text
stringlengths 254
12.1k
| summary
stringlengths 13
238
|
|---|---|
poland <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- western politicians are currently scrambling for air tickets to kiev . britain 's foreign secretary david miliband rushed to ukraine soon after russia announced its recognition of south ossetia and abkhazia . u.s. vice president dick cheney will follow . ukraine 's president viktor yuschenko has made it clear that he would welcome closer ties with the west . they want to shore up the western-leaning president viktor yuschenko , amid fears that his country could become the next frontline in the power struggle between russia and the west . it is in part a deliberate signal to an emboldened moscow not to overreach . but eu nations will only be taking their support so far , for geographical , practical and political reasons . conflict between russia and georgia , a tiny country of around 5 million citizens , was one thing . conflict with the 47 million strong ukraine would be a different matter , with much wider ramifications . what do you think of russia 's relationship with the west ? while georgia 's president mikhail saakashvili , at least for the moment , seems to have the bulk of the georgian population behind him , ukraine is much more divided about relations with moscow . there is a huge energy dependency . around 17 percent of ukraine citizens , according to the census , are ethnic russians . even the country 's political leadership is divided . although they were allies in ukraine 's 2004 orange revolution and both would like to see ukraine in the eu , prime minister yulia tymoshenko has distanced herself from yuschenko 's eagerness to enter the embrace of nato . she has also criticized his presidential decree restricting the movements of russia 's ukraine-based black sea fleet , based in ukraine 's crimean peninsula , where there is a heavy concentration of ethnic russians . yuschenko flew to tblisi to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with saakashvili over the conflict in georgia , while tymoshenko focused on calls for a cessation of hostilities . miliband used his visit to kiev to insist that russia 's re-drawing of the map in the caucusus was a moment of truth for europe , marking the end of a post-cold war period of geopolitical calm . but significantly miliband also urged ukraine to avoid giving russia a pretext to intervene in the crimea , where kiev accuses russia of trying to stir up trouble -- just as saakashvili had accused moscow of doing in south ossetia before launching his military assault . the ukranian port of sebastopol is leased to the russian black sea fleet until 2017 and yuschenko has urged that russia should be asked for a higher rent and be subject to more restrictions . miliband may be making the toughest warning noises he dares to russia , but he also urged that the ukrainian government should ensure that the letter of the agreements are stuck to until 2017 . ' in recent years ukraine has sought an uneasy balance between courting the west and not too overtly angering moscow . but lately yuschenko has grown bolder , offering to co-operate in the u.s. missile defense shield in europe , despite the chilling threats from moscow to poland over its planned participation . nato and eu leaders would not want him to get much bolder than that . while a majority of ukrainians , according to opinion polls , would like to see their country in the eu , they are sharply divided about joining nato . only last april eu commission president jose manuel barroso complained about the country 's lack of political stability ( a key qualification for membership ) . disputes between president and prime minister over relations with russia , he suggested , were holding up progress . there is a regular eu/ukraine meeting next month and kiev will be looking for strong signals that it will meet a favorable response over its membership aims . miliband declared in kiev : my visit is designed to send a simple message : we have not forgotten our commitments to you . ' ukraine allies like poland will be pushing for those words to be reinforced with action , but eu commitments tend to come with rather vague timetables , and to become entangled in wider issues . poland 's prospects of speeding its membership prospects will depend on who wins the internal eu argument between those who , with an eye to their energy supplies , want to see the conflict with russia cool down and those who want to send a strong signal to russian prime minister vladimir putin and president dmitry medvedev , in that order , that they have already gone too far . | ukraine , like poland , looks toward eu for possible membership |
bob woodward <tsp> ( cnn ) -- journalist bob woodward describes in his new book a secret u.s. program to assassinate terrorists in iraq . cnn 's michael ware says , the u.s. subcontracted out an assassination program against al qaeda ... in early 2006 . ' woodward , an associate editor of the washington post , says in the war within : a secret white house history 2006-2008 ' that the assassination program , not the 2007 increase in u.s. forces in the war zone known as the surge , ' is primarily responsible for the reduction of violence in iraq . cnn baghdad correspondent michael ware cast doubt on woodward 's assertion tuesday in a conversation with american morning ' host john roberts . watch larry king on his talk with woodward » john roberts : what do you think of what woodward is saying ? michael ware : let 's say that these fusion teams , ' as they 're being called , have come into effect . the first thing to say is , well , about time . ' on the ground you 've seen the lack of coordination as the left hand of one agency is not with the right hand of another agency within the american effort . but by and large , to suggest that anything like this being done now has been the major reason for the decline in violence is a bit rich . i mean , the u.s. subcontracted out an assassination program against al qaeda way back in early 2006 . and this was conceded by the then-chief of military intelligence in baghdad and by [ u.s. ] ambassador zalmay khalilzad himself . that 's what broke the back of al qaeda . then when america put 100,000-plus insurgents on the u.s. government payroll , including members of al qaeda , that not only took them out of the field , but it also let them run their own assassination programs against the iranian-backed militias . roberts : so it sounds like assassination was a real part of the program here , but was that the only thing that worked ? what about the addition of these troops and these neighborhood stations that were set up ? did it all kind of work together ? ware : it does work together . but the key to the downturn in violence that we 're seeing now is not so much the surge of 30,000 troops in itself . what it 's been is the segregation of baghdad into these enclaves . it 's been cutting a deal with muqtada al-sadr , the leader of the iranian-backed militia . and primarily it 's been putting your enemy on your payroll -- the sunni insurgents and many members of al qaeda . that 's what 's brought down the violence . this is your american militia , the counterbalance to the iranian militias . so if there 's new teams out there with new technology , great . but they 're riding the wave of previous success . | bob woodward credits assassination teams in large part for lower violence in iraq |
yemen <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) government forces and rebels in yemen agreed to a ceasefire monday after heavy fighting in the capital , sanaa , yemen 's interior minister and a rebel official said . that news came after fighting around the presidential palace and came after yemen 's prime minister went into hiding when attackers shot at him . nine people were killed and 67 others injured iin the clashes , yemen 's health ministry said . the yemeni government , a u.s. ally in the battle against al qaeda , described the fighting as a power grab by rebels known as houthis , shiite muslims who have long felt marginalized in the majority sunni country . turmoil between the two sides is worrisome to the west because a power vacuum in yemen could benefit al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , a terrorist organization based in yemen that took credit for the attack on the offices of charlie hebdo in paris ; it also tried to blow up a plane landing in detroit in 2009 . a houthi delegate , ali daghshan , told cnn that the presidential committee had agreed to a deal after hours of negotiations . interior minister jalal al rowaishan also confirmed the ceasefire had been reached . there are conflicting accounts of the cause of the clashes . government officials characterize it as a power grab by the houthis . houthis say yemen 's military attacked people demanding that authorities lift road closures introduced as a security measure after the presidential chief of staff was abducted in sanaa a few days ago . a western diplomat in sanaa told cnn the situation was complex . today 's events appear to be the next stage in houthi plans to extend their control in yemen . but there are many players with many agendas . so this has n't finished playing out , ' the diplomat said . it is unclear who fired first near the presidential palace monday . control of the palace is seen as key to the control of the country . there were reports of government buildings , a hospital and residential buildings being hit . the presidential palace is controlled by the government and mountaintops surrounding the palace are held by rebels known as houthis , a senior interior ministry official told cnn late monday . both sides will remain where they are until a deal is signed , which is expected to happen tuesday , said the official . the yemeni information minister told cnn 's christiane amanpour that government control is almost nonexistent . ' when asked to described the situation on the ground , nadia al-sakkaf said : this is almost a replica of what happened in september , on the 21st of september , when the houthis came into the city and took over everything , and then there was the peace and partnership agreement , where they pulled back a little bit and allowed a government to be created . ' now , since then , the houthis have not really left the capital . they 've been around with their arms , and what happened is that they 've been interfering in the government 's work , but we were trying to get this country going , ' the minister said . the u.n. security council will hold a special meeting to discuss yemen on tuesday . prime minister khaled bahah was fired upon when he left a meeting with president abd rabbuh mansur hadi and the houthi political group ansarallah , al-sakkaf said . bahah was unharmed and is now in hiding , she said . he is at his place , but currently he has been surrounded by houthi militias around his place , and they have stationed themselves at rooftops of neighboring buildings . he is worried that the situation might escalate , ' said the minister . the senior interior ministry official said the prime minister was inside the republican palace , some 7 miles ( 12 kilometers ) from the presidential palace . the gunfire came from a houthi checkpoint near the meeting place , and the attempt to kill the prime minister was a breach on an earlier ceasefire , al-sakkaf said . but a senior houthi official condemned the attack and denied the group had anything to do with it , blaming the attempt on an unnamed third party . houthis said their convoy had also been fired upon after leaving the talks . adding to the disputes , the information minister said yemeni state tv and the state-run saba news agency are now under the control of the houthi political movement . but senior houthi official ali alshami denied the movement controlled either news outlet . there are concerns that as yemen spirals into greater sectarian violence , al qaeda , a predominantly sunni group , will gain an even greater foothold there , with more recruits and a base from which to attack other targets . this morning , it was so chaotic . they said that nobody knew what was going on and who was in charge , and these are situations where al qaeda can easily infiltrate and create , ' al-sakkaf told cnn . al qaeda in the arabian peninsula has its home in yemen , where in recent months , it has come under pressure from houthi rebels and government forces . but the charlie hebdo attack may show the group 's apparent ability to direct operations beyond yemen 's borders . it is thought likely that one or both of the brothers behind the attack in paris visited yemen and received weapons training from aqap and that one may have met with the group 's former leader . a u.s. official said the united states was monitoring the violence monday and had sufficient military power nearby to evacuate its embassy on short notice ' if needed . al-sakkaf said gunmen linked to the houthi political movement attacked the presidential palace in a bid to take control of the symbol of power . hadi , the president , was not in the building and is safe , al-sakkaf said , but government officials were among an unknown number of casualties . houthi rebels claimed responsibility saturday for the abduction of presidential chief of staff ahmed bin mubarak . al-sakkaf said monday 's dispute began when the government tried to implement a security plan as it feared more abductions of key staff . but a top houthi official said houthis tried to mediate with the army and asked for roads to be opened for citizens , which led to their people getting attacked . he said they then had to defend themselves . hadi appointed bin mubarak as premier in october , but the rebels rejected the nomination . osama sari , senior media adviser to the houthi movement in yemen , said the houthis had detained bin mubarak as a message to the president . it was because the president wanted to introduce a new constitution without the approval of the houthis , sari said . the abduction came amid increased tensions in the arabian peninsula country after the rise of shiite houthi rebels . houthis swept into the capital last year , sparking battles that left more than 300 dead in a month . in september , houthis signed a ceasefire deal with the government . since then , its members have installed themselves in key positions in the government and financial institutions . hadi was elected president in february 2012 . he was the only candidate on the ballot . cnn 's nick paton walsh reported from yemen , and cnn 's susannah cullinane wrote from london . cnn 's madalena araujo and richard roth contributed to this report . | yemen 's information minister describes the unfolding events as a bid to seize power |
yemen <tsp> sanaa , yemen ( cnn ) government forces and rebels in yemen agreed to a ceasefire monday after heavy fighting in the capital , sanaa , yemen 's interior minister and a rebel official said . that news came after fighting around the presidential palace and came after yemen 's prime minister went into hiding when attackers shot at him . nine people were killed and 67 others injured iin the clashes , yemen 's health ministry said . the yemeni government , a u.s. ally in the battle against al qaeda , described the fighting as a power grab by rebels known as houthis , shiite muslims who have long felt marginalized in the majority sunni country . turmoil between the two sides is worrisome to the west because a power vacuum in yemen could benefit al qaeda in the arabian peninsula , a terrorist organization based in yemen that took credit for the attack on the offices of charlie hebdo in paris ; it also tried to blow up a plane landing in detroit in 2009 . a houthi delegate , ali daghshan , told cnn that the presidential committee had agreed to a deal after hours of negotiations . interior minister jalal al rowaishan also confirmed the ceasefire had been reached . there are conflicting accounts of the cause of the clashes . government officials characterize it as a power grab by the houthis . houthis say yemen 's military attacked people demanding that authorities lift road closures introduced as a security measure after the presidential chief of staff was abducted in sanaa a few days ago . a western diplomat in sanaa told cnn the situation was complex . today 's events appear to be the next stage in houthi plans to extend their control in yemen . but there are many players with many agendas . so this has n't finished playing out , ' the diplomat said . it is unclear who fired first near the presidential palace monday . control of the palace is seen as key to the control of the country . there were reports of government buildings , a hospital and residential buildings being hit . the presidential palace is controlled by the government and mountaintops surrounding the palace are held by rebels known as houthis , a senior interior ministry official told cnn late monday . both sides will remain where they are until a deal is signed , which is expected to happen tuesday , said the official . the yemeni information minister told cnn 's christiane amanpour that government control is almost nonexistent . ' when asked to described the situation on the ground , nadia al-sakkaf said : this is almost a replica of what happened in september , on the 21st of september , when the houthis came into the city and took over everything , and then there was the peace and partnership agreement , where they pulled back a little bit and allowed a government to be created . ' now , since then , the houthis have not really left the capital . they 've been around with their arms , and what happened is that they 've been interfering in the government 's work , but we were trying to get this country going , ' the minister said . the u.n. security council will hold a special meeting to discuss yemen on tuesday . prime minister khaled bahah was fired upon when he left a meeting with president abd rabbuh mansur hadi and the houthi political group ansarallah , al-sakkaf said . bahah was unharmed and is now in hiding , she said . he is at his place , but currently he has been surrounded by houthi militias around his place , and they have stationed themselves at rooftops of neighboring buildings . he is worried that the situation might escalate , ' said the minister . the senior interior ministry official said the prime minister was inside the republican palace , some 7 miles ( 12 kilometers ) from the presidential palace . the gunfire came from a houthi checkpoint near the meeting place , and the attempt to kill the prime minister was a breach on an earlier ceasefire , al-sakkaf said . but a senior houthi official condemned the attack and denied the group had anything to do with it , blaming the attempt on an unnamed third party . houthis said their convoy had also been fired upon after leaving the talks . adding to the disputes , the information minister said yemeni state tv and the state-run saba news agency are now under the control of the houthi political movement . but senior houthi official ali alshami denied the movement controlled either news outlet . there are concerns that as yemen spirals into greater sectarian violence , al qaeda , a predominantly sunni group , will gain an even greater foothold there , with more recruits and a base from which to attack other targets . this morning , it was so chaotic . they said that nobody knew what was going on and who was in charge , and these are situations where al qaeda can easily infiltrate and create , ' al-sakkaf told cnn . al qaeda in the arabian peninsula has its home in yemen , where in recent months , it has come under pressure from houthi rebels and government forces . but the charlie hebdo attack may show the group 's apparent ability to direct operations beyond yemen 's borders . it is thought likely that one or both of the brothers behind the attack in paris visited yemen and received weapons training from aqap and that one may have met with the group 's former leader . a u.s. official said the united states was monitoring the violence monday and had sufficient military power nearby to evacuate its embassy on short notice ' if needed . al-sakkaf said gunmen linked to the houthi political movement attacked the presidential palace in a bid to take control of the symbol of power . hadi , the president , was not in the building and is safe , al-sakkaf said , but government officials were among an unknown number of casualties . houthi rebels claimed responsibility saturday for the abduction of presidential chief of staff ahmed bin mubarak . al-sakkaf said monday 's dispute began when the government tried to implement a security plan as it feared more abductions of key staff . but a top houthi official said houthis tried to mediate with the army and asked for roads to be opened for citizens , which led to their people getting attacked . he said they then had to defend themselves . hadi appointed bin mubarak as premier in october , but the rebels rejected the nomination . osama sari , senior media adviser to the houthi movement in yemen , said the houthis had detained bin mubarak as a message to the president . it was because the president wanted to introduce a new constitution without the approval of the houthis , sari said . the abduction came amid increased tensions in the arabian peninsula country after the rise of shiite houthi rebels . houthis swept into the capital last year , sparking battles that left more than 300 dead in a month . in september , houthis signed a ceasefire deal with the government . since then , its members have installed themselves in key positions in the government and financial institutions . hadi was elected president in february 2012 . he was the only candidate on the ballot . cnn 's nick paton walsh reported from yemen , and cnn 's susannah cullinane wrote from london . cnn 's madalena araujo and richard roth contributed to this report . | the u.n. security council will hold a special meeting to discuss yemen on tuesday |
vivek ranadive <tsp> ( cnn ) -- after a prolonged courtship with seattle , the sacramento kings are officially staying put . about two weeks after rejecting a sales bid that would have had the team moving 750 miles north to washington state , the nba board of governors on tuesday approved the kings'sale to a local ownership group helmed by vivek ranadive . the vote was unanimous , the nba said in a news release , and the transaction is expected to close shortly . ' terms of the deal were not released . thanks to entire nba for approving sale of kings to our organization , ' tweeted ranadive , the founder and ceo of tibco software in palo alto , california . it is an honor & a privilege to be part of such an amazing community . ' the maloof family -- known for ownership of properties in las vegas , such as the palms , among other business ventures -- has been trying for months to unload its majority owner stakes in the pro basketball franchise . the family members have on multiple occasions reached apparent deals to sell the team to a seattle-based group , including investor chris hansen and microsoft ceo steve ballmer , only to be rebuffed by other nba executives . in january , these two parties reached a deal for that group to buy the maloofs'53 % share of the team as well as minority owner bob hernreich 's 12 % stake . but the board of governors never signed off . the maloof family and hansen 's group , though , kept on talking , leading to another deal for a higher price and a vote earlier this month by the nba board . public officials in sacramento , meanwhile , never gave up on their efforts to keep the team . led by mayor kevin johnson , who is a former all-star nba guard , they worked on a stadium plan and collaborated with a group led by ranadive that was intent on keeping the team in northern california . on may 15 , the 22 members of the league 's board of governors rejected the kings'relocation bid , while eight voted in favor . after that vote , commissioner david stern cited the existence of a strong ownership group , ' a construction team and a plan for a new arena , plus strong support from officials and residents in the sacramento area . johnson celebrated that day , and again on tuesday . congrats to @ vivek & the new ownership group ! ' the mayor wrote on twitter . nba 's unanimous vote sends a strong statement of support for the kings'bright future in sac ! ' | tech entrepreneur vivek ranadive heads the kings'new ownership group |
joan rivers <tsp> ( cnn ) -- donning her signature red updo and red lipstick and polka-dotted dress , 915 lucy ricardo look-alikes gathered in jamestown , new york , on saturday , setting a record for the most lucys in one place at one time . setting the lucy ' record was just one part of a weekend 's worth of events celebrating the comedienne and star of the i love lucy ' show 's 100th birthday . especially this year , we 've really tried to stay true to ( lucy 's ) vision with as much comedy as we can pack into a weekend , ' said journey gunderson , executive director of the lucy ball desi arnaz center for comedy . joan rivers and paula poundstone were two of the headlining comics scheduled to perform over the event of several days in jamestown , which also included a parade , a showcase for amateur comics and a performance by the story pirates sketch comedy group for kids . now in its 20th year , the lucille ball festival of comedy draws diehard lucy fans and comedy enthusiasts from countries as far away as australia , britain , canada and japan to tour the lucy-desi museum and desilu playhouse , two of the attractions at the center . instead of simply maintaining the grounds for idol worship , though , gunderson said her goal is to create a festival that will offer new and contemporary comedy for years to come . ' gunderson 's vision for the festival is one that she hopes will reflect the successful , progressive and still-relevant career that lucy created . she was the first woman to ever be pregnant on television , ' gunderson said . lucy was the first female head of a hollywood studio . ' and in her comedy , she found a way to be clean , but still edgy . ' she remained independent of societal standards . ' lucy fest has always been a weekend to celebrate lucy 's contributions to comedy on what would have been her birthday . but in honor of her 100th birthday , gunderson said a concerted marketing effort including social media was launched , and she expected anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 people to participate in the festival . the increased presence will hopefully kick-start the programmatic expansion into truly being a center for comedy , ' she said . the festival is one of the four pillars in the center 's plan to stay more true to lucy 's vision . the second pillar is developing educational programming for the comedic arts . gunderson said they are in talks with colleges and universities about offering master classes and seminars in comedy . pillar three is a comedy film festival that would pay tribute to lucille ball and desi arnaz 's work behind the camera as producers of comedy . gunderson says bringing a national comedy hall of fame to jamestown , new york , could be the most aggressive ' of the four pillars in their vision . we want jamestown to be the cooperstown of comedy , ' gunderson said , though she acknowledges pitching jamestown as a host city for the hall of fame as opposed to some better-known , bigger cities like chicago or new york will likely be met with some laughter . and that 's just fine with her . go ahead and laugh , ' she said . that 's the point . ' | joan rivers , paula poundstone headline this year |
lucy ball <tsp> ( cnn ) -- donning her signature red updo and red lipstick and polka-dotted dress , 915 lucy ricardo look-alikes gathered in jamestown , new york , on saturday , setting a record for the most lucys in one place at one time . setting the lucy ' record was just one part of a weekend 's worth of events celebrating the comedienne and star of the i love lucy ' show 's 100th birthday . especially this year , we 've really tried to stay true to ( lucy 's ) vision with as much comedy as we can pack into a weekend , ' said journey gunderson , executive director of the lucy ball desi arnaz center for comedy . joan rivers and paula poundstone were two of the headlining comics scheduled to perform over the event of several days in jamestown , which also included a parade , a showcase for amateur comics and a performance by the story pirates sketch comedy group for kids . now in its 20th year , the lucille ball festival of comedy draws diehard lucy fans and comedy enthusiasts from countries as far away as australia , britain , canada and japan to tour the lucy-desi museum and desilu playhouse , two of the attractions at the center . instead of simply maintaining the grounds for idol worship , though , gunderson said her goal is to create a festival that will offer new and contemporary comedy for years to come . ' gunderson 's vision for the festival is one that she hopes will reflect the successful , progressive and still-relevant career that lucy created . she was the first woman to ever be pregnant on television , ' gunderson said . lucy was the first female head of a hollywood studio . ' and in her comedy , she found a way to be clean , but still edgy . ' she remained independent of societal standards . ' lucy fest has always been a weekend to celebrate lucy 's contributions to comedy on what would have been her birthday . but in honor of her 100th birthday , gunderson said a concerted marketing effort including social media was launched , and she expected anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 people to participate in the festival . the increased presence will hopefully kick-start the programmatic expansion into truly being a center for comedy , ' she said . the festival is one of the four pillars in the center 's plan to stay more true to lucy 's vision . the second pillar is developing educational programming for the comedic arts . gunderson said they are in talks with colleges and universities about offering master classes and seminars in comedy . pillar three is a comedy film festival that would pay tribute to lucille ball and desi arnaz 's work behind the camera as producers of comedy . gunderson says bringing a national comedy hall of fame to jamestown , new york , could be the most aggressive ' of the four pillars in their vision . we want jamestown to be the cooperstown of comedy , ' gunderson said , though she acknowledges pitching jamestown as a host city for the hall of fame as opposed to some better-known , bigger cities like chicago or new york will likely be met with some laughter . and that 's just fine with her . go ahead and laugh , ' she said . that 's the point . ' | executive director of lucy ball desi arnaz center for comedy hopes to expand |
tsarnaev <tsp> boston ( cnn ) after weeks of dramatic testimony , jurors are set to begin deliberations tuesday in the trial of dzhokhar tsarnaev , who faces life in prison or the death penalty for working with his brother to explode bombs at the 2013 boston marathon . the defense and prosecution made closing arguments in the case on monday . the defendant brought terrorism into the backyards and main streets , ' assistant u.s. attorney aloke chakravarty said . the defendant thought that his values were more important than the people around him . he wanted to awake the mujahideen , the holy warriors , so he chose patriots day , marathon monday , ' a time for families to gather and watch the marathon . bomb survivors and victims'family members wiped away tears and comforted each other in court . tsarnaev fidgeted at the defense table as he has done throughout the trial . bill richard , father of 8-year-old bomb victim martin richard , craned his neck to watch tsarnaev as the prosecutor spoke . dzhokhar tsarnaev chose a day when the eyes of the world would be on boston , ' chakravarty said . he chose a day when there would be civilians on the sidewalks and he targeted those civilians : men , women and children . ' the lawyer waited a beat . he wanted to terrorize this country . he wanted to punish america for what it was doing to his people . ' the prosecutor showed a picture of dzhokhar tsarnaev and his brother tamerlan in the marathon crowd . the day of the bombings , chakravarty said , they felt they were soldiers . they were the mujahideen and they were bringing their battle to boston . ' tsarnaev , 21 years old , stands accused of 30 counts , including setting off weapons of mass destruction at a public event as an act of terrorism . seventeen of those counts carry a sentence of death or life imprisonment . if tsarnaev is found guilty of at least one of the 17 capital counts , the trial will proceed to a second phase , the so-called penalty phase . that part of the trial will include evidence of aggravating and mitigating factors , and the jury will be asked to weigh elements that make this crime especially heinous against details from tsarnaev 's background and mental health history that would weigh in his favor . since testimony began on march 4 , federal prosecutors have called 92 witnesses , and the defense just four . it seemed a mismatch from the start . he was there , ' defense attorney judy clarke conceded as the trial opened , but the defense strategy always had been to focus on persuading the jury to spare tsarnaev 's life . the prosecution on monday played a graphic video of the scene of the bombing that showed a chaotic , bloody scene with injured people everywhere . a child 's piercing cries are heard . it 's the son of rebekah gregory , who lost her leg . then , another photo is displayed . this time jurors see tsarnaev standing by a tree behind the family of little martin richard . these children were n't innocent to him , ' the prosecutor said . they were american . he knew what that bag was designed to do . ' chakravarty quoted bill richard , martin 's father , who earlier testified , i guess we were just unlucky that day . ' but luck had nothing to do with the boston bombings , the prosecutor said . this was a cold , intentional , terrorist act , ' he said . the brothers'acts that day were intended , he said , to make a point . to tell america ,'we wo n't be terrorized by you anymore . we will terrorize you .' the defense has maintained that tsarnaev , who was 19 and flunking out of college at the university of massachusetts , dartmouth , fell under the sway of his older , more radicalized brother . it was tamerlan , ' defense attorney clarke repeated during her closing argument monday . in the past few weeks we have come face to face with tragedy , suffering and grief in dimensions none of us could imagine , ' she said . we 've heard words , we 've heard screams and we 've heard cries . for this suffering and pain there is no excuse . ' she acknowledged her client participated in a senseless act . ' but he was only following his brother , she insisted . if not for tamerlan , it would not have happened , ' clarke argued . the older brother , a 26-year-old former golden gloves boxer , had hoped to wage jihad and his slacker younger brother was just along for the ride , the defense has said . during the 15-minute rebuttal period , prosecutor william weinreb told jurors not to be distracted by the defense 's attempt to point the finger at somebody else . ' there should be no doubt in your mind that the defendant and his brother are equally guilty , ' he said . they were partners in crime . ' weinreb pointed out that after the bombing tsarnaev went to the grocery store . tamerlan tsarnaev did n't turn his brother into a murderer . to shred the bodies of women and children with a homemade type of bomb , you have to be different from other people , ' the prosecutor said . if you are capable of such hate , such callousness that you can murder and maim 20 people and then drive to whole foods and buy some milk , can you really blame it on your brother ? ' from the start , prosecutors presented a compelling case in which the horrors of april 15 to 19 , 2013 , were vividly brought to life once again . they began with the stories of bombing survivors and first responders , who described acts of courage and compassion amid madness and chaos . the final moments of the three boston marathon spectators who died were recounted by the people who were by their sides . according to testimony , tamerlan tsarnaev set off a bomb made from a 6-quart pressure cooker , explosive powder from fireworks , duct tape , nails and bbs on boylston street near the finish line . that bomb , which exploded near marathon sports , claimed the life of krystle campbell , a 29-yeaer-old restaurant manager . twelve seconds later , dzhokhar tsarnaev allegedly detonated a second , similar bomb outside the forum restaurant , slightly more than a block away . that blast killed the boy , martin richard , and lingzi lu , 23 , a graduate student from china . chakravarty 's voice grew soft monday as he recalled the victims : richard 's 69-pound body was shattered , broken , eviscerated , burned . there was n't a part of this boy 's body that was n't destroyed . ' lu received blast injuries all over her body . her leg was torn open and she bled out . ' krystle campbell died in less than a minute from massive blast injuries to her lower extremities . parts of her body were shredded . ' sean collier , the mit campus police officer killed three days after the bombings , never had a chance . ' he was shot between the eyes . they assassinated him . ' the brothers allegedly killed the 26-year-old officier for his service weapon but could n't pry it loose from a safety holster . dun meng told the jury about his frightening 90 minutes with two carjackers , one who admitted being involved in the marathon bombing . he identified that person as tamerlan tsarnaev . police fired 210 rounds at the brothers when they tracked a gps device in meng 's stolen mercedes and cornered them in watertown , massachusetts . dzhokhar tsarnaev struck tamerlan , who was wounded , when he charged police in the car . tamerlan died of his injuries . tamerlan wanted suicide by cop , ' the prosecutor said monday . he was ready for heaven . but the defendant had other plans . ' dzhokhar ditched the stolen car and sought shelter in a dry-docked boat parked in a trailer in a backyard in watertown . as he hid , he used a pencil to scrawl what prosecutors called a manifesto , ' in which he said he was jealous of his brother for dying as a martyr and reaching paradise . he also lashed out at the united states for policies he said killed muslims , writing , i ca n't stand to see such evil go unpunished . we muslims are one body , you hurt one you hurt us all . ' federal prosecutors also presented evidence gleaned from searches of the brothers'computers , including militant literature written by top al qaeda leaders . and they traced the purchase of the pressure cookers , ammunition and bbs , which appeared to have been made by tamerlan . boston marathon terror attack fast facts | if tsarnaev is found guilty of at least one capital count , the trial will go to the penalty phase |
tsarnaev <tsp> boston ( cnn ) after weeks of dramatic testimony , jurors are set to begin deliberations tuesday in the trial of dzhokhar tsarnaev , who faces life in prison or the death penalty for working with his brother to explode bombs at the 2013 boston marathon . the defense and prosecution made closing arguments in the case on monday . the defendant brought terrorism into the backyards and main streets , ' assistant u.s. attorney aloke chakravarty said . the defendant thought that his values were more important than the people around him . he wanted to awake the mujahideen , the holy warriors , so he chose patriots day , marathon monday , ' a time for families to gather and watch the marathon . bomb survivors and victims'family members wiped away tears and comforted each other in court . tsarnaev fidgeted at the defense table as he has done throughout the trial . bill richard , father of 8-year-old bomb victim martin richard , craned his neck to watch tsarnaev as the prosecutor spoke . dzhokhar tsarnaev chose a day when the eyes of the world would be on boston , ' chakravarty said . he chose a day when there would be civilians on the sidewalks and he targeted those civilians : men , women and children . ' the lawyer waited a beat . he wanted to terrorize this country . he wanted to punish america for what it was doing to his people . ' the prosecutor showed a picture of dzhokhar tsarnaev and his brother tamerlan in the marathon crowd . the day of the bombings , chakravarty said , they felt they were soldiers . they were the mujahideen and they were bringing their battle to boston . ' tsarnaev , 21 years old , stands accused of 30 counts , including setting off weapons of mass destruction at a public event as an act of terrorism . seventeen of those counts carry a sentence of death or life imprisonment . if tsarnaev is found guilty of at least one of the 17 capital counts , the trial will proceed to a second phase , the so-called penalty phase . that part of the trial will include evidence of aggravating and mitigating factors , and the jury will be asked to weigh elements that make this crime especially heinous against details from tsarnaev 's background and mental health history that would weigh in his favor . since testimony began on march 4 , federal prosecutors have called 92 witnesses , and the defense just four . it seemed a mismatch from the start . he was there , ' defense attorney judy clarke conceded as the trial opened , but the defense strategy always had been to focus on persuading the jury to spare tsarnaev 's life . the prosecution on monday played a graphic video of the scene of the bombing that showed a chaotic , bloody scene with injured people everywhere . a child 's piercing cries are heard . it 's the son of rebekah gregory , who lost her leg . then , another photo is displayed . this time jurors see tsarnaev standing by a tree behind the family of little martin richard . these children were n't innocent to him , ' the prosecutor said . they were american . he knew what that bag was designed to do . ' chakravarty quoted bill richard , martin 's father , who earlier testified , i guess we were just unlucky that day . ' but luck had nothing to do with the boston bombings , the prosecutor said . this was a cold , intentional , terrorist act , ' he said . the brothers'acts that day were intended , he said , to make a point . to tell america ,'we wo n't be terrorized by you anymore . we will terrorize you .' the defense has maintained that tsarnaev , who was 19 and flunking out of college at the university of massachusetts , dartmouth , fell under the sway of his older , more radicalized brother . it was tamerlan , ' defense attorney clarke repeated during her closing argument monday . in the past few weeks we have come face to face with tragedy , suffering and grief in dimensions none of us could imagine , ' she said . we 've heard words , we 've heard screams and we 've heard cries . for this suffering and pain there is no excuse . ' she acknowledged her client participated in a senseless act . ' but he was only following his brother , she insisted . if not for tamerlan , it would not have happened , ' clarke argued . the older brother , a 26-year-old former golden gloves boxer , had hoped to wage jihad and his slacker younger brother was just along for the ride , the defense has said . during the 15-minute rebuttal period , prosecutor william weinreb told jurors not to be distracted by the defense 's attempt to point the finger at somebody else . ' there should be no doubt in your mind that the defendant and his brother are equally guilty , ' he said . they were partners in crime . ' weinreb pointed out that after the bombing tsarnaev went to the grocery store . tamerlan tsarnaev did n't turn his brother into a murderer . to shred the bodies of women and children with a homemade type of bomb , you have to be different from other people , ' the prosecutor said . if you are capable of such hate , such callousness that you can murder and maim 20 people and then drive to whole foods and buy some milk , can you really blame it on your brother ? ' from the start , prosecutors presented a compelling case in which the horrors of april 15 to 19 , 2013 , were vividly brought to life once again . they began with the stories of bombing survivors and first responders , who described acts of courage and compassion amid madness and chaos . the final moments of the three boston marathon spectators who died were recounted by the people who were by their sides . according to testimony , tamerlan tsarnaev set off a bomb made from a 6-quart pressure cooker , explosive powder from fireworks , duct tape , nails and bbs on boylston street near the finish line . that bomb , which exploded near marathon sports , claimed the life of krystle campbell , a 29-yeaer-old restaurant manager . twelve seconds later , dzhokhar tsarnaev allegedly detonated a second , similar bomb outside the forum restaurant , slightly more than a block away . that blast killed the boy , martin richard , and lingzi lu , 23 , a graduate student from china . chakravarty 's voice grew soft monday as he recalled the victims : richard 's 69-pound body was shattered , broken , eviscerated , burned . there was n't a part of this boy 's body that was n't destroyed . ' lu received blast injuries all over her body . her leg was torn open and she bled out . ' krystle campbell died in less than a minute from massive blast injuries to her lower extremities . parts of her body were shredded . ' sean collier , the mit campus police officer killed three days after the bombings , never had a chance . ' he was shot between the eyes . they assassinated him . ' the brothers allegedly killed the 26-year-old officier for his service weapon but could n't pry it loose from a safety holster . dun meng told the jury about his frightening 90 minutes with two carjackers , one who admitted being involved in the marathon bombing . he identified that person as tamerlan tsarnaev . police fired 210 rounds at the brothers when they tracked a gps device in meng 's stolen mercedes and cornered them in watertown , massachusetts . dzhokhar tsarnaev struck tamerlan , who was wounded , when he charged police in the car . tamerlan died of his injuries . tamerlan wanted suicide by cop , ' the prosecutor said monday . he was ready for heaven . but the defendant had other plans . ' dzhokhar ditched the stolen car and sought shelter in a dry-docked boat parked in a trailer in a backyard in watertown . as he hid , he used a pencil to scrawl what prosecutors called a manifesto , ' in which he said he was jealous of his brother for dying as a martyr and reaching paradise . he also lashed out at the united states for policies he said killed muslims , writing , i ca n't stand to see such evil go unpunished . we muslims are one body , you hurt one you hurt us all . ' federal prosecutors also presented evidence gleaned from searches of the brothers'computers , including militant literature written by top al qaeda leaders . and they traced the purchase of the pressure cookers , ammunition and bbs , which appeared to have been made by tamerlan . boston marathon terror attack fast facts | prosecutor during closing argument : tsarnaev wanted to awake the mujahideen , the holy warriors ' |
nos . 5 <tsp> tokyo ( cnn ) -- japan began dumping thousands of tons of radioactive water into the pacific ocean on monday , an emergency move officials said was needed to curtail a worse leak from the crippled fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant . in all , about 11,500 tons of radioactive water that has collected at the nuclear facility will be dumped into the sea , officials said monday , as workers also try to deal with a crack that has been a conduit for contamination . the radiation levels were highest in the water that was being drained from reactor no . 6 , the officials said . these are the latest but hardly the only challenges facing workers at the embattled power plant and its six reactors , which have been in constant crisis since last month 's ruinous earthquake and tsunami . officials with tokyo electric power company , which runs the plant , proposed the release of excess water that has pooled in and around the nos . 5 and 6 reactors into the sea . but most of the dumped water -- 10,000 tons -- will come from the plant 's central waste treatment facility , which will then be used to store highly radioactive water from the no . 2 unit , an official with the power company said . the water in reactors nos . 5 and 6 is coming from a subdrain and was n't inside the building itself , officials said . tests suggest that groundwater is the source of the contamination in these two units , but they are not certain . japanese chief cabinet secretary yukio edano called the dumping unavoidable . ' the liquid was most likely contaminated in the process of trying to cool nuclear fuel rods . the scope of the dump was staggering . for an idea about how much is 11,500 tons , one metric ton is 1,000 kilograms or about 2,200 pounds , which is close to an english ton . water is about 8.5 pounds per gallon , so one ton is about 260 gallons , ' said gary was , a professor of nuclear engineering at the university of michigan . so 11,500 tons is about 3 million gallons . a spent fuel pool holds around 300,000 gallons . so this amount of water is equivalent to the volume of roughly 10 ( spent fuel pools ) . ' it could take 50 hours to dump all the water , tokyo electric said . the dumping of so much radioactive water into the ocean conjures up fears of mutated sea life and contamination of the human food chain , but experts said the radiation will be quickly diluted , minimizing risk . to put this in perspective , the pacific ocean holds about 300 trillion swimming pools full of water and they 're going to release about five swimming pools full of water . so hopefully the churning of the ocean and the currents will quickly disperse this so that it gets to very dilute concentrations relatively quickly , ' said timothy jorgensen , chair of the radiation safety committee at georgetown university medical center . it 's a considerable amount of water , but the immensity of the pacific ocean will quickly dilute this amount of water to harmless levels , ' he added . john till , president of risk assessment corp. , similarly cited the vastness of the ocean in helping to minimize harm , and said he does not expect to see any permanent effects on marine life , even close in to the plant . however , he said officials should continue to monitor the radiation levels closely . what we have to watch is how these materials accumulate in food products and then could be consumed by people , ' till said . the build-up of water could cause problems around the nuclear facility , which is 240 kilometers ( 150 miles ) north of tokyo , edano said monday . authorities have made a priority of dealing with water from the no . 2 unit , some of which has been gushing into the sea through a crack in a concrete shaft . the radioactivity level is very high near the no . 2 reactor , and we know this . we have to stop the leak as early as possible to prevent this from going into the sea , ' edano said . the radioactivity level is much less in the water from the nos . 3 and 4 units . ' nuclear and industrial safety agency officials said monday night that the hope is that pumping out the no . 2 reactor turbine plant will lower the water level enough that contaminated liquid wo n't be able to reach the sea . i am not able to say for certain whether or not this will be the last discharge , but we certainly would like to avoid releasing any such water into the sea as much as possible , ' agency spokesman hidehiko nishiyama said . officials were still awaiting test results to confirm the water pouring into the ocean is leaking from the highly radioactive no . 2 reactor . we do n't know clearly , but we feel it is somehow leaking from unit 2 , ' nishiyama said . even if the water is confirmed to have come from the reactor , neither tokyo electric nor government officials know how it is making its way from the reactor to the leaking pit , he said . once the water is pumped out of the waste treatment reservoir , the agency believes it can safely transfer the water from the basement of the no . 2 turbine plant to the reservoir without further leaks , he said . though japanese officials say the water being discharged is less radioactive than the water now leaking into the sea , its top concentration of radioactive iodine-131 is 20 becquerels per cubic centimeter , or 200,000 becquerels per kilogram . that 's 10 times the level of radioactivity permitted in food . but since it 's being dumped into the pacific , it will be quickly diluted , according to dr. james cox , a radiation oncologist at houston 's md anderson cancer center and a cnn consultant . reactors no . 1 and no . 3 , which have lower levels of water , need to be drained as well . tokyo electric 's plan is to pump that water to other storage tanks , including some that still need to be set up . attempts to fill the 20-centimeter ( 8-inch ) crack outside the no . 2 reactor 's turbine building -- on saturday by pouring in concrete , then sunday by using a chemical compound mixed with sawdust and newspaper -- were not successful . as officials mull other ways to cut off the leak at its source , workers will install a silt fence along a damaged sea wall surrounding the plant , nishiyama said . the aim of this screening , usually used to halt erosion at construction sites , is to prohibit the spread of radioactive particles into the sea . workers also have injected a dye tracer into the water to allow them to track the dispersal of such particles , the spokesman added . addressing the issue quickly is critical because officials believe it is a source of alarmingly high radiation levels in seawater near the plant , as well as in nearby groundwater . complicating the situation is the fact that , in some cases , authorities do n't even know how much radiation is getting out . after some high-profile errors , little new information on water , ground and air radiation has been released since thursday . one reason is that the dosimeters being used do n't go above 1,000 millisieverts per hour , said junichi matsumoto , an executive with tokyo electric . authorities know the water in the cracked concrete shaft is emitting at least that much radiation -- which equates , at a minimum , to more than 330 times the dose an average resident of an industrialized country naturally receives in a year . plugging the external leak is job one , in order to prevent the outflow of radiation into the pacific . but it may not be the most difficult , or important , task ahead . authorities still have to figure out how the tainted water got into the concrete shaft in the first place . the water had to come from somewhere , potentially traveling across melted-down nuclear fuel in the reactor 's core before somehow reaching the outside . we were assuming and hoping ( that water ) would stay in the containment vessel as vapor after being cooled , ' nishiyama , the nuclear safety official , said sunday . however , it may have flowed into the building , and then the trench . ' determining why and how that happened -- and what to do about it -- may be exceptionally challenging , ' said physicist james acton , with the washington-based carnegie endowment think tank . officials may have to inspect a complex array of pipes inside the dangerous radioactive environment inside the containment buildings . the state of the nos . 5 and 6 units is another new problem . water in their turbine buildings'basements threatens the power supply for the system used to cool nuclear material in these units'spent fuel pools , edano said . this makes it imperative to pump out that water , which will end up into the sea like that from around the nos . 3 and 4 units . though those reactors are stable at the moment , the growing water level in the turbine houses may disturb their stability , ' he said . the effort to keep the nos . 1 , 2 and 3 reactor cores and spent fuel pools cool took a step forward sunday , when the electricity source powering those three units'cooling systems was switched from a temporary diesel generator to a more permanent , external power supply , according to the international atomic energy agency 's website . authorities hope this step , as well as preventing damage to the nos . 5 and 6 units'power supply , will help to minimize the prospect of any more radiation that might contaminate tap water or food . farmers have pushed for lower standards on radiation in food , calling them unnecessarily stringent . on monday , edano said these limits would not change , even as he outlined a process in which sales restrictions on certain crops , in certain areas , would be lifted if they test safe three times in a row . cnn 's matt smith , tsukushi ikeda , yoko wakatsuki , junko ogura , midori nakata , susan olson and martin savidge contributed to this report | basement water threatens the stability ' of the cooling systems of nos . 5 and 6 units |
