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latin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- how do you say scoop ' in latin ? it 's a good bet that giovanna chirri -- the journalist who broke the story of the pope 's resignation -- can tell you . chirri 's knowledge of latin gave her the edge to understand the magnitude of the pope 's announcement . a reporter for ansa , italy 's state-run news agency , chirri was among a few reporters at what appeared to be a routine papal announcement monday . most media outlets chose not to cover the event , which began with 20 minutes of announcements concerning other church matters , ansa reported . but then , in latin , pope benedict xvi said he would resign at the end of the month because of advanced age . ' the news would surprise the world 's 1.2 billion roman catholics , but someone had to inform them first . chirri has polished ' latin skills , her employer said , but it took confidence to trust that she heard what she thought she heard . the pope 's resignation , explained ' ( the news of ) his resignation did n't seem real to me , ' she told ansa . i told myself'you misunderstood .'' the pope 's latin is very easy to understand , ' chirri said , but it was n't until the announcement was repeated that the reporter filed an urgent bulletin for ansa , which was subsequently picked up by the rest of the world . a devout catholic , chirri told ansa she tries to keep her faith separate from her work covering the vatican , but monday 's announcement made her cry because she was upset . i fought to keep my nerve despite my knees feeling weak , ' she told the news agency . while catholic services today are celebrated in local languages , latin remains the official language of the roman catholic church . for this reason , all official acts of the church are announced in latin , as was the case monday . | her knowledge of latin gave her the edge to get the scoop |
tokyo <tsp> copenhagen , denmark ( cnn ) -- rio de janeiro , brazil , will host the 2016 summer olympic games , the international olympic committee announced friday . confetti flies in rio de janeiro after the ioc announces the city will host the 2016 games . the announcement brought tears to brazilian president luiz inacio lula da silva , who dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief several times in a news conference afterward . our hour has arrived , ' he said . it has arrived . ' in rio , jubilation erupted at the world-famous copacabana beach , where thousands of people gathered to hear the announcement . rio organizers promised to start working immediately to make the games a success . maybe some of the people tomorrow can rest , ' said rio 2016 president carlos nuzman . i 'm not [ resting ] . ' rio beat madrid , spain , in the final round . chicago , illinois , and tokyo , japan , were eliminated in earlier rounds . for rio , a major appeal was bringing the olympics to south america for the first time . ioc president jacques rogge said in the news conference afterward that in addition to its excellent bid , rio had the extra added value of going for the first time to a continent that 's never had the games . ' he also noted that brazil helped its chances this year when it did not get the 2012 games awarded four years ago . rio remained humble , ' he said . they wanted to listen , to repair their shortcomings . ' more than half of rio 's olympic venues are built , including state-of-the-art facilities constructed for the 2007 pan and parapan american games : the magnificent joao havelange stadium ( the proposed 2016 venue for athletics ) , the maria lenk aquatic center , the rio olympic arena ( which will host gymnastics and wheelchair basketball ) , the rio olympic velodrome , the national equestrian center and its close neighbor , the national shooting center . rio will hold the games from august 5-21 and its theme will be live your passion . ' watch brazil delegation celebrate as rio is announced winner » according to rio 's bid , the games will be held in four zones with varying socioeconomic characteristics : • barra , the heart of the games , is an expanding area of rio that will require considerable infrastructure and accommodation development . ' it will house the olympic and media villages and some venues . • copacabana , a world-famous beach and major tourist attraction , will host outdoor sports in temporary venues . • maracana , the most densely populated of the zones , will contain an athletic stadium and the maracana stadium , which will host the opening and closing ceremonies . major redevelopment is planned for the zone . • deodoro has little infrastructure , but the highest proportion of young people . it will require construction of olympic venues . the city 's bid was helped by a strong economy and guaranteed funding . brazil 's economy is the 10th largest in the world and predicted to be fifth by 2016 . brazil told the ioc its commitment to the olympics could be seen in the investment already under way in rio . maracana stadium will close next year for two years of refurbishment . the areas around it will be renovated , with improved access and transportation links . the entire neighborhood will be reborn , the rio committee said , to host the final of the 2014 fifa world cup . work is already under way on the ongoing development of the olympic training center , which includes many of the state-of-the-art venues built for the 2007 pan and parapan american games . this was madrid 's third attempt at hosting the olympic and paralympic summer games . madrid presented a very capable ' bid , with good transportation infrastructure and a number of venues already in place , said ed hula , editor of the olympics web site around the rings . watch madrid celebrate making it to final round » madrid 's chances might have been hampered , however , by a recent tradition that consecutive summer olympics are n't staged on the same continent . the london , england , 2012 olympics will have happened just four years before 2016 . although there 's no rule against it , the ioc has yet to award consecutive summer games to the same continent since 1952 in helsinki , ' hula said . chicago was the first city to be eliminated . the announcement -- unexpected by many -- came just hours after president obama and his wife , michelle , delivered personal pleas to the olympic committee praising the virtues of their home city . watch obama makes his pitch to ioc » ' you can play a great game and still not win , ' obama said after returning to the white house . although i wish we had come back with better news ... i could not be prouder of my hometown . ' obama said he believed chicago had made the strongest bid possible . ' i 'm totally stunned . i thought we had a great opportunity , ' said former nba great michael jordan . jordan , who led the chicago bulls to six nba titles , said the city would have been perfect for the world to explore . ' he said chicago is deserving of an event of that magnitude ' and hopes it will try again . u.s. rep. danny davis , a chicago democrat , said the loss is kind of heartbreaking . ... a tremendous amount of effort has been put into trying to win the bid . ' the response around the city was not all negative , however . many residents are almost glad the distraction of the olympics ' wo n't be there , noted cnn 's ali velshi , who was in downtown chicago when the news was announced . many residents feel it will allow local political and business leaders to focus attention back on what chicago needs to do , ' velshi said . obama , the first u.s. president to make an olympic bid in person , was flying back to washington when the announcement was made . he was disappointed with the outcome but not sorry he made the trip to copenhagen , white house spokesman robert gibbs said . the heads of state for the other three finalists also made personal pitches . spain 's king juan carlos and queen sofia and spanish president jose luis rodriguez zapatero pushed the case for madrid . recently elected japanese prime minister yukio hatoyama made a bid for tokyo . brazilian president lula da silva was joined by soccer legend and brazilian native pelé as they advertised the benefits of a rio games . an animated lula da silva , surrounded by rio supporters , said at a news conference after the announcement , among the 10 major economies of the world , brazil was the only country that had not received the olympic and paralympic games . for us , it will hardly be our last olympics . for us , it will be an opportunity to be equal . it will increase self-esteem for brazilians , will consolidate recent conquests and stimulate new advances . ' | chicago and tokyo were eliminated from contention in earlier voting |
chicago <tsp> copenhagen , denmark ( cnn ) -- rio de janeiro , brazil , will host the 2016 summer olympic games , the international olympic committee announced friday . confetti flies in rio de janeiro after the ioc announces the city will host the 2016 games . the announcement brought tears to brazilian president luiz inacio lula da silva , who dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief several times in a news conference afterward . our hour has arrived , ' he said . it has arrived . ' in rio , jubilation erupted at the world-famous copacabana beach , where thousands of people gathered to hear the announcement . rio organizers promised to start working immediately to make the games a success . maybe some of the people tomorrow can rest , ' said rio 2016 president carlos nuzman . i 'm not [ resting ] . ' rio beat madrid , spain , in the final round . chicago , illinois , and tokyo , japan , were eliminated in earlier rounds . for rio , a major appeal was bringing the olympics to south america for the first time . ioc president jacques rogge said in the news conference afterward that in addition to its excellent bid , rio had the extra added value of going for the first time to a continent that 's never had the games . ' he also noted that brazil helped its chances this year when it did not get the 2012 games awarded four years ago . rio remained humble , ' he said . they wanted to listen , to repair their shortcomings . ' more than half of rio 's olympic venues are built , including state-of-the-art facilities constructed for the 2007 pan and parapan american games : the magnificent joao havelange stadium ( the proposed 2016 venue for athletics ) , the maria lenk aquatic center , the rio olympic arena ( which will host gymnastics and wheelchair basketball ) , the rio olympic velodrome , the national equestrian center and its close neighbor , the national shooting center . rio will hold the games from august 5-21 and its theme will be live your passion . ' watch brazil delegation celebrate as rio is announced winner » according to rio 's bid , the games will be held in four zones with varying socioeconomic characteristics : • barra , the heart of the games , is an expanding area of rio that will require considerable infrastructure and accommodation development . ' it will house the olympic and media villages and some venues . • copacabana , a world-famous beach and major tourist attraction , will host outdoor sports in temporary venues . • maracana , the most densely populated of the zones , will contain an athletic stadium and the maracana stadium , which will host the opening and closing ceremonies . major redevelopment is planned for the zone . • deodoro has little infrastructure , but the highest proportion of young people . it will require construction of olympic venues . the city 's bid was helped by a strong economy and guaranteed funding . brazil 's economy is the 10th largest in the world and predicted to be fifth by 2016 . brazil told the ioc its commitment to the olympics could be seen in the investment already under way in rio . maracana stadium will close next year for two years of refurbishment . the areas around it will be renovated , with improved access and transportation links . the entire neighborhood will be reborn , the rio committee said , to host the final of the 2014 fifa world cup . work is already under way on the ongoing development of the olympic training center , which includes many of the state-of-the-art venues built for the 2007 pan and parapan american games . this was madrid 's third attempt at hosting the olympic and paralympic summer games . madrid presented a very capable ' bid , with good transportation infrastructure and a number of venues already in place , said ed hula , editor of the olympics web site around the rings . watch madrid celebrate making it to final round » madrid 's chances might have been hampered , however , by a recent tradition that consecutive summer olympics are n't staged on the same continent . the london , england , 2012 olympics will have happened just four years before 2016 . although there 's no rule against it , the ioc has yet to award consecutive summer games to the same continent since 1952 in helsinki , ' hula said . chicago was the first city to be eliminated . the announcement -- unexpected by many -- came just hours after president obama and his wife , michelle , delivered personal pleas to the olympic committee praising the virtues of their home city . watch obama makes his pitch to ioc » ' you can play a great game and still not win , ' obama said after returning to the white house . although i wish we had come back with better news ... i could not be prouder of my hometown . ' obama said he believed chicago had made the strongest bid possible . ' i 'm totally stunned . i thought we had a great opportunity , ' said former nba great michael jordan . jordan , who led the chicago bulls to six nba titles , said the city would have been perfect for the world to explore . ' he said chicago is deserving of an event of that magnitude ' and hopes it will try again . u.s. rep. danny davis , a chicago democrat , said the loss is kind of heartbreaking . ... a tremendous amount of effort has been put into trying to win the bid . ' the response around the city was not all negative , however . many residents are almost glad the distraction of the olympics ' wo n't be there , noted cnn 's ali velshi , who was in downtown chicago when the news was announced . many residents feel it will allow local political and business leaders to focus attention back on what chicago needs to do , ' velshi said . obama , the first u.s. president to make an olympic bid in person , was flying back to washington when the announcement was made . he was disappointed with the outcome but not sorry he made the trip to copenhagen , white house spokesman robert gibbs said . the heads of state for the other three finalists also made personal pitches . spain 's king juan carlos and queen sofia and spanish president jose luis rodriguez zapatero pushed the case for madrid . recently elected japanese prime minister yukio hatoyama made a bid for tokyo . brazilian president lula da silva was joined by soccer legend and brazilian native pelé as they advertised the benefits of a rio games . an animated lula da silva , surrounded by rio supporters , said at a news conference after the announcement , among the 10 major economies of the world , brazil was the only country that had not received the olympic and paralympic games . for us , it will hardly be our last olympics . for us , it will be an opportunity to be equal . it will increase self-esteem for brazilians , will consolidate recent conquests and stimulate new advances . ' | chicago and tokyo were eliminated from contention in earlier voting |
vladimir putin <tsp> brussels , belgium ( cnn ) -- ukrainian president petro poroshenko on friday signed a broad agreement of cooperation with the european union , the same deal whose reversal set off a crisis in the nation . the signing came hours before the president 's office announced a three-day extension of a cease-fire . this is the latest step suggesting ukraine may be moving back from the brink of full-fledged civil war -- though the situation remains volatile , with continued violence and the constant fear of yet more , cease-fire or not . this tension has recent roots in then-president viktor yanukovych 's decision to shun the eu association agreement last year and work with russia instead . that move unleashed deadly strife that led to yanukovych 's ouster , the loss of crimea and a pro-russia separatist rebellion . sealing the deal may be the second-most important moment in ukraine 's history , poroshenko said , after its independence from russia . he said the signing shows how dramatically things can change in a short time , if the will of the people is strong enough . ' and he paid tribute , on what he described as a great day ' in the nation 's history , to ukrainians who lost their lives when protests over closer ties with europe turned bloody . the document we will sign today is not just political and economic , it is a symbol of faith and unbreakable will , ' he said . it is a tribute to people who gave their lives and health to make this moment happen , and it is the strongest reminder that today 's europe is and must be about people 's determination to live in a better and safer world . ' poroshenko said that in signing the association agreement , he was making a unilateral statement that his country has underlined its choice of future membership in the eu . and he signaled to russia that its efforts to undermine the closer unification of europe would fail in the face of ukraine 's determination to pursue its european dreams . he used the same pen intended for use in november before yanukovych turned his back on the agreement in favor of moscow . russian reaction kremlin spokesman dmitry peskov said on russian state tv that signing the eu deal is a sovereign right ' but that russia will undertake its measure if its market is negatively affected ' by the agreement . such action probably would be protective trade measures intended to shield russian producers and industry from an influx of potentially cheaper , better-quality goods from europe . speaking at a brussels news conference after the signing , poroshenko said what was needed more than sanctions was a real dialogue ' with russia . the eu and the united states have repeatedly warned moscow that more economic sanctions could be imposed if it does n't act to defuse the crisis . i really hope that finally now this dialogue will take place and we will have a real cease-fire and the implementation of my peace plan , ' poroshenko said . speaking in moscow , putin also emphasized the need for a lasting truce , according to russia 's state-run news agency itar-tass . ukraine should embark on the path of peace , dialogue and accord . the priority is to conduct substantial talks between the authorities in kiev and the southeast , ' putin is quoted as saying . we stand for the complete termination of bloodshed on the whole territory of ukraine , including along our borders , ' he said , adding that russia is doing its best to contribute to the peace process . foreign minister sergey lavrov on friday called for ukraine to carry out promised constitutional reforms and said russia should be involved in consultations to safeguard the interests of russian speakers in southeast ukraine . european council leader sees stability , prosperity the eu-ukraine association agreement calls for a free trade zone and for ukraine to adhere to european values such as democracy and human rights . it will allow for the country to participate in common border protection and security processes . in remarks before the signing , european council president herman van rompuy also remembered those who died in ukraine . in kiev and elsewhere , people gave their lives for this closer link to the european union , ' he said . we will not forget this . ' van rompuy said that closer political and economic ties would bring greater security , stability and prosperity to ukraine and the two other former soviet states also each signing an eu association agreement on friday , georgia and moldova . our joint goal is your full integration into the market of the european union , ' van rompuy told those countries'three leaders , adding they must push forward with reforms . he also expressed the eu 's solidarity with the three nations in the face of ukraine 's very difficult ' security situation , and the uncertainties ' looming over georgia 's and moldova 's relationships with russia . he stressed that russia had nothing to fear from those nations'closer ties with europe , adding the eu would engage with moscow to work for peace . putin -- pragmatic or emotional ? as ukraine 's government works to quell the violence in the east , poroshenko has said that negotiations with russian separatists there will continue friday . peace is possible if putin is in the right mood , he told cnn 's christiane amanpour in an exclusive interview thursday . sometimes , the position of mr. putin is quite pragmatic , sometimes it is very emotional , ' poroshenko said . i just try to find out the time when he is more pragmatic than emotional . ' the talks are intended to end fighting that threatens to escalate into a broader conflict . i am optimistic and i 'm thinking that within a few weeks , maybe months , we can have a deal to establish peace , ' poroshenko said . putin has agreed to negotiations that will include an eu representative , poroshenko said . we do not expect any immediate negative reaction , ' he said . i 'm ready to make a peace deal with anybody . ' he is also ready to fight if necessary but said , i hate the idea not to use the last opportunity to bring the peace to the region . ' peace plan under his peace plan , he seeks a commitment to negotiations , the release of hostages , a mutual cease-fire and the withdrawal of russian-backed forces from ukraine . all the troops on ukrainian territory are russian , they are russian citizens , ' he alleged , adding that separatist leaders were from the russian secret service . if that continues , it is a real war . ' poroshenko said that ukraine had seen 18 soldiers killed and 33 injured in the past week , while the separatists had shown no negotiation , no sign of compromise . ' but he held out hope for last-minute negotiations friday and said he could not yet say whether the military action against the separatists would resume . at the same time , he made clear that in his mind , the russian annexation of crimea -- which has an ethnic russian majority -- can not stand . crimea is ukrainian , he said . he made the same point friday when he said that all ukraine , including crimea ' will be associated with the eu . russia and ukraine have been engaged in a tense standoff since the annexation in march when russia also massed troops along its western border with ukraine . cease-fire extended poroshenko 's office announced friday a 72-hour extension of a fragile cease-fire that was declared last week . that means that , by late monday night , the kiev government expects that all hostages will be released , all international border checkpoints will be taken out of separatists'hands and the militants'recruiting offices in russia will close down . at the same time , the ukrainian government says it still reserves the right to use force in any areas where the cease-fire is not being universally accepted . in fact , there have been plenty of examples of violence since the original cease-fire was declared . on thursday , for instance , a ukrainian national guard base came under attack in donetsk , anti-terrorist operation unit spokesman vladislav seleznyov said . ukrainian troops were able to repel the attack but braced for another assault . two days earlier , ukrainian authorities said pro-russia militants shot down a military helicopter in eastern ukraine , killing nine . kiev and the west have accused russia of failing to take concrete steps to ease the crisis . nato chief anders fogh rasmussen urged moscow this week to create conditions for the implementation of the peace plan , to end its support for separatist troops , and to stop the flow of weapons and fighters across its border . ' putin has shown signs of detente . at his request , russia 's upper house of parliament voted wednesday to revoke the president 's right to use troops in ukraine . cnn 's mick krever reported from brussels , while laura smith-spark wrote and reported from london and ben brumfield from atlanta . journalist victoria butenko contributed to this report from kiev , while cnn 's tom cohen and radina gigova contributed from atlanta . | state media : vladimir putin calls for substantial ' talks in ukraine , end to bloodshed |
nepalese <tsp> gorkha , nepal ( cnn ) the ride from kathmandu to near the epicenter of nepal 's devastating earthquake is not for those who get easily carsick . steep slopes and small winding roads through deep river valleys greet us as we make our way to a town where nepalese and international medical teams are treating the injured , in much less than ideal circumstances . the view along the six-hour journey from the capital is deceptive . although i see numerous landslides , i am surprised that the villages we are driving through are relatively unaffected . during the entire journey , i notice only about 10 collapsed or seriously damaged houses . one of the biggest challenges rescue workers are facing in nepal is reaching affected people in remote mountainous areas . one of them is gorkha , a district northwest of kathmandu . the town we were visiting looks intact . some houses have cracks , and i see a few collapsed brick walls . most of the shops and businesses are open . but our first stop at the district hospital brings us into the full reality of the human catastrophe . the hospital campus is overflowing with patients . the facility is simply not big enough to handle such calamity . the injured are not from the town of gorkha , which lies near the top of one of the numerous mountain ranges . they are from northern part of the district , where some 200,000 people live . to accommodate all the casualties , the hospital built a tarpaulin shelter over the parking lot . at a time of our arrival , there are about 20 patients lying on mattresses on a dusty concrete floor . the youngest is 10 , the oldest in his 70s . most of them have visible wounds : deep cuts , bruised faces , broken arms and legs or spinal injuries . all of their faces with empty looks are still expressing the terror they went through and the pain they are suffering . mita gurung , 10 , sustained injuries to her face and leg when her house in the village of sinjung partially collapsed . her mother was injured in the tremor . mita is gently tended by volunteer child counselor tara may bishakarma . i just found what she likes and keep repeating it . her injuries are fairly superficial , but she is traumatized . it will take some time , but she will recover , ' bishakarma says . children usually get excited when being filmed . mita seems almost unaware of my camera . little food , less optimism in kathmandu tent city the situation in the hospital 's emergency room is similar . every bed is taken . all the injured are taken care of by attentive doctors and nurses . some have family members with them . despite the gravity of the situation , the atmosphere here is calm . gorkha 's hospital is ill-equipped to treat more serious injuries and serves mostly as a transit point . here , the injured get necessary first aid and as soon as possible are transferred to bigger hospitals in other districts or in kathmandu . there are not enough ambulances , and most of the injured must travel on old buses . people unable to walk are transported on makeshift wooden stretchers . i can not even imagine traveling on the road we just came in with a broken leg or a spinal injury . the caws of crows above gorkha are frequently interrupted by sounds of helicopters . we leave the hospital and go to check the landing zones . one is a sports field , and the second a flat meadow on the ridge . many of the damaged villages are not accessible by roads . to fly to most remote places from gorkha takes about 30 minutes , five days on foot . the helicopters operated by nepalese military bring tents , tarps , blankets , food and baby supplies to most damaged areas . they bring back the injured . one helicopter brings two stranded danish tourists from chumchet , a village in the tsum valley . they are in a group of 11 trekkers from slovakia , poland and the czech republic who remain in the valley . most of the helicopters are small and can only pick up two to three passengers . we head back to the hospital , where we meet olivier hagon . he is the head of a mission of the swiss humanitarian aid unit , a swiss government agency . the agency 's mother and child ' team helps the needy during disasters around the world . for us , it 's most important to focus on the most vulnerable ones : mothers and children . women in labor who do not have a bed , women in need of a cesarean ( section ) without access to surgery facilities , ' says hagon . the rest of the 10-member unit arrives from kathmandu in the evening . the team includes a pediatrician , a pediatric surgeon , an orthopedic surgeon , a midwife , an anesthesiologist and a gynecologist . within two hours , they set up two modern fully functioning operating theaters at the hospital . the group 's philosophy is to support , not to invade . ' they work very closely with staff of gorkha 's hospital . the swiss humanitarian aid unit is followed by 26 members of the international search and rescue germany . they bring seven search dogs . leader thomas laackmann explains : right now we focus on finding survivors . the chances are diminishing every hour . members of our team are trained medics . we will also assist with treating the injured . ' all aid workers sleep in tents on hospital premises . on thursday , we wake up to a drizzly morning . heavy fog blankets surrounding slopes and mountains . all helicopter flights are suspended . people in remote areas desperately awaiting help wo n't get any today . but here in gorkha , humanitarian teams are at full speed . swiss doctors along with their nepalese colleagues perform surgeries . the german team heads off in a bus to villages reachable by road . we wish our hosts in gorkha the best of luck and leave for kathmandu mid-afternoon . i had come to see how serious the situation is and how local and state authorities are coping . i am too overwhelmed and too exhausted to draw any conclusions . but i learned a lot about resilience of the nepalese and about good people from around the world committed to help them . much help will be needed . | international teams are assisting nepalese medical staff , officials |
gorkha <tsp> gorkha , nepal ( cnn ) the ride from kathmandu to near the epicenter of nepal 's devastating earthquake is not for those who get easily carsick . steep slopes and small winding roads through deep river valleys greet us as we make our way to a town where nepalese and international medical teams are treating the injured , in much less than ideal circumstances . the view along the six-hour journey from the capital is deceptive . although i see numerous landslides , i am surprised that the villages we are driving through are relatively unaffected . during the entire journey , i notice only about 10 collapsed or seriously damaged houses . one of the biggest challenges rescue workers are facing in nepal is reaching affected people in remote mountainous areas . one of them is gorkha , a district northwest of kathmandu . the town we were visiting looks intact . some houses have cracks , and i see a few collapsed brick walls . most of the shops and businesses are open . but our first stop at the district hospital brings us into the full reality of the human catastrophe . the hospital campus is overflowing with patients . the facility is simply not big enough to handle such calamity . the injured are not from the town of gorkha , which lies near the top of one of the numerous mountain ranges . they are from northern part of the district , where some 200,000 people live . to accommodate all the casualties , the hospital built a tarpaulin shelter over the parking lot . at a time of our arrival , there are about 20 patients lying on mattresses on a dusty concrete floor . the youngest is 10 , the oldest in his 70s . most of them have visible wounds : deep cuts , bruised faces , broken arms and legs or spinal injuries . all of their faces with empty looks are still expressing the terror they went through and the pain they are suffering . mita gurung , 10 , sustained injuries to her face and leg when her house in the village of sinjung partially collapsed . her mother was injured in the tremor . mita is gently tended by volunteer child counselor tara may bishakarma . i just found what she likes and keep repeating it . her injuries are fairly superficial , but she is traumatized . it will take some time , but she will recover , ' bishakarma says . children usually get excited when being filmed . mita seems almost unaware of my camera . little food , less optimism in kathmandu tent city the situation in the hospital 's emergency room is similar . every bed is taken . all the injured are taken care of by attentive doctors and nurses . some have family members with them . despite the gravity of the situation , the atmosphere here is calm . gorkha 's hospital is ill-equipped to treat more serious injuries and serves mostly as a transit point . here , the injured get necessary first aid and as soon as possible are transferred to bigger hospitals in other districts or in kathmandu . there are not enough ambulances , and most of the injured must travel on old buses . people unable to walk are transported on makeshift wooden stretchers . i can not even imagine traveling on the road we just came in with a broken leg or a spinal injury . the caws of crows above gorkha are frequently interrupted by sounds of helicopters . we leave the hospital and go to check the landing zones . one is a sports field , and the second a flat meadow on the ridge . many of the damaged villages are not accessible by roads . to fly to most remote places from gorkha takes about 30 minutes , five days on foot . the helicopters operated by nepalese military bring tents , tarps , blankets , food and baby supplies to most damaged areas . they bring back the injured . one helicopter brings two stranded danish tourists from chumchet , a village in the tsum valley . they are in a group of 11 trekkers from slovakia , poland and the czech republic who remain in the valley . most of the helicopters are small and can only pick up two to three passengers . we head back to the hospital , where we meet olivier hagon . he is the head of a mission of the swiss humanitarian aid unit , a swiss government agency . the agency 's mother and child ' team helps the needy during disasters around the world . for us , it 's most important to focus on the most vulnerable ones : mothers and children . women in labor who do not have a bed , women in need of a cesarean ( section ) without access to surgery facilities , ' says hagon . the rest of the 10-member unit arrives from kathmandu in the evening . the team includes a pediatrician , a pediatric surgeon , an orthopedic surgeon , a midwife , an anesthesiologist and a gynecologist . within two hours , they set up two modern fully functioning operating theaters at the hospital . the group 's philosophy is to support , not to invade . ' they work very closely with staff of gorkha 's hospital . the swiss humanitarian aid unit is followed by 26 members of the international search and rescue germany . they bring seven search dogs . leader thomas laackmann explains : right now we focus on finding survivors . the chances are diminishing every hour . members of our team are trained medics . we will also assist with treating the injured . ' all aid workers sleep in tents on hospital premises . on thursday , we wake up to a drizzly morning . heavy fog blankets surrounding slopes and mountains . all helicopter flights are suspended . people in remote areas desperately awaiting help wo n't get any today . but here in gorkha , humanitarian teams are at full speed . swiss doctors along with their nepalese colleagues perform surgeries . the german team heads off in a bus to villages reachable by road . we wish our hosts in gorkha the best of luck and leave for kathmandu mid-afternoon . i had come to see how serious the situation is and how local and state authorities are coping . i am too overwhelmed and too exhausted to draw any conclusions . but i learned a lot about resilience of the nepalese and about good people from around the world committed to help them . much help will be needed . | a trip to the town of gorkha shows the human toll of the earthquake |
marsalis <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- jazz master wynton marsalis says the blues is the true american music -- the heartbeat and unifying principle of jazz , country , r & b , gospel and other styles -- but it 's been relegated to the back of the bus by greed and the legacy of racism . marsalis grew up in new orleans , louisiana , son of dolores and ellis marsalis . he was a trumpet prodigy , surrounded by top-notch musicians and steeped in the city 's eclectic music . he was encouraged to excel by his father , a jazz pianist who instilled in his son a love of musical excellence and integrity . marsalis plays classical and jazz music with equal mastery . he is artistic director of jazz at lincoln center and has won nine grammy awards and the pulitzer prize in music . he will be awarded the french legion of honor on november 6 . in an interview tuesday , marsalis talked to cnn.com about the primary position of the blues in american music . the blues is our root music , american born-and-bred , but it 's been treated like a stepchild of dubious origin , granted only secondary status , in marsalis'view . it suffuses broadway , tin pan alley , rock 'n'roll , country-western , gospel , bluegrass and more , but never got its financial due or the respect it deserves . marsalis says that 's because of racism -- it was the music of a whole people granted only secondary status -- and its inability to make a lot of money . he also talks about his father , how slavery has affected the nation , and some lessons to be learned from jazz . cnn : you have a dvd out called willie nelson and wynton marsalis play the music of ray charles . ' that 's jazz , country and r & b . what do those styles have in common ? wynton marsalis : the blues . it runs through all american music . somebody bending the note . the other is the two-beat groove . it 's in new orleans music , it 's in jazz , it 's in country music , it 's in gospel . the other is the down-home sensibility that 's sophisticated . that 's why louis armstrong could play with jimmy rogers . ray charles is actually the embodiment . he and willie nelson came'round in young manhood at a time in the late '40s early 1950s when all of the american music , root music , was all combined . it became segregated in the mid- to late-'50s . carl perkins had a hit in 1955 -- blue suede shoes . ' it was on the r & b charts , it was on the country charts , it was no . 1 on the rock and roll charts . [ it was ] basically the same music , so there was an intersection point . it 's like in cuisine , that would be like fried chicken and red beans and rice , it would be like potato salad and barbecued ribs . someone in texas not going to eat barbecued ribs ? cnn : what led to the compartmentalization of these kinds of music , that came from the same roots ? marsalis : money and racism . i do n't know which one came first . cnn : why was blues not regarded as something of value in this country ? marsalis : it came from who we did n't like . that 's what it was -- it was n't that we could n't see it . who it came from , we did not like them . cnn : so do you include african-americans in that ? so black people did n't appreciate it ? marsalis : they did n't appreciate it . they do n't now . that 's part of the whole kind of self-hatred that comes from that type of slavery that the black american still labors under . that racism was heavy . the legacy of it -- it was n't just 50 years . it was seven generations , and if a generation is 33 years , ... seven or eight [ generations ] . that 's a long time . and to recover from it has proven to be very difficult . cnn : so is that what 's going on with rap ? marsalis : no question . rap is the repetition of the minstrel show . but it 's not going to go away , it was too many people . if it had been 100,000 people , it can go away . ... but it ca n't be millions of people and their descendants . [ slavery ] was a very powerful and successful system . and it went on for a long time . in the aftermath of slavery ... there was a retrenching , and [ it turned into ] the type of racism that was experienced by people who came to the north . that consciousness has begun to shift , in the last 30 years . and that 's 20 or 30 years of just thawing and shifting that 's attached to 330 years [ of slavery ] , and the thought you can get up and you will be better ... that 's just asinine , it 's absurd . cnn : but did n't the blues come from this , being marginalized ? marsalis : the blues was like a solution to that , an antidote to it . but the blues is not only afro-american music . cnn : so , you 've written that it 's not just african , it 's american . what about america gave rise to the blues ? marsalis : it is america . it 's that combination , those tensions , the east-west tensions , the kind of tension of being a slave in the land of freedom , and the land of freedom itself , the western mind , the concept of soloing across time , the call-and-response of democracy , direct call and response , the kind of optimism that is american in nature , is in the blues . there are elements in it that are african and there are elements of the american take on europeanism . it 's integrated , it 's like a person whose dna is integrated . you start to try to figure it out -- but you ca n't . that 's how the blues is , that 's why it fits with everything , country-western , bluegrass -- everybody 's playing the same music . cnn : you write that jazz leaves room for individual creativity , but you have to listen and allow the other musicians to participate equally . so what 's the lesson for the nation ? marsalis : we have to have an overall cultural objective , which we do n't have . ... we then fight under the flag of a position , the left or the right , black or white , old or young . it 's very simplistic . we do n't know our cultural history , we do n't know we are together , and because we do n't know we are together we ca n't act in that way . and that 's the main thing our music , and the history of our music , can teach us as a nation . the one concept that has to be at the heart of the american experiment is integrity . the integrity of the process is very important . if you come up on the bandstand you have to be at least trying to swing . if you do n't really want to swing or play with the musicians , there 's nothing they can do , because you have the freedom to destroy it . cnn : your father set an example . it sounds like you got a lot of your ideas about integrity from him . marsalis : yes , he sure did . from him . he was n't segregated about any music , he did n't care , you could play pop music , funk , he 'd say right , great man . ' he was a jazz musician . he was n't uptight and always railing about somebody . what he did was very clear , and what he thought about being a man , he did n't look at a boy like that . i remember he sat in with our funk band one time . ... we 'd go to his gig , there 'd be six people . we 'd go to our gig , there 'd be thousands of people , dancing having a good time . we were playing a dance at a high school , he did n't know any of the music , but he played all of the music we had . we were laughing , we said , my daddy did n't know any of the music and he did n't know any of the tunes but he was playing better than us . cnn : when you were playing in a funk band in high school , did you look at your jazz musician dad as old school ? marsalis : no , no , never , i never suffered from that misconception , because he was so much hipper than the people i was around . philosophically , he knew more than we did . i 'd bring people to see him . he never tried to act like a child , like a kid . i never thought i knew more than him , he was on the case . cnn : what are the components of jazz ? marsalis : the main three components are the blues , improvisation -- which is some kind of element that people are trying to make it up -- and swing , which means even though they 're making up music , they 're trying to make it up together . it feels great , like you 're having a great conversation with somebody . sometimes you get in a good coordinated groove , and it just continues to happen . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of wynton marsalis . | marsalis : blues unappreciated by blacks and whites alike , due to racism and money |
marsalis <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- jazz master wynton marsalis says the blues is the true american music -- the heartbeat and unifying principle of jazz , country , r & b , gospel and other styles -- but it 's been relegated to the back of the bus by greed and the legacy of racism . marsalis grew up in new orleans , louisiana , son of dolores and ellis marsalis . he was a trumpet prodigy , surrounded by top-notch musicians and steeped in the city 's eclectic music . he was encouraged to excel by his father , a jazz pianist who instilled in his son a love of musical excellence and integrity . marsalis plays classical and jazz music with equal mastery . he is artistic director of jazz at lincoln center and has won nine grammy awards and the pulitzer prize in music . he will be awarded the french legion of honor on november 6 . in an interview tuesday , marsalis talked to cnn.com about the primary position of the blues in american music . the blues is our root music , american born-and-bred , but it 's been treated like a stepchild of dubious origin , granted only secondary status , in marsalis'view . it suffuses broadway , tin pan alley , rock 'n'roll , country-western , gospel , bluegrass and more , but never got its financial due or the respect it deserves . marsalis says that 's because of racism -- it was the music of a whole people granted only secondary status -- and its inability to make a lot of money . he also talks about his father , how slavery has affected the nation , and some lessons to be learned from jazz . cnn : you have a dvd out called willie nelson and wynton marsalis play the music of ray charles . ' that 's jazz , country and r & b . what do those styles have in common ? wynton marsalis : the blues . it runs through all american music . somebody bending the note . the other is the two-beat groove . it 's in new orleans music , it 's in jazz , it 's in country music , it 's in gospel . the other is the down-home sensibility that 's sophisticated . that 's why louis armstrong could play with jimmy rogers . ray charles is actually the embodiment . he and willie nelson came'round in young manhood at a time in the late '40s early 1950s when all of the american music , root music , was all combined . it became segregated in the mid- to late-'50s . carl perkins had a hit in 1955 -- blue suede shoes . ' it was on the r & b charts , it was on the country charts , it was no . 1 on the rock and roll charts . [ it was ] basically the same music , so there was an intersection point . it 's like in cuisine , that would be like fried chicken and red beans and rice , it would be like potato salad and barbecued ribs . someone in texas not going to eat barbecued ribs ? cnn : what led to the compartmentalization of these kinds of music , that came from the same roots ? marsalis : money and racism . i do n't know which one came first . cnn : why was blues not regarded as something of value in this country ? marsalis : it came from who we did n't like . that 's what it was -- it was n't that we could n't see it . who it came from , we did not like them . cnn : so do you include african-americans in that ? so black people did n't appreciate it ? marsalis : they did n't appreciate it . they do n't now . that 's part of the whole kind of self-hatred that comes from that type of slavery that the black american still labors under . that racism was heavy . the legacy of it -- it was n't just 50 years . it was seven generations , and if a generation is 33 years , ... seven or eight [ generations ] . that 's a long time . and to recover from it has proven to be very difficult . cnn : so is that what 's going on with rap ? marsalis : no question . rap is the repetition of the minstrel show . but it 's not going to go away , it was too many people . if it had been 100,000 people , it can go away . ... but it ca n't be millions of people and their descendants . [ slavery ] was a very powerful and successful system . and it went on for a long time . in the aftermath of slavery ... there was a retrenching , and [ it turned into ] the type of racism that was experienced by people who came to the north . that consciousness has begun to shift , in the last 30 years . and that 's 20 or 30 years of just thawing and shifting that 's attached to 330 years [ of slavery ] , and the thought you can get up and you will be better ... that 's just asinine , it 's absurd . cnn : but did n't the blues come from this , being marginalized ? marsalis : the blues was like a solution to that , an antidote to it . but the blues is not only afro-american music . cnn : so , you 've written that it 's not just african , it 's american . what about america gave rise to the blues ? marsalis : it is america . it 's that combination , those tensions , the east-west tensions , the kind of tension of being a slave in the land of freedom , and the land of freedom itself , the western mind , the concept of soloing across time , the call-and-response of democracy , direct call and response , the kind of optimism that is american in nature , is in the blues . there are elements in it that are african and there are elements of the american take on europeanism . it 's integrated , it 's like a person whose dna is integrated . you start to try to figure it out -- but you ca n't . that 's how the blues is , that 's why it fits with everything , country-western , bluegrass -- everybody 's playing the same music . cnn : you write that jazz leaves room for individual creativity , but you have to listen and allow the other musicians to participate equally . so what 's the lesson for the nation ? marsalis : we have to have an overall cultural objective , which we do n't have . ... we then fight under the flag of a position , the left or the right , black or white , old or young . it 's very simplistic . we do n't know our cultural history , we do n't know we are together , and because we do n't know we are together we ca n't act in that way . and that 's the main thing our music , and the history of our music , can teach us as a nation . the one concept that has to be at the heart of the american experiment is integrity . the integrity of the process is very important . if you come up on the bandstand you have to be at least trying to swing . if you do n't really want to swing or play with the musicians , there 's nothing they can do , because you have the freedom to destroy it . cnn : your father set an example . it sounds like you got a lot of your ideas about integrity from him . marsalis : yes , he sure did . from him . he was n't segregated about any music , he did n't care , you could play pop music , funk , he 'd say right , great man . ' he was a jazz musician . he was n't uptight and always railing about somebody . what he did was very clear , and what he thought about being a man , he did n't look at a boy like that . i remember he sat in with our funk band one time . ... we 'd go to his gig , there 'd be six people . we 'd go to our gig , there 'd be thousands of people , dancing having a good time . we were playing a dance at a high school , he did n't know any of the music , but he played all of the music we had . we were laughing , we said , my daddy did n't know any of the music and he did n't know any of the tunes but he was playing better than us . cnn : when you were playing in a funk band in high school , did you look at your jazz musician dad as old school ? marsalis : no , no , never , i never suffered from that misconception , because he was so much hipper than the people i was around . philosophically , he knew more than we did . i 'd bring people to see him . he never tried to act like a child , like a kid . i never thought i knew more than him , he was on the case . cnn : what are the components of jazz ? marsalis : the main three components are the blues , improvisation -- which is some kind of element that people are trying to make it up -- and swing , which means even though they 're making up music , they 're trying to make it up together . it feels great , like you 're having a great conversation with somebody . sometimes you get in a good coordinated groove , and it just continues to happen . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of wynton marsalis . | wynton marsalis : the blues is at the root of all american music , but was never given its due |
cruz <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
jindal <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
carson <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
walker <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
huckabee <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
indiana <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | lz : indiana law pushing back lgbt rights , and other states'anti-lgbt moves , bow to far right wing that gop candidates need for 2016 |
america <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
lgbt <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | cruz , huckabee , jindal , carson , walker are reviving culture wars , he says . equality for lgbt has not yet won ' in america |
lgbt <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | lz : indiana law pushing back lgbt rights , and other states'anti-lgbt moves , bow to far right wing that gop candidates need for 2016 |
