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musharraf <tsp> islamabad , pakistan ( cnn ) -- former pakistani president pervez musharraf pledged in a speech sunday to return to his country later this month , despite word from authorities that he will be arrested when he does so . i am coming , pakistan , ' musharraf told thousands of supporters via video link in the southern city of karachi . attempts have been made to scare me , but i am not afraid of anything . ' he pledged to return between january 27 and 30 . when he does , pakistani officials said , musharraf will be arrested in connection with the 2007 assassination of former prime minister benazir bhutto . chaudhry zulfiqar ali , a special public prosecutor in the assassination case , said a rawalpindi court has already issued an arrest warrant for musharraf . they are bound to execute the order unless a higher court sets aside the orders , ' ali said , adding that musharraf is accused of conspiring in the assassination . musharraf 's attorney , chaudry faisal , said the threat of arrest is politically motivated and has no legal bearing . the warrant is being challenged in court , the attorney said . he described the claim that musharraf could be arrested at any time upon return as absurd . ' the former president said sunday that he will return even at the risk of his life . speaking to cnn after addressing the crowd in karachi , musharraf said he had declined to provide a specific date because of security concerns . he spoke about the possibility of arrest , but said he expects he will be fine , so long as the judiciary plays its just role , and there are no interruptions . ' there is a vacuum in pakistan of trustworthy leaders , which is being filled by others . to exploit this vacuum , i have to be back now , ' musharraf said . he described his support as scattered , and said he needs to build it again from the ground up . this is a do-or-die moment for me and my party . i need to muster all the support i can , ' he said . musharraf , who resigned in 2008 , is expected to fly into pakistan from the united arab emirates later this month , accompanied by up to 500 supporters , said jawed siddiqi , spokesman for the former president 's all pakistan muslim league party . president musharraf told me that although the possibility of arrest is there -- there is no way of knowing what will happen , and how dangerous the situation is , until one jumps into the situation head first , ' he said . elections are set to take place in pakistan next year ; musharraf intends to run . on sunday , he told pakistanis that other politicians have failed leading the country , but i succeeded 100 % . ' when i took charge of the country , it was surrounded in huge problems , ' he said . ... today , we have to decide whether we need change or we need the same faces . ' terrorism in pakistan , he said , is at its peak . we are alone in the world . ' he said he restored pakistan 's economic development , increased its global standing and strengthened the armed forces . musharraf resigned in 2008 as the country 's ruling coalition began taking steps to impeach him . he was succeeded by asif zardari , bhutto 's widower . in 2010 , the united nations released a report that said musharraf 's government had failed to protect bhutto before her 2007 assassination . musharraf has rejected such accusations , saying that bhutto had police protection and took unnecessary risks . bhutto 's assassination turned public opinion strongly against musharraf in 2008 and led to his resignation and self-exile in london . in 2010 , musharraf said the timing of his return to pakistan would depend on the environment there . my going back is dependent , certainly , on an environment to be created in pakistan and also , i would say , with certainty , that whenever the signs of the next election comes up , i will be there in pakistan , ' he said . cnn 's aliza kassim , shaan khan and journalist wajahat s. khan contributed to this report . | new : musharraf declines to give a specific return date because of security concerns |
pakistan <tsp> established in 2007 following the red mosque siege , the tehrik-e-taliban pakistan ( ttp ) , or pakistani taliban , is now a prominent actor in that country 's politics . it is a diverse umbrella group uniting some 30 militant groups across the kyber-pasktunskwa and other tribal areas bordering afghanistan . it is estimated that there are some 30,000 ttp operatives . each of these groups aims to establish local spheres of sharia law , impose a particular restrictive vision of islamic living , and resist federal governance in the region . they also collectively condemn pakistani support for the united states in the war against terror . ' it is worth remembering that the ttp movement initially enjoyed some local support in the region before their violent methods began to alienate the population . in swat , the ttp targeted landowners and gave local peasants greater access to vacated land and gemstones mines , which , through profit-sharing agreements , also afforded the movement a new revenue stream . the ttp message of religiously derived , quickly administered justice independent of the slow and arguably corrupt court system seemed to resonate with locals . however ttp violence over the years should not be underestimated . a report by the pakistan peace institute reveals that last year in the khyber-pashtunwakha alone 476 attacks were carried out by the ttp and associated groups , leaving 572 civilians dead ( along with 115 security personnel ) and injured another 1,529 ( including 216 security personnel ) . the majority of those affected are the civilian poor . some have criticised pakistan for not addressing the ttp and other militant groups sooner , or not taking the threat they pose seriously enough . jihadi'tourist resort' the delay by the military and police in tackling these groups was because they were not considered a substantive threat to the pakistani state as a whole -- little is considered as great a threat to the existence of pakistan as india and militants have been used as proxy warriors ' in that fight . pakistani novelist mohammad hanif said the practice has turned the country into an international jihadi tourist resort . ' rather they were seen as misguided individuals dedicated to helping the good cause in afghanistan or dismissed as a local rebellion . nevertheless since 2009 , there have been annual military offensives against the ttp and affiliates , leading to thousands of internally displaced people , collateral damage and a few militant deaths . this year , the pakistani state relied more on airstrikes than in previous years , leading to claims of higher than ever civilian casualty rates , but also greater the usual number of ttp combatant deaths . following these operations , the ttp have been widely predicted to fall : military jets had successfully bombed ttp hideouts , doctrinal splits over non-islamic practices ' seemed to paralyze them , in september parts of the ttp had announced a ceasefire and renounced violence , and a high turnover of leadership positions ( the current spokesperson only being in place for a few weeks ) leading to uncertainty among ttp foot soldiers and rumors of desertion . another revenge attack tuesday 's school attack can be seen as another act of revenge , as the ttp spokesman said : we selected the army 's school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females ... we want them to feel the pain . ' thus ttp violence can not be divorced from the violence carried out by the state and state agencies in pakistan against civilians in countless military operations , through police brutality , curfews , drone strikes and extrajudicial disappearances . ' we should not be surprised by the spike in violence now . as is typical of splintering militant groups and of those facing increased external pressure , the frequency , scale , and scope , of ttp violence has increased as the new leadership seeks to assert its authority and demonstrate strength to external audiences . the dramatic attack on the military school this december follows on the attack in the summer on karachi airport , the bombing of a flag ceremony on the border with india , and in 2013 they carried out a daring jailbreak in dera ismali khan , resulting in 35 high value ' militants escaping ( along with 240 other prisoners ) . the group also , infamously , targeted the nobel prize winner malala yousafzai , who had campaigned for girls education in pakistan . schools , especially girls'schools , are a frequent target of the ttp . the targeting of a school this week -- especially one where most of the students are children of military personnel -- is not just about gaining shock and awe but a continuation of its campaign to violently target those who challenge its moral order . more than a thousand schools have been destroyed by islamist militants from one faction or another in the province of khyber-pakhtunkhwa in the past five years . schools symbolize government authority and are seen as un-islamic . pure islamic order the ttp -- convinced of the possibility of a pure perfect islamic order -- seeks to exclude from public politics and from the public spaces those that are unperfectable : ' women , homosexuals and the unrighteous who support infidels . the ttp target public spaces that distract from their vision of the perfect life : shrines , barber shops , eid prayer congregations , market squares , music shops , political rallies , and schools . this attack near peshawar is a reminder that the military , and wider pakistan , are not exempt from this desired order . therefore revenge and demonstrations of strength are only a partial explanation of this attack . it also reflects their broader aim to confine politics to a restricted group of people ( righteous males ' ) , a limited range of activities ( excluding fine arts and public expressions of merriment ) , and a severely constrained public space . pakistan is a resilient country , surviving one crisis after another . it is culturally rich , with a vibrant tradition of public politics and plurality . from the kite flying festival to eid prayer congregations , from dancing girls to worship at sufi shrines , pakistani 's expressions of joy and togetherness are excellent enactments of pakistan . the best antidote to the ttp would be to embrace this side of pakistan . if people hide behind closed doors , remain uneducated , the ttp 's ideal of a restricted politics and an empty public sphere will become reality . | pakistan must defend its vibrant tradition of public politics and plurality , says analyst |
taliban <tsp> established in 2007 following the red mosque siege , the tehrik-e-taliban pakistan ( ttp ) , or pakistani taliban , is now a prominent actor in that country 's politics . it is a diverse umbrella group uniting some 30 militant groups across the kyber-pasktunskwa and other tribal areas bordering afghanistan . it is estimated that there are some 30,000 ttp operatives . each of these groups aims to establish local spheres of sharia law , impose a particular restrictive vision of islamic living , and resist federal governance in the region . they also collectively condemn pakistani support for the united states in the war against terror . ' it is worth remembering that the ttp movement initially enjoyed some local support in the region before their violent methods began to alienate the population . in swat , the ttp targeted landowners and gave local peasants greater access to vacated land and gemstones mines , which , through profit-sharing agreements , also afforded the movement a new revenue stream . the ttp message of religiously derived , quickly administered justice independent of the slow and arguably corrupt court system seemed to resonate with locals . however ttp violence over the years should not be underestimated . a report by the pakistan peace institute reveals that last year in the khyber-pashtunwakha alone 476 attacks were carried out by the ttp and associated groups , leaving 572 civilians dead ( along with 115 security personnel ) and injured another 1,529 ( including 216 security personnel ) . the majority of those affected are the civilian poor . some have criticised pakistan for not addressing the ttp and other militant groups sooner , or not taking the threat they pose seriously enough . jihadi'tourist resort' the delay by the military and police in tackling these groups was because they were not considered a substantive threat to the pakistani state as a whole -- little is considered as great a threat to the existence of pakistan as india and militants have been used as proxy warriors ' in that fight . pakistani novelist mohammad hanif said the practice has turned the country into an international jihadi tourist resort . ' rather they were seen as misguided individuals dedicated to helping the good cause in afghanistan or dismissed as a local rebellion . nevertheless since 2009 , there have been annual military offensives against the ttp and affiliates , leading to thousands of internally displaced people , collateral damage and a few militant deaths . this year , the pakistani state relied more on airstrikes than in previous years , leading to claims of higher than ever civilian casualty rates , but also greater the usual number of ttp combatant deaths . following these operations , the ttp have been widely predicted to fall : military jets had successfully bombed ttp hideouts , doctrinal splits over non-islamic practices ' seemed to paralyze them , in september parts of the ttp had announced a ceasefire and renounced violence , and a high turnover of leadership positions ( the current spokesperson only being in place for a few weeks ) leading to uncertainty among ttp foot soldiers and rumors of desertion . another revenge attack tuesday 's school attack can be seen as another act of revenge , as the ttp spokesman said : we selected the army 's school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females ... we want them to feel the pain . ' thus ttp violence can not be divorced from the violence carried out by the state and state agencies in pakistan against civilians in countless military operations , through police brutality , curfews , drone strikes and extrajudicial disappearances . ' we should not be surprised by the spike in violence now . as is typical of splintering militant groups and of those facing increased external pressure , the frequency , scale , and scope , of ttp violence has increased as the new leadership seeks to assert its authority and demonstrate strength to external audiences . the dramatic attack on the military school this december follows on the attack in the summer on karachi airport , the bombing of a flag ceremony on the border with india , and in 2013 they carried out a daring jailbreak in dera ismali khan , resulting in 35 high value ' militants escaping ( along with 240 other prisoners ) . the group also , infamously , targeted the nobel prize winner malala yousafzai , who had campaigned for girls education in pakistan . schools , especially girls'schools , are a frequent target of the ttp . the targeting of a school this week -- especially one where most of the students are children of military personnel -- is not just about gaining shock and awe but a continuation of its campaign to violently target those who challenge its moral order . more than a thousand schools have been destroyed by islamist militants from one faction or another in the province of khyber-pakhtunkhwa in the past five years . schools symbolize government authority and are seen as un-islamic . pure islamic order the ttp -- convinced of the possibility of a pure perfect islamic order -- seeks to exclude from public politics and from the public spaces those that are unperfectable : ' women , homosexuals and the unrighteous who support infidels . the ttp target public spaces that distract from their vision of the perfect life : shrines , barber shops , eid prayer congregations , market squares , music shops , political rallies , and schools . this attack near peshawar is a reminder that the military , and wider pakistan , are not exempt from this desired order . therefore revenge and demonstrations of strength are only a partial explanation of this attack . it also reflects their broader aim to confine politics to a restricted group of people ( righteous males ' ) , a limited range of activities ( excluding fine arts and public expressions of merriment ) , and a severely constrained public space . pakistan is a resilient country , surviving one crisis after another . it is culturally rich , with a vibrant tradition of public politics and plurality . from the kite flying festival to eid prayer congregations , from dancing girls to worship at sufi shrines , pakistani 's expressions of joy and togetherness are excellent enactments of pakistan . the best antidote to the ttp would be to embrace this side of pakistan . if people hide behind closed doors , remain uneducated , the ttp 's ideal of a restricted politics and an empty public sphere will become reality . | taliban condemn pakistani support for the united states |
taliban <tsp> established in 2007 following the red mosque siege , the tehrik-e-taliban pakistan ( ttp ) , or pakistani taliban , is now a prominent actor in that country 's politics . it is a diverse umbrella group uniting some 30 militant groups across the kyber-pasktunskwa and other tribal areas bordering afghanistan . it is estimated that there are some 30,000 ttp operatives . each of these groups aims to establish local spheres of sharia law , impose a particular restrictive vision of islamic living , and resist federal governance in the region . they also collectively condemn pakistani support for the united states in the war against terror . ' it is worth remembering that the ttp movement initially enjoyed some local support in the region before their violent methods began to alienate the population . in swat , the ttp targeted landowners and gave local peasants greater access to vacated land and gemstones mines , which , through profit-sharing agreements , also afforded the movement a new revenue stream . the ttp message of religiously derived , quickly administered justice independent of the slow and arguably corrupt court system seemed to resonate with locals . however ttp violence over the years should not be underestimated . a report by the pakistan peace institute reveals that last year in the khyber-pashtunwakha alone 476 attacks were carried out by the ttp and associated groups , leaving 572 civilians dead ( along with 115 security personnel ) and injured another 1,529 ( including 216 security personnel ) . the majority of those affected are the civilian poor . some have criticised pakistan for not addressing the ttp and other militant groups sooner , or not taking the threat they pose seriously enough . jihadi'tourist resort' the delay by the military and police in tackling these groups was because they were not considered a substantive threat to the pakistani state as a whole -- little is considered as great a threat to the existence of pakistan as india and militants have been used as proxy warriors ' in that fight . pakistani novelist mohammad hanif said the practice has turned the country into an international jihadi tourist resort . ' rather they were seen as misguided individuals dedicated to helping the good cause in afghanistan or dismissed as a local rebellion . nevertheless since 2009 , there have been annual military offensives against the ttp and affiliates , leading to thousands of internally displaced people , collateral damage and a few militant deaths . this year , the pakistani state relied more on airstrikes than in previous years , leading to claims of higher than ever civilian casualty rates , but also greater the usual number of ttp combatant deaths . following these operations , the ttp have been widely predicted to fall : military jets had successfully bombed ttp hideouts , doctrinal splits over non-islamic practices ' seemed to paralyze them , in september parts of the ttp had announced a ceasefire and renounced violence , and a high turnover of leadership positions ( the current spokesperson only being in place for a few weeks ) leading to uncertainty among ttp foot soldiers and rumors of desertion . another revenge attack tuesday 's school attack can be seen as another act of revenge , as the ttp spokesman said : we selected the army 's school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females ... we want them to feel the pain . ' thus ttp violence can not be divorced from the violence carried out by the state and state agencies in pakistan against civilians in countless military operations , through police brutality , curfews , drone strikes and extrajudicial disappearances . ' we should not be surprised by the spike in violence now . as is typical of splintering militant groups and of those facing increased external pressure , the frequency , scale , and scope , of ttp violence has increased as the new leadership seeks to assert its authority and demonstrate strength to external audiences . the dramatic attack on the military school this december follows on the attack in the summer on karachi airport , the bombing of a flag ceremony on the border with india , and in 2013 they carried out a daring jailbreak in dera ismali khan , resulting in 35 high value ' militants escaping ( along with 240 other prisoners ) . the group also , infamously , targeted the nobel prize winner malala yousafzai , who had campaigned for girls education in pakistan . schools , especially girls'schools , are a frequent target of the ttp . the targeting of a school this week -- especially one where most of the students are children of military personnel -- is not just about gaining shock and awe but a continuation of its campaign to violently target those who challenge its moral order . more than a thousand schools have been destroyed by islamist militants from one faction or another in the province of khyber-pakhtunkhwa in the past five years . schools symbolize government authority and are seen as un-islamic . pure islamic order the ttp -- convinced of the possibility of a pure perfect islamic order -- seeks to exclude from public politics and from the public spaces those that are unperfectable : ' women , homosexuals and the unrighteous who support infidels . the ttp target public spaces that distract from their vision of the perfect life : shrines , barber shops , eid prayer congregations , market squares , music shops , political rallies , and schools . this attack near peshawar is a reminder that the military , and wider pakistan , are not exempt from this desired order . therefore revenge and demonstrations of strength are only a partial explanation of this attack . it also reflects their broader aim to confine politics to a restricted group of people ( righteous males ' ) , a limited range of activities ( excluding fine arts and public expressions of merriment ) , and a severely constrained public space . pakistan is a resilient country , surviving one crisis after another . it is culturally rich , with a vibrant tradition of public politics and plurality . from the kite flying festival to eid prayer congregations , from dancing girls to worship at sufi shrines , pakistani 's expressions of joy and togetherness are excellent enactments of pakistan . the best antidote to the ttp would be to embrace this side of pakistan . if people hide behind closed doors , remain uneducated , the ttp 's ideal of a restricted politics and an empty public sphere will become reality . | taliban violence has increased as the new leadership seeks to assert its authority |
tibet <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- china summoned the u.s. ambassador on friday to express its strong dissatisfaction ' over the dalai lama 's meeting with u.s. president barack obama a day earlier . china did n't disclose what was discussed during the session with ambassador jon huntsman at the foreign ministry . but beijing had warned that a meeting between the president and the exiled tibetan spiritual leader would damage its ties with washington . the chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this meeting , ' a spokesman for china 's foreign ministry said in a statement after thursday 's meeting at the white house . china demands the u.s. seriously consider china 's stance , immediately adopt measures to wipe out the adverse impact , [ and ] stop conniving and supporting anti-china separatist forces . ' the u.s. embassy did n't characterize friday 's meeting , but it provided the message huntsman delivered to deputy foreign minister cui tiankai . now is the time to move forward and cooperate in ways that benefit our two counties , the region and the world , ' huntsman said , according to the u.s. embassy . the meeting has the potential to further complicate sino-u.s. tensions , which have been rising in recent months . the dalai lama has said he favors genuine autonomy for tibetans , not independence for tibet . beijing regards the nobel peace prize laureate as a separatist who wishes to sever tibet from china . obama 's meeting with the dalai lama runs against the repeated commitments by the u.s. government that the u.s. recognizes tibet as part of china and gives no support to'tibet independence', ' chinese foreign ministry spokesman ma zhaoxu said . during the meeting , obama stressed his strong support for the preservation of tibet 's unique religious , cultural and linguistic identity , and the protection of human rights for tibetans , ' according to a white house statement . the president praised the dalai lama 's commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the chinese government , ' the statement added . he also stressed the importance of having both sides engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences , and was pleased to hear about the recent resumption of talks , ' it noted . the dalai lama , while acknowledging that he raised concerns about tibet during the meeting , did not provide further specifics about his home region 's political situation while addressing reporters . he said he admired america as a champion of democracy and ... freedom , ' and cited the need to promote religious harmony ' and human value . ' he also met with secretary of state hillary clinton . the meeting between the dalai lama and obama could seriously undermine the sino-u.s. political relations , ' zhu weiqun , a senior communist party leader in charge of ethnic and religious affairs , warned recently . we will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes . ' on thursday , china 's foreign ministry spokesman said the meeting grossly violated the norms governing ... international relations . ' obama did not meet with the dalai lama when the spiritual leader visited washington last fall , making it the first time since 1991 that such a meeting did not occur . ahead of a summit with chinese president hu jintao , obama persuaded tibetan representatives back then to postpone the meeting with the dalai lama . thursday 's encounter took place against the backdrop of several contentious issues already threatening to sour the relationship between america and china , including trade disputes , a recent u.s. arm sales deal for taiwan -- which china considers an illegitimate breakaway province -- and a censorship row over internet search engine google inc . the meeting is another event in the recent , one has to say , downward spiral in u.s.-china relations , ' said china scholar david shambaugh . it 's also troublesome for the chinese for one other important reason , shambaugh said . he could have met him as a spiritual leader in a neutral place like a church , ' he said . but receiving him in the white house is a political act . and that is going to irritate china very much . ' the meeting did not take place in the formal , official setting of the oval office . it was instead held in the white house map room , which is considered part of the presidential residence . the choice of settings was considered by many observers to be a sign of washington 's acknowledgment of beijing 's political sensitivities . some analysts said the chinese government could retaliate by cutting off political exchanges as they did after the dalai lama met with the heads of state of france and germany . and hu could turn down an invitation to visit washington in april . neither china nor the united states can afford strained relations , said douglas paal , a diplomat and investment banker who has served as a presidential adviser on china . we both need each other , ' he said . we need each other for a number of international security issues -- to deal with the global climate crisis , to deal with the global financial crisis . ' china is the largest growing export market for u.s. companies , paal said , expanding by 65 percent last year alone . nearly three-quarters of all americans think that tibet should be an independent country , according to a new national cnn/opinion research corp. poll . but the survey , released thursday , also indicates that most americans think it is more important to maintain good relations with china than to take a stand on tibet . cnn 's jo kent , emily chang , jill dougherty , jaime florcruz , paul steinhauser and alan silverleib contributed to this report . | beijing regards the dalai lama as a separatist who wishes to sever tibet from china |
non-islamist <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the credible but as yet unconfirmed reports that three men directed by al qaeda have plans for an attack on the united states to coincide with the 10th anniversary of september 11 reminds us of the persistence of the threat from islamist terrorists . yet our research indicates that al qaeda and those motivated by its ideology are not the only sources of terrorism that the country faces and that terrorists across the ideological spectrum from those motivated by osama bin laden 's ideology to neo-nazis have managed to kill only 30 people in the united states since the attacks on washington and new york a decade ago . while each of those deaths is , or course , a tragedy , it is orders of magnitude smaller than the 15,000 americans who are murdered every year . our study also found that islamist terrorism has been no more deadly in the united states than other forms of domestic terrorism since september 11 . in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks , one of the fears of ordinary citizens and terrorism experts alike was that a new wave of terrorists would strike , some of them armed with chemical , biological , radiological or even nuclear materials . ten years later , we have yet to see an islamist terrorist incident involving such weapons in the united states , and no islamist militant in this country has made a documented attempt to even acquire such devices . yet this is not the case for other terrorists . indeed , the record of the past decade suggests that if a chemical , biological or radiological attack were to take place in the united states , it is more likely that it would come not from a islamist terrorist but from a right-wing extremist or anarchist . in partnership with syracuse university 's maxwell school of public policy , the new america foundation has conducted a survey of terrorism incidents and cases in the united states since september 11 motivated by political ideologies other than the violent islamism advocated by bin laden . those ideologies span the spectrum from neo-nazism and militant christian fundamentalism to anarchism and violent environmentalism . in the 114 cases we examined , we found five instances of the successful or attempted development or purchase of biological , chemical or radiological weapons by violent extremists motivated by ideologies that have no relation to al qaeda : william krar , a right-wing militia activist , together with his common-law wife , judith bruey , had stored enough chemicals to produce a quantity of hydrogen cyanide gas that could kill thousands , along with more than 100 weapons , nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition and more than 100 pounds of explosives . they were arrested in 2003 . krar was eventually sentenced to more than 11 years in prison , while bruey received nearly five years . anarchist and self-proclaimed dr . chaos ' joseph konopka was stockpiling dangerous chemicals , including sodium cyanide , when he was arrested by chicago police in 2002 . he is currently serving a 13-year sentence . microbiologist bruce ivins , an fbi investigation concluded , sent waves of panic throughout the country and killed five people when he sent letters filled with anthrax to politicians and journalists during fall 2001 . ivins committed suicide in 2008 . ( some reports have cast doubt on ivins'responsibility for the attacks , but the fbi remains firm in its conclusion that ivins was responsible , based on the scientific and other evidence . ) white supremacist demetrius van crocker was arrested in 2004 after trying to purchase sarin nerve gas and c-4 explosive from an undercover government agent . his efforts to obtain the weapons earned him a 30-year prison sentence . another white supremacist , james cummings , managed to acquire a supply of radiological materials from scientific research companies and may have been planning to build a dirty ' radiological bomb when his wife killed him after years of domestic abuse in 2008 . to be clear , the 114 cases of right-wing and left-wing terrorism we examined probably do not represent a complete survey of non-islamist terrorist cases in the united states since september 11 . while some of this case information is available from the fbi , as well as organizations that track right-wing radicalism such as the southern poverty law center , keeping track of these incidents is far more difficult than tracking incidents of islamist terrorism . that is because unlike islamist terror cases , which are nearly all tried under anti-terrorism laws or statutes dealing with material support ' to terrorist groups , other domestic terrorism cases are often tried under an array of other statutes , from weapons and explosives violations , property destruction and arson to seditious conspiracy ' in the case of the anti-government hutaree militia in michigan . research on the subject is also hampered by the fact that many of these cases received only limited media attention , unlike the now 188 cases of islamist terrorism that the new america foundation and syracuse 's maxwell school have found in the united states since september 11 . we sought to impose as clear a standard as we could for politically motivated violence across a broad spectrum of cases , ranging from environmental terrorism to white supremacist terrorism . we were careful to exclude cases in which insanity or mental deficiency may have had a significant impact , such as that of jared lee loughner , who is accused of killing six people and seriously wounding rep. gabrielle giffords in arizona in january . we also excluded cases of violence that appear not to have been premeditated , such as when jerry kane and his son joseph , both steeped in anti-government ideology and armed with an assault rifle , killed two arkansas police during a traffic stop in 2010 before they were shot dead themselves in an ensuing car chase . on the other hand , we did include cases in which there was no defined plot but the individual involved had both extreme political views and had bought or constructed high-explosives and other offensive weapons . officials said that was the case with jeffrey harbin , a neo-nazi and border vigilante who was arrested this year in arizona with a dozen powerful homemade grenades . as in islamist terrorism cases in the united states , right- and left-wing terrorists were not all young hotheads but instead had an average age of 36 . but unlike the islamist terrorism cases , which involved only 4 % females , in other cases of domestic terrorism women were involved in 15 percent of the cases . the right- and left-wing terrorists in our dataset are almost entirely native-born american citizens , and nearly all appear to be caucasian . but the political motivations behind their acts were diverse in ways that the participants themselves were not . thirty-seven percent of cases involved anti-government extremism ; 23 % were motivated by environmental or pro-animal rights extremism ; 17 % involved white supremacist ideas or bias against particular ethnic groups ; and 11 % of cases were animated by religious bias or were acts committed on the basis of religious beliefs , including attacks against abortion doctors and providers . at least fourteen people have been killed in right- and left-wing terrorism-related incidents over the past decade , while acts inspired by islamist militant ideas killed 17 people ( 13 of them at fort hood , texas , in 2009 ) . the number of non-islamist incidents that caused fatalities ( eight ) was also twice that of the islamist cases ( four ) . and while in the islamist terrorism cases firearms and explosives figured into around a third of the cases , more than half the cases of non-islamist terrorism involved firearms or explosives . right- and left-wing terrorist incidents involved a broad array of targets ; a third focused on government buildings or institutions ; and 9 % targeted police . five percent of cases involved acts committed against abortion doctors or women 's health clinics , and 11 % targeted religious institutions : churches , mosques and synagogues . another 16 % of plots and attacks , many of them carried out by environmental extremists , targeted businesses or corporations . there was also a slightly greater number of government informants and undercover agents in the right- and left-wing terrorism cases , relative to the islamist terrorism cases . more than half of the right- and left-wing terrorism cases involved an informant or cooperating witness , and nearly 40 % of those cases also involved an undercover government agent . by contrast , in our survey of islamist terrorism cases , a third involved an informant , while 11 % involved a government agent ( six cases involved both a government agent and an informant ) . and in 18 % of right- and left-wing terrorism cases -- compared with 22 % in islamist terrorism cases -- authorities were tipped off or assisted by family members or people within the same social or religious communities as the arrested individual . the data indicate that federal and local authorities are just as aggressive in their use of informants and undercover agents with right- and left-wing terrorists as they are with muslims extremists . and muslims and non-muslims alike are just as likely to cooperate with authorities when they see extremist acts going on , contrary to well-publicized claims from the head of the house homeland security committee , rep. peter king , that muslim community involvement in disrupting terrorism plots is uncommonly low . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors . | non-islamist terrorists have been more likely to seek unconventional weapons , they say |
non-islamist <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the credible but as yet unconfirmed reports that three men directed by al qaeda have plans for an attack on the united states to coincide with the 10th anniversary of september 11 reminds us of the persistence of the threat from islamist terrorists . yet our research indicates that al qaeda and those motivated by its ideology are not the only sources of terrorism that the country faces and that terrorists across the ideological spectrum from those motivated by osama bin laden 's ideology to neo-nazis have managed to kill only 30 people in the united states since the attacks on washington and new york a decade ago . while each of those deaths is , or course , a tragedy , it is orders of magnitude smaller than the 15,000 americans who are murdered every year . our study also found that islamist terrorism has been no more deadly in the united states than other forms of domestic terrorism since september 11 . in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks , one of the fears of ordinary citizens and terrorism experts alike was that a new wave of terrorists would strike , some of them armed with chemical , biological , radiological or even nuclear materials . ten years later , we have yet to see an islamist terrorist incident involving such weapons in the united states , and no islamist militant in this country has made a documented attempt to even acquire such devices . yet this is not the case for other terrorists . indeed , the record of the past decade suggests that if a chemical , biological or radiological attack were to take place in the united states , it is more likely that it would come not from a islamist terrorist but from a right-wing extremist or anarchist . in partnership with syracuse university 's maxwell school of public policy , the new america foundation has conducted a survey of terrorism incidents and cases in the united states since september 11 motivated by political ideologies other than the violent islamism advocated by bin laden . those ideologies span the spectrum from neo-nazism and militant christian fundamentalism to anarchism and violent environmentalism . in the 114 cases we examined , we found five instances of the successful or attempted development or purchase of biological , chemical or radiological weapons by violent extremists motivated by ideologies that have no relation to al qaeda : william krar , a right-wing militia activist , together with his common-law wife , judith bruey , had stored enough chemicals to produce a quantity of hydrogen cyanide gas that could kill thousands , along with more than 100 weapons , nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition and more than 100 pounds of explosives . they were arrested in 2003 . krar was eventually sentenced to more than 11 years in prison , while bruey received nearly five years . anarchist and self-proclaimed dr . chaos ' joseph konopka was stockpiling dangerous chemicals , including sodium cyanide , when he was arrested by chicago police in 2002 . he is currently serving a 13-year sentence . microbiologist bruce ivins , an fbi investigation concluded , sent waves of panic throughout the country and killed five people when he sent letters filled with anthrax to politicians and journalists during fall 2001 . ivins committed suicide in 2008 . ( some reports have cast doubt on ivins'responsibility for the attacks , but the fbi remains firm in its conclusion that ivins was responsible , based on the scientific and other evidence . ) white supremacist demetrius van crocker was arrested in 2004 after trying to purchase sarin nerve gas and c-4 explosive from an undercover government agent . his efforts to obtain the weapons earned him a 30-year prison sentence . another white supremacist , james cummings , managed to acquire a supply of radiological materials from scientific research companies and may have been planning to build a dirty ' radiological bomb when his wife killed him after years of domestic abuse in 2008 . to be clear , the 114 cases of right-wing and left-wing terrorism we examined probably do not represent a complete survey of non-islamist terrorist cases in the united states since september 11 . while some of this case information is available from the fbi , as well as organizations that track right-wing radicalism such as the southern poverty law center , keeping track of these incidents is far more difficult than tracking incidents of islamist terrorism . that is because unlike islamist terror cases , which are nearly all tried under anti-terrorism laws or statutes dealing with material support ' to terrorist groups , other domestic terrorism cases are often tried under an array of other statutes , from weapons and explosives violations , property destruction and arson to seditious conspiracy ' in the case of the anti-government hutaree militia in michigan . research on the subject is also hampered by the fact that many of these cases received only limited media attention , unlike the now 188 cases of islamist terrorism that the new america foundation and syracuse 's maxwell school have found in the united states since september 11 . we sought to impose as clear a standard as we could for politically motivated violence across a broad spectrum of cases , ranging from environmental terrorism to white supremacist terrorism . we were careful to exclude cases in which insanity or mental deficiency may have had a significant impact , such as that of jared lee loughner , who is accused of killing six people and seriously wounding rep. gabrielle giffords in arizona in january . we also excluded cases of violence that appear not to have been premeditated , such as when jerry kane and his son joseph , both steeped in anti-government ideology and armed with an assault rifle , killed two arkansas police during a traffic stop in 2010 before they were shot dead themselves in an ensuing car chase . on the other hand , we did include cases in which there was no defined plot but the individual involved had both extreme political views and had bought or constructed high-explosives and other offensive weapons . officials said that was the case with jeffrey harbin , a neo-nazi and border vigilante who was arrested this year in arizona with a dozen powerful homemade grenades . as in islamist terrorism cases in the united states , right- and left-wing terrorists were not all young hotheads but instead had an average age of 36 . but unlike the islamist terrorism cases , which involved only 4 % females , in other cases of domestic terrorism women were involved in 15 percent of the cases . the right- and left-wing terrorists in our dataset are almost entirely native-born american citizens , and nearly all appear to be caucasian . but the political motivations behind their acts were diverse in ways that the participants themselves were not . thirty-seven percent of cases involved anti-government extremism ; 23 % were motivated by environmental or pro-animal rights extremism ; 17 % involved white supremacist ideas or bias against particular ethnic groups ; and 11 % of cases were animated by religious bias or were acts committed on the basis of religious beliefs , including attacks against abortion doctors and providers . at least fourteen people have been killed in right- and left-wing terrorism-related incidents over the past decade , while acts inspired by islamist militant ideas killed 17 people ( 13 of them at fort hood , texas , in 2009 ) . the number of non-islamist incidents that caused fatalities ( eight ) was also twice that of the islamist cases ( four ) . and while in the islamist terrorism cases firearms and explosives figured into around a third of the cases , more than half the cases of non-islamist terrorism involved firearms or explosives . right- and left-wing terrorist incidents involved a broad array of targets ; a third focused on government buildings or institutions ; and 9 % targeted police . five percent of cases involved acts committed against abortion doctors or women 's health clinics , and 11 % targeted religious institutions : churches , mosques and synagogues . another 16 % of plots and attacks , many of them carried out by environmental extremists , targeted businesses or corporations . there was also a slightly greater number of government informants and undercover agents in the right- and left-wing terrorism cases , relative to the islamist terrorism cases . more than half of the right- and left-wing terrorism cases involved an informant or cooperating witness , and nearly 40 % of those cases also involved an undercover government agent . by contrast , in our survey of islamist terrorism cases , a third involved an informant , while 11 % involved a government agent ( six cases involved both a government agent and an informant ) . and in 18 % of right- and left-wing terrorism cases -- compared with 22 % in islamist terrorism cases -- authorities were tipped off or assisted by family members or people within the same social or religious communities as the arrested individual . the data indicate that federal and local authorities are just as aggressive in their use of informants and undercover agents with right- and left-wing terrorists as they are with muslims extremists . and muslims and non-muslims alike are just as likely to cooperate with authorities when they see extremist acts going on , contrary to well-publicized claims from the head of the house homeland security committee , rep. peter king , that muslim community involvement in disrupting terrorism plots is uncommonly low . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors . | their study shows domestic terrorism often comes from non-islamist sources |
ftld <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- four prominent neurologists say they can not see how sen. pete domenici can continue his work as a u.s. senator given his diagnosis with frontotemporal lobar degeneration , a type of dementia . september tests showed sen. pete domenici 's brain disorder had progressed since an april checkup . the disease attacks the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain , which control judgment , complex decision-making , communication , mood and behavior . none of the four doctors is treating domenici , nor is any familiar with his case , but all have treated patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration , or ftld . dr. david knopman , a neurologist at the mayo clinic , says when his patients learn they have ftld , he tells them it 's best to stop working . they would be prone to have poor judgment and make mistakes , ' knopman said . i would encourage them to leave their employment . ' domenici , a six-term new mexico republican , announced thursday that he will not seek re-election after his current term expires in january 2009 . it 's not clear how long the senator has known of his condition . for at least two years , i have felt very little impact from this disease , ' he said in announcing his decision . but september tests showed the condition had progressed since a checkup in april , he said . while the progression was slight , i had to consider whether i could in good conscience run for re-election and serve you as well as you deserve for another six-year term , ' domenici told an audience in albuquerque , new mexico . a source close to domenici , 75 , says his physician at johns hopkins university hospital has a comfort level with his ability to finish out the term . ' the source added , those of us who work with him have not seen much deterioration . ' dr. bruce miller , a neurologist at the university of california-san francisco , says that of the 500 patients he 's treated for ftld , very few have been able to keep working . at times they can shift to a different style of work that does n't require making big judgments , like being a paper boy , ' he said . dr. murray grossman , a neurologist at the university of pennsylvania , noted the difficulties the disease presents for people who make decisions on others'behalf . a lawyer would n't be able to best defend their clients . a stockbroker would n't be able to make the best investments for their clients , ' he said . another neurologist , dr. daniel brauner , said if an ftld patient is making world-shaking decisions they should probably stop working . ' he added some of his patients in less stressful jobs have been able to keep working but have had to scale back , leaving behind tasks that are too complex . in addition to problems with judgment , ftld patients have behavior and language issues , because of the areas of the brain that are affected . they can be inappropriate with money . they believe every ad they see in the paper and buy everything , ' he said . the doctors said first signs of the disease are often very unusual behavior or a change in personality . an affectionate grandfather , for example , might push away a grandchild looking for a hug . someone who 's always been very polite might become very rude . someone who 's usually very adept and in touch with people might suddenly make inappropriate or caustic comments , like they might refer to someone who 's overweight as'fatty ,'' knopman says . he added patients often do n't want to leave work . one of the problems with this disorder is they often lack insight so they themselves do n't perceive the problems , ' knopman said . there 's no cure for ftld . treatment consists of managing symptoms with medication and in some cases , speech therapy . e-mail to a friend elizabeth cohen is a correspondent with cnn medical news . senior producer jennifer pifer contributed to this report . | ftld affects parts of brain that govern judgment , complex decision-making |
cortright <tsp> ( cnn ) -- drone technology is spreading rapidly . as many as 50 countries are developing or purchasing these systems , including china , russia , india , pakistan , and iran . even non-state actors are involved . hezbollah reportedly has deployed an iranian-designed drone . iran is developing a new drone aircraft with a range of more than 600 miles . these systems are used mostly for surveillance , but it is not difficult to equip the aircraft with missiles and bombs . recently in massachusetts , a man was arrested for plotting to place explosives on a drone aircraft and fly it into the pentagon or the capitol building . private contractors are getting into the business as well . we now have companies offering drones-for-hire . what kind of a future are we creating for our children ? we face the prospect of a world in which every nation will have drone warfare capability , in which terror can rain down from the sky at any moment without warning . military planners are developing technologies for autonomous drones , aircraft that are supposedly intelligent ' and can make their own decisions on when to unleash lethal force . will we give machines the power to kill people ? the development of drone weapons raises profound moral questions about the future of war . u.s. officials are fond of drone weapons because they are inexpensive and seem to make the waging of war less costly . they allow leaders to conduct military operations without risking the lives of u.s. soldiers or drawing public disapproval . they give the false impression that war can be waged with fewer costs and risks . any development that makes war appear to be easier or cheaper is dangerous and morally troubling . it lowers the political threshold of war . it threatens to weaken the moral presumption against the use of armed force . the use of drone aircraft perpetuates the illusion that military force is an effective means of countering terrorism and resolving political differences . we should know better by now . after 10 years of combat in afghanistan the threat of terrorist attack and insurgent violence remains as great as ever . may 2011 was the deadliest month for afghan civilians since the u.n. began keeping records in 2007 , the agency 's assistance mission in afghanistan reported . june 's death toll was almost as high . terrorism is essentially a political phenomenon . it can not be defeated by military means . the rand corporation 's 2008 report how terrorist groups end ' shows that the most effective tools against violent extremism are political processes and police operations . the u.s. government claims that drone strikes are an effective tool against al qaeda leaders , but most of those being killed are low-level militants . many important legal questions have been raised about drone strikes . the u.s. government arguably has legal authority to conduct military operations in afghanistan , based on the original congressional authorization adopted after 9/11 . it is questionable , however , whether this authority extends to pakistan , a country that is supposedly an ally of the united states . nor do we have legal authority to launch military strikes in yemen , somalia and other countries where the united states is not officially engaged in armed hostilities . force may be used by soldiers against combatants in legally authorized armed conflicts , but this right does not extend to civilians . the u.s. covert counterterrorism drone campaign is managed and operated by the cia , an agency notorious for its past policy failures and violations of the law . those who are conducting these raids operate in secret beyond the restraints of military discipline and are not subject to the uniform code of military justice . drone weapons are very precise , but they do not eliminate the problem of civilian casualties . white house counterterrorism adviser john brennan claimed in june that no civilians have been killed in pakistan in the last year because of drone strikes . the white house quickly backed away from that outlandish claim , but administration officials continue to insist that so-called collateral damage is very low . precise information about civilian casualties is impossible to obtain , but a new report from the bureau of investigative journalism in the uk sheds important light on the subject . their figures show that civilian casualties occur in about one fifth of u.s. drone attacks in pakistan . since the drone war began in pakistan in 2004 , more than 2,000 people have been killed in these strikes , with as few as 386 and as many as 775 civilians among the dead , including as many as 170 children . drone weapons raise many troubling security , legal and moral questions . rather than pushing ahead to develop more of these systems , our government should pause to consider the consequences of this new revolution in military technology . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of david cortright . | cortright : drones give nations false impression wars can be waged with less risk , costs |