zoellner <tsp> ( cnn ) -- gabrielle giffords submitted her resignation as a u.s. representative from arizona before congress on wednesday , and an initial reaction might be a sense of despair about her decision to step aside . many have imposed a narrative of national recovery on giffords'ability to run for her office again and take her oath in a clear strong voice . but in this case , it would be a mistake to confuse holding public office with redemption . a congressional seat is not supposed to be a plot point for hollywood endings , and by passing up the chance to run again , giffords has demonstrated a respect for the principles of representative democracy . the authors of the constitution intended congress to be a rotating body , free from the cults of personality and lifetime sinecures that characterized european governance . although it is human nature to see a kind of triumph in being able to come back to one 's job after an injury , giffords understands that the office belonged not to her but to southern arizona . she made the decision after a year of rehabilitation , and she deserved that time to make a hard call with the best evidence . her choice this week recalls an old observation of harry truman , who said he always tried to remember that the crowds cheering and the bands playing hail to the chief ' were not for him personally . they were for the office of the presidency . the office of congress may also be too small for giffords . this is a body that commands the respect of 8 % of the electorate : a record low . and despite the illusion of glamour that surrounds it , the actual work can be physically taxing and spiritually dreary . traveling back and forth from washington each week , visiting the house floor multiple times a day for procedural votes , sweet-talking big donors , finding positions that will please the district without making you feel like a sellout -- all of these can take their toll . after her bruising re-election fight of 2010 -- one of the nastiest races in recent local memory , with an eerie pallor of violence hanging over it -- giffords herself doubted whether she wanted the job much longer . she now has a golden opportunity to start a gabrielle giffords institute ' for the study of gun violence or mental health care reform or solar energy or whatever public policy issue she wants to emphasize . her moral authority and influence may be better used outside the halls of congress , where she would have been inevitably fettered by the daily grind of politics and partisanship . in her video announcement , she said : i will return , and we will work together for arizona and this great country . ' and we should take her at her word , even if that does n't mean a return to elective office . to be sure , this is not the future anyone would have wanted . there is enormous cruelty in her injury -- the robbery of her ability to speak -- which was one of her truly exceptional qualities . i remember thinking near the end of her first campaign for congress , in 2006 , that the only thing that could deny her a victory over her maladroit opponent would be some kind of epic goof made during a campaign rally or a debate -- a vague exclamation taken out of context or a damaging statement made in passion . but such a possibility was remote . gabrielle does n't really make mistakes , ' i told a friend . she possessed a preternaturally strong sense of control over her words . this was also true in private conversation . giffords had that quality , cherished among leaders , to gauge the emotional temperature of the person she was with and adjust her own bearing accordingly . there were many times in our friendship when she managed to say the unexpectedly perfect thing in the moment : a key piece of advice , a joke , an anecdote that had precise relevance . there is a picture of her that is difficult for me to view . it is the last photograph of her taken before the 16 seconds of gunfire that would change everything . she is standing in front of the safeway on january 8 , 2011 , looking intently at a middle-aged woman named doris tucker , who had been next in line to speak with her in back of her is the plate-glass front of the grocery store on which the smeary reflections of a few people are visible . out of this crowd a gunman was about to emerge . but what dominates the frame is giffords'expression , one of wordless concentration and interest in what tucker was saying . it was a look that i knew well . the loss of her ability to find the words in conversation easily is an awful blow . but the giffords i know wo n't surrender the primary motivating force in her life , which is the urge to make a difference in the public sphere and to use her talents to make life better for those around her . that was what motivated her first run for congress five years ago . she is leaving national elective office in the same way she came in : with class and dignity . it would be a mistake to think of this as a defeat because it is not the neat hollywood ending we had hoped for . this is not hollywood . and this is not an ending . follow cnn opinion on twitter . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tom zoellner . | her moral authority and influence may be better used outside congress , zoellner says |
zoellner <tsp> ( cnn ) -- gabrielle giffords submitted her resignation as a u.s. representative from arizona before congress on wednesday , and an initial reaction might be a sense of despair about her decision to step aside . many have imposed a narrative of national recovery on giffords'ability to run for her office again and take her oath in a clear strong voice . but in this case , it would be a mistake to confuse holding public office with redemption . a congressional seat is not supposed to be a plot point for hollywood endings , and by passing up the chance to run again , giffords has demonstrated a respect for the principles of representative democracy . the authors of the constitution intended congress to be a rotating body , free from the cults of personality and lifetime sinecures that characterized european governance . although it is human nature to see a kind of triumph in being able to come back to one 's job after an injury , giffords understands that the office belonged not to her but to southern arizona . she made the decision after a year of rehabilitation , and she deserved that time to make a hard call with the best evidence . her choice this week recalls an old observation of harry truman , who said he always tried to remember that the crowds cheering and the bands playing hail to the chief ' were not for him personally . they were for the office of the presidency . the office of congress may also be too small for giffords . this is a body that commands the respect of 8 % of the electorate : a record low . and despite the illusion of glamour that surrounds it , the actual work can be physically taxing and spiritually dreary . traveling back and forth from washington each week , visiting the house floor multiple times a day for procedural votes , sweet-talking big donors , finding positions that will please the district without making you feel like a sellout -- all of these can take their toll . after her bruising re-election fight of 2010 -- one of the nastiest races in recent local memory , with an eerie pallor of violence hanging over it -- giffords herself doubted whether she wanted the job much longer . she now has a golden opportunity to start a gabrielle giffords institute ' for the study of gun violence or mental health care reform or solar energy or whatever public policy issue she wants to emphasize . her moral authority and influence may be better used outside the halls of congress , where she would have been inevitably fettered by the daily grind of politics and partisanship . in her video announcement , she said : i will return , and we will work together for arizona and this great country . ' and we should take her at her word , even if that does n't mean a return to elective office . to be sure , this is not the future anyone would have wanted . there is enormous cruelty in her injury -- the robbery of her ability to speak -- which was one of her truly exceptional qualities . i remember thinking near the end of her first campaign for congress , in 2006 , that the only thing that could deny her a victory over her maladroit opponent would be some kind of epic goof made during a campaign rally or a debate -- a vague exclamation taken out of context or a damaging statement made in passion . but such a possibility was remote . gabrielle does n't really make mistakes , ' i told a friend . she possessed a preternaturally strong sense of control over her words . this was also true in private conversation . giffords had that quality , cherished among leaders , to gauge the emotional temperature of the person she was with and adjust her own bearing accordingly . there were many times in our friendship when she managed to say the unexpectedly perfect thing in the moment : a key piece of advice , a joke , an anecdote that had precise relevance . there is a picture of her that is difficult for me to view . it is the last photograph of her taken before the 16 seconds of gunfire that would change everything . she is standing in front of the safeway on january 8 , 2011 , looking intently at a middle-aged woman named doris tucker , who had been next in line to speak with her in back of her is the plate-glass front of the grocery store on which the smeary reflections of a few people are visible . out of this crowd a gunman was about to emerge . but what dominates the frame is giffords'expression , one of wordless concentration and interest in what tucker was saying . it was a look that i knew well . the loss of her ability to find the words in conversation easily is an awful blow . but the giffords i know wo n't surrender the primary motivating force in her life , which is the urge to make a difference in the public sphere and to use her talents to make life better for those around her . that was what motivated her first run for congress five years ago . she is leaving national elective office in the same way she came in : with class and dignity . it would be a mistake to think of this as a defeat because it is not the neat hollywood ending we had hoped for . this is not hollywood . and this is not an ending . follow cnn opinion on twitter . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tom zoellner . | tom zoellner : we have put a narrative of national recovery on giffords'ability to run again |
zoellner <tsp> ( cnn ) -- gabrielle giffords submitted her resignation as a u.s. representative from arizona before congress on wednesday , and an initial reaction might be a sense of despair about her decision to step aside . many have imposed a narrative of national recovery on giffords'ability to run for her office again and take her oath in a clear strong voice . but in this case , it would be a mistake to confuse holding public office with redemption . a congressional seat is not supposed to be a plot point for hollywood endings , and by passing up the chance to run again , giffords has demonstrated a respect for the principles of representative democracy . the authors of the constitution intended congress to be a rotating body , free from the cults of personality and lifetime sinecures that characterized european governance . although it is human nature to see a kind of triumph in being able to come back to one 's job after an injury , giffords understands that the office belonged not to her but to southern arizona . she made the decision after a year of rehabilitation , and she deserved that time to make a hard call with the best evidence . her choice this week recalls an old observation of harry truman , who said he always tried to remember that the crowds cheering and the bands playing hail to the chief ' were not for him personally . they were for the office of the presidency . the office of congress may also be too small for giffords . this is a body that commands the respect of 8 % of the electorate : a record low . and despite the illusion of glamour that surrounds it , the actual work can be physically taxing and spiritually dreary . traveling back and forth from washington each week , visiting the house floor multiple times a day for procedural votes , sweet-talking big donors , finding positions that will please the district without making you feel like a sellout -- all of these can take their toll . after her bruising re-election fight of 2010 -- one of the nastiest races in recent local memory , with an eerie pallor of violence hanging over it -- giffords herself doubted whether she wanted the job much longer . she now has a golden opportunity to start a gabrielle giffords institute ' for the study of gun violence or mental health care reform or solar energy or whatever public policy issue she wants to emphasize . her moral authority and influence may be better used outside the halls of congress , where she would have been inevitably fettered by the daily grind of politics and partisanship . in her video announcement , she said : i will return , and we will work together for arizona and this great country . ' and we should take her at her word , even if that does n't mean a return to elective office . to be sure , this is not the future anyone would have wanted . there is enormous cruelty in her injury -- the robbery of her ability to speak -- which was one of her truly exceptional qualities . i remember thinking near the end of her first campaign for congress , in 2006 , that the only thing that could deny her a victory over her maladroit opponent would be some kind of epic goof made during a campaign rally or a debate -- a vague exclamation taken out of context or a damaging statement made in passion . but such a possibility was remote . gabrielle does n't really make mistakes , ' i told a friend . she possessed a preternaturally strong sense of control over her words . this was also true in private conversation . giffords had that quality , cherished among leaders , to gauge the emotional temperature of the person she was with and adjust her own bearing accordingly . there were many times in our friendship when she managed to say the unexpectedly perfect thing in the moment : a key piece of advice , a joke , an anecdote that had precise relevance . there is a picture of her that is difficult for me to view . it is the last photograph of her taken before the 16 seconds of gunfire that would change everything . she is standing in front of the safeway on january 8 , 2011 , looking intently at a middle-aged woman named doris tucker , who had been next in line to speak with her in back of her is the plate-glass front of the grocery store on which the smeary reflections of a few people are visible . out of this crowd a gunman was about to emerge . but what dominates the frame is giffords'expression , one of wordless concentration and interest in what tucker was saying . it was a look that i knew well . the loss of her ability to find the words in conversation easily is an awful blow . but the giffords i know wo n't surrender the primary motivating force in her life , which is the urge to make a difference in the public sphere and to use her talents to make life better for those around her . that was what motivated her first run for congress five years ago . she is leaving national elective office in the same way she came in : with class and dignity . it would be a mistake to think of this as a defeat because it is not the neat hollywood ending we had hoped for . this is not hollywood . and this is not an ending . follow cnn opinion on twitter . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tom zoellner . | zoellner : her driving motivation is to make a positive difference in public life , and she will |
afghan <tsp> cnn -- sebastian junger found him crouched on a battlefield in afghanistan , fighting to stay alive . ahmad shah massoud , center in white shirt , leads his men in his beloved afghan mountains . the taliban had the man cornered and outnumbered . a sniper 's bullet came so close to the man that it plucked dirt between his feet . but junger watched him coolly orchestrate a cunning counterattack by his soldiers -- all while discussing his favorite poetry and international news . he had tremendous magnetism , ' says junger , a noted journalist and author who has written bestsellers like the perfect storm , ' and a death in belmont . ' you did n't even need to speak his language to fall under his sway . that 's the only time i 've ever really felt that from another person . ' the man junger met was ahmad shah massoud , the lion of panjshir . ' today , massoud is a national hero in afghanistan , but he 's also become something else : the prototype for the tough but enlightened leader afghanistan desperately needs today , some afghans say . watch how images of massoud are everywhere in afghanistan » massoud was assassinated two days before the september 11 terrorist attacks by agents linked to al qaeda . though he died eight years ago , his legacy looms over any would-be leader in afghanistan , afghans and scholars say . see current key players in afghanistan »'he would have found bin laden' afghanistan 's government has been accused of being corrupt and weak . massoud had a reputation for integrity and strength , says junger , who traveled to afghanistan in 2000 to profile massoud for his book , fire . ' he would have been very hard for the warlords to intimidate , ' junger says . massoud had a reputation as a fierce nationalist who would not allow any outside group -- the russians , pakistan , the taliban , even the united states -- to control afghanistan , says zieba shorish-shamley , an afghan native and founder of the women 's alliance for peace and human rights in afghanistan . all he wanted was to have afghanistan for afghanistan , ' shorish-shamley says . if massoud would have been in power , he would not sell out . ' massoud made his name as a brilliant guerrilla leader . he was born in afghanistan 's panjshir valley , the son of an afghan army officer . he attended college as an engineering student where he became involved in student politics . massoud became afghanistan 's most famous resistance leader after the soviet union invaded afghanistan in 1979 . widely read , he studied the works of famous guerrilla leaders . his army fought back nine major offensives by the soviet army in the panjshir valley . after the soviet army retreated , massoud then waged war against the taliban , objecting to their rigid interpretation of islam and treatment of women . while battling the taliban , massoud became a bitter foe of the group 's chief ally , al qaeda 's osama bin laden . shorish-shamley , the women 's rights activist , says massoud was assassinated just before the 9/11 attacks because bin laden feared massoud . massoud 's military prowess combined with his knowledge of the afghan-pakistan border would have made him an even more formidable threat against the taliban with u.s. military muscle backing him . if they [ al qaeda leaders ] were hiding under a rock , he would have found them , ' shorish-shamley says . he was that type of person . he would have found bin laden . ''he was a charming killer' yet there are others who say massoud was n't that different from the warlords who try to control afghanistan today . after the soviet army left afghanistan , various afghan resistance leaders cobbled together a coalition government to run the country . massoud was appointed defense minister . but a civil war soon erupted as various factions fought for control of the country . men under massoud 's command were accused of massacring civilians . paul fitzgerald , co-author of afghanistan 's untold story , ' says massoud was a charming killer . ' he was n't as bad as the worst , ' fitzgerald says . but from the afghan point of view , they 're all war criminals . they really did n't do any good for the afghan people . ' the taliban eventually stepped into the leadership vacuum created by feuding afghan factions . when they gained control of afghanistan , they pushed massoud 's army into the panjshir valley . there massoud fought a rear-guard action against the taliban while trying to warn the west about the global threat posed by bin laden and the taliban . marcela grad , author of the book massoud , ' says he was the only afghan resistance leader who never left the country to live abroad . he fought constantly for afghanistan 's independence , but constant war did n't appear to destroy his humanity . he had tranquility about him , ' says grad , who journeyed to afghanistan to talk to massoud 's friends for her book . he brought his poetry books to battle . ' grad says massoud believed that his fight against the taliban was n't isolated but part of a larger battle against a taliban-like islam that threatened to spread across central asia . if massoud and the afghans were not being a front against intolerance in that part of the world , we would have had al qaeda everywhere -- it would have been much worse , ' grad says . junger , who had interviewed massoud the year before , says he was crushed by massoud 's death . a lot of people who knew him felt that he was the best hope for that part of the world , ' says junger . there may be another massoud in afghanistan 's future . a year after massoud 's death , he was named a national hero of afghanistan . ' as dignitaries stepped on stage to honor massoud , a thin adolescent with the same aquiline nose and almond-shaped eyes as massoud stepped before the crowd . it was massoud 's only son , ahmad , who was then 13 ( he would now be about 20 ) . cnn correspondent christiane amanpour , who covered the event , reported that ahmad said that terrorists may have killed his father but not his vision of a united and free afghanistan . i want to follow in my father 's footsteps , ' ahmad said . i want to secure our country 's independence . i want to be my father 's successor . ' | legendary afghan leader instilled fear in taliban , afghans say |
afghan <tsp> cnn -- sebastian junger found him crouched on a battlefield in afghanistan , fighting to stay alive . ahmad shah massoud , center in white shirt , leads his men in his beloved afghan mountains . the taliban had the man cornered and outnumbered . a sniper 's bullet came so close to the man that it plucked dirt between his feet . but junger watched him coolly orchestrate a cunning counterattack by his soldiers -- all while discussing his favorite poetry and international news . he had tremendous magnetism , ' says junger , a noted journalist and author who has written bestsellers like the perfect storm , ' and a death in belmont . ' you did n't even need to speak his language to fall under his sway . that 's the only time i 've ever really felt that from another person . ' the man junger met was ahmad shah massoud , the lion of panjshir . ' today , massoud is a national hero in afghanistan , but he 's also become something else : the prototype for the tough but enlightened leader afghanistan desperately needs today , some afghans say . watch how images of massoud are everywhere in afghanistan » massoud was assassinated two days before the september 11 terrorist attacks by agents linked to al qaeda . though he died eight years ago , his legacy looms over any would-be leader in afghanistan , afghans and scholars say . see current key players in afghanistan »'he would have found bin laden' afghanistan 's government has been accused of being corrupt and weak . massoud had a reputation for integrity and strength , says junger , who traveled to afghanistan in 2000 to profile massoud for his book , fire . ' he would have been very hard for the warlords to intimidate , ' junger says . massoud had a reputation as a fierce nationalist who would not allow any outside group -- the russians , pakistan , the taliban , even the united states -- to control afghanistan , says zieba shorish-shamley , an afghan native and founder of the women 's alliance for peace and human rights in afghanistan . all he wanted was to have afghanistan for afghanistan , ' shorish-shamley says . if massoud would have been in power , he would not sell out . ' massoud made his name as a brilliant guerrilla leader . he was born in afghanistan 's panjshir valley , the son of an afghan army officer . he attended college as an engineering student where he became involved in student politics . massoud became afghanistan 's most famous resistance leader after the soviet union invaded afghanistan in 1979 . widely read , he studied the works of famous guerrilla leaders . his army fought back nine major offensives by the soviet army in the panjshir valley . after the soviet army retreated , massoud then waged war against the taliban , objecting to their rigid interpretation of islam and treatment of women . while battling the taliban , massoud became a bitter foe of the group 's chief ally , al qaeda 's osama bin laden . shorish-shamley , the women 's rights activist , says massoud was assassinated just before the 9/11 attacks because bin laden feared massoud . massoud 's military prowess combined with his knowledge of the afghan-pakistan border would have made him an even more formidable threat against the taliban with u.s. military muscle backing him . if they [ al qaeda leaders ] were hiding under a rock , he would have found them , ' shorish-shamley says . he was that type of person . he would have found bin laden . ''he was a charming killer' yet there are others who say massoud was n't that different from the warlords who try to control afghanistan today . after the soviet army left afghanistan , various afghan resistance leaders cobbled together a coalition government to run the country . massoud was appointed defense minister . but a civil war soon erupted as various factions fought for control of the country . men under massoud 's command were accused of massacring civilians . paul fitzgerald , co-author of afghanistan 's untold story , ' says massoud was a charming killer . ' he was n't as bad as the worst , ' fitzgerald says . but from the afghan point of view , they 're all war criminals . they really did n't do any good for the afghan people . ' the taliban eventually stepped into the leadership vacuum created by feuding afghan factions . when they gained control of afghanistan , they pushed massoud 's army into the panjshir valley . there massoud fought a rear-guard action against the taliban while trying to warn the west about the global threat posed by bin laden and the taliban . marcela grad , author of the book massoud , ' says he was the only afghan resistance leader who never left the country to live abroad . he fought constantly for afghanistan 's independence , but constant war did n't appear to destroy his humanity . he had tranquility about him , ' says grad , who journeyed to afghanistan to talk to massoud 's friends for her book . he brought his poetry books to battle . ' grad says massoud believed that his fight against the taliban was n't isolated but part of a larger battle against a taliban-like islam that threatened to spread across central asia . if massoud and the afghans were not being a front against intolerance in that part of the world , we would have had al qaeda everywhere -- it would have been much worse , ' grad says . junger , who had interviewed massoud the year before , says he was crushed by massoud 's death . a lot of people who knew him felt that he was the best hope for that part of the world , ' says junger . there may be another massoud in afghanistan 's future . a year after massoud 's death , he was named a national hero of afghanistan . ' as dignitaries stepped on stage to honor massoud , a thin adolescent with the same aquiline nose and almond-shaped eyes as massoud stepped before the crowd . it was massoud 's only son , ahmad , who was then 13 ( he would now be about 20 ) . cnn correspondent christiane amanpour , who covered the event , reported that ahmad said that terrorists may have killed his father but not his vision of a united and free afghanistan . i want to follow in my father 's footsteps , ' ahmad said . i want to secure our country 's independence . i want to be my father 's successor . ' | ahmad shah massoud considered prototype for afghan leader , some say |
swire <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- lockerbie bomber abdelbeset al-megrahi is a very sick man , ' but there is no way to tell how long he will live , according to the father of one of the people who died in the 1988 bombing of pan am flight 103 . jim swire , whose daughter flora died in the terror attack , saw al-megrahi a week ago in libya , he said tuesday . he also criticized u.s. senators who tried to hold hearings this summer into questions surrounding the release of al-megrahi . he said he had written to them to say it was more important to let scottish legal proceedings run their course , since a review commission had found possible miscarriages of justice in the case . they did n't want to know about that , ' he said of the senators , saying they had not replied to his letter . the scottish government released al-megrahi from prison just over a year ago on the grounds that he had cancer and was not likely to live more than three more months . swire , who does not believe that al-megrahi is guilty , defended the decision . at three months , just over half [ of people with his cancer ] would be dead , ' swire said . but after three months , mortality rates level off , and there is no way to predict how long cancer sufferers will live , said swire , a retired general practicioner . he can walk a few steps , ' swire said of al-megrahi . he did not ask al-megrahi or his doctors about the libyan 's medical condition out of respect for his privacy , he said . but he said the fullness of his face suggested that he was on steroids to slow the cancer . al-megrahi was appealing his conviction when he was freed on compassionate grounds in august 2009 and then dropped the appeal . swire thinks al-megrahi feels guilty about having withdrawn his appeal , since it leaves him with no way to clear his name or for those -- like swire -- who think he is innocent to have the case reviewed . but al-megrahi 's death could change the legal playing field , swire speculated . if he were to die , the the situation would change , ' and swire might be able to get the case reopened , he said . he believes that al-megrahi would see to it that we would be provided with all the information his defense team has assembled , ' he said , adding that the libyan had not explicitly told him that . swire is in the minority among victims'families in thinking al-megrahi is innocent . american officials blasted al-megrahi 's release at the time and on the first anniversary . as we have expressed repeatedly to scottish authorities , we maintain that al-megrahi should serve out the entirety of his sentence in prison in scotland , ' secretary of state hillary clinton said in a written statement . president barack obama 's assistant on homeland security and counterterrorism , john brennan , called the release unfortunate and inappropriate . ' democratic sens . robert menendez and frank lautenberg noted that al-megrahi was only given three months to live when he was released but is still alive . menendez noted that on august 20 , 2009 , al-megrahi stepped off a plane into the arms of a cheering throng in libya . a mass murderer tasted freedom , experiencing joy , ' menendez said . it was a scene that made the stomach turn ... that made old wounds fresh again in the hearts of those whose family members died at the hands of that man . ' lautenberg said , it is the families of those victims who deserve compassion , not this terrorist . ' al-megrahi ... is very much free , living in the lap of luxury by all accounts , ' menendez said . the case has outraged many on both sides of the atlantic and led u.s. senators to demand answers from scotland about the details of his release . al-megrahi is the only person convicted in the bombing of pan am flight 103 , which exploded over lockerbie in december 1988 , killing 259 people on the plane and 11 on the ground . most of the dead were americans . the flight had been heading to new york from frankfurt , germany , via london , england , when it blew up . a special scottish court in the netherlands convicted al-megrahi in 2001 . cnn 's melissa gray contributed to this report . | jim swire , whose daughter died in the bombing of pan am 103 , saw bomber last week |
swire <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- lockerbie bomber abdelbeset al-megrahi is a very sick man , ' but there is no way to tell how long he will live , according to the father of one of the people who died in the 1988 bombing of pan am flight 103 . jim swire , whose daughter flora died in the terror attack , saw al-megrahi a week ago in libya , he said tuesday . he also criticized u.s. senators who tried to hold hearings this summer into questions surrounding the release of al-megrahi . he said he had written to them to say it was more important to let scottish legal proceedings run their course , since a review commission had found possible miscarriages of justice in the case . they did n't want to know about that , ' he said of the senators , saying they had not replied to his letter . the scottish government released al-megrahi from prison just over a year ago on the grounds that he had cancer and was not likely to live more than three more months . swire , who does not believe that al-megrahi is guilty , defended the decision . at three months , just over half [ of people with his cancer ] would be dead , ' swire said . but after three months , mortality rates level off , and there is no way to predict how long cancer sufferers will live , said swire , a retired general practicioner . he can walk a few steps , ' swire said of al-megrahi . he did not ask al-megrahi or his doctors about the libyan 's medical condition out of respect for his privacy , he said . but he said the fullness of his face suggested that he was on steroids to slow the cancer . al-megrahi was appealing his conviction when he was freed on compassionate grounds in august 2009 and then dropped the appeal . swire thinks al-megrahi feels guilty about having withdrawn his appeal , since it leaves him with no way to clear his name or for those -- like swire -- who think he is innocent to have the case reviewed . but al-megrahi 's death could change the legal playing field , swire speculated . if he were to die , the the situation would change , ' and swire might be able to get the case reopened , he said . he believes that al-megrahi would see to it that we would be provided with all the information his defense team has assembled , ' he said , adding that the libyan had not explicitly told him that . swire is in the minority among victims'families in thinking al-megrahi is innocent . american officials blasted al-megrahi 's release at the time and on the first anniversary . as we have expressed repeatedly to scottish authorities , we maintain that al-megrahi should serve out the entirety of his sentence in prison in scotland , ' secretary of state hillary clinton said in a written statement . president barack obama 's assistant on homeland security and counterterrorism , john brennan , called the release unfortunate and inappropriate . ' democratic sens . robert menendez and frank lautenberg noted that al-megrahi was only given three months to live when he was released but is still alive . menendez noted that on august 20 , 2009 , al-megrahi stepped off a plane into the arms of a cheering throng in libya . a mass murderer tasted freedom , experiencing joy , ' menendez said . it was a scene that made the stomach turn ... that made old wounds fresh again in the hearts of those whose family members died at the hands of that man . ' lautenberg said , it is the families of those victims who deserve compassion , not this terrorist . ' al-megrahi ... is very much free , living in the lap of luxury by all accounts , ' menendez said . the case has outraged many on both sides of the atlantic and led u.s. senators to demand answers from scotland about the details of his release . al-megrahi is the only person convicted in the bombing of pan am flight 103 , which exploded over lockerbie in december 1988 , killing 259 people on the plane and 11 on the ground . most of the dead were americans . the flight had been heading to new york from frankfurt , germany , via london , england , when it blew up . a special scottish court in the netherlands convicted al-megrahi in 2001 . cnn 's melissa gray contributed to this report . | swire does not believe that abdelbeset al-megrahi is guilty |
wizarding world <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the day harry potter fans have been waiting for is here . on friday , universal studios is opening its wizarding world of harry potter ' attraction at universal 's islands of adventure theme park in orlando , florida . the park-within-a-park , as it 's being called , recreates various locations , scenes and other elements from the wildly popular book and movie series . harry potter has beaten out fellow brit celluloid character james bond as the top-grossing film series in history . one of the reasons harry potter is so successful is its legions of fans , both young and old . alex black is one of them . she and her family made a special trip to orlando from georgia to be guests at a soft opening ' of the park a couple of weeks ago . she was one of the first to catch a glimpse of hogwarts , the fictional boarding school for young wizards , and to drink some butterbeer ' at the attraction . according to 16-year-old alex , it 's worth waiting hours in line , it 's worth the money , it 's worth the long drive from georgia , it 's beyond worth it . ' when asked what her favorite part of the park was , she responded , everything was my favorite . ' alex , like millions of other muggles ' around the world , has been a long-time fan of the boy wizard , potter , and his best friends ron weasley and hermione granger , since the first author j.k. rowling 's seven-book series debuted . i 've grown up with harry potter . i 've brought all the books they came out , i dressed up for harry potter spirit day at my school . and when i 'll be a senior , the last ( movie ) -- when harry is like that age , as a senior -- will come out . so , he 's kind of like the family pet in a way , ' she said . ireport : share your photos , reviews of potter ' theme park and it 's not just the teenagers who are just wild about harry . laura boyles , a 55-year-old mother and book store employee from orlando , said , i ca n't wait to go to the park -- i 'm so excited for it to open . i love the harry potter series . ' alex agrees , he 's a generational thing ; we 've grown up with him . my grandpa and my aunt like him too . it 's just something that i 've grown up with. alex is happy that the wizarding world opened when it did . when i read the last book it was almost like the end , i still had the movies , but i was afraid it would be over , but the park is a way for it to live on . ' widespread industry speculation has it that universal shelled out some $ 265 million for this potter project , although officials are not confirming that number . | universal 's wizarding world ' officially opens friday |
gbagbo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- forces loyal to alassane ouattara , the internationally recognized president of ivory coast , attacked the residence of disputed incumbent laurent gbagbo and took control of state-run tv early friday morning , a spokesman for ouattara told cnn . gbagbo 's residence is near the state-run television station taken over by ouattara forces in the early morning hours friday , said patrick achi , the ouattara spokesman . gbagbo apparently was not there . the takeover occured less than three hours after a gbagbo spokesman appeared on the same network declaring that gbagbo had no intention of leaving the presidential palace , according to a witness who saw the broadcast . the presidential palace is not gbagbo 's personal residence and is located elsewhere . gbagbo has refused to cede power after a disputed november election . the takeover of the government network , which had previously been accused of inciting violence against protesters opposed to the gbagbo government , came as ivory coast 's internal war appeared to enter a decisive and final phase , with forces loyal to ouattara making a final push to oust a defiant gbagbo . ouattara on thursday declared a curfew in abidjan as forces loyal to him moved closer to taking control of the city . the curfew , ouattara said , will remain in effect until sunday . also thursday , ouattara 's interior minister announced on radio that the air and sea borders of the country would be sealed until further notice . the curfew , however , did not seem to be universally recognized as abidjan residents reported hearing sounds of heavy gunfire thursday night . it seemed there was a battle going on , ' said diallo ibrahim , adding that the heavy gunfire ' appeared to subside by midnight thursday . ibrahim , an accountant , said he watched the gbagbo spokesman appear on tv and declared that gbagbo would not leave the presidential palace . after the announcement , however , the station went dark , ibrahim said . ouattara 's spokesman , patrick achi , told cnn earlier thursday that rebel forces were patrolling some streets of abidjan and were fast closing in on gbagbo . it will be only hours , maybe days ' before gbagbo falls , achi said . the army does not want to fight for laurent gbagbo . ' residents in abidjan told cnn that people were frightened at the prospect of an all-out war and were huddled in their homes thursday . at sunset , they could still hear the sound of gunfire outside . smoke could be seen in some parts of the city . we can tell the fighting has gone to another level , ' said one resident who did not want to be named because of security reasons . we are watching to see what will happen next . ' humanitarian agencies warned abidjan is on the brink of catastrophe . the international community must take immediate steps to protect the civilian population , ' said salvatore sagues , amnesty international 's researcher on west africa . choi young-jin , head of the united nations'mission in ivory coast , said on france info radio that u.n. peacekeepers have taken the place of army and police who abandoned gbagbo on thursday . choi said that the siege laid on the abidjan hotel where ouattara was confined has been lifted . ouattara was recognized as the winner of a november presidential election but had been holed up in the u.n.-protected golf hotel since then as the political stalemate led to escalating violence and turmoil . meanwhile , gbagbo 's army chief , gen. philippe mangou , asked for asylum at the residence of the south african ambassador , the south african government said thursday . achi said it was a sign that the armed forces now stand fully behind ouattara . republican forces wrested control of much of the capital , yamoussoukro , and other key cocoa-producing and port cities earlier in the week before marching to abidjan , the commercial center of ivory coast . ouattara issued a statement saying that despite numerous attempts to end the violence , gbagbo had refused . he said ivory coast is now at a turning point in its history and called for unity . in order to end the escalating violence in our country , the republican forces of ivory coast have started to put in place , in accordance with their missions , the protection of people and their property against the militia men and mercenaries paid by laurent gbagbo , ' ouattara said . they have decided to restore democracy and to respect the vote of the people , ' he said . in every city where they went , they were greeted in jubilation . ' human rights agencies have documented the deaths of 462 people -- some in heinous fashion -- and the displacement of more than 1 million from their homes . many residents in abidjan fear gbagbo will not go down easily . koffi kouakou , a citizen of ivory coast who now lives in south africa , said his family members were stocking up on food and waiting for the battle they feel is inevitable . everybody is calling it the battle of abidjan , ' said kouakou . there will be a battle and people will be killed , unfortunately . nobody knows when it is going to happen but it will happen soon . ' concerned about the rising tide of violence , the u.n. security council voted unanimously wednesday to impose sanctions on gbagbo , his wife and three associates , as well as give u.n. peacekeepers more authority to protect civilians . the u.n. resolution demands that gbagbo step down immediately and that all state institutions , including the military , accept ouattara as president . it also authorizes u.n. peacekeepers to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of violence . ' the resolution imposes targeted sanctions and travel bans on gbagbo , his wife , simone , and three others : desire tagro , pascal affi n'guessan and alcide djedje . the resolution accuses all five of obstruction to the peace and reconciliation process ' and of rejecting the legitimate election of ouattara . all but laurent gbagbo are accused of public incitement to hatred and violence . ' cnn 's christabelle fombu , moni basu and pierre meilhan contributed to this report . | gbagbo spokesman on state tv says incumbent is n't leaving |
gbagbo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- forces loyal to alassane ouattara , the internationally recognized president of ivory coast , attacked the residence of disputed incumbent laurent gbagbo and took control of state-run tv early friday morning , a spokesman for ouattara told cnn . gbagbo 's residence is near the state-run television station taken over by ouattara forces in the early morning hours friday , said patrick achi , the ouattara spokesman . gbagbo apparently was not there . the takeover occured less than three hours after a gbagbo spokesman appeared on the same network declaring that gbagbo had no intention of leaving the presidential palace , according to a witness who saw the broadcast . the presidential palace is not gbagbo 's personal residence and is located elsewhere . gbagbo has refused to cede power after a disputed november election . the takeover of the government network , which had previously been accused of inciting violence against protesters opposed to the gbagbo government , came as ivory coast 's internal war appeared to enter a decisive and final phase , with forces loyal to ouattara making a final push to oust a defiant gbagbo . ouattara on thursday declared a curfew in abidjan as forces loyal to him moved closer to taking control of the city . the curfew , ouattara said , will remain in effect until sunday . also thursday , ouattara 's interior minister announced on radio that the air and sea borders of the country would be sealed until further notice . the curfew , however , did not seem to be universally recognized as abidjan residents reported hearing sounds of heavy gunfire thursday night . it seemed there was a battle going on , ' said diallo ibrahim , adding that the heavy gunfire ' appeared to subside by midnight thursday . ibrahim , an accountant , said he watched the gbagbo spokesman appear on tv and declared that gbagbo would not leave the presidential palace . after the announcement , however , the station went dark , ibrahim said . ouattara 's spokesman , patrick achi , told cnn earlier thursday that rebel forces were patrolling some streets of abidjan and were fast closing in on gbagbo . it will be only hours , maybe days ' before gbagbo falls , achi said . the army does not want to fight for laurent gbagbo . ' residents in abidjan told cnn that people were frightened at the prospect of an all-out war and were huddled in their homes thursday . at sunset , they could still hear the sound of gunfire outside . smoke could be seen in some parts of the city . we can tell the fighting has gone to another level , ' said one resident who did not want to be named because of security reasons . we are watching to see what will happen next . ' humanitarian agencies warned abidjan is on the brink of catastrophe . the international community must take immediate steps to protect the civilian population , ' said salvatore sagues , amnesty international 's researcher on west africa . choi young-jin , head of the united nations'mission in ivory coast , said on france info radio that u.n. peacekeepers have taken the place of army and police who abandoned gbagbo on thursday . choi said that the siege laid on the abidjan hotel where ouattara was confined has been lifted . ouattara was recognized as the winner of a november presidential election but had been holed up in the u.n.-protected golf hotel since then as the political stalemate led to escalating violence and turmoil . meanwhile , gbagbo 's army chief , gen. philippe mangou , asked for asylum at the residence of the south african ambassador , the south african government said thursday . achi said it was a sign that the armed forces now stand fully behind ouattara . republican forces wrested control of much of the capital , yamoussoukro , and other key cocoa-producing and port cities earlier in the week before marching to abidjan , the commercial center of ivory coast . ouattara issued a statement saying that despite numerous attempts to end the violence , gbagbo had refused . he said ivory coast is now at a turning point in its history and called for unity . in order to end the escalating violence in our country , the republican forces of ivory coast have started to put in place , in accordance with their missions , the protection of people and their property against the militia men and mercenaries paid by laurent gbagbo , ' ouattara said . they have decided to restore democracy and to respect the vote of the people , ' he said . in every city where they went , they were greeted in jubilation . ' human rights agencies have documented the deaths of 462 people -- some in heinous fashion -- and the displacement of more than 1 million from their homes . many residents in abidjan fear gbagbo will not go down easily . koffi kouakou , a citizen of ivory coast who now lives in south africa , said his family members were stocking up on food and waiting for the battle they feel is inevitable . everybody is calling it the battle of abidjan , ' said kouakou . there will be a battle and people will be killed , unfortunately . nobody knows when it is going to happen but it will happen soon . ' concerned about the rising tide of violence , the u.n. security council voted unanimously wednesday to impose sanctions on gbagbo , his wife and three associates , as well as give u.n. peacekeepers more authority to protect civilians . the u.n. resolution demands that gbagbo step down immediately and that all state institutions , including the military , accept ouattara as president . it also authorizes u.n. peacekeepers to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of violence . ' the resolution imposes targeted sanctions and travel bans on gbagbo , his wife , simone , and three others : desire tagro , pascal affi n'guessan and alcide djedje . the resolution accuses all five of obstruction to the peace and reconciliation process ' and of rejecting the legitimate election of ouattara . all but laurent gbagbo are accused of public incitement to hatred and violence . ' cnn 's christabelle fombu , moni basu and pierre meilhan contributed to this report . | new : ouattara forces attack gbagbo residence , spokesman says |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama rallied u.s. troops and pledged continued partnership with afghanistan during a previously unannounced trip to the country sunday . speaking to about 2,000 u.s. and allied troops at the major u.s. base in afghanistan , obama said , those folks back home are relying on you . ' i know it 's not easy , ' he said . you 're far away from home . you miss your kids , you miss your spouses , your family , your friends . ' but he added , if i thought for a minute that america 's vital interests were not served , were not at stake here in afghanistan , i would order all of you home right away . ' earlier , obama met with afghan president hamid karzai at the presidential palace to discuss progress by the afghan government in strengthening its ability to run the country and provide security for its people . after the 30-minute meeting , obama said he wanted to send a strong message that the partnership between the nations would continue . obama also invited karzai to washington , and white house press secretary robert gibbs said the planned date for that visit is may 12 . karzai said he wanted to express the gratitude of our people for the help that america has given us for the last eight years , ' and he specifically thanked u.s. taxpayers for their aid in helping rebuild his country . time.com : obama arrives in afghanistan however , obama made clear that his main reason for the trip was to visit with some of the roughly 80,000 u.s. troops stationed in the country . after changing from a suit to an air force one flight jacket , obama told the troops they were making progress against al qaeda and its allies in the taliban , the islamic fundamentalist militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks . all of that makes america safer , and we are going to keep them on the run , ' he said . because that is what is going to be required in order to ensure that our families back home have the security that they need . ' to cheers from the combined joint task force that includes troops from all four services , obama said : the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something . ... we keep at it . we persevere . and together , with our partners , we will prevail . i am absolutely confident of that . ' following his speech to the troops , obama met with u.s . ambassador karl eikenberry and gen. stanley mcchrystal , the commander of allied troops in afghanistan , before his scheduled departure for the flight home . obama 's trip began in secrecy , with the president leaving his camp david retreat . he flew to afghanistan on air force one , landing at bagram air base at 7:24 p.m. ( around 11 a.m . et ) . obama then flew on a helicopter to the presidential palace to meet with karzai . the two presidents took part in a 10-minute arrival ceremony before walking into the palace for their meeting . u.s. officials said the two leaders planned to first meet along with key aides , and then bring in karzai 's cabinet . in a briefing with pool reporters on the trip , national security adviser james jones said obama would push karzai to improve efforts to meet benchmarks for better governance in his second term , which began last year . according to jones , obama planned to point out that certain issues such as a merit-based system for appointing key government officials , battling corruption and taking on narcotics trafficking that helps fund insurgents needed more attention . we have to have the strategic rapport with president karzai and his cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed this year in reversing the momentum the taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006 , ' jones said . a senior administration official said obama told karzai that some progress had been made , particularly involving local governance , establishing more credible national institutions and battling corruption . the senior official characterized the meeting as very productive and businesslike . related : afghanistan crossroads the trip came after what has been perhaps the most successful week of obama 's presidency , in which he signed comprehensive health care legislation -- his top domestic priority -- into law and announced plans to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia on april 8 . gibbs said afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday . the president previously postponed a trip to indonesia and australia planned for march 21-26 in order to see through passage of the health care bill . since taking office , obama ordered the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan while also saying he intended for combat forces to start coming home in july 2011 . u.s. officials said sunday there were nearly 80,000 u.s. troops now on the ground in afghanistan , and the surge announced by obama would increase the total to 98,000 once fully implemented by the end of the year . roughly 10,000 of the 30,000 surge troops were in place now , officials said . in addition , nato partners have more than 40,000 troops in afghanistan , according to the officials . karzai has said that by the end of 2010 , afghan security forces will be able to take over some security responsibilities from international forces . by the end of his second term in 2014 , karzai has said he would like his government to have full responsibility for security . karzai emerged victorious from august presidential elections that were marred by widespread fraud . two months after the vote , a u.n.