep beneath the rushing waters of the bosphorus strait . more than 24 hours later , turkish officials were still at pains to explain the power outage . the energy minister suggested a possible failure in transmission lines . the prime minister did not rule out the possibility of a terror attack . the mysterious collapse of much of the country 's energy grid triggered a burst of wild conspiracy theories across social media . some twitter users went so far as to suggest the black-outs were a warm up for elections scheduled to take place in june . there is fertile ground for rumor-mongering in turkey . over the last five years , security forces have arrested hundreds of army generals , journalists , prosecutors , civil society activists and police commanders and accused them of being members of assorted plots aimed at toppling the government . the government 's increasingly heavy-handed repression of public dissent , combined with overt censorship of the media and the internet , have also contributed to a hyper-polarized and deeply mistrustful political atmosphere . even turkey 's veteran deputy prime minister , bulent arinc , recently observed that opposition supporters now look at him with hatred ' rather than the grudging respect he enjoyed when his political party first swept to power in elections in 2002 . meanwhile , mysterious black-outs are a sore spot for some turks , after a surreal 2014 incident on election night -- allegedly involving a feline saboteur . that is -- a cat that allegedly wandered into a power transformer . that was almost exactly a year ago , a smaller series of power outages affected some polling stations during nationwide municipal elections , prompting unsubstantiated accusations of vote rigging . the ruling justice and development party ended up winning by a comfortable margin , but few turks were reassured by the energy minister 's explanation that the voting day black-outs were caused by a cat getting lost . as electricity was just starting to come back on in istanbul on tuesday , a second crisis erupted . websites linked to an extremist leftist militant group known as the dhkp-c began publishing chilling photos of a masked man holding a pistol to the head of a hostage in front of communist flags . two gunmen had somehow infiltrated the palace of justice , the monolithic court house in the center of istanbul . there they took hostage mehmet selim kiraz , the prosecutor in charge of one of the most politically sensitive trials in the country . the gunmen demanded the confessions of police officers accused of shooting a tear gas canister at berkin elvan , a 15-year-old boy who was critically wounded during anti-government protests that raged across istanbul in 2013 . the boy 's death after months in a medically-induced coma triggered a fresh burst of protests and riots against the government . on tuesday , in the midst of the hostage crisis at the court house , the turkish government imposed a gag order banning broadcasters from reporting on the palace of justice siege . the broadcast ban is a measure that the turkish government has repeatedly used in recent years to stifle reporting on deadly terrorist attacks . the government also famously shut down twitter and youtube in an effort to kill highly embarrassing political scandals involving corruption . ultimately , tuesday 's court house siege ended in a deadly hail of bullets that left both gunmen dead and the prosecutor mortally wounded . turkish officials say special forces raided the court house only after the militants began shooting . online and in the streets , some turks began linking the massive electricity blackouts to the hostage-taking inside one of turkey 's best-protected buildings , even though there is little to suggest the two incidents are connected . just hours after the shooting , tensions exploded yet again at the court house . istanbul 's police chief had called for a press conference . as journalists jostled their way through security at the entrance to the largely deserted courthouse , some bystanders began chanting government thieves . ' just hours after a devastating lapse of security at the palace of justice , police began detaining the demonstrators hurling abuse at their elected government . the reactions to tuesday 's bewildering series of events revealed several truths about contemporary turkey . the country is tense and confused after years of back-to-back political crises . heavy-handed censorship has left the mainstream media widely distrusted and discredited by broad segments of society . and the absence of a common , credible space for sharing information has pushed critics of the government to the fringes of social media . amid the burst of optimism and civil society activism in the early heady days of the arab spring in 2011 , turkey was often cited as a possible democratic model for countries in the middle east . many of those arab countries have since descended into conflict , repression and instability . in the meantime , turkey feels increasingly vulnerable to demons of its own making . | censorship has pushed critics to fringes in country cited as democratic model for mideast |
new york <tsp> ( cnn ) -- four people died and two others were seriously injured in a boating accident on the hudson river in eastern new york early sunday , authorities said . the preliminary investigation has revealed that the boat , a 19-foot 1999 chriscraft , was being operated northbound on the hudson river approximately 10-15 yards off the eastern shore ( near the dutchess/columbia county line ) when it struck a concrete footing , ' a statement from the dutchess county sheriff 's office said . the deaths included three people who went down with the boat and a fourth who was ejected , according to the sheriff 's office . the two who survived were able to swim to shore . one of them was able to get to a phone to report the accident . the incident took place near the city of red hook , about 90 miles north of new york city . cnn 's jason kessler contributed to this report . | the accident takes place near red hook , new york |
english <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cristiano ronaldo 's sixth-minute strike saw holders manchester united become the first english team to win in porto , reaching the semifinals of the champions league 3-2 on aggregate in the process . ronaldo scores in spectacular style as manchester united reached the champions league semis . the european player of the year fired a spectacular 35-yard strike into the top corner as united remained on course to become the first team to retain the champions league -- and will now face premier league rivals arsenal for a place in the final in rome . the stunning goal was ronaldo 's 20th of the season but only his second in the champions league since scoring the opener in last year 's final in moscow . after drawing the first leg 2-2 at old trafford , porto only needed a low-scoring draw to reach the last four , but in truth they never looked threatening against a united defense superbly marshalled by nemanja vidic and the returning rio ferdinand . in fact , had vidic been able to keep his close-range effort under the crossbar after john o'shea had got the faintest of touches to a ryan giggs corner just before the interval , united would surely have completed their task in the first 45 minutes . we were very solid at the back tonight and that stability helped us , ' united manager sir alex ferguson told sky sports . the return of rio ferdinand alongside vidic was a major boost and scoring an early goal helped settle us . it was a great strike by cristiano and although we did n't score a second goal , i thought we never looked in danger of conceding , ' he added . the result puts ferguson head-to-head with his old foe , arsenal manager arsene wenger , for a place in the final against either chelsea or barcelona . it also keeps alive united 's dreams of claiming an astonishing five trophies this season after also winning the english league cup and the club world cup . | united become first english team to win in porto and now face rivals arsenal |
kim jong un <tsp> beijing ( cnn ) -- eccentric basketball star dennis rodman and several other former nba players have arrived in north korea to take part in a controversial basketball game on the birthday of kim jong-un , the country 's young , unpredictable leader . the friendly contest is planned for wednesday , when kim is believed to turn 31 , and features a number of nba old-timers . it takes place just weeks after north korea shocked the world by announcing the purge and execution of kim 's once-powerful uncle . darren prince , rodman 's agent for 16 years , told cnn on sunday that kenny anderson , cliff robinson , vin baker , craig hodges , doug christie , and charles d. smith would play against the north korean senior national team . as they waited at beijing airport for their flight on north korean carrier air koryo , rodman and his teammates told cnn that the main purpose of the trip was sport . rodman said it was not his job to address concerns about the repressive state and lobby for the release of detained u.s. citizen kenneth bae . i 'm going to try and interact with him ( kim jong un ) on that point of love for sports . he loves sports . i like the guy , and he 's an awesome guy to me , ' rodman said . one thing is about showing people we can actually get along . let 's get along as human beings , not politicians . ' it will be rodman 's fourth trip to the secretive and isolated nation , part of a project he has described as basketball diplomacy . ' but the u.s. state department says that it has nothing to do with rodman 's visits to north korea and that attention should be focused on the brutality of kim 's regime .'friend for life' rodman , 52 , struck up an unlikely friendship with kim when he traveled to north korea for the first time in february , bringing a team of harlem globetrotters for an exhibition game watched by kim , who is a basketball fan . kim later met and dined with the flamboyant basketball star , and rodman told his host he had a friend for life , ' shrugging off international condemnation of the country 's human rights record . however , on his last trip , which took place last month less than a week after north korea announced the execution of kim 's uncle and top aide , jang song thaek , rodman did n't get to meet kim . the international outcry over the killing of jang prompted paddy power , the online betting company that had supported rodman 's project , to withdraw its association with the event . but rodman has pressed on with the plan . i 'm looking forward to playing and putting on a show in north korea . this is strictly about the game and for the love of basketball , ' rodman teammate vin baker told cnn at the departure gate , where the players posed for photos with fellow travelers . three additional former nba players will be added to the team in coming days and will be traveling independently to pyongyang with their assistants , rodman 's agent said sunday . north korea : reality vs. the world according to dennis rodman'publicity stunt' rodman met and coached the north korean team on his most recent trip . but cho sung-won , a south korean basketball player who played against north korea in 1999 , said rodman should not underestimate the side : ' the north koreans were quite strong , well-built and tall as well , ' he said . they were very determined not to lose against south korea . it was a friendly match , but i was a bit intimidated . ' cho was skeptical about rodman 's diplomatic aims . i do n't know dennis rodman personally , but he is quite peculiar and does unexpected things , ' he said . i think he went to north korea as a publicity stunt , ' cho said . on the other hand , north korea plays some high-quality basketball , so they could learn from his experience . ' south korean table tennis player hyun jung-wha , who was part of a joint korean team that took part in the 1991 world championships , praised rodman 's bid to break the ice with pyongyang . what dennis rodman is doing now is personal , but i think he 's brave for doing it , ' she told cnn . i believe sports definitely can help diplomacy , ' hyun said . sportsmanship is pure , and i think diplomatic results can come out through sports . ' but the u.s. government appears to be unconvinced . i know it 's amusing or maybe interesting to talk about dennis rodman , but i actually think the focus really should be on the brutality of the north korean regime he 's going to meet with , ' marie harf , a state department spokeswoman , said last month at the time of rodman 's previous trip . opinion : dennis rodman smart on north korea ? cnn 's anneclaire stapleton , steve forrest and charlie miller contributed to this report . | the game takes place on the birthday of north korean leader kim jong un |
