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syria <tsp> damascus , syria ( cnn ) -- saying there is no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons attack in syria : the syrian regime , ' vice president joe biden signaled tuesday that the united states -- with its allies -- was ready to act . those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men , women and children should and must be held accountable , ' biden said in a speech to the american legion . the vice president 's remarks echo those made by other u.s. officials in recent days , as well as many of the nation 's foremost allies . french president francois hollande said his administration was ready to punish those who made the decision to gas these innocent people , ' adding that everything leads us to believe ' that syrian president bashar al-assad 's forces are responsible . british prime minister david cameron -- who talked tuesday with u.s. president barack obama -- called lawmakers back from their summer vacations to consider a response to syria , as the uk military prepares contingency plans . and u.s. defense secretary chuck hagel told the bbc on tuesday that u.s. forces are ready to go ' if ordered to strike syria by president barack obama . the options are there . the united states department of defense is ready to carry out those options , ' hagel said . western leaders were reacting to a growing consensus that the syrian regime was responsible for an august 21 attack that killed more than 1,300 people , most of them dying from exposure to toxic gases , according to rebel officials . the opposition -- which has said it 's been targeted by chemical weapons attacks in the past as well -- backed up its latest allegations with gruesome video of rows of dead bodies , including women and children , with no visible wounds . opinion : for u.s. , syria is truly a problem from hell syrian officials , though , have steadfastly denied using chemical weapons in this or other cases . foreign minister walid moallem said tuesday that his government would never use such munitions against its own people , daring those who disagree to present evidence publicly . he said rebel forces were to blame for security concerns near the suspected chemical sites , arguing that western leaders are using the claims as an excuse to go after al-assad 's regime . we all hear the drums of war , ' moallem said . they want to attack syria . i believe to use chemical weapons as a pretext is not a right . ' and if foreign powers do strike the middle eastern nation , its foreign minister said the government and its forces will fight back . syria is not easy to swallow , ' said moallem . we have the materials to defend ourselves . we will surprise others . ' u.n. inspectors in syria , but what will they find ? the united nations has sent inspectors to syria to try to get to the bottom of the wildly conflicting accounts of chemical warfare . the opposition says chemical payloads were among the ordnance fired into the rebel stronghold of ghouta . the government , via state tv reports , claims that its forces came into contact with toxic gas saturday in jobar , on the edge of damascus -- blaming this on terrorists , ' the term it commonly uses for rebel fighters . cnn could not independently confirm either account , including videos purported to show the aftermath of each . missile strikes on syria likely response to chemical attack on monday , u.n. inspectors visited the town of moadamiyet al-sham , despite a close call with snipers that left one of their vehicles damaged and an explosion nearby . the inspectors had been expected tuesday to head to ghouta , but that trip was pushed back a day in order to improve preparedness and safety for the team . ' moallem blamed rebel forces for failing to guarantee the u.n. group 's safety and denying that its forces have delayed inspections by continually shelling ghouta . video posted tuesday to youtube purported to show the area being shelled , though cnn could not verify this video 's authenticity . yet biden reiterated the claim that syrian forces were shelling the suspected chemical attack site . and u.s. state department spokeswoman marie harf said it may be too late for a valid inspection of what happened -- saying too much time has passed ' and accusing al-assad 's government of using the u.n. investigation as a stalling tactic or a charade to hide behind . ' the united states , meanwhile , is conducting its own investigation : an intelligence report detailing evidence of the alleged attack could be released as early as tuesday , a u.s. official told cnn . the report will include forensic evidence and intercepted communications among syrian military commanders , according to the official . the vice president said that beyond whatever inspectors do or do not find , common sense and the recent past point to one culprit . the syrian regime are the only ones who have the weapons , have used chemical weapons multiple times in the past , have the means of delivering those weapons , have been determined to wipe out exactly the places that were attacked by chemical weapons , ' he said tuesday . russia leads international charge against strikes the calls for a military response were not without opposition . russia is leading the charge internationally , with foreign minister sergey lavrov having said there is no proof yet syria 's government is behind last week 's chemical attack . his office compares the western allegations against syria to claims iraq was hoarding weapons of mass destruction before the u.s. invasion in 2003 -- allegations that fell apart once american troops began searching for them . intervening in middle east turmoil : mission impossible ? and tuesday , russia 's foreign ministry accused washington of trying to create artificial groundless excuses for military intervention . ' moscow bemoaned the u.s. postponement of a meeting that was scheduled for wednesday in the hague , where top diplomats from both countries had planned to discuss the war in syria . and russia criticized the united states for , in its view , trying to bypass the u.n. security council to take action on the reported chemical attack . should anything be moved through the u.n. council , russia -- which has a permanent seat on it -- could block it . still , that 's what former british foreign secretary david owen urged world leaders to do before unleashing missiles or warplanes on syrian targets . omran al-zoubi , syria 's information minister , on tuesday challenged the united states to present this proof to the rest of the world ' -- claiming that they are asking for trouble if they do not . if they do n't have proof or evidence , then how are they going to stand up to the american public opinion and to the world public opinion and explain why they are attacking syria ? ' al-zoubi told cnn from damascus . some worldwide have expressed concern that intervening in syria may provoke broader conflict in the middle east or ensnare western powers in another bloody conflict after years of warfare in iraq and afghanistan . cameron said that he understands those concerns , vowing that any action would have to be proportionate , ... legal ( and ) would have to be specifically about deterring the use of chemical weapons . ' still , he said it 's critically important that action be taken to show the international taboo against chemical weapons will not be tolerated . this is not about wars in the middle east ; this is not even about the syrian conflict , ' he said . it 's about use of chemical weapons and making sure , as a world , we deter their use and we deter the appalling scenes we 've all seen on our television screens . syria diplomacy : why jordan wants military meeting to be hush-hush cnn 's fred pleitgen reported from syria . cnn 's hamdi alkhshali reported from atlanta and jomana karadsheh from jordan . michael pearson wrote and reported from atlanta . cnn 's greg botelho , ben brumfield , boriana milanova , chris lawrence , jim acosta , josh levs , joe sterling , elise labott , jill dougherty and saskya vandoorne also contributed to this report . | new : u.s. president , british prime minister talk about the situation in syria |
syria <tsp> damascus , syria ( cnn ) -- saying there is no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons attack in syria : the syrian regime , ' vice president joe biden signaled tuesday that the united states -- with its allies -- was ready to act . those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men , women and children should and must be held accountable , ' biden said in a speech to the american legion . the vice president 's remarks echo those made by other u.s. officials in recent days , as well as many of the nation 's foremost allies . french president francois hollande said his administration was ready to punish those who made the decision to gas these innocent people , ' adding that everything leads us to believe ' that syrian president bashar al-assad 's forces are responsible . british prime minister david cameron -- who talked tuesday with u.s. president barack obama -- called lawmakers back from their summer vacations to consider a response to syria , as the uk military prepares contingency plans . and u.s. defense secretary chuck hagel told the bbc on tuesday that u.s. forces are ready to go ' if ordered to strike syria by president barack obama . the options are there . the united states department of defense is ready to carry out those options , ' hagel said . western leaders were reacting to a growing consensus that the syrian regime was responsible for an august 21 attack that killed more than 1,300 people , most of them dying from exposure to toxic gases , according to rebel officials . the opposition -- which has said it 's been targeted by chemical weapons attacks in the past as well -- backed up its latest allegations with gruesome video of rows of dead bodies , including women and children , with no visible wounds . opinion : for u.s. , syria is truly a problem from hell syrian officials , though , have steadfastly denied using chemical weapons in this or other cases . foreign minister walid moallem said tuesday that his government would never use such munitions against its own people , daring those who disagree to present evidence publicly . he said rebel forces were to blame for security concerns near the suspected chemical sites , arguing that western leaders are using the claims as an excuse to go after al-assad 's regime . we all hear the drums of war , ' moallem said . they want to attack syria . i believe to use chemical weapons as a pretext is not a right . ' and if foreign powers do strike the middle eastern nation , its foreign minister said the government and its forces will fight back . syria is not easy to swallow , ' said moallem . we have the materials to defend ourselves . we will surprise others . ' u.n. inspectors in syria , but what will they find ? the united nations has sent inspectors to syria to try to get to the bottom of the wildly conflicting accounts of chemical warfare . the opposition says chemical payloads were among the ordnance fired into the rebel stronghold of ghouta . the government , via state tv reports , claims that its forces came into contact with toxic gas saturday in jobar , on the edge of damascus -- blaming this on terrorists , ' the term it commonly uses for rebel fighters . cnn could not independently confirm either account , including videos purported to show the aftermath of each . missile strikes on syria likely response to chemical attack on monday , u.n. inspectors visited the town of moadamiyet al-sham , despite a close call with snipers that left one of their vehicles damaged and an explosion nearby . the inspectors had been expected tuesday to head to ghouta , but that trip was pushed back a day in order to improve preparedness and safety for the team . ' moallem blamed rebel forces for failing to guarantee the u.n. group 's safety and denying that its forces have delayed inspections by continually shelling ghouta . video posted tuesday to youtube purported to show the area being shelled , though cnn could not verify this video 's authenticity . yet biden reiterated the claim that syrian forces were shelling the suspected chemical attack site . and u.s. state department spokeswoman marie harf said it may be too late for a valid inspection of what happened -- saying too much time has passed ' and accusing al-assad 's government of using the u.n. investigation as a stalling tactic or a charade to hide behind . ' the united states , meanwhile , is conducting its own investigation : an intelligence report detailing evidence of the alleged attack could be released as early as tuesday , a u.s. official told cnn . the report will include forensic evidence and intercepted communications among syrian military commanders , according to the official . the vice president said that beyond whatever inspectors do or do not find , common sense and the recent past point to one culprit . the syrian regime are the only ones who have the weapons , have used chemical weapons multiple times in the past , have the means of delivering those weapons , have been determined to wipe out exactly the places that were attacked by chemical weapons , ' he said tuesday . russia leads international charge against strikes the calls for a military response were not without opposition . russia is leading the charge internationally , with foreign minister sergey lavrov having said there is no proof yet syria 's government is behind last week 's chemical attack . his office compares the western allegations against syria to claims iraq was hoarding weapons of mass destruction before the u.s. invasion in 2003 -- allegations that fell apart once american troops began searching for them . intervening in middle east turmoil : mission impossible ? and tuesday , russia 's foreign ministry accused washington of trying to create artificial groundless excuses for military intervention . ' moscow bemoaned the u.s. postponement of a meeting that was scheduled for wednesday in the hague , where top diplomats from both countries had planned to discuss the war in syria . and russia criticized the united states for , in its view , trying to bypass the u.n. security council to take action on the reported chemical attack . should anything be moved through the u.n. council , russia -- which has a permanent seat on it -- could block it . still , that 's what former british foreign secretary david owen urged world leaders to do before unleashing missiles or warplanes on syrian targets . omran al-zoubi , syria 's information minister , on tuesday challenged the united states to present this proof to the rest of the world ' -- claiming that they are asking for trouble if they do not . if they do n't have proof or evidence , then how are they going to stand up to the american public opinion and to the world public opinion and explain why they are attacking syria ? ' al-zoubi told cnn from damascus . some worldwide have expressed concern that intervening in syria may provoke broader conflict in the middle east or ensnare western powers in another bloody conflict after years of warfare in iraq and afghanistan . cameron said that he understands those concerns , vowing that any action would have to be proportionate , ... legal ( and ) would have to be specifically about deterring the use of chemical weapons . ' still , he said it 's critically important that action be taken to show the international taboo against chemical weapons will not be tolerated . this is not about wars in the middle east ; this is not even about the syrian conflict , ' he said . it 's about use of chemical weapons and making sure , as a world , we deter their use and we deter the appalling scenes we 've all seen on our television screens . syria diplomacy : why jordan wants military meeting to be hush-hush cnn 's fred pleitgen reported from syria . cnn 's hamdi alkhshali reported from atlanta and jomana karadsheh from jordan . michael pearson wrote and reported from atlanta . cnn 's greg botelho , ben brumfield , boriana milanova , chris lawrence , jim acosta , josh levs , joe sterling , elise labott , jill dougherty and saskya vandoorne also contributed to this report . | u.s. and british militaries , at least , preparing plans for possible strike in syria |
british <tsp> damascus , syria ( cnn ) -- saying there is no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons attack in syria : the syrian regime , ' vice president joe biden signaled tuesday that the united states -- with its allies -- was ready to act . those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men , women and children should and must be held accountable , ' biden said in a speech to the american legion . the vice president 's remarks echo those made by other u.s. officials in recent days , as well as many of the nation 's foremost allies . french president francois hollande said his administration was ready to punish those who made the decision to gas these innocent people , ' adding that everything leads us to believe ' that syrian president bashar al-assad 's forces are responsible . british prime minister david cameron -- who talked tuesday with u.s. president barack obama -- called lawmakers back from their summer vacations to consider a response to syria , as the uk military prepares contingency plans . and u.s. defense secretary chuck hagel told the bbc on tuesday that u.s. forces are ready to go ' if ordered to strike syria by president barack obama . the options are there . the united states department of defense is ready to carry out those options , ' hagel said . western leaders were reacting to a growing consensus that the syrian regime was responsible for an august 21 attack that killed more than 1,300 people , most of them dying from exposure to toxic gases , according to rebel officials . the opposition -- which has said it 's been targeted by chemical weapons attacks in the past as well -- backed up its latest allegations with gruesome video of rows of dead bodies , including women and children , with no visible wounds . opinion : for u.s. , syria is truly a problem from hell syrian officials , though , have steadfastly denied using chemical weapons in this or other cases . foreign minister walid moallem said tuesday that his government would never use such munitions against its own people , daring those who disagree to present evidence publicly . he said rebel forces were to blame for security concerns near the suspected chemical sites , arguing that western leaders are using the claims as an excuse to go after al-assad 's regime . we all hear the drums of war , ' moallem said . they want to attack syria . i believe to use chemical weapons as a pretext is not a right . ' and if foreign powers do strike the middle eastern nation , its foreign minister said the government and its forces will fight back . syria is not easy to swallow , ' said moallem . we have the materials to defend ourselves . we will surprise others . ' u.n. inspectors in syria , but what will they find ? the united nations has sent inspectors to syria to try to get to the bottom of the wildly conflicting accounts of chemical warfare . the opposition says chemical payloads were among the ordnance fired into the rebel stronghold of ghouta . the government , via state tv reports , claims that its forces came into contact with toxic gas saturday in jobar , on the edge of damascus -- blaming this on terrorists , ' the term it commonly uses for rebel fighters . cnn could not independently confirm either account , including videos purported to show the aftermath of each . missile strikes on syria likely response to chemical attack on monday , u.n. inspectors visited the town of moadamiyet al-sham , despite a close call with snipers that left one of their vehicles damaged and an explosion nearby . the inspectors had been expected tuesday to head to ghouta , but that trip was pushed back a day in order to improve preparedness and safety for the team . ' moallem blamed rebel forces for failing to guarantee the u.n. group 's safety and denying that its forces have delayed inspections by continually shelling ghouta . video posted tuesday to youtube purported to show the area being shelled , though cnn could not verify this video 's authenticity . yet biden reiterated the claim that syrian forces were shelling the suspected chemical attack site . and u.s. state department spokeswoman marie harf said it may be too late for a valid inspection of what happened -- saying too much time has passed ' and accusing al-assad 's government of using the u.n. investigation as a stalling tactic or a charade to hide behind . ' the united states , meanwhile , is conducting its own investigation : an intelligence report detailing evidence of the alleged attack could be released as early as tuesday , a u.s. official told cnn . the report will include forensic evidence and intercepted communications among syrian military commanders , according to the official . the vice president said that beyond whatever inspectors do or do not find , common sense and the recent past point to one culprit . the syrian regime are the only ones who have the weapons , have used chemical weapons multiple times in the past , have the means of delivering those weapons , have been determined to wipe out exactly the places that were attacked by chemical weapons , ' he said tuesday . russia leads international charge against strikes the calls for a military response were not without opposition . russia is leading the charge internationally , with foreign minister sergey lavrov having said there is no proof yet syria 's government is behind last week 's chemical attack . his office compares the western allegations against syria to claims iraq was hoarding weapons of mass destruction before the u.s. invasion in 2003 -- allegations that fell apart once american troops began searching for them . intervening in middle east turmoil : mission impossible ? and tuesday , russia 's foreign ministry accused washington of trying to create artificial groundless excuses for military intervention . ' moscow bemoaned the u.s. postponement of a meeting that was scheduled for wednesday in the hague , where top diplomats from both countries had planned to discuss the war in syria . and russia criticized the united states for , in its view , trying to bypass the u.n. security council to take action on the reported chemical attack . should anything be moved through the u.n. council , russia -- which has a permanent seat on it -- could block it . still , that 's what former british foreign secretary david owen urged world leaders to do before unleashing missiles or warplanes on syrian targets . omran al-zoubi , syria 's information minister , on tuesday challenged the united states to present this proof to the rest of the world ' -- claiming that they are asking for trouble if they do not . if they do n't have proof or evidence , then how are they going to stand up to the american public opinion and to the world public opinion and explain why they are attacking syria ? ' al-zoubi told cnn from damascus . some worldwide have expressed concern that intervening in syria may provoke broader conflict in the middle east or ensnare western powers in another bloody conflict after years of warfare in iraq and afghanistan . cameron said that he understands those concerns , vowing that any action would have to be proportionate , ... legal ( and ) would have to be specifically about deterring the use of chemical weapons . ' still , he said it 's critically important that action be taken to show the international taboo against chemical weapons will not be tolerated . this is not about wars in the middle east ; this is not even about the syrian conflict , ' he said . it 's about use of chemical weapons and making sure , as a world , we deter their use and we deter the appalling scenes we 've all seen on our television screens . syria diplomacy : why jordan wants military meeting to be hush-hush cnn 's fred pleitgen reported from syria . cnn 's hamdi alkhshali reported from atlanta and jomana karadsheh from jordan . michael pearson wrote and reported from atlanta . cnn 's greg botelho , ben brumfield , boriana milanova , chris lawrence , jim acosta , josh levs , joe sterling , elise labott , jill dougherty and saskya vandoorne also contributed to this report . | new : u.s. president , british prime minister talk about the situation in syria |
british <tsp> damascus , syria ( cnn ) -- saying there is no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons attack in syria : the syrian regime , ' vice president joe biden signaled tuesday that the united states -- with its allies -- was ready to act . those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men , women and children should and must be held accountable , ' biden said in a speech to the american legion . the vice president 's remarks echo those made by other u.s. officials in recent days , as well as many of the nation 's foremost allies . french president francois hollande said his administration was ready to punish those who made the decision to gas these innocent people , ' adding that everything leads us to believe ' that syrian president bashar al-assad 's forces are responsible . british prime minister david cameron -- who talked tuesday with u.s. president barack obama -- called lawmakers back from their summer vacations to consider a response to syria , as the uk military prepares contingency plans . and u.s. defense secretary chuck hagel told the bbc on tuesday that u.s. forces are ready to go ' if ordered to strike syria by president barack obama . the options are there . the united states department of defense is ready to carry out those options , ' hagel said . western leaders were reacting to a growing consensus that the syrian regime was responsible for an august 21 attack that killed more than 1,300 people , most of them dying from exposure to toxic gases , according to rebel officials . the opposition -- which has said it 's been targeted by chemical weapons attacks in the past as well -- backed up its latest allegations with gruesome video of rows of dead bodies , including women and children , with no visible wounds . opinion : for u.s. , syria is truly a problem from hell syrian officials , though , have steadfastly denied using chemical weapons in this or other cases . foreign minister walid moallem said tuesday that his government would never use such munitions against its own people , daring those who disagree to present evidence publicly . he said rebel forces were to blame for security concerns near the suspected chemical sites , arguing that western leaders are using the claims as an excuse to go after al-assad 's regime . we all hear the drums of war , ' moallem said . they want to attack syria . i believe to use chemical weapons as a pretext is not a right . ' and if foreign powers do strike the middle eastern nation , its foreign minister said the government and its forces will fight back . syria is not easy to swallow , ' said moallem . we have the materials to defend ourselves . we will surprise others . ' u.n. inspectors in syria , but what will they find ? the united nations has sent inspectors to syria to try to get to the bottom of the wildly conflicting accounts of chemical warfare . the opposition says chemical payloads were among the ordnance fired into the rebel stronghold of ghouta . the government , via state tv reports , claims that its forces came into contact with toxic gas saturday in jobar , on the edge of damascus -- blaming this on terrorists , ' the term it commonly uses for rebel fighters . cnn could not independently confirm either account , including videos purported to show the aftermath of each . missile strikes on syria likely response to chemical attack on monday , u.n. inspectors visited the town of moadamiyet al-sham , despite a close call with snipers that left one of their vehicles damaged and an explosion nearby . the inspectors had been expected tuesday to head to ghouta , but that trip was pushed back a day in order to improve preparedness and safety for the team . ' moallem blamed rebel forces for failing to guarantee the u.n. group 's safety and denying that its forces have delayed inspections by continually shelling ghouta . video posted tuesday to youtube purported to show the area being shelled , though cnn could not verify this video 's authenticity . yet biden reiterated the claim that syrian forces were shelling the suspected chemical attack site . and u.s. state department spokeswoman marie harf said it may be too late for a valid inspection of what happened -- saying too much time has passed ' and accusing al-assad 's government of using the u.n. investigation as a stalling tactic or a charade to hide behind . ' the united states , meanwhile , is conducting its own investigation : an intelligence report detailing evidence of the alleged attack could be released as early as tuesday , a u.s. official told cnn . the report will include forensic evidence and intercepted communications among syrian military commanders , according to the official . the vice president said that beyond whatever inspectors do or do not find , common sense and the recent past point to one culprit . the syrian regime are the only ones who have the weapons , have used chemical weapons multiple times in the past , have the means of delivering those weapons , have been determined to wipe out exactly the places that were attacked by chemical weapons , ' he said tuesday . russia leads international charge against strikes the calls for a military response were not without opposition . russia is leading the charge internationally , with foreign minister sergey lavrov having said there is no proof yet syria 's government is behind last week 's chemical attack . his office compares the western allegations against syria to claims iraq was hoarding weapons of mass destruction before the u.s. invasion in 2003 -- allegations that fell apart once american troops began searching for them . intervening in middle east turmoil : mission impossible ? and tuesday , russia 's foreign ministry accused washington of trying to create artificial groundless excuses for military intervention . ' moscow bemoaned the u.s. postponement of a meeting that was scheduled for wednesday in the hague , where top diplomats from both countries had planned to discuss the war in syria . and russia criticized the united states for , in its view , trying to bypass the u.n. security council to take action on the reported chemical attack . should anything be moved through the u.n. council , russia -- which has a permanent seat on it -- could block it . still , that 's what former british foreign secretary david owen urged world leaders to do before unleashing missiles or warplanes on syrian targets . omran al-zoubi , syria 's information minister , on tuesday challenged the united states to present this proof to the rest of the world ' -- claiming that they are asking for trouble if they do not . if they do n't have proof or evidence , then how are they going to stand up to the american public opinion and to the world public opinion and explain why they are attacking syria ? ' al-zoubi told cnn from damascus . some worldwide have expressed concern that intervening in syria may provoke broader conflict in the middle east or ensnare western powers in another bloody conflict after years of warfare in iraq and afghanistan . cameron said that he understands those concerns , vowing that any action would have to be proportionate , ... legal ( and ) would have to be specifically about deterring the use of chemical weapons . ' still , he said it 's critically important that action be taken to show the international taboo against chemical weapons will not be tolerated . this is not about wars in the middle east ; this is not even about the syrian conflict , ' he said . it 's about use of chemical weapons and making sure , as a world , we deter their use and we deter the appalling scenes we 've all seen on our television screens . syria diplomacy : why jordan wants military meeting to be hush-hush cnn 's fred pleitgen reported from syria . cnn 's hamdi alkhshali reported from atlanta and jomana karadsheh from jordan . michael pearson wrote and reported from atlanta . cnn 's greg botelho , ben brumfield , boriana milanova , chris lawrence , jim acosta , josh levs , joe sterling , elise labott , jill dougherty and saskya vandoorne also contributed to this report . | u.s. and british militaries , at least , preparing plans for possible strike in syria |
hoesik <tsp> ( cnn ) most companies in south korea have hoesik at least once a month and sometimes every week . literally , this means dinner with co-workers . in practice , it means official eating/drinking fests involving multiple rounds of alcohol at multiple venues . for the foreign business traveler , using foreignness as an excuse to bow out of the action only goes so far . the pressure to participate is intense . drinking etiquette is the first thing you teach foreign guests , ' says bryan do , a korean-american director at the south korean branch of a u.s. company . it was shocking when i first arrived in korea . my boss was a graduate of korea university [ renowned for its hardy drinking culture ] and at my first hoesik , we started out with everyone filling a beer glass with soju , and downing it on the spot . that was just the beginning . ' for koreans , drinking is considered a way to get to know what someone is really like . i did n't really like it in the beginning , ' says charles lee , a korean-canadian who came to seoul to work for a south korean company . i was like ,'why are you making me drink something when i do n't want to ?'but once i understood the meaning behind it , i appreciated it more . there are just some things you ca n't say at work or talk about over lunch -- people who talk about work at lunch are losers . but when someone offers you a glass of soju , it 's an invitation that means that they want to listen to you . i thought koreans were impersonal before i drank with them , so the whole context is important . ' drinking is such a big part of korean life that seoul traffic is said to correspond with the city 's drinking culture . mondays are a big night for hoesik , so there are fewer cars during evening rush hour , as most office workers leave them at work so they can go drinking . tuesdays are a rest day , while wednesday and thursday nights are also big nights for company drinking . fridays have the worst evening traffic , as everyone is taking their cars home to use with their families over the weekend . so how do you avoid offending someone ( worst of all , a superior or client ) at a korean drinking extravaganza ? follow these seven handy rules . koreans always identify the higher ' person in the relationship , and defer to them accordingly . one of the first things koreans often ask when meeting someone new is their age . even someone just a year older is afforded a language of respect , though age is always superseded by a higher position . it 's considered rude for anyone to have an empty glass . if a senior person is pouring -- this usually pertains to hard liquor only -- others should n't drink until someone has poured the senior a shot . after all glasses are full , everyone says gunbae ! ' and chugs -- usually one-shotting ' the entire glass in one go . while downing alcohol , you should turn your body away from senior figures so that your body visually blocks your drinking action from your senior . always hold bottles or shot glasses with both hands . by raising your glass or pouring alcohol with one hand , you are establishing yourself as a senior person . if you 're not , well , you 've just breached protocol . it 's always a good idea to find out people 's drinking habits beforehand . it should n't be difficult to find out what people like to drink or how they behave when intoxicated . hoesik usually involves changing venues for a different type of alcohol -- i.e. , round one is dinner , accompanied by beer , round two is soju , round three is for whiskey , and so on . be ready for each . unless you have an airtight reason , refusing alcohol is considered a mood killer and deemed rude . sorry , but i do n't like soju ' does n't qualify as a good reason not to punish your liver . neither would i 've been on the wagon for three years . ' in fact , unless you 're pregnant or already puking , what might be a good reason ' not to imbibe elsewhere often wo n't fly here . it 's generally best to accept and discreetly get rid of unwanted alcohol ( under the table , into your water cup , out the window ) than to refuse it . one of the most popular venues in korea for business drinking is the karaoke bar . koreans love singing , as evidenced by the country 's staggering number of karaoke bars , as well as the rush of audition programs on korean television . your companions wo n't rest until you sing . they 'll coax , threaten , push and cajole until you finally take that mic . be prepared to crack under the immense peer pressure . if you simply can not take any more , you can call a black knight ( male ) or a black rose ( female ) to your rescue . this entails a person of your choosing drinking your glass for you , but it also means they get a wish . as in , you might soon wish you 'd just taken that last shot as you 're spelling your name out with your butt in front of your client . bottoms up . christopher cha is a korean-american writer based in seoul . | hoesik is the korean tradition of eating and drinking together |
korea <tsp> ( cnn ) most companies in south korea have hoesik at least once a month and sometimes every week . literally , this means dinner with co-workers . in practice , it means official eating/drinking fests involving multiple rounds of alcohol at multiple venues . for the foreign business traveler , using foreignness as an excuse to bow out of the action only goes so far . the pressure to participate is intense . drinking etiquette is the first thing you teach foreign guests , ' says bryan do , a korean-american director at the south korean branch of a u.s. company . it was shocking when i first arrived in korea . my boss was a graduate of korea university [ renowned for its hardy drinking culture ] and at my first hoesik , we started out with everyone filling a beer glass with soju , and downing it on the spot . that was just the beginning . ' for koreans , drinking is considered a way to get to know what someone is really like . i did n't really like it in the beginning , ' says charles lee , a korean-canadian who came to seoul to work for a south korean company . i was like ,'why are you making me drink something when i do n't want to ?'but once i understood the meaning behind it , i appreciated it more . there are just some things you ca n't say at work or talk about over lunch -- people who talk about work at lunch are losers . but when someone offers you a glass of soju , it 's an invitation that means that they want to listen to you . i thought koreans were impersonal before i drank with them , so the whole context is important . ' drinking is such a big part of korean life that seoul traffic is said to correspond with the city 's drinking culture . mondays are a big night for hoesik , so there are fewer cars during evening rush hour , as most office workers leave them at work so they can go drinking . tuesdays are a rest day , while wednesday and thursday nights are also big nights for company drinking . fridays have the worst evening traffic , as everyone is taking their cars home to use with their families over the weekend . so how do you avoid offending someone ( worst of all , a superior or client ) at a korean drinking extravaganza ? follow these seven handy rules . koreans always identify the higher ' person in the relationship , and defer to them accordingly . one of the first things koreans often ask when meeting someone new is their age . even someone just a year older is afforded a language of respect , though age is always superseded by a higher position . it 's considered rude for anyone to have an empty glass . if a senior person is pouring -- this usually pertains to hard liquor only -- others should n't drink until someone has poured the senior a shot . after all glasses are full , everyone says gunbae ! ' and chugs -- usually one-shotting ' the entire glass in one go . while downing alcohol , you should turn your body away from senior figures so that your body visually blocks your drinking action from your senior . always hold bottles or shot glasses with both hands . by raising your glass or pouring alcohol with one hand , you are establishing yourself as a senior person . if you 're not , well , you 've just breached protocol . it 's always a good idea to find out people 's drinking habits beforehand . it should n't be difficult to find out what people like to drink or how they behave when intoxicated . hoesik usually involves changing venues for a different type of alcohol -- i.e. , round one is dinner , accompanied by beer , round two is soju , round three is for whiskey , and so on . be ready for each . unless you have an airtight reason , refusing alcohol is considered a mood killer and deemed rude . sorry , but i do n't like soju ' does n't qualify as a good reason not to punish your liver . neither would i 've been on the wagon for three years . ' in fact , unless you 're pregnant or already puking , what might be a good reason ' not to imbibe elsewhere often wo n't fly here . it 's generally best to accept and discreetly get rid of unwanted alcohol ( under the table , into your water cup , out the window ) than to refuse it . one of the most popular venues in korea for business drinking is the karaoke bar . koreans love singing , as evidenced by the country 's staggering number of karaoke bars , as well as the rush of audition programs on korean television . your companions wo n't rest until you sing . they 'll coax , threaten , push and cajole until you finally take that mic . be prepared to crack under the immense peer pressure . if you simply can not take any more , you can call a black knight ( male ) or a black rose ( female ) to your rescue . this entails a person of your choosing drinking your glass for you , but it also means they get a wish . as in , you might soon wish you 'd just taken that last shot as you 're spelling your name out with your butt in front of your client . bottoms up . christopher cha is a korean-american writer based in seoul . | anthony bourdain travels to korea for the season five premiere of parts unknown ' |
libya <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- secretary of state condoleezza rice met friday with libyan leader moammar gadhafi , who asked for the latest news on the hurricanes plaguing u.s. coasts in recent weeks . condoleezza rice and libyan leader moammar gadhafi discussed the weather friday at their initial meeting . the first one was not as bad as feared , but there are two more coming , ' rice told the man dubbed by president reagan the mad dog in the middle east . ' rice 's visit is the first time in more than half a century that a u.s. secretary of state has visited the former pariah nation . upon her arrival , rice met with the libyan foreign minister and then toured the new u.s. embassy . we are working on a trade and investment agreement , a framework , which will allow the improvement of the climate for investment , which i know very many american firms wish to do , ' rice said after her meeting with minister abdel-rahman shalgam . she called the meeting a good start ' toward establishing a positive relationship ' with libya . rice and gadhafi met in a reception room at the libyan 's bab el-azizia compound . gadhafi , wearing a white robe and a black fez but not his trademark dark sunglasses , shook the hands of the male members of rice 's staff but not rice , instead offering the traditional greeting of his hand over his heart for her . watch excitement in libya at rice 's trip » muslim men are prohibited from shaking hands with women to whom they are not related . after their meeting , rice joined gadhafi , who once called rice leeza ... my darling black african woman , ' in a traditional muslim evening meal breaking the fast during the holy month of ramadan . last year in an interview with al-jazeera , gadhafi suggested rice ran the arab world with which he has sometimes had stark differences . i admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the arab leaders , ' he said . i love her very much ... because she 's a black woman of african origin . ' the two are expected to meet in the leader 's bedouin tent he favors for high-profile meetings rice 's visit marks a 180-degree turn in relations between washington and tripoli , which for more than three decades have been marked by personal animosity and insults , libyan terror attacks and u.s. airstrikes . libya 's rehabilitation from being dubbed a state sponsor of terrorism ' to a member of the u.n. security council represents a rare foreign policy success for the bush administration in its last months in office . in lisbon , before flying to tripoli , rice called her trip a historic moment and it is one that has come after a lot of difficulty , the suffering of many people that will never be forgotten or assuaged , a lot of americans in particular . ' libya , she acknowledged , is a place that is changing and i want to discuss how that change is taking place . ' i am very much looking forward to it , ' she told reporters the united states restored relations with tripoli in 2005 , after gadhafi 's decision to abandon his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction , renounce terrorism and compensate victims of the 1986 la belle disco bombing in berlin and the 1988 pan am 103 bombing over lockerbie , scotland . it also dropped libya from its state sponsors of terrorism list , the only country except for iraq to have been removed . since then , several u.s. officials have visited tripoli and rice has met several times with her libyan counterpart . the united states opened its embassy in tripoli in 2006 . the united states has praised libya 's cooperation in fighting terrorism in north africa , where al qaeda has been gaining a foothold . u.s. officials also say gadhafi has prevented libyan and other foreign fighters from traveling to iraq to join insurgent movements . at the united nations , libya has also voted with the united states to crack down on iran 's nuclear program and has sought to play a helpful role in the crisis in darfur . yet relations between the two countries face strains over libya 's poor human rights record and final settlement of claims from the la belle and lockerbie bombings . in her meetings with libyan officials , rice is expected to raise the issue of political prisoners , especially fathi al-jahami , a leading libyan reformer held in detention since 2002 . last month the united states and libya reached a deal to resolve outstanding claims for the bombings , but libya has yet to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to a fund set up to compensate the bombing victims'families . many of the lockerbie victims'families have criticized rice 's decision to meet with gadhafi , whom they say remains unrepentant for the explosion , which killed 280 people , 180 of them americans . in a recent interview with the bbc , gadhafi 's son , saif al-islam al-gadhafi , called the lockerbie families very greedy ' and trading with the blood of their sons and daughters ' for money . the bush administration has expressed sympathy with the lockerbie families but says it is time to move forward with a new relationship with libya . the deal paves the way for greater access by american companies to libya 's booming economy , in particular its vast oil reserves , the ninth largest in the world . european companies have had much greater access to libya 's energy sector , but libyan officials say the improved relations with the united states will result in more deals with american oil companies , including exploring vast areas of the country that remain untapped . the country 's growing banking , infrastructure and telecommunications sectors also offer enormous opportunities for american investors . rice will travel throughout north africa after leaving tripoli , stopping in morocco , algeria and tunisia . but it is the visit to libya that the state department recognizes will be the most talked about . | libya 's journey from pariah nation has taken several years |
libya <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- secretary of state condoleezza rice met friday with libyan leader moammar gadhafi , who asked for the latest news on the hurricanes plaguing u.s. coasts in recent weeks . condoleezza rice and libyan leader moammar gadhafi discussed the weather friday at their initial meeting . the first one was not as bad as feared , but there are two more coming , ' rice told the man dubbed by president reagan the mad dog in the middle east . ' rice 's visit is the first time in more than half a century that a u.s. secretary of state has visited the former pariah nation . upon her arrival , rice met with the libyan foreign minister and then toured the new u.s. embassy . we are working on a trade and investment agreement , a framework , which will allow the improvement of the climate for investment , which i know very many american firms wish to do , ' rice said after her meeting with minister abdel-rahman shalgam . she called the meeting a good start ' toward establishing a positive relationship ' with libya . rice and gadhafi met in a reception room at the libyan 's bab el-azizia compound . gadhafi , wearing a white robe and a black fez but not his trademark dark sunglasses , shook the hands of the male members of rice 's staff but not rice , instead offering the traditional greeting of his hand over his heart for her . watch excitement in libya at rice 's trip » muslim men are prohibited from shaking hands with women to whom they are not related . after their meeting , rice joined gadhafi , who once called rice leeza ... my darling black african woman , ' in a traditional muslim evening meal breaking the fast during the holy month of ramadan . last year in an interview with al-jazeera , gadhafi suggested rice ran the arab world with which he has sometimes had stark differences . i admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the arab leaders , ' he said . i love her very much ... because she 's a black woman of african origin . ' the two are expected to meet in the leader 's bedouin tent he favors for high-profile meetings rice 's visit marks a 180-degree turn in relations between washington and tripoli , which for more than three decades have been marked by personal animosity and insults , libyan terror attacks and u.s. airstrikes . libya 's rehabilitation from being dubbed a state sponsor of terrorism ' to a member of the u.n. security council represents a rare foreign policy success for the bush administration in its last months in office . in lisbon , before flying to tripoli , rice called her trip a historic moment and it is one that has come after a lot of difficulty , the suffering of many people that will never be forgotten or assuaged , a lot of americans in particular . ' libya , she acknowledged , is a place that is changing and i want to discuss how that change is taking place . ' i am very much looking forward to it , ' she told reporters the united states restored relations with tripoli in 2005 , after gadhafi 's decision to abandon his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction , renounce terrorism and compensate victims of the 1986 la belle disco bombing in berlin and the 1988 pan am 103 bombing over lockerbie , scotland . it also dropped libya from its state sponsors of terrorism list , the only country except for iraq to have been removed . since then , several u.s. officials have visited tripoli and rice has met several times with her libyan counterpart . the united states opened its embassy in tripoli in 2006 . the united states has praised libya 's cooperation in fighting terrorism in north africa , where al qaeda has been gaining a foothold . u.s. officials also say gadhafi has prevented libyan and other foreign fighters from traveling to iraq to join insurgent movements . at the united nations , libya has also voted with the united states to crack down on iran 's nuclear program and has sought to play a helpful role in the crisis in darfur . yet relations between the two countries face strains over libya 's poor human rights record and final settlement of claims from the la belle and lockerbie bombings . in her meetings with libyan officials , rice is expected to raise the issue of political prisoners , especially fathi al-jahami , a leading libyan reformer held in detention since 2002 . last month the united states and libya reached a deal to resolve outstanding claims for the bombings , but libya has yet to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to a fund set up to compensate the bombing victims'families . many of the lockerbie victims'families have criticized rice 's decision to meet with gadhafi , whom they say remains unrepentant for the explosion , which killed 280 people , 180 of them americans . in a recent interview with the bbc , gadhafi 's son , saif al-islam al-gadhafi , called the lockerbie families very greedy ' and trading with the blood of their sons and daughters ' for money . the bush administration has expressed sympathy with the lockerbie families but says it is time to move forward with a new relationship with libya . the deal paves the way for greater access by american companies to libya 's booming economy , in particular its vast oil reserves , the ninth largest in the world . european companies have had much greater access to libya 's energy sector , but libyan officials say the improved relations with the united states will result in more deals with american oil companies , including exploring vast areas of the country that remain untapped . the country 's growing banking , infrastructure and telecommunications sectors also offer enormous opportunities for american investors . rice will travel throughout north africa after leaving tripoli , stopping in morocco , algeria and tunisia . but it is the visit to libya that the state department recognizes will be the most talked about . | condoleezza rice meets with moammar gadhafi in libya |