-backed panel of election monitors threw out nearly a third of karzai 's votes , citing fraud . left short of a majority , karzai agreed to a runoff with challenger abdullah abdullah , but abdullah withdrew just before the runoff vote . the trip is obama 's second to afghanistan . he first traveled there in 2008 , four months before his victory in the election that made him president . on that visit , part of a broader trip to the middle east , obama traveled to eastern afghanistan to meet with u.s. forces and also met with karzai . | obama and president hamid karzai discuss progress by the afghan government |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama rallied u.s. troops and pledged continued partnership with afghanistan during a previously unannounced trip to the country sunday . speaking to about 2,000 u.s. and allied troops at the major u.s. base in afghanistan , obama said , those folks back home are relying on you . ' i know it 's not easy , ' he said . you 're far away from home . you miss your kids , you miss your spouses , your family , your friends . ' but he added , if i thought for a minute that america 's vital interests were not served , were not at stake here in afghanistan , i would order all of you home right away . ' earlier , obama met with afghan president hamid karzai at the presidential palace to discuss progress by the afghan government in strengthening its ability to run the country and provide security for its people . after the 30-minute meeting , obama said he wanted to send a strong message that the partnership between the nations would continue . obama also invited karzai to washington , and white house press secretary robert gibbs said the planned date for that visit is may 12 . karzai said he wanted to express the gratitude of our people for the help that america has given us for the last eight years , ' and he specifically thanked u.s. taxpayers for their aid in helping rebuild his country . time.com : obama arrives in afghanistan however , obama made clear that his main reason for the trip was to visit with some of the roughly 80,000 u.s. troops stationed in the country . after changing from a suit to an air force one flight jacket , obama told the troops they were making progress against al qaeda and its allies in the taliban , the islamic fundamentalist militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks . all of that makes america safer , and we are going to keep them on the run , ' he said . because that is what is going to be required in order to ensure that our families back home have the security that they need . ' to cheers from the combined joint task force that includes troops from all four services , obama said : the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something . ... we keep at it . we persevere . and together , with our partners , we will prevail . i am absolutely confident of that . ' following his speech to the troops , obama met with u.s . ambassador karl eikenberry and gen. stanley mcchrystal , the commander of allied troops in afghanistan , before his scheduled departure for the flight home . obama 's trip began in secrecy , with the president leaving his camp david retreat . he flew to afghanistan on air force one , landing at bagram air base at 7:24 p.m. ( around 11 a.m . et ) . obama then flew on a helicopter to the presidential palace to meet with karzai . the two presidents took part in a 10-minute arrival ceremony before walking into the palace for their meeting . u.s. officials said the two leaders planned to first meet along with key aides , and then bring in karzai 's cabinet . in a briefing with pool reporters on the trip , national security adviser james jones said obama would push karzai to improve efforts to meet benchmarks for better governance in his second term , which began last year . according to jones , obama planned to point out that certain issues such as a merit-based system for appointing key government officials , battling corruption and taking on narcotics trafficking that helps fund insurgents needed more attention . we have to have the strategic rapport with president karzai and his cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed this year in reversing the momentum the taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006 , ' jones said . a senior administration official said obama told karzai that some progress had been made , particularly involving local governance , establishing more credible national institutions and battling corruption . the senior official characterized the meeting as very productive and businesslike . related : afghanistan crossroads the trip came after what has been perhaps the most successful week of obama 's presidency , in which he signed comprehensive health care legislation -- his top domestic priority -- into law and announced plans to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia on april 8 . gibbs said afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday . the president previously postponed a trip to indonesia and australia planned for march 21-26 in order to see through passage of the health care bill . since taking office , obama ordered the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan while also saying he intended for combat forces to start coming home in july 2011 . u.s. officials said sunday there were nearly 80,000 u.s. troops now on the ground in afghanistan , and the surge announced by obama would increase the total to 98,000 once fully implemented by the end of the year . roughly 10,000 of the 30,000 surge troops were in place now , officials said . in addition , nato partners have more than 40,000 troops in afghanistan , according to the officials . karzai has said that by the end of 2010 , afghan security forces will be able to take over some security responsibilities from international forces . by the end of his second term in 2014 , karzai has said he would like his government to have full responsibility for security . karzai emerged victorious from august presidential elections that were marred by widespread fraud . two months after the vote , a u.n.-backed panel of election monitors threw out nearly a third of karzai 's votes , citing fraud . left short of a majority , karzai agreed to a runoff with challenger abdullah abdullah , but abdullah withdrew just before the runoff vote . the trip is obama 's second to afghanistan . he first traveled there in 2008 , four months before his victory in the election that made him president . on that visit , part of a broader trip to the middle east , obama traveled to eastern afghanistan to meet with u.s. forces and also met with karzai . | president obama tells troops : those folks back home are relying on you ' |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama rallied u.s. troops and pledged continued partnership with afghanistan during a previously unannounced trip to the country sunday . speaking to about 2,000 u.s. and allied troops at the major u.s. base in afghanistan , obama said , those folks back home are relying on you . ' i know it 's not easy , ' he said . you 're far away from home . you miss your kids , you miss your spouses , your family , your friends . ' but he added , if i thought for a minute that america 's vital interests were not served , were not at stake here in afghanistan , i would order all of you home right away . ' earlier , obama met with afghan president hamid karzai at the presidential palace to discuss progress by the afghan government in strengthening its ability to run the country and provide security for its people . after the 30-minute meeting , obama said he wanted to send a strong message that the partnership between the nations would continue . obama also invited karzai to washington , and white house press secretary robert gibbs said the planned date for that visit is may 12 . karzai said he wanted to express the gratitude of our people for the help that america has given us for the last eight years , ' and he specifically thanked u.s. taxpayers for their aid in helping rebuild his country . time.com : obama arrives in afghanistan however , obama made clear that his main reason for the trip was to visit with some of the roughly 80,000 u.s. troops stationed in the country . after changing from a suit to an air force one flight jacket , obama told the troops they were making progress against al qaeda and its allies in the taliban , the islamic fundamentalist militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks . all of that makes america safer , and we are going to keep them on the run , ' he said . because that is what is going to be required in order to ensure that our families back home have the security that they need . ' to cheers from the combined joint task force that includes troops from all four services , obama said : the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something . ... we keep at it . we persevere . and together , with our partners , we will prevail . i am absolutely confident of that . ' following his speech to the troops , obama met with u.s . ambassador karl eikenberry and gen. stanley mcchrystal , the commander of allied troops in afghanistan , before his scheduled departure for the flight home . obama 's trip began in secrecy , with the president leaving his camp david retreat . he flew to afghanistan on air force one , landing at bagram air base at 7:24 p.m. ( around 11 a.m . et ) . obama then flew on a helicopter to the presidential palace to meet with karzai . the two presidents took part in a 10-minute arrival ceremony before walking into the palace for their meeting . u.s. officials said the two leaders planned to first meet along with key aides , and then bring in karzai 's cabinet . in a briefing with pool reporters on the trip , national security adviser james jones said obama would push karzai to improve efforts to meet benchmarks for better governance in his second term , which began last year . according to jones , obama planned to point out that certain issues such as a merit-based system for appointing key government officials , battling corruption and taking on narcotics trafficking that helps fund insurgents needed more attention . we have to have the strategic rapport with president karzai and his cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed this year in reversing the momentum the taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006 , ' jones said . a senior administration official said obama told karzai that some progress had been made , particularly involving local governance , establishing more credible national institutions and battling corruption . the senior official characterized the meeting as very productive and businesslike . related : afghanistan crossroads the trip came after what has been perhaps the most successful week of obama 's presidency , in which he signed comprehensive health care legislation -- his top domestic priority -- into law and announced plans to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia on april 8 . gibbs said afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday . the president previously postponed a trip to indonesia and australia planned for march 21-26 in order to see through passage of the health care bill . since taking office , obama ordered the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan while also saying he intended for combat forces to start coming home in july 2011 . u.s. officials said sunday there were nearly 80,000 u.s. troops now on the ground in afghanistan , and the surge announced by obama would increase the total to 98,000 once fully implemented by the end of the year . roughly 10,000 of the 30,000 surge troops were in place now , officials said . in addition , nato partners have more than 40,000 troops in afghanistan , according to the officials . karzai has said that by the end of 2010 , afghan security forces will be able to take over some security responsibilities from international forces . by the end of his second term in 2014 , karzai has said he would like his government to have full responsibility for security . karzai emerged victorious from august presidential elections that were marred by widespread fraud . two months after the vote , a u.n.-backed panel of election monitors threw out nearly a third of karzai 's votes , citing fraud . left short of a majority , karzai agreed to a runoff with challenger abdullah abdullah , but abdullah withdrew just before the runoff vote . the trip is obama 's second to afghanistan . he first traveled there in 2008 , four months before his victory in the election that made him president . on that visit , part of a broader trip to the middle east , obama traveled to eastern afghanistan to meet with u.s. forces and also met with karzai . | obama first traveled to afghanistan in 2008 |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama rallied u.s. troops and pledged continued partnership with afghanistan during a previously unannounced trip to the country sunday . speaking to about 2,000 u.s. and allied troops at the major u.s. base in afghanistan , obama said , those folks back home are relying on you . ' i know it 's not easy , ' he said . you 're far away from home . you miss your kids , you miss your spouses , your family , your friends . ' but he added , if i thought for a minute that america 's vital interests were not served , were not at stake here in afghanistan , i would order all of you home right away . ' earlier , obama met with afghan president hamid karzai at the presidential palace to discuss progress by the afghan government in strengthening its ability to run the country and provide security for its people . after the 30-minute meeting , obama said he wanted to send a strong message that the partnership between the nations would continue . obama also invited karzai to washington , and white house press secretary robert gibbs said the planned date for that visit is may 12 . karzai said he wanted to express the gratitude of our people for the help that america has given us for the last eight years , ' and he specifically thanked u.s. taxpayers for their aid in helping rebuild his country . time.com : obama arrives in afghanistan however , obama made clear that his main reason for the trip was to visit with some of the roughly 80,000 u.s. troops stationed in the country . after changing from a suit to an air force one flight jacket , obama told the troops they were making progress against al qaeda and its allies in the taliban , the islamic fundamentalist militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks . all of that makes america safer , and we are going to keep them on the run , ' he said . because that is what is going to be required in order to ensure that our families back home have the security that they need . ' to cheers from the combined joint task force that includes troops from all four services , obama said : the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something . ... we keep at it . we persevere . and together , with our partners , we will prevail . i am absolutely confident of that . ' following his speech to the troops , obama met with u.s . ambassador karl eikenberry and gen. stanley mcchrystal , the commander of allied troops in afghanistan , before his scheduled departure for the flight home . obama 's trip began in secrecy , with the president leaving his camp david retreat . he flew to afghanistan on air force one , landing at bagram air base at 7:24 p.m. ( around 11 a.m . et ) . obama then flew on a helicopter to the presidential palace to meet with karzai . the two presidents took part in a 10-minute arrival ceremony before walking into the palace for their meeting . u.s. officials said the two leaders planned to first meet along with key aides , and then bring in karzai 's cabinet . in a briefing with pool reporters on the trip , national security adviser james jones said obama would push karzai to improve efforts to meet benchmarks for better governance in his second term , which began last year . according to jones , obama planned to point out that certain issues such as a merit-based system for appointing key government officials , battling corruption and taking on narcotics trafficking that helps fund insurgents needed more attention . we have to have the strategic rapport with president karzai and his cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed this year in reversing the momentum the taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006 , ' jones said . a senior administration official said obama told karzai that some progress had been made , particularly involving local governance , establishing more credible national institutions and battling corruption . the senior official characterized the meeting as very productive and businesslike . related : afghanistan crossroads the trip came after what has been perhaps the most successful week of obama 's presidency , in which he signed comprehensive health care legislation -- his top domestic priority -- into law and announced plans to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia on april 8 . gibbs said afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday . the president previously postponed a trip to indonesia and australia planned for march 21-26 in order to see through passage of the health care bill . since taking office , obama ordered the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan while also saying he intended for combat forces to start coming home in july 2011 . u.s. officials said sunday there were nearly 80,000 u.s. troops now on the ground in afghanistan , and the surge announced by obama would increase the total to 98,000 once fully implemented by the end of the year . roughly 10,000 of the 30,000 surge troops were in place now , officials said . in addition , nato partners have more than 40,000 troops in afghanistan , according to the officials . karzai has said that by the end of 2010 , afghan security forces will be able to take over some security responsibilities from international forces . by the end of his second term in 2014 , karzai has said he would like his government to have full responsibility for security . karzai emerged victorious from august presidential elections that were marred by widespread fraud . two months after the vote , a u.n.-backed panel of election monitors threw out nearly a third of karzai 's votes , citing fraud . left short of a majority , karzai agreed to a runoff with challenger abdullah abdullah , but abdullah withdrew just before the runoff vote . the trip is obama 's second to afghanistan . he first traveled there in 2008 , four months before his victory in the election that made him president . on that visit , part of a broader trip to the middle east , obama traveled to eastern afghanistan to meet with u.s. forces and also met with karzai . | afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday , white house says |
afghanistan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president obama rallied u.s. troops and pledged continued partnership with afghanistan during a previously unannounced trip to the country sunday . speaking to about 2,000 u.s. and allied troops at the major u.s. base in afghanistan , obama said , those folks back home are relying on you . ' i know it 's not easy , ' he said . you 're far away from home . you miss your kids , you miss your spouses , your family , your friends . ' but he added , if i thought for a minute that america 's vital interests were not served , were not at stake here in afghanistan , i would order all of you home right away . ' earlier , obama met with afghan president hamid karzai at the presidential palace to discuss progress by the afghan government in strengthening its ability to run the country and provide security for its people . after the 30-minute meeting , obama said he wanted to send a strong message that the partnership between the nations would continue . obama also invited karzai to washington , and white house press secretary robert gibbs said the planned date for that visit is may 12 . karzai said he wanted to express the gratitude of our people for the help that america has given us for the last eight years , ' and he specifically thanked u.s. taxpayers for their aid in helping rebuild his country . time.com : obama arrives in afghanistan however , obama made clear that his main reason for the trip was to visit with some of the roughly 80,000 u.s. troops stationed in the country . after changing from a suit to an air force one flight jacket , obama told the troops they were making progress against al qaeda and its allies in the taliban , the islamic fundamentalist militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks . all of that makes america safer , and we are going to keep them on the run , ' he said . because that is what is going to be required in order to ensure that our families back home have the security that they need . ' to cheers from the combined joint task force that includes troops from all four services , obama said : the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something . ... we keep at it . we persevere . and together , with our partners , we will prevail . i am absolutely confident of that . ' following his speech to the troops , obama met with u.s . ambassador karl eikenberry and gen. stanley mcchrystal , the commander of allied troops in afghanistan , before his scheduled departure for the flight home . obama 's trip began in secrecy , with the president leaving his camp david retreat . he flew to afghanistan on air force one , landing at bagram air base at 7:24 p.m. ( around 11 a.m . et ) . obama then flew on a helicopter to the presidential palace to meet with karzai . the two presidents took part in a 10-minute arrival ceremony before walking into the palace for their meeting . u.s. officials said the two leaders planned to first meet along with key aides , and then bring in karzai 's cabinet . in a briefing with pool reporters on the trip , national security adviser james jones said obama would push karzai to improve efforts to meet benchmarks for better governance in his second term , which began last year . according to jones , obama planned to point out that certain issues such as a merit-based system for appointing key government officials , battling corruption and taking on narcotics trafficking that helps fund insurgents needed more attention . we have to have the strategic rapport with president karzai and his cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed this year in reversing the momentum the taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006 , ' jones said . a senior administration official said obama told karzai that some progress had been made , particularly involving local governance , establishing more credible national institutions and battling corruption . the senior official characterized the meeting as very productive and businesslike . related : afghanistan crossroads the trip came after what has been perhaps the most successful week of obama 's presidency , in which he signed comprehensive health care legislation -- his top domestic priority -- into law and announced plans to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia on april 8 . gibbs said afghan authorities were notified of obama 's trip on thursday . the president previously postponed a trip to indonesia and australia planned for march 21-26 in order to see through passage of the health care bill . since taking office , obama ordered the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan while also saying he intended for combat forces to start coming home in july 2011 . u.s. officials said sunday there were nearly 80,000 u.s. troops now on the ground in afghanistan , and the surge announced by obama would increase the total to 98,000 once fully implemented by the end of the year . roughly 10,000 of the 30,000 surge troops were in place now , officials said . in addition , nato partners have more than 40,000 troops in afghanistan , according to the officials . karzai has said that by the end of 2010 , afghan security forces will be able to take over some security responsibilities from international forces . by the end of his second term in 2014 , karzai has said he would like his government to have full responsibility for security . karzai emerged victorious from august presidential elections that were marred by widespread fraud . two months after the vote , a u.n.-backed panel of election monitors threw out nearly a third of karzai 's votes , citing fraud . left short of a majority , karzai agreed to a runoff with challenger abdullah abdullah , but abdullah withdrew just before the runoff vote . the trip is obama 's second to afghanistan . he first traveled there in 2008 , four months before his victory in the election that made him president . on that visit , part of a broader trip to the middle east , obama traveled to eastern afghanistan to meet with u.s. forces and also met with karzai . | obama first traveled to afghanistan in 2008 |
north koreans <tsp> ( cnn ) -- i thought i was prepared for north korea . after all , i 'd spent more than half my life studying , traveling to and living in the former soviet union as well as other communist and post-communist countries . commuters head to work in downtown pyongyang this past february . so , as we arrived at pyongyang airport , i felt oddly at home . the same empty airport as in leningrad in 1969 . ( in the north korean capital we later found out our flight was the only one scheduled for arrival that day . ) staring down at our plane as we taxied to the terminal , a huge color portrait of kim il sung , north korea 's great leader . ' no matter where we went over the next nine days , the gaze of kim il sung , or his son , kim jong il , the current ruler known as the dear leader , ' would follow us , from portraits hung on buildings , monuments , bridges ... to lapel pins on the chests of almost everyone we met , including the two men who greeted us , mr. jang and mr. song , who would be our guides , minders and controllers for the duration of our stay . in 1969 , arriving in russia as a student , it seemed that every street i traveled was decorated with the image of vladimir lenin , father of the russian revolution . adults wore lapel pins with images of the bolshevik leader , children wore little baby lenin ' pins . lenin lived , lenin lives , lenin will live . ' i was told , and so does kim il sung , who died in 1994 . even in death , the communist leaders have something in common : their bodies are embalmed and lie in glass-covered coffins , on display in mausoleums in moscow and pyongyang . russian experts reportedly helped the north koreans with the cosmetic aspects of political immortality . the streets of the north korean capital reminded me of moscow in the 1960s . almost no traffic , just official cars whizzing down empty boulevards , curtains pulled shut to protect elite communist party members from the prying eyes of pedestrians . in moscow they used to drive long black zils or volgas . in pyongyang , it 's mostly older mercedes , often an incongruous baby blue . in any country , one of the best ways to see how people live is to visit the food stores and markets . for several days we pestered our north korean guides to take us to markets where the first tiny buds of capitalism are sprouting , the government allowing people to sell fruits and vegetables -- one way of relieving the food shortage in the north . in search of state-owned food stores , i went for a walk one evening in town , without a guide . the stores were closed , it was a holiday , but as i peered through the darkened window of one shop i went back in time to the stores i saw in russia a quarter century ago . a few tin cans of fish stacked neatly in pyramids , a half-bare counter displaying a few lonely onions and cucumbers . this was in the capital , much better provisioned than the countryside , where north koreans often go hungry . choreographed encounters in russia , our guides went to extraordinary lengths to control what we saw and limit our interaction with average people . mr. jang and mr. song must have studied at the same guide school . their mentality was the same : make sure we saw nothing that could reflect negatively on the government or communist party leadership . one morning , as we were driven out of pyongyang to a mountain resort ensuring we would be kept far from any interaction with ordinary people , we asked our guides to let us stop by the road and shoot some pictures of the countryside . grudgingly , they agreed . suddenly , the young one , 29-year-old mr. jang , sporting a sleek black pompadour and a smirk , told us to stop . there is an old woman down there , ' he explained . presumably , her bent back was not what he wanted on tape . our older guide , mr. song , a former diplomat , was more flexible . he cracked a smile when i told him of how my soviet escorts back in the 1970s took us on a boat ride down the volga , refusing our pleas to stop along the way . at one deserted spot we were allowed to pull into shore for a picnic lunch . several of us set off on foot to see what we could find . in a tiny village , we came upon a lovely young woman wearing makeup . when we complimented her on how nice she looked , she said : they told us you were coming . ' knowing that virtually every encounter is choreographed in advance creates a strange mind-warp . in pyongyang we asked to see some of the everyday life in north korea and our guides finally took us to the city park , a magnificently beautiful expanse of hills and trees . hearing drumming in the distance , i walked swiftly to see where it was coming from . a few minutes away i spotted an open-air pavilion filled with older koreans , most of them women in traditional flowing dress , cinched at the bust with a sash . they were singing , dancing and laughing uproariously , some of them beating out a rhythm on small red-painted drums shaped like an hourglass . i begin taking pictures . they simply smiled and kept dancing . mr. song caught up and we both surveyed the scene , utterly charming in its simplicity and gaiety . he turned to me with a smile and said , they knew you were coming . ' was he pulling my leg ? was he telling the truth ? i guess i 'll never know but i prefer to think that at least this encounter with koreans was not scripted . the north may have a hard-edged image in the world of fierce militarism and , just as in the old soviet union , much of life is run like the army , with group -- not individual -- activities the norm . yet , in spite of that hard-edged atmosphere , there is an incongruous feeling of primness , as well . in pyongyang , 20-something traffic girls direct the non-existent traffic , robot-like in their white uniforms , black hair pulled back in identical world war ii-style chignons . they remind me of little russian girls in their starched school uniforms , organdy bows in their hair . women in moscow dressed neatly , but modestly , with no access to imported clothes . it 's much the same here in pyongyang yet there is one sign of changing times in today 's north korea : a flash , here and there , of modest jewelry , unthinkable just a short time ago . following the great leader how to understand what people really think and feel ? it 's a question i asked myself so many times in russia and it hounds me here in north korea . there was no way for our cnn crew to blend in , with our western clothes , western looks and our mandatory silk arm bands , given to us by our foreign ministry minders , navy blue with white lettering identifying us as journalists . in russia , beneath the surface of repressive political control , if you looked hard enough , and spoke the language , you could sometimes find those lonely dissidents living in internal migration ' rejecting the pressure to conform . in north korea , conformity is taken to a degree i never imagined possible . at the airarang , ' the mass gymnastics show celebrating the 60th anniversary of the end of japanese occupation of korea , thousands of performers dressed in military uniforms re-enact the battles and suffering that gave birth to their country . before the show , a murmuring in the audience builds to a buzz . the personal photographers of kim jong il suddenly appear close to the seat of honor . as the short , rotund leader enters the stadium , the audience leap to their feet , clapping rapturously as dear leader ' applauds them back . do they believe in kim ? believe in his juche ' philosophy of extreme self-reliance ? unable to speak korean , cut off from unscripted meetings with koreans , i have no answer . young mr. jang tries to explain it to me : korea , he says , is like a rabbit . its face is toward china . its back is toward the united states . its ass is toward japan . its mouth is toward russia . ' korea , he tells me , needs no one . its unity is its weapon . surrounded by enemies , it must look to itself to survive . in the mountains a two-hour drive from pyongyang , there is a massive museum cut into the mountainside , built to house all the gifts given by international leaders to kim il sung and his son , kim jong il . i ask what is the first gift kim il sung was given ? the guide , an elegant woman in traditional dress , sweeps though the cold marble corridors , leading us to a room where a full-size train car stands , its elaborate wood interior and brass lamps buffed and polished , a gift from soviet ruler joseph stalin . down one more corridor to a final room on our tour , the diminutive guide tugs at the door and i gasp . a life-size figure of the great leader , dressed in a suit , standing amid trees near a lake , mountains in the distance . it is eerily real . even the leaves on the trees rustle as a breeze ( from a hidden fan ? ) blows by . the music is solemn , stately . mr. jang and mr. song stand reverently and bow . the great leader stares blindly into the distance . does he know where his country is headed ? | north koreans are taught to adhere juche , ' belief of self-reliance |
berkin elvan <tsp> istanbul ( cnn ) -- thousands of mourners gathered thursday for the second mass funeral in two days after a 22-year-old turkish man died from a gunshot wound . crowds carrying turkish flags escorted the coffin of burak can karamanoglu through the streets of istanbul . his death wednesday increased tensions in a country riven by deep political polarization in the run-up to municipal elections scheduled to take place nationwide on march 30 . the istanbul governor 's office issued a statement explaining that wednesday night , karamanoglu lost his life as a result of a verbal argument between two groups that escalated into a fight where a gun was used . ' two other men received gunshot wounds , the governor 's office said . neither of the wounded was in critical condition . it is not clear which groups were involved in the fight that led to karamanoglu 's death . but the violence took place amid clashes in nearby streets between riot police and mourners who had attended the funeral of 15-year-old berkin elvan on wednesday . berkin died in an istanbul hospital this week , nine months after he was critically wounded , apparently by a tear gas canister fired by riot police . the boy 's death triggered a massive outpouring of grief and discontent , as demonstrators in several turkish cities blamed the death on the turkish government and excessive police force . after burying his son , berkin 's father took to the airwaves to denounce turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogan . i am addressing the prime minister . if he wants , he could bring the murderer of my child to me in one hour , ' sami elvan told cnn sister network cnn turk . he went on to criticize erdogan for refusing to discuss the death of his son or of six turkish men who have died since anti-government protests erupted in may 2013 . in a worrying sign of growing political tension , the father of karamanoglu -- this week 's gunshot victim -- lashed out at the crowds of mourners who clashed with police after berkin 's funeral . there was n't a place , a storefront they did n't damage . they burned and destroyed everything , ' said halil karamanoglu , in comments published by the state broadcaster trt . i am hurting right now . take pity on this nation , take pity on these children . common sense ... we have to be united , ' he said . turkey 's prime minister has not discussed berkin 's death in lengthy television interviews and at daily political rallies . but at a public appearance thursday , erdogan drew attention to karamanoglu 's shooting death . he blamed the killing on the protesters who criticize his government . yesterday , unfortunately , they killed a youth that had just returned from military service . what are the people expressing sorrow yesterday going to say about this child of ours ? ' erdogan said , according to the semiofficial anadolu news agency . | the death of burak can karamanoglu follows tuesday death of berkin elvan , 15 |
john mccain <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president-elect barack obama called his former republican presidential rival , sen. john mccain , a hero at a bipartisan dinner monday night and encouraged politicians to reach across the aisle . president-elect barack obama greets sen. john mccain on stage after praising him at a bipartisan dinner . i could stand here and recite the long list of john 's bipartisan accomplishments ... ' obama said . campaign finance reform . immigration . the patients'bill of rights . all those times he has crossed the aisle and risked the ire of his party for the good of his country . and yet , what makes john such a rare and courageous public servant is not the accomplishments themselves , but the true motivation behind them . ' mccain returned the gracious feelings at the dinner . i am very grateful to the president-elect and to all of you for this very considerate gesture , and for allowing me to play a small role in the inauguration of the 44th president of the united states , even if it is n't the one i had in mind a few months ago , ' mccain said . tomorrow , the president-elect will accept the burdensome privilege of leading america to its next accomplishments and its future greatness , ' mccain went on to say . he has my sincere best wishes for his success , and my promise of assistance . for his success will be our success . ' after praising mccain , obama urged everyone to take the bipartisan dinner past just an inaugural tradition ' and turn it into a new way of doing the people 's business in this city . ' we will not always agree on everything in the months to come , and we will have our share of arguments and debates , ' obama said . but let us strive always to find that common ground , and to defend together those common ideals , for it is the only way we can meet the very big and very serious challenges that we face right now . ' on the eve of his inauguration , the president-elect even made time for a joke . i 'm here tonight to say a few words about an american hero i have come to know very well and admire very much -- sen. john mccain , ' obama said as he opened his speech . and then , according to the rules agreed to by both parties , john will have approximately 30 seconds to make a rebuttal . ' obama 's speech at the bipartisan dinner capped a day filled by appearances , including visiting wounded soldiers and exhorting americans to spend more time in the service of others . in washington people took in the sights of pre-inauguration activities and concerts . the energy on the streets is something i 've never seen before , ' said nancy wigal , who lives in vernon square . people are walking lighter , standing taller and are reaching out to one another . it feels like hope . it feels like shared happiness . ' wigal said obama 's inauguration has given residents hope that change actually will happen . it 's all because of obama -- we dare to feel positive that we may have actually elected a leader , not just a politician , ' she said . there are impromptu progressive dinner parties , cookouts and house parties . we finally feel like a real change has come to town . ' obama began his day with a surprise visit to wounded soldiers at walter reed army medical center . he met with 14 patients injured in either iraq or afghanistan . obama visited a national day of service project , stopping by the sasha bruce house , an emergency shelter for homeless teenagers in the washington area . watch obama speak about service on the eve of his inauguration » the shelter provides a variety of services , including counseling , job training , and substance abuse prevention assistance , for up to 15 teenagers at a time . roughly 30 teenagers are spending the rev . martin luther king jr. holiday volunteering at the shelter by helping to renovate a dorm room . obama rolled up his sleeves and pitched in during the visit , using a roller to help paint a couple of walls and a piece of furniture . he also quoted king to the teenagers , noting that everybody can be great [ because ] everybody can serve . ' do n't underestimate the power of people who join together to accomplish amazing things , ' obama added . given the crisis america is currently in , we ca n't allow any idle hands . everybody 's got to pitch in . ' wigal said obama 's actions and words make her believe the president-elect has the skills needed to help the country move forward . those of us who live and work here , who try to create , shape , influence and move policy forward , are feeling as if we can finally do something that 'll result in forward motion , ' wigal said . we believe we have a leader who listens to those who work the issues every day and know the real solutions . ' for wigal , that 's exactly what makes inauguration day so important . tomorrow is going to be the biggest day in our country 's history since its creation , ' she said . during monday 's activities obama also cited the heroics of u.s. airways pilot chesley sullenberger , who safely landed a crippled commercial airliner in the hudson river last thursday , saving the lives of all 155 people on board . if everybody did their job as well as he did [ his ] job , we would be in pretty good shape , ' obama said . obama has personally invited sullenberger to the inauguration . obama later joined vice president-elect joe biden at a high school where students were making blankets and greeting cards , among other things , for soldiers overseas . speaking to the students , obama again invoked king 's memory , noting the slain civil rights leader had dedicated his life to working at the grassroots level ... on behalf of justice and equality . ' i am making a commitment to you , as your next president , that we are going to make government work , ' obama said . but , he warned , government can only do so much . if we 're just waiting around for someone else to do it for us ... it never gets done . we 're going to have to take responsibility , all of us . ' incoming first lady michelle obama , joined by jill biden , the wife of the vice president-elect , spent the morning at a separate volunteer service event at rfk stadium , where people were assembling care packages for soldiers serving in iraq and afghanistan . martin luther king jr. day is traditionally viewed as a day to encourage greater volunteerism . | barack obama praises sen. john mccain 's leadership at bipartisan dinner |
john mccain <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president-elect barack obama called his former republican presidential rival , sen. john mccain , a hero at a bipartisan dinner monday night and encouraged politicians to reach across the aisle . president-elect barack obama greets sen. john mccain on stage after praising him at a bipartisan dinner . i could stand here and recite the long list of john 's bipartisan accomplishments ... ' obama said . campaign finance reform . immigration . the patients'bill of rights . all those times he has crossed the aisle and risked the ire of his party for the good of his country . and yet , what makes john such a rare and courageous public servant is not the accomplishments themselves , but the true motivation behind them . ' mccain returned the gracious feelings at the dinner . i am very grateful to the president-elect and to all of you for this very considerate gesture , and for allowing me to play a small role in the inauguration of the 44th president of the united states , even if it is n't the one i had in mind a few months ago , ' mccain said . tomorrow , the president-elect will accept the burdensome privilege of leading america to its next accomplishments and its future greatness , ' mccain went on to say . he has my sincere best wishes for his success , and my promise of assistance . for his success will be our success . ' after praising mccain , obama urged everyone to take the bipartisan dinner past just an inaugural tradition ' and turn it into a new way of doing the people 's business in this city . ' we will not always agree on everything in the months to come , and we will have our share of arguments and debates , ' obama said . but let us strive always to find that common ground , and to defend together those common ideals , for it is the only way we can meet the very big and very serious challenges that we face right now . ' on the eve of his inauguration , the president-elect even made time for a joke . i 'm here tonight to say a few words about an american hero i have come to know very well and admire very much -- sen. john mccain , ' obama said as he opened his speech . and then , according to the rules agreed to by both parties , john will have approximately 30 seconds to make a rebuttal . ' obama 's speech at the bipartisan dinner capped a day filled by appearances , including visiting wounded soldiers and exhorting americans to spend more time in the service of others . in washington people took in the sights of pre-inauguration activities and concerts . the energy on the streets is something i 've never seen before , ' said nancy wigal , who lives in vernon square . people are walking lighter , standing taller and are reaching out to one another . it feels like hope . it feels like shared happiness . ' wigal said obama 's inauguration has given residents hope that change actually will happen . it 's all because of obama -- we dare to feel positive that we may have actually elected a leader , not just a politician , ' she said . there are impromptu progressive dinner parties , cookouts and house parties . we finally feel like a real change has come to town . ' obama began his day with a surprise visit to wounded soldiers at walter reed army medical center . he met with 14 patients injured in either iraq or afghanistan . obama visited a national day of service project , stopping by the sasha bruce house , an emergency shelter for homeless teenagers in the washington area . watch obama speak about service on the eve of his inauguration » the shelter provides a variety of services , including counseling , job training , and substance abuse prevention assistance , for up to 15 teenagers at a time . roughly 30 teenagers are spending the rev . martin luther king jr. holiday volunteering at the shelter by helping to renovate a dorm room . obama rolled up his sleeves and pitched in during the visit , using a roller to help paint a couple of walls and a piece of furniture . he also quoted king to the teenagers , noting that everybody can be great [ because ] everybody can serve . ' do n't underestimate the power of people who join together to accomplish amazing things , ' obama added . given the crisis america is currently in , we ca n't allow any idle hands . everybody 's got to pitch in . ' wigal said obama 's actions and words make her believe the president-elect has the skills needed to help the country move forward . those of us who live and work here , who try to create , shape , influence and move policy forward , are feeling as if we can finally do something that 'll result in forward motion , ' wigal said . we believe we have a leader who listens to those who work the issues every day and know the real solutions . ' for wigal , that 's exactly what makes inauguration day so important . tomorrow is going to be the biggest day in our country 's history since its creation , ' she said . during monday 's activities obama also cited the heroics of u.s. airways pilot chesley sullenberger , who safely landed a crippled commercial airliner in the hudson river last thursday , saving the lives of all 155 people on board . if everybody did their job as well as he did [ his ] job , we would be in pretty good shape , ' obama said . obama has personally invited sullenberger to the inauguration . obama later joined vice president-elect joe biden at a high school where students were making blankets and greeting cards , among other things , for soldiers overseas . speaking to the students , obama again invoked king 's memory , noting the slain civil rights leader had dedicated his life to working at the grassroots level ... on behalf of justice and equality . ' i am making a commitment to you , as your next president , that we are going to make government work , ' obama said . but , he warned , government can only do so much . if we 're just waiting around for someone else to do it for us ... it never gets done . we 're going to have to take responsibility , all of us . ' incoming first lady michelle obama , joined by jill biden , the wife of the vice president-elect , spent the morning at a separate volunteer service event at rfk stadium , where people were assembling care packages for soldiers serving in iraq and afghanistan . martin luther king jr. day is traditionally viewed as a day to encourage greater volunteerism . | new : john mccain : president-elect has my sincere best wishes for his success ' |
sony <tsp> virtual reality , the emerging 3d technology many expect to be the next quantum leap in the video gaming world , just got a little more real . sony , makers of the top-selling playstation 4 , has rolled out project morpheus , ' a virtual reality system it says will pair with its top-selling gaming console to immerse players in the virtual worlds in which they 're playing . the system , announced tuesday at the annual game developers conference in san francisco , joins oculus rift , a similar full-immersion vr system that has captured the imaginations of gamers since its $ 2.4 million debut on kickstarter in 2012 . at ( sony computer entertainment ) , we view innovation as an opportunity to build on our mission to push the boundaries of play , ' said shuhei yoshida , president of sce worldwide studios , at the conference . project morpheus is the latest example of innovation from sce , and we 're looking forward to its continued development and the games that will be created as development kits get into the hands of content creators . ' virtual reality utilizes a headset that gives the wearer a 360-degree field of vision , allowing them to interact with their surroundings as if they were really there . morpheus will feature a visor-style headset and interact with the camera on the playstation 4 using sensors that track the player 's head movements . despite a multitude of other dramatic changes through the decades , the way console gamers have interacted with visuals has remained virtually unchanged . the prospect of replacing the static , two-dimensional screen has many in the gaming world anxiously contemplating the possibilities . vr is exciting because it thoroughly immerses players in ways not possible on a regular tv set , ' said dan shoe ' hsu , a longtime gaming journalist and editor-in-chief of gamesbeat . wherever you turn your head , that 's where you 'll look , even if it 's physically behind you . that sort of 360-degree immersion has never been done in a believable manner in the past , but the technology has caught up . we can now experience the same high graphical fidelity that we see on hdtvs within virtual reality now . ' sony did not announce a specific timetable or price details for morpheus , saying models that will be made available to developers are prototypes . it all raises the question of whether top-tier game developers will be willing to make the considerable investment of time and resources it will take to create games for a new , untested system that will only be owned by some gamers who own one particular console . hsu thinks sony is in a good position , though . in just three-and-a-half months , the playstation 4 has sold more than 6 million units worldwide . not every ps4 owner will buy it , of course , ' he said . but because project morpheus is essentially a new platform on its own , there will be plenty of developers who will want to be first or early on it . this is a chance for developers to plant their flags in a new market . ' so , what does the arrival of morpheus mean for oculus ? with xbox-maker microsoft also rumored to be working on its own headset , will the independent shop get squeezed by gaming 's big names before it even hits the market ? do n't count on it . for one , the oculus rift is designed to work , primarily , with pcs . so , even if the console makers each develop their own systems , there 's plenty of space for the system to thrive despite the competition . and it 's got plenty of momentum itself . oculus has drummed up more than $ 90 million in funding and , in august , brought in legendary gaming developer john carmack , the lead programmer behind classic games like doom , ' quake ' and wolfenstein 3d , ' as chief technology officer . oculus is still in a great position with its head start in development , both in hardware and software , ' hsu said . third-party games have been in the works for the oculus rift for quite some time now , so the company is in a good spot for when the headset releases . ' the system got a profile boost at this month 's south by southwest interactive festival , when it was used for a popular exhibit promoting hbo 's game of thrones . ' competition is always , always good , ' hsu said . if sony 's announcement forces oculus to be even more aggressive in creating a top-notch vr unit and getting it to market more quickly , then the consumers will benefit . ' | sony announces project morpheus , ' a virtual-reality gaming system |
new york <tsp> the counterfeits included everyday health and beauty items such as chapstick , johnson 's baby oil , vaseline and always sanitary pads . a pair of new york brothers will appear in court tuesday on charges of running a multimillion-dollar ring that peddled fake products distributed up and down the east coast , authorities said . brothers pardeep malik , 59 , and hamant mullick , 60 , are accused of running an enterprise whose products also turned up in pennsylvania and florida , according to the nassau county district attorney 's office . authorities seized more than $ 2 million worth of products and were looking at bank accounts to determine the size of the enterprise . law enforcement authorities seized four tractor-trailers filled with knockoff health products from five locations on long island on thursday . a manufacturer described the operation as the biggest known counterfeit enterprise in the united states , while another company called it the only known such manufacturing operation in the country for its products , prosecutors said . malik and mullick , both charged with felony trademark counterfeiting , were being held on bond of $ 100,000 each , the district attorney 's office said . the allegation that malik was involved with his brother 's business are outlandish , ' said malik 's attorney , steve christiansen . mullick 's attorney , michael brown , did not return calls seeking comment . health and beauty products like lip balms , oils , shampoos and inhalers are highly regulated in order to protect consumers , but these defendants are charged with going around those protections and stealing the brands of major corporations that comply with the law , ' district attorney kathleen rice said in the statement . these actions can endanger the public . ' the fake products included chapstick , johnson 's baby oil , vicks vaporub , vicks inhaler , vaseline and always sanitary pads ; the producers of the real products include major international brands such as johnson & johnson , pfizer , procter & gamble and unilever , prosecutors said . other products , including over-the-counter cold medicines and painkillers , also were recovered , officials said . we encourage consumers to be cautious about buying branded goods that look suspicious , or from outlets that are unfamiliar , ' chris vuturo , a spokesman for procter & gamble , said in a statement . the case came to light when valley stream fire department officials in january conducted a building inspection at the site of a fire a year earlier . nassau county fire marshall officials took samples of products they found and sent them to the manufacturers , who verified the counterfeits . fire department officials said they found manufacturing supplies but no material safety data sheets , which normally accompany these supplies . the brothers are accused of selling the products to distributors who , in turn , delivered them to retailers in new york , pennsylvania and florida . an investigation is underway to determine if there are more locations . the prosecutor 's office is trying to determine the chemical makeup of the products and the health risks , if any , associated with them . authorities gave the following tips to identify fakes : look for signs such as strange pictures on the package or strange colors or typeface . some sophisticated knockoffs may be hard to detect , but the price may be atypically low . counterfeits will not have the same quality or consistency of real products . shop at established and trusted stores , which are likely to be connected to legitimate supply chains . | a pair of new york brothers are charged with felony trademark counterfeiting |
