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romney <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mitt romney had another debate saturday night in which he did n't make many mistakes , was smooth , knowledgeable , even presidential . it was his worst performance yet . the game has changed , and someone forgot to tell him . he is behind in national polls , and this time it 's serious : his main rival , newt gingrich , is polling well not just in iowa , but also across the country . saturday night 's debate was on a major network , with a wide audience , in the first state in the nation to hold a caucus -- and there is only one more debate before that voting . the conclusion is inescapable . romney blew it . let me reiterate something i 've said before ( it ca n't be overstated ) : your debating strategy must change based on your position . if the debate team i coach is a heavy favorite in a debate , i coach the debaters to keep doing the same things that made them the favorite . but if we 're an underdog , we will approach the debate with an entirely different argumentative strategy . mitt romney is still debating the way he was six months ago . he 's debating not to lose instead of debating to win . and that 's a mistake , given the rise and potential staying power of gingrich . romney committed three major errors in saturday evening 's debate . and what is maddening is that they were all opportunities for him to differentiate himself from gingrich -- but he failed each time . the first error was when george stephanopoulos directed a possible bonanza question to romney . he asked romney if he was more conservative ( his potential weakness ) and more electable ( his potential strength ) than gingrich . perfect softball . in one answer , romney could erase doubts about his conservatism for the base of republican voters and he could talk about how he is the only candidate who can beat obama ( as evidenced in polls ) . romney 's answer ? moon mining . seriously . after starting with some generic answer about the direction of the country , his first specific example was that he was different from gingrich on moon colonies . we could start with his idea to have a lunar colony that would mine minerals from the moon . i 'm not in favor of spending that kind of money to do that . ' that was his go to ' answer . awful . romney never mentioned his conservative principles or background , and he never attacked gingrich on electability . not even once . romney 's second mistake was that he was shallow when he should have been on the attack . gingrich recently said the palestinians were an invented ' people . while romney held his own in an exchange on this issue , saying he was not a rhetorical bomb thrower ' who would hurt our allies , he did not take the argument as far as he should have . one of gingrich 's perceived weaknesses is his imprudence , rhetorical and otherwise . romney could have hammered home an argument that gingrich would be a poor chief statesman because of his often-inappropriate outspokenness . finally , when the other candidates teamed up on both gingrich and romney , as they did with health care ( bachmann 's new angle of attack for the evening was calling the two newt romney ' ) , romney needed to immediately separate himself from gingrich . why ? if gingrich is leading , and the voters think he and romney are identical , then why would they vote for romney ? they would n't . but romney did n't ever get the separation he needed . the teamwork was effective , and both gingrich and romney were grouped together time and time again . this did not help romney . for his part , gingrich seemed to escape the other candidates'criticism , partly because it was split ( some attacks were aimed at romney ) , and because the discussion did not stay on one topic for long enough to make gingrich defend his positions in depth . he was able to get out his front line of debate answers , and that was good enough to get him by without too much damage . in any form of debate , if you want your attacks to stick , you must stay with them for an extended period of time so you can rebut the answer of the opponent you are attacking . this did not happen last night , and is one of the weaknesses of these presidential debates . but gingrich was far from passive , stepping up repeatedly to attack . a favorite line : i am a reaganite , i 'm proud to be a reaganite . i will tell the truth even at the risk of causing some confusion , sometimes with the timid . ' that 's what the republicans are looking for . they want tough conservative talk and someone who can take the fight to obama . gingrich behaved as though he was ready and willing to do so . and romney missed his chance in this debate . there is only one more debate before the new year and before the voting begins in iowa . i would suggest romney take a serious look at changing his approach . staying the course might feel safe , but it is no longer a winning strategy . sometimes you risk everything when you refuse to take risks . does romney really want to bet the nomination on the hopes that gingrich will implode ? ( he really needs to stop betting in these debates , by the way . a $ 10,000 bet he offered to perry , over perry 's accusation that he 'd excised one of his positions from a later edition of his book , could not have helped him in the heartland . ) debating not to lose is perhaps the riskiest thing romney can do at this point . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of todd graham . | when other candidates attacked him and gingrich , romney failed to differentiate himself |
romney <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mitt romney had another debate saturday night in which he did n't make many mistakes , was smooth , knowledgeable , even presidential . it was his worst performance yet . the game has changed , and someone forgot to tell him . he is behind in national polls , and this time it 's serious : his main rival , newt gingrich , is polling well not just in iowa , but also across the country . saturday night 's debate was on a major network , with a wide audience , in the first state in the nation to hold a caucus -- and there is only one more debate before that voting . the conclusion is inescapable . romney blew it . let me reiterate something i 've said before ( it ca n't be overstated ) : your debating strategy must change based on your position . if the debate team i coach is a heavy favorite in a debate , i coach the debaters to keep doing the same things that made them the favorite . but if we 're an underdog , we will approach the debate with an entirely different argumentative strategy . mitt romney is still debating the way he was six months ago . he 's debating not to lose instead of debating to win . and that 's a mistake , given the rise and potential staying power of gingrich . romney committed three major errors in saturday evening 's debate . and what is maddening is that they were all opportunities for him to differentiate himself from gingrich -- but he failed each time . the first error was when george stephanopoulos directed a possible bonanza question to romney . he asked romney if he was more conservative ( his potential weakness ) and more electable ( his potential strength ) than gingrich . perfect softball . in one answer , romney could erase doubts about his conservatism for the base of republican voters and he could talk about how he is the only candidate who can beat obama ( as evidenced in polls ) . romney 's answer ? moon mining . seriously . after starting with some generic answer about the direction of the country , his first specific example was that he was different from gingrich on moon colonies . we could start with his idea to have a lunar colony that would mine minerals from the moon . i 'm not in favor of spending that kind of money to do that . ' that was his go to ' answer . awful . romney never mentioned his conservative principles or background , and he never attacked gingrich on electability . not even once . romney 's second mistake was that he was shallow when he should have been on the attack . gingrich recently said the palestinians were an invented ' people . while romney held his own in an exchange on this issue , saying he was not a rhetorical bomb thrower ' who would hurt our allies , he did not take the argument as far as he should have . one of gingrich 's perceived weaknesses is his imprudence , rhetorical and otherwise . romney could have hammered home an argument that gingrich would be a poor chief statesman because of his often-inappropriate outspokenness . finally , when the other candidates teamed up on both gingrich and romney , as they did with health care ( bachmann 's new angle of attack for the evening was calling the two newt romney ' ) , romney needed to immediately separate himself from gingrich . why ? if gingrich is leading , and the voters think he and romney are identical , then why would they vote for romney ? they would n't . but romney did n't ever get the separation he needed . the teamwork was effective , and both gingrich and romney were grouped together time and time again . this did not help romney . for his part , gingrich seemed to escape the other candidates'criticism , partly because it was split ( some attacks were aimed at romney ) , and because the discussion did not stay on one topic for long enough to make gingrich defend his positions in depth . he was able to get out his front line of debate answers , and that was good enough to get him by without too much damage . in any form of debate , if you want your attacks to stick , you must stay with them for an extended period of time so you can rebut the answer of the opponent you are attacking . this did not happen last night , and is one of the weaknesses of these presidential debates . but gingrich was far from passive , stepping up repeatedly to attack . a favorite line : i am a reaganite , i 'm proud to be a reaganite . i will tell the truth even at the risk of causing some confusion , sometimes with the timid . ' that 's what the republicans are looking for . they want tough conservative talk and someone who can take the fight to obama . gingrich behaved as though he was ready and willing to do so . and romney missed his chance in this debate . there is only one more debate before the new year and before the voting begins in iowa . i would suggest romney take a serious look at changing his approach . staying the course might feel safe , but it is no longer a winning strategy . sometimes you risk everything when you refuse to take risks . does romney really want to bet the nomination on the hopes that gingrich will implode ? ( he really needs to stop betting in these debates , by the way . a $ 10,000 bet he offered to perry , over perry 's accusation that he 'd excised one of his positions from a later edition of his book , could not have helped him in the heartland . ) debating not to lose is perhaps the riskiest thing romney can do at this point . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of todd graham . | todd graham : mitt romney had a bad debate in iowa , did n't seem to know he 's trailing in polls |
crown princess <tsp> the latest norovirus outbreak aboard the princess cruises'crown princess has infected 172 people , according to the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention . at least 158 of 3,009 passengers and 14 of 1,160 crew members came down with the virus aboard the crown princess during a 28-day cruise that docked in los angeles on sunday . this ship had sailed from los angeles to hawaii and tahiti . are cruise ships floating petri dishes ? onboard rapid norovirus testing resulted in positive results of the virus , the cdc investigation update confirmed . over the last few days , the ship began seeing an increased number of gastrointestinal illnesses , caused by norovirus ( commonly referred to as the stomach flu ) , ' said princess cruises spokeswoman susan lomax , via email . in response , we have enacted our stringent disinfecting protocols developed in conjunction with the u.s. centers for disease control ( cdc ) , which includes an extensive deep cleaning of the ship and the terminal in los angeles on sunday before the ship embarks on its next voyage . ' the cdc statement confirmed the ship has implemented cdc sanitation procedures to slow the disease 's spread . the cruise line also made announcements to notify onboard passengers of the outbreak , encouraging hand hygiene and case reporting . passengers about to board the ship were also supposed to be notified . at least 122 of 3,161 passengers and 30 of 1,176 crew members aboard the crown princess were sickened on an april sailing , according to the cdc . the federal agency blamed norovirus and e. coli for the outbreak . norovirus is known for being quite contagious . it causes nausea , vomiting and diarrhea and is believed to have infected passengers on a number of cruise ships this year . as it is the cold and flu season , when the stomach flu circulates on land , we encourage all of our guests to be diligent in following the widely accepted practices of frequent hand washing with soap and water and the use of hand sanitizers , ' said lomax . is your cruise safe ? in february , 114 passengers and 10 crew members took ill on the holland america cruise ship ms veendam during a weeklong voyage . in january , more than 600 people on cruise ships sailing in the caribbean fell ill from the virus , the cdc reported . how the navy avoids norovirus norovirus infects many people on land , but health officials track it on cruise ships , leading to more frequent reporting of cases , the cdc said . it is passed in person-to-person contact and can spread more easily in closed quarters . | princess cruises'crown princess was on a nearly-month long trip |
marshals service <tsp> ( cnn ) a california woman who was recording police activity said she was terrified when a deputy u.s. marshal walked toward her , grabbed her cell phone out of her hands and smashed it with his foot . the incident was recorded by another woman with a smartphone camera across the street . beatriz paez filed a complaint wednesday with police in south gate , just south of los angeles . however , the police do n't have authority over marshals . paez is also considering a lawsuit . paez said she was out walking sunday when she noticed what looked like an arrest several houses up the street . she stood on the sidewalk , recording with her phone . the woman said marshals asked her to stop recording but she told them she had a right to do so . the second woman who was recording had focused on the interaction between paez and the marshals , who paez said told her to stop recording . at one point on the video you can hear paez say , you 're making me feel unsafe . i have a right to be here . ' paez said she was a few homes away from the center of the police activity . in the video , an officer with a rifle walks in her direction . i was terrified . i was getting really scared , ' she said . as he gets close , the marshal then runs a few steps toward her and wrestles the phone from her hands . paez said he stomped on it then kicked it away . it is unclear what happened to the video she recorded . the u.s . marshals service said it is reviewing the incident . janice hahn , the u.s. representative for paez 's district , told cnn 's erin burnett outfront ' that she had written a letter to outgoing u.s. attorney general eric holder . hahn said she wants a federal investigation into the actions of the officer . she called the marshal 's actions illegal because paez was n't hindering an investigation or arrest . | marshals service said it is looking into incident after man took her phone and smashed it |
beatriz paez <tsp> ( cnn ) a california woman who was recording police activity said she was terrified when a deputy u.s. marshal walked toward her , grabbed her cell phone out of her hands and smashed it with his foot . the incident was recorded by another woman with a smartphone camera across the street . beatriz paez filed a complaint wednesday with police in south gate , just south of los angeles . however , the police do n't have authority over marshals . paez is also considering a lawsuit . paez said she was out walking sunday when she noticed what looked like an arrest several houses up the street . she stood on the sidewalk , recording with her phone . the woman said marshals asked her to stop recording but she told them she had a right to do so . the second woman who was recording had focused on the interaction between paez and the marshals , who paez said told her to stop recording . at one point on the video you can hear paez say , you 're making me feel unsafe . i have a right to be here . ' paez said she was a few homes away from the center of the police activity . in the video , an officer with a rifle walks in her direction . i was terrified . i was getting really scared , ' she said . as he gets close , the marshal then runs a few steps toward her and wrestles the phone from her hands . paez said he stomped on it then kicked it away . it is unclear what happened to the video she recorded . the u.s . marshals service said it is reviewing the incident . janice hahn , the u.s. representative for paez 's district , told cnn 's erin burnett outfront ' that she had written a letter to outgoing u.s. attorney general eric holder . hahn said she wants a federal investigation into the actions of the officer . she called the marshal 's actions illegal because paez was n't hindering an investigation or arrest . | beatriz paez was walking sunday when she saw police activity |