libya <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- secretary of state condoleezza rice met friday with libyan leader moammar gadhafi , who asked for the latest news on the hurricanes plaguing u.s. coasts in recent weeks . condoleezza rice and libyan leader moammar gadhafi discussed the weather friday at their initial meeting . the first one was not as bad as feared , but there are two more coming , ' rice told the man dubbed by president reagan the mad dog in the middle east . ' rice 's visit is the first time in more than half a century that a u.s. secretary of state has visited the former pariah nation . upon her arrival , rice met with the libyan foreign minister and then toured the new u.s. embassy . we are working on a trade and investment agreement , a framework , which will allow the improvement of the climate for investment , which i know very many american firms wish to do , ' rice said after her meeting with minister abdel-rahman shalgam . she called the meeting a good start ' toward establishing a positive relationship ' with libya . rice and gadhafi met in a reception room at the libyan 's bab el-azizia compound . gadhafi , wearing a white robe and a black fez but not his trademark dark sunglasses , shook the hands of the male members of rice 's staff but not rice , instead offering the traditional greeting of his hand over his heart for her . watch excitement in libya at rice 's trip » muslim men are prohibited from shaking hands with women to whom they are not related . after their meeting , rice joined gadhafi , who once called rice leeza ... my darling black african woman , ' in a traditional muslim evening meal breaking the fast during the holy month of ramadan . last year in an interview with al-jazeera , gadhafi suggested rice ran the arab world with which he has sometimes had stark differences . i admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the arab leaders , ' he said . i love her very much ... because she 's a black woman of african origin . ' the two are expected to meet in the leader 's bedouin tent he favors for high-profile meetings rice 's visit marks a 180-degree turn in relations between washington and tripoli , which for more than three decades have been marked by personal animosity and insults , libyan terror attacks and u.s. airstrikes . libya 's rehabilitation from being dubbed a state sponsor of terrorism ' to a member of the u.n. security council represents a rare foreign policy success for the bush administration in its last months in office . in lisbon , before flying to tripoli , rice called her trip a historic moment and it is one that has come after a lot of difficulty , the suffering of many people that will never be forgotten or assuaged , a lot of americans in particular . ' libya , she acknowledged , is a place that is changing and i want to discuss how that change is taking place . ' i am very much looking forward to it , ' she told reporters the united states restored relations with tripoli in 2005 , after gadhafi 's decision to abandon his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction , renounce terrorism and compensate victims of the 1986 la belle disco bombing in berlin and the 1988 pan am 103 bombing over lockerbie , scotland . it also dropped libya from its state sponsors of terrorism list , the only country except for iraq to have been removed . since then , several u.s. officials have visited tripoli and rice has met several times with her libyan counterpart . the united states opened its embassy in tripoli in 2006 . the united states has praised libya 's cooperation in fighting terrorism in north africa , where al qaeda has been gaining a foothold . u.s. officials also say gadhafi has prevented libyan and other foreign fighters from traveling to iraq to join insurgent movements . at the united nations , libya has also voted with the united states to crack down on iran 's nuclear program and has sought to play a helpful role in the crisis in darfur . yet relations between the two countries face strains over libya 's poor human rights record and final settlement of claims from the la belle and lockerbie bombings . in her meetings with libyan officials , rice is expected to raise the issue of political prisoners , especially fathi al-jahami , a leading libyan reformer held in detention since 2002 . last month the united states and libya reached a deal to resolve outstanding claims for the bombings , but libya has yet to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to a fund set up to compensate the bombing victims'families . many of the lockerbie victims'families have criticized rice 's decision to meet with gadhafi , whom they say remains unrepentant for the explosion , which killed 280 people , 180 of them americans . in a recent interview with the bbc , gadhafi 's son , saif al-islam al-gadhafi , called the lockerbie families very greedy ' and trading with the blood of their sons and daughters ' for money . the bush administration has expressed sympathy with the lockerbie families but says it is time to move forward with a new relationship with libya . the deal paves the way for greater access by american companies to libya 's booming economy , in particular its vast oil reserves , the ninth largest in the world . european companies have had much greater access to libya 's energy sector , but libyan officials say the improved relations with the united states will result in more deals with american oil companies , including exploring vast areas of the country that remain untapped . the country 's growing banking , infrastructure and telecommunications sectors also offer enormous opportunities for american investors . rice will travel throughout north africa after leaving tripoli , stopping in morocco , algeria and tunisia . but it is the visit to libya that the state department recognizes will be the most talked about . | first trip to libya by a u.s. secretary of state in more than 50 years |
hamas <tsp> doha , qatar ( cnn ) -- cnn 's nic robertson had tough questions for hamas 's political leader . khaleed meshaal is known as hamas'external deal-maker and a fund-raiser from supporters in the region , a role the 58-year-old has held since 2004 . robertson interviewed meshaal over the weekend in qatar , where he lives . here are some highlights from the interview . firing rockets from neighborhoods robertson asked meshaal why hamas is firing rockets from civilian neighborhoods . meshaal answered with numbers . how many israeli civilians have our rockets killed ? israel knows the number . meanwhile , how many palestinians has israel killed ? up until now have been killed 1700 people , while we have killed 63 soldiers . we kill soldiers , while they kill civilians . ' ( the palestinian death toll as of monday was at least 1,856 , according to the palestinian health ministry . sixty-four israeli soldiers and three civilians in israel had been killed , according to israeli officials . ) robertson then asked meshaal to respond to critics who say hamas is using civilian deaths to gain international sympathy . meshaal called that a lie and said hamas is not seeking international sympathy through its own victims . it is unfortunate that the american administration and president obama have adopted the israeli narrative , which is a lie . hamas sacrifices itself for its people and does not use its people as human shields to protect its soldiers . the fighter , just like the soldier in the army , his job is to protect the people , and not to sacrifice the people for himself . ' hamas'cause meshaal said israel has a powerful military but the palestinians will triumph . we are stronger than they are in the justness of our cause . we are the rightful owners of the land , and they are the thieves of the land . we are the victims and they are the murderers . but despite this , we might not win a battle or two completely , but at the end we will win the war . our steadfastness is a victory . for us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the palestinian cause and hamas . ' robertson pressed meshaal on the point , asking how this can be a victory for hamas and its cause when so many palestinians are dying . our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance . ' cease-fire robertson wanted to know whether hamas would ever accept israel 's right to exist and agree to a cease-fire . we 're ready for a cease-fire . we want the war to end today , and we did not attack anyone . it was ( israeli prime minister benjamin ) netanyahu who transferred the crisis of what happened in the west bank to gaza . he 's the one responsible for this . we 're ready to stop this war . ' ( the killing of three israeli teenagers in the west bank triggered the current crisis . ) egyptian talks hamas has agreed to cease-fires through egyptian mediators many times ' since 2003 , meshaal said . the israelis , the egyptians and the american administration know ( this ) , otherwise john kerry would not have intervened this time nor ( former secretary of state ) mrs. hillary clinton in 2012 . they know that hamas is very credible in that if its leadership promised something , it will fulfill its promise , and the fighters on the ground will follow that . ' he said he is still willing to engage in talks with egyptians acting as the go-betweens . regardless what the others'positions ( are ) , we stated that we are ready to go as a palestinian delegation to cairo in order to talk to the egyptians so they can hold indirect talks between us and the israelis , so we can reach an agreement that will address our palestinian demands , headed by ending the siege of gaza . then cease-fire can take place . we announced this position before and we are still committed to it . ' peace negotiations hamas is not to blame for the lack of a solution , he said . we the palestinian people have , since 1948 , have listened to the international community and u.n. and international regulations , in the hope they end the aggression against us . but the international community failed in ending the israeli occupation and failed in helping our people to have self-determination and have its own state . even the latest ( peace ) negotiations , between ( palestinian authority president mahmoud ) abbas and netanyahu with kerry as the broker , were sabotaged by netanyahu . ' calls for cease-fires meshaal said he would support a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes . but he would only support a long-term cease-fire if israel changes its policy restricting the movement of goods and people into gaza . there are two kinds of cease-fires : there is the humanitarian cease-fire , like 72-hour cease-fire that was meant to help and aid our people getting food , water , and help collecting the bodies . as far as the sustainable cease-fire , this is connected to an agreement accepted by the two parties that will guarantee our palestinian demands headed by lifting the siege on gaza . ' what is hamas'endgame in gaza ? cnn 's greg botelho contributed to this report . | the leader of hamas'political wing faced tough questions from cnn 's nic robertson in qatar |
hamas <tsp> doha , qatar ( cnn ) -- cnn 's nic robertson had tough questions for hamas 's political leader . khaleed meshaal is known as hamas'external deal-maker and a fund-raiser from supporters in the region , a role the 58-year-old has held since 2004 . robertson interviewed meshaal over the weekend in qatar , where he lives . here are some highlights from the interview . firing rockets from neighborhoods robertson asked meshaal why hamas is firing rockets from civilian neighborhoods . meshaal answered with numbers . how many israeli civilians have our rockets killed ? israel knows the number . meanwhile , how many palestinians has israel killed ? up until now have been killed 1700 people , while we have killed 63 soldiers . we kill soldiers , while they kill civilians . ' ( the palestinian death toll as of monday was at least 1,856 , according to the palestinian health ministry . sixty-four israeli soldiers and three civilians in israel had been killed , according to israeli officials . ) robertson then asked meshaal to respond to critics who say hamas is using civilian deaths to gain international sympathy . meshaal called that a lie and said hamas is not seeking international sympathy through its own victims . it is unfortunate that the american administration and president obama have adopted the israeli narrative , which is a lie . hamas sacrifices itself for its people and does not use its people as human shields to protect its soldiers . the fighter , just like the soldier in the army , his job is to protect the people , and not to sacrifice the people for himself . ' hamas'cause meshaal said israel has a powerful military but the palestinians will triumph . we are stronger than they are in the justness of our cause . we are the rightful owners of the land , and they are the thieves of the land . we are the victims and they are the murderers . but despite this , we might not win a battle or two completely , but at the end we will win the war . our steadfastness is a victory . for us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the palestinian cause and hamas . ' robertson pressed meshaal on the point , asking how this can be a victory for hamas and its cause when so many palestinians are dying . our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance . ' cease-fire robertson wanted to know whether hamas would ever accept israel 's right to exist and agree to a cease-fire . we 're ready for a cease-fire . we want the war to end today , and we did not attack anyone . it was ( israeli prime minister benjamin ) netanyahu who transferred the crisis of what happened in the west bank to gaza . he 's the one responsible for this . we 're ready to stop this war . ' ( the killing of three israeli teenagers in the west bank triggered the current crisis . ) egyptian talks hamas has agreed to cease-fires through egyptian mediators many times ' since 2003 , meshaal said . the israelis , the egyptians and the american administration know ( this ) , otherwise john kerry would not have intervened this time nor ( former secretary of state ) mrs. hillary clinton in 2012 . they know that hamas is very credible in that if its leadership promised something , it will fulfill its promise , and the fighters on the ground will follow that . ' he said he is still willing to engage in talks with egyptians acting as the go-betweens . regardless what the others'positions ( are ) , we stated that we are ready to go as a palestinian delegation to cairo in order to talk to the egyptians so they can hold indirect talks between us and the israelis , so we can reach an agreement that will address our palestinian demands , headed by ending the siege of gaza . then cease-fire can take place . we announced this position before and we are still committed to it . ' peace negotiations hamas is not to blame for the lack of a solution , he said . we the palestinian people have , since 1948 , have listened to the international community and u.n. and international regulations , in the hope they end the aggression against us . but the international community failed in ending the israeli occupation and failed in helping our people to have self-determination and have its own state . even the latest ( peace ) negotiations , between ( palestinian authority president mahmoud ) abbas and netanyahu with kerry as the broker , were sabotaged by netanyahu . ' calls for cease-fires meshaal said he would support a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes . but he would only support a long-term cease-fire if israel changes its policy restricting the movement of goods and people into gaza . there are two kinds of cease-fires : there is the humanitarian cease-fire , like 72-hour cease-fire that was meant to help and aid our people getting food , water , and help collecting the bodies . as far as the sustainable cease-fire , this is connected to an agreement accepted by the two parties that will guarantee our palestinian demands headed by lifting the siege on gaza . ' what is hamas'endgame in gaza ? cnn 's greg botelho contributed to this report . | khaled meshaal insists hamas does not use civilians as human shields |
hamas <tsp> doha , qatar ( cnn ) -- cnn 's nic robertson had tough questions for hamas 's political leader . khaleed meshaal is known as hamas'external deal-maker and a fund-raiser from supporters in the region , a role the 58-year-old has held since 2004 . robertson interviewed meshaal over the weekend in qatar , where he lives . here are some highlights from the interview . firing rockets from neighborhoods robertson asked meshaal why hamas is firing rockets from civilian neighborhoods . meshaal answered with numbers . how many israeli civilians have our rockets killed ? israel knows the number . meanwhile , how many palestinians has israel killed ? up until now have been killed 1700 people , while we have killed 63 soldiers . we kill soldiers , while they kill civilians . ' ( the palestinian death toll as of monday was at least 1,856 , according to the palestinian health ministry . sixty-four israeli soldiers and three civilians in israel had been killed , according to israeli officials . ) robertson then asked meshaal to respond to critics who say hamas is using civilian deaths to gain international sympathy . meshaal called that a lie and said hamas is not seeking international sympathy through its own victims . it is unfortunate that the american administration and president obama have adopted the israeli narrative , which is a lie . hamas sacrifices itself for its people and does not use its people as human shields to protect its soldiers . the fighter , just like the soldier in the army , his job is to protect the people , and not to sacrifice the people for himself . ' hamas'cause meshaal said israel has a powerful military but the palestinians will triumph . we are stronger than they are in the justness of our cause . we are the rightful owners of the land , and they are the thieves of the land . we are the victims and they are the murderers . but despite this , we might not win a battle or two completely , but at the end we will win the war . our steadfastness is a victory . for us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the palestinian cause and hamas . ' robertson pressed meshaal on the point , asking how this can be a victory for hamas and its cause when so many palestinians are dying . our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance . ' cease-fire robertson wanted to know whether hamas would ever accept israel 's right to exist and agree to a cease-fire . we 're ready for a cease-fire . we want the war to end today , and we did not attack anyone . it was ( israeli prime minister benjamin ) netanyahu who transferred the crisis of what happened in the west bank to gaza . he 's the one responsible for this . we 're ready to stop this war . ' ( the killing of three israeli teenagers in the west bank triggered the current crisis . ) egyptian talks hamas has agreed to cease-fires through egyptian mediators many times ' since 2003 , meshaal said . the israelis , the egyptians and the american administration know ( this ) , otherwise john kerry would not have intervened this time nor ( former secretary of state ) mrs. hillary clinton in 2012 . they know that hamas is very credible in that if its leadership promised something , it will fulfill its promise , and the fighters on the ground will follow that . ' he said he is still willing to engage in talks with egyptians acting as the go-betweens . regardless what the others'positions ( are ) , we stated that we are ready to go as a palestinian delegation to cairo in order to talk to the egyptians so they can hold indirect talks between us and the israelis , so we can reach an agreement that will address our palestinian demands , headed by ending the siege of gaza . then cease-fire can take place . we announced this position before and we are still committed to it . ' peace negotiations hamas is not to blame for the lack of a solution , he said . we the palestinian people have , since 1948 , have listened to the international community and u.n. and international regulations , in the hope they end the aggression against us . but the international community failed in ending the israeli occupation and failed in helping our people to have self-determination and have its own state . even the latest ( peace ) negotiations , between ( palestinian authority president mahmoud ) abbas and netanyahu with kerry as the broker , were sabotaged by netanyahu . ' calls for cease-fires meshaal said he would support a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes . but he would only support a long-term cease-fire if israel changes its policy restricting the movement of goods and people into gaza . there are two kinds of cease-fires : there is the humanitarian cease-fire , like 72-hour cease-fire that was meant to help and aid our people getting food , water , and help collecting the bodies . as far as the sustainable cease-fire , this is connected to an agreement accepted by the two parties that will guarantee our palestinian demands headed by lifting the siege on gaza . ' what is hamas'endgame in gaza ? cnn 's greg botelho contributed to this report . | hamas will continue resistance , meshaal says |
bush <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president bush vetoed an expansion of the federally funded , state-run health insurance program for poor children for a second time wednesday , telling congress the bill moves our country 's health care system in the wrong direction . ' in his veto message , president bush calls on congress to extend funding for the current program . in his veto message , bush said the bill is almost a duplicate of the proposal he spiked in october . because the congress has chosen to send me an essentially identical bill that has the same problems as the flawed bill i previously vetoed , i must veto this legislation , too , ' he said in a statement released by the white house . the bill would have expanded the state children 's health insurance program by nearly $ 35 billion over five years , the same as the measure bush vetoed october 3 . track recent and historical presidential vetoes » the president had proposed adding $ 5 billion to the program and said the version he vetoed would have encouraged families to leave the private insurance market for the federally funded , state-run program . democratic leaders said the new version addressed republican objections by tightening restrictions on illegal immigrants receiving schip benefits , capping the income levels of families that qualify for the program and preventing adults from receiving benefits . though the measure had strong bipartisan support , it fell short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a presidential veto in the house and senate . house minority leader john boehner , r-ohio , said democrats were more interested in scoring political points with the veto than in reaching a compromise with republicans . we could have resolved the differences in his program in 10 minutes , if the majority had wanted to resolve the differences , ' boehner said . this has become a partisan political game . ' the program currently covers about 6 million children whose parents earn too much to qualify for medicaid -- the federal health insurance program for the poor -- but who ca n't afford private insurance . democrats wanted to extend the program to another 4 million , paying for it with a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tax on cigarettes . what a sad day that the president would say that rather than insuring [ millions of ] children ,'i do n't want to raise the cigarette tax ,' said house speaker nancy pelosi . she called for a january 23 vote on whether to override the veto . meanwhile , bush called on congress to extend funding for the current program to keep the 6 million now covered on the rolls . e-mail to a friend | bush : measure moves our country 's health care system in the wrong direction ' |
bush <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president bush vetoed an expansion of the federally funded , state-run health insurance program for poor children for a second time wednesday , telling congress the bill moves our country 's health care system in the wrong direction . ' in his veto message , president bush calls on congress to extend funding for the current program . in his veto message , bush said the bill is almost a duplicate of the proposal he spiked in october . because the congress has chosen to send me an essentially identical bill that has the same problems as the flawed bill i previously vetoed , i must veto this legislation , too , ' he said in a statement released by the white house . the bill would have expanded the state children 's health insurance program by nearly $ 35 billion over five years , the same as the measure bush vetoed october 3 . track recent and historical presidential vetoes » the president had proposed adding $ 5 billion to the program and said the version he vetoed would have encouraged families to leave the private insurance market for the federally funded , state-run program . democratic leaders said the new version addressed republican objections by tightening restrictions on illegal immigrants receiving schip benefits , capping the income levels of families that qualify for the program and preventing adults from receiving benefits . though the measure had strong bipartisan support , it fell short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a presidential veto in the house and senate . house minority leader john boehner , r-ohio , said democrats were more interested in scoring political points with the veto than in reaching a compromise with republicans . we could have resolved the differences in his program in 10 minutes , if the majority had wanted to resolve the differences , ' boehner said . this has become a partisan political game . ' the program currently covers about 6 million children whose parents earn too much to qualify for medicaid -- the federal health insurance program for the poor -- but who ca n't afford private insurance . democrats wanted to extend the program to another 4 million , paying for it with a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tax on cigarettes . what a sad day that the president would say that rather than insuring [ millions of ] children ,'i do n't want to raise the cigarette tax ,' said house speaker nancy pelosi . she called for a january 23 vote on whether to override the veto . meanwhile , bush called on congress to extend funding for the current program to keep the 6 million now covered on the rolls . e-mail to a friend | president bush : measure is essentially identical ' to the proposal he vetoed before |
kachin state <tsp> myitkyina , myanmar ( cnn ) on the surface , this riverfront town looks prosperous , peaceful and green ; a trading hub that profits from lucrative gemstone mines located in the hinterland of myanmar 's northern kachin state . dig deeper , though , and a dark undercurrent exists -- what community leaders say is a major heroin epidemic . even on the campus of myitkyina university , used syringes spill out of metal garbage bins marked with signs urging users to properly dispose of drug paraphernalia to avoid the spread of infections like hiv . more needles litter the rocky banks of the irrawaddy river , near the terminal where boatmen ship fuel , vegetables and the occasional foreign tourist up and down the waterway . community leaders offer shockingly high estimates for drug use among young people in this part of myanmar . every family has this drug problem ... i think 65 % or 70 % of young people use drugs , ' says reverend samson hkalam , the head of the kachin baptist convention , the largest group of churches in the state . the drug is the first enemy of the kachin people , ' he adds . how heroin kills you conflict zone the kachin are an ethnic and predominantly christian religious minority in myanmar , which is a majority buddhist country . for much of the last half century , kachin state has also been a battleground in a conflict between myanmar 's military and an insurgency led by militants from the kachin independence army . some kachin community leaders argue drug abuse now claims more lives than the decades-long conflict , which is estimated to have forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in the last three years . but this claim is challenged by the top counter narcotics police commander in myitkyina . in a phone conversation with cnn , sai thein zaw downplays the sight of used heroin syringes on the town 's streets . drug problems are not unique to kachin state or myanmar for that matter , ' he says , before claiming that government efforts to combat the region 's drug problem have been successful . but a recent united nations report suggests otherwise . the united nations'office on drugs and crime says poppy production in myanmar more than doubled between 2006 and 2013 , while opium production jumped 26 % from 2012 to 2013 . myanmar ranks as the world 's second largest producer of opium after afghanistan . desperate measures in myitkyina , desperate times call for desperate measures . community leaders send out volunteers to clean used needles off the streets , while church groups organize raids against suspected drug dealers , sharing photos and videos of what they say are confiscated narcotics that they subsequently burn . in one unusual video filmed and released by the group ram hkye ( or save youth ' ) , a pastor wearing a motorcycle helmet preaches through a megaphone at more than a dozen men squatted on a dirt road with syringes bulging from their biceps and hands . the pastor , backed up by a man playing guitar , distributes religious pamphlets to the heroin users , one of whom claps listlessly along with a hymn as a needle protrudes from one of his veins . community groups have also gotten into the business of addiction treatment . at least a half dozen faith-based rehabilitation centers have sprung up in areas around myitkyina in the last two years . one of them , the light of the world camp , is a compound on the banks of the irrawaddy surrounded by 10-foot high aluminum walls as well as a guard tower . the main gate to the compound locks from the outside . there is no handle on the inside of the gate . we need to have the walls , ' says zau tu , a pastor leading the team who was treating at least 18 patients at the camp . if they ( the patients ) ca n't see anything around them , it calms them down . ' for those patients who ca n't control their urges , there are more drastic measures available , including a cage next to the camp 's bamboo chapel . if they commit crimes , if they fight each other , they go in the penalty box , ' says zau tu .'jesus not methadone' at faith-based rehabilitation camps like light of the world , counselors do n't administer methadone -- the synthetic opioid often used to treat heroin addicts . we use the words of jesus instead of methadone , ' explains nding ahga , a recovered heroin addict and former rock star who runs the youth for christ center , about a mile up the river from light of the world . ahga 's camp is not walled . but patients spend their first week in rehabilitation overcoming drug withdrawal symptoms while locked in a prison-like room that ahga called the prayer room . ' all 12 of ahga 's patients are laborers who said they had come from the jade mines of hpakant , located several hours'drive northwest of myitkyina . no san , 29 , showed the track marks and scars left in his arms and veins after years of heroin abuse . i was hot , i was burning , ' he recalls , describing his first agonizing week of heroin withdrawal . he and the other patients say heroin and other drugs are bought and sold in the open in an outdoor market near the jade mines . we can get drugs easily everywhere in hpakant , ' no san adds . all of the miners take drugs . it 's not strange for us . you can buy drugs at the store easily . ' nding ahga shares footage he filmed secretly during a recent visit to one of the heroin bazaars in hpakant . the video shows a row of crude shops and stalls that also served as a shooting gallery , ' an area where drug users could inject heroin in the open without fear from law enforcement officers . asked why counter narcotics officers do not intervene in hpakant , sai thein zaw of the central committee for drug abuse control in myitkyina blames the kachin insurgency . it is difficult to work in places like hpakant because peace has not been achieved between the government and kachin state , ' he says . so it is hard to implement programs that work toward eliminating drugs in the region . ' worst yet to come despite state and community-led efforts to battle the drug trade , many community leaders predicted the worst was yet to come in kachin . due in part to high unemployment in the region , reverend hkalam says many recovering addicts quickly relapse after rehabilitation treatment . we see that the main problem is follow-up and vocational training , ' he says . because if they go back home , jobless , it 's very easy to return to the drugs again . ' the scene at an overgrown cemetery near a camp for families displaced by the conflict underscores the scale of the heroin epidemic . hundreds -- if not thousands -- of empty syringe wrappers litter the ground around crypts and tombs that had been nearly swallowed by vegetation . used syringes and glass vials lay amid the graves . against this macabre backdrop of death and drug abuse , our team encounters a couple of men injecting heroin at sunset . surprised by foreign visitors , the men hastily hide their needles . one of the men , who identifies himself only as a 30-year-old farmer , uses leaves from a bush to wipe away blood dripping down his arm as he speaks . he says he can buy a dose of heroin for as little as 4,000 kyat , which is roughly equivalent to four u.s. dollars . if i have more money , i will use more [ heroin ] , ' the man says . there are no limits if i have money . ' after a 10-minute conversation , both drug users climb onto a motorcycle and ride away along the syringe-strewn path between the tombstones . their used needles lie discarded in the grass . | cnn team encounters problem with heroin addiction in myanmar 's northern kachin state |
barge kulluk <tsp> ( cnn ) -- coast guard aircraft have found no sign of a spill from a royal dutch shell oil drilling barge that ran aground off a southern alaska island during a fierce winter storm , authorities reported tuesday . the 266-foot kulluk is sound . there is no sign of a breach of the hull . there is no sign of a release of any product , ' coast guard capt . paul mehler iii told reporters tuesday afternoon . mehler said the kulluk had about 143,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 12,000 gallons of combined lube oil and hydraulic fluid on board . the rig -- a key part in shell 's controversial arctic oil exploration project -- ran aground off uninhabited sitkalidak island , about 200 miles south of anchorage , on monday night . the kulluk had been working in the beaufort sea , off alaska 's north slope , until october . it was being towed back to its winter home in seattle when it ran into a severe storm off the alaskan coast . the coast guard evacuated its 18-man crew saturday night , and it drifted for 10 hours on sunday after the tug that was towing it lost power . monday night , tug crews had to cut the rig loose during a storm that whipped up 24-foot waves , leading to its grounding . crews battle harsh weather trying to tow drilling unit to alaska harbor sean churchfield , shell 's alaska operations manager , said tuesday that the rig is upright , rocking with a slow motion , and is stable ' -- but he added , there is still a lot of work to be done to bring this to a safe conclusion . ' three people suffered minor injuries over the past few days , but have already returned to work , churchfield said . the rig was aground in an area of ocean bay , where water depth is 32 feet to 48 feet . a joint command has been set up to handle salvage efforts , but ongoing bad weather has kept crews from getting aboard the vessel , mehler said . weather conditions were expected to improve through the rest of the week , with seas subsiding from 24 feet tuesday to 11 feet by friday , according to the national weather service . most of the nearby shore is owned by a native alaskan corporation on adjacent kodiak island , said steven russell , of alaska 's department of environmental conservation . state officials are working with residents to watch out for any environmental damage from the grounding , he said . as of tuesday , we have no indications of environmental or wildlife impact , ' russell said . shell 's arctic exploration plans caused widespread concern among environmentalists and were held up after bp 's deepwater horizon disaster in the gulf of mexico . eskimo activist caroline cannon , one of shell 's toughest critics , said she fears a spill from the kulluk could harm fish and wildlife in the area . shell rig accident off alaska shows dangers of drilling in arctic ' it 's a scary thought you know , because our food chain is out there . our people rely on our food , ' she said . shell says it 's working at far less depth and lower pressures than the bp well that erupted off louisiana , killing 11 men aboard and unleashing an undersea gusher that took three months to cap . the fuel on board the rig is used to power equipment and is not the result of the drilling operations shell conducted off the north slope , on the opposite side of the vast state from where the kulluk now rests . the u.s. geological survey estimates more than 90 billion barrels of oil and nearly 1,700 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may be recoverable by drilling . and the shrinking of the region 's sea ice -- which hit record lows in 2012 -- has created new opportunities for energy exploration in the region . climate researchers say that a decrease in sea ice is a symptom of a warming climate , caused largely by the combustion of carbon-rich fossil fuels . the science is politically controversial but generally accepted as fact by most scientists . cnn 's paul vercammen contributed to this report . | the grounded drilling barge kulluk shows no sign of leaking fuel , the coast guard says |
garcia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- time magazine 's cover story , which hit the newsstand thursday , argues that latino voters will cast the deciding vote in the upcoming election . after watching the republican candidates lock the kryptonite that is the immigration issue around their necks during the arizona debate , my bet is that president barack obama could win another term -- even if he loses key swing states such as florida , iowa , new hampshire , ohio , pennsylvania , virginia and wisconsin -- but he must make sure he accomplishes one thing first : connect with latinos . republicans have not connected with hispanics ; the candidates'approaches to immigration are not compelling and lack substance , from talk of double 30-foot electrified fences to anchor babies and self-deportation . in fact , it could very well be that the 20 arizona latino voters on the cover of time and half a million more will turn out to vote in arizona and flip the state to obama . obama comes into the election with 196 electoral votes from safe democratic states . if he takes arizona and if hispanic voters help him flip missouri , which mccain won by fewer than 4,000 votes , and help him retain colorado , indiana , michigan , nevada , new mexico and north carolina , then obama wins with 279 electoral votes , nine more than the 270 needed . if he can retain ohio , pennsylvania , virginia or wisconsin , also populated with many latino swing voters , then he could win in a landslide . it is clear , then , that connecting with latino voters could very well be a tipping point for the president ; the question is how to make that connection . in his book the political brain : the role of emotion in deciding the fate of the nation , ' drew westen convincingly argues that people vote for the candidate who elicits the right feelings , not the candidate who presents the best arguments . ' beyond the shared concern for economic growth , jobs , education and health care , latinos are focused on immigration because the majority of the undocumented workers living here are from latin america . this is an issue that resonates at a deeply emotional level with latinos , whether they are descendants of spanish colonists or a recently arrived mexican sleeping on a cousin 's couch . thus to really , deeply connect with hispanic voters , any candidate needs to address the immigration issue by supporting comprehensive immigration reform and the dream act , which would provide a path to citizenship for those who earn a college degree or serve two years in the military . this is a vital first step to earning the trust of hispanic voters , who understand that the country needs strong border security but also know that we need a fair way to deal with the nearly 10 million economic refugees who are working in this country and contributing to our society . it 's a matter of respect . so how does obama -- who has a dubious record himself on immigration -- win the latino vote ? first he wins the ground war in the battleground states , which is door-to-door combat . next he outspends republicans in spanish-language media , just like he did john mccain in 2008 , by five to one . it 's no coincidence that on tuesday , obama did an interview with l.a.-based piolin , ' the most influential spanish-language radio personality in the country . the president reassured latinos that he is strongly committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform and lambasted the republican party for its extreme views and intransigence on the issue . hispanics want to feel they are voting for an authentic leader . hispanics do n't have to agree with every position obama takes , but they must believe in and identify with his worldview . he needs to explain that the democratic party is a welcoming place for hispanics , that his world view of america is that of a caring , responsible , family and that his political ideals are based on empathy and fairness . getting these ideas across to latinos is vital to securing their votes . once obama has established a deep emotional connection with latinos , he can connect directly to the heart of latino voters with three simple messages : 1 . the economy and jobs . under obama 's leadership , an economy that was losing 500,000 jobs a month in the final months of 2008 is now gaining more than 200,000 jobs per month . his policies are working ; they just need more time . 2 . health care . despite unanimous opposition from republicans , obama fulfilled his promise of making health care available to all americans . now 32 million more americans -- including hispanics -- will be able to afford insurance for the first time . 3 . education . the president doubled the government 's investment in scholarships and financial aid , making college more affordable to millions of americans . now students from working-class hispanic families can go to college and get good jobs . on the contrary , republicans may blow hard about their understanding and affection for hispanics , munching on burritos in the barrio on the campaign trail , but the evidence of authenticity of leadership and the strong record crucial to the latino vote are just not there . the refusal of all the gop candidates to really look at immigration and offer a plan -- despite the glad-handing and tepid avowals of commitment -- makes it clear that the gop just does n't have the deep connection with latinos necessary to pull off a win in november . join the conversation at facebook/cnnopinion the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of charles garcia . | charles garcia : republicans'stance on immigration gives obama opportunity |
garcia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- time magazine 's cover story , which hit the newsstand thursday , argues that latino voters will cast the deciding vote in the upcoming election . after watching the republican candidates lock the kryptonite that is the immigration issue around their necks during the arizona debate , my bet is that president barack obama could win another term -- even if he loses key swing states such as florida , iowa , new hampshire , ohio , pennsylvania , virginia and wisconsin -- but he must make sure he accomplishes one thing first : connect with latinos . republicans have not connected with hispanics ; the candidates'approaches to immigration are not compelling and lack substance , from talk of double 30-foot electrified fences to anchor babies and self-deportation . in fact , it could very well be that the 20 arizona latino voters on the cover of time and half a million more will turn out to vote in arizona and flip the state to obama . obama comes into the election with 196 electoral votes from safe democratic states . if he takes arizona and if hispanic voters help him flip missouri , which mccain won by fewer than 4,000 votes , and help him retain colorado , indiana , michigan , nevada , new mexico and north carolina , then obama wins with 279 electoral votes , nine more than the 270 needed . if he can retain ohio , pennsylvania , virginia or wisconsin , also populated with many latino swing voters , then he could win in a landslide . it is clear , then , that connecting with latino voters could very well be a tipping point for the president ; the question is how to make that connection . in his book the political brain : the role of emotion in deciding the fate of the nation , ' drew westen convincingly argues that people vote for the candidate who elicits the right feelings , not the candidate who presents the best arguments . ' beyond the shared concern for economic growth , jobs , education and health care , latinos are focused on immigration because the majority of the undocumented workers living here are from latin america . this is an issue that resonates at a deeply emotional level with latinos , whether they are descendants of spanish colonists or a recently arrived mexican sleeping on a cousin 's couch . thus to really , deeply connect with hispanic voters , any candidate needs to address the immigration issue by supporting comprehensive immigration reform and the dream act , which would provide a path to citizenship for those who earn a college degree or serve two years in the military . this is a vital first step to earning the trust of hispanic voters , who understand that the country needs strong border security but also know that we need a fair way to deal with the nearly 10 million economic refugees who are working in this country and contributing to our society . it 's a matter of respect . so how does obama -- who has a dubious record himself on immigration -- win the latino vote ? first he wins the ground war in the battleground states , which is door-to-door combat . next he outspends republicans in spanish-language media , just like he did john mccain in 2008 , by five to one . it 's no coincidence that on tuesday , obama did an interview with l.a.-based piolin , ' the most influential spanish-language radio personality in the country . the president reassured latinos that he is strongly committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform and lambasted the republican party for its extreme views and intransigence on the issue . hispanics want to feel they are voting for an authentic leader . hispanics do n't have to agree with every position obama takes , but they must believe in and identify with his worldview . he needs to explain that the democratic party is a welcoming place for hispanics , that his world view of america is that of a caring , responsible , family and that his political ideals are based on empathy and fairness . getting these ideas across to latinos is vital to securing their votes . once obama has established a deep emotional connection with latinos , he can connect directly to the heart of latino voters with three simple messages : 1 . the economy and jobs . under obama 's leadership , an economy that was losing 500,000 jobs a month in the final months of 2008 is now gaining more than 200,000 jobs per month . his policies are working ; they just need more time . 2 . health care . despite unanimous opposition from republicans , obama fulfilled his promise of making health care available to all americans . now 32 million more americans -- including hispanics -- will be able to afford insurance for the first time . 3 . education . the president doubled the government 's investment in scholarships and financial aid , making college more affordable to millions of americans . now students from working-class hispanic families can go to college and get good jobs . on the contrary , republicans may blow hard about their understanding and affection for hispanics , munching on burritos in the barrio on the campaign trail , but the evidence of authenticity of leadership and the strong record crucial to the latino vote are just not there . the refusal of all the gop candidates to really look at immigration and offer a plan -- despite the glad-handing and tepid avowals of commitment -- makes it clear that the gop just does n't have the deep connection with latinos necessary to pull off a win in november . join the conversation at facebook/cnnopinion the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of charles garcia . | garcia : if latinos go strongly for obama , he could win in a landslide |
jett <tsp> nassau , bahamas ( cnn ) -- john travolta testified wednesday that would-be extortionists threatened to go the media with stories implying the death of my son was intentional and i was culpable somehow . ' john travolta 's son died of a seizure in january at the age of 16 . travolta testified for the second time in a case against paramedic tarino lightbourne and former bahamian sen . pleasant bridgewater . the defendants are on trial , accused of plotting to extort $ 25 million from travolta after 16-year-old jett travolta died from a seizure in the bahamas in january . travolta and his wife , actress kelly preston , entered the downtown nassau courthouse wednesday morning surrounded by security personnel . the actor took the stand appearing nervous , and he took a long , deep breath before beginning his testimony . travolta told the court a longtime employee of his became upset after learning someone was demanding money of the actor in the wake of his son 's death . the employee learned through the family attorney , travolta said , that it was in regards to a paper i signed in the bahamas . ' in earlier testimony , one of travolta 's lawyers , allyson maynard-gibson , said bridgewater approached her in the days after the january 2 death of jett , saying she had a legal client who had a document travolta might want . bridgewater gave her copies of the papers , which included ambulance dispatch reports and a paper signed by travolta releasing the ambulance company from legal liability , maynard-gibson testified . watch in session 's ashleigh banfield discuss case » the paramedic expected travolta would pay millions to prevent publication of the documents because he would not want his name tarnished in media , ' maynard-gibson said . bridgewater told travolta 's lawyer that her client believed the documents could suggest that travolta was negligent by wanting to take his unresponsive son to his private jet for a flight to a florida hospital , instead of going directly to a local hospital , she said . in testimony last week , travolta said a nanny found jett unresponsive at the home on the island of grand bahamas , where the family was spending their new year 's holiday . travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked . travolta , who is a pilot , said he wanted to fly his son to a west palm beach , florida , hospital instead of driving him to one in freeport . the paramedic , however , asked travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability . i received a liability of release document . i signed it . i did not read it . time was of the essence , ' travolta testified last week . travolta said that while he and his wife were riding in the ambulance with their son , they decided to divert to the hospital . at the hospital , travolta was told his son was n't alive , ' he said . on wednesday , travolta testified that he learned of a demand for $ 25 million or stories connected to that document would be sold to the press . ' the stories would imply the death of my son was intentional and i was culpable somehow , ' travolta said . an attorney representing bridgewater and lightbourne asked travolta if the defendants ever contacted or threatened him directly . travolta said they did not , that he heard specifics about the situation through his attorneys . travolta 's testimony lasted only a short time . he was excused and is not expected to return to the witness stand . one of the actor 's attorneys , michael mcdermott , took the witness stand wednesday afternoon and began testimony about a videotaped meeting between him and one of the defendants . the video is expected to be played thursday for the jury . | travolta says two attempted extortion after his son , jett , died |