zack snyder <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- a yellow smiley-face badge , smeared with blood , has become the trademark for watchmen , ' the most critically revered of all comic books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen . watchmen ' opens with the unexplained murder of the comedian ( jeffrey dean morgan ) . note smiley badge . the subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades , watchmen ' finally rolls out in the u.s. and other territories from the first week of march onward . but it 's not as well known to wider audiences , who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no a-list star attached . instead , they may simply ask : watch-what ? ' watchmen , ' created by the uk comic-book team of writer alan moore and artist dave gibbons , surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by dc comics ( part of time warner , which owns cnn parent company turner broadcasting ) . are you looking forward to watchmen ? ' or think it 's just hype ? it was a defining year for the medium : aside from watchmen , ''86 also saw pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama maus , ' from the new yorker contributor art spielgeman ; and frank miller 's hyperviolent batman reworking the dark knight returns . ' watchmen , ' which takes place in 1985 , is set in a parallel world where america never lost vietnam , russia is about to invade afghanistan and richard nixon still holds power ( carl bernstein and bob woodward were murdered ) . meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain . but what lifts watchmen ' above its superhero peers is a complex , multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic book to make time 's 100 best novels since 1923 . a dark , downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist , it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god dr. manhattan . its influence can be traced to current small-screen favorites like heroes ' and lost . ' watch watchmen ' trailer . » perfect fodder , one might think , for the multiplex -- but watchmen ' has been lodged in development hell for the best part of two decades . at various times arnold schwarzenegger and vin diesel were mooted to play manhattan ; mickey rourke and ed norton were suggested for right-wing vigilante rorschach . directors set to shoot have included terry gilliam , darren aronofsky , paul greengrass and david hayter ( whose script has been retained for much of the final film ) . several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget ( locations include antarctica and mars as well as new york ) and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9/11 world . but film-makers such as gilliam and guillermo del toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a tv mini-series . as the latter , the pan 's labyrinth ' filmmaker , told ign : i just could n't get my head around'watchmen'being two or three hours long . ' whoever made watchmen ' would also do so without moore 's blessing . still resident in his hometown of northampton , central england , moore cuts an imposing figure . at least six-and-a-half feet tall , with chest-length beard and hair , talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old buddhist monk in his study , he resembles doctor who as reimagined by edgar allan poe . ( in person he 's gracious and affable , as this writer will attest from a few years back . ) moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry ( which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators'rights ) and hollywood . the comic-book series from hell , ' in which moore uses the jack the ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence , runs to about 500 pages , including 40-plus pages of footnotes . on film it became a melodramatic pad around victorian london , gamely carried by a pre- ' pirates ' johnny depp . two other moore adaptations also failed to translate . stephen norrington 's the league of extraordinary gentlemen ' ( 2003 ) was widely derided and the subject of a court case into which moore was dragged ; by the time of james mcteigue 's better judged v for vendetta ' ( 2005 ) , moore had asked his name be taken off any movie adaptations and refused to take royalties . enter zack snyder . in 2004 , snyder came to the attention of mainstream cinemagoers with his well-regarded remake of george a. romero 's zombie flick dawn of the dead . ' following the $ 450m-plus taken worldwide by snyder 's 300 ' ( 2006 ) -- a hyper-stylized take on frank miller 's ancient greek suicide-mission -- it was announced that watchmen ' would be his next project with warner bros. paramount , which abandoned plans for the movie in 2005 , took international rights . the $ 150-million feature went into production in vancouver in mid-2007 , wrapping in early 2008 , and with a cast including billy crudup and jackie earle haley . snyder has retained watchmen 's ' 1980s setting and also recruited original artist gibbons -- who still retains friendship with moore -- to advise on production design . mindful that a narrative so complex could never work as a movie , snyder has jettisoned several parallel subplots , which will surface as dvd extras and in director 's cuts . word is that the ending has also been changed . but wary of over-tweaking , snyder told entertainment weekly last year : you ca n't make it into something else , you really ca n't . it 's not'fantastic four ,'it 's got to be hard r [ cinema rating ] , it 's got to challenge everyone 's ideas . ' meanwhile moore , who sometimes mentions that he worships a roman snake-god , hinted in the la times that he had cursed the feature . i can tell you that i will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come , ' he added . so was it moore who saw watchmen ' end up in the courts for a case that risked scuppering its release ? last year twentieth century fox claimed it still retained rights through an earlier deal with producer lawrence gordon in the 1980s ; warners bros. disagreed but a judge decided there was a case to answer . a settlement was eventually thrashed out last month , only weeks ahead of release . and so watchmen ' ticks toward early march and a rollout in spring , the now-traditional season for edgier comic-book adaptations like 300 ' and sin city . ' trailers and early footage have drawn praise , with several scenes playing like detailed frames from the original artwork . but key will be whether snyder can match watchmen 's ' dramatic beats against its green-screen chicanery for more than two hours ( the internet movie database lists the running time at 163 minutes ) . after all , successfully mixing pyrotechnics and narrative is how the most satisfying genre features of recent years -- such as peter jackson 's lord of the rings ' trilogy and christopher nolan 's the dark knight ' -- have found artistic , as well as commercial , favor . should snyder pull it off then will he earn the gratitude of fan boys everywhere , as well as no small thanks from a fair few movie executives . what alan moore might think is another issue .'watchmen'is released in the uk on 6 march . | comic-book movie , directed by zack snyder , took two decades to reach cinemas |
terry gilliam <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- a yellow smiley-face badge , smeared with blood , has become the trademark for watchmen , ' the most critically revered of all comic books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen . watchmen ' opens with the unexplained murder of the comedian ( jeffrey dean morgan ) . note smiley badge . the subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades , watchmen ' finally rolls out in the u.s. and other territories from the first week of march onward . but it 's not as well known to wider audiences , who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no a-list star attached . instead , they may simply ask : watch-what ? ' watchmen , ' created by the uk comic-book team of writer alan moore and artist dave gibbons , surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by dc comics ( part of time warner , which owns cnn parent company turner broadcasting ) . are you looking forward to watchmen ? ' or think it 's just hype ? it was a defining year for the medium : aside from watchmen , ''86 also saw pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama maus , ' from the new yorker contributor art spielgeman ; and frank miller 's hyperviolent batman reworking the dark knight returns . ' watchmen , ' which takes place in 1985 , is set in a parallel world where america never lost vietnam , russia is about to invade afghanistan and richard nixon still holds power ( carl bernstein and bob woodward were murdered ) . meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain . but what lifts watchmen ' above its superhero peers is a complex , multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic book to make time 's 100 best novels since 1923 . a dark , downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist , it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god dr. manhattan . its influence can be traced to current small-screen favorites like heroes ' and lost . ' watch watchmen ' trailer . » perfect fodder , one might think , for the multiplex -- but watchmen ' has been lodged in development hell for the best part of two decades . at various times arnold schwarzenegger and vin diesel were mooted to play manhattan ; mickey rourke and ed norton were suggested for right-wing vigilante rorschach . directors set to shoot have included terry gilliam , darren aronofsky , paul greengrass and david hayter ( whose script has been retained for much of the final film ) . several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget ( locations include antarctica and mars as well as new york ) and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9/11 world . but film-makers such as gilliam and guillermo del toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a tv mini-series . as the latter , the pan 's labyrinth ' filmmaker , told ign : i just could n't get my head around'watchmen'being two or three hours long . ' whoever made watchmen ' would also do so without moore 's blessing . still resident in his hometown of northampton , central england , moore cuts an imposing figure . at least six-and-a-half feet tall , with chest-length beard and hair , talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old buddhist monk in his study , he resembles doctor who as reimagined by edgar allan poe . ( in person he 's gracious and affable , as this writer will attest from a few years back . ) moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry ( which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators'rights ) and hollywood . the comic-book series from hell , ' in which moore uses the jack the ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence , runs to about 500 pages , including 40-plus pages of footnotes . on film it became a melodramatic pad around victorian london , gamely carried by a pre- ' pirates ' johnny depp . two other moore adaptations also failed to translate . stephen norrington 's the league of extraordinary gentlemen ' ( 2003 ) was widely derided and the subject of a court case into which moore was dragged ; by the time of james mcteigue 's better judged v for vendetta ' ( 2005 ) , moore had asked his name be taken off any movie adaptations and refused to take royalties . enter zack snyder . in 2004 , snyder came to the attention of mainstream cinemagoers with his well-regarded remake of george a. romero 's zombie flick dawn of the dead . ' following the $ 450m-plus taken worldwide by snyder 's 300 ' ( 2006 ) -- a hyper-stylized take on frank miller 's ancient greek suicide-mission -- it was announced that watchmen ' would be his next project with warner bros. paramount , which abandoned plans for the movie in 2005 , took international rights . the $ 150-million feature went into production in vancouver in mid-2007 , wrapping in early 2008 , and with a cast including billy crudup and jackie earle haley . snyder has retained watchmen 's ' 1980s setting and also recruited original artist gibbons -- who still retains friendship with moore -- to advise on production design . mindful that a narrative so complex could never work as a movie , snyder has jettisoned several parallel subplots , which will surface as dvd extras and in director 's cuts . word is that the ending has also been changed . but wary of over-tweaking , snyder told entertainment weekly last year : you ca n't make it into something else , you really ca n't . it 's not'fantastic four ,'it 's got to be hard r [ cinema rating ] , it 's got to challenge everyone 's ideas . ' meanwhile moore , who sometimes mentions that he worships a roman snake-god , hinted in the la times that he had cursed the feature . i can tell you that i will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come , ' he added . so was it moore who saw watchmen ' end up in the courts for a case that risked scuppering its release ? last year twentieth century fox claimed it still retained rights through an earlier deal with producer lawrence gordon in the 1980s ; warners bros. disagreed but a judge decided there was a case to answer . a settlement was eventually thrashed out last month , only weeks ahead of release . and so watchmen ' ticks toward early march and a rollout in spring , the now-traditional season for edgier comic-book adaptations like 300 ' and sin city . ' trailers and early footage have drawn praise , with several scenes playing like detailed frames from the original artwork . but key will be whether snyder can match watchmen 's ' dramatic beats against its green-screen chicanery for more than two hours ( the internet movie database lists the running time at 163 minutes ) . after all , successfully mixing pyrotechnics and narrative is how the most satisfying genre features of recent years -- such as peter jackson 's lord of the rings ' trilogy and christopher nolan 's the dark knight ' -- have found artistic , as well as commercial , favor . should snyder pull it off then will he earn the gratitude of fan boys everywhere , as well as no small thanks from a fair few movie executives . what alan moore might think is another issue .'watchmen'is released in the uk on 6 march . | directors terry gilliam , darren aronofsky , paul greengrass , previously attached |
darren aronofsky <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- a yellow smiley-face badge , smeared with blood , has become the trademark for watchmen , ' the most critically revered of all comic books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen . watchmen ' opens with the unexplained murder of the comedian ( jeffrey dean morgan ) . note smiley badge . the subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades , watchmen ' finally rolls out in the u.s. and other territories from the first week of march onward . but it 's not as well known to wider audiences , who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no a-list star attached . instead , they may simply ask : watch-what ? ' watchmen , ' created by the uk comic-book team of writer alan moore and artist dave gibbons , surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by dc comics ( part of time warner , which owns cnn parent company turner broadcasting ) . are you looking forward to watchmen ? ' or think it 's just hype ? it was a defining year for the medium : aside from watchmen , ''86 also saw pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama maus , ' from the new yorker contributor art spielgeman ; and frank miller 's hyperviolent batman reworking the dark knight returns . ' watchmen , ' which takes place in 1985 , is set in a parallel world where america never lost vietnam , russia is about to invade afghanistan and richard nixon still holds power ( carl bernstein and bob woodward were murdered ) . meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain . but what lifts watchmen ' above its superhero peers is a complex , multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic book to make time 's 100 best novels since 1923 . a dark , downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist , it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god dr. manhattan . its influence can be traced to current small-screen favorites like heroes ' and lost . ' watch watchmen ' trailer . » perfect fodder , one might think , for the multiplex -- but watchmen ' has been lodged in development hell for the best part of two decades . at various times arnold schwarzenegger and vin diesel were mooted to play manhattan ; mickey rourke and ed norton were suggested for right-wing vigilante rorschach . directors set to shoot have included terry gilliam , darren aronofsky , paul greengrass and david hayter ( whose script has been retained for much of the final film ) . several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget ( locations include antarctica and mars as well as new york ) and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9/11 world . but film-makers such as gilliam and guillermo del toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a tv mini-series . as the latter , the pan 's labyrinth ' filmmaker , told ign : i just could n't get my head around'watchmen'being two or three hours long . ' whoever made watchmen ' would also do so without moore 's blessing . still resident in his hometown of northampton , central england , moore cuts an imposing figure . at least six-and-a-half feet tall , with chest-length beard and hair , talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old buddhist monk in his study , he resembles doctor who as reimagined by edgar allan poe . ( in person he 's gracious and affable , as this writer will attest from a few years back . ) moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry ( which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators'rights ) and hollywood . the comic-book series from hell , ' in which moore uses the jack the ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence , runs to about 500 pages , including 40-plus pages of footnotes . on film it became a melodramatic pad around victorian london , gamely carried by a pre- ' pirates ' johnny depp . two other moore adaptations also failed to translate . stephen norrington 's the league of extraordinary gentlemen ' ( 2003 ) was widely derided and the subject of a court case into which moore was dragged ; by the time of james mcteigue 's better judged v for vendetta ' ( 2005 ) , moore had asked his name be taken off any movie adaptations and refused to take royalties . enter zack snyder . in 2004 , snyder came to the attention of mainstream cinemagoers with his well-regarded remake of george a. romero 's zombie flick dawn of the dead . ' following the $ 450m-plus taken worldwide by snyder 's 300 ' ( 2006 ) -- a hyper-stylized take on frank miller 's ancient greek suicide-mission -- it was announced that watchmen ' would be his next project with warner bros. paramount , which abandoned plans for the movie in 2005 , took international rights . the $ 150-million feature went into production in vancouver in mid-2007 , wrapping in early 2008 , and with a cast including billy crudup and jackie earle haley . snyder has retained watchmen 's ' 1980s setting and also recruited original artist gibbons -- who still retains friendship with moore -- to advise on production design . mindful that a narrative so complex could never work as a movie , snyder has jettisoned several parallel subplots , which will surface as dvd extras and in director 's cuts . word is that the ending has also been changed . but wary of over-tweaking , snyder told entertainment weekly last year : you ca n't make it into something else , you really ca n't . it 's not'fantastic four ,'it 's got to be hard r [ cinema rating ] , it 's got to challenge everyone 's ideas . ' meanwhile moore , who sometimes mentions that he worships a roman snake-god , hinted in the la times that he had cursed the feature . i can tell you that i will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come , ' he added . so was it moore who saw watchmen ' end up in the courts for a case that risked scuppering its release ? last year twentieth century fox claimed it still retained rights through an earlier deal with producer lawrence gordon in the 1980s ; warners bros. disagreed but a judge decided there was a case to answer . a settlement was eventually thrashed out last month , only weeks ahead of release . and so watchmen ' ticks toward early march and a rollout in spring , the now-traditional season for edgier comic-book adaptations like 300 ' and sin city . ' trailers and early footage have drawn praise , with several scenes playing like detailed frames from the original artwork . but key will be whether snyder can match watchmen 's ' dramatic beats against its green-screen chicanery for more than two hours ( the internet movie database lists the running time at 163 minutes ) . after all , successfully mixing pyrotechnics and narrative is how the most satisfying genre features of recent years -- such as peter jackson 's lord of the rings ' trilogy and christopher nolan 's the dark knight ' -- have found artistic , as well as commercial , favor . should snyder pull it off then will he earn the gratitude of fan boys everywhere , as well as no small thanks from a fair few movie executives . what alan moore might think is another issue .'watchmen'is released in the uk on 6 march . | directors terry gilliam , darren aronofsky , paul greengrass , previously attached |
christians <tsp> an al qaeda-linked rebel group has wrested control of the historic christian town of maaloula from regime forces , opposition groups said sunday . the syrian observatory for human rights said the hardline islamist rebels of the al-nusra front seized control saturday night . videos posted on youtube in recent days showed fighting between rebels and government forces in the tiny sleepy town , an hour 's drive from the capital damascus . we cleansed maaloula from all the assad dogs and all his thugs , ' a rebel commander shouts at the camera in a video posted online over the weekend . what the capture will mean for the christian residents waits to be seen . as the 18-month-long syrian conflict festers , the government and the opposition welcome and need christian support . but some christians fear radical islamists have been swelling rebel ranks . they also fear the same fate as a number of christians during the war in iraq , where militants targeted them and spurred many to leave the country . christians make up roughly 10 % of the population . syria is ruled by a government dominated by alawites , whose faith is an offshoot of shiism . the regime is opposed by an opposition with a large sunni presence . aid agencies say syria 's 2 million christians are often targeted for suspected sympathies to president bashar al-assad 's regime . two top bishops have been kidnapped ; a well-known priest is missing . antoinette nassrallah , the christian owner of a cafe in maaloula , told cnn last year she had seen government tv images depicting radical muslim attacks on christians . she said she has heard about such violence in aleppo . for now in our area here it 's fine , ' she said last year . but what i heard , in aleppo , they are killing , destroying many of churches -- very , very old churches . ' many of syria 's christians have fled to lebanon where they shelter in monasteries . on saturday , they joined in prayers for peace promoted by pope francis in rome . last year , the u.s. treasury imposed sanctions on leaders of al-nusra while the state department blacklisted it as a foreign terror organization linked to al qaeda in iraq . al-nusra front has emerged as one of the most effective groups in the syrian resistance , drawing on foreign fighters with combat experience in iraq and elsewhere . but washington accuses the group of using the syrian conflict to advance its own ideology and ends . elsewhere in syria , russia sent a plane to pick up its citizens from the war-torn middle east nation , state media reported sunday . | some christians fear radical islamists have been swelling rebel ranks |
christians <tsp> an al qaeda-linked rebel group has wrested control of the historic christian town of maaloula from regime forces , opposition groups said sunday . the syrian observatory for human rights said the hardline islamist rebels of the al-nusra front seized control saturday night . videos posted on youtube in recent days showed fighting between rebels and government forces in the tiny sleepy town , an hour 's drive from the capital damascus . we cleansed maaloula from all the assad dogs and all his thugs , ' a rebel commander shouts at the camera in a video posted online over the weekend . what the capture will mean for the christian residents waits to be seen . as the 18-month-long syrian conflict festers , the government and the opposition welcome and need christian support . but some christians fear radical islamists have been swelling rebel ranks . they also fear the same fate as a number of christians during the war in iraq , where militants targeted them and spurred many to leave the country . christians make up roughly 10 % of the population . syria is ruled by a government dominated by alawites , whose faith is an offshoot of shiism . the regime is opposed by an opposition with a large sunni presence . aid agencies say syria 's 2 million christians are often targeted for suspected sympathies to president bashar al-assad 's regime . two top bishops have been kidnapped ; a well-known priest is missing . antoinette nassrallah , the christian owner of a cafe in maaloula , told cnn last year she had seen government tv images depicting radical muslim attacks on christians . she said she has heard about such violence in aleppo . for now in our area here it 's fine , ' she said last year . but what i heard , in aleppo , they are killing , destroying many of churches -- very , very old churches . ' many of syria 's christians have fled to lebanon where they shelter in monasteries . on saturday , they joined in prayers for peace promoted by pope francis in rome . last year , the u.s. treasury imposed sanctions on leaders of al-nusra while the state department blacklisted it as a foreign terror organization linked to al qaeda in iraq . al-nusra front has emerged as one of the most effective groups in the syrian resistance , drawing on foreign fighters with combat experience in iraq and elsewhere . but washington accuses the group of using the syrian conflict to advance its own ideology and ends . elsewhere in syria , russia sent a plane to pick up its citizens from the war-torn middle east nation , state media reported sunday . | aid agencies : christians often targeted for sympathies to al-assad 's regime |
christians <tsp> an al qaeda-linked rebel group has wrested control of the historic christian town of maaloula from regime forces , opposition groups said sunday . the syrian observatory for human rights said the hardline islamist rebels of the al-nusra front seized control saturday night . videos posted on youtube in recent days showed fighting between rebels and government forces in the tiny sleepy town , an hour 's drive from the capital damascus . we cleansed maaloula from all the assad dogs and all his thugs , ' a rebel commander shouts at the camera in a video posted online over the weekend . what the capture will mean for the christian residents waits to be seen . as the 18-month-long syrian conflict festers , the government and the opposition welcome and need christian support . but some christians fear radical islamists have been swelling rebel ranks . they also fear the same fate as a number of christians during the war in iraq , where militants targeted them and spurred many to leave the country . christians make up roughly 10 % of the population . syria is ruled by a government dominated by alawites , whose faith is an offshoot of shiism . the regime is opposed by an opposition with a large sunni presence . aid agencies say syria 's 2 million christians are often targeted for suspected sympathies to president bashar al-assad 's regime . two top bishops have been kidnapped ; a well-known priest is missing . antoinette nassrallah , the christian owner of a cafe in maaloula , told cnn last year she had seen government tv images depicting radical muslim attacks on christians . she said she has heard about such violence in aleppo . for now in our area here it 's fine , ' she said last year . but what i heard , in aleppo , they are killing , destroying many of churches -- very , very old churches . ' many of syria 's christians have fled to lebanon where they shelter in monasteries . on saturday , they joined in prayers for peace promoted by pope francis in rome . last year , the u.s. treasury imposed sanctions on leaders of al-nusra while the state department blacklisted it as a foreign terror organization linked to al qaeda in iraq . al-nusra front has emerged as one of the most effective groups in the syrian resistance , drawing on foreign fighters with combat experience in iraq and elsewhere . but washington accuses the group of using the syrian conflict to advance its own ideology and ends . elsewhere in syria , russia sent a plane to pick up its citizens from the war-torn middle east nation , state media reported sunday . | what the capture will mean for christians waits to be seen |
somalia <tsp> the same elite navy seal unit that killed osama bin laden took part in a daring nighttime rescue in somalia of two american and danish foreign aid workers , a u.s. official said wednesday . the personnel attached to naval special warfare development group , also known as devgru , were part of the joint special operations force that rescued the hostages , cnn has confirmed . devgru , formally known as seal team six , is one of several units that make up the storied fighting force . the seals parachuted into somalia on tuesday from fixed-wing aircraft and advanced by foot to the compound where the hostages were held , u.s. officials said . nine gunmen were killed in the strike , the u.s. military said . there were conflicting reports of the number of wounded . the seals and the freed hostages left the compound on helicopters , said a u.s. official not authorized to speak to the media and who asked not to be named . the hostages , jessica buchanan and poul thisted , were abducted in october after they visited humanitarian projects in the northern part of somalia , according to a danish refugee council who employed them . buchanan and thisted were unharmed , the aid group said . it just takes your breath away , their capacity and their bravery and their incredible timing , ' vice president joe biden said wednesday morning , referring to the unit 's capabilities . the navy seals evolved from several specialized navy commando teams that came into being during world war ii when the united states realized that to invade enemy-held territory in north africa , europe and the pacific , it needed savvy , quick-thinking fighters who could perform reconnaissance at sea . beyond tactical expertise , the seals -- short for sea , air and land teams -- needed to have extraordinary physical strength . the force became known for their jack-of-all-trade skills , able to survey china 's yangtze river disguised as chinese nationals in 1945 or conduct demolition raids on railroad tunnels and bridges along the korean coast during the korean war . the seal moniker came after president john f. kennedy spoke about his admiration for special forces troops and his hope that the u.s. military would better enhance its ability to engage in unconventional warfare , countering guerrilla and clandestine operations . there was a new and pressing need for more advanced military techniques during the time . among other missions , the seals were deployed to act as advisers and train south vietnamese commandos . u.s. special forces rescue somalia aid workers vietnam was the first american war to be broadcast widely on television and other media , and woven into popular culture for mainstream consumption . it solidified the image of the seal as the ultimate tough guy , a reputation burnished by reports of seals'ability to do face-to-face combat with vietcong and stories of their work with the cia . the relationship between america 's spy agency and its elite troops was crucial to gaining real-time intelligence for missions sometimes carried out at the last minute -- perhaps an asset more important now than ever , experts have said . the war against al qaeda is just as much about obtaining reliable intelligence as it is winning on the battlefield . seal victories have been many . during the vietnam war , they performed a covert operation called the phoenix program which captured vietcong sympathizers . in the iran-iraq war , seal teams conducted missions to counter iranian mine-laying boats . the first military flag officer to set foot in afghanistan after september 11 , 2001 , was a seal in charge of all special operations for central command , according to the seals history page on its web site . the site says seals commanded task force k-bar , which oversaw the navy , air force and coalition special operations forces at the beginning of operation enduring freedom . they carried out more than 75 special reconnaissance and direct action missions , destroyed more than 500,000 pounds of explosives and weapons , identified enemy personnel and conducted operations that searched for terrorists trying to flee the country by sea . the largest deployment of seals in the group 's history came during the iraq war , with seals directing missions that included securing all of the southern oil infrastructures of the al-faw peninsula and the offshore gas and oil terminals , clearing critical waterways so that aid could flow into the country . several high-value terrorist targets were captured by the seals , including ahmed hashim abed , the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four blackwater guards in fallujah in 2004 . another high-profile mission came in 2009 when a seal team rescued the american captain of the cargo ship maersk alabama , which had been hijacked by somali pirates off somalia 's coast . seal snipers were on the deck of a ship and fired simultaneously three times , hitting three pirates who were holding the captain . of course , the killing of bin laden during the 2011 abbottabad , pakistan , raid was a golden moment for the seals . but not long after that victory , the seals suffered the loss of 17 members when their helicopter was shot down in wardak province in afghanistan during a mission intended to take out a known taliban leader directly responsible for attacks against american troops , two u.s. military officials told cnn shortly after the august incident . the forces were called in to assist another unit on the ground pinned down in a firefight . in total , 38 people died in the incident . seal training is the ultimate test for a guy , ' said chris heben , a former seal with 10 years of experience carrying out missions in africa , the middle east and afghanistan . it pushes a soldier mentally , physical and psychologically , testing how well they can work with others given intense pressure and pain . seals train between 18 and 24 months , with the pinnacle of training coming during hell week , five days in which trainees are constantly cold , hungry , sleep deprived and wet . instructors deprive the participants of sleep , then let them hit the rack just long enough for rem sleep to begin , said brandon tyler webb , a former seal who ran the sniper program at the navy special warfare command and was part of combat missions in iraq and afghanistan . instructors are constantly yelling , go ahead , quit if you like ! ' many do . the attrition rate for seal training is about 90 % , heben and webb said . most recruits drop out long before hell week because they ca n't take the training , which involves running 15 miles , topped with a 2-mile open water swim and other intense physical conditioning , webb said . every day is like climbing mount everest , ' heben said . you just keep doing what 's in front of you . you do n't look up . ' training instructors make you feel like you 're part of an indian tribe , ' heben said . there 's a lot of back patting and verbal reinforcement . you feel like you 're part of something , and you 're doing great things . but they definitely let you know when you 're not doing something right . ' the discipline from seal training was intensely satisfying to heben in his early 20s . he had gone to college , and though he was very bright he was spending more time working out than on his classwork . he was restless . four walls and books just were n't his thing . despite unimpressive grades , at 23 he got a job working in home mortgages making $ 63,000 a year . then one day he read an article about the seals in popular mechanics . i enlisted in the navy immediately , ' heben said . i asked the recruiter ,'what is the fastest track to becoming a seal ? i 'll take that .'' though he wo n't discuss specific areas of countries where he 's carried out missions , he said that he normally trained for missions on exact mock-ups of a targeted location . | same seal unit involved in osama bin laden raid did somalia rescue |
somalia <tsp> the same elite navy seal unit that killed osama bin laden took part in a daring nighttime rescue in somalia of two american and danish foreign aid workers , a u.s. official said wednesday . the personnel attached to naval special warfare development group , also known as devgru , were part of the joint special operations force that rescued the hostages , cnn has confirmed . devgru , formally known as seal team six , is one of several units that make up the storied fighting force . the seals parachuted into somalia on tuesday from fixed-wing aircraft and advanced by foot to the compound where the hostages were held , u.s. officials said . nine gunmen were killed in the strike , the u.s. military said . there were conflicting reports of the number of wounded . the seals and the freed hostages left the compound on helicopters , said a u.s. official not authorized to speak to the media and who asked not to be named . the hostages , jessica buchanan and poul thisted , were abducted in october after they visited humanitarian projects in the northern part of somalia , according to a danish refugee council who employed them . buchanan and thisted were unharmed , the aid group said . it just takes your breath away , their capacity and their bravery and their incredible timing , ' vice president joe biden said wednesday morning , referring to the unit 's capabilities . the navy seals evolved from several specialized navy commando teams that came into being during world war ii when the united states realized that to invade enemy-held territory in north africa , europe and the pacific , it needed savvy , quick-thinking fighters who could perform reconnaissance at sea . beyond tactical expertise , the seals -- short for sea , air and land teams -- needed to have extraordinary physical strength . the force became known for their jack-of-all-trade skills , able to survey china 's yangtze river disguised as chinese nationals in 1945 or conduct demolition raids on railroad tunnels and bridges along the korean coast during the korean war . the seal moniker came after president john f. kennedy spoke about his admiration for special forces troops and his hope that the u.s. military would better enhance its ability to engage in unconventional warfare , countering guerrilla and clandestine operations . there was a new and pressing need for more advanced military techniques during the time . among other missions , the seals were deployed to act as advisers and train south vietnamese commandos . u.s. special forces rescue somalia aid workers vietnam was the first american war to be broadcast widely on television and other media , and woven into popular culture for mainstream consumption . it solidified the image of the seal as the ultimate tough guy , a reputation burnished by reports of seals'ability to do face-to-face combat with vietcong and stories of their work with the cia . the relationship between america 's spy agency and its elite troops was crucial to gaining real-time intelligence for missions sometimes carried out at the last minute -- perhaps an asset more important now than ever , experts have said . the war against al qaeda is just as much about obtaining reliable intelligence as it is winning on the battlefield . seal victories have been many . during the vietnam war , they performed a covert operation called the phoenix program which captured vietcong sympathizers . in the iran-iraq war , seal teams conducted missions to counter iranian mine-laying boats . the first military flag officer to set foot in afghanistan after september 11 , 2001 , was a seal in charge of all special operations for central command , according to the seals history page on its web site . the site says seals commanded task force k-bar , which oversaw the navy , air force and coalition special operations forces at the beginning of operation enduring freedom . they carried out more than 75 special reconnaissance and direct action missions , destroyed more than 500,000 pounds of explosives and weapons , identified enemy personnel and conducted operations that searched for terrorists trying to flee the country by sea . the largest deployment of seals in the group 's history came during the iraq war , with seals directing missions that included securing all of the southern oil infrastructures of the al-faw peninsula and the offshore gas and oil terminals , clearing critical waterways so that aid could flow into the country . several high-value terrorist targets were captured by the seals , including ahmed hashim abed , the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four blackwater guards in fallujah in 2004 . another high-profile mission came in 2009 when a seal team rescued the american captain of the cargo ship maersk alabama , which had been hijacked by somali pirates off somalia 's coast . seal snipers were on the deck of a ship and fired simultaneously three times , hitting three pirates who were holding the captain . of course , the killing of bin laden during the 2011 abbottabad , pakistan , raid was a golden moment for the seals . but not long after that victory , the seals suffered the loss of 17 members when their helicopter was shot down in wardak province in afghanistan during a mission intended to take out a known taliban leader directly responsible for attacks against american troops , two u.s. military officials told cnn shortly after the august incident . the forces were called in to assist another unit on the ground pinned down in a firefight . in total , 38 people died in the incident . seal training is the ultimate test for a guy , ' said chris heben , a former seal with 10 years of experience carrying out missions in africa , the middle east and afghanistan . it pushes a soldier mentally , physical and psychologically , testing how well they can work with others given intense pressure and pain . seals train between 18 and 24 months , with the pinnacle of training coming during hell week , five days in which trainees are constantly cold , hungry , sleep deprived and wet . instructors deprive the participants of sleep , then let them hit the rack just long enough for rem sleep to begin , said brandon tyler webb , a former seal who ran the sniper program at the navy special warfare command and was part of combat missions in iraq and afghanistan . instructors are constantly yelling , go ahead , quit if you like ! ' many do . the attrition rate for seal training is about 90 % , heben and webb said . most recruits drop out long before hell week because they ca n't take the training , which involves running 15 miles , topped with a 2-mile open water swim and other intense physical conditioning , webb said . every day is like climbing mount everest , ' heben said . you just keep doing what 's in front of you . you do n't look up . ' training instructors make you feel like you 're part of an indian tribe , ' heben said . there 's a lot of back patting and verbal reinforcement . you feel like you 're part of something , and you 're doing great things . but they definitely let you know when you 're not doing something right . ' the discipline from seal training was intensely satisfying to heben in his early 20s . he had gone to college , and though he was very bright he was spending more time working out than on his classwork . he was restless . four walls and books just were n't his thing . despite unimpressive grades , at 23 he got a job working in home mortgages making $ 63,000 a year . then one day he read an article about the seals in popular mechanics . i enlisted in the navy immediately , ' heben said . i asked the recruiter ,'what is the fastest track to becoming a seal ? i 'll take that .'' though he wo n't discuss specific areas of countries where he 's carried out missions , he said that he normally trained for missions on exact mock-ups of a targeted location . | somalia operation was latest in long storied seal history |
kenya <tsp> nairobi , kenya ( cnn ) -- betty gikonyo 's life changed forever at 30,000 feet . several years ago , the kenyan pediatrician was flying with her three children to the united states , accompanying her husband who was pursuing a medical scholarship in minneapolis . but just before their departure from kenya , the family was asked to escort an 18-year-old boy flying to america for treatment on a heart condition . the gikonyos agreed and initially all seemed to be going well -- the plane was airborne and cruising but then , suddenly , the boy began to get sick . he started getting difficulty in breathing , ' recalls gikonyo . he started foaming through the mouth , ' she continues . we were very fortunate because we had the medication , and we found ourselves administering medicine in the air . ' after a short stop in brussels to allow the boy 's condition to stabilize , the group were finally able to continue their journey -- but the experience left a lasting impression on gikonyo , shaping her mission to provide necessary healthcare for children in need . [ it 's that ] feeling that you need to do something for somebody you do n't know so that they can be comfortable , so that they can enjoy life the way you do , ' she says . gikonyo has since returned to kenya where she has become a leading pediatric cardiologist . focused on improving access to quality healthcare , her illustrious career has seen her help establish the heart to heart foundation , which raises funds for disadvantaged children to receive lifesaving surgery . gikonyo also began organizing medical airlifts overseas so children could receive the vital treatment . but it was in 2006 when the kenyan doctor realized her 20-year dream of opening a state-of-the-art facility where could treat children with ailing hearts , the karen hospital just outside nairobi . watch the video below to learn more about gikonyo 's continued mission to alleviate suffering and improve the lives of countless children . read this : performing surgery in a blackout read this : making movies to tell africa 's real stories read this : tech innovator calls africans back from diaspora | dr. betty gikonyo is a leading pediatric heart surgeon from kenya |
crockett <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the woman who scrambled to safety after a small plane crashed into her florida home gave thanks to god on saturday for allowing her to escape without a scratch and for keeping her family safe . susan crockett stood in front of her one-story palm coast home , which now has a huge black hole where the four-seater plane went down friday afternoon , killing all three people aboard . god is good . he really is , ' crockett told reporters . i got out without a scratch on me . a little bruise from taking a tumble through the window , but other than that , i 'm fine . i 'm blessed . truly , god was with me . ' the 1957 bonanza h35 took off from fort pierce , florida , and was on its way to knoxville when the pilot reported engine trouble , officials said . from what we 've been told , the pilot was having some malfunctions in flight , ' said chief investigator terry duprie of the national transportation safety board . the plane was diverting to flagler county airport , near the coast about 30 miles north of daytona beach , when it crashed a mile east of the airport , federal aviation administration spokeswoman kathleen bergen said . killed in the crash were michael r. anders , 57 , and duane l. shaw , 59 , both of albany , kentucky , and charissee m. peoples , 42 , of indianapolis , indiana , according to the florida highway patrol . a preliminary ntsb report on the crash is expected in about 10 days , duprie said , but the full investigation is expected to take many months . investigators will try to figure out why the plane made such a steep descent into the home and whether the weather conditions -- light rain and low clouds -- played any role , he said . tall pine trees surround the home , which is in a rural residential area home to many retirees . the crash caused an intense fire that incinerated much of the plane , something that will make the investigation difficult , duprie said . but the pilot was talking to air traffic controllers in daytona beach , and i think that will help us out quite a bit down the road . ' crockett said she was getting ready to leave her house when something told her to stop . a few more feet , she said , and she would have been hit . her college-age daughter , jessica , who was home for the holidays , would have been lounging on a bed that 's now charred and mangled ' if she had n't decided to head back to school a few days early , crockett said . crockett 's grandson often comes over to her house , where he stands in front of the television that 's now a big glob of metal , ' but his dad decided to take him to day care friday , she said . members of crockett 's church bought her clothes and shoes to wear , since she escaped the house with next to nothing . she did manage to rescue the folded flag she received after her sister , who was in the army , died about three years ago . it 's blackened , but intact , she said . i 'm just praising god that i 'm alive , ' crockett said saturday . | crockett crawled out of a window to safety |
crockett <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the woman who scrambled to safety after a small plane crashed into her florida home gave thanks to god on saturday for allowing her to escape without a scratch and for keeping her family safe . susan crockett stood in front of her one-story palm coast home , which now has a huge black hole where the four-seater plane went down friday afternoon , killing all three people aboard . god is good . he really is , ' crockett told reporters . i got out without a scratch on me . a little bruise from taking a tumble through the window , but other than that , i 'm fine . i 'm blessed . truly , god was with me . ' the 1957 bonanza h35 took off from fort pierce , florida , and was on its way to knoxville when the pilot reported engine trouble , officials said . from what we 've been told , the pilot was having some malfunctions in flight , ' said chief investigator terry duprie of the national transportation safety board . the plane was diverting to flagler county airport , near the coast about 30 miles north of daytona beach , when it crashed a mile east of the airport , federal aviation administration spokeswoman kathleen bergen said . killed in the crash were michael r. anders , 57 , and duane l. shaw , 59 , both of albany , kentucky , and charissee m. peoples , 42 , of indianapolis , indiana , according to the florida highway patrol . a preliminary ntsb report on the crash is expected in about 10 days , duprie said , but the full investigation is expected to take many months . investigators will try to figure out why the plane made such a steep descent into the home and whether the weather conditions -- light rain and low clouds -- played any role , he said . tall pine trees surround the home , which is in a rural residential area home to many retirees . the crash caused an intense fire that incinerated much of the plane , something that will make the investigation difficult , duprie said . but the pilot was talking to air traffic controllers in daytona beach , and i think that will help us out quite a bit down the road . ' crockett said she was getting ready to leave her house when something told her to stop . a few more feet , she said , and she would have been hit . her college-age daughter , jessica , who was home for the holidays , would have been lounging on a bed that 's now charred and mangled ' if she had n't decided to head back to school a few days early , crockett said . crockett 's grandson often comes over to her house , where he stands in front of the television that 's now a big glob of metal , ' but his dad decided to take him to day care friday , she said . members of crockett 's church bought her clothes and shoes to wear , since she escaped the house with next to nothing . she did manage to rescue the folded flag she received after her sister , who was in the army , died about three years ago . it 's blackened , but intact , she said . i 'm just praising god that i 'm alive , ' crockett said saturday . | a small plane crashed into susan crockett 's home on friday |
susan crockett <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the woman who scrambled to safety after a small plane crashed into her florida home gave thanks to god on saturday for allowing her to escape without a scratch and for keeping her family safe . susan crockett stood in front of her one-story palm coast home , which now has a huge black hole where the four-seater plane went down friday afternoon , killing all three people aboard . god is good . he really is , ' crockett told reporters . i got out without a scratch on me . a little bruise from taking a tumble through the window , but other than that , i 'm fine . i 'm blessed . truly , god was with me . ' the 1957 bonanza h35 took off from fort pierce , florida , and was on its way to knoxville when the pilot reported engine trouble , officials said . from what we 've been told , the pilot was having some malfunctions in flight , ' said chief investigator terry duprie of the national transportation safety board . the plane was diverting to flagler county airport , near the coast about 30 miles north of daytona beach , when it crashed a mile east of the airport , federal aviation administration spokeswoman kathleen bergen said . killed in the crash were michael r. anders , 57 , and duane l. shaw , 59 , both of albany , kentucky , and charissee m. peoples , 42 , of indianapolis , indiana , according to the florida highway patrol . a preliminary ntsb report on the crash is expected in about 10 days , duprie said , but the full investigation is expected to take many months . investigators will try to figure out why the plane made such a steep descent into the home and whether the weather conditions -- light rain and low clouds -- played any role , he said . tall pine trees surround the home , which is in a rural residential area home to many retirees . the crash caused an intense fire that incinerated much of the plane , something that will make the investigation difficult , duprie said . but the pilot was talking to air traffic controllers in daytona beach , and i think that will help us out quite a bit down the road . ' crockett said she was getting ready to leave her house when something told her to stop . a few more feet , she said , and she would have been hit . her college-age daughter , jessica , who was home for the holidays , would have been lounging on a bed that 's now charred and mangled ' if she had n't decided to head back to school a few days early , crockett said . crockett 's grandson often comes over to her house , where he stands in front of the television that 's now a big glob of metal , ' but his dad decided to take him to day care friday , she said . members of crockett 's church bought her clothes and shoes to wear , since she escaped the house with next to nothing . she did manage to rescue the folded flag she received after her sister , who was in the army , died about three years ago . it 's blackened , but intact , she said . i 'm just praising god that i 'm alive , ' crockett said saturday . | a small plane crashed into susan crockett 's home on friday |
into the wild <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in the movie into the wild , ' a young man rejects society and disappears . now , johnathan croom 's father fears his teenage son has done the same thing . david croom of apache junction , arizona , has n't seen his 18-year-old son in more than a week . and he 's worried . johnathan 's green honda crv was found abandoned on a lonely road in the quiet country town of riddle , oregon , on wednesday , two days after he was supposed to start college at mesa community college . he was last seen at a friend 's home in seattle , where he 'd been visiting . his father assumed he was driving back to arizona through washington and oregon . he 's never been in the wild before , ' david croom said . but he says his son has been reading jon krakauer 's 1996 nonfiction book and watching the movie adaptation . krakauer 's account of the life of chris mccandless has taken on an almost cult status among countless free spirits who dream of shedding the trappings of modern life and living off the land . there were similarities , ' croom said of his son 's disappearance . mccandless left all his stuff in the car and took off . the problem with that movie is , he does n't make it . it 's a fatal end to the story . ' in the book , mccandless cut off communication with his parents and traveled to alaska , where he lived in a school bus before dying of starvation . like mccandless , johnathan croom is apparently traveling with very few belongings : perhaps a small backpack and his phone , his father says . left behind in the honda was the teen 's id card , plus a sweatshirt , blanket and jug of water -- things someone might need to survive in the wilderness . it 's not against the law for an adult man to decide he wants to get lost or take off , ' said dwes hutson , public information officer for the douglas county sheriff 's office . we have nothing to suggest this is foul play , nothing to suggest he is in danger . we do have people down today doing some searches . i do n't want to mislead you and suggest there is some massive search going on , because there is not . ' the teen has been a main topic of conversation in riddle , a logging and ranching community of about 1,300 with no traditional grocery store and no movie theater . people are searching their property , says one resident , a longtime rancher who asked that he not be identified . there 's nothing that makes sense . ' riddle is dozens of miles from the nearest wilderness area , residents say . it 's 2â½ miles from the major interstate ; it 's right in town in riddle , ' huston said of where croom 's car was found . there are houses and people , and it 's well-populated , so if he wanted to do an'into the wild ,'it was n't the appropriate place . ' if he is in the wild , living off the land might be possible . overnight low temperatures are in the 50s , and there would be some food and water supply , residents say . there 's berries and lots of places to get water , ' said scott berney , who sells fishing , camping and hunting supplies at northwest outdoors in nearby roseburg . yeah , you could survive . ' johnathan croom 's camping experience is limited at best , his father says , not much more than camping once or twice with his car . i need to hear your voice ' : that was the content of a text message croom sent to his son on last week when he started to feel funny ' about not hearing from johnathan . we got a text back from his friend ( in seattle ) saying ,'he left , and i ca n't get a hold of him .' during the past six months , johnathan croom 's interest in the movie seems to have grown , says his father . he 's been watching the movie a lot , ' he said . maybe he said ,'i want to do it .'that 's our theory , because he kept talking about the movie . ' several reports describing travelers with an apparent interest in mccandless and the abandoned magic bus ' parked near healy , alaska , outside denali national park have surfaced recently . in may , a police helicopter reportedly rescued three german men who had hiked into the wilderness looking for the bus . an oklahoma teen inspired by the movie reportedly went missing in oregon in march after telling his parents he wanted to live in the wild . ' in 2010 , a swiss woman reportedly drowned in an alaska river during her trek to visit the famous bus . now joining searchers on foot and driving up logging roads in and around riddle , david croom hopes mccandless'story may hold some answers . one of the keys to that movie is that no one ever went looking for him . we are trying to change the story by injecting ourselves in it and going to find him . he ca n't be too far away at this point . ' police cautioned that nobody may know the reason croom disappeared . the'into the wild'came from his dad , ' hutson said . i think his dad has that information , and i do n't know , again , if that 's what he wanted to do , he kind of picked the wrong place . there are plenty of wilderness areas in douglas county , but not where he 's at . ' teams looking for the teen have tried using dogs but could n't get a scent , ' his father said . i got a phone call from a logger who said he saw a young man with the same grin as my son on one of the logging roads , so a bunch of local volunteers are going to blanket the area . ' but help is scarce in the small town . david croom has appealed to local search organizations for assistance . they are doing the best they can , every drop of sweat , every footstep , i just wish we can do more , ' he said . time is ticking away . it 's already been a week . my son is a kid , two states away , out in the wild with shorts and a t-shirt . ' | arizona father fears teen vanished in oregon to live off land like the film into the wild ' |