gop <tsp> ( cnn ) a year ago bloomberg published a story with the following headline : mike pence , a koch favorite , mulls 2016 run for president . the story ticked off items on pence 's conservative things-to-do list while also noting his close ties to the deep-pocketed koch brothers , as well as other right-wing lobbying groups . last august the indiana governor was in dallas for an americans for prosperity event ; the group is backed by the conservative koch brothers , and supported gov . pence 's tax-slashing budget . now , pence is drawing huge heat for his controversial decision to sign a religious freedom law last week that opens the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians . why would pence ignore the pleas of indiana 's chamber of commerce as well as the republican mayor of his state capital and sign such a bill ? because there 's a very powerful wing of his party that wants a conservative as its 2016 candidate and this bill was pence 's way of shoring up his street cred . it is also the reason why republican jeb bush , pence 's fellow white house hopeful , who is viewed as a little light in that category , was first to rush in to defend pence and the law . one lesson here : just because more than 70 % of the country now lives in states where same-sex marriage is legal does not mean 70 % of the country is happy about it . backlash aside , the fact is pence has scored a lot of points this week among ultraconservatives . and while that may not be enough to get him over this political hump , the very public debate that now embroils him — and arkansas gov . asa hutchinson , and likely 14 other states considering similar proposals this year -- is more than enough to drag the entire republican field farther to the right than the party had hoped . pence :'was i expecting this kind of backlash ? heavens no .'for there is no way a republican can get through the pending primary without denouncing lgbt rights , which unfortunately will turn numerous americans into single-issue voters . i foolishly hoped the issue of lgbt rights would be a bit player in the 2016 general election , overshadowed by foreign policy and the economy . instead it looks like it 's going to be dragged down to a replay of pat buchanan 's cultural war ' speech , during which he told the 1992 republican national convention : we stand with ( george h.w . bush ) against the amoral idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing in law as married men and women ' and later followed with there is a religious war going on in this country . it is a cultural war , as critical to the kind of nation we shall be as the cold war itself . for this war is for the soul of america . ' progressives may enjoy watching pence 's temporary fall from grace , but his policy rhetoric has echoed that of 2016 hopeful sen. ted cruz of texas , who has indicated a federal ban on same-sex marriage is not off the gop table . and even if you think neither pence nor bush nor cruz will win the nomination , someone has to . in light of that , listen to conservative former arkansas gov . mike huckabee , a potential 2016 candidate describing conservatives'discomfort with same-sex marriage : it 's like asking someone who 's jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli . ' or louisiana gov . bobby jindal : i certainly will support ted cruz and others that are talking about making ... a constitutional amendment to allow states to continue to define marriage . ' or wisconsin gov . scott walker , who has a long history of fighting against same-sex marriage and civil unions . and ben carson said jail turns people gay , so there 's that . remember : pence did n't act alone . he only signed a bill that first passed muster with other elected officials . in fact , according to the american civil liberties union , the indiana rfra [ religious freedom restoration act ] is one of 24 introduced in 15 states this year that could allow someone to use their religious beliefs to discriminate . numerous other bills specifically single out the lgbt community for unequal treatment . ' who supports , denounces indiana law ? gallup polls may suggest voters nationwide are more gay-friendly , but the trend on the state level tells a different story . perhaps we 're witnessing the final gasp of long-ago biases . or maybe those biases are having a rebirth we had underestimated . former rep. barney frank of massachusetts , the first member of congress to marry someone of the same sex while in office , said he believes republicans want the supreme court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage to provide political cover in the gop primary . we 're winning , ' he told a crowd in chicago recently while promoting his latest book . i guess if you look at where the country was on lgbt issues 10 years ago , we definitely are . that 's assuming you are part of the we ' who believe lgbt people should have the same rights as their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts . but as the situation in indiana has shown , winning ' should not be mistaken for having won . ' for it is doubtful that a candidate will be able to avoid taking a position on the wave of so-called religious freedom ' bills snaking through red-state legislatures . or to sidestep the topic of a constitutional amendment when it 's raised in a debate or at a campaign stop , especially with republicans controlling both the house and the senate . pence , and to a lesser extent , jeb bush , may be toxic now but america has a short attention span . more importantly , they are not alone . frank said when progressives get angry they march in the streets , and when conservatives get mad they march to the polls . if that holds true in 2016 , winning ' is going to feel very strange . | lz : indiana law pushing back lgbt rights , and other states'anti-lgbt moves , bow to far right wing that gop candidates need for 2016 |
palin <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the debate over government spending is heating up on the campaign trail and raising greater focus on which presidential candidate will really change the way washington does business . sen. john mccain has criticized politicians who request millions in so-called earmarks . but will that sway the american electorate ? sen. john mccain has been a crusader against so-called earmarks and says his opponent , sen. barack obama , has asked for almost $ 1 billion in pork-barrel projects for his state in just less than four years in the senate . nearly a million dollars for every day that he 's been in office ! and that 's change ? my friends , do n't be fooled , ' mccain said september 9 . earmarks are requests for money by a specific legislator , usually for her or his constituency , added onto often-unrelated government spending bills . according to the nonpartisan watchdog group taxpayers for common sense , obama has asked for nearly $ 1 billion in earmarks during his senate term . but the group gives him credit for disclosing his requests , which most members of congress do n't do . obama has not made any requests for the next fiscal year , and even when he was asking for earmarks , he was far from the worst offender , the group says . just to put it into perspective , he got $ 98 million worth of earmarks in fiscal year 2008 . sen. [ hillary ] clinton got more than $ 300 million in earmarks , and sen. [ thad ] cochran , republican of the [ senate ] appropriations committee , got $ 800 million in earmarks , ' steve ellis of taxpayers for common sense said . obama 's running mate , sen. joe biden of delaware , does n't come close to that . but biden also has never disclosed what he 's asked for , until this year . biden 's office said he 's requesting about $ 300 million . the obama campaign points out that although mccain has n't asked for earmarks , his running mate hardly has room to talk . watch mccain rail against earmarks » ' when you 've been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you 're the champion anti-earmark person , that is not change , ' obama said monday . according to state records and taxpayers for common sense , alaska gov . sarah palin has asked for about $ 450 million in federal money since she became governor . but she also gets some credit . as governor , she has , by all records , started to reduce the number of earmark requests ... so it 's a downward trajectory by our analysis but still significant earmark requests , ' ellis said . palin also got into the earmarking game early , before she became governor . according to state records and taxpayers for common sense , she helped get about $ 27 million , some of which went to the small alaskan town of wasilla , during her second term as mayor there , from 1998 to 2002 . the watchdog group said one of the reasons was that she hired a lobbying firm run by a former staffer for sen. ted stevens , r-alaska , one of washington 's most legendary earmarkers . | obama campaign says sarah palin is also a player in earmark game |
palin <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the debate over government spending is heating up on the campaign trail and raising greater focus on which presidential candidate will really change the way washington does business . sen. john mccain has criticized politicians who request millions in so-called earmarks . but will that sway the american electorate ? sen. john mccain has been a crusader against so-called earmarks and says his opponent , sen. barack obama , has asked for almost $ 1 billion in pork-barrel projects for his state in just less than four years in the senate . nearly a million dollars for every day that he 's been in office ! and that 's change ? my friends , do n't be fooled , ' mccain said september 9 . earmarks are requests for money by a specific legislator , usually for her or his constituency , added onto often-unrelated government spending bills . according to the nonpartisan watchdog group taxpayers for common sense , obama has asked for nearly $ 1 billion in earmarks during his senate term . but the group gives him credit for disclosing his requests , which most members of congress do n't do . obama has not made any requests for the next fiscal year , and even when he was asking for earmarks , he was far from the worst offender , the group says . just to put it into perspective , he got $ 98 million worth of earmarks in fiscal year 2008 . sen. [ hillary ] clinton got more than $ 300 million in earmarks , and sen. [ thad ] cochran , republican of the [ senate ] appropriations committee , got $ 800 million in earmarks , ' steve ellis of taxpayers for common sense said . obama 's running mate , sen. joe biden of delaware , does n't come close to that . but biden also has never disclosed what he 's asked for , until this year . biden 's office said he 's requesting about $ 300 million . the obama campaign points out that although mccain has n't asked for earmarks , his running mate hardly has room to talk . watch mccain rail against earmarks » ' when you 've been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you 're the champion anti-earmark person , that is not change , ' obama said monday . according to state records and taxpayers for common sense , alaska gov . sarah palin has asked for about $ 450 million in federal money since she became governor . but she also gets some credit . as governor , she has , by all records , started to reduce the number of earmark requests ... so it 's a downward trajectory by our analysis but still significant earmark requests , ' ellis said . palin also got into the earmarking game early , before she became governor . according to state records and taxpayers for common sense , she helped get about $ 27 million , some of which went to the small alaskan town of wasilla , during her second term as mayor there , from 1998 to 2002 . the watchdog group said one of the reasons was that she hired a lobbying firm run by a former staffer for sen. ted stevens , r-alaska , one of washington 's most legendary earmarkers . | watchdog group : palin took nearly $ 450 million in earmarks as governor |
stan musial <tsp> ( cnn ) -- baseball . the radio . summer . there is something about the connection between the three of them that nothing can tear apart . if baseball on the radio sounds a little different lately , there is a reason . richard sandomir of the new york times reported recently on the proliferation of drop-in ' advertisements on radio broadcasts of ballgames around the nation . drop-in ads are paid commercials that air not as traditional advertisements , but as part of the play-by-play . the first walk during a new york yankees game is accompanied by just walk into citymd 's six convenient locations ' ; the first run scored in a texas rangers game is described by the play-by-play man as the first financial first run . ' it should n't be surprising that this is happening . baseball has always been a relentlessly and unapologetically revenue-seeking enterprise . have you ever seen photos of the outfield walls in big-league ballparks in the early to mid-20th century ? even nascar 's marketing strategists would have been envious of the don't-waste-an-inch commercial clutter . broadcast entities have to find a way to make back the money they spend for radio rights . according to usa today the average salary of a major league baseball player this year -- the average salary -- is around $ 3.6 million , and everything from ticket fees to concession-stand prices is reflective of the sport 's runaway inflation . so no one should be startled by the presence of the drop-in radio ads . yes , they frequently can be an irritant to the flow of the play-by-play . but ours is a sponsor-and-advertising-driven culture overall ; that 's not going to go away . and baseball on the radio -- distinct even from baseball itself -- is durable and steady in ways that ca n't be easily spoiled . baseball on the radio is one part of the sport that somehow , despite everything , still manages to feel good . on the radio , baseball is less literal than baseball on television . with the measured voices of the most skilled announcers accompanied by the resonant humming undertone of the crowd , the echo from down on the diamond of the crack of a bat against a fastball , and the occasional thump of a foul ball bouncing off the top of the play-by-play booth , there is a kind of romance in a radio broadcast . the sports-page and sports-website coverage of the business of baseball may , of necessity , be dismaying and ugly lately . a visit to the ballpark in person brings on the sticker-shock of those prices on everything from hot dogs to souvenirs to parking spots . baseball on the radio , though , remains free . unlike viewers of cable tv or subscribers to satellite radio , fans of home-team games on their hometown radio stations do n't have to pay a cent to listen . the sound of it all is very much what the sound has been forever . because the pace of the game is leisurely , local play-by-play announcers , over a 162-game season , develop a relationship with their listeners unique in sports . they have to talk a lot , even when there 's not much going on down on the field , and the audience grows accustomed to , and comfortable with , their relaxed voices and their heard-but-not-seen personalities . and that 's just during routine games . at certain moments , radio broadcasts of ballgames can become part of the very fabric of a town -- the authentication of how sports can help define the meaning of community . how good can it get ? for a gold-standard example from the history of the sport and of the medium , listen to the kmox radio broadcast of stan musial 's final at-bat for the st. louis cardinals before his retirement . the date was september 29 , 1963 , at the old busch stadium in st. louis . on the play-by-play was harry caray , in the years before he moved to chicago to broadcast the white sox and then the cubs . some older residents of st. louis recall a television simulcast of caray 's call , but it is the kmox radio version that is indelible in their memories : ' here 's musial . listen to the crowd again . ' ( the roar is heard behind caray 's voice . ) a base hit would give the cardinals the lead . ' ( the noise sustains . ) first pitch . oh , what a cut he had , and he fouled it back . hey , he really had a swing at that one . ' ( the crowd begins to clap rhythmically in unison . ) ... ' the stretch by maloney . low curve . ' and then , unforgettably , from caray : take a good look , fans . ... take a good look . this might be the last time at bat in the major leagues . remember the stance ... and the swing . ' ( the rhythmic clapping in the stands grows more insistent . ) you 're not likely to see his likes again . ' the procession of the game : fast ball , low and away . ' and soon : the pitch to musial . ' ( caray 's voice rises to be heard above the mounting crowd noise . ) a hot shot on the ground into right field , a base hit ! ... the cardinals lead , one to nothing , listen to the crowd ! listen to the crowd ! let 's see , now ! manager johnny keane is talking to gary kolb . stan is at first base . he might be waiting for this applause on the hit to die down . ... they 'll tear the joint apart when he trots off the field . ... now listen . gary kolb is going to replace musial . ... there he goes ! the end of a great career . a standing ovation for musial . ... ' could being in the stands have been any more memorable than listening to that ? i remember talking once with a woman in her 80s . she was residing in an assisted-living facility ; her husband had died the year before , and the end of their lifetime of long conversations in the evenings had left a void . she told me that , even though she had never been much of a baseball fan , she found herself tuning in , each evening , to the strong-signal wlw radio out of cincinnati . for three hours , she said , she would listen to marty brennaman and joe nuxhall broadcast the reds'games . their voices -- reliable , unhurried -- became her companions . a part of life she could count on . take a good look , fans . ... take a good look . ' it 's possible , on summer nights , to see most clearly with your eyes closed . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene . | at times , play-by-play can reach heights , as in description of stan musial 's last at bat , greene says |
ernie banks <tsp> ( cnn ) a caretaker for baseball legend ernie banks coerced him into signing a new will before his death , leaving all his assets to her , the hall of famer 's family says . the renowned chicago cub died of a heart attack last month at age 83 . his death certificate cites dementia as a significant contributing factor to his death , cnn affiliate wgn reported . banks family attorney mark bogen said banks'agent , regina rice , had the octogenarian sign a new will three months before his death . our family thought that ms. rice was helping our father and watching over him while he was in chicago , ' son joey banks said in a statement from the attorney . however , we have learned that she had him sign a power of attorney , a health care directive and a will giving everything to ms . rice . ' another son , jerry banks , said he believes rice coerced his father when he was ill . he said that before his father 's sudden death , we spoke often to ms. rice because she made it difficult for us to speak directly to him . however , she purposefully never told us that while our father was ill , he signed documents giving her total control , ' jerry banks said . bogan said the family did n't know of the new will until after banks'funeral . we will vigorously fight and contest this will , ' the family attorney said . rice issued her own statement , saying she was carrying out banks'wishes . ernie was an intricate part of my life for over twelve ( 12 ) years . ernie trusted me to carry out his wishes , some during his lifetime and others after his life . he made me promise to adhere to his wishes and i am determined to do just that , ' rice said . it is understandable that ernie 's family is concerned at this very sad time . however , the record and those closest to ernie will dispel any iota of concern regarding my relationship with ernie and his trust in me to carrying out his wishes , ' she said . i will not participate in any verbal jousting with ernie 's family or do anything to bring negativity to the legacy of such a dear and honorable and extremely positive man . ernie would have hated that . ' banks started his career in the negro leagues , making $ 7 a day . he later joined the big leagues and became one of the greatest players of all time , ' cubs chairman tom ricketts said . words can not express how important ernie banks will always be to the chicago cubs , the city of chicago and major league baseball , ' ricketts said after banks'death . he was a pioneer in the major leagues . and more importantly , he was the warmest and most sincere person i 've ever known . ' six years after his last at-bat , banks was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1977 . and in 2013 , barack obama awarded him the presidential medal of freedom -- the nation 's highest civilian honor . cnn 's greg botelho contributed to this report . | ernie banks'caretaker did n't tell the family she had him sign a new will , his sons say |
olympics <tsp> another suspected suicide bombing struck the southern russian city of volgograd on monday , killing at least 14 people and further highlighting russia 's security challenges as it prepares to host the winter olympics in less than six weeks . the explosion hit a trolleybus near a busy market during the morning rush hour , a day after a blast at volgograd 's main train station killed 17 people and wounded at least 35 . vladmir markin , a spokesman for the country 's federal investigation agency , told the state-run news agency ria novosti that both explosions were terrorist attacks . this strike , which was cynically planned for the period of preparations for new year 's celebrations , is one more attempt by terrorists to open a domestic front , sow panic and chaos , and trigger religious strife and conflicts in russian society , ' said a statement monday by russia 's foreign affairs ministry . we will not back down and will continue our tough and consistent offensive ' against terrorists , the ministry 's statement said , adding that such an enemy can only be stopped by joint efforts ' involving the international community . the approaching olympics no one claimed responsibility for the volgograd blasts , but they occurred several months after the leader of a chechen separatist group pledged violence to disrupt the 2014 sochi winter olympics that begin on february 7. international olympic committee president thomas bach condemned the bombings as a despicable attack on innocent people . the entire international movement joins me in utterly condemning this cowardly act , ' bach said in a statement , adding that he wrote russian president vladimir putin to express condolences as well as our confidence in the russian authorities to deliver safe and secure games in sochi . ' meanwhile , the united states offered its full support to the russian government in security preparations for the sochi olympic games , ' national security council spokeswoman caitlin hayden said in a statement . we would welcome the opportunity for closer cooperation for the safety of the athletes , spectators , and other participants , ' hayden said . volgograd is a major rail hub in southern russia and a main transit point for people traveling by train to sochi on the black sea , just over 400 miles ( 645 kilometers ) to the southwest . each day , thousands of passengers use the station in the city once called stalingrad . two blasts in two days video footage from the scene monday showed the twisted shell of a blue trolleybus , with debris spread around it . the impact of the blast blew out the roof of the bus , as well as windows of several nearby houses . at least 28 people were reported to be wounded , with several in serious condition , including one 6-month-old child , ria novosti reported . based on the footage , the blast appeared to have occurred in the back half of the bus . the federal investigation agency said it believes the explosion was set off by a male suicide bomber . investigators said the train station blast sunday also appeared to have been caused by a suicide bomber . markin told ria novosti that dna testing will be carried out on the remains of the station bomber , who used the equivalent of 22 pounds ( 10 kilograms ) of tnt in a device containing shrapnel . investigators said they also found an unexploded grenade at the scene . video taken from an outside security camera showed a huge fireball inside what appears to be the main entrance of the three-story stone building , followed by a steady trail of smoke coming out of shattered windows . russia 's security challenge in july , doku umarov , the leader of the chechen group caucasus emirate , released a video statement in which he vowed to unleash maximum force ' to disrupt the games at sochi . the u.s. state department considers the caucasus emirate a foreign terrorist group and has authorized a reward of up to $ 5 million for information leading to the location of umarov . the state department said umarov organized a suicide bombing outside the chechen interior ministry in may 2009 . his group also claimed responsibility for the 2011 bombing of domodedovo airport in moscow that killed 36 people , the 2010 bombings of the moscow subway that killed 40 and the 2009 bombing of the high-speed nevsky express train in which 28 people died . in october , a bomber blew up a passenger bus in volgograd , killing six people and wounding more than 30 others . russian media reported that a female islamist suicide bomber from the russian region of dagestan was responsible for that attack . most of the militants responsible for terrorist attacks in russia over the last decade -- including female suicide bombers who have taken part in 20 attacks claiming at least 780 lives since june 2000 -- have come from dagestan , ' ria novosti reported monday . the two young men behind the boston marathon bombings lived briefly in dagestan before coming to the united states , and one of them visited the area the year before the attack . radical islamist groups tied to the war against the russian state now have much deeper roots , and are far more active , in dagestan than in chechnya , ' rajan menon , senior fellow at the atlantic council , wrote in a cnn.com column . what might be behind the attacks ? putin has maintained that the sochi games will be safe and security will be tight . visitors to sochi and the surrounding area are subjected to rigorous security checks , and vehicle license plates are monitored . this will probably be one of the most difficult olympics to actually go as a spectator and watch the games because of the myriad layers of security , ' republican rep. michael grimm of new york told cnn on monday . other parts of russia however , the volgograd explosions showed the challenge that russian authorities face in policing the rest of the country amid ongoing unrest in the north caucasus . that region includes chechnya , where russia fought two wars against separatist movements , and dagestan . with tight security around sochi itself , terrorists are believed to be focusing on other parts of the north caucasus and southern russia . ria novosti reported a car bomb killed three people on friday in pyatigorsk in southern russia , about 160 miles ( 270 kilometers ) east of sochi . rarely do you actually have a terrorist group come out and say ,'we 're going to try and disrupt these games ,'' cnn national security analyst fran townsend said monday . when al qaeda-related affinity groups make these sort of statements , you 've got to take them at their word . ' the fact that the bombers are targeting transportation is not lost on olympic committee organizers and security officials , ' she added . athletes are most vulnerable ' when moving between the olympic village and the sites of their events , she said . townsend , who coordinated with greek officials before the olympics in athens in 2004 , said security officials all over the world will be asking russia for detailed information about these attacks , including whether there were any indications or warnings . they 'll also ask about what information russian intelligence has on the capabilities of terrorist groups to pull off further attacks . | u.s. legislator says spectators will face tight olympics security |
olympics <tsp> another suspected suicide bombing struck the southern russian city of volgograd on monday , killing at least 14 people and further highlighting russia 's security challenges as it prepares to host the winter olympics in less than six weeks . the explosion hit a trolleybus near a busy market during the morning rush hour , a day after a blast at volgograd 's main train station killed 17 people and wounded at least 35 . vladmir markin , a spokesman for the country 's federal investigation agency , told the state-run news agency ria novosti that both explosions were terrorist attacks . this strike , which was cynically planned for the period of preparations for new year 's celebrations , is one more attempt by terrorists to open a domestic front , sow panic and chaos , and trigger religious strife and conflicts in russian society , ' said a statement monday by russia 's foreign affairs ministry . we will not back down and will continue our tough and consistent offensive ' against terrorists , the ministry 's statement said , adding that such an enemy can only be stopped by joint efforts ' involving the international community . the approaching olympics no one claimed responsibility for the volgograd blasts , but they occurred several months after the leader of a chechen separatist group pledged violence to disrupt the 2014 sochi winter olympics that begin on february 7. international olympic committee president thomas bach condemned the bombings as a despicable attack on innocent people . the entire international movement joins me in utterly condemning this cowardly act , ' bach said in a statement , adding that he wrote russian president vladimir putin to express condolences as well as our confidence in the russian authorities to deliver safe and secure games in sochi . ' meanwhile , the united states offered its full support to the russian government in security preparations for the sochi olympic games , ' national security council spokeswoman caitlin hayden said in a statement . we would welcome the opportunity for closer cooperation for the safety of the athletes , spectators , and other participants , ' hayden said . volgograd is a major rail hub in southern russia and a main transit point for people traveling by train to sochi on the black sea , just over 400 miles ( 645 kilometers ) to the southwest . each day , thousands of passengers use the station in the city once called stalingrad . two blasts in two days video footage from the scene monday showed the twisted shell of a blue trolleybus , with debris spread around it . the impact of the blast blew out the roof of the bus , as well as windows of several nearby houses . at least 28 people were reported to be wounded , with several in serious condition , including one 6-month-old child , ria novosti reported . based on the footage , the blast appeared to have occurred in the back half of the bus . the federal investigation agency said it believes the explosion was set off by a male suicide bomber . investigators said the train station blast sunday also appeared to have been caused by a suicide bomber . markin told ria novosti that dna testing will be carried out on the remains of the station bomber , who used the equivalent of 22 pounds ( 10 kilograms ) of tnt in a device containing shrapnel . investigators said they also found an unexploded grenade at the scene . video taken from an outside security camera showed a huge fireball inside what appears to be the main entrance of the three-story stone building , followed by a steady trail of smoke coming out of shattered windows . russia 's security challenge in july , doku umarov , the leader of the chechen group caucasus emirate , released a video statement in which he vowed to unleash maximum force ' to disrupt the games at sochi . the u.s. state department considers the caucasus emirate a foreign terrorist group and has authorized a reward of up to $ 5 million for information leading to the location of umarov . the state department said umarov organized a suicide bombing outside the chechen interior ministry in may 2009 . his group also claimed responsibility for the 2011 bombing of domodedovo airport in moscow that killed 36 people , the 2010 bombings of the moscow subway that killed 40 and the 2009 bombing of the high-speed nevsky express train in which 28 people died . in october , a bomber blew up a passenger bus in volgograd , killing six people and wounding more than 30 others . russian media reported that a female islamist suicide bomber from the russian region of dagestan was responsible for that attack . most of the militants responsible for terrorist attacks in russia over the last decade -- including female suicide bombers who have taken part in 20 attacks claiming at least 780 lives since june 2000 -- have come from dagestan , ' ria novosti reported monday . the two young men behind the boston marathon bombings lived briefly in dagestan before coming to the united states , and one of them visited the area the year before the attack . radical islamist groups tied to the war against the russian state now have much deeper roots , and are far more active , in dagestan than in chechnya , ' rajan menon , senior fellow at the atlantic council , wrote in a cnn.com column . what might be behind the attacks ? putin has maintained that the sochi games will be safe and security will be tight . visitors to sochi and the surrounding area are subjected to rigorous security checks , and vehicle license plates are monitored . this will probably be one of the most difficult olympics to actually go as a spectator and watch the games because of the myriad layers of security , ' republican rep. michael grimm of new york told cnn on monday . other parts of russia however , the volgograd explosions showed the challenge that russian authorities face in policing the rest of the country amid ongoing unrest in the north caucasus . that region includes chechnya , where russia fought two wars against separatist movements , and dagestan . with tight security around sochi itself , terrorists are believed to be focusing on other parts of the north caucasus and southern russia . ria novosti reported a car bomb killed three people on friday in pyatigorsk in southern russia , about 160 miles ( 270 kilometers ) east of sochi . rarely do you actually have a terrorist group come out and say ,'we 're going to try and disrupt these games ,'' cnn national security analyst fran townsend said monday . when al qaeda-related affinity groups make these sort of statements , you 've got to take them at their word . ' the fact that the bombers are targeting transportation is not lost on olympic committee organizers and security officials , ' she added . athletes are most vulnerable ' when moving between the olympic village and the sites of their events , she said . townsend , who coordinated with greek officials before the olympics in athens in 2004 , said security officials all over the world will be asking russia for detailed information about these attacks , including whether there were any indications or warnings . they 'll also ask about what information russian intelligence has on the capabilities of terrorist groups to pull off further attacks . | the attacks raised concerns about security at the olympics in february |
pyongyang <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea accused the united states and south korea of sending spy planes on about 200 missions near the isolated communist nation ahead of a north korea rocket launch scheduled for early april . pyongyang claims reconnaissance aircraft , including the high-altitude u-2 spy plane , have flown spy missions . the u.s. imperialists and the south korean puppet military warmongers perpetrated intensive aerial espionage against the dprk ( north korea ) in march by massively mobilizing strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes with various missions , ' a military source said , according to a report from north korea 's state-run news service , kcna , on tuesday . pyongyang said the united states committed 110 cases of aerial espionage and the south korean puppet forces at least 80 cases , ' during march , kcna reported . the source said the missions utilized six types of reconnaissance aircraft , including the high-altitude u-2 spy plane . the u.s. imperialist warmongers had better bear in mind that ... spy planes perpetrating espionage against the dprk are within the range of its strikes . ' the pentagon was not immediately available to comment on the story . the north korean government says it will launch a commercial satellite atop a rocket sometime between april 4 and april 8 . satellite imagery taken on sunday appears to show a rocket at the musudan-ri launch site in northeastern north korea . u.s. defense secretary robert gates said sunday there is little doubt that the planned rocket launch is designed to bolster north korea 's military capability . he also indicated that the u.s. military could be prepared to shoot down a north korean missile if the rogue regime develops the capability to reach hawaii or the western continental united states in a future launch . watch analysis of pyongyang 's planned rocket launch » both the united states and japan have mobilized missile defense systems ahead of the launch . north korea has threatened to start a war if japan were to shoot down its rocket . tokyo said the move is aimed at shooting down any debris from the launch that might fall into japanese territory . u.s. navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles have been moved to the sea of japan , a navy spokesman said . the united states generally has a number of ships equipped with powerful aegis radar in the sea of japan because of north korean threats to launch rockets . the ships are designed to track and , if needed , shoot down ballistic missiles . the united states has no plans to shoot down the north korean rocket , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton said last week , but will raise the issue with the u.n. security council if pyongyang carries out a launch . | pyongyang warned that spy planes are within the range of its strikes |
melbourne stars <tsp> ( cnn ) -- legendary india batsman sachin tendulkar created yet another piece of cricket history on tuesday , becoming the first player to score 15,000 test match runs . tendulkar reached the milestone with a single on day three of the first test between india and west indies in delhi . the right-hander , known as the little master ' , finished the day 33 not out on 15,005 career runs . after making his debut for india against pakistan in november 1989 , tendulkar became test cricket 's leading run-scorer in 2008 when he surpassed west indies'batsman brian lara 's total of 11,953 . the 38-year-old will be hoping to pass another landmark figure in the final two days of the delhi contest and become the first player to score 100 centuries in international cricket . the mumbai native scored his 99th international 100 against south africa at this year 's world cup , which hosts india won for the second time in the tournament 's 36-year history . india finished day three on 152-2 , needing 124 runs to overhaul the west indies'two-innings total of 484 and clinch victory in the opening match of the three-test series . debutant ravichandran ashwin was the host 's star performer , taking six wickets for 47 runs to match the second-best performance from an indian bowler in their debut test match . india will resume on wednesday with tendulkar at the crease alongside rahul dravid , who is the second-highest run-scorer in the history on test cricket on 12,859 . meanwhile , another cricket legend announced his return to the sport on tuesday , with former australian spin-bowler shane warne coming out of retirement to play in the country 's twenty20 league . warne took 708 test wickets during a 15-year career before initially retiring from cricket in 2007 , only to return to play for the rajasthan royals in the indian premier league ( ipl ) in 2008 . sri lanka 's muttiah muralitharan is the only bowler to have taken more test wickets than warne with 800 . warne will play for the melbourne stars in the eight-team big bash league which is set to get underway next month . this is something that i 'm passionate about , it 's something that i think is unique to australian cricket , it 's city-based cricket teams , it 's something new and that 's what sort of enticed me , ' the 42-year-old told cricket australia 's website . more to get involved with cricket australia , to put something back into the game , to help out whitey ( stars captain cameron white ) , shippy ( stars coach greg shipperd ) , all the young kids that are there to pass on my knowledge to them . ' the right-armer also denied his return to the game was motivated by money . it 's got nothing to do with money , ' insisted warne . if it was something to do with money about me coming out to play cricket i 'd still be playing in the ipl . ' stars president eddie mcguire revealed the melbourne cricket ground-based team had initially approached warne to make two guest appearances for the side , before he agreed to play for the whole campaign . this was sincere , ' said mcguire . we were happy to pay the money for two games and we 're very happy to pay for the full eight ( matches ) . ' warne will make his first appearance for melbourne against sydney thunder on december 17 . | australian shane warne comes out of retirement to play twenty20 for melbourne stars |
uae <tsp> dubai , united arab emirates ( cnn ) -- the british foreign office has warned its nationals -- traveling to or living in the united arab emirates -- about the increased threat of a terrorist attack . in 2006 over one million britons visited the united arab emirates , according to the uk foreign office . the alert , posted on its web site , urged britons in the oil-rich gulf kingdom to be vigilant -- especially in public places -- because of a high threat of terrorism . ' the uae is among the most moderate gulf states and is home to thousands of expatriates . we believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae , ' the foreign office statement read . attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time , including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds , military , oil , transport and aviation interests . ' by monday , the u.s. state department had not issued any warnings about the uae . the uae , slightly smaller than the u.s. state of maine , is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the middle east -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world . according to the british foreign office , more than a million british visitors traveled to the uae in 2006 , while over 100,000 british nationals live there . the country is an ally in the united states' war on terror , ' and its ports host more u.s. navy ships than any port outside the u.s. , according to the u.s. state department . two of the attackers who took part in the september 11 , 2001 attacks on new york and washington came from the uae . and it was among a handful of countries that recognized the fundamentalist taliban regime before the september 11 attacks . | uae is a key ally in the united states' war on terror ' |
uae <tsp> dubai , united arab emirates ( cnn ) -- the british foreign office has warned its nationals -- traveling to or living in the united arab emirates -- about the increased threat of a terrorist attack . in 2006 over one million britons visited the united arab emirates , according to the uk foreign office . the alert , posted on its web site , urged britons in the oil-rich gulf kingdom to be vigilant -- especially in public places -- because of a high threat of terrorism . ' the uae is among the most moderate gulf states and is home to thousands of expatriates . we believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae , ' the foreign office statement read . attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time , including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds , military , oil , transport and aviation interests . ' by monday , the u.s. state department had not issued any warnings about the uae . the uae , slightly smaller than the u.s. state of maine , is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the middle east -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world . according to the british foreign office , more than a million british visitors traveled to the uae in 2006 , while over 100,000 british nationals live there . the country is an ally in the united states' war on terror , ' and its ports host more u.s. navy ships than any port outside the u.s. , according to the u.s. state department . two of the attackers who took part in the september 11 , 2001 attacks on new york and washington came from the uae . and it was among a handful of countries that recognized the fundamentalist taliban regime before the september 11 attacks . | u.s. state department has not issued any warnings about the uae |
uae <tsp> dubai , united arab emirates ( cnn ) -- the british foreign office has warned its nationals -- traveling to or living in the united arab emirates -- about the increased threat of a terrorist attack . in 2006 over one million britons visited the united arab emirates , according to the uk foreign office . the alert , posted on its web site , urged britons in the oil-rich gulf kingdom to be vigilant -- especially in public places -- because of a high threat of terrorism . ' the uae is among the most moderate gulf states and is home to thousands of expatriates . we believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae , ' the foreign office statement read . attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time , including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds , military , oil , transport and aviation interests . ' by monday , the u.s. state department had not issued any warnings about the uae . the uae , slightly smaller than the u.s. state of maine , is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the middle east -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world . according to the british foreign office , more than a million british visitors traveled to the uae in 2006 , while over 100,000 british nationals live there . the country is an ally in the united states' war on terror , ' and its ports host more u.s. navy ships than any port outside the u.s. , according to the u.s. state department . two of the attackers who took part in the september 11 , 2001 attacks on new york and washington came from the uae . and it was among a handful of countries that recognized the fundamentalist taliban regime before the september 11 attacks . | uk foreign office : terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae |
nra <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in a meeting rife with angry and emotional exchanges , the senate judiciary committee on thursday approved a new ban on semiautomatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons . the measure now goes to the full senate for consideration as part of a package of gun measures prompted by a connecticut school massacre last december that killed 20 first graders . however , the proposed ban has little chance of becoming law due to fierce opposition by the national rifle association and a certain gop filibuster . even supporters acknowledged the difficulty ahead in passing an updated version of a similar ban that became law in 1994 and expired without congressional re-authorization a decade letter . democratic sen. sheldon whitehouse of rhode island said he doubted whether the new prohibition could get the 60 votes needed for passage . instead , whitehouse called for breaking off a provision that would limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds , saying he believed it could win senate approval as a separate measure . sponsored by sen. dianne feinstein , d-california , the proposed ban won approval from the judiciary committee on a party-line vote with 10 democrats supporting it and eight republicans opposed . the panel previously approved other proposals that would expand background checks on all gun sales and enact tougher laws against firearms trafficking and straw purchases . analysts believe those have a better chance of clearing the senate . heated debate by committee members on thursday showed the partisan divide over gun legislation , as well as the challenge supporters face in getting any substantive measures through congress . at one point , feinstein and chairman pat leahy , d-vermont , reacted sharply to remarks by freshman sen. ted cruz , r-texas , about the need for the committee to legislate based on facts and the constitution instead of passion over the gun issue ignited by the newtown , connecticut , killings . when cruz asked if feinstein believed the first amendment also could be limited in the same way he contended the proposed ban would limit the second amendment right to bear arms , she shot back : i 'm not a sixth grader . ' noting her 20 years on the committee and experience as mayor of san francisco , she said in a rising voice how she had seen bodies that have been shot with these weapons , ' adding that the schoolchildren killed in newtown were dismembered ' by the bullets . i 've studied the constitution myself . i am reasonably well-educated and i thank you for the lecture , ' she continued , noting her bill exempts 2,271 weapons from the ban . is n't that enough for the people in the united states ? do they need a bazooka ? do they need other high-powered weapons that military people use to kill in close combat ? i do n't think so , ' she said . she concluded by telling cruz that i come from a different place than you do . i respect your views . i ask you to respect my views . ' cruz and other republicans on the committee contended that feinstein 's proposal would prevent law-abiding gun owners from possessing weapons of choice , while criminals would still be able to get them to leave people unable to properly defend themselves . why would you deny for defensive purposes otherwise law-abiding citizens to be able to use an equivalent firepower to defend themselves ? ' argued sen. john cornyn , r-texas . it 's not much satisfaction to say that criminals are gon na have access to the whole range of weapons that they will have access to because they do n't care about the laws that are passed . and we 're gon na give the american citizen a pea shooter to defend themselves with . ' president barack obama called for the legislative steps in response to the massacre in newtown by a lone gunman armed with an assault weapon that jolted the nation . the senate panel passed versions of much of the package obama proposed , but republicans made their opposition clear . now the full senate and the house need to vote on this bill , as well as the measures advanced in the past week , ' obama said in a statement on thursday . one measure by democratic sen. chuck schumer of new york would mandate background checks for all gun sales , including private transactions . it would also require increased cooperation by states with the fbi 's national instant criminal background check system ( nics ) and would prohibit people deemed by the courts as unfit to own guns from obtaining them . cornyn said thursday that he would propose amendments to schumer 's bill on the senate floor , and he also mentioned that a bipartisan substitute to the measure could be offered . the nra has said increased checks are nothing more than an attempt to create a national gun registry , a move the group vehemently opposes . leahy challenged such assertions on thursday , saying in a toughly worded final statement that opponents of gun legislation should stop spreading false information about the panel 's proposals . second amendment rights are not at risk , ' he said . let 's not put an issue out here that 's not out here . but lives are at risk . ' reflecting on his decades on the panel , leahy called for members of both parties to come together to become a safer and more secure society . ' we do not need false charges about gun registries and gun registration to scare people when no such thing is being proposed or will be proposed , ' he said . another measure approved by the panel earlier this week would establish a framework for the department of education to set safety guidelines aimed at protecting schools from gun violence . cnn 's todd sperry contributed to this report . | it is expected to eventually be defeated because of nra opposition |