cortright <tsp> ( cnn ) -- drone technology is spreading rapidly . as many as 50 countries are developing or purchasing these systems , including china , russia , india , pakistan , and iran . even non-state actors are involved . hezbollah reportedly has deployed an iranian-designed drone . iran is developing a new drone aircraft with a range of more than 600 miles . these systems are used mostly for surveillance , but it is not difficult to equip the aircraft with missiles and bombs . recently in massachusetts , a man was arrested for plotting to place explosives on a drone aircraft and fly it into the pentagon or the capitol building . private contractors are getting into the business as well . we now have companies offering drones-for-hire . what kind of a future are we creating for our children ? we face the prospect of a world in which every nation will have drone warfare capability , in which terror can rain down from the sky at any moment without warning . military planners are developing technologies for autonomous drones , aircraft that are supposedly intelligent ' and can make their own decisions on when to unleash lethal force . will we give machines the power to kill people ? the development of drone weapons raises profound moral questions about the future of war . u.s. officials are fond of drone weapons because they are inexpensive and seem to make the waging of war less costly . they allow leaders to conduct military operations without risking the lives of u.s. soldiers or drawing public disapproval . they give the false impression that war can be waged with fewer costs and risks . any development that makes war appear to be easier or cheaper is dangerous and morally troubling . it lowers the political threshold of war . it threatens to weaken the moral presumption against the use of armed force . the use of drone aircraft perpetuates the illusion that military force is an effective means of countering terrorism and resolving political differences . we should know better by now . after 10 years of combat in afghanistan the threat of terrorist attack and insurgent violence remains as great as ever . may 2011 was the deadliest month for afghan civilians since the u.n. began keeping records in 2007 , the agency 's assistance mission in afghanistan reported . june 's death toll was almost as high . terrorism is essentially a political phenomenon . it can not be defeated by military means . the rand corporation 's 2008 report how terrorist groups end ' shows that the most effective tools against violent extremism are political processes and police operations . the u.s. government claims that drone strikes are an effective tool against al qaeda leaders , but most of those being killed are low-level militants . many important legal questions have been raised about drone strikes . the u.s. government arguably has legal authority to conduct military operations in afghanistan , based on the original congressional authorization adopted after 9/11 . it is questionable , however , whether this authority extends to pakistan , a country that is supposedly an ally of the united states . nor do we have legal authority to launch military strikes in yemen , somalia and other countries where the united states is not officially engaged in armed hostilities . force may be used by soldiers against combatants in legally authorized armed conflicts , but this right does not extend to civilians . the u.s. covert counterterrorism drone campaign is managed and operated by the cia , an agency notorious for its past policy failures and violations of the law . those who are conducting these raids operate in secret beyond the restraints of military discipline and are not subject to the uniform code of military justice . drone weapons are very precise , but they do not eliminate the problem of civilian casualties . white house counterterrorism adviser john brennan claimed in june that no civilians have been killed in pakistan in the last year because of drone strikes . the white house quickly backed away from that outlandish claim , but administration officials continue to insist that so-called collateral damage is very low . precise information about civilian casualties is impossible to obtain , but a new report from the bureau of investigative journalism in the uk sheds important light on the subject . their figures show that civilian casualties occur in about one fifth of u.s. drone attacks in pakistan . since the drone war began in pakistan in 2004 , more than 2,000 people have been killed in these strikes , with as few as 386 and as many as 775 civilians among the dead , including as many as 170 children . drone weapons raise many troubling security , legal and moral questions . rather than pushing ahead to develop more of these systems , our government should pause to consider the consequences of this new revolution in military technology . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of david cortright . | david cortright : up to 50 nations developing , buying drones , including china , iran , pakistan |
darryl mccauley <tsp> ( cnn ) -- dane cook 's half-brother and sister-in-law must repay the comedian $ 12 million they admitted to stealing while managing cook 's business , a spokesman for the massachusetts attorney general said . darryl mccauley , who was cook 's business manager from the early 1990s until 1998 , pleaded guilty to larceny , embezzlement and forgery charges in october . his wife , erika mccauley , pleaded guilty to larceny charges . for several years , mr. mccauley abused his position as a family member to gain mr. cook 's trust , and stole millions of dollars for his own personal gain , ' attorney general martha coakley said after his sentencing . he was sentenced to six years in prison and 16 years probation , while she got three years in prison and 13 years probation . erika mccauly , 35 , will be in a woburn , massachusetts court friday for a hearing on the status of the restitution payments and darryl mccauley , 43 , will have a hearing next week , according to harry pierre , coakley 's spokesman . the investigation began in december 2008 when cook and his lawyer called police to alert them to the missing millions , according to coakley 's spokesman . mccauley , who kept cook 's financial books and managed his financial affairs , was accused of transferring millions of dollars from cook 's business accounts into his own personal accounts through checks and wire transfers , pierre said . one such forged check was for $ 3 million , he said . | darryl mccauley was the comedian 's business manager for years |
wheeler peckham <tsp> ( mental floss ) -- from the moment justice david souter announced he 'd be stepping down , washington has been gearing up for a confirmation fight . but as senator lindsey graham ( r-s.c. ) told judge sonia sotomayor yesterday , unless you have a complete meltdown , you are going to get confirmed . ' robert bork is not the only nominee who did not make it to the supreme court . let 's take a look back at eight nominees who did n't make it to the bench , at least on their first try . 1 . robert bork in our time , the most famous rejected nominee is robert h. bork , a legal scholar and u.s. court of appeals judge with a long paper trail of conservative opinions . nominated by president ronald reagan in 1987 , bork could have tilted the court decisively to the right . as a known quantity , he was an easy target for liberal opponents , who organized a campaign against him . he was rejected by the senate judiciary committee after 12 days of hearings . mental floss : washington 's struggle to find a chief justice 2 . alexander wolcott ' oh degraded country ! how humiliating to the friends of moral virtue -- of religion and of all that is dear to the lover of his country ! ' the new-york gazette advertiser wailed in 1811 over president james madison 's nomination of customs inspector alexander wolcott . wolcott 's strong enforcement of the controversial embargoes against great britain and france cost him support in the senate and in the press . the senate turned him down by a 9-24 vote , the widest rejection in supreme court history . 3 . roger taney roger b. taney ( pronounced tawny ) is largely remembered as the chief justice who handed down the dred scott decision in 1857 . with his sepulchral countenance , taney is inextricably linked to the grim ruling that all blacks -- slaves as well as free -- were not and could never become citizens of the united states . but when president andrew jackson nominated him in 1835 as associate justice , opposition whigs were still smarting from taney 's removal of government deposits from the second bank of the united states while he was a recess-appointed secretary of the treasury . the senate voted to indefinitely postpone the nomination . however , after chief justice john marshall died in 1836 , jackson sent taney 's name up again . he was confirmed , this time as chief justice . 4 . ebenezer hoar you might think the senate just could n't stomach elevating to the highest court in the land a man with the name ebenezer hoar , but it seems the senators were offended by something other than aesthetics . as president ulysses s. grant 's attorney general , hoar had insisted on rewarding merit rather than political loyalty , thus blocking a well-trod route for patronage . so when grant nominated hoar to the court in 1869 , miffed republican senators gave the virtuous hoar thumbs down . mental floss : what was marbury v. madison ? who were roe and wade ? 5 and 6 . wheeler hazard peckham and william b. hornblower a senator has the right to reject a court nomination simply because the nominee is from the senator 's home state . upon this invocation of senatorial courtesy ' rests the demise of wheeler hazard peckham and william b. hornblower . both men were nominated by president grover cleveland . both nominees were new yorkers , and new york sen. david hill invoked senatorial courtesy to squelch their nominations in 1894 . ( peckham 's brother , rufus wheeler peckham , became a justice in 1896 . ) 7 . harriet miers some nominees withdrew themselves from consideration before they could be rejected . such was the case of harriet miers , whom president george w. bush nominated in 2005 , but withdrew under criticism that she was unqualified . mental floss : why there 's a mohammed statue at the supreme court ? 8 . douglas ginsburg another withdrawal was that of douglas ginsburg ( not related to current justice ruth bader ginsburg ) , the conservative , former pot-smoking federal appellate judge who is a footnote in the bork saga . after bork was borked , reagan eyed the more moderate anthony kennedy for the seat . but sen. jesse helms ( r-n.c. ) threatened a filibuster . so reagan turned right again and proposed ginsburg . but there was no getting around the revelation that ginsburg had inhaled . ginsburg withdrew himself from consideration , reagan put forward kennedy and the senate , eager to move on , easily confirmed him . for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved . | wheeler peckham and william b. hornblower rejected through home state courtesy |
sony <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- with a nod to the future , sony paid tribute to the gamer and revealed new , power-packed and very bloody titles at the electronic entertainment expo ( e3 ) in los angeles on monday . promising next generation experiences , ' sony computer entertainment of america president jack tretton introduced new games aimed at mature audiences : the last of us , ' god of war : ascension ' and beyond : two souls . ' each featured video and game play that was evocative , brutal and bloody with action that drew gasps and cringes . this is the super bowl for those of us in the game industry , ' tretton said . this year , sony wants to pay tribute to the gamers . ' there were no great reveals or announcements about new hardware , despite persistent rumors that a new playstation 4 might be on the horizon . much of the event focused on integration between the current playstation 3 and the handheld playstation vita and the mention of a new service called playstation mobile that will bring the ps experience to mobile phones and tablets . tretton said there will be 60 new titles for the vita next year and playstation 1 titles will also be available for play on the handheld console . one new title , playstation all-stars battle royale , ' can be played on the home console and the vita at the same time . we are investing heavily ( in ) cross-play ( playing on ps3 and vita simultaneously ) , ' tretton said . people can play whenever and wherever they want with cross-play . the vita also becomes an enhanced controller for the ps3 . ' there will also be exclusive titles for the vita , like call of duty : black ops declassified ' and assassin 's creed iii : liberation , ' featuring a female lead assassin . jessica chobot , correspondent for g4tv 's attack of the show ' said she was really impressed with the new game play for assassin 's creed iii . ' i 'm the kind of gamer that looks for story . i 'm a big rpg ( role-playing game ) fan so things that have a really good story for me carry more weight for me as a gamer , ' she said . the fact they have a sea battle is really cool . ' sony 's new offerings were n't all for adults , however . the company also unveiled wonderbook , a new accessory for the move controller that helps bring stories to life using augmented reality . the first release for wonderbook will be book of spells , ' a harry potter-themed title with content by j.k rowling , creator of the blockbuster book series . in his remarks monday , tretton praised sony 's passionate ' fans and implored them to never stop playing . ' | sony introduced several new titles during e3 event monday night |
sony <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- with a nod to the future , sony paid tribute to the gamer and revealed new , power-packed and very bloody titles at the electronic entertainment expo ( e3 ) in los angeles on monday . promising next generation experiences , ' sony computer entertainment of america president jack tretton introduced new games aimed at mature audiences : the last of us , ' god of war : ascension ' and beyond : two souls . ' each featured video and game play that was evocative , brutal and bloody with action that drew gasps and cringes . this is the super bowl for those of us in the game industry , ' tretton said . this year , sony wants to pay tribute to the gamers . ' there were no great reveals or announcements about new hardware , despite persistent rumors that a new playstation 4 might be on the horizon . much of the event focused on integration between the current playstation 3 and the handheld playstation vita and the mention of a new service called playstation mobile that will bring the ps experience to mobile phones and tablets . tretton said there will be 60 new titles for the vita next year and playstation 1 titles will also be available for play on the handheld console . one new title , playstation all-stars battle royale , ' can be played on the home console and the vita at the same time . we are investing heavily ( in ) cross-play ( playing on ps3 and vita simultaneously ) , ' tretton said . people can play whenever and wherever they want with cross-play . the vita also becomes an enhanced controller for the ps3 . ' there will also be exclusive titles for the vita , like call of duty : black ops declassified ' and assassin 's creed iii : liberation , ' featuring a female lead assassin . jessica chobot , correspondent for g4tv 's attack of the show ' said she was really impressed with the new game play for assassin 's creed iii . ' i 'm the kind of gamer that looks for story . i 'm a big rpg ( role-playing game ) fan so things that have a really good story for me carry more weight for me as a gamer , ' she said . the fact they have a sea battle is really cool . ' sony 's new offerings were n't all for adults , however . the company also unveiled wonderbook , a new accessory for the move controller that helps bring stories to life using augmented reality . the first release for wonderbook will be book of spells , ' a harry potter-themed title with content by j.k rowling , creator of the blockbuster book series . in his remarks monday , tretton praised sony 's passionate ' fans and implored them to never stop playing . ' | sony also is heavily investing in cross-play , said jack tretton |
obamacare <tsp> washington ( cnn ) chief justice john roberts is back in the spotlight . roberts -- who shocked conservatives nearly three years ago by providing a pivotal vote to uphold obamacare -- once again faces a judicial crossroads in a historic case . the u.s. supreme court will hear oral arguments tuesday in a case that could decide whether gay and lesbian couples nationwide have the constitutional right to marry . the question at the core of obergefell v. hodges is one of the most consequential debates of the early 21st century , and one that is already helping to shape the 2016 presidential race . appeals courts nationwide have moved decisively toward supporting same-sex marriage , but a split at the appellate level helped propel the issue to the nation 's highest court , led by roberts . appointed to the bench by president george w. bush , roberts has a solid conservative record and would seem an unlikely vote to support a constitutional right to same-sex marriage . he dissented in united states v. windsor , a landmark case in which a narrowly divided court struck down a key provision of the defense of marriage act , which denied federal benefits to lawfully married same-sex couples . and he 's expressed sympathy with legal arguments that would allow same-sex marriage bans . yet both sides see the case as a legacy-making moment for the 60-year-old chief justice , and advocates for same-sex couples hold out hope that he will emerge as their ally . they will be scrutinizing his words and actions tuesday for clues about how he 'll vote -- and whether he will upset some conservatives once again . if the windsor majority votes in favor of marriage equality , the ruling will be one of the most momentous decisions of the roberts court , ' said judith e. schaeffer of the constitutional accountability center , which is advocating for same-sex marriage . will john roberts want to be remembered as having dissented from such a historic decision ? ' for some conservatives , a vote in favor of same-sex marriage in the case would be a huge disappointment . it would be akin to the type of betrayal they felt when justice david souter , who was nominated to the bench by george h.w . bush and who retired in 2009 , consistently voted with the liberals or when justice anthony kennedy , a ronald reagan appointee , disappointed them on earlier gay rights cases as well as abortion and the death penalty . or when roberts infuriated conservative allies by providing the crucial fifth vote to uphold obamacare on the grounds that the law is a constitutional use of the government 's taxing authority . the hope in conservative circles is that roberts will see his legacy as ensuring that the issue of same-sex marriage gets decided by the people , not the courts . the chief surely knows that his job is to be on the right side of the constitution , ' said edward whelan , president of the ethics and public policy center . blatherings about the'wrong side of history'are an appeal to intellectual cowardice . ' those hoping that he will vote to uphold the state bans see a strong signal in the windsor case . in his majority opinion , kennedy said the principal purpose ' of the defense of marriage act was to impose inequality . ' roberts disagreed . he wrote separately to say he thought congress acted constitutionally when it passed the law in 1996 in an attempt to provide uniformity and stability ' at a time when every state defined marriage as between a man and a woman . roberts picked up on kennedy 's language that emphasized the states'power to define the marital relationship and said that power will someday come into play on the other side of the board in future cases about the constitutionality of state marriage definitions . ' david cruz of the university of southern california gould school of law said that roberts could use that reasoning to vote in favor of state bans in the obergefell case . roberts is suggesting that concerns about the powers of states will support state laws excluding same-sex couples from marriage , ' cruz said . indeed , the lower court that upheld the marriage bans in michigan , tennessee , ohio and kentucky in the obergefell case relied heavily on the argument that states have a right to define marriage . another clue to roberts'thinking in the windsor dissent is that he took particular issue with any notion that the defense of marriage act was passed out of a desire to harm -- noting it had the support of majorities in both the house of representatives and the senate as well as president bill clinton , who signed it into law . i would not tar the political branches with the brush of bigotry , ' roberts wrote . the comments suggest he would reject an argument in the obergefell case that rested on the idea that same-sex marriage bans reflected animus against gay people . but backers of same-sex marriage are reading some tea leaves of their own . schaeffer points out that roberts did n't join the parts of the dissents penned by justices antonin scalia , clarence thomas and samuel alito , which clearly stated a belief that state bans on same-sex marriage do n't violate the constitution . roberts did n't join them in expressing those views , ' schaeffer said . at the time , roberts simply wrote that the court does not have before it , and the logic of its opinion does not decide ' whether states can ban same-sex marriage . schaeffer said the chief justice could have simply chosen to remain silent on an issue that was n't before the court . but i think one reasonable explanation is that roberts was preserving a clean slate for himself on the ultimate issue of marriage equality , ' she said . the defense of marriage act decision overshadowed another 2013 case -- hollingsworth v. perry -- that could have determined whether states could ban same-sex marriage . the case concerned a challenge to california 's proposition 8 , a state constitutional amendment that barred same-sex couples from marriage . but roberts , writing for the majority , dismissed the case , holding that the challengers did not have the legal standing to bring it to the court . the ruling left in place a lower court decision that had invalidated proposition 8 and thus paved the way for same-sex marriage in california . roberts'lesbian cousin , who lives in california , sat in the courtroom during arguments in the prop 8 case . few people predicted that the issue would return so quickly to the supreme court , but waves of lower court judges -- sometimes citing windsor -- struck down the state bans . on the first day of the term last fall , the court was presented with seven different petitions on the issue . conventional wisdom was that the justices would garner the four necessary votes and grant one of the cases . but conventional wisdom was completely wrong . without comment , the court declined to take up any of the cases , clearing the way for thousands of additional same-sex marriages . the court 's vote count in such decisions is kept a secret and may never be known . but some speculate on one possible scenario : roberts chose not to provide the fourth vote to the conservatives who dissented in windsor . then again , even if the speculation were true , it does n't reveal much about roberts'thinking . there 's a big difference between voting not to take up a case , which expresses no opinions on the merits , and issuing an opinion on the merits . and even when roberts'actions -- such as effectively allowing same-sex marriage to proceed in california -- seem to suggest a willingness to consider such unions nationwide , his comments along the way make it much harder to gain insight into his ultimate thinking . when the institution of marriage developed historically , people did n't get around and say ,'let 's have this institution , but let 's keep out homosexuals ,' roberts said during the proposition 8 oral arguments . the institution developed to serve purposes that , by their nature , did n't include homosexual couples . ' | chief justice disappointed conservatives earlier when he helped uphold obamacare |
john roberts <tsp> washington ( cnn ) chief justice john roberts is back in the spotlight . roberts -- who shocked conservatives nearly three years ago by providing a pivotal vote to uphold obamacare -- once again faces a judicial crossroads in a historic case . the u.s. supreme court will hear oral arguments tuesday in a case that could decide whether gay and lesbian couples nationwide have the constitutional right to marry . the question at the core of obergefell v. hodges is one of the most consequential debates of the early 21st century , and one that is already helping to shape the 2016 presidential race . appeals courts nationwide have moved decisively toward supporting same-sex marriage , but a split at the appellate level helped propel the issue to the nation 's highest court , led by roberts . appointed to the bench by president george w. bush , roberts has a solid conservative record and would seem an unlikely vote to support a constitutional right to same-sex marriage . he dissented in united states v. windsor , a landmark case in which a narrowly divided court struck down a key provision of the defense of marriage act , which denied federal benefits to lawfully married same-sex couples . and he 's expressed sympathy with legal arguments that would allow same-sex marriage bans . yet both sides see the case as a legacy-making moment for the 60-year-old chief justice , and advocates for same-sex couples hold out hope that he will emerge as their ally . they will be scrutinizing his words and actions tuesday for clues about how he 'll vote -- and whether he will upset some conservatives once again . if the windsor majority votes in favor of marriage equality , the ruling will be one of the most momentous decisions of the roberts court , ' said judith e. schaeffer of the constitutional accountability center , which is advocating for same-sex marriage . will john roberts want to be remembered as having dissented from such a historic decision ? ' for some conservatives , a vote in favor of same-sex marriage in the case would be a huge disappointment . it would be akin to the type of betrayal they felt when justice david souter , who was nominated to the bench by george h.w . bush and who retired in 2009 , consistently voted with the liberals or when justice anthony kennedy , a ronald reagan appointee , disappointed them on earlier gay rights cases as well as abortion and the death penalty . or when roberts infuriated conservative allies by providing the crucial fifth vote to uphold obamacare on the grounds that the law is a constitutional use of the government 's taxing authority . the hope in conservative circles is that roberts will see his legacy as ensuring that the issue of same-sex marriage gets decided by the people , not the courts . the chief surely knows that his job is to be on the right side of the constitution , ' said edward whelan , president of the ethics and public policy center . blatherings about the'wrong side of history'are an appeal to intellectual cowardice . ' those hoping that he will vote to uphold the state bans see a strong signal in the windsor case . in his majority opinion , kennedy said the principal purpose ' of the defense of marriage act was to impose inequality . ' roberts disagreed . he wrote separately to say he thought congress acted constitutionally when it passed the law in 1996 in an attempt to provide uniformity and stability ' at a time when every state defined marriage as between a man and a woman . roberts picked up on kennedy 's language that emphasized the states'power to define the marital relationship and said that power will someday come into play on the other side of the board in future cases about the constitutionality of state marriage definitions . ' david cruz of the university of southern california gould school of law said that roberts could use that reasoning to vote in favor of state bans in the obergefell case . roberts is suggesting that concerns about the powers of states will support state laws excluding same-sex couples from marriage , ' cruz said . indeed , the lower court that upheld the marriage bans in michigan , tennessee , ohio and kentucky in the obergefell case relied heavily on the argument that states have a right to define marriage . another clue to roberts'thinking in the windsor dissent is that he took particular issue with any notion that the defense of marriage act was passed out of a desire to harm -- noting it had the support of majorities in both the house of representatives and the senate as well as president bill clinton , who signed it into law . i would not tar the political branches with the brush of bigotry , ' roberts wrote . the comments suggest he would reject an argument in the obergefell case that rested on the idea that same-sex marriage bans reflected animus against gay people . but backers of same-sex marriage are reading some tea leaves of their own . schaeffer points out that roberts did n't join the parts of the dissents penned by justices antonin scalia , clarence thomas and samuel alito , which clearly stated a belief that state bans on same-sex marriage do n't violate the constitution . roberts did n't join them in expressing those views , ' schaeffer said . at the time , roberts simply wrote that the court does not have before it , and the logic of its opinion does not decide ' whether states can ban same-sex marriage . schaeffer said the chief justice could have simply chosen to remain silent on an issue that was n't before the court . but i think one reasonable explanation is that roberts was preserving a clean slate for himself on the ultimate issue of marriage equality , ' she said . the defense of marriage act decision overshadowed another 2013 case -- hollingsworth v. perry -- that could have determined whether states could ban same-sex marriage . the case concerned a challenge to california 's proposition 8 , a state constitutional amendment that barred same-sex couples from marriage . but roberts , writing for the majority , dismissed the case , holding that the challengers did not have the legal standing to bring it to the court . the ruling left in place a lower court decision that had invalidated proposition 8 and thus paved the way for same-sex marriage in california . roberts'lesbian cousin , who lives in california , sat in the courtroom during arguments in the prop 8 case . few people predicted that the issue would return so quickly to the supreme court , but waves of lower court judges -- sometimes citing windsor -- struck down the state bans . on the first day of the term last fall , the court was presented with seven different petitions on the issue . conventional wisdom was that the justices would garner the four necessary votes and grant one of the cases . but conventional wisdom was completely wrong . without comment , the court declined to take up any of the cases , clearing the way for thousands of additional same-sex marriages . the court 's vote count in such decisions is kept a secret and may never be known . but some speculate on one possible scenario : roberts chose not to provide the fourth vote to the conservatives who dissented in windsor . then again , even if the speculation were true , it does n't reveal much about roberts'thinking . there 's a big difference between voting not to take up a case , which expresses no opinions on the merits , and issuing an opinion on the merits . and even when roberts'actions -- such as effectively allowing same-sex marriage to proceed in california -- seem to suggest a willingness to consider such unions nationwide , his comments along the way make it much harder to gain insight into his ultimate thinking . when the institution of marriage developed historically , people did n't get around and say ,'let 's have this institution , but let 's keep out homosexuals ,' roberts said during the proposition 8 oral arguments . the institution developed to serve purposes that , by their nature , did n't include homosexual couples . ' | john roberts is at judicial crossroads as high court to hear key same-sex marriage case |
britain <tsp> ( cnn ) -- roger federer is through to a tenth consecutive australian open semifinal after beating france 's jo-wilfried tsonga in five sets at the rod laver arena on wednesday . the world no.2 fought off a gutsy challenge from the seventh seed to eventually prevail 7-6 4-6 7-6 3-6 6-3 in three hours 34 minutes to set up a clash with britain 's andy murray on friday . sloane stephens stuns serena williams ' it was a tough close for sure but whole match was tough , ' federer said . you never know what jo is going to come up with ... i feel a bit lucky to come through , but i felt i played some great tennis and it was a pleasure to play against jo tonight because he played great too . ' tsonga fought back twice from being a set down and saved four match points , but as so often , federer prevailed in the deciding fifth set , breaking the frenchman in the fourth game before going on to serve out the match . federer won the last of his four titles in melbourne against murray back in 2010 and is relishing facing the scot again . it will be extremely tough . it was great to have seen him play such a great year last year and finally get his first slam , and the olympic gold was an amazing achievement after a tough loss in the wimbledon final . i 'm looking forward to it . he 's a great guy and a great player , ' federer said . earlier , murray dispatched jeremy chardy in straight sets 6-4 6-1 6-2 to reach his fourth consecutive australian open semifinal . the world no.3 overpowered the unseeded frenchman -- who knocked out juan martin del potro in the third round -- in one hour 51 minutes . today was the best i 've played so far , ' murray said afterwards . i struggled in my last few rounds and i knew he 'd beaten some top players . i knew i had to be sharp . i moved well today . ' world no.1 novak djokovic and spain 's david ferrer will meet in the other semifinal on thursday . | world no.2 will play britain 's andy murray who enjoyed straight-sets win over jeremy chardy |
west coast <tsp> ( cnn ) gastrointestinal illness has gripped 100 people on the cruise ship celebrity infinity , according to a report from the centers for disease control . of the ship 's 2,117 passengers , 95 have suffered from vomiting , diarrhea and other symptoms , the cdc said . the illness has also affected five members of the 964-person crew . the cdc has yet to determine what 's causing the ailments . two staffers from the agency are scheduled to meet the west coast-based ship in san diego on monday . the infinity left san diego on march 29 . it made its last stop in puerto vallarta , mexico , on april 10 , according to marinetraffic.com . celebrity cruises has been taking action since the outbreak began , including increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures , keeping passengers informed and taking specimens from the afflicted for testing by the cdc , the agency says . according to the maritime executive , this is the third time the celebrity infinity has suffered an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness , with others occurring in 2006 and 2013 . the ship was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2011 . | the ship , which is based on the west coast , left san diego in late march |
cdc <tsp> ( cnn ) gastrointestinal illness has gripped 100 people on the cruise ship celebrity infinity , according to a report from the centers for disease control . of the ship 's 2,117 passengers , 95 have suffered from vomiting , diarrhea and other symptoms , the cdc said . the illness has also affected five members of the 964-person crew . the cdc has yet to determine what 's causing the ailments . two staffers from the agency are scheduled to meet the west coast-based ship in san diego on monday . the infinity left san diego on march 29 . it made its last stop in puerto vallarta , mexico , on april 10 , according to marinetraffic.com . celebrity cruises has been taking action since the outbreak began , including increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures , keeping passengers informed and taking specimens from the afflicted for testing by the cdc , the agency says . according to the maritime executive , this is the third time the celebrity infinity has suffered an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness , with others occurring in 2006 and 2013 . the ship was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2011 . | the cdc is scheduled to board the ship monday |
celebrity infinity <tsp> ( cnn ) gastrointestinal illness has gripped 100 people on the cruise ship celebrity infinity , according to a report from the centers for disease control . of the ship 's 2,117 passengers , 95 have suffered from vomiting , diarrhea and other symptoms , the cdc said . the illness has also affected five members of the 964-person crew . the cdc has yet to determine what 's causing the ailments . two staffers from the agency are scheduled to meet the west coast-based ship in san diego on monday . the infinity left san diego on march 29 . it made its last stop in puerto vallarta , mexico , on april 10 , according to marinetraffic.com . celebrity cruises has been taking action since the outbreak began , including increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures , keeping passengers informed and taking specimens from the afflicted for testing by the cdc , the agency says . according to the maritime executive , this is the third time the celebrity infinity has suffered an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness , with others occurring in 2006 and 2013 . the ship was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2011 . | 100 passengers and crew members have been sickened on celebrity infinity |
san diego <tsp> ( cnn ) gastrointestinal illness has gripped 100 people on the cruise ship celebrity infinity , according to a report from the centers for disease control . of the ship 's 2,117 passengers , 95 have suffered from vomiting , diarrhea and other symptoms , the cdc said . the illness has also affected five members of the 964-person crew . the cdc has yet to determine what 's causing the ailments . two staffers from the agency are scheduled to meet the west coast-based ship in san diego on monday . the infinity left san diego on march 29 . it made its last stop in puerto vallarta , mexico , on april 10 , according to marinetraffic.com . celebrity cruises has been taking action since the outbreak began , including increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures , keeping passengers informed and taking specimens from the afflicted for testing by the cdc , the agency says . according to the maritime executive , this is the third time the celebrity infinity has suffered an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness , with others occurring in 2006 and 2013 . the ship was built in 2001 and refurbished in 2011 . | the ship , which is based on the west coast , left san diego in late march |
australian <tsp> ( cnn ) five young men were arrested saturday in melbourne , australia , in what police called a major counterterrorism operation . three of the teens , all of them either 18 or 19 , have since been released pending further enquiries , ' australia 's federal police said , but two remain in custody . sevdet besim , 18 , has been charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act , and was denied bail saturday . the other suspect , a 19-year-old , has not yet appeared in court . some evidence that we have collected at a couple of the scenes and some other information we have leads us to believe that this particular matter was isis-inspired , ' said neil gaughan , acting deputy commissioner of the australian federal police . the suspects planned to attack during a major national commemoration in a week , prime minister tony abbott said saturday . the act that we believe was in preparation involved attacks against police officers , ' he said . there was also a risk to the public , police said . police said the suspects were targeting a ceremony on anzac day ( australia and new zealand army corps day ) , which is april 25 and this year is the centennial of the gallipoli campaign in world war i. abbott avoided the term isis -- or islamic state -- to call out those who authorities believed influenced the suspects . he instead referred to the group as the daesh death cult , ' employing the acronym that is transliterated from the group 's name in arabic . it 's a handle isis is known to loathe . police also distanced the suspects from any ethnic connection . the men are individuals acting by themselves . they are not representatives of any religious , cultural or national group , ' victoria police acting deputy commissioner shane patton said . i think the entire australian community should be concerned about the young age of those particular men , ' gaughan said . and this is an issue not just with law enforcement , but for the broader community . ... we need to get better in relation to identifying young men and woman involved in this type of behavior , at the very early stage . ' the suspects were associates of 18-year-old nadun haider , who was killed while stabbing officers at a police station in september , police said . abbott lamented a string of extremist attacks on australian soil . in december , australian authorities stormed a sydney chocolate cafe where a self-styled muslim cleric had been holding hostages , killing the gunman . two of the 17 hostages initially held by the gunman died . in february , two men were charged with plotting terror activities in sydney . despite distancing the suspects from religion , abbott did make a connection to the middle east . there are now about a hundred australians who are fighting with terrorists in the middle east , ' and another 150 people in australia support them with funds and recruiting , the prime minister said . in february , abbott announced tougher citizenship laws as a part of the government 's new counterterrorism strategy . authorities have suspended australian passports of those they suspect of terrorist activity . australians should be stoic about the threat of terrorism , abbott said saturday . the best thing you can do in the face of those who would do us harm is live your life normally . ' he asked australians to turn out in droves on anzac day . police said this particular threat had been fully contained . | australian police said the suspects were allegedly planning an isis-inspired ' attack |
world cup <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's the weekend . it 's the world cup . it 's brazil . that makes three good , maybe even great , reasons to party . and rest assured , there will be plenty of revelry saturday in the land of samba . there always is , on any day . but that does not mean that harsh realities wo n't intervene -- perhaps related to protests , stadium problems or other issues that dogged the world cup in the weeks leading up to football 's biggest tournament . here 's a look at five things to look out for saturday , both on and off the field . two european football stalwarts face off after one game thursday and three on friday , saturday will be the first day with four world cup . while all offer intrigue in their own way , from a sports perspective , one stands out : england and italy . one of them , england , claims to have invented the sport though it can only claim one world cup title , from 1966 . italy , on the other hand , won the most recent of its four championships in 2006 . history aside , there 's no clear favorite in saturday 's contest . italy and england are about as evenly matched as they come , heading into the tournament ninth and tenth respectively in the fifa world rankings . spotlight on stadium construction but the story for the england-italy tilt is n't just that they 're playing , but where they are playing : in manaus . that 's probably not the first place you think of , when you think of brazil . the capital of the amazonas state , it is more than 1,700 miles from rio de janeiro . and critics have latched on to construction of a stadium in this relatively remote locale not just for its cost , but they also question its usefulness and point out potential danger . to the latter point , a man identified as marcleudo de melo ferreira fell 35 meters to his death while working to build the stadium . stadium construction worker dies his was the fifth death , nationwide , involved in the construction of world cup venues . there are also concerns that playing games in the thick of the tropics might put players'health at risk , once the games begin . the forecast saturday in manaus calls for high temperatures in high 80s . but -- even if it is in the rain forest -- there 's not expected to be rain to cool things down . where not to find lush grass ? the amazon still , the game will go on saturday at the arena da amazonia -- that being the official name for the manaus stadium . does that mean the stadium is ready for the spotlight ? not necessarily . the british newspaper , the guardian , reports that power cables hang from walls in locker rooms and that workers very recently put on a final coat of asphalt . but the main focus , and concern , is about where all the action will take place on the field . pictures posted online showed a spotty patchwork of grass , looking dry and bare in spots despite it being set in one of the lushest regions in the world . numerous reports -- and more photos -- indicate the grounds crew have been spraying the field green , to make the pitch look better . white spray and goal-line technology the funny thing is that having people spray the grass in the middle of a world cup arena was supposed to be one of the biggest and best changes tied to the 2014 tournament . watch saturday to see yourself : referees now carry around a white spray they can use to mark , say , a line 10 yards from a free kick spot . it stays visible long enough to prevent players from creeping up , then vanishes soon after that . vanishing spray makes world cup debut that 's not the only notable development in this year 's world cup . those who watched friday 's chile-australia contest saw the debut of a new system designed to track whether a ball crosses the goal line or not . the system of cameras and sensors can follow the ball at a rate of up to 500 images per second and instantly alert a referee when it crosses the line . technology aims to get rid of'ghost goals' every team has a story saturday 's three other games , and six other teams besides england and italy , have plenty of their own story lines as well . for greece , led by 34-year-old club journeyman theofanis gekas , it 's about whether it can surge , as it did in winning the prestigious 2004 euro tournament ? for colombia , will goalkeeper faryd mondragon get on the field in his fifth world cup to become the oldest player in tournament history ? ( he turns 43 later this month . ) for japan , can it represent asia well -- as one of the continent 's most well-respected teams -- by overcoming cote d'ivoire , or the ivory coast , in a nighttime contest in recife ? for ivory coast , can the 6-foot-3 yaya toure -- who scored 20 goals in manchester city 's championship premier league season -- make an argument that he 's one of the world 's best attacking midfielders ? for costa rica , which cruised through qualifying -- including handing the united states its biggest drubbing -- surprise the skeptics and make its way through a packed group d ? and can uruguay successfully kick off its quest to go two-for-two in world cups in brazil , having defeated the south american superpower the last time the tourney was held here , in 1950 ? stay tuned . | there will be four world cup games , in four locations , on saturday |
china <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the naughty step is not working . after the united nations slapped tougher sanctions on north korea after its third nuclear test in february this year , pyongyang screamed in defiance . it canceled its hotline with south korea , withdrew its workers from the kaesong industrial complex it jointly operates with seoul , and carried on with its over-the-top threats . china may have backed those sanctions but the economic lifeline is still there . trade goes on between north korea and china . in 2011 , before some of these trade embargoes began , china accounted for an estimated 67.2 % of north korea 's exports and 61.6 % of imports , according to the cia world factbook . if you talk to officials at the border , there 's no change , ' says stephanie kleine-ahlbrandt , the north asian head of the international crisis group . and a lot of that trade is conducted by government trading companies especially on the north korean side , ' adds the los angeles times'beijing bureau chief barbara demick . there 's a lot more china could do that it has chosen not to . ' so why is china not using its economic leverage to rein in the nuclear threat and proliferator next door ? in a word -- fear . there 's fear of a north korean collapse that would lead to instability and a refugee crisis along its 1,400 kilometer ( 880 mile ) border with north korea . and then there 's the far greater fear of an all-out conflict that would redraw the geopolitical map . their end goal might be similar in terms of denuclearization , but china is looking at preventing war on the peninsula , which would allow a pro-western government right on its border , ' says kleine-ahlbrandt . and there 's something else holding beijing back -- the historic and symbolic relationship with pyongyang that is hard to give up . the chinese communist party thinks of north korea as this small state that is in its own image , ' says demick . the structure of the north korean government is very similar to the chinese government and , in a way , it 's the pure communist state . it 's just really hard psychologically to dump north korea . ' they treat north korea a bit like a wayward child , ' adds kleine-ahlbrandt. you want to be the one to punish your child , but you 're not going to turn them over to police . ' but for many people in china , enough is enough . their rhetoric is increasing the number of chinese who feel very , very disgusted by their behavior , their psyche and their regime , ' says zhu feng , professor of international relations at peking university . china 's government is seriously under fire because i think the majority of chinese really , really feel that north korea 's bad behavior will inevitably endanger china . ' beijing has mastered the art of scream-free parenting ' with pyongyang . it has learned to lower its voice and control its emotional reaction with every new threat or missile test . but public opinion is shifting and china 's new leadership is recognizing the need to re-evaluate how it manages its troublesome neighbor . in a sign of beijing 's evolving approach toward north korea , chinese president xi jinping recently offered this veiled criticism : no one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains . ' the pressure is on for china to spell out -- and carry out -- the consequences for north korea 's bad behavior . | expert : china fears a north korean collapse would spark a refugee crisis |
north korean <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the naughty step is not working . after the united nations slapped tougher sanctions on north korea after its third nuclear test in february this year , pyongyang screamed in defiance . it canceled its hotline with south korea , withdrew its workers from the kaesong industrial complex it jointly operates with seoul , and carried on with its over-the-top threats . china may have backed those sanctions but the economic lifeline is still there . trade goes on between north korea and china . in 2011 , before some of these trade embargoes began , china accounted for an estimated 67.2 % of north korea 's exports and 61.6 % of imports , according to the cia world factbook . if you talk to officials at the border , there 's no change , ' says stephanie kleine-ahlbrandt , the north asian head of the international crisis group . and a lot of that trade is conducted by government trading companies especially on the north korean side , ' adds the los angeles times'beijing bureau chief barbara demick . there 's a lot more china could do that it has chosen not to . ' so why is china not using its economic leverage to rein in the nuclear threat and proliferator next door ? in a word -- fear . there 's fear of a north korean collapse that would lead to instability and a refugee crisis along its 1,400 kilometer ( 880 mile ) border with north korea . and then there 's the far greater fear of an all-out conflict that would redraw the geopolitical map . their end goal might be similar in terms of denuclearization , but china is looking at preventing war on the peninsula , which would allow a pro-western government right on its border , ' says kleine-ahlbrandt . and there 's something else holding beijing back -- the historic and symbolic relationship with pyongyang that is hard to give up . the chinese communist party thinks of north korea as this small state that is in its own image , ' says demick . the structure of the north korean government is very similar to the chinese government and , in a way , it 's the pure communist state . it 's just really hard psychologically to dump north korea . ' they treat north korea a bit like a wayward child , ' adds kleine-ahlbrandt. you want to be the one to punish your child , but you 're not going to turn them over to police . ' but for many people in china , enough is enough . their rhetoric is increasing the number of chinese who feel very , very disgusted by their behavior , their psyche and their regime , ' says zhu feng , professor of international relations at peking university . china 's government is seriously under fire because i think the majority of chinese really , really feel that north korea 's bad behavior will inevitably endanger china . ' beijing has mastered the art of scream-free parenting ' with pyongyang . it has learned to lower its voice and control its emotional reaction with every new threat or missile test . but public opinion is shifting and china 's new leadership is recognizing the need to re-evaluate how it manages its troublesome neighbor . in a sign of beijing 's evolving approach toward north korea , chinese president xi jinping recently offered this veiled criticism : no one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains . ' the pressure is on for china to spell out -- and carry out -- the consequences for north korea 's bad behavior . | expert : china fears a north korean collapse would spark a refugee crisis |
