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merrill newman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea has confirmed to swedish diplomats that it is holding an american citizen , the u.s. state department said friday . the state department has declined to confirm the identity of the citizen , citing privacy issues . but the family of 85-year-old merrill newman of palo alto , california , has said he has been detained in north korea since october 26 . washington does not have diplomatic relations with pyongyang , and it has been working through sweden -- the u.s. protecting power in north korea -- to obtain information about the american . we are working in close coordination with representatives of the embassy of sweden to resolve this issue , and they also have requested on a daily basis consular access , ' state department spokeswoman jennifer psaki told reporters . the revelation came the same day that newman 's wife , lee , pleaded for his release . the family feels there has been some dreadful misunderstanding leading to his detention and asks that ( north korea ) work to settle this issue quickly and to return this 85-year-old grandfather to his anxious , concerned family , ' she said in a statement . newman , a korean war veteran and retired financial consultant , was last seen aboard a flight from pyongyang to beijing . just minutes before the plane was to depart , he was removed from the flight by north korean authorities , the family has said . he has been detained somewhere in north korea since that time , ' newman 's wife said in the statement . according to the family , newman and a traveling companion , bill hamrdla , had been on a 10-day organized private tour of north korea . the family has said newman suffers from a heart condition and only had enough medication for the trip . we have had no word on the state of his health , whether or not the medications sent to him through the swedish embassy in north korea have been delivered or why he was detained , ' the statement said . the day before newman was to leave north korea , he and his tour guide met with one or two korean authorities , ' his son said . during that meeting , newman 's service record was discussed , jeff newman said . i understand my dad was a bit bothered , ' newman told cnn . but neither he nor his traveling companion believed there was an issue . the united states this week issued a warning to american citizens against all travel to north korea , which has become a magnet for adventure travelers after pyongyang lifted some of its travel restrictions . newman was a customer of juche travel services of london , company spokesman david thompson said in a written statement . the tour arrangements were handled by the korea international travel company , ' thompson said . mr. newman had in place all necessary and valid travel documents to take his tour . we have no information concerning what has occurred to result in the current situation . ' the 10-day private tour , which included the use of a tour guide , was the culmination of months of planning , newman 's wife said . the postcards sent to friends while on that trip describe good times , good weather and knowledgeable guides , ' she said in the statement . the family 's statement came a day after u.s. secretary of state john kerry called on north korea to release americans being held , calling the detentions very , very disturbing choices by the north koreans . ' newman is one of two american citizens being held in north korea . the other one , kenneth bae , was arrested in november 2012 and sentenced in may to 15 years of hard labor . the north korean government has said he was found guilty of hostile acts ' and attempts to topple the government . north korea has not publicly said why it is holding newman . is american man detained in north korea a bargaining chip ? among the possibilities is his military service . he served as an army infantry officer during the korean war , which saw north korea fight south korea , the united states and the united nations between 1950 and 1953 . an armistice signed in 1953 ended the three-year war between north korea and south korea . the two sides technically remain at war . it is also possible north korean authorities mistook him for another merrill newman , a korean war veteran awarded the silver star for valor in combat . north korean authorities are known to routinely run background checks on foreigners , travel agencies warn potential visitors . the first the decorated combat veteran heard about newman 's detention was in a telephone call from the san jose mercury news , which first reported the news of the american 's detention . i thought it was a coincidence . i did n't think much about it , ' merrill newman of beaverton , oregon , told cnn . of his service during the war , he only said : i went there , did what i was told and went home , went to college and started a family . ... that 's what you did in those days . ' how you travel to north korea news of the apparent detention came as talks were under way between the united states and china , north korea 's closest ally , about reviving negotiations to dismantle pyongyang 's nuclear program . the timing raises questions about whether north korea plans to use newman as a bargaining chip in the negotiations , a move the west has previously accused it of doing to try to gain concessions with negotiations . newman 's detentions bring to at least seven the number of american citizens who have been detained by north korea , including four who allegedly entered the country illegally , according to the state department . two other u.s. citizens who entered the country on valid visas were arrested for other reasons , and u.s. officials have received reports of other americans being arbitrarily detained , according to the state department . previous americans detained in north korea have been released when high-profile visitors have traveled to the country to plead their case . most notably , former presidents bill clinton and jimmy carter went on two separate occasions in 2010 . former new mexico gov . bill richardson , a former ambassador to the united nations , has visited north korea a number of times over the years , most recently this year to discuss the release of bae . richardson 's spokeswoman , caitlin kelleher , said he has been in touch with his north korean contacts ' regarding newman 's detention . the photos north korea does n't want you to see cnn 's augie martin , christopher laible , sarah baker and elise labott contributed to this report . | but family of merrill newman , 85 , says he 's been held by north korea since october |
david petraeus <tsp> paula broadwell , a woman who was romantically involved with former cia director david petraeus , will not face federal charges of cyberstalking another woman friendly with petraeus . the u.s. attorney 's office in tampa informed broadwell 's attorney robert muse of the decision in a brief letter dated december 14 . as the target of our investigation , we believe that it is appropriate to advise your client that our office has determined that no federal charges will be brought ' regarding allegations of cyberstalking , assistant u.s. attorney w. stephen muldrow wrote . muse told cnn he was very pleased that the u.s. attorney 's office in tampa very promptly resolved this matter . ' a source close to broadwell said the letter had been received monday . she 's pleased with the prosecutor 's decision and glad it 's been resolved , ' the source told cnn . read more : after petraeus scandal , broadwell grapples with'normal life' petraeus resigned november 9 after revealing that he 'd been involved in an extramarital affair . u.s. officials said the fbi discovered petraeus was involved with broadwell , a woman who was under investigation for sending allegedly harassing and anonymous e-mails to jill kelley , a tampa socialite who was friendly with petraeus and his wife . sources close to kelley said she had not been romantically involved with petraeus . during the investigation the fbi obtained broadwell 's computer and discovered she had classified materials . investigators also searched broadwell 's home in north carolina . sources said the materials were technically classified but not highly sensitive . still the fbi and justice department prosecutors have not resolved whether broadwell will face charges for having such materials in her personal possession . sources close to broadwell acknowledged that issue has not been resolved . broadwell , 40 , wrote a biography of petraeus , a retired general who led u.s. forces in iraq and later in afghanistan . a former army reservist , broadwell 's security clearance was suspended after details surfaced about her possessing classified materials . during the investigation it also came to light that kelley and army gen. john allen were exchanging e-mails , some of which might have been considered inappropriate . that matter was turned over to the pentagon 's inspector general for investigation . read more : jill kelley defends reputation after petraeus scandal | the e-mails led investigators to broadwell 's affair with former cia director david petraeus |
hong kong <tsp> ( cnn ) as one of the world 's leading financial capitals , hong kong is a dream destination for business travelers . with more skyscrapers than any other city in the world and some of the finest dining on the planet , the city might well leave you begging for a flight cancellation so you can squeeze in an extra day . to help you enjoy a few of the city 's highlights , here 's a guide to getting into town , eating/sleeping well , buying the best souvenirs and leaving with an expense account you 'll be proud of . easiest , most comfortable airport transfer forget everything you know about subways -- hong kong 's airport express train service blows away even the most jaded commuter . trains are clean , comfortable , spacious , always on time and get you to the city in 24 minutes flat , faster than any car service can ever aspire to . better still , the trains are easy to walk to and the procedure simple to figure out upon arrival -- there 's virtually no stress about how to get tickets or where to get the trains as you exit the arrival terminal . at hk $ 100 per ride , trains depart at 10-minute intervals from 5:54 a.m. to 11:28 p.m. and 12-minute intervals from 11:28 p.m. to 12:48 a.m. daily . memorable meals there 's no shortage of michelin-starred restaurants in hong kong . but finding a memorable local meal you 'll be thinking about for months is far more challenging . luk yu teahouse has it all : a historic art deco-inspired feel , waiters that have stuck by the place through decades , killer cantonese food not found anywhere else , a glamorous clientele and a storied past that includes a mob hit in the dining room . you 'll have to get here early for a breakfast of old fashioned dim sum , such as duck and chestnut pastry . luk yu teahouse , luk yu building , 24-26 stanley st. central ; +852 2523 1970 centrally located room with a view for a true home-away-from-home feel , the penthouse suites at the upper house are a good call . with more than 180 square meters of understated elegance , wraparound views of hong kong and a spa-inspired bathroom , this is the ultimate city stay . bonus feature : the chance of bumping into a celebrity in the elevators . the upper house , pacific place , 88 queensway , admiralty ; +852 2918 1838 where to get a unique addition to your wardrobe hong kong 's fashion design scene is young , eclectic and fun . a place to get a taste of it is k11 mall , dubbed an art mall ' for its support of chinese contemporary art and reputable gallery in the basement . the mall houses local designer brands , and offers its own curated selection of designer products at the k11 design store . k11 , 18 hanoi road , tsim sha tsui , kowloon ; +852 3118 8070 where to take a killer photo sure , you could ride the historic peak tram with the tourists and snap a great photo of hong kong at the top of victoria peak -- it 's foolproof . but you could also join local hikers ( of which there are many ) to walk up lion rock peak for the most incredible sweeping panorama of kowloon , all surrounded by pristine nature . experience the heart of the city to see hong kong , past and present , in a walkable nutshell , head to the central and sheung wan districts . some of the oldest parts of the city , with crumbling colonial-era tenement buildings and decades-old shops , can be found in these areas . gentrifying comfortably , soho and poho ' ( the neighborhood between po hing fong and hollywood road ) areas offer thoughtful eateries and unpretentious boutiques . general directions : keep walking west on queen 's road central , or the parallel hollywood road . graham street is where things start to get interesting . classy , easy-to-pack souvenir some of the best memories visitors take away from hong kong are centered on food . to take a little bit of local flavor home , you can pick up a couple jars of xo sauce . every restaurant worth its reputation will have its own secret recipe for the mildly spicy local condiment made from dried and often precious seafood , as well as chinese ham . we love the one at the mandarin oriental cake shop ( $ 35/small , $ 45/large jar ) . mandarin oriental cake shop , m/f , mandarin oriental hong kong , 5 connaught road , central , +852 2825 4008 | hong kong 's airport express gets you to the city center in 24 minutes |
hong kong <tsp> ( cnn ) as one of the world 's leading financial capitals , hong kong is a dream destination for business travelers . with more skyscrapers than any other city in the world and some of the finest dining on the planet , the city might well leave you begging for a flight cancellation so you can squeeze in an extra day . to help you enjoy a few of the city 's highlights , here 's a guide to getting into town , eating/sleeping well , buying the best souvenirs and leaving with an expense account you 'll be proud of . easiest , most comfortable airport transfer forget everything you know about subways -- hong kong 's airport express train service blows away even the most jaded commuter . trains are clean , comfortable , spacious , always on time and get you to the city in 24 minutes flat , faster than any car service can ever aspire to . better still , the trains are easy to walk to and the procedure simple to figure out upon arrival -- there 's virtually no stress about how to get tickets or where to get the trains as you exit the arrival terminal . at hk $ 100 per ride , trains depart at 10-minute intervals from 5:54 a.m. to 11:28 p.m. and 12-minute intervals from 11:28 p.m. to 12:48 a.m. daily . memorable meals there 's no shortage of michelin-starred restaurants in hong kong . but finding a memorable local meal you 'll be thinking about for months is far more challenging . luk yu teahouse has it all : a historic art deco-inspired feel , waiters that have stuck by the place through decades , killer cantonese food not found anywhere else , a glamorous clientele and a storied past that includes a mob hit in the dining room . you 'll have to get here early for a breakfast of old fashioned dim sum , such as duck and chestnut pastry . luk yu teahouse , luk yu building , 24-26 stanley st. central ; +852 2523 1970 centrally located room with a view for a true home-away-from-home feel , the penthouse suites at the upper house are a good call . with more than 180 square meters of understated elegance , wraparound views of hong kong and a spa-inspired bathroom , this is the ultimate city stay . bonus feature : the chance of bumping into a celebrity in the elevators . the upper house , pacific place , 88 queensway , admiralty ; +852 2918 1838 where to get a unique addition to your wardrobe hong kong 's fashion design scene is young , eclectic and fun . a place to get a taste of it is k11 mall , dubbed an art mall ' for its support of chinese contemporary art and reputable gallery in the basement . the mall houses local designer brands , and offers its own curated selection of designer products at the k11 design store . k11 , 18 hanoi road , tsim sha tsui , kowloon ; +852 3118 8070 where to take a killer photo sure , you could ride the historic peak tram with the tourists and snap a great photo of hong kong at the top of victoria peak -- it 's foolproof . but you could also join local hikers ( of which there are many ) to walk up lion rock peak for the most incredible sweeping panorama of kowloon , all surrounded by pristine nature . experience the heart of the city to see hong kong , past and present , in a walkable nutshell , head to the central and sheung wan districts . some of the oldest parts of the city , with crumbling colonial-era tenement buildings and decades-old shops , can be found in these areas . gentrifying comfortably , soho and poho ' ( the neighborhood between po hing fong and hollywood road ) areas offer thoughtful eateries and unpretentious boutiques . general directions : keep walking west on queen 's road central , or the parallel hollywood road . graham street is where things start to get interesting . classy , easy-to-pack souvenir some of the best memories visitors take away from hong kong are centered on food . to take a little bit of local flavor home , you can pick up a couple jars of xo sauce . every restaurant worth its reputation will have its own secret recipe for the mildly spicy local condiment made from dried and often precious seafood , as well as chinese ham . we love the one at the mandarin oriental cake shop ( $ 35/small , $ 45/large jar ) . mandarin oriental cake shop , m/f , mandarin oriental hong kong , 5 connaught road , central , +852 2825 4008 | some of hong kong 's oldest buildings and colonial-era structures can be found in central and sheung wan districts |
cbs <tsp> ( cnn ) -- top aides to president obama on sunday signaled that some u.s. troops could start coming home from afghanistan as soon as july 2011 , but most would likely remain there for several years . in appearances on all the major talk shows , cabinet officials and military advisers clarified the president 's position after he walked a political tightrope by announcing he will send 30,000 more troops to afghanistan and that some will start coming home in 19 months . national security adviser gen. james jones told cnn 's state of the union ' that the july 2011 start of withdrawal was not a cliff , it 's a ramp ' for beginning to turn over security responsibility to afghan forces . noting the u.s. strategic interests in the region , including nuclear power pakistan next door , jones said : we 're going to be in the region for a long time . ' gen. david petraeus , the head of u.s. central command , said on fox news sunday ' that obama 's strategy does n't trigger a rush to the exits , ' while defense secretary robert gates told cbs' face the nation ' that there is n't a deadline . ' what we have is a specific date on which we will begin transferring responsibility for security district by district , province by province in afghanistan to the afghans , ' gates said . the challenge has been to meet the need cited by military leaders for more troops and resources to wipe out terrorist networks in afghanistan and to help the afghan government overcome the taliban insurgency , while satisfying the democratic party 's liberal base , which opposes the deployment of more troops . gates explained the rationale for sending more forces on abc 's this week , ' saying the afghan-pakistani border is the epicenter of extremist jihad . ' and al qaeda has close relationships with the taliban in afghanistan , and they have very close relationships with the taliban in pakistan , ' gates continued . the taliban in pakistan have been attacking pakistani civilians , pakistani government officials , military officials , trying to destabilize the government of pakistan . ' any success by the taliban in either afghanistan or pakistan benefits al qaeda , gates said , adding that any safe haven on either side of the border creates opportunities for them to recruit , get new funds and do operational planning . ' and what 's more , the taliban revival in the safe havens in western pakistan is a lesson to al qaeda that they can come back , if they are provided the kind of safe haven that the taliban were , ' gates said . in addition , gates warned on nbc 's meet the press ' that u.s. casualties will probably continue to grow ' as troops take on taliban strongholds . however , gates rejected a comparison to the soviet union 's decision in 1985 to send more troops to bolster its occupation of afghanistan , which ended in failure less than two years later . the parallel just does n't work , ' gates said . the reality is the soviet union invaded afghanistan . they killed a million afghans . they made 5 million refugees out of afghanis . ' in addition , he said , the soviets acted unilaterally , while the u.s.-led mission in afghanistan involves 42 countries with a mandate from nato . in congress , republicans generally backed obama 's deployment plan but complained that announcing the start of a withdrawal was a signal to the enemy of a compromised commitment . sen. john mccain of arizona , the unsuccessful gop presidential candidate last year , told nbc 's meet the press ' that a strategy must be flexible to succeed , rather than limited by a set timetable . on fox news sunday , ' sen. dick durbin , the chamber 's second-ranking democrat , called the july 2011 start of a withdrawal a necessary signal to afghan president hamid karzai . according to durbin , obama 's message to karzai was : we 're not going to make afghanistan a protectorate of the united states . you have to change your government . you have to show that you are willing to stand up and fight for your own country . ' i think that message is long overdue , ' durbin said . | defense secretary tells cbs there is n't a deadline ' to get troops out |
indian <tsp> the december gang-rape and murder of a young woman in new delhi has stirred consciences in india in a way i have never before experienced : it has forced indians to confront a terrible truth that for our girls and women , violence and discrimination are facts of daily life , an epidemic that , researchers say , claims nearly 2 million lives in india each year . but now the real work begins for each of us who took to the streets in protest . how do we channel the energy of those demonstrations into real solutions for our communities ? i got a taste of the challenge earlier this month , when officials from the barabanki district in uttar pradesh , a state adjoining new delhi , asked if i would lead a workshop promoting teen safety and gender sensitivity for the government schools . i was disappointed to see they had invited only the heads of girls'schools . and so i accepted under one condition : that the principals of the district 's boys'schools attend as well . because if there 's one thing i 'm certain of it 's that all the candlelight vigils , passion and protests will be in vain if we do n't figure out how to make men and boys part of this growing movement to transform gender relations in my country . for more than a decade i 've worked for the poverty-fighting group care as a community educator on health and gender issues . i 've seen how the deep inequalities between women and men trap millions of indian families in cycle of poverty . but along the way , i 've also met countless men who , given an opportunity , were willing to examine and improve their behavior towards the girls and women in their lives . the fact is most people want what is best for their loved ones . aggressive behavior toward women is n't innate . it 's learned and can be unlearned . when prompted to reflect on their attitudes towards women 's education , sharing domestic tasks , having girl children , and even violence , the boys and men i work with every day can and do change . opinion : misogyny in india : we are all guilty often it starts with something simple , like the laundry . i think of ram , a man i worked with in the village of pavaiya viran . a husband and father with a macho job -- he drills underground pumps -- ram attended sessions where he was given a chance to analyze gender roles in his life . he understood that men and boys are under pressure to express power and that when they feel weak or frustrated , their gut reaction is often to demonstrate power , even if that means violent or abusive behavior . ram eventually adopted a new outlook ; that truly strong men do n't show power , they show care . let the other men laugh at me for cooking and washing clothes , ' he told me . why should my wife alone do all things ? ' now i 'm not saying men doing laundry is the solution . but each time he folds the linens , ram shows his children he respects his wife and treats her as an equal , not someone subservient . and so i kept thinking of ram as i gathered with the group of 53 principals from boys and girls schools earlier this month . we addressed the importance of installing security cameras at school gates , assuring a woman driver or conductor is on every school bus , and having clean , working toilets at schools so girls and boys are not forced to go outside to relieve themselves . this was all necessary . but it felt like we were playing defense . only when the educators were forced to hold a mirror up to their own lives did it feel like we were playing offense , too . opinion : end global rape culture many acknowledged that it 's their duty as parents and community leaders to lead the next generation by example . one principal realized he 'd never even considered doing household chores , not as a boy or , now , as a husband and a father . another vowed to make gender equity a required part of parent-teacher conferences . by the end of the session , every man and woman in the room was thinking about changing not only others but also him or herself . we have a long way to go , and not just in india . a world health organization global survey found that 59 % of women in rural ethiopia report being subjected to sexual violence from their intimate partner , 62 % of women in peru report physical violence at the hands of their partners and 30 % of women in rural bangladesh say their first sexual experience was forced . the problem is not confined to the developing world either . nearly one in five women in the united states has been raped or has experienced attempted rape . even so , i 'm confident that the indian people can demonstrate to the world that we 're not powerless in the face of some global epidemic . we can change . that starts by treating this moment not as some global airing of our dirty laundry but rather a national awakening to the reality that all of us -- girls and boys , women and men -- must do our part in cleaning it . | she says she was asked to lead workshop promoting gender sensitivity in an indian district |
new york city <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at least eight people are dead after a bizarre mix of weather across the country spawned tornadoes , ice storms and record-setting warmth this weekend . four of the deaths involved two vehicle accidents in kentucky . three people drowned in the rolling fork river near new hope when a car drove into the water . two people escaped but were hospitalized with hypothermia . water was out of the banks , considerably up onto the roadway area . they ran their vehicle into the water . two of the folks were exiting the vehicle as the swift water started pushing the vehicle downstream . the other three occupants of the vehicle were unable to exit , ' said joe prewitt , with nelson county emergency management . in the other crash , a rider on an atv overturned into a creek near carrollton and was trapped underneath . the kentucky emergency management reported a fifth death because of flood waters , in ballard county , but did not provide specifics . authorities did not release the identities of the victims . several flood warnings remained in effect sunday along some kentucky rivers and streams . two deaths occurred in the mississippi counties of coahoma and jasper , where severe weather damaged homes and knocked down trees , according to the mississippi emergency management agency . the eighth fatality came from a traffic accident near kansas city , said chris redline of the missouri department of transportation . we also had to close a lot of roads in southeast missouri because of flooding , ' redline said . flooding , extreme cold and unseasonable warmth covered other parts of the country . to make sense of it all , let us take you on a north american tour . southeast : thunderstorms , tornadoes and torrential downpours heavy rain , damaging winds and lightning continued . these storms were forecast to spread , bringing downpours to georgia , south carolina and up the east coast into monday . while cooler , the weather is expected to be much quieter and drier christmas eve and christmas day . on saturday night , the national weather service said a tornado was likely to blame for damage in central mississippi , including four semi-trucks overturned and five houses heavily damaged . the main trigger for the severe weather is the above-average temperatures farther north . midwest : lake-effect snow sara hadley sent cnn ireport photographs sunday of the aftermath of a storm in lansing , michigan . it did n't start off too bad until we lost power last night . at that point we knew it was getting bad . last time we had ice like this was 1998 , ' she wrote . her images showed branches and pine cones covered by thin layers of ice . moderate to heavy lake-enhanced snow was expected for far western and north central upper michigan into monday night . central plains : slammed with ice and snow temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees colder than normal monday with a gradual moderation into christmas day . in kansas and southeast nebraska , snowfalls will total 3 to 6 inches . and those cold temps will keep folks shivering . whitney eichinger of southwest airlines said the company is trying to offer customers options . we are allowing customers to rebook their trip with no penalty through ( sunday ) , ' she said . that has more to do with traveling to the airport , not flight cancellations . ' mid-atlantic/northeast : weirdly warm if there is one present being handed out on as winter begins , it is the well above-average temperatures in the mid-atlantic . new york city broke a record high sunday , according to ashley sears , a meteorologist with the national weather service . ( the record ) was previously 63 degrees in 1998 . and we are currently sitting at 70 degrees , which we 've been at for the past couple of hours , ' she said . farther north , however , the situation has been less cozy . in maine and across new hampshire , vermont and into northern new york , winter warnings -- including ice storm warnings and freezing rain -- were in effect . new york gov . andrew cuomo declared a winter ice emergency and activated the state 's emergency operations center . the national weather service in buffalo said up to an inch of ice accumulation is expected , and areas near the st. lawrence and black rivers could see even more . canada : unusually cold toronto mayor rob ford described the winter weather sunday as one of the worst storms in the city 's history . he said he hopes that power will be restored to the more than 250,000 customers currently without it by christmas day . toronto police sgt . jeff zammit said it has been colder than normal during december , and that freezing rain and fallen trees have brought down many power lines . it truly is a catastrophic ice storm that we 've had here , probably one of the worst we 've ever had , ' toronto hydro ceo anthony haines told ctv network . for customers with service , the company asked that they share the power ' and consider asking neighbors inside . the city has also opened warming stations . cnn 's jennifer gray , morgan winsor , nick valencia , janet digiacomo , todd borek and matt daniel contributed to this report . | new york city sets a record high , breaking old mark of 63 degrees |
kentucky <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at least eight people are dead after a bizarre mix of weather across the country spawned tornadoes , ice storms and record-setting warmth this weekend . four of the deaths involved two vehicle accidents in kentucky . three people drowned in the rolling fork river near new hope when a car drove into the water . two people escaped but were hospitalized with hypothermia . water was out of the banks , considerably up onto the roadway area . they ran their vehicle into the water . two of the folks were exiting the vehicle as the swift water started pushing the vehicle downstream . the other three occupants of the vehicle were unable to exit , ' said joe prewitt , with nelson county emergency management . in the other crash , a rider on an atv overturned into a creek near carrollton and was trapped underneath . the kentucky emergency management reported a fifth death because of flood waters , in ballard county , but did not provide specifics . authorities did not release the identities of the victims . several flood warnings remained in effect sunday along some kentucky rivers and streams . two deaths occurred in the mississippi counties of coahoma and jasper , where severe weather damaged homes and knocked down trees , according to the mississippi emergency management agency . the eighth fatality came from a traffic accident near kansas city , said chris redline of the missouri department of transportation . we also had to close a lot of roads in southeast missouri because of flooding , ' redline said . flooding , extreme cold and unseasonable warmth covered other parts of the country . to make sense of it all , let us take you on a north american tour . southeast : thunderstorms , tornadoes and torrential downpours heavy rain , damaging winds and lightning continued . these storms were forecast to spread , bringing downpours to georgia , south carolina and up the east coast into monday . while cooler , the weather is expected to be much quieter and drier christmas eve and christmas day . on saturday night , the national weather service said a tornado was likely to blame for damage in central mississippi , including four semi-trucks overturned and five houses heavily damaged . the main trigger for the severe weather is the above-average temperatures farther north . midwest : lake-effect snow sara hadley sent cnn ireport photographs sunday of the aftermath of a storm in lansing , michigan . it did n't start off too bad until we lost power last night . at that point we knew it was getting bad . last time we had ice like this was 1998 , ' she wrote . her images showed branches and pine cones covered by thin layers of ice . moderate to heavy lake-enhanced snow was expected for far western and north central upper michigan into monday night . central plains : slammed with ice and snow temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees colder than normal monday with a gradual moderation into christmas day . in kansas and southeast nebraska , snowfalls will total 3 to 6 inches . and those cold temps will keep folks shivering . whitney eichinger of southwest airlines said the company is trying to offer customers options . we are allowing customers to rebook their trip with no penalty through ( sunday ) , ' she said . that has more to do with traveling to the airport , not flight cancellations . ' mid-atlantic/northeast : weirdly warm if there is one present being handed out on as winter begins , it is the well above-average temperatures in the mid-atlantic . new york city broke a record high sunday , according to ashley sears , a meteorologist with the national weather service . ( the record ) was previously 63 degrees in 1998 . and we are currently sitting at 70 degrees , which we 've been at for the past couple of hours , ' she said . farther north , however , the situation has been less cozy . in maine and across new hampshire , vermont and into northern new york , winter warnings -- including ice storm warnings and freezing rain -- were in effect . new york gov . andrew cuomo declared a winter ice emergency and activated the state 's emergency operations center . the national weather service in buffalo said up to an inch of ice accumulation is expected , and areas near the st. lawrence and black rivers could see even more . canada : unusually cold toronto mayor rob ford described the winter weather sunday as one of the worst storms in the city 's history . he said he hopes that power will be restored to the more than 250,000 customers currently without it by christmas day . toronto police sgt . jeff zammit said it has been colder than normal during december , and that freezing rain and fallen trees have brought down many power lines . it truly is a catastrophic ice storm that we 've had here , probably one of the worst we 've ever had , ' toronto hydro ceo anthony haines told ctv network . for customers with service , the company asked that they share the power ' and consider asking neighbors inside . the city has also opened warming stations . cnn 's jennifer gray , morgan winsor , nick valencia , janet digiacomo , todd borek and matt daniel contributed to this report . | new : eight deaths are reported , including five in kentucky |
aberdeen <tsp> ( cnn ) -- two days after a philadelphia woman 's abduction was captured on video , police say they have a lead across the state line : someone used her bank card tuesday morning in maryland . a male used carlesha freeland-gaither 's atm card at 6:01 a.m. a bank in aberdeen , maryland , about a 75-mile drive southwest from the philadelphia street where she was forced into a car on sunday night , philadelphia police chief inspector dennis wilson told reporters . wilson did n't say how the card was used or whether cash was withdrawn . but he said surveillance video showed a male similar ' to the man who police say dragged and abducted the 22-year-old woman sunday night . news of that lead came shortly before freeland-gaither 's family publicly pleaded with whoever took her . please return her . we just want carlesha returned to us safely , ' her grandmother ana mulero said at a news conference with wilson in philadelphia . just return her to us . we 're her family . she has a family here . we need her . ' police did n't immediately release the bank video . but authorities earlier released a video that they say shows freeland-gaither being accosted by an unknown man in philadelphia 's germantown-penn knox area around 9:40 p.m. on sunday . that video , released monday , shows a man approaching a woman near an intersection and then grabbing her and dragging her down a street , toward the camera . the released footage does n't include audio , but a witness reported that freeland-gaither yelled for help , police said . the video shows freeland-gaither tussling on the ground with her abductor and being forced into a four-door vehicle , which police say may be a gray ford taurus . her glasses and cell phone were dropped onto the road during the struggle . just before the vehicle pulled away , freeland-gaither broke out one of the passenger side windows , police said . police described the abductor as an unknown black man of medium-heavy build , 25 to 30 years old . the video shows him wearing a dark jacket with a hood , a dark hat and dark pants . freeland-gaither 's family told cnn affiliate wpvi that she worked as a nurse and was just blocks from her home when she was abducted . investigators are n't sure whether she knew her abductor , though there 's no indication on the philadelphia surveillance video that she did , wilson said . police have n't publicly talked about a possible motive . authorities initially said the abductor 's car had a pennsylvania license plate , but wilson said tuesday that investigators are looking into whether a maryland plate was on the car 's front . the plate is n't readily legible in the video , and police said no witness gave them a plate number . mulero said her granddaughter lived with her for four years in maryland before freeland-gaither returned to philadelphia to be with other relatives and pursue a career . officials are offering rewards of $ 42,000 for information leading to the case 's resolution , including $ 25,000 from the fbi , which is assisting in the investigation , wilson said . cnn 's dana ford contributed to this report . | police : card used in aberdeen , maryland , less than two days after abduction in philadelphia |
ghubash <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as a psychiatrist , former university president and advocate for arab women in science , rafia ghubash is one of the united arab emirates'most influential women . but her latest project is possibly her most ambitious yet : creating the middle east 's first museum dedicated to the achievements of women . the museum , bait al banaat , or house of women , in dubai was officially opened at the end of 2012 by dubai 's ruler sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum , showcasing the contribution of women to the country 's history . women here were empowered a long time ago , but have n't had a chance to tell our story , ' said ghubash . do n't think because we are covered we are not empowered . women here were not in the media , but they were economically engaged and running businesses . ' the museum is the culmination of five years'work for ghubash , who financed the museum with $ 3 million of her own money . for me it was a full-time job but i had 20 volunteers of all nationalities working with me in their free time . it was nice to have people with different backgrounds involved , ' she said . in searching for a home for the museum , ghubash turned down a free site in dubai 's official heritage district for an old house in the historic gold souk neighborhood she grew up in . i was looking for a place to build and i came across a very old house that i remember from childhood , ' she said . it used to be called bait al banaat because three unmarried women lived there . something about the name came to life for me . ' ghubash said her grandmothers'generation contributed far more to the politics , economy , education and literature of the region than has been recognized . arianna huffington tells women :'less stress , more living' the museum contains a room dedicated to the emirati woman poet ousha bint khalifa -- known as the girl of arabia , a gallery devoted to temporary art exhibitions , a collection of arabian fragrances and oils , traditional jewelery and a women 's study center . it was very important for me to present the museum in the best way possible to attract a younger generation . i want them to enjoy their culture and heritage , ' said ghubash . ghubash , 56 , has undertaken the museum project while taking a sabbatical from a career that led to her being listed 36th on arabian business magazine 's 100 most powerful arab women ' in 2011 . she grew up in dubai in a family where she was encouraged to study . i came from a family where both parents made sure there were books available in the house , ' she said . i had freedom to read and to think for myself . ' ghubash trained as a doctor at the university of cairo and for a phd in london , before returning to the united arab emirates as an assistant professor of psychiatry . in 2001 , she became president of the arabian gulf university in bahrain , a post she retained until 2009 . she also founded the arab network of women in science and technology , and served as its president for four years . my journey in life is very interesting , ' she said . i was focusing on becoming a doctor and practicing as a psychiatrist . recently , i found myself attracted to something different : history and culture . ' having achieved her goal in opening the museum , ghubash is not content to rest and revel in the glory . she is already working on her next project to compile an encyclopaedia of women of the united arab emirates . | ghubash is former president of arabian gulf university |
ghubash <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as a psychiatrist , former university president and advocate for arab women in science , rafia ghubash is one of the united arab emirates'most influential women . but her latest project is possibly her most ambitious yet : creating the middle east 's first museum dedicated to the achievements of women . the museum , bait al banaat , or house of women , in dubai was officially opened at the end of 2012 by dubai 's ruler sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum , showcasing the contribution of women to the country 's history . women here were empowered a long time ago , but have n't had a chance to tell our story , ' said ghubash . do n't think because we are covered we are not empowered . women here were not in the media , but they were economically engaged and running businesses . ' the museum is the culmination of five years'work for ghubash , who financed the museum with $ 3 million of her own money . for me it was a full-time job but i had 20 volunteers of all nationalities working with me in their free time . it was nice to have people with different backgrounds involved , ' she said . in searching for a home for the museum , ghubash turned down a free site in dubai 's official heritage district for an old house in the historic gold souk neighborhood she grew up in . i was looking for a place to build and i came across a very old house that i remember from childhood , ' she said . it used to be called bait al banaat because three unmarried women lived there . something about the name came to life for me . ' ghubash said her grandmothers'generation contributed far more to the politics , economy , education and literature of the region than has been recognized . arianna huffington tells women :'less stress , more living' the museum contains a room dedicated to the emirati woman poet ousha bint khalifa -- known as the girl of arabia , a gallery devoted to temporary art exhibitions , a collection of arabian fragrances and oils , traditional jewelery and a women 's study center . it was very important for me to present the museum in the best way possible to attract a younger generation . i want them to enjoy their culture and heritage , ' said ghubash . ghubash , 56 , has undertaken the museum project while taking a sabbatical from a career that led to her being listed 36th on arabian business magazine 's 100 most powerful arab women ' in 2011 . she grew up in dubai in a family where she was encouraged to study . i came from a family where both parents made sure there were books available in the house , ' she said . i had freedom to read and to think for myself . ' ghubash trained as a doctor at the university of cairo and for a phd in london , before returning to the united arab emirates as an assistant professor of psychiatry . in 2001 , she became president of the arabian gulf university in bahrain , a post she retained until 2009 . she also founded the arab network of women in science and technology , and served as its president for four years . my journey in life is very interesting , ' she said . i was focusing on becoming a doctor and practicing as a psychiatrist . recently , i found myself attracted to something different : history and culture . ' having achieved her goal in opening the museum , ghubash is not content to rest and revel in the glory . she is already working on her next project to compile an encyclopaedia of women of the united arab emirates . | rafia ghubash spent five years working on middle east 's first women 's museum |
christensen <tsp> ( cnn ) -- i do n't think the euro should exist , ' said saxo bank co-ceo lars seier christensen to cnn 's richard quest , in terms that could hardly be less fractious to supporters of the 17-nation single currency bloc . it 's quite clear that what lacks here is fiscal union but it 's also very clear that the populations of europe are not supportive of that goal . ' the eurozone will also pull itself apart as competitiveness will continue to develop in different directions , ' said the head of the online danish investment bank . he added that the people of the eurozone -- in particular , germany as the monetary zone 's prime pillar -- will not make sacrifices for the weaker part of the eurozone ' -- greece and other southern european countries . christensen 's controversial comments stand in stark contrast to what eurozone supporters have said -- advocating for austerity to keep the union together . germany , europe 's largest economy , fears that a greek exit from the eurozone could lead to a domino effect in which other massively-indebted countries -- ireland , portugal , spain and italy -- may pull out from the common currency , leading to the breakup of the eurozone . in december 2012 , german chancellor angela merkel won more support for bailout funds for greece . in july , mario draghi , the president of the european central bank promised to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro ' which set off rallies for greek , spanish and italian bonds . still , saxo bank 's christensen believes the euro will disappear at some point in the future -- and despite hitting 13-month highs -- because he believes overall support does not exist . i 'm not saying it 's a bad thing that support is not there , ' said christensen , because the ability to adjust your currency is an important equilibrium between different economies and different developments . when that 's gone you 're left with a completely different set of problems . ' the bank ceo declined to give a timeline but said it depends how long the germans hold out ... how long the german population is willing to buy into supporting ' fiscal union . i can tell you the problem is going to get greater rather than smaller ... i fear that the markets will take the thing apart eventually . ' | saxo 's christensen :'euro demise depends on germany ' |
ebola <tsp> ( cnn ) spain is officially clear of ebola , the world health organization declared tuesday , after no new cases were reported since a nurse 's assistant who contracted the virus there tested negative for it . since then , 42 days have passed -- double the maximum known incubation period for the virus -- without another case , allowing spain to be declared free of ebola . spanish authorities had been monitoring 87 people who came into contact with healthcare worker teresa romero ramos , 15 of whom were considered high-risk and were quarantined at a madrid hospital , who said . another 145 hospital employees who helped care for romero during her month-long stay at the carlos iii hospital were also monitored . the who statement said it commends spain for the measures put in place to identify potential cases and prevent further transmission of the ebola virus . ' romero contracted the illness while helping to care for an infected missionary who had been brought back from west africa . he died of the disease . cnn 's anna maja rappard contributed to this report . | there have been no new cases since a nurse 's aide recovered from ebola in october |
world health organization <tsp> ( cnn ) spain is officially clear of ebola , the world health organization declared tuesday , after no new cases were reported since a nurse 's assistant who contracted the virus there tested negative for it . since then , 42 days have passed -- double the maximum known incubation period for the virus -- without another case , allowing spain to be declared free of ebola . spanish authorities had been monitoring 87 people who came into contact with healthcare worker teresa romero ramos , 15 of whom were considered high-risk and were quarantined at a madrid hospital , who said . another 145 hospital employees who helped care for romero during her month-long stay at the carlos iii hospital were also monitored . the who statement said it commends spain for the measures put in place to identify potential cases and prevent further transmission of the ebola virus . ' romero contracted the illness while helping to care for an infected missionary who had been brought back from west africa . he died of the disease . cnn 's anna maja rappard contributed to this report . | spain is declared ebola-free by the world health organization |