yemen <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) al qaeda fighters attacked a prison in the coastal yemeni city of al mukallah early thursday , freeing at least 270 prisoners , a third of whom have al qaeda links , a senior defense ministry official has told cnn . khaled batarfi , a senior al qaeda figure , was among the escapees , officials said . dozens of attackers took control of government buildings , including the city 's central prison , central bank and radio station during the assault early thursday , according to officials . government troops arrived early thursday and clashed with the al qaeda fighters , and most of the militants fled , the officials said . last month , hundreds of inmates escaped from al mansoorah central prison in aden after clashes between shiite houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted sunni president abdu rabu mansour hadi . yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since shiite houthi rebels removed hadi , a sunni , from power . the sectarian nature of the conflict is drawing in regional rivals saudi arabia , which is predominately sunni -- and is the country to which hadi ultimately fled -- and iran , which is predominately shiite and supports the houthi rebels . because of that , the conflict in yemen risks becoming a proxy war in the struggle between the iranians and the saudis for preeminence in the middle east . the saudis have conducted airstrikes against the houthi rebels and could send in ground troops . but little is simple in the middle east . and while the conflict between the houthis and forces loyal to hadi rages in the western part of the country , where it has caused hundreds of civilian deaths , al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , or aqap , controls parts of eastern yemen . aqap is considered one of the most ruthless branches of the terrorist organization . | yemen is descending into chaos as a shia-sunni conflict draws in regional rivals saudi arabia and iran |
shia-sunni <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) al qaeda fighters attacked a prison in the coastal yemeni city of al mukallah early thursday , freeing at least 270 prisoners , a third of whom have al qaeda links , a senior defense ministry official has told cnn . khaled batarfi , a senior al qaeda figure , was among the escapees , officials said . dozens of attackers took control of government buildings , including the city 's central prison , central bank and radio station during the assault early thursday , according to officials . government troops arrived early thursday and clashed with the al qaeda fighters , and most of the militants fled , the officials said . last month , hundreds of inmates escaped from al mansoorah central prison in aden after clashes between shiite houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted sunni president abdu rabu mansour hadi . yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since shiite houthi rebels removed hadi , a sunni , from power . the sectarian nature of the conflict is drawing in regional rivals saudi arabia , which is predominately sunni -- and is the country to which hadi ultimately fled -- and iran , which is predominately shiite and supports the houthi rebels . because of that , the conflict in yemen risks becoming a proxy war in the struggle between the iranians and the saudis for preeminence in the middle east . the saudis have conducted airstrikes against the houthi rebels and could send in ground troops . but little is simple in the middle east . and while the conflict between the houthis and forces loyal to hadi rages in the western part of the country , where it has caused hundreds of civilian deaths , al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , or aqap , controls parts of eastern yemen . aqap is considered one of the most ruthless branches of the terrorist organization . | yemen is descending into chaos as a shia-sunni conflict draws in regional rivals saudi arabia and iran |
al qaeda <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) al qaeda fighters attacked a prison in the coastal yemeni city of al mukallah early thursday , freeing at least 270 prisoners , a third of whom have al qaeda links , a senior defense ministry official has told cnn . khaled batarfi , a senior al qaeda figure , was among the escapees , officials said . dozens of attackers took control of government buildings , including the city 's central prison , central bank and radio station during the assault early thursday , according to officials . government troops arrived early thursday and clashed with the al qaeda fighters , and most of the militants fled , the officials said . last month , hundreds of inmates escaped from al mansoorah central prison in aden after clashes between shiite houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted sunni president abdu rabu mansour hadi . yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since shiite houthi rebels removed hadi , a sunni , from power . the sectarian nature of the conflict is drawing in regional rivals saudi arabia , which is predominately sunni -- and is the country to which hadi ultimately fled -- and iran , which is predominately shiite and supports the houthi rebels . because of that , the conflict in yemen risks becoming a proxy war in the struggle between the iranians and the saudis for preeminence in the middle east . the saudis have conducted airstrikes against the houthi rebels and could send in ground troops . but little is simple in the middle east . and while the conflict between the houthis and forces loyal to hadi rages in the western part of the country , where it has caused hundreds of civilian deaths , al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , or aqap , controls parts of eastern yemen . aqap is considered one of the most ruthless branches of the terrorist organization . | al qaeda fighters attack a prison and other government buildings , freeing many prisoners |
iran <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) al qaeda fighters attacked a prison in the coastal yemeni city of al mukallah early thursday , freeing at least 270 prisoners , a third of whom have al qaeda links , a senior defense ministry official has told cnn . khaled batarfi , a senior al qaeda figure , was among the escapees , officials said . dozens of attackers took control of government buildings , including the city 's central prison , central bank and radio station during the assault early thursday , according to officials . government troops arrived early thursday and clashed with the al qaeda fighters , and most of the militants fled , the officials said . last month , hundreds of inmates escaped from al mansoorah central prison in aden after clashes between shiite houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted sunni president abdu rabu mansour hadi . yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since shiite houthi rebels removed hadi , a sunni , from power . the sectarian nature of the conflict is drawing in regional rivals saudi arabia , which is predominately sunni -- and is the country to which hadi ultimately fled -- and iran , which is predominately shiite and supports the houthi rebels . because of that , the conflict in yemen risks becoming a proxy war in the struggle between the iranians and the saudis for preeminence in the middle east . the saudis have conducted airstrikes against the houthi rebels and could send in ground troops . but little is simple in the middle east . and while the conflict between the houthis and forces loyal to hadi rages in the western part of the country , where it has caused hundreds of civilian deaths , al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , or aqap , controls parts of eastern yemen . aqap is considered one of the most ruthless branches of the terrorist organization . | yemen is descending into chaos as a shia-sunni conflict draws in regional rivals saudi arabia and iran |
saudi arabia <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) al qaeda fighters attacked a prison in the coastal yemeni city of al mukallah early thursday , freeing at least 270 prisoners , a third of whom have al qaeda links , a senior defense ministry official has told cnn . khaled batarfi , a senior al qaeda figure , was among the escapees , officials said . dozens of attackers took control of government buildings , including the city 's central prison , central bank and radio station during the assault early thursday , according to officials . government troops arrived early thursday and clashed with the al qaeda fighters , and most of the militants fled , the officials said . last month , hundreds of inmates escaped from al mansoorah central prison in aden after clashes between shiite houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted sunni president abdu rabu mansour hadi . yemen has been descending into chaos in the weeks since shiite houthi rebels removed hadi , a sunni , from power . the sectarian nature of the conflict is drawing in regional rivals saudi arabia , which is predominately sunni -- and is the country to which hadi ultimately fled -- and iran , which is predominately shiite and supports the houthi rebels . because of that , the conflict in yemen risks becoming a proxy war in the struggle between the iranians and the saudis for preeminence in the middle east . the saudis have conducted airstrikes against the houthi rebels and could send in ground troops . but little is simple in the middle east . and while the conflict between the houthis and forces loyal to hadi rages in the western part of the country , where it has caused hundreds of civilian deaths , al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , or aqap , controls parts of eastern yemen . aqap is considered one of the most ruthless branches of the terrorist organization . | yemen is descending into chaos as a shia-sunni conflict draws in regional rivals saudi arabia and iran |