yale <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the suspect in the killing of yale pharmacology graduate student annie le appeared in court in new haven , connecticut , tuesday , but did not enter a plea , his attorney told cnn . raymond j. clark iii appears in court tuesday in new haven , connecticut , where he is charged with murder . raymond clark iii , 24 , a lab technician at yale , is charged with murder in le 's death . tuesday 's scheduled hearing was continued until october 20 . it is standard procedure for defendants in murder cases not to enter a plea until a later stage in the case , public defender beth merkin told cnn . clark eventually will plead not guilty , she said . clark , of branford , connecticut , is being held in lieu of $ 3 million bail . the body of le , 24 , was found inside a wall of a yale lab building on september 12 -- the day she was to be married . she had been strangled , the connecticut medical examiner 's office determined . clark is not a yale student , but has worked as a lab technician at the university since 2004 . he lived with his girlfriend , who also is a yale lab technician , according to new haven police . follow a timeline of the case » a yale faculty member described clark 's job as maintaining colonies for animals used in research . the lab is in the basement of the building where le 's body was found . a motive in le 's killing was unclear , but police said they were treating the case as workplace violence . yale has announced a memorial service for le on october 12 . the university is also establishing a scholarship in her memory . le was buried in california on september 26 . you were born in my loving embrace , ' said le 's mother , vivian van le , reading a poem she 'd written in vietnamese to those gathered for the funeral at holy trinity catholic church in el dorado hills . her son and annie le 's brother , chris le , provided a translation . the most wonderful gift that god had sent to me . ... you left life at too young an age , at the beginning of many great things . all the dreams and hopes of your future gone with you to your resting place , ' vivian van le said , according to her son . | new : yale employee raymond clark defers plea , attorney says |
senate homeland security committee <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the senate homeland security committee has scheduled a public hearing on the prostitution scandal involving u.s. military and secret service agents in colombia . the hearing will take place may 23 , sen. joe lieberman , the committee chairman , told cnn 's state of the union . ' lieberman 's is one of four congressional committees looking into the incident . secret service director mark sullivan and acting inspector general charles edwards will testify , lieberman said . the committee will ask whether sullivan is satisfied with the investigation into what occurred in cartagena , colombia , lieberman said . secondly , lieberman said , the committee will ask , were there indications before the colombian scandal of behavior by secret service agents off duty on assignment that should have been a warning that this was coming ? ' and third , what are you going to do , director sullivan , to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again . ' two weeks ago , the committee sent sullivan a list of questions to answer by monday . the incident , which transpired a month ago in advance of president obama 's trip to the summit of the americas , was heartbreaking ' and dangerous , ' said lieberman , an independent from connecticut . it involved roughly 20 alleged prostitutes , and has so far resulted in the dismissal of nine secret service members . three other secret service agents were cleared of serious misconduct . the military is investigating the alleged involvement of 12 service members . photos : a decade with the secret service sen. carl levin , d-michigan , chairman of the senate armed services committee , has said there is no evidence the president 's security was put at risk due to the incident . he noted that the president 's schedule was not kept in the hotel rooms of any service members believed to be involved in the scandal . sen. john mccain , the top republican on the armed services committee , said no classified information or weapons were present at the hotel caribe , where the alleged incident occurred . rep. peter king , chairman of the house committee on homeland security , announced sunday that he declined a request from one of the colombian prostitutes that he meet with her . an attorney for dania londono suarez contacted the committee with the request , he said in a statement . while such a meeting -- and the inevitable circus atmosphere surrounding it -- would no doubt be of great interest to the media covering this story , a meeting with her is simply not necessary at this time for the committee to conduct a serious and thorough investigation . for now , i have directed my staff to communicate with and gather information about the misconduct from the woman via her attorney . ' secret service investigators have interviewed her , king said . londono gave a lengthy , wide-ranging interview to colombia 's w radio on friday . | lieberman : the senate homeland security committee hearing will take place may 23 , lieberman says |
canada <tsp> mexico city , mexico ( cnn ) -- mexico 's tourism director on wednesday downplayed the risk of violence facing tourists , despite warnings for travelers to think twice about visiting the country . a cliff diver jumps from la quebrada ' cliff in acapulco , mexico . the diving is a popular tourist attraction . in all parts of the world , you have to be careful with what you do , ' oscar fitch told cnn en espanol . what i am saying is there are very safe zones and there are zones that are not safe . ' in recent days , the united states , canada , france , italy and germany have issued alerts about travel to mexico , where drug violence was blamed for more than 5,400 killings last year . the warnings appear to have had little effect , according to mauricio baranda , mexico country manager at carlson wagonlit travel . for our part , we have detected no significant drop because of that type of situation , ' he said . much more significant is the reduction [ in travel to mexico ] because of the financial crisis . ' in an unusual move , the u.s. state department issued a travel alert last month targeting spring break travelers , for whom mexico is a popular destination . the situation in ciudad juarez is of special concern , ' the alert said . mexican authorities report that more than 1,800 people have been killed in the city since january 2008 . additionally , this city of 1.6 million people experienced more than 17,000 car thefts and 1,650 carjackings in 2008 . ' watch as troops roll into juarez and officials say it 's working » some students appeared to be paying attention . i think that , if there is a big problem in mexico , they [ students ] should go somewhere else , because you never know what is going to happen , ' said nereida solis , a student . i think it would be a good idea to consider security things , ' added karen velasquez , another student . but student aaron cutler was more fatalistic . that 's life , ' he said . there is violence in israel , there is violence in india . i do n't know much about the situation and how it has turned out . i ca n't comment much , but if people want to go , people are going to go . ' mexican authorities said the country remains a preferred destination for u.s. vacationers , but acknowledged that the warnings may lead some of the 18 million who typically visit their neighbor south of the border to find another place to go this year . | united states , canada , france , others have issued alerts about travel to mexico |
palestinian <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- the israeli military said thursday that the vast majority ' of palestinians killed in the recent gaza conflict were terror operatives ' and the number of people killed was less than palestinian sources reported . israel says the majority of palestinians killed during operation cast lead ' were terror operatives . ' in an e-mailed statement the israel defense forces spokesman 's office claimed their figures contained the names of 1,166 palestinians killed in the conflict , called operation cast lead . ' the israeli military said 709 of them were identified as hamas terror operatives , among them several from various other terror organizations . ' the remaining , the statement claims , were comprised of 162 names who have not yet been attributed to any organization . ' furthermore , it has come to our understanding that 295 uninvolved palestinians were killed during the operation , 89 of them under the age of 16 , and 49 of them were women . ' the israeli military said it was releasing the findings to counter false information originating from various palestinian sources , and in order to remove any doubt regarding the number of palestinians killed in operation cast lead . ' the numbers presented by the israeli military differ sharply from those reported by palestinian sources . at the conclusion of the fighting , the hamas controlled ministry of health in gaza had put the death toll at over 1,300 , with the majority made up of non-combatants . more recently the palestinian center for human rights ( pchr ) published a study that put the total death toll at 1,417 , including 926 civilians of which 313 were children under the age of 18 and 116 women . it reports that the remainder was made of 255 non-combatant ' police officers and 236 who were took an active part in hostilities . ' jaber wishah , a deputy director for pchr told cnn his organization stands firmly on our published figures ' and that israel 's choice to classify police officers as combatants is illegal . ' such classification constitutes a willful violation of the principle of'distinction'which is a key component of customary international law . this raises serious doubts about the accuracy of the figures published by the israelis , ' he said . wishah said the civilian death toll included large numbers of deaths inside people 's homes and other civilian facilities ' and that it indicated the extent to which civilians were intentionally targeted . ' wishah said that until the israeli government produced the names and details on which its figures were based that he could not comment further . the israeli military has maintained that it went to great lengths to minimize civilian deaths and put the responsibility of civilian deaths on hamas . the hamas terror organization placed the primary fighting scene at the heart of civilian neighborhoods as it booby-trapped homes , fired from schools and used civilians as human shields , ' the idf said . asked about the discrepancy in numbers , an israeli military official suggested that natural occurring deaths in gaza had been included in the palestinian death toll numbers and that the total ratio of non-combatant to combatants killed was low . a spokesman for the israeli military said it could not immediately make the list of killed palestinians available and could not offer more detail on methodology . | military says number of people killed less than palestinian sources reported |
yahoo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a website that claims more than a half-billion monthly visitors gets hacked , users pay attention . so when we wrote thursday about hackers who published login information for more than 450,000 yahoo users , readers had plenty to say about it . dozens of your comments hovered around a central theme : who still uses yahoo anyway ? selendis said : hmmm , i may be on that list . except that it would be so old , the email and password would n't get you anywhere . have not logged into a yahoo account in years . do n't even remember what email address it would have had . ' maekju80 : i 'm surprised that many people still use yahoo . wonder if those same users still have 8-track tapes too ? ' prelude066 : who still has a yahoo account ? over 50 year old white guys who have n't checked it in 6 years ... yahoo may not have the digital sex appeal it did back in the glory days of the '90s dotcom boom . and , to be sure , recent months have been tough on the venerable web giant . the company cut 2,000 jobs in april as part of an overhaul by then-ceo scott thompson . then , less than a month later , thompson himself was out after the discovery that he had padded his resume with a phony college degree . but having been perhaps the web 's first major portal , yahoo holds onto a massive worldwide base of users . its e-mail service is the world 's second-most popular , behind microsoft 's hotmail , although google 's gmail has been gaining big chunks of ground in recent years . many of you blamed yahoo for not having taken tougher security measures : sixnard : what 's annoying is that there are companies who do this right , but so many other companies who are n't paying attention . amazon , for example , assumes that their systems will be broken into despite all precautions , and it stores personal information encrypted and on separate servers so multiple break-ins and extensive correlation would be needed to obtain useful information . ' they also report break-ins when they occur with full details , so anyone else who 's interested can take steps to prevent further exploits . people know how to do this , they just chose not to . in a written statement thursday , yahoo said they were fixing the exploit the hackers used and changing the passwords of users who were hit . they said that less than 5 % of the breached e-mail accounts had their active passwords attached to them . some readers felt like the story was overblown and that hacks like this are , unfortunately , part of online life : garyguy : seems only the biggies get headlines . actually there were new reports today that an android forum and an nvidia forum were also hacked . it 's getting to the point where you 'll need a password to use your password . ' cat nippy : there are always security risks in technology and communication . that does n't mean we should all retreat to the dark ages and start sending out information on stone tablets . over-react much ? ' and , of course , some of you decided to have some fun with it : twithappens : now someone can finally respond to that nigerian lawyer who wants give me $ 12 million if i just give him my checking acct number ... ' richard williams : oh great now someone is going to make fantasy football trades without my knowledge ' finally , on a more useful note , many readers wanted to know where they could find out if their account was one of the ones that was compromised . cnn tech is not linking to the hackers'web page . but security firm sucuri labs has created a page with a tool it says will tell users whether their e-mail address was leaked . | many jokesters say : people still use yahoo ? |
yahoo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a website that claims more than a half-billion monthly visitors gets hacked , users pay attention . so when we wrote thursday about hackers who published login information for more than 450,000 yahoo users , readers had plenty to say about it . dozens of your comments hovered around a central theme : who still uses yahoo anyway ? selendis said : hmmm , i may be on that list . except that it would be so old , the email and password would n't get you anywhere . have not logged into a yahoo account in years . do n't even remember what email address it would have had . ' maekju80 : i 'm surprised that many people still use yahoo . wonder if those same users still have 8-track tapes too ? ' prelude066 : who still has a yahoo account ? over 50 year old white guys who have n't checked it in 6 years ... yahoo may not have the digital sex appeal it did back in the glory days of the '90s dotcom boom . and , to be sure , recent months have been tough on the venerable web giant . the company cut 2,000 jobs in april as part of an overhaul by then-ceo scott thompson . then , less than a month later , thompson himself was out after the discovery that he had padded his resume with a phony college degree . but having been perhaps the web 's first major portal , yahoo holds onto a massive worldwide base of users . its e-mail service is the world 's second-most popular , behind microsoft 's hotmail , although google 's gmail has been gaining big chunks of ground in recent years . many of you blamed yahoo for not having taken tougher security measures : sixnard : what 's annoying is that there are companies who do this right , but so many other companies who are n't paying attention . amazon , for example , assumes that their systems will be broken into despite all precautions , and it stores personal information encrypted and on separate servers so multiple break-ins and extensive correlation would be needed to obtain useful information . ' they also report break-ins when they occur with full details , so anyone else who 's interested can take steps to prevent further exploits . people know how to do this , they just chose not to . in a written statement thursday , yahoo said they were fixing the exploit the hackers used and changing the passwords of users who were hit . they said that less than 5 % of the breached e-mail accounts had their active passwords attached to them . some readers felt like the story was overblown and that hacks like this are , unfortunately , part of online life : garyguy : seems only the biggies get headlines . actually there were new reports today that an android forum and an nvidia forum were also hacked . it 's getting to the point where you 'll need a password to use your password . ' cat nippy : there are always security risks in technology and communication . that does n't mean we should all retreat to the dark ages and start sending out information on stone tablets . over-react much ? ' and , of course , some of you decided to have some fun with it : twithappens : now someone can finally respond to that nigerian lawyer who wants give me $ 12 million if i just give him my checking acct number ... ' richard williams : oh great now someone is going to make fantasy football trades without my knowledge ' finally , on a more useful note , many readers wanted to know where they could find out if their account was one of the ones that was compromised . cnn tech is not linking to the hackers'web page . but security firm sucuri labs has created a page with a tool it says will tell users whether their e-mail address was leaked . | cnn readers respond to news of hackers who exposed 450,000 yahoo accounts |
yahoo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a website that claims more than a half-billion monthly visitors gets hacked , users pay attention . so when we wrote thursday about hackers who published login information for more than 450,000 yahoo users , readers had plenty to say about it . dozens of your comments hovered around a central theme : who still uses yahoo anyway ? selendis said : hmmm , i may be on that list . except that it would be so old , the email and password would n't get you anywhere . have not logged into a yahoo account in years . do n't even remember what email address it would have had . ' maekju80 : i 'm surprised that many people still use yahoo . wonder if those same users still have 8-track tapes too ? ' prelude066 : who still has a yahoo account ? over 50 year old white guys who have n't checked it in 6 years ... yahoo may not have the digital sex appeal it did back in the glory days of the '90s dotcom boom . and , to be sure , recent months have been tough on the venerable web giant . the company cut 2,000 jobs in april as part of an overhaul by then-ceo scott thompson . then , less than a month later , thompson himself was out after the discovery that he had padded his resume with a phony college degree . but having been perhaps the web 's first major portal , yahoo holds onto a massive worldwide base of users . its e-mail service is the world 's second-most popular , behind microsoft 's hotmail , although google 's gmail has been gaining big chunks of ground in recent years . many of you blamed yahoo for not having taken tougher security measures : sixnard : what 's annoying is that there are companies who do this right , but so many other companies who are n't paying attention . amazon , for example , assumes that their systems will be broken into despite all precautions , and it stores personal information encrypted and on separate servers so multiple break-ins and extensive correlation would be needed to obtain useful information . ' they also report break-ins when they occur with full details , so anyone else who 's interested can take steps to prevent further exploits . people know how to do this , they just chose not to . in a written statement thursday , yahoo said they were fixing the exploit the hackers used and changing the passwords of users who were hit . they said that less than 5 % of the breached e-mail accounts had their active passwords attached to them . some readers felt like the story was overblown and that hacks like this are , unfortunately , part of online life : garyguy : seems only the biggies get headlines . actually there were new reports today that an android forum and an nvidia forum were also hacked . it 's getting to the point where you 'll need a password to use your password . ' cat nippy : there are always security risks in technology and communication . that does n't mean we should all retreat to the dark ages and start sending out information on stone tablets . over-react much ? ' and , of course , some of you decided to have some fun with it : twithappens : now someone can finally respond to that nigerian lawyer who wants give me $ 12 million if i just give him my checking acct number ... ' richard williams : oh great now someone is going to make fantasy football trades without my knowledge ' finally , on a more useful note , many readers wanted to know where they could find out if their account was one of the ones that was compromised . cnn tech is not linking to the hackers'web page . but security firm sucuri labs has created a page with a tool it says will tell users whether their e-mail address was leaked . | many felt yahoo could have done more to prevent the leak |
internet <tsp> a lowndes county , georgia , assistant district attorney has ordered a communications company to hand over internet records after investigators received an anonymous e-mail claiming an ex-schoolmate reportedly confessed to killing kendrick johnson . cnn obtained the e-mail and the subpoena on monday , in response to a state open records act request submitted to the lowndes county sheriff 's office . the anonymous e-mail tip is dated january 27 . the sender of the e-mail does not suggest he or she personally witnessed a confession ; instead , the sender claims to have been told information by somebody who purportedly was aware of a confession in the 2013 death by one of the people implicated in the e-mail . johnson 's body was found in a rolled-up mat in the lowndes high school gymnasium on january 11 , 2013 . investigators with the sheriff 's office ruled his death accidental , concluding that johnson climbed into the center of the gym mat to reach for a shoe and got stuck . feds subpoena schoolmates amid probe into teen 's death according to an incident report provided to cnn by the sheriff 's office , investigators interviewed two of four students identified by name in the anonymous e-mail on january 28 . both students acknowledged they knew the 17-year-old johnson but denied any involvement in his death . the incident report does not indicate whether the investigators attempted to speak with the two other students identified in the e-mail . cnn is not naming the students mentioned in the e-mail because none of them has been named a suspect in the death of johnson . lowndes county sheriff 's investigators concluded johnson got stuck while reaching for a shoe at the center of the mat and that his death was accidental . the state 's medical examiner agreed , citing positional asphyxia ' as the cause of death . kenneth and jacquelyn johnson believe their son was beaten to death and officials are covering up a murder . ' an independent pathologist , hired by johnson 's parents , concluded johnson 's death was the result of a homicide after finding evidence of unexplained apparent non-accidental blunt force trauma ' to johnson 's neck . if anybody has any information of a different opinion that they can provide to us , we 're certainly open to looking at that . we 're not closed-minded on this , ' lt. stryde jones , supervisor of the lowndes county sheriff 's office 's investigative division told cnn in may . the sheriff 's office has received many public comments regarding johnson 's death since it closed its case on may 2 . the grand jury subpoena is the first document provided to cnn that suggests the department has acted on any of those public comments . although our case has been closed , if evidence comes forward , specifically testimony , then we 're open to hearing that and certainly we 'll act accordingly , ' lt. jones said . chief assistant district attorney bradfield shealy issued the subpoena to mediacom communications corporation on january 28 . the new york-based cable , phone and internet provider was ordered to provide the lowndes county grand jury with subscriber information associated with the e-mail sent through the lowndes county sheriff 's office 's website or submit the documents to the district attorney 's office or lt. jones before february 26 . according to a lowndes county sheriff 's office incident report , the subpoena was faxed to mediacom on february 7 . the company intends to comply with the order . however , a mediacom employee told cnn by phone wednesday that mediacom has not received the subpoena . last week , students from lowndes high school and nearby valdosta high school were among those who appeared before a federal grand jury in macon , as part of the department of justice 's investigation into johnson 's death . the u.s. attorney for the middle district of georgia , michael moore , launched the federal probe october 31 . | the anonymous e-mail to the sheriff 's department sparks a subpoena for internet records |
olympic <tsp> ( cnn ) -- more than 4.3 million people tuned in to watch the u.s. women 's soccer team beat japan in a 2-1 victory in the gold medal olympic game . shannon boxx was just happy to be on the field . after injuring her hamstring , boxx was sidelined for the team 's earlier game against colombia . it was heartbreaking for the athlete to sit on the bench after all the health problems she had already battled during her journey to london . boxx was diagnosed with lupus in 2007 when she was 30 years old . at the time she was playing for the u.s. national team and had begun feeling extremely fatigued ; regular training sessions left her with joint pain and muscle soreness . she went public with her lupus diagnosis in april 2012 and is now working with the lupus foundation of america to create awareness about this chronic autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million people in the u.s. with lupus , boxx 's body produces auto-antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue because her immune system ca n't tell the difference . the auto-antibodies cause inflammation that leads to pain . symptoms can flare up at any time , and although the disease is somewhat controlled with medication , it is a lifelong problem . we caught up with boxx after the london games to talk about her diagnosis and how she deals with it as an elite athlete . the following is an edited version of that interview : you have lupus , in addition to sjogren 's syndrome -- another autoimmune disease . how do the two conditions affect you ? lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects various parts of my body like my skin , my joints and various organs . ( one symptom of lupus is the so-called butterfly rash , ' across a person 's cheeks and nose -- similar to the shape of a butterfly . ) sjogren 's syndrome is an autoimmune in which your body attacks your moisture-producing glands . i deal with fatigue and joint pain just like with lupus , but it also affects my skin , my eyes and my mouth . i have to regularly use eye drops , drink lots of water and get regular checkups for both my eyes and my teeth . keeping my inflammation down throughout my body is my biggest concern . lupus attacking my kidneys , nick cannon says how has having an autoimmune disease affected your job ? as an elite athlete , it is my job to maintain a high fitness level , as well as sustain a strong mentality . now add in a disease where my main symptoms are extreme fatigue and joint pain , and that standard becomes a little bit more difficult to maintain . i am very fortunate that i have finally found a medicine that helps control my symptoms , but a few years ago that was n't the case . i remember in 2010 going to training sessions completely exhausted and my knees throbbing from all my joint pain . i remember willing myself through those training sessions and then getting home and lying on the couch the rest of the day . mentally , i was exhausted because i was trying to figure out the right medicines to use ; i was dealing with side effects from those medicines and i was keeping it a secret from my teammates . on the positive side , it has made me so much stronger as a person and as an athlete . i have the mentality that this disease is not going to beat me . i may have a bad day , but it wo n't stop me from trying again the next day . how do you control your symptoms ? the medicine i am on now helps control the amount of flare-ups ' i may have , as well as control the amount of inflammation in my body . to help with joint pain , i wear compression pants to sleep in and i have also been able to tweak our lifting routine so that i do n't have to put as much pressure on my joints . i do less olympic lifts and more body-weight exercises . fatigue is probably the hardest one to control because you do n't know when it 's going to hit you . the best solution for me is , if i start to feel more fatigued than normal , i will train lighter that day or even just take it off completely . learning to live with lupus what do you eat on a regular basis ? i do n't have a specific diet . as much as i am training , my goal is to just make sure i 'm getting enough food . i do my best to eat a balanced diet , but as of right now it is n't any different than the rest of my teammates . what advice do you have for our readers who are dealing with lupus and/or sjogrens syndrome ? i understand that people with lupus and/or sjogren 's range from mild to severe and no two people are alike in their struggle with either of these diseases . i believe it 's very important to have a support system -- friends , family , the lupus foundation and the sjogren 's foundation -- that understands what you are going through . i think it 's important that you have someone who understands that you can feel good a majority of the time but are there for you when a flare-up happens . i also believe it 's important to stay active , whatever level of activity feels comfortable to you . i hope this is where i have inspired people . i have n't let this disease stop me from doing the sport that i love . you 've just begun to talk publicly about your battles with autoimmune disease . why did you decide to start sharing your story ? i kept my story a secret for a long time because i did n't want anyone to use it against me in my profession . as i am nearing the tail end of my career , i have realized it is a lot more important to use my voice to help bring awareness to lupus and sjogren 's . it takes people an average of seven years to be diagnosed , and in that time period they could be doing more damage to their body . if i can help spread the word about what lupus or sjogren 's is and what the symptoms are , maybe i can help get people in to visit a doctor sooner . dealing with an injury during the olympics is something every athlete fears . how do you weigh the benefits of rest/recovery over pushing through the pain to help your team ? good question . all of these thoughts went through my head when i felt my hamstring go 15 minutes into my first game in the olympics . in a matter of seconds , i had to weigh both options . do i push through and maybe do more damage to my leg and maybe hurt the team in the process , 'cause i 'm not 100 % ( and in the worst case scenario , be out for the rest of the tournament ) : or do i take myself out and give our team the chance with a healthy body in there ? i chose the second , and even though it was hard sitting on the bench i knew i put the team first . i worked hard every day to get back as healthy as i could so i could be available if needed during the playoff rounds . it seems everything worked out in the end . my hamstring healed and i was able to start in the final game and help my team to an olympic gold medal . not a bad way to the end the tournament . how becoming a patient can make you stronger | olympic soccer midfielder shannon boxx has lupus , sjogren 's syndrome |
bangladeshis <tsp> djerba , tunisia ( cnn ) -- four more u.s. military flights were headed to cairo from tunisia on sunday , evacuating egyptians fleeing the libyan conflict , a u.s. official said . one flight left early sunday and three others will do so by sunday afternoon , said adam lefringhouse , a defense attache at the u.s. embassy in tunis . on saturday , u.s. military planes carried out similar evacuations , returning passengers to egypt . there are a few thousand egyptians left in tunisia awaiting evacuation after more than 40,000 were taken home , said firas kayal , a spokesman for the united nations refugee agency , on saturday . many countries , such as india and china , put in place well-organized evacuation operations for their citizens . but others , including egyptians and bangladeshis , have been left to fend for themselves . kayal said saturday more than 10,000 bangladeshis are awaiting transport in tunisia . many of them have had to walk to the border because their money was stolen by soldiers and they could not pay for transportation costs . one man suffered a heart attack and died , aid officials confirmed . on sunday , the british government said it will provide emergency evacuation flights to repatriate 500 stranded bangladeshis . three commercial charter planes will take the bangladeshis home from djerba airport later sunday , the british government said . i have seen for myself the scale of the humanitarian situation on the libyan border with tunisia , ' said andrew mitchell , the international development secretary . i vowed that we would do everything possible to give those stranded shelter and get them back home as quickly as possible . ' meanwhile , three people died and 14 were missing when they tried to get off a ship headed from libya 's capital , tripoli , to crete , the greek ministry for the protection of civilians said sunday . the ship was carrying about 1,280 passengers , mostly bangladeshis . from the evidence gathered so far , it appears the passengers were trying to disembark the'ionian king'( cypriot flag ) using a rope , ' the ministry said in a statement . the violence in libya has generated an exodus out of the north african nation . almost 200,000 people , a majority of them foreign workers , have fled libya -- nearly 100,000 to tunisia and a similar number to egypt -- according to the office of the united nations high commissioner for refugees . the numbers of people entering tunisia daily from libya dropped to 1,800 thursday and friday and stood at 3,000 saturday . previously , they averaged 10,000 to 15,000 people . hovig etyemezian , a field officer for the u.n. refugee agency , attributed the drop in part to fear and the manipulation of the flow of refugees by libyan authorities . a lot of them were scared from leaving because of the fighting so they were staying in their houses , ' he said saturday . we fear the regime might be blocking refugees from the border . ' the u.s. state department said saturday it would donate $ 3 million to the international organization for migration ( iom ) as part of a joint u.s.-iom partnership to help get home thousands of egyptians and other nationals from africa , south asia and southeast asia . cnn 's ivan watson and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report | but some nationals , such as bangladeshis , have been forced to fend for themselves |
bangladeshis <tsp> djerba , tunisia ( cnn ) -- four more u.s. military flights were headed to cairo from tunisia on sunday , evacuating egyptians fleeing the libyan conflict , a u.s. official said . one flight left early sunday and three others will do so by sunday afternoon , said adam lefringhouse , a defense attache at the u.s. embassy in tunis . on saturday , u.s. military planes carried out similar evacuations , returning passengers to egypt . there are a few thousand egyptians left in tunisia awaiting evacuation after more than 40,000 were taken home , said firas kayal , a spokesman for the united nations refugee agency , on saturday . many countries , such as india and china , put in place well-organized evacuation operations for their citizens . but others , including egyptians and bangladeshis , have been left to fend for themselves . kayal said saturday more than 10,000 bangladeshis are awaiting transport in tunisia . many of them have had to walk to the border because their money was stolen by soldiers and they could not pay for transportation costs . one man suffered a heart attack and died , aid officials confirmed . on sunday , the british government said it will provide emergency evacuation flights to repatriate 500 stranded bangladeshis . three commercial charter planes will take the bangladeshis home from djerba airport later sunday , the british government said . i have seen for myself the scale of the humanitarian situation on the libyan border with tunisia , ' said andrew mitchell , the international development secretary . i vowed that we would do everything possible to give those stranded shelter and get them back home as quickly as possible . ' meanwhile , three people died and 14 were missing when they tried to get off a ship headed from libya 's capital , tripoli , to crete , the greek ministry for the protection of civilians said sunday . the ship was carrying about 1,280 passengers , mostly bangladeshis . from the evidence gathered so far , it appears the passengers were trying to disembark the'ionian king'( cypriot flag ) using a rope , ' the ministry said in a statement . the violence in libya has generated an exodus out of the north african nation . almost 200,000 people , a majority of them foreign workers , have fled libya -- nearly 100,000 to tunisia and a similar number to egypt -- according to the office of the united nations high commissioner for refugees . the numbers of people entering tunisia daily from libya dropped to 1,800 thursday and friday and stood at 3,000 saturday . previously , they averaged 10,000 to 15,000 people . hovig etyemezian , a field officer for the u.n. refugee agency , attributed the drop in part to fear and the manipulation of the flow of refugees by libyan authorities . a lot of them were scared from leaving because of the fighting so they were staying in their houses , ' he said saturday . we fear the regime might be blocking refugees from the border . ' the u.s. state department said saturday it would donate $ 3 million to the international organization for migration ( iom ) as part of a joint u.s.-iom partnership to help get home thousands of egyptians and other nationals from africa , south asia and southeast asia . cnn 's ivan watson and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report | the british government says it will repatriate 500 bangladeshis |
british <tsp> djerba , tunisia ( cnn ) -- four more u.s. military flights were headed to cairo from tunisia on sunday , evacuating egyptians fleeing the libyan conflict , a u.s. official said . one flight left early sunday and three others will do so by sunday afternoon , said adam lefringhouse , a defense attache at the u.s. embassy in tunis . on saturday , u.s. military planes carried out similar evacuations , returning passengers to egypt . there are a few thousand egyptians left in tunisia awaiting evacuation after more than 40,000 were taken home , said firas kayal , a spokesman for the united nations refugee agency , on saturday . many countries , such as india and china , put in place well-organized evacuation operations for their citizens . but others , including egyptians and bangladeshis , have been left to fend for themselves . kayal said saturday more than 10,000 bangladeshis are awaiting transport in tunisia . many of them have had to walk to the border because their money was stolen by soldiers and they could not pay for transportation costs . one man suffered a heart attack and died , aid officials confirmed . on sunday , the british government said it will provide emergency evacuation flights to repatriate 500 stranded bangladeshis . three commercial charter planes will take the bangladeshis home from djerba airport later sunday , the british government said . i have seen for myself the scale of the humanitarian situation on the libyan border with tunisia , ' said andrew mitchell , the international development secretary . i vowed that we would do everything possible to give those stranded shelter and get them back home as quickly as possible . ' meanwhile , three people died and 14 were missing when they tried to get off a ship headed from libya 's capital , tripoli , to crete , the greek ministry for the protection of civilians said sunday . the ship was carrying about 1,280 passengers , mostly bangladeshis . from the evidence gathered so far , it appears the passengers were trying to disembark the'ionian king'( cypriot flag ) using a rope , ' the ministry said in a statement . the violence in libya has generated an exodus out of the north african nation . almost 200,000 people , a majority of them foreign workers , have fled libya -- nearly 100,000 to tunisia and a similar number to egypt -- according to the office of the united nations high commissioner for refugees . the numbers of people entering tunisia daily from libya dropped to 1,800 thursday and friday and stood at 3,000 saturday . previously , they averaged 10,000 to 15,000 people . hovig etyemezian , a field officer for the u.n. refugee agency , attributed the drop in part to fear and the manipulation of the flow of refugees by libyan authorities . a lot of them were scared from leaving because of the fighting so they were staying in their houses , ' he said saturday . we fear the regime might be blocking refugees from the border . ' the u.s. state department said saturday it would donate $ 3 million to the international organization for migration ( iom ) as part of a joint u.s.-iom partnership to help get home thousands of egyptians and other nationals from africa , south asia and southeast asia . cnn 's ivan watson and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report | the british government says it will repatriate 500 bangladeshis |
england <tsp> ( cnn ) -- thousands of children in england have been sexually exploited by gangs or groups of men or are at high risk of sexual exploitation , according to a report released wednesday . the report , which calls for urgent action to protect young people , comes amid wide public concern prompted by revelations of child abuse by a former bbc tv presenter , jimmy savile . read more : belittling kids as harmful as beating , study finds there were 2,409 victims of child sexual exploitation in gangs or groups from august 2010 to october 2011 , the inquiry by the office of the children 's commissioner found . another 16,500 children in england were identified as being at high risk of sexual exploitation during the year from april 2010 to march 2011 . read more : britain tense as gangs roam , violence flares in london , other cities maggie atkinson , children 's commissioner for england , described the report , titled i thought i was the only one . the only one in the world , ' as a wake-up call ' for the nation . the report is based on the findings from the first year of a two-year study , based on evidence from the government , police , local authorities , health services , voluntary workers and young people . read more : sex abusers prey on kids'trust , thrive on shame deputy children 's commissioner sue berelowitz , who is leading the inquiry , said : the reality is that each year thousands of children in england are raped and abused by people seeking to humiliate , violate and control them . the impact on their lives is devastating . read more : sandusky gets at least 30 years for child sex abuse ' these children have been abducted , trafficked , beaten and threatened after being drawn into a web of sexual violence sometimes by promises of love and sometimes simply because they know there is no alternative . read more : bbc settles politician 's libel claim in child abuse story for $ 293,000 ' this abuse and violence can be relentless and take place anywhere -- as they go home from school , as they walk to the shops , in their local park . ' berelowitz said the study found the majority of perpetrators were male and that they ranged in age from young adolescents to older men . read more : uk man charged after children given trick-or-treat cocaine bags ' the evidence is clear that they come from all ethnic groups and so do their victims -- contrary to what some may wish to believe , ' she said . in a high-profile court case earlier this year , nine men were jailed for grooming , ' sexually abusing and raping five girls , one of them only 13 , in rochdale , greater manchester . the men were all of asian origin and the girls were white , prompting questions over whether the perpetrators'ethnic origin was a factor in their actions or in the failure of local authorities to uncover the child abuse ring sooner . read more : retired bishop , priest arrested on child sex abuse charges the report suggests better record-keeping is needed in order for the ethnicity of perpetrators in gangs , many of whom are never arrested or convicted for sexually exploiting minors , to be tracked . the victims come from a range of ethnic backgrounds but 28 % are from black or minority backgrounds -- higher than previously thought , the report says . of the 2,409 victims reported to the inquiry , 155 were identified as also being perpetrators of child sexual exploitation , in what the report describes as a deeply troubling ' overlap . read more : ex-scout tells of abuse at hands of tv presenter jimmy savile atkinson , the children 's commissioner for england , urged people to look out for the signs of sexual exploitation in young people around them . each and every one of us owes it to all victims to be vigilant , to listen and to act to stop the sexual exploitation of children , ' she said . the report 's list of warning signs includes children going missing from home , care homes or school ; repeated sexually transmitted infections ; committing crimes ; misuse of drugs or alcohol ; self harm and other physical injuries . alastair campbell : despite its failings and our past clashes , i back bbc the issue of child sexual exploitation is in the forefront of many people 's minds following wide uk media coverage of a series of scandals . the furor erupted several weeks ago with the claims against savile , who died last year but who police now believe sexually abused as many as 300 young women and girls , sometimes on bbc premises , in past decades . two other men have been arrested in connection with the investigation . read more : police probe hospital abuse claims against tv host jimmy savile also in the past month , a bbc program looking into historic sex abuse allegations at children 's homes in wales in the 1970s and 1980s alleged that a conservative , thatcher-era politician , whom it did not name , had been among the children 's abusers . internet speculation over who that politician might be led to lord mcalpine being falsely identified via twitter . he is now planning multiple libel suits , and the bbc has already settled . a number of government inquiries have been launched as a result of questions over how past allegations were handled . cnn 's susannah palk contributed to this report . | its findings are a wake-up call , says the children 's commissioner for england |
england <tsp> ( cnn ) -- thousands of children in england have been sexually exploited by gangs or groups of men or are at high risk of sexual exploitation , according to a report released wednesday . the report , which calls for urgent action to protect young people , comes amid wide public concern prompted by revelations of child abuse by a former bbc tv presenter , jimmy savile . read more : belittling kids as harmful as beating , study finds there were 2,409 victims of child sexual exploitation in gangs or groups from august 2010 to october 2011 , the inquiry by the office of the children 's commissioner found . another 16,500 children in england were identified as being at high risk of sexual exploitation during the year from april 2010 to march 2011 . read more : britain tense as gangs roam , violence flares in london , other cities maggie atkinson , children 's commissioner for england , described the report , titled i thought i was the only one . the only one in the world , ' as a wake-up call ' for the nation . the report is based on the findings from the first year of a two-year study , based on evidence from the government , police , local authorities , health services , voluntary workers and young people . read more : sex abusers prey on kids'trust , thrive on shame deputy children 's commissioner sue berelowitz , who is leading the inquiry , said : the reality is that each year thousands of children in england are raped and abused by people seeking to humiliate , violate and control them . the impact on their lives is devastating . read more : sandusky gets at least 30 years for child sex abuse ' these children have been abducted , trafficked , beaten and threatened after being drawn into a web of sexual violence sometimes by promises of love and sometimes simply because they know there is no alternative . read more : bbc settles politician 's libel claim in child abuse story for $ 293,000 ' this abuse and violence can be relentless and take place anywhere -- as they go home from school , as they walk to the shops , in their local park . ' berelowitz said the study found the majority of perpetrators were male and that they ranged in age from young adolescents to older men . read more : uk man charged after children given trick-or-treat cocaine bags ' the evidence is clear that they come from all ethnic groups and so do their victims -- contrary to what some may wish to believe , ' she said . in a high-profile court case earlier this year , nine men were jailed for grooming , ' sexually abusing and raping five girls , one of them only 13 , in rochdale , greater manchester . the men were all of asian origin and the girls were white , prompting questions over whether the perpetrators'ethnic origin was a factor in their actions or in the failure of local authorities to uncover the child abuse ring sooner . read more : retired bishop , priest arrested on child sex abuse charges the report suggests better record-keeping is needed in order for the ethnicity of perpetrators in gangs , many of whom are never arrested or convicted for sexually exploiting minors , to be tracked . the victims come from a range of ethnic backgrounds but 28 % are from black or minority backgrounds -- higher than previously thought , the report says . of the 2,409 victims reported to the inquiry , 155 were identified as also being perpetrators of child sexual exploitation , in what the report describes as a deeply troubling ' overlap . read more : ex-scout tells of abuse at hands of tv presenter jimmy savile atkinson , the children 's commissioner for england , urged people to look out for the signs of sexual exploitation in young people around them . each and every one of us owes it to all victims to be vigilant , to listen and to act to stop the sexual exploitation of children , ' she said . the report 's list of warning signs includes children going missing from home , care homes or school ; repeated sexually transmitted infections ; committing crimes ; misuse of drugs or alcohol ; self harm and other physical injuries . alastair campbell : despite its failings and our past clashes , i back bbc the issue of child sexual exploitation is in the forefront of many people 's minds following wide uk media coverage of a series of scandals . the furor erupted several weeks ago with the claims against savile , who died last year but who police now believe sexually abused as many as 300 young women and girls , sometimes on bbc premises , in past decades . two other men have been arrested in connection with the investigation . read more : police probe hospital abuse claims against tv host jimmy savile also in the past month , a bbc program looking into historic sex abuse allegations at children 's homes in wales in the 1970s and 1980s alleged that a conservative , thatcher-era politician , whom it did not name , had been among the children 's abusers . internet speculation over who that politician might be led to lord mcalpine being falsely identified via twitter . he is now planning multiple libel suits , and the bbc has already settled . a number of government inquiries have been launched as a result of questions over how past allegations were handled . cnn 's susannah palk contributed to this report . | another 16,500 young people in england were at high risk of being sexually exploited |