senate <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in a meeting rife with angry and emotional exchanges , the senate judiciary committee on thursday approved a new ban on semiautomatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons . the measure now goes to the full senate for consideration as part of a package of gun measures prompted by a connecticut school massacre last december that killed 20 first graders . however , the proposed ban has little chance of becoming law due to fierce opposition by the national rifle association and a certain gop filibuster . even supporters acknowledged the difficulty ahead in passing an updated version of a similar ban that became law in 1994 and expired without congressional re-authorization a decade letter . democratic sen. sheldon whitehouse of rhode island said he doubted whether the new prohibition could get the 60 votes needed for passage . instead , whitehouse called for breaking off a provision that would limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds , saying he believed it could win senate approval as a separate measure . sponsored by sen. dianne feinstein , d-california , the proposed ban won approval from the judiciary committee on a party-line vote with 10 democrats supporting it and eight republicans opposed . the panel previously approved other proposals that would expand background checks on all gun sales and enact tougher laws against firearms trafficking and straw purchases . analysts believe those have a better chance of clearing the senate . heated debate by committee members on thursday showed the partisan divide over gun legislation , as well as the challenge supporters face in getting any substantive measures through congress . at one point , feinstein and chairman pat leahy , d-vermont , reacted sharply to remarks by freshman sen. ted cruz , r-texas , about the need for the committee to legislate based on facts and the constitution instead of passion over the gun issue ignited by the newtown , connecticut , killings . when cruz asked if feinstein believed the first amendment also could be limited in the same way he contended the proposed ban would limit the second amendment right to bear arms , she shot back : i 'm not a sixth grader . ' noting her 20 years on the committee and experience as mayor of san francisco , she said in a rising voice how she had seen bodies that have been shot with these weapons , ' adding that the schoolchildren killed in newtown were dismembered ' by the bullets . i 've studied the constitution myself . i am reasonably well-educated and i thank you for the lecture , ' she continued , noting her bill exempts 2,271 weapons from the ban . is n't that enough for the people in the united states ? do they need a bazooka ? do they need other high-powered weapons that military people use to kill in close combat ? i do n't think so , ' she said . she concluded by telling cruz that i come from a different place than you do . i respect your views . i ask you to respect my views . ' cruz and other republicans on the committee contended that feinstein 's proposal would prevent law-abiding gun owners from possessing weapons of choice , while criminals would still be able to get them to leave people unable to properly defend themselves . why would you deny for defensive purposes otherwise law-abiding citizens to be able to use an equivalent firepower to defend themselves ? ' argued sen. john cornyn , r-texas . it 's not much satisfaction to say that criminals are gon na have access to the whole range of weapons that they will have access to because they do n't care about the laws that are passed . and we 're gon na give the american citizen a pea shooter to defend themselves with . ' president barack obama called for the legislative steps in response to the massacre in newtown by a lone gunman armed with an assault weapon that jolted the nation . the senate panel passed versions of much of the package obama proposed , but republicans made their opposition clear . now the full senate and the house need to vote on this bill , as well as the measures advanced in the past week , ' obama said in a statement on thursday . one measure by democratic sen. chuck schumer of new york would mandate background checks for all gun sales , including private transactions . it would also require increased cooperation by states with the fbi 's national instant criminal background check system ( nics ) and would prohibit people deemed by the courts as unfit to own guns from obtaining them . cornyn said thursday that he would propose amendments to schumer 's bill on the senate floor , and he also mentioned that a bipartisan substitute to the measure could be offered . the nra has said increased checks are nothing more than an attempt to create a national gun registry , a move the group vehemently opposes . leahy challenged such assertions on thursday , saying in a toughly worded final statement that opponents of gun legislation should stop spreading false information about the panel 's proposals . second amendment rights are not at risk , ' he said . let 's not put an issue out here that 's not out here . but lives are at risk . ' reflecting on his decades on the panel , leahy called for members of both parties to come together to become a safer and more secure society . ' we do not need false charges about gun registries and gun registration to scare people when no such thing is being proposed or will be proposed , ' he said . another measure approved by the panel earlier this week would establish a framework for the department of education to set safety guidelines aimed at protecting schools from gun violence . cnn 's todd sperry contributed to this report . | it now goes to the full senate for consideration |
senate <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in a meeting rife with angry and emotional exchanges , the senate judiciary committee on thursday approved a new ban on semiautomatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons . the measure now goes to the full senate for consideration as part of a package of gun measures prompted by a connecticut school massacre last december that killed 20 first graders . however , the proposed ban has little chance of becoming law due to fierce opposition by the national rifle association and a certain gop filibuster . even supporters acknowledged the difficulty ahead in passing an updated version of a similar ban that became law in 1994 and expired without congressional re-authorization a decade letter . democratic sen. sheldon whitehouse of rhode island said he doubted whether the new prohibition could get the 60 votes needed for passage . instead , whitehouse called for breaking off a provision that would limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds , saying he believed it could win senate approval as a separate measure . sponsored by sen. dianne feinstein , d-california , the proposed ban won approval from the judiciary committee on a party-line vote with 10 democrats supporting it and eight republicans opposed . the panel previously approved other proposals that would expand background checks on all gun sales and enact tougher laws against firearms trafficking and straw purchases . analysts believe those have a better chance of clearing the senate . heated debate by committee members on thursday showed the partisan divide over gun legislation , as well as the challenge supporters face in getting any substantive measures through congress . at one point , feinstein and chairman pat leahy , d-vermont , reacted sharply to remarks by freshman sen. ted cruz , r-texas , about the need for the committee to legislate based on facts and the constitution instead of passion over the gun issue ignited by the newtown , connecticut , killings . when cruz asked if feinstein believed the first amendment also could be limited in the same way he contended the proposed ban would limit the second amendment right to bear arms , she shot back : i 'm not a sixth grader . ' noting her 20 years on the committee and experience as mayor of san francisco , she said in a rising voice how she had seen bodies that have been shot with these weapons , ' adding that the schoolchildren killed in newtown were dismembered ' by the bullets . i 've studied the constitution myself . i am reasonably well-educated and i thank you for the lecture , ' she continued , noting her bill exempts 2,271 weapons from the ban . is n't that enough for the people in the united states ? do they need a bazooka ? do they need other high-powered weapons that military people use to kill in close combat ? i do n't think so , ' she said . she concluded by telling cruz that i come from a different place than you do . i respect your views . i ask you to respect my views . ' cruz and other republicans on the committee contended that feinstein 's proposal would prevent law-abiding gun owners from possessing weapons of choice , while criminals would still be able to get them to leave people unable to properly defend themselves . why would you deny for defensive purposes otherwise law-abiding citizens to be able to use an equivalent firepower to defend themselves ? ' argued sen. john cornyn , r-texas . it 's not much satisfaction to say that criminals are gon na have access to the whole range of weapons that they will have access to because they do n't care about the laws that are passed . and we 're gon na give the american citizen a pea shooter to defend themselves with . ' president barack obama called for the legislative steps in response to the massacre in newtown by a lone gunman armed with an assault weapon that jolted the nation . the senate panel passed versions of much of the package obama proposed , but republicans made their opposition clear . now the full senate and the house need to vote on this bill , as well as the measures advanced in the past week , ' obama said in a statement on thursday . one measure by democratic sen. chuck schumer of new york would mandate background checks for all gun sales , including private transactions . it would also require increased cooperation by states with the fbi 's national instant criminal background check system ( nics ) and would prohibit people deemed by the courts as unfit to own guns from obtaining them . cornyn said thursday that he would propose amendments to schumer 's bill on the senate floor , and he also mentioned that a bipartisan substitute to the measure could be offered . the nra has said increased checks are nothing more than an attempt to create a national gun registry , a move the group vehemently opposes . leahy challenged such assertions on thursday , saying in a toughly worded final statement that opponents of gun legislation should stop spreading false information about the panel 's proposals . second amendment rights are not at risk , ' he said . let 's not put an issue out here that 's not out here . but lives are at risk . ' reflecting on his decades on the panel , leahy called for members of both parties to come together to become a safer and more secure society . ' we do not need false charges about gun registries and gun registration to scare people when no such thing is being proposed or will be proposed , ' he said . another measure approved by the panel earlier this week would establish a framework for the department of education to set safety guidelines aimed at protecting schools from gun violence . cnn 's todd sperry contributed to this report . | new : president obama urges the house and senate to vote on gun measures |
senate <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in a meeting rife with angry and emotional exchanges , the senate judiciary committee on thursday approved a new ban on semiautomatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons . the measure now goes to the full senate for consideration as part of a package of gun measures prompted by a connecticut school massacre last december that killed 20 first graders . however , the proposed ban has little chance of becoming law due to fierce opposition by the national rifle association and a certain gop filibuster . even supporters acknowledged the difficulty ahead in passing an updated version of a similar ban that became law in 1994 and expired without congressional re-authorization a decade letter . democratic sen. sheldon whitehouse of rhode island said he doubted whether the new prohibition could get the 60 votes needed for passage . instead , whitehouse called for breaking off a provision that would limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds , saying he believed it could win senate approval as a separate measure . sponsored by sen. dianne feinstein , d-california , the proposed ban won approval from the judiciary committee on a party-line vote with 10 democrats supporting it and eight republicans opposed . the panel previously approved other proposals that would expand background checks on all gun sales and enact tougher laws against firearms trafficking and straw purchases . analysts believe those have a better chance of clearing the senate . heated debate by committee members on thursday showed the partisan divide over gun legislation , as well as the challenge supporters face in getting any substantive measures through congress . at one point , feinstein and chairman pat leahy , d-vermont , reacted sharply to remarks by freshman sen. ted cruz , r-texas , about the need for the committee to legislate based on facts and the constitution instead of passion over the gun issue ignited by the newtown , connecticut , killings . when cruz asked if feinstein believed the first amendment also could be limited in the same way he contended the proposed ban would limit the second amendment right to bear arms , she shot back : i 'm not a sixth grader . ' noting her 20 years on the committee and experience as mayor of san francisco , she said in a rising voice how she had seen bodies that have been shot with these weapons , ' adding that the schoolchildren killed in newtown were dismembered ' by the bullets . i 've studied the constitution myself . i am reasonably well-educated and i thank you for the lecture , ' she continued , noting her bill exempts 2,271 weapons from the ban . is n't that enough for the people in the united states ? do they need a bazooka ? do they need other high-powered weapons that military people use to kill in close combat ? i do n't think so , ' she said . she concluded by telling cruz that i come from a different place than you do . i respect your views . i ask you to respect my views . ' cruz and other republicans on the committee contended that feinstein 's proposal would prevent law-abiding gun owners from possessing weapons of choice , while criminals would still be able to get them to leave people unable to properly defend themselves . why would you deny for defensive purposes otherwise law-abiding citizens to be able to use an equivalent firepower to defend themselves ? ' argued sen. john cornyn , r-texas . it 's not much satisfaction to say that criminals are gon na have access to the whole range of weapons that they will have access to because they do n't care about the laws that are passed . and we 're gon na give the american citizen a pea shooter to defend themselves with . ' president barack obama called for the legislative steps in response to the massacre in newtown by a lone gunman armed with an assault weapon that jolted the nation . the senate panel passed versions of much of the package obama proposed , but republicans made their opposition clear . now the full senate and the house need to vote on this bill , as well as the measures advanced in the past week , ' obama said in a statement on thursday . one measure by democratic sen. chuck schumer of new york would mandate background checks for all gun sales , including private transactions . it would also require increased cooperation by states with the fbi 's national instant criminal background check system ( nics ) and would prohibit people deemed by the courts as unfit to own guns from obtaining them . cornyn said thursday that he would propose amendments to schumer 's bill on the senate floor , and he also mentioned that a bipartisan substitute to the measure could be offered . the nra has said increased checks are nothing more than an attempt to create a national gun registry , a move the group vehemently opposes . leahy challenged such assertions on thursday , saying in a toughly worded final statement that opponents of gun legislation should stop spreading false information about the panel 's proposals . second amendment rights are not at risk , ' he said . let 's not put an issue out here that 's not out here . but lives are at risk . ' reflecting on his decades on the panel , leahy called for members of both parties to come together to become a safer and more secure society . ' we do not need false charges about gun registries and gun registration to scare people when no such thing is being proposed or will be proposed , ' he said . another measure approved by the panel earlier this week would establish a framework for the department of education to set safety guidelines aimed at protecting schools from gun violence . cnn 's todd sperry contributed to this report . | the senate judiciary committee approves a new assault weapons ban on a party-line vote |
scotland <tsp> ( cnn ) -- once labeled the richest football club in britain , scottish champions glasgow rangers are now on the brink of extinction . the club that boasts a record 54 league titles and 60 domestic cups since being formed in 1872 has sunk to the lowest ebb of its illustrious 140-year history . already in administration and with a potential tax bill of $ 118 million , the genuine prospect exists that rangers -- one half of the old firm rivalry with glasgow neighbors celtic -- could be about to fold , inflicting irreversible damage on the scottish premier league . so if a football club with as proud a history as rangers can come so close to the precipice , how likely is it that the disease of financial mismanagement will claim other high-profile scalps across europe ? football 's rising costs according to football finance expert simon chadwick , many clubs on the continent are similarly stretched as they grapple with soaring wages and transfer fees -- and a failure to make the most from their assets . chadwick , a professor of sport business strategy at the uk 's university of coventry , says the next five years could be critical in shaping the long-term future of football in europe , as cash-rich clubs in russia , china and the middle east compete for the globe 's best players . there are two common elements to what is happening in europe , ' he told cnn . the first one is revenue generation . a lot of clubs simply do n't have a notion of the ways in which they could alternatively generate revenue other than tickets sales . the other element is cost control , and obviously that relates to player transfer fees and wage costs . if there was moderation in the industry generally , if salary costs and transfer fees could be moderated in some way , that would ease clubs'financial problems . increasingly you 've got clubs in china , in russia and in some parts of the middle east that are paying huge transfer fees and huge wages . in many ways it 's very difficult for clubs to control their costs because many of the mechanisms are outside their control . ' driven by debt chadwick 's assessment of the general health of europe 's clubs is bleak , with teams in italy , spain , belgium , holland , portugal and even germany -- the one league held up as a beacon of financial integrity -- struggling . even two of the biggest clubs on the continent , spanish duo barcelona and real madrid , who drive huge wealth and success , are operating on a huge debt base . whilst barca and real are massive revenue-generating entities , their costs are very high , ' chadwick said . the most obvious elements are transfer fees and salaries . as a consequence of that , if you look at the two of the biggest three club debtors in the world they are barcelona and real madrid . outside barcelona and real there is no conception of the need to manage their organizations better , to manage their businesses better or commercialize in any way . in terms of revenue generation and cost control , a lot of spanish clubs are operating in the dark ages . ' the german bundesliga is renowned as being a model competition , where the football fan is king . supporters retain a majority stake in their club , tickets prices are affordable , wealth is distributed far more equally than in other leagues and wages are kept under control . chasing champions league cash but chadwick points to the example of schalke , a club that finished in the top three in germany four times in the past seven years but is now grappling with the debts incurred through building a new stadium . the royal blues are desperately hoping that qualification this year for europe 's top club competition , the champions league , will prove a timely boon to their bank balance . schalke is in a very precarious financial position but many people say german football is a role model for financial propriety and good management -- it 's not . there are problems all over europe , ' chadwick said . he sees dutch outfit feyenoord , regarded as one of the netherlands'big three sides alongside psv eindhoven and ajax , as a club facing a typical , modern-day predicament . feyenoord are in a much more precarious position than psv and ajax for the simple reason that they are not qualifying for europe and yet they are still very ambitious , ' chadwick said . the big challenge for feyenoord is to go for champions league football and get it really soon , otherwise their business model is not sustainable . then they will have to develop a business model that is consistent with being a solvent member of the eredivisie , but basically mid-table plodders . ' a global power shift ? with european football at a crossroads , uefa 's new financial fair play ( ffp ) initiative could prove a masterstroke of timing . the rules , which aim to force clubs to live within their means , are introduced next year . ffp could be the moderating force in the labor market but one of the big issues is that the football labor market is no longer dominated by the europeans , it is now a global labor market , ' chadwick said . when you 've got the likes of ( former chelsea striker ) nicolas anelka on a reported $ 268,000 a week in china and samuel eto'o on reported $ 553,000 a week in russia , this is fueling the inflationary spiral . as we see in any market , resources flow to where the returns are greatest . i think we 're potentially on the cusp of a real shift in global power in football simply because clubs elsewhere in the world can afford to pay for the likes of anelka and eto'o . ' scottish giants in jeopardy should european clubs need any reminder as to what despair can emerge from chasing success on the field , they need only look at rangers . the glasgow team 's slide into administration relates to an unpaid tax bill of $ 14 million , incurred after businessman craig whyte bought the club in june 2010 , but they are also being pursued by the uk government , which says an astonishing $ 118 million is owed in back taxes . a tribunal is due to rule on the case this month , and if rangers lose , they could be wiped off the map forever . if rangers were to go into liquidation it would be absolutely unbelievable , ' scottish football expert graham spiers told cnn . i 've been writing about this story for the last 18 months and i still can not believe it . the club would probably be reborn in some kind of way , but just facing the fact that for a period in history rangers might cease to exist does seem unbelievable . ' a two-team league ? much of the interest aroused by the scottish premier league is based on the intense rivalry between rangers and glasgow neighbors celtic , a divide along sectarian lines that is famous around the globe . but officials at celtic , a club proud of its catholic and irish heritage , insist they feel no sympathy with their protestant bedfellows , and can continue to thrive even if the blue half of glasgow goes under . whether the league could is another matter , given that no club other than rangers or celtic has won the title since aberdeen 's triumph in 1984 . the thing scottish football does have is this brand called the old firm and whether you call it car crash television or not , everybody is attracted to it , ' spiers said . celtic fans are stupidly dancing on the grave of rangers , because celtic need rangers . celtic are greatly diminished if their great rivals disappear . if one of the old firm was taken out and shot at dawn it would greatly diminish the other half . ' at one stage this season , rangers led the league by 12 points . but a run of poor form , combined with the 10-point deduction incurred for falling into administration , means celtic are now 21 points clear and certainties for the title . ironically , the hoops could wrap up their 43rd league title at ibrox in the old firm clash on march 25 . | if rangers went under it could have dire repercussions in scotland , says journalist |
iphone 5 <tsp> usually a cause for techno-euphoria , apple 's iphone-a-palooza event on tuesday had an unintended and unlikely effect : it made some corners of the internet mad . let 's talk * new * iphone already ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ' the twitter celebrity @ ijustine wrote during the company 's much-hyped press conference , where it unveiled the iphone 4s -- a phone that looks just like its predecessor , but is faster and has a better camera . tim cook is talking too much . i just need to know if i have to put pants on and run to the apple store righhttt now , ' she wrote closer to the start of the event , referring to apple 's new ceo , who was panned by many online as dull compared to steve jobs . the collective reaction online : probably not . many observers seemed underwhelmed by tuesday 's apple news . here are five reasons why some people are calling the iphone 4s announcement a dud : the rumor mill bloggers have been gossiping about the details of the fifth-generation iphone literally since the iphone 4 was unveiled in june 2010 . in the process , they may have set some unrealistic expectations -- - including hopes that the phone would radically change , ' which it did n't . the iphone 4s looks exactly like the iphone 4 . for more on the rumors that did n't come to pass , check out gawker 's iphone 5 failboard . ' side note : al gore , an apple board member , made an apparently offhand comment that fueled speculation apple might announce not one but two iphones on tuesday . again , high expectations . the wait apple usually announces a new iphone in june . this year it waited until october , amid speculation that it was having trouble getting the parts it needed to manufacture the new version of the phone . those extra four months gave the aforementioned rumor mill a little more time to rev up . dull presentation this was the first center-stage presentation for tim cook , who replaced apple co-founder steve jobs as ceo on august 24 amid reports of jobs'ailing health . cook is notably less outgoing and charismatic than jobs , and the company 's presenters tuesday took their time getting to the meat of the event -- the iphone 4s announcement . that produced lots of chatter on twitter and elsewhere that the company had nothing significant to say . a day in the life of an iphone addict stocks also reacted bizarrely to the news , falling as much as 5 % before closing 0.5 % down for the day , cnnmoney reports . there 's nothing wrong with a company coming out with an incremental improvement , but with a big news conference comes the expectation of something big , ' jeff kagan , a technology analyst , told cnnmoney 's david goldman . this was n't big . ' the name when the iphone 3gs debuted in 2009 , critics were similarly unimpressed . maybe that has something to do with the name . many people expected apple to announce a completely redesigned iphone 5. iphone 4s sounds much more like a facelift of a current product -- which is fair because that 's what it is . it looks the same this is perhaps the biggest reason people are n't wowed by the iphone 4s : it has exactly the same shell as the iphone 4 . the rumor mill wanted to see a phone with a teardrop ' shaped back and a bigger screen . no such luck . all of the new features of the iphone 4s are essentially invisible : a faster processor , better camera and a humble virtual assistant ' called siri that operates on voice commands . for status seekers , what good is flashing your new iphone if it looks just like the old one ? | many people expected apple to announce a completely redesigned iphone 5 |
steve jobs <tsp> usually a cause for techno-euphoria , apple 's iphone-a-palooza event on tuesday had an unintended and unlikely effect : it made some corners of the internet mad . let 's talk * new * iphone already ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ' the twitter celebrity @ ijustine wrote during the company 's much-hyped press conference , where it unveiled the iphone 4s -- a phone that looks just like its predecessor , but is faster and has a better camera . tim cook is talking too much . i just need to know if i have to put pants on and run to the apple store righhttt now , ' she wrote closer to the start of the event , referring to apple 's new ceo , who was panned by many online as dull compared to steve jobs . the collective reaction online : probably not . many observers seemed underwhelmed by tuesday 's apple news . here are five reasons why some people are calling the iphone 4s announcement a dud : the rumor mill bloggers have been gossiping about the details of the fifth-generation iphone literally since the iphone 4 was unveiled in june 2010 . in the process , they may have set some unrealistic expectations -- - including hopes that the phone would radically change , ' which it did n't . the iphone 4s looks exactly like the iphone 4 . for more on the rumors that did n't come to pass , check out gawker 's iphone 5 failboard . ' side note : al gore , an apple board member , made an apparently offhand comment that fueled speculation apple might announce not one but two iphones on tuesday . again , high expectations . the wait apple usually announces a new iphone in june . this year it waited until october , amid speculation that it was having trouble getting the parts it needed to manufacture the new version of the phone . those extra four months gave the aforementioned rumor mill a little more time to rev up . dull presentation this was the first center-stage presentation for tim cook , who replaced apple co-founder steve jobs as ceo on august 24 amid reports of jobs'ailing health . cook is notably less outgoing and charismatic than jobs , and the company 's presenters tuesday took their time getting to the meat of the event -- the iphone 4s announcement . that produced lots of chatter on twitter and elsewhere that the company had nothing significant to say . a day in the life of an iphone addict stocks also reacted bizarrely to the news , falling as much as 5 % before closing 0.5 % down for the day , cnnmoney reports . there 's nothing wrong with a company coming out with an incremental improvement , but with a big news conference comes the expectation of something big , ' jeff kagan , a technology analyst , told cnnmoney 's david goldman . this was n't big . ' the name when the iphone 3gs debuted in 2009 , critics were similarly unimpressed . maybe that has something to do with the name . many people expected apple to announce a completely redesigned iphone 5. iphone 4s sounds much more like a facelift of a current product -- which is fair because that 's what it is . it looks the same this is perhaps the biggest reason people are n't wowed by the iphone 4s : it has exactly the same shell as the iphone 4 . the rumor mill wanted to see a phone with a teardrop ' shaped back and a bigger screen . no such luck . all of the new features of the iphone 4s are essentially invisible : a faster processor , better camera and a humble virtual assistant ' called siri that operates on voice commands . for status seekers , what good is flashing your new iphone if it looks just like the old one ? | this was first presentation for tim cook , who replaced steve jobs as ceo |
french open <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic wasted little time in breezing through to the second round of the french open with a straight sets victory over dutchman thiemo de bakker in paris monday . the victory extends djokovic 's remarkable winning streak since the start of the year to 38 , four short of the record held by john mcenroe from 1984 . djokovic 's overall winning run , taking in the end of last season , extends to 40 and if he claims the french open title he will tie guillermo villas for the all-time record of 46 . the serbian took just one hour 32 minutes to claim a 6-2 6-1 6-3 victory on the philipe chartrier court at roland garros , breaking his young opponent at will with another commanding display . djokovic will face either french wild card benoit paire or romania 's victor hanescu for a place in the last 32 . it 's my favorite grand slam , even though i have n't won it yet , ' djokovic told gathered reporters . i 've been playing really well on clay . i 've won three tournaments ( on clay ) in the last few weeks , so i 'm trying to build on that confidence , ' he added . djokovic won the opening grand slam of the season in australia and has claimed six other titles , including four masters events . roger federer joined djokovic in the second round after he dispatched spaniard feliciano lopez with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 victory in the next match on the main court . a single break of service in each of the first two sets put the swiss maestro in command and he closed out the deciding tiebreaker 7-3 to progress . federer and djokovic are on collision course for a semifinal meeting , but the danger in their portion of the draw may well lie with argentina 's juan martin del potro . the former u.s open champion won a tight battle with croat ivo karkovic to go through 6-7 6-3 7-5 6-4 after three and a half hours and he could meet djokovic in the third round . but sixth seed tomas berdych was a first day casualty , crashing out to 31-year-old frenchman stephane robert . berdych was broken in the 15th game of the fifth and deciding set as robert pulled off a stunning 3-6 3-6 6-2 6-2 9-7 victory . rafael nadal , under pressure from djokovic for the no.1 ranking , opens his bid for a sixth french open title tuesday against big-serving american john isner . | new : roger federer beats feliciano lopez in french open first round |
thiemo de bakker <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic wasted little time in breezing through to the second round of the french open with a straight sets victory over dutchman thiemo de bakker in paris monday . the victory extends djokovic 's remarkable winning streak since the start of the year to 38 , four short of the record held by john mcenroe from 1984 . djokovic 's overall winning run , taking in the end of last season , extends to 40 and if he claims the french open title he will tie guillermo villas for the all-time record of 46 . the serbian took just one hour 32 minutes to claim a 6-2 6-1 6-3 victory on the philipe chartrier court at roland garros , breaking his young opponent at will with another commanding display . djokovic will face either french wild card benoit paire or romania 's victor hanescu for a place in the last 32 . it 's my favorite grand slam , even though i have n't won it yet , ' djokovic told gathered reporters . i 've been playing really well on clay . i 've won three tournaments ( on clay ) in the last few weeks , so i 'm trying to build on that confidence , ' he added . djokovic won the opening grand slam of the season in australia and has claimed six other titles , including four masters events . roger federer joined djokovic in the second round after he dispatched spaniard feliciano lopez with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 victory in the next match on the main court . a single break of service in each of the first two sets put the swiss maestro in command and he closed out the deciding tiebreaker 7-3 to progress . federer and djokovic are on collision course for a semifinal meeting , but the danger in their portion of the draw may well lie with argentina 's juan martin del potro . the former u.s open champion won a tight battle with croat ivo karkovic to go through 6-7 6-3 7-5 6-4 after three and a half hours and he could meet djokovic in the third round . but sixth seed tomas berdych was a first day casualty , crashing out to 31-year-old frenchman stephane robert . berdych was broken in the 15th game of the fifth and deciding set as robert pulled off a stunning 3-6 3-6 6-2 6-2 9-7 victory . rafael nadal , under pressure from djokovic for the no.1 ranking , opens his bid for a sixth french open title tuesday against big-serving american john isner . | novak djokovic beats thiemo de bakker to extend 2011 winning streak to 38 |
nancy <tsp> ( cnn ) -- phillip garrido had a story to tell -- about how god helped him overcome the evil inside him . phillip garrido , a registered sex offender , was arraigned in california on friday . the campus at the university of california at berkeley was his pulpit , and he hoped his neighbors and customers of his printing business would become his flock . he wanted to share his story with anyone who would listen , including law enforcement . just days before he was arrested and an 18-year-old kidnap mystery was solved , garrido walked into an fbi office in san francisco , california , with a stack of documents . the purported writings were a two-part manifesto . first he discussed the origin of schizophrenia revealed . ' some who know him say garrido spoke of having schizophrenia and attention deficit disorder . in the second part of the documents , garrido detailed his struggle with sexual urges , in writings he titled stepping into the light . ' in the documents , obtained by cnn , garrido confessed his past aggressive sexual impulses , but said he is no longer that man . listen to garrido speak of heartwarming ' story » garrido and his wife were charged last week with crimes relating to the abduction of 11-year-old jaycee lee dugard in 1991 and her captivity in a hidden shed-and-tent compound in the couple 's backyard in antioch , california . they pleaded not guilty to charges of rape , kidnapping and false imprisonment . see photos of dugard 's living conditions » after his arrest , garrido said documents he gave to the fbi would be key , that they would help people understand who he really was . he told a local television reporter the documents would show a heartwarming story , ' one that helped him completely ' turn his life around . kcra : read transcript of garrido 's interview after his arrest the documents provide a glimpse into the mind of a man who said he thinks he has a god-given gift . the power to control minds with sound was his salvation , he said , and would help others before they committed violence . he wrote that he wanted to share his story to provide solid hope for everyone who suffers from the many forms of aggressive sexual behavior as well as other problematic behaviors . ' garrido spoke of his sexual urges during his trial in 1977 , when he was convicted of abducting and raping a 25-year-old casino worker in a mini-warehouse . he spent 11 years in jail for those crimes . he testified about his sexual fantasies , which included masturbating while reading magazines , watching movies , and in restaurants or bathrooms . in his writings , he detailed how hard it was for him to control himself . garrido wrote that he realized he could n't control his impulses and they were plaguing the ones he loved . certain behaviors cause a great deal of pain in myself and those who are victimized by those behaviors , especially our family and my wife , ' he wrote . that pain made him try to change from the predator he had become , he wrote . he said he began forcing himself to look at attractive women , but would not allow himself to act . see how beautiful she is to look at , ' he would tell himself . in time , garrido wrote , he began to stop physically acting on his feelings . as time went on , garrido wrote , he kept those sexual compulsions at bay , beginning with controlling masturbation , which he said in the past had often taken place in public . he wrote that he became free and able to experience sexual enjoyment for the first time with his wife , though it was unclear whether he was referring to nancy , his legal wife , or to dugard , the mother of two of his children . he claimed he realized how wrong he had been in the past . i realized i never needed to act or do the things i used to believe was so great and stimulating , ' garrido wrote , referring to what he called one of the most powerful freedoms imaginable . ' i began to weep telling her'i am so sorry for the things i did in the past ,' garrido wrote about his wife , adding that he experienced a feeling of remorse he never had before . that feeling of salvation was something garrido believed was a gift . he said he thought it meant it was up to him to help other sexual predators turn their lives around . it will begin to open a new pathway for us all . god willing , i will be teaching this and other skills christ is providing for me in the prisons throughout the u.s. as well as overseas , ' he wrote . | garrido , wife nancy , arrested for kidnapping girl in 1991 , keeping her in shed |
texas <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a texas agency is installing videocameras and hiring security officers at a state school for mentally handicapped adults after allegations emerged that workers there staged fight club ' battles among residents . admissions to the corpus christi state school in corpus christi , texas have been suspended . the texas department of aging and disability services also announced tuesday that it is suspending admissions to the corpus christi state school in corpus christi . a cell phone containing videos of the alleged abuse at the school was turned over to police last week , and authorities are expecting to file arrest warrants this week , corpus christi police capt . tim wilson said tuesday . the incidents are believed to have taken place in a school dormitory , wilson said , adding , this has been going on for some time . ' watch how the'fight club'scandal unfolded » the school 's workers are charged with the care and custody of these clients , and they are exploiting [ them ] , ' he said . in addition to the videocameras , the texas department of aging and disability services said it is increasing supervision of night shifts at the school . it also said state school representatives would be making random , unannounced inspections during evening and overnight shifts . seven school employees have been placed on paid leave by the agency , according to department spokeswoman cecilia fedorov . those employees are barred from coming onto the campus but must sign in at the gate every day they are on leave , she said . state officials are awaiting the outcome of the investigation to determine whether they should take further action , she said . some former workers also will be interviewed , authorities said . fedorov said the department of aging and disability services was told friday by the state department of family and protective services that it was opening an investigation into possible abuse or neglect after being alerted to the situation by police . wilson said those involved are likely to face charges of injury of a disabled person , which can range up to a third-class felony , depending on the extent of a person 's involvement . the actual charges , however , will be left up to the nueces county district attorney , who is participating in the investigation along with the texas inspector general 's office , he said . corpus christi police received the cell phone a week ago , wilson said , after someone found it and gave it to an officer working security at a hospital . the officer looked at several of the videos and then gave the phone to the police 's forensic unit for analysis . more videos were found in the phone 's memory . it appears it was some sort of a fight club , ' wilson said . twenty videos were found on the phone , with dates going back about a year . all the videos featured the school 's clients , ' who are severely mentally handicapped , he said . on the videos , the clients are not upset like they are being forced , ' wilson said . they are being more goaded into it . there 's a lot of voices on there from workers ... saying ,'look at that , ha ha'... laughing , stuff like that . ' no clients are seen crying , upset or injured on the videos , he said , but none of the workers is seen stopping the fighting . the fighting entails pushing , wrestling and some shoving , ' wilson said . the department of aging and disability services said tuesday that the residents in the images had been assessed and were found to be free of injuries . they are receiving additional counseling , the agency said . wilson said that four or five clients had been identified , as well as at least five workers , possibly as many as 10 . the clients are all adult males , ranging in age from their late teens into their 30s , he said , and as part of the investigation , the inspector general 's office has interviewed some of them . police believe , based on the videos , that the fight club ' was confined to one dormitory , wilson said . cnn 's tracy sabo and john murgatroyd contributed to this report . | texas authorities install cameras in school for mentally disabled |
karzai <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the u.s.-led coalition in afghanistan said friday that it deeply regrets ' an airstrike that , it says , killed a child . the strike took place thursday in southern afghanistan 's helmand province , according to nato 's international security assistance force ( isaf ) . the attack targeted a known insurgent riding a motorbike ' who was killed along with the child . two women were also injured . isaf is committed to ensuring that all measures are taken to prevent civilian casualties , ' the coalition said in a statement released friday . coalition officials will work with afghan officials to determine what happened and why . ' u.s. marine gen. joseph dunford , who leads isaf in afghanistan , called afghan president hamid karzai on thursday night after karzai spoke out following the attack , a nato official said . in addition to expressing regrets , dunford promised a joint investigation into the incident . there was a message on karzai 's website strongly condemning the attack and calling it another sign of disregard for civilians . the official said the target was a taliban sub-commander linked to the killings of afghan troops and civilians . two airstrikes were launched against him . the first one missed and may have caused civilian casualties , while the second killed the insurgent , according to the official . such attacks are a sensitive matter in afghanistan . u.s.-led forces have maintained a presence there since soon after the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , going after al qaeda and taliban fighters as a new government emerged . the attacks also have stirred animosity among some locals , given the number of civilians who have been killed , injured or otherwise affected by coalition military actions . a vast majority of afghan elders -- in a meeting called a loya jirga -- recently gave their approval to a new u.s.-afghanistan security agreement that would allow american troops to remain in the south asian nation beyond 2014 , albeit in more of a support role . but karzai has said he wo n't sign the deal until some conditions are met . these include promises from the united states of no more raids on afghan homes and that afghan prisoners will be released from the guantanamo bay detention center . washington has resisted such changes . u.s. national security adviser susan rice , for instance , has said what the afghan leader is asking for are new provisions added to a deal that was already agreed upon . | new : the top u.s. commander in afghanistan calls president karzai |
baghdad <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- four female suicide bombers and a gunman killed at least 70 people and wounded almost 300 others during a string of attacks in central baghdad and kirkuk on monday , officials said . an iraqi man examines a tuft of human hair at the site of a suicide bombing in northern baghdad on monday . in baghdad , three suicide bombers detonated their explosives in three locations within 30 minutes of each other . the attacks killed at least 32 people and wounded 102 others , most of them shiite pilgrims , an interior ministry official said . it was the second day attackers have targeted shiite pilgrims taking part in an annual march to one of the shiites'holiest shrines . on sunday afternoon , seven pilgrims were gunned down in a town south of baghdad . watch the pilgrims on the move » about 150 miles north of the capital , another suicide bomber ran into a crowd of protesters at a kurdish political rally , a police official said . after she detonated the explosives she was carrying , gunmen began firing into the crowd from different directions , the official said . the attack killed at least 38 people and wounded 178 others , the official said . a bomb was discovered in a parked car near the site of the attack . it was destroyed in a controlled explosion by iraqi security forces , an interior ministry official said . thousands of kurds had gathered in central kirkuk to protest an election law that the iraqi parliament passed last week , despite opposition from the iraqi presidency council . the kurds consider the region encompassing kirkuk -- a city of kurds , arabs and turkmen -- majority kurdish . the kurds , who have had intense political disputes with arabs and turkmen , oppose any power-sharing arrangement that would not reflect what they believe is their majority . they also want a referendum asking kirkuk residents whether they want to be part of the kurdish regional government . map » following monday 's attack , kirkuk authorities imposed a curfew on the city from 3 p.m. monday until 7 a.m. tuesday , a police official said . all cars and pedestrian traffic will be banned , he said . the iraqi islamic party , one of the main sunni parties , condemned the kirkuk attack , blaming it on sides that do not want stability in the city and are working to escalate the situation . ' it said the attack comes at a critical and sensitive time where there has been an increase in talks about the fate of kirkuk and provincial council elections . ' the use of female bombers is an increasingly common method for staging suicide attacks in iraq because male security forces will not search women and few women have been trained to conduct searches . nearly two dozen suicide attacks have been carried out by female bombers in 2008 -- up from eight in 2007 -- according to u.s. military figures . before the bombings , security officials said they had deployed more than 200 women to conduct searches in kadhimiya , in northwestern baghdad , because of the rise in female suicide bombers . the sunday attack on shiite pilgrims happened in the predominantly sunni area of salman pak , also referred to as al-madaen . the shiite pilgrims were walking to a shrine in kadhimiya that commemorates the 8th century death of imam moussa al-kadhim . the pilgrims -- all males -- were carrying black flags and chanting religious songs before the attack . they were attacked in a region that al qaeda in iraq controlled before iraqi security forces gained control . al qaeda in iraq cells reportedly remain in villages around the town . in recent days , hundreds of thousands of shiite pilgrims have begun walking to kadhimiya for the annual commemoration of al-kadhim 's death . many have traveled from across the country , especially from iraq 's southern shiite provinces . iraqi security forces have established checkpoints and are conducting foot patrols to protect pilgrims . people entering kadhimiya are not allowed to carry weapons , bags , cell phones , radios or any type of communication devices , authorities said . pilgrims have been warned against accepting food and drinks from strangers . they 've also been told to discount rumors of suicide bombers . such a rumor triggered a stampede that killed about 1,000 people during the pilgrimage in 2005 . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | triple suicide attack in baghdad claims more shiite pilgrims , officials say |