florida <tsp> ( cnn ) -- swedish golfer henrik stenson carded a solid 69 in the opening round of the wgc-ca championship but it was his highly unusual recovery shot on the 12th on the blue monster course at doral which raised more than a few eyebrows . stenson did not leave much to the imagination with his doral antics . stenson stripped down to the bare essentials -- a pair of white boxer shorts -- before wading into the mud to hack out his ball after an wayward tee shot . the watching galleries could hardly believe their eyes as the tall swede peeled off his clothes . shirt , trousers , socks , shoes , hat , the lot was off , ' he told the press association . because of the mud i could n't really afford to play in any of my clothes as they would have been a real mess down the last six or so holes so i had no option , ' stenson explained . after getting the ball back on to the fairway , stenson eventually made a one-over par bogey on the hole when he could have dropped at least two shots by taking a drop . if you are saving a shot , that has to be worth taking your shirt and trousers , ' he added . what do you think of stenson 's cheeky recovery shot ? the incident proved the main talking point on the day that tiger woods made his return to strokeplay golf and 32-year-old stenson jokingly said it might offer a new avenue for sponsorships . absolutely , you never know , after this i might have a new endorsement with playgirl or something like that . ' european ryder cup star stenson is playing for the $ 1.4 million first prize in the tournament in florida which has an elite 81-strong field . his recovery shot evoked memories of the last-hole drama at the 1999 british open at carnoustie when tournament leader jean van de velde waded into the barry burn after taking off his shoes and socks . the frenchman at least spared the blushes of the crowds by keeping on his clothes but he made a hash of hole and lost his chance of winning the famous major . | henrik stenson creates a stir with'striptease'at top tournament in florida |
duch <tsp> tuol sleng , cambodia ( cnn ) -- the trial of a former prison chief with the khmer rouge movement resumed inside a packed cambodian courtroom monday , with prosecutors painting a grim picture of inmates who were electrocuted , whipped and beaten to death . duch ran a prison where people were tortured and killed under the khmer rouge . kaing guek eav , a former math teacher and a born-again christian , displayed no emotion as the u.n.-backed tribunal accused him not just of overseeing the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men , women and children three decades ago -- but of actively taking part in some of them . the trial of the 66-year-old man , better known as duch , resumed monday just outside the cambodian capital , phnom penh . spectators , many of them survivors of the abuse , watched the proceedings from an auditorium separated from the courtroom by a large glass window . the proceedings began with duch offering a basic introduction of himself . court officials then read out the findings of their lengthy investigation . prosecutors contend duch ran s-21 , a prison that had been converted from a school . here , men , women and children were shackled to iron beds and tortured -- before they were beaten to death , prosecutors said . many of the victims were military officials or communist party members targeted for not going along with the philosophy of the ultra-maoist khmer rouge movement , prosecutors said . duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity , war crimes , torture and murder . he has admitted his role in the khmer rouge 's genocidal reign . watch why his trial is significant » the movement swept to power in 1975 . three years , eight months and 20 days later , at least 1.7 million people -- nearly one-quarter of cambodia 's population -- were dead from execution , disease , starvation and overwork , according to the documentation center of cambodia . the non-profit organization has been at the forefront of recording the atrocities committed during the khmer rouge regime . s-21 was one of 189 similar institutions across cambodia . duch is the first former khmer rouge leader to stand trial . the tribunal , which is made up of cambodian and international judges , does not have the power to impose the death penalty . if convicted , duch faces from five years to life in prison . the trial is expected to last three or four months . probably the most important thing about this court is : even after 35 years , you are still not going to get away with it . that is the message , ' said chief prosecutor robert petit . even though duch was not a senior leader with the movement , many cambodians were relieved that one of the regime 's former leaders was facing justice , said youk chhang , head of the documentation center of cambodia . i think there is a feeling of , well you know , finally -- now it 's finally happening after all these years of waiting -- hearing , fighting , negotiating , ' he told cnn last month . people have that kind of sense of relief that it 's now moving . when i ask people around the center today , people say ,'oh , it 's about time .'' four of the regime 's former leaders , also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity , await trial before the tribunal . the regime 's leader , pol pot , died in 1998 . it all seems so fresh , ' said norng champhal , who was a starving little boy when vietnamese forces invaded the prison . he was separated from his mother after a night in the prison and never saw her again . it 's hard to control my feelings when i see this , ' he said , as he watched footage of the prison taken 30 years ago . i wonder whether my parents were tortured like these people , ' he said . cnn 's dan rivers contributed to this report . | duch , former prison chief , has admitted role in khmer rouge 's reign |
duch <tsp> tuol sleng , cambodia ( cnn ) -- the trial of a former prison chief with the khmer rouge movement resumed inside a packed cambodian courtroom monday , with prosecutors painting a grim picture of inmates who were electrocuted , whipped and beaten to death . duch ran a prison where people were tortured and killed under the khmer rouge . kaing guek eav , a former math teacher and a born-again christian , displayed no emotion as the u.n.-backed tribunal accused him not just of overseeing the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men , women and children three decades ago -- but of actively taking part in some of them . the trial of the 66-year-old man , better known as duch , resumed monday just outside the cambodian capital , phnom penh . spectators , many of them survivors of the abuse , watched the proceedings from an auditorium separated from the courtroom by a large glass window . the proceedings began with duch offering a basic introduction of himself . court officials then read out the findings of their lengthy investigation . prosecutors contend duch ran s-21 , a prison that had been converted from a school . here , men , women and children were shackled to iron beds and tortured -- before they were beaten to death , prosecutors said . many of the victims were military officials or communist party members targeted for not going along with the philosophy of the ultra-maoist khmer rouge movement , prosecutors said . duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity , war crimes , torture and murder . he has admitted his role in the khmer rouge 's genocidal reign . watch why his trial is significant » the movement swept to power in 1975 . three years , eight months and 20 days later , at least 1.7 million people -- nearly one-quarter of cambodia 's population -- were dead from execution , disease , starvation and overwork , according to the documentation center of cambodia . the non-profit organization has been at the forefront of recording the atrocities committed during the khmer rouge regime . s-21 was one of 189 similar institutions across cambodia . duch is the first former khmer rouge leader to stand trial . the tribunal , which is made up of cambodian and international judges , does not have the power to impose the death penalty . if convicted , duch faces from five years to life in prison . the trial is expected to last three or four months . probably the most important thing about this court is : even after 35 years , you are still not going to get away with it . that is the message , ' said chief prosecutor robert petit . even though duch was not a senior leader with the movement , many cambodians were relieved that one of the regime 's former leaders was facing justice , said youk chhang , head of the documentation center of cambodia . i think there is a feeling of , well you know , finally -- now it 's finally happening after all these years of waiting -- hearing , fighting , negotiating , ' he told cnn last month . people have that kind of sense of relief that it 's now moving . when i ask people around the center today , people say ,'oh , it 's about time .'' four of the regime 's former leaders , also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity , await trial before the tribunal . the regime 's leader , pol pot , died in 1998 . it all seems so fresh , ' said norng champhal , who was a starving little boy when vietnamese forces invaded the prison . he was separated from his mother after a night in the prison and never saw her again . it 's hard to control my feelings when i see this , ' he said , as he watched footage of the prison taken 30 years ago . i wonder whether my parents were tortured like these people , ' he said . cnn 's dan rivers contributed to this report . | new : duch offers basic introduction of himself ; court officials read probe 's findings |
duch <tsp> tuol sleng , cambodia ( cnn ) -- the trial of a former prison chief with the khmer rouge movement resumed inside a packed cambodian courtroom monday , with prosecutors painting a grim picture of inmates who were electrocuted , whipped and beaten to death . duch ran a prison where people were tortured and killed under the khmer rouge . kaing guek eav , a former math teacher and a born-again christian , displayed no emotion as the u.n.-backed tribunal accused him not just of overseeing the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men , women and children three decades ago -- but of actively taking part in some of them . the trial of the 66-year-old man , better known as duch , resumed monday just outside the cambodian capital , phnom penh . spectators , many of them survivors of the abuse , watched the proceedings from an auditorium separated from the courtroom by a large glass window . the proceedings began with duch offering a basic introduction of himself . court officials then read out the findings of their lengthy investigation . prosecutors contend duch ran s-21 , a prison that had been converted from a school . here , men , women and children were shackled to iron beds and tortured -- before they were beaten to death , prosecutors said . many of the victims were military officials or communist party members targeted for not going along with the philosophy of the ultra-maoist khmer rouge movement , prosecutors said . duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity , war crimes , torture and murder . he has admitted his role in the khmer rouge 's genocidal reign . watch why his trial is significant » the movement swept to power in 1975 . three years , eight months and 20 days later , at least 1.7 million people -- nearly one-quarter of cambodia 's population -- were dead from execution , disease , starvation and overwork , according to the documentation center of cambodia . the non-profit organization has been at the forefront of recording the atrocities committed during the khmer rouge regime . s-21 was one of 189 similar institutions across cambodia . duch is the first former khmer rouge leader to stand trial . the tribunal , which is made up of cambodian and international judges , does not have the power to impose the death penalty . if convicted , duch faces from five years to life in prison . the trial is expected to last three or four months . probably the most important thing about this court is : even after 35 years , you are still not going to get away with it . that is the message , ' said chief prosecutor robert petit . even though duch was not a senior leader with the movement , many cambodians were relieved that one of the regime 's former leaders was facing justice , said youk chhang , head of the documentation center of cambodia . i think there is a feeling of , well you know , finally -- now it 's finally happening after all these years of waiting -- hearing , fighting , negotiating , ' he told cnn last month . people have that kind of sense of relief that it 's now moving . when i ask people around the center today , people say ,'oh , it 's about time .'' four of the regime 's former leaders , also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity , await trial before the tribunal . the regime 's leader , pol pot , died in 1998 . it all seems so fresh , ' said norng champhal , who was a starving little boy when vietnamese forces invaded the prison . he was separated from his mother after a night in the prison and never saw her again . it 's hard to control my feelings when i see this , ' he said , as he watched footage of the prison taken 30 years ago . i wonder whether my parents were tortured like these people , ' he said . cnn 's dan rivers contributed to this report . | duch 's trial is taking place outside the cambodian capital , phnom penh |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president barack obama 's decision to seek congressional authorization of a military attack against the syrian government is in part his way of trying to fix a legal problem . the president 's decision to launch military strikes that would be limited in duration and scope ' is illegal under international law , legal experts say . the united nations charter generally does n't allow nations to attack other nations unless the attack is in self-defense or has the approval of the u.n. security council , neither of which is the case in syria . that 's a problem for a president , who has tried to distinguish his administration from that of president george w. bush on the idea that he is bringing the united states back into compliance with international law . cnn has learned that the justice departments'office of legal counsel provided the president with a preliminary legal opinion on carrying out the syrian attack . olc lawyers are the ones who advise the president on whether he is acting lawfully under federal statutes and the constitution . the opinion was provided verbally to the white house and is expected to be followed with a formal written opinion in coming weeks . the exact legal reasoning in the opinion could not be learned but sources familiar with the matter said the president 's legal team believes he is acting lawfully . is it'high noon'for obama on syria ? to help bolster the president 's legal case , the obama administration over the weekend asked congress to authorize the use of military force . it 's a departure for the president , who did n't seek similar approval when the united states joined a united nations-sanctioned bombing campaign in libya . but it is more in line with the view that obama expressed as a senator and presidential candidate , that presidents need congressional approval to wage war . congressional approval would n't solve the problem with international law , a senior administration official said , but it would enhance the legitimacy of military action . obama , in a rose garden statement saturday , spoke of the humanitarian and moral reasons to respond to what the united states says is clear proof that syrian president bashar al-assad 's forces have used chemical weapons against civilians . obama called the most recent alleged chemical weapons attack near damascus an assault on human dignity . ' a senior administration official acknowledged the international legal constraints but said the president is authorized to take action with or without congress , in part for u.s. national security reasons . the president in his saturday statement said the use of chemical weapons against civilians poses a serious danger to our national security . ' the administration uses similar language in the authorization for use of military force proposal it is presenting to congress , citing the need to protect the united states and its allies and partners from the threat of chemical weapons . a second senior administration official said the united states is acting on humanitarian as well as security grounds . we are not trying to address all of the humanitarian aspects of the crisis , but the security and humanitarian elements of the situation are inextricably linked and it would be artificial to separate them , ' the official said . the security situation endangers the welfare of the populations in the region , and the humanitarian situation -- including the flows of refugees and displaced persons -- endangers the security and stability of countries in the region . left unanswered , there is serious danger that the august 21 use of chemical weapons would lead to further use in this and future conflicts , posing a humanitarian threat both to those victims who would suffer these weapons'scourge and a security threat to neighbors , others in the region , and the international community as a whole . ' the thorny political and legal problems the president faces were on display over the weekend as some lawmakers returned to washington early to receive intelligence briefings and to prepare to vote on the authorization . the administration 's proposed authorization for action in syria is broad and open-ended , and many lawmakers emerged from briefings with deep misgivings . republican sen. roy blunt of missouri said that among about 100 members present , the biggest single concern was the very broad request for authority ' that is at odds with the narrow scope of the mission the president outlined . syria vote could have consequences for 2016 democratic sen. pat leahy of vermont , chairman of the senate judiciary committee , on sunday told reporters he would propose a more narrowly tailored authorization . fears grew over the weekend that the administration 's broad proposal could lead to a wider conflict and perhaps u.s. military strikes in iran or lebanon , because iran 's lebanon-based hezbollah allies are providing support to the assad regime . the administration official said the military authorization was written narrowly to address syria but asserted it also has to take contingencies into account . if the united states found chemical weapons were being transferred to iran , and the only way to stop such a move was by striking in iran , then the proposed authorization would n't prevent obama from ordering such strikes . john bellinger , former legal adviser to the state department and the national security council under president george w. bush , said obama 's international law problem is of his own making . this particular president has boxed himself into a corner to distinguish himself from his predecessor , ' he said . of obama 's planned syria military strikes , bellinger said , even if it 's with the purest of motives , it makes him look hypocritical . ' robert chesney , a university of texas law professor , drew parallels to the clinton administration 's bombing against serbian forces to protect kosovo . in that case , president bill clinton ignored the fact that a proposed military force authorization was voted down in congress . chesney said the problem is that international law does n't necessarily take into account events like those in syria or kosovo . in these cases the argument becomes , chesney said , that it was legitimate , but illegal ( under international law ) . it was the good thing to do because of the moral reasons . ' some human rights groups have long pushed for international law to allow outside intervention to stop atrocities . the united states and other nations have been reluctant to accept such a broad change , bellinger said . the administration 's lawyers have been careful to guide the choice of words used by top officials . obama and secretary of state john kerry , who made a forceful case for military action on friday , have carefully portrayed al assad 's actions as violating international norms . ' that 's in part because syria is n't among the 188 countries , including the united states , that signed the chemical weapons convention , the treaty that prohibits the production and use of such weapons . obama has long grappled with the issue of how to deal with civil war atrocities when international law does n't offer a way to stop them . in his december 2009 speech to accept the nobel peace prize , obama endorsed a call for an evolution of human institutions . ' on one hand , he said , it is important for the united states and other nations to respect international rules , saying when we do n't , our actions appear arbitrary and undercut the legitimacy of future interventions , no matter how justified . ' but then he also noted the need to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government , or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region . ' obama added : i believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds , as it was in the balkans , or in other places that have been scarred by war . inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later . that 's why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace . ' military has concerns about syria mission | obama 's plan to strike syria is not legal under international law , experts say |
ras al khamiah <tsp> ( cnn ) -- for centuries , ras al khamiah was a strategic outpost along the ancient silk road trading route . today , the northernmost of the seven emirates that make up the uae is often overlooked alongside its extravagant neighbors of dubai and abu dhabi . all that could be set to change , however , with the ruling al qasimi family set to make a big push in the region 's burgeoning residential and tourism sectors . see also : visit the abu dhabi 's fantasy island international hotel brands such as hilton and rixos have moved in while developers are building luxury apartments and villas at a rapid pace . by the end of 2014 , ras al khamiah ( or rak as it is often known ) will have some 4,800 hotel rooms , a 60 % expansion from the start of last year . the government says occupancy is currently running at 73 % for beachfront resorts and revenue per room rose a solid 39 % in three years . vice president of operations at hilton , christian grage , believes these rising numbers are only the beginning of what 's possible in rak . the hotel giant has been in the emirate for more than a dozen years and opened a branch of the waldorf astoria there last august . we actually are not necessarily surprised about what has come , ' grage said . i would describe it as if you build it they will come . i think we have anticipated the opportunity . ' interactive : what country is the biggest investor in international property ? to help fill out raks new capacity , air arabia , a fast growing budget carrier , is set to move in to replace a struggling local airline . the hope is this partnership will help provide easy access to rak from the likes of india and saudi arabia . a group of international travel experts , meanwhile , are fine tuning a grand master plan to ensure that demand is aligned with all the new hotel and residential inventory coming on stream . the first results of this strategy can be seen at the al hamra village where more than 1,000 luxury villas have been already sold to property investors from around the world . see also : where is world 's most expensive luxury property ? with prices starting at $ 1.3 million at entry level and rising to $ 8 million at the top end , however , investment in al hamra does n't come cheap . these prices equate to a maximum price of $ 3,800 per square meter ( $ 353 per sq ft ) , but general manager of the development , benoy kurien , said he is maintaining a sizable discount compared to prices in dubai . ( this represents ) 20-30 % cheaper rates per square meter for any property you buy whether it 's an apartment or a villa and that is significant value without compromising , ' kurien said . the early signs are promising , but whether this rising emirate succeeds in its plans will depend on continued growth as new properties and facilities are completed . | the emirate of ras al khamiah is undergoing a rapid luxury property transformation |