jerusalem <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israel approved wednesday the construction of a settlement in east jerusalem just before u.s. secretary of state john kerry is to visit the country on a peace mission . kerry will meet with israeli , palestinian authority and jordanian officials in jordan and jerusalem from thursday to saturday in the wake of president barack obama 's efforts in israel last march urging renewed peace talks . palestinian chief peace negotiator saeb erekat called out to the world thursday to stop israel from building more settlement homes . letting tel aviv get away with it , takes away any motivation for israel to work towards peace , he said . in january , the united nations human rights council said israeli settlements amount to creeping annexation ' of palestinian territories by israel and have taken a heavy toll ' on the rights and sovereignty of palestinians . the construction of new homes is taking palestinian land , lives and livelihoods , ' erekat lamented . wednesday 's approval of a 69-unit settlement in east jerusalem -- which palestinians consider to be the capital of their future state one day -- harkens to an incident in 2010 when israel announced another east jerusalem settlement during a visit by vice president joe biden . then secretary of state hillary clinton called the announcement insulting ' to the united states . on wednesday , meir margalit , a jerusalem city council member from the left-wing meretz party , criticized wednesday 's settlement approval and described it as provocation ' by israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu 's government . the approval by an israeli planning committee was part of a very long process ' and now means that construction can start at any time , margalit said . this is a provocation by netanyahu 's government when john kerry is coming to re-start the negotiations , ' margalit said . to approve these houses in har homa , or also known as jabal abu ghneim in east jerusalem , is a foolish move . this means that israel has no serious intentions to restart the peace process , ' margalit said . israel 's construction of settlements is more important than peace in the middle east , ' margalit charged . but a senior israeli government official who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue said there was no political influence behind the approval process . this is private land , private constructions and nothing to do with the government or with government agendas , ' the official said . brachie sprung , an advisor to the jerusalem mayor , said construction permission was granted by local planning and building committee . it should be noted that the municipality has no legal right to stop the property ownership of the citizens to whom the ground belongs , ' sprung said in a statement . there is no change in the policy of the municipality over the last four years , and we are continuing to build in all the suburbs of the city according to the development program for jews and arabs as one , ' sprung said . thousands of housing units are expected to be built throughout jerusalem in coming years , sprung said . new building in jerusalem is necessary for the development of the city and gives the opportunity for youngsters and students to live and buy , ' sprung added . hagit ofran , settlement watch director for the israeli activist group peace now , said the construction plan was initially filed in april 2012 , and the length of time behind its approval is typical . cnn 's kareem khadder reported from jerusalem and michael martinez wrote and reported from los angeles . mike schwartz also contributed from jerusalem . | israeli planning committee approves 69 homes for an east jerusalem settlement |
jerusalem <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israel approved wednesday the construction of a settlement in east jerusalem just before u.s. secretary of state john kerry is to visit the country on a peace mission . kerry will meet with israeli , palestinian authority and jordanian officials in jordan and jerusalem from thursday to saturday in the wake of president barack obama 's efforts in israel last march urging renewed peace talks . palestinian chief peace negotiator saeb erekat called out to the world thursday to stop israel from building more settlement homes . letting tel aviv get away with it , takes away any motivation for israel to work towards peace , he said . in january , the united nations human rights council said israeli settlements amount to creeping annexation ' of palestinian territories by israel and have taken a heavy toll ' on the rights and sovereignty of palestinians . the construction of new homes is taking palestinian land , lives and livelihoods , ' erekat lamented . wednesday 's approval of a 69-unit settlement in east jerusalem -- which palestinians consider to be the capital of their future state one day -- harkens to an incident in 2010 when israel announced another east jerusalem settlement during a visit by vice president joe biden . then secretary of state hillary clinton called the announcement insulting ' to the united states . on wednesday , meir margalit , a jerusalem city council member from the left-wing meretz party , criticized wednesday 's settlement approval and described it as provocation ' by israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu 's government . the approval by an israeli planning committee was part of a very long process ' and now means that construction can start at any time , margalit said . this is a provocation by netanyahu 's government when john kerry is coming to re-start the negotiations , ' margalit said . to approve these houses in har homa , or also known as jabal abu ghneim in east jerusalem , is a foolish move . this means that israel has no serious intentions to restart the peace process , ' margalit said . israel 's construction of settlements is more important than peace in the middle east , ' margalit charged . but a senior israeli government official who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue said there was no political influence behind the approval process . this is private land , private constructions and nothing to do with the government or with government agendas , ' the official said . brachie sprung , an advisor to the jerusalem mayor , said construction permission was granted by local planning and building committee . it should be noted that the municipality has no legal right to stop the property ownership of the citizens to whom the ground belongs , ' sprung said in a statement . there is no change in the policy of the municipality over the last four years , and we are continuing to build in all the suburbs of the city according to the development program for jews and arabs as one , ' sprung said . thousands of housing units are expected to be built throughout jerusalem in coming years , sprung said . new building in jerusalem is necessary for the development of the city and gives the opportunity for youngsters and students to live and buy , ' sprung added . hagit ofran , settlement watch director for the israeli activist group peace now , said the construction plan was initially filed in april 2012 , and the length of time behind its approval is typical . cnn 's kareem khadder reported from jerusalem and michael martinez wrote and reported from los angeles . mike schwartz also contributed from jerusalem . | settlement approval is provocation ... a foolish move , ' jerusalem councilman says |
jerusalem <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israel approved wednesday the construction of a settlement in east jerusalem just before u.s. secretary of state john kerry is to visit the country on a peace mission . kerry will meet with israeli , palestinian authority and jordanian officials in jordan and jerusalem from thursday to saturday in the wake of president barack obama 's efforts in israel last march urging renewed peace talks . palestinian chief peace negotiator saeb erekat called out to the world thursday to stop israel from building more settlement homes . letting tel aviv get away with it , takes away any motivation for israel to work towards peace , he said . in january , the united nations human rights council said israeli settlements amount to creeping annexation ' of palestinian territories by israel and have taken a heavy toll ' on the rights and sovereignty of palestinians . the construction of new homes is taking palestinian land , lives and livelihoods , ' erekat lamented . wednesday 's approval of a 69-unit settlement in east jerusalem -- which palestinians consider to be the capital of their future state one day -- harkens to an incident in 2010 when israel announced another east jerusalem settlement during a visit by vice president joe biden . then secretary of state hillary clinton called the announcement insulting ' to the united states . on wednesday , meir margalit , a jerusalem city council member from the left-wing meretz party , criticized wednesday 's settlement approval and described it as provocation ' by israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu 's government . the approval by an israeli planning committee was part of a very long process ' and now means that construction can start at any time , margalit said . this is a provocation by netanyahu 's government when john kerry is coming to re-start the negotiations , ' margalit said . to approve these houses in har homa , or also known as jabal abu ghneim in east jerusalem , is a foolish move . this means that israel has no serious intentions to restart the peace process , ' margalit said . israel 's construction of settlements is more important than peace in the middle east , ' margalit charged . but a senior israeli government official who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue said there was no political influence behind the approval process . this is private land , private constructions and nothing to do with the government or with government agendas , ' the official said . brachie sprung , an advisor to the jerusalem mayor , said construction permission was granted by local planning and building committee . it should be noted that the municipality has no legal right to stop the property ownership of the citizens to whom the ground belongs , ' sprung said in a statement . there is no change in the policy of the municipality over the last four years , and we are continuing to build in all the suburbs of the city according to the development program for jews and arabs as one , ' sprung said . thousands of housing units are expected to be built throughout jerusalem in coming years , sprung said . new building in jerusalem is necessary for the development of the city and gives the opportunity for youngsters and students to live and buy , ' sprung added . hagit ofran , settlement watch director for the israeli activist group peace now , said the construction plan was initially filed in april 2012 , and the length of time behind its approval is typical . cnn 's kareem khadder reported from jerusalem and michael martinez wrote and reported from los angeles . mike schwartz also contributed from jerusalem . | secretary of state john kerry is to visit jerusalem this week to renew peace talks |
nbc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nbc has issued an apology for spoiling the results of teen swimmer missy franklin 's gold medal-winning race . in the latest controversy during the network 's highly rated summer olympics coverage , nbc ran a today ' show promo on monday night that revealed the outcome of the heavily anticipated 100-meter backstroke before the event was actually telecast . now nbc 's sports division , which has been pretty adamant about the merits of its tape-delay strategy as public criticism mounts , has issued a statement admitting the network screwed up . clearly that promo should not have aired at that time , ' said an nbc sports spokesperson in a statement . we have a process in place and this will not happen again . we apologize to viewers who were watching and did n't know the result of the race . ' nbc 's today show ad announced last night , when you 're 17 years old and win your first gold medal , there 's nobody you 'd rather share it with , ' and showed footage of franklin holding the gold medal and with her parents . nbc 's attempt to herd viewers to primetime with tape-delayed coverage from london while covering a competition of global interest has sparked plenty of online outrage since the games got underway on friday ( one critic dubbed the 2012 games the last great buggy-whip olympics ' ) . yet ratings continue to be strong , with 31.6 million viewers watching monday 's primetime coverage , the biggest audience for a non-u.s. summer games in 36 years . meanwhile one vocal critic of nbc whose twitter account was suspended after he tweeted a network executive 's email address has been given his account back . oh . my twitter account seems to have been un-suspended , ' tweeted independent journalist guy adams . did i miss much while i was away . ' see full story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | nbc 's sports division issued a statement saying the network screwed up |
nbc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nbc has issued an apology for spoiling the results of teen swimmer missy franklin 's gold medal-winning race . in the latest controversy during the network 's highly rated summer olympics coverage , nbc ran a today ' show promo on monday night that revealed the outcome of the heavily anticipated 100-meter backstroke before the event was actually telecast . now nbc 's sports division , which has been pretty adamant about the merits of its tape-delay strategy as public criticism mounts , has issued a statement admitting the network screwed up . clearly that promo should not have aired at that time , ' said an nbc sports spokesperson in a statement . we have a process in place and this will not happen again . we apologize to viewers who were watching and did n't know the result of the race . ' nbc 's today show ad announced last night , when you 're 17 years old and win your first gold medal , there 's nobody you 'd rather share it with , ' and showed footage of franklin holding the gold medal and with her parents . nbc 's attempt to herd viewers to primetime with tape-delayed coverage from london while covering a competition of global interest has sparked plenty of online outrage since the games got underway on friday ( one critic dubbed the 2012 games the last great buggy-whip olympics ' ) . yet ratings continue to be strong , with 31.6 million viewers watching monday 's primetime coverage , the biggest audience for a non-u.s. summer games in 36 years . meanwhile one vocal critic of nbc whose twitter account was suspended after he tweeted a network executive 's email address has been given his account back . oh . my twitter account seems to have been un-suspended , ' tweeted independent journalist guy adams . did i miss much while i was away . ' see full story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | nbc ran a today ' show promo that revealed outcome of 100-meter backstroke race |
nbc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nbc has issued an apology for spoiling the results of teen swimmer missy franklin 's gold medal-winning race . in the latest controversy during the network 's highly rated summer olympics coverage , nbc ran a today ' show promo on monday night that revealed the outcome of the heavily anticipated 100-meter backstroke before the event was actually telecast . now nbc 's sports division , which has been pretty adamant about the merits of its tape-delay strategy as public criticism mounts , has issued a statement admitting the network screwed up . clearly that promo should not have aired at that time , ' said an nbc sports spokesperson in a statement . we have a process in place and this will not happen again . we apologize to viewers who were watching and did n't know the result of the race . ' nbc 's today show ad announced last night , when you 're 17 years old and win your first gold medal , there 's nobody you 'd rather share it with , ' and showed footage of franklin holding the gold medal and with her parents . nbc 's attempt to herd viewers to primetime with tape-delayed coverage from london while covering a competition of global interest has sparked plenty of online outrage since the games got underway on friday ( one critic dubbed the 2012 games the last great buggy-whip olympics ' ) . yet ratings continue to be strong , with 31.6 million viewers watching monday 's primetime coverage , the biggest audience for a non-u.s. summer games in 36 years . meanwhile one vocal critic of nbc whose twitter account was suspended after he tweeted a network executive 's email address has been given his account back . oh . my twitter account seems to have been un-suspended , ' tweeted independent journalist guy adams . did i miss much while i was away . ' see full story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | the public has criticized nbc 's coverage |
nbc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nbc has issued an apology for spoiling the results of teen swimmer missy franklin 's gold medal-winning race . in the latest controversy during the network 's highly rated summer olympics coverage , nbc ran a today ' show promo on monday night that revealed the outcome of the heavily anticipated 100-meter backstroke before the event was actually telecast . now nbc 's sports division , which has been pretty adamant about the merits of its tape-delay strategy as public criticism mounts , has issued a statement admitting the network screwed up . clearly that promo should not have aired at that time , ' said an nbc sports spokesperson in a statement . we have a process in place and this will not happen again . we apologize to viewers who were watching and did n't know the result of the race . ' nbc 's today show ad announced last night , when you 're 17 years old and win your first gold medal , there 's nobody you 'd rather share it with , ' and showed footage of franklin holding the gold medal and with her parents . nbc 's attempt to herd viewers to primetime with tape-delayed coverage from london while covering a competition of global interest has sparked plenty of online outrage since the games got underway on friday ( one critic dubbed the 2012 games the last great buggy-whip olympics ' ) . yet ratings continue to be strong , with 31.6 million viewers watching monday 's primetime coverage , the biggest audience for a non-u.s. summer games in 36 years . meanwhile one vocal critic of nbc whose twitter account was suspended after he tweeted a network executive 's email address has been given his account back . oh . my twitter account seems to have been un-suspended , ' tweeted independent journalist guy adams . did i miss much while i was away . ' see full story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | journalist 's twitter account was suspended after he tweeted nbc exec 's email address |
susan collins <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- supreme court nominee elena kagan received critical cover from moderate republicans on thursday on two issues likely to dominate her upcoming confirmation hearings : gays in the military and judicial experience . kagan has been strongly criticized by gop leaders for her efforts to block military recruiters from harvard university during her time as the school 's law school dean because of the military 's do n't ask , do n't tell ' policy . the policy , opposed by president obama , prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces . top republicans have also highlighted the fact that kagan has never served as a federal judge , something that distinguishes her from all nine current members of the high court . if party moderates break from the gop leadership on these issues , it dramatically increases kagan 's chances of overcoming a possible filibuster and winning confirmation as the country 's 112th supreme court justice . massachusetts gop sen. scott brown -- who broke the democrats'60-member filibuster-proof majority by winning the late ted kennedy 's seat in january -- said after meeting with kagan that he is satisfied she supports members of the military . it was the first question i actually asked her because , having been in the military , i had concerns about [ her ] position at harvard , ' brown said . it was very clear to me , after we spoke about it at length , that she is supportive of the men and women who are fighting to protect us and very supportive of the military as a whole . i do not feel that her judicial philosophy will hurt the men and women who are serving . ' while dean at harvard law , kagan said she abhorred ' the military 's discriminatory recruitment policy . ' she called it a profound wrong -- a moral injustice of the first order . ' kagan supported other schools'challenges to a federal law requiring that recruiters be given equal access or face the loss of federal funding . the supreme court unanimously upheld the law in 2006 . earlier in the day , maine gop sen. susan collins said she does n't have any concerns about kagan 's experience . she also said she did n't see any extraordinary circumstances ' that could lead her to join a potential filibuster against kagan . collins said that kagan told her she considers roe vs. wade , the 1973 ruling establishing a constitutional right to abortion , to be settled law . kagan herself has remained tight-lipped when asked such questions from reporters . the support of brown and collins alone , combined with a unified democratic caucus , would be enough to ensure kagan 's confirmation . in addition to meeting with brown and collins on thursday , kagan stopped by the offices of five key senate democrats : massachusetts'john kerry , new york 's chuck schumer , maryland 's ben cardin , minnesota 's amy klobuchar and pennsylvania 's arlen specter . specter said kagan may be open to the idea of allowing television coverage of supreme court hearings . she said it 'd be helpful to the public and to the court , ' he said . this was the best answer i 've gotten ' from any recent supreme court candidate . specter is a staunch advocate of allowing television cameras into the high court . most justices , however , have adamantly opposed the idea . specter also said kagan stood by comments she made in 1995 , when she dismissed the confirmation hearing process as a charade . ' kagan 's meeting with specter attracted considerable attention because of his political troubles . specter -- who is facing a tough primary fight next week -- voted against kagan for solicitor general before switching from the republican party to the democratic party . specter has not said how he will vote on her supreme court nomination . some political observers have speculated that his previous opposition to kagan , combined with an unwillingness to immediately back her now , could undercut his support with stalwart democrats . a quick declaration in favor of kagan , on the other hand , could strike some voters as political opportunism . kagan kicked off her capitol hill meetings on wednesday , visiting senate majority leader harry reid , d-nevada , and senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , r-kentucky . she also met with senate judiciary committee chairman patrick leahy , d-vermont , and sen. jeff sessions of alabama , the committee 's top republican . obama nominated kagan on monday to replace retiring supreme court justice john paul stevens . if confirmed , she would become the third woman on the current nine-member bench and the fourth woman in the court 's history . cnn 's ted barrett and alan silverleib contributed to this report . | gop sens . scott brown and susan collins back kagan on key issues |
tottenham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- arsenal manager arsene wenger can expect an apology from premier league referees chief keith hackett following his dismissal in the closing seconds of saturday 's 2-1 english premier league defeat to manchester united . arsene wenger has to stand with manchester united fans after being sent off at old trafford . league managers association chief executive richard bevan has spoken to hackett about the old trafford incident which saw wenger sent to the stands by referee mike dean on the advice of fourth official lee probert . and he has been told that wenger will receive an apology from the premier game match officials board which appoints officials to top-flight games in england . the gunners manager caught probert 's attention when he kicked an empty water bottle down the touchline following a disallowed goal for arsenal . there was then confusion as wenger seemed unaware of where he was supposed to go -- moving first to the back of arsenal dugout then starting to walk down the touchline as the whistle was blown . on the decision to penalize wenger , bevan said : although correct in'law', it was completely out of context in the game and it was followed by the nonsense which followed over where arsene wenger should sit to watch the game . ' he added : i 've spoken to keith hackett and he fully recognizes the situation was an error and an apology will follow to arsene wenger . lee probert totally failed to manage the situation and created a needless pressure point taking the focus away from the pitch in a big event with only a minute to go . ' meanwhile , arsenal 's north london rivals tottenham have suffered a setback with a serious injury to croatia playmaker luka modric . the 23-year-old broke his leg in saturday 's 2-1 victory against birmingham , which left the club second in the english premier league after four wins from four . x-rays have determined that luka modric sustained a fracture to his right fibula , ' said a statement on the official spurs web site . tottenham did not indicate how long the midfielder would be sidelined , but he is likely to miss the home game against champions manchester united and the trip to chelsea which follow the upcoming international break . croatia play england at wembley on september 9 in a crucial world cup qualifier . | tottenham 's croatia midfielder luka modric suffers a broken right leg |
west african <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the u.n. security council signed off thursday on a 12,600-member peacekeeping force in mali that will be authorized to use all necessary means ' to protect civilians and cultural artifacts . we know it 's going to be a fairly volatile environment , ' herve ladsous , the u.n. undersecretary for peacekeeping operations , said . the resolution was proposed by france , which deployed about 4,000 troops to mali in january to drive out islamist militants who attempted to take control of the country . the peacekeeping force -- known as the u.n. multidimensional integrated stabilization mission in mali -- will take over july 1 and include some 6,000 troops from chad and other west african nations already providing security in the country , according to the resolution adopted by the security council . this is not an enforcement mission . this is not an anti-terrorist operation , ' ladsous said . rather , he said , the mission will help malian authorities restore constitutional order and governance . elections there are set for july . islamic extremists with links to al qaeda carved out a large portion of northern mali last year , taking advantage of a chaotic situation after a military coup in march 2012 . france took military action this year after the militants began to push into the southern portion of the country . the militants banned music , smoking , drinking and watching sports on television , and destroyed historic tombs and shrines in the region . world leaders feared that militants would turn the area into a terrorist haven . the security council resolution provides for a peacekeeping force for 12 months . cnn 's pierre meilhan contributed to this report . | the force will including 6,000 troops from chad and other west african nations |
dias kadyrbayev <tsp> robel phillipos , a friend of boston marathon bombing suspect dzhokhar tsarnaev 's , was convicted tuesday on two counts of lying to federal agents investigating the 2013 bombing , according to the u.s. attorney 's office . prosecutors said phillipos lied to investigators about being in tsarnaev 's college dorm room at the university of massachusetts-dartmouth after the bombing . he faces up to eight years in prison on each count and a $ 250,000 fine . he will be sentenced january 29 . after the verdict , u.s. attorney carmen ortiz said thousands of citizens assisted law enforcement in identifying and tracking down the suspects following one of the most significant events in boston 's modern history . a federal jury concluded that robel phillipos did just the opposite , ' she told reporters . he lied to agents when he could have helped . he concealed when he could have assisted . it is a crime to lie to law enforcement agents , and that is why robel phillipos was charged and why the jury found him guilty today . but this case also reminds us that our public safety network relies on every citizen in the commonwealth . ' defense attorneys derege demissie and susan church said their client will appeal the verdict . basically ... the jury found that he was present in the room while others did what they did in this case , ' church said . defense lawyers argued that phillipos , a boston native , was a frightened and confused 19-year-old ' when authorities questioned him several times in the days following the april 15 , 2013 , bombing , which killed three people and wounded more than 260 . i do n't believe that robel phillipos has ever been more angry at a person than he was at dzhokhar tsarnaev when robel found out that dzhokhar tsarnaev did what he did in this case , ' church said after the verdict . he was absolutely mortified . it was an unbelievable feeling of shock and betrayal that somebody that he knew could commit such atrocious and horrible acts . ' police believe tsarnaev and his older brother , tamerlan tsarnaev -- who was killed by police after the attacks -- set off the two bombs near the race 's finish line . phillipos attended high school with the younger tsarnaev at cambridge rindge and latin school in cambridge , massachusetts . according to court documents , phillipos had n't seen or talked to dzhokhar tsarnaev for at least two months before the bombing . he was taking a semester off from the university of massachusetts-dartmouth and was only on campus the night of april 18 , 2013 , for a seminar . his attorneys said that phillipos was under tremendous pressure when he was interrogated and did n't have a lawyer at the time to help him . phillipos'presence on campus that night is a case of sheer coincidence and bad luck , ' the defense lawyers said . phillipos was living with his mother , an ethiopian who immigrated to the united states in the 1980s and is now employed as a social worker . in july , a federal jury found another friend of dzhokhar tsarnaev 's guilty of obstructing the investigation into the attack . the jury found azamat tazhayakov guilty of obstructing justice and conspiring to obstruct justice in connection with the removal of a backpack with potential evidence from tsarnaev 's dorm room after the bombings . tazhayakov will be sentenced november 19 . a third friend of tsarnaev 's , dias kadyrbayev , pleaded guilty in august to conspiring to obstruct justice and obstructing justice with the intent to impede the bombing investigation . he will be sentenced november 18 . prosecutors said phillipos repeatedly lied to investigators when he denied that he entered tsarnaev 's dormitory room and saw kadyrbayev remove a backpack containing fireworks on the evening of april 18 , 2013 . at trial , prosecutors showed that phillipos saw the images released by the fbi of the suspected bombers and recognized dzhokhar tsarnaev . on april 18 , phillipos went with tazhayakov to tsarnaev 's dormitory room , where he and tazhayakov watched as kadyrbayev searched through tsarnaev 's belongings and found a backpack containing fireworks . when kadyrbayev , tazhayakov and phillipos left tsarnaev 's room at 10:30 p.m. , kadyrbayev removed tsarnaev 's backpack containing fireworks , a jar of vaseline , and tsarnaev 's laptop computer , prosecutors said . later that night while tazhayakov and phillipos watched the manhunt for the tsarnaevs on television , kadyrbayev discussed getting rid of the backpack with the fireworks with them . kadrybayev placed dzhokhar tsarnaev 's backpack in a garbage bag and dropped it in a trash bin outside their apartment . the fbi recovered the backpack a week later at a landfill . kadyrbayev and tazhayakov are both nationals of kazakhstan who were temporarily living in the united states on student visas while attending the university of massachusetts-dartmouth . | a third friend , dias kadyrbayev , pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct justice |
serbia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when serbia and croatia take to the field at zagreb 's maksimir stadium on friday , memories of a bloody , war-torn history between the neighboring countries will be brought sharply into focus . the 2014 world cup qualifying tie will be the first time the two teams have played each other since the break up of the former yugoslavia and then the croatian war of independence , which raged between 1991 and 1995 . the break up of yugoslavia in the early 1990s caused the bloodiest conflict on the european continent since world war ii , with an estimated 140,000 people killed . as the wounds of war continue to heal , croatia coach igor stimac has urged fans not to use the game as an attempt to settle old scores . i implore the croatian fans to back us with their love for the national team and not hatred for our opponents , ' stimac , who picked up 53 caps for croatia between 1990 and 2002 , told reporters ahead of the match . all those who turn up should support us in the most dignified manner and if they do , they will put the much-needed wind in our sails to get the result we want in this historic match . this is a great chance to show everyone , including fifa and uefa , what we are really like . both teams have the capacity to keep this event a football match and show the world that they are great football nations . ' cursed war a croatia victory on friday would effectively end serbia 's world cup qualification hopes . croatia currently sit second in the group , level on 10 points with leaders belgium , while serbia are on four points and would be nine points behind stimac 's side should they lose the much-anticipated game . like stimac , serbia coach sinisa mihajlovic wants his players to inspire passionate support from their fans . and like stimac , mihajlovic is keen to move away from the past . this game is n't a continuation of the war , ' the former yugoslavia player told italy 's la gazzetta dello sport earlier this week . we 've already witnessed the real , cursed and horrid war and we 're still carrying the wounds and the scars . this is just a passionate , important football match that stirs up a lot of emotion in people : an important game for our position in the group table and for the continued development of my players . if we win , we 'll cut the gap to three points and we 're still in the running for qualification . ' both mihajlovic and stimac played when croatia and yugoslavia were drawn together in the qualifying tournament for euro 2000 . the first match in belgrade in august 1999 was drawn 0-0 , while the return fixture in zagreb later the same year was crucial to both their hopes of reaching the championships in holland and belgium . the stadium in zagreb was like a volcano , ' recalls mihajlovic , who played in the match , while stimac missed out . there were police everywhere . there were lots of former teammates who had played alongside each other for yugoslavia now facing each other . now no longer on the same side . there was a banner there'vukovar 1991', the city that was so symbolic of the war , ' added mihajlovic , referring to the croatian city that was heavily damaged during a siege in the conflict . vukovar was the birthplace of mihajlovic , who was the son of a croatian mother and serbian father . these days about one third of vukovar 's population is made up of serbs , though the two ethnic groups remain segregated . all the serbs will be watching at home ; we 've had bad experiences in the past when we 've tried to watch serbia games and croats have come and thrown stones at the cafes we 're in , ' djordje macut , president of the town 's council of serbian minorities , told the independent newspaper . every time i went up to take a free-kick or a corner , tension was high , ' continued mihajlovic , as he recalled more memories from that zagreb game in 1990 . i hit the woodwork twice , once the post , another time the crossbar . and i also played a part in the goals from ( pedrag ) mijatovic and ( dejan ) stankovic : 2-2 , we qualified , croatia were knocked out . ' bloody history mihajlovic and his team is likely to encounter a similarly vociferous atmosphere at the maksimir stadium on friday . no away supporters will attend either of the world cup qualifying matches between the two teams . the maksimir stadium has its own bloody history . it was the scene of an infamous encounter between croatian club dinamo zagreb and serbian team red star belgrade in 1990 which saw a riot break out and a number people stabbed and wounded . friday 's game will serve as a barometer for the mood of fans , with those who remember the conflict and those too young to have witnessed the fighting being brought together . i 've been to zagreb and belgrade and both cities , both countries , view this as something much bigger than football , ' james montague , author of when friday comes : football , war and revolution in the middle east , told cnn . in the past the game has really been the canary in the mine in terms of the political dynamics on the ground . it is a little different now . the older generations , of course , remember the horrors and this is an extension of that in some respects . but younger people are different . few of the players , especially in serbia , have much experience of life before 1990 . for them this is a game . it is the people around it that have long memories and remember what was a particularly vicious civil war . every year the hatred gets a little less . ' both stimac and mihajlovic called for calm ahead of the contest and will be expected to set a dignified tone on friday , but the two coaches did not always see eye-to-eye during their playing careers . stimac and mihajlovic have a long dislike of each other , stemming from the 1991 yugoslav cup final between hajduk split and red star belgrade , ' explained montague . it took place just as war was breaking out . they both got sent off bad mouthing each other . they have both said ridiculously nationalistic things in the past . but the two have buried a 20-year feud by meeting and agreeing to lead by a positive example . it 's up to everyone there on friday night to follow suit . ' | croatia are currently on 10 points , six points ahead of serbia |
serbia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when serbia and croatia take to the field at zagreb 's maksimir stadium on friday , memories of a bloody , war-torn history between the neighboring countries will be brought sharply into focus . the 2014 world cup qualifying tie will be the first time the two teams have played each other since the break up of the former yugoslavia and then the croatian war of independence , which raged between 1991 and 1995 . the break up of yugoslavia in the early 1990s caused the bloodiest conflict on the european continent since world war ii , with an estimated 140,000 people killed . as the wounds of war continue to heal , croatia coach igor stimac has urged fans not to use the game as an attempt to settle old scores . i implore the croatian fans to back us with their love for the national team and not hatred for our opponents , ' stimac , who picked up 53 caps for croatia between 1990 and 2002 , told reporters ahead of the match . all those who turn up should support us in the most dignified manner and if they do , they will put the much-needed wind in our sails to get the result we want in this historic match . this is a great chance to show everyone , including fifa and uefa , what we are really like . both teams have the capacity to keep this event a football match and show the world that they are great football nations . ' cursed war a croatia victory on friday would effectively end serbia 's world cup qualification hopes . croatia currently sit second in the group , level on 10 points with leaders belgium , while serbia are on four points and would be nine points behind stimac 's side should they lose the much-anticipated game . like stimac , serbia coach sinisa mihajlovic wants his players to inspire passionate support from their fans . and like stimac , mihajlovic is keen to move away from the past . this game is n't a continuation of the war , ' the former yugoslavia player told italy 's la gazzetta dello sport earlier this week . we 've already witnessed the real , cursed and horrid war and we 're still carrying the wounds and the scars . this is just a passionate , important football match that stirs up a lot of emotion in people : an important game for our position in the group table and for the continued development of my players . if we win , we 'll cut the gap to three points and we 're still in the running for qualification . ' both mihajlovic and stimac played when croatia and yugoslavia were drawn together in the qualifying tournament for euro 2000 . the first match in belgrade in august 1999 was drawn 0-0 , while the return fixture in zagreb later the same year was crucial to both their hopes of reaching the championships in holland and belgium . the stadium in zagreb was like a volcano , ' recalls mihajlovic , who played in the match , while stimac missed out . there were police everywhere . there were lots of former teammates who had played alongside each other for yugoslavia now facing each other . now no longer on the same side . there was a banner there'vukovar 1991', the city that was so symbolic of the war , ' added mihajlovic , referring to the croatian city that was heavily damaged during a siege in the conflict . vukovar was the birthplace of mihajlovic , who was the son of a croatian mother and serbian father . these days about one third of vukovar 's population is made up of serbs , though the two ethnic groups remain segregated . all the serbs will be watching at home ; we 've had bad experiences in the past when we 've tried to watch serbia games and croats have come and thrown stones at the cafes we 're in , ' djordje macut , president of the town 's council of serbian minorities , told the independent newspaper . every time i went up to take a free-kick or a corner , tension was high , ' continued mihajlovic , as he recalled more memories from that zagreb game in 1990 . i hit the woodwork twice , once the post , another time the crossbar . and i also played a part in the goals from ( pedrag ) mijatovic and ( dejan ) stankovic : 2-2 , we qualified , croatia were knocked out . ' bloody history mihajlovic and his team is likely to encounter a similarly vociferous atmosphere at the maksimir stadium on friday . no away supporters will attend either of the world cup qualifying matches between the two teams . the maksimir stadium has its own bloody history . it was the scene of an infamous encounter between croatian club dinamo zagreb and serbian team red star belgrade in 1990 which saw a riot break out and a number people stabbed and wounded . friday 's game will serve as a barometer for the mood of fans , with those who remember the conflict and those too young to have witnessed the fighting being brought together . i 've been to zagreb and belgrade and both cities , both countries , view this as something much bigger than football , ' james montague , author of when friday comes : football , war and revolution in the middle east , told cnn . in the past the game has really been the canary in the mine in terms of the political dynamics on the ground . it is a little different now . the older generations , of course , remember the horrors and this is an extension of that in some respects . but younger people are different . few of the players , especially in serbia , have much experience of life before 1990 . for them this is a game . it is the people around it that have long memories and remember what was a particularly vicious civil war . every year the hatred gets a little less . ' both stimac and mihajlovic called for calm ahead of the contest and will be expected to set a dignified tone on friday , but the two coaches did not always see eye-to-eye during their playing careers . stimac and mihajlovic have a long dislike of each other , stemming from the 1991 yugoslav cup final between hajduk split and red star belgrade , ' explained montague . it took place just as war was breaking out . they both got sent off bad mouthing each other . they have both said ridiculously nationalistic things in the past . but the two have buried a 20-year feud by meeting and agreeing to lead by a positive example . it 's up to everyone there on friday night to follow suit . ' | croatia to play serbia in 2014 world cup qualifier on friday |
united technologies corporation <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a canadian subsidiary of a u.s.-based multinational firm pleaded guilty in federal court thursday to illegally sending software to china , which it used in the development of its first advanced attack helicopter , according to the u.s. attorney in connecticut . pratt & whitney canada -- a subsidiary of hartford , connecticut-based united technologies corporation -- pleaded guilty to violating the arms export control act . in a case going back more than a decade , the firm admitted it sold software that was used in the development and testing of the new z-10 helicopter for china 's army . utc , pratt & whitney canada and another utc subsidiary -- hamilton sundstrand corporation -- agreed to pay more than $ 75 million as part of a settlement with the u.s. government because of the arms export violations and for making false statements , according to a statement from u.s. attorney david b. fein and other federal officials . the firms are expected to pay $ 20.7 million to the justice department and another $ 55 million to the state department to resolve outstanding export issues , including those related to the z-10 , ' court documents said . this prosecution is one of the largest resolutions of export violations with a major defense contractor in the justice department 's history , ' fein said . federal officials blasted the firm , saying the case is a clear example of how the illegal export of sensitive technology reduces the advantages our military currently possesses . ' american military prowess depends on lawful , controlled exports of sensitive technology by u.s. industries and their subsidiaries , ' added john morton , director of u.s. immigration and customs enforcement ( ice ) . according to court documents , an internal e-mail from a senior manager in september 2001 suggested that officials at pratt & whitney canada knew the sales could violate u.s. sanctions . we must be very careful that the helicopter programs we are doing with the chinese are not presented or viewed as military programs , ' the manager 's e-mail read , according to the documents . as a result of these sanctions , we need to be very careful with the z10c program . if the first flight will be with a gun ship then we could have problems with the us government . ' the contractor was allegedly trying to outflank its european rivals and develop a foothold in the lucrative chinese civil helicopter market , thought to be worth up to $ 2 billion in the coming years , the documents added . an internal briefing from september 2002 noted that china 's civil helicopter market potential is large ( estimated at close to 20,000 aircraft by some ) . ' chinese officials allegedly made it clear that if ( pratt & whitney canada ) wanted to have its engines considered for the yet-to-be-developed civil version , it would have to provide its engines ... with the understanding that the initial application ... would be military , ' the documents added . but the firm allegedly turned a blind eye to the attack helicopter application and went along with the'sudden appearance'of a parallel civil program . ' united technologies says it accepted responsibility for these past violations and we deeply regret they occurred , ' noting that it has invested more than $ 30 million since 2006 to strengthen its compliance infrastructure . ' export controls are an integral part of safeguarding u.s. national security and foreign policy interests , ' said ceo louis chenevert . as a supplier of controlled products and technologies to the department of defense and other domestic and international customers , we are committed to conducting business in full compliance with all export laws and regulations . ' the united states has imposed sanctions on the sale of military technology to china since 1989 , after pro-democracy protests in beijing 's tiananmen square were crushed in a bloody chinese crackdown . congress strengthened sanctions less than a year later , specifically naming helicopters and helicopter parts in the ban . the z-10 helicopter is in production and started being used by china 's armed forces in 2009 , according to the justice department . it is capable of being equipped with 30 mm cannons , anti-tank and air-to-air missiles , and is primarily intended as an anti-armor attack craft , according to federal officials . christopher k. johnson , a senior adviser at the center for international and strategic studies , said the case highlights our issues with defense cooperation and competition with china . ' this is just another signal that those issues and tensions are unlikely to go anywhere , ' he said . cnn 's leigh remizowski contributed to this report . | united technologies corporation agrees to pay more than $ 75 million as part of a settlement |
guantanamo bay prison <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama and former vice president dick cheney offered competing views on how to keep america safe in back-to-back speeches thursday . president obama says he is trying to clean up a mess ' left behind by the bush administration . obama said his administration is trying to clean up a mess ' left behind by the bush administration . he defended his plan to close the guantanamo bay detention center in cuba , his ban on torture , the release of bush-era interrogation memos and his objection to the release of prisoner photos . cheney stood up for the bush administration 's security record , arguing that obama has weakened the country 's ability to combat al qaeda and other extremists . he defended the use of enhanced interrogation techniques as a success that changed thousands of lives . he called the release of the bush-era memos a reckless distraction and belittled obama 's decision to close guantanamo with little deliberation and no plan . ' senate majority leader harry reid 's spokesman wrote off cheney 's address as something more beneficial to democrats than republicans . he is such a wildly unpopular figure trying to defend such discredited policies that democrats would like to be able to find a way to pay him to give more of these kinds of speeches , ' jim manley said . in the past two months , the former vice president has become a frequent critic of the new administration in numerous national media interviews . but house minority leader john boehner said cheney 's voice boosts his party 's cause . listen , dick cheney has been around this town for the last 35 years -- 40 years . he knows how this town works , and frankly , he 's very knowledgeable when it comes to the strategies that the administration took with regard to dealing with this terrorist threat . and having him out there , outlining those strategies and why we 're engaged in this , i think , is helpful to the debate , ' boehner said . republicans were quick to side with cheney on obama 's plan to close guantanamo , with rep. lamar smith charging that the president should put americans'safety ahead of an image problem he himself created by making a campaign promise to close gitmo . ' the administration asserts that transferring terrorists from a detention facility on an isolated island to a prison inside the u.s. will make americans safer . the administration 's claims are completely contrary to common sense . by the president 's logic , we should close all other jails and prisons , too , ' smith , r-texas , said in a statement . obama 's plans to close the detention center have been met with opposition from both sides of the aisle in congress . following in the steps of house democrats , senate democrats on tuesday rejected the administration 's request for $ 80 million to close the facility . they instead asked that obama first submit a plan spelling out what the administration will do with the prisoners when it closes the prison . both chambers of congress also passed similar measures that would prevent the detainees from being transferred to the united states . obama on thursday pledged not to release any guantanamo bay detainees who threaten the united states . he also pointed out that no one has ever escaped from a federal supermax ' prison . rep. doug lamborn , r-colorado , whose district houses a supermax prison , adamantly does not want detainees brought to that prison . the president did not say where people would go who were convicted under military tribunals or who are to be released by courts or who are in the'too dangerous to release'category , so his plan today really has a lot of gaps in it , ' he said . and michael steele , the chairman of the republican national committee , said it would be dangerous , naive and a threat to america 's national security ' to put detainees on u.s. soil . but democratic sen. dick durbin said he thinks the u.s. can safely house terror detainees . watch durbin 's suggestions on how to handle the detainees » ' the president is right in saying guantanamo is more than a detention facility . it 's become a symbol . and sadly , it 's become an organizing tool around the world for terrorism . the sooner that we bring guantanamo to a close , the better , ' he said . rep. mike pence , chairman of the house republican conference , accused the president of continuing to to bow to world opinion ' when it comes to guantanamo . let me say emphatically : mr. president , public safety comes before public relations . the american people do n't want to know how closing guantanamo bay will make us more popular , they want to know how closing guantanamo bay will make us safer , ' he said . house republican whip eric cantor said closing the prison is too complex an issue to rush to resolution . ' at the end of the day , when it comes to terrorism , no detail is too small , and we must have only one priority : the safety and security of the american people , ' he said . democratic sen. patrick leahy , chairman of the senate judiciary committee , said political rhetoric has entirely drowned out reason and reality ' in the debate over where to put the detainees . our criminal justice system handles extremely dangerous criminals , and more than a few terrorists , and it does so safely and effectively . we try very dangerous people in our courts and hold very dangerous people in our jails in vermont and throughout the country . we have the best justice system in the world , ' he said . house speaker nancy pelosi praised obama 's address as a sensible , balanced approach to the treatment of detainees and to the handling of state secrets . ' one decision that pleased some conservatives was obama 's move to restart former president bush 's military commissions . former navy lawyer charles swift , who won a landmark supreme court ruling that knocked down the bush administration 's system of military commissions , said u.s. laws already cover the vast majority ' of cases the obama administration will face . the previous administration sought ways around the law , ' he said . this president seeks to follow the law and keep us safe , and he believes in the long haul -- as do i -- that following the law and following our values in conjunction with holding terrorists is absolutely essential to both winning the war and being safe . ' swift said cheney 's defense of waterboarding mystifies me . ' i want to ascribe to people the best of motives , and i presume that the former vice president believes for whatever reason that force is the only thing that works , ' he said . unfortunately , that goes against all of the evidence . ' as far as former president bush 's thoughts on the dueling speeches , he did n't watch them . a source close to bush said the former president was traveling at the time , en route to new mexico , where he is the keynote speaker thursday night at a fundraising dinner for a scholarship program for students at artesia high school . | republicans slam obama 's plan to close guantanamo bay prison , seek details |