joplin high school <tsp> joplin , missouri ( cnn ) -- like nearly every high school senior who has donned a cap and gown , scott lauridsen was excited . finally , after four years at joplin high school , it was time to go . graduate . celebrate . step up to the next stage of his young life . i was excited -- ready to start things new and move onto college and experience life and then all this happened , ' said lauridsen , 18 , one day after one of the deadliest american twisters on record ripped through his hometown of joplin , missouri . and now ? now i 'm just worried about helping out with the community and getting things back together , ' he said . a recent graduate 's joy : another casualty of sunday 's terrible tornado . lauridsen was one of about 450 seniors to receive a diploma from joplin high school this year . their graduation ceremony at a local university wrapped up just as the storm started to roll in . students streamed out of the gymnasium and onto an open lawn as proud parents , family and friends snapped pictures -- smiling graduates against a backdrop of darkening skies . a light rain began to fall and people rushed to their cars . aaron frost , another graduate , left with his girlfriend . they were headed to a restaurant to meet his family when frost , 18 , got a call from his mother . she pretty much demanded that we pulled over , ' he said . i would have drove right into the storm . my mom pretty much saved me there . ' frost and his girlfriend ducked into a fast trip convenience store and took cover , along with about 18 other people , inside a walk-in cooler . you ca n't really do anything , ' he said . we just bent over and covered our heads . ' a piece of glass struck frost 's hand but otherwise he is fine . the store and his car were not as lucky . later , frost went by his old school , where the roof was ripped off and debris was strewn across the lawn . kerry sachetta , principal at joplin high school , described the damage as terrible . ' i walked around as much as i could to see it and it just looks like it 's been bombed from the outside in , ' he said . joplin 's public school district has canceled classes for the rest of the year . to see my high school flattened is especially hard , ' said frost . it 's indescribable . ' his concern is made worse by the uncertainty of not knowing what happened to some people from his community . phone service in the area is spotty and friends have struggled to connect . lauridsen said will norton , another joplin graduate and a friend of his , is missing . norton and his dad were driving home when the storm hit . a facebook page has been set up to help locate him . my dad said ... his seat belt snapped and he was ejected through the sunroof , ' said sara norton , will 's sister . their father is in stable condition , she said , but the family is still trying to pin down exactly where will might be . it just makes me sad to know so many of my classmates have lost their homes and some of them are still missing , ' said taylor costley , 18 , another 2011 graduate of joplin high school . she rode out the storm at home with her father , brother and grandparents , fearing for her mother who was briefly -- but terrifyingly -- out of contact . graduation 's supposed to be a joyous occasion , but we ca n't really feel that happy about it , ' costly said . at the same time , i 'm so thankful i 'm ok and my family 's ok. ' cnn 's dana ford contributed to this report . | he was one of about 450 seniors to graduate from joplin high school sunday |
aziz <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- tariq aziz , a top lieutenant of executed iraqi dictator saddam hussein , remained hospitalized at a u.s. military hospital sunday after falling ill in prison , the u.s. command in iraq reported . he was taken to the hospital thursday , though no details of his ailment were released . but 1st lt. elizabeth feste , a u.s. military spokeswoman , told cnn his condition was improving and he was being closely monitored . aziz was one of the best-known faces of hussein 's government , serving as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . in march 2009 , he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . he was captured by u.s. forces in april 2003 , shortly after the u.s.-led invasion that toppled the hussein . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | tariq aziz remained hospitalized at a u.s. military hospital sunday after falling ill in prison |
aziz <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- tariq aziz , a top lieutenant of executed iraqi dictator saddam hussein , remained hospitalized at a u.s. military hospital sunday after falling ill in prison , the u.s. command in iraq reported . he was taken to the hospital thursday , though no details of his ailment were released . but 1st lt. elizabeth feste , a u.s. military spokeswoman , told cnn his condition was improving and he was being closely monitored . aziz was one of the best-known faces of hussein 's government , serving as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time . in march 2009 , he was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with the 1992 executions of 42 merchants . he was captured by u.s. forces in april 2003 , shortly after the u.s.-led invasion that toppled the hussein . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | aziz served as deputy pm from 1981 to 2003 and as foreign minister for part of that time |
skype <tsp> it starts with a tweet . the recruit has been slowly and carefully chosen from his local community -- perhaps at a mosque , or gym , or cafe -- by an al qaeda recruiter , aiming to send a westerner to fight alongside radicals in syria . according to a defector from the ranks of the islamic state in iraq and syria ( isis ) -- whose stronghold in the syrian town of raqqa punishes smokers and insists women wear a veil -- the jihadist group runs a series of internet welcome chat groups to begin the process of indoctrinating and filtering potential recruits from outside syria . the defector agreed to an interview with cnn but wanted to hide his identity , but his story was ratified by a witness and his extensive knowledge of life inside syria under the isis . he fled syria when two of his relatives were killed in the violence , and is now hiding in turkey . he said that european recruits were more sought after and treated in a different class by the recruiters . there was special treatment for the europeans , ' he says . one british guy said he was called ibrahim , then told me he was from manchester . one asked my emir [ his unit 's head ] if he should fight in his own country , or come to syria . he was told if god does n't give you martyrdom in syria , then he could wage war in his own country . ' western officials have told cnn they are deeply concerned at not only the growing numbers of western passport holders who have traveled to syria to fight , but also the potential for more and more of these radicals to return to the west and continue that jihad through acts of domestic terrorism . hundreds of british and french citizens have traveled to syria , according to multiple official estimates , and several have returned . a briton was recently convicted of terror offenses after spending time inside syria with radical groups . u.s. officials have become increasingly concerned about american passport holders attempting the same , and anxieties have been amplified by the u.s. state department confirming that moner mohammad abu-salha , from florida , became the first american citizen to die as a suicide bomber in syria last month . recruiters are the gateway from the west to isis . the first contact is made over twitter , when the recruit might send a message to isis 's twitter accounts saying can i talk to hakim , ' for example , the source said . the twitter account is then followed back , enabling a direct message to be sent with the e-mail address of the isis recruiter . the conversations that continue , the defector said , over google chat , skype and twitter , are extensively monitored by the emirs and supervisors of the recruiting unit . while the defector did n't speak english , he says he used online translating apps to talk to french and english recruits . there are questions i am allowed to answer , ' he said , and then things i must ask my supervisor . specific questions about religion . i have to get their permission to message anyone . i ca n't talk on skype , as everything is written down , so they can monitor everything . ' the defector added his supervisor often dealt with the european recruits . he said the online chats , intended to provide basic information about life under the isis caliphate , or strict islamist state , lasted about two weeks , and sometimes each chat could last hours . he said some of the potential recruits asked curious questions . i remember one guy asked me for a video of a public execution ' , he said , but one that 's not been put online before . strange ones too about marrying syrians girls . i got mad once when i was asked if someone could marry three or four girls . ' when the recruit is ready to come to syria , a different part of isis assists , and the defector said he was not supposed to meet those he helped recruit . he said the recruitment was first aimed at filling isis ranks inside syria , and that the return of these radicals to their home countries was carefully regulated by the emirs , or senior commanders , of isis . each recruit 's passport was taken from him on arrival and the defector recalls seeing dozens of foreign passports held in the same office , and overhearing one foreign recruit discussing how he might return home to act as a recruiter . the defector was himself jailed for one day by isis for overstepping the permitted topics of conversation with recruits , and says he fled syria with the clothes on his back after his relatives were killed . he says he still fears for his life and has given his phone number to only three people . i did n't think isis lied to me , ' he says , but they did play with my mind . ' | islamist defector says twitter , google chat and skype used to recruit foreign fighters |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- iranian citizens who support peaceful change that will allow them to enjoy their human rights expect the international community , and in particular the united nations , to hold the islamic republic to account . the new session of the u.n. human rights council began on march 1 . a failure of the world 's most influential human rights body to deal with the abuse of human rights in iran will be interpreted by tehran as a green light for the government 's brutal policies that could result in more executions of political prisoners . scores of peaceful demonstrators have been killed on the streets or in prison since the disputed june 2009 presidential elections . four political prisoners have been executed and others , including 20-year-old mohammad amin valian , who has been convicted of enmity against god ' for throwing rocks at a demonstration , face death penalties . more than 1,000 iranians are behind bars for expressing their political views . leading politicians and clerics are calling for the harshest sentences for more of these prisoners . in february , iran 's human rights record was examined under the universal periodic review procedure . a number of u.n. members expressed deep concern about post-election abuses and chronic problems such as torture , the execution of juvenile offenders and discrimination against women . other countries praised iran 's progress in improving social welfare . at the end of the exercise , iran rejected outright recommendations to end juvenile executions , end torture , release illegally detained persons , and prosecute officials guilty of rape , torture and murder in prisons . they rejected recommendations to end legal discrimination against women . they rejected the idea of inviting u.n. special rapporteurs -- none of whom as has been allowed to visit iran since 2005 -- to examine the allegations . while atrocities since june have horrified people around the world , leading to demonstrations by more than 50,000 people in 110 cities last summer , iran seems , astonishingly , to be strengthening its standing in the human rights council . the 47 member states have shown no willingness to hold a special session , as many international human rights experts have recommended , nor have they supported the idea of a special u.n. envoy to look into the situation , and to press iran to abide by its commitments . one reason seems to be that the international community is preoccupied with persuading iran to keep its nuclear development program from creating an atomic weapon . even without a bomb , iran already seems to have achieved a form of nuclear deterrence : the nuclear issue creates conflict that justifies police state methods to keep the population under control , while reducing international pressure to end such abuses , which other states fear will spoil delicate negotiations . the strategy is working for the iranian government . now they have their sights set on gaining a place on the human rights council itself in elections by the u.n. general assembly that will take place in may . the failure of the human rights council to take serious action to condemn iran 's human rights abuses , and the election of iran to the human rights council itself , will be deeply disillusioning for the reform and human rights movement in iran . it could destroy their faith in the international human rights system , for which many have sacrificed their freedom and security , and for which many have died . it will give legitimacy to hanging political prisoners , and more will be hanged . but this issue is not just about iran . it is about the capacity of the u.n. system to protect human rights . if iran 's grave abuses are ignored and if iran assumes a place on the council , the council will be further weakened . other dictatorial regimes will be emboldened to repress their citizens . that is why it is crucial that members of the u.n. human rights council make it clear to iran , in a resolution that can not be brushed off , that torturing and executing political prisoners is not acceptable . and that is why the u.n. general assembly must reject iran 's candidacy . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of hadi ghaemi and aaron rhodes . | iran is seeking to gain a seat on the human rights council |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- iranian citizens who support peaceful change that will allow them to enjoy their human rights expect the international community , and in particular the united nations , to hold the islamic republic to account . the new session of the u.n. human rights council began on march 1 . a failure of the world 's most influential human rights body to deal with the abuse of human rights in iran will be interpreted by tehran as a green light for the government 's brutal policies that could result in more executions of political prisoners . scores of peaceful demonstrators have been killed on the streets or in prison since the disputed june 2009 presidential elections . four political prisoners have been executed and others , including 20-year-old mohammad amin valian , who has been convicted of enmity against god ' for throwing rocks at a demonstration , face death penalties . more than 1,000 iranians are behind bars for expressing their political views . leading politicians and clerics are calling for the harshest sentences for more of these prisoners . in february , iran 's human rights record was examined under the universal periodic review procedure . a number of u.n. members expressed deep concern about post-election abuses and chronic problems such as torture , the execution of juvenile offenders and discrimination against women . other countries praised iran 's progress in improving social welfare . at the end of the exercise , iran rejected outright recommendations to end juvenile executions , end torture , release illegally detained persons , and prosecute officials guilty of rape , torture and murder in prisons . they rejected recommendations to end legal discrimination against women . they rejected the idea of inviting u.n. special rapporteurs -- none of whom as has been allowed to visit iran since 2005 -- to examine the allegations . while atrocities since june have horrified people around the world , leading to demonstrations by more than 50,000 people in 110 cities last summer , iran seems , astonishingly , to be strengthening its standing in the human rights council . the 47 member states have shown no willingness to hold a special session , as many international human rights experts have recommended , nor have they supported the idea of a special u.n. envoy to look into the situation , and to press iran to abide by its commitments . one reason seems to be that the international community is preoccupied with persuading iran to keep its nuclear development program from creating an atomic weapon . even without a bomb , iran already seems to have achieved a form of nuclear deterrence : the nuclear issue creates conflict that justifies police state methods to keep the population under control , while reducing international pressure to end such abuses , which other states fear will spoil delicate negotiations . the strategy is working for the iranian government . now they have their sights set on gaining a place on the human rights council itself in elections by the u.n. general assembly that will take place in may . the failure of the human rights council to take serious action to condemn iran 's human rights abuses , and the election of iran to the human rights council itself , will be deeply disillusioning for the reform and human rights movement in iran . it could destroy their faith in the international human rights system , for which many have sacrificed their freedom and security , and for which many have died . it will give legitimacy to hanging political prisoners , and more will be hanged . but this issue is not just about iran . it is about the capacity of the u.n. system to protect human rights . if iran 's grave abuses are ignored and if iran assumes a place on the council , the council will be further weakened . other dictatorial regimes will be emboldened to repress their citizens . that is why it is crucial that members of the u.n. human rights council make it clear to iran , in a resolution that can not be brushed off , that torturing and executing political prisoners is not acceptable . and that is why the u.n. general assembly must reject iran 's candidacy . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of hadi ghaemi and aaron rhodes . | co-authors says seating iran would be a betrayal of that nation 's civil rights movement |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- iranian citizens who support peaceful change that will allow them to enjoy their human rights expect the international community , and in particular the united nations , to hold the islamic republic to account . the new session of the u.n. human rights council began on march 1 . a failure of the world 's most influential human rights body to deal with the abuse of human rights in iran will be interpreted by tehran as a green light for the government 's brutal policies that could result in more executions of political prisoners . scores of peaceful demonstrators have been killed on the streets or in prison since the disputed june 2009 presidential elections . four political prisoners have been executed and others , including 20-year-old mohammad amin valian , who has been convicted of enmity against god ' for throwing rocks at a demonstration , face death penalties . more than 1,000 iranians are behind bars for expressing their political views . leading politicians and clerics are calling for the harshest sentences for more of these prisoners . in february , iran 's human rights record was examined under the universal periodic review procedure . a number of u.n. members expressed deep concern about post-election abuses and chronic problems such as torture , the execution of juvenile offenders and discrimination against women . other countries praised iran 's progress in improving social welfare . at the end of the exercise , iran rejected outright recommendations to end juvenile executions , end torture , release illegally detained persons , and prosecute officials guilty of rape , torture and murder in prisons . they rejected recommendations to end legal discrimination against women . they rejected the idea of inviting u.n. special rapporteurs -- none of whom as has been allowed to visit iran since 2005 -- to examine the allegations . while atrocities since june have horrified people around the world , leading to demonstrations by more than 50,000 people in 110 cities last summer , iran seems , astonishingly , to be strengthening its standing in the human rights council . the 47 member states have shown no willingness to hold a special session , as many international human rights experts have recommended , nor have they supported the idea of a special u.n. envoy to look into the situation , and to press iran to abide by its commitments . one reason seems to be that the international community is preoccupied with persuading iran to keep its nuclear development program from creating an atomic weapon . even without a bomb , iran already seems to have achieved a form of nuclear deterrence : the nuclear issue creates conflict that justifies police state methods to keep the population under control , while reducing international pressure to end such abuses , which other states fear will spoil delicate negotiations . the strategy is working for the iranian government . now they have their sights set on gaining a place on the human rights council itself in elections by the u.n. general assembly that will take place in may . the failure of the human rights council to take serious action to condemn iran 's human rights abuses , and the election of iran to the human rights council itself , will be deeply disillusioning for the reform and human rights movement in iran . it could destroy their faith in the international human rights system , for which many have sacrificed their freedom and security , and for which many have died . it will give legitimacy to hanging political prisoners , and more will be hanged . but this issue is not just about iran . it is about the capacity of the u.n. system to protect human rights . if iran 's grave abuses are ignored and if iran assumes a place on the council , the council will be further weakened . other dictatorial regimes will be emboldened to repress their citizens . that is why it is crucial that members of the u.n. human rights council make it clear to iran , in a resolution that can not be brushed off , that torturing and executing political prisoners is not acceptable . and that is why the u.n. general assembly must reject iran 's candidacy . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of hadi ghaemi and aaron rhodes . | co-authors say u.n. human rights council has yet to take serious action against abuses in iran |
cnn <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cnn has triumphed at the 2012 investigative reporters and editors ( ire ) awards , winning two accolades in the breaking news and multiplatform categories in san antonio , texas wednesday . the ire awards , which recognize the most outstanding watchdog journalism of the year , announced cnn 's coverage of the u.s. consulate attack in benghazi as the winner of the investigations triggered by breaking news ' category . jeff zucker , president of cnn worldwide , described the award-winning pieces as powerful and provocative acts of journalism . ' read the ire winners announcement the judging panel highlighted cnn senior international correspondent arwa damon 's courageous reporting ' in benghazi , saying it provided valuable context about the milieu in which the consulate attack occurred . ' judges commented that : cnn correspondent arwa damon and photojournalist sarmad qaseera arrived quickly in benghazi to find valuable clues in the wide-open but looted and burned ruins of the consulate . damon 's stories refuted reports that the attack on the consulate was part of larger anti-american demonstrations throughout the middle east . ' watch : what damon saw in u.s. consulate the judges said damon provided insight into the mind of u.s . ambassador christopher stevens , who was killed in the september attack on the u.s. embassy in benghazi . her coverage examined conditions in libya leading up to the attack and revealed stevens'concerns over what he called the security threats in the city and a rise in islamic extremism . judges also praised the cnn digital investigation slavery 's last stronghold , ' which explored oppression in mauritania . awarding the investigation the multiplatform -- large ' award , they said it upheld the highest ideals of journalism . ' cnn digital reporters john d. sutter and edythe mcnamee exposed the lack of prosecution for slavery and continued oppression of citizens in mauritania , which was the last in the world to outlaw the practice . these accolades mark the first time cnn has been crowned in multiple categories at the ire awards in the same year . in february , cnn won news channel of the year ' at the royal television society awards in london , while last november , the international news network was also honored with three awards for its outstanding storytelling efforts at the foreign press association media awards . | the accolades are the first time cnn has scooped multiple awards in the same year |
cnn <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cnn has triumphed at the 2012 investigative reporters and editors ( ire ) awards , winning two accolades in the breaking news and multiplatform categories in san antonio , texas wednesday . the ire awards , which recognize the most outstanding watchdog journalism of the year , announced cnn 's coverage of the u.s. consulate attack in benghazi as the winner of the investigations triggered by breaking news ' category . jeff zucker , president of cnn worldwide , described the award-winning pieces as powerful and provocative acts of journalism . ' read the ire winners announcement the judging panel highlighted cnn senior international correspondent arwa damon 's courageous reporting ' in benghazi , saying it provided valuable context about the milieu in which the consulate attack occurred . ' judges commented that : cnn correspondent arwa damon and photojournalist sarmad qaseera arrived quickly in benghazi to find valuable clues in the wide-open but looted and burned ruins of the consulate . damon 's stories refuted reports that the attack on the consulate was part of larger anti-american demonstrations throughout the middle east . ' watch : what damon saw in u.s. consulate the judges said damon provided insight into the mind of u.s . ambassador christopher stevens , who was killed in the september attack on the u.s. embassy in benghazi . her coverage examined conditions in libya leading up to the attack and revealed stevens'concerns over what he called the security threats in the city and a rise in islamic extremism . judges also praised the cnn digital investigation slavery 's last stronghold , ' which explored oppression in mauritania . awarding the investigation the multiplatform -- large ' award , they said it upheld the highest ideals of journalism . ' cnn digital reporters john d. sutter and edythe mcnamee exposed the lack of prosecution for slavery and continued oppression of citizens in mauritania , which was the last in the world to outlaw the practice . these accolades mark the first time cnn has been crowned in multiple categories at the ire awards in the same year . in february , cnn won news channel of the year ' at the royal television society awards in london , while last november , the international news network was also honored with three awards for its outstanding storytelling efforts at the foreign press association media awards . | cnn has been awarded two investigative reporters and editors ( ire ) awards |
novak djokovic <tsp> ( cnn ) -- time waits for no man nor the players of the atp and wta tours as tennis'top men and women cross the border from canada and head to cincinnati , ohio to compete in their second masters tournament in consecutive weeks . this year will see a new champion crowned in the men 's tournament with rafael nadal forced to sit out the defense of his title after injuring his wrist at the end of last month . world no . 1 novak djokovic will hope that he can succeed the spaniard after finishing runner up four times at the masters 1000 event in previous years . i care about winning this title a lot , ' djokovic said , the atptour website reported . i lost four times in the finals . i have n't been really close in those finals either . i have n't been able to perform my best in this tournament when it was needed . but i did have a lot of good matches in cincinnati . hopefully i can go one step further this time , but i have n't been playing as well as i wanted in toronto , ' said djokovic , who was beaten by france 's jo-wilfried tsonga in the third round last week . so these couple of days i 've put a lot of hours in on the practice court to upgrade my game and get my level of performance where it needs to be in order to have a chance to go far in the tournament . ' the serb -- the top seed -- will have a testing opener against the winner of the match between bernard tomic of canada and france 's gilles simon who play monday . the top eight seeds all have a first-round bye as lower-ranked players all vie for a second round spot . germany 's benjamin becker was an early straight-sets winner over ivo karlovic from croatia . the german 's 7-6 ( 7/5 ) 6-4 win sets up a second-round match with australian open champion stanislas wawrinka . becker 's compatriot , philipp kohlschreiber is also safely through to the second round after a three-set win ( 6-3 4-6 6-4 ) over france 's jeremy chardy . the world no . 24 is rewarded with a second round tie against sixth seed david ferrer from spain . his compatriot , tommy robredo was also a winner on monday , beating american jack sock 7-6 ( 7/5 ) 6-3 to book a meeting with another u.s. player , sam querrey . after defeating roger federer to win the second masters title of his career last sunday , tsonga ( seeded 12th ) starts his campaign on tuesday against russia 's mikhail youzhny . azarenka defends 2013 crown in the women 's draw , sam stosur will face serena williams in the second round for the second week running if the australian can overcome varvara lepchenko of the u.s. on monday evening . williams brushed stosur aside last week in montreal before suffering a surprise defeat to her sister venus in the semis . venus gets her cincinnati campaign underway with a first round match against lucie safarova of the czech republic while her conqueror in sunday 's final , poland 's agnieszka radwanska has a bye and will play either japan 's kurumi nara or swiss player romina oprandi . reigning champion victoria azarenka of belarus will face the czech republic 's barbora zahlavova strycova in her opening match on tuesday . maria sharapova , winner at cincinnati in 2011 , will play madison keys in her opening match following the american 's straight-set win ( 6-2 6-4 ) over france 's alize cornet early on monday . belgium 's kirsten flipkens was also a first-round winner , beating slovenia 's polona hercog 6-3 6-2 to set up a second-round match against french open finalist simona halep of romania . wimbledon champion petra kvitova of the czech republic will face elina svitolina in the second round after the ukrainian 's straight sets win over america 's lauren davis . | novak djokovic looking for first cincinnati win after finishing runner up four times |