islamists <tsp> there 's no shortage of harrowing stories of life under islamist militants in northern mali . public floggings for smoking a cigarette . brutal beatings for working as a radio journalist . broken limbs . broken hearts . for the islamists , a human being is like an ant you squash , like an animal you slaughter , ' said sedou sangare , a resident of the northern town of gao . read more : what 's behind the instability in mali ? gao was once a vibrant community filled with colorful camel caravans lazily strolling down the streets . bearded men and beaded women mingled freely . then the islamists rode in on rundown pickup trucks , armed to the teeth . they banned smoking , television , sports and music -- a major setback for the northern region known for its festival au desert . ' they forbade unwed men and women from mixing in public . an offensive led by france is aiming to stop the militants from expanding their reach to the capital of mali . but the north remains under the islamists'iron grip . read more : united states , italy lend support for french in mali'everybody panicked' though gao has a majority muslim population , most residents practice a more relaxed form of the religion . after militants started imposing a stricter form of islamic law , or sharia , throngs took to the streets in protest . when they declared sharia , everybody panicked , ' sangare said . christians , muslims , everybody fled . ' but the protests did not deter the militants , who publicly punished anyone who defied their teachings . read more :'many deaths'as malians , joined by french , try to beat back islamist militants in august last year , they forced a couple allegedly having an affair into two holes and stoned them to death as terrified residents quietly watched . lists of public and cruel punishments grew . floggings , executions , amputations -- all in full view of aghast residents . the islamists compiled a list of unmarried mothers , saying sharia law condemns relationships outside marriage . a mayor -- and his people -- displaced mayor sadou diallo misses residents of his desert town of gao , most of whom fled to bamako when militants took over . about 229,000 malians have been displaced -- mainly from kidal , timbuktu , and gao , according to the united nations . he is one of the displaced . a former respected community leader , trying to rebuild , just like his people . residents of the north , once proud of the vibrant desert communities near river niger , say the region is a shadow of what it used to be . read more : france determined to'eradicate'terrorism in mali , official says ' home is not sweet anymore , ' said fadimata alainchar , a charity worker and native of nearby timbuktu . a recent visit to her hometown left her shaken . when entering the city , the signboard which was : welcome to timbuktu the city of 333 saints ' is now welcome to timbuktu , the gate to the application of the shariya , ' she said in a submission to cnn 's ireport . the fabled city includes ancient tombs and wooden structures dating to the 15th century , a major part of its cultural heritage . and those are not the only changes . women who do n't cover their bodies in accordance to the militants'sharia law , are imprisoned or raped , she said . their husbands , terrified of killings and amputations , do n't utter a word . and gunshots are a common sound . if not to disperse women marching , it is to kill dogs that are barking and preventing the insurgents from sleeping , ' alainchar said . home has changed . before it was peace , joy and love . now it is shame , terror and abuse . ' read more : at least 37 hostages killed in algeria gas plant standoff , prime minister says ' i prefer dying ' stories of cruel punishments abound . radio journalist malik maiga faced the militants'wrath when he used his show to warn residents of public stoning or floggings . islamists singled him out , beat him up and left him in a cemetery . he survived and is among the displaced in bamako . maiga is not the only journalist targeted . last week , another radio journalist was killed , leading gao residents to retaliate by killing a militant leader . then there 's suleyman and muktar , former truck drivers , accused of stealing . their limbs were hacked off . they are jobless and wander around the capital . i prefer dying to being like this , ' muktar said . my hand hurts , my heart aches . i only have god to ask for help . ' mali descended into chaos last year , when junior military members seized power in a coup . outraged soldiers accused the government of not providing adequate equipment to battle ethnic tuareg rebels roaming the vast desert in the north . tuareg rebels took advantage of the power vacuum after the coup and seized some parts of the north . a power struggle erupted between the rebels and local islamists , leading the latter to topple the tribe and seize control of two-thirds of northern mali , an area the size of france . hope amid chaos the crisis in the north has prompted fears that the al qaeda-linked extremists will set up shop there . it is a serious , ongoing threat , ' u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton warned wednesday . the french offensive to help the government in its former colony aims to stop the militants from using the vast desert area as a training ground for international attacks . we are in for a struggle . we can not permit northern mali to become a safe haven ' for terrorists , clinton said . international troops from west african nations such as nigeria are joining the effort to restore some normalcy to the north . amid the strife and despair , citizens of the former french colony remain hopeful . and as french combat helicopters fly overhead , crowds below erupt into cheers . but in northern mali , at least for now , there is little to smile about . | for the islamists , a human being is like an ant you squash , ' gao resident says |
vikings <tsp> nfl star adrian peterson pleaded no contest tuesday in a texas court to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault , avoiding jail time for whipping one of his children . peterson appeared in a montgomery county court in conroe after prosecutors and his attorneys reached a plea deal . judge kelly case agreed to the terms of the deal , in which peterson pleaded to a lesser charge . the minnesota vikings star was sentenced to two years of probation , a $ 4,000 fine and 80 hours of community service , half of which will be taken care of by a public service announcement . he also will take parenting classes . peterson gave a brief statement outside the courthouse . i truly regret this incident , ' he said . i stand here and i take full responsibility for my actions . i love my son more than any one of you can even imagine . ' he did n't address a question about when he will return to the nfl . we will review the matter , including the court record , and then make a determination on his status . we can not provide a timetable , ' nfl spokesman brian mccarthy said . peterson 's attorney , rusty hardin , called the plea deal fair and just . ' opinion : spanking is n't child abuse ; it 's common sense montgomery county district attorney brett ligon said peterson was n't treated any differently because he is one of the nfl 's marquee players . peterson -- who in 2011 signed a seven-year contract worth more than $ 100 million and is considered one of the nfl 's best running backs , if not the best -- left the vikings in september after the team deactivated , then activated and then deactivated him again . he was accused in texas of whipping his 4-year-old son with a switch , ' or slender tree branch , and had originally been charged with felony child abuse . he faced up to two years in prison and a fine . opinion : does spanking harm the black community ? ligon said the punishment was about behavior modification . i believe that mr. peterson is accepting responsibility ( for hurting his child ) , ' ligon said . i 'm looking forward to him ... taking a role as a responsible parent . ' | he is still on the vikings roster , but has been deactivated |
rio <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a marriage ends up in court it usually means the end -- but for todd rogers it was just the beginning . for an olympic gold medalist and a former world champion , looking for the perfect partner on the beach volleyball court is what life is all about . the 39-year-old was a single man following the breakdown of his seven-year partnership with phil dalhausser -- a relationship which had catapulted both men to the very top . now he 's bouncing back after offering his own version of marriage guidance . the only way i can equate it to your average fan is that it 's actually similar to a marriage , ' rogers told cnn 's human to hero series . the top teams literally get together , they call each other'hey , would you like to play ?'and that 's kind of like the first date . you ask them on a first date . then you 're meeting and going down to the beach and practicing and every one of those is like a date and a second date and third date . when you get to nine or 10 dates , then you say ,'ok , looks pretty good . i like what i 'm seeing .' then you move forward and the season comes along near the summer and every time you go out there you have the stuff that you would literally have in a marriage . ' baseball beginnings rogers was a volleyball divorcee when he met current partner ryan doherty -- a man 11 years his junior and without any real experience at the top level . his successful partnership with dalhausser had come to its natural end but a new adventure was waiting just around the corner in the shape of doherty . at seven feet tall , doherty is not far off the height of the net , which stands at eight feet , giving him a major weapon over his rivals . for doherty , volleyball has given him another chance of a sporting career after his original dreams of playing major league baseball ended in failure . a minor league player for a team affiliated with the arizona diamondbacks organization for three years , doherty had hoped to become a professional only to be released from his contract . struggling for work and suffering under the collapse of his baseball career , doherty traveled to north carolina to visit a friend , who would go on to introduce him to beach volleyball . he was living really close to the beach and we found a beach volleyball court and decided'oh , we should try this , we should try to learn'and i just fell in love , ' he said . i played every day and i got beat by high school girls when i was like 25-years-old and it was really embarrassing but still it was a great time and i loved it . so after i finished my degree i decided to move out to california and see if i could play this game every day . ' new dream it proved an inspired decision as doherty went from strength to strength before pairing up with rogers -- a move which he believes has given him another crack at becoming a top sportsmen . i would consider myself one of the luckiest guys you can imagine being able to play one sport professionally , two is pretty jaw dropping for me , ' doherty added . i really lucked out . i do n't know what i did in a previous life but i want to thank that guy . playing professional baseball was my dream . it was my whole life . i wanted to do that and when it was over i was really depressed . i was really bummed because i loved that lifestyle . then i was lucky enough to just fall into a lifestyle that 's every bit as fun , challenging and motivating as being a professional baseball player . ' so when rogers and dalhausser parted ways at the end of 2012 following a seven year partnership , doherty saw his chance . it was rogers who got in contact with doherty after seeing a raw and talented player impress while competing alongside fellow professional casey patterson . professional partnership rogers had already faced patterson and doherty on two occasions and once his relationship with dalhausser looked set to end , the experienced olympian made the call . playing with todd has been pretty much a dream come true for me , ' said doherty . i watched every match he 's played online well before i was a professional when i first found the sport . one of the most motivating things i 've ever seen was todd and his former partner winning the gold medal in the 2008 olympics . it was amazing to me . i was rooting and cheering and screaming at my tv and i also know that the nickname'professor'is very well deserved . he has a really good understanding of how things work and why they happen the way they do , so just as a new guy who 's trying to learn and trying to get better at the sport , i could n't have lucked into anything better . this has been a really great experience for me so far . ' rogers is also enjoying his new marriage ' and even jokes about doherty being his wife . ' but while the two like to jest off the court , on it , they remain very much focused with rogers determined to help his partner become one of the most exciting talents on the circuit . ryan 's very tall , he 's very raw in the game but he has a tremendous amount of potential , ' said rogers . but really the number one thing to me is that he 's a good guy that i enjoy hanging out with and chatting with . you 're on the court for 10 to 15 hours a week with someone but you 're hanging out with them for 100 hours , maybe even more if you consider sleeping in the same room the whole time . if you 're not getting along off the court i think it 's real tough . ' olympic glory while the prospect of the pair competing at rio in 2016 is a slim one , rogers is not giving up on making it to brazil just yet . he remains supremely fit and agile and with doherty at his side , anything is possible . the highlight was winning the olympic gold medal in beijing , ' he said . i do n't think you can get any better than that although there are some other ones that are high on my list like winning in my home town for the first time in santa barbara , california . then there was winning the world championships in switzerland in 2007 but the olympics is once every four years . there 's only been five olympics for beach volleyball and to be part of that elite group which can claim a victory at it , the greatest sporting event in the world really , is a really cool honor for me . ryan is only 29 so i definitely would hope that he 's be going to rio , if i 'm his partner and it works out that way -- great . right now i tend to think more of a year at a time and if rio happens for me great , but if nothing else i can watch ryan playing in rio and hopefully in 2020 as well . ' | the pair could compete at the 2016 olympics in rio |
doherty <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a marriage ends up in court it usually means the end -- but for todd rogers it was just the beginning . for an olympic gold medalist and a former world champion , looking for the perfect partner on the beach volleyball court is what life is all about . the 39-year-old was a single man following the breakdown of his seven-year partnership with phil dalhausser -- a relationship which had catapulted both men to the very top . now he 's bouncing back after offering his own version of marriage guidance . the only way i can equate it to your average fan is that it 's actually similar to a marriage , ' rogers told cnn 's human to hero series . the top teams literally get together , they call each other'hey , would you like to play ?'and that 's kind of like the first date . you ask them on a first date . then you 're meeting and going down to the beach and practicing and every one of those is like a date and a second date and third date . when you get to nine or 10 dates , then you say ,'ok , looks pretty good . i like what i 'm seeing .' then you move forward and the season comes along near the summer and every time you go out there you have the stuff that you would literally have in a marriage . ' baseball beginnings rogers was a volleyball divorcee when he met current partner ryan doherty -- a man 11 years his junior and without any real experience at the top level . his successful partnership with dalhausser had come to its natural end but a new adventure was waiting just around the corner in the shape of doherty . at seven feet tall , doherty is not far off the height of the net , which stands at eight feet , giving him a major weapon over his rivals . for doherty , volleyball has given him another chance of a sporting career after his original dreams of playing major league baseball ended in failure . a minor league player for a team affiliated with the arizona diamondbacks organization for three years , doherty had hoped to become a professional only to be released from his contract . struggling for work and suffering under the collapse of his baseball career , doherty traveled to north carolina to visit a friend , who would go on to introduce him to beach volleyball . he was living really close to the beach and we found a beach volleyball court and decided'oh , we should try this , we should try to learn'and i just fell in love , ' he said . i played every day and i got beat by high school girls when i was like 25-years-old and it was really embarrassing but still it was a great time and i loved it . so after i finished my degree i decided to move out to california and see if i could play this game every day . ' new dream it proved an inspired decision as doherty went from strength to strength before pairing up with rogers -- a move which he believes has given him another crack at becoming a top sportsmen . i would consider myself one of the luckiest guys you can imagine being able to play one sport professionally , two is pretty jaw dropping for me , ' doherty added . i really lucked out . i do n't know what i did in a previous life but i want to thank that guy . playing professional baseball was my dream . it was my whole life . i wanted to do that and when it was over i was really depressed . i was really bummed because i loved that lifestyle . then i was lucky enough to just fall into a lifestyle that 's every bit as fun , challenging and motivating as being a professional baseball player . ' so when rogers and dalhausser parted ways at the end of 2012 following a seven year partnership , doherty saw his chance . it was rogers who got in contact with doherty after seeing a raw and talented player impress while competing alongside fellow professional casey patterson . professional partnership rogers had already faced patterson and doherty on two occasions and once his relationship with dalhausser looked set to end , the experienced olympian made the call . playing with todd has been pretty much a dream come true for me , ' said doherty . i watched every match he 's played online well before i was a professional when i first found the sport . one of the most motivating things i 've ever seen was todd and his former partner winning the gold medal in the 2008 olympics . it was amazing to me . i was rooting and cheering and screaming at my tv and i also know that the nickname'professor'is very well deserved . he has a really good understanding of how things work and why they happen the way they do , so just as a new guy who 's trying to learn and trying to get better at the sport , i could n't have lucked into anything better . this has been a really great experience for me so far . ' rogers is also enjoying his new marriage ' and even jokes about doherty being his wife . ' but while the two like to jest off the court , on it , they remain very much focused with rogers determined to help his partner become one of the most exciting talents on the circuit . ryan 's very tall , he 's very raw in the game but he has a tremendous amount of potential , ' said rogers . but really the number one thing to me is that he 's a good guy that i enjoy hanging out with and chatting with . you 're on the court for 10 to 15 hours a week with someone but you 're hanging out with them for 100 hours , maybe even more if you consider sleeping in the same room the whole time . if you 're not getting along off the court i think it 's real tough . ' olympic glory while the prospect of the pair competing at rio in 2016 is a slim one , rogers is not giving up on making it to brazil just yet . he remains supremely fit and agile and with doherty at his side , anything is possible . the highlight was winning the olympic gold medal in beijing , ' he said . i do n't think you can get any better than that although there are some other ones that are high on my list like winning in my home town for the first time in santa barbara , california . then there was winning the world championships in switzerland in 2007 but the olympics is once every four years . there 's only been five olympics for beach volleyball and to be part of that elite group which can claim a victory at it , the greatest sporting event in the world really , is a really cool honor for me . ryan is only 29 so i definitely would hope that he 's be going to rio , if i 'm his partner and it works out that way -- great . right now i tend to think more of a year at a time and if rio happens for me great , but if nothing else i can watch ryan playing in rio and hopefully in 2020 as well . ' | todd rogers and ryan doherty are u.s. beach volleyball stars |
doherty <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when a marriage ends up in court it usually means the end -- but for todd rogers it was just the beginning . for an olympic gold medalist and a former world champion , looking for the perfect partner on the beach volleyball court is what life is all about . the 39-year-old was a single man following the breakdown of his seven-year partnership with phil dalhausser -- a relationship which had catapulted both men to the very top . now he 's bouncing back after offering his own version of marriage guidance . the only way i can equate it to your average fan is that it 's actually similar to a marriage , ' rogers told cnn 's human to hero series . the top teams literally get together , they call each other'hey , would you like to play ?'and that 's kind of like the first date . you ask them on a first date . then you 're meeting and going down to the beach and practicing and every one of those is like a date and a second date and third date . when you get to nine or 10 dates , then you say ,'ok , looks pretty good . i like what i 'm seeing .' then you move forward and the season comes along near the summer and every time you go out there you have the stuff that you would literally have in a marriage . ' baseball beginnings rogers was a volleyball divorcee when he met current partner ryan doherty -- a man 11 years his junior and without any real experience at the top level . his successful partnership with dalhausser had come to its natural end but a new adventure was waiting just around the corner in the shape of doherty . at seven feet tall , doherty is not far off the height of the net , which stands at eight feet , giving him a major weapon over his rivals . for doherty , volleyball has given him another chance of a sporting career after his original dreams of playing major league baseball ended in failure . a minor league player for a team affiliated with the arizona diamondbacks organization for three years , doherty had hoped to become a professional only to be released from his contract . struggling for work and suffering under the collapse of his baseball career , doherty traveled to north carolina to visit a friend , who would go on to introduce him to beach volleyball . he was living really close to the beach and we found a beach volleyball court and decided'oh , we should try this , we should try to learn'and i just fell in love , ' he said . i played every day and i got beat by high school girls when i was like 25-years-old and it was really embarrassing but still it was a great time and i loved it . so after i finished my degree i decided to move out to california and see if i could play this game every day . ' new dream it proved an inspired decision as doherty went from strength to strength before pairing up with rogers -- a move which he believes has given him another crack at becoming a top sportsmen . i would consider myself one of the luckiest guys you can imagine being able to play one sport professionally , two is pretty jaw dropping for me , ' doherty added . i really lucked out . i do n't know what i did in a previous life but i want to thank that guy . playing professional baseball was my dream . it was my whole life . i wanted to do that and when it was over i was really depressed . i was really bummed because i loved that lifestyle . then i was lucky enough to just fall into a lifestyle that 's every bit as fun , challenging and motivating as being a professional baseball player . ' so when rogers and dalhausser parted ways at the end of 2012 following a seven year partnership , doherty saw his chance . it was rogers who got in contact with doherty after seeing a raw and talented player impress while competing alongside fellow professional casey patterson . professional partnership rogers had already faced patterson and doherty on two occasions and once his relationship with dalhausser looked set to end , the experienced olympian made the call . playing with todd has been pretty much a dream come true for me , ' said doherty . i watched every match he 's played online well before i was a professional when i first found the sport . one of the most motivating things i 've ever seen was todd and his former partner winning the gold medal in the 2008 olympics . it was amazing to me . i was rooting and cheering and screaming at my tv and i also know that the nickname'professor'is very well deserved . he has a really good understanding of how things work and why they happen the way they do , so just as a new guy who 's trying to learn and trying to get better at the sport , i could n't have lucked into anything better . this has been a really great experience for me so far . ' rogers is also enjoying his new marriage ' and even jokes about doherty being his wife . ' but while the two like to jest off the court , on it , they remain very much focused with rogers determined to help his partner become one of the most exciting talents on the circuit . ryan 's very tall , he 's very raw in the game but he has a tremendous amount of potential , ' said rogers . but really the number one thing to me is that he 's a good guy that i enjoy hanging out with and chatting with . you 're on the court for 10 to 15 hours a week with someone but you 're hanging out with them for 100 hours , maybe even more if you consider sleeping in the same room the whole time . if you 're not getting along off the court i think it 's real tough . ' olympic glory while the prospect of the pair competing at rio in 2016 is a slim one , rogers is not giving up on making it to brazil just yet . he remains supremely fit and agile and with doherty at his side , anything is possible . the highlight was winning the olympic gold medal in beijing , ' he said . i do n't think you can get any better than that although there are some other ones that are high on my list like winning in my home town for the first time in santa barbara , california . then there was winning the world championships in switzerland in 2007 but the olympics is once every four years . there 's only been five olympics for beach volleyball and to be part of that elite group which can claim a victory at it , the greatest sporting event in the world really , is a really cool honor for me . ryan is only 29 so i definitely would hope that he 's be going to rio , if i 'm his partner and it works out that way -- great . right now i tend to think more of a year at a time and if rio happens for me great , but if nothing else i can watch ryan playing in rio and hopefully in 2020 as well . ' | doherty is former baseball player who has taken up beach volleyball |
tacloban <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was the cruelest of ironies unleashed by super typhoon haiyan . one of the strongest ever recorded , the storm put the philippine port city of tacloban underwater , and storm chaser james reynolds was there filming the natural disaster at what 's been regarded as its ground zero . then , when evening fell , the town caught fire . there was water , water , everywhere -- yet nary enough to put out a fire , reynolds said . the surge of sea water was followed by a sea of flames . interactive map of the storm the futility -- and absurdity -- of the moment was captured by one merchant using buckets of water against the inferno in his shop . it was hopeless . the merchant did n't stand a chance , said reynolds , who 's from oxford , england . one block of the city was up in flames , a raging fire was burning uncontrollably , ' reynolds said in telephone interview from the philippines . i honestly felt like it was some sort of disaster movie . it was so bad , it did n't seem real . this struck home hard that this was a city in a desolate state , ' he said .'worse than hell' nothing else like this storm haiyan was the worst storm that reynolds , 30 , has ever chased . since 2005 , he and his earth uncut productions crew have filmed 35 typhoons -- plus a couple of major volcanic eruptions including mount merapi in indonesia in 2010 . they also covered the aftermath of the japanese tsunami in 2011 . it was without a doubt the most catastrophic event i 've witnessed before my eyes , ' reynolds said of the super typhoon . to actually go through a disaster as it takes place and then be there afterward just compares to nothing . it 'll probably be the only time in my life . ' the experience was n't without casualties to crew and gear , however . one team member suffered a six-inch gash down to the bone of his leg , reynolds said . so the team managed to get a helicopter ride to the tacloban airport . road travel was n't possible because downed trees and utility poles closed streets . from the airport , the philippine military was kind enough to give the film crew a plane ride saturday to cebu city , where medical care was available . the storm also destroyed most of reynolds'camera gear , so he used a small backup camera and even his iphone to film the biblical-like flooding of tacloban -- until his batteries began to die . philippines gets more than its share of disasters the team had no choice but to cut short its extraordinary work in tacloban . reynolds and his crew filmed the height of flooding while at a tacloban hotel . there , guests on the first floor had to be ferried out of danger while afloat on mattresses , including one elderly woman escorted by good samaritans wading through the waist-high water . the first-floor guests could n't open their doors against the rising water , so they smashed windows to try to exit . a cnn crew assisted ; its members also were staying at the hotel . it was really put the cameras down , we 've got to get out there and help these people . otherwise possibly they could drown , ' reynolds said . the first-floor guests were taken to higher ground . the water was coming in everywhere , even in the heart of the hotel , ' reynolds said . and my camera gave up . all the batteries were drained , and there was no electricity . ''you could feel the whole hotel ... shaking' reynolds chose the hotel because it was made of concrete , was about five miles inland and had an elevation of four stories , well above the surge of ocean that was expected to sweep over the coastal city -- and did . the crew got lucky : they checked into the last available room on the fourth floor . even if there was no room at the inn , they would have slept in the hallway of the fourth floor , just for the safe refuge , reynolds said . during the height of the storm , the scream of the wind was deafening . we could hear just thunderous crashes of debris flying through the air . at some points , you could feel the whole hotel , which was made of solid concrete , shaking , ' reynolds said . to film the apocalyptic moment , the crew arrived in tacloban on thursday from their hong kong offices . they initially checked into small waterfront hotel and then moved to a beach resort , but they abandoned both places as they received reports of the impending storm 's ferocity . tacloban emerges as one of typhoons haiyan 's most damaged targets for all their efforts , they found the most cinematic moment in the silence after the super typhoon passed . it was friday night , and reynolds was standing on his hotel 's roof . a blackout enveloped the town . then the sky became afire . you could see the city skyline illuminated by lighting . the city was up in flames . and it was surreal , ' reynolds said . for all the peril and loss , would reynolds do it again ? yes ! ' he said . but not for a while , he added . how to help survivors | james reynolds and his production crew arrive in tacloban just to film the super typhoon |
frankfurt <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- federal aviation authorities say they are investigating a string of events that began monday when a pilot spilled coffee on a cockpit panel , leading to a false hijack warning and culminating in the plane 's emergency landing in canada . at issue : did united airlines warn pilots not to hold beverages over the plane 's electronics-laden console ? the incident occurred on united airlines flight 940 , a boeing 777-200 headed from chicago to frankfurt , germany . according to canadian transportation officials , the pilot spilled coffee on the aircraft 's radio equipment , located on the center console of the cockpit . the crew advised controllers they had communication problems and subsequently reported they were experiencing navigation problems , the officials said . a united airlines spokesman confirmed that a crew member 's beverage spilled during a period of light turbulence , ' but said the pilot remained in contact with air traffic control and followed standard operating procedures . a source familiar with the incident told cnn that after the pilot switched to a backup radio system , the plane briefly sent out a transponder signal indicating it had been hijacked . the source declined to explain how that happened . but pilots contacted by cnn said the signal could have been sent if one of the pilots inadvertently hit the transponder knob while cleaning up the spill . or , they said , it could have happened if the pilot had tried to send a different transponder code indicating the plane had communication problems . the pilot made the decision to make an emergency landing in toronto rather than continue the trans-oceanic flight , officials said . federal aviation administration officials said wednesday that pilots are allowed to have beverages in the cockpit , noting that many aircraft cockpits have cup holders . but they pointed to a rule prohibiting pilots from any activity ... such as eating meals ' that could distract them during a critical phase of flight , ' typically meaning takeoffs and landings . drinking coffee could be construed as eating meals , ' according to faa spokesman les dorr . the agency 's certificate management office will investigate whether united airlines has a policy prohibiting crew members from passing liquids over , or placing them on , the console , and whether they 've communicated that policy to pilots . the faa also will investigate whether the spilled liquid in fact caused the communications problem , or if there were other factors , dorr said . as unlikely as a coffee spill accident may seem , a similar scenario formed the basis of a 1964 movie , fate is the hunter . ' in that film , a cup of coffee spills on the plane 's center console , leaking into the electronics . the leak leads to a series of events culminating in the plane 's crash . the movie , coincidentally , aired sunday night on turner classic movies , the night before the united mishap . mark weiss , a former b-777 pilot , said a spilled drink is not likely to bring down a plane , pointing to redundant systems in aircraft . but he said it was reasonable for the pilot to land the plane . weiss , who works for spectrum group , a consulting company , said liquids should not be banned from cockpits . particularly on the long flights , you have to have water constantly , you have to continually hydrate your body , otherwise you run into other physiological problems , ' he said . the national transportation safety board said it does not plan on investigating the mishap . it does not appear that this incident warrants an ntsb investigation , ' spokesman keith holloway said . ntsb records do not show any incidents where spilled substances were a factor in a crash , he said . cnn 's jeanne meserve and chuck johnston contributed to this report . | the united flight was en route from chicago to frankfurt , germany |
sotomayor <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- supreme court justice sonia sotomayor touted the benefits of affirmative action in her personal and professional life , telling cnn in an interview that diversity programs helped open new worlds and made her more determined not to fail , to work hard , to succeed . ' her sudden fame as the first latina member of the high court still surprises her . i still get chills sometimes when i walk in into this building and when i enter the courtroom to hear a case , ' she said on friday . sotomayor , 58 , has a new autobiography out this week , my beloved world . ' it is a candid and deeply personal account of her early life . she seeks to inspire by revealing often painful chapters in her self-described extraordinary journey . ' this includes her father 's early death from alcoholism ; a complex , often distant relationship with her mother ; growing up poor in the bronx projects ; self-doubts about her looks , a brief failed marriage , and her professional path . but her strengths are celebrated , too . self-reliance to the point of giving herself insulin shots at age 7 , after being diagnosed with diabetes ; her loyalty to a large circle of friends ; and vivid pride in her puerto rican heritage . sotomayor spoke at the supreme court with cnn starting point ' anchor soledad o'brien and cnn en espanol 's juan carlos lopez in separate cable-exclusive interviews . sotomayor was named to the high court in 2009 after 17 years as a federal judge in new york . she will formally swear in vice president joe biden during separate inaugural ceremonies on sunday and monday . she told cnn the responsibility was surreal . ' i practice everything i do over and over again , and so i have been saying the oath out loud for a couple of weeks now , a couple of times a day . but i wo n't be relying on my memory either , ' she said . i 'll have a card with me . i like having a security blanket . ' chief justice john roberts stumbled when he recited the oath of office to president barack obama four years ago , without benefit of a card containing the constitutionally mandated words on it . roberts will do the honors again , at the president 's invitation . i was thinking just a couple of days ago , if i think back when i was a kid -- which of the two would seem more improbable to me , ' said sotomayor of sitting on the high court and swearing-in the vice president . i realized each one was so farfetched that i could n't have imagined either . ' her memoir spends a good deal of time discussing being one of the first beneficiaries of affirmative action , when she entered princeton university in 1972 as one of the few hispanic and women students at the time . it was as if i had landed in a different world , ' she told o'brien . it was so foreign to me you really did feel like an alien . ' but she succeeded academically , graduating with top honors . you ca n't help but feel different , ' she said of entering the university and later the legal profession as a minority . it makes me sensitive to that , not as a judge , but as a person . every judge has a different life experience . ' the high court is currently deciding whether diversity plans at the university of texas in austin unfairly discriminate against white students . she would not talk about that case or any appeal before her . sotomayor acknowledged that her colleague , justice clarence thomas , takes a different view of his experience as an african-american growing up in the same era . he has spoken of feeling stigmatized , believing many teachers and fellow lawyers were skeptical his accomplishments were earned fairly . he has since questioned the value of his yale law school education , the same institution attended by sotomayor . my book talks about the negative aspects ' of feeling discriminated and stigmatized herself , sotomayor said . through hard work and her own talents , she was able to succeed through every professional step in life , and the justice felt she could always hold my head up high . ' her narrative is also revealing about her personal life , especially the decision not to be a mother . i get angry when some people say you are less than a woman because you did n't have children , ' she told cnn . the choices of how you manage your life should be your own . ' sotomayor worried becoming pregnant could be compromised by my childhood diabetes . i thought i would regret trying to have children . ' sotomayor admits feeling overwhelmed , terrified ' sometimes in her role as one of only nine justices , having the final say in important issues like national security and same-sex marriage . so , too , as a role model for millions of young people of all backgrounds . guiding her is a mixture of self-confidence and quiet anxiety , of not wanting to disappoint myself . i set high standards for myself , ' she said . i was n't born a justice , i work at being a justice . i work at how to be an influential voice . ' | sudden fame as first latina justice still surprises sonia sotomayor |
sotomayor <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- supreme court justice sonia sotomayor touted the benefits of affirmative action in her personal and professional life , telling cnn in an interview that diversity programs helped open new worlds and made her more determined not to fail , to work hard , to succeed . ' her sudden fame as the first latina member of the high court still surprises her . i still get chills sometimes when i walk in into this building and when i enter the courtroom to hear a case , ' she said on friday . sotomayor , 58 , has a new autobiography out this week , my beloved world . ' it is a candid and deeply personal account of her early life . she seeks to inspire by revealing often painful chapters in her self-described extraordinary journey . ' this includes her father 's early death from alcoholism ; a complex , often distant relationship with her mother ; growing up poor in the bronx projects ; self-doubts about her looks , a brief failed marriage , and her professional path . but her strengths are celebrated , too . self-reliance to the point of giving herself insulin shots at age 7 , after being diagnosed with diabetes ; her loyalty to a large circle of friends ; and vivid pride in her puerto rican heritage . sotomayor spoke at the supreme court with cnn starting point ' anchor soledad o'brien and cnn en espanol 's juan carlos lopez in separate cable-exclusive interviews . sotomayor was named to the high court in 2009 after 17 years as a federal judge in new york . she will formally swear in vice president joe biden during separate inaugural ceremonies on sunday and monday . she told cnn the responsibility was surreal . ' i practice everything i do over and over again , and so i have been saying the oath out loud for a couple of weeks now , a couple of times a day . but i wo n't be relying on my memory either , ' she said . i 'll have a card with me . i like having a security blanket . ' chief justice john roberts stumbled when he recited the oath of office to president barack obama four years ago , without benefit of a card containing the constitutionally mandated words on it . roberts will do the honors again , at the president 's invitation . i was thinking just a couple of days ago , if i think back when i was a kid -- which of the two would seem more improbable to me , ' said sotomayor of sitting on the high court and swearing-in the vice president . i realized each one was so farfetched that i could n't have imagined either . ' her memoir spends a good deal of time discussing being one of the first beneficiaries of affirmative action , when she entered princeton university in 1972 as one of the few hispanic and women students at the time . it was as if i had landed in a different world , ' she told o'brien . it was so foreign to me you really did feel like an alien . ' but she succeeded academically , graduating with top honors . you ca n't help but feel different , ' she said of entering the university and later the legal profession as a minority . it makes me sensitive to that , not as a judge , but as a person . every judge has a different life experience . ' the high court is currently deciding whether diversity plans at the university of texas in austin unfairly discriminate against white students . she would not talk about that case or any appeal before her . sotomayor acknowledged that her colleague , justice clarence thomas , takes a different view of his experience as an african-american growing up in the same era . he has spoken of feeling stigmatized , believing many teachers and fellow lawyers were skeptical his accomplishments were earned fairly . he has since questioned the value of his yale law school education , the same institution attended by sotomayor . my book talks about the negative aspects ' of feeling discriminated and stigmatized herself , sotomayor said . through hard work and her own talents , she was able to succeed through every professional step in life , and the justice felt she could always hold my head up high . ' her narrative is also revealing about her personal life , especially the decision not to be a mother . i get angry when some people say you are less than a woman because you did n't have children , ' she told cnn . the choices of how you manage your life should be your own . ' sotomayor worried becoming pregnant could be compromised by my childhood diabetes . i thought i would regret trying to have children . ' sotomayor admits feeling overwhelmed , terrified ' sometimes in her role as one of only nine justices , having the final say in important issues like national security and same-sex marriage . so , too , as a role model for millions of young people of all backgrounds . guiding her is a mixture of self-confidence and quiet anxiety , of not wanting to disappoint myself . i set high standards for myself , ' she said . i was n't born a justice , i work at being a justice . i work at how to be an influential voice . ' | sotomayor will swear in vice president joe biden at inaugural |
flagstaff medical center <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at least six people were dead and one critically injured sunday after a midair crash between two medical helicopters near a hospital in arizona , authorities said . rescue workers sift through wreckage from two medical helicopters that collided midair sunday afternoon . the collision , at flagstaff medical center in flagstaff , arizona , set fire to a 10-acre area , according to fire officials , and another two rescue workers were injured by a secondary explosion after the crash . the helicopters collided at roughly 3:45 p.m. local time , according to the federal aviation administration . as you can imagine , we 've got lots of heaps of metal to go through , ' said capt . mark johnson of the flagstaff fire department . it 's just difficult right now . ' he said a landing pad on the roof of the hospital is used by medical helicopters . federal aviation authority officials originally had reported at least seven deaths and three critical injuries , but they revised those numbers after investigators spent more time on the scene . flagstaff police department sgt . tom boughner said the two rescue workers were not immediately believed to be seriously injured . he said the helicopters crashed into a wooded area near a neighborhood and that no one on the ground was believed to have been injured or killed in the crash . he said the fire had been contained by sunday evening . faa spokesman ian gregor said at least one of those killed in the collision was a patient . he said three of those killed , including the patient , were aboard a bell 407 helicopter operated by air methods corporation , an air medical service provider . the other helicopter , operated by classic helicopter service of utah , also was a bell 407 . the other four victims , including the one critically injured , were on that helicopter . both helicopters were headed to the hospital at the time of the crash , gregor said . faa safety inspectors from phoenix , arizona , were en route to the scene sunday , and additional inspectors from washington were expected to arrive monday morning . the national transportation safety board will lead a probe into the crash , gregor said . | collision sets fire to 10-acre area near arizona 's flagstaff medical center |
arizona <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at least six people were dead and one critically injured sunday after a midair crash between two medical helicopters near a hospital in arizona , authorities said . rescue workers sift through wreckage from two medical helicopters that collided midair sunday afternoon . the collision , at flagstaff medical center in flagstaff , arizona , set fire to a 10-acre area , according to fire officials , and another two rescue workers were injured by a secondary explosion after the crash . the helicopters collided at roughly 3:45 p.m. local time , according to the federal aviation administration . as you can imagine , we 've got lots of heaps of metal to go through , ' said capt . mark johnson of the flagstaff fire department . it 's just difficult right now . ' he said a landing pad on the roof of the hospital is used by medical helicopters . federal aviation authority officials originally had reported at least seven deaths and three critical injuries , but they revised those numbers after investigators spent more time on the scene . flagstaff police department sgt . tom boughner said the two rescue workers were not immediately believed to be seriously injured . he said the helicopters crashed into a wooded area near a neighborhood and that no one on the ground was believed to have been injured or killed in the crash . he said the fire had been contained by sunday evening . faa spokesman ian gregor said at least one of those killed in the collision was a patient . he said three of those killed , including the patient , were aboard a bell 407 helicopter operated by air methods corporation , an air medical service provider . the other helicopter , operated by classic helicopter service of utah , also was a bell 407 . the other four victims , including the one critically injured , were on that helicopter . both helicopters were headed to the hospital at the time of the crash , gregor said . faa safety inspectors from phoenix , arizona , were en route to the scene sunday , and additional inspectors from washington were expected to arrive monday morning . the national transportation safety board will lead a probe into the crash , gregor said . | collision sets fire to 10-acre area near arizona 's flagstaff medical center |
auto-tune <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this is the summer of auto-tune . the gregory brothers have become a viral hit with their auto-tune the news ' videos . no matter how hard some people -- notably jay-z -- have tried to kill the trend of musicians using computers to make their voices sound like whiny robots , auto-tune technology continues to ride a cultural high . now the voice-altering effects are migrating from recording studios to youtube and mobile phones . an iphone app called i am t-pain ' lets people manipulate their voices to sound like the popular rapper and auto-tune advocate . the gregory brothers , a sibling band out of brooklyn , new york , has become a hit on youtube with a series of videos that auto-tune cable newscasts and political speeches . the group , which also tours as a low-fi soul band , started its series of videos called auto-tune the news ' during the 2008 presidential debates and has gained millions of fans in recent months . cnn spoke with andrew gregory , a 27-year-old member of the band , about the popularity of auto-tune -- the trademarked name for the popular pitch-correction software -- and the role of technology in music and society . the following is an edited transcript of our conversation : why do you think your videos have taken off like they have ? i think with any sort of viral video there 's a little bit of luck involved . so we 're counting our lucky stars that we 've been lucky enough to have it take off like that . at the same time i think the novelty of seeing people like katie couric and newt gingrich sing has really captured peoples'attention . how do you make the videos ? what actually goes into it ? michael likes to joke that there 's a huge auto-tune lever that he hooks up to his computer and whenever he sees video footage he just pulls the lever , and anything that strikes his fancy is automatically auto-tuned . but there 's a lot of technical stuff that goes into it . ... we scour a lot of footage to see what 's going to work and what 's not going to work . we try to find what people are going to tune well and what people wo n't tune well . ... really , by the time the video gets made i 'd say it 's eight or 10 days of work that goes into one of these videos , between the four of us . what makes someone a good candidate for auto-tuning ? an example of a great candidate for auto-tuning would be either katie couric or joe biden . both katie couric and joe biden have just continued to astonish us with their unbelievable , almost hidden melodies in their speaking voices . a lot of it has to do with how they project their voice in terms of their soft palate . but it also has to do with how much of an oratorical fashion they speak . joe biden , in a lot of his speeches , is delivering them in a preacher sort of fashion that tunes really well . while someone who ended up tuning really poorly -- we thought he would tune really well ! -- was sean hannity . we thought he 'd tune really well just because sean hannity is always talking really loud . but it turns out that despite the fact that he was talking really loud , it was a nasal talking and it was a harsh and abrasive loud voice , so it ended up not tuning well at all . does president obama make for a good auto-tune ? you know , what was great from obama was the campaign speeches . his campaign speeches were excellent , because he was sort of using that almost gospel-preacher rhetorical style . since he 's been president , he 's been so relaxed and sort of so laid back and cerebral and sort of intellectual . he 's not been quite as excellent for auto-tuning because there 's a lot more of a mumbly tone about him . a lot less of the yes we can ! ' and a lot more of the weeeeell , as we see ... ' has auto-tune the news ' helped your other musical efforts or do you think it 's pulling you away ? it 's certainly making us focus a lot more on auto-tune the news . ' as the videos have sort of grown in scope and become more popular , we ca n't help but continue to work on them as our fans clamor for more . do you ever use auto-tune in the other performances , like in your band ? we 've never used it live . we 're no ashlee simpson . but i think we 've used it a little bit on our record . right now it 's a huge fad to auto-tune the crap out of people so that they sound like robots . but on pretty much any record you listen to these days there 's some level of auto-tune on it , even if it 's a very , very small amount . if there 's just one small note that 's just a little bit flat , why would n't you auto-tune it to make it sound ok ? do you think it 's hurting music at all that people expect a singer 's pitch to be perfect ? it means that people who ca n't sing as well are becoming famous singers . but i do n't know , that 's why i love going to see live music , because that really sorts out the real singers from the not-so-real singers . if you could invent any technology or pick a technology that you would like to see invented , what would it be ? oh , wow . i 'd probably go for a teleportation machine myself . ... like the one they used in star trek , ' hopefully , right ? where you can jump in the teleportation machine and get to your gigs without having to carry all your amps and drive eight hours in your van . i mean , i play music for free . it 's carrying my amps and driving places in my van that i have to charge people for . that 'd be the real revolution for the music industry . do you have the t-pain iphone app ? yeah , we were beta testers for that app . do you use the app in day-to-day life ? we 've been joking around and showing it to friends who did n't have it yet . but we 're playing our first concert in a while tonight [ september 11 ] . i 'm in north carolina . and we 're going to try to hook our iphones up to the sound system and we 're going to try to t-pain our voices live . so we 'll see if it works . do you have a favorite iphone app just in general ? i 'm not much of an app guy , but when i really need to kill some time i go for papijump . it 's like the simplest , dumbest game possible on the iphone . other than that , the new york times app is nice . what have you learned about the internet in watching your videos go viral ? i think a lot of people are using the internet for just a sort of quick laugh fix . whether you 're bored at work or looking for something fun to do at home , people sort of live serious enough lives . i think everyone loves to laugh . and if you can get five minutes of the day at work ... to get a couple yucks in , i think you 'd rather do that than watch your latest youtube conspiracy movie or something . | gregory says katie couric has a good auto-tune voice , but sean hannity does n't |