canadian <tsp> st. louis ( cnn ) -- a 1-year-old boy whose family fought a canadian hospital over whether he should be allowed to die received a tracheotomy at his st. louis hospital early monday morning . officials at the ssm cardinal glennon children 's medical center where joseph maraachli -- widely known in the media as baby joseph ' -- is being treated , wrote that following a thorough examination by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists and ethicists , a tracheotomy was deemed medically appropriate ' for the child . the surgical procedure creates an opening into the airway through an incision in the neck , and a tube allows for suction of fluid out of the lungs . according to the hospital , this creates a safe and stable way to use a mechanical ventilator . joseph , who was born in january 2010 , had been in the care of the london health sciences centre in canada since october . his doctor , in court papers , said there was no hope for recovery and recommended that the infant 's breathing tube be removed and he be allowed to die . the hospital would not perform a tracheotomy because they consider it to be an invasive procedure , one not typically recommended for patients who require a long-term breathing machine . the child 's parents , moe and sana maraachli , refused to comply with court orders and sought instead to have their son transferred to a location where he could get a tracheotomy combined with continued mechanical ventilation and later be transferred home into their care . physicians at cardinal glennon say joseph suffers from a rare genetic neurometabolic disorder called leigh syndrome . according to the national organization for rare disorders . the condition is characterized by the degeneration of the central nervous system and is inherited in most cases . in february , a family spokesperson told cnn the maraachlis have undergone genetic testing , but no genetic link had been found . joseph will remain in the intensive care unit for seven to 10 days and then head to ranken jordan , a pediatric specialty hospital in st. louis , before being discharged and transported to his family home in windsor , ontario . | canadian doctors had refused , citing no hope for recovery |
pm thaksin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- days of violent unrest in the thai capital have left dozens dead and hundreds injured , as security forces clashed with anti-government protesters , with the demonstrators finally surrendering on wednesday evening . bangkok turned into a war zone wednesday , as thai military forces cracked down on anti-government protesters , ending a tense standoff that has troubled the capital for weeks . the chaotic day left at least five people dead , as bangkok residents endured an edgy and unsettled night . wednesday 's violent clashes cap a months-long standoff between thai authorities and protesters opposed to the government of prime minister abhisit vejjajiva . the protesters -- known as the united front for democracy against dictatorship ( udd ) -- support thaksin shinawatra , who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 , before he was ousted in a bloodless coup . what has happened up till now ? the latest violence follows a government pledge to hold an election in november in an attempt to halt the protests . however , amid ongoing anger over a crackdown by security forces last month and a refusal by the protesters to comply with a deadline to vacate the district of bangkok -- until wednesday -- authorities say the election date is now under threat . prime minister abhisit declared a state of emergency april 7 , hours after anti-government demonstrators ( known as red shirts ' for the clothes they wear ) stormed the country 's parliament . following protests that have paralyzed parts of bangkok for months , the army surged on wednesday into lumpini park , with armored personnel carriers crushing bamboo and tire barricades , while protesters hurled m79 grenades at soldiers . witnesses reported a dozen buildings -- including a bank , a police station , a local television station and thailand 's biggest shopping mall -- set ablaze . at least five people , including an italian journalist , were listed as killed by the police hospital in bangkok . another 64 -- two journalists among them -- were wounded . what happens next ? thailand 's prime minister sought to calm public fears with a televised address in which he expressed confidence that peace would soon be restored . i would like to give moral support to officers who are doing their duties now and would like to reassure you , ' prime minister abhisit told citizens . and i am confident that we can overcome all the problems and bring the country to a long-lasting peace . ' he said that the government had regained full control and that red shirt leaders had fled or had been taken into police custody . seven anti-government protest leaders had been taken into custody , while several others fled , authorities said . the prime minister 's office issued a statement wednesday blaming the crackdown on failed talks between the two sides . negotiations failed because core ( opposition ) leaders are not able to make decisions by themselves , ' the statement said , alluding to an outside force influencing the protesters . ( we ) ask core leaders to stop the rally and surrender . ' on wednesday , it seemed that the time for talking had passed . how long have protests being going on ? thailand has been embroiled in political chaos for years , and many thai citizens are growing weary with the instability . ever since thaksin shinawatra came to power in 2001 , there were protesters opposing his allegedly corrupt and autocratic rule . those protesters donned yellow shirts ( the color of the king ) and occupied the two main airports in bangkok , until finally the pro-thaksin government was brought down by a court ruling . in revenge thaksin 's supporters copied the yellow-shirt tactics with a variation , and took to the streets in red shirts . but the rift is largely between the red shirts and the so-called multi-colored shirts ' ( who support abhisit , the current prime minister ) . the multi-colored shirts , generally middle-class city dwellers , are displeased with the disruption caused by the protests . they are not pro- or anti-government . they simply want the government to shut down the reds to end the violence and interruptions to daily life . why do the sides identify themselves by colors ? it 's an easy way for them to create an identity . it all started with the yellow shirts wearing a color associated with monday , the day of the week that thailand 's revered king was born on . that was designed to show their allegiance to the king and more broadly the traditional elite which has dominated thai politics for years . thaksin 's supporters then picked a color to distinguish themselves from the yellow shirts . why are they arguing ? essentially this is a classic power struggle . it 's easy to portray this as simply rich against poor , but it is much more complicated than that , as illustrated by the fact that the reds'leader is in fact a multi-billionaire . thaksin rode to power by enacting populist policies which gained huge support from the rural poor . his radical approach ruffled a lot of feathers among the elite , who felt he was becoming too big for his boots and feared his policies would erode their position . the civil society ' also become concerned over allegations of corruption and thaksin 's brutal war on drugs , which saw summary executions . he was also criticized for his heavy handed response to violence in the muslim-dominated south . finally , the army ousted thaksin in a coup , which had the backing of the aristocratic elite and much of the middle class , who were becoming uneasy with the cult of personality growing around the leader . that set the stage for an embittered power struggle between thaksin loyalists and those loyal to the army , aristocracy and their traditional democrat party . from his self-imposed exile abroad to avoid a trial on corruption charges , thaksin released a statement wednesday saying that he was not the leader of the united front for democracy , the formal name of the red shirt opposition , and that their movement calling for new elections is not on his behalf . they did not demand anything for me or on my behalf . i am not udd , ' he said . thaksin also accused the thai government of defaming him by saying he was the mastermind behind the violence in the country 's ongoing political crisis . so who is thaksin ? visionary leader or venal despot : opinions vary , like the color of the shirts his supporters and detractors wear . if you sport red , you think thaksin was the only prime minister to offer the rural poor a voice and real benefits ; if you wear yellow , you view him as opponents of the philippines'ferdinand marcos saw that leader : greedy and dangerous . what is not in dispute is that thaksin won two elections , was the only thai prime minister to serve a full-term in office and is still hugely popular . but critics say he bought his support and was only in politics to help himself . as a businessman , thaksin made billions of dollars from his communications company , shin corporation . in 2008 he was found guilty and sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for a land deal that enabled his wife to buy a valuable city plot for a fraction of its true value . thaksin also faces other corruption charges . more than $ 2 billion in thaksin 's family assets are currently frozen in thailand , but there is speculation he has a great deal more money elsewhere . what are the wider implications of the protests ? if the divisions in thailand ca n't be healed , it could lead to a deteriorating security situation which would have wider implications for the region . thailand 's relations with cambodia are especially frosty , since thaksin was appointed economic adviser to cambodian prime minister hun sen . the worst case scenario would see cambodia drawn into the dispute , with thaksin using the country as a political base , adding to the already considerable tensions on the border . is thailand safe for visitors ? many western embassies have shut their doors and are warning their citizens against travel to bangkok , as violence in the city continues . due to escalating violence in central bangkok , including gunfire near the u.s. embassy , demonstrations in chiang mai , and other incidents throughout thailand , u.s. citizens should defer all travel to bangkok and defer all non-essential travel to the rest of thailand , ' the u.s. state department has warned . as well as advising against travel to bangkok , the united kingdom 's foreign office warned of protests and violent incidents in popular tourist destinations such as pattaya , chiang mai , chiang rai and ayutthaya . but bangkok 's main suvarnabhumi airport is operating normally , according to its web site . | anti-government protesters support former pm thaksin who was ousted in 2006 |
state of the world <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on mother 's day , we celebrate the mothers in our lives because we know motherhood is the hardest job any woman will ever have . but some have it harder than others . disasters can strike any place , any time . but , as save the children uncovered in its 15th annual state of the world 's mothers report , released tuesday , that devastation hurts some more than others : women and children are at the greatest risk and are 14 times more likely to die in a disaster than men . i 've met many of these mothers . they were huddled in a shelter in the philippines after super typhoon haiyan , one of the largest cyclones ever to hit land , destroyed their homes and livelihoods . they were also my own friends and neighbors who lost homes , businesses and belongings when superstorm sandy devastated parts of the east coast . when president barack obama visited the philippines last month , the tacloban community had yet to be rebuilt . now there are devastated areas closer to home after storms across oklahoma and arkansas . the save the children report shows that children and mothers with the fewest resources often face the most daunting challenges during emergencies . in sandy 's aftermath , it took weeks for relief efforts to reach hard-hit families living in some of new york city 's low-income areas , such as far rockaway , queens . this community was nowhere on any maps for five weeks for services , and for resources , and for help , ' said aria doe , executive director of the action center in far rockaway , of the struggle to get supplies and services to the many mothers , babies and children who were stranded without electricity , water , food , supplies or transportation . in the philippines , haiyan swept through the central part of the island nation , killing people and ruining housing , livelihoods and infrastructure across nine of the poorest regions . it damaged or destroyed more than 2,258 health facilities , including hundreds of village health stations , which provided primary health and childbirth services to people in smaller communities . at the time of the typhoon , in the region it hit , 250,000 women were pregnant and almost 70,000 were expected to deliver in early 2014 . the save the children team met hazel rapsing , 25 , a mother of two toddlers . she went into labor at the peak of the storm as her entire neighborhood evacuated . her baby decided to come 10 days early . i was scared because the typhoon was getting really strong . i was wondering whether i would be able to give birth . how long would i be in labor ? ' rapsing said . i was worried about what kind of treatment my baby would get . it was a state of emergency and everyone was busy . i was praying to god to take care of me . ' despite the storm , an ambulance arrived and took rapsing to a clinic , where she gave birth to a healthy baby boy named ullicel . rapsing 's home was leveled , so she and her family are staying with relatives until they are able to rebuild . while i can not begin to imagine how frightening it must have been to go into labor during one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded , having to protect your newborn as you 're fleeing for your life can be just as terrifying . abigail matulac had given birth to a beautiful baby girl , kazumi , only two weeks before typhoon haiyan hit the shores of sicogon island , where she lived in an isolated , low-income community with her husband and three small children . like most families there , they did n't expect the storm to be as intense and waited too long to evacuate . once they had no choice but to leave , matulac wrapped her infant in thick cloth to keep her warm . the wind was so strong that they could n't even open the door of their house and had to climb out the window and then crawl up a mountain to find a safer place to shelter . i 've been bleeding for a while after i gave birth and was afraid that i would have a relapse from the stress , ' she said . i was breast-feeding my baby during that entire time to help keep her calm and quiet . ' the family was lucky to make it through the storm unscathed without needing medical services for the children , because about 82 % of the health facilities in the storm area were damaged . because of that , about 1.1 million people , including 163,000 children under 5 , have inadequate health services . whether in the united states or the philippines , all mothers strive to ensure that their children are protected and healthy when a disaster strikes . what we need to do is strengthen community-based preparedness and early response . in areas of recurring crises , we need contingency planning and flexible funding -- and must engage women in the planning . we need social protection programs that meet the needs of the most vulnerable . and we need to invest more in reducing the risk of disasters . this includes more funding and greater integration of risk reduction into government and donor policies and programs . fortunately , our evidence also shows that we can save and dramatically improve the lives of all mothers and children , even in the most challenging places to live , if we invest in the services they need , including education . | save the children has released its 15th annual state of the world 's mothers report |
atlanta <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a former personal assistant of waffle house 's ceo accused him of forcing her to perform sexual services , ' among other degrading acts , during her nine years of working for him , according to an atlanta police report . police blacked out the woman 's name in the report , but gave a graphic account of her accusation , based on an interview that she gave atlanta police on september 28 . cnn obtained a copy of the police report friday , as news of the allegations against joseph rogers jr. spread around the media . efforts friday by cnn to reach rogers , whose father co-founded the georgia-based 24-hour-diner chain were not successful . similarly , cnn was unable to reach the man believed to be his lawyer . atlanta police did not elaborate on to what extent they 've been able to verify the woman 's claims , with sgt . gregory lyon saying , i can tell you that this is an open and ongoing investigation . ' his accuser told police that , starting in 2003 , she had worked out of rogers'house as his assistant handling personal and work-related items . within months of her hiring , the woman said rogers on numerous occasions ( tried ) to force himself upon ( her ) , attempted to have her perform oral sex on him ( and ) attempted to have sex with ( her ) , ' according to the police report . she refused , but in 2003 and subsequent years , rogers required ( his assistant ) as a condition of her employment to masturbate him , ' the report said . the police describe other allegations of sexually inappropriate acts as well , including rogers making the woman buy pornography , frequently appearing naked in front of her , and touching her body and breasts . the accuser was forced to endure the harassment and demeaning treatment by rogers because she was a single mother and needed her job to support herself and her son , ' according to police . on june 29 , after her son graduated high school and earned a scholarship to college , she put her resignation letter in rogers' sock drawer in an effort to spare rogers'wife from pain and humiliation , ' police said . it was not clear why the accuser took so long after she had left her job to contact police . no charges have been filed in the case . since the opening of its first restaurant in the atlanta suburb of avondale in 1955 , waffle house has become a culinary staple of the south with more than 1,500 restaurants that are open 24 hours a day , 365 days a year . it is known for its signature yellow signage , jukebox music and breakfast offerings . cnn 's joe sutton contributed to this report . | a woman tells atlanta police she was a personal assistant to waffle house 's ceo |
waffle house <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a former personal assistant of waffle house 's ceo accused him of forcing her to perform sexual services , ' among other degrading acts , during her nine years of working for him , according to an atlanta police report . police blacked out the woman 's name in the report , but gave a graphic account of her accusation , based on an interview that she gave atlanta police on september 28 . cnn obtained a copy of the police report friday , as news of the allegations against joseph rogers jr. spread around the media . efforts friday by cnn to reach rogers , whose father co-founded the georgia-based 24-hour-diner chain were not successful . similarly , cnn was unable to reach the man believed to be his lawyer . atlanta police did not elaborate on to what extent they 've been able to verify the woman 's claims , with sgt . gregory lyon saying , i can tell you that this is an open and ongoing investigation . ' his accuser told police that , starting in 2003 , she had worked out of rogers'house as his assistant handling personal and work-related items . within months of her hiring , the woman said rogers on numerous occasions ( tried ) to force himself upon ( her ) , attempted to have her perform oral sex on him ( and ) attempted to have sex with ( her ) , ' according to the police report . she refused , but in 2003 and subsequent years , rogers required ( his assistant ) as a condition of her employment to masturbate him , ' the report said . the police describe other allegations of sexually inappropriate acts as well , including rogers making the woman buy pornography , frequently appearing naked in front of her , and touching her body and breasts . the accuser was forced to endure the harassment and demeaning treatment by rogers because she was a single mother and needed her job to support herself and her son , ' according to police . on june 29 , after her son graduated high school and earned a scholarship to college , she put her resignation letter in rogers' sock drawer in an effort to spare rogers'wife from pain and humiliation , ' police said . it was not clear why the accuser took so long after she had left her job to contact police . no charges have been filed in the case . since the opening of its first restaurant in the atlanta suburb of avondale in 1955 , waffle house has become a culinary staple of the south with more than 1,500 restaurants that are open 24 hours a day , 365 days a year . it is known for its signature yellow signage , jukebox music and breakfast offerings . cnn 's joe sutton contributed to this report . | a woman tells atlanta police she was a personal assistant to waffle house 's ceo |
gq <tsp> the family behind a & e 's duck dynasty ' rallied around its patriarch thursday , one day after the network suspended phil robertson over controversial remarks he made about gays and blacks in a magazine interview . while some of phil 's unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse , his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the bible . phil is a godly man who follows what the bible says are the greatest commandments :'love the lord your god with all your heart'and'love your neighbor as yourself .'phil would never incite or encourage hate , ' the robertsons said in a statement . the family called into question the future of the show . we are disappointed that phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith , which is his constitutionally protected right . we have had a successful working relationship with a & e but , as a family , we can not imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm . we are in discussions with a & e to see what that means for the future of duck dynasty , ' it said . in the january issue of gq , robertson said homosexuality is a sin and puts it in the same category as bestiality and promiscuity . it seems like , to me , a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man 's anus . that 's just me . i 'm just thinking : there 's more there ! she 's got more to offer . i mean , come on , dudes ! you know what i 'm saying ? but hey , sin : it 's not logical , my man . it 's just not logical , ' he 's quoted as saying . when asked what he thought was sinful , robertson replied : start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there . bestiality , sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men . ' but homosexuals are n't alone , robertson said . neither the adulterers , the idolaters , the male prostitutes , the homosexual offenders , the greedy , the drunkards , the slanderers , the swindlers -- they wo n't inherit the kingdom of god . do n't deceive yourself . it 's not right . ' opinion :'duck dynasty'suspension does n't violate first amendment a & e said it was troubled by robertson 's statements . we are extremely disappointed to have read phil robertson 's comments in gq , which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series duck dynasty , ' the network said in a statement wednesday . his personal views in no way reflect those of a+e networks , who have always been strong supporters and champions of the lgbt community . the network has placed phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely . ' in addition to his comments about homosexuality , robertson also spoke about race and growing up in louisiana before the civil rights era . i never , with my eyes , saw the mistreatment of any black person . not once , ' he told gq . where we lived was all farmers . the blacks worked for the farmers . i hoed cotton with them . i 'm with the blacks , because we 're white trash . we 're going across the field . ... they 're singing and happy . i never heard one of them , one black person , say ,'i tell you what : these doggone white people'-- not a word ! pre-entitlement , pre-welfare , you say : were they happy ? they were godly ; they were happy ; no one was singing the blues , ' gq quoted robertson as saying . did a & e make the right decision ? share your view outrage and support the naacp and the human rights campaign wrote a joint letter to the president of a & e expressing outrage and deep concern about the recent racist , homophobic , and ill-informed remarks made by phil robertson . ' mr. robertson claims that , from what he saw , african americans were happier under jim crow . what he did n't see were lynching and beatings of black men and women for attempting to vote or simply walking down the street , ' the letter states . and his offensive claims about gay people fly in the face of science . in fact , it 's important to note that every single leading medical organization in the country has said that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being lgbt -- it 's not a choice , and to suggest otherwise is dangerous . ' but by early thursday night , more than 70,000 people had signed a change.org petition calling for a & e to bring robertson back . homosexuals have their convictions and christians respect them , ' the organizer of the petition wrote . there is a difference between respecting someone rights to exercise free will and imposing on others what we believe . phil has done nothing more than state what he believes in . just because homosexuals do not agree , does not mean mr. robertson needs to be suspended . ' similarly , the facebook page bring back phil robertson ' had more than 190,000 likes ' by thursday night . robertson responded to the brouhaha in a statement late wednesday . i would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me , ' he said . we are all created by the almighty and like him , i love all of humanity . ' duck dynasty ' follows a louisiana bayou family that has made a fortune on duck calls , ' as a & e puts it . robertson founded the duck commander company , which sold a line of custom-made duck-hunting calls that quickly became popular among avid hunters for their uncanny accuracy in replicating the sound of a real duck , ' the gq article states . videos of his family 's duck hunts led to a show on the outdoor channel and eventually a & e , the article says . season 5 of is set to premiere on january 15 . according to a & e , its fourth season premiere in august drew nearly 12 million viewers to become the no . 1 nonfiction series telecast in cable history . cnn exclusive : family pastor defends'duck dynasty'star | sinful behavior can start with homosexuality and morph into things like bestiality , he tells gq |
liverpool <tsp> ( cnn ) -- liverpool announced on thursday that they have reached an agreement with dutch club heerenveen for the transfer of winger oussama assaidi , on a busy day of transfer activity in the premier league . with the new season due to start on saturday , and just over two weeks left of the transfer window , several of clubs have moved to finalise transfers in time for the first fixtures . assaidi 's move is subject to a medical , but the morocco international 's transfer could still be completed in time for him to play against west bromwich albion on saturday . elsewhere , former manchester united , fulham and everton striker louis saha has signed a for sunderland . the 34 year old striker left tottenham hotspur at the end of last season , and has agreed a one year deal with martin o'neill 's side . louis is a striker whose abilities have been proven at the very highest level and he brings with him a raft of experience of top flight football , ' o'neill told the club 's website . i 'm delighted we have been able to complete a deal ahead of our first match of the season . ' sunderland 's local rivals newcastle united also added to their side on thursday , finally completing the transfer of ajax midfielder vurnon anita . the 23 year old has signed a five year deal to become the club 's fourth signing of the summer . newcastle manager alan pardew described anita as exceptionally talented ' and said he hoped the young players best years ' will be at newcastle . he has strengthened us . you need three top class central midfield players , which we now have . that is mainly where he will play , ' said pardew on the official website . the dutch midfielder was delighted with the move . i won almost everything in holland so the step was not difficult to make . now i think we can also win trophies with newcastle and it 's time to do that. , ' anita told the club 's website . in the premier league especially , every game is tough so it can help me also to grow in my football skills . ' i talked to the manager and the coach and they know that i want to play in a defensive midfield place and that 's why they brought me here , ' he added . | liverpool have agreed a deal for winger oussama assaidi |
zinedine zidane <tsp> french footballing legend zinedine zidane has been appointed as presidential advisor ' to real madrid 's first team , working alongside head coach jose mourinho . the 38-year-old has been working as a personal advisor to the spanish club 's president florentino perez since mid-2009 , having retired from playing after the 2006 world cup final . mourinho , who has been given a two-match domestic ban for insulting a referee in a copa del rey match on tuesday night , had requested that zidane be involved in his backroom staff . the reasoning for his appointment is to assist in optimizing first-team working conditions , ' real 's website reported on friday . zidane will be readily available to the president and coach for all matters concerning real madrid 's first team , with whom he will keep in frequent contact . the former player will participate in champions league events and functions . he will also travel with the team on a regular basis for said competition and will participate in the pre-match gatherings , training sessions and meetings with the head coach . ' sent-off mourinho questions ref 's record mourinho , who is unbeaten at real since taking over from manuel pellegrini in the off-season , will not be present on the touchline for sunday 's trip to sporting gijon and the following weekend 's match against athletic bilbao . however , he will be free to return for the first clasico ' of this season against arch-rivals barcelona on monday november 29 . the portuguese coach was sent to the stands during the 5-1 win over real murcia after protesting against a yellow card and then insulting the referee . mourinho was booked'for formulating observations about the referee'and he has been suspended for the sporting and athletic matches'for addressing the referee with disrespectful vocabulary ,' real 's website reported . meanwhile , italian club ac milan may face a striker shortage ahead of this weekend 's derby with city rivals inter with both veteran filippo inzaghi and alexandre pato sidelined . the 37-year-old inzaghi is likely to miss the rest of this season after suffering a serious knee injury in wednesday 's 3-1 serie a victory over palermo . brazil international pato , who came off with a thigh problem in the same match , will be ruled out for six weeks -- meaning he will not likely return until early january after the mid-winter break . inzaghi will now have an operation on his damaged knee , and looks set to be out for the next six months -- prompting concerns that his long career may be at an end . inzaghi underwent a scan which revealed lesions on the ligaments of his left knee . after consultation with doctor piero volpi , it has been decided that the player will undergo surgery , ' said an official release from the club . it is a cruel blow for the one-time juventus striker , who scored a match-saving brace during milan 's 2-2 draw with real madrid in the european champions league last week . he has already received a message of support from former italy teammate and roma talisman francesco totti , with the ac website relaying his kind words . francesco totti sent filippo inzaghi a greeting of support after hearing of the striker 's knee injury and told him he was a great goalscorer and example to all young players , ' read the statement . inzaghi has enjoyed a glittering career and has twice won the european champions league with the rossoneri , in 2003 and 2007 . during the 2007 final he scored both goals in milan 's 2-1 win over liverpool at athens'olympic stadium . | zinedine zidane given post working alongside real madrid coach jose mourinho |
faa <tsp> so , you got a drone for chrismahanukwanzakah , huh ? you could be among thousands -- potentially tens of thousands -- of new drone users after this holiday season , according to industry leaders . once you 've unpacked your high-tech gift , you should probably read up on the federal aviation association 's guidelines to make sure you avoid nearly colliding with a boeing 747 or slicing someone 's face at a tgi friday 's . yes , both have happened . three drone associations partnered with the faa this month to spread the word about the guidelines to safely operate drones -- the know before you fly campaign . but since we both know there 's a good chance you could find a way to get into your own kind of trouble , we 've boiled down the must-knows right here : 1 . do n't use your camera-equipped drone to get a closer look at airplanes in mid-air . it 's illegal for recreational drones to be flown higher than 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport . the faa has already recorded 25 incidents when small drones got too close for comfort with manned aircrafts . pilots have also reported unmanned aerial vehicles , or uvas , several thousands of feet in the air , sometimes coming within just a few dozen feet of their aircraft , according to faa data . and drones could do serious damage . remember when a plane was forced to miraculously land on the hudson river after hitting at least one bird ? now , replace that bird with a drone . 2 . headed to the game ? leave the drone at home . you might be tempted to send your quadcopter above the field to get an aerial view , but remember there 's always the jumbotron . the faa advises drone pilots to keep their crafts away from large crowds and out of stadiums and racetracks . the blades on some drones can seriously injure , like when a mistletoe marketing gimmick that involved a drone inside a tgi friday 's went wrong , cutting a photographer . 3 . and you definitely want to keep your drone away from power lines . the faa warns users to keep their drones away from power stations , water treatment facilities , correctional facilities , heavily traveled roadways , government facilities , etc . ' earlier this month an australian man literally crashed a nine-hour police operation , almost hitting one of the police officers , after his drone got tangled in power lines , cnet reported . anyway , that should n't happen as long as you keep your drone within your line of sight at all times , another guideline for drone use . 4 . making money off your drone without a permit -- illegal . the faa needs to ok the commercial use of any drone , whether that 's selling photos or videos , providing security or making a movie using a uav . the faa even fined one man $ 10,000 for using a drone to shoot a promotional video . 5 . do n't be a creep . the academy of model aeronautics , one of three drone groups collaborating with the faa , advises users not to use drones to photograph people secretly or spy on them . sen. rand paul , r-kentucky , is already worried enough about the government using drones to invade people 's privacy without having to worry about civilian and commercial drones peering into people 's windows . | and the faa does n't want you taking it to stadiums or bringing it close to power lines either |
faa <tsp> so , you got a drone for chrismahanukwanzakah , huh ? you could be among thousands -- potentially tens of thousands -- of new drone users after this holiday season , according to industry leaders . once you 've unpacked your high-tech gift , you should probably read up on the federal aviation association 's guidelines to make sure you avoid nearly colliding with a boeing 747 or slicing someone 's face at a tgi friday 's . yes , both have happened . three drone associations partnered with the faa this month to spread the word about the guidelines to safely operate drones -- the know before you fly campaign . but since we both know there 's a good chance you could find a way to get into your own kind of trouble , we 've boiled down the must-knows right here : 1 . do n't use your camera-equipped drone to get a closer look at airplanes in mid-air . it 's illegal for recreational drones to be flown higher than 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport . the faa has already recorded 25 incidents when small drones got too close for comfort with manned aircrafts . pilots have also reported unmanned aerial vehicles , or uvas , several thousands of feet in the air , sometimes coming within just a few dozen feet of their aircraft , according to faa data . and drones could do serious damage . remember when a plane was forced to miraculously land on the hudson river after hitting at least one bird ? now , replace that bird with a drone . 2 . headed to the game ? leave the drone at home . you might be tempted to send your quadcopter above the field to get an aerial view , but remember there 's always the jumbotron . the faa advises drone pilots to keep their crafts away from large crowds and out of stadiums and racetracks . the blades on some drones can seriously injure , like when a mistletoe marketing gimmick that involved a drone inside a tgi friday 's went wrong , cutting a photographer . 3 . and you definitely want to keep your drone away from power lines . the faa warns users to keep their drones away from power stations , water treatment facilities , correctional facilities , heavily traveled roadways , government facilities , etc . ' earlier this month an australian man literally crashed a nine-hour police operation , almost hitting one of the police officers , after his drone got tangled in power lines , cnet reported . anyway , that should n't happen as long as you keep your drone within your line of sight at all times , another guideline for drone use . 4 . making money off your drone without a permit -- illegal . the faa needs to ok the commercial use of any drone , whether that 's selling photos or videos , providing security or making a movie using a uav . the faa even fined one man $ 10,000 for using a drone to shoot a promotional video . 5 . do n't be a creep . the academy of model aeronautics , one of three drone groups collaborating with the faa , advises users not to use drones to photograph people secretly or spy on them . sen. rand paul , r-kentucky , is already worried enough about the government using drones to invade people 's privacy without having to worry about civilian and commercial drones peering into people 's windows . | you need to get authorization from the faa to make money off your drone |
google <tsp> people using google to search for information about their medical problems may soon get another source of information : a real-time chat with a doctor . the search giant has confirmed to tech blog engadget that it is testing a system that would offer video chats with doctors to people whose search terms involve medical symptoms . google told the site that the company is paying for the feature while it 's in the testing phase . but it 's likely that it would be a paid feature if it is rolled out to the public at large . google did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment for this story . doctors are famously frustrated by patients who search for symptoms online . while there are quality sites out there , such open-ended searches can convince people they 're sicker than they really are , and more dubious sites can offer sketchy advice about how to treat the symptoms . for patients , a paid , online visit with a doctor could still be cheaper , and more convenient than an actual visit . in an image on photo site imgur , a screen capture presumably from someone testing the feature shows a video link with the words talk to a doctor now . ' the feature 's information box reads , based on your search query , we think you are trying to understand a medical condition . here you can find health care providers who you can visit with over video chat . all visit costs are covered by google during this limited trial . ' | google testing doctor video-chat feature |
crawford <tsp> after killing a man at an ohio walmart , police interrogated his girlfriend , accusing her of lying , threatening her with jail time and suggesting she could be on drugs , according to a video obtained by cnn . the man , john crawford iii , was holding an air rifle he had picked up off a store shelf when police shot him . a prosecutor called the case a perfect storm ' with no bad guys , ' but the family has said police used excessive force . a grand jury decided not to indict the officer who pulled the trigger in the august 5 shooting at a walmart store in beavercreek , ohio . while the justice department investigates the case , crawford 's name -- along with michael brown and eric garner -- is being chanted by some demonstrators across the country protesting what they say is systemic racism that fuels police violence . now , the family 's lawyer says the recently released interrogation video shows police were trying to force crawford 's girlfriend to say something to justify what they 'd done . this was just an effort to cover up this bad shooting , ' attorney michael wright said . family of man killed sues police , walmart tense interrogation in the interrogation video , which was first posted on the guardian 's website on sunday , a police detective repeatedly presses crawford 's tearful girlfriend , asking her where crawford got the gun he had in the store . you understand that we 're investigating a serious incident , ' detective rodney curd says . you lie to me and you might be on your way to jail . ' i swear to god , on my job , my family , on everything i love , ' tasha thomas replies , telling the detective repeatedly that she never saw crawford with a weapon and that she 'll take a polygraph test to prove it . as she cries , the detective appears unconvinced . why would he have a gun in the store ? ' he asks . i do n't know , ' she replies . did he carry a gun ? ' the detective continues . not that i . ... i 've never known him to have a gun , ' she says . her response appears to upset the detective . do n't tell me ,'not that you know ,'because that 's the first thing that i realize that somebody 's not telling me the truth , when they say that kind of stuff , ' curd says . at one point in the video , thomas sobs as she buries her head in her hands . the detective says he 'll write down her testimony but then asks whether she 's under the influence of drugs or alcohol . your eyes are kind of messed up looking and you seem a little lethargic at times , ' he says , and i do n't know if it 's because you 're upset or not . i just want to make sure what 's going on . ' it 's not until the end of the 90-minute interrogation that thomas learns her boyfriend has died . well , to let you know , john has passed away as a result of this , ' the detective says . thomas sinks back in her chair and puts her hands on her head . i do n't know any other way to tell you , ' curd says . what happened there was n't a good thing and as a result of his actions , he is gone . ' detective :'i was very direct in my questions' police have not responded to several requests from cnn for comment on the video . in a statement officials released in september , curd describes his questioning of thomas at the police department . the initial information i had was that ( crawford ) may have brought a gun into the store with him . so i was very direct in my questions that i was having problems believing she would have not seen him bring a gun into the store , ' he wrote . she became emotional during the interview and started crying , saying that she is not lying , she will take a lie detector test and do whatever she needs to do . ' in his report , curd wrote that it was only later when he was at the walmart that he learned where the gun came from . i also learned while on scene that the rifle involved was a pellet gun that was taken from a box while he was inside the store , ' he wrote . this would also agree with the statement that she made that he did not take any type of firearm out of her car into the store with him . ' attorney : interrogation shows police'tried to cover it up' wright on tuesday said his legal team filed a federal civil lawsuit against two police officers ; beavercreek 's police chief ; the city of beavercreek and its police department ; and walmart . the crawford family is seeking at least $ 75,000 in compensatory damages and an unstated amount for punitive damages , the suit said . the family alleges , among other things , that the police officers did not do due diligence to determine that wright was n't a threat ; that the officers did n't give him enough time to put down the weapon ; and that walmart was negligent because the air rifle had been resting on a shelf , unpackaged , for at least two days , the family 's lawyers said tuesday . wright said police knew crawford did n't have a firearm when he walked into the walmart . he was not an imminent threat to anyone . he was just shopping , ' he said . after the grand jury decided in september not to indict the police officers who were involved in the shooting , prosecutor mark piepmeier said a perfect storm of circumstances ' led to crawford 's death and noted that the air gun bore a strong resemblance to an actual automatic weapon . it is very hard to tell the difference , ' piepmeier said . police responded to the scene after a witness called 911 and told dispatchers that crawford was walking around with a rifle and waving it back and forth . ' according to police , when officers arrived , crawford did not comply with their commands to drop his weapon . and the crawford family 's lawyers say police did n't give him enough time to put down the weapon . but wright said that because crawford was black , police made assumptions . the officers ran into an aisle , saw a black man with what they perceived to be a gun , and shot him on sight , ' he said . the interrogation video , he said , shows how police handled the case from day one . they , in their mind , had it made up that mr. crawford was a criminal , and they proceeded based on that without doing anything to independently corroborate what was actually happening in the store , ' he said . and they tried to cover it up by interrogating miss thomas in such a manner to try to get her to make a statement that would justify them shooting and killing mr. crawford that evening . ' opinion : killing of john crawford -- injustice for all | a detective interrogated crawford 's girlfriend after the shooting |
crawford <tsp> after killing a man at an ohio walmart , police interrogated his girlfriend , accusing her of lying , threatening her with jail time and suggesting she could be on drugs , according to a video obtained by cnn . the man , john crawford iii , was holding an air rifle he had picked up off a store shelf when police shot him . a prosecutor called the case a perfect storm ' with no bad guys , ' but the family has said police used excessive force . a grand jury decided not to indict the officer who pulled the trigger in the august 5 shooting at a walmart store in beavercreek , ohio . while the justice department investigates the case , crawford 's name -- along with michael brown and eric garner -- is being chanted by some demonstrators across the country protesting what they say is systemic racism that fuels police violence . now , the family 's lawyer says the recently released interrogation video shows police were trying to force crawford 's girlfriend to say something to justify what they 'd done . this was just an effort to cover up this bad shooting , ' attorney michael wright said . family of man killed sues police , walmart tense interrogation in the interrogation video , which was first posted on the guardian 's website on sunday , a police detective repeatedly presses crawford 's tearful girlfriend , asking her where crawford got the gun he had in the store . you understand that we 're investigating a serious incident , ' detective rodney curd says . you lie to me and you might be on your way to jail . ' i swear to god , on my job , my family , on everything i love , ' tasha thomas replies , telling the detective repeatedly that she never saw crawford with a weapon and that she 'll take a polygraph test to prove it . as she cries , the detective appears unconvinced . why would he have a gun in the store ? ' he asks . i do n't know , ' she replies . did he carry a gun ? ' the detective continues . not that i . ... i 've never known him to have a gun , ' she says . her response appears to upset the detective . do n't tell me ,'not that you know ,'because that 's the first thing that i realize that somebody 's not telling me the truth , when they say that kind of stuff , ' curd says . at one point in the video , thomas sobs as she buries her head in her hands . the detective says he 'll write down her testimony but then asks whether she 's under the influence of drugs or alcohol . your eyes are kind of messed up looking and you seem a little lethargic at times , ' he says , and i do n't know if it 's because you 're upset or not . i just want to make sure what 's going on . ' it 's not until the end of the 90-minute interrogation that thomas learns her boyfriend has died . well , to let you know , john has passed away as a result of this , ' the detective says . thomas sinks back in her chair and puts her hands on her head . i do n't know any other way to tell you , ' curd says . what happened there was n't a good thing and as a result of his actions , he is gone . ' detective :'i was very direct in my questions' police have not responded to several requests from cnn for comment on the video . in a statement officials released in september , curd describes his questioning of thomas at the police department . the initial information i had was that ( crawford ) may have brought a gun into the store with him . so i was very direct in my questions that i was having problems believing she would have not seen him bring a gun into the store , ' he wrote . she became emotional during the interview and started crying , saying that she is not lying , she will take a lie detector test and do whatever she needs to do . ' in his report , curd wrote that it was only later when he was at the walmart that he learned where the gun came from . i also learned while on scene that the rifle involved was a pellet gun that was taken from a box while he was inside the store , ' he wrote . this would also agree with the statement that she made that he did not take any type of firearm out of her car into the store with him . ' attorney : interrogation shows police'tried to cover it up' wright on tuesday said his legal team filed a federal civil lawsuit against two police officers ; beavercreek 's police chief ; the city of beavercreek and its police department ; and walmart . the crawford family is seeking at least $ 75,000 in compensatory damages and an unstated amount for punitive damages , the suit said . the family alleges , among other things , that the police officers did not do due diligence to determine that wright was n't a threat ; that the officers did n't give him enough time to put down the weapon ; and that walmart was negligent because the air rifle had been resting on a shelf , unpackaged , for at least two days , the family 's lawyers said tuesday . wright said police knew crawford did n't have a firearm when he walked into the walmart . he was not an imminent threat to anyone . he was just shopping , ' he said . after the grand jury decided in september not to indict the police officers who were involved in the shooting , prosecutor mark piepmeier said a perfect storm of circumstances ' led to crawford 's death and noted that the air gun bore a strong resemblance to an actual automatic weapon . it is very hard to tell the difference , ' piepmeier said . police responded to the scene after a witness called 911 and told dispatchers that crawford was walking around with a rifle and waving it back and forth . ' according to police , when officers arrived , crawford did not comply with their commands to drop his weapon . and the crawford family 's lawyers say police did n't give him enough time to put down the weapon . but wright said that because crawford was black , police made assumptions . the officers ran into an aisle , saw a black man with what they perceived to be a gun , and shot him on sight , ' he said . the interrogation video , he said , shows how police handled the case from day one . they , in their mind , had it made up that mr. crawford was a criminal , and they proceeded based on that without doing anything to independently corroborate what was actually happening in the store , ' he said . and they tried to cover it up by interrogating miss thomas in such a manner to try to get her to make a statement that would justify them shooting and killing mr. crawford that evening . ' opinion : killing of john crawford -- injustice for all | police shot dead john crawford iii at an ohio walmart in august |
graham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- evangelist billy graham is showing signs of improvement as he continues to recover from pneumonia in a north carolina hospital , a spokeswoman for asheville 's mission hospital said sunday . the 93-year-old graham was admitted to the hospital wednesday in stable condition . doctors are encouraged by mr. graham 's significant clinical progress , but have not yet set a date for discharge , ' hospital spokeswoman merrell gregory said in a statement . gregory also reported progress in graham 's physical therapy , saying he is walking more in the private corridor outside his room . ' graham was visited over the weekend by his family , according to gregory . he also watched on television his pastor deliver his regular sunday sermon , she said . this is graham 's second bout with pneumonia this year . he was previously hospitalized for the infection in may . graham , a resident of nearby montreat , has provided counsel to generations of u.s. presidents beginning with harry s. truman and is the founder of the billy graham evangelistic association . the charlotte native has preached to untold millions over six decades , beginning his missionary work in 1944 when he started speaking at rallies for the youth for christ campus life ministry . five years later , graham was holding crusades in tents in downtown los angeles . originally scheduled for three weeks , the crusades drew so many followers they were extended to seven . graham 's last crusade ' in june 2005 drew a total of 230,000 people . he described it as his last american crusade , but hedged his farewells during a poignant appearance in corona park in queens , new york . we hope to come back again someday , ' graham announced . i was asked in an interview if this was our last crusade and i said it probably is -- in new york . but i also said ,'i never say never .' | graham was admitted to the asheville hospital wednesday in stable condition |