greene <tsp> ( cnn ) -- you could see it in his eyes . even before pope francis spoke his first words to the throngs in st. peter 's square , you could look into his eyes and sense the wonder . the world was looking at him . but he was looking at something , too : at all those upturned faces . at all the eyes staring back at him . nothing can possibly prepare a person for such a sight . in this life , there are moments , and then there are moments . the first appearance of a new pope on the balcony of st. peter 's basilica has always been a moment like no other . before there was telegraphy , before there was radio , before there was television , before there was the internet , before there was twitter , the vision -- the solemn orchestration -- of a newly elected pope stepping onto the balcony was the most dramatic possible way of bringing huge news to the world . it somehow still is . opinion : francis , open up the church ' i would like to thank you for your embrace , ' the new pope said , gazing out at all those eyes . when authors and orators have searched for ways to express the ultimate example of reverential exaltation , the periodically repeated scene in st. peter 's square , down through the centuries , has often been the one they have turned to . tom wolfe , in his book the right stuff , ' about the original mercury astronauts , wanted to describe for readers just what level of devotion the newly named astronauts had received from the american people . the seven pilots had been just that -- fighter pilots , test pilots -- before being selected for the space program . suddenly , they were something else . people would see them and begin crying . wolfe came up with the one ideal analogy to portray the phenomenon : ' the boys would n't have minded the following . they would n't have minded appearing once a year on a balcony over a huge square in which half the world is assembled . they wave . the world roars its approval , its applause , and breaks into a thirty-minute storm of cheers and tears . ... a little adulation on the order of the pope 's ; that 's all the true brothers at the top of the pyramid really wanted . ' opinion : pope francis , humble , authentic and credible but humility is not required of fighter pilots and astronauts . nor is it required of rock stars or professional athletes or any of the many other public performers , in disparate venues , who are regularly introduced with carefully planned and marketed majesty designed to elevate them in the eyes of their audiences . a pope is different , and his introduction to the world is like no other . when wednesday morning dawned in rome , a man named jorge mario bergoglio was one of millions of people preparing to commence the new day . by the time the day was over , he was no longer jorge mario bergoglio , and he was no longer one of millions . as pope francis , he stepped onto that balcony and was greeted by that sight . from behind his eyeglasses , he took it all in . the eyes of the world met his . he asked for prayers . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene . | greene : you could see the impact of the moment in the pope 's eyes |
greene <tsp> ( cnn ) -- you could see it in his eyes . even before pope francis spoke his first words to the throngs in st. peter 's square , you could look into his eyes and sense the wonder . the world was looking at him . but he was looking at something , too : at all those upturned faces . at all the eyes staring back at him . nothing can possibly prepare a person for such a sight . in this life , there are moments , and then there are moments . the first appearance of a new pope on the balcony of st. peter 's basilica has always been a moment like no other . before there was telegraphy , before there was radio , before there was television , before there was the internet , before there was twitter , the vision -- the solemn orchestration -- of a newly elected pope stepping onto the balcony was the most dramatic possible way of bringing huge news to the world . it somehow still is . opinion : francis , open up the church ' i would like to thank you for your embrace , ' the new pope said , gazing out at all those eyes . when authors and orators have searched for ways to express the ultimate example of reverential exaltation , the periodically repeated scene in st. peter 's square , down through the centuries , has often been the one they have turned to . tom wolfe , in his book the right stuff , ' about the original mercury astronauts , wanted to describe for readers just what level of devotion the newly named astronauts had received from the american people . the seven pilots had been just that -- fighter pilots , test pilots -- before being selected for the space program . suddenly , they were something else . people would see them and begin crying . wolfe came up with the one ideal analogy to portray the phenomenon : ' the boys would n't have minded the following . they would n't have minded appearing once a year on a balcony over a huge square in which half the world is assembled . they wave . the world roars its approval , its applause , and breaks into a thirty-minute storm of cheers and tears . ... a little adulation on the order of the pope 's ; that 's all the true brothers at the top of the pyramid really wanted . ' opinion : pope francis , humble , authentic and credible but humility is not required of fighter pilots and astronauts . nor is it required of rock stars or professional athletes or any of the many other public performers , in disparate venues , who are regularly introduced with carefully planned and marketed majesty designed to elevate them in the eyes of their audiences . a pope is different , and his introduction to the world is like no other . when wednesday morning dawned in rome , a man named jorge mario bergoglio was one of millions of people preparing to commence the new day . by the time the day was over , he was no longer jorge mario bergoglio , and he was no longer one of millions . as pope francis , he stepped onto that balcony and was greeted by that sight . from behind his eyeglasses , he took it all in . the eyes of the world met his . he asked for prayers . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene . | bob greene : before radio , tv , pope 's appearance was most dramatic way to announce news |
the people 's opera <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- the new york city opera needs $ 7 million in fundraising by monday or it could be closing its curtains for good . on top of that money , the opera company wants to raise an additional $ 13 million by the end of 2013 towards future seasons , according to a press release . if we do n't raise the ( $ 7 million ) by the end of monday the board is going to begin the process of bankruptcy , ' spokesperson risa heller told cnn on friday . the company started a campaign to raise $ 1 million of that $ 7 million through an online fundraising site -- kickstarter.com -- that will end september 30 . as of friday the online campaign had raised only $ 202,223 donated from more than a thousand supporters . the organization raised $ 1.5 million outside of kickstarter campaign , according to heller . the odds have been against us for a long time , ' george steel , general manager & artistic director for the company , said in an online video , but in the face of that difficulty we have made tremendous progress . ' the company , dubbed the people 's opera ' by former nyc mayor fiorello laguardia , was founded on the principle that every new yorker should be able to afford to go to the opera , steel said . steel explains that in order for the company to break even , it would need to sell every ticket for $ 600 , but instead the starting ticket price is actually $ 25 to make it more affordable . the new york city opera received critical praise in the past for its world premieres of work including robert ward 's the crucible ' and anthony davis' the life and times of malcolm x . ' the company opened its current season on september 17 with the opera anna nicole , ' and should it fail to raise the necessary funds by monday , that could be the company 's last production . we need the help of the people we were founded to serve to put on our season this year , ' steel said , speaking to new york residents and opera fans everywhere . we need you to come together and carry it forward into the future . i hope we can count on you . ' this year marks the 70th anniversary of the new york city opera , which opened in 1943 , making it the second opera house in nyc . the metropolitan opera was founded over 60 years earlier , in 1880 . | the people 's opera ' was founded on the idea that every new yorker should have access |
al qaeda <tsp> one man more interested than most in what president barack obama will have to say in his address to the nation wednesday night is al qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri . in his hideout somewhere in pakistan or afghanistan , he will likely be hoping that the president sets out a plan to exterminate the islamic state in iraq and syria ( isis ) , a group that has eclipsed al qaeda and made al-zawahiri seem virtually irrelevant . al-zawahiri and the core of al qaeda are locked in battle with isis for the leadership of the global jihadist movement -- offering very different visions and strategies . isis was expelled from al qaeda in february after rejecting al-zawahiri 's demand that it restrict its activities to iraq . isis has captured the imagination of a new generation of jihadists -- from arab and european states alike -- with its ruthless pursuit of a caliphate , dramatic territorial gains and relentless propaganda machine . its chilling brutality toward non-muslims and muslims who do n't share its rigid interpretation of islam echo the behavior of its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq , whose vicious attacks on shia muslims and moderate sunnis drew the ire of the late al qaeda leader , osama bin laden . in short , isis' traipse through iraq represents a serious organizational , strategic , and ideological blow to al qaeda , ' analyst barak mendelsohn wrote in foreign affairs in june . so far , the leaders of al qaeda affiliates have remained loyal ( if not enthusiastically ) to al-zawahiri . after the death of its leader ahmad abdi godane last week , al-shabaab quickly reiterated its allegiance to the al qaeda leader , and nasir al wuhayshi , al qaeda 's no . 2 , remains at the helm of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula ( aqap ) . prominent jihadi preachers like abu muhammad al maqdisi and abu qatada have blasted isis for deviancy . appealing to a new generation of jihadists but the younger generation of jihadists appears to be more impressed by action than sermons . al qaeda foot-soldiers -- from yemen , libya , saudi arabia and elsewhere -- are flocking to isis'standard . to them , its leader abu bakr al-baghdadi is confronting the apostates and building the caliphate , while al-zawahiri talks . it 's impossible to know the scale of this exodus . but last week , a group calling itself the supporters of the islamic state in yemen released a video pledging allegiance to al-baghdadi , calling him the caliph of the muslims ... the mujahid in the first row of attack against america . ' even aqap -- the most effective of the group 's affiliates -- has expressed solidarity with isis fighters , condemning what it calls the declaration of war ' by the united states on muslims in iraq , and calling on all islamic groups to support their brothers by afflicting america . ' by contrast , it 's been a long time since al qaeda central has carried out any attack of note . four years ago , a strategy document set out ideas for attacking targets such as cruise ships , dams and bridges as well as aircraft . but very little beyond lone wolf ' attacks by distant sympathizers of al qaeda has happened since . over the last three years , the most significant terror attacks against western interests have been against the u.s. consulate compound in benghazi , libya , where there may have been some involvement by members of al qaeda affiliates ; the gas plant in southern algeria in january 2013 , carried out by a maverick group that pledged allegiance to al qaeda but does not appear to have been acting on its instructions ; and the westgate mall in nairobi , kenya -- the work of al-shabaab , apparently planned without reference to the al qaeda leadership , even if it was exactly the sort of operation al-zawahiri had urged . attacks against u.s. military , diplomatic and government targets in afghanistan have largely been the work of the taliban and haqqani network , though al qaeda fighters are enmeshed with these groups . some al qaeda affiliates have been forced on the defensive over the last couple of years . the french intervention in mali pushed back groups linked to al qaeda in the islamic maghreb ( aqim ) , which had taken over half the country . aqap seized and then lost several towns in southern yemen in early 2012 , and resorted to suicide bombings and fighting yemeni government forces from remote hideouts . al-shabaab lost its leader godane in a u.s. missile strike last week and has lost large areas of somalia it once controlled to ground offensives by kenyan , ethiopian and african union forces . it has also suffered vicious infighting . and in pakistan , the army has gone on the offensive against the pakistani taliban -- an al qaeda affiliate also riven by division -- in the north waziristan tribal area . al qaeda strongholds still exist there are still plenty of places where al qaeda supporters are active and their operations growing : eastern libya , syria and the sinai peninsula in egypt , where they have found breathing space amid a collapse of state authority . but amid these fast-moving events , al-zawahiri has seemed more the cheerleader than the leader , reacting to events rather than directing them . last week , in an effort to reclaim relevancy , he announced the creation of al qaeda in the indian subcontinent , led by asim umar , which will include at least one faction of the pakistan taliban . according to a translation by the site institute , the new offshoot 's spokesman , usama mahmoud , said its basic goals included jihad against america , supporting the taliban and establishing a caliphate ( implicitly rejecting the caliphate claimed by al-baghdadi ) . the announcement steps up the philosophical battle between al qaeda and isis about how the dream of the caliphate , to which muslims the world over would owe allegiance , is achieved . mahmoud spoke of a caliphate where the emirs are proud in their closeness to the honest scholars ... a caliphate in whose shadow even the disbelieving people of dhimma ( non-muslim citizens of an islamic state ) have a life of safety and security . ' the last condition was clearly aimed at isis and its merciless campaign against non-muslims and non-sunni muslims in both iraq and syria . not to be outdone , isis'propaganda machine recently posted photographs showing residents of the iraqi city of nineveh enjoying prosperity ... under the shade of the caliphate . ' al qaeda 's hope for the future al-zawahiri may be looking to the withdrawal of most u.s. combat forces from afghanistan as his best chance of reviving al qaeda 's fortunes . last week 's announcement reiterated al qaeda 's allegiance to taliban leader mullah muhammad omar as the leader of the islamic emirate . several analysts have also noted a stream of statements from al qaeda that hint at the coming of a counter-caliphate . ' daveed gartenstein-ross and thomas jocelyn pointed out in foreign policy that despite the u.s. surge in afghanistan , the remote provinces of kunar and nuristan are home to significant cadres of al qaeda fighters , and al qaeda continues to operate side by side with its allies in other parts of the country . ' there is also the prospect -- or as some would say , likelihood -- that isis will over-reach much as did its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq -- alienating the sunni tribes , taking territory it can not defend and mobilizing more enemies than it can resist . if the coalition now building against it can split isis'syrian and iraqi possessions and prize cities like mosul from its grasp , the momentum crucial to its success and appeal will be lost . the obama administration seems poised to borrow a page out of its strategy against al qaeda to deal with isis . last week , deputy national security advisor ben rhodes noted : we 've been able to significantly degrade al qaeda core in afghanistan and pakistan , decimate its leadership ranks , reducing the threat that they pose . ' now a repetition in iraq of the u.s. strategy that reduced al-zawahiri to a spectator may be his best chance of overcoming the challenge posed by isis . the risk is that washington and its allies will neglect imminent challenges in afghanistan while refocusing on the militant challenge in iraq . we 've seen that movie too . | there are still plenty of places where al qaeda supporters are active |
al qaeda <tsp> one man more interested than most in what president barack obama will have to say in his address to the nation wednesday night is al qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri . in his hideout somewhere in pakistan or afghanistan , he will likely be hoping that the president sets out a plan to exterminate the islamic state in iraq and syria ( isis ) , a group that has eclipsed al qaeda and made al-zawahiri seem virtually irrelevant . al-zawahiri and the core of al qaeda are locked in battle with isis for the leadership of the global jihadist movement -- offering very different visions and strategies . isis was expelled from al qaeda in february after rejecting al-zawahiri 's demand that it restrict its activities to iraq . isis has captured the imagination of a new generation of jihadists -- from arab and european states alike -- with its ruthless pursuit of a caliphate , dramatic territorial gains and relentless propaganda machine . its chilling brutality toward non-muslims and muslims who do n't share its rigid interpretation of islam echo the behavior of its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq , whose vicious attacks on shia muslims and moderate sunnis drew the ire of the late al qaeda leader , osama bin laden . in short , isis' traipse through iraq represents a serious organizational , strategic , and ideological blow to al qaeda , ' analyst barak mendelsohn wrote in foreign affairs in june . so far , the leaders of al qaeda affiliates have remained loyal ( if not enthusiastically ) to al-zawahiri . after the death of its leader ahmad abdi godane last week , al-shabaab quickly reiterated its allegiance to the al qaeda leader , and nasir al wuhayshi , al qaeda 's no . 2 , remains at the helm of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula ( aqap ) . prominent jihadi preachers like abu muhammad al maqdisi and abu qatada have blasted isis for deviancy . appealing to a new generation of jihadists but the younger generation of jihadists appears to be more impressed by action than sermons . al qaeda foot-soldiers -- from yemen , libya , saudi arabia and elsewhere -- are flocking to isis'standard . to them , its leader abu bakr al-baghdadi is confronting the apostates and building the caliphate , while al-zawahiri talks . it 's impossible to know the scale of this exodus . but last week , a group calling itself the supporters of the islamic state in yemen released a video pledging allegiance to al-baghdadi , calling him the caliph of the muslims ... the mujahid in the first row of attack against america . ' even aqap -- the most effective of the group 's affiliates -- has expressed solidarity with isis fighters , condemning what it calls the declaration of war ' by the united states on muslims in iraq , and calling on all islamic groups to support their brothers by afflicting america . ' by contrast , it 's been a long time since al qaeda central has carried out any attack of note . four years ago , a strategy document set out ideas for attacking targets such as cruise ships , dams and bridges as well as aircraft . but very little beyond lone wolf ' attacks by distant sympathizers of al qaeda has happened since . over the last three years , the most significant terror attacks against western interests have been against the u.s. consulate compound in benghazi , libya , where there may have been some involvement by members of al qaeda affiliates ; the gas plant in southern algeria in january 2013 , carried out by a maverick group that pledged allegiance to al qaeda but does not appear to have been acting on its instructions ; and the westgate mall in nairobi , kenya -- the work of al-shabaab , apparently planned without reference to the al qaeda leadership , even if it was exactly the sort of operation al-zawahiri had urged . attacks against u.s. military , diplomatic and government targets in afghanistan have largely been the work of the taliban and haqqani network , though al qaeda fighters are enmeshed with these groups . some al qaeda affiliates have been forced on the defensive over the last couple of years . the french intervention in mali pushed back groups linked to al qaeda in the islamic maghreb ( aqim ) , which had taken over half the country . aqap seized and then lost several towns in southern yemen in early 2012 , and resorted to suicide bombings and fighting yemeni government forces from remote hideouts . al-shabaab lost its leader godane in a u.s. missile strike last week and has lost large areas of somalia it once controlled to ground offensives by kenyan , ethiopian and african union forces . it has also suffered vicious infighting . and in pakistan , the army has gone on the offensive against the pakistani taliban -- an al qaeda affiliate also riven by division -- in the north waziristan tribal area . al qaeda strongholds still exist there are still plenty of places where al qaeda supporters are active and their operations growing : eastern libya , syria and the sinai peninsula in egypt , where they have found breathing space amid a collapse of state authority . but amid these fast-moving events , al-zawahiri has seemed more the cheerleader than the leader , reacting to events rather than directing them . last week , in an effort to reclaim relevancy , he announced the creation of al qaeda in the indian subcontinent , led by asim umar , which will include at least one faction of the pakistan taliban . according to a translation by the site institute , the new offshoot 's spokesman , usama mahmoud , said its basic goals included jihad against america , supporting the taliban and establishing a caliphate ( implicitly rejecting the caliphate claimed by al-baghdadi ) . the announcement steps up the philosophical battle between al qaeda and isis about how the dream of the caliphate , to which muslims the world over would owe allegiance , is achieved . mahmoud spoke of a caliphate where the emirs are proud in their closeness to the honest scholars ... a caliphate in whose shadow even the disbelieving people of dhimma ( non-muslim citizens of an islamic state ) have a life of safety and security . ' the last condition was clearly aimed at isis and its merciless campaign against non-muslims and non-sunni muslims in both iraq and syria . not to be outdone , isis'propaganda machine recently posted photographs showing residents of the iraqi city of nineveh enjoying prosperity ... under the shade of the caliphate . ' al qaeda 's hope for the future al-zawahiri may be looking to the withdrawal of most u.s. combat forces from afghanistan as his best chance of reviving al qaeda 's fortunes . last week 's announcement reiterated al qaeda 's allegiance to taliban leader mullah muhammad omar as the leader of the islamic emirate . several analysts have also noted a stream of statements from al qaeda that hint at the coming of a counter-caliphate . ' daveed gartenstein-ross and thomas jocelyn pointed out in foreign policy that despite the u.s. surge in afghanistan , the remote provinces of kunar and nuristan are home to significant cadres of al qaeda fighters , and al qaeda continues to operate side by side with its allies in other parts of the country . ' there is also the prospect -- or as some would say , likelihood -- that isis will over-reach much as did its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq -- alienating the sunni tribes , taking territory it can not defend and mobilizing more enemies than it can resist . if the coalition now building against it can split isis'syrian and iraqi possessions and prize cities like mosul from its grasp , the momentum crucial to its success and appeal will be lost . the obama administration seems poised to borrow a page out of its strategy against al qaeda to deal with isis . last week , deputy national security advisor ben rhodes noted : we 've been able to significantly degrade al qaeda core in afghanistan and pakistan , decimate its leadership ranks , reducing the threat that they pose . ' now a repetition in iraq of the u.s. strategy that reduced al-zawahiri to a spectator may be his best chance of overcoming the challenge posed by isis . the risk is that washington and its allies will neglect imminent challenges in afghanistan while refocusing on the militant challenge in iraq . we 've seen that movie too . | isis was expelled from al qaeda in february |
al qaeda <tsp> one man more interested than most in what president barack obama will have to say in his address to the nation wednesday night is al qaeda leader ayman al-zawahiri . in his hideout somewhere in pakistan or afghanistan , he will likely be hoping that the president sets out a plan to exterminate the islamic state in iraq and syria ( isis ) , a group that has eclipsed al qaeda and made al-zawahiri seem virtually irrelevant . al-zawahiri and the core of al qaeda are locked in battle with isis for the leadership of the global jihadist movement -- offering very different visions and strategies . isis was expelled from al qaeda in february after rejecting al-zawahiri 's demand that it restrict its activities to iraq . isis has captured the imagination of a new generation of jihadists -- from arab and european states alike -- with its ruthless pursuit of a caliphate , dramatic territorial gains and relentless propaganda machine . its chilling brutality toward non-muslims and muslims who do n't share its rigid interpretation of islam echo the behavior of its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq , whose vicious attacks on shia muslims and moderate sunnis drew the ire of the late al qaeda leader , osama bin laden . in short , isis' traipse through iraq represents a serious organizational , strategic , and ideological blow to al qaeda , ' analyst barak mendelsohn wrote in foreign affairs in june . so far , the leaders of al qaeda affiliates have remained loyal ( if not enthusiastically ) to al-zawahiri . after the death of its leader ahmad abdi godane last week , al-shabaab quickly reiterated its allegiance to the al qaeda leader , and nasir al wuhayshi , al qaeda 's no . 2 , remains at the helm of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula ( aqap ) . prominent jihadi preachers like abu muhammad al maqdisi and abu qatada have blasted isis for deviancy . appealing to a new generation of jihadists but the younger generation of jihadists appears to be more impressed by action than sermons . al qaeda foot-soldiers -- from yemen , libya , saudi arabia and elsewhere -- are flocking to isis'standard . to them , its leader abu bakr al-baghdadi is confronting the apostates and building the caliphate , while al-zawahiri talks . it 's impossible to know the scale of this exodus . but last week , a group calling itself the supporters of the islamic state in yemen released a video pledging allegiance to al-baghdadi , calling him the caliph of the muslims ... the mujahid in the first row of attack against america . ' even aqap -- the most effective of the group 's affiliates -- has expressed solidarity with isis fighters , condemning what it calls the declaration of war ' by the united states on muslims in iraq , and calling on all islamic groups to support their brothers by afflicting america . ' by contrast , it 's been a long time since al qaeda central has carried out any attack of note . four years ago , a strategy document set out ideas for attacking targets such as cruise ships , dams and bridges as well as aircraft . but very little beyond lone wolf ' attacks by distant sympathizers of al qaeda has happened since . over the last three years , the most significant terror attacks against western interests have been against the u.s. consulate compound in benghazi , libya , where there may have been some involvement by members of al qaeda affiliates ; the gas plant in southern algeria in january 2013 , carried out by a maverick group that pledged allegiance to al qaeda but does not appear to have been acting on its instructions ; and the westgate mall in nairobi , kenya -- the work of al-shabaab , apparently planned without reference to the al qaeda leadership , even if it was exactly the sort of operation al-zawahiri had urged . attacks against u.s. military , diplomatic and government targets in afghanistan have largely been the work of the taliban and haqqani network , though al qaeda fighters are enmeshed with these groups . some al qaeda affiliates have been forced on the defensive over the last couple of years . the french intervention in mali pushed back groups linked to al qaeda in the islamic maghreb ( aqim ) , which had taken over half the country . aqap seized and then lost several towns in southern yemen in early 2012 , and resorted to suicide bombings and fighting yemeni government forces from remote hideouts . al-shabaab lost its leader godane in a u.s. missile strike last week and has lost large areas of somalia it once controlled to ground offensives by kenyan , ethiopian and african union forces . it has also suffered vicious infighting . and in pakistan , the army has gone on the offensive against the pakistani taliban -- an al qaeda affiliate also riven by division -- in the north waziristan tribal area . al qaeda strongholds still exist there are still plenty of places where al qaeda supporters are active and their operations growing : eastern libya , syria and the sinai peninsula in egypt , where they have found breathing space amid a collapse of state authority . but amid these fast-moving events , al-zawahiri has seemed more the cheerleader than the leader , reacting to events rather than directing them . last week , in an effort to reclaim relevancy , he announced the creation of al qaeda in the indian subcontinent , led by asim umar , which will include at least one faction of the pakistan taliban . according to a translation by the site institute , the new offshoot 's spokesman , usama mahmoud , said its basic goals included jihad against america , supporting the taliban and establishing a caliphate ( implicitly rejecting the caliphate claimed by al-baghdadi ) . the announcement steps up the philosophical battle between al qaeda and isis about how the dream of the caliphate , to which muslims the world over would owe allegiance , is achieved . mahmoud spoke of a caliphate where the emirs are proud in their closeness to the honest scholars ... a caliphate in whose shadow even the disbelieving people of dhimma ( non-muslim citizens of an islamic state ) have a life of safety and security . ' the last condition was clearly aimed at isis and its merciless campaign against non-muslims and non-sunni muslims in both iraq and syria . not to be outdone , isis'propaganda machine recently posted photographs showing residents of the iraqi city of nineveh enjoying prosperity ... under the shade of the caliphate . ' al qaeda 's hope for the future al-zawahiri may be looking to the withdrawal of most u.s. combat forces from afghanistan as his best chance of reviving al qaeda 's fortunes . last week 's announcement reiterated al qaeda 's allegiance to taliban leader mullah muhammad omar as the leader of the islamic emirate . several analysts have also noted a stream of statements from al qaeda that hint at the coming of a counter-caliphate . ' daveed gartenstein-ross and thomas jocelyn pointed out in foreign policy that despite the u.s. surge in afghanistan , the remote provinces of kunar and nuristan are home to significant cadres of al qaeda fighters , and al qaeda continues to operate side by side with its allies in other parts of the country . ' there is also the prospect -- or as some would say , likelihood -- that isis will over-reach much as did its predecessor , al qaeda in iraq -- alienating the sunni tribes , taking territory it can not defend and mobilizing more enemies than it can resist . if the coalition now building against it can split isis'syrian and iraqi possessions and prize cities like mosul from its grasp , the momentum crucial to its success and appeal will be lost . the obama administration seems poised to borrow a page out of its strategy against al qaeda to deal with isis . last week , deputy national security advisor ben rhodes noted : we 've been able to significantly degrade al qaeda core in afghanistan and pakistan , decimate its leadership ranks , reducing the threat that they pose . ' now a repetition in iraq of the u.s. strategy that reduced al-zawahiri to a spectator may be his best chance of overcoming the challenge posed by isis . the risk is that washington and its allies will neglect imminent challenges in afghanistan while refocusing on the militant challenge in iraq . we 've seen that movie too . | analyst : isis'traipse through iraq represents an ideological blow to al qaeda |
townsend <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president bush 's top adviser on homeland security is stepping down after 4½ years on the job , the white house said monday . fran townsend served more than four years as homeland security adviser . homeland security adviser fran townsend turned in her letter of resignation to president bush on november 6 and will be looking for new opportunities outside government . i 'm going to just take another job doing 20-hour days , but this time in the private sector , ' said townsend , who has spent 25 years working in law enforcement and government . bush praised townsend 's work monday . fran has always provided wise counsel on how to best protect the american people from the threat of terrorism , ' bush said in a statement . we are safer today because of her leadership . ' townsend 's job , as the president 's top adviser on fighting terrorism , involved identifying terrorist groups around the globe and assessing their threat , and finding ways to track and cut off their funding . she said that experience should will be useful in the private sector as well . townsend -- the mother of two , ages 6 and 12 -- said she first will look into public speaking , writing and board work before pursuing opportunities in global risk management for a large multinational corporation or financial institution . watch how townsend is planning to use her skills » she said she 's been talking with the president about her planned departure for eight months . townsend 's name had come up during the president 's recent search for a new attorney general , but she was not considered . she said not getting the job had absolutely nothing to do with her decision to leave . ' she said bush had wanted her to stay on in his administration . it was a hard decision as i have loved and will cherish my every minute of service , ' she said in an e-mail . my family actually advocated that i remain and has always been supportive of my service so this was entirely my decision . ' townsend is part of the search committee to find a replacement by the beginning of next year . the president appoints the senior staff position , and it needs no senate confirmation . e-mail to a friend cnn 's suzanne malveaux contributed to this report . | townsend has worked in government and law enforcement for 25 years |
townsend <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president bush 's top adviser on homeland security is stepping down after 4½ years on the job , the white house said monday . fran townsend served more than four years as homeland security adviser . homeland security adviser fran townsend turned in her letter of resignation to president bush on november 6 and will be looking for new opportunities outside government . i 'm going to just take another job doing 20-hour days , but this time in the private sector , ' said townsend , who has spent 25 years working in law enforcement and government . bush praised townsend 's work monday . fran has always provided wise counsel on how to best protect the american people from the threat of terrorism , ' bush said in a statement . we are safer today because of her leadership . ' townsend 's job , as the president 's top adviser on fighting terrorism , involved identifying terrorist groups around the globe and assessing their threat , and finding ways to track and cut off their funding . she said that experience should will be useful in the private sector as well . townsend -- the mother of two , ages 6 and 12 -- said she first will look into public speaking , writing and board work before pursuing opportunities in global risk management for a large multinational corporation or financial institution . watch how townsend is planning to use her skills » she said she 's been talking with the president about her planned departure for eight months . townsend 's name had come up during the president 's recent search for a new attorney general , but she was not considered . she said not getting the job had absolutely nothing to do with her decision to leave . ' she said bush had wanted her to stay on in his administration . it was a hard decision as i have loved and will cherish my every minute of service , ' she said in an e-mail . my family actually advocated that i remain and has always been supportive of my service so this was entirely my decision . ' townsend is part of the search committee to find a replacement by the beginning of next year . the president appoints the senior staff position , and it needs no senate confirmation . e-mail to a friend cnn 's suzanne malveaux contributed to this report . | fran townsend says she 'll look for opportunities in the private sector |
townsend <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president bush 's top adviser on homeland security is stepping down after 4½ years on the job , the white house said monday . fran townsend served more than four years as homeland security adviser . homeland security adviser fran townsend turned in her letter of resignation to president bush on november 6 and will be looking for new opportunities outside government . i 'm going to just take another job doing 20-hour days , but this time in the private sector , ' said townsend , who has spent 25 years working in law enforcement and government . bush praised townsend 's work monday . fran has always provided wise counsel on how to best protect the american people from the threat of terrorism , ' bush said in a statement . we are safer today because of her leadership . ' townsend 's job , as the president 's top adviser on fighting terrorism , involved identifying terrorist groups around the globe and assessing their threat , and finding ways to track and cut off their funding . she said that experience should will be useful in the private sector as well . townsend -- the mother of two , ages 6 and 12 -- said she first will look into public speaking , writing and board work before pursuing opportunities in global risk management for a large multinational corporation or financial institution . watch how townsend is planning to use her skills » she said she 's been talking with the president about her planned departure for eight months . townsend 's name had come up during the president 's recent search for a new attorney general , but she was not considered . she said not getting the job had absolutely nothing to do with her decision to leave . ' she said bush had wanted her to stay on in his administration . it was a hard decision as i have loved and will cherish my every minute of service , ' she said in an e-mail . my family actually advocated that i remain and has always been supportive of my service so this was entirely my decision . ' townsend is part of the search committee to find a replacement by the beginning of next year . the president appoints the senior staff position , and it needs no senate confirmation . e-mail to a friend cnn 's suzanne malveaux contributed to this report . | townsend will be on a panel searching for a replacement |
argentina <tsp> ( cnn ) -- countries rarely default , at least not under the basic understanding of the term . if you or i ca n't pay our bills and creditors come calling , eventually we can declare bankruptcy and painfully move on . most of our creditors get little or nothing back . and companies to do it all the time -- indeed , it seems a matter of course for u.s. airlines . but countries do n't really go bankrupt . they choose to stop paying , one way or another . the difference ? countries get new tax payers every day . they are born or they migrate . countries can not become insolvent . they stop paying to save money . read more : nine things we missed during the shutdown how do they choose to default ? politicians can flirt with financial suicide , as some members of the u.s. congress are fond of doing . but let 's be clear , the u.s. was not going to default . the showdown was just politics . the united states has enormous credibility and is at no risk of default , ' anne pettifor , of prime economics , told me . in my view there is no possibility whatsoever of the usa defaulting on its debt . ' so , the usa can not really default , thanks in part to a strong federal reserve and international creditors still wanting to buy its bonds , no matter how low the interest rate falls . but other countries have chosen to default , at least in theory . from argentina to russia to north korea , countries have stopped paying the interest or principle on domestic or international obligations . in russia 's case , it was able to pay back creditors within a few years , thanks to the rise of energy prices . russia did not walk away from its creditors . read more : five most surprising things in debt deal argentina was a much tougher case . when it stopped paying creditors in late 2001 , it caused a great deal of pain for its citizens in 2002-2003 . its efforts to settle with creditors still bubble up in new york courts . no one can say argentina has fully recovered its reputation in the international markets . some bondholders simply refuse to take a portion of what they are owed and move on . they want their money back . still its economy grew quickly within a few years of default . does that mean that defaulting is not a terrible step ? after all , it means a country can get a handle on its obligations . the debts become more manageable and therefore the country becomes more creditworthy , ' pettifor said . then , however , the creditors pile in . ' read more : conservatives defiant in face of gop troubles nazi germany defaulted in 1933 . the new government was not going to honor the obligations of the previous leaders . we all know how that went . it was decades before some of the german debt was paid back in a token way . no eurozone country has unilaterally refused to pay its bills . the market made it impossible for the like of ireland and greece to issue new bonds at a sustainable interest rate . new creditors stepped in , instead of walking away . we know them as the troika -- made up of the european central bank , european union and international monetary fund . greece 's meltdown led to bondholders taking the haircut , ' yet the country is set to take another package of aid . but it ca n't inflate its currency ( it lost that option when it joined the euro ) and ca n't default ( for the same reason ) . read more : u.s. must shake this addiction to debt -- or kill the recovery the latest plan is not the bailout , but the bail-in . ' look at cyprus . bond holders hold off , the depositors pay up ( those forced to bail-in ) and everyone holds their breath hoping the country can rebuild its economy and banking sector and eventually pay back something . after all , the troika expects to be paid back . if not , that would be a default . all this makes you wonder why the usa would even want to be mentioned in the same breath or paragraph with these countries . | other countries have defaulted -- including argentina and russia |
russia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- countries rarely default , at least not under the basic understanding of the term . if you or i ca n't pay our bills and creditors come calling , eventually we can declare bankruptcy and painfully move on . most of our creditors get little or nothing back . and companies to do it all the time -- indeed , it seems a matter of course for u.s. airlines . but countries do n't really go bankrupt . they choose to stop paying , one way or another . the difference ? countries get new tax payers every day . they are born or they migrate . countries can not become insolvent . they stop paying to save money . read more : nine things we missed during the shutdown how do they choose to default ? politicians can flirt with financial suicide , as some members of the u.s. congress are fond of doing . but let 's be clear , the u.s. was not going to default . the showdown was just politics . the united states has enormous credibility and is at no risk of default , ' anne pettifor , of prime economics , told me . in my view there is no possibility whatsoever of the usa defaulting on its debt . ' so , the usa can not really default , thanks in part to a strong federal reserve and international creditors still wanting to buy its bonds , no matter how low the interest rate falls . but other countries have chosen to default , at least in theory . from argentina to russia to north korea , countries have stopped paying the interest or principle on domestic or international obligations . in russia 's case , it was able to pay back creditors within a few years , thanks to the rise of energy prices . russia did not walk away from its creditors . read more : five most surprising things in debt deal argentina was a much tougher case . when it stopped paying creditors in late 2001 , it caused a great deal of pain for its citizens in 2002-2003 . its efforts to settle with creditors still bubble up in new york courts . no one can say argentina has fully recovered its reputation in the international markets . some bondholders simply refuse to take a portion of what they are owed and move on . they want their money back . still its economy grew quickly within a few years of default . does that mean that defaulting is not a terrible step ? after all , it means a country can get a handle on its obligations . the debts become more manageable and therefore the country becomes more creditworthy , ' pettifor said . then , however , the creditors pile in . ' read more : conservatives defiant in face of gop troubles nazi germany defaulted in 1933 . the new government was not going to honor the obligations of the previous leaders . we all know how that went . it was decades before some of the german debt was paid back in a token way . no eurozone country has unilaterally refused to pay its bills . the market made it impossible for the like of ireland and greece to issue new bonds at a sustainable interest rate . new creditors stepped in , instead of walking away . we know them as the troika -- made up of the european central bank , european union and international monetary fund . greece 's meltdown led to bondholders taking the haircut , ' yet the country is set to take another package of aid . but it ca n't inflate its currency ( it lost that option when it joined the euro ) and ca n't default ( for the same reason ) . read more : u.s. must shake this addiction to debt -- or kill the recovery the latest plan is not the bailout , but the bail-in . ' look at cyprus . bond holders hold off , the depositors pay up ( those forced to bail-in ) and everyone holds their breath hoping the country can rebuild its economy and banking sector and eventually pay back something . after all , the troika expects to be paid back . if not , that would be a default . all this makes you wonder why the usa would even want to be mentioned in the same breath or paragraph with these countries . | other countries have defaulted -- including argentina and russia |
nato <tsp> lisbon , portugal ( cnn ) -- calling it a significant step forward for the alliance and european security , president obama announced friday that nato will develop a missile defense system to safeguard most of europe and the united states . the agreement , according to the president , followed a year of talks to determine the best ways to coordinate efforts to protect members of the 61-year-old alliance . the system would be strong enough to cover all nato european territory and populations , as well as the united states , ' obama told reporters in lisbon , portugal . the missile defense plan offers a role for all of our allies in response to the threats of our times , ' the president said . it shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama addressed reporters during the first day of what he promised would be a landmark summit ' featuring leaders of nato 's 28 member countries , as well as russia . by the time it wraps saturday , the alliance aimed to produce a set of new initiatives intending to reinvigorate and redirect nato 20 years after the end of the cold war . nato secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen announced friday that heads of state had agreed to a new mission statement , calling it the alliance 's road map for the next 10 years . ' crafting this so-called strategic concept had been a top priority of the meeting , which rasmussen last month deemed one of the most important summits in the history of our alliance . ' this strategic concept reconfirms the commitment by nato members to defend one another against attack , and that will never change , ' rasmussen said in lisbon . but it also modernizes the way nato does defense in the 21st century . ' the document , prepared from recommendations made by a panel led by former u.s. secretary of state madeleine albright , sought to build upon nato 's work in afghanistan to redefine the alliance as a global ' actor that would work with regional partners to combat threats outside europe . under the new plan , nato will bolster its role in counterinsurgency efforts , as well as the stabilization and reconstruction of key countries , according to rasmussen . the defense alliance will also develop a standing capability to train local security forces ' and create a civilian arm to deal with other nations and groups . obama added friday that nato , under rasmussen , was also looking at how to deal with threats like improvised explosives and cyber defenses , all serving a commitment that an attack on one nato member is an attack on all . ' afghanistan will be front and center on saturday 's agenda , with nato members working with others who have committed resources to the nation and its government to align our approach , ' according to obama . he said that includes having afghan forces transition , between 2011 and 2014 , taking over the security and governance mission in the country and forging a long-term partnership ' beyond that . russia 's relationship with nato and the united states is also a chief focus saturday . obama said that starting then , nato will work with russia to build our cooperation with them in this area ... recognizing that we share many of the same threats . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn 's chris lawrence , georgian president mikhail saakashvili said he hoped that russia 's deepening partnership with nato would cause moscow to take a more civilized approach ' in dealing with its neighbors . russian troops have occupied georgian territory since its invasion in 2008 . saakashvili , whose country 's bid to join nato has been stalled for several years , said that he hoped the alliance 's involvement would prompt russia to withdraw its troops from georgia . once russia becomes less paranoid , more cooperative , more self-confident in a nicer way -- because i think lots of things have emerged from their almost paranoid sense of insecurity -- hopefully , the small neighbors of russia hopefully will feel themselves more safe , ' said saakashvili , who met with obama on friday . obama reiterated his belief that the u.s. congress should pass the new start nuclear control treaty , which the u.s. and russia agreed on last spring but has not been ratified by either nation 's legislatures . u.s. senate republicans have held up a vote on start , citing a heavy workload , in the lame duck session before a new congress comes in next year , and concerns about the strength of the u.s. nuclear arsenal . obama said friday that nato leaders had called passage of the treaty -- which , among other things , would restart mutual nuclear inspections and limit the arsenal in the two countries -- critical to european and global security . a failure to ratify [ this treaty ] ... will put at risk the substantial progress that has been made in advancing our nuclear security and our partnership with russia , ' obama said . the search for a new mandate for the entire alliance comes at a time that 16 of the 28 nato members have announced cuts in defense spending . nato officials said leaders are expected to agree at the summit on a list of the top 10 spending priorities , including helicopters , transfer aircraft , technology to combat improvised explosive devices and increased medical capabilities . the outcome of the war in afghanistan is intrinsically tied to the future of the nato alliance , a new analysis from the rand corporation suggested . the report , published friday , warns that the u.s. lead in the war could undermine any future willingness to fight together if needed . in an alliance that finds achieving consensus is central , having one partner clearly overshadow all others highlights the real limits of the transatlantic alliance , ' the report said . the difficulty and length of engagement will weigh on decisions by alliance members to intervene or aid in the future . the scope of nato 's future roles abroad may be more limited , such as focusing on humanitarian assistance or training , advising , and assisting nations that seek support . while these efforts may entail long-term commitments , they would fall well short of committing combat forces , ' wrote the rand authors , andrew hoehn and sarah harting . the new strategic concept will cite current security challenges facing nato members in the 21st century , such as terrorism , cyber warfare and piracy . rasmussen has encouraged nato members to be more agile in order to respond to 21st century threats and to continue to invest in military technology despite the global economic downturn . he urged allies to cut fat , not muscle ' and pool military spending . the united states is pushing for a realignment of military spending priorities . we have proposed and hope to have accepted a set of capabilities that the alliance , in a time of dwindling resources , will decide it must fund , ' u.s . ambassador to nato ivo daalder told reporters earlier this week . those are capabilities that deal with ongoing operations in afghanistan , but also capabilities to deal with 21st century threats , including beefing up our cyberdefenses and embracing the deployment of missile defenses to protect european territory and populations against the growing threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama also will hold a summit with european union leaders , seeking to reaffirm a partnership with europe that many feel has gone adrift as the united states expands its partnerships in asia . jobs and economic growth are expected to top the agenda at a time of growing tension between u.s. and european countries over the way to fix the global economy . while the united states has pushed for stimulating economic expansion with more government spending , many european allies are tightening their belts . the future of some 80,000 u.s. military forces in europe will also be discussed . european leaders are looking for obama to keep u.s. troops at their current levels , although the obama administration has urged europe to share more of the burden of its own defense . cnn 's adam levine contributed to this report . | new : georgian president hopes nato will spur russia to be more civilized ' |