auto-tune <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this is the summer of auto-tune . the gregory brothers have become a viral hit with their auto-tune the news ' videos . no matter how hard some people -- notably jay-z -- have tried to kill the trend of musicians using computers to make their voices sound like whiny robots , auto-tune technology continues to ride a cultural high . now the voice-altering effects are migrating from recording studios to youtube and mobile phones . an iphone app called i am t-pain ' lets people manipulate their voices to sound like the popular rapper and auto-tune advocate . the gregory brothers , a sibling band out of brooklyn , new york , has become a hit on youtube with a series of videos that auto-tune cable newscasts and political speeches . the group , which also tours as a low-fi soul band , started its series of videos called auto-tune the news ' during the 2008 presidential debates and has gained millions of fans in recent months . cnn spoke with andrew gregory , a 27-year-old member of the band , about the popularity of auto-tune -- the trademarked name for the popular pitch-correction software -- and the role of technology in music and society . the following is an edited transcript of our conversation : why do you think your videos have taken off like they have ? i think with any sort of viral video there 's a little bit of luck involved . so we 're counting our lucky stars that we 've been lucky enough to have it take off like that . at the same time i think the novelty of seeing people like katie couric and newt gingrich sing has really captured peoples'attention . how do you make the videos ? what actually goes into it ? michael likes to joke that there 's a huge auto-tune lever that he hooks up to his computer and whenever he sees video footage he just pulls the lever , and anything that strikes his fancy is automatically auto-tuned . but there 's a lot of technical stuff that goes into it . ... we scour a lot of footage to see what 's going to work and what 's not going to work . we try to find what people are going to tune well and what people wo n't tune well . ... really , by the time the video gets made i 'd say it 's eight or 10 days of work that goes into one of these videos , between the four of us . what makes someone a good candidate for auto-tuning ? an example of a great candidate for auto-tuning would be either katie couric or joe biden . both katie couric and joe biden have just continued to astonish us with their unbelievable , almost hidden melodies in their speaking voices . a lot of it has to do with how they project their voice in terms of their soft palate . but it also has to do with how much of an oratorical fashion they speak . joe biden , in a lot of his speeches , is delivering them in a preacher sort of fashion that tunes really well . while someone who ended up tuning really poorly -- we thought he would tune really well ! -- was sean hannity . we thought he 'd tune really well just because sean hannity is always talking really loud . but it turns out that despite the fact that he was talking really loud , it was a nasal talking and it was a harsh and abrasive loud voice , so it ended up not tuning well at all . does president obama make for a good auto-tune ? you know , what was great from obama was the campaign speeches . his campaign speeches were excellent , because he was sort of using that almost gospel-preacher rhetorical style . since he 's been president , he 's been so relaxed and sort of so laid back and cerebral and sort of intellectual . he 's not been quite as excellent for auto-tuning because there 's a lot more of a mumbly tone about him . a lot less of the yes we can ! ' and a lot more of the weeeeell , as we see ... ' has auto-tune the news ' helped your other musical efforts or do you think it 's pulling you away ? it 's certainly making us focus a lot more on auto-tune the news . ' as the videos have sort of grown in scope and become more popular , we ca n't help but continue to work on them as our fans clamor for more . do you ever use auto-tune in the other performances , like in your band ? we 've never used it live . we 're no ashlee simpson . but i think we 've used it a little bit on our record . right now it 's a huge fad to auto-tune the crap out of people so that they sound like robots . but on pretty much any record you listen to these days there 's some level of auto-tune on it , even if it 's a very , very small amount . if there 's just one small note that 's just a little bit flat , why would n't you auto-tune it to make it sound ok ? do you think it 's hurting music at all that people expect a singer 's pitch to be perfect ? it means that people who ca n't sing as well are becoming famous singers . but i do n't know , that 's why i love going to see live music , because that really sorts out the real singers from the not-so-real singers . if you could invent any technology or pick a technology that you would like to see invented , what would it be ? oh , wow . i 'd probably go for a teleportation machine myself . ... like the one they used in star trek , ' hopefully , right ? where you can jump in the teleportation machine and get to your gigs without having to carry all your amps and drive eight hours in your van . i mean , i play music for free . it 's carrying my amps and driving places in my van that i have to charge people for . that 'd be the real revolution for the music industry . do you have the t-pain iphone app ? yeah , we were beta testers for that app . do you use the app in day-to-day life ? we 've been joking around and showing it to friends who did n't have it yet . but we 're playing our first concert in a while tonight [ september 11 ] . i 'm in north carolina . and we 're going to try to hook our iphones up to the sound system and we 're going to try to t-pain our voices live . so we 'll see if it works . do you have a favorite iphone app just in general ? i 'm not much of an app guy , but when i really need to kill some time i go for papijump . it 's like the simplest , dumbest game possible on the iphone . other than that , the new york times app is nice . what have you learned about the internet in watching your videos go viral ? i think a lot of people are using the internet for just a sort of quick laugh fix . whether you 're bored at work or looking for something fun to do at home , people sort of live serious enough lives . i think everyone loves to laugh . and if you can get five minutes of the day at work ... to get a couple yucks in , i think you 'd rather do that than watch your latest youtube conspiracy movie or something . | he plans to use the i am t-pain ' auto-tune app in a live performance |
auto-tune <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this is the summer of auto-tune . the gregory brothers have become a viral hit with their auto-tune the news ' videos . no matter how hard some people -- notably jay-z -- have tried to kill the trend of musicians using computers to make their voices sound like whiny robots , auto-tune technology continues to ride a cultural high . now the voice-altering effects are migrating from recording studios to youtube and mobile phones . an iphone app called i am t-pain ' lets people manipulate their voices to sound like the popular rapper and auto-tune advocate . the gregory brothers , a sibling band out of brooklyn , new york , has become a hit on youtube with a series of videos that auto-tune cable newscasts and political speeches . the group , which also tours as a low-fi soul band , started its series of videos called auto-tune the news ' during the 2008 presidential debates and has gained millions of fans in recent months . cnn spoke with andrew gregory , a 27-year-old member of the band , about the popularity of auto-tune -- the trademarked name for the popular pitch-correction software -- and the role of technology in music and society . the following is an edited transcript of our conversation : why do you think your videos have taken off like they have ? i think with any sort of viral video there 's a little bit of luck involved . so we 're counting our lucky stars that we 've been lucky enough to have it take off like that . at the same time i think the novelty of seeing people like katie couric and newt gingrich sing has really captured peoples'attention . how do you make the videos ? what actually goes into it ? michael likes to joke that there 's a huge auto-tune lever that he hooks up to his computer and whenever he sees video footage he just pulls the lever , and anything that strikes his fancy is automatically auto-tuned . but there 's a lot of technical stuff that goes into it . ... we scour a lot of footage to see what 's going to work and what 's not going to work . we try to find what people are going to tune well and what people wo n't tune well . ... really , by the time the video gets made i 'd say it 's eight or 10 days of work that goes into one of these videos , between the four of us . what makes someone a good candidate for auto-tuning ? an example of a great candidate for auto-tuning would be either katie couric or joe biden . both katie couric and joe biden have just continued to astonish us with their unbelievable , almost hidden melodies in their speaking voices . a lot of it has to do with how they project their voice in terms of their soft palate . but it also has to do with how much of an oratorical fashion they speak . joe biden , in a lot of his speeches , is delivering them in a preacher sort of fashion that tunes really well . while someone who ended up tuning really poorly -- we thought he would tune really well ! -- was sean hannity . we thought he 'd tune really well just because sean hannity is always talking really loud . but it turns out that despite the fact that he was talking really loud , it was a nasal talking and it was a harsh and abrasive loud voice , so it ended up not tuning well at all . does president obama make for a good auto-tune ? you know , what was great from obama was the campaign speeches . his campaign speeches were excellent , because he was sort of using that almost gospel-preacher rhetorical style . since he 's been president , he 's been so relaxed and sort of so laid back and cerebral and sort of intellectual . he 's not been quite as excellent for auto-tuning because there 's a lot more of a mumbly tone about him . a lot less of the yes we can ! ' and a lot more of the weeeeell , as we see ... ' has auto-tune the news ' helped your other musical efforts or do you think it 's pulling you away ? it 's certainly making us focus a lot more on auto-tune the news . ' as the videos have sort of grown in scope and become more popular , we ca n't help but continue to work on them as our fans clamor for more . do you ever use auto-tune in the other performances , like in your band ? we 've never used it live . we 're no ashlee simpson . but i think we 've used it a little bit on our record . right now it 's a huge fad to auto-tune the crap out of people so that they sound like robots . but on pretty much any record you listen to these days there 's some level of auto-tune on it , even if it 's a very , very small amount . if there 's just one small note that 's just a little bit flat , why would n't you auto-tune it to make it sound ok ? do you think it 's hurting music at all that people expect a singer 's pitch to be perfect ? it means that people who ca n't sing as well are becoming famous singers . but i do n't know , that 's why i love going to see live music , because that really sorts out the real singers from the not-so-real singers . if you could invent any technology or pick a technology that you would like to see invented , what would it be ? oh , wow . i 'd probably go for a teleportation machine myself . ... like the one they used in star trek , ' hopefully , right ? where you can jump in the teleportation machine and get to your gigs without having to carry all your amps and drive eight hours in your van . i mean , i play music for free . it 's carrying my amps and driving places in my van that i have to charge people for . that 'd be the real revolution for the music industry . do you have the t-pain iphone app ? yeah , we were beta testers for that app . do you use the app in day-to-day life ? we 've been joking around and showing it to friends who did n't have it yet . but we 're playing our first concert in a while tonight [ september 11 ] . i 'm in north carolina . and we 're going to try to hook our iphones up to the sound system and we 're going to try to t-pain our voices live . so we 'll see if it works . do you have a favorite iphone app just in general ? i 'm not much of an app guy , but when i really need to kill some time i go for papijump . it 's like the simplest , dumbest game possible on the iphone . other than that , the new york times app is nice . what have you learned about the internet in watching your videos go viral ? i think a lot of people are using the internet for just a sort of quick laugh fix . whether you 're bored at work or looking for something fun to do at home , people sort of live serious enough lives . i think everyone loves to laugh . and if you can get five minutes of the day at work ... to get a couple yucks in , i think you 'd rather do that than watch your latest youtube conspiracy movie or something . | cnn talks with andrew gregory , one of the people behind auto-tune the news ' |
cnn <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this is the summer of auto-tune . the gregory brothers have become a viral hit with their auto-tune the news ' videos . no matter how hard some people -- notably jay-z -- have tried to kill the trend of musicians using computers to make their voices sound like whiny robots , auto-tune technology continues to ride a cultural high . now the voice-altering effects are migrating from recording studios to youtube and mobile phones . an iphone app called i am t-pain ' lets people manipulate their voices to sound like the popular rapper and auto-tune advocate . the gregory brothers , a sibling band out of brooklyn , new york , has become a hit on youtube with a series of videos that auto-tune cable newscasts and political speeches . the group , which also tours as a low-fi soul band , started its series of videos called auto-tune the news ' during the 2008 presidential debates and has gained millions of fans in recent months . cnn spoke with andrew gregory , a 27-year-old member of the band , about the popularity of auto-tune -- the trademarked name for the popular pitch-correction software -- and the role of technology in music and society . the following is an edited transcript of our conversation : why do you think your videos have taken off like they have ? i think with any sort of viral video there 's a little bit of luck involved . so we 're counting our lucky stars that we 've been lucky enough to have it take off like that . at the same time i think the novelty of seeing people like katie couric and newt gingrich sing has really captured peoples'attention . how do you make the videos ? what actually goes into it ? michael likes to joke that there 's a huge auto-tune lever that he hooks up to his computer and whenever he sees video footage he just pulls the lever , and anything that strikes his fancy is automatically auto-tuned . but there 's a lot of technical stuff that goes into it . ... we scour a lot of footage to see what 's going to work and what 's not going to work . we try to find what people are going to tune well and what people wo n't tune well . ... really , by the time the video gets made i 'd say it 's eight or 10 days of work that goes into one of these videos , between the four of us . what makes someone a good candidate for auto-tuning ? an example of a great candidate for auto-tuning would be either katie couric or joe biden . both katie couric and joe biden have just continued to astonish us with their unbelievable , almost hidden melodies in their speaking voices . a lot of it has to do with how they project their voice in terms of their soft palate . but it also has to do with how much of an oratorical fashion they speak . joe biden , in a lot of his speeches , is delivering them in a preacher sort of fashion that tunes really well . while someone who ended up tuning really poorly -- we thought he would tune really well ! -- was sean hannity . we thought he 'd tune really well just because sean hannity is always talking really loud . but it turns out that despite the fact that he was talking really loud , it was a nasal talking and it was a harsh and abrasive loud voice , so it ended up not tuning well at all . does president obama make for a good auto-tune ? you know , what was great from obama was the campaign speeches . his campaign speeches were excellent , because he was sort of using that almost gospel-preacher rhetorical style . since he 's been president , he 's been so relaxed and sort of so laid back and cerebral and sort of intellectual . he 's not been quite as excellent for auto-tuning because there 's a lot more of a mumbly tone about him . a lot less of the yes we can ! ' and a lot more of the weeeeell , as we see ... ' has auto-tune the news ' helped your other musical efforts or do you think it 's pulling you away ? it 's certainly making us focus a lot more on auto-tune the news . ' as the videos have sort of grown in scope and become more popular , we ca n't help but continue to work on them as our fans clamor for more . do you ever use auto-tune in the other performances , like in your band ? we 've never used it live . we 're no ashlee simpson . but i think we 've used it a little bit on our record . right now it 's a huge fad to auto-tune the crap out of people so that they sound like robots . but on pretty much any record you listen to these days there 's some level of auto-tune on it , even if it 's a very , very small amount . if there 's just one small note that 's just a little bit flat , why would n't you auto-tune it to make it sound ok ? do you think it 's hurting music at all that people expect a singer 's pitch to be perfect ? it means that people who ca n't sing as well are becoming famous singers . but i do n't know , that 's why i love going to see live music , because that really sorts out the real singers from the not-so-real singers . if you could invent any technology or pick a technology that you would like to see invented , what would it be ? oh , wow . i 'd probably go for a teleportation machine myself . ... like the one they used in star trek , ' hopefully , right ? where you can jump in the teleportation machine and get to your gigs without having to carry all your amps and drive eight hours in your van . i mean , i play music for free . it 's carrying my amps and driving places in my van that i have to charge people for . that 'd be the real revolution for the music industry . do you have the t-pain iphone app ? yeah , we were beta testers for that app . do you use the app in day-to-day life ? we 've been joking around and showing it to friends who did n't have it yet . but we 're playing our first concert in a while tonight [ september 11 ] . i 'm in north carolina . and we 're going to try to hook our iphones up to the sound system and we 're going to try to t-pain our voices live . so we 'll see if it works . do you have a favorite iphone app just in general ? i 'm not much of an app guy , but when i really need to kill some time i go for papijump . it 's like the simplest , dumbest game possible on the iphone . other than that , the new york times app is nice . what have you learned about the internet in watching your videos go viral ? i think a lot of people are using the internet for just a sort of quick laugh fix . whether you 're bored at work or looking for something fun to do at home , people sort of live serious enough lives . i think everyone loves to laugh . and if you can get five minutes of the day at work ... to get a couple yucks in , i think you 'd rather do that than watch your latest youtube conspiracy movie or something . | cnn talks with andrew gregory , one of the people behind auto-tune the news ' |
much ado about nothing <tsp> ( cnn ) -- joss whedon 's name has been flung around the movie stratosphere with thor-worthy momentum since his superhero blockbuster the avengers ' staked a claim on the box office this summer . but the buffy the vampire slayer , ' angel ' and firefly ' creator still feels relatively nervous , modest , yenta-ish and excited when it comes to film festivals . his equally modest , black-and-white shakespeare adaptation much ado about nothing ' premieres saturday at this year 's toronto international film festival . the festival runs from thursday through sept. 16 . i 've been to two festivals in my life , and i 've never been to toronto . i have n't really been making festival movies . this is new territory for me , ' whedon told ew.com . i 'm kind of festive . toronto has an amazing rep . the entire cast is coming . that 's so exciting for me , since they 're all my buddies . i would like to find a distributor and would really like to see other people 's movies . ' what 's next for joss whedon ? much ado , ' starring angel ' alums amy acker and alexis denisof as sparring lovers benedick and beatrice , and firefly ' alum nathan fillion as comically incompetent constable dogberry , is as far from the avengers'' large sets and booming action as you can get . the movie was shot over 12 days at whedon 's home in santa monica , calif . it 's the first feature from whedon 's mini studio bellwether pictures , which he created with his wife kai cole . acker , who has flown somewhat under the radar since her role as wide-eyed winifred burkle on angel , ' did a reading of much ado ' with denisof years ago at whedon 's house . hopefully the film version will land acker back in the spotlight . amy 's the best actress i 've ever worked with . get ready for an ace star performance . people were speechless , ' gushed whedon . we started the home shakespeare readings 10 years ago or more . it was season five or season six of buffy . sarah michelle gellar did not do the readings . a smattering of writers and actors from the shows did them . with much ado , eventually the technology changed to the point where you can make a movie , and not just a stage reading , but an actual production at home . ' as for fillion , whedon said the castle star had never read shakespeare , before filming the movie , and that fillion was scared . but he was so assured , and so funny . people are thinking spinoff ! ' said whedon . whedon also mused about the connections between shakespeare and the avengers , ' which has grossed more than $ 650 million domestically at the box office since its may debut , according to boxofficemojo.com . apparently a knack for dry , snarky , intricate language and twisting , turning plot lines spans generations , tv , movies and plays . there 's a reason tony stark makes fun of thor , and mentions shakespeare in the park in the avengers , ' said whedon . it 's great to play high drama and comedy alongside a modern story . shakespeare was shameless about that stuff , pop culture references . much ado is very much in the vein of the movies i make , which surprised me . it 's not that different from the avengers . it 's about finding why everyone is in the movie . what makes ursula the maid shine ? it was oddly similar . ' as for making other independent films , with whedon 's mega stuffed marvel schedule working on the avengers ' sequel and tv spinoff s.h.i.e.l.d. , ' will there still be time , or even room in his marvel contract , for the multitasking writer-director to feed into bellwether pictures ? whedon said yes . the agreement with marvel carved out room for movies like'much about do'and'in your eyes ,'which my wife produced , which we 've finished post on . and dr. horrible 2 , ' said whedon . anything that is not movie and tv . i can do web , comic books , macramã© , art . ' see full story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | much ado about nothing ' premieres saturday toronto international film festival . |
group b <tsp> ( cnn ) a tenacious tunisia broke the deadlock in group b to put one foot in the quarterfinals of the africa cup of nations . the 2004 champions were the first team to win a match in the so-called group of draw ' with a 2-1 victory over zambia . the second qualifying place from group b is still up for grabs , however , after cape verde and the democratic republic of congo played out a goalless draw in the late game . that result will cheer the free-flowing zambians , who had created the best chances as dusk began to settle around the tree-fringed estadio de ebebiyin . captain rainford kalaba and emmanuel mayuka fed off one another up front but shot after shot failed to find its target . the 2012 champions -- who had not lost an afcon match since 2010 -- had to wait until the 59th minute for mayuka to fire them into a deserved lead . kalaba darted through the tunisia defense to set up mayuka , who buried the ball deep into the net and celebrated with a series of back flips . the striker 's acrobatics proved more painful just minutes later . as he stretched to reach another cross from kalaba , his legs split wide and he was eventually carried off the field . the untimely injury to the talismanic striker , who is on the books of english premier league side southampton , was the turning point of the match . while he was being treated on the sidelines , tunisia spied a chance to take a run at 10-man zambia . the equalizer , a tap in by ahmed akaichi , came all too easily . as darkness fell on the town of ebebiyin , in the north east corner of host nation equatorial guinea , the crowd raised its voice , urging on a winner . the decisive goal came from tunisia captain yassine chikhaoui in the 89th minute when the fc zurich player rose clear , heading the ball into the net . that was not the zambia i know , ' the team captain kalaba told reporters . i do n't know what came into the mind of my colleagues after we scored . i was shocked to see the way they played . ' tunisia now leads group b on four points ahead of cape verde and dr congo on two points and zambia , which has a single point . the second match at the lively estadio de ebebiyin saw cape verde and dr congo play out a physical , often scrappy , draw . cape verde represent the smallest country at afcon -- the island territory stretches to just 1.5 square miles -- but the'blue sharks'have big ambitions . at its tournament debut in the 2013 edition of afcon , the islanders reached the quarter finals and rui aguas'men came close to joining tunisia on the cusp of the last eight again , thursday . the ball was inches from the line when defender admilson barros -- known as gege -- attempted to bundle it into the net only to be denied by the swift fingers of robert kidiaba . the congo dr keeper then stooped low to brilliantly deny heldon ramos when he had wriggled his way clear on goal . the leopards'threat was blunted early in the match when west bromwich albion midfielder youssouf mulumbu limped off . cedrick mabwati emerged as congo dr 's target man but there was ultimately no breakthrough for either side . the group of draw ' may be no more but zambia , congo dr and cape verde are all hunting an elusive win in monday 's decisive group b matches . | congo dr and cape verde draw to keep group b qualification hopes alive |
tunisia <tsp> ( cnn ) a tenacious tunisia broke the deadlock in group b to put one foot in the quarterfinals of the africa cup of nations . the 2004 champions were the first team to win a match in the so-called group of draw ' with a 2-1 victory over zambia . the second qualifying place from group b is still up for grabs , however , after cape verde and the democratic republic of congo played out a goalless draw in the late game . that result will cheer the free-flowing zambians , who had created the best chances as dusk began to settle around the tree-fringed estadio de ebebiyin . captain rainford kalaba and emmanuel mayuka fed off one another up front but shot after shot failed to find its target . the 2012 champions -- who had not lost an afcon match since 2010 -- had to wait until the 59th minute for mayuka to fire them into a deserved lead . kalaba darted through the tunisia defense to set up mayuka , who buried the ball deep into the net and celebrated with a series of back flips . the striker 's acrobatics proved more painful just minutes later . as he stretched to reach another cross from kalaba , his legs split wide and he was eventually carried off the field . the untimely injury to the talismanic striker , who is on the books of english premier league side southampton , was the turning point of the match . while he was being treated on the sidelines , tunisia spied a chance to take a run at 10-man zambia . the equalizer , a tap in by ahmed akaichi , came all too easily . as darkness fell on the town of ebebiyin , in the north east corner of host nation equatorial guinea , the crowd raised its voice , urging on a winner . the decisive goal came from tunisia captain yassine chikhaoui in the 89th minute when the fc zurich player rose clear , heading the ball into the net . that was not the zambia i know , ' the team captain kalaba told reporters . i do n't know what came into the mind of my colleagues after we scored . i was shocked to see the way they played . ' tunisia now leads group b on four points ahead of cape verde and dr congo on two points and zambia , which has a single point . the second match at the lively estadio de ebebiyin saw cape verde and dr congo play out a physical , often scrappy , draw . cape verde represent the smallest country at afcon -- the island territory stretches to just 1.5 square miles -- but the'blue sharks'have big ambitions . at its tournament debut in the 2013 edition of afcon , the islanders reached the quarter finals and rui aguas'men came close to joining tunisia on the cusp of the last eight again , thursday . the ball was inches from the line when defender admilson barros -- known as gege -- attempted to bundle it into the net only to be denied by the swift fingers of robert kidiaba . the congo dr keeper then stooped low to brilliantly deny heldon ramos when he had wriggled his way clear on goal . the leopards'threat was blunted early in the match when west bromwich albion midfielder youssouf mulumbu limped off . cedrick mabwati emerged as congo dr 's target man but there was ultimately no breakthrough for either side . the group of draw ' may be no more but zambia , congo dr and cape verde are all hunting an elusive win in monday 's decisive group b matches . | ahmed akaichi and captain yassine chikhaoui find the net for tunisia |
tunisia <tsp> ( cnn ) a tenacious tunisia broke the deadlock in group b to put one foot in the quarterfinals of the africa cup of nations . the 2004 champions were the first team to win a match in the so-called group of draw ' with a 2-1 victory over zambia . the second qualifying place from group b is still up for grabs , however , after cape verde and the democratic republic of congo played out a goalless draw in the late game . that result will cheer the free-flowing zambians , who had created the best chances as dusk began to settle around the tree-fringed estadio de ebebiyin . captain rainford kalaba and emmanuel mayuka fed off one another up front but shot after shot failed to find its target . the 2012 champions -- who had not lost an afcon match since 2010 -- had to wait until the 59th minute for mayuka to fire them into a deserved lead . kalaba darted through the tunisia defense to set up mayuka , who buried the ball deep into the net and celebrated with a series of back flips . the striker 's acrobatics proved more painful just minutes later . as he stretched to reach another cross from kalaba , his legs split wide and he was eventually carried off the field . the untimely injury to the talismanic striker , who is on the books of english premier league side southampton , was the turning point of the match . while he was being treated on the sidelines , tunisia spied a chance to take a run at 10-man zambia . the equalizer , a tap in by ahmed akaichi , came all too easily . as darkness fell on the town of ebebiyin , in the north east corner of host nation equatorial guinea , the crowd raised its voice , urging on a winner . the decisive goal came from tunisia captain yassine chikhaoui in the 89th minute when the fc zurich player rose clear , heading the ball into the net . that was not the zambia i know , ' the team captain kalaba told reporters . i do n't know what came into the mind of my colleagues after we scored . i was shocked to see the way they played . ' tunisia now leads group b on four points ahead of cape verde and dr congo on two points and zambia , which has a single point . the second match at the lively estadio de ebebiyin saw cape verde and dr congo play out a physical , often scrappy , draw . cape verde represent the smallest country at afcon -- the island territory stretches to just 1.5 square miles -- but the'blue sharks'have big ambitions . at its tournament debut in the 2013 edition of afcon , the islanders reached the quarter finals and rui aguas'men came close to joining tunisia on the cusp of the last eight again , thursday . the ball was inches from the line when defender admilson barros -- known as gege -- attempted to bundle it into the net only to be denied by the swift fingers of robert kidiaba . the congo dr keeper then stooped low to brilliantly deny heldon ramos when he had wriggled his way clear on goal . the leopards'threat was blunted early in the match when west bromwich albion midfielder youssouf mulumbu limped off . cedrick mabwati emerged as congo dr 's target man but there was ultimately no breakthrough for either side . the group of draw ' may be no more but zambia , congo dr and cape verde are all hunting an elusive win in monday 's decisive group b matches . | tunisia stage a late comeback to defeat zambia 2-1 in the africa cup of nations |
faa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- southwest airlines was inspecting 44 planes wednesday after an ambiguity related to required testing ' was found during a review of records , the airline said . earlier this week , southwest placed three employees on administrative leave and began conducting an internal investigation into the allegations that it flew planes without proper inspections . the house transportation and infrastructure committee , which initiated an investigation months ago , issued a statement on southwest 's decision . this action by southwest airlines raises serious questions about whether [ the federal aviation administration ] adequately followed up on the discovery a year ago that southwest had failed to make required inspections , ' the statement said . the faa should have immediately undertaken a review of the airline 's records . ' had such a review been conducted , faa would have found or prevented the'ambiguity'in southwest 's maintenance , which southwest has discovered after its own review of its records this week , ' the committee statement said . the 44 planes included five that were already out of service for scheduled maintenance checks plus one that was already retired , ' the company said in a news release wednesday afternoon . watch what 's to be expected » taking the other 38 planes out of service for inspection resulted in the cancellation of approximately 4 percent of today 's southwest flights , ' the release said . due to good weather conditions , the decision caused minimal schedule disruptions and the airline is running more than 90 percent on time , ' it said . by midafternoon , it said , a portion of the aircraft have been inspected , cleared , and returned to service . the airline expects to have all of these aircraft inspected by early this evening . ' it said other such service interruptions could occur in coming days because of the ongoing internal review of southwest 's maintenance programs , policies , and procedures . ' linda rutherford , another southwest spokeswoman , said the inspections take 90 minutes . southwest airlines ceo gary kelly said in a statement released tuesday : upon learning last month of an investigation with respect to our handling of this inspection and an airworthiness directive , i immediately ordered an independent and comprehensive investigation by outside counsel . ' southwest did not say whether the inspections were of the plane 's fuselages or rudders , both of which were mentioned in a cnn exclusive investigation released last week . according to detailed congressional documents obtained by cnn , southwest airlines flew some planes in violation of mandatory safety checks . last week the federal aviation administration initiated actions to seek a $ 10.2 million civil penalty against the airline for allegedly operating 46 airplanes without conducting mandatory checks for fuselage cracking . the amount of the proposed penalty reflects the serious nature of those deliberate violations , ' the faa said in a statement . the faa has said southwest operated 46 boeing 737s on nearly 60,000 flights between june 2006 and march 2007 while failing to comply with an faa directive requiring repeated inspections of fuselage areas to detect fatigue cracking . the faa also alleges that after southwest discovered it had failed to comply , it continued to operate the same planes on an additional 1,451 flights in march 2007 . the airline later found that six of the 46 planes had fatigue cracks , the faa said . documents provided to cnn show that another 70 southwest jets were allowed to fly past the deadline for the mandatory rudder inspections . those documents also say that 47 planes -- one more than reported by the faa -- flew without their mandatory fuselage inspections . in some cases , according to the documents the faa provided to congressional investigators , the planes flew for 30 months past government inspection deadlines and should have grounded them until the inspections could be completed . the documents were prepared by two faa safety inspectors who have requested whistle-blower status from the house transportation and infrastructure committee . both inspectors have been subpoenaed to testify before the committee . rep. james oberstar , d-minnesota , who heads the committee and who has called the situation one of the worst safety violations ' he has ever seen , is scheduled to hold a hearing april 3 to ask why the airline may have allegedly put its passengers in danger . the whistle-blowers say faa managers knew about the lapse in safety at southwest , but decided to allow the airline to conduct the safety checks on a slower schedule because taking aircraft out of service would have disrupted southwest airlines'flight schedule . ' i am concerned with some of our findings as to our controls over procedures within our maintenance airworthiness directive and regulatory compliance processes , ' kelly said tuesday . i have insisted that we have the appropriate maintenance organizational and governance structure in place to ensure that the right decisions are being made . ' in addition to putting three employees on administrative leave , southwest has hired a consultant to review its maintenance program controls and is working closely with the faa on its current audit of the fleet . these are important and necessary steps , ' kelly said . we have been a safe company . i believe we are a safe company . i am committed to making sure we become safer still . ' the mandatory checks for fuselage cracks were required after the cabin of an aloha airlines 737 tore apart in midair in 1988 , killing a flight attendant . the incident was blamed on cracks in the fuselage that grew wider as the plane underwent pressure changes during flight . southwest airlines has never had a catastrophic crash . e-mail to a friend cnn 's drew griffin contributed to this report . | whistle-blowers say faa knew of violations but did n't want to disrupt service |
faa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- southwest airlines was inspecting 44 planes wednesday after an ambiguity related to required testing ' was found during a review of records , the airline said . earlier this week , southwest placed three employees on administrative leave and began conducting an internal investigation into the allegations that it flew planes without proper inspections . the house transportation and infrastructure committee , which initiated an investigation months ago , issued a statement on southwest 's decision . this action by southwest airlines raises serious questions about whether [ the federal aviation administration ] adequately followed up on the discovery a year ago that southwest had failed to make required inspections , ' the statement said . the faa should have immediately undertaken a review of the airline 's records . ' had such a review been conducted , faa would have found or prevented the'ambiguity'in southwest 's maintenance , which southwest has discovered after its own review of its records this week , ' the committee statement said . the 44 planes included five that were already out of service for scheduled maintenance checks plus one that was already retired , ' the company said in a news release wednesday afternoon . watch what 's to be expected » taking the other 38 planes out of service for inspection resulted in the cancellation of approximately 4 percent of today 's southwest flights , ' the release said . due to good weather conditions , the decision caused minimal schedule disruptions and the airline is running more than 90 percent on time , ' it said . by midafternoon , it said , a portion of the aircraft have been inspected , cleared , and returned to service . the airline expects to have all of these aircraft inspected by early this evening . ' it said other such service interruptions could occur in coming days because of the ongoing internal review of southwest 's maintenance programs , policies , and procedures . ' linda rutherford , another southwest spokeswoman , said the inspections take 90 minutes . southwest airlines ceo gary kelly said in a statement released tuesday : upon learning last month of an investigation with respect to our handling of this inspection and an airworthiness directive , i immediately ordered an independent and comprehensive investigation by outside counsel . ' southwest did not say whether the inspections were of the plane 's fuselages or rudders , both of which were mentioned in a cnn exclusive investigation released last week . according to detailed congressional documents obtained by cnn , southwest airlines flew some planes in violation of mandatory safety checks . last week the federal aviation administration initiated actions to seek a $ 10.2 million civil penalty against the airline for allegedly operating 46 airplanes without conducting mandatory checks for fuselage cracking . the amount of the proposed penalty reflects the serious nature of those deliberate violations , ' the faa said in a statement . the faa has said southwest operated 46 boeing 737s on nearly 60,000 flights between june 2006 and march 2007 while failing to comply with an faa directive requiring repeated inspections of fuselage areas to detect fatigue cracking . the faa also alleges that after southwest discovered it had failed to comply , it continued to operate the same planes on an additional 1,451 flights in march 2007 . the airline later found that six of the 46 planes had fatigue cracks , the faa said . documents provided to cnn show that another 70 southwest jets were allowed to fly past the deadline for the mandatory rudder inspections . those documents also say that 47 planes -- one more than reported by the faa -- flew without their mandatory fuselage inspections . in some cases , according to the documents the faa provided to congressional investigators , the planes flew for 30 months past government inspection deadlines and should have grounded them until the inspections could be completed . the documents were prepared by two faa safety inspectors who have requested whistle-blower status from the house transportation and infrastructure committee . both inspectors have been subpoenaed to testify before the committee . rep. james oberstar , d-minnesota , who heads the committee and who has called the situation one of the worst safety violations ' he has ever seen , is scheduled to hold a hearing april 3 to ask why the airline may have allegedly put its passengers in danger . the whistle-blowers say faa managers knew about the lapse in safety at southwest , but decided to allow the airline to conduct the safety checks on a slower schedule because taking aircraft out of service would have disrupted southwest airlines'flight schedule . ' i am concerned with some of our findings as to our controls over procedures within our maintenance airworthiness directive and regulatory compliance processes , ' kelly said tuesday . i have insisted that we have the appropriate maintenance organizational and governance structure in place to ensure that the right decisions are being made . ' in addition to putting three employees on administrative leave , southwest has hired a consultant to review its maintenance program controls and is working closely with the faa on its current audit of the fleet . these are important and necessary steps , ' kelly said . we have been a safe company . i believe we are a safe company . i am committed to making sure we become safer still . ' the mandatory checks for fuselage cracks were required after the cabin of an aloha airlines 737 tore apart in midair in 1988 , killing a flight attendant . the incident was blamed on cracks in the fuselage that grew wider as the plane underwent pressure changes during flight . southwest airlines has never had a catastrophic crash . e-mail to a friend cnn 's drew griffin contributed to this report . | faa says southwest jets made almost 60,000 flights without fuselage inspections |
google <tsp> rancho palos verdes , california ( cnn ) -- google , now an internet giant , is learning that it needs to take more careful steps in regards to privacy . prompted by intensifying scrutiny from government regulators and privacy watchdogs , google is striving to be more sensitive to data-collection issues that often make people uneasy . it went so far as to spike a recent project google engineers had developed because of fears of potential backlash , said eric schmidt , google 's executive chairman and former ceo . the scrapped software would have let people include their head shot photos in a database so that they could be recognized by a mobile application when someone takes a picture of their faces . we built that technology , and we withheld it , ' schmidt said in an onstage interview at the d : all things digital conference here on tuesday . as far as i know , it was the only technology that google built , and we decided to stop . ' that product was meant to be part of an app called google goggles , which is able to look at a picture taken from a phone and then translate text or recognize a building , advertisement or painting . ( facial recognition is , however , being used to power a feature in google maps 's street view that blurs the faces of bystanders caught on camera . ) as recently as march , google still had plans to eventually release the facial-recognition version of the app , cnn reported . schmidt was less supportive of the idea at a conference two weeks ago when he said it was unlikely ' that google would release the software . with facial-recognition technology , an evil dictator could use that against you , ' schmidt said on tuesday . we 're so sensitive on the privacy issue now . ' since schmidt handed over the ceo reigns to co-founder larry page in april , the goal was to create an organization that operates more autonomously , that works like a startup , google managers say . but to address privacy issues , google has inserted a layer of oversight to reduce the recklessness that many fledgling companies get away with . historically , we would just throw stuff over the wall , ' schmidt said . we now have a very , very thorough process . ' company lawyers and government-policy specialists now work with the development teams as they 're building products and brainstorming ideas , schmidt said . it 's their job to wrangle expectations and ensure google does n't overstep the creepy line ' ( to borrow a phrase from schmidt ) . regulators say google has crossed that line before , with its camera-taking vehicles and with google buzz . the latter attracted the ire of the u.s. government when the service published the e-mail contact lists for users . as a result , google agreed to submit to reviews of its privacy policies as part of a federal trade commission settlement . schmidt , an industry veteran , knows that a series of stumbles can scar a tech company . he said at the conference that software giant microsoft is no longer a top player among tech brands . microsoft is not driving the consumer revolution in the mind of consumers , ' schmidt said . ( however , it 's worth noting that in an interview with the wall street journal last year , schmidt named microsoft , with its bing search engine , as google 's biggest competitor , ahead of apple and facebook . ) schmidt 's big four is amazon.com , apple , facebook and ( you guessed it ) google . honorary mentions go to twitter and paypal . coincidentally , the latter is suing google over its new mobile-payments service , called google wallet , which launches in portland on wednesday and was demonstrated at the event . apple , which google competes with on smartphones and soon laptops , was a recipient of much praise from schmidt . he said apple makes beautiful products ' and has just renewed a deal to use google 's search and maps services . he suggested people buy mac computers over microsoft 's windows pcs if they 're concerned about getting viruses -- speaking as a proud former board member of apple , ' he said . besides including facebook in his list of top companies , schmidt had little else to laud the social network for . the site is about connecting with every friend you 've ever had , including the ones you ca n't quite remember , ' he said . google has tried to partner with facebook , but microsoft usually wins those deals , he said . facebook , too , has had to walk a privacy tightrope when rolling out new features . responding to a question about facebook 's growing presence , schmidt said : i think the industry would benefit from having an alternative . ' | for the first time , google canned a finished project due to privacy concerns |
google <tsp> rancho palos verdes , california ( cnn ) -- google , now an internet giant , is learning that it needs to take more careful steps in regards to privacy . prompted by intensifying scrutiny from government regulators and privacy watchdogs , google is striving to be more sensitive to data-collection issues that often make people uneasy . it went so far as to spike a recent project google engineers had developed because of fears of potential backlash , said eric schmidt , google 's executive chairman and former ceo . the scrapped software would have let people include their head shot photos in a database so that they could be recognized by a mobile application when someone takes a picture of their faces . we built that technology , and we withheld it , ' schmidt said in an onstage interview at the d : all things digital conference here on tuesday . as far as i know , it was the only technology that google built , and we decided to stop . ' that product was meant to be part of an app called google goggles , which is able to look at a picture taken from a phone and then translate text or recognize a building , advertisement or painting . ( facial recognition is , however , being used to power a feature in google maps 's street view that blurs the faces of bystanders caught on camera . ) as recently as march , google still had plans to eventually release the facial-recognition version of the app , cnn reported . schmidt was less supportive of the idea at a conference two weeks ago when he said it was unlikely ' that google would release the software . with facial-recognition technology , an evil dictator could use that against you , ' schmidt said on tuesday . we 're so sensitive on the privacy issue now . ' since schmidt handed over the ceo reigns to co-founder larry page in april , the goal was to create an organization that operates more autonomously , that works like a startup , google managers say . but to address privacy issues , google has inserted a layer of oversight to reduce the recklessness that many fledgling companies get away with . historically , we would just throw stuff over the wall , ' schmidt said . we now have a very , very thorough process . ' company lawyers and government-policy specialists now work with the development teams as they 're building products and brainstorming ideas , schmidt said . it 's their job to wrangle expectations and ensure google does n't overstep the creepy line ' ( to borrow a phrase from schmidt ) . regulators say google has crossed that line before , with its camera-taking vehicles and with google buzz . the latter attracted the ire of the u.s. government when the service published the e-mail contact lists for users . as a result , google agreed to submit to reviews of its privacy policies as part of a federal trade commission settlement . schmidt , an industry veteran , knows that a series of stumbles can scar a tech company . he said at the conference that software giant microsoft is no longer a top player among tech brands . microsoft is not driving the consumer revolution in the mind of consumers , ' schmidt said . ( however , it 's worth noting that in an interview with the wall street journal last year , schmidt named microsoft , with its bing search engine , as google 's biggest competitor , ahead of apple and facebook . ) schmidt 's big four is amazon.com , apple , facebook and ( you guessed it ) google . honorary mentions go to twitter and paypal . coincidentally , the latter is suing google over its new mobile-payments service , called google wallet , which launches in portland on wednesday and was demonstrated at the event . apple , which google competes with on smartphones and soon laptops , was a recipient of much praise from schmidt . he said apple makes beautiful products ' and has just renewed a deal to use google 's search and maps services . he suggested people buy mac computers over microsoft 's windows pcs if they 're concerned about getting viruses -- speaking as a proud former board member of apple , ' he said . besides including facebook in his list of top companies , schmidt had little else to laud the social network for . the site is about connecting with every friend you 've ever had , including the ones you ca n't quite remember , ' he said . google has tried to partner with facebook , but microsoft usually wins those deals , he said . facebook , too , has had to walk a privacy tightrope when rolling out new features . responding to a question about facebook 's growing presence , schmidt said : i think the industry would benefit from having an alternative . ' | google has appointed lawyers to work with developers on new products |