sikh <tsp> oak creek , wisconsin ( cnn ) -- members of the sikh temple where six people died in a weekend rampage swept , scrubbed and painted over damage to their building thursday after investigators allowed them back inside . a lone bullet hole remained in a metal door frame , which members say wo n't be repaired . the doorway leads to the main prayer area , where the only female victim -- 41-year-old paramjit kaur -- was killed . but elsewhere , the congregation was busy polishing the tile floors , touching up patched drywall and replacing carpet , using donated supplies ; and reopening the dining hall , where the sikhs run an open kitchen for the community . several members wept as they walked in , while others embraced . remembering the victims ' it takes a toll on you , thinking about the lives that were lost , when you realize our temple will never be the same again , ' said kanwardeep singh kaleka , whose uncle satwant singh kaleka was among those dead . kaleka said it was hard coming back to the temple , known as a gurdwara -- but members returned as soon as police allowed them , so we can start off here tomorrow for those six people and really for the future of the world community . ' authorities have identified the man behind the rampage as wade michael page , a 40-year-old former soldier-turned-front man for a white supremacist rock band . page killed himself in the parking lot of the suburban milwaukee gurdwara after being shot by a police officer , the fbi said wednesday . investigators say they found no clues to explain why page went on the killing spree . but standing with the relatives of other victims , amardeep kaleka , the son of the congregation 's slain leader , called the killings an act of cowardice . simply put , our families -- his mother , who left behind two beautiful boys ... our father , the four other victims , the people who were shot and are in the hospital , the police officer who did his job -- they are heroes , ' he said . they were living the american dream . the other person was a coward . and at the end of the day , he should always be remembered as a coward . wisconsin siblings tell of running to warn others as temple shooting erupted in addition to the six dead , three people -- two temple members and a police officer who responded to sunday 's attack -- remained hospitalized thursday . lt. brian murphy , the oak creek police officer shot nine times after he responded to the scene , was in satisfactory condition , froedtert hospital officials reported . the condition of santokh singh , 50 , was upgraded to serious , the hospital said . he underwent two surgeries after suffering a single gunshot wound that penetrated his chest , diaphragm , stomach and liver . punjab singh , 65 , suffered a single gunshot wound to the face that caused fractures and damage to his right carotid and vertebral arteries . there is evidence he also may have subsequently suffered a stroke , ' the hospital said in a statement , adding that he was on a ventilator in critical condition . u.s. attorney general eric holder is to speak friday at a memorial service for the victims to be held at oak creek high school . the incident occurred slightly more than two weeks after a shooting at a movie theater in aurora , colorado , left 12 people dead and 58 wounded . civil rights leader jesse jackson , who visited the gurdwara on thursday , said more massacres will come unless the united states tightens up its gun laws . it 's easy to be polite to say'we 're so sorry this happened'and give the same speech at the next killing a month from now , ' jackson said . there 's some point where move from politeness to a change in policy . ' a cnn/orc international poll released thursday indicates that the public remains divided on gun laws , with 50 % saying they favor no restrictions or only minor restrictions on firearm ownership and 48 % supporting major restrictions or a complete ban by individuals except police and other authorized personnel . those numbers are identical to where they were in 2011 , and the number who support major restrictions or a complete ban has remained in the 48 % -to-50 % range for more than a decade . the cnn poll was conducted by orc international tuesday and wednesday , after sunday 's shootings at a sikh temple in wisconsin and after last month 's shootings at a movie theater in colorado . pollsters surveyed 1,010 american adults , with a sampling error of three percentage points . complete coverage of the sikh temple shooting cnn 's poppy harlow and david mattingly contributed to this report . | new : gunman wade michael page will be remembered as a coward , ' sikh leader 's son says |
yellowstone supervolcano <tsp> ( cnn ) as tourists stroll between yellowstone 's 300 active geysers , taking selfies in front of thousands of bubbling , boiling mud pots and hissing steam vents , they are treading on one of the planet 's greatest time bombs . the park is a supervolcano so enormous , it has puzzled geophysicists for decades , but now a research group , using seismic technology to scan its depths , have made a bombshell discovery . yellowstone 's magma reserves are many magnitudes greater than previously thought , say scientists from the university of utah . underneath the national park 's attractions and walking paths is enough hot rock to fill the grand canyon nearly 14 times over . most of it is in a newly discovered magma reservoir , which the scientists featured in a study published on thursday in the journal science . it may help scientists better understand why yellowstone 's previous eruptions , in prehistoric times , were some of earth 's largest explosions in the last few million years . the utah scientists also created the first three-dimensional depiction of the geothermal structure under yellowstone , which comprises three parts . yellowstone 's ultimate heat source reaches down 440 to 1,800 miles beneath earth 's surface -- and may come from its molten core . it is responsible for fueling the newly discovered reservoir that lies on top of it . the magma chamber , which scientists already knew about , lies on top of the reservoir -- and draws magma from it . it is a three to nine miles under the surface of the earth and is what fuels the geysers , steaming puddles and other hot attractions . it alone has a volume 2.5 times that of the grand canyon . but those great magma expanses do not mean that the two hellish hollows could overflow the grand canyon with molten rock . the overwhelming bulk of their magma cavities comprise scorching -- yet solid -- rock , which is hollow , like sponges , and filled with pockets of liquefied rock . also , the discovery does n't mean that there is now more magma than there was before , the scientists say . and they are no signs of an imminent eruption . the actual hazard is the same , but now we have a much better understanding of the complete crustal magma system , ' said researcher robert b. smith . an eruption in the next few thousand years is extremely unlikely , the usgs says . the utah scientists put the yearly chance at 1 in 700,000 -- about the odds that you will be struck by lightning . but when it does blow , it probably will change the world . compared to yellowstone 's past , mount st. helens was a picnic , when it covered washington state with an ash bed about the size of lake michigan in 1980 . mount pinatubo , which exploded in the philippines in 1991 , does n't begin to scratch the surface of yellowstone 's roar . nor did krakatoa in 1883 , which killed thousands , and the final explosion of which reportedly ruptured the eardrums of people 40 miles away . to understand the consequences of yellowstone 's previous eruptions , open the history books to 1815 , when mount tambora blew many cubic miles of debris skyward and killed about 10,000 inhabitants of indonesia in an instant , according to a report in smithsonian magazine . its dust may have blocked sunlight around the world , chilling the air and dropping the earth 's climate into a frigid phase that garnered the year 1816 the year without a summer , ' some climatologists believe . it may have led to frosty crop failures in europe and north america . tambora blew 36 cubic miles of debris into the sky . yellowstone has dwarfed that at least three times , the usgs says . the explosions have left deep scars , and park goers often become familiar with one -- the yellowstone caldera , which takes up much of the park and is lined by a roundish mountainous ridge . the caldera is a volcanic crater some 40- by 25-miles large , left behind when 240 cubic miles of debris ruptured out of the earth and into the air during volcanic discharge some 630,000 years ago , usgs says . lava flowed into the breach , filling it , which may account for the lack of a deeper crater . long before that , 2 million years ago , volcanic activity blew 600 cubic miles of yellowstone debris into the air . those were the two largest eruptions in north america in a few million years , the usgs said , and they each buried in ash more than a third of what is now the continental u.s. ' if another large caldera-forming eruption were to occur at yellowstone , its effects would be worldwide , ' the usgs says . it would drastically shift the world 's climate . so , it 's no wonder scientists have cast an eye on yellowstone for a while . the utah researchers gave the yellowstone 's magma bowels a sort of ct scan , said lead researcher hsin-hua huang . volcanic activity triggers 2,000 to 3,000 small earthquakes per year , and the shake and shock waves travel at different speeds through molten , hot and other rock . it allowed them to develop a detailed model of the seething expanse beneath yellowstone that makes it what it is . here are the upper magma chamber and lower magma reservoir by the numbers . the upper chamber , which caused the historic blasts and is closest to the surface , is 2,500 cubic miles in volume and measures about 19 by 55 miles . the lower reservoir , which has a volume of 11,200 cubic miles , measures about 30 by 44 miles and is about 16 miles thick . even if the next explosion is many thousands of years away , yellowstone 's cavernous heat tanks poke up an occasionally surprise . the last lava flow was some 70,000 years ago , usgs says . but more recently in 2003 , ground temperatures rose high enough to dry out geysers and boil the sap in some trees . a few inches under the surface , thermometers recorded a temperature of 200 degrees fahrenheit -- nearly hot enough to boil water . so , national park authorities closed yellowstone to keep people from burning their feet -- or basting their tires on melting roads . calbuco volcano erupts for first time in more than 40 years university of utah seismologists discover magma reservoir under yellowstone from the university of utah on vimeo . | prehistoric eruptions of yellowstone supervolcano were some of earth 's largest explosions |
earth <tsp> ( cnn ) as tourists stroll between yellowstone 's 300 active geysers , taking selfies in front of thousands of bubbling , boiling mud pots and hissing steam vents , they are treading on one of the planet 's greatest time bombs . the park is a supervolcano so enormous , it has puzzled geophysicists for decades , but now a research group , using seismic technology to scan its depths , have made a bombshell discovery . yellowstone 's magma reserves are many magnitudes greater than previously thought , say scientists from the university of utah . underneath the national park 's attractions and walking paths is enough hot rock to fill the grand canyon nearly 14 times over . most of it is in a newly discovered magma reservoir , which the scientists featured in a study published on thursday in the journal science . it may help scientists better understand why yellowstone 's previous eruptions , in prehistoric times , were some of earth 's largest explosions in the last few million years . the utah scientists also created the first three-dimensional depiction of the geothermal structure under yellowstone , which comprises three parts . yellowstone 's ultimate heat source reaches down 440 to 1,800 miles beneath earth 's surface -- and may come from its molten core . it is responsible for fueling the newly discovered reservoir that lies on top of it . the magma chamber , which scientists already knew about , lies on top of the reservoir -- and draws magma from it . it is a three to nine miles under the surface of the earth and is what fuels the geysers , steaming puddles and other hot attractions . it alone has a volume 2.5 times that of the grand canyon . but those great magma expanses do not mean that the two hellish hollows could overflow the grand canyon with molten rock . the overwhelming bulk of their magma cavities comprise scorching -- yet solid -- rock , which is hollow , like sponges , and filled with pockets of liquefied rock . also , the discovery does n't mean that there is now more magma than there was before , the scientists say . and they are no signs of an imminent eruption . the actual hazard is the same , but now we have a much better understanding of the complete crustal magma system , ' said researcher robert b. smith . an eruption in the next few thousand years is extremely unlikely , the usgs says . the utah scientists put the yearly chance at 1 in 700,000 -- about the odds that you will be struck by lightning . but when it does blow , it probably will change the world . compared to yellowstone 's past , mount st. helens was a picnic , when it covered washington state with an ash bed about the size of lake michigan in 1980 . mount pinatubo , which exploded in the philippines in 1991 , does n't begin to scratch the surface of yellowstone 's roar . nor did krakatoa in 1883 , which killed thousands , and the final explosion of which reportedly ruptured the eardrums of people 40 miles away . to understand the consequences of yellowstone 's previous eruptions , open the history books to 1815 , when mount tambora blew many cubic miles of debris skyward and killed about 10,000 inhabitants of indonesia in an instant , according to a report in smithsonian magazine . its dust may have blocked sunlight around the world , chilling the air and dropping the earth 's climate into a frigid phase that garnered the year 1816 the year without a summer , ' some climatologists believe . it may have led to frosty crop failures in europe and north america . tambora blew 36 cubic miles of debris into the sky . yellowstone has dwarfed that at least three times , the usgs says . the explosions have left deep scars , and park goers often become familiar with one -- the yellowstone caldera , which takes up much of the park and is lined by a roundish mountainous ridge . the caldera is a volcanic crater some 40- by 25-miles large , left behind when 240 cubic miles of debris ruptured out of the earth and into the air during volcanic discharge some 630,000 years ago , usgs says . lava flowed into the breach , filling it , which may account for the lack of a deeper crater . long before that , 2 million years ago , volcanic activity blew 600 cubic miles of yellowstone debris into the air . those were the two largest eruptions in north america in a few million years , the usgs said , and they each buried in ash more than a third of what is now the continental u.s. ' if another large caldera-forming eruption were to occur at yellowstone , its effects would be worldwide , ' the usgs says . it would drastically shift the world 's climate . so , it 's no wonder scientists have cast an eye on yellowstone for a while . the utah researchers gave the yellowstone 's magma bowels a sort of ct scan , said lead researcher hsin-hua huang . volcanic activity triggers 2,000 to 3,000 small earthquakes per year , and the shake and shock waves travel at different speeds through molten , hot and other rock . it allowed them to develop a detailed model of the seething expanse beneath yellowstone that makes it what it is . here are the upper magma chamber and lower magma reservoir by the numbers . the upper chamber , which caused the historic blasts and is closest to the surface , is 2,500 cubic miles in volume and measures about 19 by 55 miles . the lower reservoir , which has a volume of 11,200 cubic miles , measures about 30 by 44 miles and is about 16 miles thick . even if the next explosion is many thousands of years away , yellowstone 's cavernous heat tanks poke up an occasionally surprise . the last lava flow was some 70,000 years ago , usgs says . but more recently in 2003 , ground temperatures rose high enough to dry out geysers and boil the sap in some trees . a few inches under the surface , thermometers recorded a temperature of 200 degrees fahrenheit -- nearly hot enough to boil water . so , national park authorities closed yellowstone to keep people from burning their feet -- or basting their tires on melting roads . calbuco volcano erupts for first time in more than 40 years university of utah seismologists discover magma reservoir under yellowstone from the university of utah on vimeo . | prehistoric eruptions of yellowstone supervolcano were some of earth 's largest explosions |
earth <tsp> ( cnn ) as tourists stroll between yellowstone 's 300 active geysers , taking selfies in front of thousands of bubbling , boiling mud pots and hissing steam vents , they are treading on one of the planet 's greatest time bombs . the park is a supervolcano so enormous , it has puzzled geophysicists for decades , but now a research group , using seismic technology to scan its depths , have made a bombshell discovery . yellowstone 's magma reserves are many magnitudes greater than previously thought , say scientists from the university of utah . underneath the national park 's attractions and walking paths is enough hot rock to fill the grand canyon nearly 14 times over . most of it is in a newly discovered magma reservoir , which the scientists featured in a study published on thursday in the journal science . it may help scientists better understand why yellowstone 's previous eruptions , in prehistoric times , were some of earth 's largest explosions in the last few million years . the utah scientists also created the first three-dimensional depiction of the geothermal structure under yellowstone , which comprises three parts . yellowstone 's ultimate heat source reaches down 440 to 1,800 miles beneath earth 's surface -- and may come from its molten core . it is responsible for fueling the newly discovered reservoir that lies on top of it . the magma chamber , which scientists already knew about , lies on top of the reservoir -- and draws magma from it . it is a three to nine miles under the surface of the earth and is what fuels the geysers , steaming puddles and other hot attractions . it alone has a volume 2.5 times that of the grand canyon . but those great magma expanses do not mean that the two hellish hollows could overflow the grand canyon with molten rock . the overwhelming bulk of their magma cavities comprise scorching -- yet solid -- rock , which is hollow , like sponges , and filled with pockets of liquefied rock . also , the discovery does n't mean that there is now more magma than there was before , the scientists say . and they are no signs of an imminent eruption . the actual hazard is the same , but now we have a much better understanding of the complete crustal magma system , ' said researcher robert b. smith . an eruption in the next few thousand years is extremely unlikely , the usgs says . the utah scientists put the yearly chance at 1 in 700,000 -- about the odds that you will be struck by lightning . but when it does blow , it probably will change the world . compared to yellowstone 's past , mount st. helens was a picnic , when it covered washington state with an ash bed about the size of lake michigan in 1980 . mount pinatubo , which exploded in the philippines in 1991 , does n't begin to scratch the surface of yellowstone 's roar . nor did krakatoa in 1883 , which killed thousands , and the final explosion of which reportedly ruptured the eardrums of people 40 miles away . to understand the consequences of yellowstone 's previous eruptions , open the history books to 1815 , when mount tambora blew many cubic miles of debris skyward and killed about 10,000 inhabitants of indonesia in an instant , according to a report in smithsonian magazine . its dust may have blocked sunlight around the world , chilling the air and dropping the earth 's climate into a frigid phase that garnered the year 1816 the year without a summer , ' some climatologists believe . it may have led to frosty crop failures in europe and north america . tambora blew 36 cubic miles of debris into the sky . yellowstone has dwarfed that at least three times , the usgs says . the explosions have left deep scars , and park goers often become familiar with one -- the yellowstone caldera , which takes up much of the park and is lined by a roundish mountainous ridge . the caldera is a volcanic crater some 40- by 25-miles large , left behind when 240 cubic miles of debris ruptured out of the earth and into the air during volcanic discharge some 630,000 years ago , usgs says . lava flowed into the breach , filling it , which may account for the lack of a deeper crater . long before that , 2 million years ago , volcanic activity blew 600 cubic miles of yellowstone debris into the air . those were the two largest eruptions in north america in a few million years , the usgs said , and they each buried in ash more than a third of what is now the continental u.s. ' if another large caldera-forming eruption were to occur at yellowstone , its effects would be worldwide , ' the usgs says . it would drastically shift the world 's climate . so , it 's no wonder scientists have cast an eye on yellowstone for a while . the utah researchers gave the yellowstone 's magma bowels a sort of ct scan , said lead researcher hsin-hua huang . volcanic activity triggers 2,000 to 3,000 small earthquakes per year , and the shake and shock waves travel at different speeds through molten , hot and other rock . it allowed them to develop a detailed model of the seething expanse beneath yellowstone that makes it what it is . here are the upper magma chamber and lower magma reservoir by the numbers . the upper chamber , which caused the historic blasts and is closest to the surface , is 2,500 cubic miles in volume and measures about 19 by 55 miles . the lower reservoir , which has a volume of 11,200 cubic miles , measures about 30 by 44 miles and is about 16 miles thick . even if the next explosion is many thousands of years away , yellowstone 's cavernous heat tanks poke up an occasionally surprise . the last lava flow was some 70,000 years ago , usgs says . but more recently in 2003 , ground temperatures rose high enough to dry out geysers and boil the sap in some trees . a few inches under the surface , thermometers recorded a temperature of 200 degrees fahrenheit -- nearly hot enough to boil water . so , national park authorities closed yellowstone to keep people from burning their feet -- or basting their tires on melting roads . calbuco volcano erupts for first time in more than 40 years university of utah seismologists discover magma reservoir under yellowstone from the university of utah on vimeo . | scientist measured the thousands of small earthquakes in yellowstone to scan the earth underneath it |
ebola <tsp> one day after new york officials announced a doctors without borders physician had tested positive for ebola , another person who treated patients in west africa developed a fever and was put in isolation at a northern new jersey hospital . the second health care worker , a woman who has n't been identified by name , did not have any ebola symptoms upon arrival friday at newark liberty international airport , new jersey health department spokesman donna leusner said . yet things changed in the hours that followed . according to leusner , this evening , the health care worker developed a fever and is now in isolation and being evaluated at university hospital in newark . ' that woman is being tested for ebola , according to a government official who is receiving updates about the situation . unlike dr. craig spencer , the 33-year-old now in isolation at bellevue hospital in nearby new york city , this second health care worker is not confirmed to have ebola . in fact , there have been far more examples in recent weeks of suspected ebola cases than actual ones in the united states . for all the scares , only four people -- starting with thomas eric duncan , a liberian who died in a dallas hospital , followed by two dallas health care workers who 'd treated him , lastly spencer -- so far have been diagnosed with the deadly virus in the united states . still , the concerns that ebola could spread further remain real . and , especially amid criticism over how the dallas cases were handled , officials have signaled their intent to take stops to prevent it moving in . to this end , the governors of new york and new jersey announced friday their states were stepping up airport screening for ebola beyond federal requirements for travelers from ebola-hit countries in west africa . the policy allows the states to determine hospitalization or quarantine for up to 21 days for travelers from the affected countries . a mandatory quarantine is called for those who had direct contact with an individual infected with the ebola virus , ' including medical workers who treated ebola patients . in addition , people with a travel history to the affected regions but with no direct contact with ebola patients will be actively monitored ... and , if necessary , quarantined . ' the health care worker being isolated at newark 's university hospital was among those initially quarantined as a result of this policy . this is not the time to take chances , ' new york gov . andrew cuomo -- joined by his new jersey counterpart , chris christie -- said of the shift . this adjustment in increasing the screening procedures is necessary ... i think public safety and public health have to be balanced and i think this policy does that . ' new york officials try to reassure public meanwhile , there continues to intense interest about spencer , including where he was , and what risk he might have posed , before getting hospitalized thursday . he arrived october 17 at new york 's john f. kennedy 's airport , days after leaving guinea where he 'd been treating ebola patients . spencer felt fine after touching down , only to begin feeling fatigued tuesday . but he was n't symptomatic and did n't have a fever -- of 100.3-degree between 10 and 11 a.m. , according to new york city health commissioner mary bassett -- until thursday , at which time he also had nausea , pain and fatigue . up through that time , authorities said , spencer limited his public interactions but did not eliminate them . in fact , he jogged along the hudson river , rode the subway , took a cab , went bowling , visited a coffee stand at a manhattan park and ate at a meatball shop , among other activities . but that does n't mean he posed to a risk during that time to anyone , beyond perhaps his fiancee and two friends being quarantined and monitored , though they feel healthy . on friday , authorities sought to assure an anxious public that the likelihood of spencer spreading the virus while out and about was low . bassett said the chances of anyone contracting the virus from contact with spencer were close to nil . ' to show he had no fears , cuomo vowed to ride the subway on friday . there is no cause for alarm , ' mayor bill de blasio said . ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract . there is no reason for new yorkers to change their daily routines in any way . ' infected doctor talking on phone spencer , employed at new york 's columbia presbyterian hospital , has been in isolation at bellevue since emergency personnel took him there thursday morning . his manhattan apartment has been isolated . fast facts : ebola on his facebook page last month , spencer had posted a photo of himself in protective gear . the page indicates that he went to guinea around september 18 and later to brussels , belgium , in mid-october . off to guinea with doctors without borders ( msf ) ' he wrote . please support organizations that are sending support or personnel to west africa , and help combat one of the worst public health and humanitarian disasters in recent history . ' in a statement , columbia presbyterian hospital said the doctor was a dedicated humanitarian ' who went to an area of medical crisis to help a desperately underserved population . ' he is a committed and responsible physician who always puts his patients first , ' the hospital statement said . he has not been to work at our hospital and has not seen any patients at our hospital since his return from overseas . ' by friday , spencer was in stable condition and actively talking on his cell phone from his hospital room . ( he is ) in good enough shape to be in conversation with everyone around him , ' de blasio said . how to help the doctor was monitoring his health in a statement thursday , doctors without borders confirmed that the physician recently returned from west africa and was engaged in regular health monitoring . ' the doctor contacted doctors without borders on thursday to report a fever , the statement said . the case came to light after the new york fire department received a call shortly before noon thursday about a sick person in manhattan . the patient was taken to bellevue . mark levine , a city councilman who represents the doctor 's manhattan neighborhood , said thursday , before news broke of the doctor 's positive test , that city health department workers were canvassing the area , distributing information on the disease door-to-door , according to cnn affiliate wabc-tv . the goal right now is to make sure people do n't panic , ' he said . get up to speed the health department said a special ambulance unit transported a patient suffering from a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms . bellevue is designated for the isolation , identification and treatment of potential ebola patients ' in the city , the statement said . as a further precaution , beginning today ( thursday ) , the health department 's team of disease detectives immediately began to actively trace all of the patient 's contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk , ' the health department statement said . the chances of the average new yorker contracting ebola are extremely slim , ' the statement said , adding that the disease is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person . u.s. considers ebola quarantine the united states is considering a mandatory quarantine for returning health care workers from west africa , an obama administration official said friday . the move is an attempt to give clarity to a public concerned about travelers returning from the region and is not because officials fear there is a risk of transmission from people who are not exhibiting ebola-like symptoms , the official said . ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people , mostly in liberia , sierra leone and guinea . but fears about its spread has mounted since the first person diagnosed with the disease in the united states was hospitalized in texas last month . thomas eric duncan , who had flown from liberia to dallas , died on october 8 . two nurses who treated him became infected with the virus and underwent treatment , with the cases raising questions about the ability of local and federal officials to deal with an outbreak in the united states . on friday , the national institutes of health said one of the nurses , nina pham , had been declared free of the ebola virus . pham appeared at a nih news conference in maryland , where she thanked dr. kent brantly , the american physician who also survived ebola , for donating his plasma to her while she was sick . she also thanked god , her family , friends and the medical professionals who treated her . i feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today , ' she told reporters . the other nurse , amber vinson , who is getting treatment for ebola at atlanta 's emory university hospital , is steadily regaining her strength , and her spirits are high , her family said . doctors can no longer detect the virus in her body , and she 'll be transferred from isolation , her mother said . already , all travelers coming to the united states from ebola-affected areas will be actively monitored for 21 days , starting monday . in addition , all u.s.-bound passengers from liberia , sierra leone and guinea must land in one of the five u.s. airports with enhanced screening for ebola : new york 's kennedy , washington dulles , new jersey 's newark liberty international , chicago 's o'hare international and hartsfield-jackson international in atlanta . complete coverage on ebola | official : health care worker in new jersey is being tested for ebola |
ebola <tsp> one day after new york officials announced a doctors without borders physician had tested positive for ebola , another person who treated patients in west africa developed a fever and was put in isolation at a northern new jersey hospital . the second health care worker , a woman who has n't been identified by name , did not have any ebola symptoms upon arrival friday at newark liberty international airport , new jersey health department spokesman donna leusner said . yet things changed in the hours that followed . according to leusner , this evening , the health care worker developed a fever and is now in isolation and being evaluated at university hospital in newark . ' that woman is being tested for ebola , according to a government official who is receiving updates about the situation . unlike dr. craig spencer , the 33-year-old now in isolation at bellevue hospital in nearby new york city , this second health care worker is not confirmed to have ebola . in fact , there have been far more examples in recent weeks of suspected ebola cases than actual ones in the united states . for all the scares , only four people -- starting with thomas eric duncan , a liberian who died in a dallas hospital , followed by two dallas health care workers who 'd treated him , lastly spencer -- so far have been diagnosed with the deadly virus in the united states . still , the concerns that ebola could spread further remain real . and , especially amid criticism over how the dallas cases were handled , officials have signaled their intent to take stops to prevent it moving in . to this end , the governors of new york and new jersey announced friday their states were stepping up airport screening for ebola beyond federal requirements for travelers from ebola-hit countries in west africa . the policy allows the states to determine hospitalization or quarantine for up to 21 days for travelers from the affected countries . a mandatory quarantine is called for those who had direct contact with an individual infected with the ebola virus , ' including medical workers who treated ebola patients . in addition , people with a travel history to the affected regions but with no direct contact with ebola patients will be actively monitored ... and , if necessary , quarantined . ' the health care worker being isolated at newark 's university hospital was among those initially quarantined as a result of this policy . this is not the time to take chances , ' new york gov . andrew cuomo -- joined by his new jersey counterpart , chris christie -- said of the shift . this adjustment in increasing the screening procedures is necessary ... i think public safety and public health have to be balanced and i think this policy does that . ' new york officials try to reassure public meanwhile , there continues to intense interest about spencer , including where he was , and what risk he might have posed , before getting hospitalized thursday . he arrived october 17 at new york 's john f. kennedy 's airport , days after leaving guinea where he 'd been treating ebola patients . spencer felt fine after touching down , only to begin feeling fatigued tuesday . but he was n't symptomatic and did n't have a fever -- of 100.3-degree between 10 and 11 a.m. , according to new york city health commissioner mary bassett -- until thursday , at which time he also had nausea , pain and fatigue . up through that time , authorities said , spencer limited his public interactions but did not eliminate them . in fact , he jogged along the hudson river , rode the subway , took a cab , went bowling , visited a coffee stand at a manhattan park and ate at a meatball shop , among other activities . but that does n't mean he posed to a risk during that time to anyone , beyond perhaps his fiancee and two friends being quarantined and monitored , though they feel healthy . on friday , authorities sought to assure an anxious public that the likelihood of spencer spreading the virus while out and about was low . bassett said the chances of anyone contracting the virus from contact with spencer were close to nil . ' to show he had no fears , cuomo vowed to ride the subway on friday . there is no cause for alarm , ' mayor bill de blasio said . ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract . there is no reason for new yorkers to change their daily routines in any way . ' infected doctor talking on phone spencer , employed at new york 's columbia presbyterian hospital , has been in isolation at bellevue since emergency personnel took him there thursday morning . his manhattan apartment has been isolated . fast facts : ebola on his facebook page last month , spencer had posted a photo of himself in protective gear . the page indicates that he went to guinea around september 18 and later to brussels , belgium , in mid-october . off to guinea with doctors without borders ( msf ) ' he wrote . please support organizations that are sending support or personnel to west africa , and help combat one of the worst public health and humanitarian disasters in recent history . ' in a statement , columbia presbyterian hospital said the doctor was a dedicated humanitarian ' who went to an area of medical crisis to help a desperately underserved population . ' he is a committed and responsible physician who always puts his patients first , ' the hospital statement said . he has not been to work at our hospital and has not seen any patients at our hospital since his return from overseas . ' by friday , spencer was in stable condition and actively talking on his cell phone from his hospital room . ( he is ) in good enough shape to be in conversation with everyone around him , ' de blasio said . how to help the doctor was monitoring his health in a statement thursday , doctors without borders confirmed that the physician recently returned from west africa and was engaged in regular health monitoring . ' the doctor contacted doctors without borders on thursday to report a fever , the statement said . the case came to light after the new york fire department received a call shortly before noon thursday about a sick person in manhattan . the patient was taken to bellevue . mark levine , a city councilman who represents the doctor 's manhattan neighborhood , said thursday , before news broke of the doctor 's positive test , that city health department workers were canvassing the area , distributing information on the disease door-to-door , according to cnn affiliate wabc-tv . the goal right now is to make sure people do n't panic , ' he said . get up to speed the health department said a special ambulance unit transported a patient suffering from a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms . bellevue is designated for the isolation , identification and treatment of potential ebola patients ' in the city , the statement said . as a further precaution , beginning today ( thursday ) , the health department 's team of disease detectives immediately began to actively trace all of the patient 's contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk , ' the health department statement said . the chances of the average new yorker contracting ebola are extremely slim , ' the statement said , adding that the disease is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person . u.s. considers ebola quarantine the united states is considering a mandatory quarantine for returning health care workers from west africa , an obama administration official said friday . the move is an attempt to give clarity to a public concerned about travelers returning from the region and is not because officials fear there is a risk of transmission from people who are not exhibiting ebola-like symptoms , the official said . ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people , mostly in liberia , sierra leone and guinea . but fears about its spread has mounted since the first person diagnosed with the disease in the united states was hospitalized in texas last month . thomas eric duncan , who had flown from liberia to dallas , died on october 8 . two nurses who treated him became infected with the virus and underwent treatment , with the cases raising questions about the ability of local and federal officials to deal with an outbreak in the united states . on friday , the national institutes of health said one of the nurses , nina pham , had been declared free of the ebola virus . pham appeared at a nih news conference in maryland , where she thanked dr. kent brantly , the american physician who also survived ebola , for donating his plasma to her while she was sick . she also thanked god , her family , friends and the medical professionals who treated her . i feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today , ' she told reporters . the other nurse , amber vinson , who is getting treatment for ebola at atlanta 's emory university hospital , is steadily regaining her strength , and her spirits are high , her family said . doctors can no longer detect the virus in her body , and she 'll be transferred from isolation , her mother said . already , all travelers coming to the united states from ebola-affected areas will be actively monitored for 21 days , starting monday . in addition , all u.s.-bound passengers from liberia , sierra leone and guinea must land in one of the five u.s. airports with enhanced screening for ebola : new york 's kennedy , washington dulles , new jersey 's newark liberty international , chicago 's o'hare international and hartsfield-jackson international in atlanta . complete coverage on ebola | a doctors without border physician with ebola is being treated at a new york hospital |
ebola <tsp> one day after new york officials announced a doctors without borders physician had tested positive for ebola , another person who treated patients in west africa developed a fever and was put in isolation at a northern new jersey hospital . the second health care worker , a woman who has n't been identified by name , did not have any ebola symptoms upon arrival friday at newark liberty international airport , new jersey health department spokesman donna leusner said . yet things changed in the hours that followed . according to leusner , this evening , the health care worker developed a fever and is now in isolation and being evaluated at university hospital in newark . ' that woman is being tested for ebola , according to a government official who is receiving updates about the situation . unlike dr. craig spencer , the 33-year-old now in isolation at bellevue hospital in nearby new york city , this second health care worker is not confirmed to have ebola . in fact , there have been far more examples in recent weeks of suspected ebola cases than actual ones in the united states . for all the scares , only four people -- starting with thomas eric duncan , a liberian who died in a dallas hospital , followed by two dallas health care workers who 'd treated him , lastly spencer -- so far have been diagnosed with the deadly virus in the united states . still , the concerns that ebola could spread further remain real . and , especially amid criticism over how the dallas cases were handled , officials have signaled their intent to take stops to prevent it moving in . to this end , the governors of new york and new jersey announced friday their states were stepping up airport screening for ebola beyond federal requirements for travelers from ebola-hit countries in west africa . the policy allows the states to determine hospitalization or quarantine for up to 21 days for travelers from the affected countries . a mandatory quarantine is called for those who had direct contact with an individual infected with the ebola virus , ' including medical workers who treated ebola patients . in addition , people with a travel history to the affected regions but with no direct contact with ebola patients will be actively monitored ... and , if necessary , quarantined . ' the health care worker being isolated at newark 's university hospital was among those initially quarantined as a result of this policy . this is not the time to take chances , ' new york gov . andrew cuomo -- joined by his new jersey counterpart , chris christie -- said of the shift . this adjustment in increasing the screening procedures is necessary ... i think public safety and public health have to be balanced and i think this policy does that . ' new york officials try to reassure public meanwhile , there continues to intense interest about spencer , including where he was , and what risk he might have posed , before getting hospitalized thursday . he arrived october 17 at new york 's john f. kennedy 's airport , days after leaving guinea where he 'd been treating ebola patients . spencer felt fine after touching down , only to begin feeling fatigued tuesday . but he was n't symptomatic and did n't have a fever -- of 100.3-degree between 10 and 11 a.m. , according to new york city health commissioner mary bassett -- until thursday , at which time he also had nausea , pain and fatigue . up through that time , authorities said , spencer limited his public interactions but did not eliminate them . in fact , he jogged along the hudson river , rode the subway , took a cab , went bowling , visited a coffee stand at a manhattan park and ate at a meatball shop , among other activities . but that does n't mean he posed to a risk during that time to anyone , beyond perhaps his fiancee and two friends being quarantined and monitored , though they feel healthy . on friday , authorities sought to assure an anxious public that the likelihood of spencer spreading the virus while out and about was low . bassett said the chances of anyone contracting the virus from contact with spencer were close to nil . ' to show he had no fears , cuomo vowed to ride the subway on friday . there is no cause for alarm , ' mayor bill de blasio said . ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract . there is no reason for new yorkers to change their daily routines in any way . ' infected doctor talking on phone spencer , employed at new york 's columbia presbyterian hospital , has been in isolation at bellevue since emergency personnel took him there thursday morning . his manhattan apartment has been isolated . fast facts : ebola on his facebook page last month , spencer had posted a photo of himself in protective gear . the page indicates that he went to guinea around september 18 and later to brussels , belgium , in mid-october . off to guinea with doctors without borders ( msf ) ' he wrote . please support organizations that are sending support or personnel to west africa , and help combat one of the worst public health and humanitarian disasters in recent history . ' in a statement , columbia presbyterian hospital said the doctor was a dedicated humanitarian ' who went to an area of medical crisis to help a desperately underserved population . ' he is a committed and responsible physician who always puts his patients first , ' the hospital statement said . he has not been to work at our hospital and has not seen any patients at our hospital since his return from overseas . ' by friday , spencer was in stable condition and actively talking on his cell phone from his hospital room . ( he is ) in good enough shape to be in conversation with everyone around him , ' de blasio said . how to help the doctor was monitoring his health in a statement thursday , doctors without borders confirmed that the physician recently returned from west africa and was engaged in regular health monitoring . ' the doctor contacted doctors without borders on thursday to report a fever , the statement said . the case came to light after the new york fire department received a call shortly before noon thursday about a sick person in manhattan . the patient was taken to bellevue . mark levine , a city councilman who represents the doctor 's manhattan neighborhood , said thursday , before news broke of the doctor 's positive test , that city health department workers were canvassing the area , distributing information on the disease door-to-door , according to cnn affiliate wabc-tv . the goal right now is to make sure people do n't panic , ' he said . get up to speed the health department said a special ambulance unit transported a patient suffering from a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms . bellevue is designated for the isolation , identification and treatment of potential ebola patients ' in the city , the statement said . as a further precaution , beginning today ( thursday ) , the health department 's team of disease detectives immediately began to actively trace all of the patient 's contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk , ' the health department statement said . the chances of the average new yorker contracting ebola are extremely slim , ' the statement said , adding that the disease is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person . u.s. considers ebola quarantine the united states is considering a mandatory quarantine for returning health care workers from west africa , an obama administration official said friday . the move is an attempt to give clarity to a public concerned about travelers returning from the region and is not because officials fear there is a risk of transmission from people who are not exhibiting ebola-like symptoms , the official said . ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people , mostly in liberia , sierra leone and guinea . but fears about its spread has mounted since the first person diagnosed with the disease in the united states was hospitalized in texas last month . thomas eric duncan , who had flown from liberia to dallas , died on october 8 . two nurses who treated him became infected with the virus and underwent treatment , with the cases raising questions about the ability of local and federal officials to deal with an outbreak in the united states . on friday , the national institutes of health said one of the nurses , nina pham , had been declared free of the ebola virus . pham appeared at a nih news conference in maryland , where she thanked dr. kent brantly , the american physician who also survived ebola , for donating his plasma to her while she was sick . she also thanked god , her family , friends and the medical professionals who treated her . i feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today , ' she told reporters . the other nurse , amber vinson , who is getting treatment for ebola at atlanta 's emory university hospital , is steadily regaining her strength , and her spirits are high , her family said . doctors can no longer detect the virus in her body , and she 'll be transferred from isolation , her mother said . already , all travelers coming to the united states from ebola-affected areas will be actively monitored for 21 days , starting monday . in addition , all u.s.-bound passengers from liberia , sierra leone and guinea must land in one of the five u.s. airports with enhanced screening for ebola : new york 's kennedy , washington dulles , new jersey 's newark liberty international , chicago 's o'hare international and hartsfield-jackson international in atlanta . complete coverage on ebola | health care worker who saw ebola patients has a fever , state official says |
justin rose <tsp> ( cnn ) -- world no . 2 adam scott continued his standout 2013 season by carding a record-breaking final round to win the pga grand slam of golf in bermuda . the australian finished two shots ahead of u.s. open champion justin rose at the tournament which pits the year 's four major winners against each other over two rounds . masters champion scott shot a course record seven-under par closing round of 64 to clinch victory , with an eagle at the par five 17th hole enough to see him edge out world no . 5 rose . it 's been fun , but a trying couple of days here really , especially today , ' scott told the pga 's website . it felt like a long round out there , and standing on the 11th tee , it did n't look like a score like that was going to be possible , but i played very well and managed to slowly claw away at justin . ' pga championship winner jason dufner finished on three-under at the end of a rain-affected day two , six strokes ahead of defending champion padraig harrington on three over . a little bit of a slow start today to go with a poor finish yesterday kind of put me behind it , ' explained dufner . when the sun came out and the rain went away , i played a little bit better . but , i just did n't get a good start , and trying to catch a guy when you 're making bogeys , and they are grinding it out , is difficult . ' irishman harrington took the place of british open winner phil mickelson , who withdrew from the event due to a scheduling conflict . meanwhile the pga of america is reportedly considering staging the pga championship , the year 's fourth and final major , outside of the u.s .. a commission is said to be investing the effects of staging the tournament , which was held at oak hill country club in new york this year , on foreign soil . we need to push ourselves to think outside the box , ' the organization 's chief executive officer pete bevacqua was quoted as saying by golf digest magazine . what i have said internally is ,'shame on us if we do n't consider it and go through the exercise .'' the 2019 tournament was recently awarded to the bethpage black golf course , meaning the earliest the tournament could be staged outside of america would be 2020 . | world no . 2 scott beat of competition from u.s. open champion justin rose |
pga of america <tsp> ( cnn ) -- world no . 2 adam scott continued his standout 2013 season by carding a record-breaking final round to win the pga grand slam of golf in bermuda . the australian finished two shots ahead of u.s. open champion justin rose at the tournament which pits the year 's four major winners against each other over two rounds . masters champion scott shot a course record seven-under par closing round of 64 to clinch victory , with an eagle at the par five 17th hole enough to see him edge out world no . 5 rose . it 's been fun , but a trying couple of days here really , especially today , ' scott told the pga 's website . it felt like a long round out there , and standing on the 11th tee , it did n't look like a score like that was going to be possible , but i played very well and managed to slowly claw away at justin . ' pga championship winner jason dufner finished on three-under at the end of a rain-affected day two , six strokes ahead of defending champion padraig harrington on three over . a little bit of a slow start today to go with a poor finish yesterday kind of put me behind it , ' explained dufner . when the sun came out and the rain went away , i played a little bit better . but , i just did n't get a good start , and trying to catch a guy when you 're making bogeys , and they are grinding it out , is difficult . ' irishman harrington took the place of british open winner phil mickelson , who withdrew from the event due to a scheduling conflict . meanwhile the pga of america is reportedly considering staging the pga championship , the year 's fourth and final major , outside of the u.s .. a commission is said to be investing the effects of staging the tournament , which was held at oak hill country club in new york this year , on foreign soil . we need to push ourselves to think outside the box , ' the organization 's chief executive officer pete bevacqua was quoted as saying by golf digest magazine . what i have said internally is ,'shame on us if we do n't consider it and go through the exercise .'' the 2019 tournament was recently awarded to the bethpage black golf course , meaning the earliest the tournament could be staged outside of america would be 2020 . | golf digest reports the pga of america considering a foreign pga championship |