cnn <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- a pre-teen me once learned how to slow dance to surfer girl . ' picture a middle school auditorium circa 1987 . i was that retainer-wearing girl at the school dance , clumsily shuffling along to the beach boys classic with a nervous boy about a full arms-length away from me . it was an awkward moment , yet my heart still flutters when i hear those harmonies . so when i learned cnn 's talk asia had booked the beach boys for an interview in hong kong , i jumped at the chance to interview al jardine , mike love and brian wilson . blog : news stream they 're currently on their 50th anniversary tour around the world . dennis and carl wilson passed away long ago , but the band includes three original members -- al , mike and brian -- as well as david marks and bruce johnston , who joined the band in 1965 . on tour , they 're serenading fans with favorites like california girls ' and surfin'usa , ' as well as a delightfully fresh new single , that 's why god made the radio . ' although their new song is about a technology the band is nostalgic about , the beach boys are not stuck in the past . incredibly , after half a century of recording and performing , they are not a tribute band to their 20-something selves . they 're still crafting those richly complex harmonic sounds . they 're still hitting all those notes . and they 're still capturing the sweet , adolescent purity of surfer girl . ' surfer girl , ' released in 1963 , marked wilson 's emergence as a producer . he tells me , i wanted to do something original that was inspired by the four freshmen . when michael and the guys came to my house one day , i learned how to arrange the chords .'surfer girl'was the first song i ever learned how to make harmonies to a song . ' three years later , wilson would produce good vibrations ' -- considered by rolling stone magazine as his ultimate triumph as a producer , and one of the most innovative pop hits of the sixties . ' the night we cut the vocals was one of the highlights of my life , ' says wilson . it was a departure from anything we 've ever done before . ' the beach boys did the background orchestration in five different studios . wilson tells me the production took little more than a month . not so fast , claims jardine : we were re-doing things endlessly until they were perfect because of him ,'mr . perfectionist'( pointing at wilson ) here . so it took more like six months ! ' good vibrations ' is a multi-layered pop symphony with nearly everything thrown in -- sleigh bells , cello , harpsichord , even a theremin -- one of the earliest electronic instruments . as wilson puts it , my brother carl said ,'why do n't you use a theremin ?'i said ,'what for ?'and he goes ,'i do n't know .' i came up with the'uooooooooooooooo'( he mimics the theremin sound ) . it was a scary record actually . it was a good scary . ' like a roller coaster , good vibrations ' twists and turns like a joyride of sound . and the boys all agree , it is their masterpiece . they are all masterpieces , ' says love of the beach boys'full playlist . but the one that is commercially successful and brilliant musically ... is'good vibrations .'' half a century on , the beach boys are still creating new music that captures the emotional thrills of youth . we feel these emotions as if we were kids , ' says jardine . we still have them inside of us . ' love adds , the harmony is timeless ... as long as you can get those notes and create those sounds together , then there is a timeless factor . ' when the interview wraps , wilson is the first to rip off his microphone . he kindly agrees to pose for a photo with me , and -- after a handshake -- leaves the room . love and jardine then take to a small nearby stage and strike up an impromptu version of california girls ' ( with al on bass and mike doing vocals ) . johnston then appears out of nowhere to play the piano . and then it hits me , i 'm being serenaded by the beach boys . and inside , i 'm screaming like a giddy 12 year old . but where was wilson ? off to a buffet somewhere , ' quips love with a smile . and why not ? he has to feed the muse . | kristie lu stout talks to the beach boys in an interview for cnn 's talk asia in hong kong |
chibok <tsp> chibok , nigeria ( cnn ) -- it 's the beginning of the second semester in public schools across nigeria and students are flocking back after the vacation . but in most of borno state , the heartland of the militant group boko haram , the desks are empty and the playing fields are quiet . western education is a sin in the eyes of the terror group -- - and nowhere has that message more clearly hit home than in their recent horrific attack on chibok girls secondary school . only the walls of the classrooms , library and science laboratories remain : a charred shell of what was once , the pride of chibok . but even more painful is the fact that more than 200 of the girls who took classes here are still missing , kidnapped from the school during that night of terror . daniel muvia , a resident of chibok who witnessed the attack on his village , says he is too scared to take his daughters to school . since the attack he 's kept them at home , where he felt they would be safer . i am scared of sending them to school , ' he says . i 'm not feeling good that they 're at home and i 'm not feeling good to send them to school because of the attacks . ' muvia 's dilemma mirrors that of almost every parent in chibok : torn between education for their child and their family 's safety . on the way to chibok from abuja , the country 's capital , travelers meet one police or military checkpoint after another . but join the main rough dirt road to chibok and the government security presence seems to taper off . it all leaves local residents feeling vulnerable and afraid . muvia could n't forgive himself if he sent his daughter to school and then heard that something had happened to her . no one can afford losing their daughter , ' he says . in an article on his website education for all ' gordon brown , the u.n. special envoy for global education , says 10.5 million children in nigeria are yet to go to school and that the high levels of illiteracy are now an economic problem , as well as a social disaster , for the country . analysts say that if the boko haram attacks on schools continue unabated then those levels of illiteracy will significantly increase , further compromising the future of the country 's young people . cnn interviewed one of the girls who managed to escape from boko haram on the night they were taken from their dormitory . though she hopes to go back to school soon so she can fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor , she 's still very scared . if in chibok , i 'll never go again , ' she says . but like many families in the area her family is too poor to send her to a boarding school far away from the village . all the people in chibok seem to have left is hope . muvia prays a day will come when his daughters will be free to pursue their futures and become lawyers , doctors or engineers . when i see all these people doing their jobs , i have the desire -- or the hope -- that i want my children to be like them , ' he says . i have very high hopes for them . ' | up to 300 schoolgirls have been kidnapped by boko haram from chibok , nigeria |
cnn <tsp> chibok , nigeria ( cnn ) -- it 's the beginning of the second semester in public schools across nigeria and students are flocking back after the vacation . but in most of borno state , the heartland of the militant group boko haram , the desks are empty and the playing fields are quiet . western education is a sin in the eyes of the terror group -- - and nowhere has that message more clearly hit home than in their recent horrific attack on chibok girls secondary school . only the walls of the classrooms , library and science laboratories remain : a charred shell of what was once , the pride of chibok . but even more painful is the fact that more than 200 of the girls who took classes here are still missing , kidnapped from the school during that night of terror . daniel muvia , a resident of chibok who witnessed the attack on his village , says he is too scared to take his daughters to school . since the attack he 's kept them at home , where he felt they would be safer . i am scared of sending them to school , ' he says . i 'm not feeling good that they 're at home and i 'm not feeling good to send them to school because of the attacks . ' muvia 's dilemma mirrors that of almost every parent in chibok : torn between education for their child and their family 's safety . on the way to chibok from abuja , the country 's capital , travelers meet one police or military checkpoint after another . but join the main rough dirt road to chibok and the government security presence seems to taper off . it all leaves local residents feeling vulnerable and afraid . muvia could n't forgive himself if he sent his daughter to school and then heard that something had happened to her . no one can afford losing their daughter , ' he says . in an article on his website education for all ' gordon brown , the u.n. special envoy for global education , says 10.5 million children in nigeria are yet to go to school and that the high levels of illiteracy are now an economic problem , as well as a social disaster , for the country . analysts say that if the boko haram attacks on schools continue unabated then those levels of illiteracy will significantly increase , further compromising the future of the country 's young people . cnn interviewed one of the girls who managed to escape from boko haram on the night they were taken from their dormitory . though she hopes to go back to school soon so she can fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor , she 's still very scared . if in chibok , i 'll never go again , ' she says . but like many families in the area her family is too poor to send her to a boarding school far away from the village . all the people in chibok seem to have left is hope . muvia prays a day will come when his daughters will be free to pursue their futures and become lawyers , doctors or engineers . when i see all these people doing their jobs , i have the desire -- or the hope -- that i want my children to be like them , ' he says . i have very high hopes for them . ' | father tells cnn : no one can afford losing their daughter ' |
wayne rooney <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was billed as a bright new beginning . but in the end manchester united 's opening day fixture of the epl season bore all the hallmarks of its recent troubled past as swansea city upset louis van gaal 's side to win 2-1 at old trafford saturday . goals from ki sung yueng and gylfi sigurdsson either side of a spectacular wayne rooney overhead kick ensured the swans were full value for the three points . apart from a rooney free-kick that cracked the post midway through the second half , united rarely threatened or looked like a side capable of getting its league campaign off to a winning start . it is very disappointing that we have lost our first home match , ' van gaal told bt sport in his post game interview . we did n't reach the level we can play at . that is disappointing because we have done it much better and when you can not do it in your first home match that is disappointing , especially for the fans . ' the feelgood factor had seemed to have returned to united since van gaal 's appointment earlier in the summer . a busy pre-season witnessed promising victories over liverpool , roma , valencia and real madrid . but saturday 's performance had more in common with last year 's disastrous campaign under david moyes which saw the red devils finish seventh , their lowest placing in premier league history . we were very nervous in first half , made the wrong choices and that is a pity . in the second half we never played as a team , therefore i 'm responsible , ' van gaal continued . we had more chances than swansea but that shall say nothing about the result . it is the goals that count . i thought we would win ( when the scores were tied at 1-1 in the second half ) but because we are not playing as a team in the second half we made the wrong decisions going forward . ' van gaal intimated later in an interview with mutv that there would be further signings arriving at old trafford before the transfer window slams shut at the end of august . judging by this performance , the prospective new arrivals ca n't arrive soon enough . united began with a 3-5-2 system similar to that employed by van gaal 's dutch side at the world cup earlier this summer before switching to a 4-4-1-1 as the game progressed . there were competitive debuts to new $ 48 million midfield signing ander herrera and 20-year-old center half tyler blackett . newly installed captain wayne rooney led the line alongside javier hernandez with robin van persie still missing after he was given extended holiday to recover from his world cup exertions . like many a visitor to old trafford , swansea sat in deep and attempted to play on the break . it was a tactic that would work to perfection as united pressed and dominated possession but produced few goal-scoring opportunities . ki was a standout in midfield for swansea while ashley williams was his usual commanding self at the back , organizing when required and reading the game exceptionally well . we have been working hard in pre-season on defensive shape and we can get even better at that but there were pleasing signs in the way we stuck together and the goals we scored against a side of manchester united 's resources , ' said swansea manager gary monk . we have worked on the mentality side of things so that even when things go against us we continue to believe in what we are doing . ' having lost a raft of key players over the summer , including chico flores , michel worm and ben davies , many observers had questioned whether swansea would be relegation candidates . with more solid , mature performances like this over the coming season such predictions will be made to look badly placed . | wayne rooney scores overhead kick but united fail to inspire |
swans <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was billed as a bright new beginning . but in the end manchester united 's opening day fixture of the epl season bore all the hallmarks of its recent troubled past as swansea city upset louis van gaal 's side to win 2-1 at old trafford saturday . goals from ki sung yueng and gylfi sigurdsson either side of a spectacular wayne rooney overhead kick ensured the swans were full value for the three points . apart from a rooney free-kick that cracked the post midway through the second half , united rarely threatened or looked like a side capable of getting its league campaign off to a winning start . it is very disappointing that we have lost our first home match , ' van gaal told bt sport in his post game interview . we did n't reach the level we can play at . that is disappointing because we have done it much better and when you can not do it in your first home match that is disappointing , especially for the fans . ' the feelgood factor had seemed to have returned to united since van gaal 's appointment earlier in the summer . a busy pre-season witnessed promising victories over liverpool , roma , valencia and real madrid . but saturday 's performance had more in common with last year 's disastrous campaign under david moyes which saw the red devils finish seventh , their lowest placing in premier league history . we were very nervous in first half , made the wrong choices and that is a pity . in the second half we never played as a team , therefore i 'm responsible , ' van gaal continued . we had more chances than swansea but that shall say nothing about the result . it is the goals that count . i thought we would win ( when the scores were tied at 1-1 in the second half ) but because we are not playing as a team in the second half we made the wrong decisions going forward . ' van gaal intimated later in an interview with mutv that there would be further signings arriving at old trafford before the transfer window slams shut at the end of august . judging by this performance , the prospective new arrivals ca n't arrive soon enough . united began with a 3-5-2 system similar to that employed by van gaal 's dutch side at the world cup earlier this summer before switching to a 4-4-1-1 as the game progressed . there were competitive debuts to new $ 48 million midfield signing ander herrera and 20-year-old center half tyler blackett . newly installed captain wayne rooney led the line alongside javier hernandez with robin van persie still missing after he was given extended holiday to recover from his world cup exertions . like many a visitor to old trafford , swansea sat in deep and attempted to play on the break . it was a tactic that would work to perfection as united pressed and dominated possession but produced few goal-scoring opportunities . ki was a standout in midfield for swansea while ashley williams was his usual commanding self at the back , organizing when required and reading the game exceptionally well . we have been working hard in pre-season on defensive shape and we can get even better at that but there were pleasing signs in the way we stuck together and the goals we scored against a side of manchester united 's resources , ' said swansea manager gary monk . we have worked on the mentality side of things so that even when things go against us we continue to believe in what we are doing . ' having lost a raft of key players over the summer , including chico flores , michel worm and ben davies , many observers had questioned whether swansea would be relegation candidates . with more solid , mature performances like this over the coming season such predictions will be made to look badly placed . | goals from ki sung yueng and gylfi sigurdsson ensure victory for swans |
gylfi sigurdsson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was billed as a bright new beginning . but in the end manchester united 's opening day fixture of the epl season bore all the hallmarks of its recent troubled past as swansea city upset louis van gaal 's side to win 2-1 at old trafford saturday . goals from ki sung yueng and gylfi sigurdsson either side of a spectacular wayne rooney overhead kick ensured the swans were full value for the three points . apart from a rooney free-kick that cracked the post midway through the second half , united rarely threatened or looked like a side capable of getting its league campaign off to a winning start . it is very disappointing that we have lost our first home match , ' van gaal told bt sport in his post game interview . we did n't reach the level we can play at . that is disappointing because we have done it much better and when you can not do it in your first home match that is disappointing , especially for the fans . ' the feelgood factor had seemed to have returned to united since van gaal 's appointment earlier in the summer . a busy pre-season witnessed promising victories over liverpool , roma , valencia and real madrid . but saturday 's performance had more in common with last year 's disastrous campaign under david moyes which saw the red devils finish seventh , their lowest placing in premier league history . we were very nervous in first half , made the wrong choices and that is a pity . in the second half we never played as a team , therefore i 'm responsible , ' van gaal continued . we had more chances than swansea but that shall say nothing about the result . it is the goals that count . i thought we would win ( when the scores were tied at 1-1 in the second half ) but because we are not playing as a team in the second half we made the wrong decisions going forward . ' van gaal intimated later in an interview with mutv that there would be further signings arriving at old trafford before the transfer window slams shut at the end of august . judging by this performance , the prospective new arrivals ca n't arrive soon enough . united began with a 3-5-2 system similar to that employed by van gaal 's dutch side at the world cup earlier this summer before switching to a 4-4-1-1 as the game progressed . there were competitive debuts to new $ 48 million midfield signing ander herrera and 20-year-old center half tyler blackett . newly installed captain wayne rooney led the line alongside javier hernandez with robin van persie still missing after he was given extended holiday to recover from his world cup exertions . like many a visitor to old trafford , swansea sat in deep and attempted to play on the break . it was a tactic that would work to perfection as united pressed and dominated possession but produced few goal-scoring opportunities . ki was a standout in midfield for swansea while ashley williams was his usual commanding self at the back , organizing when required and reading the game exceptionally well . we have been working hard in pre-season on defensive shape and we can get even better at that but there were pleasing signs in the way we stuck together and the goals we scored against a side of manchester united 's resources , ' said swansea manager gary monk . we have worked on the mentality side of things so that even when things go against us we continue to believe in what we are doing . ' having lost a raft of key players over the summer , including chico flores , michel worm and ben davies , many observers had questioned whether swansea would be relegation candidates . with more solid , mature performances like this over the coming season such predictions will be made to look badly placed . | goals from ki sung yueng and gylfi sigurdsson ensure victory for swans |
silver star <tsp> ( cnn ) -- amtrak train 91 was way behind schedule . more than 13 hours behind schedule , thanks to a nearly half-day stranding just 2 miles from a train station . the miami-bound silver star train had departed new york city on sunday at 11:02 a.m. with 261 passengers aboard , and it was supposed to arrive just after 5 p.m. in the richmond , virginia , area . instead it arrived there on monday around 6:45 a.m. , according to amtrak 's website . the dining car developed axle problems that disabled the train 2 miles north of the staples mill road station in richmond around 5:30 p.m. sunday , ' said amtrak spokeswoman kimberly woods , via e-mail . the dining car could n't be moved or cut out at the scene , because of the axle problems . ' the train was between stops so safely removing the passengers or arranging alternate transportation was too problematic , ' woods said . the train began a very slow move ( at 3:45 a.m. ) to a siding in richmond and arrived to the station just after 6:30 a.m. and a replacement car was added , ' she said . the train resumed its trip around 7:12 a.m. ' ( a siding is a section of track off the main line . ) during the delay , passengers were free to move around inside the train , and they had access to food and water , bathrooms , and heating and air conditioning , she said . passenger kevin smith was frustrated at how long it took amtrak to solve the problem . if you are a corporation that alienates its customer base , you ai n't going to have customers , ' smith told cnn affiliate wtvr . i think amtrak could have solved this a lot sooner . ' smith did n't fault the amtrak employees on board , calling them fellow victims of the delay . the employees ca n't be faulted here . it 's obvious there 's an equipment problem . ' woods encouraged passengers to call 1-800-usa-rail for information about refunds and credits . a delay of this magnitude is considered rare and we understand the passengers'frustrations from last night 's events , ' she said . | amtrak 's silver star train was disabled just 2 miles from a train station |
department of health <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- treating flu-stricken children with anti-viral medication including tamiflu and relenza could do more harm than good , a new report has warned . researchers say not enough study has been done into the long-term effects of anti-virals on children . researchers from the university of oxford found that while the anti-virals reduced the duration of illness by up to one day and a half , they had little or no effect ' on the likelihood of the children developing complications . the researchers conceded that they did n't know the extent to which their report applied to the current swine flu pandemic , but said , based on current evidence , the effects of anti-virals on reducing the course of illness or preventing complications might be limited . ' in compiling their report , published in the british medical journal , the oxford university researchers searched the world for trials of tamiflu and relenza on children under 12 . they found seven in total ; four relating to flu treatment , and three to prevention . they say none offered a big enough study to determine whether anti-virals have any effect on the chances of children developing serious flu-related complications . we 've got very little data to go on . these drugs have been used on tens of thousands , in fact millions of children worldwide , and we 've found only four trials of treatments involving less than two thousand children , ' said the report 's author , dr matthew thompson , a senior clinical scientist at the department of primary health care , the university of oxford . we did n't find any trials of children under one . and none of the trials was big enough to show if there 's any effect on serious complications like pneumonia or being hospitalized , ' he said . the report found that while anti-virals reduced the duration of flu in children , they had little or no impact on the likelihood of the child developing ear infections or any other condition that may require antibiotics . a review of one study into the effect of anti-virals on asthmatic children , who are considered to have a higher risk of developing complications from the flu virus , found that they did not reduce the risk of the asthma attacks . the report said that one in 20 children who take tamiflu suffer nausea and vomiting , as indicated in warnings from the drug 's manufacturer . that obviously can be a particular problem in young children and infants where getting dehydrated is a complication of influenza , ' thompson said . the three studies that focused on the use of anti-virals to prevent influenza taking hold , showed that their potential to stop the spread of flu was fairly small . ' we 'd need to treat 13 children with the preventive course of one of these drugs to prevent one of them from getting flu , ' thompson said . the report 's authors suggested governments were too quick to recommend anti-virals as the first defense against the spread of swine flu . in the united kingdom , people who suspect they have the virus are urged to phone a government helpline . if enough symptoms match the operator 's list , they 're given an online voucher so a flu friend ' can collect a course of tamiflu . we 're not criticizing the current department of health policy , but we hope they 'll inform perhaps a slight shift in policy in terms of use of these drugs , ' thompson told cnn . the british department of health said the report was right to suggest bed rest and over the counter remedies for people with mild cases of flu , but added that it was potentially dangerous to deter people with severe cases of flu from taking tamiflu , including children . in a statement , a spokesman said : whilst there is doubt about how swine flu affects children , we believe a safety-first approach of offering anti-virals to everyone remains a sensible and responsible way forward . however , we will keep this policy under review as we learn more about the virus and its effects . ' the british medical association ( bma ) also adopted a cautious stance . the chairman of the bma 's general practitioner 's committee , dr laurence buckman , said doctors always have to balance the risk of major complications from swine flu with the potential side-effects of anti-virals . while we know they are safe , we do know that vomiting and diarrhea can occur in some children and adults who take them , ' he said , adding the more we learn about these drugs the more we will know how to treat patients with the most up-to-date clinical evidence . ' | british department of health said it had a safety-first approach ' |
pbs <tsp> the downton abbey ' phenomenon just keeps getting bigger . sunday 's season four premiere of the upstairs-downstairs drama on pbs surpassed the comparable ratings for every previous episode . according to nielsen data , at least 10.2 million viewers tuned in live ( or within a few hours via digital video recorders ) on sunday night , up from 7.9 million at the start of season three and 8.2 million at the end of it . this was more than a personal best ' for downton . ' the season four premiere outperformed every other drama on sunday night , too . cbs 's the good wife , ' for instance , had 9.2 million viewers ; abc 's revenge ' had 6.7 million . ( all these totals will increase once several days of digital video recorder viewership is factored in . ) pbs is n't rated like a traditional network because it does n't carry traditional commercials . but even last season 's downton ' premiere was described as one of the highest-rated events in the history of the public broadcasting network ; analysts said pbs had n't seen numbers this high since the premiere of the civil war ' documentary series in 1990 . an apples-to-apples comparison is impossible because of changes in ratings methodology . but the season four premiere affirms that downton ' is making history for the network . season four , of course , debuted several months ago in the united kingdom . pbs has received no small amount of criticism for its decision to delay the episodes in the united states , and the network 's executives are aware that some fans get a sneak peek by finding the episodes illegally on the internet . but they say the sky-high ratings two seasons in a row are proof that their scheduling strategy is a wise one . paula kerger , the chief executive of pbs , said in a statement on monday , i 'm so pleased that millions of viewers have returned to'downton abbey'on their local pbs stations for what has become a post-holiday tradition . ' rebecca eaton , the executive producer of masterpiece , ' added , julian fellowes has written every word of all four seasons of'downton ,'and i toss him a huge bouquet on behalf of his american fans . ' the premiere ratings suggest downton ' could grow to be even more popular as the season progresses . last year 8.2 million viewers tuned in on the night of the season three finale , and more than 4 million tuned in later , for a total of 12.3 million . the second-to-last episode of the season did even better once delayed viewership was totaled up : 12.4 million . that 's the next personal best ' for the drama to beat . | pbs executive says the show has become a post-holiday tradition |
confederacy <tsp> richmond , virginia ( cnn ) -- i 'm a big history buff , ' president obama said in an interview with abc news ' george stephanopoulos . and i think that understanding the history of the confederacy and understanding the history of the civil war is something that every american and every young american should be part of . ' i am sometimes asked the same question that mr. stephanopoulos put to president obama : why study confederate history ? and i agree with the president 's response . as we approach the 150th anniversary of the civil war , we look back to its centennial in the 1960s . a lot has happened in this country since then , and our appreciation of the lessons of history has changed with the times . one constant has been the importance of the civil war . it remains as the most important era of american history , a time when america withstood its biggest challenges to a constitutional democracy which then was still viewed as an experiment in a new form of government . the crucible of war defined the nation as we know it today , as we became indivisible ' and with liberty and justice for all ' for the first time . during the 1960s , we americans looked at the war as it occurred on the battlefields , because the conduct and course of the war dominated every single moment of every day . and the confederate soldiers have historically captured our fascination even more than the union soldiers . perhaps it is the gallantry and dash of leaders like robert e. lee or stonewall jackson or j.e.b . stuart . or perhaps it was the common enlisted men in the confederate ranks , whose valor and courage -- in the face of tremendous privation and against overwhelming odds -- makes them stand out in world history as one of the best bodies of soldiers ever known . another perspective on the confederacy and history if the fascination with soldiers continues from the 1960s to today , what has changed ? today , the study of confederate history is much more inclusive ' -- to use the word of choice for many state 's 150th anniversary commissions -- as we look more deeply into the past . today we ask different questions of history and i think we get better answers . let me list just a few of those questions . what about slavery ? we did not talk much about it in the 1960s . today , we can not study the confederacy without studying 40 percent of its population . so now we look long and hard at this aspect of american history , including its existence and importance in the north . we see so clearly today that it was a wrong , so we need to ask why so many people 150 years ago did not see it as wrong and why several of the important christian denominations split apart over this issue before the country itself split . what about the slaves themselves ? why did many take advantage of the first opportunity to escape to freedom while others remained loyal ' to the south ? and what about the 400,000 african-americans in the south who were free long before abraham lincoln came on the scene ? ireporter : civil war history could have been teachable moment ' what about the southerners who remained loyal to the union and chose to fight in blue , rather than gray ? what about the thousands of immigrants who escaped ' the wars of europe yet enlisted in both armies to demonstrate their loyalty to their new country ? at the opposite end of the spectrum , what about the native americans who had been here long before any europeans , yet allied with the confederacy ? the last confederate brigade to surrender was composed entirely of native americans and commanded by brigadier general stand watie , a full-blooded cherokee . what about the very important jewish community in the south ? many served in the ranks while others saw civilian service , such as judah benjamin , who had three different cabinet posts , or phoebe pember , who became the head nurse at chimborazo , the biggest hospital in the world . and what about the women of the south ? the war thrust them into new positions of responsibility and many continued after the war to lead public enterprises that engendered self-esteem and respect . we americans -- from native americans to those who have ancestors who wore the blue or gray to those who are descended from slaves to those who have recently come to our shores -- want to know ourselves . we want to understand why our country is different from the others around the world . this is why millions of americans read so many books about the civil war or visit the battlefields or come to museums like the museum of the confederacy so that they can see first hand the ingredients that formed us . and this is why so many foreigners come to america to visit those same sites in order to understand why we are who we are . the fact is that we must know the civil war if we are to know america . and to know the civil war , we must know and understand the confederacy -- in all of its diversity . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of s. waite rawls iii . | s. waite rawls : understanding the confederacy key to knowing how the u.s. has evolved |
confederacy <tsp> richmond , virginia ( cnn ) -- i 'm a big history buff , ' president obama said in an interview with abc news ' george stephanopoulos . and i think that understanding the history of the confederacy and understanding the history of the civil war is something that every american and every young american should be part of . ' i am sometimes asked the same question that mr. stephanopoulos put to president obama : why study confederate history ? and i agree with the president 's response . as we approach the 150th anniversary of the civil war , we look back to its centennial in the 1960s . a lot has happened in this country since then , and our appreciation of the lessons of history has changed with the times . one constant has been the importance of the civil war . it remains as the most important era of american history , a time when america withstood its biggest challenges to a constitutional democracy which then was still viewed as an experiment in a new form of government . the crucible of war defined the nation as we know it today , as we became indivisible ' and with liberty and justice for all ' for the first time . during the 1960s , we americans looked at the war as it occurred on the battlefields , because the conduct and course of the war dominated every single moment of every day . and the confederate soldiers have historically captured our fascination even more than the union soldiers . perhaps it is the gallantry and dash of leaders like robert e. lee or stonewall jackson or j.e.b . stuart . or perhaps it was the common enlisted men in the confederate ranks , whose valor and courage -- in the face of tremendous privation and against overwhelming odds -- makes them stand out in world history as one of the best bodies of soldiers ever known . another perspective on the confederacy and history if the fascination with soldiers continues from the 1960s to today , what has changed ? today , the study of confederate history is much more inclusive ' -- to use the word of choice for many state 's 150th anniversary commissions -- as we look more deeply into the past . today we ask different questions of history and i think we get better answers . let me list just a few of those questions . what about slavery ? we did not talk much about it in the 1960s . today , we can not study the confederacy without studying 40 percent of its population . so now we look long and hard at this aspect of american history , including its existence and importance in the north . we see so clearly today that it was a wrong , so we need to ask why so many people 150 years ago did not see it as wrong and why several of the important christian denominations split apart over this issue before the country itself split . what about the slaves themselves ? why did many take advantage of the first opportunity to escape to freedom while others remained loyal ' to the south ? and what about the 400,000 african-americans in the south who were free long before abraham lincoln came on the scene ? ireporter : civil war history could have been teachable moment ' what about the southerners who remained loyal to the union and chose to fight in blue , rather than gray ? what about the thousands of immigrants who escaped ' the wars of europe yet enlisted in both armies to demonstrate their loyalty to their new country ? at the opposite end of the spectrum , what about the native americans who had been here long before any europeans , yet allied with the confederacy ? the last confederate brigade to surrender was composed entirely of native americans and commanded by brigadier general stand watie , a full-blooded cherokee . what about the very important jewish community in the south ? many served in the ranks while others saw civilian service , such as judah benjamin , who had three different cabinet posts , or phoebe pember , who became the head nurse at chimborazo , the biggest hospital in the world . and what about the women of the south ? the war thrust them into new positions of responsibility and many continued after the war to lead public enterprises that engendered self-esteem and respect . we americans -- from native americans to those who have ancestors who wore the blue or gray to those who are descended from slaves to those who have recently come to our shores -- want to know ourselves . we want to understand why our country is different from the others around the world . this is why millions of americans read so many books about the civil war or visit the battlefields or come to museums like the museum of the confederacy so that they can see first hand the ingredients that formed us . and this is why so many foreigners come to america to visit those same sites in order to understand why we are who we are . the fact is that we must know the civil war if we are to know america . and to know the civil war , we must know and understand the confederacy -- in all of its diversity . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of s. waite rawls iii . | millions want to learn more about the confederacy , he says |
asia <tsp> starting a company can feel like a lonely business . but for a little more than $ 100 a month , hong kong resident ken chan can develop his start-up , network with like-minded people and relax with a game of ping-pong -- all under the same roof . he is one of a growing number of go-it-alone entrepreneurs and freelancers in asia leaving their apartments and cafes , and settling into co-working ' spaces . at these shared offices , they get to work in what is usually a laid-back but professional environment . however , almost just as important for these nomadic workers are the social and emotional benefits of mingling with their own kind . coming here , you can feel supported by other people working on their businesses and feel less alone , ' said chan , who goes to the co-working space cocoon , where he works on his internet start-up , wholedaybuy.com . but chan says not to underestimate the practical advantages of having actual office space in hong kong , where high rent makes a permanent office out of reach for many who are just starting out . if you want to meet a client , you want to have the space . it 's a physical location to gather people , ' he says . thought to have first started in san francisco in 2005 with citizen space , co-working spaces are now widespread in the u.s. and europe and are making headway in asia , courting mostly people in their 20s and 30s working on projects solo or in small teams . there are now dozens of such places in tokyo , and a handful have opened in shanghai and hong kong . the congested cities seem ready-made for co-working , with cramped apartments that could make working from home unpleasant -- and unimpressive for investors or clients . and going it alone is just starting to catch on in asia , where people traditionally strive to work for large corporations . it 's only becoming acceptable to take the risk of starting tech start-ups or being a freelancer , ' says constant tedder , the british founder of the hive in hong kong , a co-working space that opened in may . the cost of going to the hive ranges from $ 40 , for a day pass , to over $ 750 per month for a dedicated desk . tedder sees the demand throughout asia and is looking to expand to other cities in the region . for freelancers , who often work in creative industries like design , stuffy cubicles just do not cut it , tedder said . there 's definitely this emerging segment of people who do n't want to project a corporate image , but they want a comfortable space to work , ' he says . the hive touches all the hallmarks that make co-working an attractive alternative to sitting in a coffee shop with a laptop : the space is open , desks equipped with power outlets are meant for sharing , members each get their own lockers , and enclosed meeting rooms provide privacy when needed . and , it hosts informative talks and networking events . most co-working spaces have a heavy component of building community and encouraging entrepreneurship -- some operators say breaking even is nice but not the primary goal . at cocoon , which occupies a sprawling 14,000 square feet and has a ping-pong table and meditation room , members must pass an application process , showing that they have something to offer the co-working community , whether it be a solid start-up idea , programming skills , mentorship or investment potential . we think hong kong can use another place to foster entrepreneurs , and we hope talent can collaborate amongst themselves , ' says erica ma , one of cocoon 's founders . cocoon charges $ 125 per month , which is unusually low , but the founders see the program as a kind of social enterprise to support start-ups and smaller businesses . the space organizes regular events , including a recent talk on brand licensing and barcamp , a technology conference that originated in the u.s . entrepreneurs say in the daily grind , which often means hours sitting in front of a laptop , it helps to know that others are doing the same thing . yet people working on internet start-ups do not get much support , as the field is still seen as unconventional in hong kong . so for jah ying chung , who is starting launchpilots.org , a site that helps young people get involved in social causes , going to cocoon provides motivation . it 's different when you 're always seeing people doing stuff that 's cool . it 's a big impetus , ' she says . | freelancing catching on in asia , where people traditionally work for large corporations |
asia <tsp> starting a company can feel like a lonely business . but for a little more than $ 100 a month , hong kong resident ken chan can develop his start-up , network with like-minded people and relax with a game of ping-pong -- all under the same roof . he is one of a growing number of go-it-alone entrepreneurs and freelancers in asia leaving their apartments and cafes , and settling into co-working ' spaces . at these shared offices , they get to work in what is usually a laid-back but professional environment . however , almost just as important for these nomadic workers are the social and emotional benefits of mingling with their own kind . coming here , you can feel supported by other people working on their businesses and feel less alone , ' said chan , who goes to the co-working space cocoon , where he works on his internet start-up , wholedaybuy.com . but chan says not to underestimate the practical advantages of having actual office space in hong kong , where high rent makes a permanent office out of reach for many who are just starting out . if you want to meet a client , you want to have the space . it 's a physical location to gather people , ' he says . thought to have first started in san francisco in 2005 with citizen space , co-working spaces are now widespread in the u.s. and europe and are making headway in asia , courting mostly people in their 20s and 30s working on projects solo or in small teams . there are now dozens of such places in tokyo , and a handful have opened in shanghai and hong kong . the congested cities seem ready-made for co-working , with cramped apartments that could make working from home unpleasant -- and unimpressive for investors or clients . and going it alone is just starting to catch on in asia , where people traditionally strive to work for large corporations . it 's only becoming acceptable to take the risk of starting tech start-ups or being a freelancer , ' says constant tedder , the british founder of the hive in hong kong , a co-working space that opened in may . the cost of going to the hive ranges from $ 40 , for a day pass , to over $ 750 per month for a dedicated desk . tedder sees the demand throughout asia and is looking to expand to other cities in the region . for freelancers , who often work in creative industries like design , stuffy cubicles just do not cut it , tedder said . there 's definitely this emerging segment of people who do n't want to project a corporate image , but they want a comfortable space to work , ' he says . the hive touches all the hallmarks that make co-working an attractive alternative to sitting in a coffee shop with a laptop : the space is open , desks equipped with power outlets are meant for sharing , members each get their own lockers , and enclosed meeting rooms provide privacy when needed . and , it hosts informative talks and networking events . most co-working spaces have a heavy component of building community and encouraging entrepreneurship -- some operators say breaking even is nice but not the primary goal . at cocoon , which occupies a sprawling 14,000 square feet and has a ping-pong table and meditation room , members must pass an application process , showing that they have something to offer the co-working community , whether it be a solid start-up idea , programming skills , mentorship or investment potential . we think hong kong can use another place to foster entrepreneurs , and we hope talent can collaborate amongst themselves , ' says erica ma , one of cocoon 's founders . cocoon charges $ 125 per month , which is unusually low , but the founders see the program as a kind of social enterprise to support start-ups and smaller businesses . the space organizes regular events , including a recent talk on brand licensing and barcamp , a technology conference that originated in the u.s . entrepreneurs say in the daily grind , which often means hours sitting in front of a laptop , it helps to know that others are doing the same thing . yet people working on internet start-ups do not get much support , as the field is still seen as unconventional in hong kong . so for jah ying chung , who is starting launchpilots.org , a site that helps young people get involved in social causes , going to cocoon provides motivation . it 's different when you 're always seeing people doing stuff that 's cool . it 's a big impetus , ' she says . | co-working spaces widespread in u.s. , europe and making headway in asia |