rafa nadal <tsp> ( cnn ) -- time waits for no man nor the players of the atp and wta tours as tennis'top men and women cross the border from canada and head to cincinnati , ohio to compete in their second masters tournament in consecutive weeks . this year will see a new champion crowned in the men 's tournament with rafael nadal forced to sit out the defense of his title after injuring his wrist at the end of last month . world no . 1 novak djokovic will hope that he can succeed the spaniard after finishing runner up four times at the masters 1000 event in previous years . i care about winning this title a lot , ' djokovic said , the atptour website reported . i lost four times in the finals . i have n't been really close in those finals either . i have n't been able to perform my best in this tournament when it was needed . but i did have a lot of good matches in cincinnati . hopefully i can go one step further this time , but i have n't been playing as well as i wanted in toronto , ' said djokovic , who was beaten by france 's jo-wilfried tsonga in the third round last week . so these couple of days i 've put a lot of hours in on the practice court to upgrade my game and get my level of performance where it needs to be in order to have a chance to go far in the tournament . ' the serb -- the top seed -- will have a testing opener against the winner of the match between bernard tomic of canada and france 's gilles simon who play monday . the top eight seeds all have a first-round bye as lower-ranked players all vie for a second round spot . germany 's benjamin becker was an early straight-sets winner over ivo karlovic from croatia . the german 's 7-6 ( 7/5 ) 6-4 win sets up a second-round match with australian open champion stanislas wawrinka . becker 's compatriot , philipp kohlschreiber is also safely through to the second round after a three-set win ( 6-3 4-6 6-4 ) over france 's jeremy chardy . the world no . 24 is rewarded with a second round tie against sixth seed david ferrer from spain . his compatriot , tommy robredo was also a winner on monday , beating american jack sock 7-6 ( 7/5 ) 6-3 to book a meeting with another u.s. player , sam querrey . after defeating roger federer to win the second masters title of his career last sunday , tsonga ( seeded 12th ) starts his campaign on tuesday against russia 's mikhail youzhny . azarenka defends 2013 crown in the women 's draw , sam stosur will face serena williams in the second round for the second week running if the australian can overcome varvara lepchenko of the u.s. on monday evening . williams brushed stosur aside last week in montreal before suffering a surprise defeat to her sister venus in the semis . venus gets her cincinnati campaign underway with a first round match against lucie safarova of the czech republic while her conqueror in sunday 's final , poland 's agnieszka radwanska has a bye and will play either japan 's kurumi nara or swiss player romina oprandi . reigning champion victoria azarenka of belarus will face the czech republic 's barbora zahlavova strycova in her opening match on tuesday . maria sharapova , winner at cincinnati in 2011 , will play madison keys in her opening match following the american 's straight-set win ( 6-2 6-4 ) over france 's alize cornet early on monday . belgium 's kirsten flipkens was also a first-round winner , beating slovenia 's polona hercog 6-3 6-2 to set up a second-round match against french open finalist simona halep of romania . wimbledon champion petra kvitova of the czech republic will face elina svitolina in the second round after the ukrainian 's straight sets win over america 's lauren davis . | reigning men 's champ rafa nadal not competing because of wrist injury |
roma <tsp> ( cnn ) -- italian champions inter milan recorded their fifth straight win under new coach leonardo , defeating cesena 3-2 at the san siro despite the visitors coming back from 2-0 down . samuel eto'o gave the home side a 14th-minute lead when firing in his 24th goal of the season . and , within a minute , inter had doubled their advantage when goran pandev set up diego milito to tap home from just six yards out . but cesena refused to lie down and scored twice within six minutes in a frantic opening 45 minutes . first , erjon bogdani was given far too much space to turn and shoot home low into the corner of the net in the 23rd minute . then , just six minutes later , cesena remarkably drew level when former inter midfielder luis suarez played the ball over the home defence for emanuele giaccherini to volley home . but the first-half scoring was still not over -- and romanian defender christian chivu put the home side ahead once again on the stroke of half time when he burst into the box to head home maicon 's cross . that was the end of the scoring , but not the chances , and eto'o should have added his second of the game after the break but somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just eight yards out . and any chance cesena had of getting back into the game was finally extinguished when giaccherini was sent off for a second bookable offence . the result moves inter up to fourth place in the serie a table , six points behind leaders and rivals ac milan but with a game in hand . meanwhile , roma are through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup after beating rivals lazio 2-1 in a match marred by crowd trouble . roma took the lead eight minutes after the break when marco borriello scored from the penalty spot after stephan lichsteiner 's handball in the area . lazio levelled just four minutes later when hernanes also scored from the spot after mauro zarate had been fouled in the area . however , simplicio scored the winning goal 13 minutes from the end , firing home with a well-struck right-foot shot . police made four arrests before and after the match after trouble between rival fans which resulted in a teenage lazio fan being taken to hospital with a knife wound to his leg . sampdoria have also reached the quarterfinals after defeating udinese on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time . the genoa-based side scored all their five spot-kicks while argentine striker german denis missed his penalty as udinese went out 5-4 . | roma and sampdoria are both through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup |
italian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- italian champions inter milan recorded their fifth straight win under new coach leonardo , defeating cesena 3-2 at the san siro despite the visitors coming back from 2-0 down . samuel eto'o gave the home side a 14th-minute lead when firing in his 24th goal of the season . and , within a minute , inter had doubled their advantage when goran pandev set up diego milito to tap home from just six yards out . but cesena refused to lie down and scored twice within six minutes in a frantic opening 45 minutes . first , erjon bogdani was given far too much space to turn and shoot home low into the corner of the net in the 23rd minute . then , just six minutes later , cesena remarkably drew level when former inter midfielder luis suarez played the ball over the home defence for emanuele giaccherini to volley home . but the first-half scoring was still not over -- and romanian defender christian chivu put the home side ahead once again on the stroke of half time when he burst into the box to head home maicon 's cross . that was the end of the scoring , but not the chances , and eto'o should have added his second of the game after the break but somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just eight yards out . and any chance cesena had of getting back into the game was finally extinguished when giaccherini was sent off for a second bookable offence . the result moves inter up to fourth place in the serie a table , six points behind leaders and rivals ac milan but with a game in hand . meanwhile , roma are through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup after beating rivals lazio 2-1 in a match marred by crowd trouble . roma took the lead eight minutes after the break when marco borriello scored from the penalty spot after stephan lichsteiner 's handball in the area . lazio levelled just four minutes later when hernanes also scored from the spot after mauro zarate had been fouled in the area . however , simplicio scored the winning goal 13 minutes from the end , firing home with a well-struck right-foot shot . police made four arrests before and after the match after trouble between rival fans which resulted in a teenage lazio fan being taken to hospital with a knife wound to his leg . sampdoria have also reached the quarterfinals after defeating udinese on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time . the genoa-based side scored all their five spot-kicks while argentine striker german denis missed his penalty as udinese went out 5-4 . | italian champions inter milan record their fifth straight win under new coach leonardo |
italian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- italian champions inter milan recorded their fifth straight win under new coach leonardo , defeating cesena 3-2 at the san siro despite the visitors coming back from 2-0 down . samuel eto'o gave the home side a 14th-minute lead when firing in his 24th goal of the season . and , within a minute , inter had doubled their advantage when goran pandev set up diego milito to tap home from just six yards out . but cesena refused to lie down and scored twice within six minutes in a frantic opening 45 minutes . first , erjon bogdani was given far too much space to turn and shoot home low into the corner of the net in the 23rd minute . then , just six minutes later , cesena remarkably drew level when former inter midfielder luis suarez played the ball over the home defence for emanuele giaccherini to volley home . but the first-half scoring was still not over -- and romanian defender christian chivu put the home side ahead once again on the stroke of half time when he burst into the box to head home maicon 's cross . that was the end of the scoring , but not the chances , and eto'o should have added his second of the game after the break but somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just eight yards out . and any chance cesena had of getting back into the game was finally extinguished when giaccherini was sent off for a second bookable offence . the result moves inter up to fourth place in the serie a table , six points behind leaders and rivals ac milan but with a game in hand . meanwhile , roma are through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup after beating rivals lazio 2-1 in a match marred by crowd trouble . roma took the lead eight minutes after the break when marco borriello scored from the penalty spot after stephan lichsteiner 's handball in the area . lazio levelled just four minutes later when hernanes also scored from the spot after mauro zarate had been fouled in the area . however , simplicio scored the winning goal 13 minutes from the end , firing home with a well-struck right-foot shot . police made four arrests before and after the match after trouble between rival fans which resulted in a teenage lazio fan being taken to hospital with a knife wound to his leg . sampdoria have also reached the quarterfinals after defeating udinese on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time . the genoa-based side scored all their five spot-kicks while argentine striker german denis missed his penalty as udinese went out 5-4 . | roma and sampdoria are both through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup |
italian cup <tsp> ( cnn ) -- italian champions inter milan recorded their fifth straight win under new coach leonardo , defeating cesena 3-2 at the san siro despite the visitors coming back from 2-0 down . samuel eto'o gave the home side a 14th-minute lead when firing in his 24th goal of the season . and , within a minute , inter had doubled their advantage when goran pandev set up diego milito to tap home from just six yards out . but cesena refused to lie down and scored twice within six minutes in a frantic opening 45 minutes . first , erjon bogdani was given far too much space to turn and shoot home low into the corner of the net in the 23rd minute . then , just six minutes later , cesena remarkably drew level when former inter midfielder luis suarez played the ball over the home defence for emanuele giaccherini to volley home . but the first-half scoring was still not over -- and romanian defender christian chivu put the home side ahead once again on the stroke of half time when he burst into the box to head home maicon 's cross . that was the end of the scoring , but not the chances , and eto'o should have added his second of the game after the break but somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just eight yards out . and any chance cesena had of getting back into the game was finally extinguished when giaccherini was sent off for a second bookable offence . the result moves inter up to fourth place in the serie a table , six points behind leaders and rivals ac milan but with a game in hand . meanwhile , roma are through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup after beating rivals lazio 2-1 in a match marred by crowd trouble . roma took the lead eight minutes after the break when marco borriello scored from the penalty spot after stephan lichsteiner 's handball in the area . lazio levelled just four minutes later when hernanes also scored from the spot after mauro zarate had been fouled in the area . however , simplicio scored the winning goal 13 minutes from the end , firing home with a well-struck right-foot shot . police made four arrests before and after the match after trouble between rival fans which resulted in a teenage lazio fan being taken to hospital with a knife wound to his leg . sampdoria have also reached the quarterfinals after defeating udinese on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time . the genoa-based side scored all their five spot-kicks while argentine striker german denis missed his penalty as udinese went out 5-4 . | roma and sampdoria are both through to the quarterfinals of the italian cup |
soho <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- his was one of the first photos of a missing child to appear on a milk carton . almost 30 years later , etan patz is still missing . etan patz , 6 , disappeared while walking to a school bus stop . it was the first time he 'd gone alone . etan was 6 when he disappeared on may 25 , 1979 , the friday before memorial day . he was on his way to school in what is now the upscale soho neighborhood of new york . it was the first time he 'd walked to the bus stop by himself . it was just a few blocks away . etan , like any 6-year-old , argued that all of his friends walked to the bus stop alone , and his parents relented . his mother , julie patz , learned that etan had n't been in classes when he failed to return home . she called the school at 3:30 p.m. , then called the homes of all his friends . when no one had seen etan , she called police and filed a missing person 's report . by evening more than 100 police officers and searchers had gathered with bloodhounds . the search continued for weeks , but no clues to etan 's whereabouts were found . watch an update on the case » the boy 's disappearance was one of the key events that inspired the missing children 's movement , which raised awareness of child abductions and led to new ways to search for missing children . etan 's case was the first of the milk carton campaigns of the mid-1980s . in our minds there were only two possibilities , ' said stan patz , the boy 's father . either etan was taken by a stranger and killed or he was taken by a very sad woman desperate for a child of her own , and we hoped that such a woman would at least take care of him and keep him safe . ' patz lived with this hope until 1982 , when he learned of jose antonio ramos'arrest and the surprising connection between him and a former babysitter of etan 's . ramos was a drifter who in 1979 lived in alphabet city , a neighborhood not far from soho . in 1982 he was arrested after boys in a neighborhood in the bronx complained that he had stolen their book bags while trying to coax them into a drainpipe under a bridge , where he lived , said the patzes and federal prosecutor stuart grabois , who spent years investigating the case . when police found ramos in his drainpipe home , they found he had many photographs of small blond boys . they noticed that they looked a lot like etan patz , according to author lisa r cohen 's book about the case , after etan : the missing child case that held america captive . ' bronx police questioned ramos , and he denied having anything to do with etan 's disappearance . but he did tell police that his girlfriend used to baby-sit for the boy , grabois said . prosecutors in the bronx and manhattan pursued this lead , but concluded they did not have enough evidence to connect ramos to etan 's disappearance , grabois and a spokesperson for the manhattan district attorney 's office said . ramos was released when the parents of the bronx boys chose not to press charges against him , according to published reports . he left town and disappeared for six years -- until grabois reviewed etan 's case . grabois said he focused on ramos as the prime suspect . grabois said he learned in 1988 that ramos had been arrested and convicted of child molestation and was serving time in a pennsylvania prison . grabois said he brought ramos to new york for questioning and surprised him with the question : how many times did you have sex with etan patz ? ' ramos told grabois that he 'd taken a little boy to an apartment he had on the lower east side on the same day that etan went missing . he was 90 percent sure it was the same he 'd seen in the news that was missing , ' grabois said . according to grabois , ramos claimed he released the boy and brought him to a subway station so the boy could go visit his aunt in washington heights . etan did not have an aunt in washington heights , ' grabois said . when questioned further , ramos refused to say anything more and asked for a lawyer , according to grabois . ramos is serving a 10- to 20-year prison sentence in pennsylvania . he is scheduled to be released in november 2012 , grabois said . grabois said he had ramos transferred to a federal prison , and planted informants as his cell mates . he would n't go into detail about what ramos might have told them , but said he 's convinced he 's eyeing the right suspect . grabois turned over his evidence to the manhattan district attorney 's office , but prosecutors have not brought charges . they say that without a body , they do n't have enough evidence . etan 's case is still considered by the nypd to be a cold case . anyone with information on the whereabouts of etan patz or that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for his disappearance is asked to call the fbi/nypd etan patz hotline : 212-384-2200 . | he never showed up at school in manhattan 's soho neighborhood |