democrats <tsp> ( cnn ) -- law student blake rider summed up the feelings of many democrats late tuesday night : ' i can finally sleep again , ' he said . president barack obama was was re-elected with 303 electoral votes to mitt romney 's 206 . in a race that seemed too close to call until the votes were tallied , americans ultimately chose four more years . even though voters indicated to pollsters that their financial situation is the same or worse than it was four years ago , they put their trust in the president . obama got off to a semi-rocky start , but i think that with another four years , we have a good chance , ' said brian anderson , who celebrated obama 's victory in the streets of washington . we have a foundation now . ... we can only go up from here . ' his re-election ... will allow me to stay in school and have health protection , ' agreed atlanta college student cydney fisher . like fisher , many americans considered health care when voting ; exit polls had its importance second only to the economy . mitt romney supporters were obviously disappointed with the results of the close election , but they were comforted somewhat by the house of representatives remaining under republican control . hopefully obama can turn it around , ' wrote cnn.com commenter otacon7272 . at least he wo n't be able to make things that much worse with the gop in control of the house . ' others were n't quite so optimistic . i 'm sorry , but what i see ahead for america is what we see in third world countries now , ' said kathi cordsen of fullerton , california . everyone is poor except the government ; everyone relies on the government for everything . ' members of both parties were quick to weigh in on what they 'd like to see in the next four years . let 's see some action this time , ' said dina boyer of palo alto , california . she 's an obama supporter , but hopes the president 's policies will have a more concrete effect on her life in the next four years , such as allowing her to make a living wage and stop using food stamps . i would also like to see a new deal of sorts , more money put into rebuilding states and cities hit by disaster or economic ruin . ' i want to see obama get spending under control , ' said romney voter elizabeth lauten . the d.c. resident had hoped that romney would cut the deficit if he won . i think ( obama ) believes he wants to increase taxes on the wealthy . i do n't agree with that , but there has to be a solution . ' and some questioned whether the election would make much of a difference to the country at all . i see little being accomplished unless members of congress and the president finally start talking with one another , find where they can agree and do what is right for we , the people , ' said republican mark ivy of farmersburg , indiana . i am not sure if either republicans or democrats will be that willing to compromise . once elected , we expect our officials to lay aside the party hats and work for all americans . i am afraid they wo n't . ' but rider -- the sleepless obama voter who can finally get some rest -- disagrees . i think it has a profound impact , ' he said . i just think ( it ) is a fundamental question of which direction we want to take -- there is symbolism here . ' opinion : five things obama must do cnn 's henry hanks , jareen imam and nicole saidi contributed to this report . | democrats say obama 's laid a foundation and can now take action |
islam <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- at least 6,000 christians have fled the northern iraqi city of mosul in the past week because of killings and death threats , iraq 's ministry of immigration and displaced persons said thursday . a christian family that fled mosul found refuge in the al-sayida monastery about 30 miles north of the city . the number represents 1,424 families , at least 70 more families than were reported to be displaced on wednesday . the ministry said it had set up an operation room to follow up sending urgent aid to the displaced christian families as a result of attacks by what it called terrorist groups . ' iraqi officials have said the families were frightened by a series of killings and threats by muslim extremists ordering them to convert to islam or face death . fourteen christians have been slain in the past two weeks in the city , which is about 260 miles ( 420 kilometers ) north of baghdad . mosul is one of the last iraqi cities where al qaeda in iraq has a significant presence and routinely carries out attacks . the u.s. military said it killed the sunni militant group 's no . 2 leader , abu qaswarah , in a raid in the northern city earlier this month . in response to the recent attacks on christians , authorities have ordered more checkpoints in several of the city 's christian neighborhoods . the attacks may have been prompted by christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections , which are to be held by january 31 , authorities said . hundreds of christians took to the streets in mosul and surrounding villages and towns , demanding adequate representation on provincial councils , whose members will be chosen in the local elections . thursday , iraq 's minister of immigration and displaced persons discussed building housing complexes for christian families in northern iraq and allocating land to build the complexes . abdel samad rahman sultan brought up the issue when he met with a representative of iraq 's hammurabi organization for human rights and with the head of the kojina organization for helping displaced persons . a curfew was declared wednesday in several neighborhoods of eastern mosul as authorities searched for militants behind the attacks . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | extremists ordering them to convert to islam , officials say |
mosul <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- at least 6,000 christians have fled the northern iraqi city of mosul in the past week because of killings and death threats , iraq 's ministry of immigration and displaced persons said thursday . a christian family that fled mosul found refuge in the al-sayida monastery about 30 miles north of the city . the number represents 1,424 families , at least 70 more families than were reported to be displaced on wednesday . the ministry said it had set up an operation room to follow up sending urgent aid to the displaced christian families as a result of attacks by what it called terrorist groups . ' iraqi officials have said the families were frightened by a series of killings and threats by muslim extremists ordering them to convert to islam or face death . fourteen christians have been slain in the past two weeks in the city , which is about 260 miles ( 420 kilometers ) north of baghdad . mosul is one of the last iraqi cities where al qaeda in iraq has a significant presence and routinely carries out attacks . the u.s. military said it killed the sunni militant group 's no . 2 leader , abu qaswarah , in a raid in the northern city earlier this month . in response to the recent attacks on christians , authorities have ordered more checkpoints in several of the city 's christian neighborhoods . the attacks may have been prompted by christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections , which are to be held by january 31 , authorities said . hundreds of christians took to the streets in mosul and surrounding villages and towns , demanding adequate representation on provincial councils , whose members will be chosen in the local elections . thursday , iraq 's minister of immigration and displaced persons discussed building housing complexes for christian families in northern iraq and allocating land to build the complexes . abdel samad rahman sultan brought up the issue when he met with a representative of iraq 's hammurabi organization for human rights and with the head of the kojina organization for helping displaced persons . a curfew was declared wednesday in several neighborhoods of eastern mosul as authorities searched for militants behind the attacks . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | fourteen christians have been slain in the past two weeks in mosul |
christians <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- at least 6,000 christians have fled the northern iraqi city of mosul in the past week because of killings and death threats , iraq 's ministry of immigration and displaced persons said thursday . a christian family that fled mosul found refuge in the al-sayida monastery about 30 miles north of the city . the number represents 1,424 families , at least 70 more families than were reported to be displaced on wednesday . the ministry said it had set up an operation room to follow up sending urgent aid to the displaced christian families as a result of attacks by what it called terrorist groups . ' iraqi officials have said the families were frightened by a series of killings and threats by muslim extremists ordering them to convert to islam or face death . fourteen christians have been slain in the past two weeks in the city , which is about 260 miles ( 420 kilometers ) north of baghdad . mosul is one of the last iraqi cities where al qaeda in iraq has a significant presence and routinely carries out attacks . the u.s. military said it killed the sunni militant group 's no . 2 leader , abu qaswarah , in a raid in the northern city earlier this month . in response to the recent attacks on christians , authorities have ordered more checkpoints in several of the city 's christian neighborhoods . the attacks may have been prompted by christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections , which are to be held by january 31 , authorities said . hundreds of christians took to the streets in mosul and surrounding villages and towns , demanding adequate representation on provincial councils , whose members will be chosen in the local elections . thursday , iraq 's minister of immigration and displaced persons discussed building housing complexes for christian families in northern iraq and allocating land to build the complexes . abdel samad rahman sultan brought up the issue when he met with a representative of iraq 's hammurabi organization for human rights and with the head of the kojina organization for helping displaced persons . a curfew was declared wednesday in several neighborhoods of eastern mosul as authorities searched for militants behind the attacks . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | fourteen christians have been slain in the past two weeks in mosul |
starr <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ringo starr walks into the hotel suite at the beverly hills hotel carrying a brown paper bag . it 's his sack lunch , and he 's packed it himself . he 's also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone -- no entourage , no bodyguard , no assistant , no fuss . it 's fitting that cnn 's interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel , which is like a second home to the former beatle . this is where the fab four stayed when they first came to hollywood in 1964 , no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the british invasion . looking at least a decade younger than his 71 years , starr settles into the corner of a couch and talks about celebrity then vs. celebrity now -- this from the perspective of a man who has been famous for nearly 50 years . i feel like it 's harder now for the celebrities , ' he tells cnn entertainment correspondent kareen wynter . there was no one bigger than us , and we were put upon . then , paul and i would go on holiday , or john and i would go on holidays , and we 'd be fine . now you ca n't go anywhere . the celebrity of today is so documented that i think it 's a lot harder now . we had it easy . we thought it was hard , but not compared to today . ' in 2012 , his star has n't waned . it has just taken on a comfortable glow . as one of two surviving beatles , people are treating him like a living treasure -- and these days , he and paul mccartney seem to be treasuring each other . starr remains touched that macca showed up at his 70th birthday party at radio city music hall . i had no idea he was coming , ' he recalls . he jumped up to do the beatle track ,'birthday .'nobody told me that he snuck in , and that he rehearsed with the band . ' in recent weeks , starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album . he produced it himself and recorded it in los angeles with a number of his buddies , including producers don was and dave stewart and eagles guitarist joe walsh , who also happens to be his brother-in-law . below is a portion of cnn 's conversation with starr about his new cd , his relationship with mccartney and whether there will ever be a beatles reunion . cnn 's kareen wynter : what was your inspiration behind the new album ? ringo starr : the inspiration behind the cd is that 's what i do . i love to play , i love to hang out with musicians and i like to make records , actually . i like to write songs , and i like to collaborate with other writers . it generally keeps me busy . when i 'm not doing that , i like to paint , i like to watch tv , i like to go to the cinema , i like to do all that stuff . but i love hanging out with musicians and playing my drums . cnn : what drives you after having such a long career ? starr : you get up in the morning and you start the day . i like to get up early , and i do n't like to get up and get right at it . i like to sort of work my way into the day , and then whatever comes along , i say'yes'or'no'to . cnn : does anything shock you anymore ? starr : nothing shocks me , no -- not on tv . it is how it is now . it 's a pity that a lot of the reality singing shows -- somebody gets a shot for a minute , and even the winner seldom lasts more than a year . i played a lot of hours to get where i am , and it was a gradual build-up . so to go from nothing to the biggest thing in life -- you ca n't handle it . it was hard enough , and thank god , there were four of us to keep each other in some sort of reality . we all went mad separately , but we had each other , and we all came through gradually . so i think we were blessed that way . cnn : you got me on , we all went mad separately . ' starr : well , we did , because we all had our moment , and then john or one of them would look at me and say , excuse me ? ! ' and pull you back , you know ? cnn : do you miss those days ? four instead of two ? starr : well , of course i miss them . we were great friends , and we played a lot together , and we went through the madness together . there were only four people who understood what we went through , and it 's down to two now . there is nothing i can do to change that . i would like to be able to change it , but i do n't have that power . cnn : can you put the rumors to rest : will there be a beatles reunion at the 2012 olympics in london ? starr : how can there be ? oh no , i 'll be here . i 'm already booked in america . cnn : paul said you may want to do it . starr : paul can do it . cnn : but it 's not the same without you . starr : well , he is doing quite well without me . he is doing ok. cnn : you 're part of the act . starr : well , we had a great time at my birthday . he surprised me in new york , and he jumped up to do the beatle track birthday , ' and i was not going to miss that so i just ran to the drum kit , and that was fun . we have played a couple of times together . we did the david lynch show a couple of years ago , so we have done that . but i will not be at the olympics . i have to be very definite about that because they will say , oh , is he coming ? is n't he coming ? ' no , i am not going -- but to all the athletes , peace and love ! ' cnn : what about in the future ? starr : well , the door is open that paul and i might play together , but it is not like a reunion . it is not going to be the beatles , you know ? they have those crazy ideas that maybe we could use their children . it is never going to happen . cnn : what is your relationship with paul like ? starr : it 's good . after all of the time , everybody has ups and downs . so we have ups and downs , but it is very up right now . i am so pleased for him and nancy . we love nancy . cnn : their wedding was beautiful . what was it like seeing them walk through those chapel doors ? starr : great . it was great , and he seems really happy and that is good . as i said , we love nancy , so i think it 's a great moment for him . cnn : how would you describe nancy ? starr : very down to earth . very easy . she mixes right in and she loves music , so it ca n't be bad . and , you know , she is a very beautiful woman . regal is a great word . regal nancy . cnn : the beatles came up during a tumultuous time . do you see any parallels between that period and what 's happening today ? starr : as we all know , the world is going through a change , especially in egypt and the arab countries . america had to go through its change . england has been through several changes . france has been through a really big change . so it is just part of life , and god bless them . and it is great to see there is a lot of this ( gives peace sign ) going on in the world , and that is what it 's about . we would love to be able to say , ok , it 's a peace and love takeover . ' but usually whoever is in power , as it seems , is injuring a lot of its own people . cnn : you really represent your peace and love ' theme . what do you hear from young people when they approach you ? starr : a lot of young people love peace and love . ' i mean , they would like it to be that way . that is the way we all thought . but a lot of work goes into it . i just keep it going because it is a second in my life to think , peace and love . ' how great is that ? so if you put all of those seconds together , then soon you have got some time and it will make a change . cnn : what 's next for you ? starr : well , i think you tackle that as it comes along . i am making records , i am going on tour , and then i am off to do whatever else i want to do . so i have a very good life . | the inspiration behind the cd is that 's what i do , ' starr says |
starr <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ringo starr walks into the hotel suite at the beverly hills hotel carrying a brown paper bag . it 's his sack lunch , and he 's packed it himself . he 's also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone -- no entourage , no bodyguard , no assistant , no fuss . it 's fitting that cnn 's interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel , which is like a second home to the former beatle . this is where the fab four stayed when they first came to hollywood in 1964 , no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the british invasion . looking at least a decade younger than his 71 years , starr settles into the corner of a couch and talks about celebrity then vs. celebrity now -- this from the perspective of a man who has been famous for nearly 50 years . i feel like it 's harder now for the celebrities , ' he tells cnn entertainment correspondent kareen wynter . there was no one bigger than us , and we were put upon . then , paul and i would go on holiday , or john and i would go on holidays , and we 'd be fine . now you ca n't go anywhere . the celebrity of today is so documented that i think it 's a lot harder now . we had it easy . we thought it was hard , but not compared to today . ' in 2012 , his star has n't waned . it has just taken on a comfortable glow . as one of two surviving beatles , people are treating him like a living treasure -- and these days , he and paul mccartney seem to be treasuring each other . starr remains touched that macca showed up at his 70th birthday party at radio city music hall . i had no idea he was coming , ' he recalls . he jumped up to do the beatle track ,'birthday .'nobody told me that he snuck in , and that he rehearsed with the band . ' in recent weeks , starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album . he produced it himself and recorded it in los angeles with a number of his buddies , including producers don was and dave stewart and eagles guitarist joe walsh , who also happens to be his brother-in-law . below is a portion of cnn 's conversation with starr about his new cd , his relationship with mccartney and whether there will ever be a beatles reunion . cnn 's kareen wynter : what was your inspiration behind the new album ? ringo starr : the inspiration behind the cd is that 's what i do . i love to play , i love to hang out with musicians and i like to make records , actually . i like to write songs , and i like to collaborate with other writers . it generally keeps me busy . when i 'm not doing that , i like to paint , i like to watch tv , i like to go to the cinema , i like to do all that stuff . but i love hanging out with musicians and playing my drums . cnn : what drives you after having such a long career ? starr : you get up in the morning and you start the day . i like to get up early , and i do n't like to get up and get right at it . i like to sort of work my way into the day , and then whatever comes along , i say'yes'or'no'to . cnn : does anything shock you anymore ? starr : nothing shocks me , no -- not on tv . it is how it is now . it 's a pity that a lot of the reality singing shows -- somebody gets a shot for a minute , and even the winner seldom lasts more than a year . i played a lot of hours to get where i am , and it was a gradual build-up . so to go from nothing to the biggest thing in life -- you ca n't handle it . it was hard enough , and thank god , there were four of us to keep each other in some sort of reality . we all went mad separately , but we had each other , and we all came through gradually . so i think we were blessed that way . cnn : you got me on , we all went mad separately . ' starr : well , we did , because we all had our moment , and then john or one of them would look at me and say , excuse me ? ! ' and pull you back , you know ? cnn : do you miss those days ? four instead of two ? starr : well , of course i miss them . we were great friends , and we played a lot together , and we went through the madness together . there were only four people who understood what we went through , and it 's down to two now . there is nothing i can do to change that . i would like to be able to change it , but i do n't have that power . cnn : can you put the rumors to rest : will there be a beatles reunion at the 2012 olympics in london ? starr : how can there be ? oh no , i 'll be here . i 'm already booked in america . cnn : paul said you may want to do it . starr : paul can do it . cnn : but it 's not the same without you . starr : well , he is doing quite well without me . he is doing ok. cnn : you 're part of the act . starr : well , we had a great time at my birthday . he surprised me in new york , and he jumped up to do the beatle track birthday , ' and i was not going to miss that so i just ran to the drum kit , and that was fun . we have played a couple of times together . we did the david lynch show a couple of years ago , so we have done that . but i will not be at the olympics . i have to be very definite about that because they will say , oh , is he coming ? is n't he coming ? ' no , i am not going -- but to all the athletes , peace and love ! ' cnn : what about in the future ? starr : well , the door is open that paul and i might play together , but it is not like a reunion . it is not going to be the beatles , you know ? they have those crazy ideas that maybe we could use their children . it is never going to happen . cnn : what is your relationship with paul like ? starr : it 's good . after all of the time , everybody has ups and downs . so we have ups and downs , but it is very up right now . i am so pleased for him and nancy . we love nancy . cnn : their wedding was beautiful . what was it like seeing them walk through those chapel doors ? starr : great . it was great , and he seems really happy and that is good . as i said , we love nancy , so i think it 's a great moment for him . cnn : how would you describe nancy ? starr : very down to earth . very easy . she mixes right in and she loves music , so it ca n't be bad . and , you know , she is a very beautiful woman . regal is a great word . regal nancy . cnn : the beatles came up during a tumultuous time . do you see any parallels between that period and what 's happening today ? starr : as we all know , the world is going through a change , especially in egypt and the arab countries . america had to go through its change . england has been through several changes . france has been through a really big change . so it is just part of life , and god bless them . and it is great to see there is a lot of this ( gives peace sign ) going on in the world , and that is what it 's about . we would love to be able to say , ok , it 's a peace and love takeover . ' but usually whoever is in power , as it seems , is injuring a lot of its own people . cnn : you really represent your peace and love ' theme . what do you hear from young people when they approach you ? starr : a lot of young people love peace and love . ' i mean , they would like it to be that way . that is the way we all thought . but a lot of work goes into it . i just keep it going because it is a second in my life to think , peace and love . ' how great is that ? so if you put all of those seconds together , then soon you have got some time and it will make a change . cnn : what 's next for you ? starr : well , i think you tackle that as it comes along . i am making records , i am going on tour , and then i am off to do whatever else i want to do . so i have a very good life . | in recent weeks , ringo starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album |
starr <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ringo starr walks into the hotel suite at the beverly hills hotel carrying a brown paper bag . it 's his sack lunch , and he 's packed it himself . he 's also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone -- no entourage , no bodyguard , no assistant , no fuss . it 's fitting that cnn 's interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel , which is like a second home to the former beatle . this is where the fab four stayed when they first came to hollywood in 1964 , no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the british invasion . looking at least a decade younger than his 71 years , starr settles into the corner of a couch and talks about celebrity then vs. celebrity now -- this from the perspective of a man who has been famous for nearly 50 years . i feel like it 's harder now for the celebrities , ' he tells cnn entertainment correspondent kareen wynter . there was no one bigger than us , and we were put upon . then , paul and i would go on holiday , or john and i would go on holidays , and we 'd be fine . now you ca n't go anywhere . the celebrity of today is so documented that i think it 's a lot harder now . we had it easy . we thought it was hard , but not compared to today . ' in 2012 , his star has n't waned . it has just taken on a comfortable glow . as one of two surviving beatles , people are treating him like a living treasure -- and these days , he and paul mccartney seem to be treasuring each other . starr remains touched that macca showed up at his 70th birthday party at radio city music hall . i had no idea he was coming , ' he recalls . he jumped up to do the beatle track ,'birthday .'nobody told me that he snuck in , and that he rehearsed with the band . ' in recent weeks , starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album . he produced it himself and recorded it in los angeles with a number of his buddies , including producers don was and dave stewart and eagles guitarist joe walsh , who also happens to be his brother-in-law . below is a portion of cnn 's conversation with starr about his new cd , his relationship with mccartney and whether there will ever be a beatles reunion . cnn 's kareen wynter : what was your inspiration behind the new album ? ringo starr : the inspiration behind the cd is that 's what i do . i love to play , i love to hang out with musicians and i like to make records , actually . i like to write songs , and i like to collaborate with other writers . it generally keeps me busy . when i 'm not doing that , i like to paint , i like to watch tv , i like to go to the cinema , i like to do all that stuff . but i love hanging out with musicians and playing my drums . cnn : what drives you after having such a long career ? starr : you get up in the morning and you start the day . i like to get up early , and i do n't like to get up and get right at it . i like to sort of work my way into the day , and then whatever comes along , i say'yes'or'no'to . cnn : does anything shock you anymore ? starr : nothing shocks me , no -- not on tv . it is how it is now . it 's a pity that a lot of the reality singing shows -- somebody gets a shot for a minute , and even the winner seldom lasts more than a year . i played a lot of hours to get where i am , and it was a gradual build-up . so to go from nothing to the biggest thing in life -- you ca n't handle it . it was hard enough , and thank god , there were four of us to keep each other in some sort of reality . we all went mad separately , but we had each other , and we all came through gradually . so i think we were blessed that way . cnn : you got me on , we all went mad separately . ' starr : well , we did , because we all had our moment , and then john or one of them would look at me and say , excuse me ? ! ' and pull you back , you know ? cnn : do you miss those days ? four instead of two ? starr : well , of course i miss them . we were great friends , and we played a lot together , and we went through the madness together . there were only four people who understood what we went through , and it 's down to two now . there is nothing i can do to change that . i would like to be able to change it , but i do n't have that power . cnn : can you put the rumors to rest : will there be a beatles reunion at the 2012 olympics in london ? starr : how can there be ? oh no , i 'll be here . i 'm already booked in america . cnn : paul said you may want to do it . starr : paul can do it . cnn : but it 's not the same without you . starr : well , he is doing quite well without me . he is doing ok. cnn : you 're part of the act . starr : well , we had a great time at my birthday . he surprised me in new york , and he jumped up to do the beatle track birthday , ' and i was not going to miss that so i just ran to the drum kit , and that was fun . we have played a couple of times together . we did the david lynch show a couple of years ago , so we have done that . but i will not be at the olympics . i have to be very definite about that because they will say , oh , is he coming ? is n't he coming ? ' no , i am not going -- but to all the athletes , peace and love ! ' cnn : what about in the future ? starr : well , the door is open that paul and i might play together , but it is not like a reunion . it is not going to be the beatles , you know ? they have those crazy ideas that maybe we could use their children . it is never going to happen . cnn : what is your relationship with paul like ? starr : it 's good . after all of the time , everybody has ups and downs . so we have ups and downs , but it is very up right now . i am so pleased for him and nancy . we love nancy . cnn : their wedding was beautiful . what was it like seeing them walk through those chapel doors ? starr : great . it was great , and he seems really happy and that is good . as i said , we love nancy , so i think it 's a great moment for him . cnn : how would you describe nancy ? starr : very down to earth . very easy . she mixes right in and she loves music , so it ca n't be bad . and , you know , she is a very beautiful woman . regal is a great word . regal nancy . cnn : the beatles came up during a tumultuous time . do you see any parallels between that period and what 's happening today ? starr : as we all know , the world is going through a change , especially in egypt and the arab countries . america had to go through its change . england has been through several changes . france has been through a really big change . so it is just part of life , and god bless them . and it is great to see there is a lot of this ( gives peace sign ) going on in the world , and that is what it 's about . we would love to be able to say , ok , it 's a peace and love takeover . ' but usually whoever is in power , as it seems , is injuring a lot of its own people . cnn : you really represent your peace and love ' theme . what do you hear from young people when they approach you ? starr : a lot of young people love peace and love . ' i mean , they would like it to be that way . that is the way we all thought . but a lot of work goes into it . i just keep it going because it is a second in my life to think , peace and love . ' how great is that ? so if you put all of those seconds together , then soon you have got some time and it will make a change . cnn : what 's next for you ? starr : well , i think you tackle that as it comes along . i am making records , i am going on tour , and then i am off to do whatever else i want to do . so i have a very good life . | starr says he and paul mccartney might play together , but it is not like a reunion ' |
ringo 2012 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ringo starr walks into the hotel suite at the beverly hills hotel carrying a brown paper bag . it 's his sack lunch , and he 's packed it himself . he 's also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone -- no entourage , no bodyguard , no assistant , no fuss . it 's fitting that cnn 's interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel , which is like a second home to the former beatle . this is where the fab four stayed when they first came to hollywood in 1964 , no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the british invasion . looking at least a decade younger than his 71 years , starr settles into the corner of a couch and talks about celebrity then vs. celebrity now -- this from the perspective of a man who has been famous for nearly 50 years . i feel like it 's harder now for the celebrities , ' he tells cnn entertainment correspondent kareen wynter . there was no one bigger than us , and we were put upon . then , paul and i would go on holiday , or john and i would go on holidays , and we 'd be fine . now you ca n't go anywhere . the celebrity of today is so documented that i think it 's a lot harder now . we had it easy . we thought it was hard , but not compared to today . ' in 2012 , his star has n't waned . it has just taken on a comfortable glow . as one of two surviving beatles , people are treating him like a living treasure -- and these days , he and paul mccartney seem to be treasuring each other . starr remains touched that macca showed up at his 70th birthday party at radio city music hall . i had no idea he was coming , ' he recalls . he jumped up to do the beatle track ,'birthday .'nobody told me that he snuck in , and that he rehearsed with the band . ' in recent weeks , starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album . he produced it himself and recorded it in los angeles with a number of his buddies , including producers don was and dave stewart and eagles guitarist joe walsh , who also happens to be his brother-in-law . below is a portion of cnn 's conversation with starr about his new cd , his relationship with mccartney and whether there will ever be a beatles reunion . cnn 's kareen wynter : what was your inspiration behind the new album ? ringo starr : the inspiration behind the cd is that 's what i do . i love to play , i love to hang out with musicians and i like to make records , actually . i like to write songs , and i like to collaborate with other writers . it generally keeps me busy . when i 'm not doing that , i like to paint , i like to watch tv , i like to go to the cinema , i like to do all that stuff . but i love hanging out with musicians and playing my drums . cnn : what drives you after having such a long career ? starr : you get up in the morning and you start the day . i like to get up early , and i do n't like to get up and get right at it . i like to sort of work my way into the day , and then whatever comes along , i say'yes'or'no'to . cnn : does anything shock you anymore ? starr : nothing shocks me , no -- not on tv . it is how it is now . it 's a pity that a lot of the reality singing shows -- somebody gets a shot for a minute , and even the winner seldom lasts more than a year . i played a lot of hours to get where i am , and it was a gradual build-up . so to go from nothing to the biggest thing in life -- you ca n't handle it . it was hard enough , and thank god , there were four of us to keep each other in some sort of reality . we all went mad separately , but we had each other , and we all came through gradually . so i think we were blessed that way . cnn : you got me on , we all went mad separately . ' starr : well , we did , because we all had our moment , and then john or one of them would look at me and say , excuse me ? ! ' and pull you back , you know ? cnn : do you miss those days ? four instead of two ? starr : well , of course i miss them . we were great friends , and we played a lot together , and we went through the madness together . there were only four people who understood what we went through , and it 's down to two now . there is nothing i can do to change that . i would like to be able to change it , but i do n't have that power . cnn : can you put the rumors to rest : will there be a beatles reunion at the 2012 olympics in london ? starr : how can there be ? oh no , i 'll be here . i 'm already booked in america . cnn : paul said you may want to do it . starr : paul can do it . cnn : but it 's not the same without you . starr : well , he is doing quite well without me . he is doing ok. cnn : you 're part of the act . starr : well , we had a great time at my birthday . he surprised me in new york , and he jumped up to do the beatle track birthday , ' and i was not going to miss that so i just ran to the drum kit , and that was fun . we have played a couple of times together . we did the david lynch show a couple of years ago , so we have done that . but i will not be at the olympics . i have to be very definite about that because they will say , oh , is he coming ? is n't he coming ? ' no , i am not going -- but to all the athletes , peace and love ! ' cnn : what about in the future ? starr : well , the door is open that paul and i might play together , but it is not like a reunion . it is not going to be the beatles , you know ? they have those crazy ideas that maybe we could use their children . it is never going to happen . cnn : what is your relationship with paul like ? starr : it 's good . after all of the time , everybody has ups and downs . so we have ups and downs , but it is very up right now . i am so pleased for him and nancy . we love nancy . cnn : their wedding was beautiful . what was it like seeing them walk through those chapel doors ? starr : great . it was great , and he seems really happy and that is good . as i said , we love nancy , so i think it 's a great moment for him . cnn : how would you describe nancy ? starr : very down to earth . very easy . she mixes right in and she loves music , so it ca n't be bad . and , you know , she is a very beautiful woman . regal is a great word . regal nancy . cnn : the beatles came up during a tumultuous time . do you see any parallels between that period and what 's happening today ? starr : as we all know , the world is going through a change , especially in egypt and the arab countries . america had to go through its change . england has been through several changes . france has been through a really big change . so it is just part of life , and god bless them . and it is great to see there is a lot of this ( gives peace sign ) going on in the world , and that is what it 's about . we would love to be able to say , ok , it 's a peace and love takeover . ' but usually whoever is in power , as it seems , is injuring a lot of its own people . cnn : you really represent your peace and love ' theme . what do you hear from young people when they approach you ? starr : a lot of young people love peace and love . ' i mean , they would like it to be that way . that is the way we all thought . but a lot of work goes into it . i just keep it going because it is a second in my life to think , peace and love . ' how great is that ? so if you put all of those seconds together , then soon you have got some time and it will make a change . cnn : what 's next for you ? starr : well , i think you tackle that as it comes along . i am making records , i am going on tour , and then i am off to do whatever else i want to do . so i have a very good life . | in recent weeks , ringo starr has been busy promoting ringo 2012 , ' his 17th solo album |
rada <tsp> ( cnn ) -- i hate public speaking . or to be more precise , i do n't like speaking to an audience sitting in front of me that i can see in real life . i do n't mind once i am going , but waiting in the wings to go on is dreadful . for someone who has spent the best part of three decades broadcasting in some shape or form , you might have thought this would be something of a handicap . my career involves speaking to large numbers of people , but here is the point : on television and radio , i ca n't see you . part two : quest :'on the edge of the precipice , and about to fall' if you do n't like what i am saying , well , i am sorry but at least i do n't have to witness the grimace , the yawn or the shake of the head before you switch off . it sounds so obvious but it makes a huge difference . more quest : scandal hit strauss-kahn 's struggle with public life so when i saw the poster on the london tube advertising the royal academy of dramatic arts ( rada ) course on public speaking for business leaders i thought to myself : this is for me . ' i did wonder what they would be able to teach me . after all , i have been doing this sort of stuff for quite some time . i was quite skeptical that they had any tricks which this old dog could use . what i was not prepared for was the wholesale rethinking of how i go about my breathing , thinking , and ultimately delivery . it can be described in one phrase : diaphragmatic breathing ! ' most broadcasters speak and breathe from the throat . we have a microphone to help us . so we never learn the art of the actor or opera singer which is to : project to the audience in the upper balcony . more quest : what makes the world 's best airline in the world of seemingly unlimited broadcasting it puts our throats under terrible strain because we do n't do it properly . ask any of my colleagues doing hour after hour of breaking news . eventually our voices become hoarse and give out . rada was going to put that right . i started off with a whole load of exercises , the purpose of which seemed obscure . wiggling hips , shrugging the shoulders , stretching the neck , running my tongue around my teeth and then saying the months of the year with a cork in my mouth . apparently it 's all designed to open up the throat and allow the sound to flow from the vocal chords . then the breathing . from deep down below , right to the bottom of the belly , to allow the air to carry the sound out of my mouth . it seemed to work . according to those who listened , my voice sounded richer and more rounded , less raspy and desperate . i did n't gasp for air . i was delighted . part three : greatest fear -- the job comes to the classroom then we moved onto presentation style and content . i have been told i sound like gargling with broken glass , although i ca n't hear that . i know i am loud when i speak -- probably 8 on a scale of ten . tactfully i was told i was too full on , ' and that less is more . ' i needed to be more aware in my style , less thrusting into the audience 's face . and suddenly i felt truly out of my comfort zone . this was feeding my insecurities . so i rebelled . i had tried it out a few times while presenting quest means business and the results were uncomfortably bad . i was so busy trying to remember what i was supposed to be doing , i would forget what i was supposed to be saying and what came next . of course , i was trying to run before i could walk . claire , my rada guide , gently reminded me that it takes time to get this right and that i should not expect changes so quickly . so , what did i learn from my rada course ? fifteen minutes of movement and breathing before i do a presentation works wonders . it both relaxes those parts of the body that are about to be used and prepares them for the onslaught ahead . and when it works it is wonderful . psychologically i am much more relaxed before i speak because i feel i am ready . i will never really like standing in front of a large audience , hoping they will like me ( a therapist would have a field day with that comment ) but at least i am no longer nervous to the point of going to the bathroom multiple times just to get away . rada -- my throat thanks you for giving it the rest it deserves . are you afraid of public speaking ? or was it something you overcame ? share your experiences with cnn in the comments below the story . | he decided to face his fear through a rada course on public speaking |
nato <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a u.n. resolution justifies the targeting of libyan leader moammar gadhafi , a senior nato military official with operational knowledge of the libya mission told cnn thursday . the resolution applies to gadhafi because , as head of the military , he is part of the control and command structure and therefore a legitimate target , said the official , who spoke on condition of anonymity . the official was not authorized to talk to the media . asked by cnn whether gadhafi was being targeted , the nato official declined to give a direct answer . but nato spokeswoman oana lungescu disputed the claim , saying the alliance was not specifically targeting gadhafi . we are targeting critical military capabilities that could be used to attack civilians , including command and control centers that could be used to plan and organize such attacks , ' lungescu said . we are simply not targeting individuals , ' she said , but noted on cnn 's american morning that those military capabilities are the nerve center of gadhafi 's kill chain . the war machine that has been consistently attacking , relentlessly attacking and systematically attacking civilians in libya . ' we 've seen just the other day in misrata that sort of indiscriminate shelling is still continuing . so the gadhafi regime still poses a threat to its own people . ' nato has been ramping up pressure on the regime , employing helicopters last weekend for the first time against gadhafi 's forces . explosions are heard often in tripoli , evidence of allied air strikes . nato intervened in march in the months-long civil war under a u.n. mandate to protect civilians as gadhafi tried to crush the revolt against him . the resolution adopted by the u.n. security council authorized all necessary measures , ' with the exception of a ground invasion , to protect civilians . nato 's goal is to end attacks against civilians , the withdrawal of gadhafi forces to barracks and bases , and full humanitarian access , lungescu said . there is , of course , a political track and that is what has been going on with the contact group in abu dhabi , ' she said , referring to the thursday meeting of world powers focused on the libyan crisis . the group bolstered financial and moral support for the libyan opposition there and focused on sustaining pressure on gadhafi . nato secretary general anders fogh rasmussen said wednesday it is time to start planning for what to do in libya after gadhafi 's departure because gadhafi 's reign of terror is coming to an end . ' but gadhafi has refused to step down , going so far this week as to do a live audio broadcast as nato warplanes bombed his tripoli compound . we will not surrender , ' he said during tuesday 's broadcast . nato recently announced its decision to extend its mission in libya by 90 days . cnn 's eve bower contributed to this report . | nato spokeswoman says the alliance is not specifically targeting gadhafi |
nato <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a u.n. resolution justifies the targeting of libyan leader moammar gadhafi , a senior nato military official with operational knowledge of the libya mission told cnn thursday . the resolution applies to gadhafi because , as head of the military , he is part of the control and command structure and therefore a legitimate target , said the official , who spoke on condition of anonymity . the official was not authorized to talk to the media . asked by cnn whether gadhafi was being targeted , the nato official declined to give a direct answer . but nato spokeswoman oana lungescu disputed the claim , saying the alliance was not specifically targeting gadhafi . we are targeting critical military capabilities that could be used to attack civilians , including command and control centers that could be used to plan and organize such attacks , ' lungescu said . we are simply not targeting individuals , ' she said , but noted on cnn 's american morning that those military capabilities are the nerve center of gadhafi 's kill chain . the war machine that has been consistently attacking , relentlessly attacking and systematically attacking civilians in libya . ' we 've seen just the other day in misrata that sort of indiscriminate shelling is still continuing . so the gadhafi regime still poses a threat to its own people . ' nato has been ramping up pressure on the regime , employing helicopters last weekend for the first time against gadhafi 's forces . explosions are heard often in tripoli , evidence of allied air strikes . nato intervened in march in the months-long civil war under a u.n. mandate to protect civilians as gadhafi tried to crush the revolt against him . the resolution adopted by the u.n. security council authorized all necessary measures , ' with the exception of a ground invasion , to protect civilians . nato 's goal is to end attacks against civilians , the withdrawal of gadhafi forces to barracks and bases , and full humanitarian access , lungescu said . there is , of course , a political track and that is what has been going on with the contact group in abu dhabi , ' she said , referring to the thursday meeting of world powers focused on the libyan crisis . the group bolstered financial and moral support for the libyan opposition there and focused on sustaining pressure on gadhafi . nato secretary general anders fogh rasmussen said wednesday it is time to start planning for what to do in libya after gadhafi 's departure because gadhafi 's reign of terror is coming to an end . ' but gadhafi has refused to step down , going so far this week as to do a live audio broadcast as nato warplanes bombed his tripoli compound . we will not surrender , ' he said during tuesday 's broadcast . nato recently announced its decision to extend its mission in libya by 90 days . cnn 's eve bower contributed to this report . | nato last weekend employed helicopters against gadhafi 's military assets |
houston <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the words whitney houston died ' appeared on my blackberry screen . like many of us living in the digital age , i learned that the pop diva passed away by way of text message . sent by my 25-year-old daughter , the announcement shocked me but soon triggered fond memories of the days when she and her younger sister would belt out houston 's latest hit along with the radio . their voices were unleashed in that gleeful , full-throated and uninhibited way that only pre-teen girls seemed to do . ( imagine and i-eee-i-eee-i will always love you ' at earsplitting , hilarious volume ) . a few of the high notes were clearly out of my girls'easy reach in their spontaneous renditions . but they reveled in emulating houston nonetheless . i 've heard plenty about houston 's troubles during the course of the week . despite her battles with drugs and alcohol , many people have good memories of her and her songs . so what made the voice ' so glorious in the transcendent musicianship that houston displayed in her recordings and concerts ? houston possessed the perfect vibrato . this effect was facilitated by her deceivingly effortless diaphragmic support . houston belted out chorus after chorus on hit after hit , demonstrating white-knuckled control over this parameter of her singer 's toolbox ' with an aplomb that seemed unfair to lesser vocalists . and the sheer stamina it took to achieve this elusive aspect of a singer 's art separates the wannabes from the real mccoy . never noticed that , right ? that 's because she was so good at it . houston was famous for having a very wide range . some of her songs spanned quite a bit of vocal territory , from alto to the highest soprano . what was remarkable is that she hardly ever bailed out ' by flipping into a falsetto voice -- you know , that head-buzzing sound that men emit when they 're doing bad imitations of female opera singers . houston seemingly had no natural break between the high and low registers of her instrument . this unique quality was highlighted because when she did flip into the head voice , ' it was employed as a subtle garnish , a precious design element in a phrase . her impeccable intonation -- just one of the reasons her star-spangled banner ' has become iconic -- instilled a trust ' in her listeners . when every note is perfectly in tune , as they were in a classic houston performance , we relaxed and gave in to the sheer beauty of music . beyond the gift of her instrument , houston 's musicianship comprised an uncanny way of handling the material she was given with such expertise and attention to detail that the songs became hers and hers alone . her sense of musical balance allowed her crowd ' the cadences of a song 's key passages with just enough ' sonic information before landing coyly in the next structural part of the song . although her work grew more melismatic as her career progressed , she never overused this technique like some of her myriad imitators . she mostly executed them in clever twists at the ends of phrases or tossed them off with stunning ease between plainly rendered melodic statements . this allowed many of us to sing along with her at full voice , by ourselves , in the car . ( surely , we 've all done this ) . and she made us feel it . through musical economy and powerful execution , houston could shape the emotional contour of a song whether in long concert-versions or on a four-minute record . her exquisite beauty together with that come hither/do n't take another step closer or i 'll call my cousin ' camera presence intrigued us . what charisma she had . certainly , this infectious package of beauty and talent was at least one of the reasons my youngest daughter , now a budding operatic coloratura soprano , is pursuing a life of long , beautiful gowns and very , very high notes . miss whitney 's ubiquity in the media made that seem like a reasonable dream for many of the young women she mesmerized . houston became a pop star the old fashioned way -- not through a virile youtube video or as a contestant on american idol . ' she was discovered , given a record deal , provided material and the rest was lots of hard and endless work . now that she 's gone , we can do nothing but remember : remember how she and the voice ' seemed like two separate entities . remember how she performed that voice ; how she allowed us to witness it , how she obviously enjoyed it herself . in the end , the voice just could n't keep up with the extravagances and toils of her life in the spotlight . follow cnn opinion on twitter join the conversation on facebook the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of guthrie p. ramsey , jr . | houston had a very wide range , from alto to the highest soprano , ramsey observes |