nato <tsp> lisbon , portugal ( cnn ) -- calling it a significant step forward for the alliance and european security , president obama announced friday that nato will develop a missile defense system to safeguard most of europe and the united states . the agreement , according to the president , followed a year of talks to determine the best ways to coordinate efforts to protect members of the 61-year-old alliance . the system would be strong enough to cover all nato european territory and populations , as well as the united states , ' obama told reporters in lisbon , portugal . the missile defense plan offers a role for all of our allies in response to the threats of our times , ' the president said . it shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama addressed reporters during the first day of what he promised would be a landmark summit ' featuring leaders of nato 's 28 member countries , as well as russia . by the time it wraps saturday , the alliance aimed to produce a set of new initiatives intending to reinvigorate and redirect nato 20 years after the end of the cold war . nato secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen announced friday that heads of state had agreed to a new mission statement , calling it the alliance 's road map for the next 10 years . ' crafting this so-called strategic concept had been a top priority of the meeting , which rasmussen last month deemed one of the most important summits in the history of our alliance . ' this strategic concept reconfirms the commitment by nato members to defend one another against attack , and that will never change , ' rasmussen said in lisbon . but it also modernizes the way nato does defense in the 21st century . ' the document , prepared from recommendations made by a panel led by former u.s. secretary of state madeleine albright , sought to build upon nato 's work in afghanistan to redefine the alliance as a global ' actor that would work with regional partners to combat threats outside europe . under the new plan , nato will bolster its role in counterinsurgency efforts , as well as the stabilization and reconstruction of key countries , according to rasmussen . the defense alliance will also develop a standing capability to train local security forces ' and create a civilian arm to deal with other nations and groups . obama added friday that nato , under rasmussen , was also looking at how to deal with threats like improvised explosives and cyber defenses , all serving a commitment that an attack on one nato member is an attack on all . ' afghanistan will be front and center on saturday 's agenda , with nato members working with others who have committed resources to the nation and its government to align our approach , ' according to obama . he said that includes having afghan forces transition , between 2011 and 2014 , taking over the security and governance mission in the country and forging a long-term partnership ' beyond that . russia 's relationship with nato and the united states is also a chief focus saturday . obama said that starting then , nato will work with russia to build our cooperation with them in this area ... recognizing that we share many of the same threats . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn 's chris lawrence , georgian president mikhail saakashvili said he hoped that russia 's deepening partnership with nato would cause moscow to take a more civilized approach ' in dealing with its neighbors . russian troops have occupied georgian territory since its invasion in 2008 . saakashvili , whose country 's bid to join nato has been stalled for several years , said that he hoped the alliance 's involvement would prompt russia to withdraw its troops from georgia . once russia becomes less paranoid , more cooperative , more self-confident in a nicer way -- because i think lots of things have emerged from their almost paranoid sense of insecurity -- hopefully , the small neighbors of russia hopefully will feel themselves more safe , ' said saakashvili , who met with obama on friday . obama reiterated his belief that the u.s. congress should pass the new start nuclear control treaty , which the u.s. and russia agreed on last spring but has not been ratified by either nation 's legislatures . u.s. senate republicans have held up a vote on start , citing a heavy workload , in the lame duck session before a new congress comes in next year , and concerns about the strength of the u.s. nuclear arsenal . obama said friday that nato leaders had called passage of the treaty -- which , among other things , would restart mutual nuclear inspections and limit the arsenal in the two countries -- critical to european and global security . a failure to ratify [ this treaty ] ... will put at risk the substantial progress that has been made in advancing our nuclear security and our partnership with russia , ' obama said . the search for a new mandate for the entire alliance comes at a time that 16 of the 28 nato members have announced cuts in defense spending . nato officials said leaders are expected to agree at the summit on a list of the top 10 spending priorities , including helicopters , transfer aircraft , technology to combat improvised explosive devices and increased medical capabilities . the outcome of the war in afghanistan is intrinsically tied to the future of the nato alliance , a new analysis from the rand corporation suggested . the report , published friday , warns that the u.s. lead in the war could undermine any future willingness to fight together if needed . in an alliance that finds achieving consensus is central , having one partner clearly overshadow all others highlights the real limits of the transatlantic alliance , ' the report said . the difficulty and length of engagement will weigh on decisions by alliance members to intervene or aid in the future . the scope of nato 's future roles abroad may be more limited , such as focusing on humanitarian assistance or training , advising , and assisting nations that seek support . while these efforts may entail long-term commitments , they would fall well short of committing combat forces , ' wrote the rand authors , andrew hoehn and sarah harting . the new strategic concept will cite current security challenges facing nato members in the 21st century , such as terrorism , cyber warfare and piracy . rasmussen has encouraged nato members to be more agile in order to respond to 21st century threats and to continue to invest in military technology despite the global economic downturn . he urged allies to cut fat , not muscle ' and pool military spending . the united states is pushing for a realignment of military spending priorities . we have proposed and hope to have accepted a set of capabilities that the alliance , in a time of dwindling resources , will decide it must fund , ' u.s . ambassador to nato ivo daalder told reporters earlier this week . those are capabilities that deal with ongoing operations in afghanistan , but also capabilities to deal with 21st century threats , including beefing up our cyberdefenses and embracing the deployment of missile defenses to protect european territory and populations against the growing threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama also will hold a summit with european union leaders , seeking to reaffirm a partnership with europe that many feel has gone adrift as the united states expands its partnerships in asia . jobs and economic growth are expected to top the agenda at a time of growing tension between u.s. and european countries over the way to fix the global economy . while the united states has pushed for stimulating economic expansion with more government spending , many european allies are tightening their belts . the future of some 80,000 u.s. military forces in europe will also be discussed . european leaders are looking for obama to keep u.s. troops at their current levels , although the obama administration has urged europe to share more of the burden of its own defense . cnn 's adam levine contributed to this report . | nato leaders , among others , are meeting for a two-day summit in portugual |
nato <tsp> lisbon , portugal ( cnn ) -- calling it a significant step forward for the alliance and european security , president obama announced friday that nato will develop a missile defense system to safeguard most of europe and the united states . the agreement , according to the president , followed a year of talks to determine the best ways to coordinate efforts to protect members of the 61-year-old alliance . the system would be strong enough to cover all nato european territory and populations , as well as the united states , ' obama told reporters in lisbon , portugal . the missile defense plan offers a role for all of our allies in response to the threats of our times , ' the president said . it shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama addressed reporters during the first day of what he promised would be a landmark summit ' featuring leaders of nato 's 28 member countries , as well as russia . by the time it wraps saturday , the alliance aimed to produce a set of new initiatives intending to reinvigorate and redirect nato 20 years after the end of the cold war . nato secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen announced friday that heads of state had agreed to a new mission statement , calling it the alliance 's road map for the next 10 years . ' crafting this so-called strategic concept had been a top priority of the meeting , which rasmussen last month deemed one of the most important summits in the history of our alliance . ' this strategic concept reconfirms the commitment by nato members to defend one another against attack , and that will never change , ' rasmussen said in lisbon . but it also modernizes the way nato does defense in the 21st century . ' the document , prepared from recommendations made by a panel led by former u.s. secretary of state madeleine albright , sought to build upon nato 's work in afghanistan to redefine the alliance as a global ' actor that would work with regional partners to combat threats outside europe . under the new plan , nato will bolster its role in counterinsurgency efforts , as well as the stabilization and reconstruction of key countries , according to rasmussen . the defense alliance will also develop a standing capability to train local security forces ' and create a civilian arm to deal with other nations and groups . obama added friday that nato , under rasmussen , was also looking at how to deal with threats like improvised explosives and cyber defenses , all serving a commitment that an attack on one nato member is an attack on all . ' afghanistan will be front and center on saturday 's agenda , with nato members working with others who have committed resources to the nation and its government to align our approach , ' according to obama . he said that includes having afghan forces transition , between 2011 and 2014 , taking over the security and governance mission in the country and forging a long-term partnership ' beyond that . russia 's relationship with nato and the united states is also a chief focus saturday . obama said that starting then , nato will work with russia to build our cooperation with them in this area ... recognizing that we share many of the same threats . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn 's chris lawrence , georgian president mikhail saakashvili said he hoped that russia 's deepening partnership with nato would cause moscow to take a more civilized approach ' in dealing with its neighbors . russian troops have occupied georgian territory since its invasion in 2008 . saakashvili , whose country 's bid to join nato has been stalled for several years , said that he hoped the alliance 's involvement would prompt russia to withdraw its troops from georgia . once russia becomes less paranoid , more cooperative , more self-confident in a nicer way -- because i think lots of things have emerged from their almost paranoid sense of insecurity -- hopefully , the small neighbors of russia hopefully will feel themselves more safe , ' said saakashvili , who met with obama on friday . obama reiterated his belief that the u.s. congress should pass the new start nuclear control treaty , which the u.s. and russia agreed on last spring but has not been ratified by either nation 's legislatures . u.s. senate republicans have held up a vote on start , citing a heavy workload , in the lame duck session before a new congress comes in next year , and concerns about the strength of the u.s. nuclear arsenal . obama said friday that nato leaders had called passage of the treaty -- which , among other things , would restart mutual nuclear inspections and limit the arsenal in the two countries -- critical to european and global security . a failure to ratify [ this treaty ] ... will put at risk the substantial progress that has been made in advancing our nuclear security and our partnership with russia , ' obama said . the search for a new mandate for the entire alliance comes at a time that 16 of the 28 nato members have announced cuts in defense spending . nato officials said leaders are expected to agree at the summit on a list of the top 10 spending priorities , including helicopters , transfer aircraft , technology to combat improvised explosive devices and increased medical capabilities . the outcome of the war in afghanistan is intrinsically tied to the future of the nato alliance , a new analysis from the rand corporation suggested . the report , published friday , warns that the u.s. lead in the war could undermine any future willingness to fight together if needed . in an alliance that finds achieving consensus is central , having one partner clearly overshadow all others highlights the real limits of the transatlantic alliance , ' the report said . the difficulty and length of engagement will weigh on decisions by alliance members to intervene or aid in the future . the scope of nato 's future roles abroad may be more limited , such as focusing on humanitarian assistance or training , advising , and assisting nations that seek support . while these efforts may entail long-term commitments , they would fall well short of committing combat forces , ' wrote the rand authors , andrew hoehn and sarah harting . the new strategic concept will cite current security challenges facing nato members in the 21st century , such as terrorism , cyber warfare and piracy . rasmussen has encouraged nato members to be more agile in order to respond to 21st century threats and to continue to invest in military technology despite the global economic downturn . he urged allies to cut fat , not muscle ' and pool military spending . the united states is pushing for a realignment of military spending priorities . we have proposed and hope to have accepted a set of capabilities that the alliance , in a time of dwindling resources , will decide it must fund , ' u.s . ambassador to nato ivo daalder told reporters earlier this week . those are capabilities that deal with ongoing operations in afghanistan , but also capabilities to deal with 21st century threats , including beefing up our cyberdefenses and embracing the deployment of missile defenses to protect european territory and populations against the growing threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama also will hold a summit with european union leaders , seeking to reaffirm a partnership with europe that many feel has gone adrift as the united states expands its partnerships in asia . jobs and economic growth are expected to top the agenda at a time of growing tension between u.s. and european countries over the way to fix the global economy . while the united states has pushed for stimulating economic expansion with more government spending , many european allies are tightening their belts . the future of some 80,000 u.s. military forces in europe will also be discussed . european leaders are looking for obama to keep u.s. troops at their current levels , although the obama administration has urged europe to share more of the burden of its own defense . cnn 's adam levine contributed to this report . | one goal for the leaders is to reinvigorate the nato alliance , 20 years after the cold war |
nato <tsp> lisbon , portugal ( cnn ) -- calling it a significant step forward for the alliance and european security , president obama announced friday that nato will develop a missile defense system to safeguard most of europe and the united states . the agreement , according to the president , followed a year of talks to determine the best ways to coordinate efforts to protect members of the 61-year-old alliance . the system would be strong enough to cover all nato european territory and populations , as well as the united states , ' obama told reporters in lisbon , portugal . the missile defense plan offers a role for all of our allies in response to the threats of our times , ' the president said . it shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama addressed reporters during the first day of what he promised would be a landmark summit ' featuring leaders of nato 's 28 member countries , as well as russia . by the time it wraps saturday , the alliance aimed to produce a set of new initiatives intending to reinvigorate and redirect nato 20 years after the end of the cold war . nato secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen announced friday that heads of state had agreed to a new mission statement , calling it the alliance 's road map for the next 10 years . ' crafting this so-called strategic concept had been a top priority of the meeting , which rasmussen last month deemed one of the most important summits in the history of our alliance . ' this strategic concept reconfirms the commitment by nato members to defend one another against attack , and that will never change , ' rasmussen said in lisbon . but it also modernizes the way nato does defense in the 21st century . ' the document , prepared from recommendations made by a panel led by former u.s. secretary of state madeleine albright , sought to build upon nato 's work in afghanistan to redefine the alliance as a global ' actor that would work with regional partners to combat threats outside europe . under the new plan , nato will bolster its role in counterinsurgency efforts , as well as the stabilization and reconstruction of key countries , according to rasmussen . the defense alliance will also develop a standing capability to train local security forces ' and create a civilian arm to deal with other nations and groups . obama added friday that nato , under rasmussen , was also looking at how to deal with threats like improvised explosives and cyber defenses , all serving a commitment that an attack on one nato member is an attack on all . ' afghanistan will be front and center on saturday 's agenda , with nato members working with others who have committed resources to the nation and its government to align our approach , ' according to obama . he said that includes having afghan forces transition , between 2011 and 2014 , taking over the security and governance mission in the country and forging a long-term partnership ' beyond that . russia 's relationship with nato and the united states is also a chief focus saturday . obama said that starting then , nato will work with russia to build our cooperation with them in this area ... recognizing that we share many of the same threats . ' in an exclusive interview with cnn 's chris lawrence , georgian president mikhail saakashvili said he hoped that russia 's deepening partnership with nato would cause moscow to take a more civilized approach ' in dealing with its neighbors . russian troops have occupied georgian territory since its invasion in 2008 . saakashvili , whose country 's bid to join nato has been stalled for several years , said that he hoped the alliance 's involvement would prompt russia to withdraw its troops from georgia . once russia becomes less paranoid , more cooperative , more self-confident in a nicer way -- because i think lots of things have emerged from their almost paranoid sense of insecurity -- hopefully , the small neighbors of russia hopefully will feel themselves more safe , ' said saakashvili , who met with obama on friday . obama reiterated his belief that the u.s. congress should pass the new start nuclear control treaty , which the u.s. and russia agreed on last spring but has not been ratified by either nation 's legislatures . u.s. senate republicans have held up a vote on start , citing a heavy workload , in the lame duck session before a new congress comes in next year , and concerns about the strength of the u.s. nuclear arsenal . obama said friday that nato leaders had called passage of the treaty -- which , among other things , would restart mutual nuclear inspections and limit the arsenal in the two countries -- critical to european and global security . a failure to ratify [ this treaty ] ... will put at risk the substantial progress that has been made in advancing our nuclear security and our partnership with russia , ' obama said . the search for a new mandate for the entire alliance comes at a time that 16 of the 28 nato members have announced cuts in defense spending . nato officials said leaders are expected to agree at the summit on a list of the top 10 spending priorities , including helicopters , transfer aircraft , technology to combat improvised explosive devices and increased medical capabilities . the outcome of the war in afghanistan is intrinsically tied to the future of the nato alliance , a new analysis from the rand corporation suggested . the report , published friday , warns that the u.s. lead in the war could undermine any future willingness to fight together if needed . in an alliance that finds achieving consensus is central , having one partner clearly overshadow all others highlights the real limits of the transatlantic alliance , ' the report said . the difficulty and length of engagement will weigh on decisions by alliance members to intervene or aid in the future . the scope of nato 's future roles abroad may be more limited , such as focusing on humanitarian assistance or training , advising , and assisting nations that seek support . while these efforts may entail long-term commitments , they would fall well short of committing combat forces , ' wrote the rand authors , andrew hoehn and sarah harting . the new strategic concept will cite current security challenges facing nato members in the 21st century , such as terrorism , cyber warfare and piracy . rasmussen has encouraged nato members to be more agile in order to respond to 21st century threats and to continue to invest in military technology despite the global economic downturn . he urged allies to cut fat , not muscle ' and pool military spending . the united states is pushing for a realignment of military spending priorities . we have proposed and hope to have accepted a set of capabilities that the alliance , in a time of dwindling resources , will decide it must fund , ' u.s . ambassador to nato ivo daalder told reporters earlier this week . those are capabilities that deal with ongoing operations in afghanistan , but also capabilities to deal with 21st century threats , including beefing up our cyberdefenses and embracing the deployment of missile defenses to protect european territory and populations against the growing threat of ballistic missiles . ' obama also will hold a summit with european union leaders , seeking to reaffirm a partnership with europe that many feel has gone adrift as the united states expands its partnerships in asia . jobs and economic growth are expected to top the agenda at a time of growing tension between u.s. and european countries over the way to fix the global economy . while the united states has pushed for stimulating economic expansion with more government spending , many european allies are tightening their belts . the future of some 80,000 u.s. military forces in europe will also be discussed . european leaders are looking for obama to keep u.s. troops at their current levels , although the obama administration has urged europe to share more of the burden of its own defense . cnn 's adam levine contributed to this report . | new : nato members agree on a new mission statement for next 10 years |
tottenham hotspur <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester city crushed aston villa 4-0 with mario balotelli scoring a hat-trick to go temporarily top of the english premier league ahead of city rivals manchester united 's 1-1 draw at birmingham later tuesday . although city were only at the head of affairs for a few hours , the manner of their victory suggested they will be a factor in the title race , but for gerard houllier 's villa it was another dispiriting defeat . tottenham hotspur , who won 2-1 at villa on boxing day , beat newcastle 2-0 in another afternoon kick-off to leapfrog chelsea into fourth place . goals from aaron lennon and gareth bale in the second half maintained tottenham 's impressive recent run and spelt a second straight defeat for newcastle under new manager alan pardew . man utd regain top spot despite draw bale scored the clinching second after a trademark surging run after younes kaboul had been sent off for the home side after tangling with cheick tiote . at eastlands , balotelli proved a real handful for villa , winning an early penalty after being hauled down by eric lichaj . the italian got up to convert the penalty and city were 2-0 ahead inside the first 15 minutes as joleon lescott headed home adam johnson 's corner . balotelli scored his second from close range before the break and completed his hat-trick in the second half with his second successful penalty after johnson was fouled by marc alrighton . manchester city manager roberto mancini took a realistic view of their hgih placing . i know that we are top but i think it will only be for three hours . it is important to be there at the end of the season , ' the italian told bbc sport . elsewhere , promoted blackpool continued their remarkable season under ian holloway with a 2-0 win at sunderland to go eighth , having been the favorites to go straight back down at the start of the campaign . two second half goals from dj campbell gave blackpool three points in their first match since december 11 after their own bloomfield road ground was unfit to play due to a frozen pitch . chris baird scored two early goals as fulham relieved some of the pressure on manager mark hughes with a 2-0 win at stoke , while blackburn 's fans will be happier after nikoli kalinic scored twice in a 3-1 victory at west brom . kalinic blotted his copybook by being sent off for a wild challenge in the second half , but it was the first win for new manager steve kean , who took over from the sacked sam allardyce . in tuesday 's evening kickoff , west ham missed the chance to move out of the bottom three when they were held 1-1 at home by everton . the hammers took the lead when tony hibbert diverted radoslav kovac 's overhead kick into his own net . everton leveled just before halftime through seamus coleman , before carlton cole missed a great opportunity to seal victory for the home side after the break . | tottenham hotspur score 2-0 home win over newcastle to go fourth |
lyles <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at 16 , my innocence was shattered when two gunmen murdered 13 people at my school and wounded countless others . columbine high school promised to be a safe and secure place of learning . and that promise was broken on april 20 , 1999 . on that morning , i headed to school worried about my 10th grade math test and my upcoming track meet . useless worries : the test was never given and we never held the meet . scars remain from that day that no one can see . scars that made my worries about math tests or track performance pale in comparison to whether my science partner would live or whether my classmate 's speech would be impaired by the shrapnel lodged in his skull . today , those mental scars throb in large crowds and force me to scan the room for exits . they make my heart beat faster when i hear the blades of a helicopter overhead . now , as a teacher in my eighth year in the classroom , i consider every day that i go to work a privilege . i cherish my students'joy and enthusiasm , and most importantly , their innocence . i believe that it is our job , as a society , to protect these virtues in our young people . i want them to be worried about math tests and track meets and about science fairs and student council elections -- the kind of normal school stuff that builds character . but our epidemic of gun violence is creating a culture of fear in our schools , where students are anxious about safety and intruders . these are worries no student should have . this becomes even more apparent when we conduct our monthly emergency drill at our school . it 's a way to be prepared for the worst , so we practice lockdowns , fire drills and evacuations . the other day , i was explaining to my third graders that we were going to practice a lockdown just in case a bear happened to be on the playground -- a real scenario for our colorado school . i have used this example my entire teaching career because it 's an easy and nonthreatening reason to practice a lockdown . one girl raised her hand and asked : is this what we would do if a bad guy came with a gun to hurt us ? ' i felt kicked in the stomach when i heard this question . a bear is no longer the worst thing for students to anticipate : they fear what is happening across our nation . it is a shame that my students must learn these drills at such a young age -- a shame they must learn them at all . i thought to myself , this is a result of the columbine shootings , along with so many other acts of violence . this is my reality , and now it is theirs too . ' it is a sad reality , but we are not helpless . i teach at a wonderful school , which has done everything within its resources to keep our students safe . but it is not enough . if there were a simple solution , then this epidemic of violence would have ended . the solution is complex , multifaceted -- and achievable . i believe a comprehensive approach can help ensure a safe learning environment . • our children deserve more mental health resources to identify , treat and follow up with people who need help . • our children deserve enhanced school security : this includes identifying who is in the school and sensible steps to keep the building secure -- without bringing guns into the place of learning or turning it into a fortress . • our children deserve common sense gun legislation : i believe this should include a ban on high-capacity magazine clips . and at the very least , it should include comprehensive and enforceable background checks to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people . unfortunately , our congress refused to take this common sense step and turned this legislation down . the shooters at my school obtained their guns illegally , through private sales and straw purchases . today they could easily go online and buy those same weapons without a background check . what is to stop the next person who chooses from doing just that ? we can do better . i think i can speak for all of us that the murders at columbine high school , the aurora movie theater , sandy hook elementary , and so many others shocked us to our core and created lasting feelings of sadness . but we ca n't let these events create feelings of vulnerability . we have the power to work together to create a safer world for our students . learn from my experience -- do not wait until you experience violence first hand to realize that we need to take action . we need to take action now . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie lyles . | lyles : our kids deserve more mental health resources , enhanced security without guns |
lyles <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at 16 , my innocence was shattered when two gunmen murdered 13 people at my school and wounded countless others . columbine high school promised to be a safe and secure place of learning . and that promise was broken on april 20 , 1999 . on that morning , i headed to school worried about my 10th grade math test and my upcoming track meet . useless worries : the test was never given and we never held the meet . scars remain from that day that no one can see . scars that made my worries about math tests or track performance pale in comparison to whether my science partner would live or whether my classmate 's speech would be impaired by the shrapnel lodged in his skull . today , those mental scars throb in large crowds and force me to scan the room for exits . they make my heart beat faster when i hear the blades of a helicopter overhead . now , as a teacher in my eighth year in the classroom , i consider every day that i go to work a privilege . i cherish my students'joy and enthusiasm , and most importantly , their innocence . i believe that it is our job , as a society , to protect these virtues in our young people . i want them to be worried about math tests and track meets and about science fairs and student council elections -- the kind of normal school stuff that builds character . but our epidemic of gun violence is creating a culture of fear in our schools , where students are anxious about safety and intruders . these are worries no student should have . this becomes even more apparent when we conduct our monthly emergency drill at our school . it 's a way to be prepared for the worst , so we practice lockdowns , fire drills and evacuations . the other day , i was explaining to my third graders that we were going to practice a lockdown just in case a bear happened to be on the playground -- a real scenario for our colorado school . i have used this example my entire teaching career because it 's an easy and nonthreatening reason to practice a lockdown . one girl raised her hand and asked : is this what we would do if a bad guy came with a gun to hurt us ? ' i felt kicked in the stomach when i heard this question . a bear is no longer the worst thing for students to anticipate : they fear what is happening across our nation . it is a shame that my students must learn these drills at such a young age -- a shame they must learn them at all . i thought to myself , this is a result of the columbine shootings , along with so many other acts of violence . this is my reality , and now it is theirs too . ' it is a sad reality , but we are not helpless . i teach at a wonderful school , which has done everything within its resources to keep our students safe . but it is not enough . if there were a simple solution , then this epidemic of violence would have ended . the solution is complex , multifaceted -- and achievable . i believe a comprehensive approach can help ensure a safe learning environment . • our children deserve more mental health resources to identify , treat and follow up with people who need help . • our children deserve enhanced school security : this includes identifying who is in the school and sensible steps to keep the building secure -- without bringing guns into the place of learning or turning it into a fortress . • our children deserve common sense gun legislation : i believe this should include a ban on high-capacity magazine clips . and at the very least , it should include comprehensive and enforceable background checks to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people . unfortunately , our congress refused to take this common sense step and turned this legislation down . the shooters at my school obtained their guns illegally , through private sales and straw purchases . today they could easily go online and buy those same weapons without a background check . what is to stop the next person who chooses from doing just that ? we can do better . i think i can speak for all of us that the murders at columbine high school , the aurora movie theater , sandy hook elementary , and so many others shocked us to our core and created lasting feelings of sadness . but we ca n't let these events create feelings of vulnerability . we have the power to work together to create a safer world for our students . learn from my experience -- do not wait until you experience violence first hand to realize that we need to take action . we need to take action now . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie lyles . | lyles , who is a teacher , says columbine students lost their innocence that day |
lyles <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at 16 , my innocence was shattered when two gunmen murdered 13 people at my school and wounded countless others . columbine high school promised to be a safe and secure place of learning . and that promise was broken on april 20 , 1999 . on that morning , i headed to school worried about my 10th grade math test and my upcoming track meet . useless worries : the test was never given and we never held the meet . scars remain from that day that no one can see . scars that made my worries about math tests or track performance pale in comparison to whether my science partner would live or whether my classmate 's speech would be impaired by the shrapnel lodged in his skull . today , those mental scars throb in large crowds and force me to scan the room for exits . they make my heart beat faster when i hear the blades of a helicopter overhead . now , as a teacher in my eighth year in the classroom , i consider every day that i go to work a privilege . i cherish my students'joy and enthusiasm , and most importantly , their innocence . i believe that it is our job , as a society , to protect these virtues in our young people . i want them to be worried about math tests and track meets and about science fairs and student council elections -- the kind of normal school stuff that builds character . but our epidemic of gun violence is creating a culture of fear in our schools , where students are anxious about safety and intruders . these are worries no student should have . this becomes even more apparent when we conduct our monthly emergency drill at our school . it 's a way to be prepared for the worst , so we practice lockdowns , fire drills and evacuations . the other day , i was explaining to my third graders that we were going to practice a lockdown just in case a bear happened to be on the playground -- a real scenario for our colorado school . i have used this example my entire teaching career because it 's an easy and nonthreatening reason to practice a lockdown . one girl raised her hand and asked : is this what we would do if a bad guy came with a gun to hurt us ? ' i felt kicked in the stomach when i heard this question . a bear is no longer the worst thing for students to anticipate : they fear what is happening across our nation . it is a shame that my students must learn these drills at such a young age -- a shame they must learn them at all . i thought to myself , this is a result of the columbine shootings , along with so many other acts of violence . this is my reality , and now it is theirs too . ' it is a sad reality , but we are not helpless . i teach at a wonderful school , which has done everything within its resources to keep our students safe . but it is not enough . if there were a simple solution , then this epidemic of violence would have ended . the solution is complex , multifaceted -- and achievable . i believe a comprehensive approach can help ensure a safe learning environment . • our children deserve more mental health resources to identify , treat and follow up with people who need help . • our children deserve enhanced school security : this includes identifying who is in the school and sensible steps to keep the building secure -- without bringing guns into the place of learning or turning it into a fortress . • our children deserve common sense gun legislation : i believe this should include a ban on high-capacity magazine clips . and at the very least , it should include comprehensive and enforceable background checks to help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people . unfortunately , our congress refused to take this common sense step and turned this legislation down . the shooters at my school obtained their guns illegally , through private sales and straw purchases . today they could easily go online and buy those same weapons without a background check . what is to stop the next person who chooses from doing just that ? we can do better . i think i can speak for all of us that the murders at columbine high school , the aurora movie theater , sandy hook elementary , and so many others shocked us to our core and created lasting feelings of sadness . but we ca n't let these events create feelings of vulnerability . we have the power to work together to create a safer world for our students . learn from my experience -- do not wait until you experience violence first hand to realize that we need to take action . we need to take action now . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie lyles . | former columbine student katie lyles bears hidden scars from the day of the massacre |
chicago <tsp> ( cnn ) -- u.s. gasoline prices have declined for four weeks straight and now average more than 20 cents a gallon cheaper than a year ago , according to a new nationwide survey . the average cost of a gallon across the continental united states of regular stands at $ 3.71 , down 3 cents from two weeks earlier , said trilby lundberg , publisher of the lundberg survey . prices have fallen nearly 9 cents a gallon in the past four weeks and are 22 cents cheaper than at this point in 2012 , lundberg said . lower prices in the europe 's benchmark brent crude oil are largely behind the most recent fall . more u.s. refining capacity coming back on line after seasonal maintenance also contributed , lundberg said . from there , short-term , we may see more price-cutting soon , perhaps on the order of this approximate 3-cent decline , ' she said . but the current picture suggests it wo n't be large . ' gas prices broke a three-month upward spiral in early march , which had climbed nearly 54 cents since late december . the lundberg survey canvasses about 2,500 filling stations across the lower 48 states every two weeks . the most expensive fuel in the latest survey , conducted friday , was in chicago , where pump prices averaged $ 4.10 a gallon ; the cheapest could be found in billings , montana , at $ 3.33 , lundberg said . average per-gallon prices in other cities : atlanta : $ 3.57 baton rouge , louisiana : $ 3.45 boston : $ 3.75 denver : $ 3.53 las vegas : $ 3.72 memphis , tennessee : $ 3.43 miami : $ 3.74 philadelphia : $ 3.64 san francisco : $ 4.07 seattle : $ 3.81 cnnmoney : california could be next oil boom state | the most expensive gas was in chicago ; the cheapest in billings , montana |
native american <tsp> in 2012 , photographer matika wilbur sold everything in her seattle apartment and hit the road on a cross-country journey . her goal ? to photograph individuals from each of the 562 federally recognized native american tribes in the united states and memorialize their stories . since then , the number of federally recognized tribes has risen to 566 , and wilbur is still crisscrossing the country , immersing herself in the worlds of native americans from brooklyn to the far reaches of alaska for her ongoing photo series , project 562 . stereotypes in the media reduce indian country to the plains indian in a headdress , ' said scholar adrienne keene , a member of the cherokee nation of oklahoma whom wilbur photographed for the series . ( project 562 ) gives people an opportunity to see the diversity in indian country and reframe what they think of when they think of native americans . ' a selection of photos from project 562 is on display at the tacoma art museum in washington through october 5 , with audio from wilbur 's conversations with her subjects . fans of the series say its timing could not be better . with mainstream america showing more support for efforts to end appropriation of native american imagery in sports and fashion , they say project 562 provides positive examples to fill the void . having these counter-narratives and counter-representations to the stereotypes and negative portrayals we see in the media every day is really important for helping people understand contemporary native americans , ' said keene . the project is also building relationships in indian country , cultivating bonds among wilbur , the participants and also connecting them to elite institutions like the tacoma art museum , keene said . what she 's doing is not just photographing . she 's building relationships and bonds that are going to last far beyond the physical photographs . ' native american designers fight cultural caricatures'the project is for the people' wilbur , whose first name means the messenger , ' said the images allow americans to see a diverse representation of a group they rarely see and hear from . they also highlight positive role models in indian country for the next generation . the project is for the people , not just native people but everyone , ' wilbur said . i think that there are truths that remain untold and we can really learn a lot from one another . hopefully it can inspire the next generation to seek that authenticity . ' questions around native american identity are central to project 562 . wilbur asks each person 15 questions about their family history , self-determination , sovereignty and the future . then she asks her subjects how and where they would like to be photographed and takes their portrait . some wear traditional regalia and pose in sites relevant to their tribe 's history . others stand on their porches in t-shirts and jeans , or on the roofs of buildings . letting them decide is central to the project , wilbur said . participating in project 562 was an opportunity for keene to reflect on what being a contemporary native american ' meant to her . wilbur and keene knew each other before project 562 through their efforts in a larger movement in indian country to change negative perceptions of native americans . keene , a harvard-educated post-doctoral researcher at brown university focusing on native access to higher education , deconstructs stereotypes of native americans on her blog , native appropriations . like keene , wilbur left indian country to pursue higher education and spent part of her career in fashion photography before turning her camera on indigenous communities in south america and the united states . taking native american fashion'beyond buckskin' the two met in keene 's apartment in downtown phoenix in january , when keene was writing her dissertation as a predoctoral fellow at arizona state university . keene told wilbur about how her cherokee ancestors were forced from their ancestral lands in western north carolina to oklahoma . they lived in oklahoma until they were displaced by the construction of a river . it was not until keene was working on her dissertation at harvard that she visited her ancestral land in north carolina for the first time . she said it was a powerful experience she 'll never forget . we talked about how to me , being a real cherokee means i can go to those places and feel a connection with the land and know my ancestors stood there thousands of years ago , ' she said . this is something that runs through me , and that connection makes me a real cherokee person , being able to say that with full authority and full knowledge . i had n't felt it until i was there . ' creating a legacy for native youth the concept of identity is fluid from person to person and generation to generation , wilbur said . some native americans lost their language and traditions through assimilation in american indian boarding schools . others are fighting for federal recognition of their tribes under the vast regulatory criteria of the u.s. department of the interior 's bureau of indian affairs . the project has prompted her to ponder what being a native american will mean for future generations . code talker chester nez and the tragic history of native language ' i 've recently come to recognize that it really is about the actions , the way we choose to live our lives on a daily basis , is ( what 's ) really going to control the outcome of what happens to our people , ' wilbur explained . she has high hopes for project 562 's legacy . this year , a second kickstarter campaign surpassed her $ 54,000 goal , to raise more than $ 213,000 . she 's using the money to continue traveling and plan the next iteration of project 562 as books , websites , maybe even educational materials . the life we live is for the people , ' wilbur said . that 's what i was raised for , to find my gift and share it with the community . ' | those images , project 562 , show the diversity of native american identity |