villarreal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- villarreal were denied the chance to return to the top of spain 's la liga after an incident-packed 2-2 draw at promoted hercules on monday night in which three players were sent off . hercules led 2-1 with goals from new signings nelson valdez and david trezeguet , but the latter was sent off just before halftime and villarreal leveled through borja valero -- who later left the field for a second yellow card before defender mateo musacchio received a straight red . the visitors , who would have moved a point clear of real madrid with victory in alicante , hit the post early on through brazilian striker nilmar but fell behind in the 26th minute when paraguay striker valdez scored following royston drenthe 's free-kick . spain full-back joan capdevila equalized from close range three minutes later following a low angel lopez cross , then teammate giuseppe rossi hit the post . however , trezeguet pounced to net his fourth league goal since arriving from juventus when villarreal could not clear drenthe 's right-wing cross , but the 33-year-old former france star was dismissed for two quickfire yellow cards for dissent after valero fouled valdez . villarreal made their extra man pay off just after the hour mark when valero drilled in a right-foot low shot after home goalkeeper jose calatayud blocked efforts from nilmar and rossi . villarreal wasted several more chances before losing valero in the 81st minute when the on-loan midfielder was booked for handball , then three minutes later musacchio brought down drenthe with the argentine ruled to be the last line of defense . that gave hercules the advantage , but drenthe and abraham paz were denied in injury-time by goalkeeper diego lopez . the result left villarreal in second place above barcelona and valencia on goal difference , with all three teams having 16 points from seven matches . hercules are 10th in the 20-team league , with eight points -- nine behind real and above real mallorca , sporting gijon and levante on goal difference . meanwhile , blackburn rovers survived the first-half dismissal of key defender christopher samba to earn a 0-0 draw at home to sunderland in monday 's only english premier league clash . the congo international was sent off in the third minute of injury-time after bringing down sunderland 's on-loan striker danny welbeck just outside the penalty area . the draw -- sunderland 's fifth in a row -- left both teams just three points above the bottom three after eight games . | villarreal end the night in second place on goal difference , a point behind real madrid |
villarreal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- villarreal were denied the chance to return to the top of spain 's la liga after an incident-packed 2-2 draw at promoted hercules on monday night in which three players were sent off . hercules led 2-1 with goals from new signings nelson valdez and david trezeguet , but the latter was sent off just before halftime and villarreal leveled through borja valero -- who later left the field for a second yellow card before defender mateo musacchio received a straight red . the visitors , who would have moved a point clear of real madrid with victory in alicante , hit the post early on through brazilian striker nilmar but fell behind in the 26th minute when paraguay striker valdez scored following royston drenthe 's free-kick . spain full-back joan capdevila equalized from close range three minutes later following a low angel lopez cross , then teammate giuseppe rossi hit the post . however , trezeguet pounced to net his fourth league goal since arriving from juventus when villarreal could not clear drenthe 's right-wing cross , but the 33-year-old former france star was dismissed for two quickfire yellow cards for dissent after valero fouled valdez . villarreal made their extra man pay off just after the hour mark when valero drilled in a right-foot low shot after home goalkeeper jose calatayud blocked efforts from nilmar and rossi . villarreal wasted several more chances before losing valero in the 81st minute when the on-loan midfielder was booked for handball , then three minutes later musacchio brought down drenthe with the argentine ruled to be the last line of defense . that gave hercules the advantage , but drenthe and abraham paz were denied in injury-time by goalkeeper diego lopez . the result left villarreal in second place above barcelona and valencia on goal difference , with all three teams having 16 points from seven matches . hercules are 10th in the 20-team league , with eight points -- nine behind real and above real mallorca , sporting gijon and levante on goal difference . meanwhile , blackburn rovers survived the first-half dismissal of key defender christopher samba to earn a 0-0 draw at home to sunderland in monday 's only english premier league clash . the congo international was sent off in the third minute of injury-time after bringing down sunderland 's on-loan striker danny welbeck just outside the penalty area . the draw -- sunderland 's fifth in a row -- left both teams just three points above the bottom three after eight games . | former france star david trezeguet scores and is sent off as hercules draw with villarreal |
hollande <tsp> paris ( cnn ) -- france 's first lady is filing a defamation complaint against the authors of a biography published thursday which claims she had an affair with a former french minister while seeing president francois hollande . attorneys for valérie trierweiler , who is not married to hollande , told cnn the complaint is likely to be filed friday with the paris tribunal . read more : can france handle truth on sex lives of rich and powerful ? in la frondeuse , ' or the troublemaker , ' authors alix bouilhaguet and christophe jakubyszyn allege that trierweiler had a longstanding relationship with patrick devedjian , a former minister for economic recovery and close ally of former president nicolas sarkozy . this relationship allegedly started in 1998 and ended only in 2004 -- four years after her courtship with hollande began . all of them had other partners at the time . trierweiler 's relationship with devedjian crumbled after he was unable to commit further to their relationship , the book says -- paving the way for hollande to step in . several books have been published about hollande and his romantic partners since he was elected . profile : francois hollande ' trierweiler is an interesting subject matter because she has character , ' bouilhaguet told cnn . it 's complicated for a 47-year-old woman to find herself in the elysée , which has demanding protocol for their first ladies . ' bouilhaguet admitted that she was surprised ' by the defamation complaint , adding that the book is an open investigation with a true look ' at trierweiler 's personality . in another extract in the book , the authors write that trierweiler claims sarkozy made a pass at her at a july 14 celebration in the elysée palace , while holding his ex-wife cecilia 's hand . you 're so beautiful , ' he is said to have whispered in her ear . when she refused his advances , the book says , sarkozy said to his friends : who does she take herself for ? am i not good enough for her ? ' trierweiler is characterized by this abrupt iciness , ' the authors claim , and inside journalist circles at french newspaper le monde , she was labeled cruella . ' a friend of the couple goes even further and says in the book that trierweiler is the achilles heel ' of hollande , who can potentially create a lot of problems for him . ' time : meet france 's unmarried'first lady' the authors also called the french first lady a narcissistic woman , using at once her charms to get what she wants and in the following second , showing her fangs when something displeases her . ' hollande 's complex love life -- including alleged animosity between trierweiler and segolene royal , with whom he has four children -- was the subject of two books published this summer . a poll in august suggested that it was at the root of his sliding popularity . trierweiler was embroiled in controversy in june after she tweeted support for royal 's opponent during the french parliamentary elections . | a new book says france 's first lady began seeing hollande while dating another man |
hollande <tsp> paris ( cnn ) -- france 's first lady is filing a defamation complaint against the authors of a biography published thursday which claims she had an affair with a former french minister while seeing president francois hollande . attorneys for valérie trierweiler , who is not married to hollande , told cnn the complaint is likely to be filed friday with the paris tribunal . read more : can france handle truth on sex lives of rich and powerful ? in la frondeuse , ' or the troublemaker , ' authors alix bouilhaguet and christophe jakubyszyn allege that trierweiler had a longstanding relationship with patrick devedjian , a former minister for economic recovery and close ally of former president nicolas sarkozy . this relationship allegedly started in 1998 and ended only in 2004 -- four years after her courtship with hollande began . all of them had other partners at the time . trierweiler 's relationship with devedjian crumbled after he was unable to commit further to their relationship , the book says -- paving the way for hollande to step in . several books have been published about hollande and his romantic partners since he was elected . profile : francois hollande ' trierweiler is an interesting subject matter because she has character , ' bouilhaguet told cnn . it 's complicated for a 47-year-old woman to find herself in the elysée , which has demanding protocol for their first ladies . ' bouilhaguet admitted that she was surprised ' by the defamation complaint , adding that the book is an open investigation with a true look ' at trierweiler 's personality . in another extract in the book , the authors write that trierweiler claims sarkozy made a pass at her at a july 14 celebration in the elysée palace , while holding his ex-wife cecilia 's hand . you 're so beautiful , ' he is said to have whispered in her ear . when she refused his advances , the book says , sarkozy said to his friends : who does she take herself for ? am i not good enough for her ? ' trierweiler is characterized by this abrupt iciness , ' the authors claim , and inside journalist circles at french newspaper le monde , she was labeled cruella . ' a friend of the couple goes even further and says in the book that trierweiler is the achilles heel ' of hollande , who can potentially create a lot of problems for him . ' time : meet france 's unmarried'first lady' the authors also called the french first lady a narcissistic woman , using at once her charms to get what she wants and in the following second , showing her fangs when something displeases her . ' hollande 's complex love life -- including alleged animosity between trierweiler and segolene royal , with whom he has four children -- was the subject of two books published this summer . a poll in august suggested that it was at the root of his sliding popularity . trierweiler was embroiled in controversy in june after she tweeted support for royal 's opponent during the french parliamentary elections . | the book says sarkozy also made a pass at trierweiler , who is not married to hollande |
nadal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- world number one rafael nadal continues to prove unbeatable on his favorite clay-court surface , as he won his fifth barcelona open title in a row with a straight sets victory over fellow-spaniard david ferrer on sunday . rafael nadal lifts the massive barcelona open trophy for the fifth year in a row after his win over david ferrer . the 22-year-old nadal , who last week secured his fifth monte carlo title in succession , repeated that feat on home soil by winning 6-2 7-5 in a repeat of the 2008 final . the victory gave nadal his 35th career title ( 24 of them coming on clay ) and meant the barcelona tournament was won by a home player for a seventh straight year . i could have never have imagined that i would win here for a fifth time , ' a beaming nadal said after the match . congratulations to david also . even if it was impossible for him to win today , he had a great tournament . for me , this is much more than a dream , ' he added . nadal will have no time to celebrate as he heads directly for the rome masters which begins on monday . last year , an obviously exhausted nadal lost in his opening match to compatriot juan carlos ferrero . | the title was nadal 's 35th of his career with 24 of those coming on clay-courts |
nadal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- world number one rafael nadal continues to prove unbeatable on his favorite clay-court surface , as he won his fifth barcelona open title in a row with a straight sets victory over fellow-spaniard david ferrer on sunday . rafael nadal lifts the massive barcelona open trophy for the fifth year in a row after his win over david ferrer . the 22-year-old nadal , who last week secured his fifth monte carlo title in succession , repeated that feat on home soil by winning 6-2 7-5 in a repeat of the 2008 final . the victory gave nadal his 35th career title ( 24 of them coming on clay ) and meant the barcelona tournament was won by a home player for a seventh straight year . i could have never have imagined that i would win here for a fifth time , ' a beaming nadal said after the match . congratulations to david also . even if it was impossible for him to win today , he had a great tournament . for me , this is much more than a dream , ' he added . nadal will have no time to celebrate as he heads directly for the rome masters which begins on monday . last year , an obviously exhausted nadal lost in his opening match to compatriot juan carlos ferrero . | rafael nadal defeats david ferrer in straight sets to lift barcelona open title |
world cup <tsp> johannesburg , south africa ( cnn ) -- a south african pensioner has died while waiting in a queue to buy tickets for the soccer world cup , with people lining up for 20 hours in some cases and system problems causing further delays . cape town police spokesperson ezra october confirmed to cnn that 64-year-old ralph van heerden collapsed and died while waiting to purchase 11 world cup tickets on thursday morning . he was certified dead by paramedics when they arrived on the scene at around 7:15 a.m. local time ( 0515 gmt ) . it is believed that he had a heart problem . according to police , paramedics tried to resuscitate him but failed . the man had waiting in line for five hours and was number 565 in the queue . ireport : send us your pictures and videos of buying your ticket south africans across the country have been queuing since wednesday afternoon in a last-minute bid to be part of the first football world cup on the continent , with 500,000 tickets still available . are you going to the world cup ? click here to become a cnn super fan . cnn 's nkepile mabuse was in a queue outside the sandown ticketing center in johannesburg , one of 11 across the country . she said the first person in line there had been waiting for 20 hours -- and then he had to wait an extra hour due to problems with the ticket machines . i talked to a member of the local organizing committee and he said the system had crashed . the tickets could n't be printed , ' mabuse said . the tickets will be available only to south africans until 1600 gmt , and from then overseas people will also be able to purchase them through the web site of soccer 's governing body fifa . fifa said 1,610 tickets were sold to 310 customers nationally at the ticketing center within the first hour on thursday morning , with 2,166 tickets bought by 470 fans at branches of the first national bank . there was a massive demand for tickets this morning , which we are delighted with . we experienced some delays in issuing tickets at the outset , but we have been working on improving the response time of the system , ' said james byrom of fifa 's official ticketing service provider match . mabuse said it is likely there will be empty seats at some of the tournament 's group-stage games , especially outside the main cities , despite south africans being offered tickets at a discounted rate of $ 18 . it is going to be very difficult to sell them all -- only 220,000 were sold at the last phase , ' she said . many of the 500,000 tickets made available had been returned from overseas affiliates . there are fewer foreign fans coming than originally expected . there were 450,000 expected but it will be nowhere that , people have been saying it 'll be more like 300-350,000 . ' another problem for local organizers is that south africans are used to buying tickets on the day of events . tickets had previously been only available via the internet and one south african bank , but organizers have been forced to allow supermarkets to become outlets as well as the 11 official sales centers . it has been very difficult for south africans to get tickets , ' mabuse said . the majority of people here are poor and they ca n't afford to buy tickets . and only 10 percent of the population have access to the internet . ' fifa gave away many tickets at the confederations cup in south africa last year to avoid the prospect of empty stadiums , but mabuse said that was unlikely to be repeated at the world cup . i asked fifa general secretary jerome valcke and he said that was not going to happen again -- they would rather have some empty seats than give tickets away , ' she said . | a 64-year-old man dies while waiting to buy tickets for the soccer world cup in south africa |
arab <tsp> ( oprah.com ) -- a businesswoman , a mother of four , an international fashion icon , a woman committed to making the world a better place for women and children -- queen rania of jordan is truly changing the world . queen rania says cultural dialogue , education and increased opportunities are ways to combat terrorism . rania al-yassin was born in kuwait . shortly after saddam hussein invaded that country in 1990 , her family fled and settled in jordan . after graduating from business school , rania began working her way up the corporate ladder . when she was just 22 , she went to a dinner party where she met jordan 's prince abdullah -- considered one of the world 's most eligible bachelors . he did n't remain one for long after that night . six months later , rania and abdullah had a royal wedding and started a family . and , though they planned for a life as royals , abdullah assumed he 'd remain a military officer for life . in 1999 , while on his deathbed , king hussein of jordan stunned his country by announcing that his son abdullah -- not his brother -- would succeed him as king . that made 29-year-old rania the world 's youngest living queen . rania says that being queen is not the trait she defines herself by . i am not at all conscious of it , ' she says . i make a conscious effort not to be conscious of it . because i 'm rania , you know ? people call me'queen ,'but , you know , that 's not me ... i 'm rania . ' there are many perks to being queen , of course , but rania stresses that there are also responsibilities . one of the major misconceptions about this position is that people think that i might be far removed , that i might not be in touch with reality , ' she says . the honest truth is that my life is very much about dealing with issues on the ground , dealing with ... the problems that our country faces . that 's something i do on a daily basis . ' watch how queen rania uses technology to reach young people » when most people think of queens , they probably think of what they know from fairy tales . for me , it 's just real life , ' rania says . i am a mother . i care about my children . i worry about what they eat . i worry about the influences from their friends . ' rania is not only sitting royalty in jordan , she 's raising the next generation of royals too . she is the mother of four children -- 14-year-old hussein , 12-year-old iman , 8-year-old salma and 3-year-old hashem . rania says her family tries very hard to remain down to earth . the family has relaxed much of the ceremonial pomp and circumstance of their position . rania prefers that people not refer to her as your majesty ' ... and king abdullah loves to barbecue ! the family never discusses the possibility that hussein , their oldest child , could be the future king of jordan , rania says . instead , she says the family strives to remain like any other family . for instance , to get the things they want , the children have to clean their rooms and do well in school . the most important thing is to instill them with the right values , ' rania says . i just feel that values are the shield that you carry with you throughout life . it protects you from whatever life throws at you . ' rania has become famous around the world for her efforts to improve educational opportunities for girls and the rights of women . in my mind , poverty is a'she ,'' rania says . helping others is something rania says she feels compelled to do . once you feel that others are like you , then you want for others what you want for yourself , ' she says . and that way you start helping others . ' rania explains that there is a direct relationship between increasing education and eliminating poverty . you can change the course of a nation through education , ' she says . one of the most important things you can do for a girl is empower her with her education . once she has the education , she can then have control over her income , she can change her life , she can have choices . ' to understand what life is like for the women in rania 's kingdom , the oprah show ' spent a day with a few women in amman , the capital city of jordan . one woman named muna worries about striking a balance between work and motherhood . part of that means preparing lunch -- the most important meal in jordanian culture -- for her family . unlike in america , most children and husbands return home to eat with their families for lunch . just like in america , muna cooks a variety of meals , everything from traditional arabic food to hamburgers and spaghetti . in this largely muslim country , one religious tradition is increasingly a matter of choice . approximately 60 percent of jordanian women wear a veil . though queen rania says she has never worn a veil , she understands why a woman would want to . we think it 's a personal choice , ' she says . unfortunately , in the west , people look at the veil as a sign of oppression or weakness . this is not true as long as a woman is wearing it because of her belief . i always say we should judge a woman according to what 's going on in their heads rather than what 's going on top of their heads . ' rania says that when people focus on differences between cultures -- especially stereotypes and things like veils -- they fail to realize just how similar all people are . once you go beyond the mannerisms , the language , the cultural idiosyncrasies , you realize that you 're basically the same , you know ? ' she says . rania also wants to break down the stereotypes the west holds about her culture . i would like to dispel the misconception that arabs are all extremists , that arab people are violent and that women in the arab world are oppressed and suppressed , ' she says . the struggle we feel today is not really middle east against the west , rania says , but rather it is between extremists and moderates of all religions . we need to speak up , ' she says . the biggest nightmare for the extremists is for us to get along , and that 's why we have to get along . we have to communicate more . ' in the future , rania says she hopes for a more open and secure world . we look at problems happening halfway across the world and we think ,'well , that 's their problem .'but it 's not , ' she says . when you solve somebody else 's problem , you 're solving a problem for yourself because our world today is so interconnected . ' rania says solving problems that stem from intolerance -- like terrorism -- require cultural dialogue , education and increased opportunities . we have to create opportunities for our youth so they have a chance in life , ' she says . whenever you 're frustrated and you feel like you do n't have a future or you ca n't get a job , then you 're more susceptible to be influenced by terrorism and extremist ideology . ' oprah.com : africa 's first-ever elected female president from the oprah winfrey show ' subscribe to o , the oprah magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . that 's like getting 18 issues free . subscribe now ! tm & © 2009 harpo productions , inc. all rights reserved . | rania would like to break stereotypes the west has about arab culture |
perry <tsp> texas gov . rick perry , calling his indictment politically motivated , vowed saturday to fight charges he abused his power by trying to pressure a district attorney to resign . this farce of a prosecution will be revealed for what it is , and those responsible will be held accountable , ' perry said at a news conference in austin , the capital . a grand jury in travis county indicted perry , a republican , on two felony counts stemming from his threat to veto funding for a statewide public integrity unit run by travis country district attorney rosemary lehmberg , a democrat , unless she stepped down , according to the special prosecutor in the case , michael mccrum . the case centers on perry 's june 2013 veto of the $ 7.5 million budget for the unit run by lehmberg , after she refused his demand to resign following her drunken driving arrest and conviction . perry faces accusations of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity in connection with the threat and veto . right to veto ? according to mccrum , the indictment alleges that the circumstances around perry 's veto threat amounted to a misuse of state money earmarked by the legislature to fund the public integrity unit in travis county run by lehmberg . the second charge alleges that he improperly used the veto threat to get her to resign following her arrest on a drunk driving charge . she stayed in office . but the governor said under the state constitution he has the discretionary right to veto items in the state budget . i exercised this discretion , ' he said . read the indictment ( pdf ) perry defended his actions , pointing to lehmberg 's blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest in april 2013 and then her behavior during her arrest , which was captured on video and made public . given that information and given that choice again , that is exactly what i would do again , ' perry said . the governor said the indictment amounted to nothing more than abuse of power . ' we do n't settle political differences with indictments in this country , ' perry said . cnn affiliate kvue reported that perry will have to report to the travis county jail in austin to be booked , fingerprinted and have his photo made for a mugshot . political implications perry can continue to serve as governor while under indictment , kvue reported . his attorneys could seek to have the charges thrown out , a motion that would delay the case , at the very least . the charges have serious political implications , both in texas and beyond . perry is entering his final few months in office after a historic 14-year run in austin . perry 's presidential prospects could be damaged . it 's an open secret he 's laying groundwork for a second presidential campaign after his disastrous 2012 effort . the governor is scheduled to visit the early primary states of new hampshire and south carolina in the coming weeks to meet with republican activists and legislators . he has positioned himself as an early conservative alternative to new jersey gov . chris christie , another gop presidential contender . perry attorney david l. botsford on friday called the indictment a violence of the separation of powers , saying it sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a grand jury to punish the exercise of a lawful and constitutional authority afforded to the texas governor . ' the special prosecutor , mccrum , told the san antonio express-news the claim the case was politically motivated was not only ridiculous , but it 's disappointing . ' i think it 's important to note that while that may be good rhetoric for the state , there 's absolutely no basis for it , ' he told the newspaper . my investigation not only did not involve that , but my conversations with mr. botsford have never involved that . it 's always been about the facts and the law . that 's what this case is all about -- - the facts and the law , and nothing else . ' support for perry even so , a number of national political figures -- on both sides of the political line -- came to perry 's defense . unless he was demonstrably trying to scrap the ethics unit for other than his stated reason , perry indictment seems pretty sketchy , ' david axelrod , president barack obama 's former top adviser , said in a post on twitter . former florida gov . jeb bush , a republican , also took to twitter on the issue : the indictment of @ governorperry seems politically motivated and ridiculous . major overreach and an encroachment on his veto authority . ' but the texas democratic party called on perry to resign , saying in a written statement that the governor brought dishonor to his office , his family and the state of texas . we call on governor perry to immediately step down from office . texans deserve real leadership and this is unbecoming of our governor . ' perry 's indictment is the first of a sitting governor in texas on such charges since 1917 when , according to the dallas morning news , james pa ' ferguson was indicted for vetoing funding for the university of texas in an attempt to push out faculty and staff . he resigned . opinion : the case against perry | gov . rick perry says the indictment is politically motivated and vows to fight it |
perry <tsp> texas gov . rick perry , calling his indictment politically motivated , vowed saturday to fight charges he abused his power by trying to pressure a district attorney to resign . this farce of a prosecution will be revealed for what it is , and those responsible will be held accountable , ' perry said at a news conference in austin , the capital . a grand jury in travis county indicted perry , a republican , on two felony counts stemming from his threat to veto funding for a statewide public integrity unit run by travis country district attorney rosemary lehmberg , a democrat , unless she stepped down , according to the special prosecutor in the case , michael mccrum . the case centers on perry 's june 2013 veto of the $ 7.5 million budget for the unit run by lehmberg , after she refused his demand to resign following her drunken driving arrest and conviction . perry faces accusations of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity in connection with the threat and veto . right to veto ? according to mccrum , the indictment alleges that the circumstances around perry 's veto threat amounted to a misuse of state money earmarked by the legislature to fund the public integrity unit in travis county run by lehmberg . the second charge alleges that he improperly used the veto threat to get her to resign following her arrest on a drunk driving charge . she stayed in office . but the governor said under the state constitution he has the discretionary right to veto items in the state budget . i exercised this discretion , ' he said . read the indictment ( pdf ) perry defended his actions , pointing to lehmberg 's blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest in april 2013 and then her behavior during her arrest , which was captured on video and made public . given that information and given that choice again , that is exactly what i would do again , ' perry said . the governor said the indictment amounted to nothing more than abuse of power . ' we do n't settle political differences with indictments in this country , ' perry said . cnn affiliate kvue reported that perry will have to report to the travis county jail in austin to be booked , fingerprinted and have his photo made for a mugshot . political implications perry can continue to serve as governor while under indictment , kvue reported . his attorneys could seek to have the charges thrown out , a motion that would delay the case , at the very least . the charges have serious political implications , both in texas and beyond . perry is entering his final few months in office after a historic 14-year run in austin . perry 's presidential prospects could be damaged . it 's an open secret he 's laying groundwork for a second presidential campaign after his disastrous 2012 effort . the governor is scheduled to visit the early primary states of new hampshire and south carolina in the coming weeks to meet with republican activists and legislators . he has positioned himself as an early conservative alternative to new jersey gov . chris christie , another gop presidential contender . perry attorney david l. botsford on friday called the indictment a violence of the separation of powers , saying it sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a grand jury to punish the exercise of a lawful and constitutional authority afforded to the texas governor . ' the special prosecutor , mccrum , told the san antonio express-news the claim the case was politically motivated was not only ridiculous , but it 's disappointing . ' i think it 's important to note that while that may be good rhetoric for the state , there 's absolutely no basis for it , ' he told the newspaper . my investigation not only did not involve that , but my conversations with mr. botsford have never involved that . it 's always been about the facts and the law . that 's what this case is all about -- - the facts and the law , and nothing else . ' support for perry even so , a number of national political figures -- on both sides of the political line -- came to perry 's defense . unless he was demonstrably trying to scrap the ethics unit for other than his stated reason , perry indictment seems pretty sketchy , ' david axelrod , president barack obama 's former top adviser , said in a post on twitter . former florida gov . jeb bush , a republican , also took to twitter on the issue : the indictment of @ governorperry seems politically motivated and ridiculous . major overreach and an encroachment on his veto authority . ' but the texas democratic party called on perry to resign , saying in a written statement that the governor brought dishonor to his office , his family and the state of texas . we call on governor perry to immediately step down from office . texans deserve real leadership and this is unbecoming of our governor . ' perry 's indictment is the first of a sitting governor in texas on such charges since 1917 when , according to the dallas morning news , james pa ' ferguson was indicted for vetoing funding for the university of texas in an attempt to push out faculty and staff . he resigned . opinion : the case against perry | perry allegedly threatened to veto funding for a program run by the da in austin |
perry <tsp> texas gov . rick perry , calling his indictment politically motivated , vowed saturday to fight charges he abused his power by trying to pressure a district attorney to resign . this farce of a prosecution will be revealed for what it is , and those responsible will be held accountable , ' perry said at a news conference in austin , the capital . a grand jury in travis county indicted perry , a republican , on two felony counts stemming from his threat to veto funding for a statewide public integrity unit run by travis country district attorney rosemary lehmberg , a democrat , unless she stepped down , according to the special prosecutor in the case , michael mccrum . the case centers on perry 's june 2013 veto of the $ 7.5 million budget for the unit run by lehmberg , after she refused his demand to resign following her drunken driving arrest and conviction . perry faces accusations of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity in connection with the threat and veto . right to veto ? according to mccrum , the indictment alleges that the circumstances around perry 's veto threat amounted to a misuse of state money earmarked by the legislature to fund the public integrity unit in travis county run by lehmberg . the second charge alleges that he improperly used the veto threat to get her to resign following her arrest on a drunk driving charge . she stayed in office . but the governor said under the state constitution he has the discretionary right to veto items in the state budget . i exercised this discretion , ' he said . read the indictment ( pdf ) perry defended his actions , pointing to lehmberg 's blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest in april 2013 and then her behavior during her arrest , which was captured on video and made public . given that information and given that choice again , that is exactly what i would do again , ' perry said . the governor said the indictment amounted to nothing more than abuse of power . ' we do n't settle political differences with indictments in this country , ' perry said . cnn affiliate kvue reported that perry will have to report to the travis county jail in austin to be booked , fingerprinted and have his photo made for a mugshot . political implications perry can continue to serve as governor while under indictment , kvue reported . his attorneys could seek to have the charges thrown out , a motion that would delay the case , at the very least . the charges have serious political implications , both in texas and beyond . perry is entering his final few months in office after a historic 14-year run in austin . perry 's presidential prospects could be damaged . it 's an open secret he 's laying groundwork for a second presidential campaign after his disastrous 2012 effort . the governor is scheduled to visit the early primary states of new hampshire and south carolina in the coming weeks to meet with republican activists and legislators . he has positioned himself as an early conservative alternative to new jersey gov . chris christie , another gop presidential contender . perry attorney david l. botsford on friday called the indictment a violence of the separation of powers , saying it sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a grand jury to punish the exercise of a lawful and constitutional authority afforded to the texas governor . ' the special prosecutor , mccrum , told the san antonio express-news the claim the case was politically motivated was not only ridiculous , but it 's disappointing . ' i think it 's important to note that while that may be good rhetoric for the state , there 's absolutely no basis for it , ' he told the newspaper . my investigation not only did not involve that , but my conversations with mr. botsford have never involved that . it 's always been about the facts and the law . that 's what this case is all about -- - the facts and the law , and nothing else . ' support for perry even so , a number of national political figures -- on both sides of the political line -- came to perry 's defense . unless he was demonstrably trying to scrap the ethics unit for other than his stated reason , perry indictment seems pretty sketchy , ' david axelrod , president barack obama 's former top adviser , said in a post on twitter . former florida gov . jeb bush , a republican , also took to twitter on the issue : the indictment of @ governorperry seems politically motivated and ridiculous . major overreach and an encroachment on his veto authority . ' but the texas democratic party called on perry to resign , saying in a written statement that the governor brought dishonor to his office , his family and the state of texas . we call on governor perry to immediately step down from office . texans deserve real leadership and this is unbecoming of our governor . ' perry 's indictment is the first of a sitting governor in texas on such charges since 1917 when , according to the dallas morning news , james pa ' ferguson was indicted for vetoing funding for the university of texas in an attempt to push out faculty and staff . he resigned . opinion : the case against perry | perry lawyer calls indictments political abuse of the court system ' |
cairo <tsp> ibrahim abdel-wahab abdel-azeem is one of the last traditional craftsmen in egypt making the oud , the guitar-like instrument heard in so much arabic music . he is one of only six or seven oud makers still working in the historic mohamed ali street in cairo . it takes him a week to make one oud for sale , molding it from thin layers of wood that are joined together without using nails . we bring big chunks of wood and then we cut it into thin layers , ' said abdel-azeem . first we put those layers on the hot iron . later we bend it . when it comes out we glue it together because the oud does n't not have any nails . ' abdel-azeem , 62 , inherited his art from his father and started out in his workshop while he was still at school . the profession is originally egyptian and moved to syria and turkey , but my father brought it back to egypt , ' said abdel-azeem . abdel-azeem was only 14 when his father died and he took over his workshop . it is not just a job to him , but a way of life . oud is the sultan of music and songs , ' said abdel-azeem . without oud there 's no music . it 's the base to any other instrument . making an oud requires artistic talent . it 's not only a trade because when the oud is not made properly or the sound coming out of it is not right we become emotionally depressed . ' see also : egyptian student sends spiders in to space but he worries that the trade will die out . the only people left making ouds are only six or seven people in the country . no one is interested in learning it anymore . if it continues this way this profession will die . other instruments took over . we used to take oud classes in school . they do n't teach oud anymore except in colleges of music . ' another man working hard to keep the tradition of the oud alive is naseer shamma , one of the most famous musicians in the middle east . shamma , 47 , is a composer , performer , poet and now a teacher . he left his native iraq during saddam hussein 's rule and moved to cairo where he now runs a house of oud ' music school with branches in egypt , algeria and the united arab emirates . i think if anybody needs to change the life around him he needs to do something really in education , ' said shamma . for example , not just composition or just concerts ; we need another line to continue with the new generation for that this is my project for all my life . ' also on inside the middle east : gaza music students find smart ways around travel ban among his students is ahmed al-sheikh , an 11-year-old syrian boy who has just passed his final exams at shamma 's house of oud school in abu dhabi . my dream is to be a big artist , ' said ahmed . when i close my eyes , i dream of being on stage and hearing people applaud for my music . ' it is teaching children like ahmed that keeps shamma believing in his work . i need to change the life in arab world , but if we need to change we need to start with the boys , with the small girls , with the culture in the beginning , ' he said . together , they are ensuring this centuries-old tradition will be passed on to generations to come . follow the inside the middle east team on twitter : presenter rima maktabi : @ rimamaktabi , producer jon jensen : @ jonjensen , producer schams elwazer @ schamscnn and writer catriona davies @ catrionadavies | only a handful of traditional oud makers still work in cairo |
emirates <tsp> ( cnn ) -- arsenal 's english premier league clash with bolton has been postponed because of heavy snow in north london , the club have confirmed . the playing surface at the emirates was fit to allow the match to take place on wednesday evening but there were safety issues affecting fans and concerns about transport . a statement on the club 's web site said : despite making every effort to stage tonight 's match against bolton wanderers , the sudden and unpredicted adverse change in weather conditions in the highbury area has left us no choice but to postpone the fixture . we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and wish to state that this decision was not made lightly and supporters'safety and travel arrangements were major factors in our thinking . all tickets currently held will be valid for the rearranged fixture . ' the postponement of the match was the latest football fixture to be hit by the harsh weather in great britain . manchester city 's league cup semifinal clash with manchester united scheduled for wednesday evening was called off on tuesday along with blackburn 's tie with aston villa . | the playing surface at the emirates was fit to allow the match to take place on wednesday evening but there were safety issues affecting fans . |
fuqua <tsp> hollywood , california ( cnn ) -- director antoine fuqua , the force behind films such as training day ' and shooter , ' turned his focus to creating cnn 's exclusive short film from mlk to today , ' which airs at 7 p.m . et monday . filmmaker antoine fuqua , 43 , says he did n't believe he would see an african-american president in his lifetime . before flying off to the sundance film festival to premiere his latest action-thriller , brooklyn 's finest , ' starring richard gere , ethan hawke and don cheadle , fuqua , 43 , stopped by the cnn newsroom in hollywood to discuss the making of this film . he outlined his vision for the piece , which chronicles america 's civil rights journey from the rev . martin luther king jr. to barack obama . cnn : as a filmmaker , you work with people like don cheadle , ethan hawke and denzel washington . why are you sitting here in our edit bay doing this project ? antoine fuqua : because it 's martin luther king , and because it 's barack obama 's story . and because it 's cnn . it 's important to be a part of history , and a part of inspiring people today . i think this is one of the biggest times in my life -- besides my children . so why would n't i be here ? what else would i be doing except flying to sundance to promote my movie ! [ laughs ] watch a clip from from mlk to today ' » cnn : you were born in the '60s , so you were very young during the civil rights movement . you were barely out of diapers when martin luther king was assassinated . fuqua : i am familiar with the history because i love history . african-americans -- i feel we can not ever forget our past . not in an angry or negative way -- just to know where we come from , so we get a better sense of where we 're going , and how to get there , and what not to do . i do n't think you can ever forget martin luther king and many other people who sacrificed , whose names we do n't even know . cnn : what do you remember from your childhood ? fuqua : i remember being afraid at times . i remember the black panthers . when i was a little boy , the men that were around me were part of a movement . there was a lot of tension . there were a lot of weapons around . there was talk of fbi . i was a little kid , you know -- 6 , 5 years old . i did n't really know what it meant . but there was a lot of fear -- a lot of fear of police , or of leaving your neighborhood . cnn : did you experience much racism growing up in pittsburgh ? fuqua : i remember a lot of racism . i mean , we used to get beat up by the police . we used to go to certain areas , and cops would slap you around , and grab you by your collar and treat you a certain way . i remember getting on a bus and drivers would treat us disrespectfully , assuming we were going to misbehave . and we were just going to school . i got into fights at school . ... no real reason , except for color of the skin . i do n't think they even understood really . cnn : did you understand ? fuqua : not really . i did n't really understand it . i was used to it . i had an understanding of it at that age , which was i was black and they were white , and i was poor and they had money . cnn : did you think there were certain things you could n't accomplish because you were black ? what about being a director ? fuqua : when i was a little kid , i used to sleep in my grandmother 's basement , and i would read magazines , and books and things -- and i would dream of places i would go . i remember thinking , well , if it 's just a matter of money to leave my neighborhood , then i have to make money . ' then i read something about craftsmanship -- which is not a word you used often in that time in the ghettos . if you learn a craft , then you can make a living for the rest of your life . so i went to school to be an electrical engineer . and when i was in school , i took a baroque art class . they were talking about caravaggio , who was a baroque painter . now he was from the streets in italy , and he used to paint these very provocative paintings of people he lived with on the streets -- beggars , and prostitutes and things . it reminded me of my world -- in the sense of being a young kid on the streets , growing up , seeing a lot of provocative images that i was probably too young to see -- and i would express them , and i would do little illustrations or i would paint on a wall . then i started to study [ akira ] kurosawa , who was a painter as well as a director . i saw his movies -- the seven samurai ' and all that -- and i thought , wow , that 's even more interesting , because it 's a moving picture and you get to tell a story . ' cnn : and now you 're telling the story of martin luther king and barack obama . did you ever think you 'd see an african-american president of the united states ? fuqua : never . never . not in my time . i thought somewhere down the line it would happen , but not in my time -- because i still deal with racial situations . sometimes people do n't do it blatantly . they 'll say something , or they 'll behave a certain way when i know they do n't normally behave that way . as a director , you run into walls where they say , well , it does n't translate well overseas . you know , you need to have a white movie star in it . ' there 's some truth to that . so if hollywood 's not ready to embrace more stories about african-americans -- and that 's based on the money that the movies make -- then would the country really be ready to embrace a president ? you know , the ceo of the country ? and obviously , we are . we are ready . cnn : as a director , you have this story about an unbelievable presidential election , where a first-term senator wins . would you have cast barack obama in that role ? fuqua : in a heartbeat , in a heartbeat . he 's like a movie star . look at the guy . he 's dashing , he 's charming , he 's got a little swagger about him . he reminds me of denzel in their way . [ fuqua directed washington in the 2001 action-thriller training day . ' ] i was with denzel over christmas , and they 're very similar -- their mannerisms at times . cnn : in the short film you 're directing for us , you 've drawn the parallel between obama and martin luther king . fuqua : it is the passing of the torch between martin luther king and barack obama . i think barack obama is the dream . ' i mean , we 're all the dream . i think it 's a bigger picture than one man . cnn : what 's the message you want to convey with your short film ? fuqua : hope . a sense of the past . but more than anything , i would love people to walk away feeling like we 've just begun . | fuqua discusses life , experiences with racism and the hope barack obama brings |
fuqua <tsp> hollywood , california ( cnn ) -- director antoine fuqua , the force behind films such as training day ' and shooter , ' turned his focus to creating cnn 's exclusive short film from mlk to today , ' which airs at 7 p.m . et monday . filmmaker antoine fuqua , 43 , says he did n't believe he would see an african-american president in his lifetime . before flying off to the sundance film festival to premiere his latest action-thriller , brooklyn 's finest , ' starring richard gere , ethan hawke and don cheadle , fuqua , 43 , stopped by the cnn newsroom in hollywood to discuss the making of this film . he outlined his vision for the piece , which chronicles america 's civil rights journey from the rev . martin luther king jr. to barack obama . cnn : as a filmmaker , you work with people like don cheadle , ethan hawke and denzel washington . why are you sitting here in our edit bay doing this project ? antoine fuqua : because it 's martin luther king , and because it 's barack obama 's story . and because it 's cnn . it 's important to be a part of history , and a part of inspiring people today . i think this is one of the biggest times in my life -- besides my children . so why would n't i be here ? what else would i be doing except flying to sundance to promote my movie ! [ laughs ] watch a clip from from mlk to today ' » cnn : you were born in the '60s , so you were very young during the civil rights movement . you were barely out of diapers when martin luther king was assassinated . fuqua : i am familiar with the history because i love history . african-americans -- i feel we can not ever forget our past . not in an angry or negative way -- just to know where we come from , so we get a better sense of where we 're going , and how to get there , and what not to do . i do n't think you can ever forget martin luther king and many other people who sacrificed , whose names we do n't even know . cnn : what do you remember from your childhood ? fuqua : i remember being afraid at times . i remember the black panthers . when i was a little boy , the men that were around me were part of a movement . there was a lot of tension . there were a lot of weapons around . there was talk of fbi . i was a little kid , you know -- 6 , 5 years old . i did n't really know what it meant . but there was a lot of fear -- a lot of fear of police , or of leaving your neighborhood . cnn : did you experience much racism growing up in pittsburgh ? fuqua : i remember a lot of racism . i mean , we used to get beat up by the police . we used to go to certain areas , and cops would slap you around , and grab you by your collar and treat you a certain way . i remember getting on a bus and drivers would treat us disrespectfully , assuming we were going to misbehave . and we were just going to school . i got into fights at school . ... no real reason , except for color of the skin . i do n't think they even understood really . cnn : did you understand ? fuqua : not really . i did n't really understand it . i was used to it . i had an understanding of it at that age , which was i was black and they were white , and i was poor and they had money . cnn : did you think there were certain things you could n't accomplish because you were black ? what about being a director ? fuqua : when i was a little kid , i used to sleep in my grandmother 's basement , and i would read magazines , and books and things -- and i would dream of places i would go . i remember thinking , well , if it 's just a matter of money to leave my neighborhood , then i have to make money . ' then i read something about craftsmanship -- which is not a word you used often in that time in the ghettos . if you learn a craft , then you can make a living for the rest of your life . so i went to school to be an electrical engineer . and when i was in school , i took a baroque art class . they were talking about caravaggio , who was a baroque painter . now he was from the streets in italy , and he used to paint these very provocative paintings of people he lived with on the streets -- beggars , and prostitutes and things . it reminded me of my world -- in the sense of being a young kid on the streets , growing up , seeing a lot of provocative images that i was probably too young to see -- and i would express them , and i would do little illustrations or i would paint on a wall . then i started to study [ akira ] kurosawa , who was a painter as well as a director . i saw his movies -- the seven samurai ' and all that -- and i thought , wow , that 's even more interesting , because it 's a moving picture and you get to tell a story . ' cnn : and now you 're telling the story of martin luther king and barack obama . did you ever think you 'd see an african-american president of the united states ? fuqua : never . never . not in my time . i thought somewhere down the line it would happen , but not in my time -- because i still deal with racial situations . sometimes people do n't do it blatantly . they 'll say something , or they 'll behave a certain way when i know they do n't normally behave that way . as a director , you run into walls where they say , well , it does n't translate well overseas . you know , you need to have a white movie star in it . ' there 's some truth to that . so if hollywood 's not ready to embrace more stories about african-americans -- and that 's based on the money that the movies make -- then would the country really be ready to embrace a president ? you know , the ceo of the country ? and obviously , we are . we are ready . cnn : as a director , you have this story about an unbelievable presidential election , where a first-term senator wins . would you have cast barack obama in that role ? fuqua : in a heartbeat , in a heartbeat . he 's like a movie star . look at the guy . he 's dashing , he 's charming , he 's got a little swagger about him . he reminds me of denzel in their way . [ fuqua directed washington in the 2001 action-thriller training day . ' ] i was with denzel over christmas , and they 're very similar -- their mannerisms at times . cnn : in the short film you 're directing for us , you 've drawn the parallel between obama and martin luther king . fuqua : it is the passing of the torch between martin luther king and barack obama . i think barack obama is the dream . ' i mean , we 're all the dream . i think it 's a bigger picture than one man . cnn : what 's the message you want to convey with your short film ? fuqua : hope . a sense of the past . but more than anything , i would love people to walk away feeling like we 've just begun . | director antoine fuqua is filmmaker behind cnn 's from mlk to today ' |