angel rojas <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- for angel rojas , the daily bus ride through the streets of brooklyn provided a respite from a hardscrabble existence juggling two low-paying jobs . it was his time to relax , ' his wife 's cousin , josie guerrero , said saturday . his time to take the load off . he usually listened to music or talked on the phone . it was a few minutes of calmness . ' that peace was shattered thursday evening as rojas shuttled between jobs , hoping to make a quick stop at home to see his wife and two children . it was his final bus trip . a young man boarded the bus , police said . in the rear , a 14-year-old boy police described as a member of a street gang called the stack money goons allegedly spotted a member of a rival gang and pulled out a .357-caliber revolver . shots were fired , the bullets missing the intended target , police said . rojas , 39 , was hit in the head and declared dead later at a hospital near where his bus trip began . pretty big gun for a pretty small man , ' police commissioner william bratton said of the suspected gunman . on friday , kathon anderson was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon , according to the brooklyn district attorney 's office . he is to be tried as an adult . just as everyone in new york probably feels terrible about it , we feel terrible about it too , ' anderson 's lawyer , frederic pratt , told reporters , according to cnn affiliate wcbs . i 'm just going to ask everyone not to rush to judgment . ' anderson allegedly belonged to stack money goons and targeted a rival from another group known as twan family , police said . the stupidity of those gangs that basically , over nothing , are trying to kill each other and , unfortunately , in the process , kill innocents as they did with this hard working young man trying to raise his family , ' bratton said . a life needlessly lost , taken by a 14-year-old who felt it necessary to carry a gun on a city bus and shoot it . ' on saturday , rojas'wife was raising money for a wake and to fly her husband 's body home to his native dominican republic . he was the sole provider , ' guerrero said . she never thought she would have to bury her husband and raise the children alone . ' the couple has two children : a 12-year-old son , saury , and 8-year-old daughter , april . why he did that to my dad ? ' saury asked , according to wcbs . guerrero said , he was just sitting on a bus . he had nothing to do with this . ' angel rojas and his wife came to new york from the dominican republic about five years ago , guerrero said . she held occasional part-time jobs ; he stocked shelves at two brooklyn bodegas . he was a hard worker and a family man devoted to giving his family a better life , ' guerrero said . he was the funniest man you would ever meet . everyone loved him . his laughter and his presence stayed with you . ' mother loses both children in same month new testament stops bullets , saves man | angel rojas , 39 , was shot and killed while riding a bus between jobs , police say |
denver <tsp> denver , colorado ( cnn ) -- a former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds , or even thousands , of surgical patients to hepatitis c after taking their fentanyl injections and replacing them with used syringes filled with saline solution , authorities say . a hospital worker has admitted to secretly injecting herself and using unclean syringes for patients . kristen diane parker , who worked at rose medical center in denver , has admitted to secretly injecting herself in a bathroom and using unclean syringes as replacements for patients , investigators said . she had hepatitis c , which she believes she contracted through using heroin and sharing dirty needles while she lived in new jersey in 2008 , authorities said . she was a surgical technician at rose from october 2008 to april 2009 . nine patients who had surgery there during that time have tested positive for hepatitis c. investigators are looking into whether they contracted the virus from parker . according to an affidavit filed by an investigator with the food and drug administration , rose medical center knew parker tested positive for hepatitis c. she was counseled on how to limit her exposure to patients . parker quit after she was found to be in an operating room where she was not allowed to be . she subsequently tested positive for fentanyl . hospital officials then contacted the dea . parker is in federal custody facing three drug-related charges . if she is found to have done serious harm to a patient , she could face up to 20 years in prison . if a patient dies because of her actions , she could face life in prison . in a statement to police , parker said , i ca n't take back what i did , but i will have to live with it for the rest of my life , and so does everyone else . ' her attorney could not be reached friday . rose medical center is contacting 4,700 patients who had surgery at rose during the time parker was employed there . however , hospital officials do not believe that many patients were exposed . we are taking a very conservative and cautious approach by contacting everyone who had surgery during this broad time period , ' a statement on the hospital 's web site said , adding , it is likely that most of the patients who receive letters will not have been exposed to hepatitis c. ' an additional 1,200 patients may have been infected between may 4 , 2009 , and july 1 , 2009 , when parker worked at audubon ambulatory surgical center in colorado springs . audubon is also contacting patients . according to the centers for disease control , hepatitis c is a contagious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer . | she was a surgical technician in denver from october 2008 to april 2009 |
kristen diane parker <tsp> denver , colorado ( cnn ) -- a former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds , or even thousands , of surgical patients to hepatitis c after taking their fentanyl injections and replacing them with used syringes filled with saline solution , authorities say . a hospital worker has admitted to secretly injecting herself and using unclean syringes for patients . kristen diane parker , who worked at rose medical center in denver , has admitted to secretly injecting herself in a bathroom and using unclean syringes as replacements for patients , investigators said . she had hepatitis c , which she believes she contracted through using heroin and sharing dirty needles while she lived in new jersey in 2008 , authorities said . she was a surgical technician at rose from october 2008 to april 2009 . nine patients who had surgery there during that time have tested positive for hepatitis c. investigators are looking into whether they contracted the virus from parker . according to an affidavit filed by an investigator with the food and drug administration , rose medical center knew parker tested positive for hepatitis c. she was counseled on how to limit her exposure to patients . parker quit after she was found to be in an operating room where she was not allowed to be . she subsequently tested positive for fentanyl . hospital officials then contacted the dea . parker is in federal custody facing three drug-related charges . if she is found to have done serious harm to a patient , she could face up to 20 years in prison . if a patient dies because of her actions , she could face life in prison . in a statement to police , parker said , i ca n't take back what i did , but i will have to live with it for the rest of my life , and so does everyone else . ' her attorney could not be reached friday . rose medical center is contacting 4,700 patients who had surgery at rose during the time parker was employed there . however , hospital officials do not believe that many patients were exposed . we are taking a very conservative and cautious approach by contacting everyone who had surgery during this broad time period , ' a statement on the hospital 's web site said , adding , it is likely that most of the patients who receive letters will not have been exposed to hepatitis c. ' an additional 1,200 patients may have been infected between may 4 , 2009 , and july 1 , 2009 , when parker worked at audubon ambulatory surgical center in colorado springs . audubon is also contacting patients . according to the centers for disease control , hepatitis c is a contagious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer . | kristen diane parker believes she contracted hepatitis c from sharing dirty needles |
lohan <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- lindsay lohan checked into a california rehab center early friday , ending -- at least for now -- a drama that has had more twists and turns than a high-speed car chase . shawn holley , the lawyer who guided lohan through years of legal turmoil until the actress abruptly fired her in january , helped her avoid jail once again by brokering a deal , her father told cnn friday . i am so thankful to shawn holley and evan haney , her manager , for doing this , ' michael lohan said . while he would n't name the california facility his daughter entered , he noted it is a rehab program she 's been in before . the actress underwent three months of court-ordered substance abuse rehab at the betty ford clinic at the end of 2010 , but she was in legal trouble again weeks later -- facing a shoplifting charge that led to her current woes . lohan , 26 , wants to settle in ' for a few days while arrangements can be made to transfer her to the lukens institute in palm beach gardens , florida , which bills itself as a luxury rehab center , ' michael lohan said . the lukens institute is where she wanted to go all along -- a place she will get the right treatment and finally get better , ' michael lohan said . santa monica city attorney terry white , who must approve any transfer , has not responded to cnn calls for comment . the actress was supposed to start a 90-day stint in a lockdown ' rehab center thursday , an alternative to a three-month jail term for two misdemeanor convictions and a shoplifting probation violation finding in march . but she abruptly left the southern california facility where she had gone thursday morning because she was not happy with the place , ' her father said . michael lohan said he was not happy with it either because of the revelation that the facility -- morningside recovery in newport beach -- ca n't provide alcohol and drug rehab treatments because california officials revoked its license . if a 24-hour residential facility is providing treatment or services to promote the recovery of alcohol and drug abuse then they must possess a license , ' said millicent tidwell , deputy director for the california department of alcohol and drug programs . none of morningside 's several locations in california are licensed , tidwell said . the company previously had three licenses , but all were revoked . the state 's licensing agency is in litigation with morningside 