north korea <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- the last bit of news i heard before boarding a plane to seoul a few days ago was that north korea had just fired 100 artillery shells into the sea near the border with south korea . disturbing news from north korea comes just as often as stories that make us laugh in disbelief . the many quirky , mystifying , baffling developments in pyongyang make its young ruler , kim jung un , an irresistible target for comedians . it was hard to suppress a laugh , for example , when north korea severely declared that an upcoming satirical hollywood movie constituted an act of war ' and filed an official complaint with the united nations . those are two sides of north korea -- deliberately frightening and inadvertently comical . then there 's a third side -- the part that makes us gasp in horror . a yearlong investigation conducted by the united nations found that north korea is a country whose depth of brutality does not have any parallel in the contemporary world . ' according to the report , north korea engages in murder , torture , slavery and mass starvation to terrorize the population into submission . stories from refugees who have escaped from north korea are a chilling reminder that the regime is not just a military threat , it is causing a terrible humanitarian crisis . north korea is a riddle kingdom that is simultaneously threatening , bizarre and brutal . the regime 's unpredictability is one of the factors that allow a small , impoverished state , unable to feed its own people , to stand toe to toe with much more powerful rivals . it is those random , capricious , frequently dangerous behaviors that allow fragile , brittle , bankrupt north korea to force its dazzlingly successful neighbor , south korea , to maintain a constant state of alert , to wonder if its capital city can survive an attack across a border that lies just 35 miles away . with its conventional and nuclear arsenals , north korea manages to keep the international community , including the united states , scrambling for an approach that might neutralize the danger and send a lifeline to the victims of the cruel regime . it 's tempting to ignore north korea 's antics as bluster , as empty threats . but pyongyang has launched deadly attacks . for example , in 2010 , it bombed a south korean island about 70 miles from seoul , killing four people . it may also have launched a torpedo that same year which sank a south korean navy ship , killing 46 . in 2013 , the north detonated a nuclear device and brazenly threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear attack ' against the u.s. a fourth nuclear test could be imminent . after the most recent escalation , south korean president park geun-hye spoke to military leaders and told them to prepare to retaliate . she described pyongyang as so erratic that you can not see even an inch ahead . ' the news from north korea can be so disconcerting that spoofs and rumors regularly make it into the news and social media as if they were fact . ahead of the world cup finals a satirical video purportedly showing a north korean newscast declaring the north 's team a finalist for the world cup went viral , repeated as if it were true , as just another amusing moment from pyongyang . and , why not ? truth and fiction are hard to tell apart . pyongyang has created its own version of the world for domestic consumption . north korean government researchers announced their country is the second happiest in the world -- second only to china . the late ruler , kim jung il , was reported to have bowled a perfect game the first time he set foot on a bowling alley . he was also supposedly the world 's best golfer . the official biography of the country 's rulers has looked like something out of a marvel comics book story . no official biography of the current kim has been released , other than an account that says he was born in heaven . ' that would fit with his father , kim jong il 's official story , which claims he was born under a double rainbow with the seasons spontaneously changing and a new star appearing in the sky for the occasion . the three generations of kim men who have ruled the north are painted as supernatural to the local population . abroad , they are cartoonish figures , whose behavior can leave diplomats and strategists scratching their heads . just a few months ago , the government published a gasp-inducing racist tirade against president barack obama , calling him a clown ' who does not even have the basic appearance of a human being . ' it suggested he live with monkeys in a zoo . racism , a myth of racial superiority , is a striking feature of the culture promoted by the regime . the authorities have created their own reality , brainwashed the population to keep the state functioning and the regime secure . to anyone who commits what the government deems an infraction , the punishment is inconceivably harsh . it 's all part of the riddle that keeps the world guessing , off-balance and nervous . by firing missiles , threatening neighbors and acting erratically , north korea portrays itself as mysterious and volatile , and even that perception magnifies its ability to create fear , adding to its power and helping keep the despotic regime in control . | frida ghitis : north korea is simultaneously threatening , bizarre and brutal |
north korea <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- the last bit of news i heard before boarding a plane to seoul a few days ago was that north korea had just fired 100 artillery shells into the sea near the border with south korea . disturbing news from north korea comes just as often as stories that make us laugh in disbelief . the many quirky , mystifying , baffling developments in pyongyang make its young ruler , kim jung un , an irresistible target for comedians . it was hard to suppress a laugh , for example , when north korea severely declared that an upcoming satirical hollywood movie constituted an act of war ' and filed an official complaint with the united nations . those are two sides of north korea -- deliberately frightening and inadvertently comical . then there 's a third side -- the part that makes us gasp in horror . a yearlong investigation conducted by the united nations found that north korea is a country whose depth of brutality does not have any parallel in the contemporary world . ' according to the report , north korea engages in murder , torture , slavery and mass starvation to terrorize the population into submission . stories from refugees who have escaped from north korea are a chilling reminder that the regime is not just a military threat , it is causing a terrible humanitarian crisis . north korea is a riddle kingdom that is simultaneously threatening , bizarre and brutal . the regime 's unpredictability is one of the factors that allow a small , impoverished state , unable to feed its own people , to stand toe to toe with much more powerful rivals . it is those random , capricious , frequently dangerous behaviors that allow fragile , brittle , bankrupt north korea to force its dazzlingly successful neighbor , south korea , to maintain a constant state of alert , to wonder if its capital city can survive an attack across a border that lies just 35 miles away . with its conventional and nuclear arsenals , north korea manages to keep the international community , including the united states , scrambling for an approach that might neutralize the danger and send a lifeline to the victims of the cruel regime . it 's tempting to ignore north korea 's antics as bluster , as empty threats . but pyongyang has launched deadly attacks . for example , in 2010 , it bombed a south korean island about 70 miles from seoul , killing four people . it may also have launched a torpedo that same year which sank a south korean navy ship , killing 46 . in 2013 , the north detonated a nuclear device and brazenly threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear attack ' against the u.s. a fourth nuclear test could be imminent . after the most recent escalation , south korean president park geun-hye spoke to military leaders and told them to prepare to retaliate . she described pyongyang as so erratic that you can not see even an inch ahead . ' the news from north korea can be so disconcerting that spoofs and rumors regularly make it into the news and social media as if they were fact . ahead of the world cup finals a satirical video purportedly showing a north korean newscast declaring the north 's team a finalist for the world cup went viral , repeated as if it were true , as just another amusing moment from pyongyang . and , why not ? truth and fiction are hard to tell apart . pyongyang has created its own version of the world for domestic consumption . north korean government researchers announced their country is the second happiest in the world -- second only to china . the late ruler , kim jung il , was reported to have bowled a perfect game the first time he set foot on a bowling alley . he was also supposedly the world 's best golfer . the official biography of the country 's rulers has looked like something out of a marvel comics book story . no official biography of the current kim has been released , other than an account that says he was born in heaven . ' that would fit with his father , kim jong il 's official story , which claims he was born under a double rainbow with the seasons spontaneously changing and a new star appearing in the sky for the occasion . the three generations of kim men who have ruled the north are painted as supernatural to the local population . abroad , they are cartoonish figures , whose behavior can leave diplomats and strategists scratching their heads . just a few months ago , the government published a gasp-inducing racist tirade against president barack obama , calling him a clown ' who does not even have the basic appearance of a human being . ' it suggested he live with monkeys in a zoo . racism , a myth of racial superiority , is a striking feature of the culture promoted by the regime . the authorities have created their own reality , brainwashed the population to keep the state functioning and the regime secure . to anyone who commits what the government deems an infraction , the punishment is inconceivably harsh . it 's all part of the riddle that keeps the world guessing , off-balance and nervous . by firing missiles , threatening neighbors and acting erratically , north korea portrays itself as mysterious and volatile , and even that perception magnifies its ability to create fear , adding to its power and helping keep the despotic regime in control . | north korea had fired artillery shells into the sea near the border with south korea |
north korea <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- the last bit of news i heard before boarding a plane to seoul a few days ago was that north korea had just fired 100 artillery shells into the sea near the border with south korea . disturbing news from north korea comes just as often as stories that make us laugh in disbelief . the many quirky , mystifying , baffling developments in pyongyang make its young ruler , kim jung un , an irresistible target for comedians . it was hard to suppress a laugh , for example , when north korea severely declared that an upcoming satirical hollywood movie constituted an act of war ' and filed an official complaint with the united nations . those are two sides of north korea -- deliberately frightening and inadvertently comical . then there 's a third side -- the part that makes us gasp in horror . a yearlong investigation conducted by the united nations found that north korea is a country whose depth of brutality does not have any parallel in the contemporary world . ' according to the report , north korea engages in murder , torture , slavery and mass starvation to terrorize the population into submission . stories from refugees who have escaped from north korea are a chilling reminder that the regime is not just a military threat , it is causing a terrible humanitarian crisis . north korea is a riddle kingdom that is simultaneously threatening , bizarre and brutal . the regime 's unpredictability is one of the factors that allow a small , impoverished state , unable to feed its own people , to stand toe to toe with much more powerful rivals . it is those random , capricious , frequently dangerous behaviors that allow fragile , brittle , bankrupt north korea to force its dazzlingly successful neighbor , south korea , to maintain a constant state of alert , to wonder if its capital city can survive an attack across a border that lies just 35 miles away . with its conventional and nuclear arsenals , north korea manages to keep the international community , including the united states , scrambling for an approach that might neutralize the danger and send a lifeline to the victims of the cruel regime . it 's tempting to ignore north korea 's antics as bluster , as empty threats . but pyongyang has launched deadly attacks . for example , in 2010 , it bombed a south korean island about 70 miles from seoul , killing four people . it may also have launched a torpedo that same year which sank a south korean navy ship , killing 46 . in 2013 , the north detonated a nuclear device and brazenly threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear attack ' against the u.s. a fourth nuclear test could be imminent . after the most recent escalation , south korean president park geun-hye spoke to military leaders and told them to prepare to retaliate . she described pyongyang as so erratic that you can not see even an inch ahead . ' the news from north korea can be so disconcerting that spoofs and rumors regularly make it into the news and social media as if they were fact . ahead of the world cup finals a satirical video purportedly showing a north korean newscast declaring the north 's team a finalist for the world cup went viral , repeated as if it were true , as just another amusing moment from pyongyang . and , why not ? truth and fiction are hard to tell apart . pyongyang has created its own version of the world for domestic consumption . north korean government researchers announced their country is the second happiest in the world -- second only to china . the late ruler , kim jung il , was reported to have bowled a perfect game the first time he set foot on a bowling alley . he was also supposedly the world 's best golfer . the official biography of the country 's rulers has looked like something out of a marvel comics book story . no official biography of the current kim has been released , other than an account that says he was born in heaven . ' that would fit with his father , kim jong il 's official story , which claims he was born under a double rainbow with the seasons spontaneously changing and a new star appearing in the sky for the occasion . the three generations of kim men who have ruled the north are painted as supernatural to the local population . abroad , they are cartoonish figures , whose behavior can leave diplomats and strategists scratching their heads . just a few months ago , the government published a gasp-inducing racist tirade against president barack obama , calling him a clown ' who does not even have the basic appearance of a human being . ' it suggested he live with monkeys in a zoo . racism , a myth of racial superiority , is a striking feature of the culture promoted by the regime . the authorities have created their own reality , brainwashed the population to keep the state functioning and the regime secure . to anyone who commits what the government deems an infraction , the punishment is inconceivably harsh . it 's all part of the riddle that keeps the world guessing , off-balance and nervous . by firing missiles , threatening neighbors and acting erratically , north korea portrays itself as mysterious and volatile , and even that perception magnifies its ability to create fear , adding to its power and helping keep the despotic regime in control . | she says it 's tempting to ignore north korea 's antics as bluster , as empty threats |
wheeler <tsp> ( cnn ) -- over the decades , celebrities have chosen various ways of dealing with an increasingly intrusive media . such methods have included suing ( jacqueline kennedy ) , punching ( marlon brando ) and putting a bag over one 's head ( shia labeouf ) . but alec baldwin 's coping mechanism opens a new chapter in the paparazzi wars . after celebrity gossip site tmz released footage of baldwin shouting profanity at an aggressive videographer ( with muffled audio that may or may not have contained a gay slur ) , baldwin published a bitter goodbye to public life ' essay in new york magazine . before we permanently lose any other celebrities to their secret hideouts , it 's time to consider a way to fight back against the paparazzi . in fact , baldwin was on the cusp of discovering a new weapon †” he just did n't realize it . upon first reading of baldwin 's tirade , you might have missed the solution ( after all , the piece is rather long and , at times , tiresome ) . but the answer is staring us in the face . in fact , it 's staring all of us in the face . every day . these days , baldwin said , everyone has a camera in their pocket . ' not just the ron galellas of the world , but all of the john q. publics looking for a chance to shame a celebrity . this kind of world is too much for baldwin , who is prone to losing his temper . but if cameras are small , cheap , and ubiquitous , why not use it to your advantage ? why not take one with you when you go in public , thus ensuring the public can always see your side of the story ? they are baiting you , ' baldwin said in his farewell-to-the-world . you can tell they want to get into it with you . some bump into me or block the entrance to my apartment ... ' exactly . so why not catch them in the act ? does that sound like too much trouble ? maybe so . but if you 're rich like baldwin , why not hire someone to follow you around and record life as it happens ? go about your daily life , but have a trusted and well-paid photographer at your side , documenting just how rude , invasive , and aggressive the celebrity chasers can be . still sound unreasonable ? there 's yet another solution that just made itself available . you can record your daily interactions with a wearable camera embedded in your glasses . if you want to show the world what really happened with that jerk of a photographer , just upload the footage from your google glass . as usa today reported earlier this month , police departments are outfitting their officers with wearable cameras to protect both police and citizens against unfair accusations . all of this might sound extreme . why should celebrities have to go to such lengths to protect themselves ? it may be a lot of trouble , but is n't it better than being humiliated repeatedly by out-of-context outbursts ? is n't it better than retiring from a job you love and living as a hermit for the rest of your life ? baldwin said in his diatribe , you 're out there in a world where if you do make a mistake , it echoes in a digital canyon forever . ' true , but not if you can show your side of the story . it may be too late for baldwin , but not for other celebrities . do n't disappear from public life just to spite the paparazzi . if you do , the celebrity gossip sites will win . it 's time for a 21st century solution . it 's time to fight photos with photos . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of david r. wheeler . | wheeler : by recording his life , celebrities can fight photos with photos |
wheeler <tsp> ( cnn ) -- over the decades , celebrities have chosen various ways of dealing with an increasingly intrusive media . such methods have included suing ( jacqueline kennedy ) , punching ( marlon brando ) and putting a bag over one 's head ( shia labeouf ) . but alec baldwin 's coping mechanism opens a new chapter in the paparazzi wars . after celebrity gossip site tmz released footage of baldwin shouting profanity at an aggressive videographer ( with muffled audio that may or may not have contained a gay slur ) , baldwin published a bitter goodbye to public life ' essay in new york magazine . before we permanently lose any other celebrities to their secret hideouts , it 's time to consider a way to fight back against the paparazzi . in fact , baldwin was on the cusp of discovering a new weapon †” he just did n't realize it . upon first reading of baldwin 's tirade , you might have missed the solution ( after all , the piece is rather long and , at times , tiresome ) . but the answer is staring us in the face . in fact , it 's staring all of us in the face . every day . these days , baldwin said , everyone has a camera in their pocket . ' not just the ron galellas of the world , but all of the john q. publics looking for a chance to shame a celebrity . this kind of world is too much for baldwin , who is prone to losing his temper . but if cameras are small , cheap , and ubiquitous , why not use it to your advantage ? why not take one with you when you go in public , thus ensuring the public can always see your side of the story ? they are baiting you , ' baldwin said in his farewell-to-the-world . you can tell they want to get into it with you . some bump into me or block the entrance to my apartment ... ' exactly . so why not catch them in the act ? does that sound like too much trouble ? maybe so . but if you 're rich like baldwin , why not hire someone to follow you around and record life as it happens ? go about your daily life , but have a trusted and well-paid photographer at your side , documenting just how rude , invasive , and aggressive the celebrity chasers can be . still sound unreasonable ? there 's yet another solution that just made itself available . you can record your daily interactions with a wearable camera embedded in your glasses . if you want to show the world what really happened with that jerk of a photographer , just upload the footage from your google glass . as usa today reported earlier this month , police departments are outfitting their officers with wearable cameras to protect both police and citizens against unfair accusations . all of this might sound extreme . why should celebrities have to go to such lengths to protect themselves ? it may be a lot of trouble , but is n't it better than being humiliated repeatedly by out-of-context outbursts ? is n't it better than retiring from a job you love and living as a hermit for the rest of your life ? baldwin said in his diatribe , you 're out there in a world where if you do make a mistake , it echoes in a digital canyon forever . ' true , but not if you can show your side of the story . it may be too late for baldwin , but not for other celebrities . do n't disappear from public life just to spite the paparazzi . if you do , the celebrity gossip sites will win . it 's time for a 21st century solution . it 's time to fight photos with photos . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of david r. wheeler . | david wheeler : baldwin should consider how to fight back against the paparazzi |
lausanne <tsp> former f1 champion michael schumacher has been discharged from a swiss hospital and is returning to his home , where he 'll continue his recovery from head injuries suffered in a skiing accident last year , his spokeswoman said tuesday . considering the severe injuries he suffered , progress has been made in the past weeks and months , ' said sabine kehm . there is still , however , a long and difficult road ahead . ' schumacher , 45 , sustained severe head trauma in a skiing accident at the french alps resort of meribel on december 29 . his investigative team said it thinks the experienced skier hit a rock hidden beneath the snow while traversing an area between two marked pistes , which catapulted him face-first onto another rock . he was treated first at a hospital in grenoble , in france , and then in june moved to a hospital in lausanne , switzerland , near the schumacher family home . kehm appealed , as she has previously , for the privacy of his family to be respected as schumacher continues his recovery . the german national is a seven-time world champion whose f1 racing career ended in 2012 . | he has been discharged from a hospital in lausanne , switzerland |
pakistan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the deadly attack in kabul on shi'ite worshippers celebrating the feast of ashura adds one more layer to the country 's overlapping security crises . and they evoke violent sectarian rivalries in iraq and pakistan , where animosity between sunni and shia runs deep . afghanistan has its own cultural rifts -- between ethnic pashtun and tajik , for example -- but it 's rare to see such an explosion of religiously motivated violence . kate clark , with the afghan analysts network in kabul , described the attack as a real shock . ' whatever else has happened in the past 30 years we have n't had this sort of sectarian attack aimed at killing lots of people , ' she told cnn by phone from the afghan capital . the first claim of responsibility for the bombing in the afghan capital has come from a militant sunni group in pakistan with a history of sectarian attacks against shia . a man identifying himself as a spokesman for lashkar-e-janghvi al almi , a group with links to al qaeda and the pakistan taliban , claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to radio mashaal , a pashto-language station in pakistan sponsored by the united states government . a similar call was reportedly made to the bbc 's urdu-language service . the group is an offshoot of the powerful lashkar-e-janghvi ( lej ) , which has a record of high-profile suicide bombings in pakistan , including the attack on the marriott hotel in islamabad in 2008 . al-almi 's most destructive attack to date was a double suicide bombing in northwest pakistan last year . the bombers -- wearing burkas -- killed 42 people belonging to tribes that opposed the pakistan taliban , also known for its antipathy toward shia . if the claim by al-almi proves valid , it would not surprise some afghan shia , who were quick to point the finger at some form of pakistani involvement in the attacks tuesday . lej has a long history of targeting the hazara shia community in pakistan . the hazara are numerous in both pakistan and afghanistan , and make up much of afghanistan 's shia minority . they have endured decades of persecution in both countries , and sunni militants have frequently painted then as collaborators with occupying powers . this year , apparently in retaliation for the killing of osama bin laden , lej gunned down several hazara in quetta , capital of balochistan province and also home to the afghan taliban 's political leadership . in a subsequent open letter , the lej warned : we will rid pakistan of [ this ] unclean people . pakistan means land of the pure , and the shias have no right to be here . ' in october , sunni militants killed dozens more hazara . in one instance , they stopped a bus of shia pilgrims on their way to iran from pakistani balochistan and shot dead 26 male passengers in front of their families . lashkar-e-jhangvi has not been obviously active in afghanistan since it maintained training camps there during taliban rule in the 1990s . but other sunni militants -- especially factions among the pakistani taliban -- have established a presence in some afghan border provinces . and regional analysts perceive fluid links , contacts and cross-fertilization between the myriad groups operating in the afghan-pakistan border region . the taliban were quick to disown and condemn the attacks . kate clark says that while she is circumspect about the taliban 's denial , such an attack would be at odds with the taliban leadership 's claim to be a national movement -- and is not part of a pattern of such attacks by the group . clark also points out that mullah omar in his eid message last month urged taliban fighters to protect the lives , wealth and honor of ordinary people . ' that being said , 80 percent of all civilian deaths in afghanistan are attributed to the armed opposition ; and orders from the quetta shura , as the leadership is known , are only patchily enforced by field commanders . the taliban are not a monolith , as one afghan observer puts it , and it is possible that at local level there may have been collaboration between a taliban operative and lej . the taliban have not played the sectarian card since becoming an insurgency . but when in power in the 1990s they brutally persecuted afghanistan 's hazara community . human rights watch documented two massacres of hazara in 2000 and 2001 by taliban forces . and after capturing mazar e sharif in 1998 , taliban fighters killed hundreds of hazara in retaliation for the mass execution of its own soldiers the previous year . since the overthrow of the taliban , afghanistan 's hazara have prospered -- in higher education , the government and the military and they have embraced new democratic processes . the annual ashura celebration in kabul has become more elaborate . that may have been temptation enough for the hazaras'enemies . if the bombings on tuesday were an attempt to sow sectarian strife in afghanistan , they most obviously imitate al qaeda in iraq , which when led by abu musab al zarqawi tried to ignite a sectarian war between sunnis and the country 's shi'ite majority in a series of attacks aimed at holy shi'ite occasions and shrines . read the latest on the attacks and the cancellation of karzai 's trip kate clark of the afghan analysts network believes that in afghanistan restraint will prevail . hazara leaders have already called on their community to remain calm and not to take the bait offered by these attacks . on all sides , clark says , there is a realization that sectarian conflict is a no-win situation in which tit-for-tat attacks would claim hundreds of lives . | the attack harkens violent sectarian rivalries in iraq , pakistan |
shi'ite <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the deadly attack in kabul on shi'ite worshippers celebrating the feast of ashura adds one more layer to the country 's overlapping security crises . and they evoke violent sectarian rivalries in iraq and pakistan , where animosity between sunni and shia runs deep . afghanistan has its own cultural rifts -- between ethnic pashtun and tajik , for example -- but it 's rare to see such an explosion of religiously motivated violence . kate clark , with the afghan analysts network in kabul , described the attack as a real shock . ' whatever else has happened in the past 30 years we have n't had this sort of sectarian attack aimed at killing lots of people , ' she told cnn by phone from the afghan capital . the first claim of responsibility for the bombing in the afghan capital has come from a militant sunni group in pakistan with a history of sectarian attacks against shia . a man identifying himself as a spokesman for lashkar-e-janghvi al almi , a group with links to al qaeda and the pakistan taliban , claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to radio mashaal , a pashto-language station in pakistan sponsored by the united states government . a similar call was reportedly made to the bbc 's urdu-language service . the group is an offshoot of the powerful lashkar-e-janghvi ( lej ) , which has a record of high-profile suicide bombings in pakistan , including the attack on the marriott hotel in islamabad in 2008 . al-almi 's most destructive attack to date was a double suicide bombing in northwest pakistan last year . the bombers -- wearing burkas -- killed 42 people belonging to tribes that opposed the pakistan taliban , also known for its antipathy toward shia . if the claim by al-almi proves valid , it would not surprise some afghan shia , who were quick to point the finger at some form of pakistani involvement in the attacks tuesday . lej has a long history of targeting the hazara shia community in pakistan . the hazara are numerous in both pakistan and afghanistan , and make up much of afghanistan 's shia minority . they have endured decades of persecution in both countries , and sunni militants have frequently painted then as collaborators with occupying powers . this year , apparently in retaliation for the killing of osama bin laden , lej gunned down several hazara in quetta , capital of balochistan province and also home to the afghan taliban 's political leadership . in a subsequent open letter , the lej warned : we will rid pakistan of [ this ] unclean people . pakistan means land of the pure , and the shias have no right to be here . ' in october , sunni militants killed dozens more hazara . in one instance , they stopped a bus of shia pilgrims on their way to iran from pakistani balochistan and shot dead 26 male passengers in front of their families . lashkar-e-jhangvi has not been obviously active in afghanistan since it maintained training camps there during taliban rule in the 1990s . but other sunni militants -- especially factions among the pakistani taliban -- have established a presence in some afghan border provinces . and regional analysts perceive fluid links , contacts and cross-fertilization between the myriad groups operating in the afghan-pakistan border region . the taliban were quick to disown and condemn the attacks . kate clark says that while she is circumspect about the taliban 's denial , such an attack would be at odds with the taliban leadership 's claim to be a national movement -- and is not part of a pattern of such attacks by the group . clark also points out that mullah omar in his eid message last month urged taliban fighters to protect the lives , wealth and honor of ordinary people . ' that being said , 80 percent of all civilian deaths in afghanistan are attributed to the armed opposition ; and orders from the quetta shura , as the leadership is known , are only patchily enforced by field commanders . the taliban are not a monolith , as one afghan observer puts it , and it is possible that at local level there may have been collaboration between a taliban operative and lej . the taliban have not played the sectarian card since becoming an insurgency . but when in power in the 1990s they brutally persecuted afghanistan 's hazara community . human rights watch documented two massacres of hazara in 2000 and 2001 by taliban forces . and after capturing mazar e sharif in 1998 , taliban fighters killed hundreds of hazara in retaliation for the mass execution of its own soldiers the previous year . since the overthrow of the taliban , afghanistan 's hazara have prospered -- in higher education , the government and the military and they have embraced new democratic processes . the annual ashura celebration in kabul has become more elaborate . that may have been temptation enough for the hazaras'enemies . if the bombings on tuesday were an attempt to sow sectarian strife in afghanistan , they most obviously imitate al qaeda in iraq , which when led by abu musab al zarqawi tried to ignite a sectarian war between sunnis and the country 's shi'ite majority in a series of attacks aimed at holy shi'ite occasions and shrines . read the latest on the attacks and the cancellation of karzai 's trip kate clark of the afghan analysts network believes that in afghanistan restraint will prevail . hazara leaders have already called on their community to remain calm and not to take the bait offered by these attacks . on all sides , clark says , there is a realization that sectarian conflict is a no-win situation in which tit-for-tat attacks would claim hundreds of lives . | shi'ite worshippers were attacked as they celebrated ashura |
afghanistan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the deadly attack in kabul on shi'ite worshippers celebrating the feast of ashura adds one more layer to the country 's overlapping security crises . and they evoke violent sectarian rivalries in iraq and pakistan , where animosity between sunni and shia runs deep . afghanistan has its own cultural rifts -- between ethnic pashtun and tajik , for example -- but it 's rare to see such an explosion of religiously motivated violence . kate clark , with the afghan analysts network in kabul , described the attack as a real shock . ' whatever else has happened in the past 30 years we have n't had this sort of sectarian attack aimed at killing lots of people , ' she told cnn by phone from the afghan capital . the first claim of responsibility for the bombing in the afghan capital has come from a militant sunni group in pakistan with a history of sectarian attacks against shia . a man identifying himself as a spokesman for lashkar-e-janghvi al almi , a group with links to al qaeda and the pakistan taliban , claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to radio mashaal , a pashto-language station in pakistan sponsored by the united states government . a similar call was reportedly made to the bbc 's urdu-language service . the group is an offshoot of the powerful lashkar-e-janghvi ( lej ) , which has a record of high-profile suicide bombings in pakistan , including the attack on the marriott hotel in islamabad in 2008 . al-almi 's most destructive attack to date was a double suicide bombing in northwest pakistan last year . the bombers -- wearing burkas -- killed 42 people belonging to tribes that opposed the pakistan taliban , also known for its antipathy toward shia . if the claim by al-almi proves valid , it would not surprise some afghan shia , who were quick to point the finger at some form of pakistani involvement in the attacks tuesday . lej has a long history of targeting the hazara shia community in pakistan . the hazara are numerous in both pakistan and afghanistan , and make up much of afghanistan 's shia minority . they have endured decades of persecution in both countries , and sunni militants have frequently painted then as collaborators with occupying powers . this year , apparently in retaliation for the killing of osama bin laden , lej gunned down several hazara in quetta , capital of balochistan province and also home to the afghan taliban 's political leadership . in a subsequent open letter , the lej warned : we will rid pakistan of [ this ] unclean people . pakistan means land of the pure , and the shias have no right to be here . ' in october , sunni militants killed dozens more hazara . in one instance , they stopped a bus of shia pilgrims on their way to iran from pakistani balochistan and shot dead 26 male passengers in front of their families . lashkar-e-jhangvi has not been obviously active in afghanistan since it maintained training camps there during taliban rule in the 1990s . but other sunni militants -- especially factions among the pakistani taliban -- have established a presence in some afghan border provinces . and regional analysts perceive fluid links , contacts and cross-fertilization between the myriad groups operating in the afghan-pakistan border region . the taliban were quick to disown and condemn the attacks . kate clark says that while she is circumspect about the taliban 's denial , such an attack would be at odds with the taliban leadership 's claim to be a national movement -- and is not part of a pattern of such attacks by the group . clark also points out that mullah omar in his eid message last month urged taliban fighters to protect the lives , wealth and honor of ordinary people . ' that being said , 80 percent of all civilian deaths in afghanistan are attributed to the armed opposition ; and orders from the quetta shura , as the leadership is known , are only patchily enforced by field commanders . the taliban are not a monolith , as one afghan observer puts it , and it is possible that at local level there may have been collaboration between a taliban operative and lej . the taliban have not played the sectarian card since becoming an insurgency . but when in power in the 1990s they brutally persecuted afghanistan 's hazara community . human rights watch documented two massacres of hazara in 2000 and 2001 by taliban forces . and after capturing mazar e sharif in 1998 , taliban fighters killed hundreds of hazara in retaliation for the mass execution of its own soldiers the previous year . since the overthrow of the taliban , afghanistan 's hazara have prospered -- in higher education , the government and the military and they have embraced new democratic processes . the annual ashura celebration in kabul has become more elaborate . that may have been temptation enough for the hazaras'enemies . if the bombings on tuesday were an attempt to sow sectarian strife in afghanistan , they most obviously imitate al qaeda in iraq , which when led by abu musab al zarqawi tried to ignite a sectarian war between sunnis and the country 's shi'ite majority in a series of attacks aimed at holy shi'ite occasions and shrines . read the latest on the attacks and the cancellation of karzai 's trip kate clark of the afghan analysts network believes that in afghanistan restraint will prevail . hazara leaders have already called on their community to remain calm and not to take the bait offered by these attacks . on all sides , clark says , there is a realization that sectarian conflict is a no-win situation in which tit-for-tat attacks would claim hundreds of lives . | this kind of sectarian aggression is rare in afghanistan |
south korea <tsp> north korea is facing possibly its worst drought in 50 years , state media reported this week . may is on track to be the driest since 1962 , with rainfall of less than a quarter of an inch ( 2-5 mm ) recorded in major cities , including the capital , pyongyang , the korean central news agency said . the dry conditions are expected to continue into early june , north korea 's rodong newspaper reported , citing a state weather official . rain during the last 30 days has been lower than normal in the north , according to jang hyun-sik with the south korean meteorological administration . on average , it is supposed to rain in the range of 70-90 mm ( 2.75 to 3.5 inches ) during this period , ' jang said , noting that south korean forecasters do not directly communicate with their counterparts in the north . rodong reported that the drought has delayed the planting of corn and has already damaged crops like wheat , barley and potatoes , but said irrigation can fight off the damage . ' north korea 's food shortages are well documented . the world food program says more than 6 million people in the reclusive nation do n't have enough to eat . south korean unification ministry 's spokesman kim hyung-suk seoul is open to allowing private organizations to provide humanitarian aid to the north . no food aid is likely to come from the united states . washington canceled its plan for food shipments after pyongyang launched a rocket on april 13 . north korea said the launch was to put a satellite into orbit , but much of the international community saw it as a cover up for testing its ballistic missile technology . the move torpedoed a deal reached in february under which pyongyang agreed to suspend its nuclear activities in exchange for food aid shipments . | little food aid is expected from south korea and the united states |
zelizer <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on june 17 , 1964 , president lyndon johnson explained to the new york times reporter james scotty ' reston why he had to stay the course in vietnam by stabilizing the south vietnamese government so that it could fight communism . johnson rejected calls for withdrawal that were being made by liberal democrats as well as the proposal for neutralization promoted by france 's charles de gaulle . so the only thing you 've got left , ' johnson said , is try to make this thing more efficient and more effective and hold as strong as you can and keep this government as stable as you can and try to improve it as you can and that we 're doing day and night . ' during his recent speech at west point , president obama rejected the lessons that these kinds of stories tell us about afghanistan . the president , saying that the comparison with vietnam relies on a false reading of history , ' pointed to three differences . the first is that the u.s. is now part of a broad international coalition . the second is that in vietnam the u.s. faced a broad-based popular insurgency ' whereas today , according to most polls , a large number of afghans support foreign assistance . last , obama added , is that today americans are responding to a very real threat that began with the vicious attack on 9/11 . clearly , obama feels defensive about this analogy and hopes to undercut liberal critics who are frustrated and disappointed with his decision . in trying to separate himself from the experience of johnson , however , obama did not give an accurate account of what many commentators have been saying recently , and he downplayed crucial aspects of the 1960s that do in fact offer warnings for today . mark twain once said that history does not repeat itself , but it rhymes . most of those who have compared afghanistan to vietnam do not say that the situations were exactly the same politically or strategically . nor is it inevitable that the surge in afghanistan will be unsuccessful . the point of the comparison is that it is impossible to ignore the fact that obama faces similar challenges , as did johnson when the americanization ' of vietnam began in the spring of 1965 . both presidents entered the war despite the fact that many top advisers in the white house and in congress were strongly warning against escalation . in 1964 , johnson heard from voices ranging from idaho liberal frank church to georgia hawk richard russell that vietnam was not critical to fighting communism and that the war was unwinnable . their warnings proved to be accurate . going into this decision , obama heard comparable criticism as well . both presidents also expanded the war just as they were trying to shape a broad domestic agenda . johnson was much further ahead of the game when he increased the number of ground troops in the war that he inherited . the war devastated johnson 's domestic efforts . obama faces the same threat . both wars have been justified as wars of necessity . with vietnam , proponents warned that the fall of southeast asia to communism would vastly strengthen the soviet union and china . in an era when american schoolchildren were being taught to duck and cover under their desks in case of nuclear war , this warning about vietnam also made the war seem essential . today , the necessity stems from the claim that failure would resurrect the dangers we faced before 9/11 . and both presidents escalated wars where the path to victory and the potential costs -- in terms of human capital and budgetary obligations -- were unclear . despite the fact that johnson confronted a very different kind of enemy , the risk today is enormously high . in afghanistan , the u.s. is dealing with a war front that is notoriously treacherous , as the soviets learned in the 1980s and the u.s. has learned since 2001 . the u.s. is also depending on a highly corrupt and undependable government in afghanistan . while the promise of withdrawal in july 2011 might be accurate , presidential assurances of benchmarks and end games historically do n't come true . the one constant in warfare is that it is unpredictable and difficult to control . one day after obama 's speech , defense secretary robert gates indicated that the deadline was not firm . and the administration might very well be handcuffing itself to a strategy of more warfare as it keeps offering grave warnings about what a victory by the taliban would mean . these warnings will make it difficult in the long run for the administration to contain the operation or to withdraw forces unless it is absolutely clear that the taliban has been defeated . democrats could find themselves feeling like their predecessors in the 1950s who were under political pressure to abide by the containment arguments outlined by president harry truman with the truman doctrine in 1947 -- first with korea in 1950 and then with vietnam . obama should not be so defensive about the comparisons with vietnam . rather , he should use johnson 's experience to help guide him as he makes crucial decisions in the months ahead and attempts to navigate the challenges of the wartime presidency . in a conversation with a few of his closest advisers , johnson said in 1964 that it 's damned easy to get in a war but it 's gon na be awfully hard to ever extricate yourself if you get in . ' in 1965 , johnson made the mistake of excluding those who were trying to warn him about the dangers of the war . let 's hope that this time around obama does not repeat this error . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer . | zelizer : obama should use lessons of vietnam as a guide |
zelizer <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on june 17 , 1964 , president lyndon johnson explained to the new york times reporter james scotty ' reston why he had to stay the course in vietnam by stabilizing the south vietnamese government so that it could fight communism . johnson rejected calls for withdrawal that were being made by liberal democrats as well as the proposal for neutralization promoted by france 's charles de gaulle . so the only thing you 've got left , ' johnson said , is try to make this thing more efficient and more effective and hold as strong as you can and keep this government as stable as you can and try to improve it as you can and that we 're doing day and night . ' during his recent speech at west point , president obama rejected the lessons that these kinds of stories tell us about afghanistan . the president , saying that the comparison with vietnam relies on a false reading of history , ' pointed to three differences . the first is that the u.s. is now part of a broad international coalition . the second is that in vietnam the u.s. faced a broad-based popular insurgency ' whereas today , according to most polls , a large number of afghans support foreign assistance . last , obama added , is that today americans are responding to a very real threat that began with the vicious attack on 9/11 . clearly , obama feels defensive about this analogy and hopes to undercut liberal critics who are frustrated and disappointed with his decision . in trying to separate himself from the experience of johnson , however , obama did not give an accurate account of what many commentators have been saying recently , and he downplayed crucial aspects of the 1960s that do in fact offer warnings for today . mark twain once said that history does not repeat itself , but it rhymes . most of those who have compared afghanistan to vietnam do not say that the situations were exactly the same politically or strategically . nor is it inevitable that the surge in afghanistan will be unsuccessful . the point of the comparison is that it is impossible to ignore the fact that obama faces similar challenges , as did johnson when the americanization ' of vietnam began in the spring of 1965 . both presidents entered the war despite the fact that many top advisers in the white house and in congress were strongly warning against escalation . in 1964 , johnson heard from voices ranging from idaho liberal frank church to georgia hawk richard russell that vietnam was not critical to fighting communism and that the war was unwinnable . their warnings proved to be accurate . going into this decision , obama heard comparable criticism as well . both presidents also expanded the war just as they were trying to shape a broad domestic agenda . johnson was much further ahead of the game when he increased the number of ground troops in the war that he inherited . the war devastated johnson 's domestic efforts . obama faces the same threat . both wars have been justified as wars of necessity . with vietnam , proponents warned that the fall of southeast asia to communism would vastly strengthen the soviet union and china . in an era when american schoolchildren were being taught to duck and cover under their desks in case of nuclear war , this warning about vietnam also made the war seem essential . today , the necessity stems from the claim that failure would resurrect the dangers we faced before 9/11 . and both presidents escalated wars where the path to victory and the potential costs -- in terms of human capital and budgetary obligations -- were unclear . despite the fact that johnson confronted a very different kind of enemy , the risk today is enormously high . in afghanistan , the u.s. is dealing with a war front that is notoriously treacherous , as the soviets learned in the 1980s and the u.s. has learned since 2001 . the u.s. is also depending on a highly corrupt and undependable government in afghanistan . while the promise of withdrawal in july 2011 might be accurate , presidential assurances of benchmarks and end games historically do n't come true . the one constant in warfare is that it is unpredictable and difficult to control . one day after obama 's speech , defense secretary robert gates indicated that the deadline was not firm . and the administration might very well be handcuffing itself to a strategy of more warfare as it keeps offering grave warnings about what a victory by the taliban would mean . these warnings will make it difficult in the long run for the administration to contain the operation or to withdraw forces unless it is absolutely clear that the taliban has been defeated . democrats could find themselves feeling like their predecessors in the 1950s who were under political pressure to abide by the containment arguments outlined by president harry truman with the truman doctrine in 1947 -- first with korea in 1950 and then with vietnam . obama should not be so defensive about the comparisons with vietnam . rather , he should use johnson 's experience to help guide him as he makes crucial decisions in the months ahead and attempts to navigate the challenges of the wartime presidency . in a conversation with a few of his closest advisers , johnson said in 1964 that it 's damned easy to get in a war but it 's gon na be awfully hard to ever extricate yourself if you get in . ' in 1965 , johnson made the mistake of excluding those who were trying to warn him about the dangers of the war . let 's hope that this time around obama does not repeat this error . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer . | zelizer : some vietnam-afghanistan comparisons have merit |