houston <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the words whitney houston died ' appeared on my blackberry screen . like many of us living in the digital age , i learned that the pop diva passed away by way of text message . sent by my 25-year-old daughter , the announcement shocked me but soon triggered fond memories of the days when she and her younger sister would belt out houston 's latest hit along with the radio . their voices were unleashed in that gleeful , full-throated and uninhibited way that only pre-teen girls seemed to do . ( imagine and i-eee-i-eee-i will always love you ' at earsplitting , hilarious volume ) . a few of the high notes were clearly out of my girls'easy reach in their spontaneous renditions . but they reveled in emulating houston nonetheless . i 've heard plenty about houston 's troubles during the course of the week . despite her battles with drugs and alcohol , many people have good memories of her and her songs . so what made the voice ' so glorious in the transcendent musicianship that houston displayed in her recordings and concerts ? houston possessed the perfect vibrato . this effect was facilitated by her deceivingly effortless diaphragmic support . houston belted out chorus after chorus on hit after hit , demonstrating white-knuckled control over this parameter of her singer 's toolbox ' with an aplomb that seemed unfair to lesser vocalists . and the sheer stamina it took to achieve this elusive aspect of a singer 's art separates the wannabes from the real mccoy . never noticed that , right ? that 's because she was so good at it . houston was famous for having a very wide range . some of her songs spanned quite a bit of vocal territory , from alto to the highest soprano . what was remarkable is that she hardly ever bailed out ' by flipping into a falsetto voice -- you know , that head-buzzing sound that men emit when they 're doing bad imitations of female opera singers . houston seemingly had no natural break between the high and low registers of her instrument . this unique quality was highlighted because when she did flip into the head voice , ' it was employed as a subtle garnish , a precious design element in a phrase . her impeccable intonation -- just one of the reasons her star-spangled banner ' has become iconic -- instilled a trust ' in her listeners . when every note is perfectly in tune , as they were in a classic houston performance , we relaxed and gave in to the sheer beauty of music . beyond the gift of her instrument , houston 's musicianship comprised an uncanny way of handling the material she was given with such expertise and attention to detail that the songs became hers and hers alone . her sense of musical balance allowed her crowd ' the cadences of a song 's key passages with just enough ' sonic information before landing coyly in the next structural part of the song . although her work grew more melismatic as her career progressed , she never overused this technique like some of her myriad imitators . she mostly executed them in clever twists at the ends of phrases or tossed them off with stunning ease between plainly rendered melodic statements . this allowed many of us to sing along with her at full voice , by ourselves , in the car . ( surely , we 've all done this ) . and she made us feel it . through musical economy and powerful execution , houston could shape the emotional contour of a song whether in long concert-versions or on a four-minute record . her exquisite beauty together with that come hither/do n't take another step closer or i 'll call my cousin ' camera presence intrigued us . what charisma she had . certainly , this infectious package of beauty and talent was at least one of the reasons my youngest daughter , now a budding operatic coloratura soprano , is pursuing a life of long , beautiful gowns and very , very high notes . miss whitney 's ubiquity in the media made that seem like a reasonable dream for many of the young women she mesmerized . houston became a pop star the old fashioned way -- not through a virile youtube video or as a contestant on american idol . ' she was discovered , given a record deal , provided material and the rest was lots of hard and endless work . now that she 's gone , we can do nothing but remember : remember how she and the voice ' seemed like two separate entities . remember how she performed that voice ; how she allowed us to witness it , how she obviously enjoyed it herself . in the end , the voice just could n't keep up with the extravagances and toils of her life in the spotlight . follow cnn opinion on twitter join the conversation on facebook the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of guthrie p. ramsey , jr . | guthrie ramsey : whitney houston 's voice was glorious in its transcendent musicianship |
houston <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the words whitney houston died ' appeared on my blackberry screen . like many of us living in the digital age , i learned that the pop diva passed away by way of text message . sent by my 25-year-old daughter , the announcement shocked me but soon triggered fond memories of the days when she and her younger sister would belt out houston 's latest hit along with the radio . their voices were unleashed in that gleeful , full-throated and uninhibited way that only pre-teen girls seemed to do . ( imagine and i-eee-i-eee-i will always love you ' at earsplitting , hilarious volume ) . a few of the high notes were clearly out of my girls'easy reach in their spontaneous renditions . but they reveled in emulating houston nonetheless . i 've heard plenty about houston 's troubles during the course of the week . despite her battles with drugs and alcohol , many people have good memories of her and her songs . so what made the voice ' so glorious in the transcendent musicianship that houston displayed in her recordings and concerts ? houston possessed the perfect vibrato . this effect was facilitated by her deceivingly effortless diaphragmic support . houston belted out chorus after chorus on hit after hit , demonstrating white-knuckled control over this parameter of her singer 's toolbox ' with an aplomb that seemed unfair to lesser vocalists . and the sheer stamina it took to achieve this elusive aspect of a singer 's art separates the wannabes from the real mccoy . never noticed that , right ? that 's because she was so good at it . houston was famous for having a very wide range . some of her songs spanned quite a bit of vocal territory , from alto to the highest soprano . what was remarkable is that she hardly ever bailed out ' by flipping into a falsetto voice -- you know , that head-buzzing sound that men emit when they 're doing bad imitations of female opera singers . houston seemingly had no natural break between the high and low registers of her instrument . this unique quality was highlighted because when she did flip into the head voice , ' it was employed as a subtle garnish , a precious design element in a phrase . her impeccable intonation -- just one of the reasons her star-spangled banner ' has become iconic -- instilled a trust ' in her listeners . when every note is perfectly in tune , as they were in a classic houston performance , we relaxed and gave in to the sheer beauty of music . beyond the gift of her instrument , houston 's musicianship comprised an uncanny way of handling the material she was given with such expertise and attention to detail that the songs became hers and hers alone . her sense of musical balance allowed her crowd ' the cadences of a song 's key passages with just enough ' sonic information before landing coyly in the next structural part of the song . although her work grew more melismatic as her career progressed , she never overused this technique like some of her myriad imitators . she mostly executed them in clever twists at the ends of phrases or tossed them off with stunning ease between plainly rendered melodic statements . this allowed many of us to sing along with her at full voice , by ourselves , in the car . ( surely , we 've all done this ) . and she made us feel it . through musical economy and powerful execution , houston could shape the emotional contour of a song whether in long concert-versions or on a four-minute record . her exquisite beauty together with that come hither/do n't take another step closer or i 'll call my cousin ' camera presence intrigued us . what charisma she had . certainly , this infectious package of beauty and talent was at least one of the reasons my youngest daughter , now a budding operatic coloratura soprano , is pursuing a life of long , beautiful gowns and very , very high notes . miss whitney 's ubiquity in the media made that seem like a reasonable dream for many of the young women she mesmerized . houston became a pop star the old fashioned way -- not through a virile youtube video or as a contestant on american idol . ' she was discovered , given a record deal , provided material and the rest was lots of hard and endless work . now that she 's gone , we can do nothing but remember : remember how she and the voice ' seemed like two separate entities . remember how she performed that voice ; how she allowed us to witness it , how she obviously enjoyed it herself . in the end , the voice just could n't keep up with the extravagances and toils of her life in the spotlight . follow cnn opinion on twitter join the conversation on facebook the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of guthrie p. ramsey , jr . | houston 's talent and charisma could n't outpace the toils of her life , ramsey says |
jackass <tsp> editor 's note : the staff at cnn.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of vice , an independent media company and website based in brooklyn , new york . vbs.tv is vice 's broadband television network . the reports , which are produced solely by vice , reflect a transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . we believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our cnn.com readers . brooklyn , new york ( vbs.tv ) -- there have been several points in my career as a producer and camera operator where i 've realized that i have one of the best jobs in the world . this usually occurs to me in remote and interesting places like south africa or denmark or something . i 'd been on the santa clarita , california , set of jackass 3d ' for about two hours , watching two gigantic cranes catapult a port-o-potty containing star steve-o and gallons of fecal matter 10 stories in the air when the feeling struck me again . admittedly , i 'm a longtime fan of the jackass ' franchise , which was born out of an article for big brother magazine in 1999 . a friend showed me a clip of johnny knoxville getting shocked with a stun gun while hoisting an american flag , and i 've been on board ever since . when i heard about the 3-d project , i have to admit i was worried . i was concerned that the jackass concept was old and tired , and its stars -- johnny , steve-o , chris pontius , wee man , bam margera , and preston lacy -- had run out of ideas . with nothing left in their creative arsenal , they wandered out of avatar ' one afternoon and decided that they would jump on the 3-d bandwagon to cash in one last time . however , a few days on set showed me those concerns were unfounded . the jackass joie de vivre was alive and well , and the addition of a third dimension only enhanced the jaw-dropping inexplicable hilarity of the crew 's antics . see the rest of the cast and crew of jackass 3d at vbs.tv by mid-morning of my first day onset , steve-o had been launched hundreds of feet in the air and the crew -- along with maybe $ 1 million worth of 3-d camera equipment -- had been coated with a fine spray of human and animal waste . director jeff tremaine was screaming at a gagging camera operator to get b-roll shots of the poop-slicked interior of the port-o-potty that steve-o had been strapped in moments before . despite the smell and intermittent bouts of vomiting by the crew , i could tell that everyone on set knew they 'd created something special . i went from having the feeling that i had one the best jobs in the world to being pretty sure the cast and crew from jackass had it all figured out . | using just handheld video cameras , jackass ' franchise had humble , low-tech beginning |
king <tsp> ( cnn ) ' star wars ' is once again back in our lives , the burger-king couple helped us believe love can be found in fast food , and mindy kaling 's brother had a shocking announcement . those are just a few of the stories that trended this week . 1 .'star wars'streaming the force is with the streaming device of your choice , thanks to this week 's surprise announcement that the entire star wars ' saga ( so far , anyway ) would be released on digital hd at the end of the week . between this and the release of daredevil , ' we imagine lots of nerds called in sick on friday . 2 . mindy kaling 's brother : i faked being black to get into medical school actress mindy kaling 's brother says that he posed as a black man years ago to get into medical school and that the experience opened his eyes to what he calls the hypocrisy of affirmative action . among those who disapprove of the book he 's planning to write about the whole thing : his sister . 3 . farewell , rosco ' dukes of hazzard ' fans mourned the loss of actor james best , best known as hazzard county 's hapless sheriff rosco p. coltrane , this week . others who passed on : l.a. law ' actor richard dysart and frequent clint eastwood co-star geoffrey lewis . 4 . when burger met king , it was love joel burger is set to marry ashley king in july , and when fast food giant burger king got wind of the nuptials , the couple scored a free wedding . 5 . michelle obama broke it down ( again ) the first lady 's let 's move campaign has featured her dancing on more than one occasion , but she brought the ( white ) house down on monday with the so you think you can dance ' all-stars during the easter egg roll . 6 . the vampire diaries ' crisis not since zayn malik announced that he was quitting one direction has twitter had such a meltdown : vampire diaries ' star nina dobrev is leaving the cw series . nothing will be the same again , ' one fan tweeted . other things we loved : more than 10 million people have seen anne hathaway 's take on miley cyrus' wrecking ball , ' complete with props , from spike 's hit show lip sync battle . ' go , greased lightning ! late late show ' host and tony winner james corden put on grease ' for los angeles drivers waiting in traffic . the cast of the movie suicide squad , ' including will smith and margot robbie , assembled for the first time this week in a twitter photo from director david ayer . and no worries , future joker jared leto was taking the photo ( in an image inspired by classic comic book the killing joke ' ) . the comments are the whole reason to read this humans of new york ' post on a woman named beyonce . | a couple named burger and king ? |
burger <tsp> ( cnn ) ' star wars ' is once again back in our lives , the burger-king couple helped us believe love can be found in fast food , and mindy kaling 's brother had a shocking announcement . those are just a few of the stories that trended this week . 1 .'star wars'streaming the force is with the streaming device of your choice , thanks to this week 's surprise announcement that the entire star wars ' saga ( so far , anyway ) would be released on digital hd at the end of the week . between this and the release of daredevil , ' we imagine lots of nerds called in sick on friday . 2 . mindy kaling 's brother : i faked being black to get into medical school actress mindy kaling 's brother says that he posed as a black man years ago to get into medical school and that the experience opened his eyes to what he calls the hypocrisy of affirmative action . among those who disapprove of the book he 's planning to write about the whole thing : his sister . 3 . farewell , rosco ' dukes of hazzard ' fans mourned the loss of actor james best , best known as hazzard county 's hapless sheriff rosco p. coltrane , this week . others who passed on : l.a. law ' actor richard dysart and frequent clint eastwood co-star geoffrey lewis . 4 . when burger met king , it was love joel burger is set to marry ashley king in july , and when fast food giant burger king got wind of the nuptials , the couple scored a free wedding . 5 . michelle obama broke it down ( again ) the first lady 's let 's move campaign has featured her dancing on more than one occasion , but she brought the ( white ) house down on monday with the so you think you can dance ' all-stars during the easter egg roll . 6 . the vampire diaries ' crisis not since zayn malik announced that he was quitting one direction has twitter had such a meltdown : vampire diaries ' star nina dobrev is leaving the cw series . nothing will be the same again , ' one fan tweeted . other things we loved : more than 10 million people have seen anne hathaway 's take on miley cyrus' wrecking ball , ' complete with props , from spike 's hit show lip sync battle . ' go , greased lightning ! late late show ' host and tony winner james corden put on grease ' for los angeles drivers waiting in traffic . the cast of the movie suicide squad , ' including will smith and margot robbie , assembled for the first time this week in a twitter photo from director david ayer . and no worries , future joker jared leto was taking the photo ( in an image inspired by classic comic book the killing joke ' ) . the comments are the whole reason to read this humans of new york ' post on a woman named beyonce . | a couple named burger and king ? |
vampire diaries <tsp> ( cnn ) ' star wars ' is once again back in our lives , the burger-king couple helped us believe love can be found in fast food , and mindy kaling 's brother had a shocking announcement . those are just a few of the stories that trended this week . 1 .'star wars'streaming the force is with the streaming device of your choice , thanks to this week 's surprise announcement that the entire star wars ' saga ( so far , anyway ) would be released on digital hd at the end of the week . between this and the release of daredevil , ' we imagine lots of nerds called in sick on friday . 2 . mindy kaling 's brother : i faked being black to get into medical school actress mindy kaling 's brother says that he posed as a black man years ago to get into medical school and that the experience opened his eyes to what he calls the hypocrisy of affirmative action . among those who disapprove of the book he 's planning to write about the whole thing : his sister . 3 . farewell , rosco ' dukes of hazzard ' fans mourned the loss of actor james best , best known as hazzard county 's hapless sheriff rosco p. coltrane , this week . others who passed on : l.a. law ' actor richard dysart and frequent clint eastwood co-star geoffrey lewis . 4 . when burger met king , it was love joel burger is set to marry ashley king in july , and when fast food giant burger king got wind of the nuptials , the couple scored a free wedding . 5 . michelle obama broke it down ( again ) the first lady 's let 's move campaign has featured her dancing on more than one occasion , but she brought the ( white ) house down on monday with the so you think you can dance ' all-stars during the easter egg roll . 6 . the vampire diaries ' crisis not since zayn malik announced that he was quitting one direction has twitter had such a meltdown : vampire diaries ' star nina dobrev is leaving the cw series . nothing will be the same again , ' one fan tweeted . other things we loved : more than 10 million people have seen anne hathaway 's take on miley cyrus' wrecking ball , ' complete with props , from spike 's hit show lip sync battle . ' go , greased lightning ! late late show ' host and tony winner james corden put on grease ' for los angeles drivers waiting in traffic . the cast of the movie suicide squad , ' including will smith and margot robbie , assembled for the first time this week in a twitter photo from director david ayer . and no worries , future joker jared leto was taking the photo ( in an image inspired by classic comic book the killing joke ' ) . the comments are the whole reason to read this humans of new york ' post on a woman named beyonce . | internet has a meltdown over vampire diaries ' departure |
robin van persie <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united was left reeling sunday after a demoralizing loss to arch-rival liverpool that kept it a dozen points adrift of a champions league spot but there was respite for under-fire manager david moyes and his team wednesday . the red devils advanced to the quarterfinals of this season 's champions league by thumping olympiacos 3-0 thanks to a robin van persie hat-trick , thus overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit . they were joined in the last eight by 2013 finalist borussia dortmund , which like united is struggling domestically but has enjoyed success in europe . dortmund overcame zenit st. petersburg 5-4 on aggregate despite losing 2-1 wednesday . before the game , moyes -- one bookmaker lists dortmund boss jurgen klopp as the favorite to succeed the scot -- denied reports that he had clashed with ryan giggs and van persie . the 40-year-old giggs was reinserted into the starting lineup at old trafford as part of four changes from the 3-0 defeat to liverpool -- and he made an impact . also helping manchester united was olympiacos'poor record in england : the greek side has played 12 times -- and now lost on each occasion . i said to ( my team ) on monday morning we have to win 3-0 , give the crowd something back because the crowd here has been incredible , ' moyes , the successor to managerial giant alex ferguson at united , told sky sports . they deserved a good night because we have n't given them many good nights this season . i 'm not feeling pressure from inside the club . it 's all coming from you people , ' moyes added , referring to the media . i know the job i have to do . it 's a big job . it 's way bigger than maybe we all expected when we came in . but the players have been great . i keep hearing about this one has fallen out or someone else has fallen out and i keep telling people it 's rubbish -- and it is rubbish . ' van persie , who led united to the league title last term , and wayne rooney were isolated in the loss to liverpool , with the dutchman spending the majority of his time in midfield instead of up front . that was n't the case wednesday . bookings , a collision that left united winger antonio valencia with a swollen eye and a glaring miss by olympiacos'hernan perez highlighted an action-packed opening 15 minutes . and when rooney struck the post in the 18th minute , some of the united fans must have thought this might not be their night . giggs , however -- and not for the first time in his stellar career -- split open the olympiacos defense with a diagonal ball that reached van persie . referee bjorn kuipers pointed to the spot when the striker was pushed by jose holebas and van persie made no mistake as he picked himself up in the 25th minute . olympiacos did n't crumble . it was always a threat on the counter and david de gea , now firmly settled in manchester , made a sparkling double save in the 40th minute . but olympiacos was dealt a blow when van persie converted rooney 's low cross -- after giggs'pivotal ball -- in first-half injury time . i thought giggsy was fantastic , ' said moyes . sometimes you might be thinking ,'you 'll need to come off after 60 minutes'but he 's a freak . he really is . he 's something different . ' only six minutes after the break van persie completed his hat-trick with a low free kick . olympiacos pushed forward and although de gea had to be sharp , he and the united defense held firm to the delight -- and relief -- of most of those at old trafford . van persie limped off in the dying stages but moyes said his injury does n't look that bad . ' dortmund progresses zenit st. petersburg -- which named andre villas boas as its new manager this week -- faced a difficult task since it trailed 4-2 after the first leg in russia but hulk 's stunning long-range effort in the 16th minute provided the visitor with hope . once midfielder sebastian kehl leveled in the 39th , though , it was almost impossible for zenit st. petersburg to progress . even after jose rondon made it 2-1 for zenit in the second half , it still needed two more goals . dortmund 's joy was tempered by a yellow card to striker robert lewandowski that rules the pole out of the first game of the quarterfinals and kehl was displeased with the home crowd , too . maybe they wanted to see a 6-1 win , but that does not happen every day , ' he told reporters . we have had a lot of injuries this season , but this result shows we are well prepared . ' defending champion bayern munich , barcelona , real madrid , chelsea , atletico madrid and paris st-germain join manchester united and borussia dortmund in friday 's quarterfinal draw . | dutchman robin van persie scores a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over olympiacos |
navarrette <tsp> san diego , california ( cnn ) -- sometimes , a film is so powerful that it haunts you long after you 've left the theater . usually , it 's because of the weight of the message . the film haunting me is the blind side . ' and the message ? i 'll leave that to leigh anne tuohy to explain . tuohy and her husband , sean , are the subjects of the new movie , the blind side . ' the film is an adaptation of the 2006 book , the blind side : evolution of a game ' by michael lewis . it tells the incredible story of michael oher , who went from being a homeless inner-city high school student whose father was dead and whose mother was a crack addict to a star lineman at the university of mississippi -- eventually being selected by the baltimore ravens in the 2009 nfl draft . the ravens recently signed the 6-5 , 309-pound oher to a 5-year , $ 13.8 million contract . this american dream is brought to us not just by oher 's talent , perseverance , and hard work but also by the fact that he was adopted by the tuohys . the white , wealthy memphis family not only fed and clothed michael but also loved him as one of their own along with daughter collins and son sean jr . the blind side ' is the no . 2 film in america , and the role of leigh anne tuohy is played to perfection by sandra bullock . still , some critics dismissed the film as hokey and condescending , with one calling it the latest chapter in hollywood 's long , troubled history of well-meaning white paternalism , with poor black athletes finding success through white charity . ' they missed the point . simply put , there 's a lot that any one of us can do to improve the life of our fellow man . and the fact that we do it is its own reward . he had a much greater impact on our lives than we did on his life , ' leigh anne said in a recent interview . you have this child , and you bring him in , and you realize how fortunate you are , how you 're blessed to have family , you 're blessed to have your health . so much in life you take for granted . ' there 's the message : so much in life you take for granted . we 've forgotten how lucky we are , because we 're busy cursing fate . we 've stopped being grateful for what we have , because we somehow find it more satisfying to complain about what we do n't . until we meet someone who has much less than we do . so much in life you take for granted . as americans , we 've become victims of our own success . we 've strayed so far from the example of our immigrant parents and grandparents that we bear no resemblance to that model . weighed down by own bloated sense of entitlement and self-importance , we 've lost our appetite for competition and we prefer to talk instead about what we think we deserve . ' at the first sign of adversity , we play the victim , give up , or fall apart . with all the blessings that come with living in the world 's most remarkable country , still we complain . we retreat . we whine . here in the golden state , thousands of students at the university of california turned out to protest a 32 percent fee increase . i wrote a column , expressing disappointment that these brats ' consider a publicized subsidized college education an entitlement and telling them to go get jobs if their education is that important to them . i heard back from many of their parents who , angrily rising to their children 's defense , informed me -- in incompatible narratives -- that either there were no jobs or their kids already had two of them . how about that ? bratty parents . apparently , in california , the apple does n't fall far from the tree . after a few days of that noise , i was ready for a movie where , in one of the more poignant scenes , a young man is given his own bedroom and remarks that he 's never had one before . ' not a room but a bed . in another scene , michael is so grateful to be at thanksgiving dinner that he respectfully sits at the dining room table while the rest of the family plops down in front of the television . in another scene , he requests a driver 's license just so he can have something with his name on it . so much in life we take for granted . i saw the movie in a well-to-do suburb north of san diego . the crowd cheered , laughed , and cried . when it was over , there were smiles all around . i wondered : for all we 've acquired , what have we lost -- and look to movies like this to replenish ? the scene about the bed made me want to run home and gather up every one of my kids'toys and give them to goodwill . and , i tell you , the next time they ask for something they do n't need , they 're getting a paper route . or at least they would if they were n't a preschooler and a toddler . in one scene , leigh anne interrupts football practice to give michael a helpful tip for a lineman -- treat the team like your family and protect the family . she tells the startled football coach : you can thank me later . ' treat yourself to a nice present this holiday season . see this movie . you can thank me later . the opinions expressed by this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette jr . | a new film , the blind side , ' tells inspirational story of hope and caring , says ruben navarrette jr . |
navarrette <tsp> san diego , california ( cnn ) -- sometimes , a film is so powerful that it haunts you long after you 've left the theater . usually , it 's because of the weight of the message . the film haunting me is the blind side . ' and the message ? i 'll leave that to leigh anne tuohy to explain . tuohy and her husband , sean , are the subjects of the new movie , the blind side . ' the film is an adaptation of the 2006 book , the blind side : evolution of a game ' by michael lewis . it tells the incredible story of michael oher , who went from being a homeless inner-city high school student whose father was dead and whose mother was a crack addict to a star lineman at the university of mississippi -- eventually being selected by the baltimore ravens in the 2009 nfl draft . the ravens recently signed the 6-5 , 309-pound oher to a 5-year , $ 13.8 million contract . this american dream is brought to us not just by oher 's talent , perseverance , and hard work but also by the fact that he was adopted by the tuohys . the white , wealthy memphis family not only fed and clothed michael but also loved him as one of their own along with daughter collins and son sean jr . the blind side ' is the no . 2 film in america , and the role of leigh anne tuohy is played to perfection by sandra bullock . still , some critics dismissed the film as hokey and condescending , with one calling it the latest chapter in hollywood 's long , troubled history of well-meaning white paternalism , with poor black athletes finding success through white charity . ' they missed the point . simply put , there 's a lot that any one of us can do to improve the life of our fellow man . and the fact that we do it is its own reward . he had a much greater impact on our lives than we did on his life , ' leigh anne said in a recent interview . you have this child , and you bring him in , and you realize how fortunate you are , how you 're blessed to have family , you 're blessed to have your health . so much in life you take for granted . ' there 's the message : so much in life you take for granted . we 've forgotten how lucky we are , because we 're busy cursing fate . we 've stopped being grateful for what we have , because we somehow find it more satisfying to complain about what we do n't . until we meet someone who has much less than we do . so much in life you take for granted . as americans , we 've become victims of our own success . we 've strayed so far from the example of our immigrant parents and grandparents that we bear no resemblance to that model . weighed down by own bloated sense of entitlement and self-importance , we 've lost our appetite for competition and we prefer to talk instead about what we think we deserve . ' at the first sign of adversity , we play the victim , give up , or fall apart . with all the blessings that come with living in the world 's most remarkable country , still we complain . we retreat . we whine . here in the golden state , thousands of students at the university of california turned out to protest a 32 percent fee increase . i wrote a column , expressing disappointment that these brats ' consider a publicized subsidized college education an entitlement and telling them to go get jobs if their education is that important to them . i heard back from many of their parents who , angrily rising to their children 's defense , informed me -- in incompatible narratives -- that either there were no jobs or their kids already had two of them . how about that ? bratty parents . apparently , in california , the apple does n't fall far from the tree . after a few days of that noise , i was ready for a movie where , in one of the more poignant scenes , a young man is given his own bedroom and remarks that he 's never had one before . ' not a room but a bed . in another scene , michael is so grateful to be at thanksgiving dinner that he respectfully sits at the dining room table while the rest of the family plops down in front of the television . in another scene , he requests a driver 's license just so he can have something with his name on it . so much in life we take for granted . i saw the movie in a well-to-do suburb north of san diego . the crowd cheered , laughed , and cried . when it was over , there were smiles all around . i wondered : for all we 've acquired , what have we lost -- and look to movies like this to replenish ? the scene about the bed made me want to run home and gather up every one of my kids'toys and give them to goodwill . and , i tell you , the next time they ask for something they do n't need , they 're getting a paper route . or at least they would if they were n't a preschooler and a toddler . in one scene , leigh anne interrupts football practice to give michael a helpful tip for a lineman -- treat the team like your family and protect the family . she tells the startled football coach : you can thank me later . ' treat yourself to a nice present this holiday season . see this movie . you can thank me later . the opinions expressed by this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette jr . | navarrette : there 's so much in life that we take for granted |
stis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- too few americans are willing to talk about sexually transmitted infections , or stis , but we simply can not afford to avoid these discussions any longer . the centers for disease control and prevention recently released data showing just how common and costly stis are in the united states , especially for america 's youth . each year , we have 20 million new sti cases , half among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 . across the nation at any given time , there are more than 110 million total infections , including new and existing infections . while the number of new infections is roughly equal among young women and young men , the health consequences of untreated stis can be much more serious for young women , including losing the ability to have children . every year , about 24,000 women in the united states become infertile because of an sti they probably did n't even know they had , because most infections have no symptoms . left untreated , common stis such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause chronic pelvic pain , ectopic pregnancy and increase hiv risk . human papillomavirus , or hpv , is by far the most common sti , representing nearly three-quarters of all sti cases . while the vast majority of hpv infections will not cause serious harm , some infections will persist and can lead to cervical cancer . beyond the impact on an individual 's health , stis are also a significant drain on the u.s. health care system . recent data place the cost of treating stis at nearly $ 16 billion annually . infections among young people account for nearly half of that cost ( approximately $ 7.8 billion ) . young people are most at risk for several reasons . they are more likely to have multiple sex partners . young women are biologically more susceptible to stis , and many young people may be reluctant to disclose their risk behavior to a doctor , because of embarrassment , stigma or concerns about confidentiality . the good news is that all stis are preventable and most are curable . but , because most stis have no symptoms , testing is the necessary first step to treatment . cdc recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women 25 years old and under . annual gonorrhea screening is also recommended for sexually active women with new or multiple sex partners and women who live in communities with a high burden of the disease . sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least annually for hiv , syphilis , chlamydia and gonorrhea . all americans should be screened at least once for hiv . in addition , for those who have not previously received the hpv vaccination , cdc recommends vaccination for all teen girls and young women through age 26 , as well as teen boys and young men through age 21 . to increase the early diagnosis and treatment of stis , cdc is reaching out to health care providers and young people at risk throughout the nation with messages about the importance of screening . but many more voices will be required to stop the silent , continuing toll of stis . in our communities , we must speak out against the shame and stigma that has too long been associated with stis . parents and caregivers need to open the door for frank , honest discussions with their children about stis and behaviors that can place them at risk . and physicians need to talk to their young patients about stis , risk behaviors and effective prevention methods . sexually active americans should talk with their doctor about stis and which tests may be right for them . a little knowledge about stis and regular screening can go a long way . it 's also important for those who are sexually active to talk openly and honestly with partners about stis , and to use condoms consistently and correctly . the severe health and economic toll of stis in america is entirely preventable . with increased awareness , prevention , testing and treatment we can bring this hidden epidemic into the spotlight and safeguard the health of young people while saving the nation billions of dollars in the process . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gail bolan . | she says most stis have no symptoms , so testing is the necessary first step to treatment |
stis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- too few americans are willing to talk about sexually transmitted infections , or stis , but we simply can not afford to avoid these discussions any longer . the centers for disease control and prevention recently released data showing just how common and costly stis are in the united states , especially for america 's youth . each year , we have 20 million new sti cases , half among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 . across the nation at any given time , there are more than 110 million total infections , including new and existing infections . while the number of new infections is roughly equal among young women and young men , the health consequences of untreated stis can be much more serious for young women , including losing the ability to have children . every year , about 24,000 women in the united states become infertile because of an sti they probably did n't even know they had , because most infections have no symptoms . left untreated , common stis such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause chronic pelvic pain , ectopic pregnancy and increase hiv risk . human papillomavirus , or hpv , is by far the most common sti , representing nearly three-quarters of all sti cases . while the vast majority of hpv infections will not cause serious harm , some infections will persist and can lead to cervical cancer . beyond the impact on an individual 's health , stis are also a significant drain on the u.s. health care system . recent data place the cost of treating stis at nearly $ 16 billion annually . infections among young people account for nearly half of that cost ( approximately $ 7.8 billion ) . young people are most at risk for several reasons . they are more likely to have multiple sex partners . young women are biologically more susceptible to stis , and many young people may be reluctant to disclose their risk behavior to a doctor , because of embarrassment , stigma or concerns about confidentiality . the good news is that all stis are preventable and most are curable . but , because most stis have no symptoms , testing is the necessary first step to treatment . cdc recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women 25 years old and under . annual gonorrhea screening is also recommended for sexually active women with new or multiple sex partners and women who live in communities with a high burden of the disease . sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least annually for hiv , syphilis , chlamydia and gonorrhea . all americans should be screened at least once for hiv . in addition , for those who have not previously received the hpv vaccination , cdc recommends vaccination for all teen girls and young women through age 26 , as well as teen boys and young men through age 21 . to increase the early diagnosis and treatment of stis , cdc is reaching out to health care providers and young people at risk throughout the nation with messages about the importance of screening . but many more voices will be required to stop the silent , continuing toll of stis . in our communities , we must speak out against the shame and stigma that has too long been associated with stis . parents and caregivers need to open the door for frank , honest discussions with their children about stis and behaviors that can place them at risk . and physicians need to talk to their young patients about stis , risk behaviors and effective prevention methods . sexually active americans should talk with their doctor about stis and which tests may be right for them . a little knowledge about stis and regular screening can go a long way . it 's also important for those who are sexually active to talk openly and honestly with partners about stis , and to use condoms consistently and correctly . the severe health and economic toll of stis in america is entirely preventable . with increased awareness , prevention , testing and treatment we can bring this hidden epidemic into the spotlight and safeguard the health of young people while saving the nation billions of dollars in the process . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gail bolan . | gail bolan : each year , we have 20 million new stis cases , half of them among young people |
stis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- too few americans are willing to talk about sexually transmitted infections , or stis , but we simply can not afford to avoid these discussions any longer . the centers for disease control and prevention recently released data showing just how common and costly stis are in the united states , especially for america 's youth . each year , we have 20 million new sti cases , half among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 . across the nation at any given time , there are more than 110 million total infections , including new and existing infections . while the number of new infections is roughly equal among young women and young men , the health consequences of untreated stis can be much more serious for young women , including losing the ability to have children . every year , about 24,000 women in the united states become infertile because of an sti they probably did n't even know they had , because most infections have no symptoms . left untreated , common stis such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause chronic pelvic pain , ectopic pregnancy and increase hiv risk . human papillomavirus , or hpv , is by far the most common sti , representing nearly three-quarters of all sti cases . while the vast majority of hpv infections will not cause serious harm , some infections will persist and can lead to cervical cancer . beyond the impact on an individual 's health , stis are also a significant drain on the u.s. health care system . recent data place the cost of treating stis at nearly $ 16 billion annually . infections among young people account for nearly half of that cost ( approximately $ 7.8 billion ) . young people are most at risk for several reasons . they are more likely to have multiple sex partners . young women are biologically more susceptible to stis , and many young people may be reluctant to disclose their risk behavior to a doctor , because of embarrassment , stigma or concerns about confidentiality . the good news is that all stis are preventable and most are curable . but , because most stis have no symptoms , testing is the necessary first step to treatment . cdc recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women 25 years old and under . annual gonorrhea screening is also recommended for sexually active women with new or multiple sex partners and women who live in communities with a high burden of the disease . sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least annually for hiv , syphilis , chlamydia and gonorrhea . all americans should be screened at least once for hiv . in addition , for those who have not previously received the hpv vaccination , cdc recommends vaccination for all teen girls and young women through age 26 , as well as teen boys and young men through age 21 . to increase the early diagnosis and treatment of stis , cdc is reaching out to health care providers and young people at risk throughout the nation with messages about the importance of screening . but many more voices will be required to stop the silent , continuing toll of stis . in our communities , we must speak out against the shame and stigma that has too long been associated with stis . parents and caregivers need to open the door for frank , honest discussions with their children about stis and behaviors that can place them at risk . and physicians need to talk to their young patients about stis , risk behaviors and effective prevention methods . sexually active americans should talk with their doctor about stis and which tests may be right for them . a little knowledge about stis and regular screening can go a long way . it 's also important for those who are sexually active to talk openly and honestly with partners about stis , and to use condoms consistently and correctly . the severe health and economic toll of stis in america is entirely preventable . with increased awareness , prevention , testing and treatment we can bring this hidden epidemic into the spotlight and safeguard the health of young people while saving the nation billions of dollars in the process . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gail bolan . | bolan : stis are preventable and most are curable , but we need to raise get the word out |
stis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- too few americans are willing to talk about sexually transmitted infections , or stis , but we simply can not afford to avoid these discussions any longer . the centers for disease control and prevention recently released data showing just how common and costly stis are in the united states , especially for america 's youth . each year , we have 20 million new sti cases , half among teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 . across the nation at any given time , there are more than 110 million total infections , including new and existing infections . while the number of new infections is roughly equal among young women and young men , the health consequences of untreated stis can be much more serious for young women , including losing the ability to have children . every year , about 24,000 women in the united states become infertile because of an sti they probably did n't even know they had , because most infections have no symptoms . left untreated , common stis such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause chronic pelvic pain , ectopic pregnancy and increase hiv risk . human papillomavirus , or hpv , is by far the most common sti , representing nearly three-quarters of all sti cases . while the vast majority of hpv infections will not cause serious harm , some infections will persist and can lead to cervical cancer . beyond the impact on an individual 's health , stis are also a significant drain on the u.s. health care system . recent data place the cost of treating stis at nearly $ 16 billion annually . infections among young people account for nearly half of that cost ( approximately $ 7.8 billion ) . young people are most at risk for several reasons . they are more likely to have multiple sex partners . young women are biologically more susceptible to stis , and many young people may be reluctant to disclose their risk behavior to a doctor , because of embarrassment , stigma or concerns about confidentiality . the good news is that all stis are preventable and most are curable . but , because most stis have no symptoms , testing is the necessary first step to treatment . cdc recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women 25 years old and under . annual gonorrhea screening is also recommended for sexually active women with new or multiple sex partners and women who live in communities with a high burden of the disease . sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least annually for hiv , syphilis , chlamydia and gonorrhea . all americans should be screened at least once for hiv . in addition , for those who have not previously received the hpv vaccination , cdc recommends vaccination for all teen girls and young women through age 26 , as well as teen boys and young men through age 21 . to increase the early diagnosis and treatment of stis , cdc is reaching out to health care providers and young people at risk throughout the nation with messages about the importance of screening . but many more voices will be required to stop the silent , continuing toll of stis . in our communities , we must speak out against the shame and stigma that has too long been associated with stis . parents and caregivers need to open the door for frank , honest discussions with their children about stis and behaviors that can place them at risk . and physicians need to talk to their young patients about stis , risk behaviors and effective prevention methods . sexually active americans should talk with their doctor about stis and which tests may be right for them . a little knowledge about stis and regular screening can go a long way . it 's also important for those who are sexually active to talk openly and honestly with partners about stis , and to use condoms consistently and correctly . the severe health and economic toll of stis in america is entirely preventable . with increased awareness , prevention , testing and treatment we can bring this hidden epidemic into the spotlight and safeguard the health of young people while saving the nation billions of dollars in the process . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gail bolan . | bolan : the health consequences of untreated stis can be more serious for young women |
netherlands <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the netherlands came from a goal down to beat 10-man brazil 2-1 in their world cup quarterfinal clash in port elizabeth on friday . an early goal from robinho had put brazil in command , but in the second half the dutch drew level when wesley sneijder 's cross was deflected into his own net by felipe melo . inter milan 's sneijder then headed his team ahead in the 68th minute after arjen robben 's corner had been cleverly flicked on by dirk kuyt . a miserable afternoon for melo was completed when he was sent off for stamping on robben . the dutch will play either uruguay or ghana in the semifinals , but for brazil and coach dunga it is a bitter defeat . we are all responsible for this situation but i have the greatest responsibility , ' he told afp . the inspirational sneijder was surprised to score the winner with a rare headed goal . this was my first header here , i do n't think it will happen again , but it was great , ' he told afp . the ball slipped on my bald head and went into the net , a great feeling . ' the 26-year-old added : if you can eliminate brazil , one of the best teams in this championship the first feeling is relief , we always believed in it . ' a dutch victory had looked unlikely as the five-time world cup champions took charge from the start . melo found robinho with a precise pass through a static dutch defense and he made no mistake as he swept his shot past maarten stekelenburg in the 10th minute . further chances fell to the brazilians as dani alves set up defender juan who blazed his volley over . the best move of the match involving robinho and lus fabiano saw kaka draw a brilliant save from stekelenburg , while right back maicon shot into the side netting on the run as half-time approached . there seemed no way back for the dutch , but a 53rd minute aberration from brazil keeper julio cesar turned the tide of the match . he totally missed sneijder 's left-footed cross from the right and the unfortunate melo saw it brush his body before finding its way into the net . more poor defending allowed sneijder to give the dutch the lead and when melo was deservedly shown red it was the end of the line for the south american champions . only a strong run and shot by kaka which was deflected away offered them much hope and they might have fallen further behind to dutch counter attacks . | the netherlands beat brazil 2-1 in world cup quarterfinal in port elizabeth |
brazil <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the netherlands came from a goal down to beat 10-man brazil 2-1 in their world cup quarterfinal clash in port elizabeth on friday . an early goal from robinho had put brazil in command , but in the second half the dutch drew level when wesley sneijder 's cross was deflected into his own net by felipe melo . inter milan 's sneijder then headed his team ahead in the 68th minute after arjen robben 's corner had been cleverly flicked on by dirk kuyt . a miserable afternoon for melo was completed when he was sent off for stamping on robben . the dutch will play either uruguay or ghana in the semifinals , but for brazil and coach dunga it is a bitter defeat . we are all responsible for this situation but i have the greatest responsibility , ' he told afp . the inspirational sneijder was surprised to score the winner with a rare headed goal . this was my first header here , i do n't think it will happen again , but it was great , ' he told afp . the ball slipped on my bald head and went into the net , a great feeling . ' the 26-year-old added : if you can eliminate brazil , one of the best teams in this championship the first feeling is relief , we always believed in it . ' a dutch victory had looked unlikely as the five-time world cup champions took charge from the start . melo found robinho with a precise pass through a static dutch defense and he made no mistake as he swept his shot past maarten stekelenburg in the 10th minute . further chances fell to the brazilians as dani alves set up defender juan who blazed his volley over . the best move of the match involving robinho and lus fabiano saw kaka draw a brilliant save from stekelenburg , while right back maicon shot into the side netting on the run as half-time approached . there seemed no way back for the dutch , but a 53rd minute aberration from brazil keeper julio cesar turned the tide of the match . he totally missed sneijder 's left-footed cross from the right and the unfortunate melo saw it brush his body before finding its way into the net . more poor defending allowed sneijder to give the dutch the lead and when melo was deservedly shown red it was the end of the line for the south american champions . only a strong run and shot by kaka which was deflected away offered them much hope and they might have fallen further behind to dutch counter attacks . | the netherlands beat brazil 2-1 in world cup quarterfinal in port elizabeth |