china <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- can lee kai fu make innovation work in china ? lee is the former president of google in china who left the internet search giant last fall just months before the company 's high profile scuffle with the chinese government over censorship rules and alleged hacker attacks . that furor raised lee 's international profile , but the 48-year-old is now fully focused on the future , hoping to inject a new spirit of innovation into chinese business with his investment and incubation company innovation works . people expect innovation works to be magical , ' said lee during an interview with cnn in june at his company 's offices , located just across the street from google 's china headquarters . the great anticipation outside of innovation works is both a pressure for us as well as something that excites people . i want to make a plea for people not to expect miracles . ' that pressure comes as lee has a good track record in the west and a reputation , especially among young chinese , as a business role model . originally from taiwan , lee studied computer science at columbia university in new york and later earned a doctorate in the same field from pittsburgh 's carnegie mellon university where he was also a lecturer . he then worked for apple and moved to china in 1998 to head up microsoft 's research division in beijing . in 2005 , he joined google to lead the company 's operations in china . while google 's share of the chinese search market increased from nearly nothing to around 30 percent under lee 's watch , some questioned his leadership skills and whether his exit was influenced by an early knowledge that google would announce in january potential plans to close its chinese operations . i do n't think he should be held responsible for the existing circumstances of google in china , ' said keso , a beijing-based tech blogger who traveled with lee to google 's mountain view , california , headquarters in 2006 . if there 's blame , google 's choice to enter the chinese market might have just been a mistake from the very beginning . ' even so , lee 's legacy with google is one that remains with him today and wo n't fade anytime soon . however he 's reluctant to talk about his former employer . i can never please any audiences with what i have to say [ about google ] , ' lee told cnn . so , i would rather not talk about it . ' instead lee would rather talk about is his efforts to foster a mentality that values long-term success rather than instant riches and the need to reform a chinese education system that focuses on rote memorization over individualistic , out-of-the-box thinking . in addition to the four books lee has authored on such subjects , he also regularly lectures at chinese universities and has become something of a mentor to many students . i have had a certain impact at microsoft and google , but the larger impact have been the lectures and the books , ' lee said . i do n't think i have been particularly profound , but i think people need guidance and mentorship at a very confusing time . ' lee and his staff offer young chinese entrepreneurs , engineers and project managers financial support and guidance to help them build companies and launch products for china 's 400 million internet users and 700 million mobile subscribers . since innovation works was launched , it has received 100,000 resumes , reviewed 500 business plans and amassed around $ 115 million in funds from investors , lee said . today , it has 200 staff members and is incubating 12 start-ups , five of which lee unveiled to journalists earlier this week during a tour of a new office space the investment company will move into later this month . he also unveiled five of the companies innovation works are supporting and the products they are developing for the chinese market . the projects , heavily focused towards mobile internet , e-commerce and cloud computing , included an android operating system called tapas with features tailored for chinese handset users . an early stage entrepreneur who wants to build up companies will face a lot of trouble in china , ' lee told reporters . it is not as good as it seems . even though you hear a lot about the start-up world being wonderful , they face a lot of trouble . ' some investors question whether lee , who has never been an entrepreneur himself , has what it takes to help new companies succeed . a common perception is he is google and he is a professional manager and pretty much has been his entire life and never really run a start-up before and never done investing before , ' said an investor who declined to be identified due to his firm 's interest the companies innovation works is incubating . it is going to be tough for him . ' others are concerned the start-ups lee is coaching may not be able to survive in the harsh business climate of china where many deals are won under-the-table and profits are sometimes earned in down-and-dirty ways . i do n't think they can take the low ground because they have the burden to always be taking the higher ground , ' said another investor who also declined to be identified . most businesses in china make money doing business in gray areas or crossing lines . [ innovation works ] will always have to take the higher ground , which means they may never be making as much money as competitors . i think it will be innovation at work , which is not innovation works . but we have to give lee the benefit of the doubt . ' yet for lee , the benefits he says incubation works is imparting to young entrepreneurs is far more important than the doubts anyone may have about him , the company and the success it may or may not have beyond its offices here in beijing . even if our result is not brilliant , or it is not changing the world , i am very certain the people who come out of here will be better people because of what we have done , ' he said . i do think in the end it is the result that will tell the story . ' | lee formerly worked for apple and microsoft ; viewed positively among young in china |
china <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- can lee kai fu make innovation work in china ? lee is the former president of google in china who left the internet search giant last fall just months before the company 's high profile scuffle with the chinese government over censorship rules and alleged hacker attacks . that furor raised lee 's international profile , but the 48-year-old is now fully focused on the future , hoping to inject a new spirit of innovation into chinese business with his investment and incubation company innovation works . people expect innovation works to be magical , ' said lee during an interview with cnn in june at his company 's offices , located just across the street from google 's china headquarters . the great anticipation outside of innovation works is both a pressure for us as well as something that excites people . i want to make a plea for people not to expect miracles . ' that pressure comes as lee has a good track record in the west and a reputation , especially among young chinese , as a business role model . originally from taiwan , lee studied computer science at columbia university in new york and later earned a doctorate in the same field from pittsburgh 's carnegie mellon university where he was also a lecturer . he then worked for apple and moved to china in 1998 to head up microsoft 's research division in beijing . in 2005 , he joined google to lead the company 's operations in china . while google 's share of the chinese search market increased from nearly nothing to around 30 percent under lee 's watch , some questioned his leadership skills and whether his exit was influenced by an early knowledge that google would announce in january potential plans to close its chinese operations . i do n't think he should be held responsible for the existing circumstances of google in china , ' said keso , a beijing-based tech blogger who traveled with lee to google 's mountain view , california , headquarters in 2006 . if there 's blame , google 's choice to enter the chinese market might have just been a mistake from the very beginning . ' even so , lee 's legacy with google is one that remains with him today and wo n't fade anytime soon . however he 's reluctant to talk about his former employer . i can never please any audiences with what i have to say [ about google ] , ' lee told cnn . so , i would rather not talk about it . ' instead lee would rather talk about is his efforts to foster a mentality that values long-term success rather than instant riches and the need to reform a chinese education system that focuses on rote memorization over individualistic , out-of-the-box thinking . in addition to the four books lee has authored on such subjects , he also regularly lectures at chinese universities and has become something of a mentor to many students . i have had a certain impact at microsoft and google , but the larger impact have been the lectures and the books , ' lee said . i do n't think i have been particularly profound , but i think people need guidance and mentorship at a very confusing time . ' lee and his staff offer young chinese entrepreneurs , engineers and project managers financial support and guidance to help them build companies and launch products for china 's 400 million internet users and 700 million mobile subscribers . since innovation works was launched , it has received 100,000 resumes , reviewed 500 business plans and amassed around $ 115 million in funds from investors , lee said . today , it has 200 staff members and is incubating 12 start-ups , five of which lee unveiled to journalists earlier this week during a tour of a new office space the investment company will move into later this month . he also unveiled five of the companies innovation works are supporting and the products they are developing for the chinese market . the projects , heavily focused towards mobile internet , e-commerce and cloud computing , included an android operating system called tapas with features tailored for chinese handset users . an early stage entrepreneur who wants to build up companies will face a lot of trouble in china , ' lee told reporters . it is not as good as it seems . even though you hear a lot about the start-up world being wonderful , they face a lot of trouble . ' some investors question whether lee , who has never been an entrepreneur himself , has what it takes to help new companies succeed . a common perception is he is google and he is a professional manager and pretty much has been his entire life and never really run a start-up before and never done investing before , ' said an investor who declined to be identified due to his firm 's interest the companies innovation works is incubating . it is going to be tough for him . ' others are concerned the start-ups lee is coaching may not be able to survive in the harsh business climate of china where many deals are won under-the-table and profits are sometimes earned in down-and-dirty ways . i do n't think they can take the low ground because they have the burden to always be taking the higher ground , ' said another investor who also declined to be identified . most businesses in china make money doing business in gray areas or crossing lines . [ innovation works ] will always have to take the higher ground , which means they may never be making as much money as competitors . i think it will be innovation at work , which is not innovation works . but we have to give lee the benefit of the doubt . ' yet for lee , the benefits he says incubation works is imparting to young entrepreneurs is far more important than the doubts anyone may have about him , the company and the success it may or may not have beyond its offices here in beijing . even if our result is not brilliant , or it is not changing the world , i am very certain the people who come out of here will be better people because of what we have done , ' he said . i do think in the end it is the result that will tell the story . ' | aims to support technology start-ups in china and foster innovative culture |
china <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- can lee kai fu make innovation work in china ? lee is the former president of google in china who left the internet search giant last fall just months before the company 's high profile scuffle with the chinese government over censorship rules and alleged hacker attacks . that furor raised lee 's international profile , but the 48-year-old is now fully focused on the future , hoping to inject a new spirit of innovation into chinese business with his investment and incubation company innovation works . people expect innovation works to be magical , ' said lee during an interview with cnn in june at his company 's offices , located just across the street from google 's china headquarters . the great anticipation outside of innovation works is both a pressure for us as well as something that excites people . i want to make a plea for people not to expect miracles . ' that pressure comes as lee has a good track record in the west and a reputation , especially among young chinese , as a business role model . originally from taiwan , lee studied computer science at columbia university in new york and later earned a doctorate in the same field from pittsburgh 's carnegie mellon university where he was also a lecturer . he then worked for apple and moved to china in 1998 to head up microsoft 's research division in beijing . in 2005 , he joined google to lead the company 's operations in china . while google 's share of the chinese search market increased from nearly nothing to around 30 percent under lee 's watch , some questioned his leadership skills and whether his exit was influenced by an early knowledge that google would announce in january potential plans to close its chinese operations . i do n't think he should be held responsible for the existing circumstances of google in china , ' said keso , a beijing-based tech blogger who traveled with lee to google 's mountain view , california , headquarters in 2006 . if there 's blame , google 's choice to enter the chinese market might have just been a mistake from the very beginning . ' even so , lee 's legacy with google is one that remains with him today and wo n't fade anytime soon . however he 's reluctant to talk about his former employer . i can never please any audiences with what i have to say [ about google ] , ' lee told cnn . so , i would rather not talk about it . ' instead lee would rather talk about is his efforts to foster a mentality that values long-term success rather than instant riches and the need to reform a chinese education system that focuses on rote memorization over individualistic , out-of-the-box thinking . in addition to the four books lee has authored on such subjects , he also regularly lectures at chinese universities and has become something of a mentor to many students . i have had a certain impact at microsoft and google , but the larger impact