vietnam <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on june 17 , 1964 , president lyndon johnson explained to the new york times reporter james scotty ' reston why he had to stay the course in vietnam by stabilizing the south vietnamese government so that it could fight communism . johnson rejected calls for withdrawal that were being made by liberal democrats as well as the proposal for neutralization promoted by france 's charles de gaulle . so the only thing you 've got left , ' johnson said , is try to make this thing more efficient and more effective and hold as strong as you can and keep this government as stable as you can and try to improve it as you can and that we 're doing day and night . ' during his recent speech at west point , president obama rejected the lessons that these kinds of stories tell us about afghanistan . the president , saying that the comparison with vietnam relies on a false reading of history , ' pointed to three differences . the first is that the u.s. is now part of a broad international coalition . the second is that in vietnam the u.s. faced a broad-based popular insurgency ' whereas today , according to most polls , a large number of afghans support foreign assistance . last , obama added , is that today americans are responding to a very real threat that began with the vicious attack on 9/11 . clearly , obama feels defensive about this analogy and hopes to undercut liberal critics who are frustrated and disappointed with his decision . in trying to separate himself from the experience of johnson , however , obama did not give an accurate account of what many commentators have been saying recently , and he downplayed crucial aspects of the 1960s that do in fact offer warnings for today . mark twain once said that history does not repeat itself , but it rhymes . most of those who have compared afghanistan to vietnam do not say that the situations were exactly the same politically or strategically . nor is it inevitable that the surge in afghanistan will be unsuccessful . the point of the comparison is that it is impossible to ignore the fact that obama faces similar challenges , as did johnson when the americanization ' of vietnam began in the spring of 1965 . both presidents entered the war despite the fact that many top advisers in the white house and in congress were strongly warning against escalation . in 1964 , johnson heard from voices ranging from idaho liberal frank church to georgia hawk richard russell that vietnam was not critical to fighting communism and that the war was unwinnable . their warnings proved to be accurate . going into this decision , obama heard comparable criticism as well . both presidents also expanded the war just as they were trying to shape a broad domestic agenda . johnson was much further ahead of the game when he increased the number of ground troops in the war that he inherited . the war devastated johnson 's domestic efforts . obama faces the same threat . both wars have been justified as wars of necessity . with vietnam , proponents warned that the fall of southeast asia to communism would vastly strengthen the soviet union and china . in an era when american schoolchildren were being taught to duck and cover under their desks in case of nuclear war , this warning about vietnam also made the war seem essential . today , the necessity stems from the claim that failure would resurrect the dangers we faced before 9/11 . and both presidents escalated wars where the path to victory and the potential costs -- in terms of human capital and budgetary obligations -- were unclear . despite the fact that johnson confronted a very different kind of enemy , the risk today is enormously high . in afghanistan , the u.s. is dealing with a war front that is notoriously treacherous , as the soviets learned in the 1980s and the u.s. has learned since 2001 . the u.s. is also depending on a highly corrupt and undependable government in afghanistan . while the promise of withdrawal in july 2011 might be accurate , presidential assurances of benchmarks and end games historically do n't come true . the one constant in warfare is that it is unpredictable and difficult to control . one day after obama 's speech , defense secretary robert gates indicated that the deadline was not firm . and the administration might very well be handcuffing itself to a strategy of more warfare as it keeps offering grave warnings about what a victory by the taliban would mean . these warnings will make it difficult in the long run for the administration to contain the operation or to withdraw forces unless it is absolutely clear that the taliban has been defeated . democrats could find themselves feeling like their predecessors in the 1950s who were under political pressure to abide by the containment arguments outlined by president harry truman with the truman doctrine in 1947 -- first with korea in 1950 and then with vietnam . obama should not be so defensive about the comparisons with vietnam . rather , he should use johnson 's experience to help guide him as he makes crucial decisions in the months ahead and attempts to navigate the challenges of the wartime presidency . in a conversation with a few of his closest advisers , johnson said in 1964 that it 's damned easy to get in a war but it 's gon na be awfully hard to ever extricate yourself if you get in . ' in 1965 , johnson made the mistake of excluding those who were trying to warn him about the dangers of the war . let 's hope that this time around obama does not repeat this error . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer . | zelizer : obama should use lessons of vietnam as a guide |
chinese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the chinese foreign ministry demanded tuesday that cnn 's jack cafferty apologize for remarks he made last week , in which he called the chinese goons and thugs ' and said products manufactured in china are junk . ' cafferty used the microphone in his hands to slander china and the chinese people ( and ) seriously violated professional ethics of journalism and human conscience , ' foreign ministry spokeswoman jiang yu said tuesday , according to china 's state-run xinhua news agency . she said cafferty 's remarks reflected his arrogance , ignorance and hostility towards the chinese people , ignited indignation of chinese ( at ) home and abroad and will be condemned by those who safeguard justice around the world . ' cnn issued a statement tuesday saying : we are aware of concerns about jack cafferty 's comments related to china in the context of the upcoming olympics , which were broadcast on the situation room on april 9 , 2008 . cnn would like to clarify that it was not mr. cafferty 's , nor cnn 's , intent to cause offense to the chinese people , and [ cnn ] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way . cnn is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion . however , as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate . on this occasion jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the chinese government , not the chinese people -- - a point he subsequently clarified on the situation room on april 14 . it should be noted that over many years , jack cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments , including the u.s. government and its leaders . ' cafferty , who appears daily on cnn 's the situation room , ' made the remarks as host wolf blitzer was comparing today 's china to that of 20 or 30 years ago . i do n't know if china is any different , but our relationship with china is certainly different , ' cafferty said . we 're in hock to the chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in iraq , for one thing . they 're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper . we are also running hundreds of billions of dollars'worth of trade deficits with them , as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export , you know , jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we 're buying from wal-mart . so i think our relationship with china has certainly changed , ' he said . i think they 're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they 've been for the last 50 years . ' he issued a clarification of his remarks on monday 's situation room , ' saying that by goons and thugs , ' he meant the chinese government , not the chinese people . it was unclear whether china 's foreign ministry was aware of the clarification when it held the tuesday news conference . in the days following his remarks , however , the legal immigrant association launched an online petition condemning his statements as racist ' and despicable ' and demanding that cnn discipline cafferty and apologize to the chinese people . nearly 45,000 people had signed it as of tuesday afternoon . in the petition , the association describes itself as a leading organization of legal immigrants mainly comprised of people from china . ' according to its web site , the nonprofit group is based in santa clara , california , and was founded in 2007 as an organization dedicated to the social well-being of employment-based immigrant professionals . ' the state-run english-language newspaper china daily also said in an editorial tuesday that an apology is called for , calling cafferty pathetic ' and noting , it is rare for the world audience to hear such a blatant discrimination against an ethnic group of people with such a derogatory connotation . ' others angered by cafferty 's remarks were urging a boycott of cnn 's advertisers . e-mail to a friend | cafferty said chinese are goons and thugs ' and products are junk ' |
chinese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the chinese foreign ministry demanded tuesday that cnn 's jack cafferty apologize for remarks he made last week , in which he called the chinese goons and thugs ' and said products manufactured in china are junk . ' cafferty used the microphone in his hands to slander china and the chinese people ( and ) seriously violated professional ethics of journalism and human conscience , ' foreign ministry spokeswoman jiang yu said tuesday , according to china 's state-run xinhua news agency . she said cafferty 's remarks reflected his arrogance , ignorance and hostility towards the chinese people , ignited indignation of chinese ( at ) home and abroad and will be condemned by those who safeguard justice around the world . ' cnn issued a statement tuesday saying : we are aware of concerns about jack cafferty 's comments related to china in the context of the upcoming olympics , which were broadcast on the situation room on april 9 , 2008 . cnn would like to clarify that it was not mr. cafferty 's , nor cnn 's , intent to cause offense to the chinese people , and [ cnn ] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way . cnn is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion . however , as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate . on this occasion jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the chinese government , not the chinese people -- - a point he subsequently clarified on the situation room on april 14 . it should be noted that over many years , jack cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments , including the u.s. government and its leaders . ' cafferty , who appears daily on cnn 's the situation room , ' made the remarks as host wolf blitzer was comparing today 's china to that of 20 or 30 years ago . i do n't know if china is any different , but our relationship with china is certainly different , ' cafferty said . we 're in hock to the chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in iraq , for one thing . they 're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper . we are also running hundreds of billions of dollars'worth of trade deficits with them , as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export , you know , jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we 're buying from wal-mart . so i think our relationship with china has certainly changed , ' he said . i think they 're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they 've been for the last 50 years . ' he issued a clarification of his remarks on monday 's situation room , ' saying that by goons and thugs , ' he meant the chinese government , not the chinese people . it was unclear whether china 's foreign ministry was aware of the clarification when it held the tuesday news conference . in the days following his remarks , however , the legal immigrant association launched an online petition condemning his statements as racist ' and despicable ' and demanding that cnn discipline cafferty and apologize to the chinese people . nearly 45,000 people had signed it as of tuesday afternoon . in the petition , the association describes itself as a leading organization of legal immigrants mainly comprised of people from china . ' according to its web site , the nonprofit group is based in santa clara , california , and was founded in 2007 as an organization dedicated to the social well-being of employment-based immigrant professionals . ' the state-run english-language newspaper china daily also said in an editorial tuesday that an apology is called for , calling cafferty pathetic ' and noting , it is rare for the world audience to hear such a blatant discrimination against an ethnic group of people with such a derogatory connotation . ' others angered by cafferty 's remarks were urging a boycott of cnn 's advertisers . e-mail to a friend | cnn says he was offering opinion about chinese government , not its people |
tim kaine <tsp> sen. tim kaine said wednesday there 's no legal authority for the current u.s. mission against isis in iraq and syria . we have been engaged in a war -- that is not about imminent defense of the united states -- without legal authority , ' the virginia democrat said at the wilson center on wednesday , ahead of a panel discussion on the legal authority for military intervention , moderated by cnn 's jim sciutto . the mission is not covered by either the wording or intent of the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force as the white house argues , kaine said , adding that such an argument is ridiculous ' and inconsistent with president barack obama 's previously stated interpretation of the aumf . kaine , a member of the senate foreign relations committee , has proposed a new , limited authorization , specifically targeted to the current mission against isis . we should deal with it right away , ' he said , stressing that it could be accomplished in the lame-duck session in congress . rand paul on isis response :'this war is now illegal' he 's also calling for changes to the war powers resolution that will result in a better process ' for war authorization . in a statement last week , kaine said he was encouraged ' by obama 's recent willingness to work with congress on a new authorization , but also troubled by suggestions today that congress should wait until the new congressional session in 2015 to take this vote . ' we have already asked too many u.s. service members to risk their lives without a political consensus behind this mission , ' he added . what to expect from the lame duck congress the current aumf was passed in 2001 , just days after the 9/11 attacks . though the language of the authorization only covers military action against those who planned , authorized , committed , or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on september 11 , 2001 , or harbored such organizations or persons , ' in recent years it has been used to cover action against any group or individual the administration considers associated with al qaeda . a second authorization for use of military force against iraq was passed in 2002 , permitting the president to defend the national security of the united states against the continuing threat posed by iraq ' and enforce all relevant united nations security council resolutions regarding iraq . ' | democratic sen. tim kaine argues that the fight against isis has not been legally authorized |
aaron hernandez <tsp> ( cnn ) more than 22 months ago , the body of odin lloyd was found in an industrial park in north attleboro , massachusetts . lloyd had been shot seven times near a pile of construction waste . the semipro football player for the boston bandits was 27 . days after he was found dead , then-nfl star aaron hernandez was arrested and charged with murder . testimony in the case against hernandez began in january . on wednesday , a fall river , massachusetts , jury -- after deliberating 35 hours over the course of seven days -- found the former new england patriots tight end guilty of first-degree murder , which carries a penalty of life without parole , as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition . hernandez also faces murder charges in a 2012 double homicide . he has pleaded not guilty . just two years ago , he was one of the nfl 's most promising tight ends , inking a $ 40-million contract extension with the new england patriots . friends and fans alike wondered : how could the star player who had more than 900 receiving yards in 2011 now be on trial for murder ? long before hernandez made national headlines , he was a standout athlete in bristol , connecticut , who came from a family described as a local sports dynasty . i do n't think there was another family that was more familiar in bristol , ' bob montgomery , who covers high school sports for the bristol press , told cnn . the young hernandez was the golden boy , ' playing football , basketball and running track , following in the footsteps of his uncle , older brother and father -- all well-known athletes in the community . hernandez 's father constantly pushed his son , requiring him to practice for hours before he could go out with friends . i saw a closeness with them that i 'd never seen before , ' montgomery said of the relationship between hernandez and his father . but his father , the man who kept the 16-year-old anchored , died from complications after a routine surgery . hernandez left high school halfway through his senior year in january 2007 to join the university of florida gators , and trouble seemed to follow . in just his first semester , a police report says , hernandez got into a fight at an off-campus restaurant , sucker-punching the manager and rupturing his eardrum . the following fall , there was a shooting near a local club . police reports linked hernandez and several other university of florida football players to an argument in the parking lot . hernandez was one of more than 20 people interviewed by police , and he was the only one who did not make a statement after invoking his right to counsel . at the time , hernandez 's mother told the orlando sentinel newspaper , i know he was at the club , but he never saw any shooting . ' the case remains open , and no one has been charged . hernandez was also suspended at least once for marijuana , an issue that would follow him as he entered the draft his junior year . trying to put the alleged drug use behind him , hernandez wrote a letter to the patriots director of personnel . if you draft me as a member of the new england patriots , i will willfully submit to a biweekly drug test throughout my rookie season . ... in addition , i will tie any guaranteed portion of my 2010 compensation to these drug tests and reimburse the team a pro-rata amount for any failed drug test , ' he wrote , according to the boston globe . before the draft , hernandez was expected to be a first- or second-round pick . he was passed over until the fourth round , when the patriots selected him . by the end of his second season , he was a bona fide star , landing the $ 40 million contract extension . less than a year after signing the deal , however , the patriots dropped him on the day he was charged with lloyd 's murder . when odin lloyd pulled up in a black chevrolet suburban , boston bandits coach mike branch thought something was out of place . lloyd did n't own a car . aaron hernandez case : who 's who ? branch had his suspicions , but he could n't get answers . lloyd was too busy telling his friends about the good time he had at the club the previous night . he said he was at the club with mr. hernandez , and that they were partying and he had a good time , and that mr. hernandez spent a good amount of money , ' branch recalled . lloyd said hernandez spent about $ 10,000 that night . lloyd 's friends say he was n't a big partier . he was more passionate about football and family . remembering odin lloyd lloyd was dating shaneah jenkins , the link between the young man who dreamed of the nfl and the all-american who made it . jenkins is the younger sister of shayanna , who 's engaged to hernandez and is the mother of his little girl . on june 16 , 2013 , lloyd was riding with friends in the black suburban , which police later learned was rented by hernandez . daryl hodge was with lloyd when he said lloyd got a text from hernandez , asking to hang out later that night . as they parted ways , lloyd told hodge he 'd see him later . the next day , lloyd 's body was found . prosecutors say lloyd was last seen with hernandez and hernandez 's two associates , carlos ortiz and ernest wallace , around 2:30 a.m. in a rented silver nissan altima . surveillance video from security cameras at an industrial park showed an altima heading toward a secluded area at 3:22 a.m. at the same time , chilling text messages from lloyd 's phone were sent to his sister telling her he was with nfl , ' adding , just so u know . ' between 3:23 and 3:27 a.m. , workers nearby reported hearing gunshots . at 3:29 , a camera showed an altima pulling into hernandez 's driveway , about a half a mile from the death scene . three people got out of the car , and lloyd was not one of them . nine days later , hernandez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other weapons-related charges . he pleaded not guilty . in april 2014 , ortiz and wallace were also charged in lloyd 's slaying . they , too , pleaded not guilty . prosecutors say the three men were to be tried in a joint venture , a legal term that means it 's not necessary to prove who pulled the trigger as long as there is evidence that each defendant actively participated in lloyd 's murder . as the trial for the death of lloyd neared , lawyers began arguing about evidence , including cell phones and text messages . some rulings were victories for the defense . the jury would n't see the text lloyd sent to his sister , telling her he was with nfl . ' the judge ruled it hearsay and said the state had n't proven lloyd believed his life was in danger . jurors also did n't hear anything about what happened in boston on july 16 , 2012 -- the night two men were murdered outside a club where hernandez had been . the judge agreed with defense lawyers that it 's far too prejudicial and irrelevant to lloyd 's murder . investigators allege hernandez shot and killed daniel abreu and safiro furtado because one of the men bumped into him on a nightclub dance floor and spilled his drink . district attorney patrick haggan described the scene in a massachusetts courtroom in may , saying hernandez became angered and increasingly agitated , particularly after mr. abreu smiled and did not apologize . ' prosecutors : bump , spilled drink led to double homicide hernandez 's friend tried to calm him down , and the pair walked outside and eventually entered a second club across the street , the prosecutor said . court documents identify that friend as alexander bradley , who would go on to accuse hernandez of shooting him in the eye in an incident that would take place seven months later . after leaving the second nightclub , hernandez and the friend returned to their suv and pulled over on a nearby street where hernandez removed a revolver from the engine block , haggan said . hernandez began trailing abreu , furtado and three of their friends in his suv , authorities said . he then pulled up to the victims'car at a red light and leaned out the driver 's side window with a loaded revolver , haggan told the court . hernandez allegedly said , yo , what 's up now , ' followed by a racial slur , and fired at least five rounds from a .38-caliber revolver , haggan said . abreu , the driver , was shot several times and fatally hit in the chest . furtado was sitting in the front passenger seat and suffered multiple gunshot wounds , including one to the head , haggan said . hernandez was charged in the double homicide in may , and he pleaded not guilty . investigators found evidence they believe links him to the 2012 slayings while investigating the death of lloyd . cnn 's laura dolan , kristi ramsay and michelle rozsa contributed to this report . | aaron hernandez also charged with murder in 2012 double homicide |
henry cavill <tsp> it 's not going to be batman versus superman versus captain america after all . batman v superman : dawn of justice ' and captain america 3 ' were both set to arrive in theaters may 6 , 2016 , but warner bros'caped crusader/man of steel showdown will be released march 25 , 2016 instead , ew has confirmed . the zack snyder-directed film will star henry cavill as superman , ben affleck as batman , gal gadot as wonder woman , jesse eisenberg as lex luthor , and jeremy irons as alfred . see the original story at ew.com . your new thor is a she captain america being replaced by african-american partner ben affleck will be a great batman , adam west says comic-con : ben affleck 's'batman'makes an appearance | henry cavill and ben affleck will star |
mig-29 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria 's embattled government will get at least 10 fighter jets from russia -- and they want more , russian state media reports -- moves that come amid rocky diplomatic efforts to peacefully end the middle east nation 's bloody civil war . a source involved in russia 's defense complex told the official itar-tass news agency friday that russia will sell syrian president bashar al-assad 's government mig-29 fighter jets to fulfill a contract ... concluded long ago . ' a syrian delegation in moscow is pressing for even more jets , with mig executive sergei korotkov telling russia 's state-run ria novosti 's news that his company and these syrian authorities are talking about the details and time frame of a possible contact . ' such discussions come on the heels of the european union 's decision to end its syrian arms embargo . that move was seen as opening the door for european nations to help rebel fighters militarily , though it may give russia more wiggle room to back its longtime ally , assad . it 's not clear how weapons , fighter jets and ammunition flowing into syria will affect the fighting there , much less the heretofore unsuccessful attempts to forge a negotiated settlement . about 80,000 people have been killed since the start of hostilities more than two years ago , u.n. general assembly president vuk jeremic said earlier this month . another 1.5 million or more people have fled the country . in addition to the fighter jets , russia reportedly sold six s-300 air defense systems to syria under a 2010 contract . asked thursday about these and other arms sales , al-assad said it is not our policy to talk publicly about military issues in terms of what we possess or what we receive . ' blast in damascus neighborhood kills 8 ' as far as russia is concerned , the contracts have nothing to do with the crisis , ' he told hezbollah 's al-manar tv , according to a transcript from syria 's official sana news service . we have negotiated with them on different kinds of weapons for years , and russia is committed to honoring these contracts . ' moscow , however , has said such deliveries would conform with international law and has denied supplying syria with weapons that can be used against civilians . u.s. secretary of state john kerry described any transfer of s-300s to the region as not helpful . ' whether it 's an old contract or not , it has a profoundly negative impact on the balance of interests and the stability of the region , and it does put israel at risk , ' he said . kerry added that halting the bloodshed peacefully should be everyone 's first priority . the best chance to save syria ( and ) for a future syria that represents all syrian people and moves beyond this massacre , devastation , killing , sectarian violence ... is through a peaceful resolution that comes about in an organized way , ' he said friday at a joint news conference in washington with german foreign minister guido westerwelle . in geneva , we will test who is serious . are the russians serious pushing to that ? i believe they are . ( but ) it is not helpful to have a lot of other ammunition , other supplies overtly going in . ' syrian arms embargo : why more weapons to syria is a mistake conference on crisis planned for switzerland he was referring to an international conference on the crisis slated for switzerland . the plans are being worked out , but al-assad predicted it will take place in june . we have announced a couple of days ago that we agree in principle to attend , ' he said . but the syrian leader made clear that his position may change , and damascus'delegation may withdraw , if certain conditions are imposed . so the idea of the conference , of a meeting , in principle is a good one , ' he told al-manar tv . we will have to wait and see . ' the national coalition , the main rebel umbrella group , has demanded al-assad step aside in order for it to take part in the talks , which were originally scheduled for this month . it is difficult to continue when syrians are constantly being hammered by the assad regime with the help of outside forces , ' george sabra , acting chairman of the national coalition , said in a statement . he cited the siege of qusayr and attacks on eastern gouta , a suburb of damascus , as well as what he said was an invasion ' by iranian militia members in support of al-assad . al-assad said it 's too early to discuss whether or not he 'll run again for president in the 2014 election . he 'd do so if there is a need and public desire ' for him to stay on , but wo n't if i feel that the syrian people do not want me to lead them . ' the syrian president his only condition is that anything agreed to address the crisis should not be binding until syrians approve it through a popular referendum . either side can propose anything , but nothing can be implemented without the approval of the syrian people . and as long as we are the legitimate representatives of the people , we have nothing to fear , ' the syrian leader said .'open-ended'syrian conflict draws in region opposition group : 50 prisoners executed all the deals and the talk have done little to change the situation on the ground in syria . the killing continued friday , with the opposition local coordination committees reporting 189 deaths , including six women , five children and 19 who died after being tortured . there were 74 people killed in aleppo province , including 50 prisoners who the group said were executed by government forces in aleppo 's central prison , the group said . in addition , syrian state-run television have reported that forces loyal to al-assad killed three westerners -- an american woman , a briton and a person whose nationality was not revealed . the news outlet said thursday the three had been fighting alongside the rebels and were found with weapons . the report said they were ambushed in their car in the flashpoint province of idlib in northwestern syria , where government forces have been battling rebels for control . tv video showed a bullet-riddled car and three bodies laid out on the ground . it also showed weapons , a computer , a hand-drawn map of a government military facility and a flag belonging to the al qaeda-affiliated al-nusra front . the united states is aware of the report of the reported killing of the american and is working through the czech republic mission in syria to obtain more information , a state department official , speaking on condition of anonymity , told cnn . citing privacy concerns , the official said , we are unable to comment further . ' pictures circulating on the internet show the body of nicole lynn mansfield , 33 , of flint , michigan , her father and daughter told cnn on friday . the uk foreign office confirmed that a british national was among the dead . their family has been informed and we are providing consular assistance , ' it said . kerry , the top u.s. diplomat , said that some 1,500 to 2,000 american fighters may be in syria . it 's hard to get a peg on the exact number , ' he said . american 's family : she went to syria to help | new : russia will send 10 mig-29 fighter jets , russian state media reports |
russian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria 's embattled government will get at least 10 fighter jets from russia -- and they want more , russian state media reports -- moves that come amid rocky diplomatic efforts to peacefully end the middle east nation 's bloody civil war . a source involved in russia 's defense complex told the official itar-tass news agency friday that russia will sell syrian president bashar al-assad 's government mig-29 fighter jets to fulfill a contract ... concluded long ago . ' a syrian delegation in moscow is pressing for even more jets , with mig executive sergei korotkov telling russia 's state-run ria novosti 's news that his company and these syrian authorities are talking about the details and time frame of a possible contact . ' such discussions come on the heels of the european union 's decision to end its syrian arms embargo . that move was seen as opening the door for european nations to help rebel fighters militarily , though it may give russia more wiggle room to back its longtime ally , assad . it 's not clear how weapons , fighter jets and ammunition flowing into syria will affect the fighting there , much less the heretofore unsuccessful attempts to forge a negotiated settlement . about 80,000 people have been killed since the start of hostilities more than two years ago , u.n. general assembly president vuk jeremic said earlier this month . another 1.5 million or more people have fled the country . in addition to the fighter jets , russia reportedly sold six s-300 air defense systems to syria under a 2010 contract . asked thursday about these and other arms sales , al-assad said it is not our policy to talk publicly about military issues in terms of what we possess or what we receive . ' blast in damascus neighborhood kills 8 ' as far as russia is concerned , the contracts have nothing to do with the crisis , ' he told hezbollah 's al-manar tv , according to a transcript from syria 's official sana news service . we have negotiated with them on different kinds of weapons for years , and russia is committed to honoring these contracts . ' moscow , however , has said such deliveries would conform with international law and has denied supplying syria with weapons that can be used against civilians . u.s. secretary of state john kerry described any transfer of s-300s to the region as not helpful . ' whether it 's an old contract or not , it has a profoundly negative impact on the balance of interests and the stability of the region , and it does put israel at risk , ' he said . kerry added that halting the bloodshed peacefully should be everyone 's first priority . the best chance to save syria ( and ) for a future syria that represents all syrian people and moves beyond this massacre , devastation , killing , sectarian violence ... is through a peaceful resolution that comes about in an organized way , ' he said friday at a joint news conference in washington with german foreign minister guido westerwelle . in geneva , we will test who is serious . are the russians serious pushing to that ? i believe they are . ( but ) it is not helpful to have a lot of other ammunition , other supplies overtly going in . ' syrian arms embargo : why more weapons to syria is a mistake conference on crisis planned for switzerland he was referring to an international conference on the crisis slated for switzerland . the plans are being worked out , but al-assad predicted it will take place in june . we have announced a couple of days ago that we agree in principle to attend , ' he said . but the syrian leader made clear that his position may change , and damascus'delegation may withdraw , if certain conditions are imposed . so the idea of the conference , of a meeting , in principle is a good one , ' he told al-manar tv . we will have to wait and see . ' the national coalition , the main rebel umbrella group , has demanded al-assad step aside in order for it to take part in the talks , which were originally scheduled for this month . it is difficult to continue when syrians are constantly being hammered by the assad regime with the help of outside forces , ' george sabra , acting chairman of the national coalition , said in a statement . he cited the siege of qusayr and attacks on eastern gouta , a suburb of damascus , as well as what he said was an invasion ' by iranian militia members in support of al-assad . al-assad said it 's too early to discuss whether or not he 'll run again for president in the 2014 election . he 'd do so if there is a need and public desire ' for him to stay on , but wo n't if i feel that the syrian people do not want me to lead them . ' the syrian president his only condition is that anything agreed to address the crisis should not be binding until syrians approve it through a popular referendum . either side can propose anything , but nothing can be implemented without the approval of the syrian people . and as long as we are the legitimate representatives of the people , we have nothing to fear , ' the syrian leader said .'open-ended'syrian conflict draws in region opposition group : 50 prisoners executed all the deals and the talk have done little to change the situation on the ground in syria . the killing continued friday , with the opposition local coordination committees reporting 189 deaths , including six women , five children and 19 who died after being tortured . there were 74 people killed in aleppo province , including 50 prisoners who the group said were executed by government forces in aleppo 's central prison , the group said . in addition , syrian state-run television have reported that forces loyal to al-assad killed three westerners -- an american woman , a briton and a person whose nationality was not revealed . the news outlet said thursday the three had been fighting alongside the rebels and were found with weapons . the report said they were ambushed in their car in the flashpoint province of idlib in northwestern syria , where government forces have been battling rebels for control . tv video showed a bullet-riddled car and three bodies laid out on the ground . it also showed weapons , a computer , a hand-drawn map of a government military facility and a flag belonging to the al qaeda-affiliated al-nusra front . the united states is aware of the report of the reported killing of the american and is working through the czech republic mission in syria to obtain more information , a state department official , speaking on condition of anonymity , told cnn . citing privacy concerns , the official said , we are unable to comment further . ' pictures circulating on the internet show the body of nicole lynn mansfield , 33 , of flint , michigan , her father and daughter told cnn on friday . the uk foreign office confirmed that a british national was among the dead . their family has been informed and we are providing consular assistance , ' it said . kerry , the top u.s. diplomat , said that some 1,500 to 2,000 american fighters may be in syria . it 's hard to get a peg on the exact number , ' he said . american 's family : she went to syria to help | new : russia will send 10 mig-29 fighter jets , russian state media reports |
fukushima <tsp> tokyo ( cnn ) a japanese court has issued a landmark injunction halting plans to restart two nuclear reactors in the west of the country , citing safety concerns , a court official told cnn . japan 's nuclear watchdog , the nuclear regulation authority , had previously given a green light to the reopening of reactors 3 and 4 of the kansai electric power company 's takahama nuclear plant . but locals successfully petitioned the court in fukui prefecture , where the plant is located , raising concerns about whether the reactors would survive a strong earthquake . japan 's 48 nuclear reactors are offline in the wake of the fukushima disaster in 2011 , when a tsunami triggered by a massive earthquake sent a wall of water crashing into the power plant . since then , the island nation has imported greater amounts of expensive natural gas and coal to meet its energy needs . japanese prime minister shinzo abe has pushed for a return to nuclear energy , arguing it is essential to the country 's economic recovery to reduce the skyrocketing utility bills associated with energy imports . but opinion polls have consistently shown public opposition to a nuclear restart . keith henry , managing director of tokyo-based asia strategy , which advises businesses on japanese public policy issues , says the decision will force abe to rethink the economics of his energy policy . that was a body blow [ for abe ] because it 's no longer a political issue , it 's a legal issue . it changes the calculus and the dynamics , ' he said . it 's now in the courts . and the government is powerless to do anything about it . ' read more : power company abandons robot stranded inside fukushima plant anti-nuclear activists celebrated following the fukui district court 's decision in their favor tuesday . the nuclear plant operator had argued in court that the plant was safe , meeting heightened safety regulations introduced by the nuclear watchdog following the fukushima disaster . it said in a statement that scientific and professional findings ' showed that the safety of the reactors was assured . but the court ruled that the new safety standards were loose , ' lacked rationality and could not guarantee the safety of the plant , an official said . the power company said it would appeal the decision . we deeply regret that our assertion was not well comprehended , and can not accept it at all , ' it said in a statement . chief cabinet secretary yoshihide suga told reporters tuesday that the country 's nuclear watchdog had deemed the plant safe according to the world 's strictest ' safety standards . the government had no intention to change course on its planned nuclear restart , he said . takahama was one of two nuclear facilities granted approval to resume operations . sendai nuclear power plant in kagoshima prefecture has been granted approval to reopen by the prefecture 's governor , although local residents are seeking to challenge this in court . analyst henry said the renewable energy sector could benefit from the takahama decision , as the country weighed solar and hydro power as alternatives . prior to the fukushima disaster , about 30 % of japan 's energy was nuclear generated . cnn 's junko ogura contributed to this report from tokyo . | japan 's 48 nuclear reactors have been offline in the wake of the 2011 fukushima disaster |
japan <tsp> tokyo ( cnn ) a japanese court has issued a landmark injunction halting plans to restart two nuclear reactors in the west of the country , citing safety concerns , a court official told cnn . japan 's nuclear watchdog , the nuclear regulation authority , had previously given a green light to the reopening of reactors 3 and 4 of the kansai electric power company 's takahama nuclear plant . but locals successfully petitioned the court in fukui prefecture , where the plant is located , raising concerns about whether the reactors would survive a strong earthquake . japan 's 48 nuclear reactors are offline in the wake of the fukushima disaster in 2011 , when a tsunami triggered by a massive earthquake sent a wall of water crashing into the power plant . since then , the island nation has imported greater amounts of expensive natural gas and coal to meet its energy needs . japanese prime minister shinzo abe has pushed for a return to nuclear energy , arguing it is essential to the country 's economic recovery to reduce the skyrocketing utility bills associated with energy imports . but opinion polls have consistently shown public opposition to a nuclear restart . keith henry , managing director of tokyo-based asia strategy , which advises businesses on japanese public policy issues , says the decision will force abe to rethink the economics of his energy policy . that was a body blow [ for abe ] because it 's no longer a political issue , it 's a legal issue . it changes the calculus and the dynamics , ' he said . it 's now in the courts . and the government is powerless to do anything about it . ' read more : power company abandons robot stranded inside fukushima plant anti-nuclear activists celebrated following the fukui district court 's decision in their favor tuesday . the nuclear plant operator had argued in court that the plant was safe , meeting heightened safety regulations introduced by the nuclear watchdog following the fukushima disaster . it said in a statement that scientific and professional findings ' showed that the safety of the reactors was assured . but the court ruled that the new safety standards were loose , ' lacked rationality and could not guarantee the safety of the plant , an official said . the power company said it would appeal the decision . we deeply regret that our assertion was not well comprehended , and can not accept it at all , ' it said in a statement . chief cabinet secretary yoshihide suga told reporters tuesday that the country 's nuclear watchdog had deemed the plant safe according to the world 's strictest ' safety standards . the government had no intention to change course on its planned nuclear restart , he said . takahama was one of two nuclear facilities granted approval to resume operations . sendai nuclear power plant in kagoshima prefecture has been granted approval to reopen by the prefecture 's governor , although local residents are seeking to challenge this in court . analyst henry said the renewable energy sector could benefit from the takahama decision , as the country weighed solar and hydro power as alternatives . prior to the fukushima disaster , about 30 % of japan 's energy was nuclear generated . cnn 's junko ogura contributed to this report from tokyo . | japan 's 48 nuclear reactors have been offline in the wake of the 2011 fukushima disaster |
lubchenco <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in recent months , americans have experienced numerous extreme weather-related events , including droughts , wildfires and heat waves . we 've witnessed the warmest spring since record-keeping began in 1895 . thirty-one states reached record-high temperatures . the period between july 2011 and june 2012 was the hottest 12 months on record . and last year 14 extreme weather-related events caused an incalculable loss of human life and cost the u.s. economy more than $ 55 billion . understandably , many americans are wondering if these events are manifestations of a longer-term shift in climate . opinion : why the drought affects me -- and you at present we can not definitively link any single extreme event to climate change . but it is worthwhile to consider whether the apparent increase in some extreme events has roots in a larger , longer-term trend , since that would predict a continuation of these events in the future . that kind of understanding can have practical importance because it can inspire action to reduce economic losses and human suffering †” often in relatively simple ways . if a region is likely to continue to get rainfall heavier than has historically occurred , for example , then it is sensible for city planners to consider installing larger-bore storm sewers when the time comes to replace aging infrastructure . the science in this area is getting stronger all the time . in one recently published study , six international research teams led by scientists from noaa and a number of countries investigated seven different 2011 extreme weather and climate events . in six of the seven , there was sufficient evidence to conclude that climate change caused by human activities played a factor in the events †” affecting their severity , likelihood or frequency . news : extreme weather -- get ready to see more of it among those events exacerbated by climate change were heat waves in texas and oklahoma , the east african drought and extreme temperatures in europe and england . on the other hand , the study found no evidence that the devastating floods in thailand last year were connected to climate change . another new peer-reviewed article , the 2011 state of the climate ' report compiled by nearly 400 scientists from 48 countries , documents some of the longer-term trends that are underlying some of these changes . it found that : -- carbon dioxide and other major greenhouse gases continue to climb , with the 2011 yearly global average the highest yet ; -- excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is making oceans more acidic ; -- the arctic is warming about twice as fast as the rest of the planet , and its sea ice is thinning dramatically ; -- and the globally averaged heat stored in the upper ocean was the highest since records began in 1993 . such striking trends have strong implications for climate , weather and environmental and human health . one upward trend is indisputable : at noaa , requests for climate data have skyrocketed , and those data are increasingly helping stakeholders cope with extreme events . last year , for example , firefighters in texas used long-term climate information to prepare for the spring/summer 2011 wildfire season . emergency managers along the mississippi , missouri and red river basins used noaa climate data to help lessen flooding , months before it began . opinion : why we should expect more weather disasters coastal managers are using sea-level-rise data to protect crucial infrastructure . businesses and governments depend on climate information to make smart investments . electric utilities count on climate data to anticipate peak power requirements and distribute power where it is needed . these are the kinds of practical actions that inspire me in my job as we work to make the best science available to understand and reduce the impact of extreme events on families , communities and businesses . these and other measures are essential to reducing the effects of extreme weather events and forging a safer future . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of jane lubchenco . | lubchenco : heat waves in texas and oklahoma were exacerbated by climate change |
lubchenco <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in recent months , americans have experienced numerous extreme weather-related events , including droughts , wildfires and heat waves . we 've witnessed the warmest spring since record-keeping began in 1895 . thirty-one states reached record-high temperatures . the period between july 2011 and june 2012 was the hottest 12 months on record . and last year 14 extreme weather-related events caused an incalculable loss of human life and cost the u.s. economy more than $ 55 billion . understandably , many americans are wondering if these events are manifestations of a longer-term shift in climate . opinion : why the drought affects me -- and you at present we can not definitively link any single extreme event to climate change . but it is worthwhile to consider whether the apparent increase in some extreme events has roots in a larger , longer-term trend , since that would predict a continuation of these events in the future . that kind of understanding can have practical importance because it can inspire action to reduce economic losses and human suffering †” often in relatively simple ways . if a region is likely to continue to get rainfall heavier than has historically occurred , for example , then it is sensible for city planners to consider installing larger-bore storm sewers when the time comes to replace aging infrastructure . the science in this area is getting stronger all the time . in one recently published study , six international research teams led by scientists from noaa and a number of countries investigated seven different 2011 extreme weather and climate events . in six of the seven , there was sufficient evidence to conclude that climate change caused by human activities played a factor in the events †” affecting their severity , likelihood or frequency . news : extreme weather -- get ready to see more of it among those events exacerbated by climate change were heat waves in texas and oklahoma , the east african drought and extreme temperatures in europe and england . on the other hand , the study found no evidence that the devastating floods in thailand last year were connected to climate change . another new peer-reviewed article , the 2011 state of the climate ' report compiled by nearly 400 scientists from 48 countries , documents some of the longer-term trends that are underlying some of these changes . it found that : -- carbon dioxide and other major greenhouse gases continue to climb , with the 2011 yearly global average the highest yet ; -- excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is making oceans more acidic ; -- the arctic is warming about twice as fast as the rest of the planet , and its sea ice is thinning dramatically ; -- and the globally averaged heat stored in the upper ocean was the highest since records began in 1993 . such striking trends have strong implications for climate , weather and environmental and human health . one upward trend is indisputable : at noaa , requests for climate data have skyrocketed , and those data are increasingly helping stakeholders cope with extreme events . last year , for example , firefighters in texas used long-term climate information to prepare for the spring/summer 2011 wildfire season . emergency managers along the mississippi , missouri and red river basins used noaa climate data to help lessen flooding , months before it began . opinion : why we should expect more weather disasters coastal managers are using sea-level-rise data to protect crucial infrastructure . businesses and governments depend on climate information to make smart investments . electric utilities count on climate data to anticipate peak power requirements and distribute power where it is needed . these are the kinds of practical actions that inspire me in my job as we work to make the best science available to understand and reduce the impact of extreme events on families , communities and businesses . these and other measures are essential to reducing the effects of extreme weather events and forging a safer future . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of jane lubchenco . | droughts , wildfires and heat waves have plagued the u.s. recently , says jane lubchenco |