's unlicensed newport beach facility , she said . it 's unclear whether los angeles county superior court judge james dabney knew morningside was unlicensed when lohan 's lawyer , mark heller , informed him in court thursday morning that she would spend her rehab sentence there . white objected at thursday 's hearing , saying heller did n't get prior approval for lohan to go to morningside . white said he needed time to investigate it . lindsay had no idea that morningside was n't approved , ' michael lohan said . heller has not respond to several cnn requests for comment . the judge ordered the treatment after lohan entered pleas of no contest on charges relating to a traffic accident and , with those convictions , she was found in violation of her shoplifting probation . her six years of legal troubles trace back to two drunken driving arrests in 2007 and include other incidents in which she was behind the wheel . lohan was charged with reckless driving and lying to a police officer about a june 2012 car crash in which her porsche hit a dump truck on the pacific coast highway in santa monica , california . her arrest triggered the probation violation charge . the police report said lohan denied being behind the wheel , but the prosecutor was expected to call witnesses who say she was driving . lindsay lohan acknowledged her drug and alcohol addiction in past court appearances . she 's spent 250 days in five rehab facilities since january 2007 , including one long court-ordered stint after a failed drug test . the actress has appeared in court at least 20 times before four los angeles judges who have now found her in violation of probation six times and sentenced her to a total of nine months in jail . lohan has spent about two weeks behind bars in six trips to the los angeles county jail , served 35 days under house arrest and worked about 67 days of community service at the county morgue . | new : the lawyer lindsay lohan fired in january returns to help her avoid jail again |
lohan <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- lindsay lohan checked into a california rehab center early friday , ending -- at least for now -- a drama that has had more twists and turns than a high-speed car chase . shawn holley , the lawyer who guided lohan through years of legal turmoil until the actress abruptly fired her in january , helped her avoid jail once again by brokering a deal , her father told cnn friday . i am so thankful to shawn holley and evan haney , her manager , for doing this , ' michael lohan said . while he would n't name the california facility his daughter entered , he noted it is a rehab program she 's been in before . the actress underwent three months of court-ordered substance abuse rehab at the betty ford clinic at the end of 2010 , but she was in legal trouble again weeks later -- facing a shoplifting charge that led to her current woes . lohan , 26 , wants to settle in ' for a few days while arrangements can be made to transfer her to the lukens institute in palm beach gardens , florida , which bills itself as a luxury rehab center , ' michael lohan said . the lukens institute is where she wanted to go all along -- a place she will get the right treatment and finally get better , ' michael lohan said . santa monica city attorney terry white , who must approve any transfer , has not responded to cnn calls for comment . the actress was supposed to start a 90-day stint in a lockdown ' rehab center thursday , an alternative to a three-month jail term for two misdemeanor convictions and a shoplifting probation violation finding in march . but she abruptly left the southern california facility where she had gone thursday morning because she was not happy with the place , ' her father said . michael lohan said he was not happy with it either because of the revelation that the facility -- morningside recovery in newport beach -- ca n't provide alcohol and drug rehab treatments because california officials revoked its license . if a 24-hour residential facility is providing treatment or services to promote the recovery of alcohol and drug abuse then they must possess a license , ' said millicent tidwell , deputy director for the california department of alcohol and drug programs . none of morningside 's several locations in california are licensed , tidwell said . the company previously had three licenses , but all were revoked . the state 's licensing agency is in litigation with morningside 's unlicensed newport beach facility , she said . it 's unclear whether los angeles county superior court judge james dabney knew morningside was unlicensed when lohan 's lawyer , mark heller , informed him in court thursday morning that she would spend her rehab sentence there . white objected at thursday 's hearing , saying heller did n't get prior approval for lohan to go to morningside . white said he needed time to investigate it . lindsay had no idea that morningside was n't approved , ' michael lohan said . heller has not respond to several cnn requests for comment . the judge ordered the treatment after lohan entered pleas of no contest on charges relating to a traffic accident and , with those convictions , she was found in violation of her shoplifting probation . her six years of legal troubles trace back to two drunken driving arrests in 2007 and include other incidents in which she was behind the wheel . lohan was charged with reckless driving and lying to a police officer about a june 2012 car crash in which her porsche hit a dump truck on the pacific coast highway in santa monica , california . her arrest triggered the probation violation charge . the police report said lohan denied being behind the wheel , but the prosecutor was expected to call witnesses who say she was driving . lindsay lohan acknowledged her drug and alcohol addiction in past court appearances . she 's spent 250 days in five rehab facilities since january 2007 , including one long court-ordered stint after a failed drug test . the actress has appeared in court at least 20 times before four los angeles judges who have now found her in violation of probation six times and sentenced her to a total of nine months in jail . lohan has spent about two weeks behind bars in six trips to the los angeles county jail , served 35 days under house arrest and worked about 67 days of community service at the county morgue . | lohan abruptly left another rehab center thursday |
murray <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- dr. conrad murray , found guilty monday of causing michael jackson 's death , begins his new life as an inmate in a section of the los angeles county jail where high-profile prisoners are kept , a jail official said . while it is the medical area ' that houses inmates on suicide watch , murray is only there because it has a higher ratio of guards , los angeles county sheriff 's sgt . harry drucker said . murray 's defense team has vowed to appeal his involuntary manslaughter conviction , but first they must deal with his sentencing set for november 29 . while murray was devastated ' by the guilty verdict , he is confident ' he will win an appeal , defense lawyer nareg gourjian said . what matters most right now is trying to keep dr. murray from taking up a prison cell in this community , ' lead defense lawyer ed chernoff said . that 's what we 're focusing on right now and we 'll deal with an appeal after that . ' murray served as jackson 's personal physician as jackson prepared for his comeback concerts , with murray giving him the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life , according to testimony . jackson 's death on june 25 , 2009 , was caused by acute propofol intoxication ' in combination with two sedatives , the los angeles county coroner ruled . the verdict followed about nine hours of jury deliberations , which began friday morning in the downtown los angeles county courthouse . murray could be sentenced to as much as four years in a state prison , but his lawyers will ask for probation and maybe a little bit ' of time in the county jail , gourjian said . a new california law aimed at reducing state prison overcrowding and a federal court order addressing county jail overcrowding could combine to significantly reduce murray 's time behind bars . if murray 's conviction is treated as a non-violent felony he could be kept in the county jail , where he could be eligible to serve some of his time at home under monitored house arrest . los angeles county superior court judge michael pastor , who will decide murray 's sentence , made it clear when he denied bail monday that he considered the doctor a threat to public safety . this is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment , ' pastor said . this was a crime where the end result was the death of a human being . ' both chernoff and gourjian said the defense was not surprised by the guilty verdict . i think what went wrong was a lot of the pretrial rulings that were made by the court in reference to some of the evidence that we planned to offer for the jury to consider , ' gourjian told cnn 's piers morgan . i think that 's essentially what denied dr. murray a fair trial in this case . ' the outcome may have been different had the defense been able to introduce additional evidence -- like on jackson 's past drug use and financial condition , ' gourjian said . pastor 's rulings to limit the defense case could be the basis for an appeal , he said . murray appeared to show no emotion as the verdict was read by court clerk sammi benson monday afternoon or even as deputies handcuffed him and led him away . a loud celebration erupted among jackson fans outside of the courthouse , where emotions ran so high at least one woman fainted . passing cars honked their horns , as people nearby hugged , cried and yelled out in joy . jackson 's family , including by his parents and several of his brothers and sisters , smiled as they left the courthouse . an emotional la toya jackson on monday thanked all those involved in the trial , calling the decision a victory . ' everybody was wonderful , ' la toya jackson told hln 's jane velez-mitchell as she left the los angeles courthouse . a statement released by jackson 's estate monday said that justice has been served . ' deputy district attorney david walgren personally expressed his sympathies to the jackson family who he said lost not a pop icon , but a son and brother . ' los angeles county district attorney steve cooley thanked jurors for their hard work and thoughtful deliberation , ' and expressed gratitude that they recognized the overwhelming ' evidence against murray in finding him guilty . the seven men and five women on the jury heard 49 witnesses over 23 days , including murray 's girlfriends and patients , jackson 's former employees , investigators and medical experts for each side . defense lawyers contended the matter was a negligence case that should instead be heard by the state medical board . if it were anybody else but michael jackson , would this doctor be here today ? ' chernoff asked in his closing . jurors were left to decide if the propofol overdose was infused into jackson 's blood by a steady intravenous drip , as the prosecution contended , or if jackson injected himself using a syringe left nearby by murray , as the defense argued . he was just a little fish in a big , dirty pond , ' chernoff said , pointing the finger at other doctors who treated jackson , and jackson himself . prosecutor walgren attacked the defense for trying to blame everybody but conrad murray , poor conrad murray . ' walgren painted murray as a selfish doctor who agreed to take $ 150,000 a month to give jackson nightly infusions of propofol in his home , something prosecutors argued an ethical doctor would never do because of the dangers . it was a very strong and powerful message that this sort of conduct does rise to the level of criminal negligence , and to the extent someone dies as a result of them playing the role of dr. feel good , they will be held accountable , ' cooley said after the verdict . murray 's license to practice medicine is now suspended , according to the medical board of california , which decides if a doctor can legally work in the state . in the light of the conviction , the board now will open an investigation to determine whether or not to fully revoke murray 's right to practice medicine in the state , spokeswoman jennifer simoes said . the main criteria in deciding whether to revoke , suspend or take other action against any doctor is assessing how substantial a crime is related to the practice of medicine . there is no timeline as to when the board might act regarding murray , said simoes . cnn 's ted rowlands and adam blaker contributed to this report . | prison overcrowding could limit murray 's time behind bars |