have been the lectures and the books , ' lee said . i do n't think i have been particularly profound , but i think people need guidance and mentorship at a very confusing time . ' lee and his staff offer young chinese entrepreneurs , engineers and project managers financial support and guidance to help them build companies and launch products for china 's 400 million internet users and 700 million mobile subscribers . since innovation works was launched , it has received 100,000 resumes , reviewed 500 business plans and amassed around $ 115 million in funds from investors , lee said . today , it has 200 staff members and is incubating 12 start-ups , five of which lee unveiled to journalists earlier this week during a tour of a new office space the investment company will move into later this month . he also unveiled five of the companies innovation works are supporting and the products they are developing for the chinese market . the projects , heavily focused towards mobile internet , e-commerce and cloud computing , included an android operating system called tapas with features tailored for chinese handset users . an early stage entrepreneur who wants to build up companies will face a lot of trouble in china , ' lee told reporters . it is not as good as it seems . even though you hear a lot about the start-up world being wonderful , they face a lot of trouble . ' some investors question whether lee , who has never been an entrepreneur himself , has what it takes to help new companies succeed . a common perception is he is google and he is a professional manager and pretty much has been his entire life and never really run a start-up before and never done investing before , ' said an investor who declined to be identified due to his firm 's interest the companies innovation works is incubating . it is going to be tough for him . ' others are concerned the start-ups lee is coaching may not be able to survive in the harsh business climate of china where many deals are won under-the-table and profits are sometimes earned in down-and-dirty ways . i do n't think they can take the low ground because they have the burden to always be taking the higher ground , ' said another investor who also declined to be identified . most businesses in china make money doing business in gray areas or crossing lines . [ innovation works ] will always have to take the higher ground , which means they may never be making as much money as competitors . i think it will be innovation at work , which is not innovation works . but we have to give lee the benefit of the doubt . ' yet for lee , the benefits he says incubation works is imparting to young entrepreneurs is far more important than the doubts anyone may have about him , the company and the success it may or may not have beyond its offices here in beijing . even if our result is not brilliant , or it is not changing the world , i am very certain the people who come out of here will be better people because of what we have done , ' he said . i do think in the end it is the result that will tell the story . ' | former boss of google in china has new business called innovation works |
innovation works <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- can lee kai fu make innovation work in china ? lee is the former president of google in china who left the internet search giant last fall just months before the company 's high profile scuffle with the chinese government over censorship rules and alleged hacker attacks . that furor raised lee 's international profile , but the 48-year-old is now fully focused on the future , hoping to inject a new spirit of innovation into chinese business with his investment and incubation company innovation works . people expect innovation works to be magical , ' said lee during an interview with cnn in june at his company 's offices , located just across the street from google 's china headquarters . the great anticipation outside of innovation works is both a pressure for us as well as something that excites people . i want to make a plea for people not to expect miracles . ' that pressure comes as lee has a good track record in the west and a reputation , especially among young chinese , as a business role model . originally from taiwan , lee studied computer science at columbia university in new york and later earned a doctorate in the same field from pittsburgh 's carnegie mellon university where he was also a lecturer . he then worked for apple and moved to china in 1998 to head up microsoft 's research division in beijing . in 2005 , he joined google to lead the company 's operations in china . while google 's share of the chinese search market increased from nearly nothing to around 30 percent under lee 's watch , some questioned his leadership skills and whether his exit was influenced by an early knowledge that google would announce in january potential plans to close its chinese operations . i do n't think he should be held responsible for the existing circumstances of google in china , ' said keso , a beijing-based tech blogger who traveled with lee to google 's mountain view , california , headquarters in 2006 . if there 's blame , google 's choice to enter the chinese market might have just been a mistake from the very beginning . ' even so , lee 's legacy with google is one that remains with him today and wo n't fade anytime soon . however he 's reluctant to talk about his former employer . i can never please any audiences with what i have to say [ about google ] , ' lee told cnn . so , i would rather not talk about it . ' instead lee would rather talk about is his efforts to foster a mentality that values long-term success rather than instant riches and the need to reform a chinese education system that focuses on rote memorization over individualistic , out-of-the-box thinking . in addition to the four books lee has authored on such subjects , he also regularly lectures at chinese universities and has become something of a mentor to many students . i have had a certain impact at microsoft and google , but the larger impact have been the lectures and the books , ' lee said . i do n't think i have been particularly profound , but i think people need guidance and mentorship at a very confusing time . ' lee and his staff offer young chinese entrepreneurs , engineers and project managers financial support and guidance to help them build companies and launch products for china 's 400 million internet users and 700 million mobile subscribers . since innovation works was launched , it has received 100,000 resumes , reviewed 500 business plans and amassed around $ 115 million in funds from investors , lee said . today , it has 200 staff members and is incubating 12 start-ups , five of which lee unveiled to journalists earlier this week during a tour of a new office space the investment company will move into later this month . he also unveiled five of the companies innovation works are supporting and the products they are developing for the chinese market . the projects , heavily focused towards mobile internet , e-commerce and cloud computing , included an android operating system called tapas with features tailored for chinese handset users . an early stage entrepreneur who wants to build up companies will face a lot of trouble in china , ' lee told reporters . it is not as good as it seems . even though you hear a lot about the start-up world being wonderful , they face a lot of trouble . ' some investors question whether lee , who has never been an entrepreneur himself , has what it takes to help new companies succeed . a common perception is he is google and he is a professional manager and pretty much has been his entire life and never really run a start-up before and never done investing before , ' said an investor who declined to be identified due to his firm 's interest the companies innovation works is incubating . it is going to be tough for him . ' others are concerned the start-ups lee is coaching may not be able to survive in the harsh business climate of china where many deals are won under-the-table and profits are sometimes earned in down-and-dirty ways . i do n't think they can take the low ground because they have the burden to always be taking the higher ground , ' said another investor who also declined to be identified . most businesses in china make money doing business in gray areas or crossing lines . [ innovation works ] will always have to take the higher ground , which means they may never be making as much money as competitors . i think it will be innovation at work , which is not innovation works . but we have to give lee the benefit of the doubt . ' yet for lee , the benefits he says incubation works is imparting to young entrepreneurs is far more important than the doubts anyone may have about him , the company and the success it may or may not have beyond its offices here in beijing . even if our result is not brilliant , or it is not changing the world , i am very certain the people who come out of here will be better people because of what we have done , ' he said . i do think in the end it is the result that will tell the story . ' | former boss of google in china has new business called innovation works |
beard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jesse ray beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . it took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the deep south to turn his life around . living with attorney alan howard , right , has afforded jesse ray beard a bevy of new experiences . beard , 18 , now interns at a new york law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at canterbury school , a connecticut prep academy where beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . i did n't change the way i act . i did n't do nothing different . it was just that i was at canterbury instead of jena , ' he said . it was like jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . ' if not for the controversy surrounding the jena six and the palpable racial tension in the louisiana town , beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . watch beard describe his reaction » alan howard met beard , the youngest of the african-american teens who made up the jena six , in january 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim justin barker . the fight followed months of disquiet among jena high school students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . in september 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle louisiana . protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of mychal bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . later in september , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . the jena six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . howard said his first impression of beard -- that he had tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential ' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in new england . it 's been a tidal shift , beard said , moving from a louisiana town of 3,000 to bedford , new york , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the big apple . the biggest shock ? where i 'm from in jena , i think the only time it snowed is when i was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . ' another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . see history of jena six » the howards say beard meshes seamlessly . though he struggled with the curriculum at canterbury -- a catholic school in new milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . he spent the summer helping attorneys at howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . head football coach ken parson said he ca n't wait to unleash ' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound beard . beard is a candidate for team captain , parson said , and the coach hopes beard 's leadership and quiet confidence ' will draw recruiters from division i schools . division ii schools are already snooping around , he said . when he gets going , he 's like a freight train . he 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like barry sanders , ' parson said , invoking the detroit lions'legendary running back . though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with howard 's sons -- nick , 14 , and tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with howard 's daughter , jessie , 17 . she said his tennis skills are ridiculous . ' other fresh experiences include snowboarding in utah , surfing in long island , visiting the hamptons and attending baseball games at fenway park and yankee stadium . around the house , he 's a big brother , said howard , whose children welcomed beard immediately . my kids were the ones who said ,'if it means getting out of jena , let him stay here ,' howard said . my 14-year-old son said ,'he can share my room ,'and he does n't even let his 11-year-old brother in his room . ' beard is prone to the same gaffes as any teenager , jessie said , giggling as she recalled a time he replaced a box of snacks in the cabinet after finishing the last one . her mother , patti , left the box on his sneakers with a note : would you like more of these ? ' he 's just another member of the family , ' jessie said . now , when people ask me how many brothers i have , i say three , not two . ' beard said he could never be proud of his involvement with the jena six , but he believes god put him through tribulations to deliver him to a better place . i 'm not glad it happened , but i 'm glad i came to a good family , ' he said . beard 's mother , stella , is a remarkable woman , ' howard said , but beard did n't have much supervision at home . howard thought to himself in 2008 , it 's not just enough to keep the kid out of jail one time because the system is stacked against him . ' five of the jena six had already made tracks -- to texas , to georgia , to other parts of louisiana -- but beard had nowhere to go . that he was on house arrest for another juvenile offense confounded matters . i promise you i will get you out of jena , whatever it takes , ' howard told beard . you promise me that you 'll hang in there , keep doing what you 're doing , going to school and keep out of trouble . ' beard 's mother made the ultimate sacrifice , ' allowing howard to pursue guardianship and ferry her son 1,500 miles to new england . she put aside jena six donations to help howard pay canterbury 's $ 40,000-a-year tuition , he said . she declined to be interviewed . beard left jena in spring 2008 . about a year later , beard , robert bailey , theo shaw , carwin jones and bryant purvis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery . fines and probation were doled out and civil suits settled . the terms were undisclosed . bell , who served as the face -- and lightning rod -- of the jena six , had separately pleaded guilty to a second-degree battery charge in december 2007 . weeks after completing his 18-month sentence at a juvenile facility , bell shot himself in the chest in december after an arrest on shoplifting charges . he later said the pressure to be perfect prompted him to pull the trigger . read bell 's remarks after the suicide try jena is often painted as a town of bumpkins who pursued draconian criminal charges and exorbitant bails for a school fight but turned a blind eye when three nooses dangled from a campus tree . beard , however , bristles at the portrait and defends his hometown . no , sir . there 's not more racists in jena , ' he said . there 's racism everywhere . i just ca n't blame it on jena because i did get along with the white folks and they did like me . ' as he and his five cohorts pursue educational and athletic endeavors around the nation , beard hopes they wo n't be dogged by racial matters but that they 'll be superstars , not from being the jena six , but from whatever we go to college for . ' howard and parson have confidence beard will succeed , no matter his occupation . whatever he ends up doing , ' the coach said , he 's going to be great . ' | football coach says he ca n't wait to unleash ' beard at linebacker , wide receiver |