davydenko <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nikolay davydenko produced a ruthless display to beat u.s. open champion juan martin del potro in straight sets to win the atp world tour finals in london on sunday . davydenko had dispatched world number one roger federer in the semifinals and re-produced the magic to see off the argentine 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes at the o2 arena . the victory in the elite , eight-man end-of-season showpiece is the highlight of the 28-year-old russian 's career , going one better than 2008 when he lost in the final to novak djokovic of serbia . davydenko , seeded sixth , had begun the week with a thrilling three-set loss to djokovic in round-robin play , but proceeded to rack up four straight victories , culminating in his emphatic win over fifth-ranked del potro . it earned him $ 1.5 million and he was delighted to have captured the first major trophy of a career marked by consistency but mostly in a support role to the game 's very elite . for me it was amazing coming here number seven and winning the tournament . i surprised myself , ' he said . del potro looked weary after his epic three-set semifinal win over swede robin soderling the previous night . he dropped his service in the fourth ganme of the opening set and could claim only five points on his opponent 's service as the russian eased to an early lead . the second set was tighter , with del potro having a break point in the sixth game . but at 4-4 davydenko made his move on del potro 's service . two blistering passing shots set up three break points and he claimed a 5-4 lead after a long rally . serving for the title , he set up match point with an ace and took it when del potro could not return a fiece smash . it capped a week of surprises at the new venue with world number two rafael nadal crashing out with three straight sets defeats and home hope andy murray edged out of the round-robin by federer and del potro by the slimmest of margins . soderling , who only came into the tournament as a late reserve for the injured andy roddick , and davydenko were the surprise qualifiers from the other group , with the latter going all the way after beating the australian , french , u.s. open and wimbledon champions . del potro acknowledged he had been beaten by the better man on the day . congratulations . you are a great champion , ' he said . now davydenko will eye his first grand slam title at the australian open in january , which will be the next major tournament test for the leading players . earlier , in the doubles final , american pair bob and mike bryan beat max mirnyi and andy ram 7-6 6-3 to win their third atp finals title and claim the number one ranking in the world at the end of the season for the fifth time . | nikolay davydenko wins atp world tour finals title in london |
davydenko <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nikolay davydenko produced a ruthless display to beat u.s. open champion juan martin del potro in straight sets to win the atp world tour finals in london on sunday . davydenko had dispatched world number one roger federer in the semifinals and re-produced the magic to see off the argentine 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes at the o2 arena . the victory in the elite , eight-man end-of-season showpiece is the highlight of the 28-year-old russian 's career , going one better than 2008 when he lost in the final to novak djokovic of serbia . davydenko , seeded sixth , had begun the week with a thrilling three-set loss to djokovic in round-robin play , but proceeded to rack up four straight victories , culminating in his emphatic win over fifth-ranked del potro . it earned him $ 1.5 million and he was delighted to have captured the first major trophy of a career marked by consistency but mostly in a support role to the game 's very elite . for me it was amazing coming here number seven and winning the tournament . i surprised myself , ' he said . del potro looked weary after his epic three-set semifinal win over swede robin soderling the previous night . he dropped his service in the fourth ganme of the opening set and could claim only five points on his opponent 's service as the russian eased to an early lead . the second set was tighter , with del potro having a break point in the sixth game . but at 4-4 davydenko made his move on del potro 's service . two blistering passing shots set up three break points and he claimed a 5-4 lead after a long rally . serving for the title , he set up match point with an ace and took it when del potro could not return a fiece smash . it capped a week of surprises at the new venue with world number two rafael nadal crashing out with three straight sets defeats and home hope andy murray edged out of the round-robin by federer and del potro by the slimmest of margins . soderling , who only came into the tournament as a late reserve for the injured andy roddick , and davydenko were the surprise qualifiers from the other group , with the latter going all the way after beating the australian , french , u.s. open and wimbledon champions . del potro acknowledged he had been beaten by the better man on the day . congratulations . you are a great champion , ' he said . now davydenko will eye his first grand slam title at the australian open in january , which will be the next major tournament test for the leading players . earlier , in the doubles final , american pair bob and mike bryan beat max mirnyi and andy ram 7-6 6-3 to win their third atp finals title and claim the number one ranking in the world at the end of the season for the fifth time . | davydenko was beaten in last year 's final by serbian novak djokovic |
bob hawke <tsp> editor 's note : ( global mail ) -- the night bob hawke lost the labor leadership 20-odd years ago , i was a tender recruit to the canberra press gallery who found myself , fortuitously , marooned at the prime minister 's office door whilst the labor caucus was dispatching the occupant . mistaken by security guards -- then hastily clearing nearby corridors -- as a prime ministerial staffer , i was left to witness hawke 's return to his office and his waiting family as an ex-prime minister , at that time the only one to be rejected by his own party . hawke came striding out of the caucus room , chin forward , moist eyes straight ahead , a clutch of dejected staff trailing behind . at the same moment his office door opened and out burst his then-wife , hazel , sobbing . either she 'd been expecting the worst or , more probably , there had been a phone call telegraphing it . she flung herself at her husband . hawke gathered her up , telling her do n't cry , do n't cry . ' and as he disappeared into his office , he barked : i need a bloody cup of tea . ' if the humiliation of that evening 's historic rejection winded him , hawke did n't show it . soon afterwards trolleys of liquor were rolling along the corridors of parliament house and hawke hosted a wake that went for hours , open to all comers . he angered , in my sight , only once that night ; he rounded on a particular reporter who had showered him with sympathy but who , in hawke 's view , had been long doing the bidding of the victor , paul keating . australian fm kevin rudd resigns never before had the labor party dumped a serving prime minister , yet hawke 's equanimity -- outwardly at least -- was striking . you might have said he seemed both resigned and liberated about the loss of the job he 'd held for nearly nine years . of course , the long contest with keating had been aggravating to hawke and sapping for his government ; keating had effectively launched his challenge late the year before , in 1990 , when he contended , in his plã¡cido domingo speech , that australia had never had a great prime minister . then he challenged hawke in mid-1991 , lost and went to the back bench until his second -- and successful challenge -- at the end of that year . hawke , the labor party and most australians knew that keating had hawke lined up for the kill . not so kevin rudd . it has been an undeclared , subterranean campaign to reinstall rudd in the prime minister 's office -- one from which the candidate has , until now , been able to stay aloof . rudd has portrayed himself as busy and contented within the cabinet under julia gillard . as he described it last week , he has been a happy little vegemite ' being australia 's foreign minister . invariably for rudd , questions about the quality of the labor party leadership , the propriety of those who removed him from the prime minister 's office or of who posted the now-infamous video of his rage on youtube all are questions that should , he contends , be asked of others . ' thus he causes those others -- and we mostly know who he means -- to fall under suspicion . and in the resulting public imagery , it is not rudd who is seeking to return to the prime minister 's office ; rather it is a semi-reluctant rudd who is being ferried along by a group of ministers , mps and labor fixers who believe the only way that labor can win against tony abbott and the coalition at the next election is for rudd to resume the leadership . gillard calls for australian labor party leadership vote their tactic has been to avoid having rudd , unlike keating , seen as an active seeker of his prime minister 's job . the reasons are two-fold . the rudd camp has not wanted to give the prime minister a reason to confront them head-on because to do so would be to risk provoking a leadership ballot before rudd has assembled the numbers he needs -- and it 's still doubtful that he has . second , for rudd to be seen publicly tearing at gillard 's leadership would play to a series of strong negatives -- that rudd is motivated by revenge , that he has no regard for governance , that he is attacking a woman , that he has a monstrous sense of entitlement . it may even be true , as some of rudd 's campaigners have claimed privately in the past few days , that rudd did not set out to regain his old job after he was deposed by gillard back in mid-2010 . that instead , the ongoing poor opinion polling for the labor party , some avoidable stumbles by gillard , stubborn resentment within the electorate about the manner of her ascendancy and the blandishments of some of his colleagues combined to persuade rudd that his return was feasible . but rudd had to be seen to be drafted by his party back into the prime minister 's office . behind the scenes of australia 's political'soap opera' that plan still seemed intact until 1.38pm on saturday february 18 , when a you tube user , under the name of happyvegemitekr , uploaded a video showing a frustrated and increasingly furious rudd attempting to complete a video message in the chinese language but stumbling over the words . filmed at least two years ago in his office , while he was prime minister , the video contained rudd 's unusable , profane outtakes , plenty of teeth-gnashing , wild-eyed fury , and blaming others including the dickheads in the embassy . ' because the footage most likely had been retained in a government archive , suspicion falls on the prime minister 's office or somewhere nearby as happyvegemitekr 's source . this conspiracy gillard denies , but the enquiry , rudd says , is another of those questions for others . ' whatever its source , happyvegemitekr 's video most likely will be remembered as much for the entertainment provided by a filthy rudd , as for the trigger that brought his leadership challenge into the open . rudd learned of happyvegemitekr 's you tube activity early on saturday evening as he was eating a thai take-away meal at his brisbane home with bruce hawker , the sydney-based political strategist who has guided many labor election campaigns . hawker is now openly connected to the rudd campaign 's camp and helped advise rudd that night . the conspiracy theorists are out in number , ' says hawker . but i was with him , and he was embarrassed and concerned and understood that he had to manage the problem quickly . the complication was that he was leaving the country the next morning . so the decision was made to contact sky , which is a 24-hour news channel , and do an interview . as it turned out , i think that was the appropriate thing to do . ' prompted and legitimized by the leaked video , by midnight saturday rudd was on sky news , effectively sending to the labor party and australians a revised cv that set down his qualifications for another shot at the prime minister 's job . apologizing for his language in the video , he said he had changed since being deposed by gillard almost 20 months ago . he had learned to delegate more , to become less angry and listen up - especially to his colleagues . it was a coded application for the return of his former job . and it was reinforced on rudd 's behalf on monday morning when the former queensland labor premier , peter beattie , publicly urged the prime minister to hold a leadership ballot . the queensland band of brothers -- rudd , beattie and bruce hawker -- succeeded , finally , in flushing out publicly the prime minister 's senior ministerial supporters to concede that which they have been careful for weeks not to : gillard 's leadership is under siege from within her own cabinet and party room . tactically the day was a victory for rudd ; the leadership issue was out in public and now , sooner or later , it will have to be confronted . there is anxiety and uncertainty on both sides over whether they have the numbers . gillard is not going to a ballot , yet , and behaves as if life is business as usual in her dealings with the man she calls her foreign minister , usually ( and unusually ) not by his name . and rudd is in the mexican resort city of los cabos at a g20 meeting and will not return to australia until the weekend . will he force a challenge when parliament returns on february 27 ? bruce hawker -- a man who might know -- offers this : i think , nevertheless , once rudd is back in town , there is going to be another buildup of pressure for this matter to be resolved once and for all . ' should rudd force a ballot ? i do n't know exactly how this is going to be played out . there are various scenarios but one thing that seems completely implausible is that it 's just going to go away and that people will forget about it and move on to another issue . this is a boil that has to be lanced . ' gillard , you would expect , knows that . she 's wielded that lance before . read the original piece in the global mail the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bernard lagan and the global mail . | comparisons drawn with contest between bob hawke and paul keating more than 20 years ago |
facebook <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when sheriff 's deputies arrested casey anthony in 2008 over the death of her 2-year-old daughter , few would have anticipated it would end like this : just days after her trial , jailers arranging a clandestine release launching the orlando woman back into a world where her story could make her rich or put her life in danger . but that 's precisely the scenario that will play out sometime sunday when anthony completes serving her time on four misdemeanor counts of misleading police . anthony , 25 , was acquitted july 5 of murder and child neglect charges in the death of her daughter , caylee , whose skeletal remains were found in 2008 in a wooded field . she was convicted on four counts of misleading police and was sentenced to four years in prison . after serving nearly three years in prison while awaiting trial , she was ordered released this weekend . the abrupt end to a criminal case that at times transfixed the nation resulted in anger and revulsion as well as donations of cash to her jailhouse account . it 's also led to speculation that the polarizing subject of the i hate casey anthony ' facebook page -- and the source of ire for its more than 40,000 fans -- might change her name and appearance and move someplace far away . if her attorneys are doing the right thing and are doing their jobs , they 're going to have to explain to her that there is real hatred out there for her , that there have been death threats , that she can not just walk amongst the population , ' hln legal contributor sunny hostin said . that is not just going to happen . ' whatever she ends up doing , first she has to get out of jail . few details have been publicly released about how anthony will be let out of the orange county jail , where she has been held since her arrest in october 2008 . court officials have released limited information to reporters , mostly plans to bring three journalists inside a secure area of the jail sometime late friday or early saturday and cut them off from outside access while they wait for anthony 's release . when exactly anthony will be freed has n't been made public . that 's in part likely due to the intense emotions anthony 's release has generated . i know it 's bad god forgive me but i hope someone wipes that smirk off her face . with a mack truck , ' one poster on the i hate casey anthony ' facebook page wrote . another poster , referencing rumored lucrative interview , book and movie deals , said the only thing she 'd pay to see or read would be about casey anthony 's dead body . ' the page features anthony 's mug shot with a bullseye target on her forehead under the headline hey , casey , i 'd watch out if i were you , just sayin'. ' an oklahoma woman said she has already faced the kind of ire anthony may face when she 's no longer behind the protective walls of the orange county jail . sammy blackwell told cnn affiliate kotv that a woman who mistook her for anthony on july 8 rammed her car twice , flipping it over . she said that i was trying to hurt babies , i was killing babies and she was going to stop it before it happened again , ' blackwell told the station . as it happens , blackwell has a daughter named caylee too , but that 's the end of the similarities . she says she really does n't even look that much like anthony and worries for women who do . sheriff jerry demings said tuesday that investigators are assessing threats to anthony 's safety . while he said that the department was not aware of any credible threats to her life , it 's a concern that was clearly on his mind . nobody has a right to take the law in their own hands , ' he said . casey anthony had her day in court and the jury made a decision . i would hope people would step back and would not go out and commit another crime . ' it 's also a concern for her attorneys . myself and other members of the team are concerned for her safety , very much so , ' one of her attorneys , dorothy sims , told hln . what anthony will do after her release is unclear . well if i knew at this point i 'm sure you can appreciate that i would n't'tell you , ' sims said . i do n't believe that that has been resolved . my hope for her would be that she would be left alone and her privacy would be respected . ' hostin said on cnn that she 's heard reports that anthony will go into hiding , live under an assumed name or get plastic surgery . but i think we are going to hear her story because people have offered her a million dollars already for her story , ' she said . anthony also still has legal issues to deal with . her criminal team is appealing her convictions for misleading police , and she is being sued in two separate actions in civil court . one is filed by a woman with the same name anthony gave to investigators as the name of her daughter 's nanny . the other involves a search group that wants anthony to repay expenses they incurred looking for caylee . anthony may be offered money for book and movie deals , but one offer wo n't be on the table . playboy founder hugh hefner told cnn 's piers morgan that the magazine wo n't be offering anthony a pictorial . i would n't reward someone like that for what has happened , ' hefner said . attorney j. cheney mason , who once said he thought of anthony as a granddaughter , said he does n't know what life holds in store for his client , but has hopes . she is only 25 year old . a decade from now , hopefully , she 'll have some stability in her life and maybe a husband , and they can be somewhere in montana and start over , ' he said . | new : i hate casey anthony ' facebook page contains threatening posts |
zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the father of george zimmerman , the man accused of shooting and killing and unarmed black teen , says the teen threatened to kill zimmerman and beat him so badly that it forced zimmerman to shoot trayvon martin . trayvon martin said something to the effect of you 're going to die now or you 're going to die tonight , something to that effect , ' robert zimmerman told orlando news station wofl . he continued to beat george . at some point , george pulled his pistol . did what he did . ' in the interview robert zimmerman , his face obscured because he says he fears for his safety , vehemently defended the shooting that has caused outrage throughout the nation , moved president obama to call it a tragedy and prompted a federal investigation . robert zimmerman told the news station that martin confronted his son first and pummeled his son continually . he was punched in the nose . his nose was broken , ' robert zimmerman said . he was knocked to the concrete . trayvon martin got on top of him and just started beating him . in the face . in his nose , hitting his head on the concrete . ' robert zimmerman was not there the night of the shooting and did not say during the interview how he knew the details of the altercation . the elder zimmerman 's account was disputed by martin 's family attorney and several other legal experts . a surveillance video taken the night of the incident at police headquarters shows zimmerman , his hands cuffed , exiting a patrol car . the video , first broadcast wednesday by abcnews.com , shows an officer looking at the back of zimmerman 's head . the video did not provide a close-up of zimmerman 's head but some say it shows zimmerman did not have significant injuries to his face . the injuries that made it sound as though he really should have been on a stretcher are not apparent in this tape at all , ' said marcia clark , the former prosecutor in the o.j . simpson trial . he moves freely . he moves fluidly , not like someone who has just been through a beating in anyway shape or form , someone 's whose head has been pounded on the pavement as hard as described , someone who 's nose was broken and bleeding . that tells you a great deal . ' sybrina fulton , martin 's mother , said the video is another strong piece of evidence proving her son was killed unjustly . i believe that this video is the icing on the cake , ' she said . this is not the first part of the evidence that they have had . they have had the 911 tapes and they have also have witnesses . this is in addition to what the sanford police department has always had . there is no problem with this case and he needs to be arrested . ' the 17-year-old was shot to death february 26 by george zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , as martin was walking back to his father 's fiancee 's house in sanford , florida . he was wearing a hoodie and carrying skittles candy and a can of iced tea he had purchased from a nearby convenience store . zimmerman says he killed martin in self-defense after the teen attacked him in the gated community . zimmerman has not been arrested and authorities have said said he has not been charged because there are no grounds to disprove his story of what happened . the shooting has hit a nerve in the nation , sparked a debate about racial profiling and ignited protests and calls for zimmerman 's arrest . robert zimmerman said his son is having a hard time dealing with the criticism . i never foresaw so much hate coming from the president , the congressional black caucus , the naacp . every organization imaginable is trying to get notoriety or profit from this in some way , ' robert zimmerman told wofl . but there 's so much hate that i have never been involved in hate and george has n't . it 's really unbelievable . ' robert zimmerman said her son is not racist and race had nothing to do with incident . he would do anything to help anybody at any time . he 's color blind when it comes to any race , ' robert zimmerman said . tracy martin , martin 's father , said wednesday that the 911 tape shows zimmerman was profiling his son . in a recording of zimmerman 's call to police , some people have said they hear what sounds like a possible racial slur . cnn enhanced the sound of the 911 call , and several members of cnn 's editorial staff repeatedly reviewed the tape but could reach no consensus on whether zimmerman used a slur . angela corey , the special prosecutor assigned to investigate the case , said tuesday that investigators would look into the allegations that zimmerman used a racial slur . martin , who lived in miami , was visiting sanford after receiving a 10-day suspension from school , a family spokesman has said . an empty plastic bag found in his book bag was determined to contain marijuana residue . crump , martin 's parents'attorney , said information regarding the suspension was irrelevant and amounts to a smear campaign against the youth . florida law allows the use of deadly force anywhere a person feels a reasonable fear of death or serious injury . it has been cited in a number of justifiable homicide cases in florida . but as more and more information surfaces , the picture of what happened becomes more complicated . despite the twists and turns in the case fulton , martin 's mother , says she still has faith in authorities investigating her son 's case . i feel confident that they 're going to do a thorough investigation , ' fulton said . we 're trying to be patient , even though it 's been over a month . we 're trying to be patient , and we 're trying to press on for justice . ' cnn 's umaro djau , deirdre walsh , ed payne and tracy sabo contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here . | video shows zimmerman at police station |
zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the father of george zimmerman , the man accused of shooting and killing and unarmed black teen , says the teen threatened to kill zimmerman and beat him so badly that it forced zimmerman to shoot trayvon martin . trayvon martin said something to the effect of you 're going to die now or you 're going to die tonight , something to that effect , ' robert zimmerman told orlando news station wofl . he continued to beat george . at some point , george pulled his pistol . did what he did . ' in the interview robert zimmerman , his face obscured because he says he fears for his safety , vehemently defended the shooting that has caused outrage throughout the nation , moved president obama to call it a tragedy and prompted a federal investigation . robert zimmerman told the news station that martin confronted his son first and pummeled his son continually . he was punched in the nose . his nose was broken , ' robert zimmerman said . he was knocked to the concrete . trayvon martin got on top of him and just started beating him . in the face . in his nose , hitting his head on the concrete . ' robert zimmerman was not there the night of the shooting and did not say during the interview how he knew the details of the altercation . the elder zimmerman 's account was disputed by martin 's family attorney and several other legal experts . a surveillance video taken the night of the incident at police headquarters shows zimmerman , his hands cuffed , exiting a patrol car . the video , first broadcast wednesday by abcnews.com , shows an officer looking at the back of zimmerman 's head . the video did not provide a close-up of zimmerman 's head but some say it shows zimmerman did not have significant injuries to his face . the injuries that made it sound as though he really should have been on a stretcher are not apparent in this tape at all , ' said marcia clark , the former prosecutor in the o.j . simpson trial . he moves freely . he moves fluidly , not like someone who has just been through a beating in anyway shape or form , someone 's whose head has been pounded on the pavement as hard as described , someone who 's nose was broken and bleeding . that tells you a great deal . ' sybrina fulton , martin 's mother , said the video is another strong piece of evidence proving her son was killed unjustly . i believe that this video is the icing on the cake , ' she said . this is not the first part of the evidence that they have had . they have had the 911 tapes and they have also have witnesses . this is in addition to what the sanford police department has always had . there is no problem with this case and he needs to be arrested . ' the 17-year-old was shot to death february 26 by george zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , as martin was walking back to his father 's fiancee 's house in sanford , florida . he was wearing a hoodie and carrying skittles candy and a can of iced tea he had purchased from a nearby convenience store . zimmerman says he killed martin in self-defense after the teen attacked him in the gated community . zimmerman has not been arrested and authorities have said said he has not been charged because there are no grounds to disprove his story of what happened . the shooting has hit a nerve in the nation , sparked a debate about racial profiling and ignited protests and calls for zimmerman 's arrest . robert zimmerman said his son is having a hard time dealing with the criticism . i never foresaw so much hate coming from the president , the congressional black caucus , the naacp . every organization imaginable is trying to get notoriety or profit from this in some way , ' robert zimmerman told wofl . but there 's so much hate that i have never been involved in hate and george has n't . it 's really unbelievable . ' robert zimmerman said her son is not racist and race had nothing to do with incident . he would do anything to help anybody at any time . he 's color blind when it comes to any race , ' robert zimmerman said . tracy martin , martin 's father , said wednesday that the 911 tape shows zimmerman was profiling his son . in a recording of zimmerman 's call to police , some people have said they hear what sounds like a possible racial slur . cnn enhanced the sound of the 911 call , and several members of cnn 's editorial staff repeatedly reviewed the tape but could reach no consensus on whether zimmerman used a slur . angela corey , the special prosecutor assigned to investigate the case , said tuesday that investigators would look into the allegations that zimmerman used a racial slur . martin , who lived in miami , was visiting sanford after receiving a 10-day suspension from school , a family spokesman has said . an empty plastic bag found in his book bag was determined to contain marijuana residue . crump , martin 's parents'attorney , said information regarding the suspension was irrelevant and amounts to a smear campaign against the youth . florida law allows the use of deadly force anywhere a person feels a reasonable fear of death or serious injury . it has been cited in a number of justifiable homicide cases in florida . but as more and more information surfaces , the picture of what happened becomes more complicated . despite the twists and turns in the case fulton , martin 's mother , says she still has faith in authorities investigating her son 's case . i feel confident that they 're going to do a thorough investigation , ' fulton said . we 're trying to be patient , even though it 's been over a month . we 're trying to be patient , and we 're trying to press on for justice . ' cnn 's umaro djau , deirdre walsh , ed payne and tracy sabo contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here . | martin family and some legal experts say videos shows zimmerman was not severly beaten |
wta tour <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this week 's bank of the west classic in stanford , california , reaches a notable milestone as the tournament celebrates its 40th year -- the oldest wta tour event on the circuit . the tournament has been hosted in the grounds of stanford university for the past 14 years , after various different venues in the north california area , and its roll-call of former winners reads like a who's-who of women 's tennis . martina navratilova holds the record for most singles titles , with five between 1979 and 1993 . reigning u.s. open champion kim clijsters has four wins , with american legends chris evert and lindsay davenport and billie jean king with three victories each . and , in recognition of reaching the landmark , tournament organizers have arranged a special presentation before the semifinals on saturday july 31 . four former champions , each representing a different decade , will be paraded ; inuaugural champion king ( 1970s ) , two-time champion andrea jaeger ( 1980s ) , davenport ( 1990s ) and defending champion marion bartoli ( 2000s ) . it was fitting that king won the initial tournament , as she had fought so hard for the introduction of the wta tour . and , the 1971 tournament at the san francisco civic auditorium , in which king beat rosie casals in the final of an event then known as the british motor cars invitational , was to become the first of 24 events that year that formed the first-ever wta tour calendar . the tournament became the virginia slims of california in 1974 and its venue moved around the san francisco area before settling at the oakland coliseum between 1979 and 1996 . the tournament has continued to grow and grow since moving to standford , with stanford director of tennis dick gould telling the local mercury news website : it 's been a great marriage and just about every great player from the last 14 years has played here . it 's been a really great thing for not only stanford , but for the northern california community in general . ' australian samantha stosur is the top seed for the 2010 version , although injury means that the williams sisters -- who both hail from the area -- will not be in action . | it is the oldest tournament on the wta tour and formed the first event in the wta tour calendar |
california <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this week 's bank of the west classic in stanford , california , reaches a notable milestone as the tournament celebrates its 40th year -- the oldest wta tour event on the circuit . the tournament has been hosted in the grounds of stanford university for the past 14 years , after various different venues in the north california area , and its roll-call of former winners reads like a who's-who of women 's tennis . martina navratilova holds the record for most singles titles , with five between 1979 and 1993 . reigning u.s. open champion kim clijsters has four wins , with american legends chris evert and lindsay davenport and billie jean king with three victories each . and , in recognition of reaching the landmark , tournament organizers have arranged a special presentation before the semifinals on saturday july 31 . four former champions , each representing a different decade , will be paraded ; inuaugural champion king ( 1970s ) , two-time champion andrea jaeger ( 1980s ) , davenport ( 1990s ) and defending champion marion bartoli ( 2000s ) . it was fitting that king won the initial tournament , as she had fought so hard for the introduction of the wta tour . and , the 1971 tournament at the san francisco civic auditorium , in which king beat rosie casals in the final of an event then known as the british motor cars invitational , was to become the first of 24 events that year that formed the first-ever wta tour calendar . the tournament became the virginia slims of california in 1974 and its venue moved around the san francisco area before settling at the oakland coliseum between 1979 and 1996 . the tournament has continued to grow and grow since moving to standford , with stanford director of tennis dick gould telling the local mercury news website : it 's been a great marriage and just about every great player from the last 14 years has played here . it 's been a really great thing for not only stanford , but for the northern california community in general . ' australian samantha stosur is the top seed for the 2010 version , although injury means that the williams sisters -- who both hail from the area -- will not be in action . | this week 's bank of the west classic in stanford , california celebrates its 40th year |
sri lanka <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- angelina jolie was on a stage thursday but was n't performing . instead , she paid tribute to the millions of uprooted people across the globe made homeless by war . angelina jolie said that sheltering countries can learn from the way refugees survive their difficulties . a u.n. goodwill ambassador , jolie was in washington to observe world refugee day , an annual event that falls on saturday this year . the poignant ceremony was sponsored by the united nations refugee agency . tears flowed as refugees and displaced people shared their harrowing experiences and advocates related what they 'd seen in refugee camps . i believe we must persuade the world that refugees must not be simply viewed as a burden , ' she said . they are the survivors . and they can bring those qualities to the service of their communities and the countries that shelter them . ' jolie spoke of her visits to refugee camps in tanzania and pakistan . she met a boy about 15 years old in a tanzanian refugee camp who , without a wheelchair , had to crawl since a shot in the back paralyzed him . his family was killed , leaving him as an orphan . yet when he spoke with her , he did it with a smile . he had this really remarkable , unbreakable spirit , ' she told cnn 's anderson cooper after the event at the national geographic museum . i think of him and i ca n't complain about anything ... he was grateful and he had nothing and suffered everything . ' the boy died a few months after she met him , jolie said . according to a u.n. high commissioner for refugees survey of displacement trends in 2008 , there are 42 million uprooted people -- 15.2 million were refugees , 26 million were internally displaced people and 827,000 were asylum seekers . afghans and iraqis constituted almost half of all refugees worldwide . one out of four refugees was from afghanistan , and 69 countries accepted afghan refugees for asylum , agency officials found . jolie recounted her meeting with a pregnant afghan refugee . she lived in a small , roofless dirt house in an abandoned refugee camp in pakistan and could not leave with the others because she was too far along in her pregnancy . pakistan struggles with the largest refugee population in the world , about 1.8 million , according to the united nations . the country also has more than 2 million internally displaced citizens , largely because of the fighting between the pakistani military and the taliban since april . antonio guterres , head of the u.n. 's refugee agency , elaborated on the plight of displaced people at the event . he said internally displaced people face the same plight [ as refugees ] . they have lost the same as refugees . they do n't have the same international protections granted to refugees . ' conflicts like those in pakistan , sri lanka and somalia have caused more people to flee their homes , though the number of displaced people declined by about 700,000 in 2008 , the report said . recent fighting in the eastern democratic republic of the congo and in somalia last year brought total displacement in each to 1.5 million and 1.3 million , respectively . more than 2 million internally displaced people were in sudan 's darfur region , according to the report . when a genocide targeting tutsis in rwanda in 1994 later spilled over into the democratic republic of the congo , rose mapendo , a tutsi , was caught in the middle . she spoke at the event and described her ordeal . mapendo , her husband and seven children were thrown into a death camp , where her husband was executed and her children starved , she said through tears . while at the prison , she learned that she was pregnant . she gave birth in silence , on a concrete floor , mapendo said . to her surprise , she had twins , and to her captors'surprise , she named her newborns after them . soon after her gesture toward the prison commanders , her family was freed after their 16-month ordeal . mapendo , named a cnn hero in october , created mapendo international , a nonprofit dedicated to identifying , saving and resettling endangered refugees . she was named humanitarian of the year at the event by the u.n. agency . i want to encourage the refugees do n't give up , ' she said . giving up is not an option . ' cnn 's khadijah rentas , shalina wadhwani and paul courson contributed to this report | conflicts in pakistan , sri lanka , somalia have caused people to flee their homes |
arsenal <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | arsenal beat burnley 1-0 in the epl |
epl <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | arsenal beat burnley 1-0 in the epl |
epl <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | win cuts chelsea 's epl lead to four points |
aaron ramsey <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | a goal from aaron ramsey secured all three points |
burnley <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | arsenal beat burnley 1-0 in the epl |
chelsea <tsp> ( cnn ) arsenal kept their slim hopes of winning this season 's english premier league title alive by beating relegation threatened burnley 1-0 at turf moor . a first half goal from welsh international aaron ramsey was enough to separate the two sides and secure arsenal 's hold on second place . more importantly it took the north london club to within four points of first placed chelsea , with the two clubs to play next week . but chelsea have two games in hand and play lowly queens park rangers on sunday , a team who are themselves struggling against relegation . good form arsenal have been in superb form since the start of the year , transforming what looked to be another mediocre season struggling to secure fourth place -- and with it champions league qualification -- into one where they at least have a shot at winning the title . after going ahead , arsenal rarely looked in any danger of conceding , showing more of the midfield pragmatism epitomized by the likes of francis coquelin , who also played a crucial role in the goal . he has been absolutely consistent in the quality of his defensive work , ' arsenal coach arsene wenger told sky sports after the game when asked about coquelin 's contribution to arsenal 's current run . they have won eight games in a row since introducing the previously overlooked young frenchman into a more defensive midfield position . he was a player who was with us for seven years , from 17 , he 's now just 24 , ' wenger explained . sometimes you have to be patient . i am very happy for him because he has shown great mental strength . ' now all eyes will be on next week 's clash between arsenal and chelsea which will likely decide the title . they have the games in hand , ' said wenger , playing down his club 's title aspirations . but we 'll keep going and that 's why the win was so important for us today . ' relegation dogfight meanwhile it was a good day for teams at the bottom of the league . aston villa continued their good form since appointing coach tim sherwood with a 1-0 victory over tottenham , who fired sherwood last season . belgian international christian benteke scored the only goal of the game , his eighth in six matches , to secure a vital three points to give the midlands club breathing space . another midlands club looking over their shoulder is west brom , who conceded an injury time goal to lose 3-2 against bottom club leicester city . but it was an awful day for sunderland 's former dutch international coach dick advocaat , who saw his team lose 4-1 at home against form team crystal palace . democratic republic of congo international yannick bolasie scored crystal palace 's first ever hat trick in the premier league to secure an easy victory . | win cuts chelsea 's epl lead to four points |
brownstein <tsp> ( elle ) -- i took all my ted cruz posters down before you came over , ' declares carrie brownstein , leaning against the arched doorframe of her portland dining room . elle : 21 imaginary tv couples we wish were real brownstein 's delivery is thoroughly deadpan , but anyone even mildly familiar with the 39-year-old would know the claim could n't be dripping with more sarcasm . after all , along with co-star fred armisen , brownstein -- founding member of riot grrrl cult band sleater-kinney and , more recently , wild flag -- has made a second career out of portraying a constituent of the kale-eating , craft-beer-drinking , lumberjack-shirt-wearing , jewelry-making crowd on portlandia . ' elle : what 's behind portlandia 's comedy chemistry ? while the locally filmed show , which returned for a fourth season on ifc in february , has made the washington state native something of a hometown hero in her adopted city , she 's quick to point out that portland was merely a convenient backdrop for the series . portlandia is n't as much about a place as it is about a state of mind , ' says brownstein . it 's about people who like to feel special , who like to believe that this certain thing has been tailor-made just for them , of which i 'm definitely guilty too , at times . ' elle : 9 tv actresses who deserve a raise given the show 's penchant for incredibly nuanced observations of hipster culture -- municipal recycling guidelines are enough fodder for an entire sketch -- it should come as no surprise that brownstein was equally committed to detail when it came to decorating the 1912 bungalow she bought in the trendy grant park neighborhood 10 years ago after touring extensively . elle : a different way of thinking about lena dunham 's nudity in'girls' brownstein filled the place with sentimental , one-of-a-kind finds : a taxidermied weasel once owned by amy sedaris sits on the mantel ; '50s-era coastal landscapes by various local artists fill the walls ; and a record collection†” which , in brownstein 's case , is several thousand vinyls strong and meticulously alphabetized by artist†” testifies that yes , this is a hipster home . elle : 21 vintage photos of hollywood couples on the red carpet all in all , the spread is not unlike the one carrie 's portlandia alter ego inhabits . hard-core fans may recognize brownstein 's real-life mutts from the now infamous episode about dog parks . armisen , whom she met in 2003 at a saturday night live ' after-party , is clearly her partner in crime in real life , too : the comedian , who rents a house nearby during filming , texts brownstein in the middle of her elle shoot to let her know that lou reed has died . ( a fellow musician , armisen is also a frequent guest in brownstein 's basement -- a soundproof practice space tricked out with a loungy chesterfield sofa and no fewer than five guitars . ) elle : 11 items every fashionable woman should have by 30 of course , inhabiting the blurred line between reality and fiction can have its downsides . a particular source of consternation for brownstein is one of the show 's most famous skits -- put a bird on it ' -- which depicts an artisan couple with a compulsive knack for putting a cutesy bird on virtually everything they make . now i go into stores and see things i want to buy with birds on it , and i ca n't , because i 'm too self-conscious , ' brownstein says . the other day , i was in a store and saw a cute dress with birds on it and i was like ,'no , i just ca n't .'' reprinted with permission of hearst communications , inc . | a basement full of guitars is a favorite spot for brownstein and co-star fred armisen |
brownstein <tsp> ( elle ) -- i took all my ted cruz posters down before you came over , ' declares carrie brownstein , leaning against the arched doorframe of her portland dining room . elle : 21 imaginary tv couples we wish were real brownstein 's delivery is thoroughly deadpan , but anyone even mildly familiar with the 39-year-old would know the claim could n't be dripping with more sarcasm . after all , along with co-star fred armisen , brownstein -- founding member of riot grrrl cult band sleater-kinney and , more recently , wild flag -- has made a second career out of portraying a constituent of the kale-eating , craft-beer-drinking , lumberjack-shirt-wearing , jewelry-making crowd on portlandia . ' elle : what 's behind portlandia 's comedy chemistry ? while the locally filmed show , which returned for a fourth season on ifc in february , has made the washington state native something of a hometown hero in her adopted city , she 's quick to point out that portland was merely a convenient backdrop for the series . portlandia is n't as much about a place as it is about a state of mind , ' says brownstein . it 's about people who like to feel special , who like to believe that this certain thing has been tailor-made just for them , of which i 'm definitely guilty too , at times . ' elle : 9 tv actresses who deserve a raise given the show 's penchant for incredibly nuanced observations of hipster culture -- municipal recycling guidelines are enough fodder for an entire sketch -- it should come as no surprise that brownstein was equally committed to detail when it came to decorating the 1912 bungalow she bought in the trendy grant park neighborhood 10 years ago after touring extensively . elle : a different way of thinking about lena dunham 's nudity in'girls' brownstein filled the place with sentimental , one-of-a-kind finds : a taxidermied weasel once owned by amy sedaris sits on the mantel ; '50s-era coastal landscapes by various local artists fill the walls ; and a record collection†” which , in brownstein 's case , is several thousand vinyls strong and meticulously alphabetized by artist†” testifies that yes , this is a hipster home . elle : 21 vintage photos of hollywood couples on the red carpet all in all , the spread is not unlike the one carrie 's portlandia alter ego inhabits . hard-core fans may recognize brownstein 's real-life mutts from the now infamous episode about dog parks . armisen , whom she met in 2003 at a saturday night live ' after-party , is clearly her partner in crime in real life , too : the comedian , who rents a house nearby during filming , texts brownstein in the middle of her elle shoot to let her know that lou reed has died . ( a fellow musician , armisen is also a frequent guest in brownstein 's basement -- a soundproof practice space tricked out with a loungy chesterfield sofa and no fewer than five guitars . ) elle : 11 items every fashionable woman should have by 30 of course , inhabiting the blurred line between reality and fiction can have its downsides . a particular source of consternation for brownstein is one of the show 's most famous skits -- put a bird on it ' -- which depicts an artisan couple with a compulsive knack for putting a cutesy bird on virtually everything they make . now i go into stores and see things i want to buy with birds on it , and i ca n't , because i 'm too self-conscious , ' brownstein says . the other day , i was in a store and saw a cute dress with birds on it and i was like ,'no , i just ca n't .'' reprinted with permission of hearst communications , inc . | rocker turned portlandia ' star carrie brownstein shows off her portland bungalow |