neanderthal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's been 30,000 years since neanderthals walked the earth , but now we can hear what they sounded like , according to a florida anthropologist . neanderthal man apparently sounded like a frog croaking or a human burping when talking . robert mccarthy of florida atlantic university in boca raton reconstructed neanderthal vocal tracts to simulate their voice with a computer synthesizer . the result is a single syllable that sounds strange and unremarkable : part croaking frog , part burping human . but mccarthy says that 's because neanderthals lacked the quantal vowels ' modern humans use . they would have spoken a bit differently , ' mccarthy said at the annual meeting of the american association of physical anthropologists in ohio this month . they would n't have been able to produce these quantal vowels that form the basis of spoken language . ' new scientist magazine discussed mccarthy 's findings and linked to his vocal simulation on its web site . listen to neanderthal man speak mccarthy used 50,000-year-old fossils from france to make his reconstruction , new scientist said . he plans to simulate an entire neanderthal sentence , the magazine reported . to reconstruct the vocal tracts , mccarthy teamed with linguist phil lieberman , who worked in the 1970s to deduce the dimensions of a neanderthal larynx based on its skull . e-mail to a friend | anthropologist reconstructs neanderthal vocal tracts to simulate their voice |
neanderthal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's been 30,000 years since neanderthals walked the earth , but now we can hear what they sounded like , according to a florida anthropologist . neanderthal man apparently sounded like a frog croaking or a human burping when talking . robert mccarthy of florida atlantic university in boca raton reconstructed neanderthal vocal tracts to simulate their voice with a computer synthesizer . the result is a single syllable that sounds strange and unremarkable : part croaking frog , part burping human . but mccarthy says that 's because neanderthals lacked the quantal vowels ' modern humans use . they would have spoken a bit differently , ' mccarthy said at the annual meeting of the american association of physical anthropologists in ohio this month . they would n't have been able to produce these quantal vowels that form the basis of spoken language . ' new scientist magazine discussed mccarthy 's findings and linked to his vocal simulation on its web site . listen to neanderthal man speak mccarthy used 50,000-year-old fossils from france to make his reconstruction , new scientist said . he plans to simulate an entire neanderthal sentence , the magazine reported . to reconstruct the vocal tracts , mccarthy teamed with linguist phil lieberman , who worked in the 1970s to deduce the dimensions of a neanderthal larynx based on its skull . e-mail to a friend | plan is to eventually simulate an entire neanderthal sentence |
fx <tsp> ( cnn ) -- for years , kurt sutter has told stories of criminal activity -- first as a writer for the shield ' and then as the creator of fx 's wildly popular sons of anarchy , ' a dramatized version of an outlaw biker gang in california . now he 's branching out and focusing his lens on real-life criminal organizations . the discovery channel recently premiered kurt sutter 's outlaw empires , ' a six-part series that looks at the micro and macro reasons behind groups that have defined their existence outside the law . episode one tackles famed los angeles gang the crips , with subsequent shows exploring outlaw bikers , the irish mob , the italian mafia , the nuestra familia and the aryan brotherhood . on'sons ,'we exposed a lot of people to a new world , ' sutter told cnn from los angeles . it humanized what was a stereotype for a lot of people . yes , our show is highly dramatic , and we take a lot of dramatic licenses . but the reality of it , and details of it are very true , very specific . for me , that 's what i wanted to do with this series . ' the show sprang from a different concept sutter was pitching that looked at criminal activity from two points of view , the criminals and law enforcement . for the final act , the two sides would be brought together in the same room . the pitch was to have a high-level crime and get the point of view of the criminal party involved and law enforcement and hear their retelling of the same events , ' he said . people were intrigued by the concept , but ultimately it felt a little too old school . discovery was interested in a variation , and they 've wanted to do a high-end documentary series . ' outlaw empires ' explores case studies of a few people involved in the criminal organization , using their stories and knowledge to make larger connections to the context of the outlaw group . sutter pops up from time to time in cutaways to offer insights into the story he 's trying to tell . he 's not interested in getting law enforcement officials , psychologists or other talking heads to weigh in on why these people are bad . ' success , for sutter , is telling a story that does n't pass judgment . the approach that sutter and his team took was n't the typical let 's pick a subject and tell their story ' usually associated with documentary storytelling . for him , they started small and worked outward . we tapped into people that had relationships ; some of these guys have been cleaning up their acts -- there 's networks to get to these people , ' sutter said . we talked to people to see who had the most interesting story . it came out of character : who had the most interesting people with the most interesting stories . it was n't so much like'let 's go do the crips . let 's go do the aryan brotherhood .'it was about let 's cast a wide net and be led into the worlds by the characters . ' sutter is putting the finishing touches on the final episodes of outlaw empires ' while also in preproduction for the fifth season of sons . ' and like the way he portrays his fictional characters , he aims to give viewers a new look at a group of people who have been largely portrayed in a certain way . it 's a challenging thing to do when you 're dealing with guys covered in swastikas , ' sutter said . you try to go in and give it some context , so people have some point of view to why people did what they did . it does n't mean you 're going to get behind it . ' he added , the challenge is similar to writing'sons .'when you write an anti-hero , it 's that balance between'anti'and'hero .'you ca n't make them too righteous and good so they do n't feel dangerous or believable . but you ca n't write them so deplorable that the audience ca n't get behind them . it 's similar with this series . ' kurt sutter 's outlaw empires ' airs at 10 p.m . et mondays on discovery . | sutter is also the creator of sons of anarchy , ' the fx show about a biker gang |
sons of anarchy <tsp> ( cnn ) -- for years , kurt sutter has told stories of criminal activity -- first as a writer for the shield ' and then as the creator of fx 's wildly popular sons of anarchy , ' a dramatized version of an outlaw biker gang in california . now he 's branching out and focusing his lens on real-life criminal organizations . the discovery channel recently premiered kurt sutter 's outlaw empires , ' a six-part series that looks at the micro and macro reasons behind groups that have defined their existence outside the law . episode one tackles famed los angeles gang the crips , with subsequent shows exploring outlaw bikers , the irish mob , the italian mafia , the nuestra familia and the aryan brotherhood . on'sons ,'we exposed a lot of people to a new world , ' sutter told cnn from los angeles . it humanized what was a stereotype for a lot of people . yes , our show is highly dramatic , and we take a lot of dramatic licenses . but the reality of it , and details of it are very true , very specific . for me , that 's what i wanted to do with this series . ' the show sprang from a different concept sutter was pitching that looked at criminal activity from two points of view , the criminals and law enforcement . for the final act , the two sides would be brought together in the same room . the pitch was to have a high-level crime and get the point of view of the criminal party involved and law enforcement and hear their retelling of the same events , ' he said . people were intrigued by the concept , but ultimately it felt a little too old school . discovery was interested in a variation , and they 've wanted to do a high-end documentary series . ' outlaw empires ' explores case studies of a few people involved in the criminal organization , using their stories and knowledge to make larger connections to the context of the outlaw group . sutter pops up from time to time in cutaways to offer insights into the story he 's trying to tell . he 's not interested in getting law enforcement officials , psychologists or other talking heads to weigh in on why these people are bad . ' success , for sutter , is telling a story that does n't pass judgment . the approach that sutter and his team took was n't the typical let 's pick a subject and tell their story ' usually associated with documentary storytelling . for him , they started small and worked outward . we tapped into people that had relationships ; some of these guys have been cleaning up their acts -- there 's networks to get to these people , ' sutter said . we talked to people to see who had the most interesting story . it came out of character : who had the most interesting people with the most interesting stories . it was n't so much like'let 's go do the crips . let 's go do the aryan brotherhood .'it was about let 's cast a wide net and be led into the worlds by the characters . ' sutter is putting the finishing touches on the final episodes of outlaw empires ' while also in preproduction for the fifth season of sons . ' and like the way he portrays his fictional characters , he aims to give viewers a new look at a group of people who have been largely portrayed in a certain way . it 's a challenging thing to do when you 're dealing with guys covered in swastikas , ' sutter said . you try to go in and give it some context , so people have some point of view to why people did what they did . it does n't mean you 're going to get behind it . ' he added , the challenge is similar to writing'sons .'when you write an anti-hero , it 's that balance between'anti'and'hero .'you ca n't make them too righteous and good so they do n't feel dangerous or believable . but you ca n't write them so deplorable that the audience ca n't get behind them . it 's similar with this series . ' kurt sutter 's outlaw empires ' airs at 10 p.m . et mondays on discovery . | sutter is also the creator of sons of anarchy , ' the fx show about a biker gang |
georgia <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a georgia man was alone before his fatal fall from an upper level of atlanta 's turner field , police said tuesday , as they continue to investigate his death . ronald l. homer , 30 , was attending monday night 's braves game against the phillies . the braves said they planned to observe a moment of silence for homer before tuesday 's game . four witnesses told officers that they saw homer fall from the fourth level of the stadium during a rain delay in the game , the atlanta police department said . all the witnesses stated that there was ( sic ) no other people around mr. homer when he fell , ' police said , adding there were no surveillance cameras at the scene . police said the fall appeared to be accidental but that it was too early to tell if alcohol was a factor . homer , of nearby conyers , fell 65 feet into the players'parking lot . he was unconscious when emergency responders found him , but he died later at the hospital , police said . an autopsy on homer is complete , but authorities are not releasing details , citing pending toxicology results , tami sedivy-schroder , an investigator with the fulton county medical examiner 's office , said tuesday . results can take up to eight weeks , she said . homer 's mother , connie homer , told cnn affiliate wxia that he was a big braves fan who was attending the game with a friend . i 'm just sick , ' she said . we 're a very close family . he was big-hearted . ' the game was scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. but heavy rains pushed back the start time nearly two hours . his family said homer went to the platform to smoke and may have lost his footing on the wet pavement , according to wxia . homer was 6 feet , 6 inches tall ; the guard rail where he fell is 42 inches high , the industry standard and state code , wxia reported . in a statement released tuesday , the atlanta braves extended condolences to homer 's family . we are saddened by this tragic incident and will continue our investigation along with the atlanta police department . we will have no further comment until the investigation is complete . ' it 's the second such death at an atlanta sporting venue in the last year . on august 31 , a tennessee fan died after falling about 45 feet at the georgia dome during a college football game between north carolina state and the university of tennessee . in july 2011 , a texas fan died after falling 20 feet at the rangers ballpark in arlington , texas , while trying to catch a ball thrown to him by outfielder josh hamilton . cnn 's devon sayers , jill martin and jamie morrison contributed to this report . | homer , 30 , of georgia , dies after falling at turner field , officials say |
turner field <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a georgia man was alone before his fatal fall from an upper level of atlanta 's turner field , police said tuesday , as they continue to investigate his death . ronald l. homer , 30 , was attending monday night 's braves game against the phillies . the braves said they planned to observe a moment of silence for homer before tuesday 's game . four witnesses told officers that they saw homer fall from the fourth level of the stadium during a rain delay in the game , the atlanta police department said . all the witnesses stated that there was ( sic ) no other people around mr. homer when he fell , ' police said , adding there were no surveillance cameras at the scene . police said the fall appeared to be accidental but that it was too early to tell if alcohol was a factor . homer , of nearby conyers , fell 65 feet into the players'parking lot . he was unconscious when emergency responders found him , but he died later at the hospital , police said . an autopsy on homer is complete , but authorities are not releasing details , citing pending toxicology results , tami sedivy-schroder , an investigator with the fulton county medical examiner 's office , said tuesday . results can take up to eight weeks , she said . homer 's mother , connie homer , told cnn affiliate wxia that he was a big braves fan who was attending the game with a friend . i 'm just sick , ' she said . we 're a very close family . he was big-hearted . ' the game was scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. but heavy rains pushed back the start time nearly two hours . his family said homer went to the platform to smoke and may have lost his footing on the wet pavement , according to wxia . homer was 6 feet , 6 inches tall ; the guard rail where he fell is 42 inches high , the industry standard and state code , wxia reported . in a statement released tuesday , the atlanta braves extended condolences to homer 's family . we are saddened by this tragic incident and will continue our investigation along with the atlanta police department . we will have no further comment until the investigation is complete . ' it 's the second such death at an atlanta sporting venue in the last year . on august 31 , a tennessee fan died after falling about 45 feet at the georgia dome during a college football game between north carolina state and the university of tennessee . in july 2011 , a texas fan died after falling 20 feet at the rangers ballpark in arlington , texas , while trying to catch a ball thrown to him by outfielder josh hamilton . cnn 's devon sayers , jill martin and jamie morrison contributed to this report . | homer , 30 , of georgia , dies after falling at turner field , officials say |
sars <tsp> ( cnn ) -- eleven years ago this week , the world faced the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome , or sars , a new epidemic that infected some 8,000 people , took the lives of 775 individuals , and inflicted $ 30 billion in damage to regional economies . the emergence of sars was a wake-up call for the world health organization and its members , including the united states . the world had to do more to prevent , detect and respond to new biological threats . this is not just a health challenge ; it 's a security challenge as well . infectious diseases -- whether naturally occurring , deliberate or accidental -- have the potential to cause enormous damage in terms of lives lost , economic impact and ability to recover , just as with nuclear , chemical , or cybersecurity attacks . during the anthrax attacks of 2001 , 22 people were infected and five people lost their lives here in in the united states . the cleanup cost was more than $ 1 billion . the global h1n1 influenza pandemic of 2009 killed 284,000 people worldwide in its first year alone , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . in the decade since the sars outbreak , we have made notable progress . china , for instance , has shown leadership in its transparent approach to the ongoing and rapidly escalating h7n9 influenza outbreak . under revised who regulations , many countries have increased capability and made event reporting more transparent . but 80 % of the world 's nations still are not prepared to deal with new pandemics , and more can and must be done across the health , agriculture and security sectors to elevate this issue and steer resources toward it . the united states has made addressing infectious disease threats a priority . on thursday in washington and geneva , we are convening 26 countries to launch a global health security agenda that will accelerate progress on addressing a wide range of global health security threats . with our partners and allies , we 'll be intensifying our efforts to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalized world , whether that means the emergence and spread of new microbes , the globalization of travel and food supply , the rise of drug-resistant pathogens , or the risk of an inadvertent or intentional release . at the same time , we 'll continue to work to prevent terrorists from developing , acquiring or using biological agents for harm . new diseases are inevitable , but in the 21st century we have the tools to greatly reduce the threat posed by global epidemics . we can put in place a safe , secure , globally linked , inter-operable system to prevent disease threats , detect outbreaks in real time , and share information and expertise to respond effectively . to achieve this goal , we must work more effectively across sectors and governments , harmonize our efforts , identify what works and measure our progress . we invite national leaders , international organizations and nongovernmental stakeholders from around the world to join us in this endeavor . our security and the lives and livelihoods of our citizens depend on it . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of john kerry , kathleen sebelius and lisa monaco . | sars , anthrax , h1n1 and other diseases threaten humanity on a global scale , they note |
florida <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sinkholes , like the kind that swallowed part of a resort near disney world in central florida this week , are more common than you might think . in the late sunday night incident , all the guests inside the buildings at the summer bay resort made it out ok before the ground opened up , leaving a 60-foot-wide,15-foot-deep crater . but sometimes the results have been deadly . in february , a florida man fell into a sinkhole that opened suddenly beneath the bedroom of his suburban tampa home . he did n't survive . here is a look at what causes sinkholes , where they occur and just how dangerous and costly they can be : what causes sinkholes ? many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil , leaving a large void that collapses when it 's no longer able to support the weight of what 's above , whether that be an open field , a road or a house . these are called cover-collapse sinkholes , ' and it would appear this is what 's happening in florida , where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way . where do they happen ? sinkholes are particularly common in florida , which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone , according to the florida sinkhole research institute . central florida is particularly known for sinkholes . it 's part of florida 's so-called sinkhole alley , where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur , according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010 . other places that frequently see sinkholes include texas , alabama , missouri , kentucky , tennessee and pennsylvania , the u.s. geological survey says . do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically ? no , some merely cause the ground above to sag , or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes , the florida department of environmental protection says . how often do they happen ? there do not appear to be any solid numbers , but the florida senate committee on banking and insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010 . that 's an average of nearly 17 claims a day , just in florida . how dangerous and costly are sinkholes ? deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare , but certainly not unheard of . for instance , in 2012 , a 15-year-old girl died when her family 's car fell into a utah sinkhole , according to media accounts . but the holes are enormously costly . insurance claims submitted in florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $ 1.4 billion , according the florida senate report . | florida property owners filed 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage from 2006 to 2010 |
florida <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sinkholes , like the kind that swallowed part of a resort near disney world in central florida this week , are more common than you might think . in the late sunday night incident , all the guests inside the buildings at the summer bay resort made it out ok before the ground opened up , leaving a 60-foot-wide,15-foot-deep crater . but sometimes the results have been deadly . in february , a florida man fell into a sinkhole that opened suddenly beneath the bedroom of his suburban tampa home . he did n't survive . here is a look at what causes sinkholes , where they occur and just how dangerous and costly they can be : what causes sinkholes ? many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil , leaving a large void that collapses when it 's no longer able to support the weight of what 's above , whether that be an open field , a road or a house . these are called cover-collapse sinkholes , ' and it would appear this is what 's happening in florida , where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way . where do they happen ? sinkholes are particularly common in florida , which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone , according to the florida sinkhole research institute . central florida is particularly known for sinkholes . it 's part of florida 's so-called sinkhole alley , where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur , according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010 . other places that frequently see sinkholes include texas , alabama , missouri , kentucky , tennessee and pennsylvania , the u.s. geological survey says . do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically ? no , some merely cause the ground above to sag , or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes , the florida department of environmental protection says . how often do they happen ? there do not appear to be any solid numbers , but the florida senate committee on banking and insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010 . that 's an average of nearly 17 claims a day , just in florida . how dangerous and costly are sinkholes ? deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare , but certainly not unheard of . for instance , in 2012 , a 15-year-old girl died when her family 's car fell into a utah sinkhole , according to media accounts . but the holes are enormously costly . insurance claims submitted in florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $ 1.4 billion , according the florida senate report . | central florida is particularly known for sinkholes |
florida <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sinkholes , like the kind that swallowed part of a resort near disney world in central florida this week , are more common than you might think . in the late sunday night incident , all the guests inside the buildings at the summer bay resort made it out ok before the ground opened up , leaving a 60-foot-wide,15-foot-deep crater . but sometimes the results have been deadly . in february , a florida man fell into a sinkhole that opened suddenly beneath the bedroom of his suburban tampa home . he did n't survive . here is a look at what causes sinkholes , where they occur and just how dangerous and costly they can be : what causes sinkholes ? many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil , leaving a large void that collapses when it 's no longer able to support the weight of what 's above , whether that be an open field , a road or a house . these are called cover-collapse sinkholes , ' and it would appear this is what 's happening in florida , where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way . where do they happen ? sinkholes are particularly common in florida , which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone , according to the florida sinkhole research institute . central florida is particularly known for sinkholes . it 's part of florida 's so-called sinkhole alley , where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur , according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010 . other places that frequently see sinkholes include texas , alabama , missouri , kentucky , tennessee and pennsylvania , the u.s. geological survey says . do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically ? no , some merely cause the ground above to sag , or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes , the florida department of environmental protection says . how often do they happen ? there do not appear to be any solid numbers , but the florida senate committee on banking and insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010 . that 's an average of nearly 17 claims a day , just in florida . how dangerous and costly are sinkholes ? deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare , but certainly not unheard of . for instance , in 2012 , a 15-year-old girl died when her family 's car fell into a utah sinkhole , according to media accounts . but the holes are enormously costly . insurance claims submitted in florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $ 1.4 billion , according the florida senate report . | florida sinkhole claims cost insurers $ 1.4 billion in that period , state senate report says |
senate <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sinkholes , like the kind that swallowed part of a resort near disney world in central florida this week , are more common than you might think . in the late sunday night incident , all the guests inside the buildings at the summer bay resort made it out ok before the ground opened up , leaving a 60-foot-wide,15-foot-deep crater . but sometimes the results have been deadly . in february , a florida man fell into a sinkhole that opened suddenly beneath the bedroom of his suburban tampa home . he did n't survive . here is a look at what causes sinkholes , where they occur and just how dangerous and costly they can be : what causes sinkholes ? many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil , leaving a large void that collapses when it 's no longer able to support the weight of what 's above , whether that be an open field , a road or a house . these are called cover-collapse sinkholes , ' and it would appear this is what 's happening in florida , where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way . where do they happen ? sinkholes are particularly common in florida , which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone , according to the florida sinkhole research institute . central florida is particularly known for sinkholes . it 's part of florida 's so-called sinkhole alley , where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur , according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010 . other places that frequently see sinkholes include texas , alabama , missouri , kentucky , tennessee and pennsylvania , the u.s. geological survey says . do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically ? no , some merely cause the ground above to sag , or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes , the florida department of environmental protection says . how often do they happen ? there do not appear to be any solid numbers , but the florida senate committee on banking and insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010 . that 's an average of nearly 17 claims a day , just in florida . how dangerous and costly are sinkholes ? deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare , but certainly not unheard of . for instance , in 2012 , a 15-year-old girl died when her family 's car fell into a utah sinkhole , according to media accounts . but the holes are enormously costly . insurance claims submitted in florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $ 1.4 billion , according the florida senate report . | florida sinkhole claims cost insurers $ 1.4 billion in that period , state senate report says |
nato <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nato officials said monday they have sent a team to investigate an incident in central afghanistan where troops thought they were battling militants , but instead may have exchanged gunfire with afghan police . the operation , which took place sunday in daikundi province , led to the death of three afghan police officers and wounded three others , the international security assistance force said . nato troops were conducting a patrol in a village when they came across nine armed people who were setting up what appeared to be an ambush position , ' the force said in a statement . the service members called in aerial support . later , troops determined the air strike may have been carried out against an afghan police team , the force said . while we take extraordinary precaution while conducting operations to avoid friendly casualties , it appears innocent people may have been mistakenly targeted , ' said u.s. army col. rafael torres , the director of the force 's joint command combined joint operations center director . | nato troops think they have come across men setting up an ambush |
rosberg <tsp> ( cnn ) for formula one fanatics it was a thrilling spectacle -- the sport 's top two drivers going head-to-head for the drivers'championship title . that nico rosberg and lewis hamilton were teammates , from the mercedes stable , made it all the more enthralling . not only did they go corner-to-corner on the circuit , they also traded verbal volleys away from the pit lane . for rosberg , who was ultimately beaten to the world title by the briton and had to deal with plenty of criticism along the way , it was n't the first time he 'd felt like an outsider . as testing for the 2015 season continues , he says last term provided some trying moments but he insists he ca n't think of a better teammate than hamilton . of course there have been clouds , ' he told formula one 's official website . everybody has his own relative worries . i was treated pretty badly by the other kids in my early school years . i was traveling a lot with my parents , so i never belonged to a gang -- i was always the outsider . later in life i discovered the beauty of traveling , but as a small kid i hated it -- i wanted to be part [ of things ] . this might sound like small fry , but a seven-year-old takes that very seriously . but also my racing career was cloudy at times : my two formula three years when i did n't go anywhere and my formula one dream almost became elusive . and even in formula one i had tough periods . i wanted to win and had been driving so many years behind , seeing the others having these awesome cars -- lewis in the early days at mclaren and vettel at red bull -- and i was just driving behind . sure it was not suffering in any way , but for me individually i want to win and if i do n't win it sucks . but i am not dwelling on the past . one day after abu dhabi my life was back to normal . ' prior to last season 's runner-up berth , rosberg 's best finish in an f1 season was sixth back in 2013 . but once it became clear 2014 's spoils were a straight contest between the german and hamilton , cracks began to appear in their relationship , which began back in their teenage years . it reached a nadir at the belgian grand prix , when the pair -- who were allowed to develop a fiercely competitive rivalry by their team -- collided early in the race . hamilton was later forced to retire and told reporters after the race rosberg had admitted to crashing into him on purpose . the 29-year-old was blamed by mercedes , fined and made to apologize , hamilton going on to win six of the last seven races to claim his second f1 crown . but despite the negative press their spat engendered last term , rosberg thinks its tempestuous nature is likely to continue in 2015 . we have a relationship that goes up and down and it will continue to go up and down , ' he explained . it is an intense battle between us and that will not change any time soon . last year 's experience helps . it 's that'been there , done that'kind of thing . all the difficult times have made me stronger . it is the difficult moments where i learn the most . of course with time , and the situation , the skin grows thicker . yes , there have been challenging times , but from my point of view i always felt comfortable , and it continues like that . ' when asked if he could think of a better teammate to have than hamilton he replied : no . it is the challenge that i relish . ' mercedes'decision to permit their two drivers to go hell for leather in pursuit of the f1 title was questioned in some quarters , especially after that flashpoint in belgium . but according to team principal toto wolff , that modus operandi and the tension it brings can help spur his drivers onto greater heights . we chose a strategy of'let them race ,'' he explained . for a team it is better to have two equally good drivers trying to beat each other but also sharing data with each other . that is when a team is getting pushed forward . the downside -- the intense competition -- we will live with . we have learned from last season . we have matured as a team , including the drivers . yes , i have no illusions that 2015 will be an easier year . there will again be times of discussion , sure . but these are the situations that bring you to the front . ' wolff says everyone at mercedes is hungry to replicate last season 's success , in which it won the drivers'and constructors'championship . and while admitting this season could see greater competition from the likes of ferrari and red bull , he would n't be drawn on which of his drivers has the edge going into the new season . before we start that discussion : we have to provide them with a car that gives them the tool to fight for the championship , ' he said . they had a very intense battle last year and i have no doubt that if they have a good car they will be fighting for wins and the championship again . but honestly i do n't see 2015 as a runaway season for one of the two -- so there will be lots of'excitement'for the team and another sizzling season for the fans . ' wolf also said he had no concerns about hamilton 's contract , which is entering its final season . we are having discussions -- very positive ones , which will come to a positive end soon . i have no doubt about that , ' he said . we met each other after the break one week ago and had a good discussion . there is no hurry . it 's only january and his contract runs for another year . so when we discuss , it 's still about something that 's happening in 12 months . no stress . we want him to stay and he wants to stay , so there are no risks in taking the situation calmly . ' | rosberg and f1 champion lewis hamilton had fractious relationship last season |
rosberg <tsp> ( cnn ) for formula one fanatics it was a thrilling spectacle -- the sport 's top two drivers going head-to-head for the drivers'championship title . that nico rosberg and lewis hamilton were teammates , from the mercedes stable , made it all the more enthralling . not only did they go corner-to-corner on the circuit , they also traded verbal volleys away from the pit lane . for rosberg , who was ultimately beaten to the world title by the briton and had to deal with plenty of criticism along the way , it was n't the first time he 'd felt like an outsider . as testing for the 2015 season continues , he says last term provided some trying moments but he insists he ca n't think of a better teammate than hamilton . of course there have been clouds , ' he told formula one 's official website . everybody has his own relative worries . i was treated pretty badly by the other kids in my early school years . i was traveling a lot with my parents , so i never belonged to a gang -- i was always the outsider . later in life i discovered the beauty of traveling , but as a small kid i hated it -- i wanted to be part [ of things ] . this might sound like small fry , but a seven-year-old takes that very seriously . but also my racing career was cloudy at times : my two formula three years when i did n't go anywhere and my formula one dream almost became elusive . and even in formula one i had tough periods . i wanted to win and had been driving so many years behind , seeing the others having these awesome cars -- lewis in the early days at mclaren and vettel at red bull -- and i was just driving behind . sure it was not suffering in any way , but for me individually i want to win and if i do n't win it sucks . but i am not dwelling on the past . one day after abu dhabi my life was back to normal . ' prior to last season 's runner-up berth , rosberg 's best finish in an f1 season was sixth back in 2013 . but once it became clear 2014 's spoils were a straight contest between the german and hamilton , cracks began to appear in their relationship , which began back in their teenage years . it reached a nadir at the belgian grand prix , when the pair -- who were allowed to develop a fiercely competitive rivalry by their team -- collided early in the race . hamilton was later forced to retire and told reporters after the race rosberg had admitted to crashing into him on purpose . the 29-year-old was blamed by mercedes , fined and made to apologize , hamilton going on to win six of the last seven races to claim his second f1 crown . but despite the negative press their spat engendered last term , rosberg thinks its tempestuous nature is likely to continue in 2015 . we have a relationship that goes up and down and it will continue to go up and down , ' he explained . it is an intense battle between us and that will not change any time soon . last year 's experience helps . it 's that'been there , done that'kind of thing . all the difficult times have made me stronger . it is the difficult moments where i learn the most . of course with time , and the situation , the skin grows thicker . yes , there have been challenging times , but from my point of view i always felt comfortable , and it continues like that . ' when asked if he could think of a better teammate to have than hamilton he replied : no . it is the challenge that i relish . ' mercedes'decision to permit their two drivers to go hell for leather in pursuit of the f1 title was questioned in some quarters , especially after that flashpoint in belgium . but according to team principal toto wolff , that modus operandi and the tension it brings can help spur his drivers onto greater heights . we chose a strategy of'let them race ,'' he explained . for a team it is better to have two equally good drivers trying to beat each other but also sharing data with each other . that is when a team is getting pushed forward . the downside -- the intense competition -- we will live with . we have learned from last season . we have matured as a team , including the drivers . yes , i have no illusions that 2015 will be an easier year . there will again be times of discussion , sure . but these are the situations that bring you to the front . ' wolff says everyone at mercedes is hungry to replicate last season 's success , in which it won the drivers'and constructors'championship . and while admitting this season could see greater competition from the likes of ferrari and red bull , he would n't be drawn on which of his drivers has the edge going into the new season . before we start that discussion : we have to provide them with a car that gives them the tool to fight for the championship , ' he said . they had a very intense battle last year and i have no doubt that if they have a good car they will be fighting for wins and the championship again . but honestly i do n't see 2015 as a runaway season for one of the two -- so there will be lots of'excitement'for the team and another sizzling season for the fans . ' wolf also said he had no concerns about hamilton 's contract , which is entering its final season . we are having discussions -- very positive ones , which will come to a positive end soon . i have no doubt about that , ' he said . we met each other after the break one week ago and had a good discussion . there is no hurry . it 's only january and his contract runs for another year . so when we discuss , it 's still about something that 's happening in 12 months . no stress . we want him to stay and he wants to stay , so there are no risks in taking the situation calmly . ' | mercedes'nico rosberg admits to dark times during the 2014 f1 season |
mercedes <tsp> ( cnn ) for formula one fanatics it was a thrilling spectacle -- the sport 's top two drivers going head-to-head for the drivers'championship title . that nico rosberg and lewis hamilton were teammates , from the mercedes stable , made it all the more enthralling . not only did they go corner-to-corner on the circuit , they also traded verbal volleys away from the pit lane . for rosberg , who was ultimately beaten to the world title by the briton and had to deal with plenty of criticism along the way , it was n't the first time he 'd felt like an outsider . as testing for the 2015 season continues , he says last term provided some trying moments but he insists he ca n't think of a better teammate than hamilton . of course there have been clouds , ' he told formula one 's official website . everybody has his own relative worries . i was treated pretty badly by the other kids in my early school years . i was traveling a lot with my parents , so i never belonged to a gang -- i was always the outsider . later in life i discovered the beauty of traveling , but as a small kid i hated it -- i wanted to be part [ of things ] . this might sound like small fry , but a seven-year-old takes that very seriously . but also my racing career was cloudy at times : my two formula three years when i did n't go anywhere and my formula one dream almost became elusive . and even in formula one i had tough periods . i wanted to win and had been driving so many years behind , seeing the others having these awesome cars -- lewis in the early days at mclaren and vettel at red bull -- and i was just driving behind . sure it was not suffering in any way , but for me individually i want to win and if i do n't win it sucks . but i am not dwelling on the past . one day after abu dhabi my life was back to normal . ' prior to last season 's runner-up berth , rosberg 's best finish in an f1 season was sixth back in 2013 . but once it became clear 2014 's spoils were a straight contest between the german and hamilton , cracks began to appear in their relationship , which began back in their teenage years . it reached a nadir at the belgian grand prix , when the pair -- who were allowed to develop a fiercely competitive rivalry by their team -- collided early in the race . hamilton was later forced to retire and told reporters after the race rosberg had admitted to crashing into him on purpose . the 29-year-old was blamed by mercedes , fined and made to apologize , hamilton going on to win six of the last seven races to claim his second f1 crown . but despite the negative press their spat engendered last term , rosberg thinks its tempestuous nature is likely to continue in 2015 . we have a relationship that goes up and down and it will continue to go up and down , ' he explained . it is an intense battle between us and that will not change any time soon . last year 's experience helps . it 's that'been there , done that'kind of thing . all the difficult times have made me stronger . it is the difficult moments where i learn the most . of course with time , and the situation , the skin grows thicker . yes , there have been challenging times , but from my point of view i always felt comfortable , and it continues like that . ' when asked if he could think of a better teammate to have than hamilton he replied : no . it is the challenge that i relish . ' mercedes'decision to permit their two drivers to go hell for leather in pursuit of the f1 title was questioned in some quarters , especially after that flashpoint in belgium . but according to team principal toto wolff , that modus operandi and the tension it brings can help spur his drivers onto greater heights . we chose a strategy of'let them race ,'' he explained . for a team it is better to have two equally good drivers trying to beat each other but also sharing data with each other . that is when a team is getting pushed forward . the downside -- the intense competition -- we will live with . we have learned from last season . we have matured as a team , including the drivers . yes , i have no illusions that 2015 will be an easier year . there will again be times of discussion , sure . but these are the situations that bring you to the front . ' wolff says everyone at mercedes is hungry to replicate last season 's success , in which it won the drivers'and constructors'championship . and while admitting this season could see greater competition from the likes of ferrari and red bull , he would n't be drawn on which of his drivers has the edge going into the new season . before we start that discussion : we have to provide them with a car that gives them the tool to fight for the championship , ' he said . they had a very intense battle last year and i have no doubt that if they have a good car they will be fighting for wins and the championship again . but honestly i do n't see 2015 as a runaway season for one of the two -- so there will be lots of'excitement'for the team and another sizzling season for the fans . ' wolf also said he had no concerns about hamilton 's contract , which is entering its final season . we are having discussions -- very positive ones , which will come to a positive end soon . i have no doubt about that , ' he said . we met each other after the break one week ago and had a good discussion . there is no hurry . it 's only january and his contract runs for another year . so when we discuss , it 's still about something that 's happening in 12 months . no stress . we want him to stay and he wants to stay , so there are no risks in taking the situation calmly . ' | mercedes'nico rosberg admits to dark times during the 2014 f1 season |
pritchett trucking <tsp> a man shot four men with whom he had worked -- two of them fatally -- in northern florida on saturday before shooting and killing himself , the union county sheriff said . sheriff jerry whitehead told cnn affiliate wjxt that the lake butler community is in shock , ' after 72-year-old hubert allen jr. allegedly went on a shooting spree , killing his longtime boss , marvin pritchett , 80 , and a former co-worker rolando gonzalez-delgado , 28 . two other men were shot and wounded . whitehead said he knew all of the individuals and is pritchett 's nephew . lake butler , where most of the shootings took place , is a small community of fewer than 2,000 residents . whitehead said pritchett was a self-made millionaire ' and just a great guy , with a great family . ' pritchett 's death will have a terrible impact on the community , ' whitehead said . whitehead knew allen for 40 years , and said he 'd just talked to him just last week . police : 4 dead after man opens fire in 2 dallas-area homes allen was the step-grandfather of buffalo bills running back c.j . spiller , the sheriff said . a law enforcement authority with detailed knowledge of the case said the gunman had an argument with pritchett earlier in the week , the same source clarified an earlier report , saying the argument happened monday and that the gunman was retired from the company , though he was still involved in some capacity and still interacted with its owner . whitehead said he could n't confirm any details related to a motive , but that his department was investigating . the union county sheriff 's office said allen went to a lake butler farm owned by pritchett , where he fatally shot gonzalez-delgado . a short distance away , allen shot and killed pritchett , authorities said . from there , police said allen confronted another former colleague driving a farm tractor . the men exchanged words before allen fired a shot at 66-year-old lewis buddy ' mabrey jr. , striking him in the left arm and side . mabrey was rushed to the hospital , where he was expected to undergo surgery for a broken arm and other injuries . he was in good condition . allen traveled to pritchett trucking inc. and shot a third co-worker , 44-year old david griffis , in the stomach , officials said . ex-official in kentucky shoots ex-lover , kills her relatives griffis was taken to the hospital for immediate surgery ; he was in critical condition . the suspect then fled the scene to his home , where he shot and killed himself , officials said . police say they believe allen acted alone in these shootings , but they continue to investigate the heinous crimes . ' a statement posted saturday evening on the company 's website said pritchett trucking was shocked and mourning the loss of its founder and the employees . words can not express the pain and sorrow felt by so many , yet we are comforted by the memories of those lost . ' according to the site , marvin h. pritchett founded pritchett trucking inc. in 1980 . the company employs well over 400 people and is apportioned in all 48 states and canada . ' | victims were owner , employees of pritchett trucking |
pope <tsp> ( cnn ) -- what has the popular pope francis done now ? a woman in argentina says the pope called her monday and told her she could receive communion , despite being married to a divorced man , reports say . according to the woman and her husband , the pope allegedly said , there are some priests who are more papist than the pope ' -- referring to the parish priest who refused to give communion to the woman . the vatican initially refused to comment , but cnn received confirmation of the phone call from a vatican press office spokesman on wednesday . on thursday , the vatican released a statement responding to the media attention saying the content of the pope 's personal phone calls can not be confirmed as reliable , and is a source of misunderstanding and confusion . ' the defensiveness of the pope 's pr handlers hints of a cleanup . it 's true that pope francis has earned the nickname the cold-calling pope ' for his practice of picking up the phone and calling everyday folks ( although there has been at least one hoax about a papal phone call ) . the story did , however , start with a facebook post and went from argentina to italy to england before being picked up by u.s. news agencies . that 's plenty of opportunity for misinterpretation . if the pope were to counsel a catholic in this way , it would be significant . the catholic church officially teaches that marriage is for life and that couples who divorce are still married in the eyes of the church unless they receive an annulment -- a process that literally nullifies the first marriage . ( reports do not indicate whether the man 's first marriage was annulled , but it 's unlikely since the couple say they were married civilly . ) the church 's position is based on jesus'teachings in the bible equating marriage after divorce with adultery . conservative catholics , many of whom have been less than thrilled with the new pope during the first year of his papacy , are not happy with the latest news . one catholic blogger insists the story must not be true . of course , as the representative of the magisterium ( or teaching authority ) of the church , the pope is expected to toe the party line on church teaching -- especially in public . and he should have the media savvy to know that private conversations often go viral . on the other hand , more liberal catholics are hopeful , given speculation that pastoral practices toward divorced and remarried catholics may change after a worldwide meeting of bishops in october . german bishops , especially cardinal walter kasper , have long lobbied for relaxing the rules that bar catholics in so-called irregular ' marriages from the sacraments . in the united states , the rule -- much like the one against artificial birth control -- is routinely ignored by most catholics . despite all the brouhaha , this phone conversation was actually a private one , between father bergoglio ' -- as the pope allegedly identified himself -- and the woman . he also would n't be the first catholic priest to privately tell a divorced person to go ahead and receive communion . even if he is the pope , such a private conversation does not automatically change centuries of church teaching , as the most recent vatican statement points out . yet it 's true that the pope has also publicly called for more pastoral sensitivity and inclusiveness not only toward the divorced and remarried , but also toward gay and lesbian catholics , single parents and others . there 's a reason his new book is called the church of mercy . ' it 's too early to tell if this is the pope 's way of asserting his position on a possible change in pastoral practice or even church teaching . still , it could be a lot more significant than his more symbolic gestures , such as eschewing red shoes and letting kids ride in the popemobile . since it 's the easter season , i 'll remain hopeful . | reports that pope francis told woman married to divorced man that taking communion ok |