mandela <tsp> ( cnn ) -- former south african leader nelson mandela remained in intensive care monday , two days after he was hospitalized with a recurring lung infection . the increasingly frail mandela was rushed to a hospital in pretoria on saturday . later in the day , the south african president 's office said the 94-year-old former leader was in a serious but stable condition . ' he was breathing on his own and his wife was by his side , the office said at the time . after offering no updates for 48 hours , the government said monday that mandela 's condition was unchanged . ' meanwhile , his daughter zenani dlamini , who is the south african ambassador to argentina , has flown back to south africa to be with her father . mandela has been in and out of hospitals in recent years . each episode has sparked concerns worldwide . south africa : following nelson mandela'we will release him' on sunday , south africans offered prayers at church services , and well-wishes poured in for mandela from across the world . meanwhile , the front page of south africa 's sunday times read , it 's time to let him go . ' the paper quoted mandela 's longtime friend andrew mlangeni as saying that the time may have come for south africans to say goodbye to the beloved icon . you have been coming to the hospital too many times . quite clearly you are not well and there is a possibility you might not be well again , ' mlangeni told the paper . once the family releases him , the people of south africa will follow . we will say thank you , god , you have given us this man , and we will release him too , ' mlangeni said . history of ailments south africa 's first black president gets round-the-clock care , and his house is fitted with medical equipment that mirrors that of an intensive care unit . his history of lung problems dates to when he was a political prisoner on robben island during apartheid , and he has battled respiratory infections over the years . last year , he spent christmas holidays undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones , one of his longest hospital stays since his release from prison in 1990 . considered the founding father of south africa 's democracy , mandela became an international figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid , the country 's system of racial segregation . he has taught us ... that we enhance our own humanity when we serve and make a difference to other people 's lives , ' presidential spokesman mac maharaj said . it 's easy to serve oneself , own interests , but serving the interests of others , making their lives better changes the quality of all humanity . ' in 1993 , mandela and then-south african president f.w . de klerk jointly won the nobel peace prize . hero of democracy the iconic leader was elected the nation 's first black president a year later , serving only one term , as he had promised . he has not appeared in public since south africa hosted the world cup in 2010 . but despite rare public appearances in recent years , he retains his popularity and is considered a hero of democracy in the nation . last year , south africa launched a new batch of banknotes with a picture of a smiling mandela on the front , a testament to his iconic status . mandela 's impact extends far beyond south african borders . after he left office , he mediated conflicts from africa to the middle east . | new : mandela 's daughter zenani dlamini has flown in from argentina to be with him |
mandela <tsp> ( cnn ) -- former south african leader nelson mandela remained in intensive care monday , two days after he was hospitalized with a recurring lung infection . the increasingly frail mandela was rushed to a hospital in pretoria on saturday . later in the day , the south african president 's office said the 94-year-old former leader was in a serious but stable condition . ' he was breathing on his own and his wife was by his side , the office said at the time . after offering no updates for 48 hours , the government said monday that mandela 's condition was unchanged . ' meanwhile , his daughter zenani dlamini , who is the south african ambassador to argentina , has flown back to south africa to be with her father . mandela has been in and out of hospitals in recent years . each episode has sparked concerns worldwide . south africa : following nelson mandela'we will release him' on sunday , south africans offered prayers at church services , and well-wishes poured in for mandela from across the world . meanwhile , the front page of south africa 's sunday times read , it 's time to let him go . ' the paper quoted mandela 's longtime friend andrew mlangeni as saying that the time may have come for south africans to say goodbye to the beloved icon . you have been coming to the hospital too many times . quite clearly you are not well and there is a possibility you might not be well again , ' mlangeni told the paper . once the family releases him , the people of south africa will follow . we will say thank you , god , you have given us this man , and we will release him too , ' mlangeni said . history of ailments south africa 's first black president gets round-the-clock care , and his house is fitted with medical equipment that mirrors that of an intensive care unit . his history of lung problems dates to when he was a political prisoner on robben island during apartheid , and he has battled respiratory infections over the years . last year , he spent christmas holidays undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones , one of his longest hospital stays since his release from prison in 1990 . considered the founding father of south africa 's democracy , mandela became an international figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid , the country 's system of racial segregation . he has taught us ... that we enhance our own humanity when we serve and make a difference to other people 's lives , ' presidential spokesman mac maharaj said . it 's easy to serve oneself , own interests , but serving the interests of others , making their lives better changes the quality of all humanity . ' in 1993 , mandela and then-south african president f.w . de klerk jointly won the nobel peace prize . hero of democracy the iconic leader was elected the nation 's first black president a year later , serving only one term , as he had promised . he has not appeared in public since south africa hosted the world cup in 2010 . but despite rare public appearances in recent years , he retains his popularity and is considered a hero of democracy in the nation . last year , south africa launched a new batch of banknotes with a picture of a smiling mandela on the front , a testament to his iconic status . mandela 's impact extends far beyond south african borders . after he left office , he mediated conflicts from africa to the middle east . | mandela has been in and out of hospitals in recent years |
mandela <tsp> ( cnn ) -- former south african leader nelson mandela remained in intensive care monday , two days after he was hospitalized with a recurring lung infection . the increasingly frail mandela was rushed to a hospital in pretoria on saturday . later in the day , the south african president 's office said the 94-year-old former leader was in a serious but stable condition . ' he was breathing on his own and his wife was by his side , the office said at the time . after offering no updates for 48 hours , the government said monday that mandela 's condition was unchanged . ' meanwhile , his daughter zenani dlamini , who is the south african ambassador to argentina , has flown back to south africa to be with her father . mandela has been in and out of hospitals in recent years . each episode has sparked concerns worldwide . south africa : following nelson mandela'we will release him' on sunday , south africans offered prayers at church services , and well-wishes poured in for mandela from across the world . meanwhile , the front page of south africa 's sunday times read , it 's time to let him go . ' the paper quoted mandela 's longtime friend andrew mlangeni as saying that the time may have come for south africans to say goodbye to the beloved icon . you have been coming to the hospital too many times . quite clearly you are not well and there is a possibility you might not be well again , ' mlangeni told the paper . once the family releases him , the people of south africa will follow . we will say thank you , god , you have given us this man , and we will release him too , ' mlangeni said . history of ailments south africa 's first black president gets round-the-clock care , and his house is fitted with medical equipment that mirrors that of an intensive care unit . his history of lung problems dates to when he was a political prisoner on robben island during apartheid , and he has battled respiratory infections over the years . last year , he spent christmas holidays undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones , one of his longest hospital stays since his release from prison in 1990 . considered the founding father of south africa 's democracy , mandela became an international figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid , the country 's system of racial segregation . he has taught us ... that we enhance our own humanity when we serve and make a difference to other people 's lives , ' presidential spokesman mac maharaj said . it 's easy to serve oneself , own interests , but serving the interests of others , making their lives better changes the quality of all humanity . ' in 1993 , mandela and then-south african president f.w . de klerk jointly won the nobel peace prize . hero of democracy the iconic leader was elected the nation 's first black president a year later , serving only one term , as he had promised . he has not appeared in public since south africa hosted the world cup in 2010 . but despite rare public appearances in recent years , he retains his popularity and is considered a hero of democracy in the nation . last year , south africa launched a new batch of banknotes with a picture of a smiling mandela on the front , a testament to his iconic status . mandela 's impact extends far beyond south african borders . after he left office , he mediated conflicts from africa to the middle east . | a newspaper quotes mandela 's friend as saying it 's time to say goodbye |
louisville <tsp> ( travel leisure ) -- when he 's not doing 200 mph around the racetrack , nascar champion driver kurt busch is feeding a need besides speed : his love of sports . after the nascar schedule comes out , i strategically make plans to get to a unique sporting event at least once a month , ' says the passionate fan , making a point of visiting baseball parks and other sports attractions like museums and stadiums along the racing circuit . and he 's hardly alone . sports-related tourism is big bucks in america . super bowl xlviii was widely touted ( if disputed ) as having a $ 600 million economic impact in the new york city region . chump change next to the billions surrounding the xxii olympic winter games in sochi , russia . but avowed sports nuts do n't need big-ticket events to bring out their passion . under-the-radar activities and the chance to show their love of the game -- any game -- while on vacation can transform a trip into an unforgettable experience . from shooting hoops in springfield , massachusetts , to surfing san diego 's waves , we 've sweated the details to identify itineraries for sports fans whatever their home team may be . game on . see all of america 's best vacations for sports fans indianapolis : the brickyard and basketball getting behind the wheel of an indycar for a high-speed ride around one of the world 's most famous tracks will make anyone -- from everyday gear heads to racing aficionados -- want to kiss the bricks ' like brickyard race winners have done since 1996 . basketball ( and sports movie ) fans can relive the milan miracle of 1954 ' at both the milan'54 hoosiers museum and the hinkle fieldhouse , where the historic high school game was played ( and where much of the movie hoosiers , ' on which it 's based , was filmed ) . time out : dinner is a scene -- with all the black-and-white photos to prove it -- at st. elmo steak house , where hundreds of athletes and celebrities have dined since its 1902 opening . cleveland and canton : rock the pigskin in northeast ohio , rock star quarterbacks and actual rock stars get equal air time . canton 's pro football hall of fame pays homage to the gridiron 's greats and is fresh off a 2013 renovation/expansion that now includes interactive exhibits , like an instant replay challenge where visitors can play referee and decide whether to overturn or confirm rulings on the field . there 's no more iconic football anthem than queen 's we will rock you , ' so pay homage afterward in cleveland 's rock and roll hall of fame and museum . time out : holidays and sports go hand-in-hand , so make time for a cult classic with a stop in cleveland 's a christmas story house and museum ( leg lamp included ) . coolest olympic stadiums upstate new york : champions getaway start in cooperstown , new york , at america 's oldest professional sports hall of fame , the national baseball hall of fame , which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with special programming , including concerts on doubleday field , the birthplace of the sport . while in town , pose with legends of the past at the heroes of baseball wax museum . just three hours north , channel our modern olympic legends during a lake placid adventure : bobsledding , skeleton runs , skiing and ice skating at the olympic sports complex , the very rink where the u.s. defeated the soviet union in what became known as the miracle on ice . ' time out : craft beer is fast becoming another great american pastime , with cooperstown 's ommegang at the forefront ( brewery tours and tastings available ) . iowa to illinois : baseball road trip what could improve a day spent running the bases and playing catch on the iowa baseball diamond where field of dreams was filmed ? free admission ! afterward , drive three hours east to chicago to tour the dugout , clubhouse and press box at one of america 's most iconic ballparks : wrigley field , celebrating its 100th season this year . navy pier boasts two of chi-town 's most obscure sports attractions : a stained-glass window depiction of michael jordan and a sports memorabilia collection in famed sportscaster harry caray 's tavern , which features sammy sosa 's corked bat . time out : on the drive to chicago , stop at the charming town of galena , illinois , where the pre-presidency home of ulysses s. grant is open for tours . america 's best baseball stadiums san diego : skate and surf sunny san diego is a mecca for action sports nuts : surfing , bmx biking , hang gliding , mountain biking , and of course , skateboarding ( it 's home to grinding legend tony hawk ) . practice your tricks at one of the area 's few dozen skateparks and surfing beaches , and celebrate the golden state 's iconic surfing culture at the california surf museum a bit north in oceanside . team sports fans have a pilgrimage point , too , at the padres'petco park , one of america 's best baseball stadiums thanks to its beach and palm trees beyond center field . time out : traveling with kids ? you ca n't miss legoland . for beautiful views , the ocean terrace of george 's california modern offers sustainable seafood and panoramic scenes of la jolla cove . louisville : bats , boxing and on-track betting there may not be a professional sports team in louisville , kentucky , but its sporty offerings are still top-notch -- especially if you 've got a gambling bent . the kentucky derby ( one of the most-watched sporting events of the year ) takes place in may , but you can see a horse race at churchill downs any time of the year ( no big hat required ) ; an on-site museum offers exhibits on winning horses and derby fashion through the years . other area activities include a bat-making demonstration at the louisville slugger museum and factory and the cultural center dedicated to legendary boxer and native son muhammad ali . time out : whiskey fans will appreciate the area 's proximity to the eight distilleries ( and tasting rooms ) on the kentucky bourbon trail . philadelphia : yo , adrian ! maybe it 's ironic that the city of brotherly love is famous for a series of films where boxers go after each other with a fury normally reserved for eagles fans after a loss , but that 's part of what makes philly a great sports town . ( in fact , it ranks as the no . 1 most sports-crazed city in america . ) pretend to be rocky and run the philadelphia art museum steps -- and snap a selfie with the man himself , immortalized in bronze at their base -- before visiting boxing legend joe frazier 's gym , which was just added to the national register of historic places . all three of philadelphia 's professional sports stadiums are in the same complex . time out : order a cheesesteak or ( even better ) roast pork sandwich at tony luke 's , just a few minutes from the stadiums . america 's best stadium food orlando : sports by disney turning a disney vacation into a sports lover 's trip is an easy win in orlando . pretend to be a famous nascar driver -- or international spy/supervillain , with the exotic car option -- at the richard petty driving experience , during which race cars reach 120 mph . events are held regularly at disney 's espn wide world of sports in nine venues that accommodate more than 60 different sports , from football to lacrosse to track and field and volleyball , including the atlanta braves'spring training . for dinner , head to universal studios'nascar sports grille , which is full of racing memorabilia , or dine on a basketball court at nba city . time out : in nearby winter park , extreme water sports fans can try a new activity that seems straight out of a science fiction movie , the jet ski-meets-jet pack flyboard . las vegas : scoring with bikini football what could be more fitting in the city of sin than an evening watching lingerie-clad ladies playing football ? the las vegas sin is one of a dozen teams in the lingerie football league that holds games from april to august . on the strip , score ! at the luxor is a suitably over-the-top interactive sports experience that boasts more than 100 pro athlete visits annually , authentic sports memorabilia and physical tests like throwing a fastball and changing the tire on a nascar vehicle . thrill-seekers may even want to try indoor skydiving and one of the many machine-gun shooting ranges . time out : at the palazzo , celeb chef emeril has kicked up a former club into one of the city 's best sportsbooks , lagasse 's stadium . north carolina : laps and layups it 's march madness all the time in chapel hill and neighboring durham , north carolina , where college basketball fans are wild about rival teams the unc tar heels and the duke blue devils ( at the infamously intense cameron stadium ) . a road trip to nearby charlotte is a treat for racing fans , too . the nascar hall of fame combines exhibits on racing 's greats with fun , interactive activities , while the richard petty museum presents the racing legend 's accomplishments alongside his unexpected collections of guns , dolls and pocket watches . most nascar team headquarters are open to the public as well and feature exhibits on popular drivers . time out : grab a souvenir at the sam bass art gallery , featuring intensely colored paintings and prints by nascar 's first officially licensed artist . see all of america 's best vacations for sports fans planning a getaway ? do n't miss travel + leisure 's guide to the world 's best hotels copyright 2012 american express publishing corporation . all rights reserved . | cities from louisville to san diego offer vacations perfect for sports fans |
obeidallah <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fox news'bob beckel believes that i , as an american-muslim , should have fewer constitutional rights simply because of my religious faith . beckel , the so-called liberal ' on fox news , made this point on his show this week while discussing the horrific terror attack on the kenyan shopping mall . beckel opined that muslims should not be allowed to build any more houses of worship in america , until you stand up and denounce what 's happened in the name of your prophet . ' sorry bob , you 're dead wrong . if you would take a moment to read our amazing u.s. constitution , you would perhaps understand the rights we are all guaranteed as americans , such as freedom of religion . but when you hear beckel speak , you get the sense he is n't a big fan of reading . let me address this to beckel : i have never built a mosque , nor do i have plans to . but if i wanted to build one , i could build one right next to your house . in fact , i almost want to start a fundraising campaign on kickstarter.com entitled : raise money to build a mega-mosque next to bob beckel 's house . ' this is not the first time beckel has spewed this type of hateful garbage . this past july he demanded that muslim-americans be prohibited from building houses of worship , until we find out who 's a terrorist ' within the u.s. muslim community . i 'm curious : does beckel truly believes what he says about muslims or is he simply giving the fox news audience what it wants to hear ? after all , a 2011 survey concluded , that americans who most trust fox news are more likely to believe that muslims want to establish shari'a law , have not done enough to oppose extremism , and believe investigating muslim extremism is a good idea . ' here 's a news flash for beckel : just because a person claims to be a muslim , does n't mean his or her actions are based on the tenets of the faith , nor does it mean this person is an actual muslim . just look at the kenya shopping mall attack . the terrorists there did n't say they carried out their attack for religious reasons . no , they made it clear the attack was revenge for the kenyan government sending its troops to fight them in somalia . so let 's get to the crux of the issue : should american-muslims be required to denounce terrorist attacks perpetrated by so-called muslims who commit horrible acts on other parts of the planet ? well , let 's ask ronald reagan : we must reject the idea that every ( time ) a law is broken , society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker . it is time to restore the american precept that each individual is accountable for his actions . ' still , american muslim leaders and organizations have consistently denounced terror attacks committed by muslims -- including the recent kenya attack . and not only did american muslims denounce this recent incident , so did muslim leaders in kenya as well as the president of somalia -- a muslim . how could bob beckel not be aware of these facts ? maybe he has n't figured out how to use google yet ? or maybe he simply does n't care about accuracy -- or both ? and why would beckel and his fox news show have a discussion about muslims without inviting at least one on ? do they not know even one american muslim ? or is the reason more sinister ? does fox news not want a muslim-american on air to denounce the terror acts and present an american face of the faith because it undermines the narrative they have crafted about muslims over the past few years ? you will have to answer that . but i can tell you this : i personally wanted to get on beckel 's fox news show to answer their questions and discuss a recently released comedy documentary i co-directed , the muslims are coming ! ' this film addresses the very point they are raising and uses comedy to dispel misconceptions about muslims . but they said no . ' so i will say it here : i absolutely despise the terrorists who kill innocent people -- be they muslim or any other faith for that matter . they use the name of religion to justify an immoral and inhumane act . and the ones who claim to be muslim are not -- they are simply murderers . i still hold out hope that one day fox news will invite more american muslims on its network so that their audience can hear from muslims first hand . my concern , though , is that day will only come when fox news has moved on to demonizing another minority group for ratings . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of dean obeidallah . | obeidallah : does beckel say these things to be fox-like ? |
obeidallah <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fox news'bob beckel believes that i , as an american-muslim , should have fewer constitutional rights simply because of my religious faith . beckel , the so-called liberal ' on fox news , made this point on his show this week while discussing the horrific terror attack on the kenyan shopping mall . beckel opined that muslims should not be allowed to build any more houses of worship in america , until you stand up and denounce what 's happened in the name of your prophet . ' sorry bob , you 're dead wrong . if you would take a moment to read our amazing u.s. constitution , you would perhaps understand the rights we are all guaranteed as americans , such as freedom of religion . but when you hear beckel speak , you get the sense he is n't a big fan of reading . let me address this to beckel : i have never built a mosque , nor do i have plans to . but if i wanted to build one , i could build one right next to your house . in fact , i almost want to start a fundraising campaign on kickstarter.com entitled : raise money to build a mega-mosque next to bob beckel 's house . ' this is not the first time beckel has spewed this type of hateful garbage . this past july he demanded that muslim-americans be prohibited from building houses of worship , until we find out who 's a terrorist ' within the u.s. muslim community . i 'm curious : does beckel truly believes what he says about muslims or is he simply giving the fox news audience what it wants to hear ? after all , a 2011 survey concluded , that americans who most trust fox news are more likely to believe that muslims want to establish shari'a law , have not done enough to oppose extremism , and believe investigating muslim extremism is a good idea . ' here 's a news flash for beckel : just because a person claims to be a muslim , does n't mean his or her actions are based on the tenets of the faith , nor does it mean this person is an actual muslim . just look at the kenya shopping mall attack . the terrorists there did n't say they carried out their attack for religious reasons . no , they made it clear the attack was revenge for the kenyan government sending its troops to fight them in somalia . so let 's get to the crux of the issue : should american-muslims be required to denounce terrorist attacks perpetrated by so-called muslims who commit horrible acts on other parts of the planet ? well , let 's ask ronald reagan : we must reject the idea that every ( time ) a law is broken , society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker . it is time to restore the american precept that each individual is accountable for his actions . ' still , american muslim leaders and organizations have consistently denounced terror attacks committed by muslims -- including the recent kenya attack . and not only did american muslims denounce this recent incident , so did muslim leaders in kenya as well as the president of somalia -- a muslim . how could bob beckel not be aware of these facts ? maybe he has n't figured out how to use google yet ? or maybe he simply does n't care about accuracy -- or both ? and why would beckel and his fox news show have a discussion about muslims without inviting at least one on ? do they not know even one american muslim ? or is the reason more sinister ? does fox news not want a muslim-american on air to denounce the terror acts and present an american face of the faith because it undermines the narrative they have crafted about muslims over the past few years ? you will have to answer that . but i can tell you this : i personally wanted to get on beckel 's fox news show to answer their questions and discuss a recently released comedy documentary i co-directed , the muslims are coming ! ' this film addresses the very point they are raising and uses comedy to dispel misconceptions about muslims . but they said no . ' so i will say it here : i absolutely despise the terrorists who kill innocent people -- be they muslim or any other faith for that matter . they use the name of religion to justify an immoral and inhumane act . and the ones who claim to be muslim are not -- they are simply murderers . i still hold out hope that one day fox news will invite more american muslims on its network so that their audience can hear from muslims first hand . my concern , though , is that day will only come when fox news has moved on to demonizing another minority group for ratings . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of dean obeidallah . | obeidallah : fox does n't have muslim americans on air to conflict with network 's narrative |
obeidallah <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fox news'bob beckel believes that i , as an american-muslim , should have fewer constitutional rights simply because of my religious faith . beckel , the so-called liberal ' on fox news , made this point on his show this week while discussing the horrific terror attack on the kenyan shopping mall . beckel opined that muslims should not be allowed to build any more houses of worship in america , until you stand up and denounce what 's happened in the name of your prophet . ' sorry bob , you 're dead wrong . if you would take a moment to read our amazing u.s. constitution , you would perhaps understand the rights we are all guaranteed as americans , such as freedom of religion . but when you hear beckel speak , you get the sense he is n't a big fan of reading . let me address this to beckel : i have never built a mosque , nor do i have plans to . but if i wanted to build one , i could build one right next to your house . in fact , i almost want to start a fundraising campaign on kickstarter.com entitled : raise money to build a mega-mosque next to bob beckel 's house . ' this is not the first time beckel has spewed this type of hateful garbage . this past july he demanded that muslim-americans be prohibited from building houses of worship , until we find out who 's a terrorist ' within the u.s. muslim community . i 'm curious : does beckel truly believes what he says about muslims or is he simply giving the fox news audience what it wants to hear ? after all , a 2011 survey concluded , that americans who most trust fox news are more likely to believe that muslims want to establish shari'a law , have not done enough to oppose extremism , and believe investigating muslim extremism is a good idea . ' here 's a news flash for beckel : just because a person claims to be a muslim , does n't mean his or her actions are based on the tenets of the faith , nor does it mean this person is an actual muslim . just look at the kenya shopping mall attack . the terrorists there did n't say they carried out their attack for religious reasons . no , they made it clear the attack was revenge for the kenyan government sending its troops to fight them in somalia . so let 's get to the crux of the issue : should american-muslims be required to denounce terrorist attacks perpetrated by so-called muslims who commit horrible acts on other parts of the planet ? well , let 's ask ronald reagan : we must reject the idea that every ( time ) a law is broken , society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker . it is time to restore the american precept that each individual is accountable for his actions . ' still , american muslim leaders and organizations have consistently denounced terror attacks committed by muslims -- including the recent kenya attack . and not only did american muslims denounce this recent incident , so did muslim leaders in kenya as well as the president of somalia -- a muslim . how could bob beckel not be aware of these facts ? maybe he has n't figured out how to use google yet ? or maybe he simply does n't care about accuracy -- or both ? and why would beckel and his fox news show have a discussion about muslims without inviting at least one on ? do they not know even one american muslim ? or is the reason more sinister ? does fox news not want a muslim-american on air to denounce the terror acts and present an american face of the faith because it undermines the narrative they have crafted about muslims over the past few years ? you will have to answer that . but i can tell you this : i personally wanted to get on beckel 's fox news show to answer their questions and discuss a recently released comedy documentary i co-directed , the muslims are coming ! ' this film addresses the very point they are raising and uses comedy to dispel misconceptions about muslims . but they said no . ' so i will say it here : i absolutely despise the terrorists who kill innocent people -- be they muslim or any other faith for that matter . they use the name of religion to justify an immoral and inhumane act . and the ones who claim to be muslim are not -- they are simply murderers . i still hold out hope that one day fox news will invite more american muslims on its network so that their audience can hear from muslims first hand . my concern , though , is that day will only come when fox news has moved on to demonizing another minority group for ratings . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of dean obeidallah . | dean obeidallah : fox 's beckel said no new mosques in u.s. till muslims denounce terrorists |
fulham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when it comes to curing soccer injuries all you need is cheese , according to coach felix magath . the former fulham manager confirmed reports he suggested defender brede hangeland wrap cheese around his injured knee to help it heal . the method might be unconventional but magath -- who was axed by the london club earlier this month -- does n't know why it 's caused such a big stink . i mentioned that he could try using an old technique of wrapping the knee with quark , which is used to decrease inflammation , ' magath said on his facebook page . the 61-year-old german added claims by the former fulham captain hangeland that he ignored conventional medical advice in favor of the cheese cure were incorrect . i would never tell a doctor how he should manage the injury to a player , ' he continued . it seems this story has been blown completely out of context . ' magath , who guided bayern munich and unfancied wolfsburg to the german bundesliga title , has a reputation for his unconventional management style . big cheese but he is not the first big cheese in sport to use the savory dairy staple to help injuries . american ski star lindsey vonn revealed she had been wrapping her injured shin in an austrian cheese to reduce inflammation in the buildup to the 2010 vancouver games . vonn told sports illustrated about her physical therapist 's unusual remedy : he 's been wrapping cheese on it , and i know that sounds funny , but it seems to work . ' the cheese hit the spot for vonn as she went on to recover from injury and win the olympic downhill title in a matter of weeks . maybe hangeland , who has since left fulham for crystal palace , should have given cheese a chance . | magath and hangeland have both since left london club fulham |
gray <tsp> ( cnn ) at least two people were taken into custody as protesters upset over the death of freddie gray scuffled thursday evening with police on the streets of baltimore . tensions rose as demonstrators confronted police , several of whom shouted : back up ! ' the baltimore police department said the two were detained for disorderly conduct and destruction of property . there were no other arrests and the protests -- on the whole -- were peaceful . protesters rallied at city hall before marching to a police station . some walked through traffic . in one instance , they surrounded a police car . gray died sunday , one week after he was arrested by baltimore police . at some point , he suffered a severe spinal cord injury . his family said his voice box was crushed and his neck snapped before he slipped into a coma and died . the police have a lot of questions that need to be answered , ' andrew o'connell , an attorney for the gray family , told cnn . what was the reasonable suspicion ? why were they arresting our client ? these are pretty big questions that need to be answered . ' he had no weapon in his hand . he was committing no crime and he was n't hurting anybody . the police had no reasonable suspicion to stop or arrest him , ' the attorney said . while baltimore police say five of the six officers involved in the arrest have provided statements to investigators , the department has not released details of what the officers said or how gray might have suffered the fatal injury . protesters are upset over the apparent lack of information , and -- recently -- a police union 's comparison of the demonstrations to a lynch mob . ' while we appreciate the right of our citizens to protest and applaud the fact that , to date , the protests have been peaceful , we are very concerned about the rhetoric of the protests , ' the baltimore fraternal order of police lodge 3 said in a statement issued wednesday . in fact , the images seen on television look and sound much like a lynch mob in that they are calling for the immediate imprisonment of these officers without them ever receiving the due process that is the constitutional right of every citizen , including law enforcement officers . ' scenes from baltimore that comparison drew swift and sharp criticism , given the history of lynchings of african-americans in the united states . rooted in the racial ire of the civil war , the extrajudicial mob killings of blacks , other minorities and people opposed to oppression of minorities were common in the segregated south . more than 4,000 people were murdered between 1877 and 1950 in 12 southern states , according to a recent report . but lynchings were n't restricted to the south , and they have deeply scarred race relations in the country . which one is the # lynchmob again ? ' john cotton tweeted , posting a photo of a peaceful protest next to photos of gray during his arrest and hospitalization . the choice of words is not only ironic , it 's sad , ' said o'connell , the attorney for the grays . police officers are never the subject of a lynch mob . it 's actually usually the other way around , ' he told cnn 's erin burnett outfront . ' and in the context of the powder keg that baltimore city is right now , referring to the citizens of baltimore city who are peacefully protesting as a'lynch mob'does n't serve to keep the peace . it only heightens the flames , or fans the flames of people who are already on edge . ' amid protests , officials advised people to clear the area or expect delays . a statement encouraged employees who work downtown to get out of the area to avoid major disruptions . ' baltimore police requested and received additional personnel from maryland state police . thirty-two troopers arrived to help with crowd control and serve in a backup capacity ' for police , according to erin montgomery , a spokesperson for gov . larry hogan . a small rally and press conference was held at noon , organized by the southern christian leadership conference and the peoples power assemblies . they announced that they will conduct their own investigation into the events that led to gray 's death . thursday 's events follow a series of demonstrations this week , with protesters demanding elusive answers . baltimore protests : 5 questions demonstrators are asking among the questions : did something happen inside the police transport vehicle that caused gray 's fatal spinal injury ? and what took place in the 30 minutes before police called paramedics to pick gray up ? our position is something happened in that van , ' police union attorney michael davey said . we just do n't know what . ' but one question has already been addressed : did officers have the right to chase gray in the first place ? police first encountered gray on april 12 as they patrolled an area known for crime and drug activity . when gray saw them , authorities said , he started running . gray 's family attorney and protesters claim police did n't have any probable cause to chase him , but did so only because he was running while black . ' but davey said officers had every right to give chase . there is a supreme court case that states that if you are in a high-crime area , and you flee from the police unprovoked , the police have the legal ability to pursue you , and that 's what they did , ' he said . in this type of an incident , you do not need probable cause to arrest . you just need a reasonable suspicion to make the stop . ' gray was arrested after police found what they said was a switchblade on him . an attorney for gray 's family has said the knife was a pocket knife of legal size . police commissioner anthony batts said he met thursday with the family . there was a lot of pain in that family , and i can understand it . if that was my son that ended up the same way , i would be angry , ' he told cnn . updates and images from the field one video of gray 's arrest shows officers dragging him to a police van , his legs dangling limply behind him . his leg look broke ! ' a bystander yells as a witness captures the arrest on a cell phone video . that witness , who only wants to be identified as kiona , said she knew gray as a joker and a ladies'man . but that day , he said only one thing to her . when i ran up the street and seen him , the first thing i asked him was he ok because i heard him screaming , ' kiona said . he did n't never say yes or no , he just said'i ca n't breathe'and just was yelling . ' former baltimore police commissioner leonard hamm said he was disturbed by video of the arrest . what i see is a person in distress , and what should have happened is at that point , they should have called for medical attention to help him out , ' he told cnn 's new day . ' hamm led the department from 2004 to 2007 . he said he was surprised and disappointed by what has happened . i thought we were better than that , ' he said . i thought we were better trained than that . ' it 's not clear whether gray was injured during the arrest . his family has not yet seen the autopsy report , attorney william murphy said . the medical examiner 's office told cnn it could take up to 90 days to release the report , which is typical . gray 's body is now in his family 's care and has been transported to a funeral home . the family has not specified which one . that information will be released when arrangements have been finalized . mary koch , a member of the family 's legal team , told cnn that an independent autopsy will be conducted at the facility . the police department is investigating what happened and will turn over its finding to the state attorney 's office may 1 , the department said . as with any criminal investigation , detectives will continue to pursue the evidence wherever it leads , for as long as it takes . ' the justice department is investigating whether gray 's civil rights were violated during the april 12 arrest . and mayor stephanie rawlings-blake said she absolutely ' believes an outside investigation is needed , especially given the city 's dark history of police misconduct . according to the baltimore sun , the city has paid about $ 5.7 million over the past four years to settle more than 100 cases of allegations of police wrongdoing . police did n't admit fault in any of the cases . the police union said in a statement wednesday that the reason for the settlements was simple : city officials believe lawsuits are too costly . cnn 's eliott c. mclaughlin , catherine e. shoichet , kevin conlon and dana ford contributed to this report . | baltimore police commissioner sits down with the gray family |
baltimore <tsp> ( cnn ) at least two people were taken into custody as protesters upset over the death of freddie gray scuffled thursday evening with police on the streets of baltimore . tensions rose as demonstrators confronted police , several of whom shouted : back up ! ' the baltimore police department said the two were detained for disorderly conduct and destruction of property . there were no other arrests and the protests -- on the whole -- were peaceful . protesters rallied at city hall before marching to a police station . some walked through traffic . in one instance , they surrounded a police car . gray died sunday , one week after he was arrested by baltimore police . at some point , he suffered a severe spinal cord injury . his family said his voice box was crushed and his neck snapped before he slipped into a coma and died . the police have a lot of questions that need to be answered , ' andrew o'connell , an attorney for the gray family , told cnn . what was the reasonable suspicion ? why were they arresting our client ? these are pretty big questions that need to be answered . ' he had no weapon in his hand . he was committing no crime and he was n't hurting anybody . the police had no reasonable suspicion to stop or arrest him , ' the attorney said . while baltimore police say five of the six officers involved in the arrest have provided statements to investigators , the department has not released details of what the officers said or how gray might have suffered the fatal injury . protesters are upset over the apparent lack of information , and -- recently -- a police union 's comparison of the demonstrations to a lynch mob . ' while we appreciate the right of our citizens to protest and applaud the fact that , to date , the protests have been peaceful , we are very concerned about the rhetoric of the protests , ' the baltimore fraternal order of police lodge 3 said in a statement issued wednesday . in fact , the images seen on television look and sound much like a lynch mob in that they are calling for the immediate imprisonment of these officers without them ever receiving the due process that is the constitutional right of every citizen , including law enforcement officers . ' scenes from baltimore that comparison drew swift and sharp criticism , given the history of lynchings of african-americans in the united states . rooted in the racial ire of the civil war , the extrajudicial mob killings of blacks , other minorities and people opposed to oppression of minorities were common in the segregated south . more than 4,000 people were murdered between 1877 and 1950 in 12 southern states , according to a recent report . but lynchings were n't restricted to the south , and they have deeply scarred race relations in the country . which one is the # lynchmob again ? ' john cotton tweeted , posting a photo of a peaceful protest next to photos of gray during his arrest and hospitalization . the choice of words is not only ironic , it 's sad , ' said o'connell , the attorney for the grays . police officers are never the subject of a lynch mob . it 's actually usually the other way around , ' he told cnn 's erin burnett outfront . ' and in the context of the powder keg that baltimore city is right now , referring to the citizens of baltimore city who are peacefully protesting as a'lynch mob'does n't serve to keep the peace . it only heightens the flames , or fans the flames of people who are already on edge . ' amid protests , officials advised people to clear the area or expect delays . a statement encouraged employees who work downtown to get out of the area to avoid major disruptions . ' baltimore police requested and received additional personnel from maryland state police . thirty-two troopers arrived to help with crowd control and serve in a backup capacity ' for police , according to erin montgomery , a spokesperson for gov . larry hogan . a small rally and press conference was held at noon , organized by the southern christian leadership conference and the peoples power assemblies . they announced that they will conduct their own investigation into the events that led to gray 's death . thursday 's events follow a series of demonstrations this week , with protesters demanding elusive answers . baltimore protests : 5 questions demonstrators are asking among the questions : did something happen inside the police transport vehicle that caused gray 's fatal spinal injury ? and what took place in the 30 minutes before police called paramedics to pick gray up ? our position is something happened in that van , ' police union attorney michael davey said . we just do n't know what . ' but one question has already been addressed : did officers have the right to chase gray in the first place ? police first encountered gray on april 12 as they patrolled an area known for crime and drug activity . when gray saw them , authorities said , he started running . gray 's family attorney and protesters claim police did n't have any probable cause to chase him , but did so only because he was running while black . ' but davey said officers had every right to give chase . there is a supreme court case that states that if you are in a high-crime area , and you flee from the police unprovoked , the police have the legal ability to pursue you , and that 's what they did , ' he said . in this type of an incident , you do not need probable cause to arrest . you just need a reasonable suspicion to make the stop . ' gray was arrested after police found what they said was a switchblade on him . an attorney for gray 's family has said the knife was a pocket knife of legal size . police commissioner anthony batts said he met thursday with the family . there was a lot of pain in that family , and i can understand it . if that was my son that ended up the same way , i would be angry , ' he told cnn . updates and images from the field one video of gray 's arrest shows officers dragging him to a police van , his legs dangling limply behind him . his leg look broke ! ' a bystander yells as a witness captures the arrest on a cell phone video . that witness , who only wants to be identified as kiona , said she knew gray as a joker and a ladies'man . but that day , he said only one thing to her . when i ran up the street and seen him , the first thing i asked him was he ok because i heard him screaming , ' kiona said . he did n't never say yes or no , he just said'i ca n't breathe'and just was yelling . ' former baltimore police commissioner leonard hamm said he was disturbed by video of the arrest . what i see is a person in distress , and what should have happened is at that point , they should have called for medical attention to help him out , ' he told cnn 's new day . ' hamm led the department from 2004 to 2007 . he said he was surprised and disappointed by what has happened . i thought we were better than that , ' he said . i thought we were better trained than that . ' it 's not clear whether gray was injured during the arrest . his family has not yet seen the autopsy report , attorney william murphy said . the medical examiner 's office told cnn it could take up to 90 days to release the report , which is typical . gray 's body is now in his family 's care and has been transported to a funeral home . the family has not specified which one . that information will be released when arrangements have been finalized . mary koch , a member of the family 's legal team , told cnn that an independent autopsy will be conducted at the facility . the police department is investigating what happened and will turn over its finding to the state attorney 's office may 1 , the department said . as with any criminal investigation , detectives will continue to pursue the evidence wherever it leads , for as long as it takes . ' the justice department is investigating whether gray 's civil rights were violated during the april 12 arrest . and mayor stephanie rawlings-blake said she absolutely ' believes an outside investigation is needed , especially given the city 's dark history of police misconduct . according to the baltimore sun , the city has paid about $ 5.7 million over the past four years to settle more than 100 cases of allegations of police wrongdoing . police did n't admit fault in any of the cases . the police union said in a statement wednesday that the reason for the settlements was simple : city officials believe lawsuits are too costly . cnn 's eliott c. mclaughlin , catherine e. shoichet , kevin conlon and dana ford contributed to this report . | baltimore police commissioner sits down with the gray family |