brownstein <tsp> ( elle ) -- i took all my ted cruz posters down before you came over , ' declares carrie brownstein , leaning against the arched doorframe of her portland dining room . elle : 21 imaginary tv couples we wish were real brownstein 's delivery is thoroughly deadpan , but anyone even mildly familiar with the 39-year-old would know the claim could n't be dripping with more sarcasm . after all , along with co-star fred armisen , brownstein -- founding member of riot grrrl cult band sleater-kinney and , more recently , wild flag -- has made a second career out of portraying a constituent of the kale-eating , craft-beer-drinking , lumberjack-shirt-wearing , jewelry-making crowd on portlandia . ' elle : what 's behind portlandia 's comedy chemistry ? while the locally filmed show , which returned for a fourth season on ifc in february , has made the washington state native something of a hometown hero in her adopted city , she 's quick to point out that portland was merely a convenient backdrop for the series . portlandia is n't as much about a place as it is about a state of mind , ' says brownstein . it 's about people who like to feel special , who like to believe that this certain thing has been tailor-made just for them , of which i 'm definitely guilty too , at times . ' elle : 9 tv actresses who deserve a raise given the show 's penchant for incredibly nuanced observations of hipster culture -- municipal recycling guidelines are enough fodder for an entire sketch -- it should come as no surprise that brownstein was equally committed to detail when it came to decorating the 1912 bungalow she bought in the trendy grant park neighborhood 10 years ago after touring extensively . elle : a different way of thinking about lena dunham 's nudity in'girls' brownstein filled the place with sentimental , one-of-a-kind finds : a taxidermied weasel once owned by amy sedaris sits on the mantel ; '50s-era coastal landscapes by various local artists fill the walls ; and a record collection†” which , in brownstein 's case , is several thousand vinyls strong and meticulously alphabetized by artist†” testifies that yes , this is a hipster home . elle : 21 vintage photos of hollywood couples on the red carpet all in all , the spread is not unlike the one carrie 's portlandia alter ego inhabits . hard-core fans may recognize brownstein 's real-life mutts from the now infamous episode about dog parks . armisen , whom she met in 2003 at a saturday night live ' after-party , is clearly her partner in crime in real life , too : the comedian , who rents a house nearby during filming , texts brownstein in the middle of her elle shoot to let her know that lou reed has died . ( a fellow musician , armisen is also a frequent guest in brownstein 's basement -- a soundproof practice space tricked out with a loungy chesterfield sofa and no fewer than five guitars . ) elle : 11 items every fashionable woman should have by 30 of course , inhabiting the blurred line between reality and fiction can have its downsides . a particular source of consternation for brownstein is one of the show 's most famous skits -- put a bird on it ' -- which depicts an artisan couple with a compulsive knack for putting a cutesy bird on virtually everything they make . now i go into stores and see things i want to buy with birds on it , and i ca n't , because i 'm too self-conscious , ' brownstein says . the other day , i was in a store and saw a cute dress with birds on it and i was like ,'no , i just ca n't .'' reprinted with permission of hearst communications , inc . | brownstein is burned out on cutsy bird silhouettes , thanks to an episode of portlandia ' |
state department <tsp> lagos , nigeria ( cnn ) -- nigerian aviation authorities suspended dana air 's operating license tuesday as torrential rain hampered recovery efforts after a deadly weekend plane crash . as soon as we have concluded the recertification of the airline , if they are capable , then their license will be reinstated , ' said sam adurogboye , a spokesman for the nigerian civil aviation authority . authorities have recovered the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder , which are expected to help investigators determine what caused sunday 's crash that authorities say killed at least 153 people aboard the plane and at least 10 people on the ground . rescuers have recovered 153 bodies , including those of a woman and the baby she was clutching . but a downpour and a building on the verge of collapse impeded recovery efforts tuesday . rescuers said they hoped to resume work wednesday morning . seven u.s. citizens were aboard the flight , state department spokesman mark toner said tuesday . officials were working to notify relatives of the dead . two sisters from texas , connecticut family perish dana air 's flight 0992 slammed into a two-story residential building in a densely populated neighborhood of lagos , nigeria 's largest city . the plane pushed the wall of our building in , and it hit everything , ' said kingsley okeke , who was inside at the time . there was fire everywhere . ' the pilot declared an emergency as the plane was on final approach to murtala muhammed international airport , and witnesses said it appeared the plane was having engine trouble , said oscar wason , dana air 's director of operations . wason identified the pilot as peter waxtan , an american , and the first officer as mike mahendra , from india . waxtan had joined dana air on march 26 . he was a captain for spirit airlines based in south florida from 1997 to 2009 , the airline said . he also flew for falcon air express , a charter airline in miami , cnn affiliate wpec reported . sisters jennifer and josephine onita of missouri city , texas , were among those killed in the crash . they were on their way back home after attending a wedding , said their sister , christiana onita-olojo . also among the dead were six chinese citizens who were on the plane , the chinese embassy in nigeria said monday . according to witnesses , the passenger plane appeared to be approaching the vicinity of the airport in lagos high , its nose tilted upward , when it crashed 11 miles ( 18 kilometers ) north of the runway , hitting the ground tail first , wason said . the flight , which had originated in the nigerian capital of abuja , crashed at 3:43 p.m. in the neighborhood of iju ishaga , according to the nigerian civil aviation authority . ireport : images from lagos the airplane was 22 years old and had been purchased from alaska airlines . it had undergone routine maintenance checkups after every 200 hours of flight , and it had been inspected three days before the crash , wason said . dana air says its fleet comprises boeing md-83 aircraft . boeing 's website says that model can carry 155 to 172 passengers , cover up to 2,504 nautical miles and has a fuel capacity of 7,000 gallons . the airline , which is privately owned and based in lagos , began operations in 2008 . cnn 's jill dougherty and devon sayers contributed to this report . | seven u.s. citizens died in the crash , the state department says |
indian ocean <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the airline operating an airbus a310-300 jet that crashed in the indian ocean on tuesday with 153 people aboard was being monitored by eu authorities , according to france 's transport minister . an airbus 310 like the one pictured crashed while on the way to the capital of comoros . dominique bussereau told french television that inspectors in his country had also noted several faults on the doomed yemenia airways plane , agence france-presse reported . the company was not on the blacklist ( of airlines banned from european airspace ) but was being subjected to closer inspection by us and was due to soon be heard by the security committee of the european union , ' bussereau said . the airbus a310 was inspected in france in 2007 by the french civil aviation authority and a certain number of faults had been noted . ' the plane had not since then reappeared in our country , ' he added . however , chris yates , an aviation analyst for jane 's information group , said he suspected weather and/or airport failings were a greater factor in the crash than a technical fault . recent plane crashes » ' it 's more than likely to be a weather-related incident . having said that , you can not rule out a maintenance issue , ' yates told cnn . yemenia air had used the jet since 1999 , on about 17,300 flights , airbus officials said . the company said it would assist in investigating the crash . we are extremely saddened and our thoughts are with the families , friends and loved ones affected by this accident , ' airbus spokeswoman maggie bergsma told cnn . we are giving our maximum support and assistance to the authorities and the airline . ' this includes a team of airbus experts that will go on site and our crisis center has been open since early this morning , where our specialists work in direct contact with the airline and the authorities , ' bergsma added . the task now is to gather as much information as possible , including retrieval of the black boxes , to help us understand what happened . this will need time and patience . ' it is the second crash involving an airbus jet in a month . on june 1 , an air france airbus a330 crashed off brazil while en route from rio de janeiro to paris , france . all 228 aboard are presumed dead . the cause remains under investigation . in the wake of the air france crash on june 1 , united states accident investigators have been probing two recent failures of airspeed and altitude indications aboard airbus a330s . one flight was between the united states and brazil in may and the other between hong kong and japan in june . the planes landed safely and there were no injuries or damage , according to the national transportation safety board . cnn 's saad abedine and ayesha durgahee contributed to this report . | eu concerned about airline operating jet that crashed in indian ocean |
hillary clinton <tsp> it 's called godwin 's law . the longer a debate rages , the greater the likelihood that someone will compare someone else to hitler . and hillary clinton has done just that : on tuesday the former secretary of state reportedly told a private fund-raising party that russian president vladimir putin 's actions are similar to hitler 's in the run up to world war ii . her quote ( according to the long beach press-telegram ) : all the germans that were ... the ethnic germans , the germans by ancestry who were in places like czechoslovakia and romania and other places , hitler kept saying they 're not being treated right . i must go and protect my people , and that 's what 's gotten everybody so nervous . ' of course , what also gets everybody so nervous ' is leading statesmen comparing putin to hitler and , thereby , raising the specter of another world war . it 's unlikely that clinton intended to gain politically from these remarks -- and they were carefully qualified . she added that there is no indication that putin is as irrational ' as the german dictator was . but they could indicate that if she wins the 2016 election , america might gain a slightly more forceful president in foreign affairs , someone more willing to engage directly in europe than obama has . you may recall that in the 2008 primaries she was the democrats'hawk candidate -- so much so that ann coulter preferred her to john mccain ( coulter called her our girl ' ) . but was clinton right ? mostly no . it is true that putin 's justification for intervention in ukraine is similar to hitler 's , that is , threatening to invade a sovereign territory to defend his ethnic brethren . but the situation is complex , and the historical comparison is tenuous at best . opinion : has putin broken international law ? after all , in the eyes of many ethnic russians , it is the ukrainian nationalists -- not putin -- who are the nazis . the russians have asserted , quite accurately , that the revolution that overthrew a pro-russian , democratically elected leader has resulted in the elevation of russophobe fascists into key government positions . for example , the new secretary of the ukrainian national security and defense council is andriy parubiy -- co-founder of the neo-nazi social-national party of ukraine ( snpu ) . another creator of the snpu is oleh tyahnybok , a high-profile leader of the kiev protests who has blamed ukraine 's problems on a jewish conspiracy run out of moscow . ukraine 's new deputy secretary of national security is dmytro yarosh , leader of the right sector group , which regards tyahnybok as a soft liberal and which flies the old flag of the ukrainian nazi collaborators at its rallies . in other words , in this situation , who exactly are the nazis ? putin 's ethnic russian nationalists ? or the fringe of the ethnic ukrainian nationalists ? neither is particularly pleasant . of course , the ukrainian nazi movement is small , and ukraine is dwarfed by russia , which puts putin in the role of the dominant regional power picking on a small country and exploiting its extremist politics for the purpose of propaganda . but putin is still no hitler , because he lacks the german fuhrer 's global vision . opinion : putin 2014 vs. putin 2004 hitler worked by an all-encompassing racist ideology that dreamed of turning europe into a giant living space for his people . putin -- the leader of a democracy , albeit a highly corrupt and politically stagnant one -- simply meddles in the affairs of countries that could reasonably be said to fall within his country 's historical sphere of influence . ukraine was a part of the soviet union until two decades ago ( whereas crimea was part of russia until 1954 ) , the country contains millions of ethnic russians and , crucially , it has russian military installations that are key to russia 's strategic interests . in other words , a russian invasion of ukraine is not going to be a stepping stone to the invasion of france . unfortunately , it may well be a stepping stone to involvement in the affairs of the baltic states -- which are firmly in nato and the eu . this is why putin 's latest ambitions have to be checked . nevertheless , calling putin hitler is careless . even reckless . as marc tracy points out in the new republic , it 's historically insensitive and ignores the tapestry of cultural clashes and political calculations going on . it smacks , too , of the manichean division of the world between good and evil that permeated the war on terror and led to so many terrible mistakes and so many american deaths overseas . worse , still , is that such provocative language should be applied to a confrontation with a state like russia . we are dealing with a major power with nuclear weapons that has the capacity to reduce the world to so much irradiated ash . the west needs to be careful with its words . | timothy stanley : hillary clinton compared putin 's ukraine moves to hitler 's in 1930s |
putin <tsp> it 's called godwin 's law . the longer a debate rages , the greater the likelihood that someone will compare someone else to hitler . and hillary clinton has done just that : on tuesday the former secretary of state reportedly told a private fund-raising party that russian president vladimir putin 's actions are similar to hitler 's in the run up to world war ii . her quote ( according to the long beach press-telegram ) : all the germans that were ... the ethnic germans , the germans by ancestry who were in places like czechoslovakia and romania and other places , hitler kept saying they 're not being treated right . i must go and protect my people , and that 's what 's gotten everybody so nervous . ' of course , what also gets everybody so nervous ' is leading statesmen comparing putin to hitler and , thereby , raising the specter of another world war . it 's unlikely that clinton intended to gain politically from these remarks -- and they were carefully qualified . she added that there is no indication that putin is as irrational ' as the german dictator was . but they could indicate that if she wins the 2016 election , america might gain a slightly more forceful president in foreign affairs , someone more willing to engage directly in europe than obama has . you may recall that in the 2008 primaries she was the democrats'hawk candidate -- so much so that ann coulter preferred her to john mccain ( coulter called her our girl ' ) . but was clinton right ? mostly no . it is true that putin 's justification for intervention in ukraine is similar to hitler 's , that is , threatening to invade a sovereign territory to defend his ethnic brethren . but the situation is complex , and the historical comparison is tenuous at best . opinion : has putin broken international law ? after all , in the eyes of many ethnic russians , it is the ukrainian nationalists -- not putin -- who are the nazis . the russians have asserted , quite accurately , that the revolution that overthrew a pro-russian , democratically elected leader has resulted in the elevation of russophobe fascists into key government positions . for example , the new secretary of the ukrainian national security and defense council is andriy parubiy -- co-founder of the neo-nazi social-national party of ukraine ( snpu ) . another creator of the snpu is oleh tyahnybok , a high-profile leader of the kiev protests who has blamed ukraine 's problems on a jewish conspiracy run out of moscow . ukraine 's new deputy secretary of national security is dmytro yarosh , leader of the right sector group , which regards tyahnybok as a soft liberal and which flies the old flag of the ukrainian nazi collaborators at its rallies . in other words , in this situation , who exactly are the nazis ? putin 's ethnic russian nationalists ? or the fringe of the ethnic ukrainian nationalists ? neither is particularly pleasant . of course , the ukrainian nazi movement is small , and ukraine is dwarfed by russia , which puts putin in the role of the dominant regional power picking on a small country and exploiting its extremist politics for the purpose of propaganda . but putin is still no hitler , because he lacks the german fuhrer 's global vision . opinion : putin 2014 vs. putin 2004 hitler worked by an all-encompassing racist ideology that dreamed of turning europe into a giant living space for his people . putin -- the leader of a democracy , albeit a highly corrupt and politically stagnant one -- simply meddles in the affairs of countries that could reasonably be said to fall within his country 's historical sphere of influence . ukraine was a part of the soviet union until two decades ago ( whereas crimea was part of russia until 1954 ) , the country contains millions of ethnic russians and , crucially , it has russian military installations that are key to russia 's strategic interests . in other words , a russian invasion of ukraine is not going to be a stepping stone to the invasion of france . unfortunately , it may well be a stepping stone to involvement in the affairs of the baltic states -- which are firmly in nato and the eu . this is why putin 's latest ambitions have to be checked . nevertheless , calling putin hitler is careless . even reckless . as marc tracy points out in the new republic , it 's historically insensitive and ignores the tapestry of cultural clashes and political calculations going on . it smacks , too , of the manichean division of the world between good and evil that permeated the war on terror and led to so many terrible mistakes and so many american deaths overseas . worse , still , is that such provocative language should be applied to a confrontation with a state like russia . we are dealing with a major power with nuclear weapons that has the capacity to reduce the world to so much irradiated ash . the west needs to be careful with its words . | timothy stanley : hillary clinton compared putin 's ukraine moves to hitler 's in 1930s |
putin <tsp> it 's called godwin 's law . the longer a debate rages , the greater the likelihood that someone will compare someone else to hitler . and hillary clinton has done just that : on tuesday the former secretary of state reportedly told a private fund-raising party that russian president vladimir putin 's actions are similar to hitler 's in the run up to world war ii . her quote ( according to the long beach press-telegram ) : all the germans that were ... the ethnic germans , the germans by ancestry who were in places like czechoslovakia and romania and other places , hitler kept saying they 're not being treated right . i must go and protect my people , and that 's what 's gotten everybody so nervous . ' of course , what also gets everybody so nervous ' is leading statesmen comparing putin to hitler and , thereby , raising the specter of another world war . it 's unlikely that clinton intended to gain politically from these remarks -- and they were carefully qualified . she added that there is no indication that putin is as irrational ' as the german dictator was . but they could indicate that if she wins the 2016 election , america might gain a slightly more forceful president in foreign affairs , someone more willing to engage directly in europe than obama has . you may recall that in the 2008 primaries she was the democrats'hawk candidate -- so much so that ann coulter preferred her to john mccain ( coulter called her our girl ' ) . but was clinton right ? mostly no . it is true that putin 's justification for intervention in ukraine is similar to hitler 's , that is , threatening to invade a sovereign territory to defend his ethnic brethren . but the situation is complex , and the historical comparison is tenuous at best . opinion : has putin broken international law ? after all , in the eyes of many ethnic russians , it is the ukrainian nationalists -- not putin -- who are the nazis . the russians have asserted , quite accurately , that the revolution that overthrew a pro-russian , democratically elected leader has resulted in the elevation of russophobe fascists into key government positions . for example , the new secretary of the ukrainian national security and defense council is andriy parubiy -- co-founder of the neo-nazi social-national party of ukraine ( snpu ) . another creator of the snpu is oleh tyahnybok , a high-profile leader of the kiev protests who has blamed ukraine 's problems on a jewish conspiracy run out of moscow . ukraine 's new deputy secretary of national security is dmytro yarosh , leader of the right sector group , which regards tyahnybok as a soft liberal and which flies the old flag of the ukrainian nazi collaborators at its rallies . in other words , in this situation , who exactly are the nazis ? putin 's ethnic russian nationalists ? or the fringe of the ethnic ukrainian nationalists ? neither is particularly pleasant . of course , the ukrainian nazi movement is small , and ukraine is dwarfed by russia , which puts putin in the role of the dominant regional power picking on a small country and exploiting its extremist politics for the purpose of propaganda . but putin is still no hitler , because he lacks the german fuhrer 's global vision . opinion : putin 2014 vs. putin 2004 hitler worked by an all-encompassing racist ideology that dreamed of turning europe into a giant living space for his people . putin -- the leader of a democracy , albeit a highly corrupt and politically stagnant one -- simply meddles in the affairs of countries that could reasonably be said to fall within his country 's historical sphere of influence . ukraine was a part of the soviet union until two decades ago ( whereas crimea was part of russia until 1954 ) , the country contains millions of ethnic russians and , crucially , it has russian military installations that are key to russia 's strategic interests . in other words , a russian invasion of ukraine is not going to be a stepping stone to the invasion of france . unfortunately , it may well be a stepping stone to involvement in the affairs of the baltic states -- which are firmly in nato and the eu . this is why putin 's latest ambitions have to be checked . nevertheless , calling putin hitler is careless . even reckless . as marc tracy points out in the new republic , it 's historically insensitive and ignores the tapestry of cultural clashes and political calculations going on . it smacks , too , of the manichean division of the world between good and evil that permeated the war on terror and led to so many terrible mistakes and so many american deaths overseas . worse , still , is that such provocative language should be applied to a confrontation with a state like russia . we are dealing with a major power with nuclear weapons that has the capacity to reduce the world to so much irradiated ash . the west needs to be careful with its words . | he says the comment was ill-considered ; putin 's justification is similar , but not much else |
putin <tsp> it 's called godwin 's law . the longer a debate rages , the greater the likelihood that someone will compare someone else to hitler . and hillary clinton has done just that : on tuesday the former secretary of state reportedly told a private fund-raising party that russian president vladimir putin 's actions are similar to hitler 's in the run up to world war ii . her quote ( according to the long beach press-telegram ) : all the germans that were ... the ethnic germans , the germans by ancestry who were in places like czechoslovakia and romania and other places , hitler kept saying they 're not being treated right . i must go and protect my people , and that 's what 's gotten everybody so nervous . ' of course , what also gets everybody so nervous ' is leading statesmen comparing putin to hitler and , thereby , raising the specter of another world war . it 's unlikely that clinton intended to gain politically from these remarks -- and they were carefully qualified . she added that there is no indication that putin is as irrational ' as the german dictator was . but they could indicate that if she wins the 2016 election , america might gain a slightly more forceful president in foreign affairs , someone more willing to engage directly in europe than obama has . you may recall that in the 2008 primaries she was the democrats'hawk candidate -- so much so that ann coulter preferred her to john mccain ( coulter called her our girl ' ) . but was clinton right ? mostly no . it is true that putin 's justification for intervention in ukraine is similar to hitler 's , that is , threatening to invade a sovereign territory to defend his ethnic brethren . but the situation is complex , and the historical comparison is tenuous at best . opinion : has putin broken international law ? after all , in the eyes of many ethnic russians , it is the ukrainian nationalists -- not putin -- who are the nazis . the russians have asserted , quite accurately , that the revolution that overthrew a pro-russian , democratically elected leader has resulted in the elevation of russophobe fascists into key government positions . for example , the new secretary of the ukrainian national security and defense council is andriy parubiy -- co-founder of the neo-nazi social-national party of ukraine ( snpu ) . another creator of the snpu is oleh tyahnybok , a high-profile leader of the kiev protests who has blamed ukraine 's problems on a jewish conspiracy run out of moscow . ukraine 's new deputy secretary of national security is dmytro yarosh , leader of the right sector group , which regards tyahnybok as a soft liberal and which flies the old flag of the ukrainian nazi collaborators at its rallies . in other words , in this situation , who exactly are the nazis ? putin 's ethnic russian nationalists ? or the fringe of the ethnic ukrainian nationalists ? neither is particularly pleasant . of course , the ukrainian nazi movement is small , and ukraine is dwarfed by russia , which puts putin in the role of the dominant regional power picking on a small country and exploiting its extremist politics for the purpose of propaganda . but putin is still no hitler , because he lacks the german fuhrer 's global vision . opinion : putin 2014 vs. putin 2004 hitler worked by an all-encompassing racist ideology that dreamed of turning europe into a giant living space for his people . putin -- the leader of a democracy , albeit a highly corrupt and politically stagnant one -- simply meddles in the affairs of countries that could reasonably be said to fall within his country 's historical sphere of influence . ukraine was a part of the soviet union until two decades ago ( whereas crimea was part of russia until 1954 ) , the country contains millions of ethnic russians and , crucially , it has russian military installations that are key to russia 's strategic interests . in other words , a russian invasion of ukraine is not going to be a stepping stone to the invasion of france . unfortunately , it may well be a stepping stone to involvement in the affairs of the baltic states -- which are firmly in nato and the eu . this is why putin 's latest ambitions have to be checked . nevertheless , calling putin hitler is careless . even reckless . as marc tracy points out in the new republic , it 's historically insensitive and ignores the tapestry of cultural clashes and political calculations going on . it smacks , too , of the manichean division of the world between good and evil that permeated the war on terror and led to so many terrible mistakes and so many american deaths overseas . worse , still , is that such provocative language should be applied to a confrontation with a state like russia . we are dealing with a major power with nuclear weapons that has the capacity to reduce the world to so much irradiated ash . the west needs to be careful with its words . | he says ukrainian nationalists are more nazi-like , and putin not planning europe invasion |
putin <tsp> it 's called godwin 's law . the longer a debate rages , the greater the likelihood that someone will compare someone else to hitler . and hillary clinton has done just that : on tuesday the former secretary of state reportedly told a private fund-raising party that russian president vladimir putin 's actions are similar to hitler 's in the run up to world war ii . her quote ( according to the long beach press-telegram ) : all the germans that were ... the ethnic germans , the germans by ancestry who were in places like czechoslovakia and romania and other places , hitler kept saying they 're not being treated right . i must go and protect my people , and that 's what 's gotten everybody so nervous . ' of course , what also gets everybody so nervous ' is leading statesmen comparing putin to hitler and , thereby , raising the specter of another world war . it 's unlikely that clinton intended to gain politically from these remarks -- and they were carefully qualified . she added that there is no indication that putin is as irrational ' as the german dictator was . but they could indicate that if she wins the 2016 election , america might gain a slightly more forceful president in foreign affairs , someone more willing to engage directly in europe than obama has . you may recall that in the 2008 primaries she was the democrats'hawk candidate -- so much so that ann coulter preferred her to john mccain ( coulter called her our girl ' ) . but was clinton right ? mostly no . it is true that putin 's justification for intervention in ukraine is similar to hitler 's , that is , threatening to invade a sovereign territory to defend his ethnic brethren . but the situation is complex , and the historical comparison is tenuous at best . opinion : has putin broken international law ? after all , in the eyes of many ethnic russians , it is the ukrainian nationalists -- not putin -- who are the nazis . the russians have asserted , quite accurately , that the revolution that overthrew a pro-russian , democratically elected leader has resulted in the elevation of russophobe fascists into key government positions . for example , the new secretary of the ukrainian national security and defense council is andriy parubiy -- co-founder of the neo-nazi social-national party of ukraine ( snpu ) . another creator of the snpu is oleh tyahnybok , a high-profile leader of the kiev protests who has blamed ukraine 's problems on a jewish conspiracy run out of moscow . ukraine 's new deputy secretary of national security is dmytro yarosh , leader of the right sector group , which regards tyahnybok as a soft liberal and which flies the old flag of the ukrainian nazi collaborators at its rallies . in other words , in this situation , who exactly are the nazis ? putin 's ethnic russian nationalists ? or the fringe of the ethnic ukrainian nationalists ? neither is particularly pleasant . of course , the ukrainian nazi movement is small , and ukraine is dwarfed by russia , which puts putin in the role of the dominant regional power picking on a small country and exploiting its extremist politics for the purpose of propaganda . but putin is still no hitler , because he lacks the german fuhrer 's global vision . opinion : putin 2014 vs. putin 2004 hitler worked by an all-encompassing racist ideology that dreamed of turning europe into a giant living space for his people . putin -- the leader of a democracy , albeit a highly corrupt and politically stagnant one -- simply meddles in the affairs of countries that could reasonably be said to fall within his country 's historical sphere of influence . ukraine was a part of the soviet union until two decades ago ( whereas crimea was part of russia until 1954 ) , the country contains millions of ethnic russians and , crucially , it has russian military installations that are key to russia 's strategic interests . in other words , a russian invasion of ukraine is not going to be a stepping stone to the invasion of france . unfortunately , it may well be a stepping stone to involvement in the affairs of the baltic states -- which are firmly in nato and the eu . this is why putin 's latest ambitions have to be checked . nevertheless , calling putin hitler is careless . even reckless . as marc tracy points out in the new republic , it 's historically insensitive and ignores the tapestry of cultural clashes and political calculations going on . it smacks , too , of the manichean division of the world between good and evil that permeated the war on terror and led to so many terrible mistakes and so many american deaths overseas . worse , still , is that such provocative language should be applied to a confrontation with a state like russia . we are dealing with a major power with nuclear weapons that has the capacity to reduce the world to so much irradiated ash . the west needs to be careful with its words . | stanley : if putin eyeing baltic states , which are in nato , eu , his ambition must be checked |
juarez <tsp> mexico city ( cnn ) -- a suspected leader of the juarez drug cartel told authorities he had ordered the deaths of about 1,500 people , a mexican federal police official said sunday . federal police detailed accusations against jose antonio acosta hernandez , known as el diego , ' a day after authorities announced his capture . he was one of the country 's most wanted criminals , with officials offering a reward of 15 million pesos ( $ 1.3 million ) for his arrest . collaboration with the u.s. drug enforcement administration led to acosta 's detention , said eduardo pequeno , head of the mexican federal police anti-drug unit . acosta is accused of being a leader of the drug gang known as la linea , the enforcement arm of the juarez cartel , mexican authorities have said . pequeno told reporters that acosta said he ordered the killings of about 1,500 people , mostly in ciudad juarez and chihuahua 's capital . ' an investigation points to acosta as the mastermind behind the march 2010 killing of three people connected with the u.s. consulate in juarez , pequeno said . more recently , acosta ordered operatives to hang banners with threatening messages directed at the dea and other u.s. authorities , pequeno said . juarez , mexico 's most violent city , shares a border with el paso , texas . pequeno also accused acosta of having connections with some of the border city 's most notorious violence over the past two years , including the 2010 killing of a state prosecutor , a car bombing outside a police station and a massacre at a house party that killed 15 people -- most of them students with no ties to organized crime . acosta told authorities the targets of his criminal organization included police , government officials , rival drug gangs and civilians , pequeno told reporters . earlier this month , the u.s. consulate in juarez issued a statement warning american citizens to remain vigilant ' based on information it had received that cartels may target the consulate or entry points on the u.s.-mexico border . the northwestern mexican state of chihuahua , which contains the namesake capital city as well as juarez , has been a hotbed for drug-related violence . the federal government has been targeting cartels'operations , and especially its leaders , in an ongoing battle . mexican authorities have arrested several others they accuse of being connected to the slayings of three people connected with the consulate last year . the shootings occurred march 13 , 2010 , when consulate employee lesley enriquez and her husband , arthur redelfs , were gunned down as they left a birthday party in their white suv . jorge alberto salcido ceniceros , the husband of another consulate employee , was killed in a separate vehicle . | acosta has been a reputed top leader in la linea , the armed branch of the juarez drug cartel |
juarez <tsp> mexico city ( cnn ) -- a suspected leader of the juarez drug cartel told authorities he had ordered the deaths of about 1,500 people , a mexican federal police official said sunday . federal police detailed accusations against jose antonio acosta hernandez , known as el diego , ' a day after authorities announced his capture . he was one of the country 's most wanted criminals , with officials offering a reward of 15 million pesos ( $ 1.3 million ) for his arrest . collaboration with the u.s. drug enforcement administration led to acosta 's detention , said eduardo pequeno , head of the mexican federal police anti-drug unit . acosta is accused of being a leader of the drug gang known as la linea , the enforcement arm of the juarez cartel , mexican authorities have said . pequeno told reporters that acosta said he ordered the killings of about 1,500 people , mostly in ciudad juarez and chihuahua 's capital . ' an investigation points to acosta as the mastermind behind the march 2010 killing of three people connected with the u.s. consulate in juarez , pequeno said . more recently , acosta ordered operatives to hang banners with threatening messages directed at the dea and other u.s. authorities , pequeno said . juarez , mexico 's most violent city , shares a border with el paso , texas . pequeno also accused acosta of having connections with some of the border city 's most notorious violence over the past two years , including the 2010 killing of a state prosecutor , a car bombing outside a police station and a massacre at a house party that killed 15 people -- most of them students with no ties to organized crime . acosta told authorities the targets of his criminal organization included police , government officials , rival drug gangs and civilians , pequeno told reporters . earlier this month , the u.s. consulate in juarez issued a statement warning american citizens to remain vigilant ' based on information it had received that cartels may target the consulate or entry points on the u.s.-mexico border . the northwestern mexican state of chihuahua , which contains the namesake capital city as well as juarez , has been a hotbed for drug-related violence . the federal government has been targeting cartels'operations , and especially its leaders , in an ongoing battle . mexican authorities have arrested several others they accuse of being connected to the slayings of three people connected with the consulate last year . the shootings occurred march 13 , 2010 , when consulate employee lesley enriquez and her husband , arthur redelfs , were gunned down as they left a birthday party in their white suv . jorge alberto salcido ceniceros , the husband of another consulate employee , was killed in a separate vehicle . | federal police link him to some of the most notorious violence in juarez |
panama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a man suspected in the deaths of three people in panama is now wanted in the slaying of an american woman whose body was found last week , panama 's national police said saturday . the body of cher hughes , a native of suburban st. louis , missouri , was found tuesday on the property of william adolfo cortez reese , who is suspected in her death , said javier carrillo , director of the national police investigation unit . carrillo said cortez and his wife , jane , are on the run . cortez may be from holland . we 're not sure that 's his real identity , ' he said . we found a false passport . ' he said panamanian authorities are attempting to reach police in holland . hughes , who was in her early 50s , was identified by her husband , keith werle , who lives in panama . a second body -- which has not yet been officially identified -- was found near hughes . we believe the motive is that he ( william cortez ) is killing people to take their property , ' carrillo said . he added that authorities do not know cortez 's whereabouts , and have not received any tips from the public . werle said he was on cortez 's property , a massive piece of farmland on the island of isla colon in the western province of boca del toro , as police executed a search warrant . he said his dog led authorities to a shallow grave , where they found hughes'body . dwayne cooney , a family friend , said hughes had lived in panama for the past decade and owned a hotel , the casa del sapo , in boca del torro . he described hughes and cortez as friends and neighbors . hughes had lived in st. petersburg , florida , where she owned a neon sign business , before moving to panama , cooney said . cnn 's nick valencia , jackie castillo and anna rhett miller contributed to this report . | the body of an american woman is found in a shallow grave in panama |
starbucks <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in an ever-evolving , increasingly crowded beverage market , starbucks is waking up and smelling the coffee . the problem is it 's not their house blend . here 's a statistic that people are surprised by . despite the long-term success that we 've enjoyed , we have less than 10 percent share of coffee consumption in north america . and less [ than ] 1 percent share internationally , ' starbucks chairman , president and ceo howard schultz told cnn money . advertising age also recently pointed out that despite starbucks being the world 's largest coffeehouse chain with more than 13,000 locations in more than 50 countries , even its most devout customers purchase only three of every 10 cups of coffee they drink from starbucks . so , who is stealing starbucks'mojo ? folgers , a division of j.m . smucker co. , is still the largest producer of retail packaged coffee in the united states . its coffee brands include folgers and millstone , and it also manufactures and distributes dunkin'donuts coffee to sell in grocery stores . then there is the other american coffee titan , maxwell house , which is a kraft foods brand . kraft reported soaring earnings in its 2010 first quarter , linking the growth to new advertising and innovation behind existing kraft brands such as maxwell house . this competition is stirring starbucks to step up its home-brewed strategy , partially by adding some flavor . an ac nielsen panel recently found that more than 11 percent of american households purchase flavored coffee for home use , making it a $ 265 million business in the united states . starbucks corp. will enter the fray in june when starbucks natural fusions , in vanilla , caramel and cinnamon , arrives at grocery stores . additionally , starbucks wants to capture a larger share of the u.s. brewed coffee market by leaning on its via ready brew line and seattle 's best coffee brand to increase the number of distribution points . starbucks acquired its former competitor , seattle 's best coffee , seven years ago . we are uniquely positioned to reach into these channels because of the brand equity and trust we build with the customers who come into our stores , ' starbucks said in a statement to cnn . seattle 's best , in part , will take aim against starbucks'typically lower-priced , quick-service rivals such as mcdonald 's and dunkin'donuts . in a new rebranding effort , starbucks plans to distribute the seattle 's best brand in burger king and subway restaurants nationwide . mcdonald 's coffee sales have increased every year since the company first introduced its mccafe line of premium coffee in 2006 . in april , mcdonald 's announced its u.s. comparable sales rose 3.8 percent , citing beverages , including the new mccafe offerings such as frappes , as a top contributor to that growth . despite all this , starbucks ceo schultz said the expanding marketplace might just be an advantage to all of its players . the level of awareness that was created by mcdonald 's'tens of millions of dollars of advertising created more trial in the marketplace and differentiation . ' | starbucks wants a bigger share of n. american coffee market than its current 10 percent |
starbucks <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in an ever-evolving , increasingly crowded beverage market , starbucks is waking up and smelling the coffee . the problem is it 's not their house blend . here 's a statistic that people are surprised by . despite the long-term success that we 've enjoyed , we have less than 10 percent share of coffee consumption in north america . and less [ than ] 1 percent share internationally , ' starbucks chairman , president and ceo howard schultz told cnn money . advertising age also recently pointed out that despite starbucks being the world 's largest coffeehouse chain with more than 13,000 locations in more than 50 countries , even its most devout customers purchase only three of every 10 cups of coffee they drink from starbucks . so , who is stealing starbucks'mojo ? folgers , a division of j.m . smucker co. , is still the largest producer of retail packaged coffee in the united states . its coffee brands include folgers and millstone , and it also manufactures and distributes dunkin'donuts coffee to sell in grocery stores . then there is the other american coffee titan , maxwell house , which is a kraft foods brand . kraft reported soaring earnings in its 2010 first quarter , linking the growth to new advertising and innovation behind existing kraft brands such as maxwell house . this competition is stirring starbucks to step up its home-brewed strategy , partially by adding some flavor . an ac nielsen panel recently found that more than 11 percent of american households purchase flavored coffee for home use , making it a $ 265 million business in the united states . starbucks corp. will enter the fray in june when starbucks natural fusions , in vanilla , caramel and cinnamon , arrives at grocery stores . additionally , starbucks wants to capture a larger share of the u.s. brewed coffee market by leaning on its via ready brew line and seattle 's best coffee brand to increase the number of distribution points . starbucks acquired its former competitor , seattle 's best coffee , seven years ago . we are uniquely positioned to reach into these channels because of the brand equity and trust we build with the customers who come into our stores , ' starbucks said in a statement to cnn . seattle 's best , in part , will take aim against starbucks'typically lower-priced , quick-service rivals such as mcdonald 's and dunkin'donuts . in a new rebranding effort , starbucks plans to distribute the seattle 's best brand in burger king and subway restaurants nationwide . mcdonald 's coffee sales have increased every year since the company first introduced its mccafe line of premium coffee in 2006 . in april , mcdonald 's announced its u.s. comparable sales rose 3.8 percent , citing beverages , including the new mccafe offerings such as frappes , as a top contributor to that growth . despite all this , starbucks ceo schultz said the expanding marketplace might just be an advantage to all of its players . the level of awareness that was created by mcdonald 's'tens of millions of dollars of advertising created more trial in the marketplace and differentiation . ' | starbucks flavored coffees -- vanilla , caramel , cinnamon -- head to grocery stores in june |
starbucks <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in an ever-evolving , increasingly crowded beverage market , starbucks is waking up and smelling the coffee . the problem is it 's not their house blend . here 's a statistic that people are surprised by . despite the long-term success that we 've enjoyed , we have less than 10 percent share of coffee consumption in north america . and less [ than ] 1 percent share internationally , ' starbucks chairman , president and ceo howard schultz told cnn money . advertising age also recently pointed out that despite starbucks being the world 's largest coffeehouse chain with more than 13,000 locations in more than 50 countries , even its most devout customers purchase only three of every 10 cups of coffee they drink from starbucks . so , who is stealing starbucks'mojo ? folgers , a division of j.m . smucker co. , is still the largest producer of retail packaged coffee in the united states . its coffee brands include folgers and millstone , and it also manufactures and distributes dunkin'donuts coffee to sell in grocery stores . then there is the other american coffee titan , maxwell house , which is a kraft foods brand . kraft reported soaring earnings in its 2010 first quarter , linking the growth to new advertising and innovation behind existing kraft brands such as maxwell house . this competition is stirring starbucks to step up its home-brewed strategy , partially by adding some flavor . an ac nielsen panel recently found that more than 11 percent of american households purchase flavored coffee for home use , making it a $ 265 million business in the united states . starbucks corp. will enter the fray in june when starbucks natural fusions , in vanilla , caramel and cinnamon , arrives at grocery stores . additionally , starbucks wants to capture a larger share of the u.s. brewed coffee market by leaning on its via ready brew line and seattle 's best coffee brand to increase the number of distribution points . starbucks acquired its former competitor , seattle 's best coffee , seven years ago . we are uniquely positioned to reach into these channels because of the brand equity and trust we build with the customers who come into our stores , ' starbucks said in a statement to cnn . seattle 's best , in part , will take aim against starbucks'typically lower-priced , quick-service rivals such as mcdonald 's and dunkin'donuts . in a new rebranding effort , starbucks plans to distribute the seattle 's best brand in burger king and subway restaurants nationwide . mcdonald 's coffee sales have increased every year since the company first introduced its mccafe line of premium coffee in 2006 . in april , mcdonald 's announced its u.s. comparable sales rose 3.8 percent , citing beverages , including the new mccafe offerings such as frappes , as a top contributor to that growth . despite all this , starbucks ceo schultz said the expanding marketplace might just be an advantage to all of its players . the level of awareness that was created by mcdonald 's'tens of millions of dollars of advertising created more trial in the marketplace and differentiation . ' | starbucks to put its seattle 's best brand in burger king and subway |