pope <tsp> ( cnn ) -- what has the popular pope francis done now ? a woman in argentina says the pope called her monday and told her she could receive communion , despite being married to a divorced man , reports say . according to the woman and her husband , the pope allegedly said , there are some priests who are more papist than the pope ' -- referring to the parish priest who refused to give communion to the woman . the vatican initially refused to comment , but cnn received confirmation of the phone call from a vatican press office spokesman on wednesday . on thursday , the vatican released a statement responding to the media attention saying the content of the pope 's personal phone calls can not be confirmed as reliable , and is a source of misunderstanding and confusion . ' the defensiveness of the pope 's pr handlers hints of a cleanup . it 's true that pope francis has earned the nickname the cold-calling pope ' for his practice of picking up the phone and calling everyday folks ( although there has been at least one hoax about a papal phone call ) . the story did , however , start with a facebook post and went from argentina to italy to england before being picked up by u.s. news agencies . that 's plenty of opportunity for misinterpretation . if the pope were to counsel a catholic in this way , it would be significant . the catholic church officially teaches that marriage is for life and that couples who divorce are still married in the eyes of the church unless they receive an annulment -- a process that literally nullifies the first marriage . ( reports do not indicate whether the man 's first marriage was annulled , but it 's unlikely since the couple say they were married civilly . ) the church 's position is based on jesus'teachings in the bible equating marriage after divorce with adultery . conservative catholics , many of whom have been less than thrilled with the new pope during the first year of his papacy , are not happy with the latest news . one catholic blogger insists the story must not be true . of course , as the representative of the magisterium ( or teaching authority ) of the church , the pope is expected to toe the party line on church teaching -- especially in public . and he should have the media savvy to know that private conversations often go viral . on the other hand , more liberal catholics are hopeful , given speculation that pastoral practices toward divorced and remarried catholics may change after a worldwide meeting of bishops in october . german bishops , especially cardinal walter kasper , have long lobbied for relaxing the rules that bar catholics in so-called irregular ' marriages from the sacraments . in the united states , the rule -- much like the one against artificial birth control -- is routinely ignored by most catholics . despite all the brouhaha , this phone conversation was actually a private one , between father bergoglio ' -- as the pope allegedly identified himself -- and the woman . he also would n't be the first catholic priest to privately tell a divorced person to go ahead and receive communion . even if he is the pope , such a private conversation does not automatically change centuries of church teaching , as the most recent vatican statement points out . yet it 's true that the pope has also publicly called for more pastoral sensitivity and inclusiveness not only toward the divorced and remarried , but also toward gay and lesbian catholics , single parents and others . there 's a reason his new book is called the church of mercy . ' it 's too early to tell if this is the pope 's way of asserting his position on a possible change in pastoral practice or even church teaching . still , it could be a lot more significant than his more symbolic gestures , such as eschewing red shoes and letting kids ride in the popemobile . since it 's the easter season , i 'll remain hopeful . | schlumpf : private conversation with pope does n't automatically change church teaching |
pope <tsp> ( cnn ) -- what has the popular pope francis done now ? a woman in argentina says the pope called her monday and told her she could receive communion , despite being married to a divorced man , reports say . according to the woman and her husband , the pope allegedly said , there are some priests who are more papist than the pope ' -- referring to the parish priest who refused to give communion to the woman . the vatican initially refused to comment , but cnn received confirmation of the phone call from a vatican press office spokesman on wednesday . on thursday , the vatican released a statement responding to the media attention saying the content of the pope 's personal phone calls can not be confirmed as reliable , and is a source of misunderstanding and confusion . ' the defensiveness of the pope 's pr handlers hints of a cleanup . it 's true that pope francis has earned the nickname the cold-calling pope ' for his practice of picking up the phone and calling everyday folks ( although there has been at least one hoax about a papal phone call ) . the story did , however , start with a facebook post and went from argentina to italy to england before being picked up by u.s. news agencies . that 's plenty of opportunity for misinterpretation . if the pope were to counsel a catholic in this way , it would be significant . the catholic church officially teaches that marriage is for life and that couples who divorce are still married in the eyes of the church unless they receive an annulment -- a process that literally nullifies the first marriage . ( reports do not indicate whether the man 's first marriage was annulled , but it 's unlikely since the couple say they were married civilly . ) the church 's position is based on jesus'teachings in the bible equating marriage after divorce with adultery . conservative catholics , many of whom have been less than thrilled with the new pope during the first year of his papacy , are not happy with the latest news . one catholic blogger insists the story must not be true . of course , as the representative of the magisterium ( or teaching authority ) of the church , the pope is expected to toe the party line on church teaching -- especially in public . and he should have the media savvy to know that private conversations often go viral . on the other hand , more liberal catholics are hopeful , given speculation that pastoral practices toward divorced and remarried catholics may change after a worldwide meeting of bishops in october . german bishops , especially cardinal walter kasper , have long lobbied for relaxing the rules that bar catholics in so-called irregular ' marriages from the sacraments . in the united states , the rule -- much like the one against artificial birth control -- is routinely ignored by most catholics . despite all the brouhaha , this phone conversation was actually a private one , between father bergoglio ' -- as the pope allegedly identified himself -- and the woman . he also would n't be the first catholic priest to privately tell a divorced person to go ahead and receive communion . even if he is the pope , such a private conversation does not automatically change centuries of church teaching , as the most recent vatican statement points out . yet it 's true that the pope has also publicly called for more pastoral sensitivity and inclusiveness not only toward the divorced and remarried , but also toward gay and lesbian catholics , single parents and others . there 's a reason his new book is called the church of mercy . ' it 's too early to tell if this is the pope 's way of asserting his position on a possible change in pastoral practice or even church teaching . still , it could be a lot more significant than his more symbolic gestures , such as eschewing red shoes and letting kids ride in the popemobile . since it 's the easter season , i 'll remain hopeful . | heidi schlumpf : vatican backing away , but if true , pope may signal softening on divorce rule |
australian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an australian pilot landed a company plane in the ocean off darwin on friday , in a water landing that prompted comparisons to last month 's landing of a us airways jet in new york 's hudson river . the australian pilot has been compared to u.s. hero chesley b . sully ' sullenberger , pictured above . the australian pilot also encountered problems shortly after takeoff . the twin-propeller plane was carrying the pilot and five passengers when it went down shortly after leaving darwin international airport , said neville blyth , a senior transport safety investigator with the australian transport safety bureau . all those aboard were unhurt and managed to walk to shore , he said . pictures showed the men from the plane soaked and carrying bags and equipment as they walked through the water . it 's essentially a good story , ' blyth said . the atsb is deciding whether to investigate , he said , and the cause of the incident is still unknown . the piper chieftain plane was on its way to the town of maningrida , about 500 kilometers ( 310 miles ) east of darwin , according to its owner , australian information technology company csg . watch the plane ditch in darwin harbor » ' we would like to congratulate the pilot following all emergency landing and evacuation procedures and his very professional handling of the situation , ' a csg statement said . darwin is in australia 's northern territory , on the coast of the timor sea . the city 's airport is near the water . the plane 's trajectory took it over the water , giving the pilot limited opportunities to ditch the plane on land , blyth said . he said the ocean was a safer option for landing than the beach , where the firmness of the sand was unknown . personally , i think the decision was appropriate , ' blyth said . australian media dubbed the captain of the darwin plane sully lite , ' comparing him to the captain of the us airways airbus jet that landed safely in the hudson . pilot chesley b . sully ' sullenberger was hailed as a hero for landing the plane safely and ensuring that all 155 people on board survived . asked about the comparisons , blyth said the connection was tenuous . the correlation for a water landing is as close as it gets , ' he said . | australian pilot lands a company plane in the ocean off darwin |
australian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an australian pilot landed a company plane in the ocean off darwin on friday , in a water landing that prompted comparisons to last month 's landing of a us airways jet in new york 's hudson river . the australian pilot has been compared to u.s. hero chesley b . sully ' sullenberger , pictured above . the australian pilot also encountered problems shortly after takeoff . the twin-propeller plane was carrying the pilot and five passengers when it went down shortly after leaving darwin international airport , said neville blyth , a senior transport safety investigator with the australian transport safety bureau . all those aboard were unhurt and managed to walk to shore , he said . pictures showed the men from the plane soaked and carrying bags and equipment as they walked through the water . it 's essentially a good story , ' blyth said . the atsb is deciding whether to investigate , he said , and the cause of the incident is still unknown . the piper chieftain plane was on its way to the town of maningrida , about 500 kilometers ( 310 miles ) east of darwin , according to its owner , australian information technology company csg . watch the plane ditch in darwin harbor » ' we would like to congratulate the pilot following all emergency landing and evacuation procedures and his very professional handling of the situation , ' a csg statement said . darwin is in australia 's northern territory , on the coast of the timor sea . the city 's airport is near the water . the plane 's trajectory took it over the water , giving the pilot limited opportunities to ditch the plane on land , blyth said . he said the ocean was a safer option for landing than the beach , where the firmness of the sand was unknown . personally , i think the decision was appropriate , ' blyth said . australian media dubbed the captain of the darwin plane sully lite , ' comparing him to the captain of the us airways airbus jet that landed safely in the hudson . pilot chesley b . sully ' sullenberger was hailed as a hero for landing the plane safely and ensuring that all 155 people on board survived . asked about the comparisons , blyth said the connection was tenuous . the correlation for a water landing is as close as it gets , ' he said . | australian media dubbed pilot sully lite , ' comparing him to u.s. hero |
graham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- wednesday night 's debate showcased a mitt romney resisting his worst debating weaknesses and playing solidly to his strengths . barack obama ? this time , he could n't overcome a weakness he has shown before , a tendency to distance himself from the audience , and this kept him from connecting and making a good showing . but both have a track record of debates showcasing their strengths and weaknesses , and they are both good debaters . this is only the first of three performances . many of their old habits emerged again , both good and bad . they will need to study their take-home lessons . let 's begin with romney . three of of romney 's debating strengths are being smooth and knowledgeable and having excellent first-line answers to questions . wednesday night ? opinion : romney was hungry , obama was flat check . check . and check . listen , mitt romney can handle these debates . he was strong in all areas wednesday night . and y'all should n't be surprised that he performed so well . for him to falter , the moderator is going to have to do a much better job than jim lehrer . poor , steamrolled jim lehrer . romney talked over him so often that i swear one time i saw lehrer slumping behind his desk while he meekly gazed up at romney and muttered , excuse me , i believe you have my stapler . ' romney has potential weaknesses : this smoothness has sometimes gotten in his way , which is how he got the slick mitt ' moniker . but he corrected the potential error and instead had a solid , conversational manner in the debate . he was believable . romney 's other potential weakness is where he shined the most . in the republican primaries , romney was n't a great debater when he was trailing in the polls . but not wednesday night . he debated to win instead of not to lose ' ( which is what obama did ) . romney put obama on the defensive and kept him there all night defending his policies . romney stuck to his theme of too much government overstretch during the obama administration , whether on energy subsidies , health care , taxes or increasing the deficit . he kept the debate on the economy and jobs while flatly stating that it was overreach of federal government power that was what has inhibited our economy from recovering . and he made the point well . opinion : romney shakes up the race as for obama , one strength is that he is solid at picking a theme and sticking with it . wednesday night was no different . but what a difference four years makes . against john mccain in 2008 , obama focused on the economy as his theme and hammered away at george w. bush and mccain . this time , obama clearly presented his theme . the problem was that the new premise lacked bite . what was it ? that romney has no specific plan . obama mentioned this time and time again : taxes , deficit reduction , entitlements , regulations to wall street and health care . romney has not specified the details of how he will govern in all these important areas . the problem was that obama needed to couple that theme with something else . just stating it over and over is hardly a scathing indictment . and it failed to put romney on the defensive . reasoning is another strength obama has shown in previous debates , but he was unable to use it in any significant way . near the beginning of the debate , he mentioned that arithmetic proved romney 's plans unworkable . while i thought this was an excellent point , it should have been much more forceful . which brings us to obama 's weaknesses : i wrote two days ago that his detachment was one weakness , that he can appear dispassionate and distancing to the audience . unfortunately for the president , he did n't correct this . in fact , it was worse . indeed , this was probably his poorest showing at trying to connect with the american people . being emotionless can work either for or against you . for obama , with a troubled economy , it works against the president . if our economy is n't fully recovered and we 're in hard times , our president should at least show more empathy . offer strong examples to show that he understands . couple that with obama 's failure to tie romney to anything related to the famous 47 % comment , and i 'd call it a glaring error in the debate . opinion : it was n't just romney who won you know it 's bad when at the end of the debate , uber-wealthy mitt romney seems like he cares more about the middle class and even the lower class than the sitting democratic president of the united states . both candidates get almost two weeks off before their next debate . here 's what they each need to do in the meantime in their preparation . obama needs to find a much more effective way to pin romney down to a specific policy . although he is correct that some of romney 's numbers simply do n't add up , obama must do a better job of wrestling the details out of him . he simply has to put romney on the defensive more often and provide arguments ( and passion ) that will resonate with voters . he ca n't let opportunities slip by to tie romney to the 47 % comment or even to the old policies of george w.bush . this will be no easy task , since romney was able to fend off most criticisms with ease in his many republican primary debates . obama will need to stick to one subject over a series of exchanges . if he does n't , romney will be like teflon , and nothing obama says will stick to him in these debates . and the president should utilize the backward-step-pivot-forward technique as often as possible . since romney will continue to put him on the defensive ( and this is guaranteed ) , obama must turn potential flaws into strengths . it 's easy enough to predict romney 's attacks . now , the president must figure out rhetorically how to turn those criticisms into benefits . opinion : romney was n't stellar , but obama fell short and for goodness sake , obama , show more energy and passion . speak with conviction . for romney : steady as she goes . he needs to keep debating precisely like wednesday night . it was n't a fluke , and he can prove it . romney was assertive ( compared with obama 's passivity ) . and it worked . but there 's a fine line between assertiveness and aggression . romney was assertive in this debate without being aggressive . if he decides that his bullying technique of the moderator was effective ( it worked wednesday night , but i would n't push my luck if i were him ) , then he risks alienating voters . the same is true with his demeanor toward the president . romney can lose more votes than he can gain in future debates if he comes across as rude or mean , an impression many had of mccain four years ago . he must stay on the offense . but do n't overdo it . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of todd graham . | todd graham : romney played to his strengths , obama to his weaknesses in debate |
graham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- wednesday night 's debate showcased a mitt romney resisting his worst debating weaknesses and playing solidly to his strengths . barack obama ? this time , he could n't overcome a weakness he has shown before , a tendency to distance himself from the audience , and this kept him from connecting and making a good showing . but both have a track record of debates showcasing their strengths and weaknesses , and they are both good debaters . this is only the first of three performances . many of their old habits emerged again , both good and bad . they will need to study their take-home lessons . let 's begin with romney . three of of romney 's debating strengths are being smooth and knowledgeable and having excellent first-line answers to questions . wednesday night ? opinion : romney was hungry , obama was flat check . check . and check . listen , mitt romney can handle these debates . he was strong in all areas wednesday night . and y'all should n't be surprised that he performed so well . for him to falter , the moderator is going to have to do a much better job than jim lehrer . poor , steamrolled jim lehrer . romney talked over him so often that i swear one time i saw lehrer slumping behind his desk while he meekly gazed up at romney and muttered , excuse me , i believe you have my stapler . ' romney has potential weaknesses : this smoothness has sometimes gotten in his way , which is how he got the slick mitt ' moniker . but he corrected the potential error and instead had a solid , conversational manner in the debate . he was believable . romney 's other potential weakness is where he shined the most . in the republican primaries , romney was n't a great debater when he was trailing in the polls . but not wednesday night . he debated to win instead of not to lose ' ( which is what obama did ) . romney put obama on the defensive and kept him there all night defending his policies . romney stuck to his theme of too much government overstretch during the obama administration , whether on energy subsidies , health care , taxes or increasing the deficit . he kept the debate on the economy and jobs while flatly stating that it was overreach of federal government power that was what has inhibited our economy from recovering . and he made the point well . opinion : romney shakes up the race as for obama , one strength is that he is solid at picking a theme and sticking with it . wednesday night was no different . but what a difference four years makes . against john mccain in 2008 , obama focused on the economy as his theme and hammered away at george w. bush and mccain . this time , obama clearly presented his theme . the problem was that the new premise lacked bite . what was it ? that romney has no specific plan . obama mentioned this time and time again : taxes , deficit reduction , entitlements , regulations to wall street and health care . romney has not specified the details of how he will govern in all these important areas . the problem was that obama needed to couple that theme with something else . just stating it over and over is hardly a scathing indictment . and it failed to put romney on the defensive . reasoning is another strength obama has shown in previous debates , but he was unable to use it in any significant way . near the beginning of the debate , he mentioned that arithmetic proved romney 's plans unworkable . while i thought this was an excellent point , it should have been much more forceful . which brings us to obama 's weaknesses : i wrote two days ago that his detachment was one weakness , that he can appear dispassionate and distancing to the audience . unfortunately for the president , he did n't correct this . in fact , it was worse . indeed , this was probably his poorest showing at trying to connect with the american people . being emotionless can work either for or against you . for obama , with a troubled economy , it works against the president . if our economy is n't fully recovered and we 're in hard times , our president should at least show more empathy . offer strong examples to show that he understands . couple that with obama 's failure to tie romney to anything related to the famous 47 % comment , and i 'd call it a glaring error in the debate . opinion : it was n't just romney who won you know it 's bad when at the end of the debate , uber-wealthy mitt romney seems like he cares more about the middle class and even the lower class than the sitting democratic president of the united states . both candidates get almost two weeks off before their next debate . here 's what they each need to do in the meantime in their preparation . obama needs to find a much more effective way to pin romney down to a specific policy . although he is correct that some of romney 's numbers simply do n't add up , obama must do a better job of wrestling the details out of him . he simply has to put romney on the defensive more often and provide arguments ( and passion ) that will resonate with voters . he ca n't let opportunities slip by to tie romney to the 47 % comment or even to the old policies of george w.bush . this will be no easy task , since romney was able to fend off most criticisms with ease in his many republican primary debates . obama will need to stick to one subject over a series of exchanges . if he does n't , romney will be like teflon , and nothing obama says will stick to him in these debates . and the president should utilize the backward-step-pivot-forward technique as often as possible . since romney will continue to put him on the defensive ( and this is guaranteed ) , obama must turn potential flaws into strengths . it 's easy enough to predict romney 's attacks . now , the president must figure out rhetorically how to turn those criticisms into benefits . opinion : romney was n't stellar , but obama fell short and for goodness sake , obama , show more energy and passion . speak with conviction . for romney : steady as she goes . he needs to keep debating precisely like wednesday night . it was n't a fluke , and he can prove it . romney was assertive ( compared with obama 's passivity ) . and it worked . but there 's a fine line between assertiveness and aggression . romney was assertive in this debate without being aggressive . if he decides that his bullying technique of the moderator was effective ( it worked wednesday night , but i would n't push my luck if i were him ) , then he risks alienating voters . the same is true with his demeanor toward the president . romney can lose more votes than he can gain in future debates if he comes across as rude or mean , an impression many had of mccain four years ago . he must stay on the offense . but do n't overdo it . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of todd graham . | graham : obama needs to heat up , pin romney down ; romney must keep aggression in check |
fleck <tsp> manchester , tennessee ( cnn ) -- when bela fleck told us he had been missing something in his life musically , he caught us off guard . bela fleck traveled to africa to immerse himself in banjo-related culture . keep in mind : fleck is considered by many to be the premier banjo player in the world . he 's won grammy awards . he 's collaborated with bluegrass musicians , jazz players , classical performers and any number of other talented artists . but fleck said he wanted to make himself uncomfortable . earlier this year , he released the documentary throw down your heart , ' for which he traveled to uganda , tanzania , mali , and gambia to explore the african roots of the banjo . cnn caught up with him backstage at the bonnaroo music festival last month , where he played with african kora player toumani diabate , to discuss his film and experience in africa and what prompted him to go . the following is an edited version of the interview . watch fleck at bonnaroo » cnn : what gave you the inspiration to go to africa to trace the roots of the banjo and make throw down your heart ? ' bela fleck : well , i have loved the banjo since i first heard it when i was a little kid , and after i started to learn to play it i discovered that it came from africa originally , and that does n't seem to be common knowledge . there are a lot of people who have forgotten over the years where the banjo comes from . i 've always wanted to go back to africa and hear what 's going on there and find the instruments that still exist that are the roots of the banjo and play music with them . so that 's what this trip and the film and the record were all about -- going to uganda , tanzania , mali and gambia and finding musicians and filming interactions with them and recording it all . cnn : what did you learn ? fleck : that 's a common question . everybody wants some kind of epiphany out of a trip like this , and i got it , but it 's hard to put it into words . except that just the experience of playing with these musicians made my life a lot richer , made my worldview a lot bigger , and in a lot of cases i learned music that was so new to me that it 's affected the way i play music ever since . cnn : it 's clear that learning this music and a new technique on the banjo was a challenge for you . fleck : sure . another important part of the trip for me was putting myself into uncomfortable situations and seeing how i would do , because over the years , as i 've gotten more and more successful , i get in control of things , and less and less i was finding myself in situations that were truly risky musically . i liked being unprepared and being forced to come up with it on the spot . it just was n't happening in my life at the time . so that was another part of going to africa , throwing myself into completely uncharted waters and trying to do something good and survive . [ there was also ] the brotherhood of acoustic musicians , 'cause we feel something when we play our instruments and the sounds mingle in the air . i think it 's different than playing pop music or electric instruments . cnn : tell us about your collaboration with toumani diabate . watch the masters play » fleck : i am so lucky to be performing with toumani . he 's the greatest kora player . the kora is a 21-string harp , and he comes from 71 generations from it being taught from father to son , father to son . we improvise together with just the kora and the banjo . cnn : did you learn how to play the kora ? fleck : no , i have n't sat and tried to play the kora , but he 's taught me the notes that he plays , the scales and the patterns that he does , and i taught him some banjo stuff . he 's a great collaborator . playing with musicians who did n't speak english was not a problem , when we started to play together , we always found a way to make music . cnn : is there a social message about africa you came back with and want people to know about ? fleck : my reasons for going to africa were kind of selfish , because i love the banjo , and i really want to play with the musicians . but i think that the film serves in a lot of positive ways . one of the ways is to show people that there are a lot of great things about africa . currently there are so many horrible things that are getting press about africa , and they truly are horrible . but there 's a reason we should care about africa : it 's a wonderful place . people are beautiful , and there is an incredible culture and history there , and i think this film sits on the other side . it 's not a political statement , but it does point out what is beautiful about africans . | fleck : i like throwing myself into uncharted waters ' |
fleck <tsp> manchester , tennessee ( cnn ) -- when bela fleck told us he had been missing something in his life musically , he caught us off guard . bela fleck traveled to africa to immerse himself in banjo-related culture . keep in mind : fleck is considered by many to be the premier banjo player in the world . he 's won grammy awards . he 's collaborated with bluegrass musicians , jazz players , classical performers and any number of other talented artists . but fleck said he wanted to make himself uncomfortable . earlier this year , he released the documentary throw down your heart , ' for which he traveled to uganda , tanzania , mali , and gambia to explore the african roots of the banjo . cnn caught up with him backstage at the bonnaroo music festival last month , where he played with african kora player toumani diabate , to discuss his film and experience in africa and what prompted him to go . the following is an edited version of the interview . watch fleck at bonnaroo » cnn : what gave you the inspiration to go to africa to trace the roots of the banjo and make throw down your heart ? ' bela fleck : well , i have loved the banjo since i first heard it when i was a little kid , and after i started to learn to play it i discovered that it came from africa originally , and that does n't seem to be common knowledge . there are a lot of people who have forgotten over the years where the banjo comes from . i 've always wanted to go back to africa and hear what 's going on there and find the instruments that still exist that are the roots of the banjo and play music with them . so that 's what this trip and the film and the record were all about -- going to uganda , tanzania , mali and gambia and finding musicians and filming interactions with them and recording it all . cnn : what did you learn ? fleck : that 's a common question . everybody wants some kind of epiphany out of a trip like this , and i got it , but it 's hard to put it into words . except that just the experience of playing with these musicians made my life a lot richer , made my worldview a lot bigger , and in a lot of cases i learned music that was so new to me that it 's affected the way i play music ever since . cnn : it 's clear that learning this music and a new technique on the banjo was a challenge for you . fleck : sure . another important part of the trip for me was putting myself into uncomfortable situations and seeing how i would do , because over the years , as i 've gotten more and more successful , i get in control of things , and less and less i was finding myself in situations that were truly risky musically . i liked being unprepared and being forced to come up with it on the spot . it just was n't happening in my life at the time . so that was another part of going to africa , throwing myself into completely uncharted waters and trying to do something good and survive . [ there was also ] the brotherhood of acoustic musicians , 'cause we feel something when we play our instruments and the sounds mingle in the air . i think it 's different than playing pop music or electric instruments . cnn : tell us about your collaboration with toumani diabate . watch the masters play » fleck : i am so lucky to be performing with toumani . he 's the greatest kora player . the kora is a 21-string harp , and he comes from 71 generations from it being taught from father to son , father to son . we improvise together with just the kora and the banjo . cnn : did you learn how to play the kora ? fleck : no , i have n't sat and tried to play the kora , but he 's taught me the notes that he plays , the scales and the patterns that he does , and i taught him some banjo stuff . he 's a great collaborator . playing with musicians who did n't speak english was not a problem , when we started to play together , we always found a way to make music . cnn : is there a social message about africa you came back with and want people to know about ? fleck : my reasons for going to africa were kind of selfish , because i love the banjo , and i really want to play with the musicians . but i think that the film serves in a lot of positive ways . one of the ways is to show people that there are a lot of great things about africa . currently there are so many horrible things that are getting press about africa , and they truly are horrible . but there 's a reason we should care about africa : it 's a wonderful place . people are beautiful , and there is an incredible culture and history there , and i think this film sits on the other side . it 's not a political statement , but it does point out what is beautiful about africans . | bela fleck , top-rank banjo player , went to africa to seek instrument 's roots |
scottish open <tsp> ( cnn ) -- rory mcilroy is off to a good start at the scottish open . he 's hoping for a good finish , too , after missing the cut at the irish open . mcilroy shot a course record 7-under-par 64 at royal aberdeen on thursday , and he was actually the second player to better the old mark -- sweden 's kristoffer broberg had earlier fired a 65 . mcilroy carded eight birdies and one bogey in windy , chilly conditions . going out this morning in these conditions i thought anything in the 60s would be a good score , so to shoot something better than that is pleasing , ' mcilroy was quoted as saying by the european tour 's website . a win sunday would be the perfect way for former no . 1 mcilroy to prepare for the british open , which starts next week at royal liverpool . he won the last of his two majors in 2012 . everything was pretty much on , ' mcilroy said . i controlled my ball flight really well , which is the key to me playing well in these conditions and on these courses . i 've been working the last 10 days on keeping the ball down , hitting easy shots and taking spin off it , and i went out there today and really trusted what i practiced . ' last year phil mickelson used the scottish open at castle stuart as the springboard to his british open title and his 68 leaves him well within touching distance of mcilroy . mickelson needs a jolt of confidence given that'lefty'has slipped outside the top 10 in the rankings and has n't finished in the top 10 on the pga tour this season . i thought it was tough conditions , ' mickelson said in an audio interview posted on the european tour 's website . i was surprised to see some low scores out there because it did n't seem like it was playing easy , and the wind was pretty strong . i felt like i played well and had a good putting day . it was a good day . ' last year 's u.s. open champion , justin rose , was tied for 13th with a 69 but jonas blixt -- who tied for second at the masters -- was well adrift following a 74 . | rory mcilroy shoots a course record at the scottish open with a 64 |
wii <tsp> san francisco , california ( reuters ) -- sony has cut the price of the playstation 3 by $ 100 , or 17 percent , in the united states , a move that should boost the video game console 's lackluster sales . starting monday , the current ps3 60 gigabyte model will cost $ 499 -- a $ 100 price drop . the playstation 3 , which includes a 60-gigabyte hard drive and a blu-ray high-definition dvd player , will now cost $ 500 , or $ 20 more than the most expensive version of microsoft 's xbox 360 . the ps3 still costs twice that of nintendo 's wii console , whose $ 250 price and motion-sensing controller have made it a best-seller despite its lack of cutting-edge graphics and hard disk . our initial expectation is that sales should double at a minimum , ' jack tretton , chief executive of sony computer entertainment america , said in an interview . we 've gotten our production issues behind us on the playstation 3 , reaching a position to pass on the savings to consumers , and our attitude is the sooner the better . ' the price drop monday was widely anticipated by industry analysts despite sony president ryoji chubachi telling reuters last week that the company had no immediate plans for one . wedbush morgan analyst michael pachter said sony 's price reduction would not double sales but may boost them by 50 percent to about 120,000 units a month . the greater significance is that sony is signaling to the market that we 're coming down the cost curve pretty fast in making this thing . it 's a pretty consumer-friendly move , ' pachter said . sony 's move comes two days before the start of the video game industry 's annual e3 trade show in santa monica , california , where some expect microsoft to respond with its first price cuts on the xbox 360 . nintendo , whose wii is selling so well that it is still hard to find in stores eight months after its launch , is not expected to budge on pricing . the xbox 360 and wii have outsold the ps3 by several times in the crucial u.s. market , leaving sony , whose playstation 2 dominated the last console generation , in the unfamiliar position of playing catch up . sony is counting on the price cut to help it significantly grow sales of the ps3 ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season that accounts for most of the annual sales of highly profitable gaming software . sony is also introducing a new version of the ps3 featuring an 80-gigabyte hard drive and a copy of motorstorm , ' an off-road racing game that has already sold a million copies . the new model will sell for $ 600 and is aimed at gamers who expect to download a lot of games and other content from sony 's burgeoning online network . sony also hopes the ps3 will win some converts following microsoft 's admission last week that the failure rate of its xbox 360 console had been unacceptably high , forcing it to book $ 1 billion in repair costs . we 're especially proud of the fact that the playstation 3 has the lowest failure rate of any playstation product . it 's absolutely the gold standard , ' tretton said . the quality of the product and long-term viability is what ultimately wins . ' e-mail to a friend copyright 2007 reuters . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . | ps3 still costs twice that of nintendo 's best-selling wii console , which is $ 250 |
microsoft <tsp> san francisco , california ( reuters ) -- sony has cut the price of the playstation 3 by $ 100 , or 17 percent , in the united states , a move that should boost the video game console 's lackluster sales . starting monday , the current ps3 60 gigabyte model will cost $ 499 -- a $ 100 price drop . the playstation 3 , which includes a 60-gigabyte hard drive and a blu-ray high-definition dvd player , will now cost $ 500 , or $ 20 more than the most expensive version of microsoft 's xbox 360 . the ps3 still costs twice that of nintendo 's wii console , whose $ 250 price and motion-sensing controller have made it a best-seller despite its lack of cutting-edge graphics and hard disk . our initial expectation is that sales should double at a minimum , ' jack tretton , chief executive of sony computer entertainment america , said in an interview . we 've gotten our production issues behind us on the playstation 3 , reaching a position to pass on the savings to consumers , and our attitude is the sooner the better . ' the price drop monday was widely anticipated by industry analysts despite sony president ryoji chubachi telling reuters last week that the company had no immediate plans for one . wedbush morgan analyst michael pachter said sony 's price reduction would not double sales but may boost them by 50 percent to about 120,000 units a month . the greater significance is that sony is signaling to the market that we 're coming down the cost curve pretty fast in making this thing . it 's a pretty consumer-friendly move , ' pachter said . sony 's move comes two days before the start of the video game industry 's annual e3 trade show in santa monica , california , where some expect microsoft to respond with its first price cuts on the xbox 360 . nintendo , whose wii is selling so well that it is still hard to find in stores eight months after its launch , is not expected to budge on pricing . the xbox 360 and wii have outsold the ps3 by several times in the crucial u.s. market , leaving sony , whose playstation 2 dominated the last console generation , in the unfamiliar position of playing catch up . sony is counting on the price cut to help it significantly grow sales of the ps3 ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season that accounts for most of the annual sales of highly profitable gaming software . sony is also introducing a new version of the ps3 featuring an 80-gigabyte hard drive and a copy of motorstorm , ' an off-road racing game that has already sold a million copies . the new model will sell for $ 600 and is aimed at gamers who expect to download a lot of games and other content from sony 's burgeoning online network . sony also hopes the ps3 will win some converts following microsoft 's admission last week that the failure rate of its xbox 360 console had been unacceptably high , forcing it to book $ 1 billion in repair costs . we 're especially proud of the fact that the playstation 3 has the lowest failure rate of any playstation product . it 's absolutely the gold standard , ' tretton said . the quality of the product and long-term viability is what ultimately wins . ' e-mail to a friend copyright 2007 reuters . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . | some expect microsoft to respond with its first price cuts on the xbox 360 |
paralympic games <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- stepping on the london subway train five years ago , the thirtysomething marketing manager never imagined her morning commute might eventually lead to the paralympic games . now , that 's exactly where britain 's martine wright is setting her sights . wright lost both legs when a suicide bomber blew himself up on a subway train near london 's aldgate station on the morning of july 7 , 2005 . she also suffered a fractured skull and severe arm injuries . though she was one of the most seriously hurt that day , wright is now aiming for a spot on the british paralympic volleyball team in 2012 . i would love , absolutely love , to be part of the paralympics in 2012 , ' wright told cnn affiliate itn last month . i mean , if you had said that to me five years ago , i would have thought that you were absolutely mad . but to go back to london , where i was born , and to do something so positive -- after i left on such a negative -- would be absolutely amazing . ' four bombs were set off that day in july , on three subway trains and a bus . fifty-six people were killed , including the four bombers , and more than 770 were wounded . the bombings happened the day after the international olympic committee announced london would be hosting the olympic and paralympic games in 2012 . wright said she made a promise to herself and her family after the attacks to grab every single opportunity ' that she could . i think i 've done more now than what i did before , ' she told itn . i 've learned to fly planes , and i 've jumped out of a plane , learned to ski again . ' she competed for -- and won -- a place on britain 's sitting volleyball squad . the british volleyball federation announced her place on the team last month , and this week the team is competing at the 2010 sitting volleyball world championships in the u.s. state of oklahoma . some 640 athletes from 20 countries are taking part in the event , the biggest major international competition before london 2012 , according to lisa wainwright , chief executive of volleyball england , the sport 's national governing body . john bestebroer , the head coach of the women 's team , calls the championships a great training opportunity for 2012 . ' sitting volleyball is a version of the sport that allows anyone to participate , including those with a disability . the men 's event has been part of the paralympics since 1980 and the women 's since 2004 , according to british volleyball . international volleyball rules apply in the sitting version , with certain amendments for disabled players : during play , a player must touch the court with some body part between the buttocks and the shoulders , and players are allowed to block serves . also , sitting volleyball is played on a smaller court with a lower net . wright told london 's evening standard that the 2012 games will have an added poignancy because her last real memory before the bombings was celebrating with colleagues when london was chosen to host the olympics . she was the last person pulled from the station that day , and wright said she feels she 's one of the lucky ones . even on your darkest days , there will always be someone that 's worse than you are , unfortunately , ' wright told itn . there were 52 people that day who were definitely worse than me , 'cause i 'm still here . ' | bombings came one day after london was announced as the host for the 2012 paralympic games |
herrera <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- in her uniform ' of a crisp , classic white shirt , carolina herrera exudes the kind of elegance and easy grace that has defined her fashion label for more than 30 years . it 's a look that has been sought after by some of the world 's leading ladies , from style icon jackie onassis to actress renee zellweger and comedian tina fey , who stepped out in a navy herrera gown at this year 's oscars . herrera 's rise to the top of the cutthroat world of fashion started in 1981 , when she launched her flagship carolina herrera brand in new york . today , her empire encompasses the signature fashion collection , a bridal collection , fragrances and accessories . herrera has more than 280 stores in 104 countries and all this brings in billions of dollars . herrera says she was more interested in horses than fashion growing up in caracas , venezuela , where here father was governor . but adds that she was lucky to always be surrounded by exquisitely dressed women . today , the women in her life include her four daughters , two of whom also work for the carolina herrera brand . here , herrera speaks exclusively to cnn about style , business , family and getting ahead in a man 's world . on building a business ... ( fashion is ) a very difficult business , as you know , because fashion is a business . if you do n't sell , then you are not in the business . you might be the best designer and you are so creative and new , have the most beautiful ideas , but if they all stay in your room and they do n't go out to be worn by someone , then you are not in business . the most difficult ( part ) of this business is to have the right teams , because i ( could not have done ) everything i have done alone . if i ( did n't ) have my teams behind me , i would n't be sitting here . fashion is a collaboration with many people . more from leading women : women-only hotel floors take off on the herrera team ... i have a team , a fantastic president who takes care of the numbers of the company . if you ask me to take care of that side , i would be sitting there crying because i do n't know what to do . if i ask her to design clothes , she would n't know how to do ( it ) . but i always tell the young designers that you have to separate the creative side with the business side . you have to have somebody very capable to run the business side . because then , you 're successful . on style ... style is something so different in everyone . but a style is something that you do that is totally different from the other or something that you 're wearing that is the same as the other person but it looks different on you . it 's a special touch . some people have it and some people can not . on juggling work and family life ... we women manage to do many things at the same time . men , no . men do one thing at a time . i see my husband say'why are you doing all these at the same time ? you 're going to do something wrong here .'i say ,'no .'because women , we are able to do that . because we have children ; we have to work sometime ; we run a house ; we have a husband and everything works . it 's a question of organizing yourself . more from leading women : women ! embrace your inner geek on the carolina herrera brand ... i think women in carolina herrera ... i like them to be sophisticated and i like them to be classic with a modern twist . you can be dressed by carolina herrera new york , but you can have the accessories from ch and it 's like a lifestyle . on dressing for your age and figure ... it 's about finding the style for the right figure or the right age . sometimes you see women that do n't realize that age is changing your style , and they do n't change . what you wore when you were 15 does n't look that well when you 're 30 and certainly looks terrible when you 're older . so , you have to change with the times . it 's the same thing with a fuller figure or a very thin one . on the white blouse ... the white shirt is one of the easiest things to wear , because you can dress it up or you can wear it with jeans or you can wear it with a ball gown . i mean with a ball skirt . it 's so easy . for me it 's like a security blanket . when i do n't know what to wear , i say a white blouse . you can give your own look to it . more from leading women : interactive : power in the boardroom : women versus men on fashion egos ... you have to deal with the fashion egos . you know , there is a lot . it should n't be treated that seriously because fashion is only making dresses to make women look beautiful . we 're not inventing anything new . on her inspiration ... the inspiration comes from things that you have seen all your life . sometimes you see collections that are inspired by the '20s and the '30s and the '40s and the '50s . that means fashion is a repetition of ideas . it 's the way you put it together that makes it modern ... on her managerial style ... i do n't think i like to go around shouting . i do n't believe in this . i believe that you have to treat the people who work with you like your family . on advice for women going into fashion ... first of all you have to love it . second you have to remember that it 's not going to be easy . you have a lot of problems . you have to have perseverance . you have to do it even if it does n't work and you have to keep going . you have to be strong about it . they have to have the talent to do it , because without talent , how can you do fashion ? | style is something different in everyone , herrera says |
kweku adoboli <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- police in london were on friday questioning a suspected rogue trader arrested after swiss banking giant ubs discovered an estimated $ 2 billion worth of unauthorised deals . the man -- named by british media as ubs trader kweku adoboli -- was held on suspicion of fraud in an early-morning operation in london 's banking district hours before the loss was announced on thursday , officers said . cnn has not independently confirmed his identity , but was told when calling his desk at ubs that he was not available . the bank declined to comment on the arrest . a $ 2 billion rogue trading loss would be all but unprecedented , market analyst ralph silva told cnn . we have only had three or four other situations ... in the billions , and that is exactly what happened , ' he said . the bank is large enough to take a $ 2 billion hit , experts said . shares in ubs rose slightly in early trading in europe friday after falling around 10 % the day before . brokers tell cnn the unauthorized trade in question at ubs was likely on an exchange traded fund ( etf ) -- a structured instrument based on one or more underlying assets -- that is sold as a fund but trades like a stock . the etf in question was one which tracked the volatile silver futures market and was priced in swiss francs , they say . adoboli 's job would have been to hedge , or reduce , the bank 's risk on the silver and franc positions by buying and selling each . it is thought that he may accidentally have left the swiss franc vs u.s. dollar side of the equation uncovered and got stung when the swiss national bank intervened to defend the franc in early september . credit rating agency moody 's has said it is looking at ubs for a possible downgrade . its review of ubs will focus on ongoing weaknesses in the group 's risk management and controls ' as revealed by the reported loss , moody 's said in a statement . moody 's downgraded two french banks earlier this week amid questions over their exposure to debt . news of the alleged rogue trader comes amid pronounced economic anxiety in europe . markets there have been in turmoil in recent weeks as concern has mounted that greece might default on its huge debt , sending shock waves through the 17-nation eurozone and further afield . rogue trader 's impact on ubs u.s. treasury secretary timothy geithner is attending a meeting of europe 's economic and financial affairs council in wroclaw , poland , on friday , at which questions around greek debt and financial stability in the eurozone are bound to be discussed . finance ministers for the european union member states , central bank presidents and representatives of other major financial bodies are also present . the conference comes ahead of g20 and imf meetings later this month . on thursday -- even as news was circulating of the incident at ubs -- came word that the federal reserve and four other powerful central banks announced they were throwing a lifeline to europe 's struggling banks . the european central bank , along with the fed , the bank of england , the bank of japan and the swiss national bank , said three u.s. dollar auctions would be held to help out european banks that need the currency to fund loans and repay debt . european banks have seen u.s. dollars flow out as u.s. financial institutions and money market accounts scale back exposure to european banks , amid fears over those institutions'exposure to debt held by greece and other european nations . u.s. treasury secretary timothy geithner is to attend a meeting of europe 's economic and financial affairs council in wroclaw , poland , on friday , at which questions around greek debt and financial stability in the eurozone are bound to be discussed . finance ministers for the european union member states , central bank presidents and representatives of other major financial bodies will also be present . the conference comes ahead of g20 and imf meetings later this month . as to the epidosde at ubs , silva , the analyst , outlined three possible ways a loss that big could take place : intentional fraud , basic stupidity ' in trading strategy , or what the banking industry calls fat fingers , ' which means typing the wrong number by accident . perhaps the trader put in an extra zero so instead of buying a million he or she bought ten million -- could be a problem , ' silva said . lex van dam , a former trader who is now a partner at hampstead capital in london , said chaos in the markets could have put more pressure on a trader desperate to hang onto his job . trading has been incredibly difficult over the last year , ' said van dam . with the volatility in banking stocks , commodities and currencies , things can go wrong really , really easily . if you 're worried about your job and you try to hide ( a mistake or loss ) , you can see how these situations arise . ' a bank 's risk management division is supposed to examine a trader 's activities , he said . he must have done something that he was n't supposed to do , obviously , ' van dam said . ubs said no client positions were affected by the loss , which is still being investigated . but the unauthorized trading by a trader in its investment bank ' could cause ubs to post a loss in the third quarter of this year , it said . the loss would potentially be among the largest costs ever to a bank in unauthorized trading . rogue trader jerome kerviel cost his french bank , societe generale , almost $ 6 billion , and was sentenced to three years in prison last year . yasuo hamanaka cost sumitomo corporation $ 2.6 billion in the global copper market , and was sent to prison for eight years over fraud and forgery in 1997 . nick leeson , the subject of the ewan mcgregor movie rogue trader , ' lost about $ 1.3 billion for his bank , barings , in 1995 , forcing it to close . ubs is not likely to collapse , but the scandal could prompt the bank to split its investment bank into a separate company , van dam said . there is a much higher chance that this bank will now be broken up ' into a wealth managament firm and an investment bank to reduce clients'exposure to investment banking losses , he said . he favors that alternative , he said . the banks are too large , ' van dam said . the products are so complicated , and the management does n't understand it . ' ubs made a pre-tax profit of about $ 1.9 billion in the second quarter of this year , it announced in july , down from about $ 2.5 billion the quarter before that . cnn 's nina dos santos , irene chapple , ben rooney , alex mohacs , james partington , laura perez maestro , kendra petersen , nick thompson and christine theodorou contributed to this report . | british media name the arrested man as kweku adoboli |