brazil <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the netherlands came from a goal down to beat 10-man brazil 2-1 in their world cup quarterfinal clash in port elizabeth on friday . an early goal from robinho had put brazil in command , but in the second half the dutch drew level when wesley sneijder 's cross was deflected into his own net by felipe melo . inter milan 's sneijder then headed his team ahead in the 68th minute after arjen robben 's corner had been cleverly flicked on by dirk kuyt . a miserable afternoon for melo was completed when he was sent off for stamping on robben . the dutch will play either uruguay or ghana in the semifinals , but for brazil and coach dunga it is a bitter defeat . we are all responsible for this situation but i have the greatest responsibility , ' he told afp . the inspirational sneijder was surprised to score the winner with a rare headed goal . this was my first header here , i do n't think it will happen again , but it was great , ' he told afp . the ball slipped on my bald head and went into the net , a great feeling . ' the 26-year-old added : if you can eliminate brazil , one of the best teams in this championship the first feeling is relief , we always believed in it . ' a dutch victory had looked unlikely as the five-time world cup champions took charge from the start . melo found robinho with a precise pass through a static dutch defense and he made no mistake as he swept his shot past maarten stekelenburg in the 10th minute . further chances fell to the brazilians as dani alves set up defender juan who blazed his volley over . the best move of the match involving robinho and lus fabiano saw kaka draw a brilliant save from stekelenburg , while right back maicon shot into the side netting on the run as half-time approached . there seemed no way back for the dutch , but a 53rd minute aberration from brazil keeper julio cesar turned the tide of the match . he totally missed sneijder 's left-footed cross from the right and the unfortunate melo saw it brush his body before finding its way into the net . more poor defending allowed sneijder to give the dutch the lead and when melo was deservedly shown red it was the end of the line for the south american champions . only a strong run and shot by kaka which was deflected away offered them much hope and they might have fallen further behind to dutch counter attacks . | robinho put brazil ahead but an own goal by felipe melo saw the dutch level |
arjen robben <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the netherlands came from a goal down to beat 10-man brazil 2-1 in their world cup quarterfinal clash in port elizabeth on friday . an early goal from robinho had put brazil in command , but in the second half the dutch drew level when wesley sneijder 's cross was deflected into his own net by felipe melo . inter milan 's sneijder then headed his team ahead in the 68th minute after arjen robben 's corner had been cleverly flicked on by dirk kuyt . a miserable afternoon for melo was completed when he was sent off for stamping on robben . the dutch will play either uruguay or ghana in the semifinals , but for brazil and coach dunga it is a bitter defeat . we are all responsible for this situation but i have the greatest responsibility , ' he told afp . the inspirational sneijder was surprised to score the winner with a rare headed goal . this was my first header here , i do n't think it will happen again , but it was great , ' he told afp . the ball slipped on my bald head and went into the net , a great feeling . ' the 26-year-old added : if you can eliminate brazil , one of the best teams in this championship the first feeling is relief , we always believed in it . ' a dutch victory had looked unlikely as the five-time world cup champions took charge from the start . melo found robinho with a precise pass through a static dutch defense and he made no mistake as he swept his shot past maarten stekelenburg in the 10th minute . further chances fell to the brazilians as dani alves set up defender juan who blazed his volley over . the best move of the match involving robinho and lus fabiano saw kaka draw a brilliant save from stekelenburg , while right back maicon shot into the side netting on the run as half-time approached . there seemed no way back for the dutch , but a 53rd minute aberration from brazil keeper julio cesar turned the tide of the match . he totally missed sneijder 's left-footed cross from the right and the unfortunate melo saw it brush his body before finding its way into the net . more poor defending allowed sneijder to give the dutch the lead and when melo was deservedly shown red it was the end of the line for the south american champions . only a strong run and shot by kaka which was deflected away offered them much hope and they might have fallen further behind to dutch counter attacks . | melo sent off soon afterwards for fouling arjen robben |
2day fm <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the australian radio station which made a prank call to a uk hospital that apparently resulted in the death of a nurse said tuesday that it would donate at least 500,000 australian dollars ( us $ 524,000 ) to a fund for the nurse 's family . jacintha saldanha apparently committed suicide after being duped by the prank call from two djs seeking information on prince william 's pregnant wife , catherine . read more : radio personalities apologize for prank call the sydney-based 2dayfm radio station has come under heavy fire over the hoax call . the media group which owns 2dayfm said it would resume advertising on the station -- halted in the wake of the tragedy -- beginning thursday , with all profits until the end of the year going to an appropriate fund ' that would directly benefit saldanha 's family and a minimum contribution of 500,000 australian dollars . we are very sorry for what has happened , ' said rhys holleran , chief executive of southern cross austereo . we hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time . ' saldanha put through a call from the djs to a nurse on the ward at king edward vii 's hospital , where the duchess of cambridge was being treated for acute morning sickness early last tuesday . opinion :'the great'vs. the powerless the 46-year-old nurse was found dead three days later in living quarters in central london provided by her workplace . she left a husband and two children . an autopsy will be carried out tuesday in westminster , london 's metropolitan police said . the hospital has said that it is also collecting donations from the public for the family and asked that checks be made out to king edward vii 's hospital -- jacintha saldanha memorial fund and mailed to finance , king edward vii 's hospital , 10 beaumont street , london . w1g 6aa . she was an outstanding nurse whose loss has shocked and saddened everyone at the hospital , ' said chairman lord glenarthur . following discussions with her family , we have now established the jacintha saldanha memorial fund in her memory . ' many donations have already been made from around the world , he said , and the hospital would certainly welcome ' a contribution from southern cross austereo . there has been a fierce public backlash against the radio station , both within australia and worldwide , since its decision to broadcast the pre-recorded prank call . the two djs , who impersonated queen elizabeth ii and prince charles in the call , made tearful apologies on monday for what had happened . mel greig and michael christian , both crying at times , told two australian television shows that their thoughts were with saldanha 's family . i 'm very sorry and saddened for the family , and i ca n't imagine what they 've been going through , ' greig said on the program today tonight . ' christian described himself as gutted , shattered and heartbroken . ' read more : nurse death sparks outrage , casts glare on'shock jocks' ' for the part we played , we 're incredibly sorry , ' christian said on today tonight . ' both have said that they never expected the call to go through . they also stressed monday that while they made the call to the hospital , they did not have a say on whether it went to air . the call was recorded and then went through a vetting process at their network before it was broadcast , they said . share prices for southern cross media group dropped by as much as 8 % monday following the controversy , according to australian media reports . a number of big advertisers pulled their spots from 2dayfm before it took the decision temporarily not to run ads . profits for the media group as a whole were 95 million australian dollars in the year to june 2012 , up from 64.1 million a year earlier , according to the company 's 2012 annual report . it was the first full-year earnings report since southern cross media and austereo group merged in may 2011 . holleran last week said he was deeply saddened ' by the nurse 's death but defended the legality of the station 's action , saying he was very confident that we have n't done anything illegal . ' the australian communications and media authority , the country 's media regulator , has said it will be engaging with ' the network around the facts and issues surrounding the prank call . ' london 's metropolitan police have contacted australian authorities in relation to the call , but are not discussing about what or with who ' they 're talking , a spokesman told cnn . a spokeswoman for new south wales police in australia told cnn : as the investigation into the death of london nurse jacintha saldhana continues , new south wales police will be providing london 's metropolitan police with whatever assistance they require . ' aussie dj scandal : does radio share the blame ? cnn 's laura perez-maestro and per nyberg contributed to this report . | 2day fm says its profits up to the end of the year will go to a fund for saldanha 's family |
hungary <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an ax murder . then , jail time . sounds like a morbid crime story . yet this tale has taken a sudden and unexpected twist : the killer got a pardon and a hero 's welcome . that has stirred fears of a war . the parole has exacerbated long-standing tensions over disputed land between armenia and azerbaijan , former soviet republics that are nestled in the caucasus region near turkey , iran and russia . the nations fought a war two decades ago over the region of nagorno-karabakh and surrounding azerbaijani territories . much of the area is now occupied by armenia . a return to warfare could suck in world powers , analysts warned wednesday . thomas de waal , an expert on the caucasus with the carnegie endowment for international peace , told cnn world energy markets would be disrupted in a conflict since an oil and a gas pipeline carrying caspian oil curves around the conflict zone in azerbaijan . mosque shooting , suicide bombing hit russia 's caucasus region the ax killing happened in 2004 at a nato center in hungary , where troops from armenia and azerbaijan were getting training . ramil safarov , a soldier from azerbaijan , killed armenian officer gurgen margarian . both men were studying english . safarov was sentenced to life in prison in hungary , but that country recently extradited him to azerbaijan with the understanding that he would serve at least 25 years of the sentence . not long after safarov arrived in azerbaijan , though , azerbaijani president ilham aliyev pardoned him . armenians recoiled at what happened next : the killer got an apartment and a promotion . mr. safarov has been glorified in azerbaijan as a national hero at all levels -- including the top level , ' said zohrab mnatsakanian , armenia 's deputy minister of foreign affairs . this is a blow to the conscience of europe , to the civilized world . ' azerbaijan 's foreign affairs ministry said on twitter that the issue must be considered in the context of aggression and ethnic cleansing against azerbaijan by armenia . ' the united states , meanwhile , was among those nations objecting to the pardon . it expressed deep concern ' and asked hungary for more information on why it extradited safarov . we are communicating to azerbaijani authorities our disappointment about the decision to pardon safarov , ' a spokesman for the national security council , tommy vietor , said in a statement the white house released . this action is contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions and promote reconciliation . ' sabine freizer , director of the international crisis group 's europe program , said world powers have taken note . there is an awareness among government officials , both in the united states , russia , and among european officials , that this conflict is getting worse . there should be something done to stop it , ' freizer said . this takes us a whole step downward , ' said the carnegie endowment 's de waal . the tensions over nagorno-karabakh reflect strong cultural attachments for both peoples , what sergey markedonov , visiting fellow of the russia and eurasia program at the center for strategic and international studies , likens to a jerusalem for both societies . ' animosities over the disputed territory have simmered since the end of world war i . the soviet union 's collapse in the 1990s triggered a war from 1992 to 1994 that killed 22,000 to 25,000 people and uprooted more than a million others . the war ended with a shaky truce , ' the international crisis group said . the disputes between the countries over nagorno-karabakh and other territories remain an unresolved conflict of the soviet period , ' freizer said . amid the creation of newly independent countries after the soviet collapse , she said , no one was focused on the conflict . ' the kind of support for yugoslavia , ' whose breakup led to major wars in bosnia and kosovo , was never given to this region . ' over the years , violence has flared . both countries occasionally talk tough about each other . and azerbaijan 's oil and gas wealth is making its way into the budget for a military preparing for war , freizer said . since 2011 , we feel the situation has gotten worse , ' freizer said . the killer 's pardon prompted a certain outrage factor , she said . people were shocked by this . ' hungary defended its extradition and said it received assurances the killer would carry out his term . but the country criticized the sudden and unexpected release ' and called it unacceptable . ' armenia suspended its relations with hungary . the disputes are unfolding in a tough neighborhood . turkey has been mired down in fighting with kurdish rebels . russia fought a brief war with georgia four years ago and has battled islamic insurgents in its northern caucasus region in recent years . iran supports syria 's government in its civil war . russia is a military ally of armenia . azerbaijan has strong military links with turkey and they ( armenia and azerbaijan ) are both on the border with iran , ' de waal said . also , he said , the armenian-american community will beat the drum ' and push for u.s. action . markedonov said a deteriorating conflict could spawn an arms race . the incident reflects a lack of willingness among many citizens to compromise and get back to peacemaking , markedonov said . this could play into upcoming elections , with both aliyev and armenian president serzh sargsyan seeking to look strong for the voters . de waal also wrote in a column that the bbc published tuesday that hungary negotiated the extradition for reasons that have yet to be fully explained . ' he called the events a black week ' for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and said it 's now a full-blown state-to-state row , with as yet knowable consequences . ' he cites worries that a fanatical armenian will try to commit a revenge attack . ' from the political perspective , to call the azerbaijani government 's actions a mistake is an understatement . it is a worrying indication of the quality of advice that president ilham aliyev is receiving from his inner circle . ' de waal said diplomats must work harder now . when there is no peace process , he told cnn , the vacuum is filled by war talk . ' if there is any silver lining to this dark episode it could be that the international community pays more attention to the dangers of a new armenian-azerbaijani conflict over nagorno-karabakh , ' de waal wrote in his column . the reception given safarov suggests that the situation is moving closer to war than peace . ' black sea city aims to be'las vegas of the caucasus' jo shelley and stephanie halasz contributed to this report | he was sentenced to prison in hungary but suddenly was paroled and extradited |
uk <tsp> in the dead of night , in the bohemian los angeles district of fairfax , a guerrilla ' street artist is about to start work . in his day job as a professional photographer he has been in riots where rocks and iron bars were being thrown . that has given him an almost innate sense of detecting danger , but as long as he is careful and quick , this particular installation should pass off without incident . he lurks in the shadows on north genesee , near the junction of melrose avenue with the tools he needs -- two stencils and two cans of aerosol paint , one black and one yellow . one last time , he glances up and down the street , making sure that black and whites ' -- the name given to the l.a. police department 's ford crown victoria vehicles -- are not cruising nearby . with the coast clear , he gets down to work . ten minutes later it is done . he breathes a sigh of relief and steps back to admire his latest masterpiece . it is a stenciled image of fallen american hero lance armstrong . the texan is depicted wearing that iconic yellow tour de france leader 's jersey aerodynamically hunched over the handlebars of his bike . but something jars -- poking out of the disgraced cyclist 's back is an intravenous drip , a graphic reference to the 41-year-old 's doping past that has finally caught up with him . armstrong admits doping'are there any heroes anymore ?'in infamy , just as he did in fame , armstrong continues to hold powerful sway over the public 's consciousness . over many years he had vehemently denied cheating as he bestrode the world of cycling in the process of winning seven successive tour de france titles -- now taken away from him -- until confessing to oprah winfrey that he had used performance-enhancing drugs and had illicit blood transfusions . the credits had barely rolled on that interview before reports of book deals and film rights of his spectacular fall from grace began to emerge . now armstrong has been immortalized in a piece of street art -- named are there any heroes anymore ? ' -- which is reminiscent of the subversive and polarizing exhibits of british graffiti artist banksy at his very best . i was a keen cyclist , cycling three or four days weeks and doing a 90-kilometer ride on a sunday , ' the work 's creator plastic jesus ' told cnn , explaining why he was moved to labor for several hours in his spare time with his scalpel to produce the two stencils that were used to create the armstrong exhibit . lance was the ultimate cycling hero for me . he took cycling out of the geek enthusiast arena and brought it to a mainstream audience . people bought bikes and wore lycra because of lance 's profile , success and status , ' says the 48-year-old , who is also from britain but moved to l.a. in 2007 . i was following the story right from the start of the early drug allegations , and in conversations with friends , i 'd support armstrong and tell them that he was just an just an exceptional cyclist , genetically designed that way . i felt let down by armstrong -- as i 'm sure fellow cyclists , sportsmen and the general public did . i wanted to convey that by a piece of art . ' plastic jesus , ' who chose that tag due to his atheism , previously ran a news photography agency in london that dealt with britain 's major newspapers -- hence his experience of covering riots . he continued to work as a photographer in the u.s. but inspired by banksy -- his favorite image by the notoriously reclusive bristolian is the flower thrower ' -- he began to experiment with stencils , scalpels and aerosol cans in homage to a subculture that began on the streets of new york in the 1970s . the art is in the message -- it 's not about the technical quality of the piece , ' said the 48-year-old . i like the simplicity of conveying a quite deep political or cultural message . ' staying out of jail caution is the watchword when plastic jesus ' heads out to pursue his alter ego 's creative impulses . graffiti artists can face a $ 6,000 fine and imprisonment , and for multiple offenses it can lead to a federal court , which is very bad news , ' says the artist , who has never been caught when daubing his impressions on l.a. 's walls . from graffiti to galleries : street vs. public art despite the risks , he loves his art so much he is considering giving up his day job as a photographer , though that depends on whether there is a demand for his work and if i can stay out of jail . ' his latest creation has already featured in the los angeles times as well as two british national newspapers , while the media coverage has led -- more bizarrely -- to two marriage proposals on twitter. ''are there any heroes anymore ?'has been creating quite a buzz , ' says greg linton , editor-in-chief of the street art blog melrose and fairfax . it could be said that'plastic jesus'is becoming the banksy of l.a. ' and , just as banksy has had problems with local councils cleaning up areas covered in his artwork , you might have to be quick if you want to see the latest message from plastic jesus . ' the owner of this particular wall , which is also a favored spot for other l.a. street artists , whitewashes the graffiti away every so often ... | his armstrong exhibit has featured in mainstream u.s. and uk newspapers |
halloween <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the mayor of west hollywood has condemned a halloween display resembling republican vice presidential candidate sarah palin hanging by a noose . a halloween display resembling sarah palin hanging in west hollywood . the life-size doll with a white noose around its neck is outfitted to look like palin -- with a beehive wig , glasses and a red business suit . it hangs in front of the north orange grove avenue house of the display 's creator , chad michael morrisette , who also put up a depiction of republican presidential candidate john mccain engulfed in flames . mayor jeffry prang asked in a statement that the display be taken down and said : i respect that we all have the right to freedom of speech . however , with that right comes responsibility ' . while these residents have the legal right to display senator john mccain and governor sarah palin in effigy , i strongly oppose political speech that references violence -- real or perceived , ' he added . the effigy resembling mccain appears to emerge from the house 's chimney with paper flames around it . both displays are clearly visible from the street and attract locals and tourists to take pictures . however not all locals -- - republican or democrat -- are charmed by the somewhat provocative dolls . one , who identified himself to cnn affiliate kcal-tv in los angeles only as george , ' said the display takes the spirit of halloween too far . ' what do you think , tell us below . morissette does admit that if he had put up a display resembling democratic presidential candidate barack obama hanging from a noose , people would 've probably thrown things through our windows . ' the image of a hanged black man is a lot more intense than the image of a hanged white woman -- for our country , in the history of our country , ' he explained to kcal . morrisette said he wants the display viewed as art that is appropriate for the holiday . it is halloween . it 's time to be scary . its time to be spooky , ' he said . mayor prang 's statement , without naming morrisette by name , asked that residents find more constructive ways to express their opinion. politics in america has become extremely polarized in recent years and we all have a responsibility to focus on our political differences in a thoughtful and peaceful manner , ' he said . | life-size halloween doll resembling sarah palin with noose causes outcry |
halloween <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the mayor of west hollywood has condemned a halloween display resembling republican vice presidential candidate sarah palin hanging by a noose . a halloween display resembling sarah palin hanging in west hollywood . the life-size doll with a white noose around its neck is outfitted to look like palin -- with a beehive wig , glasses and a red business suit . it hangs in front of the north orange grove avenue house of the display 's creator , chad michael morrisette , who also put up a depiction of republican presidential candidate john mccain engulfed in flames . mayor jeffry prang asked in a statement that the display be taken down and said : i respect that we all have the right to freedom of speech . however , with that right comes responsibility ' . while these residents have the legal right to display senator john mccain and governor sarah palin in effigy , i strongly oppose political speech that references violence -- real or perceived , ' he added . the effigy resembling mccain appears to emerge from the house 's chimney with paper flames around it . both displays are clearly visible from the street and attract locals and tourists to take pictures . however not all locals -- - republican or democrat -- are charmed by the somewhat provocative dolls . one , who identified himself to cnn affiliate kcal-tv in los angeles only as george , ' said the display takes the spirit of halloween too far . ' what do you think , tell us below . morissette does admit that if he had put up a display resembling democratic presidential candidate barack obama hanging from a noose , people would 've probably thrown things through our windows . ' the image of a hanged black man is a lot more intense than the image of a hanged white woman -- for our country , in the history of our country , ' he explained to kcal . morrisette said he wants the display viewed as art that is appropriate for the holiday . it is halloween . it 's time to be scary . its time to be spooky , ' he said . mayor prang 's statement , without naming morrisette by name , asked that residents find more constructive ways to express their opinion. politics in america has become extremely polarized in recent years and we all have a responsibility to focus on our political differences in a thoughtful and peaceful manner , ' he said . | some locals oppose at it takes the theme of halloween too far |
michelle obama <tsp> ( instyle.com ) -- michelle obama dazzled on the dance floor tuesday night at the neighborhood inaugural ball in washington , wearing an elegant , one-shouldered ivory gown created for her by 26-year-old designer , jason wu . first lady michelle obama dazzled in a jason wu original gown . the one-of-a-kind silk chiffon confection was embellished with organza rosettes , swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver embroidery . the first lady accessorized with diamond chandelier earrings , a white gold and diamond ring and a stack of diamond bangles by jeweler loree rodkin . the president summed up his wife 's look best before their first dance -- to beyoncé 's rendition of at last ' -- when he said , first of all , how good-looking is my wife ? ' michelle obama has worn wu once before , during an interview with barbara walters . wu , one of america 's leading young designers , debuted his first collection in february 2006 and has since earned accolades such as fashion group international 's rising star award . watch instyle.com 's joe berean discuss the gown » obama was likely introduced to the designer in one of her favorite chicago , illinois , boutiques , ikram . the new first lady has made a conscious effort to support young , diverse talent in the fashion community . in choosing wu , who is originally from taiwan , obama continues a tradition of wearing american designers who hail from other countries . they include cuban-american designers isabel toledo , who designed her yellow lace inauguration ensemble ; narciso rodriguez , designer of the red and black dress she wore on election night ; and designer thakoon panichgul , originally from thailand , who designed the floral dress she wore the evening her husband accepted the democratic nomination for president . michelle obama 's style statement is one meant to inspire ethnic and class diversity in the world of fashion . aside from being a socially conscious purveyor of style , obama also sends a clear message of hope and promise by choosing colorful , reasonably priced pieces . watch the obamas enjoy the night » she prefers bright , cheerful shades such as yellow , electric blue , red and purple , and has been seen on multiple occasions in head-to-toe looks from moderately priced american retailer j.crew . in fact , daughters malia and sasha braved tuesday 's chilly weather in coats from the brand 's children 's collection . michelle obama was first seen in j.crew during a visit to the tonight show ' with jay leno on october 27 . this is a j.crew ensemble , ' she told the host . we ladies , we know j.crew . ' the first lady also said she had a penchant for internet shopping , saying , when you do n't have time , you got ta click ! ' obama wore j.crew again at the kids'inaugural concert on monday . she gave the colorful ensemble a luxe spin with dangling green sapphire earrings from loree rodkin and a deco-inspired belt buckle . instyle magazine fashion director hal rubenstein appreciates obama 's straightforward approach to fashion . people tend to think classic looks are synonymous with boring , but they 're not , ' he explains . michelle obama has a specific style that works for her . she has a lady-like approach to style that is elegant and inspiring . what we 'll see as a result is this idea of looking put-together and sophisticated , as opposed to being daring or flamboyant . it 's all about looking polished , like you know what you 're doing . ' get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2009 time inc. all rights reserved . | michelle obama has tradition of wearing american designers from other nations |
snowden <tsp> the serial revelations by edward snowden , the former national security agency contractor who stole and leaked classified government information , have ignited a variety of disputes in the united states and around the world . is the collection of metadata , detailed records of phone calls and other communications , as benign or as malignant as it has been portrayed ? what are the proper limits in conducting electronic surveillance of geopolitical allies or of ordinary citizens ? how much government espionage activity must be publicly available to really give meaning to the concept of consent of the governed ' ? is it appropriate to secretly compel private enterprise to assist in intelligence collection ? tough questions all , but they give rise to another even more important one . will the internet as we know it survive the barrage of headlines and accusations ? as commonplace as the net has become , it 's hard for even older folks to remember the world before we all became wired . and younger generations do n't even try to picture that benighted universe . but the net is recent , the product of visionaries like vinton cerf and his colleagues at stanford in the early 1970s ; they developed the internet 's original protocols for the department of defense so department labs and a few universities could pass among themselves large volumes of data quickly and easily . the world wide web that would take off from that defense department start would be a multistakeholder enterprise : nongovernmental , collaborative and ( certainly at its origin ) largely american . the americans ( i.e. , the various internet governance structures , like icann , the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers , anchored in the united states and operating under a contract with the u.s. government ) proved good stewards , nurturing an enterprise that was ubiquitous , free , unitary , egalitarian and democratic . information has never flowed as freely or in such volume as it does today , enabling global commerce and global expression on an unprecedented scale . and in that , the web was consistent with the traditional american emphasis on free enterprise and free speech , values not universally shared in today 's world . as americans fret about the theft of personal information and intellectual property and the threat of cyberattack ( dark forces leveraging the web 's ubiquity and connectivity for dark purposes ) , others are attacking the very essence of the network . they are less concerned about theft and more concerned that their citizens can access information -- any information -- as well as make their voices heard globally . in december 2012 , russia and china pushed very hard at a meeting in dubai of the world conference for international telecommunications to wrest control ' of the internet from its traditional governance structures ( increasingly international but still with a strong american flavor ) and hand it to this u.n.-sponsored body . their apparent purpose was to make it easier for them to impose controls on their digital territory ' and on their citizens , to transfer to cyberdomain authorities control they had long exercised in physical space . google ceo eric schmidt and his co-author jared cohen anticipated this in their thought provoking work , the new digital age , ' in which they warned of the balkanization of the web , with countries establishing sovereignty ' over their digital domains and demanding the digital equivalents of visas and passports before allowing entry to their national domains , and , in the case of their own citizens , exit . indeed , they proved prescient as countries like brazil and indonesia are already establishing digital residency requirements , ' demanding that prospective cloud service providers retain data only on servers in their sovereign space , a requirement that flies in the face of the very nature and inherent advantages of a global web . at the 2012 dubai conference , the russians and the chinese got strong support from places like iran and the arab world , but garnered support from 89 countries , falling short of the two thirds required . and now enters snowden . it actually does n't matter how accurate or inaccurate , precise or overdrawn , the headlines are as they allege that the united states and britain are taking unconstrained advantage of the web for espionage . ( i , for one , doubt that nsa and britain 's government communications headquarters , are actually that interested in the personal data of the 1.5 billion people who have downloaded angry birds , to cite but one recent accusation . ) but the russians , the chinese , the iranians and others will use these headlines to buttress their case and to undercut western arguments based on free expression and free access to information . the next meeting of the international telecommunications union , a u.n. agency , is in busan this october and prospects are not good for holding the line on the multistakeholder model of internet governance , as governments demand more direct control . the current phrase to describe that development is splinternet ' and if that occurs we will be faced with multiple ironies . the united states , the creator of the web as we know it , will have hastened its end through its espionage sins , real or imagined . and edward snowden , who by all accounts is a near constant habitué of that idyllic universe , will have lit the fuse of its destruction . | hayden : snowden revelations raised questions about data collection , surveillance |
reagan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- former presidential assailant john hinckley jr. should not be allowed to spend any unsupervised time during visits to his mother 's home in virginia , according to a psychiatrist who first met hinckley in the 1980s and interviewed him several times in recent months . dr. raymond patterson testified in a federal court hearing on wednesday he was concerned to learn that hinckley sometimes did not follow the hospital-approved itinerary for how he would spend his few hours of unattended time while in williamsburg , virginia . in several instances , hinckley was supposed to go to movies , skipped them and then later told doctors back at his mental hospital in washington that he had attended the movies . he has gone out of his way to lie about it and then embellished the lie , ' said patterson . the psychiatrist said he questioned hinckley in november about being dishonest about his activities , and that hinckley minimized it and called it nitpicking . ' hinckley , now 56 , was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the march 1981 shooting of president ronald reagan , his press secretary james brady , secret service agent timothy mccarthy and washington police officer thomas delahanty . all four men survived , though brady was permanently disabled and delahanty 's wounds forced him to retire shortly afterward . patterson said he had asked hinckley about secret service reports hinckley had gone into book stores and looked at shelves of history books which included volumes about presidential assassination . he said hinckley maintained he never looked at those books . patterson said he did n't know whether to believe him . hinckley currently spends 10 days a month at his elderly mother 's home at a gated community . during those visits , he is allowed three hours of unsupervised time twice during his stay , although sometimes secret service agents are watching hinckley without his knowledge . a federal judge is hearing testimony on st. elizabeths'plan to increase his time in virginia to two visits of 17 days followed by six stays of 24 days . the hospital is seeking authority to decide after that whether hinckley should then be released as a permanent outpatient . dr. patterson , the former director of forensic psychiatry at st. elizabeths , told the court he opposes allowing any expansion of hinckley 's trip beyond 17 days and said the unaccompanied time should end . patterson said hinckley engages in deception and has what he termed distorted relationships ' with women . he said those are risk factors in analyzing whether he could become a danger to himself or others . patterson said hinckley lied to his parents and psychiatrists prior to the 1981 reagan shooting . the doctor made a rare reference to actress jodie foster during these proceedings . it was hinckley 's fixation on the actress that led him to shoot reagan in an attempt to impress her . patterson said that relationship was a delusion and noted that years after the assassination attempt -- in 1995 -- hinckley said he was over his feelings for foster . however , pictures of her were found in his room at st. elizabeths at that time . barry levine , a lawyer for hinckley , has said the main issue is whether hinckley is dangerous and that no evidence has been presented to show that he is . whenever the subject has come up about hinckley looking at books on assassination , levine has said there were many books in the history section and agents do n't know if hinckley was looking at any books in particular . the hearing on whether hinckley should get increased freedoms will resume on monday . | he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the attempt on president reagan 's life |
al qaeda <tsp> the world 's most powerful democracy and the world 's most absolute monarchy have long been close , if unlikely , allies . they are bound together by common interests -- the free flow of oil and , more recently , fighting al qaeda . that alliance was first sealed between president franklin delano roosevelt and saudi king adul aziz on february 14 , 1945 , when they met on the deck of the uss quincy as the american warship cruised in the suez canal . fdr and his advisors knew that oil , of which saudi arabia was well endowed , was a key component of america 's economy . indeed , standard oil of california had signed a farsighted deal a decade earlier giving it exclusive production rights in saudi arabia . thomas lippman , who has written authoritatively on u.s.-saudi relations , writes that as result of the meeting on the quincy , the american president gave the saudi king a dc-3 airplane that was specially outfitted with a rotating throne that allowed the king always to face the holy site of mecca while he was in the air . for his part , king abdul aziz so enjoyed his meals as the president 's guest on board the quincy that he surprised his host with an unusual demand : he wanted to take the quincy 's cook for himself . fdr was able to diplomatically ward off this request . ( the concept that human beings are not personal property came to the saudi kingdom relatively late ; slavery was only abolished there in 1962 . ) for more than six decades after that important meeting on the quincy the saudi-american relationship has largely worked well for both countries . saudi arabia is the world 's largest oil producer and sits on around a fifth of the world 's proven oil reserves and therefore it can set oil prices by increasing or lowering oil production . generally it has done so in ways that respect american interests . when the saudis really needed the states following saddam hussein 's 1990 invasion of their neighbor kuwait , the united states sent a half a million troops to the gulf to expel saddam 's forces . the news that 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were saudis certainly put something of a dent in the u.s.-saudi alliance , but the george w. bush administration had close ties to the saudis and matters were soon smoothed over , particularly after 2003 when al qaeda began staging attacks on westerners and oil facilities in the saudi kingdom , at which point the saudis launched an effective crackdown on the group . controversy stirs anew over saudi textbooks with obama set to visit yet today , the saudi-american alliance has never been in worse shape . that is why on friday president barack obama met with saudi king abdullah , one of the sons of king abdul aziz , in an attempt to patch things up . what went wrong ? in recent months the normally hyper-discreet saudis have gone on the record about their dissatisfactions with the obama administration . in december , prince turki al-faisal , the former saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to washington , took the highly unusual step of publicly criticizing the administration , we 've seen several red lines put forward by the president , which went along and became pinkish as time grew , and eventually ended up completely white ... when that kind of assurance comes from a leader of a country like the united states , we expect him to stand by it . ' it 's inconceivable that prince turki , whose brother is the saudi foreign minister , would make these public comments without approval from the highest levels of the saudi government . why are the saudis going public with their dissatisfaction with the obama administration ? the laundry list of saudi complaints most recently is that the united states did n't make good on its red line ' threat to take action against the bashar al assad regime in syria following its use of chemical weapons against its own population . syria is a close ally of saudi arabia 's archrival , iran , and the saudis are also growing apprehensive that the united states will not take a firm line on iran 's nuclear program -- which the saudis see as an almost-existential threat -- now that the u.s.-iranian relations have recently thawed . the saudi were also puzzled by the fact that the obama administration seemed willing to let a longtime u.s. ally , egyptian dictator hosni mubarak , be thrown overboard during the arab spring ' of early 2011 . what did that say about other longtime u.s. allies in the region ? ( interestingly , these list of gripes look quite similar to those of another powerful player in the middle east -- israel . ) prince mohammed bin nayef , the powerful saudi minister of interior , was in washington last month . according to a senior saudi official his discussions in washington ahead of obama 's trip were all about syria . here washington and riyadh have a real common interest ; preventing the rise of al qaeda in syria . saudi arabia made it a crime last month for its citizens to travel to fight in overseas conflicts such as the syrian civil war . those saudis who have gone to fight in syria often join al-qaeda-aligned groups . some 1,200 saudis have traveled to syria , of whom 220 have returned to the kingdom , according to the senior saudi official . there is great concern in the kingdom about potential blowback ' caused by such militants who have obtained battlefield experience in syria . both the united states and saudi arabia have an interest in blocking al qaeda 's growth in syria . obama and king abdullah met on friday outside riyadh . after the meeting , a senior us official said that the united states and saudi arabia remain very much aligned ' despite recent policy differences over issues like iran . | bergen : two nations share common ground in opposing al qaeda 's rise in syria |
first world <tsp> ( cnn ) -- images of super typhoon haiyan 's aftermath in the philippines appear so devastatingly apocalyptic that most filipino-americans remain on edge . what news does get out only makes the situation seem more unbearable , especially when cnn viewers see typhoon survivors such as magina fernandez make anguished pleas in televised reports . get international help to come here now , not tomorrow , now , ' fernandez said . this is really , really like bad , worse than hell . worse than hell . ' if only loved ones could hear a more reassuring message . but personal communication is slow in coming . relatives in the united states and around the world are turning to social media sites such as facebook , reading philippine-based media sites ( such as manila 's major newspaper , the inquirer ) for news , all while waiting for that phone call , text or any kind of message from an unaccounted loved one . because of infrastructure failures , only a few individuals from the most ravaged areas such as tacloban in the leyte area of the central philippines are able to communicate by cell or land line . ireport : are you searching for a family member in the philippines ? while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark . nearly half of all the 3.4 million filipino-americans live in california . among them is janet alvarado , who waits for news from her home in san francisco . alvarado , 52 , executive director of a historical project that preserves images of filipino-american life and connects filipino-americans to tacloban 's main region , leyte , has heard from just one family member . but that 's just a single strand of a large extended family in the philippines . alvarado was born in the united states , but her mother , norberta magallanes alvarado , 94 , immigrated to the u.s. in the 1940s from tacloban . like many filipinos , norberta alvarado came with only one of her younger brothers , meaning there are many relatives still living in tacloban and the surrounding area . my mom is so worried , ' janet alvarado said . she just gets up every day and prays . ' the first positive sign came when another cousin in san francisco was able to confirm on facebook and through text messages that her cousin ruseli and husband nonoy gula were both able to leave tacloban safely this weekend . she said they just could n't stay , ' janet alvarado said . it smelled too much like death . ' another set of cousins , dino magallanes and a younger relative , were ok , too . alvarado said they were on a motorcycle on the road from biliran to ormoc , another part of leyte . alvarado said that trip usually takes an hour , but it took five hours in the aftermath of the storm . they said there were just too many bodies all around , ' janet alvarado said about her cousin 's experience . the bodies were just piled up on the road . ' now the focus is on finding another cousin from tacloban proper . but no one has heard from him . armando is an engineer in his late 50s , ' janet alvarado said . his daughter inday is missing , too . where they are ? we just do n't know . we have n't heard . ' the philippines red cross has reportedly set up a call service at 09175328500 . the philippine daily inquirer also reported that google has set up a person finder at 16508003977 , where one enters search ( the person 's name ) ' into google . ireport : home'wiped out ,'but family is alive but with news images looking increasingly grim , and another storm coming , hope is girded by more prayer . that 's tough when even leyte 's metropolitan cathedral had its roof and ceiling blown away by the super typhoon , which is known as yolanda in the philippines . the government is well aware of the country 's vulnerability to natural disasters . sure enough , yolanda , the third major typhoon to hit the philippines in three years , comes at a huge financial cost . the philippines has about $ 500 million to take care of infrastructure issues . the personal needs of the population will have to be made up from individual filipinos throughout the world . the country 's 10 million overseas workers already provide the philippines with $ 24 billion in remittances . it 's much needed when about a third of the people in the philippines live in poverty , existing on $ 2 a day . the u.s. government has already committed $ 20 million to help the philippines . filipino-americans will also be counted on to pitch in , perhaps even more than they already do . the struggling country boasted a first-quarter gross domestic product growth of around 7.8 % , outpacing china as well as india , thailand and vietnam . president benigno aquino , with an aggressive pro-business and clean government platform , seemed to be getting the country back on its feet . but now this . ireport :'all i could do was say a prayer' filipinos have always been a tough people . but the typhoon has brought despair . we need everyone who can to help the survivors and country get back on track . in the meantime , loved ones anxiously hope that messages from relatives will come soon . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of emil guillermo . | guillermo : while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark |
guillermo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- images of super typhoon haiyan 's aftermath in the philippines appear so devastatingly apocalyptic that most filipino-americans remain on edge . what news does get out only makes the situation seem more unbearable , especially when cnn viewers see typhoon survivors such as magina fernandez make anguished pleas in televised reports . get international help to come here now , not tomorrow , now , ' fernandez said . this is really , really like bad , worse than hell . worse than hell . ' if only loved ones could hear a more reassuring message . but personal communication is slow in coming . relatives in the united states and around the world are turning to social media sites such as facebook , reading philippine-based media sites ( such as manila 's major newspaper , the inquirer ) for news , all while waiting for that phone call , text or any kind of message from an unaccounted loved one . because of infrastructure failures , only a few individuals from the most ravaged areas such as tacloban in the leyte area of the central philippines are able to communicate by cell or land line . ireport : are you searching for a family member in the philippines ? while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark . nearly half of all the 3.4 million filipino-americans live in california . among them is janet alvarado , who waits for news from her home in san francisco . alvarado , 52 , executive director of a historical project that preserves images of filipino-american life and connects filipino-americans to tacloban 's main region , leyte , has heard from just one family member . but that 's just a single strand of a large extended family in the philippines . alvarado was born in the united states , but her mother , norberta magallanes alvarado , 94 , immigrated to the u.s. in the 1940s from tacloban . like many filipinos , norberta alvarado came with only one of her younger brothers , meaning there are many relatives still living in tacloban and the surrounding area . my mom is so worried , ' janet alvarado said . she just gets up every day and prays . ' the first positive sign came when another cousin in san francisco was able to confirm on facebook and through text messages that her cousin ruseli and husband nonoy gula were both able to leave tacloban safely this weekend . she said they just could n't stay , ' janet alvarado said . it smelled too much like death . ' another set of cousins , dino magallanes and a younger relative , were ok , too . alvarado said they were on a motorcycle on the road from biliran to ormoc , another part of leyte . alvarado said that trip usually takes an hour , but it took five hours in the aftermath of the storm . they said there were just too many bodies all around , ' janet alvarado said about her cousin 's experience . the bodies were just piled up on the road . ' now the focus is on finding another cousin from tacloban proper . but no one has heard from him . armando is an engineer in his late 50s , ' janet alvarado said . his daughter inday is missing , too . where they are ? we just do n't know . we have n't heard . ' the philippines red cross has reportedly set up a call service at 09175328500 . the philippine daily inquirer also reported that google has set up a person finder at 16508003977 , where one enters search ( the person 's name ) ' into google . ireport : home'wiped out ,'but family is alive but with news images looking increasingly grim , and another storm coming , hope is girded by more prayer . that 's tough when even leyte 's metropolitan cathedral had its roof and ceiling blown away by the super typhoon , which is known as yolanda in the philippines . the government is well aware of the country 's vulnerability to natural disasters . sure enough , yolanda , the third major typhoon to hit the philippines in three years , comes at a huge financial cost . the philippines has about $ 500 million to take care of infrastructure issues . the personal needs of the population will have to be made up from individual filipinos throughout the world . the country 's 10 million overseas workers already provide the philippines with $ 24 billion in remittances . it 's much needed when about a third of the people in the philippines live in poverty , existing on $ 2 a day . the u.s. government has already committed $ 20 million to help the philippines . filipino-americans will also be counted on to pitch in , perhaps even more than they already do . the struggling country boasted a first-quarter gross domestic product growth of around 7.8 % , outpacing china as well as india , thailand and vietnam . president benigno aquino , with an aggressive pro-business and clean government platform , seemed to be getting the country back on its feet . but now this . ireport :'all i could do was say a prayer' filipinos have always been a tough people . but the typhoon has brought despair . we need everyone who can to help the survivors and country get back on track . in the meantime , loved ones anxiously hope that messages from relatives will come soon . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of emil guillermo . | guillermo : while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark |
guillermo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- images of super typhoon haiyan 's aftermath in the philippines appear so devastatingly apocalyptic that most filipino-americans remain on edge . what news does get out only makes the situation seem more unbearable , especially when cnn viewers see typhoon survivors such as magina fernandez make anguished pleas in televised reports . get international help to come here now , not tomorrow , now , ' fernandez said . this is really , really like bad , worse than hell . worse than hell . ' if only loved ones could hear a more reassuring message . but personal communication is slow in coming . relatives in the united states and around the world are turning to social media sites such as facebook , reading philippine-based media sites ( such as manila 's major newspaper , the inquirer ) for news , all while waiting for that phone call , text or any kind of message from an unaccounted loved one . because of infrastructure failures , only a few individuals from the most ravaged areas such as tacloban in the leyte area of the central philippines are able to communicate by cell or land line . ireport : are you searching for a family member in the philippines ? while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark . nearly half of all the 3.4 million filipino-americans live in california . among them is janet alvarado , who waits for news from her home in san francisco . alvarado , 52 , executive director of a historical project that preserves images of filipino-american life and connects filipino-americans to tacloban 's main region , leyte , has heard from just one family member . but that 's just a single strand of a large extended family in the philippines . alvarado was born in the united states , but her mother , norberta magallanes alvarado , 94 , immigrated to the u.s. in the 1940s from tacloban . like many filipinos , norberta alvarado came with only one of her younger brothers , meaning there are many relatives still living in tacloban and the surrounding area . my mom is so worried , ' janet alvarado said . she just gets up every day and prays . ' the first positive sign came when another cousin in san francisco was able to confirm on facebook and through text messages that her cousin ruseli and husband nonoy gula were both able to leave tacloban safely this weekend . she said they just could n't stay , ' janet alvarado said . it smelled too much like death . ' another set of cousins , dino magallanes and a younger relative , were ok , too . alvarado said they were on a motorcycle on the road from biliran to ormoc , another part of leyte . alvarado said that trip usually takes an hour , but it took five hours in the aftermath of the storm . they said there were just too many bodies all around , ' janet alvarado said about her cousin 's experience . the bodies were just piled up on the road . ' now the focus is on finding another cousin from tacloban proper . but no one has heard from him . armando is an engineer in his late 50s , ' janet alvarado said . his daughter inday is missing , too . where they are ? we just do n't know . we have n't heard . ' the philippines red cross has reportedly set up a call service at 09175328500 . the philippine daily inquirer also reported that google has set up a person finder at 16508003977 , where one enters search ( the person 's name ) ' into google . ireport : home'wiped out ,'but family is alive but with news images looking increasingly grim , and another storm coming , hope is girded by more prayer . that 's tough when even leyte 's metropolitan cathedral had its roof and ceiling blown away by the super typhoon , which is known as yolanda in the philippines . the government is well aware of the country 's vulnerability to natural disasters . sure enough , yolanda , the third major typhoon to hit the philippines in three years , comes at a huge financial cost . the philippines has about $ 500 million to take care of infrastructure issues . the personal needs of the population will have to be made up from individual filipinos throughout the world . the country 's 10 million overseas workers already provide the philippines with $ 24 billion in remittances . it 's much needed when about a third of the people in the philippines live in poverty , existing on $ 2 a day . the u.s. government has already committed $ 20 million to help the philippines . filipino-americans will also be counted on to pitch in , perhaps even more than they already do . the struggling country boasted a first-quarter gross domestic product growth of around 7.8 % , outpacing china as well as india , thailand and vietnam . president benigno aquino , with an aggressive pro-business and clean government platform , seemed to be getting the country back on its feet . but now this . ireport :'all i could do was say a prayer' filipinos have always been a tough people . but the typhoon has brought despair . we need everyone who can to help the survivors and country get back on track . in the meantime , loved ones anxiously hope that messages from relatives will come soon . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of emil guillermo . | emil guillermo : images of a post-typhoon philippines are devastatingly apocalyptic |
guillermo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- images of super typhoon haiyan 's aftermath in the philippines appear so devastatingly apocalyptic that most filipino-americans remain on edge . what news does get out only makes the situation seem more unbearable , especially when cnn viewers see typhoon survivors such as magina fernandez make anguished pleas in televised reports . get international help to come here now , not tomorrow , now , ' fernandez said . this is really , really like bad , worse than hell . worse than hell . ' if only loved ones could hear a more reassuring message . but personal communication is slow in coming . relatives in the united states and around the world are turning to social media sites such as facebook , reading philippine-based media sites ( such as manila 's major newspaper , the inquirer ) for news , all while waiting for that phone call , text or any kind of message from an unaccounted loved one . because of infrastructure failures , only a few individuals from the most ravaged areas such as tacloban in the leyte area of the central philippines are able to communicate by cell or land line . ireport : are you searching for a family member in the philippines ? while the third world is in rubble , the first world is in the dark . nearly half of all the 3.4 million filipino-americans live in california . among them is janet alvarado , who waits for news from her home in san francisco . alvarado , 52 , executive director of a historical project that preserves images of filipino-american life and connects filipino-americans to tacloban 's main region , leyte , has heard from just one family member . but that 's just a single strand of a large extended family in the philippines . alvarado was born in the united states , but her mother , norberta magallanes alvarado , 94 , immigrated to the u.s. in the 1940s from tacloban . like many filipinos , norberta alvarado came with only one of her younger brothers , meaning there are many relatives still living in tacloban and the surrounding area . my mom is so worried , ' janet alvarado said . she just gets up every day and prays . ' the first positive sign came when another cousin in san francisco was able to confirm on facebook and through text messages that her cousin ruseli and husband nonoy gula were both able to leave tacloban safely this weekend . she said they just could n't stay , ' janet alvarado said . it smelled too much like death . ' another set of cousins , dino magallanes and a younger relative , were ok , too . alvarado said they were on a motorcycle on the road from biliran to ormoc , another part of leyte . alvarado said that trip usually takes an hour , but it took five hours in the aftermath of the storm . they said there were just too many bodies all around , ' janet alvarado said about her cousin 's experience . the bodies were just piled up on the road . ' now the focus is on finding another cousin from tacloban proper . but no one has heard from him . armando is an engineer in his late 50s , ' janet alvarado said . his daughter inday is missing , too . where they are ? we just do n't know . we have n't heard . ' the philippines red cross has reportedly set up a call service at 09175328500 . the philippine daily inquirer also reported that google has set up a person finder at 16508003977 , where one enters search ( the person 's name ) ' into google . ireport : home'wiped out ,'but family is alive but with news images looking increasingly grim , and another storm coming , hope is girded by more prayer . that 's tough when even leyte 's metropolitan cathedral had its roof and ceiling blown away by the super typhoon , which is known as yolanda in the philippines . the government is well aware of the country 's vulnerability to natural disasters . sure enough , yolanda , the third major typhoon to hit the philippines in three years , comes at a huge financial cost . the philippines has about $ 500 million to take care of infrastructure issues . the personal needs of the population will have to be made up from individual filipinos throughout the world . the country 's 10 million overseas workers already provide the philippines with $ 24 billion in remittances . it 's much needed when about a third of the people in the philippines live in poverty , existing on $ 2 a day . the u.s. government has already committed $ 20 million to help the philippines . filipino-americans will also be counted on to pitch in , perhaps even more than they already do . the struggling country boasted a first-quarter gross domestic product growth of around 7.8 % , outpacing china as well as india , thailand and vietnam . president benigno aquino , with an aggressive pro-business and clean government platform , seemed to be getting the country back on its feet . but now this . ireport :'all i could do was say a prayer' filipinos have always been a tough people . but the typhoon has brought despair . we need everyone who can to help the survivors and country get back on track . in the meantime , loved ones anxiously hope that messages from relatives will come soon . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of emil guillermo . | guillermo : we need to help the survivors and struggling country get back on track |
mexican <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- cinco de mayo -- the unofficial u.s. holiday long believed to have been imported , with celebratory beer , from mexico -- is n't a mexican holiday at all but rather an american one created by latinos in the west during the civil war , according to new research by a california professor . conventional thinking has held that the holiday -- now a commercial juggernaut -- may have grown out of the mass migrations from the bloody mexican revolution of the 1910s or even during chicano power activism of the 1960s , university of california at los angeles professor david hayes-bautista said . but on the 150th anniversary of the holiday , hayes-bautista is announcing that he happened upon the true origins of cinco de mayo -- the 5th of may -- after poring over spanish-language newspapers in california from the mid-1800s while working on another research project . cinco de mayo must-haves cinco de mayo does indeed mark a mexican military victory over the invading french army on may 5 , 1862 , but it 's celebrated more in the united states because in 1862 , u.s. latinos of mexican heritage parlayed the victory as a rallying cry that the union could also win the civil war . that 's because the french sympathized with the confederacy , and hispanics sided with the union in its fight against slavery and elitism , hayes-bautista said . france sought to impose a monarchy over democratic mexico while u.s. foreign power weakened during the war between the states . savor'the mexico i know' hayes-bautista , a ucla professor of medicine whose family lore holds his great-great grandfather fought in the famous cinco de mayo battle , has just published a new book on the discovery , el cinco de mayo : an american tradition , ' which one historian also at ucla describes as of great significance . ' hayes-bautista was culling spanish-language newspapers in california and oregon for vital statistics from the 1800s when he noticed how the civil war and cinco de mayo battle were intertwined . he researches the epidemiology and demography of latinos in california because he 's director of ucla 's center for the study of latino health and culture . i 'm seeing how in the minds of the spanish-reading public in california that they were basically looking at one war with two fronts , one against the confederacy in the east and the other against the french in the south , ' hayes-bautista said in an interview with cnn . in mexico today , cinco de mayo means the mexican army defeated the french army , ' he continued . in california and oregon , the news was interpreted as finally that the army of freedom and democracy won a big one against the army of slavery and elitism . and the fact that those two armies had to meet in mexico was immaterial because they were fighting for the same issues -- defending freedom and democracy . latinos were joining the union army , union cavalry , union navy . the french goal was to eliminate democracy , and remember that mexico had democracy only for 30 or 40 years at that point , ' he added . remember , europe was ruled mostly by monarchs . ' french emperor napoleon iii was no friend of the union and was definitely a friend of the confederacy and flirted with the confederacy constantly with the possible recognition of the confederate government , ' hayes-bautista said . president abraham lincoln never referred to the confederacy as a separate government : they were states in rebellion , ' the professor said . napoleon iii 's plan was to instill a monarchy over mexico and have that monarch cooperate with the confederacy , ' hayes-bautista said . in early spring 1862 , the union army was unable to move against the confederates , and american democracy was apparently not doing too well , ' hayes-bautista said . the french entry into mexico troubled hispanics , hayes-bautista said . latinos in california were reading about every single battle of the civil war , ' he said . they were very well-informed , and they were reading with a three-week delay of similarly detailed reports from mexico . so by early may , the french were about 60 miles from mexico city as some latinos feared that the civil war might be over . ' but the mexican army prevailed , and the spanish-language newspapers in california reported the victory with such headlines as hurrah for mexico ! ! ! hurrah for independence ! ' in his book , hayes-bautista writes : in town after town , camp after camp , mine after mine , ranch after ranch , latinos eagerly absorbed the news . those who could read shared the glorious details with their illiterate fellows , and up and down the state , latinos savored the blow-by-blow reporting from the front lines of the conflict that had so riveted their attention . ' the cinco de mayo victory was then memorialized through a network of latino groups called juntas patrioticas mejicanas , ' or mexican patriotic assemblies , mostly in california but also in oregon , nevada and arizona , with 14,000 members , hayes-bautista said . the juntas celebrated cinco de mayo with monthly parades , speeches , dances , banquets and bull fights as a morale builder for lincoln and mexican president benito juarez , who , despite the cinco de mayo victory , was subsequently engaged in a three-year struggle against foreign occupation until 1867 . from 1862 to 1867 , the public memory of cinco de mayo was forged in the american west , ' hayes-bautista said . briefly after the civil war , veterans of the union and mexican armies would put on their uniforms and give speeches every cinco de mayo , he said . but by 1890 , the grandchildren of the veterans and juntas had to be taught about cinco de mayo , hayes-bautista said . the meaning of the holiday changed over time , becoming a david versus goliath tale among mexican immigrants in the 1930s and embodying u.s.-mexico unity during world war ii and chicano power in the 1960s and 1970s , hayes-bautista said . in his book , he described cinco de mayo 's undeniable commercialization in the late 20th century , a fake holiday recently invented by beverage companies . ' in his interview with cnn , hayes-bautista stated : now it 's become this big commercial holiday and a wonderful opportunity to get services and products in front of the latino market and it even got its own postage in 1996 and in 2005 president bush even had a cinco de mayo celebration at the white house . but if you ask why is anyone celebrating , no one knows . and then you get some people who say it should n't be celebrated at all because it 's a foreign holiday -- and yet it 's as american a holiday as the fourth of july , ' he said . no one has seemed to link it to the civil war , ' he added about what he called groundbreaking research . ucla history professor stephen aron said hayes-bautista 's finding is significant . for the general public ( and even for many historians ) , the california origins of the cinco de mayo holiday come as quite a surprise ( since the holiday is so generally presumed to be a mexican holiday that was only recently imported into the united states ) , ' aron said in an e-mail to cnn . that hayes-bautista 's book ties these origins to the american civil war is also of great significance . ' rounding out the new research into cinco de mayo is hayes-bautista 's family legend that recounts how his great-great-grandfather bartolo bautista was part of local militia supporting the mexican army in the battle of puebla . his ancestor , who hailed from the town of san miguel de atlautla just below the snow line on the volcano popocatepetl , was taken prisoner but was spared execution by a french army firing squad after it saw he had a birthmark over his heart . the mark was in the shape of a hand with all five fingers clearly visible , hayes-bautista said . the french firing squad had told the prisoners to remove their shirts because the soldiers intended to use the clothing . superstitious of the birth mark , the french let the man go , hayes-bautista said . on saturday , 150 years later , hayes-bautista is scheduled to participate in a cinco de mayo celebration at la plaza de cultura y artes , a smithsonian affiliate in downtown los angeles . | latinos in the american west cheered mexican army 's defeat of french in 1862 |
mexican <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- cinco de mayo -- the unofficial u.s. holiday long believed to have been imported , with celebratory beer , from mexico -- is n't a mexican holiday at all but rather an american one created by latinos in the west during the civil war , according to new research by a california professor . conventional thinking has held that the holiday -- now a commercial juggernaut -- may have grown out of the mass migrations from the bloody mexican revolution of the 1910s or even during chicano power activism of the 1960s , university of california at los angeles professor david hayes-bautista said . but on the 150th anniversary of the holiday , hayes-bautista is announcing that he happened upon the true origins of cinco de mayo -- the 5th of may -- after poring over spanish-language newspapers in california from the mid-1800s while working on another research project . cinco de mayo must-haves cinco de mayo does indeed mark a mexican military victory over the invading french army on may 5 , 1862 , but it 's celebrated more in the united states because in 1862 , u.s. latinos of mexican heritage parlayed the victory as a rallying cry that the union could also win the civil war . that 's because the french sympathized with the confederacy , and hispanics sided with the union in its fight against slavery and elitism , hayes-bautista said . france sought to impose a monarchy over democratic mexico while u.s. foreign power weakened during the war between the states . savor'the mexico i know' hayes-bautista , a ucla professor of medicine whose family lore holds his great-great grandfather fought in the famous cinco de mayo battle , has just published a new book on the discovery , el cinco de mayo : an american tradition , ' which one historian also at ucla describes as of great significance . ' hayes-bautista was culling spanish-language newspapers in california and oregon for vital statistics from the 1800s when he noticed how the civil war and cinco de mayo battle were intertwined . he researches the epidemiology and demography of latinos in california because he 's director of ucla 's center for the study of latino health and culture . i 'm seeing how in the minds of the spanish-reading public in california that they were basically looking at one war with two fronts , one against the confederacy in the east and the other against the french in the south , ' hayes-bautista said in an interview with cnn . in mexico today , cinco de mayo means the mexican army defeated the french army , ' he continued . in california and oregon , the news was interpreted as finally that the army of freedom and democracy won a big one against the army of slavery and elitism . and the fact that those two armies had to meet in mexico was immaterial because they were fighting for the same issues -- defending freedom and democracy . latinos were joining the union army , union cavalry , union navy . the french goal was to eliminate democracy , and remember that mexico had democracy only for 30 or 40 years at that point , ' he added . remember , europe was ruled mostly by monarchs . ' french emperor napoleon iii was no friend of the union and was definitely a friend of the confederacy and flirted with the confederacy constantly with the possible recognition of the confederate government , ' hayes-bautista said . president abraham lincoln never referred to the confederacy as a separate government : they were states in rebellion , ' the professor said . napoleon iii 's plan was to instill a monarchy over mexico and have that monarch cooperate with the confederacy , ' hayes-bautista said . in early spring 1862 , the union army was unable to move against the confederates , and american democracy was apparently not doing too well , ' hayes-bautista said . the french entry into mexico troubled hispanics , hayes-bautista said . latinos in california were reading about every single battle of the civil war , ' he said . they were very well-informed , and they were reading with a three-week delay of similarly detailed reports from mexico . so by early may , the french were about 60 miles from mexico city as some latinos feared that the civil war might be over . ' but the mexican army prevailed , and the spanish-language newspapers in california reported the victory with such headlines as hurrah for mexico ! ! ! hurrah for independence ! ' in his book , hayes-bautista writes : in town after town , camp after camp , mine after mine , ranch after ranch , latinos eagerly absorbed the news . those who could read shared the glorious details with their illiterate fellows , and up and down the state , latinos savored the blow-by-blow reporting from the front lines of the conflict that had so riveted their attention . ' the cinco de mayo victory was then memorialized through a network of latino groups called juntas patrioticas mejicanas , ' or mexican patriotic assemblies , mostly in california but also in oregon , nevada and arizona , with 14,000 members , hayes-bautista said . the juntas celebrated cinco de mayo with monthly parades , speeches , dances , banquets and bull fights as a morale builder for lincoln and mexican president benito juarez , who , despite the cinco de mayo victory , was subsequently engaged in a three-year struggle against foreign occupation until 1867 . from 1862 to 1867 , the public memory of cinco de mayo was forged in the american west , ' hayes-bautista said . briefly after the civil war , veterans of the union and mexican armies would put on their uniforms and give speeches every cinco de mayo , he said . but by 1890 , the grandchildren of the veterans and juntas had to be taught about cinco de mayo , hayes-bautista said . the meaning of the holiday changed over time , becoming a david versus goliath tale among mexican immigrants in the 1930s and embodying u.s.-mexico unity during world war ii and chicano power in the 1960s and 1970s , hayes-bautista said . in his book , he described cinco de mayo 's undeniable commercialization in the late 20th century , a fake holiday recently invented by beverage companies . ' in his interview with cnn , hayes-bautista stated : now it 's become this big commercial holiday and a wonderful opportunity to get services and products in front of the latino market and it even got its own postage in 1996 and in 2005 president bush even had a cinco de mayo celebration at the white house . but if you ask why is anyone celebrating , no one knows . and then you get some people who say it should n't be celebrated at all because it 's a foreign holiday -- and yet it 's as american a holiday as the fourth of july , ' he said . no one has seemed to link it to the civil war , ' he added about what he called groundbreaking research . ucla history professor stephen aron said hayes-bautista 's finding is significant . for the general public ( and even for many historians ) , the california origins of the cinco de mayo holiday come as quite a surprise ( since the holiday is so generally presumed to be a mexican holiday that was only recently imported into the united states ) , ' aron said in an e-mail to cnn . that hayes-bautista 's book ties these origins to the american civil war is also of great significance . ' rounding out the new research into cinco de mayo is hayes-bautista 's family legend that recounts how his great-great-grandfather bartolo bautista was part of local militia supporting the mexican army in the battle of puebla . his ancestor , who hailed from the town of san miguel de atlautla just below the snow line on the volcano popocatepetl , was taken prisoner but was spared execution by a french army firing squad after it saw he had a birthmark over his heart . the mark was in the shape of a hand with all five fingers clearly visible , hayes-bautista said . the french firing squad had told the prisoners to remove their shirts because the soldiers intended to use the clothing . superstitious of the birth mark , the french let the man go , hayes-bautista said . on saturday , 150 years later , hayes-bautista is scheduled to participate in a cinco de mayo celebration at la plaza de cultura y artes , a smithsonian affiliate in downtown los angeles . | it 's an american holiday -- not a mexican one -- with roots in the civil war |
barack obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the british are n't coming ! the british are n't coming ! ' screams the headline of new york 's daily news , describing britain as normally reliable ' but now a surprising let-down for u.s. president barack obama . following a lengthy debate in the uk parliament thursday , a majority voted against the government 's motion to militarily intervene in syria in response to an alleged chemical attack by the assad regime . the result of the emergency meeting has been described in the press as a humiliating defeat for both uk prime minister david cameron and obama . the new york times says cameron 's intentions were hasty and the result of the vote was a blow ' to the u.s. president . like nearly all presidents since the vietnam war , he has relied on britain to be shoulder-to-shoulder with washington in any serious military or security engagement , ' it said . writing for canada 's national post , author kelly mcparland criticizes u.s. president barack obama 's approach as slow and indecisive . syria 's government can only feel fortunate that so grievous a violation of international norms has provoked so uncertain and disjointed a response , ' she concludes . al jazeera reports uk finance minister george osborne 's view that the result will diminish britain 's position in the world and fray the bond it has with the u.s. russia 's weekly newspaper the moscow news says the debate is a stunning defeat ' for cameron . they also add that the white house has said thursday 's u.n. security council permanent member meeting , which failed to reach a conclusion , was another effort by russia to not hold the syrian regime accountable for the use of chemical weapons . russia 's english-speaking daily , moscow times , says there are eight issues that must be considered before carrying out an attack on syria . it says the main point is that western leaders are not thinking about the bigger picture , such as whether military intervention will actually prevent further use of chemical weapons . the paper also suggests pushing for diplomatic instead of military resolutions . the bbc 's political editor nick robinson writes : the prime minister has lost control of his own foreign and defence policy and as a result he will cut a diminished figure on the international stage . ' he adds that the prime minister 's defeat will be mostly felt within his own party . uk 's daily newspaper the independent said cameron 's military plans were shot down in a dramatic commons vote ' and that foreign policy is in disarray . ' it adds that the prime minister 's humiliating defeat ' questions his leadership . the paper also claimed the loss was a win for opposition leader ed miliband , who supported military intervention but then spoke firmly against it . according to the paper , some tory ministers were quite confused . in the british political television program newsnight , defence secretary philip hammond twice referred to the need to deter saddam hussein ' from chemical warfare . british tabloid newspaper the mirror also claims that uk politicians can not pin damascus on a map . one person picked texas - hopefully they were joking , ' quips the paper . britain 's daily mail newspaper suggests cameron has shot himself in the foot , describing him as the grand old duke of york ' attempting to march his men to the top of the hill . he now discovers that he has charged up his own hill while the majority of the british people and indeed a majority of their mps remain stubbornly at the bottom . ' time magazine reminds readers in its blog that the british government 's desire to take action in syria is nothing new , including numerous warnings to syrian president bashar al-assad to stop attacks on his own people . french news outlet france 24 expresses shock at the result of the vote , claiming that the nation 's president francois hollande will maintain his firm stance in support of military intervention . unlike in the uk , the french leader does not need a vote in parliament to back his actions . hollande is also quoted as saying that britain 's agreement is not needed : each country is sovereign to participate or not in an operation . that is valid for britain as it is for france . ' the south china morning post in hong kong reflects on the iraq war -- the memory of which clouded the debate in parliament and gave rise to concerns from politicians who remember the invasion only too vividly , it says . however , unlike the uncertain grounds of that war , the paper points to the strong evidence of the use of chemical weapons . unlike iraq in 2003 , the triggering event in syria a decade later is not a shaky argument that the government possesses weapons of mass destruction , but a rocket assault that left hundreds of victims convulsing and gasping for breath , glassy-eyed and foaming at the mouth -- all classic symptoms of a reaction to poison gas . ' however , some feel excluded from the debate altogether . the online version of the israeli haaretz newspaper claims that israel should have been a part of the discussion : during the lengthy debate in the british parliament over a possible military intervention in syria on thursday , israel barely featured . ' | the decision goes against the government 's motion and u.s. president barack obama 's intentions |
biden <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- in a boon for imax and movie-watchers in china alike , a deal struck between the united states and china last week raises the number of 3d , imax and similar enhanced-format movies released in china . china has remained mostly closed to hollywood , with a quota of 20 foreign films per year , most of them being from the united states . under the agreement , announced during u.s. vice president joe biden 's trip to los angeles with his chinese counterpart xi jinping , 14 additional imax or 3d films would be allowed . foreign film companies will also be permitted to take a 25 % cut of the box office , nearly double the current 13 % -17 % . in a white house statement , biden said the deal would support thousands of american jobs in and around the film industry , ' adding that chinese audiences will have access to more of the finest films made anywhere in the world . ' some 2.2 million americans have jobs that depend on the film and television industries , according to the motion picture association of america . imax , which has 217 theatres open or contracted to open in china , hailed the move , saying in a statement saturday that it was also committed to bringing chinese films presented in our format to the u.s. ' on february 14 , the company said that its first quarter box office of the year was $ 55 million , up from $ 38 million during the same period last year , driven primarily by mission : impossible -- ghost protocol , ' which accounted for nearly half those earnings . the chinese film , flying swords of dragon gate , ' rounded the top four with $ 3.7 million . last year , chinese box office revenue exceeded $ 2.1 billion , much of the revenues from 3d titles , the white house noted . the deal resolves film-related issues related to a 2009 world trade organization ruling siding with the united states . according to the ruling , china 's measures relating to the importation and distribution of films , sound recordings , audiovisual home entertainment products and reading materials breached its trading rights commitments as a wto member . hollywood has been battling piracy in china , despite beijing 's closure of piracy websites , in no small part due to the limited access of u.s. films to chinese screens . allen wan , head of production for hong kong-based salon films group which has worked with hollywood companies in asia , was positive about the deal . chinese audiences can see more films from the u.s. properly , officially . and on the other hand , i think it will increase more opportunities for chinese and u.s. film ( companies ) to cooperate together to produce more films . ' the flowers of war , ' directed by chinese director zhang yimou and starring oscar-winner christian bale , cost $ 100 million to make , the largest production made in china . the film , which is set during japan 's occupation of nanjing and the 1937 massacre , was china 's submission for the academy award for best foreign language film . its executive producer is david linde , ceo of lava bear films and former chairman of universal pictures . ( he was also executive producer for ang lee 's crouching tiger , hidden dragon . ' ) the movie has failed to connect with u.s. audiences , however . for the week of february 14 , it was playing in six locations , down from 30 when it opened , with an average gross of $ 550 per location , according to boxoffice.com . the film 's overall u.s. gross during its four-week run ? $ 213,792 , at last count . on friday , coinciding with the u.s.-china film deal , dreamworks animation announced a joint venture with china media capital ( cmc ) and two other chinese companies to establish a china-focused family entertainment company , oriental dreamworks . in addition to content creation , the joint venture will pursue business opportunities in the areas of live entertainment , theme parks , mobile , online , interactive games and consumer products , ' dreamworks animation said in its announcement . the venture will have an initial capitalization of $ 330 million . the chinese companies will hold a 55 % majority stake ; dreamworks animation will hold about 45 % , according to the announcement . on the agenda : kung fu panda 3 , ' chinese state-run news agency xinhua cited cmc chief investment officer li huaiyu as saying in an exclusive interview . dreamworks animation 's kung fu panda ' was the top animated film released in china in 2008 , according to the company . the sequel , which made $ 95 million at the chinese box office last year , was second only to transformers 3 , ' which brought in $ 170 million . | biden : deal , struck during xi 's visit , would support thousands of american jobs ' |
american <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- in a boon for imax and movie-watchers in china alike , a deal struck between the united states and china last week raises the number of 3d , imax and similar enhanced-format movies released in china . china has remained mostly closed to hollywood , with a quota of 20 foreign films per year , most of them being from the united states . under the agreement , announced during u.s. vice president joe biden 's trip to los angeles with his chinese counterpart xi jinping , 14 additional imax or 3d films would be allowed . foreign film companies will also be permitted to take a 25 % cut of the box office , nearly double the current 13 % -17 % . in a white house statement , biden said the deal would support thousands of american jobs in and around the film industry , ' adding that chinese audiences will have access to more of the finest films made anywhere in the world . ' some 2.2 million americans have jobs that depend on the film and television industries , according to the motion picture association of america . imax , which has 217 theatres open or contracted to open in china , hailed the move , saying in a statement saturday that it was also committed to bringing chinese films presented in our format to the u.s. ' on february 14 , the company said that its first quarter box office of the year was $ 55 million , up from $ 38 million during the same period last year , driven primarily by mission : impossible -- ghost protocol , ' which accounted for nearly half those earnings . the chinese film , flying swords of dragon gate , ' rounded the top four with $ 3.7 million . last year , chinese box office revenue exceeded $ 2.1 billion , much of the revenues from 3d titles , the white house noted . the deal resolves film-related issues related to a 2009 world trade organization ruling siding with the united states . according to the ruling , china 's measures relating to the importation and distribution of films , sound recordings , audiovisual home entertainment products and reading materials breached its trading rights commitments as a wto member . hollywood has been battling piracy in china , despite beijing 's closure of piracy websites , in no small part due to the limited access of u.s. films to chinese screens . allen wan , head of production for hong kong-based salon films group which has worked with hollywood companies in asia , was positive about the deal . chinese audiences can see more films from the u.s. properly , officially . and on the other hand , i think it will increase more opportunities for chinese and u.s. film ( companies ) to cooperate together to produce more films . ' the flowers of war , ' directed by chinese director zhang yimou and starring oscar-winner christian bale , cost $ 100 million to make , the largest production made in china . the film , which is set during japan 's occupation of nanjing and the 1937 massacre , was china 's submission for the academy award for best foreign language film . its executive producer is david linde , ceo of lava bear films and former chairman of universal pictures . ( he was also executive producer for ang lee 's crouching tiger , hidden dragon . ' ) the movie has failed to connect with u.s. audiences , however . for the week of february 14 , it was playing in six locations , down from 30 when it opened , with an average gross of $ 550 per location , according to boxoffice.com . the film 's overall u.s. gross during its four-week run ? $ 213,792 , at last count . on friday , coinciding with the u.s.-china film deal , dreamworks animation announced a joint venture with china media capital ( cmc ) and two other chinese companies to establish a china-focused family entertainment company , oriental dreamworks . in addition to content creation , the joint venture will pursue business opportunities in the areas of live entertainment , theme parks , mobile , online , interactive games and consumer products , ' dreamworks animation said in its announcement . the venture will have an initial capitalization of $ 330 million . the chinese companies will hold a 55 % majority stake ; dreamworks animation will hold about 45 % , according to the announcement . on the agenda : kung fu panda 3 , ' chinese state-run news agency xinhua cited cmc chief investment officer li huaiyu as saying in an exclusive interview . dreamworks animation 's kung fu panda ' was the top animated film released in china in 2008 , according to the company . the sequel , which made $ 95 million at the chinese box office last year , was second only to transformers 3 , ' which brought in $ 170 million . | biden : deal , struck during xi 's visit , would support thousands of american jobs ' |
hezbollah <tsp> beirut , lebanon ( cnn ) -- hezbollah 's chief on monday announced the group 's new manifesto , ' which calls on all countries to liberate jerusalem ' and declares the united states a threat to the world . american terrorism is the source of every terrorism in the world , ' hassan nasrallah said in a televised speech from an undisclosed location . it was his first address since a unity government formed in lebanon this month , ending a crisis that had left the country with no government since june 's parliamentary elections . hezbollah , a political party in lebanon , is listed as a terrorist organization by the united states and israel . nasrallah does not appear in public amid concerns for his safety . we invite and call on all arabs and muslims and all countries keen on peace and stability in the world to intensify efforts and resources to liberate jerusalem from zionist occupation and to maintain its true identity and its islamic and christian sanctities , ' nasrallah said . hezbollah has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks . it has been linked to attacks against against american , israeli and other western targets . in his remarks , which included about 80 minutes of reading the manifesto followed by answering questions from reporters , nasrallah sought to reject the terrorist ' label , repeatedly saying hezbollah is a resistance ' force . the u.s. administration under president george w. bush equated the concepts of terrorism and resistance to deny the right of resistance for the people , ' he argued . he praised iran and syria , which are hezbollah 's chief backers . iran plays a central role in the muslim world ' and stood with courage and determination with arab and islamic issues , especially the palestinian issue , ' nasrallah said . damascus stood with and supported the resistance 's movements in the conflict . we emphasize the need to adhere to the distinguished relations between lebanon and syria , ' he added . a battle to end syria 's occupation of lebanon led to protests and confrontations in the streets in 2005 , which was labeled the cedar revolution . syria eventually withdrew its troops from the country . in his manifesto ' monday , nasrallah also touched on domestic issues . we want a government that works for its citizens and provides the appropriate services in their education and medical care and housing to secure a decent life and to address the problem of poverty and provide employment opportunities , ' nasrallah said . we want a government that works to strengthen the role of women in society and enhance their participation in all fields , ' he added . nasrallah also called for palestinians in lebanon to be given basic human rights which at the same time protect their identity and their cause . ' under lebanese law , palestinian refugees have no social and civil rights , limited access to public health or educational facilities , and no access to public social services , according to the united nations relief and works agency . the majority rely entirely on unrwa as the sole provider of education , health and relief and social services , ' the agency says on its web site . considered as foreigners , palestine refugees are prohibited by law from working in more than 70 trades and professions . this has led to a very high rate of unemployment amongst the refugee population . ' more than 422,000 palestinian refugees are registered with the agency in lebanon , the group says . | u.s. , israel list hezbollah as a terrorist organization |
hezbollah <tsp> beirut , lebanon ( cnn ) -- hezbollah 's chief on monday announced the group 's new manifesto , ' which calls on all countries to liberate jerusalem ' and declares the united states a threat to the world . american terrorism is the source of every terrorism in the world , ' hassan nasrallah said in a televised speech from an undisclosed location . it was his first address since a unity government formed in lebanon this month , ending a crisis that had left the country with no government since june 's parliamentary elections . hezbollah , a political party in lebanon , is listed as a terrorist organization by the united states and israel . nasrallah does not appear in public amid concerns for his safety . we invite and call on all arabs and muslims and all countries keen on peace and stability in the world to intensify efforts and resources to liberate jerusalem from zionist occupation and to maintain its true identity and its islamic and christian sanctities , ' nasrallah said . hezbollah has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks . it has been linked to attacks against against american , israeli and other western targets . in his remarks , which included about 80 minutes of reading the manifesto followed by answering questions from reporters , nasrallah sought to reject the terrorist ' label , repeatedly saying hezbollah is a resistance ' force . the u.s. administration under president george w. bush equated the concepts of terrorism and resistance to deny the right of resistance for the people , ' he argued . he praised iran and syria , which are hezbollah 's chief backers . iran plays a central role in the muslim world ' and stood with courage and determination with arab and islamic issues , especially the palestinian issue , ' nasrallah said . damascus stood with and supported the resistance 's movements in the conflict . we emphasize the need to adhere to the distinguished relations between lebanon and syria , ' he added . a battle to end syria 's occupation of lebanon led to protests and confrontations in the streets in 2005 , which was labeled the cedar revolution . syria eventually withdrew its troops from the country . in his manifesto ' monday , nasrallah also touched on domestic issues . we want a government that works for its citizens and provides the appropriate services in their education and medical care and housing to secure a decent life and to address the problem of poverty and provide employment opportunities , ' nasrallah said . we want a government that works to strengthen the role of women in society and enhance their participation in all fields , ' he added . nasrallah also called for palestinians in lebanon to be given basic human rights which at the same time protect their identity and their cause . ' under lebanese law , palestinian refugees have no social and civil rights , limited access to public health or educational facilities , and no access to public social services , according to the united nations relief and works agency . the majority rely entirely on unrwa as the sole provider of education , health and relief and social services , ' the agency says on its web site . considered as foreigners , palestine refugees are prohibited by law from working in more than 70 trades and professions . this has led to a very high rate of unemployment amongst the refugee population . ' more than 422,000 palestinian refugees are registered with the agency in lebanon , the group says . | american terrorism is the source of every terrorism , ' hezbollah chief says |
fish and wildlife conservation commission <tsp> miami , florida ( cnn ) -- florida law enforcement officials said monday they had launched an investigation into a tragic boating accident near st. augustine , florida , that took the lives of five people and seriously injured seven others . cnn affiliate wjxt shows the scene of the deadly boating accident near jacksonville , florida , on sunday . the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission has taken over as the lead agency involved in the investigation . the incident took place on sunday around 7:15 p.m. , in the intracoastal waterway in st. johns county , florida , about 20 miles north of st. augustine . according to fwc investigators , a 22-foot boat with 12 people on board rammed into the rear and right side of a 25-foot tugboat . we are still investigating and have n't come to any conclusions yet , ' said carol pratt , spokeswoman for fwc . she said they still do not know who was driving the boat . they also are waiting for victims'next of kin to be notified before releasing any of their names and ages . the tugboat was at a dock and boat launch under construction on the intracoastal waterway in palm valley , said jeremy robshaw , a spokesman for st. johns county fire and rescue . robshaw said rescuers could n't initially reach the end of the unfinished dock , but laid plywood sheets on the structure to get to crash victims . no one was onboard the tugboat , which is registered to f & a enterprises in st. augustine . the seven injured were taken to shands jacksonville hospital in jacksonville , florida . two patients remain in critical condition , one is considered serious and three are in fair condition . a hospital spokesman did not have information on the seventh victim . fwc told cnn that they hope to release more information on the incident and on their investigation . as in any accident , toxicology studies will be done on the driver of the boat , to determine whether he or she was impaired , spokesman carol pratt told cnn . | fish and wildlife conservation commission takes lead in the investigation . |
deir ezzor <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an audio message believed to be from al qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri sought to halt infighting among jihadist groups in syria , urging them instead to turn their arms against shiites . in a 26-minute audio message posted on a jihadist website friday , al-zawahiri called on the syria 's al qaeda affiliate jabhat al-nusra , also known as al-nusra front , to stop fighting the islamic state of iraq and syria ( isis ) . cnn can not independently verify the authenticity of the message . a voice that appears similar to previous messages from al-zawahiri ordered al-nusra general commander abu mohammed al-joulani and soldiers in al-nusra front , and all other mujahedeen groups in syria , to immediately stop fighting and aggression against their brothers and all muslims , and should focus on fighting the enemies of islam from baathists , ( alawites ) and their shiite allies . ' the al qaeda leader also passed on orders for isis leader abu bakr al-baghdadi and his followers to focus on the fight in iraq , where sectarian violence has reached the highest levels in more than five years , often pitting sunnis , a minority in iraq , against shiite muslims . focus on iraq even if you felt that you have been oppressed and taken advantage of , to stop this bloodshed and focus [ on ] enemies of allah and sunni people in iraq , ' the message said . the call for a truce among jihadist groups comes as some 60,000 people have been forced to flee the northern syrian province of deir ezzor in recent days amid clashes between the rival organizations , the london-based opposition group , syrian observatory for human rights , said via facebook saturday . at least 62 fighters have been killed in fighting over the past four days , the sohr said . the clashes pit jabhat al-nusra and another group against isis , according to the sohr . al qaeda splinter group isis this week staged bodies to look like they were crucified in the northern syrian city of raqqa . the group said the brutal display served to send a message to anyone who dares challenge its rule . the group carried out seven public executions in raqqa on tuesday , but only two bodies were displayed afterward , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . the men in raqqa were shot in the head before being affixed to crosses . the displays of their bodies appear to be largely symbolic acts by isis followers against members of their own sunni muslim sect for perceived acts of treason . as syria 's civil war creates a power vacuum , groups such as isis have stepped in with their own form of radical sharia law to rule over an exhausted and terrorized civilian population . in a recent long-ranging interview , al-zawahiri urged muslims to capture westerners as pawns that might be used to free prisoners aligned with his movement . asked what he 'd tell muslims and the mujahedeen ' -- a term used for some islamist militants -- to do to fulfill their duty ' toward their allies in custody , al-zawahiri said last week , i advise them to capture westerners -- and especially the americans , as much as they can -- to exchange them for our captives . ' al-zawahiri touched on an array of topics in a question-and-answer session with al qaeda 's media arm , audio of which was published on the radical islamist website hanein . cnn could not independently verify the authenticity of the recording . in the first part of the interview , which was posted online two weeks ago , al-zawahiri insisted al qaeda is holding strong and , in fact , expanding ' 13 years after the united states launched its war on terror ' following the september 11 , 2001 , attacks . | some 60,000 people have fled syrian province deir ezzor amid clases between the rival groups |
isis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an audio message believed to be from al qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri sought to halt infighting among jihadist groups in syria , urging them instead to turn their arms against shiites . in a 26-minute audio message posted on a jihadist website friday , al-zawahiri called on the syria 's al qaeda affiliate jabhat al-nusra , also known as al-nusra front , to stop fighting the islamic state of iraq and syria ( isis ) . cnn can not independently verify the authenticity of the message . a voice that appears similar to previous messages from al-zawahiri ordered al-nusra general commander abu mohammed al-joulani and soldiers in al-nusra front , and all other mujahedeen groups in syria , to immediately stop fighting and aggression against their brothers and all muslims , and should focus on fighting the enemies of islam from baathists , ( alawites ) and their shiite allies . ' the al qaeda leader also passed on orders for isis leader abu bakr al-baghdadi and his followers to focus on the fight in iraq , where sectarian violence has reached the highest levels in more than five years , often pitting sunnis , a minority in iraq , against shiite muslims . focus on iraq even if you felt that you have been oppressed and taken advantage of , to stop this bloodshed and focus [ on ] enemies of allah and sunni people in iraq , ' the message said . the call for a truce among jihadist groups comes as some 60,000 people have been forced to flee the northern syrian province of deir ezzor in recent days amid clashes between the rival organizations , the london-based opposition group , syrian observatory for human rights , said via facebook saturday . at least 62 fighters have been killed in fighting over the past four days , the sohr said . the clashes pit jabhat al-nusra and another group against isis , according to the sohr . al qaeda splinter group isis this week staged bodies to look like they were crucified in the northern syrian city of raqqa . the group said the brutal display served to send a message to anyone who dares challenge its rule . the group carried out seven public executions in raqqa on tuesday , but only two bodies were displayed afterward , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . the men in raqqa were shot in the head before being affixed to crosses . the displays of their bodies appear to be largely symbolic acts by isis followers against members of their own sunni muslim sect for perceived acts of treason . as syria 's civil war creates a power vacuum , groups such as isis have stepped in with their own form of radical sharia law to rule over an exhausted and terrorized civilian population . in a recent long-ranging interview , al-zawahiri urged muslims to capture westerners as pawns that might be used to free prisoners aligned with his movement . asked what he 'd tell muslims and the mujahedeen ' -- a term used for some islamist militants -- to do to fulfill their duty ' toward their allies in custody , al-zawahiri said last week , i advise them to capture westerners -- and especially the americans , as much as they can -- to exchange them for our captives . ' al-zawahiri touched on an array of topics in a question-and-answer session with al qaeda 's media arm , audio of which was published on the radical islamist website hanein . cnn could not independently verify the authenticity of the recording . in the first part of the interview , which was posted online two weeks ago , al-zawahiri insisted al qaeda is holding strong and , in fact , expanding ' 13 years after the united states launched its war on terror ' following the september 11 , 2001 , attacks . | he orders isis to focus on iraq , where violence has reached the highest levels in years |
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