spanish <tsp> st petersburg , russia ( cnn ) -- most artistic directors'first day leading a new ballet company is all about meeting the dancers . but for nacho duato it 's a challenge just to find the rehearsal room . the mazelike corridors of the magnificent mikhailovsky theatre in st petersburg prove confusing and inspire a few unchoregraphed twists and turns from duato before he finally identifies the right room and his new company -- the 140 dancers of the mikhailovsky ballet . it 's unlikely the theater 's floor plan will be the last challenge for the spanish choreographer who , this month , took over leadership of the company . he 's the first foreigner to lead a russian ballet company in over a century and has been charged with bringing modern choreography to the mikhailovsky 's classical repertoire . having a look at the past but always stepping forward and stepping into the future ... this is what i think they want and that is why i think they called me , ' said duato . i think they have it pretty clear that they want to change ; that they want something new . ' a modern ballet dancer and choreographer with an international pedigree , it is hoped he can revitalize the ballet for russian audiences . while performances at the mikhailovsky are well attended , there 's a growing concern that russians may become tired of seeing the standard repertoire of classical ballets . russians love ballet . that goes without saying , but the attitude that exists towards russian ballet in the west is more passionate , ' said vladimir kekhman , billionaire fruit importer and general director of the mikhailovsky theatre . i would like that within russia we would have the same attitude because as we say'we do n't treat what we have until it 's gone .'i consider ballet to be a national treasure , ' he added . kekhman is a relatively recent convert to ballet but he has become something of a cultural entrepreneur , investing $ 45 million of his own money to restore the mikhailovsky 's buildings and , hopefully , its reputation . kekhman required fresh talent to oversee his vision and for that , he says , he had to look beyond russia . i looked within our industry to see who were considered living legends of choreography , and when i looked within russia , i realized that we did n't have choreographers who had the ability to not just choreograph , but also head the company , ' he said . he approached duato , a non-russian speaker , who has spent the last 20 years choreographing new works as artistic director of the spanish national dance company . at first duato was reluctant to change direction towards classical ballet . but then mikhailovsky offered him the chance to bring modern choreography to a classical ballet company and it proved an offer too enticing to pass up . i know many people who think he 's ( kekhman ) crazy , that i 'm crazy and that this is never going to work , ' said duato . that this mixture is just like a bomb , an atomic bomb . but he made me feel that'let 's try , let 's do it . why not ? maybe we can do it .'' bringing a modern approach to ballet in russia , where it 's ingrained in the culture might daunt some , but it 's a task duato is relishing . it 's not a pressure . it 's a pleasure . it really is a pleasure to be in a place where ballet ( has been ) part of the cultural tradition for ( such a ) long time , and at the same time they want to break through and do new things , ' duato said . duato has set himself a challenging schedule , hand-picking three dancers to create a ballet so new it does n't even have a name yet . they have just weeks before the world premiere . principal dancer ekaterina borchenko is the jewel in the mikhailovsky 's imperial crown . the company 's star ballerina has danced the principal roles in productions of classical ballets including swan lake , ' giselle ' and la sylphide . ' now , she 's relishing the chance to stretch her skills . in this repertoire , i can show a different side of myself , express myself differently and find something new in me , ' she said . opening night will be a litmus test of just how receptive russians are to this new direction . duato believes ballet is a living organism , which needs to evolve constantly in order to keep the audience interested . it 's a philosophy he shares with kekhman . together we are going to work into something , ' said duato . we do n't know how it 's going to be but i think it 's going to be beautiful . if we put all our hearts and soul into it , it 's going to be something fantastic . ' | spanish choreographer nacho duato is the new artistic director at the mikhailovksy ballet |
russian <tsp> st petersburg , russia ( cnn ) -- most artistic directors'first day leading a new ballet company is all about meeting the dancers . but for nacho duato it 's a challenge just to find the rehearsal room . the mazelike corridors of the magnificent mikhailovsky theatre in st petersburg prove confusing and inspire a few unchoregraphed twists and turns from duato before he finally identifies the right room and his new company -- the 140 dancers of the mikhailovsky ballet . it 's unlikely the theater 's floor plan will be the last challenge for the spanish choreographer who , this month , took over leadership of the company . he 's the first foreigner to lead a russian ballet company in over a century and has been charged with bringing modern choreography to the mikhailovsky 's classical repertoire . having a look at the past but always stepping forward and stepping into the future ... this is what i think they want and that is why i think they called me , ' said duato . i think they have it pretty clear that they want to change ; that they want something new . ' a modern ballet dancer and choreographer with an international pedigree , it is hoped he can revitalize the ballet for russian audiences . while performances at the mikhailovsky are well attended , there 's a growing concern that russians may become tired of seeing the standard repertoire of classical ballets . russians love ballet . that goes without saying , but the attitude that exists towards russian ballet in the west is more passionate , ' said vladimir kekhman , billionaire fruit importer and general director of the mikhailovsky theatre . i would like that within russia we would have the same attitude because as we say'we do n't treat what we have until it 's gone .'i consider ballet to be a national treasure , ' he added . kekhman is a relatively recent convert to ballet but he has become something of a cultural entrepreneur , investing $ 45 million of his own money to restore the mikhailovsky 's buildings and , hopefully , its reputation . kekhman required fresh talent to oversee his vision and for that , he says , he had to look beyond russia . i looked within our industry to see who were considered living legends of choreography , and when i looked within russia , i realized that we did n't have choreographers who had the ability to not just choreograph , but also head the company , ' he said . he approached duato , a non-russian speaker , who has spent the last 20 years choreographing new works as artistic director of the spanish national dance company . at first duato was reluctant to change direction towards classical ballet . but then mikhailovsky offered him the chance to bring modern choreography to a classical ballet company and it proved an offer too enticing to pass up . i know many people who think he 's ( kekhman ) crazy , that i 'm crazy and that this is never going to work , ' said duato . that this mixture is just like a bomb , an atomic bomb . but he made me feel that'let 's try , let 's do it . why not ? maybe we can do it .'' bringing a modern approach to ballet in russia , where it 's ingrained in the culture might daunt some , but it 's a task duato is relishing . it 's not a pressure . it 's a pleasure . it really is a pleasure to be in a place where ballet ( has been ) part of the cultural tradition for ( such a ) long time , and at the same time they want to break through and do new things , ' duato said . duato has set himself a challenging schedule , hand-picking three dancers to create a ballet so new it does n't even have a name yet . they have just weeks before the world premiere . principal dancer ekaterina borchenko is the jewel in the mikhailovsky 's imperial crown . the company 's star ballerina has danced the principal roles in productions of classical ballets including swan lake , ' giselle ' and la sylphide . ' now , she 's relishing the chance to stretch her skills . in this repertoire , i can show a different side of myself , express myself differently and find something new in me , ' she said . opening night will be a litmus test of just how receptive russians are to this new direction . duato believes ballet is a living organism , which needs to evolve constantly in order to keep the audience interested . it 's a philosophy he shares with kekhman . together we are going to work into something , ' said duato . we do n't know how it 's going to be but i think it 's going to be beautiful . if we put all our hearts and soul into it , it 's going to be something fantastic . ' | the company is trying modernize ballet for russian audiences |
gadhafi <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- doctors completed an autopsy of moammar gadhafi on sunday , with the chief pathologist confirming the former libyan leader died of a gunshot wound to the head . dr. othman el-zentani would not disclose whether findings revealed if gadhafi suffered the wound in crossfire or at close-range -- a key question that has prompted the united nations and international human rights groups to call for an investigation into the final moments of the late libyan strongman 's life . doctors performed the autopsy at a misrata hospital in the presence of officials from the prosecutor 's office , zentani said . autopsies were also conducted on the bodies of gadhafi 's son , mutassim , and his former defense minister , abu baker yunis . no foreign or independent officials were present , zentani said . the autopsy report will go to the attorney general 's office before it is released to the public , he said . meanwhile , the three bodies would likely return to a cold storage unit at a misrata meat market for public viewing , zentani said . long lines of people turned up all weekend long to view the corpses . gadhafi 's family issued a statement friday calling on the united nations and amnesty international to push libya 's new leadership to hand over the bodies of the martyrs of their tribe so they can be buried according to islamic rites , ' a pro-gadhafi tv station reported . gadhafi 's death thursday solidified the power of the national transitional council , which marked the country 's liberation on sunday in the eastern city of benghazi , where the uprising started . but uncertainty was still swirling sunday about the death of the libyan leader , who libyan and world powers wanted to capture and prosecute for war crimes . leaders of libya 's interim government have said gadhafi was killed in crossfire after fighters captured him thursday . but others have questioned that account . peter bouckaert , human rights watch 's emergencies director , told cnn that fighting had ended when gadhafi was cornered in a drainage ditch . he said crowds beat gadhafi in what was a humiliating end ' for the former dictator . when he left the area , he was very much alive , ' bouckaert said . there 's no reason why he should have been subjected to this kind of mob justice . ' an amateur video distributed by the reuters news agency sunday showed ntc fighters congratulating a man the fighters say killed gadhafi . cnn could not independently verify that claim . the video , purportedly recorded near an ambulance carrying gadhafi 's body , shows a jubilant group of fighters pouring water on a man 's head . he is the one who killed him , ' one man says , pointing . he killed him in front of me , i swear to god , ' another man chimes in . a lawyer for gadhafi 's son saadi , who fled in september to niger , issued a statement sunday saying , saadi gadhafi is shocked and outraged by the vicious brutality which accompanied the murders of his father and brother . ' the contradictory statements issued by the ntc excusing these barbaric executions and the grotesque abuse of the corpses make it clear that no person affiliated with the former regime will receive a fair trial in libya nor will they receive justice for crimes committed against them , ' the statement said . mahmoud jibril , chairman of the ntc 's executive board , has said gadhafi 's right arm was wounded when a gunbattle erupted between the fighters and gadhafi loyalists as his captors attempted to load him into a vehicle . more shooting erupted as the vehicle drove away , and gadhafi was shot in the head , dying moments before arriving at a hospital in misrata , jibril said , citing the city 's coroner . the united nations human rights office and activist groups like amnesty and human rights watch have called for a probe into gadhafi 's death . the united states supports those investigation requests , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton told cnn 's state of the union ' sunday . as libyans move into the future once again , they need to do so with a sense of unity and reconciliation . they need to hold each other accountable . those who do not have blood on their hands must be made to feel safe and included , regardless of whether or not they supported gadhafi in the past , ' she said . so we believe in the rule of law , and accountability , and such an investigation would contribute to that . ' u.n. human rights spokesman rupert colville told reporters in geneva on friday that there were at least two cell-phone videos , one showing ( gadhafi ) alive and one showing him dead . ' taken together , these videos are very disturbing , ' he said . we believe there is a need for an investigation and more details are needed to ascertain whether he was killed in the fighting or after his capture . | gadhafi was killed thursday but questions remain how he died |
gadhafi <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- doctors completed an autopsy of moammar gadhafi on sunday , with the chief pathologist confirming the former libyan leader died of a gunshot wound to the head . dr. othman el-zentani would not disclose whether findings revealed if gadhafi suffered the wound in crossfire or at close-range -- a key question that has prompted the united nations and international human rights groups to call for an investigation into the final moments of the late libyan strongman 's life . doctors performed the autopsy at a misrata hospital in the presence of officials from the prosecutor 's office , zentani said . autopsies were also conducted on the bodies of gadhafi 's son , mutassim , and his former defense minister , abu baker yunis . no foreign or independent officials were present , zentani said . the autopsy report will go to the attorney general 's office before it is released to the public , he said . meanwhile , the three bodies would likely return to a cold storage unit at a misrata meat market for public viewing , zentani said . long lines of people turned up all weekend long to view the corpses . gadhafi 's family issued a statement friday calling on the united nations and amnesty international to push libya 's new leadership to hand over the bodies of the martyrs of their tribe so they can be buried according to islamic rites , ' a pro-gadhafi tv station reported . gadhafi 's death thursday solidified the power of the national transitional council , which marked the country 's liberation on sunday in the eastern city of benghazi , where the uprising started . but uncertainty was still swirling sunday about the death of the libyan leader , who libyan and world powers wanted to capture and prosecute for war crimes . leaders of libya 's interim government have said gadhafi was killed in crossfire after fighters captured him thursday . but others have questioned that account . peter bouckaert , human rights watch 's emergencies director , told cnn that fighting had ended when gadhafi was cornered in a drainage ditch . he said crowds beat gadhafi in what was a humiliating end ' for the former dictator . when he left the area , he was very much alive , ' bouckaert said . there 's no reason why he should have been subjected to this kind of mob justice . ' an amateur video distributed by the reuters news agency sunday showed ntc fighters congratulating a man the fighters say killed gadhafi . cnn could not independently verify that claim . the video , purportedly recorded near an ambulance carrying gadhafi 's body , shows a jubilant group of fighters pouring water on a man 's head . he is the one who killed him , ' one man says , pointing . he killed him in front of me , i swear to god , ' another man chimes in . a lawyer for gadhafi 's son saadi , who fled in september to niger , issued a statement sunday saying , saadi gadhafi is shocked and outraged by the vicious brutality which accompanied the murders of his father and brother . ' the contradictory statements issued by the ntc excusing these barbaric executions and the grotesque abuse of the corpses make it clear that no person affiliated with the former regime will receive a fair trial in libya nor will they receive justice for crimes committed against them , ' the statement said . mahmoud jibril , chairman of the ntc 's executive board , has said gadhafi 's right arm was wounded when a gunbattle erupted between the fighters and gadhafi loyalists as his captors attempted to load him into a vehicle . more shooting erupted as the vehicle drove away , and gadhafi was shot in the head , dying moments before arriving at a hospital in misrata , jibril said , citing the city 's coroner . the united nations human rights office and activist groups like amnesty and human rights watch have called for a probe into gadhafi 's death . the united states supports those investigation requests , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton told cnn 's state of the union ' sunday . as libyans move into the future once again , they need to do so with a sense of unity and reconciliation . they need to hold each other accountable . those who do not have blood on their hands must be made to feel safe and included , regardless of whether or not they supported gadhafi in the past , ' she said . so we believe in the rule of law , and accountability , and such an investigation would contribute to that . ' u.n. human rights spokesman rupert colville told reporters in geneva on friday that there were at least two cell-phone videos , one showing ( gadhafi ) alive and one showing him dead . ' taken together , these videos are very disturbing , ' he said . we believe there is a need for an investigation and more details are needed to ascertain whether he was killed in the fighting or after his capture . | new : gadhafi 's son saadi is outraged ' over circumstances surrounding his death |
gadhafi <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- doctors completed an autopsy of moammar gadhafi on sunday , with the chief pathologist confirming the former libyan leader died of a gunshot wound to the head . dr. othman el-zentani would not disclose whether findings revealed if gadhafi suffered the wound in crossfire or at close-range -- a key question that has prompted the united nations and international human rights groups to call for an investigation into the final moments of the late libyan strongman 's life . doctors performed the autopsy at a misrata hospital in the presence of officials from the prosecutor 's office , zentani said . autopsies were also conducted on the bodies of gadhafi 's son , mutassim , and his former defense minister , abu baker yunis . no foreign or independent officials were present , zentani said . the autopsy report will go to the attorney general 's office before it is released to the public , he said . meanwhile , the three bodies would likely return to a cold storage unit at a misrata meat market for public viewing , zentani said . long lines of people turned up all weekend long to view the corpses . gadhafi 's family issued a statement friday calling on the united nations and amnesty international to push libya 's new leadership to hand over the bodies of the martyrs of their tribe so they can be buried according to islamic rites , ' a pro-gadhafi tv station reported . gadhafi 's death thursday solidified the power of the national transitional council , which marked the country 's liberation on sunday in the eastern city of benghazi , where the uprising started . but uncertainty was still swirling sunday about the death of the libyan leader , who libyan and world powers wanted to capture and prosecute for war crimes . leaders of libya 's interim government have said gadhafi was killed in crossfire after fighters captured him thursday . but others have questioned that account . peter bouckaert , human rights watch 's emergencies director , told cnn that fighting had ended when gadhafi was cornered in a drainage ditch . he said crowds beat gadhafi in what was a humiliating end ' for the former dictator . when he left the area , he was very much alive , ' bouckaert said . there 's no reason why he should have been subjected to this kind of mob justice . ' an amateur video distributed by the reuters news agency sunday showed ntc fighters congratulating a man the fighters say killed gadhafi . cnn could not independently verify that claim . the video , purportedly recorded near an ambulance carrying gadhafi 's body , shows a jubilant group of fighters pouring water on a man 's head . he is the one who killed him , ' one man says , pointing . he killed him in front of me , i swear to god , ' another man chimes in . a lawyer for gadhafi 's son saadi , who fled in september to niger , issued a statement sunday saying , saadi gadhafi is shocked and outraged by the vicious brutality which accompanied the murders of his father and brother . ' the contradictory statements issued by the ntc excusing these barbaric executions and the grotesque abuse of the corpses make it clear that no person affiliated with the former regime will receive a fair trial in libya nor will they receive justice for crimes committed against them , ' the statement said . mahmoud jibril , chairman of the ntc 's executive board , has said gadhafi 's right arm was wounded when a gunbattle erupted between the fighters and gadhafi loyalists as his captors attempted to load him into a vehicle . more shooting erupted as the vehicle drove away , and gadhafi was shot in the head , dying moments before arriving at a hospital in misrata , jibril said , citing the city 's coroner . the united nations human rights office and activist groups like amnesty and human rights watch have called for a probe into gadhafi 's death . the united states supports those investigation requests , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton told cnn 's state of the union ' sunday . as libyans move into the future once again , they need to do so with a sense of unity and reconciliation . they need to hold each other accountable . those who do not have blood on their hands must be made to feel safe and included , regardless of whether or not they supported gadhafi in the past , ' she said . so we believe in the rule of law , and accountability , and such an investigation would contribute to that . ' u.n. human rights spokesman rupert colville told reporters in geneva on friday that there were at least two cell-phone videos , one showing ( gadhafi ) alive and one showing him dead . ' taken together , these videos are very disturbing , ' he said . we believe there is a need for an investigation and more details are needed to ascertain whether he was killed in the fighting or after his capture . | clinton says the united states supports calls for an investigation into gadhafi 's killing |
iphone <tsp> his friends used to call him hoss , ' as in hoss cartwright from the tv show bonanza . ' at 6'2 ' and roughly 380 pounds , mark rucker once resembled the big , friendly character . now , they call him the beast . ' the nickname is apt . since february 2011 , rucker has run his first 5k , his first 10k , his first half-marathon and his first marathon . he 's completed an olympic-distance triathlon and lost more than 100 pounds . and on august 26 , he 'll participate in his first full-length ironman competition in louisville , kentucky . like they say , he 's a beast . what he does after this ironman , i do n't know , ' his wife , annita rucker , said with a laugh . i hope he can find something to focus all this energy on . ' from rucker 's dailymile blog : april 18 , 2011 -- first day of the couch to 5k program . that was not good . but at least i did the whole workout ' ( 1.98 miles/ 32 minutes/ 16:10 pace ) change is a funny thing , rucker says . often , the desire to change grows over time . a series of events leads to an a ha moment , ' when desire must meet with the proper tools and the right inspiration . in the summer of 2010 , rucker , of lexington , kentucky , and his family went to dollywood in tennessee . his daughter was 11 at the time , a little daredevil , ' and wanted to ride all the roller coasters . unfortunately , rucker could n't fit on any of them with her . she was devastated ; i was crushed , ' rucker said . but even that was n't enough to get me started on the journey . i guess i just did n't know how to do it . ' does parenting make us fat ? in january 2011 , he reconnected with an old elementary school friend , anita mills , and the two began talking on facebook , discussing mills'240-pound weight loss . her transformation was his inspiration . but he still was n't ready to change . after weighing in at about 365 pounds , he stopped stepping on the scale . he was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on medication for high blood pressure . he feared that he was diabetic but would n't visit his doctor . the day after the 2011 super bowl , rucker woke up in pain . once again , he had overindulged the night before , and his digestive system revolted . he was tired , sick and unhappy . something clicked , ' he said . i realized that if i kept doing it , i would significantly shorten my life . ' rucker took mills'dieting hints to heart and cut out sugary drinks . he dropped his two-liter-a-day soda habit and picked up water . he stopped ordering mcdonald 's mcgriddles for breakfast and eating peanut m & ms by the pound . he threw away his cheez-its . it 's hard to say what my daily ( calorie ) intake was , ' he said , looking back . i did it to myself . i was really unhappy with the way my life was , and i think food was that comfort for me . ' june 19 , 2011 -- last day of couch 2 5k . i think i 'll call it the father 's day beastly 5k . i was the only competitor and i finished in 1st place . i ca n't even begin to explain how i feel right now . and no one or no thing can ever take this away from me . i am a runner . i am an achiever . i am a beast . on to bridge 2 10k ! ! ! ' rucker 's job as a real estate attorney kept him sedentary . so he started to walk on his lunch break , using his iphone to post his distance on dailymile.com . the site shared his progress on twitter and facebook . friends posted replies that the site 's app read aloud to rucker through his headphones during workouts . wiring the world to fight obesity ' that was a huge motivator to me , ' he said . even though i was by myself , i still had people to encourage me . ' he ran his first official 5k race , the great buffalo chase , on july 4 , 2011 , in 39 minutes . less than a month later , he tackled a 10k , finishing dead last but finishing all the same . his blog that night complained about the cross-country course 's hills but promised to begin training for a half-marathon the next day . the focus he has , the drive he has ... it 's so refreshing , ' annita rucker said . it 's the old mark i did n't even know -- probably the mark from law school . ' the ruckers married in october 2000 . for 11 years , annita rucker watched the man she married -- the dreamer , the achiever -- struggle to maintain his optimism while grappling with a shrinking housing market and a growing body . their son and daughter -- two children from rucker 's first marriage -- came to visit often , and annita rucker found herself entertaining the young kids while her husband remained stationary . i used to complain that he was living life on the sidelines , never participating , ' she said . now , he 's so active with them . last year , my father had parkinson 's and was hospitalized for 10 weeks . mark stepped up to the plate and did all the cooking , the laundry , everything . before this , that never would have happened . ' my wife jokes ,'i 've got a brand new husband ,' rucker said with a long laugh . i think she 's a lot happier with me ... because i 'm much happier . ' august 18 , 2011 -- three mile walk at work on my lunch break . some days i got ta dig down deep to find the motivation . some days it 's really hard . today is one of those days . ' rucker is now training for his first ironman competition . a typical week includes 4:30 a.m. swims , 6-mile runs after work and hours of cycling on saturday and sunday . at 260 pounds , he 's stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing on building muscle . there are good and bad days . some blog posts sing of the serotonin rushing through his brain . others show his discouragement of a bad swim or a slow run . he 's a beast , but one who feels pain . ironman champ : the importance of r & r still , it 's amazing , even to him , that a guy who less than two years ago got winded walking up a flight of stairs can push himself this far , this fast . i 'm the guy in the overalls ( who 's ) shoveling the coal in the train , ' he said . i do n't know exactly where it 's going , but i 'm going to do everything i can to keep it moving . ' february 18 , 2012 -- woot woot ! ! i 'm a marathoner ! ! ' ( 26.4 miles/ 6 hours , 13 minutes/ 14:07 pace ) rucker has rejoined the social world . he volunteers at the red cross and is involved in his local rotary chapter . this year , his family went back to dollywood and rode all the rides together . rucker wants to become a motivational speaker , to be that inspiration for others that mills was for him . possible title for his speech : be the beast that you can be . ' when i was so overweight , i felt so dead to everything , ' rucker said . there was this little voice in my head that said , for so long ,'this is the best your life is ever going to be .'and that voice is gone . i 've extinguished that voice . ' share your weight loss success story with us on ireport | he used dailymile.com and the iphone app to track his workout progress |
rucker <tsp> his friends used to call him hoss , ' as in hoss cartwright from the tv show bonanza . ' at 6'2 ' and roughly 380 pounds , mark rucker once resembled the big , friendly character . now , they call him the beast . ' the nickname is apt . since february 2011 , rucker has run his first 5k , his first 10k , his first half-marathon and his first marathon . he 's completed an olympic-distance triathlon and lost more than 100 pounds . and on august 26 , he 'll participate in his first full-length ironman competition in louisville , kentucky . like they say , he 's a beast . what he does after this ironman , i do n't know , ' his wife , annita rucker , said with a laugh . i hope he can find something to focus all this energy on . ' from rucker 's dailymile blog : april 18 , 2011 -- first day of the couch to 5k program . that was not good . but at least i did the whole workout ' ( 1.98 miles/ 32 minutes/ 16:10 pace ) change is a funny thing , rucker says . often , the desire to change grows over time . a series of events leads to an a ha moment , ' when desire must meet with the proper tools and the right inspiration . in the summer of 2010 , rucker , of lexington , kentucky , and his family went to dollywood in tennessee . his daughter was 11 at the time , a little daredevil , ' and wanted to ride all the roller coasters . unfortunately , rucker could n't fit on any of them with her . she was devastated ; i was crushed , ' rucker said . but even that was n't enough to get me started on the journey . i guess i just did n't know how to do it . ' does parenting make us fat ? in january 2011 , he reconnected with an old elementary school friend , anita mills , and the two began talking on facebook , discussing mills'240-pound weight loss . her transformation was his inspiration . but he still was n't ready to change . after weighing in at about 365 pounds , he stopped stepping on the scale . he was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on medication for high blood pressure . he feared that he was diabetic but would n't visit his doctor . the day after the 2011 super bowl , rucker woke up in pain . once again , he had overindulged the night before , and his digestive system revolted . he was tired , sick and unhappy . something clicked , ' he said . i realized that if i kept doing it , i would significantly shorten my life . ' rucker took mills'dieting hints to heart and cut out sugary drinks . he dropped his two-liter-a-day soda habit and picked up water . he stopped ordering mcdonald 's mcgriddles for breakfast and eating peanut m & ms by the pound . he threw away his cheez-its . it 's hard to say what my daily ( calorie ) intake was , ' he said , looking back . i did it to myself . i was really unhappy with the way my life was , and i think food was that comfort for me . ' june 19 , 2011 -- last day of couch 2 5k . i think i 'll call it the father 's day beastly 5k . i was the only competitor and i finished in 1st place . i ca n't even begin to explain how i feel right now . and no one or no thing can ever take this away from me . i am a runner . i am an achiever . i am a beast . on to bridge 2 10k ! ! ! ' rucker 's job as a real estate attorney kept him sedentary . so he started to walk on his lunch break , using his iphone to post his distance on dailymile.com . the site shared his progress on twitter and facebook . friends posted replies that the site 's app read aloud to rucker through his headphones during workouts . wiring the world to fight obesity ' that was a huge motivator to me , ' he said . even though i was by myself , i still had people to encourage me . ' he ran his first official 5k race , the great buffalo chase , on july 4 , 2011 , in 39 minutes . less than a month later , he tackled a 10k , finishing dead last but finishing all the same . his blog that night complained about the cross-country course 's hills but promised to begin training for a half-marathon the next day . the focus he has , the drive he has ... it 's so refreshing , ' annita rucker said . it 's the old mark i did n't even know -- probably the mark from law school . ' the ruckers married in october 2000 . for 11 years , annita rucker watched the man she married -- the dreamer , the achiever -- struggle to maintain his optimism while grappling with a shrinking housing market and a growing body . their son and daughter -- two children from rucker 's first marriage -- came to visit often , and annita rucker found herself entertaining the young kids while her husband remained stationary . i used to complain that he was living life on the sidelines , never participating , ' she said . now , he 's so active with them . last year , my father had parkinson 's and was hospitalized for 10 weeks . mark stepped up to the plate and did all the cooking , the laundry , everything . before this , that never would have happened . ' my wife jokes ,'i 've got a brand new husband ,' rucker said with a long laugh . i think she 's a lot happier with me ... because i 'm much happier . ' august 18 , 2011 -- three mile walk at work on my lunch break . some days i got ta dig down deep to find the motivation . some days it 's really hard . today is one of those days . ' rucker is now training for his first ironman competition . a typical week includes 4:30 a.m. swims , 6-mile runs after work and hours of cycling on saturday and sunday . at 260 pounds , he 's stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing on building muscle . there are good and bad days . some blog posts sing of the serotonin rushing through his brain . others show his discouragement of a bad swim or a slow run . he 's a beast , but one who feels pain . ironman champ : the importance of r & r still , it 's amazing , even to him , that a guy who less than two years ago got winded walking up a flight of stairs can push himself this far , this fast . i 'm the guy in the overalls ( who 's ) shoveling the coal in the train , ' he said . i do n't know exactly where it 's going , but i 'm going to do everything i can to keep it moving . ' february 18 , 2012 -- woot woot ! ! i 'm a marathoner ! ! ' ( 26.4 miles/ 6 hours , 13 minutes/ 14:07 pace ) rucker has rejoined the social world . he volunteers at the red cross and is involved in his local rotary chapter . this year , his family went back to dollywood and rode all the rides together . rucker wants to become a motivational speaker , to be that inspiration for others that mills was for him . possible title for his speech : be the beast that you can be . ' when i was so overweight , i felt so dead to everything , ' rucker said . there was this little voice in my head that said , for so long ,'this is the best your life is ever going to be .'and that voice is gone . i 've extinguished that voice . ' share your weight loss success story with us on ireport | rucker will compete in his first ironman competition on august 26 |
rucker <tsp> his friends used to call him hoss , ' as in hoss cartwright from the tv show bonanza . ' at 6'2 ' and roughly 380 pounds , mark rucker once resembled the big , friendly character . now , they call him the beast . ' the nickname is apt . since february 2011 , rucker has run his first 5k , his first 10k , his first half-marathon and his first marathon . he 's completed an olympic-distance triathlon and lost more than 100 pounds . and on august 26 , he 'll participate in his first full-length ironman competition in louisville , kentucky . like they say , he 's a beast . what he does after this ironman , i do n't know , ' his wife , annita rucker , said with a laugh . i hope he can find something to focus all this energy on . ' from rucker 's dailymile blog : april 18 , 2011 -- first day of the couch to 5k program . that was not good . but at least i did the whole workout ' ( 1.98 miles/ 32 minutes/ 16:10 pace ) change is a funny thing , rucker says . often , the desire to change grows over time . a series of events leads to an a ha moment , ' when desire must meet with the proper tools and the right inspiration . in the summer of 2010 , rucker , of lexington , kentucky , and his family went to dollywood in tennessee . his daughter was 11 at the time , a little daredevil , ' and wanted to ride all the roller coasters . unfortunately , rucker could n't fit on any of them with her . she was devastated ; i was crushed , ' rucker said . but even that was n't enough to get me started on the journey . i guess i just did n't know how to do it . ' does parenting make us fat ? in january 2011 , he reconnected with an old elementary school friend , anita mills , and the two began talking on facebook , discussing mills'240-pound weight loss . her transformation was his inspiration . but he still was n't ready to change . after weighing in at about 365 pounds , he stopped stepping on the scale . he was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on medication for high blood pressure . he feared that he was diabetic but would n't visit his doctor . the day after the 2011 super bowl , rucker woke up in pain . once again , he had overindulged the night before , and his digestive system revolted . he was tired , sick and unhappy . something clicked , ' he said . i realized that if i kept doing it , i would significantly shorten my life . ' rucker took mills'dieting hints to heart and cut out sugary drinks . he dropped his two-liter-a-day soda habit and picked up water . he stopped ordering mcdonald 's mcgriddles for breakfast and eating peanut m & ms by the pound . he threw away his cheez-its . it 's hard to say what my daily ( calorie ) intake was , ' he said , looking back . i did it to myself . i was really unhappy with the way my life was , and i think food was that comfort for me . ' june 19 , 2011 -- last day of couch 2 5k . i think i 'll call it the father 's day beastly 5k . i was the only competitor and i finished in 1st place . i ca n't even begin to explain how i feel right now . and no one or no thing can ever take this away from me . i am a runner . i am an achiever . i am a beast . on to bridge 2 10k ! ! ! ' rucker 's job as a real estate attorney kept him sedentary . so he started to walk on his lunch break , using his iphone to post his distance on dailymile.com . the site shared his progress on twitter and facebook . friends posted replies that the site 's app read aloud to rucker through his headphones during workouts . wiring the world to fight obesity ' that was a huge motivator to me , ' he said . even though i was by myself , i still had people to encourage me . ' he ran his first official 5k race , the great buffalo chase , on july 4 , 2011 , in 39 minutes . less than a month later , he tackled a 10k , finishing dead last but finishing all the same . his blog that night complained about the cross-country course 's hills but promised to begin training for a half-marathon the next day . the focus he has , the drive he has ... it 's so refreshing , ' annita rucker said . it 's the old mark i did n't even know -- probably the mark from law school . ' the ruckers married in october 2000 . for 11 years , annita rucker watched the man she married -- the dreamer , the achiever -- struggle to maintain his optimism while grappling with a shrinking housing market and a growing body . their son and daughter -- two children from rucker 's first marriage -- came to visit often , and annita rucker found herself entertaining the young kids while her husband remained stationary . i used to complain that he was living life on the sidelines , never participating , ' she said . now , he 's so active with them . last year , my father had parkinson 's and was hospitalized for 10 weeks . mark stepped up to the plate and did all the cooking , the laundry , everything . before this , that never would have happened . ' my wife jokes ,'i 've got a brand new husband ,' rucker said with a long laugh . i think she 's a lot happier with me ... because i 'm much happier . ' august 18 , 2011 -- three mile walk at work on my lunch break . some days i got ta dig down deep to find the motivation . some days it 's really hard . today is one of those days . ' rucker is now training for his first ironman competition . a typical week includes 4:30 a.m. swims , 6-mile runs after work and hours of cycling on saturday and sunday . at 260 pounds , he 's stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing on building muscle . there are good and bad days . some blog posts sing of the serotonin rushing through his brain . others show his discouragement of a bad swim or a slow run . he 's a beast , but one who feels pain . ironman champ : the importance of r & r still , it 's amazing , even to him , that a guy who less than two years ago got winded walking up a flight of stairs can push himself this far , this fast . i 'm the guy in the overalls ( who 's ) shoveling the coal in the train , ' he said . i do n't know exactly where it 's going , but i 'm going to do everything i can to keep it moving . ' february 18 , 2012 -- woot woot ! ! i 'm a marathoner ! ! ' ( 26.4 miles/ 6 hours , 13 minutes/ 14:07 pace ) rucker has rejoined the social world . he volunteers at the red cross and is involved in his local rotary chapter . this year , his family went back to dollywood and rode all the rides together . rucker wants to become a motivational speaker , to be that inspiration for others that mills was for him . possible title for his speech : be the beast that you can be . ' when i was so overweight , i felt so dead to everything , ' rucker said . there was this little voice in my head that said , for so long ,'this is the best your life is ever going to be .'and that voice is gone . i 've extinguished that voice . ' share your weight loss success story with us on ireport | mark rucker lost more than 100 pounds by changing his diet and racing |
coachella <tsp> ( matador network ) -- from choosing the right festival to tips on camping and pacing yourself through the shows , here 's ( almost ) everything you 'll need to know about preparing for your next music festival . when i went to my first summer musical festival a few years back , i was unprepared and could 've used a little guidance . since then , i 've covered lollapalooza , pitchfork music festival , moe.down and other summer festivals , acquiring along the way a checklist of sorts that i wish i 'd had before embarking on that first one . seasoned veteran or festival novice , i hope these tips will make your experience more rocking , relaxing and fun . find the right festival for you one of the best places to start is jambase.com , an aggregator of all things related to music festivals and concerts . check out the history of each particular festival via its website or third-party music blogs/sites . each festival tries to set itself apart , creating a specific slant through lineup , location and overall vibe . generally , festivals will be teaming up with local and regional media and artists to offer unique side shows ranging from improv theater to art exhibits to on-site record stores and activist booths promoting voter registration and green initiatives . matador network : 10 wildest electronic music festivals worldwide as you do your research , ask yourself the following four questions : 1 . how much can you spend ? festival passes range from $ 50 to $ 250 or higher , depending on venue , location and who 's headlining and promoting the festival . 2 . what type of music do you want to hear ? musical tastes are pretty diverse these days , as most people enjoy several genres , and festival lineups reflect this . though some are genre-exclusive , most showcase acts playing everything from bluegrass to hip hop . 3 . are you prepared to camp ? for festivals like bonnaroo and coachella , much of the experience is about pitching your tent and camping out for the weekend . some camping events do offer luxury cabins or tents in return for higher ticket prices . cover story : what is bonnaroo ? most festivals provide maps pre-arrival , so you 'll want to know where the camping areas are in relation to the parking and stages . if the distance is far , try to keep your gear light or invest in a small pull wagon or cart . depending on how much sleep you want to get or how close you want to be to the action ( many festivals run 24 hours ) , you 'll want to know if the camping sites are near the stages , scattered across the grounds , or both . bring the usual camping gear -- tent , sleeping bag , etc . -- and do n't forget a car charger for your phone , laptop and other gadgets . the world 's best music festivals 4 . are hotels an option ? if you 're attending a festival located in a city or metropolitan area , such as pitchfork in chicago , getting a hotel room for the weekend on your own is an option , or you can take advantage of the festival 's package lodging deals . learn the local history before you go as with all travel , having a cultural awareness of where you 're going can enrich your festival experience and take you beyond simple enjoyment of the music . the uniqueness of many of the best festivals is rooted in their locality . for example , glastonbury in the uk is held on festival grounds that have been used as such for centuries . being clued in on local culture and history will also help if you plan on venturing away during the show to give your ears a rest or want to take a pre- or post-festival excursion to visit nearby attractions . stretch your comfort zone one of the best parts about the summer music festival experience is observing the meshing of different cultures and being around new groups of people . as more and more festivals incorporate different genres , i 've seen an increasingly diverse cross-section of fans at festivals . take the opportunity to interact with other festival-goers , and do n't be afraid to ask for that camping tool you forgot . chat about last night 's set or join in a game of frisbee . matador network : 10 bluegrass festivals for summer 2011 be smart about drugs and alcohol i do n't include this tip to be a killjoy , but only as a word of caution . i 've seen festival experiences come to an early and nightmarish end as a result of irresponsible drug and alcohol use . it 's a fact that music culture and drug culture overlap , especially in a live-music setting , but be wise about bringing drugs or large amounts of booze with you . at most festivals , you 're going to be thoroughly searched before you even get though the gates . security will either confiscate prohibited materials or ask you to leave with no ticket refunds . matador : a first-timer 's guide to participating at burning man make time to chill one of the biggest lessons i 've learned is to plan out a few intervals of rest and not run myself ragged trying to see every band . if you 've done initial research on the area , take a short trek to one of the quiet spots you learned about and give your cochleas a break . many festivals have also begun featuring morning yoga classes , a great chance to recharge the mind and body . i ca n't stress this enough : however you do it , whether it 's reading a book , taking a nap , or journaling in a quiet spot , make time to give your ears and other senses a rest . knowing the festival ground layout and scheduling in time to relax is the most important tip i can give . read the full story on matador network © 2011 matador network , matador ventures , llc . | bonnaroo and coachella is about pitching your tent and camping out for the weekend |
united <tsp> as families prepare for air travel this coming memorial day weekend , united airlines wo n't be offering early boarding to families in coach with small children . joining a handful of other carriers , united made the policy shift in late april with little fanfare . previously , families with small children flying coach were allowed on aircraft before general boarding , a convenience for moms and dads trying to herd their kids across the friendly skies . we figured it would be better to simplify that process and reduce the number of boarding groups , ' said united spokesman charles hobart . the airline does allow passengers with children traveling in first class or business class to board early . i have to wonder if it will end up slowing things down because of the extra time it takes for families to board , ' said brett snyder of the blog crankyflier.com . kate hanni of flyersrights.org calls the move very anti-family . ' there are very few things a parent can count on when it comes to air travel these days , but one of those things was always the ability to board first to get your children settled in and all of their needs met before the throngs of people board the plane , ' said hanni in an e-mail to cnn . i hope united changes their mind . ' if families do need additional assistance , our gate agent will work to accommodate them , ' hobart said . that message has been communicated . ' we 're not going to fly united knowing that we 're going to have to put up with that extra hassle , ' wrote steven manson , a brooklyn , new york , father of twin 4-year-old boys . frankly , we always look forward to the preboarding when we fly and try and position ourselves near the gate when boarding begins . it 's just so helpful getting the car seat attached and everyone settled before the plane is crowded with passengers , ' manson said in an e-mail to cnn . a guerrilla approach to flying with kids the policy change also has roots in the merger announced in 2010 between united and continental . we transitioned to a common boarding process across all aircraft , ' hobart said . as a policy , american airlines also does not specifically allow families with children to get on aircraft before general boarding . however , the airline said it makes an announcement to all ticketed passengers before general boarding asking anyone who needs extra time or assistance to come forward . it would not be realistic to preboard that many families just on that sole basis alone , ' wrote an american airlines spokeswoman in an e-mail to cnn . it could easily translate into most of the passengers for the flight . ' jetblue offers families traveling coach with children under age 2 to board early , the airline said . delta air lines said it also offers passengers with children an opportunity to preboard , including those with first class and business class tickets . so does virgin america , which said it allows children under 5 to board early . us airways tweaked its child preboarding rules within the past year -- allowing families with kids to get on the plane after the call for zone 2 , but before the general boarding announcement . previously the airline had allowed earlier boarding . we 're always looking for ways to make the boarding process a little more efficient and quicker for our passengers , ' said spokeswoman liz landau . have you had a good or bad experience trying to preboard a flight ? please share your experiences in the comments section below . | united : we 'll work to accommodate families who need additional help |
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