buner <tsp> ( cnn ) -- taliban militants , who implemented islamic law in pakistan 's violence-plagued swat valley last week , have now taken control of a neighboring district . protests in karachi against the creation of sharia courts in swat valley . here are some answers about the swat valley , its history and what 's taking place there . what is swat valley ? swat valley is located in pakistan 's north west frontier province , near the border with afghanistan and about 185 miles ( 300 kilometers ) from the pakistani capital of islamabad . the alpine region once was one of pakistan 's premier tourist destinations , boasting the nation 's only ski resort until it was shut down after taliban militants overran the area . it also was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and those wishing to visit the ancient buddhist ruins in the area . what 's happening in swat valley ? in recent years taliban militants unleashed a wave of violence that claimed hundreds of lives in the province . the militants wanted sharia law -- or islamic law -- imposed in the region . they took over the valley in 2008 . the central government of pakistan , which long exerted little control in the area , launched an intense military offensive in late july to flush out the militants . in retaliation , the taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks and began gaining ground , setting up checkpoints in the area . has the government intervened ? the militants and the pakistani government reached a peace deal earlier this year , which was recently signed into law by pakistani president asif ali zardari . under the deal , sharia law was imposed in the region . while the peace deal drew criticism for the pakistani government , some analysts and political observers say the government had little choice but to capitulate , as militants have terrorized the region with beheadings , kidnappings and the destruction of schools . what 's happening now ? this week , the taliban moved to seize control of the neighboring buner district , bringing it closer to islamabad than it has been since taliban insurgency began . what is sharia law ? sharia law is islamic law . while there are different interpretations of it , the taliban 's strict interpretation forbids women from being seen in public without their husbands and fathers , requires veils for women and beards for men , and bans music and television . consequences are severe ; during the taliban struggle to impose sharia law , anyone found disobeying was pinned to the ground and lashed . others were beheaded and hung from poles , with notices attached to their bodies that anyone daring to remove the corpse before 48 hours had passed would also be beheaded and hanged . | taliban militants in pakistan 's swat valley take control of neighboring buner district |
swat valley <tsp> ( cnn ) -- taliban militants , who implemented islamic law in pakistan 's violence-plagued swat valley last week , have now taken control of a neighboring district . protests in karachi against the creation of sharia courts in swat valley . here are some answers about the swat valley , its history and what 's taking place there . what is swat valley ? swat valley is located in pakistan 's north west frontier province , near the border with afghanistan and about 185 miles ( 300 kilometers ) from the pakistani capital of islamabad . the alpine region once was one of pakistan 's premier tourist destinations , boasting the nation 's only ski resort until it was shut down after taliban militants overran the area . it also was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and those wishing to visit the ancient buddhist ruins in the area . what 's happening in swat valley ? in recent years taliban militants unleashed a wave of violence that claimed hundreds of lives in the province . the militants wanted sharia law -- or islamic law -- imposed in the region . they took over the valley in 2008 . the central government of pakistan , which long exerted little control in the area , launched an intense military offensive in late july to flush out the militants . in retaliation , the taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks and began gaining ground , setting up checkpoints in the area . has the government intervened ? the militants and the pakistani government reached a peace deal earlier this year , which was recently signed into law by pakistani president asif ali zardari . under the deal , sharia law was imposed in the region . while the peace deal drew criticism for the pakistani government , some analysts and political observers say the government had little choice but to capitulate , as militants have terrorized the region with beheadings , kidnappings and the destruction of schools . what 's happening now ? this week , the taliban moved to seize control of the neighboring buner district , bringing it closer to islamabad than it has been since taliban insurgency began . what is sharia law ? sharia law is islamic law . while there are different interpretations of it , the taliban 's strict interpretation forbids women from being seen in public without their husbands and fathers , requires veils for women and beards for men , and bans music and television . consequences are severe ; during the taliban struggle to impose sharia law , anyone found disobeying was pinned to the ground and lashed . others were beheaded and hung from poles , with notices attached to their bodies that anyone daring to remove the corpse before 48 hours had passed would also be beheaded and hanged . | taliban militants in pakistan 's swat valley take control of neighboring buner district |
swat valley <tsp> ( cnn ) -- taliban militants , who implemented islamic law in pakistan 's violence-plagued swat valley last week , have now taken control of a neighboring district . protests in karachi against the creation of sharia courts in swat valley . here are some answers about the swat valley , its history and what 's taking place there . what is swat valley ? swat valley is located in pakistan 's north west frontier province , near the border with afghanistan and about 185 miles ( 300 kilometers ) from the pakistani capital of islamabad . the alpine region once was one of pakistan 's premier tourist destinations , boasting the nation 's only ski resort until it was shut down after taliban militants overran the area . it also was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and those wishing to visit the ancient buddhist ruins in the area . what 's happening in swat valley ? in recent years taliban militants unleashed a wave of violence that claimed hundreds of lives in the province . the militants wanted sharia law -- or islamic law -- imposed in the region . they took over the valley in 2008 . the central government of pakistan , which long exerted little control in the area , launched an intense military offensive in late july to flush out the militants . in retaliation , the taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks and began gaining ground , setting up checkpoints in the area . has the government intervened ? the militants and the pakistani government reached a peace deal earlier this year , which was recently signed into law by pakistani president asif ali zardari . under the deal , sharia law was imposed in the region . while the peace deal drew criticism for the pakistani government , some analysts and political observers say the government had little choice but to capitulate , as militants have terrorized the region with beheadings , kidnappings and the destruction of schools . what 's happening now ? this week , the taliban moved to seize control of the neighboring buner district , bringing it closer to islamabad than it has been since taliban insurgency began . what is sharia law ? sharia law is islamic law . while there are different interpretations of it , the taliban 's strict interpretation forbids women from being seen in public without their husbands and fathers , requires veils for women and beards for men , and bans music and television . consequences are severe ; during the taliban struggle to impose sharia law , anyone found disobeying was pinned to the ground and lashed . others were beheaded and hung from poles , with notices attached to their bodies that anyone daring to remove the corpse before 48 hours had passed would also be beheaded and hanged . | swat valley was once one of pakistan 's top tourist attractions |
fresno <tsp> a flurry of small earthquakes rumbling near the mammoth mountain volcano , have been categorized as volcanic unrest ' by the united states geological survey . nearly three dozen earthquakes ranging from magnitude 2.6 to 3.8 have swarmed the area , northeast of fresno , california , over the last two days . earthquake swarms in this region are not uncommon . david shelly , a seismologist with california volcano observatory , said this swarm is bigger than we 've seen recently , but normal in the area . ' he adds they are keeping a close eye on the movement , but in the larger scheme of things , it 's within in the range of activity over the last several decades . ' mammoth mountain is in an area called the long valley caldera . the center of the caldera has been uplifting slowly over the last several decades and seismologists continuously monitor it . we think there is fluid coming up from the crust triggering the earthquakes , ' said shelly . the last swarm of quakes from 1997 to 1998 produced over 2,500 earthquakes per week at its height , according to the usgs . since then , the region has been relatively quiet . in july , usgs scientists installed a volcanic-gas monitoring station on the mountain . it tracks gases that fluctuate with earthquake activity to better track the changes in real-time . the awareness level on the usgs website remains at green/normal . mammoth mountain , standing at 11,053 feet , last erupted about 57,000 years ago , according to the usgs . | three dozen earthquakes in last 2 days near fresno , california |
bertha <tsp> miami , florida ( cnn ) -- hurricane bertha -- the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season -- increased in strength monday evening , according to the national hurricane center . a satellite picture from 5:45 a.m . et monday shows hurricane bertha over the atlantic . while bertha 's power may fluctuate over the next day , it is expected to begin gradually weakening by wednesday , the center 's 11 p.m . et advisory said . bertha 's became a major -- or category 3 -- hurricane monday afternoon . a category 3 has wind speeds of 111 to 130 mph . as of 11 p.m . et , bertha was 695 miles ( 1,115 km ) east-northeast of the northern leeward islands and about 1,085 miles ( 1,745 km ) southeast of bermuda . the eye was moving toward the west-northwest at about 12 mph . its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 120 mph ( 195 km/hr ) , up from the 115 mph mentioned in a 5 p.m. advisory . the hurricane is expected to turn to the northwest and decrease its forward speed in the next 24 to 48 hours , the center said . there is a very small chance bertha will make landfall in the united states . bermuda could be affected by the hurricane this weekend . see bertha 's projected path » ' it is still way too soon to determine whether or not bertha will affect bermuda , ' the center said . the storm formed thursday in the far eastern atlantic , off the coast of africa , near the southern cape verde islands . it strengthened into a hurricane early monday . learn more about hurricanes » the first tropical storm of the season , arthur , formed may 31 near the coast of belize and dumped heavy rain on central america and southern mexico . | bertha is the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic hurricane season |
bertha <tsp> miami , florida ( cnn ) -- hurricane bertha -- the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season -- increased in strength monday evening , according to the national hurricane center . a satellite picture from 5:45 a.m . et monday shows hurricane bertha over the atlantic . while bertha 's power may fluctuate over the next day , it is expected to begin gradually weakening by wednesday , the center 's 11 p.m . et advisory said . bertha 's became a major -- or category 3 -- hurricane monday afternoon . a category 3 has wind speeds of 111 to 130 mph . as of 11 p.m . et , bertha was 695 miles ( 1,115 km ) east-northeast of the northern leeward islands and about 1,085 miles ( 1,745 km ) southeast of bermuda . the eye was moving toward the west-northwest at about 12 mph . its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 120 mph ( 195 km/hr ) , up from the 115 mph mentioned in a 5 p.m. advisory . the hurricane is expected to turn to the northwest and decrease its forward speed in the next 24 to 48 hours , the center said . there is a very small chance bertha will make landfall in the united states . bermuda could be affected by the hurricane this weekend . see bertha 's projected path » ' it is still way too soon to determine whether or not bertha will affect bermuda , ' the center said . the storm formed thursday in the far eastern atlantic , off the coast of africa , near the southern cape verde islands . it strengthened into a hurricane early monday . learn more about hurricanes » the first tropical storm of the season , arthur , formed may 31 near the coast of belize and dumped heavy rain on central america and southern mexico . | new : bertha 's winds increase from 115 mph to 120 mph |
petra kvitova <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the williams sisters continued their march towards more olympic success with three victories between them in london on monday . fourth seed serena romped into the third round of the women 's singles with a 6-2 6-3 win over poland 's ursula radwanska , whose older sister agnieszka she beat to win her fifth wimbledon title earlier this month . the american will next face russian 13th seed vera zvonareva , who knocked out 2010 french open champion francesca schiavone . zvonareva , the bronze medalist at beijing four years ago , triumphed 6-3 6-3 . it was tough conditions , a little windy . i 'm glad i was able to pull through , ' said williams , who faces a possible quarterfinal against former world no . 1 caroline wozniacki or slovakia 's daniela hantuchova as she seeks the only major title missing from her collection . her older sibling venus , who is in the same half of the draw , bounced back from her early exits at the french open and wimbledon by thrashing roland garros runnerup sara errani 6-3 6-1 in her delayed first-round match . another gold medal would be amazing , ' said the 32-year-old , who won the singles title in 2000 along with the doubles , which she and serena won again in 2008 . i ca n't even imagine the feeling , i think my head would be too big and no one would even like me anymore . i 've got to get there first , i have two chances and i 'll go for it . ' venus will next play canada 's aleksandra wozniak , who progressed into the second round by winning 6-2 6-1 against marina erakovic of new zealand . if she wins that game , williams will play either german seventh seed angelique kerber or hungary 's timea babos for a place in the quarterfinals . that could mean a last-eight clash with world no . 1 victoria azarenka , who survived a second-set scare to beat 79th-ranked romanian irina-camelia begu 6-1 3-6 6-1 in her opening match on centre court . the belorussian , who lost to serena in the wimbledon semifinals , will next face maria jose martinez sanchez of spain . serena and venus also won their opening doubles match , beating romania 's sorana cirstea and simona halep 6-3 6-2 to set up a clash with kerber and sabine lisicki . lisicki also moved into round two of the singles , coming from behind to beat tunisian teen ons jabeur -- ranked 297th -- and securing a match against kazakhstan 's yaroslava shvedova . the winner of that tie will likely face world no . 3 maria sharapova , who next plays britain 's laura robson . former world no . 1s kim clijsters and ana ivanovic will meet in round three , while czech sixth seed petra kvitova -- whose wimbledon defense was ended by serena williams in the quarterfinals -- will take on italy 's flavia pennetta . | kim clijsters , ana ivanovic and petra kvitova progress into round three of singles competition |
pi day <tsp> march 14 is my favorite day to be a nerd . across the country , math geeks in museums , schools , private groups and elsewhere gather to celebrate the number pi , approximately 3.14 . that 's why march 14 -- 3-14 -- is pi day . what 's more , albert einstein was born on this day . a quick refresher : pi is defined as the distance around a perfect circle , or the circumference , divided by the distance across it , or the diameter . it is also involved in calculating the area of a circle , the volume of a sphere , and many other mathematical formulas you might need in the sciences . throughout history , people have been captivated by this number because there is no way to calculate it exactly by a simple division on your calculator . what 's more , its digits go on infinitely , without any pattern in the numbers . 3.1415926535897932 ... etc . even that many digits are more than most people would need for everyday use , but some folks have been inspired to memorize thousands of digits of pi , or even use the digits to create poetry or music . on pi day , one number'reeks of mystery' math may be scary , but pi is not -- as evidenced by the widespread revelry on pi day . one might even say -- gasp ! -- it 's cool to like pi these days . even the house of representatives supported the designation of march 14 as national pi day in 2009 . in countries where the day is written before the month , friday is 14-3 , which looks less like pi . and so pi day is an acquired taste , ' mathematician jonathan borwein , at the university of newcastle in australia , said in an e-mail . conveniently , pi ' sounds like pie , ' and pies are round . you could celebrate pi day in a casual way by grabbing a slice of pastry , or pizza . if you 're in enrolled in school , your math class or math department might be doing something special already . but if you happen to live in a particularly pi-happy place , you might be able to take part in some larger-scale , pi-inspired activities . where pi day began if you want to go where the day is said to be invented , ' look no further than san francisco 's exploratorium . larry shaw , who worked in the electronics group at the museum , began the tradition in 1988 . last year was pi day 's 25th anniversary there . pi day began as a small gathering with mostly museum staff . now it 's a public pi extravaganza featuring a pi procession , ' whose attendees get a number -- 0 to 9 -- and line up in the order of pi 's digits : 3.14159265 ... you get the idea . the parade ends at the pi shrine ' -- a pi symbol with digits spiraling around it embedded in the sidewalk , which was unveiled last year . for those who ca n't attend in person , the exploratorium has a second life pi day event that includes irrational exhibits , fireworks , cheerleaders , music , and dancing . ' the museum also lists a bunch of educational activities to teach about the concept of pi . on pi day , is'pi'under attack ? where einstein lived on the opposite coast , the leafy university town where albert einstein spent the last 22 years of his life is showing community-wide exuberance for pi . princeton , new jersey , kicks off pi day weekend on thursday night with a reading by physicist charles adler , then heads into a full day of activities on friday , including a walking tour of einstein 's neighborhood and a pizza pie-making contest . the pie-eating contest takes place at mccaffrey 's supermarket , while an einstein look-alike competition will match mustaches and wild gray hair at the princeton public library . pi fans who have been spending the last year memorizing digits can show off and compete at the library , where the winner among 7- to 13-year-olds can take home a cool pi-hundred ( that is , $ 314.15 ) . the historical society of princeton will have an einstein birthday party . tetsuya miyamoto , inventor of the kenken puzzle , will speak at the library as well . here are 10,000 digits of pi for you to memorize the brainiac town ' residents love this event because it 's a way for them to celebrate how quirky they are , ' said mimi omiecinski , owner of the princeton tour company , who started princeton pi day in 2009 . a lot of them get super into it . ' last year about 9,000 people participated , she said . along with her fascination with albert einstein , omiecinski was inspired to launch a town-wide pi day after she heard that the princeton university mathematics department celebrates march 14 with pie-eating and pi-reciting ( as a princeton student , i got second place for most digits in 2005 and 2006 ) . even more pi chicago is getting into the pi business too . lots of restaurants and bakeries are offering pi day specials . the illinois science council and fleet feet sports are hosting a 3.14-mile walk/run friday night , with discounts for anyone named albert , alberta or albertina . philly.com highlights two options for satisfying your pie cravings in the city of brotherly love . bostonians can head to massachusetts institute of technology at pi time ( 3:14 p.m. ) for pi-themed activities such as throw pie at your best friend on high-speed camera . ' the museum of science in boston has educational pi day events , and the seattle children 's museum will celebrate too . even the salvador dali museum in st. petersburg , florida , will celebrate the day , as dali loved the irrational numbers pi and phi , often using them and other mathematical principles in his art , ' according to the museum . if you live in the area , check out their schedule of math-inspired films and tours throughout the day . there are plenty of online resources too , such as piday.org . outside of the physical classroom , pi day will be celebrated online through google 's virtual classroom project . david blatner , author of the comprehensive book the joy of pi , ' is hosting a pi day competition in which students from three classrooms will square off to see who can recite the most digits of pi from memory . how did pi day become such a big thing ? blatner says that pi day has become a hit for the same reason the new cosmos ' tv show is getting so much attention . people all around the world are hungry to make science and math fun and interesting , ' he said in an e-mail . we know math and science is important , we know that it 's fascinating , but we often do n't know how to make it fun and interesting . pi day gives us a great excuse to throw away our fear of math and say'hey , it is kind of neat !' if you agree , just wait until 3/14/15 -- or as one popular facebook group calls it , the only pi day of our lives . ' that 's because pi to four digits after the decimal is 3.1415 , and we 're unlikely to survive until 2115 to see that second instance of pi perfection . so get ready next year to take a picture of your digital clock on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. that 'll be worth more than a thousand digits . follow elizabeth landau on twitter at @ lizlandau how do you celebrate pi day ? tell us in the comments . | math geeks and others celebrate pi day every march 14 |
pi day <tsp> march 14 is my favorite day to be a nerd . across the country , math geeks in museums , schools , private groups and elsewhere gather to celebrate the number pi , approximately 3.14 . that 's why march 14 -- 3-14 -- is pi day . what 's more , albert einstein was born on this day . a quick refresher : pi is defined as the distance around a perfect circle , or the circumference , divided by the distance across it , or the diameter . it is also involved in calculating the area of a circle , the volume of a sphere , and many other mathematical formulas you might need in the sciences . throughout history , people have been captivated by this number because there is no way to calculate it exactly by a simple division on your calculator . what 's more , its digits go on infinitely , without any pattern in the numbers . 3.1415926535897932 ... etc . even that many digits are more than most people would need for everyday use , but some folks have been inspired to memorize thousands of digits of pi , or even use the digits to create poetry or music . on pi day , one number'reeks of mystery' math may be scary , but pi is not -- as evidenced by the widespread revelry on pi day . one might even say -- gasp ! -- it 's cool to like pi these days . even the house of representatives supported the designation of march 14 as national pi day in 2009 . in countries where the day is written before the month , friday is 14-3 , which looks less like pi . and so pi day is an acquired taste , ' mathematician jonathan borwein , at the university of newcastle in australia , said in an e-mail . conveniently , pi ' sounds like pie , ' and pies are round . you could celebrate pi day in a casual way by grabbing a slice of pastry , or pizza . if you 're in enrolled in school , your math class or math department might be doing something special already . but if you happen to live in a particularly pi-happy place , you might be able to take part in some larger-scale , pi-inspired activities . where pi day began if you want to go where the day is said to be invented , ' look no further than san francisco 's exploratorium . larry shaw , who worked in the electronics group at the museum , began the tradition in 1988 . last year was pi day 's 25th anniversary there . pi day began as a small gathering with mostly museum staff . now it 's a public pi extravaganza featuring a pi procession , ' whose attendees get a number -- 0 to 9 -- and line up in the order of pi 's digits : 3.14159265 ... you get the idea . the parade ends at the pi shrine ' -- a pi symbol with digits spiraling around it embedded in the sidewalk , which was unveiled last year . for those who ca n't attend in person , the exploratorium has a second life pi day event that includes irrational exhibits , fireworks , cheerleaders , music , and dancing . ' the museum also lists a bunch of educational activities to teach about the concept of pi . on pi day , is'pi'under attack ? where einstein lived on the opposite coast , the leafy university town where albert einstein spent the last 22 years of his life is showing community-wide exuberance for pi . princeton , new jersey , kicks off pi day weekend on thursday night with a reading by physicist charles adler , then heads into a full day of activities on friday , including a walking tour of einstein 's neighborhood and a pizza pie-making contest . the pie-eating contest takes place at mccaffrey 's supermarket , while an einstein look-alike competition will match mustaches and wild gray hair at the princeton public library . pi fans who have been spending the last year memorizing digits can show off and compete at the library , where the winner among 7- to 13-year-olds can take home a cool pi-hundred ( that is , $ 314.15 ) . the historical society of princeton will have an einstein birthday party . tetsuya miyamoto , inventor of the kenken puzzle , will speak at the library as well . here are 10,000 digits of pi for you to memorize the brainiac town ' residents love this event because it 's a way for them to celebrate how quirky they are , ' said mimi omiecinski , owner of the princeton tour company , who started princeton pi day in 2009 . a lot of them get super into it . ' last year about 9,000 people participated , she said . along with her fascination with albert einstein , omiecinski was inspired to launch a town-wide pi day after she heard that the princeton university mathematics department celebrates march 14 with pie-eating and pi-reciting ( as a princeton student , i got second place for most digits in 2005 and 2006 ) . even more pi chicago is getting into the pi business too . lots of restaurants and bakeries are offering pi day specials . the illinois science council and fleet feet sports are hosting a 3.14-mile walk/run friday night , with discounts for anyone named albert , alberta or albertina . philly.com highlights two options for satisfying your pie cravings in the city of brotherly love . bostonians can head to massachusetts institute of technology at pi time ( 3:14 p.m. ) for pi-themed activities such as throw pie at your best friend on high-speed camera . ' the museum of science in boston has educational pi day events , and the seattle children 's museum will celebrate too . even the salvador dali museum in st. petersburg , florida , will celebrate the day , as dali loved the irrational numbers pi and phi , often using them and other mathematical principles in his art , ' according to the museum . if you live in the area , check out their schedule of math-inspired films and tours throughout the day . there are plenty of online resources too , such as piday.org . outside of the physical classroom , pi day will be celebrated online through google 's virtual classroom project . david blatner , author of the comprehensive book the joy of pi , ' is hosting a pi day competition in which students from three classrooms will square off to see who can recite the most digits of pi from memory . how did pi day become such a big thing ? blatner says that pi day has become a hit for the same reason the new cosmos ' tv show is getting so much attention . people all around the world are hungry to make science and math fun and interesting , ' he said in an e-mail . we know math and science is important , we know that it 's fascinating , but we often do n't know how to make it fun and interesting . pi day gives us a great excuse to throw away our fear of math and say'hey , it is kind of neat !' if you agree , just wait until 3/14/15 -- or as one popular facebook group calls it , the only pi day of our lives . ' that 's because pi to four digits after the decimal is 3.1415 , and we 're unlikely to survive until 2115 to see that second instance of pi perfection . so get ready next year to take a picture of your digital clock on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. that 'll be worth more than a thousand digits . follow elizabeth landau on twitter at @ lizlandau how do you celebrate pi day ? tell us in the comments . | the pi day holiday idea started at the exploratorium museum in san francisco |
abyei <tsp> united nations ( cnn ) -- the u.n. security council approved a resolution monday to send 4,200 peacekeepers to abyei , sudan , as part of a recent agreement between sudan and southern sudan . the resolution will establish , for six months , the united nations interim security force for abyei ( unisfa ) , comprising a maximum of 4,200 military personnel , 50 police personnel , and appropriate civilian support , ' the resolution states . it passed the council unanimously , 15-0 . in a statement released by the state department , secretary hiliary clinton commended the swift passage of the resolution . abyei has been a source of regional tension for many years , ' the statement said . we urge the parties to reach an immediate cease-fire and to provide aid workers with the unfettered access required to deliver humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians affected by the conflict . ' a week ago , the sudanese government and the sudan people 's liberation movement signed an agreement to allow peacekeepers in abyei , aimed at ending strife that has ravaged much of the country . the two sides agreed in principle on the need for a third party to monitor the ill-defined border between north and south before the scheduled july 9 independence for the south . the u.n. peacekeepers will monitor and verify the redeployment of any sudan armed forces , sudan people 's liberation army or its successor ' from the abyei area , among other tasks , the security council resolution states . | the resolutions establishes a six-month security force at abyei , sudan |
netherlands <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the man suspected of trying to attack the dutch royal family by crashing his car near their bus has died , dutch police said friday . a car is pictured after crashing into the crowd waiting for the visit of the royal family in apeldoorn . the man , whose name was not released , had been seriously injured in the crash thursday in the town of apeldoorn , about 45 miles east of amsterdam , police said . he died early friday , police said . he had been charged with trying to attack the royal family , authorities said . were you there ? send us your video , images police searched the man 's house but found no weapons , explosives , or any other clues that could lead to the involvement of other people , ' police said . five people , as well as the driver , were killed and 12 were wounded in the incident , which happened during the country 's annual queen 's day celebration , police said . crowds had lined the streets to see queen beatrix and her family ride by in an open-top bus during the netherlands'annual holiday . see who the dutch royal family are » as the bus moved along , a black hatchback zoomed past it . the crowds were behind barriers off the road , but security officials and journalists , including many cameramen , were in the road as the car went by . the car crashed into the low metal railing around a column on the side of the road . the vehicle appeared heavily damaged even before the crash , but the reason for that was unclear . there was no one other than the driver in the car at the time , police spokeswoman esther naber said . members of the royal family saw the crash and gasped , then quickly sat down as the bus continued driving . the attack caused outrage in the netherlands , newspapers friday widely expressing disbelief and suggesting the monarchy would have to change . queens day will never be the same , ' the trouw newspaper said . the netherlands always has been proud of their no nonsense royal family . with this comes a queen who not only cycles a bike , but also mixes with people without obvious security measurements . is that still possible now the royal family has been the target of an attack ? ' the algemeen dagblad newspaper agreed . what is going to happen on the 30th of april next year ? and will we continue to see the members of the royal family cycling through the canals of amsterdam or hunting for bargains in the bijenkorf in the hague ? ' queen 's day is a national holiday in the netherlands , the netherlands antilles , and aruba . the tradition started in 1885 and celebrates the birthday of the queen . although queen beatrix 's birthday is january 31 , she officially celebrates her birthday april 30 , according to the dutch government . queen 's day is known for its free market all over the country , where anybody is allowed to sell things in the streets . other activities include children 's games and musical performances . the day is marked with the color orange all over the country as a reference to the colors of the royal family , who come from the house of orange-nassau . emmy dexel contributed to this report . | incident happened during the netherlands annual queen 's day celebration |
netherlands <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the man suspected of trying to attack the dutch royal family by crashing his car near their bus has died , dutch police said friday . a car is pictured after crashing into the crowd waiting for the visit of the royal family in apeldoorn . the man , whose name was not released , had been seriously injured in the crash thursday in the town of apeldoorn , about 45 miles east of amsterdam , police said . he died early friday , police said . he had been charged with trying to attack the royal family , authorities said . were you there ? send us your video , images police searched the man 's house but found no weapons , explosives , or any other clues that could lead to the involvement of other people , ' police said . five people , as well as the driver , were killed and 12 were wounded in the incident , which happened during the country 's annual queen 's day celebration , police said . crowds had lined the streets to see queen beatrix and her family ride by in an open-top bus during the netherlands'annual holiday . see who the dutch royal family are » as the bus moved along , a black hatchback zoomed past it . the crowds were behind barriers off the road , but security officials and journalists , including many cameramen , were in the road as the car went by . the car crashed into the low metal railing around a column on the side of the road . the vehicle appeared heavily damaged even before the crash , but the reason for that was unclear . there was no one other than the driver in the car at the time , police spokeswoman esther naber said . members of the royal family saw the crash and gasped , then quickly sat down as the bus continued driving . the attack caused outrage in the netherlands , newspapers friday widely expressing disbelief and suggesting the monarchy would have to change . queens day will never be the same , ' the trouw newspaper said . the netherlands always has been proud of their no nonsense royal family . with this comes a queen who not only cycles a bike , but also mixes with people without obvious security measurements . is that still possible now the royal family has been the target of an attack ? ' the algemeen dagblad newspaper agreed . what is going to happen on the 30th of april next year ? and will we continue to see the members of the royal family cycling through the canals of amsterdam or hunting for bargains in the bijenkorf in the hague ? ' queen 's day is a national holiday in the netherlands , the netherlands antilles , and aruba . the tradition started in 1885 and celebrates the birthday of the queen . although queen beatrix 's birthday is january 31 , she officially celebrates her birthday april 30 , according to the dutch government . queen 's day is known for its free market all over the country , where anybody is allowed to sell things in the streets . other activities include children 's games and musical performances . the day is marked with the color orange all over the country as a reference to the colors of the royal family , who come from the house of orange-nassau . emmy dexel contributed to this report . | car hit crowd near open-top bus carrying queen beatrix of netherlands |
zimmerman <tsp> a prosecuting attorney greeted the jury in the george zimmerman trial monday with a quote full of expletives , while his adversary decided it was appropriate to tell jurors a knock-knock joke . and that was just the beginning of opening statements in zimmerman 's long-anticipated murder trial . in a case that has ignited national debate about gun laws and race relations , zimmerman , a neighborhood watch captain , is accused of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old trayvon martin in february 2012 in sanford , florida . prosecutor john guy 's first words to the six-woman jury may have raised a few eyebrows . good morning .'f * * * * * g punks , these a * * * * * * s all get away ,'' guy quoted zimmerman . these were the words in this grown man 's mouth as he followed this boy that he did n't know . those were his words , not mine . ' zimmerman , guy said , got out of his car with a pistol and two flashlights to follow trayvon benjamin martin , who was walking home from a 7-eleven , armed ' with a fruit drink and a bag of candy . eventually the two became entangled on the ground in a fight . a witness has said martin was on top of zimmerman , guy said . the defendant claims that while trayvon martin was on top of him , he said ,'you are going to die tonight ,'' said guy . nobody heard that . ' guy told jurors that no witnesses saw what happened the night of the shooting from beginning to end . witnesses only saw slices ' of what happened , he said . we are confident that at the end of this trial you will know in your head , in your heart , in your stomach that george zimmerman did not shoot trayvon martin because he had to , ' guy said . he shot him for the worst of all reasons , because he wanted to . ' fast facts : trayvon martin shooting in the first day of testimony , jurors heard witnesses recount martin 's trip to the convenience store , zimmerman 's call complaining about a suspicious person walking through his neighborhood before martin 's killing , and a call from the previous august , in which zimmerman reported an alleged burglary to police . proceedings ended for the day when defense attorney mark o'mara objected to the earlier call , which prosecutors argued was necessary to explain zimmerman 's remark about burglars who get away . ' the martin family sat watching the proceedings behind state attorney angela corey . before witness testimony began , judge debra nelson denied a defense request that martin 's father , tracy martin , leave the courtroom . tracy martin is a potential witness , and potential witnesses can be forced to sit outside of the courtroom to keep their testimony from being tainted by other witnesses . but the next-of-kin of victims are allowed to remain in court even if they 're expected to testify . o'mara also accused tracy martin of using an obscenity toward a friend of zimmerman 's while holding the door for him during a hearing two weeks ago . the friend , timothy tucholski , testified that he had n't wanted to make an issue of it before . i was n't planning on coming up here . i do n't want to be sitting here , ' he said . but nelson denied the request , and martin remained in court -- but zimmerman 's parents were covered by the rule regarding potential witnesses and had to sit outside , as did benjamin crump , the lawyer for martin 's parents . at one point , martin 's father began crying as guy detailed how officers tried to save his son 's life . zimmerman has mostly stared straight ahead without any signs of emotion . following guy 's statement , defense attorney don west came forward to woo the jury . as he began , he told a knock-knock joke . but it failed to win a laugh . knock knock . who 's there ? george zimmerman . george zimmerman who ? good , you 're on the jury , ' he said . later , west apologized . no more bad jokes , i promise that , ' he told jurors . i was convinced it was the delivery . ' west quickly got on with the business of making his case : that zimmerman was forced to act in self-defense to save his own life . the evidence will show this is a sad case ; no monsters here . ... george zimmerman is not guilty of murder . he shot trayvon martin after he was viciously attacked . ' with the help of powerpoint visuals , west spent hours hammering home his argument . he broke down zimmerman 's 911 call in which he first reported seeing martin and told about following him . little did george zimmerman know at the time in less than 10 minutes from him first seeing travyon martin that he , george zimmerman , would be suckered punched in the face , have his head pounded on concrete and wind up shooting and tragically killing trayvon martin , ' west told jurors . west also deconstructed a 911 call a neighbor made , in which it is possible to hear screams and a shot in the background that west said was the sound of the fatal bullet . as the dramatic recording audio filled the courtroom , zimmerman showed no emotion . martin 's mother left the courtroom . at the moment this actually became physical was that trayvon martin -- i will use my words -- that trayvon martin decided to confront george zimmerman , ' west said . that instead of going home . he had plenty of time . this is , what , 60 or 70 yards . plenty of time . he could 've gone back and forth four or five times . ' west quoted a witness named john good who described the fight . he called it a'ground and pound'by martin , who he said was on top of zimmerman , beating him . ' he saw enough that this was serious , ' west said . zimmerman cried out for help , looked at good and said , help me . ' but the beating continued while good went inside his home to call 911 , west said . there was a shot . shortly afterward , according to west , zimmerman said martin was beating me up , and i shot him . ' west also disputed the prosecution 's claim that martin was unarmed . travyon martin armed himself with the concrete sidewalk and used it to smash george zimmerman 's head , ' said west . no different than if he picked up a brick or smashed his head against a wall . that is a deadly weapon . ' west showed jurors photos taken of zimmerman after the fight . what you can really see in these pictures that you will have in evidence are the lumps , ' west said . the big knots on each side of his head . consistent with having his head slammed into concrete . ' all-female jury to try zimmerman among the first prosecution witnessed called was the 911 dispatcher who took zimmerman 's call before the shooting . seat noffke testified that he was trained to give general commands instead of direct orders to people . when zimmerman said he was following martin , noffke told him , okay we do n't need you to do that . ' noffke told the prosecutor he 's liable for any direct orders he gives someone . on cross-examination , defense attorney o'mara pointed out that noffke asked zimmerman , which way is he running ? ' if you tell somebody twice to let you know if the person that they 're concerned about is doing anything else -- do you think they 're going to keep their eye on them ? ' asked o'mara . i ca n't answer that , ' said noffke . you did tell him twice to let you know if that guy did anything else , ' said o'mara . yes sir , ' said noffke . noffke went on to say he only wanted a location of the suspect for officers and that he never told zimmerman to follow or keep his eye on martin . shortly before court got under way , martin 's mother , sybrina fulton , spoke to reporters , asking people to pray for me and my family because i do n't want any other mother to experience what i 'm going through now . ' judge : no state expert testimony on 911 calls martin was black , and zimmerman identifies himself as hispanic . in a cnn poll released monday morning , 62 % of respondents say the charges against zimmerman are probably or definitely true . | father of trayvon martin cries in courtroom ; george zimmerman shows no emotion |
zimmerman <tsp> a prosecuting attorney greeted the jury in the george zimmerman trial monday with a quote full of expletives , while his adversary decided it was appropriate to tell jurors a knock-knock joke . and that was just the beginning of opening statements in zimmerman 's long-anticipated murder trial . in a case that has ignited national debate about gun laws and race relations , zimmerman , a neighborhood watch captain , is accused of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old trayvon martin in february 2012 in sanford , florida . prosecutor john guy 's first words to the six-woman jury may have raised a few eyebrows . good morning .'f * * * * * g punks , these a * * * * * * s all get away ,'' guy quoted zimmerman . these were the words in this grown man 's mouth as he followed this boy that he did n't know . those were his words , not mine . ' zimmerman , guy said , got out of his car with a pistol and two flashlights to follow trayvon benjamin martin , who was walking home from a 7-eleven , armed ' with a fruit drink and a bag of candy . eventually the two became entangled on the ground in a fight . a witness has said martin was on top of zimmerman , guy said . the defendant claims that while trayvon martin was on top of him , he said ,'you are going to die tonight ,'' said guy . nobody heard that . ' guy told jurors that no witnesses saw what happened the night of the shooting from beginning to end . witnesses only saw slices ' of what happened , he said . we are confident that at the end of this trial you will know in your head , in your heart , in your stomach that george zimmerman did not shoot trayvon martin because he had to , ' guy said . he shot him for the worst of all reasons , because he wanted to . ' fast facts : trayvon martin shooting in the first day of testimony , jurors heard witnesses recount martin 's trip to the convenience store , zimmerman 's call complaining about a suspicious person walking through his neighborhood before martin 's killing , and a call from the previous august , in which zimmerman reported an alleged burglary to police . proceedings ended for the day when defense attorney mark o'mara objected to the earlier call , which prosecutors argued was necessary to explain zimmerman 's remark about burglars who get away . ' the martin family sat watching the proceedings behind state attorney angela corey . before witness testimony began , judge debra nelson denied a defense request that martin 's father , tracy martin , leave the courtroom . tracy martin is a potential witness , and potential witnesses can be forced to sit outside of the courtroom to keep their testimony from being tainted by other witnesses . but the next-of-kin of victims are allowed to remain in court even if they 're expected to testify . o'mara also accused tracy martin of using an obscenity toward a friend of zimmerman 's while holding the door for him during a hearing two weeks ago . the friend , timothy tucholski , testified that he had n't wanted to make an issue of it before . i was n't planning on coming up here . i do n't want to be sitting here , ' he said . but nelson denied the request , and martin remained in court -- but zimmerman 's parents were covered by the rule regarding potential witnesses and had to sit outside , as did benjamin crump , the lawyer for martin 's parents . at one point , martin 's father began crying as guy detailed how officers tried to save his son 's life . zimmerman has mostly stared straight ahead without any signs of emotion . following guy 's statement , defense attorney don west came forward to woo the jury . as he began , he told a knock-knock joke . but it failed to win a laugh . knock knock . who 's there ? george zimmerman . george zimmerman who ? good , you 're on the jury , ' he said . later , west apologized . no more bad jokes , i promise that , ' he told jurors . i was convinced it was the delivery . ' west quickly got on with the business of making his case : that zimmerman was forced to act in self-defense to save his own life . the evidence will show this is a sad case ; no monsters here . ... george zimmerman is not guilty of murder . he shot trayvon martin after he was viciously attacked . ' with the help of powerpoint visuals , west spent hours hammering home his argument . he broke down zimmerman 's 911 call in which he first reported seeing martin and told about following him . little did george zimmerman know at the time in less than 10 minutes from him first seeing travyon martin that he , george zimmerman , would be suckered punched in the face , have his head pounded on concrete and wind up shooting and tragically killing trayvon martin , ' west told jurors . west also deconstructed a 911 call a neighbor made , in which it is possible to hear screams and a shot in the background that west said was the sound of the fatal bullet . as the dramatic recording audio filled the courtroom , zimmerman showed no emotion . martin 's mother left the courtroom . at the moment this actually became physical was that trayvon martin -- i will use my words -- that trayvon martin decided to confront george zimmerman , ' west said . that instead of going home . he had plenty of time . this is , what , 60 or 70 yards . plenty of time . he could 've gone back and forth four or five times . ' west quoted a witness named john good who described the fight . he called it a'ground and pound'by martin , who he said was on top of zimmerman , beating him . ' he saw enough that this was serious , ' west said . zimmerman cried out for help , looked at good and said , help me . ' but the beating continued while good went inside his home to call 911 , west said . there was a shot . shortly afterward , according to west , zimmerman said martin was beating me up , and i shot him . ' west also disputed the prosecution 's claim that martin was unarmed . travyon martin armed himself with the concrete sidewalk and used it to smash george zimmerman 's head , ' said west . no different than if he picked up a brick or smashed his head against a wall . that is a deadly weapon . ' west showed jurors photos taken of zimmerman after the fight . what you can really see in these pictures that you will have in evidence are the lumps , ' west said . the big knots on each side of his head . consistent with having his head slammed into concrete . ' all-female jury to try zimmerman among the first prosecution witnessed called was the 911 dispatcher who took zimmerman 's call before the shooting . seat noffke testified that he was trained to give general commands instead of direct orders to people . when zimmerman said he was following martin , noffke told him , okay we do n't need you to do that . ' noffke told the prosecutor he 's liable for any direct orders he gives someone . on cross-examination , defense attorney o'mara pointed out that noffke asked zimmerman , which way is he running ? ' if you tell somebody twice to let you know if the person that they 're concerned about is doing anything else -- do you think they 're going to keep their eye on them ? ' asked o'mara . i ca n't answer that , ' said noffke . you did tell him twice to let you know if that guy did anything else , ' said o'mara . yes sir , ' said noffke . noffke went on to say he only wanted a location of the suspect for officers and that he never told zimmerman to follow or keep his eye on martin . shortly before court got under way , martin 's mother , sybrina fulton , spoke to reporters , asking people to pray for me and my family because i do n't want any other mother to experience what i 'm going through now . ' judge : no state expert testimony on 911 calls martin was black , and zimmerman identifies himself as hispanic . in a cnn poll released monday morning , 62 % of respondents say the charges against zimmerman are probably or definitely true . | did zimmerman commit 2nd degree murder when he killed martin ? or was it self-defense ? |