murray <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- dr. conrad murray , found guilty monday of causing michael jackson 's death , begins his new life as an inmate in a section of the los angeles county jail where high-profile prisoners are kept , a jail official said . while it is the medical area ' that houses inmates on suicide watch , murray is only there because it has a higher ratio of guards , los angeles county sheriff 's sgt . harry drucker said . murray 's defense team has vowed to appeal his involuntary manslaughter conviction , but first they must deal with his sentencing set for november 29 . while murray was devastated ' by the guilty verdict , he is confident ' he will win an appeal , defense lawyer nareg gourjian said . what matters most right now is trying to keep dr. murray from taking up a prison cell in this community , ' lead defense lawyer ed chernoff said . that 's what we 're focusing on right now and we 'll deal with an appeal after that . ' murray served as jackson 's personal physician as jackson prepared for his comeback concerts , with murray giving him the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life , according to testimony . jackson 's death on june 25 , 2009 , was caused by acute propofol intoxication ' in combination with two sedatives , the los angeles county coroner ruled . the verdict followed about nine hours of jury deliberations , which began friday morning in the downtown los angeles county courthouse . murray could be sentenced to as much as four years in a state prison , but his lawyers will ask for probation and maybe a little bit ' of time in the county jail , gourjian said . a new california law aimed at reducing state prison overcrowding and a federal court order addressing county jail overcrowding could combine to significantly reduce murray 's time behind bars . if murray 's conviction is treated as a non-violent felony he could be kept in the county jail , where he could be eligible to serve some of his time at home under monitored house arrest . los angeles county superior court judge michael pastor , who will decide murray 's sentence , made it clear when he denied bail monday that he considered the doctor a threat to public safety . this is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment , ' pastor said . this was a crime where the end result was the death of a human being . ' both chernoff and gourjian said the defense was not surprised by the guilty verdict . i think what went wrong was a lot of the pretrial rulings that were made by the court in reference to some of the evidence that we planned to offer for the jury to consider , ' gourjian told cnn 's piers morgan . i think that 's essentially what denied dr. murray a fair trial in this case . ' the outcome may have been different had the defense been able to introduce additional evidence -- like on jackson 's past drug use and financial condition , ' gourjian said . pastor 's rulings to limit the defense case could be the basis for an appeal , he said . murray appeared to show no emotion as the verdict was read by court clerk sammi benson monday afternoon or even as deputies handcuffed him and led him away . a loud celebration erupted among jackson fans outside of the courthouse , where emotions ran so high at least one woman fainted . passing cars honked their horns , as people nearby hugged , cried and yelled out in joy . jackson 's family , including by his parents and several of his brothers and sisters , smiled as they left the courthouse . an emotional la toya jackson on monday thanked all those involved in the trial , calling the decision a victory . ' everybody was wonderful , ' la toya jackson told hln 's jane velez-mitchell as she left the los angeles courthouse . a statement released by jackson 's estate monday said that justice has been served . ' deputy district attorney david walgren personally expressed his sympathies to the jackson family who he said lost not a pop icon , but a son and brother . ' los angeles county district attorney steve cooley thanked jurors for their hard work and thoughtful deliberation , ' and expressed gratitude that they recognized the overwhelming ' evidence against murray in finding him guilty . the seven men and five women on the jury heard 49 witnesses over 23 days , including murray 's girlfriends and patients , jackson 's former employees , investigators and medical experts for each side . defense lawyers contended the matter was a negligence case that should instead be heard by the state medical board . if it were anybody else but michael jackson , would this doctor be here today ? ' chernoff asked in his closing . jurors were left to decide if the propofol overdose was infused into jackson 's blood by a steady intravenous drip , as the prosecution contended , or if jackson injected himself using a syringe left nearby by murray , as the defense argued . he was just a little fish in a big , dirty pond , ' chernoff said , pointing the finger at other doctors who treated jackson , and jackson himself . prosecutor walgren attacked the defense for trying to blame everybody but conrad murray , poor conrad murray . ' walgren painted murray as a selfish doctor who agreed to take $ 150,000 a month to give jackson nightly infusions of propofol in his home , something prosecutors argued an ethical doctor would never do because of the dangers . it was a very strong and powerful message that this sort of conduct does rise to the level of criminal negligence , and to the extent someone dies as a result of them playing the role of dr. feel good , they will be held accountable , ' cooley said after the verdict . murray 's license to practice medicine is now suspended , according to the medical board of california , which decides if a doctor can legally work in the state . in the light of the conviction , the board now will open an investigation to determine whether or not to fully revoke murray 's right to practice medicine in the state , spokeswoman jennifer simoes said . the main criteria in deciding whether to revoke , suspend or take other action against any doctor is assessing how substantial a crime is related to the practice of medicine . there is no timeline as to when the board might act regarding murray , said simoes . cnn 's ted rowlands and adam blaker contributed to this report . | murray is'devastated'by his conviction in jackson 's death , his lawyer says |
youtube <tsp> ( mashable ) -- egyptian president hosni mubarak has stepped down , more than two weeks after the protests that began january 25 in the country -- and launched a flood of # jan25 and # egypt tweets as well as media coverage that broke the mold -- to remove the president from power . from the beginning , the revolution in egypt was propelled by the use of social media . it at least partlybegan on facebook with the creation of facebook groups that gained hundreds of thousands of members and promoted the early protests in cairo . subsequently , the government blocked facebook and twitter and eventually shut down internet access completely . and with the outside world following the unfolding revolution online , political leaders and others , including twitter , spoke out against the violence and freedom of expression issues at risk . but even a government shut down could n't keep the news from flowing . twitter and facebook users found ways to work around the blackout . though , eventually access was completely restored . the events in egypt served as a flash point for journalists on the ground , too . for perhaps one of the first times in history , history itself has been recorded instantaneously , as reporters took to twitter to share 140-character updates and personal stories from the protests . the messages provided a stark reality to readers in the outside world , especially as the protests turned violent and police turned on journalists -- the very people many of us outside the country were following . but al jazeera had its cnn moment , ' and although it could n't reach viewers in the u.s. by cable television , it found a way to viewers -- on youtube . the network live streamed mubarak 's public address -- in which many believed he would resign -- thursday via youtube . but al jazeera 's comprehensive coverage put it on the radar for u.s. viewers and it created a campaign to bring its english-language network to u.s. televisions . images of the turmoil spread around the world via flickr and youtube , too . al jazeera made its images available by a creative commons license and its work reached an even broader audience around the world . without a doubt , social media , mobile devices and the web have brought the stories from egypt closer to home . and conversely , the events in egypt have shown the strength of these tools for both organizing and informing people . the egyptian people and reporters alike found ways to share their messages even when the government tried to stop them . using vpn , proxy sites , third party apps and other tools , they were able to continue sharing news with those of us on the outside . and at the same time , the rest of the world found ways to use tech to curate and disseminate information . © 2013 mashable.com . all rights reserved . | images of the turmoil spread around the world via flickr and youtube |