beard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jesse ray beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . it took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the deep south to turn his life around . living with attorney alan howard , right , has afforded jesse ray beard a bevy of new experiences . beard , 18 , now interns at a new york law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at canterbury school , a connecticut prep academy where beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . i did n't change the way i act . i did n't do nothing different . it was just that i was at canterbury instead of jena , ' he said . it was like jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . ' if not for the controversy surrounding the jena six and the palpable racial tension in the louisiana town , beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . watch beard describe his reaction » alan howard met beard , the youngest of the african-american teens who made up the jena six , in january 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim justin barker . the fight followed months of disquiet among jena high school students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . in september 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle louisiana . protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of mychal bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . later in september , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . the jena six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . howard said his first impression of beard -- that he had tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential ' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in new england . it 's been a tidal shift , beard said , moving from a louisiana town of 3,000 to bedford , new york , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the big apple . the biggest shock ? where i 'm from in jena , i think the only time it snowed is when i was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . ' another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . see history of jena six » the howards say beard meshes seamlessly . though he struggled with the curriculum at canterbury -- a catholic school in new milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . he spent the summer helping attorneys at howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . head football coach ken parson said he ca n't wait to unleash ' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound beard . beard is a candidate for team captain , parson said , and the coach hopes beard 's leadership and quiet confidence ' will draw recruiters from division i schools . division ii schools are already snooping around , he said . when he gets going , he 's like a freight train . he 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like barry sanders , ' parson said , invoking the detroit lions'legendary running back . though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with howard 's sons -- nick , 14 , and tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with howard 's daughter , jessie , 17 . she said his tennis skills are ridiculous . ' other fresh experiences include snowboarding in utah , surfing in long island , visiting the hamptons and attending baseball games at fenway park and yankee stadium . around the house , he 's a big brother , said howard , whose children welcomed beard immediately . my kids were the ones who said ,'if it means getting out of jena , let him stay here ,' howard said . my 14-year-old son said ,'he can share my room ,'and he does n't even let his 11-year-old brother in his room . ' beard is prone to the same gaffes as any teenager , jessie said , giggling as she recalled a time he replaced a box of snacks in the cabinet after finishing the last one . her mother , patti , left the box on his sneakers with a note : would you like more of these ? ' he 's just another member of the family , ' jessie said . now , when people ask me how many brothers i have , i say three , not two . ' beard said he could never be proud of his involvement with the jena six , but he believes god put him through tribulations to deliver him to a better place . i 'm not glad it happened , but i 'm glad i came to a good family , ' he said . beard 's mother , stella , is a remarkable woman , ' howard said , but beard did n't have much supervision at home . howard thought to himself in 2008 , it 's not just enough to keep the kid out of jail one time because the system is stacked against him . ' five of the jena six had already made tracks -- to texas , to georgia , to other parts of louisiana -- but beard had nowhere to go . that he was on house arrest for another juvenile offense confounded matters . i promise you i will get you out of jena , whatever it takes , ' howard told beard . you promise me that you 'll hang in there , keep doing what you 're doing , going to school and keep out of trouble . ' beard 's mother made the ultimate sacrifice , ' allowing howard to pursue guardianship and ferry her son 1,500 miles to new england . she put aside jena six donations to help howard pay canterbury 's $ 40,000-a-year tuition , he said . she declined to be interviewed . beard left jena in spring 2008 . about a year later , beard , robert bailey , theo shaw , carwin jones and bryant purvis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery . fines and probation were doled out and civil suits settled . the terms were undisclosed . bell , who served as the face -- and lightning rod -- of the jena six , had separately pleaded guilty to a second-degree battery charge in december 2007 . weeks after completing his 18-month sentence at a juvenile facility , bell shot himself in the chest in december after an arrest on shoplifting charges . he later said the pressure to be perfect prompted him to pull the trigger . read bell 's remarks after the suicide try jena is often painted as a town of bumpkins who pursued draconian criminal charges and exorbitant bails for a school fight but turned a blind eye when three nooses dangled from a campus tree . beard , however , bristles at the portrait and defends his hometown . no , sir . there 's not more racists in jena , ' he said . there 's racism everywhere . i just ca n't blame it on jena because i did get along with the white folks and they did like me . ' as he and his five cohorts pursue educational and athletic endeavors around the nation , beard hopes they wo n't be dogged by racial matters but that they 'll be superstars , not from being the jena six , but from whatever we go to college for . ' howard and parson have confidence beard will succeed , no matter his occupation . whatever he ends up doing , ' the coach said , he 's going to be great . ' | in spring 2008 , jesse ray beard went to live with his attorney 's family in new york |
beard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jesse ray beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . it took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the deep south to turn his life around . living with attorney alan howard , right , has afforded jesse ray beard a bevy of new experiences . beard , 18 , now interns at a new york law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at canterbury school , a connecticut prep academy where beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . i did n't change the way i act . i did n't do nothing different . it was just that i was at canterbury instead of jena , ' he said . it was like jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . ' if not for the controversy surrounding the jena six and the palpable racial tension in the louisiana town , beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . watch beard describe his reaction » alan howard met beard , the youngest of the african-american teens who made up the jena six , in january 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim justin barker . the fight followed months of disquiet among jena high school students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . in september 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle louisiana . protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of mychal bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . later in september , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . the jena six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . howard said his first impression of beard -- that he had tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential ' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in new england . it 's been a tidal shift , beard said , moving from a louisiana town of 3,000 to bedford , new york , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the big apple . the biggest shock ? where i 'm from in jena , i think the only time it snowed is when i was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . ' another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . see history of jena six » the howards say beard meshes seamlessly . though he struggled with the curriculum at canterbury -- a catholic school in new milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . he spent the summer helping attorneys at howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . head football coach ken parson said he ca n't wait to unleash ' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound beard . beard is a candidate for team captain , parson said , and the coach hopes beard 's leadership and quiet confidence ' will draw recruiters from division i schools . division ii schools are already snooping around , he said . when he gets going , he 's like a freight train . he 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like barry sanders , ' parson said , invoking the detroit lions'legendary running back . though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with howard 's sons -- nick , 14 , and tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with howard 's daughter , jessie , 17 . she said his tennis skills are ridiculous . ' other fresh experiences include snowboarding in utah , surfing in long island , visiting the hamptons and attending baseball games at fenway park and yankee stadium . around the house , he 's a big brother , said howard , whose children welcomed beard immediately . my kids were the ones who said ,'if it means getting out of jena , let him stay here ,' howard said . my 14-year-old son said ,'he can share my room ,'and he does n't even let his 11-year-old brother in his room . ' beard is prone to the same gaffes as any teenager , jessie said , giggling as she recalled a time he replaced a box of snacks in the cabinet after finishing the last one . her mother , patti , left the box on his sneakers with a note : would you like more of these ? ' he 's just another member of the family , ' jessie said . now , when people ask me how many brothers i have , i say three , not two . ' beard said he could never be proud of his involvement with the jena six , but he believes god put him through tribulations to deliver him to a better place . i 'm not glad it happened , but i 'm glad i came to a good family , ' he said . beard 's mother , stella , is a remarkable woman , ' howard said , but beard did n't have much supervision at home . howard thought to himself in 2008 , it 's not just enough to keep the kid out of jail one time because the system is stacked against him . ' five of the jena six had already made tracks -- to texas , to georgia , to other parts of louisiana -- but beard had nowhere to go . that he was on house arrest for another juvenile offense confounded matters . i promise you i will get you out of jena , whatever it takes , ' howard told beard . you promise me that you 'll hang in there , keep doing what you 're doing , going to school and keep out of trouble . ' beard 's mother made the ultimate sacrifice , ' allowing howard to pursue guardianship and ferry her son 1,500 miles to new england . she put aside jena six donations to help howard pay canterbury 's $ 40,000-a-year tuition , he said . she declined to be interviewed . beard left jena in spring 2008 . about a year later , beard , robert bailey , theo shaw , carwin jones and bryant purvis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery . fines and probation were doled out and civil suits settled . the terms were undisclosed . bell , who served as the face -- and lightning rod -- of the jena six , had separately pleaded guilty to a second-degree battery charge in december 2007 . weeks after completing his 18-month sentence at a juvenile facility , bell shot himself in the chest in december after an arrest on shoplifting charges . he later said the pressure to be perfect prompted him to pull the trigger . read bell 's remarks after the suicide try jena is often painted as a town of bumpkins who pursued draconian criminal charges and exorbitant bails for a school fight but turned a blind eye when three nooses dangled from a campus tree . beard , however , bristles at the portrait and defends his hometown . no , sir . there 's not more racists in jena , ' he said . there 's racism everywhere . i just ca n't blame it on jena because i did get along with the white folks and they did like me . ' as he and his five cohorts pursue educational and athletic endeavors around the nation , beard hopes they wo n't be dogged by racial matters but that they 'll be superstars , not from being the jena six , but from whatever we go to college for . ' howard and parson have confidence beard will succeed , no matter his occupation . whatever he ends up doing , ' the coach said , he 's going to be great . ' | once accused of attempted murder in louisiana , beard now attending prep school |
beard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jesse ray beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . it took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the deep south to turn his life around . living with attorney alan howard , right , has afforded jesse ray beard a bevy of new experiences . beard , 18 , now interns at a new york law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at canterbury school , a connecticut prep academy where beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . i did n't change the way i act . i did n't do nothing different . it was just that i was at canterbury instead of jena , ' he said . it was like jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . ' if not for the controversy surrounding the jena six and the palpable racial tension in the louisiana town , beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . watch beard describe his reaction » alan howard met beard , the youngest of the african-american teens who made up the jena six , in january 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim justin barker . the fight followed months of disquiet among jena high school students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . in september 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle louisiana . protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of mychal bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . later in september , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . the jena six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . howard said his first impression of beard -- that he had tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential ' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in new england . it 's been a tidal shift , beard said , moving from a louisiana town of 3,000 to bedford , new york , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the big apple . the biggest shock ? where i 'm from in jena , i think the only time it snowed is when i was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . ' another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . see history of jena six » the howards say beard meshes seamlessly . though he struggled with the curriculum at canterbury -- a catholic school in new milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . he spent the summer helping attorneys at howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . head football coach ken parson said he ca n't wait to unleash ' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound beard . beard is a candidate for team captain , parson said , and the coach hopes beard 's leadership and quiet confidence ' will draw recruiters from division i schools . division ii schools are already snooping around , he said . when he gets going , he 's like a freight train . he 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like barry sanders , ' parson said , invoking the detroit lions'legendary running back . though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with howard 's sons -- nick , 14 , and tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with howard 's daughter , jessie , 17 . she said his tennis skills are ridiculous . ' other fresh experiences include snowboarding in utah , surfing in long island , visiting the hamptons and attending baseball games at fenway park and yankee stadium . around the house , he 's a big brother , said howard , whose children welcomed beard immediately . my kids were the ones who said ,'if it means getting out of jena , let him stay here ,' howard said . my 14-year-old