fuqua <tsp> hollywood , california ( cnn ) -- director antoine fuqua , the force behind films such as training day ' and shooter , ' turned his focus to creating cnn 's exclusive short film from mlk to today , ' which airs at 7 p.m . et monday . filmmaker antoine fuqua , 43 , says he did n't believe he would see an african-american president in his lifetime . before flying off to the sundance film festival to premiere his latest action-thriller , brooklyn 's finest , ' starring richard gere , ethan hawke and don cheadle , fuqua , 43 , stopped by the cnn newsroom in hollywood to discuss the making of this film . he outlined his vision for the piece , which chronicles america 's civil rights journey from the rev . martin luther king jr. to barack obama . cnn : as a filmmaker , you work with people like don cheadle , ethan hawke and denzel washington . why are you sitting here in our edit bay doing this project ? antoine fuqua : because it 's martin luther king , and because it 's barack obama 's story . and because it 's cnn . it 's important to be a part of history , and a part of inspiring people today . i think this is one of the biggest times in my life -- besides my children . so why would n't i be here ? what else would i be doing except flying to sundance to promote my movie ! [ laughs ] watch a clip from from mlk to today ' » cnn : you were born in the '60s , so you were very young during the civil rights movement . you were barely out of diapers when martin luther king was assassinated . fuqua : i am familiar with the history because i love history . african-americans -- i feel we can not ever forget our past . not in an angry or negative way -- just to know where we come from , so we get a better sense of where we 're going , and how to get there , and what not to do . i do n't think you can ever forget martin luther king and many other people who sacrificed , whose names we do n't even know . cnn : what do you remember from your childhood ? fuqua : i remember being afraid at times . i remember the black panthers . when i was a little boy , the men that were around me were part of a movement . there was a lot of tension . there were a lot of weapons around . there was talk of fbi . i was a little kid , you know -- 6 , 5 years old . i did n't really know what it meant . but there was a lot of fear -- a lot of fear of police , or of leaving your neighborhood . cnn : did you experience much racism growing up in pittsburgh ? fuqua : i remember a lot of racism . i mean , we used to get beat up by the police . we used to go to certain areas , and cops would slap you around , and grab you by your collar and treat you a certain way . i remember getting on a bus and drivers would treat us disrespectfully , assuming we were going to misbehave . and we were just going to school . i got into fights at school . ... no real reason , except for color of the skin . i do n't think they even understood really . cnn : did you understand ? fuqua : not really . i did n't really understand it . i was used to it . i had an understanding of it at that age , which was i was black and they were white , and i was poor and they had money . cnn : did you think there were certain things you could n't accomplish because you were black ? what about being a director ? fuqua : when i was a little kid , i used to sleep in my grandmother 's basement , and i would read magazines , and books and things -- and i would dream of places i would go . i remember thinking , well , if it 's just a matter of money to leave my neighborhood , then i have to make money . ' then i read something about craftsmanship -- which is not a word you used often in that time in the ghettos . if you learn a craft , then you can make a living for the rest of your life . so i went to school to be an electrical engineer . and when i was in school , i took a baroque art class . they were talking about caravaggio , who was a baroque painter . now he was from the streets in italy , and he used to paint these very provocative paintings of people he lived with on the streets -- beggars , and prostitutes and things . it reminded me of my world -- in the sense of being a young kid on the streets , growing up , seeing a lot of provocative images that i was probably too young to see -- and i would express them , and i would do little illustrations or i would paint on a wall . then i started to study [ akira ] kurosawa , who was a painter as well as a director . i saw his movies -- the seven samurai ' and all that -- and i thought , wow , that 's even more interesting , because it 's a moving picture and you get to tell a story . ' cnn : and now you 're telling the story of martin luther king and barack obama . did you ever think you 'd see an african-american president of the united states ? fuqua : never . never . not in my time . i thought somewhere down the line it would happen , but not in my time -- because i still deal with racial situations . sometimes people do n't do it blatantly . they 'll say something , or they 'll behave a certain way when i know they do n't normally behave that way . as a director , you run into walls where they say , well , it does n't translate well overseas . you know , you need to have a white movie star in it . ' there 's some truth to that . so if hollywood 's not ready to embrace more stories about african-americans -- and that 's based on the money that the movies make -- then would the country really be ready to embrace a president ? you know , the ceo of the country ? and obviously , we are . we are ready . cnn : as a director , you have this story about an unbelievable presidential election , where a first-term senator wins . would you have cast barack obama in that role ? fuqua : in a heartbeat , in a heartbeat . he 's like a movie star . look at the guy . he 's dashing , he 's charming , he 's got a little swagger about him . he reminds me of denzel in their way . [ fuqua directed washington in the 2001 action-thriller training day . ' ] i was with denzel over christmas , and they 're very similar -- their mannerisms at times . cnn : in the short film you 're directing for us , you 've drawn the parallel between obama and martin luther king . fuqua : it is the passing of the torch between martin luther king and barack obama . i think barack obama is the dream . ' i mean , we 're all the dream . i think it 's a bigger picture than one man . cnn : what 's the message you want to convey with your short film ? fuqua : hope . a sense of the past . but more than anything , i would love people to walk away feeling like we 've just begun . | fuqua 's latest feature-length project , brooklyn 's finest , ' screened at sundance fest |
fuqua <tsp> hollywood , california ( cnn ) -- director antoine fuqua , the force behind films such as training day ' and shooter , ' turned his focus to creating cnn 's exclusive short film from mlk to today , ' which airs at 7 p.m . et monday . filmmaker antoine fuqua , 43 , says he did n't believe he would see an african-american president in his lifetime . before flying off to the sundance film festival to premiere his latest action-thriller , brooklyn 's finest , ' starring richard gere , ethan hawke and don cheadle , fuqua , 43 , stopped by the cnn newsroom in hollywood to discuss the making of this film . he outlined his vision for the piece , which chronicles america 's civil rights journey from the rev . martin luther king jr. to barack obama . cnn : as a filmmaker , you work with people like don cheadle , ethan hawke and denzel washington . why are you sitting here in our edit bay doing this project ? antoine fuqua : because it 's martin luther king , and because it 's barack obama 's story . and because it 's cnn . it 's important to be a part of history , and a part of inspiring people today . i think this is one of the biggest times in my life -- besides my children . so why would n't i be here ? what else would i be doing except flying to sundance to promote my movie ! [ laughs ] watch a clip from from mlk to today ' » cnn : you were born in the '60s , so you were very young during the civil rights movement . you were barely out of diapers when martin luther king was assassinated . fuqua : i am familiar with the history because i love history . african-americans -- i feel we can not ever forget our past . not in an angry or negative way -- just to know where we come from , so we get a better sense of where we 're going , and how to get there , and what not to do . i do n't think you can ever forget martin luther king and many other people who sacrificed , whose names we do n't even know . cnn : what do you remember from your childhood ? fuqua : i remember being afraid at times . i remember the black panthers . when i was a little boy , the men that were around me were part of a movement . there was a lot of tension . there were a lot of weapons around . there was talk of fbi . i was a little kid , you know -- 6 , 5 years old . i did n't really know what it meant . but there was a lot of fear -- a lot of fear of police , or of leaving your neighborhood . cnn : did you experience much racism growing up in pittsburgh ? fuqua : i remember a lot of racism . i mean , we used to get beat up by the police . we used to go to certain areas , and cops would slap you around , and grab you by your collar and treat you a certain way . i remember getting on a bus and drivers would treat us disrespectfully , assuming we were going to misbehave . and we were just going to school . i got into fights at school . ... no real reason , except for color of the skin . i do n't think they even understood really . cnn : did you understand ? fuqua : not really . i did n't really understand it . i was used to it . i had an understanding of it at that age , which was i was black and they were white , and i was poor and they had money . cnn : did you think there were certain things you could n't accomplish because you were black ? what about being a director ? fuqua : when i was a little kid , i used to sleep in my grandmother 's basement , and i would read magazines , and books and things -- and i would dream of places i would go . i remember thinking , well , if it 's just a matter of money to leave my neighborhood , then i have to make money . ' then i read something about craftsmanship -- which is not a word you used often in that time in the ghettos . if you learn a craft , then you can make a living for the rest of your life . so i went to school to be an electrical engineer . and when i was in school , i took a baroque art class . they were talking about caravaggio , who was a baroque painter . now he was from the streets in italy , and he used to paint these very provocative paintings of people he lived with on the streets -- beggars , and prostitutes and things . it reminded me of my world -- in the sense of being a young kid on the streets , growing up , seeing a lot of provocative images that i was probably too young to see -- and i would express them , and i would do little illustrations or i would paint on a wall . then i started to study [ akira ] kurosawa , who was a painter as well as a director . i saw his movies -- the seven samurai ' and all that -- and i thought , wow , that 's even more interesting , because it 's a moving picture and you get to tell a story . ' cnn : and now you 're telling the story of martin luther king and barack obama . did you ever think you 'd see an african-american president of the united states ? fuqua : never . never . not in my time . i thought somewhere down the line it would happen , but not in my time -- because i still deal with racial situations . sometimes people do n't do it blatantly . they 'll say something , or they 'll behave a certain way when i know they do n't normally behave that way . as a director , you run into walls where they say , well , it does n't translate well overseas . you know , you need to have a white movie star in it . ' there 's some truth to that . so if hollywood 's not ready to embrace more stories about african-americans -- and that 's based on the money that the movies make -- then would the country really be ready to embrace a president ? you know , the ceo of the country ? and obviously , we are . we are ready . cnn : as a director , you have this story about an unbelievable presidential election , where a first-term senator wins . would you have cast barack obama in that role ? fuqua : in a heartbeat , in a heartbeat . he 's like a movie star . look at the guy . he 's dashing , he 's charming , he 's got a little swagger about him . he reminds me of denzel in their way . [ fuqua directed washington in the 2001 action-thriller training day . ' ] i was with denzel over christmas , and they 're very similar -- their mannerisms at times . cnn : in the short film you 're directing for us , you 've drawn the parallel between obama and martin luther king . fuqua : it is the passing of the torch between martin luther king and barack obama . i think barack obama is the dream . ' i mean , we 're all the dream . i think it 's a bigger picture than one man . cnn : what 's the message you want to convey with your short film ? fuqua : hope . a sense of the past . but more than anything , i would love people to walk away feeling like we 've just begun . | fuqua , director of training day , ' compares obama with denzel washington |
efsf <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as debt-ridden greece braces for strikes while its prime minister attempts to reassure europe that his country will pay its bills , the 17 eurozone countries are in various stages of deciding whether to approve the expansion of europe 's bailout fund . the proposed enhancements to the european financial stability facility would allow the fund to increase its lending capacity from €250 billion to €440 billion and buy sovereign bonds in capital markets -- a strategy designed to prop up debt prices and help struggling eurozone countries fund themselves . europe 's leaders originally hoped that the efsf would never have to be used ; now they are hoping the fund 's new powers will be enough to prevent the collapse of the eurozone . first they will have to pass the measures . here 's a rundown of where the countries stand and the dates their governments approved ( or are expected to approve ) efsf expansion . yet to approve estonia -- september 29 the estonian parliament passed one of two necessary resolutions to ratify efsf expansion earlier this week , despite attempts by the country 's main opposition party to block the changes on the grounds that one of the eurozone 's poorer states simply can not afford to help bailout failing eurozone economies . final approval is expected on thursday . malta -- october 3-7 malta joined finland in its demand that greece put up collateral in exchange for any additional bailout money that malta would pay into the efsf . but it is unclear whether malta will join the finns in dropping that requirement before passing efsf enhancement . either way , approval and ratification of any proposed plan can not happen until lawmakers return from recess on october 3 . netherlands -- october 3-7 once opposed to expanding the rescue fund , the dutch are now expected to approve enhanced efsf measures with a parliamentary vote by the end of the first week of october -- although hardliners in the government continue to call for the private sector to take on more of the debt burden . cyprus -- october 3-7 the cypriot cabinet has approved the measures and parliament is expected to ratify the efsf expansion sometime during the first week of october . slovakia -- mid to late october one of the eurozone 's poorest countries is also the biggest obstacle to enhancing the efsf -- and members of the governing coalition 's refusal to approve the plan means a parliamentary vote may not happen until mid-october . portugal -- end of october while portugal has n't officially approved efsf expansion , it is expected to within weeks -- the cash-strapped country is , after all , receiving financial assistance from the bailout fund . already approved germany -- september 29 the german bundestag approved the expansion of the efsf by a vote of 523-85 -- a huge majority and an important victory for chancellor angela merkel , who has led calls for the bailout fund to be enhanced . approval of efsf expansion measures by europe 's largest economy -- and largest holder of greek debt -- was seen as necessary for the bailout fund 's future success . finland -- september 28 one of the most vocal opponents of efsf enhancement in the early going , finland has now dropped its demand that greece put up some cash collateral in return for its approval -- a requirement that threatened to derail the bailout fund expansion and further destabilize global markets . by a vote of 103-66 , the finnish parliament approved the measures wednesday , despite the absence of any agreement over its demand for collateral . slovenia -- september 27 despite a no-confidence vote that brought down slovenia 's government last week , the parliament approved the expansion of the bailout fund on tuesday . greece -- september 27 easily the least surprising'yes'vote on this list , greece officially ratified efsf expansion yesterday -- a vital step towards the bankrupt nation receiving a second bailout worth over 100 billion euros out of the bailout fund in the coming months and years . austria -- september 27 just weeks after opposition parties blocked the government 's attempt to fast-track the efsf bill , lawmakers approved efsf enhancements that are expected to be officially ratified on september 30 . ireland -- september 22 another of the obvious'yes'votes on the list , ireland -- which received an 85 billion euro bailout last year -- was never going to object to efsf expansion . italy -- september 15 ratification of the expansion of efsf powers was included in italy 's passage of highly contentious austerity measures aimed at balancing europe 's third largest economy by 2013 . spain -- september 15 spain , known along with italy as the two at-risk eurozone countries that are too big to bail out , ' passed efsf expansion several weeks ago . luxembourg -- september 15 as expected , luxembourg approved efsf enhancement , but prime minister jean-claude juncker reportedly ruled out any proposed increases to the amount of money at the fund 's disposal . belgium -- september 14 the belgian parliament approved the efsf expansion by a large majority . france -- september 8 europe 's second largest economy was the first country to approve efsf enhancement . french banks are among the most exposed to risk due to a potential greek default . | once opposed to efsf enhancement , the netherlands are expected to approve in early october |
efsf <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as debt-ridden greece braces for strikes while its prime minister attempts to reassure europe that his country will pay its bills , the 17 eurozone countries are in various stages of deciding whether to approve the expansion of europe 's bailout fund . the proposed enhancements to the european financial stability facility would allow the fund to increase its lending capacity from €250 billion to €440 billion and buy sovereign bonds in capital markets -- a strategy designed to prop up debt prices and help struggling eurozone countries fund themselves . europe 's leaders originally hoped that the efsf would never have to be used ; now they are hoping the fund 's new powers will be enough to prevent the collapse of the eurozone . first they will have to pass the measures . here 's a rundown of where the countries stand and the dates their governments approved ( or are expected to approve ) efsf expansion . yet to approve estonia -- september 29 the estonian parliament passed one of two necessary resolutions to ratify efsf expansion earlier this week , despite attempts by the country 's main opposition party to block the changes on the grounds that one of the eurozone 's poorer states simply can not afford to help bailout failing eurozone economies . final approval is expected on thursday . malta -- october 3-7 malta joined finland in its demand that greece put up collateral in exchange for any additional bailout money that malta would pay into the efsf . but it is unclear whether malta will join the finns in dropping that requirement before passing efsf enhancement . either way , approval and ratification of any proposed plan can not happen until lawmakers return from recess on october 3 . netherlands -- october 3-7 once opposed to expanding the rescue fund , the dutch are now expected to approve enhanced efsf measures with a parliamentary vote by the end of the first week of october -- although hardliners in the government continue to call for the private sector to take on more of the debt burden . cyprus -- october 3-7 the cypriot cabinet has approved the measures and parliament is expected to ratify the efsf expansion sometime during the first week of october . slovakia -- mid to late october one of the eurozone 's poorest countries is also the biggest obstacle to enhancing the efsf -- and members of the governing coalition 's refusal to approve the plan means a parliamentary vote may not happen until mid-october . portugal -- end of october while portugal has n't officially approved efsf expansion , it is expected to within weeks -- the cash-strapped country is , after all , receiving financial assistance from the bailout fund . already approved germany -- september 29 the german bundestag approved the expansion of the efsf by a vote of 523-85 -- a huge majority and an important victory for chancellor angela merkel , who has led calls for the bailout fund to be enhanced . approval of efsf expansion measures by europe 's largest economy -- and largest holder of greek debt -- was seen as necessary for the bailout fund 's future success . finland -- september 28 one of the most vocal opponents of efsf enhancement in the early going , finland has now dropped its demand that greece put up some cash collateral in return for its approval -- a requirement that threatened to derail the bailout fund expansion and further destabilize global markets . by a vote of 103-66 , the finnish parliament approved the measures wednesday , despite the absence of any agreement over its demand for collateral . slovenia -- september 27 despite a no-confidence vote that brought down slovenia 's government last week , the parliament approved the expansion of the bailout fund on tuesday . greece -- september 27 easily the least surprising'yes'vote on this list , greece officially ratified efsf expansion yesterday -- a vital step towards the bankrupt nation receiving a second bailout worth over 100 billion euros out of the bailout fund in the coming months and years . austria -- september 27 just weeks after opposition parties blocked the government 's attempt to fast-track the efsf bill , lawmakers approved efsf enhancements that are expected to be officially ratified on september 30 . ireland -- september 22 another of the obvious'yes'votes on the list , ireland -- which received an 85 billion euro bailout last year -- was never going to object to efsf expansion . italy -- september 15 ratification of the expansion of efsf powers was included in italy 's passage of highly contentious austerity measures aimed at balancing europe 's third largest economy by 2013 . spain -- september 15 spain , known along with italy as the two at-risk eurozone countries that are too big to bail out , ' passed efsf expansion several weeks ago . luxembourg -- september 15 as expected , luxembourg approved efsf enhancement , but prime minister jean-claude juncker reportedly ruled out any proposed increases to the amount of money at the fund 's disposal . belgium -- september 14 the belgian parliament approved the efsf expansion by a large majority . france -- september 8 europe 's second largest economy was the first country to approve efsf enhancement . french banks are among the most exposed to risk due to a potential greek default . | members of slovakia 's coalition government steadfastly refuse to approve efsf expansion |
efsf <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as debt-ridden greece braces for strikes while its prime minister attempts to reassure europe that his country will pay its bills , the 17 eurozone countries are in various stages of deciding whether to approve the expansion of europe 's bailout fund . the proposed enhancements to the european financial stability facility would allow the fund to increase its lending capacity from €250 billion to €440 billion and buy sovereign bonds in capital markets -- a strategy designed to prop up debt prices and help struggling eurozone countries fund themselves . europe 's leaders originally hoped that the efsf would never have to be used ; now they are hoping the fund 's new powers will be enough to prevent the collapse of the eurozone . first they will have to pass the measures . here 's a rundown of where the countries stand and the dates their governments approved ( or are expected to approve ) efsf expansion . yet to approve estonia -- september 29 the estonian parliament passed one of two necessary resolutions to ratify efsf expansion earlier this week , despite attempts by the country 's main opposition party to block the changes on the grounds that one of the eurozone 's poorer states simply can not afford to help bailout failing eurozone economies . final approval is expected on thursday . malta -- october 3-7 malta joined finland in its demand that greece put up collateral in exchange for any additional bailout money that malta would pay into the efsf . but it is unclear whether malta will join the finns in dropping that requirement before passing efsf enhancement . either way , approval and ratification of any proposed plan can not happen until lawmakers return from recess on october 3 . netherlands -- october 3-7 once opposed to expanding the rescue fund , the dutch are now expected to approve enhanced efsf measures with a parliamentary vote by the end of the first week of october -- although hardliners in the government continue to call for the private sector to take on more of the debt burden . cyprus -- october 3-7 the cypriot cabinet has approved the measures and parliament is expected to ratify the efsf expansion sometime during the first week of october . slovakia -- mid to late october one of the eurozone 's poorest countries is also the biggest obstacle to enhancing the efsf -- and members of the governing coalition 's refusal to approve the plan means a parliamentary vote may not happen until mid-october . portugal -- end of october while portugal has n't officially approved efsf expansion , it is expected to within weeks -- the cash-strapped country is , after all , receiving financial assistance from the bailout fund . already approved germany -- september 29 the german bundestag approved the expansion of the efsf by a vote of 523-85 -- a huge majority and an important victory for chancellor angela merkel , who has led calls for the bailout fund to be enhanced . approval of efsf expansion measures by europe 's largest economy -- and largest holder of greek debt -- was seen as necessary for the bailout fund 's future success . finland -- september 28 one of the most vocal opponents of efsf enhancement in the early going , finland has now dropped its demand that greece put up some cash collateral in return for its approval -- a requirement that threatened to derail the bailout fund expansion and further destabilize global markets . by a vote of 103-66 , the finnish parliament approved the measures wednesday , despite the absence of any agreement over its demand for collateral . slovenia -- september 27 despite a no-confidence vote that brought down slovenia 's government last week , the parliament approved the expansion of the bailout fund on tuesday . greece -- september 27 easily the least surprising'yes'vote on this list , greece officially ratified efsf expansion yesterday -- a vital step towards the bankrupt nation receiving a second bailout worth over 100 billion euros out of the bailout fund in the coming months and years . austria -- september 27 just weeks after opposition parties blocked the government 's attempt to fast-track the efsf bill , lawmakers approved efsf enhancements that are expected to be officially ratified on september 30 . ireland -- september 22 another of the obvious'yes'votes on the list , ireland -- which received an 85 billion euro bailout last year -- was never going to object to efsf expansion . italy -- september 15 ratification of the expansion of efsf powers was included in italy 's passage of highly contentious austerity measures aimed at balancing europe 's third largest economy by 2013 . spain -- september 15 spain , known along with italy as the two at-risk eurozone countries that are too big to bail out , ' passed efsf expansion several weeks ago . luxembourg -- september 15 as expected , luxembourg approved efsf enhancement , but prime minister jean-claude juncker reportedly ruled out any proposed increases to the amount of money at the fund 's disposal . belgium -- september 14 the belgian parliament approved the efsf expansion by a large majority . france -- september 8 europe 's second largest economy was the first country to approve efsf enhancement . french banks are among the most exposed to risk due to a potential greek default . | germany 's approval of efsf expansion is seen as necessary for the fund 's success |
netherlands <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as debt-ridden greece braces for strikes while its prime minister attempts to reassure europe that his country will pay its bills , the 17 eurozone countries are in various stages of deciding whether to approve the expansion of europe 's bailout fund . the proposed enhancements to the european financial stability facility would allow the fund to increase its lending capacity from €250 billion to €440 billion and buy sovereign bonds in capital markets -- a strategy designed to prop up debt prices and help struggling eurozone countries fund themselves . europe 's leaders originally hoped that the efsf would never have to be used ; now they are hoping the fund 's new powers will be enough to prevent the collapse of the eurozone . first they will have to pass the measures . here 's a rundown of where the countries stand and the dates their governments approved ( or are expected to approve ) efsf expansion . yet to approve estonia -- september 29 the estonian parliament passed one of two necessary resolutions to ratify efsf expansion earlier this week , despite attempts by the country 's main opposition party to block the changes on the grounds that one of the eurozone 's poorer states simply can not afford to help bailout failing eurozone economies . final approval is expected on thursday . malta -- october 3-7 malta joined finland in its demand that greece put up collateral in exchange for any additional bailout money that malta would pay into the efsf . but it is unclear whether malta will join the finns in dropping that requirement before passing efsf enhancement . either way , approval and ratification of any proposed plan can not happen until lawmakers return from recess on october 3 . netherlands -- october 3-7 once opposed to expanding the rescue fund , the dutch are now expected to approve enhanced efsf measures with a parliamentary vote by the end of the first week of october -- although hardliners in the government continue to call for the private sector to take on more of the debt burden . cyprus -- october 3-7 the cypriot cabinet has approved the measures and parliament is expected to ratify the efsf expansion sometime during the first week of october . slovakia -- mid to late october one of the eurozone 's poorest countries is also the biggest obstacle to enhancing the efsf -- and members of the governing coalition 's refusal to approve the plan means a parliamentary vote may not happen until mid-october . portugal -- end of october while portugal has n't officially approved efsf expansion , it is expected to within weeks -- the cash-strapped country is , after all , receiving financial assistance from the bailout fund . already approved germany -- september 29 the german bundestag approved the expansion of the efsf by a vote of 523-85 -- a huge majority and an important victory for chancellor angela merkel , who has led calls for the bailout fund to be enhanced . approval of efsf expansion measures by europe 's largest economy -- and largest holder of greek debt -- was seen as necessary for the bailout fund 's future success . finland -- september 28 one of the most vocal opponents of efsf enhancement in the early going , finland has now dropped its demand that greece put up some cash collateral in return for its approval -- a requirement that threatened to derail the bailout fund expansion and further destabilize global markets . by a vote of 103-66 , the finnish parliament approved the measures wednesday , despite the absence of any agreement over its demand for collateral . slovenia -- september 27 despite a no-confidence vote that brought down slovenia 's government last week , the parliament approved the expansion of the bailout fund on tuesday . greece -- september 27 easily the least surprising'yes'vote on this list , greece officially ratified efsf expansion yesterday -- a vital step towards the bankrupt nation receiving a second bailout worth over 100 billion euros out of the bailout fund in the coming months and years . austria -- september 27 just weeks after opposition parties blocked the government 's attempt to fast-track the efsf bill , lawmakers approved efsf enhancements that are expected to be officially ratified on september 30 . ireland -- september 22 another of the obvious'yes'votes on the list , ireland -- which received an 85 billion euro bailout last year -- was never going to object to efsf expansion . italy -- september 15 ratification of the expansion of efsf powers was included in italy 's passage of highly contentious austerity measures aimed at balancing europe 's third largest economy by 2013 . spain -- september 15 spain , known along with italy as the two at-risk eurozone countries that are too big to bail out , ' passed efsf expansion several weeks ago . luxembourg -- september 15 as expected , luxembourg approved efsf enhancement , but prime minister jean-claude juncker reportedly ruled out any proposed increases to the amount of money at the fund 's disposal . belgium -- september 14 the belgian parliament approved the efsf expansion by a large majority . france -- september 8 europe 's second largest economy was the first country to approve efsf enhancement . french banks are among the most exposed to risk due to a potential greek default . | once opposed to efsf enhancement , the netherlands are expected to approve in early october |
new york yankees <tsp> ( cnn ) -- new york yankees future hall of fame third baseman alex rodriguez is returning to the lineup he was forced from on july 24 when a bone in his left hand was fractured by a pitch from seattle mariners ace felix hernandez . rodriguez , who had to leave the game , was awarded first base after being hit , but there were no other penalties to hernandez , who , on a night when his control was off , hit two other yankees ( three of the last five batters he faced ) before giving way to a relief pitcher in a game that ended with a 4-2 seattle victory . ( rodriguez is expected to be back in the lineup for the yankees'monday night game in tampa , florida . ) rodriguez was lucky his injury was n't more serious . he did not get hit in the head , but under major league baseball 's current rules , a serious injury to rodriguez would have been treated the same as a minor injury . there is no meaningful penalty in baseball for a pitcher hitting a batter with the ball . yet what the helmet-to-helmet hit is to football , the bean ball and its cousin , the brushback pitch , are to baseball -- a tactic that is potentially life-threatening . the national football league , stung by lawsuits and a series of cases in which autopsies done on players in their 40s and 50s have revealed brain damage , has stiffened penalties for hits to the head and shortened the distance on kickoffs to reduce the violent collisions they produce . by contrast , major league baseball appears to have learned nothing from history when it comes to rules for protecting batters . little has changed from 1920 , when ray chapman , a shortstop for the cleveland indians , was killed by a high fastball thrown by carl mays of the new york yankees . yet over the years there have been numerous , highly publicized cases of beanings that could easily have been fatal . in 1967 boston red sox outfielder tony conigliaro , the youngest home run champion in american league history , sustained permanent eye damage and missed the rest of the season when he was hit by a pitch from jack hamilton of the california angels . in 2000 , new york mets catcher mike piazza was forced to miss the all-star game as a result of the concussion and headaches that followed a beaning by the new york yankees roger clemens , a notorious brushback pitcher , whom piazza had tagged for a grand-slam home run a month earlier . how many serious injuries have resulted over the years from batters being hit by pitches is impossible to say . major league baseball has never kept systematic records on this issue and the dark side of the game that it reflects . pitchers who like to intimidate batters and pitchers who do n't have good command of their pitches have been free to go about their business without fear of penalty . major league baseball 's substitute for rules that penalize a pitcher for hitting batters has been equipment , namely the plastic helmet . the helmet became mandatory in 1971 and with the addition of earflaps , helmets have improved over the years . but mandatory helmets should be a last , not a first , resort when it comes to player safety . helmets minimize the damage that occurs after a beaning . they fail to give pitchers incentive to avoid throwing brushback pitches in the first place . what is needed to make pitchers avoid brushback pitches along with the beanings that come with them are a series of rules with penalties that send a clear message : major league baseball is serious about protecting its players . rule 1 : distinguish between a pitch that is dangerous and a pitch that is life-threatening . the head and face are the most vulnerable areas for a player , and a pitch that hits a player anywhere above his chest should be treated with special harshness . instead , of being awarded first base , a batter struck above the chest should be given second base and thus put in a position to score on a single . rule 2 : treat a pitcher who hits more than one batter differently from a pitcher who hits a single batter . a pitcher who hits a second batter in a game should face automatic ejection and a fine of $ 10,000 , no matter where his pitch lands . the severity of this penalty would mean any pitcher who thrives on intimidation would be put on a short leash , but it would also recognize that a pitcher who has poor control is a menace . rule 3 : make a team , not just an individual pitcher , accountable for hit batters . under this rule a team would be able to get away with hitting only one batter per game . any time a second batter was hit , the pitcher who threw the ball would be treated as if he had already struck a batter . a team could not , as a result , game the penalty system for hitting batters . rule 4 : increase pitcher liability for a hit batsman . rodriguez has been lost to the yankees for a good part of the season , while hernandez , who now has a 13-6 record , has enjoyed a stellar year . the result is unfair to rodriguez and the yankees . the only way to equalize the situation partially is make any pitcher who forces an opponent out of the lineup remain out of his own team 's lineup for the same number of games as the injured opponent . traditionalists will complain about such reforms , but throughout its history major league baseball has done much to alter its original product . it has made the ball livelier , allowed individual teams to alter their outfields to give themselves an advantage and even banned the spitball . what is different about these hit-batter rule changes is that their aim is safety rather than entertainment . a few batters might take advantage of them and try to get hit , but given the dangers that come from a pitch traveling upward of 90 mph , most batters are not likely to risk their careers just to get on base . these reforms do n't turn baseball into a game for softies or cheats . instead , they preserve the national pastime we know by making sure those who play it do n't risk life and limb any more than they need to . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of nicolaus mills . | alex rodriguez is returning to new york yankees'lineup six weeks after a pitch hit him |
pew research <tsp> a new pew research center study shows that millennial women are entering the workplace at near wage parity , with the narrowest pay gap on record . millennial women like me are more likely to have graduated from college than their male counterparts . we have role models like marissa mayer and new general motors ceo mary barra . today , there 's a much more open conversation about sexism and how it manifests than there was 10 years ago . and it 's no coincidence that a recent poll from ms. magazine found that 73 % of women voters under 30 identify as feminist . it would seem today 's young women are set for the post-feminist professional paradise dreamed up by our foremothers . but until women are paid the same as men , we will never be truly equal . in a capitalist society , money is the key indicator of worth . the wage gap has functioned across history to make women dependent on men as providers . we ca n't save as much for retirement , stash away cash to treat ourselves or even take care of our families in the way we want if we 're starting at a deficit . this is an issue of financial security for a generation already facing much more instability than our parents or grandparents . read : millennial women are closing pay gap , but pessimistic about workplace equality the pew study found that an astounding 75 % of millennial women believe more changes are needed to combat gender inequality in the workplace . it makes sense , then , that these are the same young activists who have been working valiantly for the passage of the paycheck fairness act and who see working-class heroine lilly ledbetter as a more imitable role model than sheryl sandberg . millennial women can get involved by letting their representatives know they want legislation that addresses wage parity for men and women . additionally , one of the most powerful things young women can do for their own negotiations is to organize with their peers before and after taking a job , so they can know compare notes and know if they are being underpaid . information makes a difference in knowing what to ask for . the best news to come out of this study is that we strongly and rightly acknowledge that the old boy 's club is still in place . young women are far more likely than men their age to cite the continued existence of the wage gap and the reality -- supported by a glance at a recent study on the stagnant role of women on corporate boards -- that men have it easier when it comes to getting the top job . they are just as likely as older women to say that society is set still set up to serve men . that 's notable and promising , since many women my age have been fed the myth that the feminist movement achieved its goals and sexism no longer exists . but i worry that we , as young women , while understanding sexism to be a systemic problem , still think of it as something we have to fix individually -- and therefore , we do n't want to see ourselves as victims of it . in the pew study , i was surprised to see that while women are highly aware of gender discrimination and the different forms it takes , very few reported experiencing it themselves . read : the generation we love to dump on it 's much less scary to imagine sexism as something that happens to other women . once you 're forced to admit that you 've experienced it , you have to either accept it or do something about it . feminism is hearing your pain and your struggle in another woman 's voice and suddenly realizing there 's nothing wrong with you and nothing wrong with her , but something wrong with the world trying to make you think there is . it 's easy to focus the conversation on specific examples of highly privileged women who 've made it to the upper echelons of power . but feminism is n't about making it possible for a few women to get power . instead , it 's about changing the system from the ground up so that all women have that opportunity . in order to do that , women have to be on an equal playing field in terms of pay from the moment they accept their first job . some may take from this new study that millennial women , despite the narrowing wage gap , have a bleak view of their future . as a member of that group , i 'd argue that we have a realistic view . it 's that understanding -- that the fight is not over and there is still much more work to be done -- that might make us the generation that crafts workplaces and a world where sexism is truly a thing of the past . | new pew research study shows millennial women face narrowest pay gap on record |
latinos <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- latino support for democratic candidates remains strong , with 65 percent of registered hispanic voters saying they plan to vote for the democrat in their congressional district in next month 's midterm elections , the pew hispanic center said in a report tuesday . but latino voters appear less motivated than other voters . about one-third of latino voters say they have given this election a lot of thought , ' while half of u.s. registered voters say they have , pew said . in a further challenge to democrats , the nationwide pew poll found that republican latino registered voters may be more likely to vote than democrats . about 44 percent of latino republicans say they have given the election quite a lot of thought compared with 28 percent of latino democrats , the pew report said . this partisan gap is consistent with survey findings of the full population of registered voters , ' said the report by mark hugo lopez , associate director of the pew hispanic center . the study finds that while two-thirds of latino voters support the democrats , 22 percent back the republican candidate . latinos overwhelmingly supported the democrats in the 2008 presidential election , with barack obama getting 67 percent of the hispanic vote and john mccain garnering 31 percent . likewise , the report said , 69 percent of latino voters supported democratic candidates in 2006 congressional races while 30 percent supported republican hopefuls . even in 2004 , a year when republicans won a greater share of the latino vote in the presidential election than at any time since the 1980s , nearly six in 10 ( 58 percent ) latino voters supported democrats john kerry and john edwards , ' the report said . latino support for obama remains strong , the survey found . nearly two-thirds of latino registered voters said they approve of his job performance , well above the 47 percent of all u.s. registered voters who say they approve . yet when asked about the effect of his administration 's policies on hispanics , latino registered voters are divided , ' pew said . more than half ( 51 percent ) say his policies have had no effect on latinos , while one in four ( 26 percent ) say they have been helpful to latinos and 13 percent say they have been harmful . ' the study also reveals that the democratic party continues to hold a large advantage in party identification among latino registered voters . sixty-two percent of latino registered voters said they identify with or lean toward the democratic party , pew said , while 25 percent say the same for the republican party . a reason for the support for democrats may be that the party is seen as having more concern for latinos . nearly half ( 47 percent ) of latino registered voters say this about the democratic party -- down from 55 percent in 2008 , but similar to the share on this question expressed by latinos for much of the past decade , ' pew said . in contrast , ' the report said , very few see the republican party as more concerned about latinos than the democratic party -- just 6 percent of all latino registered voters and 18 percent of republican latino registered voters say this . ' the survey also found that latinos are less negative than other voters about the direction of the country . fifty-nine percent of latino registered voters said they are dissatisfied with the country 's direction , while 73 percent of all u.s. registered voters say the same , pew said . latino support could be significant for both major parties because hispanics represent a growing portion of the electorate . according to a pew hispanic center analysis of census bureau data , latino voters constituted 7.4 percent of all voters nationwide in 2008 , up from 6 percent in 2004 . tuesday 's report is titled latinos and the 2010 elections : strong support for democrats ; weak voter motivation . ' the findings for the report came from a national bilingual telephone survey of 1,375 latinos ages 18 or older , including 618 registered voters , conducted from august 17 through september 19 by the pew hispanic center . the sampling margin for the whole sample is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points . the pew hispanic center is a nonpartisan research organization that does not take positions on policy issues . it is part of the pew research center , a nonpartisan institute based in washington that is funded by the pew charitable trusts , a philadelphia-based public charity . | only about a third of latinos say they have given next month 's election a lot of thought ' |