zimmerman <tsp> a prosecuting attorney greeted the jury in the george zimmerman trial monday with a quote full of expletives , while his adversary decided it was appropriate to tell jurors a knock-knock joke . and that was just the beginning of opening statements in zimmerman 's long-anticipated murder trial . in a case that has ignited national debate about gun laws and race relations , zimmerman , a neighborhood watch captain , is accused of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old trayvon martin in february 2012 in sanford , florida . prosecutor john guy 's first words to the six-woman jury may have raised a few eyebrows . good morning .'f * * * * * g punks , these a * * * * * * s all get away ,'' guy quoted zimmerman . these were the words in this grown man 's mouth as he followed this boy that he did n't know . those were his words , not mine . ' zimmerman , guy said , got out of his car with a pistol and two flashlights to follow trayvon benjamin martin , who was walking home from a 7-eleven , armed ' with a fruit drink and a bag of candy . eventually the two became entangled on the ground in a fight . a witness has said martin was on top of zimmerman , guy said . the defendant claims that while trayvon martin was on top of him , he said ,'you are going to die tonight ,'' said guy . nobody heard that . ' guy told jurors that no witnesses saw what happened the night of the shooting from beginning to end . witnesses only saw slices ' of what happened , he said . we are confident that at the end of this trial you will know in your head , in your heart , in your stomach that george zimmerman did not shoot trayvon martin because he had to , ' guy said . he shot him for the worst of all reasons , because he wanted to . ' fast facts : trayvon martin shooting in the first day of testimony , jurors heard witnesses recount martin 's trip to the convenience store , zimmerman 's call complaining about a suspicious person walking through his neighborhood before martin 's killing , and a call from the previous august , in which zimmerman reported an alleged burglary to police . proceedings ended for the day when defense attorney mark o'mara objected to the earlier call , which prosecutors argued was necessary to explain zimmerman 's remark about burglars who get away . ' the martin family sat watching the proceedings behind state attorney angela corey . before witness testimony began , judge debra nelson denied a defense request that martin 's father , tracy martin , leave the courtroom . tracy martin is a potential witness , and potential witnesses can be forced to sit outside of the courtroom to keep their testimony from being tainted by other witnesses . but the next-of-kin of victims are allowed to remain in court even if they 're expected to testify . o'mara also accused tracy martin of using an obscenity toward a friend of zimmerman 's while holding the door for him during a hearing two weeks ago . the friend , timothy tucholski , testified that he had n't wanted to make an issue of it before . i was n't planning on coming up here . i do n't want to be sitting here , ' he said . but nelson denied the request , and martin remained in court -- but zimmerman 's parents were covered by the rule regarding potential witnesses and had to sit outside , as did benjamin crump , the lawyer for martin 's parents . at one point , martin 's father began crying as guy detailed how officers tried to save his son 's life . zimmerman has mostly stared straight ahead without any signs of emotion . following guy 's statement , defense attorney don west came forward to woo the jury . as he began , he told a knock-knock joke . but it failed to win a laugh . knock knock . who 's there ? george zimmerman . george zimmerman who ? good , you 're on the jury , ' he said . later , west apologized . no more bad jokes , i promise that , ' he told jurors . i was convinced it was the delivery . ' west quickly got on with the business of making his case : that zimmerman was forced to act in self-defense to save his own life . the evidence will show this is a sad case ; no monsters here . ... george zimmerman is not guilty of murder . he shot trayvon martin after he was viciously attacked . ' with the help of powerpoint visuals , west spent hours hammering home his argument . he broke down zimmerman 's 911 call in which he first reported seeing martin and told about following him . little did george zimmerman know at the time in less than 10 minutes from him first seeing travyon martin that he , george zimmerman , would be suckered punched in the face , have his head pounded on concrete and wind up shooting and tragically killing trayvon martin , ' west told jurors . west also deconstructed a 911 call a neighbor made , in which it is possible to hear screams and a shot in the background that west said was the sound of the fatal bullet . as the dramatic recording audio filled the courtroom , zimmerman showed no emotion . martin 's mother left the courtroom . at the moment this actually became physical was that trayvon martin -- i will use my words -- that trayvon martin decided to confront george zimmerman , ' west said . that instead of going home . he had plenty of time . this is , what , 60 or 70 yards . plenty of time . he could 've gone back and forth four or five times . ' west quoted a witness named john good who described the fight . he called it a'ground and pound'by martin , who he said was on top of zimmerman , beating him . ' he saw enough that this was serious , ' west said . zimmerman cried out for help , looked at good and said , help me . ' but the beating continued while good went inside his home to call 911 , west said . there was a shot . shortly afterward , according to west , zimmerman said martin was beating me up , and i shot him . ' west also disputed the prosecution 's claim that martin was unarmed . travyon martin armed himself with the concrete sidewalk and used it to smash george zimmerman 's head , ' said west . no different than if he picked up a brick or smashed his head against a wall . that is a deadly weapon . ' west showed jurors photos taken of zimmerman after the fight . what you can really see in these pictures that you will have in evidence are the lumps , ' west said . the big knots on each side of his head . consistent with having his head slammed into concrete . ' all-female jury to try zimmerman among the first prosecution witnessed called was the 911 dispatcher who took zimmerman 's call before the shooting . seat noffke testified that he was trained to give general commands instead of direct orders to people . when zimmerman said he was following martin , noffke told him , okay we do n't need you to do that . ' noffke told the prosecutor he 's liable for any direct orders he gives someone . on cross-examination , defense attorney o'mara pointed out that noffke asked zimmerman , which way is he running ? ' if you tell somebody twice to let you know if the person that they 're concerned about is doing anything else -- do you think they 're going to keep their eye on them ? ' asked o'mara . i ca n't answer that , ' said noffke . you did tell him twice to let you know if that guy did anything else , ' said o'mara . yes sir , ' said noffke . noffke went on to say he only wanted a location of the suspect for officers and that he never told zimmerman to follow or keep his eye on martin . shortly before court got under way , martin 's mother , sybrina fulton , spoke to reporters , asking people to pray for me and my family because i do n't want any other mother to experience what i 'm going through now . ' judge : no state expert testimony on 911 calls martin was black , and zimmerman identifies himself as hispanic . in a cnn poll released monday morning , 62 % of respondents say the charges against zimmerman are probably or definitely true . | 62 % in a cnn poll say the charges against zimmerman are probably ' or definitely ' true |
christian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as outrage grows over a sudanese woman sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her christianity , the government defended the verdict , but said it 's only preliminary . a khartoum court last week convicted meriam yehya ibrahim , 27 , of apostasy , or the renunciation of faith . ibrahim , who is eight months pregnant , is a christian , her husband said . but the court considers her a muslim . i 'm so frustrated . i do n't know what to do , ' said her husband , daniel wani . i 'm just praying . ' 100 lashes the court also convicted her of adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because her marriage to a christian man is considered void under sharia law . wani is american , ibrahim 's lawyer mohamed jar elnabi told cnn . the attorney said he 'll file an appeal within a few days . sudanese parliament speaker fatih izz al-deen said the verdict is not final and is in the hands of the judiciary . the verdict will go through all the judicial stages to reach the constitutional court , the speaker told um derman radio station . his comments were cited friday by the official sudanese news agency . ibrahim says she was born to a sudanese muslim father and an ethiopian orthodox mother . her father left when she was age 6 , and she was raised by her mother as a christian . however , the lawyer representing ibrahim 's family said sunday that the mother is a devout muslim . the court had warned ibrahim to renounce her christianity by thursday , but she held firm to her beliefs . but the parliament speaker said that claims she was raised as non-muslim are untrue . she is a muslim raised in an islamic environment and her brother , a muslim , filed the complaint against her , according to izz al-deen . the complaint alleges she went missing for several years and her family was shocked to find out she married a christian , according to her lawyer . however , because her father was muslim , the courts considered her one too , which would mean her marriage to a non-muslim man is void . attempts to contact sudan 's justice minister and foreign affairs minister were unsuccessful . pregnant with toddler in prison ibrahim 's husband is struggling to survive . he uses a wheelchair and totally depends on her for all details of his life , ' said jar elnabi , her lawyer . in addition to her pregnancy , the couple 's 20-month-old toddler is with her in prison , and he is getting regular ailments due to lack of hygiene and the presence of bugs , the lawyer said . she 's having a difficult pregnancy , and a request to send her to a private hospital was denied , the lawyer said . there also is the question of the timing of a potential execution . in past cases involving pregnant or nursing women , the sudanese government waited until the mother weaned her child before executing any sentence , said christian solidarity worldwide spokeswoman kiri kankhwende . worldwide condemnation rights groups and foreign embassies worldwide condemned the verdict . the fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice , and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion , is abhorrent and should never be even considered , ' said manar idriss , amnesty international 's sudan researcher . katherine perks with the african centre for justice and peace studies said the verdict goes against sudan 's own constitution and commitments made under regional and international law . ' foreign embassies in khartoum , including those of the united states , united kingdom and canada , urged the government to reverse course . cnn 's catherine shoichet , christabelle fombu , mohammed tawfeeq and mohammed osman contributed to this report . | the court also found her guilty of adultery for being married to a christian |
christian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as outrage grows over a sudanese woman sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her christianity , the government defended the verdict , but said it 's only preliminary . a khartoum court last week convicted meriam yehya ibrahim , 27 , of apostasy , or the renunciation of faith . ibrahim , who is eight months pregnant , is a christian , her husband said . but the court considers her a muslim . i 'm so frustrated . i do n't know what to do , ' said her husband , daniel wani . i 'm just praying . ' 100 lashes the court also convicted her of adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because her marriage to a christian man is considered void under sharia law . wani is american , ibrahim 's lawyer mohamed jar elnabi told cnn . the attorney said he 'll file an appeal within a few days . sudanese parliament speaker fatih izz al-deen said the verdict is not final and is in the hands of the judiciary . the verdict will go through all the judicial stages to reach the constitutional court , the speaker told um derman radio station . his comments were cited friday by the official sudanese news agency . ibrahim says she was born to a sudanese muslim father and an ethiopian orthodox mother . her father left when she was age 6 , and she was raised by her mother as a christian . however , the lawyer representing ibrahim 's family said sunday that the mother is a devout muslim . the court had warned ibrahim to renounce her christianity by thursday , but she held firm to her beliefs . but the parliament speaker said that claims she was raised as non-muslim are untrue . she is a muslim raised in an islamic environment and her brother , a muslim , filed the complaint against her , according to izz al-deen . the complaint alleges she went missing for several years and her family was shocked to find out she married a christian , according to her lawyer . however , because her father was muslim , the courts considered her one too , which would mean her marriage to a non-muslim man is void . attempts to contact sudan 's justice minister and foreign affairs minister were unsuccessful . pregnant with toddler in prison ibrahim 's husband is struggling to survive . he uses a wheelchair and totally depends on her for all details of his life , ' said jar elnabi , her lawyer . in addition to her pregnancy , the couple 's 20-month-old toddler is with her in prison , and he is getting regular ailments due to lack of hygiene and the presence of bugs , the lawyer said . she 's having a difficult pregnancy , and a request to send her to a private hospital was denied , the lawyer said . there also is the question of the timing of a potential execution . in past cases involving pregnant or nursing women , the sudanese government waited until the mother weaned her child before executing any sentence , said christian solidarity worldwide spokeswoman kiri kankhwende . worldwide condemnation rights groups and foreign embassies worldwide condemned the verdict . the fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice , and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion , is abhorrent and should never be even considered , ' said manar idriss , amnesty international 's sudan researcher . katherine perks with the african centre for justice and peace studies said the verdict goes against sudan 's own constitution and commitments made under regional and international law . ' foreign embassies in khartoum , including those of the united states , united kingdom and canada , urged the government to reverse course . cnn 's catherine shoichet , christabelle fombu , mohammed tawfeeq and mohammed osman contributed to this report . | meriam yehya ibrahim considers herself christian , but a court says she 's muslim |
manson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the president she once pointed a gun at has been dead for nearly three years , and her longtime idol and leader , charles manson , remains in prison . lynnette squeaky ' fromme appears in court in los angeles , california , in december 1969 . however , lynette squeaky ' fromme is about to get her first taste of real freedom in more than three decades . according to the federal bureau of prisons , fromme , now 60 , is set to be released on parole august 16 . fromme is housed at federal medical center carswell in fort worth , texas . for years , she was one of manson 's few remaining followers , as many other manson family ' members have shunned him . a prison spokeswoman would not say whether fromme continues to correspond with manson . fromme was convicted in 1975 of pointing a gun at then-president gerald ford in sacramento , california . secret service agents prevented her from firing , but the gun was later found to have no bullet in the chamber , although it contained a clip of ammunition . in a 1987 interview with cnn affiliate wchs , fromme , then housed in west virginia , recalled the president had his hands out and was waving ... and he looked like cardboard to me . but at the same time , i had ejected the bullet in my apartment and i used the gun as it was . ' she said she knew ford was in town and near her , and i said ,'i got ta go and talk to him ,'and then i thought ,'that 's foolish . he 's not going to stop and talk to you .'people have already shown you can lay blood in front of them and they 're not , you know , they do n't think anything of it . i said ,'maybe i 'll take the gun ,'and i thought ,'i have to do this . this is the time .' she said it never occurred to her that she could wind up in prison . asked whether she had any regrets , fromme said , no . no , i do n't . i feel it was fate . ' however , she said she thought that her incarceration was unnecessary ' and that she could n't see herself repeating her offense . my argument to the jury was , if she wanted to kill him , she would have shot him , ' john virga , a sacramento attorney appointed to defend fromme , told cnn on tuesday . she 'd been around guns . and let 's be realistic : we know the manson family , at least some of them , are killers . ' fromme was sentenced to life in prison , but parole was an option at the time , although the federal system later abolished it , said felicia ponce , spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons . inmates do receive good time ' -- for every year and one day they serve , ponce said , 54 days are lopped off their sentence . fromme became eligible for parole in 1985 , ponce said . according to reports , she for years waived her right to a parole hearing . the bureau of prisons would not say whether she changed her mind and requested a hearing , but the u.s. parole commission 's web site says that everyone who wishes to be considered for parole , except those committed under juvenile delinquency procedures , must complete a parole application . federal inmates serving life are generally paroled after 30 years , unless the parole commission decides to block the release , according to a commission spokesman . inmates who are paroled remain under supervision until the commission decides to terminate the sentence . fromme was not granted parole until july 2008 , ponce said . she was not released then , however , because of extra time added to her sentence for a 1987 escape from the west virginia prison , which occurred after her interview that same year . she was found two days later , only a few miles from the prison . at the time , prison officials said they were looking into rumors that fromme escaped after hearing manson was ill , according to news reports . fmc-carswell spokeswoman maria douglas would not comment on fromme 's behavior in prison in recent years . fromme reportedly joined manson 's family after meeting him in california in 1967 . she was not involved in the murders of seven people , including pregnant actress sharon tate , on august 9 and 10 , 1969 , that landed manson and other followers in prison . however , she and other manson followers maintained a vigil outside the courthouse during his trial . in the wchs interview , fromme said that manson should not be incarcerated because he did n't kill anybody . ... i would rather be in , because i know i laid a lot of my thinking in his mind . ' virga said he told the jury that fromme assaulted ford , but did not attempt to assassinate him . if fromme had killed the president , no one would have listened to her , he said . she did n't want people to think she was a kook . ' and she was n't , he said , recalling that fromme was very cooperative during her trial and describing her as a bright , intelligent young woman ' from a middle-class family . it 's just hard to imagine how she got all caught up with manson , ' he said . fromme wanted to be heard on issues including the environment , he said . she had certain causes that she wanted to talk about . but first and foremost in her mind was always manson . ' explaining herself after the attempt , according to the book real life at the white house , ' fromme said , well , you know , when people treat you like a child and pay no attention to the things you say , you have to do something . ' during her trial , virga traveled to washington to depose ford , who testified on videotape about the incident . in the 1978 interview , fromme called manson a once-in-a-lifetime soul . ... he 's got more heart and spirit than anyone i 've ever met . ' she said she still corresponded with him . he 's got everything he wants coming from me , 'cause he gave me everything . ' she said then she did n't plan to seek a parole hearing : the parole board does not hold my life in its hands . and i do n't want to be too critical , but men tend to think they do . charlie never thought he did . he never expressed all this desire for power , this desire for acceptance . ' ford died in 2006 at age 93 . the gerald r. ford presidential foundation did not respond to cnn requests for comment on fromme 's release . virga , who is still practicing in sacramento , said he had not heard from fromme since her sentencing in 1975 . i wish her the best , and hope everything works out for her , and hope she stays out of trouble , ' he said . she needs to stay out of trouble . she 's been in prison a long time ... it was , in my mind , a tragedy that she wound up a disciple of manson . ' | for years , she was one of charles manson 's few remaining followers |
manson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the president she once pointed a gun at has been dead for nearly three years , and her longtime idol and leader , charles manson , remains in prison . lynnette squeaky ' fromme appears in court in los angeles , california , in december 1969 . however , lynette squeaky ' fromme is about to get her first taste of real freedom in more than three decades . according to the federal bureau of prisons , fromme , now 60 , is set to be released on parole august 16 . fromme is housed at federal medical center carswell in fort worth , texas . for years , she was one of manson 's few remaining followers , as many other manson family ' members have shunned him . a prison spokeswoman would not say whether fromme continues to correspond with manson . fromme was convicted in 1975 of pointing a gun at then-president gerald ford in sacramento , california . secret service agents prevented her from firing , but the gun was later found to have no bullet in the chamber , although it contained a clip of ammunition . in a 1987 interview with cnn affiliate wchs , fromme , then housed in west virginia , recalled the president had his hands out and was waving ... and he looked like cardboard to me . but at the same time , i had ejected the bullet in my apartment and i used the gun as it was . ' she said she knew ford was in town and near her , and i said ,'i got ta go and talk to him ,'and then i thought ,'that 's foolish . he 's not going to stop and talk to you .'people have already shown you can lay blood in front of them and they 're not , you know , they do n't think anything of it . i said ,'maybe i 'll take the gun ,'and i thought ,'i have to do this . this is the time .' she said it never occurred to her that she could wind up in prison . asked whether she had any regrets , fromme said , no . no , i do n't . i feel it was fate . ' however , she said she thought that her incarceration was unnecessary ' and that she could n't see herself repeating her offense . my argument to the jury was , if she wanted to kill him , she would have shot him , ' john virga , a sacramento attorney appointed to defend fromme , told cnn on tuesday . she 'd been around guns . and let 's be realistic : we know the manson family , at least some of them , are killers . ' fromme was sentenced to life in prison , but parole was an option at the time , although the federal system later abolished it , said felicia ponce , spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons . inmates do receive good time ' -- for every year and one day they serve , ponce said , 54 days are lopped off their sentence . fromme became eligible for parole in 1985 , ponce said . according to reports , she for years waived her right to a parole hearing . the bureau of prisons would not say whether she changed her mind and requested a hearing , but the u.s. parole commission 's web site says that everyone who wishes to be considered for parole , except those committed under juvenile delinquency procedures , must complete a parole application . federal inmates serving life are generally paroled after 30 years , unless the parole commission decides to block the release , according to a commission spokesman . inmates who are paroled remain under supervision until the commission decides to terminate the sentence . fromme was not granted parole until july 2008 , ponce said . she was not released then , however , because of extra time added to her sentence for a 1987 escape from the west virginia prison , which occurred after her interview that same year . she was found two days later , only a few miles from the prison . at the time , prison officials said they were looking into rumors that fromme escaped after hearing manson was ill , according to news reports . fmc-carswell spokeswoman maria douglas would not comment on fromme 's behavior in prison in recent years . fromme reportedly joined manson 's family after meeting him in california in 1967 . she was not involved in the murders of seven people , including pregnant actress sharon tate , on august 9 and 10 , 1969 , that landed manson and other followers in prison . however , she and other manson followers maintained a vigil outside the courthouse during his trial . in the wchs interview , fromme said that manson should not be incarcerated because he did n't kill anybody . ... i would rather be in , because i know i laid a lot of my thinking in his mind . ' virga said he told the jury that fromme assaulted ford , but did not attempt to assassinate him . if fromme had killed the president , no one would have listened to her , he said . she did n't want people to think she was a kook . ' and she was n't , he said , recalling that fromme was very cooperative during her trial and describing her as a bright , intelligent young woman ' from a middle-class family . it 's just hard to imagine how she got all caught up with manson , ' he said . fromme wanted to be heard on issues including the environment , he said . she had certain causes that she wanted to talk about . but first and foremost in her mind was always manson . ' explaining herself after the attempt , according to the book real life at the white house , ' fromme said , well , you know , when people treat you like a child and pay no attention to the things you say , you have to do something . ' during her trial , virga traveled to washington to depose ford , who testified on videotape about the incident . in the 1978 interview , fromme called manson a once-in-a-lifetime soul . ... he 's got more heart and spirit than anyone i 've ever met . ' she said she still corresponded with him . he 's got everything he wants coming from me , 'cause he gave me everything . ' she said then she did n't plan to seek a parole hearing : the parole board does not hold my life in its hands . and i do n't want to be too critical , but men tend to think they do . charlie never thought he did . he never expressed all this desire for power , this desire for acceptance . ' ford died in 2006 at age 93 . the gerald r. ford presidential foundation did not respond to cnn requests for comment on fromme 's release . virga , who is still practicing in sacramento , said he had not heard from fromme since her sentencing in 1975 . i wish her the best , and hope everything works out for her , and hope she stays out of trouble , ' he said . she needs to stay out of trouble . she 's been in prison a long time ... it was , in my mind , a tragedy that she wound up a disciple of manson . ' | she was not involved in the murders that landed manson , other followers in prison |
bostick <tsp> oxford , mississippi ( cnn ) -- unraveling the complex back stories of the more than 200 pardons issued by former mississippi gov . haley barbour is revealing serious questions about how pardon review decisions were carried out . but perhaps no pardon is as confounding as the case of harry bostick . the retired internal revenue service investigator 's pardon has been called heinous ' by critics of barbour . someone did n't do their homework on this case , ' said democratic state rep. steve holland . when barbour pardoned bostick in january , the convicted dui felon was sitting in an oxford , mississippi , jail cell for violating the terms of a previous dui sentence and was awaiting formal charges from yet another drunken driving accident in october that ended in the tragic death of 18-year-old charity smith . who 's at fault in that accident has yet to be determined . the teenage girl from okolona , mississippi , had big dreams of saving money and going to college to pursue a business degree . the young woman 's death and the controversy surrounding the case have devastated linda smith , charity 's mother . she should still be here with me . she should still be here with me . this should not have happened , ' linda smith told cnn during an emotional two-hour interview . bostick was given a full pardon for a felony drunken driving offense dating from march 2009 . that offense was bostick 's third drunken driving arrest in a little more than year . the mississippi parole board and barbour have issued statements saying they did n't know bostick had another dui arrest in october . it came after his pardon case had already been reviewed . oxford police sgt . hildon sessums arrested bostick twice over a span of a year for dui . right before i put the cuffs on him he said ,'do n't do this to me .'and my comment to that usually is , you did it to yourself , ' sessums told cnn as he recounted details of the two arrests . for the third dui , bostick had been sentenced in march 2010 to a year of house arrest and four years in mississippi 's drug court program , an intense drug-and-alcohol-abuse treatment program with strict guidelines that convicted felons like bostick must follow . bostick was still going through the drug court program when he started applying for a pardon last summer . high-profile friends wrote letters to barbour touting what they called bostick 's genuine lifestyle change . the letters detail what friends described as bostick 's slide into alcoholism after the tragic death of his teenage son in a freakish house fire ' and after bostick 's divorce , according to pardon and parole documents obtained by cnn . one letter said bostick no longer drinks alcohol ' and has turned his life around . ' harry bostick has led a tragic life . a life that has now been turned around by a grace that is bigger than him . he can now be a positive factor in many lives , ' wrote retired u.s. attorney jim greenlee . on september 30 , the mississippi parole board sent its review of the bostick case to barbour . the board recommended bostick for a full pardon with a divided 3-2 vote . about a week later , on october 7 , bostick was driving under the influence again , according to the mississippi highway patrol . charity smith attempted to pull out onto a highway just outside tupelo when bostick 's truck slammed into the side of her car . charity smith was killed and her older sister suffered serious injuries . bostick still has not been indicted by a grand jury in that crash . because his third dui was pardoned , a conviction in the latest dui case would technically be his third offense , but that would still make it a felony in mississippi . the mississippi parole board and barbour are at a loss to explain how bostick 's pardon could have unfolded the way it did . state officials say there is not a mechanism in place to alert them of situations like this . a department of corrections spokeswoman referred all questions about the case to the mississippi parole board . bosticks'pardon application packet sent from the parole board to the governor 's office is filled with references to the expedited investigation into the circumstances surrounding bostick 's crime , ' meaning his third dui from 2009 . according to a state prison official , the expedited ' rush was a result of a flood of pardon applications as the clock was counting down toward the end of haley barbour 's final term as governor . barbour refused cnn 's request for an interview but his spokeswoman , laura hipp , issued a statement . in reviewing mr. bostick 's case , gov . barbour took the parole board 's recommendation into consideration , and he was n't aware of the subsequent charges , ' she said . shannon warnock , chairwoman of the mississippi parole board , issued a statement saying : i can say that mr. bostick 's application was supported by testimonials from trustworthy and outstanding members of the community . while the reported circumstances of that arrest are troubling , our system of justice does regard everyone as innocent until proved guilty . ' linda smith , charity 's mother , worries her teenage daughter 's death has been forgotten in all of this . she struggles to understand how state officials could not have known that the man involved in her daughter 's violent crash was the same harry bostick who had petitioned for a pardon . she was a person . she was n't just some name on a piece of paper . a beautiful person , ' said linda smith . her days now are often spent weeping over her daughter 's death . she cried throughout most of her interview with cnn as she showed photographs of the beautiful girl with big dreams . linda smith described her daughter as an artist with a big heart , and she proudly talked about the powerful emotions she feels holding a collection of her daughter 's paintings . one of the paintings was a gift from charity smith to her mother . instead of signing the painting , charity left her handprint on the back . but perhaps the most poignant painting was of swirling blues and purples and oranges that reads life is short . ' the girl with the artist 's heart is now mourned by her mother with a broken heart . | harry bostick is a repeat dui offender |
bostick <tsp> oxford , mississippi ( cnn ) -- unraveling the complex back stories of the more than 200 pardons issued by former mississippi gov . haley barbour is revealing serious questions about how pardon review decisions were carried out . but perhaps no pardon is as confounding as the case of harry bostick . the retired internal revenue service investigator 's pardon has been called heinous ' by critics of barbour . someone did n't do their homework on this case , ' said democratic state rep. steve holland . when barbour pardoned bostick in january , the convicted dui felon was sitting in an oxford , mississippi , jail cell for violating the terms of a previous dui sentence and was awaiting formal charges from yet another drunken driving accident in october that ended in the tragic death of 18-year-old charity smith . who 's at fault in that accident has yet to be determined . the teenage girl from okolona , mississippi , had big dreams of saving money and going to college to pursue a business degree . the young woman 's death and the controversy surrounding the case have devastated linda smith , charity 's mother . she should still be here with me . she should still be here with me . this should not have happened , ' linda smith told cnn during an emotional two-hour interview . bostick was given a full pardon for a felony drunken driving offense dating from march 2009 . that offense was bostick 's third drunken driving arrest in a little more than year . the mississippi parole board and barbour have issued statements saying they did n't know bostick had another dui arrest in october . it came after his pardon case had already been reviewed . oxford police sgt . hildon sessums arrested bostick twice over a span of a year for dui . right before i put the cuffs on him he said ,'do n't do this to me .'and my comment to that usually is , you did it to yourself , ' sessums told cnn as he recounted details of the two arrests . for the third dui , bostick had been sentenced in march 2010 to a year of house arrest and four years in mississippi 's drug court program , an intense drug-and-alcohol-abuse treatment program with strict guidelines that convicted felons like bostick must follow . bostick was still going through the drug court program when he started applying for a pardon last summer . high-profile friends wrote letters to barbour touting what they called bostick 's genuine lifestyle change . the letters detail what friends described as bostick 's slide into alcoholism after the tragic death of his teenage son in a freakish house fire ' and after bostick 's divorce , according to pardon and parole documents obtained by cnn . one letter said bostick no longer drinks alcohol ' and has turned his life around . ' harry bostick has led a tragic life . a life that has now been turned around by a grace that is bigger than him . he can now be a positive factor in many lives , ' wrote retired u.s. attorney jim greenlee . on september 30 , the mississippi parole board sent its review of the bostick case to barbour . the board recommended bostick for a full pardon with a divided 3-2 vote . about a week later , on october 7 , bostick was driving under the influence again , according to the mississippi highway patrol . charity smith attempted to pull out onto a highway just outside tupelo when bostick 's truck slammed into the side of her car . charity smith was killed and her older sister suffered serious injuries . bostick still has not been indicted by a grand jury in that crash . because his third dui was pardoned , a conviction in the latest dui case would technically be his third offense , but that would still make it a felony in mississippi . the mississippi parole board and barbour are at a loss to explain how bostick 's pardon could have unfolded the way it did . state officials say there is not a mechanism in place to alert them of situations like this . a department of corrections spokeswoman referred all questions about the case to the mississippi parole board . bosticks'pardon application packet sent from the parole board to the governor 's office is filled with references to the expedited investigation into the circumstances surrounding bostick 's crime , ' meaning his third dui from 2009 . according to a state prison official , the expedited ' rush was a result of a flood of pardon applications as the clock was counting down toward the end of haley barbour 's final term as governor . barbour refused cnn 's request for an interview but his spokeswoman , laura hipp , issued a statement . in reviewing mr. bostick 's case , gov . barbour took the parole board 's recommendation into consideration , and he was n't aware of the subsequent charges , ' she said . shannon warnock , chairwoman of the mississippi parole board , issued a statement saying : i can say that mr. bostick 's application was supported by testimonials from trustworthy and outstanding members of the community . while the reported circumstances of that arrest are troubling , our system of justice does regard everyone as innocent until proved guilty . ' linda smith , charity 's mother , worries her teenage daughter 's death has been forgotten in all of this . she struggles to understand how state officials could not have known that the man involved in her daughter 's violent crash was the same harry bostick who had petitioned for a pardon . she was a person . she was n't just some name on a piece of paper . a beautiful person , ' said linda smith . her days now are often spent weeping over her daughter 's death . she cried throughout most of her interview with cnn as she showed photographs of the beautiful girl with big dreams . linda smith described her daughter as an artist with a big heart , and she proudly talked about the powerful emotions she feels holding a collection of her daughter 's paintings . one of the paintings was a gift from charity smith to her mother . instead of signing the painting , charity left her handprint on the back . but perhaps the most poignant painting was of swirling blues and purples and oranges that reads life is short . ' the girl with the artist 's heart is now mourned by her mother with a broken heart . | bostick received one of more than 200 pardons issued by mississippi 's former governor |
bostick <tsp> oxford , mississippi ( cnn ) -- unraveling the complex back stories of the more than 200 pardons issued by former mississippi gov . haley barbour is revealing serious questions about how pardon review decisions were carried out . but perhaps no pardon is as confounding as the case of harry bostick . the retired internal revenue service investigator 's pardon has been called heinous ' by critics of barbour . someone did n't do their homework on this case , ' said democratic state rep. steve holland . when barbour pardoned bostick in january , the convicted dui felon was sitting in an oxford , mississippi , jail cell for violating the terms of a previous dui sentence and was awaiting formal charges from yet another drunken driving accident in october that ended in the tragic death of 18-year-old charity smith . who 's at fault in that accident has yet to be determined . the teenage girl from okolona , mississippi , had big dreams of saving money and going to college to pursue a business degree . the young woman 's death and the controversy surrounding the case have devastated linda smith , charity 's mother . she should still be here with me . she should still be here with me . this should not have happened , ' linda smith told cnn during an emotional two-hour interview . bostick was given a full pardon for a felony drunken driving offense dating from march 2009 . that offense was bostick 's third drunken driving arrest in a little more than year . the mississippi parole board and barbour have issued statements saying they did n't know bostick had another dui arrest in october . it came after his pardon case had already been reviewed . oxford police sgt . hildon sessums arrested bostick twice over a span of a year for dui . right before i put the cuffs on him he said ,'do n't do this to me .'and my comment to that usually is , you did it to yourself , ' sessums told cnn as he recounted details of the two arrests . for the third dui , bostick had been sentenced in march 2010 to a year of house arrest and four years in mississippi 's drug court program , an intense drug-and-alcohol-abuse treatment program with strict guidelines that convicted felons like bostick must follow . bostick was still going through the drug court program when he started applying for a pardon last summer . high-profile friends wrote letters to barbour touting what they called bostick 's genuine lifestyle change . the letters detail what friends described as bostick 's slide into alcoholism after the tragic death of his teenage son in a freakish house fire ' and after bostick 's divorce , according to pardon and parole documents obtained by cnn . one letter said bostick no longer drinks alcohol ' and has turned his life around . ' harry bostick has led a tragic life . a life that has now been turned around by a grace that is bigger than him . he can now be a positive factor in many lives , ' wrote retired u.s. attorney jim greenlee . on september 30 , the mississippi parole board sent its review of the bostick case to barbour . the board recommended bostick for a full pardon with a divided 3-2 vote . about a week later , on october 7 , bostick was driving under the influence again , according to the mississippi highway patrol . charity smith attempted to pull out onto a highway just outside tupelo when bostick 's truck slammed into the side of her car . charity smith was killed and her older sister suffered serious injuries . bostick still has not been indicted by a grand jury in that crash . because his third dui was pardoned , a conviction in the latest dui case would technically be his third offense , but that would still make it a felony in mississippi . the mississippi parole board and barbour are at a loss to explain how bostick 's pardon could have unfolded the way it did . state officials say there is not a mechanism in place to alert them of situations like this . a department of corrections spokeswoman referred all questions about the case to the mississippi parole board . bosticks'pardon application packet sent from the parole board to the governor 's office is filled with references to the expedited investigation into the circumstances surrounding bostick 's crime , ' meaning his third dui from 2009 . according to a state prison official , the expedited ' rush was a result of a flood of pardon applications as the clock was counting down toward the end of haley barbour 's final term as governor . barbour refused cnn 's request for an interview but his spokeswoman , laura hipp , issued a statement . in reviewing mr. bostick 's case , gov . barbour took the parole board 's recommendation into consideration , and he was n't aware of the subsequent charges , ' she said . shannon warnock , chairwoman of the mississippi parole board , issued a statement saying : i can say that mr. bostick 's application was supported by testimonials from trustworthy and outstanding members of the community . while the reported circumstances of that arrest are troubling , our system of justice does regard everyone as innocent until proved guilty . ' linda smith , charity 's mother , worries her teenage daughter 's death has been forgotten in all of this . she struggles to understand how state officials could not have known that the man involved in her daughter 's violent crash was the same harry bostick who had petitioned for a pardon . she was a person . she was n't just some name on a piece of paper . a beautiful person , ' said linda smith . her days now are often spent weeping over her daughter 's death . she cried throughout most of her interview with cnn as she showed photographs of the beautiful girl with big dreams . linda smith described her daughter as an artist with a big heart , and she proudly talked about the powerful emotions she feels holding a collection of her daughter 's paintings . one of the paintings was a gift from charity smith to her mother . instead of signing the painting , charity left her handprint on the back . but perhaps the most poignant painting was of swirling blues and purples and oranges that reads life is short . ' the girl with the artist 's heart is now mourned by her mother with a broken heart . | former gov . haley barbour says he was n't aware of bostick 's fourth dui violation |
haley barbour <tsp> oxford , mississippi ( cnn ) -- unraveling the complex back stories of the more than 200 pardons issued by former mississippi gov . haley barbour is revealing serious questions about how pardon review decisions were carried out . but perhaps no pardon is as confounding as the case of harry bostick . the retired internal revenue service investigator 's pardon has been called heinous ' by critics of barbour . someone did n't do their homework on this case , ' said democratic state rep. steve holland . when barbour pardoned bostick in january , the convicted dui felon was sitting in an oxford , mississippi , jail cell for violating the terms of a previous dui sentence and was awaiting formal charges from yet another drunken driving accident in october that ended in the tragic death of 18-year-old charity smith . who 's at fault in that accident has yet to be determined . the teenage girl from okolona , mississippi , had big dreams of saving money and going to college to pursue a business degree . the young woman 's death and the controversy surrounding the case have devastated linda smith , charity 's mother . she should still be here with me . she should still be here with me . this should not have happened , ' linda smith told cnn during an emotional two-hour interview . bostick was given a full pardon for a felony drunken driving offense dating from march 2009 . that offense was bostick 's third drunken driving arrest in a little more than year . the mississippi parole board and barbour have issued statements saying they did n't know bostick had another dui arrest in october . it came after his pardon case had already been reviewed . oxford police sgt . hildon sessums arrested bostick twice over a span of a year for dui . right before i put the cuffs on him he said ,'do n't do this to me .'and my comment to that usually is , you did it to yourself , ' sessums told cnn as he recounted details of the two arrests . for the third dui , bostick had been sentenced in march 2010 to a year of house arrest and four years in mississippi 's drug court program , an intense drug-and-alcohol-abuse treatment program with strict guidelines that convicted felons like bostick must follow . bostick was still going through the drug court program when he started applying for a pardon last summer . high-profile friends wrote letters to barbour touting what they called bostick 's genuine lifestyle change . the letters detail what friends described as bostick 's slide into alcoholism after the tragic death of his teenage son in a freakish house fire ' and after bostick 's divorce , according to pardon and parole documents obtained by cnn . one letter said bostick no longer drinks alcohol ' and has turned his life around . ' harry bostick has led a tragic life . a life that has now been turned around by a grace that is bigger than him . he can now be a positive factor in many lives , ' wrote retired u.s. attorney jim greenlee . on september 30 , the mississippi parole board sent its review of the bostick case to barbour . the board recommended bostick for a full pardon with a divided 3-2 vote . about a week later , on october 7 , bostick was driving under the influence again , according to the mississippi highway patrol . charity smith attempted to pull out onto a highway just outside tupelo when bostick 's truck slammed into the side of her car . charity smith was killed and her older sister suffered serious injuries . bostick still has not been indicted by a grand jury in that crash . because his third dui was pardoned , a conviction in the latest dui case would technically be his third offense , but that would still make it a felony in mississippi . the mississippi parole board and barbour are at a loss to explain how bostick 's pardon could have unfolded the way it did . state officials say there is not a mechanism in place to alert them of situations like this . a department of corrections spokeswoman referred all questions about the case to the mississippi parole board . bosticks'pardon application packet sent from the parole board to the governor 's office is filled with references to the expedited investigation into the circumstances surrounding bostick 's crime , ' meaning his third dui from 2009 . according to a state prison official , the expedited ' rush was a result of a flood of pardon applications as the clock was counting down toward the end of haley barbour 's final term as governor . barbour refused cnn 's request for an interview but his spokeswoman , laura hipp , issued a statement . in reviewing mr. bostick 's case , gov . barbour took the parole board 's recommendation into consideration , and he was n't aware of the subsequent charges , ' she said . shannon warnock , chairwoman of the mississippi parole board , issued a statement saying : i can say that mr. bostick 's application was supported by testimonials from trustworthy and outstanding members of the community . while the reported circumstances of that arrest are troubling , our system of justice does regard everyone as innocent until proved guilty . ' linda smith , charity 's mother , worries her teenage daughter 's death has been forgotten in all of this . she struggles to understand how state officials could not have known that the man involved in her daughter 's violent crash was the same harry bostick who had petitioned for a pardon . she was a person . she was n't just some name on a piece of paper . a beautiful person , ' said linda smith . her days now are often spent weeping over her daughter 's death . she cried throughout most of her interview with cnn as she showed photographs of the beautiful girl with big dreams . linda smith described her daughter as an artist with a big heart , and she proudly talked about the powerful emotions she feels holding a collection of her daughter 's paintings . one of the paintings was a gift from charity smith to her mother . instead of signing the painting , charity left her handprint on the back . but perhaps the most poignant painting was of swirling blues and purples and oranges that reads life is short . ' the girl with the artist 's heart is now mourned by her mother with a broken heart . | former gov . haley barbour says he was n't aware of bostick 's fourth dui violation |
deutsche telekom ag <tsp> ( cnn ) -- once again , there are rumblings that the third- and fourth-largest u.s. wireless carriers may merge to form a larger combined no . 3 . but would this be enough to keep the u.s. wireless market competitive for consumers ? last week bloomberg reported that deutsche telekom ag , the parent company of t-mobile , is negotiating a possible sale of t-mobile to sprint nextel corp . according to the hill and the washington post , some industry analysts believe the u.s. government would approve this merger . rumors of this merger have been around since 2009 , when dt was eyeing a purchase of sprint . and last weekend , tmonews reported on an ambiguous non-confirmation/non-denial memo sent to t-mobile employees by ceo philip humm . given the nature of wireless networks and the current business landscape , t-mobile probably needs to make some kind of major move if it hopes to survive in some form . in the big picture , it takes a lot of capital to build out high-speed wireless broadband networks that can support an ever-growing number of data-hungry devices such as smartphones and tablets -- especially if streaming mobile video becomes popular , and if the obama administration is serious about its national wireless initiative to make wireless broadband available to 98 % of the u.s. population . carriers with the largest customer base -- especially the most customers locked in to pricey two-year contracts -- are in the best financial position to build out their 4g networks . having those networks , in turn , makes the largest carriers even more likely to attract even more customers . and this is the economic dynamic that could turn the u.s. wireless market into a verizon/at & t duopoly , with only some discount carriers surviving on the fringes . for u.s. mobile users , further wireless market consolidation is a good news/bad news situation . it offers the promise of ubiquitous high-speed wireless broadband networks available in markets outside major metro areas , which would lessen the geographic aspect of the mobile digital divide . but just because wireless broadband is available in a region does n't mean everyone there can afford to use it . a less competitive wireless market could mean wireless broadband wo n't get much cheaper . and it could even get more costly , especially if tiered data plans become the norm -- which would make more sense for the carriers in a less competitive environment . that would be bad news on the income/class front of the mobile digital divide . lately , t-mobile has been taking a bit of a beating in the u.s. market . bloomberg noted : t-mobile ... has lost customers at an accelerated rate as it trailed rivals in building out a third-generation mobile network and missed out on being able to sell apple 's iphone . about 56,000 customers abandoned t-mobile usa last year , while sprint , at & t and verizon wireless all boosted their counts . ' consequently , dt may not be pleased with what sprint may be willing to offer for t-mobile -- so who knows if this merger will happen . furthermore , a t-mobile/sprint merger might be difficult for technical reasons . wireless week noted : t-mobile currently markets its hspa+ network as 4g but lacks the bandwidth to deploy lte or wimax . sprint and t-mobile use different network technology and operate on different spectrum bands , which would complicate a possible merger of the companies'wireless services . ' if t-mobile hopes to survive intact , it 'll need access to much more bandwidth in more u.s. locations . so if the sprint merger does n't happen , t-mobile does have options -- mainly leasing additional spectrum or access to other providers'networks , such as lightsquared , a wholesale-only wireless lte network . the opinions expressed in this post are solely those of amy gahran . | deutsche telekom ag is negotiating a possible sale of t-mobile to sprint nextel corp |
blackfriars railway bridge <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- work on the world 's largest solar bridge has started in central london . the new solar roof spanning blackfriars railway bridge above the river thames will cover more than 6,000 square meters when finished , according to developers . over 4,400 individual photovoltaic panels are expected to produce around 900,000 kilowatt hours of electricity every year , providing the station with half of its energy needs , according to solar century , the uk company installing the solar roof . annual co2 emissions are also expected to be reduced by more than 500 tons . it 's fantastic to see this project finally come to fruition . blackfriars bridge is an ideal location for solar , ' derry newman , chief executive of solar century , said in a statement . for people to see that solar power is working is a vital step towards a clean energy future , ' he added . built in 1886 , the railway bridge is being transformed as part of an upgrade by network rail -- the owner and operator of rail infrastructure in the uk -- to the existing blackfriars station . the victorian rail bridge at blackfriars is part of our railway history . constructed in the age of steam , we 're bringing it bang up to date with 21st century solar technology to create an iconic station for the city , ' lindsay vamplew , network rail 's project director for blackfriars said in a statement . in addition to the solar panels ( manufactured by the sanyo electric co. ltd ) , the station will also include rain-harvesting systems and sun pipes for natural lighting . the solar roof and the new station are due to be completed by the summer of 2012 . | blackfriars railway bridge in central london will carry 4,400 photovoltaic solar cells on roof |
Subsets and Splits