obama <tsp> tampa , florida ( cnn ) -- democrats wasted no time on tuesday trying to undercut republicans as they began their convention , attacking a key gop message before party luminaries took the spotlight in tampa . republicans aggressively pushed their convention theme , we built it , ' while democrats sought to turn it back on mitt romney , who was affirmed as the nominee by a roll call of delegates in the first significant moments of the event . republicans highlighted a remark by president barack obama , who said in july that public investment in infrastructure helps businesses grow . if you are successful , somebody along the line gave you some help . ... if you 've got a business , you did n't build that , ' obama said at the time . ryan builds on obama comment in roanoke republicans have seized on the comment to suggest that obama is out of touch with small business owners and does not understand how the private sector works . democrats , however , contend that their rivals are taking things out of context . so as republicans continue to distort the president 's words and push their'we built that'theme in tampa , ' los angeles mayor antonio villaraigosa said from the war room ' democrats have set up in downtown tampa near the convention site . it 's worth asking : what did [ mitt ] romney build ? ' villaraigosa , chair of next week 's democratic convention in charlotte , answered his own question - a bank account in switzerland , investments in bermuda and the caymans , and an inexplicably large ira . that 's what he built . ' democrats are trying to nail romney with a one-two punch : casting him as wealthy and privileged and saying that his policies would hurt the middle class . a stronger , growing middle class means a stronger , growing american economy , ' maryland gov . martin o'malley said , and that 's really what this election is all about . ' on a national scale , romney economics would spell disaster for america 's middle class , would be wrong for america 's middle class , would not grow our middle class . and , in fact , would harm our middle class , ' o'malley added . on romney 's tenure at the top of boston private equity firm bain capital , o'malley said the republican 's goal when investing in troubled companies was not creating jobs . instead , o'malley suggested that the firm under romney destroyed businesses and jobs in order to generate profit for investors . in this economy , there are shipbuilders and there are ship-wreckers , ' o'malley said . there are those who manufacture automobiles and there are those who scrap automobiles . there are those who build up and create things and there are those who make a quick profit by dismantling things . ' the romney campaign quickly fired back . in an email , romney spokesman ryan williams accused democrats of launching false and baseless attacks ' against the former massachusetts governor whose tenure at the firm prior to his public life made him wealthy . the facts speak for themselves , ' williams said , with 23 million americans struggling for work , nearly one in six americans living in poverty , and median incomes declining , the obama campaign can not defend a record of broken promises and failed policies . mitt romney and paul ryan have a plan to strengthen the middle class by creating jobs and turning around our economy . ' asked at the event about recent polling indicating the public views romney stronger on handling the economy , obama senior adviser robert gibbs countered . gibbs pointed to other recent polling data suggesting the public is more partial to obama on the questions of who cares about people and who cares about the middle class . i think those polls demonstrate overwhelmingly that the president is their pick , ' gibbs said . cnn poll : which candidate cares more about you ? cnn poll : which candidate is better on the issues ? the event was the latest salvo in an escalating pace of aggressive campaigning , rhetoric , and attacks on the part of both presidential campaigns . in a break from tradition , the president is out campaigning this week while republicans hold their nominating convention . speaking in iowa tuesday , obama said he expects the event to be a pretty entertaining show . ' obama renews push with young voters ' i 'm sure they 'll , you know , have some wonderful things to say about me , ' he joked . cnn white house producer alexander mooney contributed to this report . | romney camp fires back : obama can not defend a record of broken promises and failed policies ' |
obama <tsp> tampa , florida ( cnn ) -- democrats wasted no time on tuesday trying to undercut republicans as they began their convention , attacking a key gop message before party luminaries took the spotlight in tampa . republicans aggressively pushed their convention theme , we built it , ' while democrats sought to turn it back on mitt romney , who was affirmed as the nominee by a roll call of delegates in the first significant moments of the event . republicans highlighted a remark by president barack obama , who said in july that public investment in infrastructure helps businesses grow . if you are successful , somebody along the line gave you some help . ... if you 've got a business , you did n't build that , ' obama said at the time . ryan builds on obama comment in roanoke republicans have seized on the comment to suggest that obama is out of touch with small business owners and does not understand how the private sector works . democrats , however , contend that their rivals are taking things out of context . so as republicans continue to distort the president 's words and push their'we built that'theme in tampa , ' los angeles mayor antonio villaraigosa said from the war room ' democrats have set up in downtown tampa near the convention site . it 's worth asking : what did [ mitt ] romney build ? ' villaraigosa , chair of next week 's democratic convention in charlotte , answered his own question - a bank account in switzerland , investments in bermuda and the caymans , and an inexplicably large ira . that 's what he built . ' democrats are trying to nail romney with a one-two punch : casting him as wealthy and privileged and saying that his policies would hurt the middle class . a stronger , growing middle class means a stronger , growing american economy , ' maryland gov . martin o'malley said , and that 's really what this election is all about . ' on a national scale , romney economics would spell disaster for america 's middle class , would be wrong for america 's middle class , would not grow our middle class . and , in fact , would harm our middle class , ' o'malley added . on romney 's tenure at the top of boston private equity firm bain capital , o'malley said the republican 's goal when investing in troubled companies was not creating jobs . instead , o'malley suggested that the firm under romney destroyed businesses and jobs in order to generate profit for investors . in this economy , there are shipbuilders and there are ship-wreckers , ' o'malley said . there are those who manufacture automobiles and there are those who scrap automobiles . there are those who build up and create things and there are those who make a quick profit by dismantling things . ' the romney campaign quickly fired back . in an email , romney spokesman ryan williams accused democrats of launching false and baseless attacks ' against the former massachusetts governor whose tenure at the firm prior to his public life made him wealthy . the facts speak for themselves , ' williams said , with 23 million americans struggling for work , nearly one in six americans living in poverty , and median incomes declining , the obama campaign can not defend a record of broken promises and failed policies . mitt romney and paul ryan have a plan to strengthen the middle class by creating jobs and turning around our economy . ' asked at the event about recent polling indicating the public views romney stronger on handling the economy , obama senior adviser robert gibbs countered . gibbs pointed to other recent polling data suggesting the public is more partial to obama on the questions of who cares about people and who cares about the middle class . i think those polls demonstrate overwhelmingly that the president is their pick , ' gibbs said . cnn poll : which candidate cares more about you ? cnn poll : which candidate is better on the issues ? the event was the latest salvo in an escalating pace of aggressive campaigning , rhetoric , and attacks on the part of both presidential campaigns . in a break from tradition , the president is out campaigning this week while republicans hold their nominating convention . speaking in iowa tuesday , obama said he expects the event to be a pretty entertaining show . ' obama renews push with young voters ' i 'm sure they 'll , you know , have some wonderful things to say about me , ' he joked . cnn white house producer alexander mooney contributed to this report . | obama campaign and democratic national committee are in tampa getting their message out |
hounshell <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as bloody month after bloody month goes by , the united states grows ever more committed to overthrowing the regime of syrian president bashar al-assad . the cause is undoubtedly a just one : avaaz , the human rights group that has been most deeply involved in the syria crisis , reported thursday morning that 17 civilians were beheaded or partially beheaded by regime security forces ' outside of baba amro , the besieged homs district that will likely soon fall to al-assad 's tanks , if it has n't already . last week , syrian activists reported that regime soldiers had ambushed and killed 64 men fleeing homs , dumping their bodies outside the city . and ousting al-assad would bring strategic benefits , removing iran 's only arab ally at a time when the islamic republic is on its heels , and taking out a patron of hard-line movements like hamas and hezbollah that oppose a two-state solution to the israeli-palestinian conflict . but the united states has not done all it can to hasten al-assad 's exit . syria is unquestionably a hard problem -- vastly more complicated than libya : more ethnically diverse , with a far greater number of outside players involved . turkey shares a long border with syria and a fear of kurdish nationalism ; russia sees al-assad as its last remaining friend in the middle east ; saudi arabia would like to see the majority sunnis in power ; iraq , israel and lebanon fear the inevitable chaos that will follow al-assad 's collapse ; and , of course , iran is deeply invested in the regime 's survival . all this rightly makes u.s. policymakers queasy about getting sucked into a potential quagmire just as they are pulling out of two costly wars with little to show for it . where advocates of military intervention see in syria another libya , or even a kosovo , many see another iraq in the making . it also means the united states has less leeway to pursue its interests ( and values ) unilaterally . as long as turkey , for instance , opposes safe zones along the syrian border , it 's a no go . the man responsible for the carnage in syria is bashar al-assad . still , the obama administration has made a number of blunders that , in hindsight , have made this problem harder to solve . here are six : 1 . underestimating al-assad . to its credit , the administration was quick to recognize that al-assad was in serious trouble . obama was one of the first world leaders to call explicitly for al-assad 's ouster . but in doing so , was the administration too optimistic about his chances of survival , too naã¯ve about the depths he would go to remain in power ? 2 . taking force off the table . yes , the pentagon is reportedly preparing detailed ' contingency options for u.s. military action in syria . that 's what militaries do , and it 's only prudent for the united states to monitor chemical weapons sites and eavesdrop on the regime 's communications . it 's also a good idea for the president to have a full understanding of what his options are and the risks and costs involved . but the administration has been unwilling to make the kind of threats that could make al-assad think twice about what he 's doing . that 's understandable : it 's hard to make a threat credible if it 's obvious to all that you are n't willing to carry it out . but earnest denunciations and multilateral conferences do n't seem to be working . why undercut your diplomacy ? 3 . handwringing about al qaeda . the u.s. intelligence community is concerned about the presence in syria of fighters from iraq 's al qaeda branch , who are thought to be behind a spate of bombing attacks in damascus and aleppo . that 's a reasonable worry . but secretary of state hillary clinton went beyond caution this week , tarring the syrian opposition -- which is overwhelmingly ordinary syrians , conservative , yes , but not extremists -- with the same broad brush . we know al qaeda [ leader ayman al- ] zawahiri is supporting the opposition in syria . are we supporting al qaeda in syria ? hamas is now supporting the opposition . are we supporting hamas in syria ? ' clinton said . if you 're a military planner or if you 're a secretary of state and you 're trying to figure out do you have the elements of an opposition that is actually viable , that we do n't see . ' 4 . failing to engage al-assad 's allies . if al-assad is to fall , the pillars that prop up his regime must first be removed . iran and russia , both of which continue to send weapons and advice , if not more , must be convinced that a post-al-assad syria is something they can at least live with . both countries have met with members of the syrian opposition , indicating they want to explore their options . perhaps these are merely insincere efforts to help al-assad divide and conquer . but it 's worth exploring what 's real and what 's not . the same goes for al-assad 's internal allies : are we doing enough to convince senior military and security leaders that they 're better off without al-assad ? 5 . ignoring china . even if you believe the russians will never dump al-assad , what about the chinese ? china also vetoed the most recent u.n. security council resolution on syria , in tune with its habit of standing with russia against encroachment on the principle of state sovereignty . but washington has made little effort to engage beijing on this issue , or to enlist arab oil suppliers like saudi arabia to lobby on the syrian opposition 's behalf . china has few tangible interests in syria , and might be convinced that a post-al-assad world is in its broader interest . that would leave russia isolated and uncomfortable . 6 . focusing exclusively on the syrian national council . underscoring its skittishness about the growing militarization of what is by now a civil war by any reasonable definition , the obama administration has shied away from dealing with the free syrian army 's leadership in turkey . perhaps more is going on behind the scenes , but the united states has clearly put its energies behind the snc . but it is unclear whether this fractious body of exiles truly represents syrians on the ground , and its relationship with the fsa is poor . the snc on thursday announced it was setting up some kind of military bureau ' to funnel weapons to the fsa , but it 's not yet clear the fsa is truly on board . the snc has also had a hard time attracting support from minorities , who fear that al-assad 's ouster will put their communities at risk . these points are not an indictment of obama 's syria policy . there are no good options here , only bad and worse ones . as al-assad moves to consolidate his brutal victory in homs and put the rebellion down once and for all , there 's still time to rectify our mistakes and shape an outcome that saves lives and protects american interests . but not very much time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of blake hounshell | blake hounshell says hom is likely to fall as syria regime continues brutal crackdown |
hounshell <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as bloody month after bloody month goes by , the united states grows ever more committed to overthrowing the regime of syrian president bashar al-assad . the cause is undoubtedly a just one : avaaz , the human rights group that has been most deeply involved in the syria crisis , reported thursday morning that 17 civilians were beheaded or partially beheaded by regime security forces ' outside of baba amro , the besieged homs district that will likely soon fall to al-assad 's tanks , if it has n't already . last week , syrian activists reported that regime soldiers had ambushed and killed 64 men fleeing homs , dumping their bodies outside the city . and ousting al-assad would bring strategic benefits , removing iran 's only arab ally at a time when the islamic republic is on its heels , and taking out a patron of hard-line movements like hamas and hezbollah that oppose a two-state solution to the israeli-palestinian conflict . but the united states has not done all it can to hasten al-assad 's exit . syria is unquestionably a hard problem -- vastly more complicated than libya : more ethnically diverse , with a far greater number of outside players involved . turkey shares a long border with syria and a fear of kurdish nationalism ; russia sees al-assad as its last remaining friend in the middle east ; saudi arabia would like to see the majority sunnis in power ; iraq , israel and lebanon fear the inevitable chaos that will follow al-assad 's collapse ; and , of course , iran is deeply invested in the regime 's survival . all this rightly makes u.s. policymakers queasy about getting sucked into a potential quagmire just as they are pulling out of two costly wars with little to show for it . where advocates of military intervention see in syria another libya , or even a kosovo , many see another iraq in the making . it also means the united states has less leeway to pursue its interests ( and values ) unilaterally . as long as turkey , for instance , opposes safe zones along the syrian border , it 's a no go . the man responsible for the carnage in syria is bashar al-assad . still , the obama administration has made a number of blunders that , in hindsight , have made this problem harder to solve . here are six : 1 . underestimating al-assad . to its credit , the administration was quick to recognize that al-assad was in serious trouble . obama was one of the first world leaders to call explicitly for al-assad 's ouster . but in doing so , was the administration too optimistic about his chances of survival , too naã¯ve about the depths he would go to remain in power ? 2 . taking force off the table . yes , the pentagon is reportedly preparing detailed ' contingency options for u.s. military action in syria . that 's what militaries do , and it 's only prudent for the united states to monitor chemical weapons sites and eavesdrop on the regime 's communications . it 's also a good idea for the president to have a full understanding of what his options are and the risks and costs involved . but the administration has been unwilling to make the kind of threats that could make al-assad think twice about what he 's doing . that 's understandable : it 's hard to make a threat credible if it 's obvious to all that you are n't willing to carry it out . but earnest denunciations and multilateral conferences do n't seem to be working . why undercut your diplomacy ? 3 . handwringing about al qaeda . the u.s. intelligence community is concerned about the presence in syria of fighters from iraq 's al qaeda branch , who are thought to be behind a spate of bombing attacks in damascus and aleppo . that 's a reasonable worry . but secretary of state hillary clinton went beyond caution this week , tarring the syrian opposition -- which is overwhelmingly ordinary syrians , conservative , yes , but not extremists -- with the same broad brush . we know al qaeda [ leader ayman al- ] zawahiri is supporting the opposition in syria . are we supporting al qaeda in syria ? hamas is now supporting the opposition . are we supporting hamas in syria ? ' clinton said . if you 're a military planner or if you 're a secretary of state and you 're trying to figure out do you have the elements of an opposition that is actually viable , that we do n't see . ' 4 . failing to engage al-assad 's allies . if al-assad is to fall , the pillars that prop up his regime must first be removed . iran and russia , both of which continue to send weapons and advice , if not more , must be convinced that a post-al-assad syria is something they can at least live with . both countries have met with members of the syrian opposition , indicating they want to explore their options . perhaps these are merely insincere efforts to help al-assad divide and conquer . but it 's worth exploring what 's real and what 's not . the same goes for al-assad 's internal allies : are we doing enough to convince senior military and security leaders that they 're better off without al-assad ? 5 . ignoring china . even if you believe the russians will never dump al-assad , what about the chinese ? china also vetoed the most recent u.n. security council resolution on syria , in tune with its habit of standing with russia against encroachment on the principle of state sovereignty . but washington has made little effort to engage beijing on this issue , or to enlist arab oil suppliers like saudi arabia to lobby on the syrian opposition 's behalf . china has few tangible interests in syria , and might be convinced that a post-al-assad world is in its broader interest . that would leave russia isolated and uncomfortable . 6 . focusing exclusively on the syrian national council . underscoring its skittishness about the growing militarization of what is by now a civil war by any reasonable definition , the obama administration has shied away from dealing with the free syrian army 's leadership in turkey . perhaps more is going on behind the scenes , but the united states has clearly put its energies behind the snc . but it is unclear whether this fractious body of exiles truly represents syrians on the ground , and its relationship with the fsa is poor . the snc on thursday announced it was setting up some kind of military bureau ' to funnel weapons to the fsa , but it 's not yet clear the fsa is truly on board . the snc has also had a hard time attracting support from minorities , who fear that al-assad 's ouster will put their communities at risk . these points are not an indictment of obama 's syria policy . there are no good options here , only bad and worse ones . as al-assad moves to consolidate his brutal victory in homs and put the rebellion down once and for all , there 's still time to rectify our mistakes and shape an outcome that saves lives and protects american interests . but not very much time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of blake hounshell | hounshell : there are no good options , only bad and worse ; time running short to save lives |
suu kyi <tsp> bangkok ( cnn ) -- the sweeping victory of myanmar opposition leader aung san suu kyi 's party in recent elections has been confirmed by state media . suu kyi 's national league for democracy , or nld , won 43 of the 44 seats it contested in the by-elections that took place sunday , the government 's official mrtv reported late tuesday , confirming the nld 's own estimates of the results . the other seat went to the shan party in myanmar 's shan state , mrtv said . while control of parliament will not change despite the opposition 's strong performance , it nonetheless gives the nld and suu kyi a notable presence in the country 's parliament . myanmar 's legislature has 664 seats , more than 80 % of which are still held by lawmakers aligned with the military-backed ruling party , the union solidarity and development party ( usdp ) . the 45 seats under contention in sunday 's elections were vacancies created by the promotion of parliamentarians to the cabinet and other posts last year . the vote itself also marked an important step forward for many in the country who have lived under military rule for 50 years . the association of southeast asian nations , a regional organizations of which myanmar is a member , on tuesday called on other countries around the globe to lift sanctions on myanmar following the orderly , fair , transparent and peaceful manner ' in which it said the elections had been conducted . myanmar had invited election observers from asean members as well as the united states and the european union . the nld fielded a candidate for every one of the 45 seats up for grabs . but the election commission rejected one candidate , apparently because his parents had foreign residency . the nld has said it plans to challenge his exclusion . the usdp won that seat , according to state television . the party also said it had noted numerous voting irregularities during the elections and planned to file a complaint in order to improve the system in the future . suu kyi has said she has no regrets about taking part in the by-elections because the process has raised people 's political awareness . a white house statement monday congratulated suu kyi and the people of myanmar , also known as burma . this election is an important step in burma 's democratic transformation , and we hope it is an indication that the government of burma intends to continue along the path of greater openness , transparency , and reform , ' the white house statement said . u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon also commended the country for the peaceful and largely orderly manner ' in which the elections were held , according to his spokesperson . suu kyi , 66 , led her party to a landslide victory the last time myanmar held multiparty elections , in 1990 . but the junta ignored the results and placed her under house arrest . released in november 2010 , suu kyi was allowed to crisscross the country to rally support for the nld for sunday 's race . the united states announced in january that it would exchange ambassadors with myanmar after the regime released political prisoners . | state tv confirms that suu kyi 's party won 43 of the 44 seats it contested |
earth <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a week ago sunday , arctic sea ice cover reached its lowest extent ever recorded . for good reason , there has been significant media focus on how a warming sea gobbles up the ice that is polar bear habitat and reduces the area 's capacity to reflect the sun 's rays . this is roughly equivalent to unplugging one pole 's worth of the earth 's central air conditioning system . but far less attention has been placed on what a naked arctic ocean means for its closest neighboring ecosystem : the arctic tundra . beyond the images of icebergs and stranded polar bears , i doubt many people picture the arctic 's vast carpet of lush green plants , chirping songbirds or highs in the mid-70s -- all of which are typical of summertime on the tundra . with climate changing at an alarming rate and sea ice extent slipping away , the tundra stands to change a lot , and this , too , will affect the rest of the planet . it is time to start familiarizing ourselves with the tundra , and here 's why . the tundra biome is huge , covering 15 % more of the earth 's surface than all 50 u.s. states combined . currently , it stores a significant proportion of the earth 's carbon in its permanently frozen soils , keeping it locked away and unable to contribute to the atmosphere 's giant pool of greenhouse gases . opinion : why we should look to the arctic however , in much the same way that other bodies of water keep coastal cities such as san francisco from having extremely cold winters and scorching hot summers , sea ice conditions in the arctic ocean influence weather patterns over the nearby tundra . less sea ice is associated with warmer and drier summer conditions on the tundra . consistently balmier summers will cause soils to warm and thaw to greater depths , unleashing long-stored carbon into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide and methane , both of which are potent greenhouse gases . the previous record low in arctic ocean ice cover occurred in 2007 , and the hot , dry summer that accompanied it on the alaskan tundra was highlighted by the largest , longest lasting and most severe tundra fire to burn in northern alaska in recorded history . the fire covered an area roughly 10 % larger than manhattan and burned for 2â½ months . although lightning frequently strikes the tundra , the landscape is typically fairly moist and so rarely ignites , and even when it does , the flames do n't spread very far , burn very deeply or remain alight for very long . but the tundra was very dry in 2007 and fire-fueling winds kicked up the blaze . during this single event , the immediate combustion of plants and soils and the thawing of frozen soils injected an enormous amount of carbon into the atmosphere †” an amount equivalent to what the entire tundra biome typically absorbs from the atmosphere through plant growth every year . the effect of diminishing sea ice is n't limited to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations . warmer conditions on the tundra trigger a cascade of change , including converting its lush but short green carpet into a taller shag , since warmer soils and deeper thaw enable taller , woody plants to grow and thrive on the tundra . what my colleagues and i are discovering from our own work in alaskan tundra is that this shift in vegetation cover has implications -- some good , some bad -- for the animals that depend on it for food and shelter . opinion : extreme weather and a changing climate each spring many species of migratory songbirds travel to the arctic tundra from all over the world to breed . some nest in patches of tall vegetation and may stand to benefit from the expanding taller shag , but those that nest in short vegetation may not be able to adapt . what may likely benefit all species is that the taller vegetation harbors significantly more bugs to eat . we do n't yet know which species will benefit , and which will suffer in response to the changes , but because each species plays a specific ecological role on the tundra , the downfall of one species or proliferation of another could have a domino effect that disrupts the tundra 's delicate food web . and in case you thought that what happens on the tundra stays on the tundra , consider that many of the sparrows , robins and warblers that visit our backyards in winter , or pass through come fall and spring , spend their summers breeding on the tundra ; so , whatever happens to them there will affect which ones and how many of them show up at your bird feeder in the future , potentially setting off a local domino effect . since the arctic as a whole is responding to climate change earlier and more acutely than the rest of the planet , we should think of it as an early warning system -- a proverbial canary in a coalmine . perhaps if we pay closer attention to how the tundra is changing , we can learn some practical lessons on what types of changes to expect here at lower latitudes , which would enable us to mitigate the consequences , or at least plan for how to cope with them . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of natalie boelman . | natalie boelman : arctic sea at lowest extent recorded , affecting earth 's ability to cool |
florida <tsp> a florida airport is pushing to join 16 other u.s. airports in opting out of transportation security administration screening in favor of private screeners . orlando sanford international airport has been trying to get approval since last year to join the tsa 's screening partnership program , which helps airports hire qualified private screening companies to enforce security protocol set and overseen by the tsa . the airport 's application has been denied twice . we 're not booting the tsa . this is a tsa program created by congress , ' said larry dale , the airport 's president and ceo . the partnership started in 2002 with five airports participating in the pilot program . there are now 16 participating airports , including san francisco international and kansas city international . one additional airport , west yellowstone in montana , was approved in january . legislation championed by representative john mica , r-florida , and signed into law with the much-delayed faa reauthorization bill in february was designed to make it easier for airports to join the program . orlando sanford has submitted a request to the tsa to reconsider its application , under a stipulation outlined in the bill , dale said . we believe in free enterprise and holding people accountable for efficiency , safety and security , ' dale said . the tsa is developing procedures to implement the screening partnership program-related provisions included in the faa modernization and reform act of 2012 , ' the agency said in a statement . the tsa administrator is required to approve airport applications for the program if security is uncompromised , cost efficiency is maintained and the screening of passengers and property is not negatively impacted . orlando sanford international airport saw close to 1.6 million passengers in 2011 , compared with more than 35 million passengers at neighboring orlando international airport . | florida airport pushing to join private screening program |
secret service <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a couple who allegedly crashed this week 's state dinner at the white house met president obama in a reception line at the event , a white house official told cnn on friday . a white house photograph taken tuesday evening shows michaele salahi , wearing a gold-accented red sari , clasping her hands around obama 's right hand as her smiling husband , tareq , looks on . the dinner was held for visiting indian prime minister manmohan singh , who is smiling next to the president in the photo . an investigation into tareq and michaele salahi has found that secret service agents did not follow protocol at a security checkpoint , the secret service said . the secret service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the state dinner on tuesday , ' the agency said in a statement friday . the preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint , verifying that two individuals were on the guest list . ' the salahis , who are aspiring reality tv stars , made news when they showed up at tuesday 's state dinner . the white house says the salahis were not invited , but their lawyer , paul w. garner , states emphatically that the salahis did not'crash'this event , ' according to a statement from the couple 's publicist , mahogany jones . the secret service 's statement says that although the salahis went through magnetometers and other levels of screening , they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely . ' that failing is ours , ' the statement said . the investigation continues and appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated , ' the agency said . also friday , two secret service agents visited a virginia winery to say they wanted to question the couple , according to the winery 's manager . diane weiss , manager at the oasis winery in hume , virginia , said the agents wanted to speak with the salahis . weiss said she did n't know their whereabouts . the warren county report , a local newspaper , quoted weiss as saying the agents said they wanted to speak with the couple and not arrest them . it also quoted her as saying that the salahis live in linden , virginia , but receive mail at the winery . and the agents said it was imperative ' that investigators speak with the couple and that they would take whatever action ' is necessary if they did not , the paper quoted weiss as saying . weiss told cnn that the newspaper quoted her accurately , but she declined to elaborate . meanwhile , court records have revealed a more complete picture of the salahis , who have left an extensive paper trail in federal bankruptcy and state court filings . they are named in at least 16 different civil suits in fauquier county , virginia , near washington , sometimes as plaintiffs , sometimes as defendants . family members have sued the county and each other . the family winery , oasis winery , has sued michaele salahi . they did not respond to cnn requests for comment thursday about their legal history or the white house dinner . at this time the salahis will not make any formal comments regarding the rumors and media speculation surrounding the white house state dinner , ' jones , their publicist , said in a statement . tareq and michaele salahi were engaged in a long court battle with his parents over the winery . tareq salahi sued his mother , corinne , court records show , and the suit was dismissed . the mother sued tareq salahi and the case went to trial . the outcome is not clear from a virginia courts web site . tareq and michaele salahi won control of the winery in 2007 , but it has run into debt since then . oasis winery filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in february of this year , according to u.s. bankruptcy court records in the eastern district of virginia . tareq salahi is listed as company president in the filing . listed creditors include the irs , fauquier county , the state of virginia , several banks and american express corp. , among others . the company claims about $ 335,000 in assets and $ 965,000 in liabilities . | secret service'embarrassed'it did n't prevent couple from entering event |
secret service <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a couple who allegedly crashed this week 's state dinner at the white house met president obama in a reception line at the event , a white house official told cnn on friday . a white house photograph taken tuesday evening shows michaele salahi , wearing a gold-accented red sari , clasping her hands around obama 's right hand as her smiling husband , tareq , looks on . the dinner was held for visiting indian prime minister manmohan singh , who is smiling next to the president in the photo . an investigation into tareq and michaele salahi has found that secret service agents did not follow protocol at a security checkpoint , the secret service said . the secret service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the state dinner on tuesday , ' the agency said in a statement friday . the preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint , verifying that two individuals were on the guest list . ' the salahis , who are aspiring reality tv stars , made news when they showed up at tuesday 's state dinner . the white house says the salahis were not invited , but their lawyer , paul w. garner , states emphatically that the salahis did not'crash'this event , ' according to a statement from the couple 's publicist , mahogany jones . the secret service 's statement says that although the salahis went through magnetometers and other levels of screening , they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely . ' that failing is ours , ' the statement said . the investigation continues and appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated , ' the agency said . also friday , two secret service agents visited a virginia winery to say they wanted to question the couple , according to the winery 's manager . diane weiss , manager at the oasis winery in hume , virginia , said the agents wanted to speak with the salahis . weiss said she did n't know their whereabouts . the warren county report , a local newspaper , quoted weiss as saying the agents said they wanted to speak with the couple and not arrest them . it also quoted her as saying that the salahis live in linden , virginia , but receive mail at the winery . and the agents said it was imperative ' that investigators speak with the couple and that they would take whatever action ' is necessary if they did not , the paper quoted weiss as saying . weiss told cnn that the newspaper quoted her accurately , but she declined to elaborate . meanwhile , court records have revealed a more complete picture of the salahis , who have left an extensive paper trail in federal bankruptcy and state court filings . they are named in at least 16 different civil suits in fauquier county , virginia , near washington , sometimes as plaintiffs , sometimes as defendants . family members have sued the county and each other . the family winery , oasis winery , has sued michaele salahi . they did not respond to cnn requests for comment thursday about their legal history or the white house dinner . at this time the salahis will not make any formal comments regarding the rumors and media speculation surrounding the white house state dinner , ' jones , their publicist , said in a statement . tareq and michaele salahi were engaged in a long court battle with his parents over the winery . tareq salahi sued his mother , corinne , court records show , and the suit was dismissed . the mother sued tareq salahi and the case went to trial . the outcome is not clear from a virginia courts web site . tareq and michaele salahi won control of the winery in 2007 , but it has run into debt since then . oasis winery filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in february of this year , according to u.s. bankruptcy court records in the eastern district of virginia . tareq salahi is listed as company president in the filing . listed creditors include the irs , fauquier county , the state of virginia , several banks and american express corp. , among others . the company claims about $ 335,000 in assets and $ 965,000 in liabilities . | secret service looking for couple , manager says |
nobel <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- president obama accepted the nobel peace prize on thursday by talking about war and the limits of nonviolence . but he also praised the peacemakers of the past and said the world can and should still strive for peace . let us reach for the world that ought to be , ' he told the 1,000-member audience at oslo city hall in norway . clear-eyed , we can understand that there will be war , and still strive for peace . ' the nobel committee 's choice of obama as this year 's laureate sparked debate , in part because he is a president waging two wars abroad . obama said force is sometimes necessary , but said that is simply a recognition of history , the imperfections of man and the limits of reason . ' read a transcript of obama 's acceptance speech fareed zakaria , author and host of cnn 's fareed zakaria : gps , ' spoke to cnn about the speech cnn : what message was president obama trying to send the world in his nobel peace prize acceptance speech ? fareed zakaria : the speech reflected his basic philosophy , which is why it worked so well . i think obama is somebody who is a realist-idealist . he tries to balance idealism with the realities in the world . he clearly believes in the idea of doing good in the world , but believes you have to be pragmatic and realizes the dangers of over-reaching . cnn : will the focus on the afghanistan war being just ' be well received by world leaders ? zakaria : most of the world supports the war in afghanistan . the un approved it , and over 50 countries are participating one way or another , so countries wo n't react negatively . obama wanted to remind people , including those in his own party here in the u.s. , that the afghanistan war has a morally legitimate basis and that there are occasions in history where force is necessary . cnn : are there any potential pitfalls to spending so much of the speech defending the war on moral grounds ? zakaria : the great danger of moral certitude is that you get distracted from the practical issue of whether things are working . are we creating a stable government ? are we being successful against the taliban and al qaeda ? from woodrow wilson to vietnam , the question of whether a military action is morally legitimate can overshadow whether it works . cnn : does the speech give us any window into how obama might conduct u.s. foreign policy going forward ? zakaria : the afghanistan speech last week and the nobel speech are the two clearest statements of his worldview . he is n't making a broad statement like president bush , when he vowed to end tyranny in the world . obama says the u.s. is a force for good , but is engaging with the world and is trying to avoid open-ended commitments . obama wants the u.s. to play a world role that is progressive and idealistic , but remains aware of the practical limitations inherent in trying to operate in a messy world . | nobel speech , afghanistan speech are clearest statements of obama 's worldview , he says |
obama <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- president obama accepted the nobel peace prize on thursday by talking about war and the limits of nonviolence . but he also praised the peacemakers of the past and said the world can and should still strive for peace . let us reach for the world that ought to be , ' he told the 1,000-member audience at oslo city hall in norway . clear-eyed , we can understand that there will be war , and still strive for peace . ' the nobel committee 's choice of obama as this year 's laureate sparked debate , in part because he is a president waging two wars abroad . obama said force is sometimes necessary , but said that is simply a recognition of history , the imperfections of man and the limits of reason . ' read a transcript of obama 's acceptance speech fareed zakaria , author and host of cnn 's fareed zakaria : gps , ' spoke to cnn about the speech cnn : what message was president obama trying to send the world in his nobel peace prize acceptance speech ? fareed zakaria : the speech reflected his basic philosophy , which is why it worked so well . i think obama is somebody who is a realist-idealist . he tries to balance idealism with the realities in the world . he clearly believes in the idea of doing good in the world , but believes you have to be pragmatic and realizes the dangers of over-reaching . cnn : will the focus on the afghanistan war being just ' be well received by world leaders ? zakaria : most of the world supports the war in afghanistan . the un approved it , and over 50 countries are participating one way or another , so countries wo n't react negatively . obama wanted to remind people , including those in his own party here in the u.s. , that the afghanistan war has a morally legitimate basis and that there are occasions in history where force is necessary . cnn : are there any potential pitfalls to spending so much of the speech defending the war on moral grounds ? zakaria : the great danger of moral certitude is that you get distracted from the practical issue of whether things are working . are we creating a stable government ? are we being successful against the taliban and al qaeda ? from woodrow wilson to vietnam , the question of whether a military action is morally legitimate can overshadow whether it works . cnn : does the speech give us any window into how obama might conduct u.s. foreign policy going forward ? zakaria : the afghanistan speech last week and the nobel speech are the two clearest statements of his worldview . he is n't making a broad statement like president bush , when he vowed to end tyranny in the world . obama says the u.s. is a force for good , but is engaging with the world and is trying to avoid open-ended commitments . obama wants the u.s. to play a world role that is progressive and idealistic , but remains aware of the practical limitations inherent in trying to operate in a messy world . | nobel speech , afghanistan speech are clearest statements of obama 's worldview , he says |
twitter <tsp> ( cnn ) -- hours after turkey 's prime minister vowed to eradicate ' twitter , turkish internet users began to experience widespread disruptions thursday while trying to access the popular social networking website . outrage and fury erupted online . within an hour the hashtags # twitterisblockedinturkey , ' # dictatorerdogan ' and turkeyblockedtwitter ' surged to the service 's top worldwide trends . meanwhile , twitter swiftly offered subscribers a work-around via its verified policy account by advertising an alternative way to send out tweets using cell-phone instant messaging . turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogan first vowed to shut twitter down at a campaign rally on thursday in the city of bursa . now there is a court order . twitter , mwitter , we will eradicate it all , ' erdogan said , using a turkish expression that mocked the name of the social networking site . the international community will say this and that , and it does n't concern me one bit , ' erdogan added , apparently anticipating the subsequent uproar . they will see the power of the turkish republic . this has nothing to do with freedom-shmeedom . freedom is not invading someone 's privacy . ' several hours later , the prime ministry released a statement accusing twitter 's management of ignoring court orders calling for the removal of web links from the website . twitter officials remained indifferent to these demands , ' the prime ministry announced , according to the semiofficial anadolu news agency . access to twitter may be blocked as a last resort to avert the unjust treatment of our citizens in case of a continuation of this ignorance of the court rulings . ' while many twitter users reported blockages to the website , others quickly advertised workaround procedures . the twitter crackdown follows earlier threats by erdogan to shut down popular social networking sites facebook and youtube . the latest move against twitter comes 10 days before turks are expected to go to the polls in municipal elections that will be held nationwide . the government has also been working to block embarrassing leaks emerging on social media linked to a corruption investigation that embroiled four of erdogan 's former cabinet ministers . erdogan claims the investigation is a coup plot . ' he has sought to crush the probe by firing thousands of police officers and prosecutors . nonetheless , embarrassing wiretaps of telephone conversations between erdogan , his family members and top members of turkey 's ruling elite have been leaked on a daily basis on an assortment of popular internet sites . cnn has been unable to confirm the authenticity of the recordings , some of which have been described as immorally edited material ' by erdogan . but the prime minister confirmed some of the conversations , including a call in which he ordered the head of a tv news channel to censor the live broadcast of an opposition lawmaker 's speech . on wednesday , lawmakers from erdogan 's ruling justice and development party succeeded in blocking an attempt by opposition leaders to read out portions of the corruption investigation indictment in an extraordinary session of parliament . | he says twitter 's management has ignored court orders |
twitter <tsp> ( cnn ) -- hours after turkey 's prime minister vowed to eradicate ' twitter , turkish internet users began to experience widespread disruptions thursday while trying to access the popular social networking website . outrage and fury erupted online . within an hour the hashtags # twitterisblockedinturkey , ' # dictatorerdogan ' and turkeyblockedtwitter ' surged to the service 's top worldwide trends . meanwhile , twitter swiftly offered subscribers a work-around via its verified policy account by advertising an alternative way to send out tweets using cell-phone instant messaging . turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogan first vowed to shut twitter down at a campaign rally on thursday in the city of bursa . now there is a court order . twitter , mwitter , we will eradicate it all , ' erdogan said , using a turkish expression that mocked the name of the social networking site . the international community will say this and that , and it does n't concern me one bit , ' erdogan added , apparently anticipating the subsequent uproar . they will see the power of the turkish republic . this has nothing to do with freedom-shmeedom . freedom is not invading someone 's privacy . ' several hours later , the prime ministry released a statement accusing twitter 's management of ignoring court orders calling for the removal of web links from the website . twitter officials remained indifferent to these demands , ' the prime ministry announced , according to the semiofficial anadolu news agency . access to twitter may be blocked as a last resort to avert the unjust treatment of our citizens in case of a continuation of this ignorance of the court rulings . ' while many twitter users reported blockages to the website , others quickly advertised workaround procedures . the twitter crackdown follows earlier threats by erdogan to shut down popular social networking sites facebook and youtube . the latest move against twitter comes 10 days before turks are expected to go to the polls in municipal elections that will be held nationwide . the government has also been working to block embarrassing leaks emerging on social media linked to a corruption investigation that embroiled four of erdogan 's former cabinet ministers . erdogan claims the investigation is a coup plot . ' he has sought to crush the probe by firing thousands of police officers and prosecutors . nonetheless , embarrassing wiretaps of telephone conversations between erdogan , his family members and top members of turkey 's ruling elite have been leaked on a daily basis on an assortment of popular internet sites . cnn has been unable to confirm the authenticity of the recordings , some of which have been described as immorally edited material ' by erdogan . but the prime minister confirmed some of the conversations , including a call in which he ordered the head of a tv news channel to censor the live broadcast of an opposition lawmaker 's speech . on wednesday , lawmakers from erdogan 's ruling justice and development party succeeded in blocking an attempt by opposition leaders to read out portions of the corruption investigation indictment in an extraordinary session of parliament . | twitter users quickly advertise workaround procedures |