latinos <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- latino support for democratic candidates remains strong , with 65 percent of registered hispanic voters saying they plan to vote for the democrat in their congressional district in next month 's midterm elections , the pew hispanic center said in a report tuesday . but latino voters appear less motivated than other voters . about one-third of latino voters say they have given this election a lot of thought , ' while half of u.s. registered voters say they have , pew said . in a further challenge to democrats , the nationwide pew poll found that republican latino registered voters may be more likely to vote than democrats . about 44 percent of latino republicans say they have given the election quite a lot of thought compared with 28 percent of latino democrats , the pew report said . this partisan gap is consistent with survey findings of the full population of registered voters , ' said the report by mark hugo lopez , associate director of the pew hispanic center . the study finds that while two-thirds of latino voters support the democrats , 22 percent back the republican candidate . latinos overwhelmingly supported the democrats in the 2008 presidential election , with barack obama getting 67 percent of the hispanic vote and john mccain garnering 31 percent . likewise , the report said , 69 percent of latino voters supported democratic candidates in 2006 congressional races while 30 percent supported republican hopefuls . even in 2004 , a year when republicans won a greater share of the latino vote in the presidential election than at any time since the 1980s , nearly six in 10 ( 58 percent ) latino voters supported democrats john kerry and john edwards , ' the report said . latino support for obama remains strong , the survey found . nearly two-thirds of latino registered voters said they approve of his job performance , well above the 47 percent of all u.s. registered voters who say they approve . yet when asked about the effect of his administration 's policies on hispanics , latino registered voters are divided , ' pew said . more than half ( 51 percent ) say his policies have had no effect on latinos , while one in four ( 26 percent ) say they have been helpful to latinos and 13 percent say they have been harmful . ' the study also reveals that the democratic party continues to hold a large advantage in party identification among latino registered voters . sixty-two percent of latino registered voters said they identify with or lean toward the democratic party , pew said , while 25 percent say the same for the republican party . a reason for the support for democrats may be that the party is seen as having more concern for latinos . nearly half ( 47 percent ) of latino registered voters say this about the democratic party -- down from 55 percent in 2008 , but similar to the share on this question expressed by latinos for much of the past decade , ' pew said . in contrast , ' the report said , very few see the republican party as more concerned about latinos than the democratic party -- just 6 percent of all latino registered voters and 18 percent of republican latino registered voters say this . ' the survey also found that latinos are less negative than other voters about the direction of the country . fifty-nine percent of latino registered voters said they are dissatisfied with the country 's direction , while 73 percent of all u.s. registered voters say the same , pew said . latino support could be significant for both major parties because hispanics represent a growing portion of the electorate . according to a pew hispanic center analysis of census bureau data , latino voters constituted 7.4 percent of all voters nationwide in 2008 , up from 6 percent in 2004 . tuesday 's report is titled latinos and the 2010 elections : strong support for democrats ; weak voter motivation . ' the findings for the report came from a national bilingual telephone survey of 1,375 latinos ages 18 or older , including 618 registered voters , conducted from august 17 through september 19 by the pew hispanic center . the sampling margin for the whole sample is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points . the pew hispanic center is a nonpartisan research organization that does not take positions on policy issues . it is part of the pew research center , a nonpartisan institute based in washington that is funded by the pew charitable trusts , a philadelphia-based public charity . | pew study : nearly two-thirds of latinos support democrats ; 22 percent back gop |
nigeria <tsp> lagos , nigeria ( cnn ) -- nigeria has set its sights on making multibillion-dollar oil deals with china amid peace moves with militants . hundreds of militants have laid down their weapons in exchange for a pardon and a job . lawmakers in the west african country -- one of the world 's top producers of oil -- are crafting new money-making changes for its state oil corporation , as officials negotiate multibillion-dollar oil deals with china . at the same time , the government is brokering peace with bandits whose attacks have cost the oil industry millions . nigeria 's minister for state of petroleum , odein ajumogobia , talked this month about the developments . the changes aimed at the nigerian national petroleum corporation will address allegations of corruption and mismanagement , he said . some of the excesses we 've seen in the industry are as a result of the lack of regulation , ' ajumogobia said . we are going to make sure that the petroleum directorate , for example , where the minister will reside , is going to be manned by professionals who understand the industry and have the experience . ' nigeria welcomes china 's recent interest in investing in nigeria 's oil industry , ajumogobia added . the state-run china daily reported in september that the china national offshore oil corporation was negotiating with nigeria over a $ 30 billion oil deal . the talks are part of china 's oil-buying binge this year . its government-controlled oil companies have closed or floated a slew of deals all over the world , including billion-dollar deals with russian oil company rosneft and brazil 's petrobras . the nigerian minister offered few details about negotiations with china . there is no deal yet , ' he said . we all know the appetite of the chinese for energy -- a huge population and so on -- and they 're looking for oil and nigeria has a lot of it . ' oil bandits have plagued nigeria for years , attacking pipelines and cutting production by over 1 million barrels of oil a day . but many of those attacks might end , thanks to a cease-fire with the militant group mend , or the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta . the truce was negotiated in the summer and was extended in september . mend has demanded a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the niger delta and wants oil revenue reinvested in the region , instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . last week , the group said it was calling off the truce , but there have not been renewed attacks . nigeria hopes to leverage the fragile peace to reap big dollars from its oil industry , ajumogobia said . | chinese oil company negotiating with nigeria over $ 30 billion oil deal , reports say |
nigeria <tsp> lagos , nigeria ( cnn ) -- nigeria has set its sights on making multibillion-dollar oil deals with china amid peace moves with militants . hundreds of militants have laid down their weapons in exchange for a pardon and a job . lawmakers in the west african country -- one of the world 's top producers of oil -- are crafting new money-making changes for its state oil corporation , as officials negotiate multibillion-dollar oil deals with china . at the same time , the government is brokering peace with bandits whose attacks have cost the oil industry millions . nigeria 's minister for state of petroleum , odein ajumogobia , talked this month about the developments . the changes aimed at the nigerian national petroleum corporation will address allegations of corruption and mismanagement , he said . some of the excesses we 've seen in the industry are as a result of the lack of regulation , ' ajumogobia said . we are going to make sure that the petroleum directorate , for example , where the minister will reside , is going to be manned by professionals who understand the industry and have the experience . ' nigeria welcomes china 's recent interest in investing in nigeria 's oil industry , ajumogobia added . the state-run china daily reported in september that the china national offshore oil corporation was negotiating with nigeria over a $ 30 billion oil deal . the talks are part of china 's oil-buying binge this year . its government-controlled oil companies have closed or floated a slew of deals all over the world , including billion-dollar deals with russian oil company rosneft and brazil 's petrobras . the nigerian minister offered few details about negotiations with china . there is no deal yet , ' he said . we all know the appetite of the chinese for energy -- a huge population and so on -- and they 're looking for oil and nigeria has a lot of it . ' oil bandits have plagued nigeria for years , attacking pipelines and cutting production by over 1 million barrels of oil a day . but many of those attacks might end , thanks to a cease-fire with the militant group mend , or the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta . the truce was negotiated in the summer and was extended in september . mend has demanded a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the niger delta and wants oil revenue reinvested in the region , instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . last week , the group said it was calling off the truce , but there have not been renewed attacks . nigeria hopes to leverage the fragile peace to reap big dollars from its oil industry , ajumogobia said . | nigeria aims to make huge oil deals with china and peace with militants |
chinese <tsp> lagos , nigeria ( cnn ) -- nigeria has set its sights on making multibillion-dollar oil deals with china amid peace moves with militants . hundreds of militants have laid down their weapons in exchange for a pardon and a job . lawmakers in the west african country -- one of the world 's top producers of oil -- are crafting new money-making changes for its state oil corporation , as officials negotiate multibillion-dollar oil deals with china . at the same time , the government is brokering peace with bandits whose attacks have cost the oil industry millions . nigeria 's minister for state of petroleum , odein ajumogobia , talked this month about the developments . the changes aimed at the nigerian national petroleum corporation will address allegations of corruption and mismanagement , he said . some of the excesses we 've seen in the industry are as a result of the lack of regulation , ' ajumogobia said . we are going to make sure that the petroleum directorate , for example , where the minister will reside , is going to be manned by professionals who understand the industry and have the experience . ' nigeria welcomes china 's recent interest in investing in nigeria 's oil industry , ajumogobia added . the state-run china daily reported in september that the china national offshore oil corporation was negotiating with nigeria over a $ 30 billion oil deal . the talks are part of china 's oil-buying binge this year . its government-controlled oil companies have closed or floated a slew of deals all over the world , including billion-dollar deals with russian oil company rosneft and brazil 's petrobras . the nigerian minister offered few details about negotiations with china . there is no deal yet , ' he said . we all know the appetite of the chinese for energy -- a huge population and so on -- and they 're looking for oil and nigeria has a lot of it . ' oil bandits have plagued nigeria for years , attacking pipelines and cutting production by over 1 million barrels of oil a day . but many of those attacks might end , thanks to a cease-fire with the militant group mend , or the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta . the truce was negotiated in the summer and was extended in september . mend has demanded a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the niger delta and wants oil revenue reinvested in the region , instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . last week , the group said it was calling off the truce , but there have not been renewed attacks . nigeria hopes to leverage the fragile peace to reap big dollars from its oil industry , ajumogobia said . | chinese oil company negotiating with nigeria over $ 30 billion oil deal , reports say |
levine <tsp> ( rollingstone.com ) -- cee lo green , blake shelton , adam levine and christina aguilera -- all four coaches of the voice ' -- joined producer mark burnett , host carson daly and the show 's social media maven christina milian for a press conference sunday night at burnett 's malibu home . looking out at the panoramic view of the pacific ocean , levine quipped , so this is what reality tv buys you . ' that , or maybe just knowing what makes for good tv . and burnett and his team have demonstrated a knack for spotting opportunities . last season there was shock among fans when singer jesse campbell , one of the favorites to win the title , was eliminated by coach christina aguilera . even her fellow coaches expressed their disbelief . this season , which starts september 10th , they 'd be able to do something about it , thanks to a new element called the steal , ' which allows judges to pick up a contestant who 's been ousted by another coach . journalists got a sneak peak at a recently taped battle round between two of green 's competitors , who each delivered a smoking rendition of mariah carey 's vision of love . ' as soon as green carried out the unenviable task of choosing just one , the other coaches hammered on their buttons and made their pitches to bring the loser onto one of their teams , just like they do in the battle rounds . judges can only pick two additional team members , which will lead to a new cycle of the show called knockout rounds , ' where the teams will pare down before beginning the live episodes . the new opportunity for poaching has added a lot to the show , the coaches told rolling stone . it 's nice to throw those elements in to kind of spice things up , ' levine said . those things definitely help keep it fresh for us . ' it also adds more pressure , shelton said . there 's nothing that 's more nervewracking than knowing ,'okay , both these singers did really good and i got ta pick one and i know damn good and well one of these other three are gon na steal the person i do n't pick ,'' he said . there 's a chance that person may go on and win this and that 's gon na make me look really stupid . that definitely goes on in your mind . as an artist and somebody on television i have enough of an ego that i do n't want to look that stupid . i want to look brilliant . ' ultimately , though , he recognizes it 's great for the show and viewers . it 's going to be so exciting for people watching at home , ' shelton said . here 's the truth , as much as we want to sit up here and talk about how different this show is , and it is , what people love the most is those damn buttons . people love to see us hit those buttons and somebody 's life is changed at that moment . this is another way of changing somebody 's life later on in the show , where they think all hope is lost , they 're going home , the next thing you know the button gets pushed and they 're right back in the game again . that 's pretty exciting . ' the new components add another element to what levine , aguilera and shelton call the best season yet . ' only green holds out on that , saying , a few memorable things have happened thus far , but season three is n't completed yet , so i do n't know if this is the favorite season yet . ' for the four coaches , though , the biggest strength of this season is their bond . in the first clip shown at the junket , the four are seen performing the rolling stones' start me up , ' and they resembled a band , much more than they did in the combined performances of the first two seasons . what helped meld them into a tight , family-like unit is the way all four work with contestants , aguilera said . over time we see how each of us react as coaches , giving such heartfelt advice and attention to these up-and-coming young fresh talents and it 's so nice to see , ' she said . it 's refreshing because we came into it not wanting to knock anybody down and i think we all respect that . we might take shots at each other , but never the talent . so there 's just a magic , there 's a bond there that 's unbreakable at this point . ' shelton concurred , recognizing the quartet is now joined together by the success of the series . we 're always going to be connected to each other through this show , ' he says . he admitted there have been some rough moments , like any family . we 've been through a lot of s * * t with each other , no doubt , ' he said . we 've had fights , ups and downs and weird moments and f * * k-offs and all that stuff . but all friends go through that i think and you either go through it and you never speak to each other again or you go through it and your relationship is even stronger . we did n't have to come back together , but we did , and our relationships are stronger . ' levine agreed that the coaches have left the rockiest moments behind them . we are getting along better than we ever have and i guess our energies have all congealed and we 're very , very close at this point , ' he said . the show will run this year in both the fall and spring seasons , which could result in one or more of the coaches having to take a sabbatical to go on tour . although burnett said the coaches have their chairs for live , ' the assembled journalists were keen to speculate on who the replacement coaches might be . green shut down the speculation while nicely summing up the bond among the current four . for me , there 's nobody comes to mind that can replace my blake , my adam and my christina , ' he said . see full story at rollingstone.com . copyright © 2011 rolling stone . | levine says the coaches have left the rockiest moments behind them |
williams <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic and rafael nadal stayed on course for another final showdown in rome as they conjured up straights sets victories friday to reach the last four of the masters 1000 tournament . defending champion djokovic saw off fifth seed jo-wilfried tsonga 7-5 6-1 in their quarterfinal match at the foro italico , producing some of his best tennis of the year in the second set . the first had been evenly fought with five breaks of service but once the world number one edged ahead after an hour he took command . in the second set i played one of the best sets on clay this year , ' he told the official tournament website . this is encouraging for the challenges ahead . with roland garros coming , i 'm playing and feeling better in every match . ' second seed nadal , who suffered a rare clay court defeat when losing to djokovic in the 2011 final in rome , battled past dangerous czech tomas berdych . nadal was beating the seventh seed for the 11th time in a row , but was pushed all the way in a match lasting a shade over two hours . three breaks of service and 34 winners for the spaniard earned him a semifinal match against compatriot david ferrer , who beat french 15th seed richard gasquet 7-6 6-3 . i played one of my best matches on clay against a difficult opponent , ' nadal said . djokovic will next face roger federer , who easily dispatched home hope hope andreas seppi 6-1 6-2 in the final match on court friday . the swiss maestro , who was triumphant in madrid , is bidding for his fifth title of the season . the pair will meet for the first time since their semifinal epic at the u.s. open last year , won by djokovic . in the wta tournament , ninth seed serena williams had an easy passage to the last four when her italian opponent flavia pennetta retired with a wrist injury when trailing 4-0 in the opener . williams won the madrid title last week and next faces french open champion li na of china . li , returning to her best form on clay , was rarely troubled by dominika cibulkova of slovakia , winning 6-1 7-6 . defending champion maria sharapova continued her title defense in style by beating serena 's sister venus 6-4 6-3 in their quarterfinal clash . williams has shown encouraging signs on yet another comeback after illness , but the russian was the sharper at the business end of each set . she will play angelique kerber of germany , who battled past wimbledon champion petra kvitova to reach her sixth semifinal of the season . kvitova was troubled by a stomach muscle injury and despite leveling at one set all was well beaten in the decider as kerber won 7-6 1-6 6-1 in two hours 14 minutes . | williams to play li na of china for a place in sunday 's final |
williams <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic and rafael nadal stayed on course for another final showdown in rome as they conjured up straights sets victories friday to reach the last four of the masters 1000 tournament . defending champion djokovic saw off fifth seed jo-wilfried tsonga 7-5 6-1 in their quarterfinal match at the foro italico , producing some of his best tennis of the year in the second set . the first had been evenly fought with five breaks of service but once the world number one edged ahead after an hour he took command . in the second set i played one of the best sets on clay this year , ' he told the official tournament website . this is encouraging for the challenges ahead . with roland garros coming , i 'm playing and feeling better in every match . ' second seed nadal , who suffered a rare clay court defeat when losing to djokovic in the 2011 final in rome , battled past dangerous czech tomas berdych . nadal was beating the seventh seed for the 11th time in a row , but was pushed all the way in a match lasting a shade over two hours . three breaks of service and 34 winners for the spaniard earned him a semifinal match against compatriot david ferrer , who beat french 15th seed richard gasquet 7-6 6-3 . i played one of my best matches on clay against a difficult opponent , ' nadal said . djokovic will next face roger federer , who easily dispatched home hope hope andreas seppi 6-1 6-2 in the final match on court friday . the swiss maestro , who was triumphant in madrid , is bidding for his fifth title of the season . the pair will meet for the first time since their semifinal epic at the u.s. open last year , won by djokovic . in the wta tournament , ninth seed serena williams had an easy passage to the last four when her italian opponent flavia pennetta retired with a wrist injury when trailing 4-0 in the opener . williams won the madrid title last week and next faces french open champion li na of china . li , returning to her best form on clay , was rarely troubled by dominika cibulkova of slovakia , winning 6-1 7-6 . defending champion maria sharapova continued her title defense in style by beating serena 's sister venus 6-4 6-3 in their quarterfinal clash . williams has shown encouraging signs on yet another comeback after illness , but the russian was the sharper at the business end of each set . she will play angelique kerber of germany , who battled past wimbledon champion petra kvitova to reach her sixth semifinal of the season . kvitova was troubled by a stomach muscle injury and despite leveling at one set all was well beaten in the decider as kerber won 7-6 1-6 6-1 in two hours 14 minutes . | serena williams into semifinals of accompanying wta tournament |
china <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic and rafael nadal stayed on course for another final showdown in rome as they conjured up straights sets victories friday to reach the last four of the masters 1000 tournament . defending champion djokovic saw off fifth seed jo-wilfried tsonga 7-5 6-1 in their quarterfinal match at the foro italico , producing some of his best tennis of the year in the second set . the first had been evenly fought with five breaks of service but once the world number one edged ahead after an hour he took command . in the second set i played one of the best sets on clay this year , ' he told the official tournament website . this is encouraging for the challenges ahead . with roland garros coming , i 'm playing and feeling better in every match . ' second seed nadal , who suffered a rare clay court defeat when losing to djokovic in the 2011 final in rome , battled past dangerous czech tomas berdych . nadal was beating the seventh seed for the 11th time in a row , but was pushed all the way in a match lasting a shade over two hours . three breaks of service and 34 winners for the spaniard earned him a semifinal match against compatriot david ferrer , who beat french 15th seed richard gasquet 7-6 6-3 . i played one of my best matches on clay against a difficult opponent , ' nadal said . djokovic will next face roger federer , who easily dispatched home hope hope andreas seppi 6-1 6-2 in the final match on court friday . the swiss maestro , who was triumphant in madrid , is bidding for his fifth title of the season . the pair will meet for the first time since their semifinal epic at the u.s. open last year , won by djokovic . in the wta tournament , ninth seed serena williams had an easy passage to the last four when her italian opponent flavia pennetta retired with a wrist injury when trailing 4-0 in the opener . williams won the madrid title last week and next faces french open champion li na of china . li , returning to her best form on clay , was rarely troubled by dominika cibulkova of slovakia , winning 6-1 7-6 . defending champion maria sharapova continued her title defense in style by beating serena 's sister venus 6-4 6-3 in their quarterfinal clash . williams has shown encouraging signs on yet another comeback after illness , but the russian was the sharper at the business end of each set . she will play angelique kerber of germany , who battled past wimbledon champion petra kvitova to reach her sixth semifinal of the season . kvitova was troubled by a stomach muscle injury and despite leveling at one set all was well beaten in the decider as kerber won 7-6 1-6 6-1 in two hours 14 minutes . | williams to play li na of china for a place in sunday 's final |
gazelle.com <tsp> ( cnn ) -- from airbnb to gasbuddy to shopkick , lots of apps and websites help consumers save money . but how do we spend less on technology itself -- that digital drug we ca n't seem to get enough of ? how can we save money on electronic gadgets and services ... so that we can buy more gadgets ? here are 10 ways to stretch your tech budget this year : 1 . employ smart strips . surge protectors have saved countless gadgets from being electrocuted over the years . but new ones like take charge 's power saver smart strip are even better because they save money on your monthly power bill by killing standby power ( aka vampire or phantom power ) that most electronics consume even when turned off . in my case , after installing two smart strips ( one in my office , the other on the entertainment center ) , i 've saved at least $ 10 per month on my power bill since august -- more than enough to justify the $ 30 cost of each . 2 . buy less computer ( or data ) . processing power , bandwidth and chipsets used to mean a lot when deciding on a computer or internet provider . but most computers and data plans today are really fast . even when they 're not , software developers have made perceptible gains in making gadgets and data feel faster than they really are . so instead of paying for a top-of-the-line machine , blazingly fast speeds or unlimited data , consider a lower-powered but still functional alternative . you 'd be surprised how many people are buying too much computer or data for their needs . 3 . see gadgets as assets . this is what i call my perpetual technology fund . it works like this : two or three times a year , i identify gadgets , handhelds , old phones , laptops and gaming devices i no longer use ( follow the dust ) and/or have no intention of using over the next 12 months . the ones with value that i choose not to give away , i 'll resell on craigslist , ebay , or similar classifieds like gazelle.com . in some cases , you can expect several hundred dollars in returns , ' which , of course , can then be used to subsidize your next tech purchase . 4 . cut cable tv ( and buy your own cable modem ) . like many tips on my list , this one , too , requires additional effort , but the savings can be immeasurable . first , stop renting a cable or internet modem if you have n't already . they cost less than $ 50 on average and quickly recoup the $ 5/month leasing fee . next , see if you can find your favorite shows and programs on streaming websites such as netflix , amazon and hulu . you may have to make a few sacrifices , but $ 100 a month in savings ai n't a bad consolation prize . 5 . use freeware as often as you can . after paying hundreds of dollars for accounting software over the years , i recently switched to a free online service . it does everything my old software did at no additional cost . and there are a lot of other freemium software products to help you do what you need for less ( or nothing ) . so get clicky with google and see what 's out there . 6 . avoid extended warranties . i know a lot of people get peace of mind when buying extended warranties on pricey tvs , smartphones and other gadgets . but the fact remains , according to numerous consumer reports , that extended warranties cost more money on average than what they might eventually save in the unlikely event your gadget breaks beyond its default warranty . this has certainly been the case with me . i 've had stuff covered under warranty . most of my tech survives without problem . and i 've had a few devices out of warranty that i paid for . but overall , i 've saved a lot more than i would have paying for extended warranties . my free accounting software says so ! 7 . consider refurbished gadgets . contrary to popular myth , refurbished electronics are often as good as new . for example , my friend just bought a beautiful macbook for hundreds less than it would have cost new . it came in a new box . smelled new . featured those protective stickers that are always fun to pull off . and was really shiny . even better , it 's still under warranty . 8 . buy cheap digital cables . most digital cables are created equal . i say most because i 've had a cheapo digital cable go out on me . but i was only out a few dollars . and most of the knockoff digital cables i 've bought -- including hdmi , iphone cables , audio cables , etc . -- are still going strong after several years . together , they 've helped me pocket hundreds of dollars in savings ( which i use to buy more tech ) . 9 . buy online . before you roll your eyes and let out a big old duh , ' remember that shopping online often requires additional patience before seeing significant savings . for example , if you need an item right away and opt for expedited ( and costly ) shipping , you might be better off to buy at retail . free shipping can take more than a week in some cases . but there are good deals out there . and even if you do n't end up buying online , you should research prices there first before stepping into a brick-and-mortar store . 10 . buy smart rechargeables . rechargeable batteries have come a long way over the last decade . in fact , batteries such as sanyo 's eneloops now pack more than enough juice to power all your electronics . these ai n't your father 's rechargeable batteries , so start buying and start saving . | resell your old gadgets on craigslist , ebay , or similar classifieds like gazelle.com |
going green <tsp> during cnn 's going green : green light for business ' coverage , we 've asked businesses to tell us how they balance the imperative for profit with environmental concerns . first up is the co-founder of hong kong-based diaz fine jewelry , salina khan fuchigami , whose business packages cubic zirconia diamonds in an environmental wrapping . growing up surrounded by generations of jewelry wearing tradition , i was drawn to the brilliance and transparency of diamonds from an early age . later , it was the fact that diamonds are a unique resource , evoking beauty and eternal love that lead me to found diaz fine jewelry . salina khan fuchigami co-founded diaz fine jewelry with her husband takashi . however , as i began to learn beyond the basics and beauty of diamonds , i began to discover the many environmental and ethical issues related to them . and the once simple wish to create a line of exquisite diamond jewelry grew into a mission -- to create an ecologically and ethically correct jewelry brand . i was one of many who were understandably concerned to learn that jewelry they had as a symbol of love may have come at a terrible human and environmental cost . although the social and ethical issues associated with conflict diamonds were the impetus at the core of the diaz philosophy , the serious environmental impacts of the diamond industry could not be ignored . there 's an undeniable link between the degradation of our global environment and consumer culture . the trouble is that these days , things are so nicely packaged , presented and displayed that we hardly ever question how the raw materials used to produce the goods are extracted and processed . we rarely think of how it all affects the environment and humankind . it 's impossible to assess exactly how much devastation one single diamond could have caused before it was cut , polished , set and sold at a high-end retailer . it 's hard to imagine what a diamond mine looks like by looking at the stunning sparklers ' that are neatly displayed in shop windows . somewhere along the way it became irrelevant to question the true cost of the stones . diamond mining practices are not without huge ecological impacts . whether extracted from a large-scale diamond mine using modern , clinical mining methods , or through small-scale artisanal alluvial diamond digging , the diamond industry faces environmental challenges just as with any mineral extraction . land disturbance , which involves the shifting of large quantities of soil from the earth , is interlinked with issues of waste and water pollution as well as huge impacts on biodiversity . through my company , i knew i could offer an alternative to mined-diamond jewelry of equal beauty and quality -- using lab-created jewels and meticulous craftsmanship -- jewelry that evoked beauty and eternal love , and that was truly transparent . as with any environmental or ethical issue , education , knowledge and action are the keys to ending unnecessary harm . so , as the business grew , we made sure each of our customers received an info-leaflet with every purchase . we began donating proceeds from our sales to grassroots organizations that ran mine-reclamation projects promoting organic farming and biodiversity in mining towns in sierra leone , a country devastated by civil war that was fueled by diamonds and now has a landscape scarred by indiscriminate alluvial diamond mining . we began monitoring the working conditions at our workshop , and looking for more sustainable methods of packaging and delivering our jewelry . we found that our customers were happy to be a part of a solution and not the problem . the economic downturn , combined with an increasing awareness of the ecological and ethical facts surrounding diamonds , has meant an increase in customers who appreciate affordable luxury without any attached guilt . there 's no doubt that the choices we make and the actions we take today affect the fate of our planet and in turn our well being . with shifting consumer behavior and a changing economic and environmental climate , the time has come where being environmentally conscious is an imperative for all individuals and businesses alike . | blog series is part of cnn 's going green ' coverage from june 15 to july 10 |
going green <tsp> during cnn 's going green : green light for business ' coverage , we 've asked businesses to tell us how they balance the imperative for profit with environmental concerns . first up is the co-founder of hong kong-based diaz fine jewelry , salina khan fuchigami , whose business packages cubic zirconia diamonds in an environmental wrapping . growing up surrounded by generations of jewelry wearing tradition , i was drawn to the brilliance and transparency of diamonds from an early age . later , it was the fact that diamonds are a unique resource , evoking beauty and eternal love that lead me to found diaz fine jewelry . salina khan fuchigami co-founded diaz fine jewelry with her husband takashi . however , as i began to learn beyond the basics and beauty of diamonds , i began to discover the many environmental and ethical issues related to them . and the once simple wish to create a line of exquisite diamond jewelry grew into a mission -- to create an ecologically and ethically correct jewelry brand . i was one of many who were understandably concerned to learn that jewelry they had as a symbol of love may have come at a terrible human and environmental cost . although the social and ethical issues associated with conflict diamonds were the impetus at the core of the diaz philosophy , the serious environmental impacts of the diamond industry could not be ignored . there 's an undeniable link between the degradation of our global environment and consumer culture . the trouble is that these days , things are so nicely packaged , presented and displayed that we hardly ever question how the raw materials used to produce the goods are extracted and processed . we rarely think of how it all affects the environment and humankind . it 's impossible to assess exactly how much devastation one single diamond could have caused before it was cut , polished , set and sold at a high-end retailer . it 's hard to imagine what a diamond mine looks like by looking at the stunning sparklers ' that are neatly displayed in shop windows . somewhere along the way it became irrelevant to question the true cost of the stones . diamond mining practices are not without huge ecological impacts . whether extracted from a large-scale diamond mine using modern , clinical mining methods , or through small-scale artisanal alluvial diamond digging , the diamond industry faces environmental challenges just as with any mineral extraction . land disturbance , which involves the shifting of large quantities of soil from the earth , is interlinked with issues of waste and water pollution as well as huge impacts on biodiversity . through my company , i knew i could offer an alternative to mined-diamond jewelry of equal beauty and quality -- using lab-created jewels and meticulous craftsmanship -- jewelry that evoked beauty and eternal love , and that was truly transparent . as with any environmental or ethical issue , education , knowledge and action are the keys to ending unnecessary harm . so , as the business grew , we made sure each of our customers received an info-leaflet with every purchase . we began donating proceeds from our sales to grassroots organizations that ran mine-reclamation projects promoting organic farming and biodiversity in mining towns in sierra leone , a country devastated by civil war that was fueled by diamonds and now has a landscape scarred by indiscriminate alluvial diamond mining . we began monitoring the working conditions at our workshop , and looking for more sustainable methods of packaging and delivering our jewelry . we found that our customers were happy to be a part of a solution and not the problem . the economic downturn , combined with an increasing awareness of the ecological and ethical facts surrounding diamonds , has meant an increase in customers who appreciate affordable luxury without any attached guilt . there 's no doubt that the choices we make and the actions we take today affect the fate of our planet and in turn our well being . with shifting consumer behavior and a changing economic and environmental climate , the time has come where being environmentally conscious is an imperative for all individuals and businesses alike . | cnn has asked businesses to explain their concept of going green ' |
lopez <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the florida case of a trooper ticketing a miami police officer in his squad car for driving 120 miles per hour is a simple misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion , ' the officer 's attorney said friday . officer fausto lopez , 35 , of miami was handcuffed at gunpoint last month and charged with second-degree reckless driving , a misdemeanor , according to the florida highway patrol . lopez , who was speeding on the florida turnpike , was released shortly after , authorities said . lopez was accused of weaving his marked police car through traffic at more than 120 miles an hour so he could be on time for his off-duty job , authorities said . he led florida trooper d.j . watts on a seven-minute , nearly 12-mile chase in the predawn darkness of october 11 , a highway patrol report said . it was an unfortunate situation that happened , and although officer lopez may have been going too fast , the florida highway patrol trooper clearly overreacted , ' bill matthewman , lopez 's attorney , told cnn . this matter was very much blown out of proportion . ' officer fausto lã³pez is a good police officer who has worked as a uniform patrol officer on the streets of miami for nearly six years , protecting the citizens of miami , ' matthewman said separately in a statement . the allegation that he was driving his police vehicle 120 mph is not accurate and is disputed . he was not driving recklessly , and a review of the videotape shows he was not driving recklessly . ' meanwhile , the highway patrol released the audio recording of the dispatch call made by state trooper donna jane watts as she pursued lopez on the turnpike , also florida state route 91 , according to cnn affiliate wsvn . i do n't know what agency he is . i 'm on 91 almost to sunrise . he 's well over 120 and he 's not stopping , ' watts said . the audio and video of the chase were recorded at 6:30 a.m. on october 11 . that is when watts spotted a speeding vehicle on the turnpike . all i can see is a white patrol car with blue or something like that , bright lights . it would be a miami or d.o.t. , and i 'm sure it 's not d.o.t. , ' she said to the dispatcher . then an unidentified person on the radio tells watts : if they tell you it 's a patrol car , just have her back off . ' watts was driving on the turnpike when the white marked miami police car blew by and crossed over all lanes of traffic , ' according to the state highway patrol report . she could n't overtake the miami police car due to the unit traveling extremely reckless , in and out of traffic at high rates of speed , in excess of 120 mph , ' according to the report . the miami officer ignored the state patrol officer 's siren and lights -- and even accelerated ' at times and continued changing lanes , the report said . at one point , the miami officer slowed to 78 miles an hour , but sped up again , the highway patrol said . finally , the miami officer , wearing his uniform , pulled over his squad car at 6:35 a.m. in hollywood . a state highway patrol video shows the state trooper pulling out her service handgun as she approached the police car with the officer seated behind the wheel . the miami police officer stated that he was en route to an off-duty work detail and that he had to be there by 7:00 a.m. , ' watts wrote in her report . on the florida highway patrol offense report , the document lists lopez'occupation as police officer ' whose employer is city of miami police departmen ( t ) ' and lists the style of automobile as police car , ' a white 2008 crown victoria . miami police detective willie moreno told cnn affiliate wfor in miami last month that the department will determine whether to take any action against lopez after a judge rules on his case . the turnpike 's website nicknames the highway the less stressway . ' | lopez was in a hurry to get to his off-duty job |
lopez <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the florida case of a trooper ticketing a miami police officer in his squad car for driving 120 miles per hour is a simple misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion , ' the officer 's attorney said friday . officer fausto lopez , 35 , of miami was handcuffed at gunpoint last month and charged with second-degree reckless driving , a misdemeanor , according to the florida highway patrol . lopez , who was speeding on the florida turnpike , was released shortly after , authorities said . lopez was accused of weaving his marked police car through traffic at more than 120 miles an hour so he could be on time for his off-duty job , authorities said . he led florida trooper d.j . watts on a seven-minute , nearly 12-mile chase in the predawn darkness of october 11 , a highway patrol report said . it was an unfortunate situation that happened , and although officer lopez may have been going too fast , the florida highway patrol trooper clearly overreacted , ' bill matthewman , lopez 's attorney , told cnn . this matter was very much blown out of proportion . ' officer fausto lã³pez is a good police officer who has worked as a uniform patrol officer on the streets of miami for nearly six years , protecting the citizens of miami , ' matthewman said separately in a statement . the allegation that he was driving his police vehicle 120 mph is not accurate and is disputed . he was not driving recklessly , and a review of the videotape shows he was not driving recklessly . ' meanwhile , the highway patrol released the audio recording of the dispatch call made by state trooper donna jane watts as she pursued lopez on the turnpike , also florida state route 91 , according to cnn affiliate wsvn . i do n't know what agency he is . i 'm on 91 almost to sunrise . he 's well over 120 and he 's not stopping , ' watts said . the audio and video of the chase were recorded at 6:30 a.m. on october 11 . that is when watts spotted a speeding vehicle on the turnpike . all i can see is a white patrol car with blue or something like that , bright lights . it would be a miami or d.o.t. , and i 'm sure it 's not d.o.t. , ' she said to the dispatcher . then an unidentified person on the radio tells watts : if they tell you it 's a patrol car , just have her back off . ' watts was driving on the turnpike when the white marked miami police car blew by and crossed over all lanes of traffic , ' according to the state highway patrol report . she could n't overtake the miami police car due to the unit traveling extremely reckless , in and out of traffic at high rates of speed , in excess of 120 mph , ' according to the report . the miami officer ignored the state patrol officer 's siren and lights -- and even accelerated ' at times and continued changing lanes , the report said . at one point , the miami officer slowed to 78 miles an hour , but sped up again , the highway patrol said . finally , the miami officer , wearing his uniform , pulled over his squad car at 6:35 a.m. in hollywood . a state highway patrol video shows the state trooper pulling out her service handgun as she approached the police car with the officer seated behind the wheel . the miami police officer stated that he was en route to an off-duty work detail and that he had to be there by 7:00 a.m. , ' watts wrote in her report . on the florida highway patrol offense report , the document lists lopez'occupation as police officer ' whose employer is city of miami police departmen ( t ) ' and lists the style of automobile as police car , ' a white 2008 crown victoria . miami police detective willie moreno told cnn affiliate wfor in miami last month that the department will determine whether to take any action against lopez after a judge rules on his case . the turnpike 's website nicknames the highway the less stressway . ' | the attorney for miami officer fausto lopez says the case is a misunderstanding ' |
lopez <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the florida case of a trooper ticketing a miami police officer in his squad car for driving 120 miles per hour is a simple misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion , ' the officer 's attorney said friday . officer fausto lopez , 35 , of miami was handcuffed at gunpoint last month and charged with second-degree reckless driving , a misdemeanor , according to the florida highway patrol . lopez , who was speeding on the florida turnpike , was released shortly after , authorities said . lopez was accused of weaving his marked police car through traffic at more than 120 miles an hour so he could be on time for his off-duty job , authorities said . he led florida trooper d.j . watts on a seven-minute , nearly 12-mile chase in the predawn darkness of october 11 , a highway patrol report said . it was an unfortunate situation that happened , and although officer lopez may have been going too fast , the florida highway patrol trooper clearly overreacted , ' bill matthewman , lopez 's attorney , told cnn . this matter was very much blown out of proportion . ' officer fausto lã³pez is a good police officer who has worked as a uniform patrol officer on the streets of miami for nearly six years , protecting the citizens of miami , ' matthewman said separately in a statement . the allegation that he was driving his police vehicle 120 mph is not accurate and is disputed . he was not driving recklessly , and a review of the videotape shows he was not driving recklessly . ' meanwhile , the highway patrol released the audio recording of the dispatch call made by state trooper donna jane watts as she pursued lopez on the turnpike , also florida state route 91 , according to cnn affiliate wsvn . i do n't know what agency he is . i 'm on 91 almost to sunrise . he 's well over 120 and he 's not stopping , ' watts said . the audio and video of the chase were recorded at 6:30 a.m. on october 11 . that is when watts spotted a speeding vehicle on the turnpike . all i can see is a white patrol car with blue or something like that , bright lights . it would be a miami or d.o.t. , and i 'm sure it 's not d.o.t. , ' she said to the dispatcher . then an unidentified person on the radio tells watts : if they tell you it 's a patrol car , just have her back off . ' watts was driving on the turnpike when the white marked miami police car blew by and crossed over all lanes of traffic , ' according to the state highway patrol report . she could n't overtake the miami police car due to the unit traveling extremely reckless , in and out of traffic at high rates of speed , in excess of 120 mph , ' according to the report . the miami officer ignored the state patrol officer 's siren and lights -- and even accelerated ' at times and continued changing lanes , the report said . at one point , the miami officer slowed to 78 miles an hour , but sped up again , the highway patrol said . finally , the miami officer , wearing his uniform , pulled over his squad car at 6:35 a.m. in hollywood . a state highway patrol video shows the state trooper pulling out her service handgun as she approached the police car with the officer seated behind the wheel . the miami police officer stated that he was en route to an off-duty work detail and that he had to be there by 7:00 a.m. , ' watts wrote in her report . on the florida highway patrol offense report , the document lists lopez'occupation as police officer ' whose employer is city of miami police departmen ( t ) ' and lists the style of automobile as police car , ' a white 2008 crown victoria . miami police detective willie moreno told cnn affiliate wfor in miami last month that the department will determine whether to take any action against lopez after a judge rules on his case . the turnpike 's website nicknames the highway the less stressway . ' | lopez was ticketed for reckless driving in his squad car at 120 mph on the florida turnpike |
afghanistan <tsp> defense secretary chuck hagel traveled to afghanistan this weekend , his fourth and last trip to the country as he makes way for his likely replacement , defense secretary nominee ashton carter . cnn traveled with hagel to tactical base gamberi in eastern afghanistan , where the outgoing defense secretary met with troops . hagel is the first enlisted combat veteran to serve as defense secretary . asked by cnn whether it will be a loss for the pentagon to have a defense secretary without combat experience , hagel said he will not judge . that 's not for me to decide , ' hagel said . everybody brings to their positions their own set of experiences and their own strengths . ' hagel : more u.s. troops than planned will remain in afghanistan next year at the end of december , u.s. forces will end their combat role in afghanistan and instead focus on counterterrorism missions and training , advising and assisting afghan troops . the u.s. made a similar investment in iraq , training iraqi security forces that later collapsed as the terror group isis advanced in the country . hagel does not see afghanistan 's security force buckling like in iraq , citing afghanistan 's willingness to sign an agreement allowing a residual american troop presence in the country . they want us here . they want us to help them assist , advise , train , ' hagel said . how we left iraq was totally different . the iraqi government did not want us there . the iraqi people did not want us there . ' nearly 11,000 u.s. troops will remain in afghanistan in the beginning of 2015 . american forces will drop to 5,500 in 2016 and by 2017 the coalition will consolidate to kabul . still , while the u.s. draws down in afghanistan the danger for forces remaining in the country does not . us troops will engage in combat if threatened and will provide air support for afghan units if needed . bottom line is we 've got to realize this is still a war zone , this is still a war , ' hagel said . hagel 's visit comes as the capital city has seen a recent spike in violence . but taliban attacks are down in 2014 when compared to the previous year . hagel said he has confidence in the afghan security forces ability to protect afghanistan from terror by the hands of al qaeda and the taliban . [ there are ] still challenges ahead , but i think every sign is that they can do this , ' hagel said . | defense secretary chuck hagel made his fourth and final trip to afghanistan this weekend |
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