francesco schettino <tsp> ( cnn ) thrust from obscurity to notoriety overnight , captain francesco schettino is the man at the center of recriminations over the costa concordia cruise ship disaster . the liner capsized after it struck rocks off italy 's giglio island in the tyrrhenian sea in january 2012 . no one died on impact but 32 lives were lost during the subsequent chaotic evacuation of the 4,200 people on board the ship . on wednesday , an italian court found schettino guilty of manslaughter and other charges related to the wreck , and sentenced him to 16 years in prison . over the past two years , the judges in the captain 's trial have heard from a wide variety of people , including passengers , crew members and technical experts . just before the judges got the case , the captain took the opportunity to speak again . breaking down in tears , schettino recalled that january day three years ago . i died along with the 32 others , ' he said . and since then , schettino insisted , he 's become a victim , processed by a media meat grinder . ' schettino , 52 at the time of the accident , admitted he had been showboating ' when he sailed the luxury cruise liner so close to the island of giglio , where submerged rocks tore through the hull . however , he said earlier the rocks were uncharted , and he did everything he could to preserve the lives of crew and passengers . the captain has previously pointed the finger at the indonesian helmsman , whom he said did not speak english or italian well enough to understand his orders , as well as the costa cruise company for not providing maps with the rocks he hit appropriately marked . read more : how costa concordia was raised schettino has also blamed the ship itself , saying the generators did not work so the elevators did not function , hindering some people 's escape . schettino 's lead lawyer domenico pepe began closing arguments on monday by saying the champagne bottle used to christen the ship when it was put into service in 2006 did not break . everything about this ship and this process since then has been a mystery so far , ' he said . earlier in the trial moldovan dancer dominca cemortan , who dined with the captain and was with him on the command bridge , gave evidence for the prosecution . cemortan boarded the ship as a passenger but had worked on another costa cruises ship captained by schettino a few weeks earlier . the dancer admitted on the stand under duress that she and schettino had a sexual relationship , something the captain had previously denied . she also accused schettino of calling for a helicopter to rescue him , which he has denounced her for in a separate lawsuit . a native of castellamare di stabbia , near the southern city of naples , schettino comes from a seafaring family , italy 's corriere della sera newspaper reports . he graduated from the well-regarded nino bixio nautical institute in piano di sorrento , in naples province , 30 years ago , according to the news agency adnkronos . he joined costa in 2002 as a safety officer , served as a staff captain , and was appointed captain in 2006 , according to the cruise line . like all costa masters , schettino was constantly trained , passing all tests . ' costa chairman pier luigi foschi , who retired after the disaster , had said schettino had never been involved in an accident before . however , in court it was revealed that in june 2010 he scraped his ship , the aida blu , against a port wall in germany . after the 2012 accident foschi played down the possibility that alcohol played a role in the disaster , saying he did not believe schettino drank , and that all crew were subject to random drug and alcohol tests by costa cruises . but foschi placed the blame for the wreck squarely on the captain , saying it was his choice to deviate from frequently traveled routes in order to impress the passengers , ' as schettino admitted . schettino is also accused of abandoning his passengers , who were unable to look after themselves , and to whom he had a responsibility as captain , when he left the ship before they did . pepe tried to explain why his client left the ship ahead of so many passengers . he used a graphic to illustrate the inclination of the ship at the time schettino apparently lost his balance and fell into the lifeboat that took him to shore . he said that once on shore , schettino was able to conduct the rescue operation and that he never lost control of the operation . the attorney also addressed the famous exchange between gregorio de falco -- commander of the livorno port authority the night of the accident -- and schettino , during which de falco told schettino to get back on board for f * * k 's sake . ' pepe called de falco 's tone degrading and said the commander was unprofessional and egotistic at a moment when he should have been a voice of calm . schettino initially appears to play down the scale of the disaster , saying only that a technical failure ' has occurred . he then tells an official he has abandoned the vessel , according to the transcripts , which prosecutors say match those used in their investigation . but as the official questions his decision , schettino appears to reverse course and says he did not abandon ship but was catapulted into the water ' after the ship ran into a rock , began taking on water and started listing . as the night unfolds , the coast guard commander repeatedly questions why schettino , as captain , is not on the ship when passengers are still aboard . but schettino appears unwilling either to go back on board or to take charge of the desperate evacuation efforts , the transcripts reveal . in addition to questions over how schettino handled himself after the wreck , questions also lingered about whether the captain should have ordered an evacuation sooner and why no mayday ' distress signal was sent . read more : what the concordia leaves behind cnn 's peter wilkinson and barbie latza nadeau contributed to this report . | costa concordia captain francesco schettino convicted , gets 16 years for shipwreck |
jeremy suarez <tsp> he 's got blue wings , an adventurous spirit and is poised to be the latest film star to come out of south africa . a high-spirited young falcon , kai is the main character in zambezia , ' a new south african 3d animation film featuring an all-star voice cast , including hollywood a-listers samuel l. jackson , abigail breslin , jeff goldblum , leonard nimoy and jeremy suarez . set in the majestic victoria falls and inspired by southern africa 's startling artwork , zambezia ' is hoping to put south african animation on the map while enthralling children around the world with its uplifting message of togetherness . the movie , produced by cape town-based triggerfish animation studios , has been selected as the closing film of the 33rd edition of the durban international film festival , which runs until july 29 . the film is a wonderful ambassador , in a way , of south africa and i think as it travels the world it 's going to spread the word about an industry that is young and vibrant and extremely talented , ' says zambezia ' director and co-writer wayne thornley . in and of itself , i think it 's just an enjoyable ride for children and they 're going to come away wishing they could fly . ' read more : the film school in kenya 's biggest slum the movie , which is targeted toward children aged five to 11 , tells the story of kai , an intrepid young falcon that 's brought up by his strict father in an isolated outpost . his lonely life is turned upside down when a kooky bird crashes into his world and tells him of zambezia -- a bustling bird city where there 's amazing food , music , sights and sounds . ' a talented flier , kai decides to leave his isolated upbringing behind him and explore life in zambezia . he quickly realizes , however , that getting by in a city can be more difficult and demanding than living alone . yet , after joining zambezia 's air force and defending it from a band of marauding lizards , he also discovers the true values of teamwork and community sharing . thornley says the movie was guided by the traditional african principle of ubuntu , which he describes roughly as a person is a person only because of other people ' -- he says that the movie 's heartwarming theme will resonate with both african and international audiences . everyone can relate to that idea that it 's better , it 's easier to do things together , that teams are just more vibrant and get more things done , ' he says . they are difficult and messy and it 's not always easy but it is worth it -- i think that 's a universal theme and i hope that audiences around the world come away with that kind of message going : it 's safer to stay alone but it 's not better . ' read more : film pioneer helps rwanda build new identity the concept for the movie originated about seven years ago but production took just over two years to be completed . the third computer generated 3d film to be made in south africa , zambezia ' is probably the biggest budget animated film ever to come out of anywhere in africa , ' says thornley -- triggerfish was unable to disclose how much the film cost , but said its budget was under $ 20 million . the movie 's international appeal is expected to be raised by the high-profile roster of actors lending their voices to the characters . thornley says it all became possible after well-known u.s. producer mace neufeld saw the film by chance . he liked what he saw and he finally got involved and started opening doors for us . ' read more :'netflix of africa'brings nollywood to world working with top hollywood stars such as jackson and goldblum was an honor ' and really fun ' , says thornley . it was gratifying that they treated it seriously like any project , ' he says . we tend to think of ourselves that we 're this little studio but they were fantastic and it was really a great experience , ' he adds . zambezia ' had its world premiere at france 's annecy animation festival last month and was released in israel earlier in july . it will hit the big screen in germany and switzerland on august 30 , while its south africa release is scheduled for december 26 . it has already been sold in more than 30 territories for screening in over 50 countries , including a distribution deal in english-speaking territories with sony , according to triggerfish animation . thornley says south africa 's animation industry is still young and small but it is definitely punching above its weight . ' i want people to sit back and have a fantastic time with the characters and have a fantastic insight into some of the amazing african landscapes that we 've put into this film , ' says thornley . but also i want them to come away really surprised that something like that could come out of africa and south africa in particular . ' | the movie stars the voices of samuel l. jackson , jeremy suarez and jeff goldblum |
united kingdom <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the road to durban is a 30-minute monthly show that explores the cities making strides in reducing their carbon footprint . beginning in the united kingdom , cnn will take viewers to urban centers in germany , turkey and kenya -- before heading to durban , south africa for the 17th session of the united nations convention on climate change ( unfcc ) in december . along the way , a team of experts will examine the planning , environmental and sustainability issues facing today 's cities , as well as the green initiatives being developed to tackle them . after durban , the show will be heading to abu dhabi in the united arab emirates to continue the journey . watch road to durban : a green city journey in august at the following times : wednesday 17 august : 0730 , 1730 saturday 20 august : 0730 , 1230 , 1830 sunday 21 august : 0430 , 1630 monday 22 august : 0330 | viewers will visit urban centers in germany , turkey and kenya and the united kingdom |
durban <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the road to durban is a 30-minute monthly show that explores the cities making strides in reducing their carbon footprint . beginning in the united kingdom , cnn will take viewers to urban centers in germany , turkey and kenya -- before heading to durban , south africa for the 17th session of the united nations convention on climate change ( unfcc ) in december . along the way , a team of experts will examine the planning , environmental and sustainability issues facing today 's cities , as well as the green initiatives being developed to tackle them . after durban , the show will be heading to abu dhabi in the united arab emirates to continue the journey . watch road to durban : a green city journey in august at the following times : wednesday 17 august : 0730 , 1730 saturday 20 august : 0730 , 1230 , 1830 sunday 21 august : 0430 , 1630 monday 22 august : 0330 | the show will culminate in durban for the 17th u.n. convention on climate change |
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