moscow <tsp> moscow , russia ( cnn ) -- as i raised my hands toward the ceiling and then pointed them toward my head , i had to wonder : how would the 19th-century russian writer nikolai gogol feel if he knew that a bunch of foreigners were dancing the ymca at a nightclub named after him ? the iconic st . basil 's cathedral in red square takes on a brighter , more colorful look at night . gogol the man is considered the father of modern russian realism , with works such as dead souls . ' gogol the cafe-club is considered a favorite hangout for russians and expatriates alike , perfect for meals , coffee , fruity cocktails and music 'til everyone clears out around 2:30 a.m. , when moscow 's real ' nightclubs heat up . since the soviet union fell in 1991 , russia 's capital city has progressed in many ways , breaking free of old social structures while struggling to maintain its cultural heritage . the city has preserved a lot of its old beauty , boasting monuments such as st . basil 's cathedral and gorgeous landscapes such as tsaritsino park . at the same time , there are internet cafes and 24-hour bookstores , and you 'd be hard-pressed to meet someone who does n't carry a cell phone . but , as an american studying abroad at moscow state university , i sometimes felt perplexed in this immense modern metropolis that still makes certain familiar conveniences inconvenient . in moscow , kiosks for adding money to your cell phone seem far more common than atms . even nice restaurants with $ 40-minimum meals -- for example , the best beef stroganoff and fried cheese balls of your life -- accept only cash , no cards . after two weeks , i never figured out where to buy a nail clipper -- but i did see vladimir lenin 's body , perfectly preserved since 1924 . view more photos of moscow » at the university , i had to present a special id card to one set of guards at the entrance , a dorm pass to another crew , and then confront a third layer of hallway-based security before arriving at my room . i also needed written approval from my floor 's administrator ' to take luggage out of the building . then , there 's money . moscow , or moskva ' in russian , holds the distinction of the world 's most expensive city , according to mercer 's 2008 worldwide cost of living survey . be prepared for fees from your bank and the russian bank whenever you use an atm . try to stay away from touristy restaurants for meals , and do your souvenir shopping at izmailovsky market ( metro : izmailovsky park ) instead of in stores . the expatriates i encountered all echoed the sentiment that moscow is a city of constant stress . maybe that 's why i will always love most the moscow i experienced at night . the monuments that look mildly impressive by day suddenly come to life with light against the onyx sky . you can look out over sparrow hills and see the endless glittering skyline , or settle down somewhere like gogol ( metro : tverskaya ) for vodka-enhanced beverages and music from around the world . and , as long as you know mozhna ? ' ( may i ? ' ) and spasiba ' ( thank you ) , ' it matters less that few people speak substantial english . café bilingua ( metro : chistye prudy ) is another cozy place to mingle with locals and ex-pats for hours on end -- you can have your coffee in the tiny two-story book shop , or take it up to the restaurant and performance section . another bar i liked is etage ( metro : pushkinskaya ) , right off pushkin 's square near a large neon-light sculpture of flowers ( how would the great poet feel about that ? ) . nightclubs dedicated to too-many-people-to-move dance floors do n't start up until well after midnight . propaganda ( metro : lubyanka ) , conveniently located near the headquarters of the kgb , spins all kinds of dance music -- go on a thursday evening for a less crowded experience . then there 's the real mccoy ( metro : barrikadnaya ) , so packed with people that merely crossing the room to stand in the bathroom line requires bumping bodies to the beat . at first we could n't even get in because the bouncer shook his head at my swiss friend . but , as always , it 's all about who you know -- my spanish friend 's spanish friend had vip status , so we went as his entourage to an upscale restaurant-like room in the back . part of my moscow nightlife adventures included riding on an overnight train . for my trip from st. petersburg to moscow , i had been told at every ticket office that only seats were available . but upon boarding at midnight , i asked a crew member if i could have a bed . five minutes and $ 80 later , the fleshy man who took my ticket had locked me into a less-than-closet-sized space with him . i prepared to claw at the door with my untrimmed nails and scream . close , ' he said . then he unlocked it to demonstrate open . ' he stepped out , gave me a stiff wave , and said , see you in moskva . ' i sighed and fell asleep on the child-sized mattress . among the plethora of moscow 's unspoken rules : do not talk in the elevators or hallways of your student dorm . accustomed to the silence , one night i was surprised to hear the glorious sound of a frédéric chopin nocturne coming from behind a security guard 's desk . mozhna ? ' i asked , pointing to the door his chair blocked . he just shrugged , so i quietly ducked behind him and pulled the handle . behold , a secret two-story ballroom with tables and chairs and an upright piano in the corner , and a russian student who abruptly lifted his hands from the piano keys when i sat down . we took turns playing ( thus , my failed-love song sad panda ' debuted on a new continent ) and , in broken but passionate english , he told me how he wished he could sound like the russian-american pianist vladimir horowitz , and said he often comes with his friend to play around 9 p.m. as if it were the end of a great russian novel , i never heard music in that hallway again . | the preserved body of vladimir lenin is on display in moscow 's red square |
moscow <tsp> moscow , russia ( cnn ) -- as i raised my hands toward the ceiling and then pointed them toward my head , i had to wonder : how would the 19th-century russian writer nikolai gogol feel if he knew that a bunch of foreigners were dancing the ymca at a nightclub named after him ? the iconic st . basil 's cathedral in red square takes on a brighter , more colorful look at night . gogol the man is considered the father of modern russian realism , with works such as dead souls . ' gogol the cafe-club is considered a favorite hangout for russians and expatriates alike , perfect for meals , coffee , fruity cocktails and music 'til everyone clears out around 2:30 a.m. , when moscow 's real ' nightclubs heat up . since the soviet union fell in 1991 , russia 's capital city has progressed in many ways , breaking free of old social structures while struggling to maintain its cultural heritage . the city has preserved a lot of its old beauty , boasting monuments such as st . basil 's cathedral and gorgeous landscapes such as tsaritsino park . at the same time , there are internet cafes and 24-hour bookstores , and you 'd be hard-pressed to meet someone who does n't carry a cell phone . but , as an american studying abroad at moscow state university , i sometimes felt perplexed in this immense modern metropolis that still makes certain familiar conveniences inconvenient . in moscow , kiosks for adding money to your cell phone seem far more common than atms . even nice restaurants with $ 40-minimum meals -- for example , the best beef stroganoff and fried cheese balls of your life -- accept only cash , no cards . after two weeks , i never figured out where to buy a nail clipper -- but i did see vladimir lenin 's body , perfectly preserved since 1924 . view more photos of moscow » at the university , i had to present a special id card to one set of guards at the entrance , a dorm pass to another crew , and then confront a third layer of hallway-based security before arriving at my room . i also needed written approval from my floor 's administrator ' to take luggage out of the building . then , there 's money . moscow , or moskva ' in russian , holds the distinction of the world 's most expensive city , according to mercer 's 2008 worldwide cost of living survey . be prepared for fees from your bank and the russian bank whenever you use an atm . try to stay away from touristy restaurants for meals , and do your souvenir shopping at izmailovsky market ( metro : izmailovsky park ) instead of in stores . the expatriates i encountered all echoed the sentiment that moscow is a city of constant stress . maybe that 's why i will always love most the moscow i experienced at night . the monuments that look mildly impressive by day suddenly come to life with light against the onyx sky . you can look out over sparrow hills and see the endless glittering skyline , or settle down somewhere like gogol ( metro : tverskaya ) for vodka-enhanced beverages and music from around the world . and , as long as you know mozhna ? ' ( may i ? ' ) and spasiba ' ( thank you ) , ' it matters less that few people speak substantial english . café bilingua ( metro : chistye prudy ) is another cozy place to mingle with locals and ex-pats for hours on end -- you can have your coffee in the tiny two-story book shop , or take it up to the restaurant and performance section . another bar i liked is etage ( metro : pushkinskaya ) , right off pushkin 's square near a large neon-light sculpture of flowers ( how would the great poet feel about that ? ) . nightclubs dedicated to too-many-people-to-move dance floors do n't start up until well after midnight . propaganda ( metro : lubyanka ) , conveniently located near the headquarters of the kgb , spins all kinds of dance music -- go on a thursday evening for a less crowded experience . then there 's the real mccoy ( metro : barrikadnaya ) , so packed with people that merely crossing the room to stand in the bathroom line requires bumping bodies to the beat . at first we could n't even get in because the bouncer shook his head at my swiss friend . but , as always , it 's all about who you know -- my spanish friend 's spanish friend had vip status , so we went as his entourage to an upscale restaurant-like room in the back . part of my moscow nightlife adventures included riding on an overnight train . for my trip from st. petersburg to moscow , i had been told at every ticket office that only seats were available . but upon boarding at midnight , i asked a crew member if i could have a bed . five minutes and $ 80 later , the fleshy man who took my ticket had locked me into a less-than-closet-sized space with him . i prepared to claw at the door with my untrimmed nails and scream . close , ' he said . then he unlocked it to demonstrate open . ' he stepped out , gave me a stiff wave , and said , see you in moskva . ' i sighed and fell asleep on the child-sized mattress . among the plethora of moscow 's unspoken rules : do not talk in the elevators or hallways of your student dorm . accustomed to the silence , one night i was surprised to hear the glorious sound of a frédéric chopin nocturne coming from behind a security guard 's desk . mozhna ? ' i asked , pointing to the door his chair blocked . he just shrugged , so i quietly ducked behind him and pulled the handle . behold , a secret two-story ballroom with tables and chairs and an upright piano in the corner , and a russian student who abruptly lifted his hands from the piano keys when i sat down . we took turns playing ( thus , my failed-love song sad panda ' debuted on a new continent ) and , in broken but passionate english , he told me how he wished he could sound like the russian-american pianist vladimir horowitz , and said he often comes with his friend to play around 9 p.m. as if it were the end of a great russian novel , i never heard music in that hallway again . | moscow has been named the world 's most expensive city |
colbert <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- there 's nothing funny about the issue of migrant farm labor -- unless comedy central 's stephen colbert is discussing it . colbert , accompanied by a media swarm , sarcastically testified on capitol hill friday about the conditions facing america 's undocumented farm workers . the popular host of the colbert report ' told members of a house judiciary subcommittee that he hoped to bring attention to the workers'hardships . i certainly hope that my star power can bump this hearing all the way up to c-span 1 , ' he joked . america 's farms are presently far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables , ' he told the subcommittee , keeping in character with the arch-conservative he plays on television . now , the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables . and if you look at the recent obesity statistics , many americans have already started . ' colbert told the panel that we all know there is a long tradition of great nations importing foreign workers to do their farm work . ' after all , ' he said , it was the ancient israelites who built the first food pyramids . but this is america . i do n't want a tomato picked by a mexican . i want it picked by an american , then sliced by a guatemalan , and served by a venezuelan in a spa where a chilean gives me a brazilian . ' my great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the atlantic ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants , ' he declared . he did it because he killed a man back in ireland . that 's the rumor . ' colbert appeared before congress the day after the colbert report ' showed video of him packing corn and picking beans on a farm as part of a challenge from a pro-immigrant-labor group . i 'll admit i started my work day with preconceived notions of migrant labor , ' colbert said . but after working with these men and women ... side by side in the unforgiving sun i have to say -- and i do mean this sincerely -- please do n't make me do this again . it is really , really hard . ' the brief experience , he said , gave me some small understanding why so few americans are clamoring to begin an exciting career as seasonal migrant field workers . ' colbert appeared alongside , among others , united farm workers president arturo rodriguez , whose group over the summer launched take our jobs , ' a campaign that challenged u.s. citizens to replace immigrants in farm work . the group , which says only seven citizens or legal residents have taken it up on the offer , argues that immigrant workers are n't taking citizens'jobs , and is pushing for a bill that would give undocumented farm workers currently in the united states the right to earn legal status . on his show thursday night , colbert mocked those deriding his appearance before the committee , saying he agreed that showing up in character would sully the good name of experts that republican-controlled congresses have actually called to testify in the past , ' like elmo , the sesame street character who promoted music education before a house subcommittee in 2002 . republicans on the subcommittee were not impressed or swayed by colbert 's appearance . maybe we should be spending less time watching comedy central and more time considering all the real jobs that are out there -- ones that require real hard labor and ones that do n't involve sitting behind a desk , ' said rep. steve king , r-iowa . if we did we 'd realize that every day ... americans perform the dirtiest , most difficult , most dangerous ( jobs ) that can be thrown at them . ' many of these workers , king said , would prefer the aroma of fresh dirt to that of the sewage of american elitists who disparage them even as they flush . ' it 's an insult to me to hear that americans wo n't do this work , ' he added , arguing that the hiring of undocumented workers is driving down wages and taking jobs away from those in the country legally . rep. lamar smith , r-texas , used the occasion to rip the obama administration 's immigration policy . the notion that there 's little competition for jobs between citizens and undocumented workers is a myth , ' he claimed . we could make millions of jobs available to american citizens ... if the federal government simply enforced our immigration laws , ' smith asserted . unfortunately this administration is turning its back on american workers . ' democrats were quick to challenge the republicans'claims . while americans will take tough jobs , study after study ' shows that people would rather have no income and no welfare than take the back-breaking jobs that the migrant farm worker has to do every single day , ' said rep. howard berman , d-california . were it not for immigrant farm workers in this country , there would be no seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables , ' he said . most of the media attention , however , remained focused on colbert . the chairwoman of the subcommittee , rep. zoe lofrgen , d-california , told cnn 's dana bash before the hearing that she did n't think colbert 's appearance was a stunt . celebrities add pizzazz to an issue , ' she said . i hope his celebrity will bring attention ' to this one . but another democrat , michigan rep. john conyers , initially seemed unimpressed with colbert , asking him to leave the committee room and merely submit his written statement instead . colbert noted that he was testifying at lofgren 's invitation , and said that he would remove himself at her request . conyers later told cnn he feared colbert would create a circus ' atmosphere . but colbert , who engaged in a question-and-answer session with the subcommittee , actually turned out to be profound , ' he said . cnn 's jason hanna , deirdre walsh , alison harding and catherine shoichet contributed to this report | colbert worked a day on a farm in response to a pro-immigration labor group 's challenge |
colbert <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- there 's nothing funny about the issue of migrant farm labor -- unless comedy central 's stephen colbert is discussing it . colbert , accompanied by a media swarm , sarcastically testified on capitol hill friday about the conditions facing america 's undocumented farm workers . the popular host of the colbert report ' told members of a house judiciary subcommittee that he hoped to bring attention to the workers'hardships . i certainly hope that my star power can bump this hearing all the way up to c-span 1 , ' he joked . america 's farms are presently far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables , ' he told the subcommittee , keeping in character with the arch-conservative he plays on television . now , the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables . and if you look at the recent obesity statistics , many americans have already started . ' colbert told the panel that we all know there is a long tradition of great nations importing foreign workers to do their farm work . ' after all , ' he said , it was the ancient israelites who built the first food pyramids . but this is america . i do n't want a tomato picked by a mexican . i want it picked by an american , then sliced by a guatemalan , and served by a venezuelan in a spa where a chilean gives me a brazilian . ' my great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the atlantic ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants , ' he declared . he did it because he killed a man back in ireland . that 's the rumor . ' colbert appeared before congress the day after the colbert report ' showed video of him packing corn and picking beans on a farm as part of a challenge from a pro-immigrant-labor group . i 'll admit i started my work day with preconceived notions of migrant labor , ' colbert said . but after working with these men and women ... side by side in the unforgiving sun i have to say -- and i do mean this sincerely -- please do n't make me do this again . it is really , really hard . ' the brief experience , he said , gave me some small understanding why so few americans are clamoring to begin an exciting career as seasonal migrant field workers . ' colbert appeared alongside , among others , united farm workers president arturo rodriguez , whose group over the summer launched take our jobs , ' a campaign that challenged u.s. citizens to replace immigrants in farm work . the group , which says only seven citizens or legal residents have taken it up on the offer , argues that immigrant workers are n't taking citizens'jobs , and is pushing for a bill that would give undocumented farm workers currently in the united states the right to earn legal status . on his show thursday night , colbert mocked those deriding his appearance before the committee , saying he agreed that showing up in character would sully the good name of experts that republican-controlled congresses have actually called to testify in the past , ' like elmo , the sesame street character who promoted music education before a house subcommittee in 2002 . republicans on the subcommittee were not impressed or swayed by colbert 's appearance . maybe we should be spending less time watching comedy central and more time considering all the real jobs that are out there -- ones that require real hard labor and ones that do n't involve sitting behind a desk , ' said rep. steve king , r-iowa . if we did we 'd realize that every day ... americans perform the dirtiest , most difficult , most dangerous ( jobs ) that can be thrown at them . ' many of these workers , king said , would prefer the aroma of fresh dirt to that of the sewage of american elitists who disparage them even as they flush . ' it 's an insult to me to hear that americans wo n't do this work , ' he added , arguing that the hiring of undocumented workers is driving down wages and taking jobs away from those in the country legally . rep. lamar smith , r-texas , used the occasion to rip the obama administration 's immigration policy . the notion that there 's little competition for jobs between citizens and undocumented workers is a myth , ' he claimed . we could make millions of jobs available to american citizens ... if the federal government simply enforced our immigration laws , ' smith asserted . unfortunately this administration is turning its back on american workers . ' democrats were quick to challenge the republicans'claims . while americans will take tough jobs , study after study ' shows that people would rather have no income and no welfare than take the back-breaking jobs that the migrant farm worker has to do every single day , ' said rep. howard berman , d-california . were it not for immigrant farm workers in this country , there would be no seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables , ' he said . most of the media attention , however , remained focused on colbert . the chairwoman of the subcommittee , rep. zoe lofrgen , d-california , told cnn 's dana bash before the hearing that she did n't think colbert 's appearance was a stunt . celebrities add pizzazz to an issue , ' she said . i hope his celebrity will bring attention ' to this one . but another democrat , michigan rep. john conyers , initially seemed unimpressed with colbert , asking him to leave the committee room and merely submit his written statement instead . colbert noted that he was testifying at lofgren 's invitation , and said that he would remove himself at her request . conyers later told cnn he feared colbert would create a circus ' atmosphere . but colbert , who engaged in a question-and-answer session with the subcommittee , actually turned out to be profound , ' he said . cnn 's jason hanna , deirdre walsh , alison harding and catherine shoichet contributed to this report | comedy central 's stephen colbert testified about conditions facing migrant farm workers |
republicans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- there 's nothing funny about the issue of migrant farm labor -- unless comedy central 's stephen colbert is discussing it . colbert , accompanied by a media swarm , sarcastically testified on capitol hill friday about the conditions facing america 's undocumented farm workers . the popular host of the colbert report ' told members of a house judiciary subcommittee that he hoped to bring attention to the workers'hardships . i certainly hope that my star power can bump this hearing all the way up to c-span 1 , ' he joked . america 's farms are presently far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables , ' he told the subcommittee , keeping in character with the arch-conservative he plays on television . now , the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables . and if you look at the recent obesity statistics , many americans have already started . ' colbert told the panel that we all know there is a long tradition of great nations importing foreign workers to do their farm work . ' after all , ' he said , it was the ancient israelites who built the first food pyramids . but this is america . i do n't want a tomato picked by a mexican . i want it picked by an american , then sliced by a guatemalan , and served by a venezuelan in a spa where a chilean gives me a brazilian . ' my great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the atlantic ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants , ' he declared . he did it because he killed a man back in ireland . that 's the rumor . ' colbert appeared before congress the day after the colbert report ' showed video of him packing corn and picking beans on a farm as part of a challenge from a pro-immigrant-labor group . i 'll admit i started my work day with preconceived notions of migrant labor , ' colbert said . but after working with these men and women ... side by side in the unforgiving sun i have to say -- and i do mean this sincerely -- please do n't make me do this again . it is really , really hard . ' the brief experience , he said , gave me some small understanding why so few americans are clamoring to begin an exciting career as seasonal migrant field workers . ' colbert appeared alongside , among others , united farm workers president arturo rodriguez , whose group over the summer launched take our jobs , ' a campaign that challenged u.s. citizens to replace immigrants in farm work . the group , which says only seven citizens or legal residents have taken it up on the offer , argues that immigrant workers are n't taking citizens'jobs , and is pushing for a bill that would give undocumented farm workers currently in the united states the right to earn legal status . on his show thursday night , colbert mocked those deriding his appearance before the committee , saying he agreed that showing up in character would sully the good name of experts that republican-controlled congresses have actually called to testify in the past , ' like elmo , the sesame street character who promoted music education before a house subcommittee in 2002 . republicans on the subcommittee were not impressed or swayed by colbert 's appearance . maybe we should be spending less time watching comedy central and more time considering all the real jobs that are out there -- ones that require real hard labor and ones that do n't involve sitting behind a desk , ' said rep. steve king , r-iowa . if we did we 'd realize that every day ... americans perform the dirtiest , most difficult , most dangerous ( jobs ) that can be thrown at them . ' many of these workers , king said , would prefer the aroma of fresh dirt to that of the sewage of american elitists who disparage them even as they flush . ' it 's an insult to me to hear that americans wo n't do this work , ' he added , arguing that the hiring of undocumented workers is driving down wages and taking jobs away from those in the country legally . rep. lamar smith , r-texas , used the occasion to rip the obama administration 's immigration policy . the notion that there 's little competition for jobs between citizens and undocumented workers is a myth , ' he claimed . we could make millions of jobs available to american citizens ... if the federal government simply enforced our immigration laws , ' smith asserted . unfortunately this administration is turning its back on american workers . ' democrats were quick to challenge the republicans'claims . while americans will take tough jobs , study after study ' shows that people would rather have no income and no welfare than take the back-breaking jobs that the migrant farm worker has to do every single day , ' said rep. howard berman , d-california . were it not for immigrant farm workers in this country , there would be no seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables , ' he said . most of the media attention , however , remained focused on colbert . the chairwoman of the subcommittee , rep. zoe lofrgen , d-california , told cnn 's dana bash before the hearing that she did n't think colbert 's appearance was a stunt . celebrities add pizzazz to an issue , ' she said . i hope his celebrity will bring attention ' to this one . but another democrat , michigan rep. john conyers , initially seemed unimpressed with colbert , asking him to leave the committee room and merely submit his written statement instead . colbert noted that he was testifying at lofgren 's invitation , and said that he would remove himself at her request . conyers later told cnn he feared colbert would create a circus ' atmosphere . but colbert , who engaged in a question-and-answer session with the subcommittee , actually turned out to be profound , ' he said . cnn 's jason hanna , deirdre walsh , alison harding and catherine shoichet contributed to this report | republicans argue that undocumented workers are taking jobs from u.s. citizens |
abu hamza al-masri <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- abu hamza al-masri steadfastly denied monday that he aided terrorists in incidents that span the globe , from a remote oregon ranch to the dusty desert of the arabian peninsula . he described osama bin laden as a hothead , in charge of an unfocused organization that has betrayed the afghan people . as for the taliban regime , it does n't need his money ; it has millions , ' yet does n't feed its own people , he said . but in manhattan , by invoking 9/11 and bin laden 's name , al-masri mused , you can convict a person of killing the dead sea . ' al-masri testified on direct examination over three days in a federal courtroom less than a mile from the site of ground zero and the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . he 's accused of aiding kidnappers during a 1998 hostage-taking in yemen ; facilitating violent jihad in afghanistan ; supplying goods and services to the taliban ; and attempting to establish an al qaeda-style training camp on the west coast of the united states . the egyptian-born cleric testified last week about his path to becoming the high-profile imam of a london mosque , whose sermons allegedly inspired several notorious terrorists , including 9/11 hijacker mohammed atta . al-masri said he went to london as a young man because loved the western lifestyle , wanted to make money and have fun american style , ' he smiled . he worked as a bouncer and strip-club manager before bits of islamic teachings from friends began to penetrate his mind and the hypocrisy of his lifestyle hit him like a slap in the face . the defendant broke down twice on the stand describing key moments that helped shape his ideology , like seeing a young bosnian boy -- maybe 12 -- wearing camouflage and clutching a kalashnikov , receive a hug from a grieving mother as thousands of other muslim men and boys lay dead in the srebrenica mass graves nearby . i wish i trained my son , ' the woman said . al-masri said he left bosnia with the belief that training in physical jihad -- holy struggle -- even for children is crucial to the defense of muslims when governments and outside forces fail to keep them safe . he 's seen it from afghanistan to chechnya , he said : the west will not do the job . ' the government 's three-week case against al-masri was an effort to connect the dots between the defendant and events thousands of miles away through key witnesses who often never met the cleric themselves , and are testifying as government informants in exchange for leniency or protection . the pivotal government prosecution witness was james ujaama , a seattle man who conceived the idea for a pay-as-you-go jihad training camp on a large patch of barren land outside bly , oregon , in 1999 . he faxed a sales pitch to al-masri from a local kinkos , he said on the stand . it looks just like afghanistan , ' ujaama wrote to the prominent preacher , asking for trainers in both the physical and spiritual aspects of holy war to be sent from london so fighters could be readied for the afghanistan front lines . two men were allegedly sent by al-masri to aid with the effort , carrying cash and training materials , but left once they realized ujaama 's promises were empty , according to testimony . al-masri said on the stand monday that he scanned only the first few lines of the fax before tossing it in the trash and considered it a hallucination . ' unbeknownst to him , he said , the paper was fished out of the garbage by oussama kassir , a lebanese-born swedish citizen who lived at the defendant 's london mosque periodically and was eager to make a name for himself . kassir decided to pursue the idea of a camp without al-masri 's knowledge while trading on the prominent cleric 's name , the defense claims . kassir was convicted in 2009 on 11 terrorism-related counts relating to the oregon facility and operating terrorist websites , according to the u.s. attorney 's office . prosecutors also allege that al-masri sent ujaama to afghanistan in 1999 to deliver envelopes of cash and a young recruit for the front lines . al-masri maintained on the stand that he in fact had tried to talk the young man out of traveling to afghanistan to fight , and that he still does not know whether ujaama actually brought him along . he scoffed at the thought he 'd use ujaama -- a troublemaker ' and known liar who had never set foot in afghanistan -- for such an errand , when any of the several dozen afghani veterans in the mosque would have provided more reliable options . he conceded he gave ujaama money to transport but said it was charity for a secret girls'school and widows of mujahedeen fighters , not the taliban regime or al qaeda -- something ujaama 's testimony corroborated . ujaama admitted on the stand that his past is marred by a range of criminal endeavors , including picking up knock-off watches in new york city and passing them off as expensive brand originals ; selling a stolen laptop during an airport bathroom rendezvous ; and evading prosecution by fleeing to belize . he spent approximately six years in prison for his role in the defendant 's alleged crimes and testified as part of a deal with the government that allowed for a significant reduction in jail time . federal prosecutors have also alleged that al-masri aided kidnappers of a large tour group in yemen in 1998 and called to the stand two survivors of the harrowing hostage drama that left four of their fellow travelers dead . while al-masri conceded on the stand he supplied the satellite phone used by the hostage takers , he said the group 's only plan that he knew of was to topple the yemeni government . he 'd been asked to act as the group 's spokesperson some five months before the incident , he said , and bought the phone in his own name , because as a spokesperson in a politically charged climate you ca n't afford to do anything but what 's legal , transparent . ' when he learned of the kidnapping , he felt betrayed because of ignorance , ' he testified , and immediately issued a public statement to defuse the situation and discourage a disastrous , knee-jerk response by yemeni authorities . in his only telephone contact with the kidnappers during the event , he urged them to let the hostages call their respective embassies and even called the satellite phone salesman to purchase 500 british pounds'worth of pre-paid minutes for that purpose , he testified . asked what philosophy guides him as a cleric , al-masri said he tries to defuse violent conflict with his impassioned sermons : the harshest of all talks is better than the easiest of all wars . ' assistant u.s. attorney john cronan will begin his cross examination of al-masri tuesday morning . | london-based cleric abu hamza al-masri criticizes bin laden , taliban on the stand |
kamrava <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the doctor who implanted six embryos in octuplets'mother nadya suleman last year has been expelled from a fertility medical society , a spokesman for the group said . nadya suleman gave birth to eight babies after being implanted with six embryos by dr. michael kamrava . dr. michael kamrava demonstrated a pattern of behavior that violated the group 's standards , ' american society for reproductive medicine spokesman sean tipton said . an employee at kamrava 's beverly hills , california , clinic -- the west coast ivf clinic -- said the doctor would not be commenting on the expulsion . the expulsion , which was imposed last month and just announced , does not affect kamrava 's ability to practice , because affiliation with the professional association is voluntary . suleman was 33 years old in january 2009 when she gave birth to eight babies . she was a single woman who already had six young children conceived through in-vitro fertilization . the reproductive medicine society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 , for whom it is harder to get pregnant , according to guidelines published on its web site . suleman , in an interview in february on nbc , said kamrava told her about risks for the children , but she did not want to have only one or two embryos implanted . of course not , i wanted them all transferred , ' she said . those are my children . and that 's what was available and i used them . i took a risk . it 's a gamble . it always is . ' two of the six embryos split in utero , resulting in the birth of eight babies . doctors say giving birth to extreme multiples comes with tremendous risks for the mother and the babies . risks for the children include bleeding in the brain , intestinal problems , developmental delays and lifelong learning disabilities . suleman 's children , six boys and two girls born nine weeks premature , all went home after an extended stay in the hospital . no indication has been given on whether any problems have emerged . suleman and her children will star in a quasi-reality tv series ' about the family , it was announced in june . cnn 's carey bodenheimer contributed to this report . | reproductive medicine society : dr. michael kamrava violated ' standards |
kamrava <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the doctor who implanted six embryos in octuplets'mother nadya suleman last year has been expelled from a fertility medical society , a spokesman for the group said . nadya suleman gave birth to eight babies after being implanted with six embryos by dr. michael kamrava . dr. michael kamrava demonstrated a pattern of behavior that violated the group 's standards , ' american society for reproductive medicine spokesman sean tipton said . an employee at kamrava 's beverly hills , california , clinic -- the west coast ivf clinic -- said the doctor would not be commenting on the expulsion . the expulsion , which was imposed last month and just announced , does not affect kamrava 's ability to practice , because affiliation with the professional association is voluntary . suleman was 33 years old in january 2009 when she gave birth to eight babies . she was a single woman who already had six young children conceived through in-vitro fertilization . the reproductive medicine society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 , for whom it is harder to get pregnant , according to guidelines published on its web site . suleman , in an interview in february on nbc , said kamrava told her about risks for the children , but she did not want to have only one or two embryos implanted . of course not , i wanted them all transferred , ' she said . those are my children . and that 's what was available and i used them . i took a risk . it 's a gamble . it always is . ' two of the six embryos split in utero , resulting in the birth of eight babies . doctors say giving birth to extreme multiples comes with tremendous risks for the mother and the babies . risks for the children include bleeding in the brain , intestinal problems , developmental delays and lifelong learning disabilities . suleman 's children , six boys and two girls born nine weeks premature , all went home after an extended stay in the hospital . no indication has been given on whether any problems have emerged . suleman and her children will star in a quasi-reality tv series ' about the family , it was announced in june . cnn 's carey bodenheimer contributed to this report . | expulsion from group does not affect kamrava 's ability to practice |
kamrava <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the doctor who implanted six embryos in octuplets'mother nadya suleman last year has been expelled from a fertility medical society , a spokesman for the group said . nadya suleman gave birth to eight babies after being implanted with six embryos by dr. michael kamrava . dr. michael kamrava demonstrated a pattern of behavior that violated the group 's standards , ' american society for reproductive medicine spokesman sean tipton said . an employee at kamrava 's beverly hills , california , clinic -- the west coast ivf clinic -- said the doctor would not be commenting on the expulsion . the expulsion , which was imposed last month and just announced , does not affect kamrava 's ability to practice , because affiliation with the professional association is voluntary . suleman was 33 years old in january 2009 when she gave birth to eight babies . she was a single woman who already had six young children conceived through in-vitro fertilization . the reproductive medicine society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 , for whom it is harder to get pregnant , according to guidelines published on its web site . suleman , in an interview in february on nbc , said kamrava told her about risks for the children , but she did not want to have only one or two embryos implanted . of course not , i wanted them all transferred , ' she said . those are my children . and that 's what was available and i used them . i took a risk . it 's a gamble . it always is . ' two of the six embryos split in utero , resulting in the birth of eight babies . doctors say giving birth to extreme multiples comes with tremendous risks for the mother and the babies . risks for the children include bleeding in the brain , intestinal problems , developmental delays and lifelong learning disabilities . suleman 's children , six boys and two girls born nine weeks premature , all went home after an extended stay in the hospital . no indication has been given on whether any problems have emerged . suleman and her children will star in a quasi-reality tv series ' about the family , it was announced in june . cnn 's carey bodenheimer contributed to this report . | kamrava implanted nadya suleman with six embryos before octuplets'birth |
china <tsp> shanghai ( cnn ) -- hong kong 's pro-democracy demonstrations have been front-page fodder this past week in international media , which have painted the story as a david-and-goliath struggle between local hong kongers and a powerful but distant authoritarian master in beijing . but no such headlines have appeared in china , where the story has been buried deep inside most newspapers and tv broadcasts , and is framed in a way that makes it uninteresting and unintelligible to average chinese . the coverage consists mostly of beijing 's reactions to events with little or no explanation of what actually happened to prompt such response . the result is a hodgepodge of reports condemning the protests , saying that hong kong leader c.y . leung will never resign , and editorials declaring such protests will never spread to china . it has also been noteworthy for the relative lack of images . from a media perspective , the demonstrations now taking place are a journalist 's dream come true , featuring colorful and action-filled images of protesters , police , politicians and conflict that make for great tv viewing and photos . yet none of those images have found their way into china 's official media , almost certainly on direct orders from propaganda officials who worry such pictures could inspire others in china to take similar action . strict bans on such inflammatory images are quite common in order-obsessed china , even when such protests are pro-chinese . one such ban was a central feature in domestic coverage of a major territorial dispute with japan two years ago , with major protests that broke out around china eerily absent from all domestic reports . old trick china 's media have also resorted to another old trick of covering the conflict using editorials , which offer a backdoor route into the story with little or no broader context . in this case the official communist party newspaper people 's daily has taken the lead with a series of forceful editorials repeating that such protests are illegal and adding that such actions will never spread to china . such editorializing has been a popular tool for stating official views on sensitive subjects since 1949 , and was widely used in 2010 when google got into a high-profile dispute over beijing 's stipulations that it self-censor its china-based search site . that conflict ultimately saw google withdrawal from the china search market , only to be cast by chinese media as a cry baby that could n't compete with local rivals . beijing has also dusted off its tried-and-true tactic of using key buzzwords ' to control the tone of the story . two such buzzwords this time have been illegal , ' to describe the nature of the hong kong demonstrations , and in accordance with the law , ' to describe how the china-friendly leung administration is handling the situation . finally there 's the social media element , which is a new game not only for china but governments throughout the world as they try to harness this powerful force to influence public opinion . social media in this case , a number of commentaries have been making the rounds on popular social media platforms like wechat , playing on themes that criticize the protesters for everything from threatening hong kong 's prosperity to harboring broader hostility toward all mainland chinese . these stories by little-known writers could be genuine , but are most likely a variation on another beijing tactic to control online public opinion in the internet age . known by the disparaging moniker of the fifty-cent party , ' this loosely defined group 's members ' reportedly receive government payment for posing as independent commentators who seed the internet with opinions favorable to the central government 's policies and views . the latest protests in hong kong may be providing new challenges for beijing 's leadership from a new generation of democracy-seeking activists on china 's periphery . but the tactics being used by china 's media are anything but new , with beijing resorting to a wide range of time-tested reporting tricks in its bid to shape the issue in the realm of domestic public opinion . | authorities fear pictures could inspire others in china to take similar actions |
china <tsp> shanghai ( cnn ) -- hong kong 's pro-democracy demonstrations have been front-page fodder this past week in international media , which have painted the story as a david-and-goliath struggle between local hong kongers and a powerful but distant authoritarian master in beijing . but no such headlines have appeared in china , where the story has been buried deep inside most newspapers and tv broadcasts , and is framed in a way that makes it uninteresting and unintelligible to average chinese . the coverage consists mostly of beijing 's reactions to events with little or no explanation of what actually happened to prompt such response . the result is a hodgepodge of reports condemning the protests , saying that hong kong leader c.y . leung will never resign , and editorials declaring such protests will never spread to china . it has also been noteworthy for the relative lack of images . from a media perspective , the demonstrations now taking place are a journalist 's dream come true , featuring colorful and action-filled images of protesters , police , politicians and conflict that make for great tv viewing and photos . yet none of those images have found their way into china 's official media , almost certainly on direct orders from propaganda officials who worry such pictures could inspire others in china to take similar action . strict bans on such inflammatory images are quite common in order-obsessed china , even when such protests are pro-chinese . one such ban was a central feature in domestic coverage of a major territorial dispute with japan two years ago , with major protests that broke out around china eerily absent from all domestic reports . old trick china 's media have also resorted to another old trick of covering the conflict using editorials , which offer a backdoor route into the story with little or no broader context . in this case the official communist party newspaper people 's daily has taken the lead with a series of forceful editorials repeating that such protests are illegal and adding that such actions will never spread to china . such editorializing has been a popular tool for stating official views on sensitive subjects since 1949 , and was widely used in 2010 when google got into a high-profile dispute over beijing 's stipulations that it self-censor its china-based search site . that conflict ultimately saw google withdrawal from the china search market , only to be cast by chinese media as a cry baby that could n't compete with local rivals . beijing has also dusted off its tried-and-true tactic of using key buzzwords ' to control the tone of the story . two such buzzwords this time have been illegal , ' to describe the nature of the hong kong demonstrations , and in accordance with the law , ' to describe how the china-friendly leung administration is handling the situation . finally there 's the social media element , which is a new game not only for china but governments throughout the world as they try to harness this powerful force to influence public opinion . social media in this case , a number of commentaries have been making the rounds on popular social media platforms like wechat , playing on themes that criticize the protesters for everything from threatening hong kong 's prosperity to harboring broader hostility toward all mainland chinese . these stories by little-known writers could be genuine , but are most likely a variation on another beijing tactic to control online public opinion in the internet age . known by the disparaging moniker of the fifty-cent party , ' this loosely defined group 's members ' reportedly receive government payment for posing as independent commentators who seed the internet with opinions favorable to the central government 's policies and views . the latest protests in hong kong may be providing new challenges for beijing 's leadership from a new generation of democracy-seeking activists on china 's periphery . but the tactics being used by china 's media are anything but new , with beijing resorting to a wide range of time-tested reporting tricks in its bid to shape the issue in the realm of domestic public opinion . | hong kong 's pro-democracy protests have been front-page news except in china |
west virginia <tsp> the man who ran the west virginia mine that exploded in 2010 , in what was one of the worst u.s. mine disasters in decades , was indicted thursday on federal charges . don blankenship , the former ceo of massey energy , faces four charges : conspiracy to violate mandatory federal mine safety and health standards , conspiracy to impede federal mine safety officials , making false statements to the u.s. securities and exchange commission , and securities fraud . the counts carry a maximum combined penalty of 31 years in prison , according to the justice department . the indictment alleges that from about january 1 , 2008 , through about april 9 , 2010 , blankenship conspired to commit and cause routine , willful violations of mandatory federal mine safety and health standards at massey energy 's upper big branch mine , located in raleigh county , west virginia , the department said in a statement . massey was the fourth-largest coal producer in the united states and the largest mine operator in appalachia at the time of the upper big branch explosion , which killed 29 workers . but it had racked up an extensive list of violations before the disaster , and a 2011 report by the u.s . mine safety and health administration found that massey had a history of systematic , intentional , and aggressive efforts ' to evade safety regulations . the company kept two sets of books to mislead miners and inspectors , tipped off crews before surprise inspections and intimidated workers to prevent them from reporting violations , the report found . blankenship 's attorney , william w. taylor , iii , said thursday that his client is innocent of the charges , and will fight them and be acquitted . don blankenship has been a tireless advocate for mine safety . his outspoken criticism of powerful bureaucrats has earned this indictment . he will not yield to their effort to silence him . he will not be intimidated , ' the lawyer said . massey was bought by another company , alpha natural resources , after the disaster . in december 2011 , it settled with the justice department for a record $ 209 million in fines , penalties and compensation for families of the men killed at upper big branch . | he oversaw the west virginia mine that exploded in 2010 , killing 29 workers |
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