son said ,'he can share my room ,'and he does n't even let his 11-year-old brother in his room . ' beard is prone to the same gaffes as any teenager , jessie said , giggling as she recalled a time he replaced a box of snacks in the cabinet after finishing the last one . her mother , patti , left the box on his sneakers with a note : would you like more of these ? ' he 's just another member of the family , ' jessie said . now , when people ask me how many brothers i have , i say three , not two . ' beard said he could never be proud of his involvement with the jena six , but he believes god put him through tribulations to deliver him to a better place . i 'm not glad it happened , but i 'm glad i came to a good family , ' he said . beard 's mother , stella , is a remarkable woman , ' howard said , but beard did n't have much supervision at home . howard thought to himself in 2008 , it 's not just enough to keep the kid out of jail one time because the system is stacked against him . ' five of the jena six had already made tracks -- to texas , to georgia , to other parts of louisiana -- but beard had nowhere to go . that he was on house arrest for another juvenile offense confounded matters . i promise you i will get you out of jena , whatever it takes , ' howard told beard . you promise me that you 'll hang in there , keep doing what you 're doing , going to school and keep out of trouble . ' beard 's mother made the ultimate sacrifice , ' allowing howard to pursue guardianship and ferry her son 1,500 miles to new england . she put aside jena six donations to help howard pay canterbury 's $ 40,000-a-year tuition , he said . she declined to be interviewed . beard left jena in spring 2008 . about a year later , beard , robert bailey , theo shaw , carwin jones and bryant purvis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery . fines and probation were doled out and civil suits settled . the terms were undisclosed . bell , who served as the face -- and lightning rod -- of the jena six , had separately pleaded guilty to a second-degree battery charge in december 2007 . weeks after completing his 18-month sentence at a juvenile facility , bell shot himself in the chest in december after an arrest on shoplifting charges . he later said the pressure to be perfect prompted him to pull the trigger . read bell 's remarks after the suicide try jena is often painted as a town of bumpkins who pursued draconian criminal charges and exorbitant bails for a school fight but turned a blind eye when three nooses dangled from a campus tree . beard , however , bristles at the portrait and defends his hometown . no , sir . there 's not more racists in jena , ' he said . there 's racism everywhere . i just ca n't blame it on jena because i did get along with the white folks and they did like me . ' as he and his five cohorts pursue educational and athletic endeavors around the nation , beard hopes they wo n't be dogged by racial matters but that they 'll be superstars , not from being the jena six , but from whatever we go to college for . ' howard and parson have confidence beard will succeed , no matter his occupation . whatever he ends up doing , ' the coach said , he 's going to be great . ' | attorney alan howard 's daughter , jessie , says she considers beard a brother |
weluree <tsp> ( cnn ) -- she was only crowned miss universe thailand on saturday but weluree fai ' ditsayabut has already become caught up in the political crisis engulfing her country , after comments were found on her facebook page referring to pro-government demonstrators as dirty , ' evil activists ' that should all be executed . ' according to news site khaosod english , the 22-year-old has often published scathing comments about the red shirt ' movement on her facebook page , which now appears to have been deleted . i am not neutral . i am on the side of his majesty the king , ' weluree said in a comment from november , khaosod english reported . i 'm so angry at these evil activists . they should all be executed . ' weluree reportedly said thailand would be cleaner if the dirty ' red shirts left the country . pro-government supporters have questioned weluree 's pageant victory on popular online forums and social media sites . a facebook page in protest of her winning the competition had over 10,000 likes ' on monday -- although some users criticized her appearance and claimed she won because of her connections , rather than raising concerns about her anti-red shirt comments . the deputy director of human rights watch 's asia division , phil robertson , condemned weluree 's remarks on twitter . perhaps ( a ) better title is miss politically divided # thailand ? shameful when beauty queens are calling for executions , ' he wrote . weluree -- an actress , talk show host , and english student -- apologized monday for the remarks in an interview on thailand 's channel 3 . i was careless . i was young . i did it recklessly , ' she said . it wo n't happen again . ' weluree beat the pageant favorite pimbongkod ellie ' chankaew who placed second in saturday 's competition . the pageant organizers have not responded to the controversy , nor have the leaders of the pro-government movement . thailand 's political turmoil began in november when the government attempted to pass a controversial amnesty bill that would have cleared the way for the return of then-prime minister yingluck shinawatra 's brother , thaksin , to politics . the former prime minister and tycoon has been living in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction after being overthrown in a military coup in 2006 . since november , the people 's democratic reform committee has led anti-government protesters , who are mostly middle-class royalists , in calling for yingluck 's government to be replaced with an unelected people 's council . ' competing rallies have been held by pro-government supporters , many of whom come from the country 's rural north and northeast and view shinawatra 's ouster as a judicial coup . ' yingluck was found guilty of abuse of power and removed from office along with several cabinet ministers on may 7 , and indicted by thailand 's anti-graft body . if the senate votes to impeach her , she could be banned from politics for five years . monday marks a particularly sensitive day for the red shirt movement as the anniversary of a military crackdown that left more than 90 people dead and thousands injured in 2010 . army chief issues warning as violence returns to bangkok protesters descend on thai capital seeking government 's ouster cnn 's karla cripps and tim hume contributed to this report . | weluree ditsayabut won the miss universe thailand beauty pageant saturday |
weluree <tsp> ( cnn ) -- she was only crowned miss universe thailand on saturday but weluree fai ' ditsayabut has already become caught up in the political crisis engulfing her country , after comments were found on her facebook page referring to pro-government demonstrators as dirty , ' evil activists ' that should all be executed . ' according to news site khaosod english , the 22-year-old has often published scathing comments about the red shirt ' movement on her facebook page , which now appears to have been deleted . i am not neutral . i am on the side of his majesty the king , ' weluree said in a comment from november , khaosod english reported . i 'm so angry at these evil activists . they should all be executed . ' weluree reportedly said thailand would be cleaner if the dirty ' red shirts left the country . pro-government supporters have questioned weluree 's pageant victory on popular online forums and social media sites . a facebook page in protest of her winning the competition had over 10,000 likes ' on monday -- although some users criticized her appearance and claimed she won because of her connections , rather than raising concerns about her anti-red shirt comments . the deputy director of human rights watch 's asia division , phil robertson , condemned weluree 's remarks on twitter . perhaps ( a ) better title is miss politically divided # thailand ? shameful when beauty queens are calling for executions , ' he wrote . weluree -- an actress , talk show host , and english student -- apologized monday for the remarks in an interview on thailand 's channel 3 . i was careless . i was young . i did it recklessly , ' she said . it wo n't happen again . ' weluree beat the pageant favorite pimbongkod ellie ' chankaew who placed second in saturday 's competition . the pageant organizers have not responded to the controversy , nor have the leaders of the pro-government movement . thailand 's political turmoil began in november when the government attempted to pass a controversial amnesty bill that would have cleared the way for the return of then-prime minister yingluck shinawatra 's brother , thaksin , to politics . the former prime minister and tycoon has been living in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction after being overthrown in a military coup in 2006 . since november , the people 's democratic reform committee has led anti-government protesters , who are mostly middle-class royalists , in calling for yingluck 's government to be replaced with an unelected people 's council . ' competing rallies have been held by pro-government supporters , many of whom come from the country 's rural north and northeast and view shinawatra 's ouster as a judicial coup . ' yingluck was found guilty of abuse of power and removed from office along with several cabinet ministers on may 7 , and indicted by thailand 's anti-graft body . if the senate votes to impeach her , she could be banned from politics for five years . monday marks a particularly sensitive day for the red shirt movement as the anniversary of a military crackdown that left more than 90 people dead and thousands injured in 2010 . army chief issues warning as violence returns to bangkok protesters descend on thai capital seeking government 's ouster cnn 's karla cripps and tim hume contributed to this report . | weluree has apologized for the careless ' remarks |
somali <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first nine months of this year has seen more pirate attacks than all of last year . and more than half of those attacks were carried out by suspected somali pirates , an international maritime watchdog group said wednesday . the increase in attacks has forced many countries to patrol pirate hotspots such as the gulf of aden . the increased activity in somalia is the major reason for the spike , ' said cyrus mody , manager of the international maritime bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . from january 1 until september 30 , pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks , compared with 293 in all of 2008 , the bureau said . of the incidents this year , somali pirates accounted for 54 percent : they launched 168 attacks . most of them took place off the east coast of somalia and in the gulf of aden , a major shipping route between yemen and somalia . they successfully hijacked 32 vessels and took 533 hostages . eight others were wounded , four more killed and one is missing , the bureau said . somali pirates are still holding four ships for ransom with 80 crew members as hostages . somalia 's transitional government , which has a tenuous grip on power , has been unable to stop the pirates -- many of whom are based in the port cities . this has prompted europe and other western countries to step up maritime patrols . in the gulf of aden , the number of attacks have gone up . but because of the presence of naval vessels , the success rate of the pirates have decreased , ' mody said . the navies are responding very very effectively . ' today 's pirates are a far cry from the eye-patched , peg-legged swashbucklers of hollywood . they don night-vision goggles , carry rocket launchers and navigate with global positioning devices . many pirates are trained fighters ; others are young thugs enlisted for the job . experts say they often sail out to sea in a mother ship and wait for a target . when they find one , the pirates board smaller boats and move in , typically with five to seven armed hijackers per boat . two recent trends have led to a rise in piracy : access and opportunity . as global commerce picks up , more and more of the world 's fuels , minerals and other crucial commodities travel by ship . ninety-five percent of america 's foreign trade , for instance , moves by water , according to the u.s. maritime administration . that cargo is an easy target for robbers in countries that lack the resources to secure their shorelines , such as somalia . those who have tracked pirate activity say it started in somalia in the 1980s , when the pirates claimed they were aiming to stop the rampant illegal fishing and dumping that continues to this day off the somali coast . piracy accelerated after the fall of the somali government in the early 1990s and began to flourish after shipping companies started paying ransoms . those payments started out being in the tens of thousands of dollars and have since climbed into the millions . with the ransoms they collect , pirates can earn up to $ 40,000 a year , analysts say . that 's a fortune for someone from an impoverished country . some analysts say companies are simply making the problem worse by paying the piracies . yes , the ransoms have probably caused the piracy to become a bit more rampant . but at the same time , from the owner 's point of view , there is no other way currently to secure the safe release of the vessel along with the crew and the cargo , ' mody said . it 's basically a cycle . ' other trouble spots this year were waters off nigeria , with 20 attacks ; malaysia with 14 ; and bangladesh with 12 . | somali pirates are still holding four ships for ransom |
somali <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first nine months of this year has seen more pirate attacks than all of last year . and more than half of those attacks were carried out by suspected somali pirates , an international maritime watchdog group said wednesday . the increase in attacks has forced many countries to patrol pirate hotspots such as the gulf of aden . the increased activity in somalia is the major reason for the spike , ' said cyrus mody , manager of the international maritime bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . from january 1 until september 30 , pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks , compared with 293 in all of 2008 , the bureau said . of the incidents this year , somali pirates accounted for 54 percent : they launched 168 attacks . most of them took place off the east coast of somalia and in the gulf of aden , a major shipping route between yemen and somalia . they successfully hijacked 32 vessels and took 533 hostages . eight others were wounded , four more killed and one is missing , the bureau said . somali pirates are still holding four ships for ransom with 80 crew members as hostages . somalia 's transitional government , which has a tenuous grip on power , has been unable to stop the pirates -- many of whom are based in the port cities . this has prompted europe and other western countries to step up maritime patrols . in the gulf of aden , the number of attacks have gone up . but because of the presence of naval vessels , the success rate of the pirates have decreased , ' mody said . the navies are responding very very effectively . ' today 's pirates are a far cry from the eye-patched , peg-legged swashbucklers of hollywood . they don night-vision goggles , carry rocket launchers and navigate with global positioning devices . many pirates are trained fighters ; others are young thugs enlisted for the job . experts say they often sail out to sea in a mother ship and wait for a target . when they find one , the pirates board smaller boats and move in , typically with five to seven armed hijackers per boat . two recent trends have led to a rise in piracy : access and opportunity . as global commerce picks up , more and more of the world 's fuels , minerals and other crucial commodities travel by ship . ninety-five percent of america 's foreign trade , for instance , moves by water , according to the u.s. maritime administration . that cargo is an easy target for robbers in countries that lack the resources to secure their shorelines , such as somalia . those who have tracked pirate activity say it started in somalia in the 1980s , when the pirates claimed they were aiming to stop the rampant illegal fishing and dumping that continues to this day off the somali coast . piracy accelerated after the fall of the somali government in the early 1990s and began to flourish after shipping companies started paying ransoms . those payments started out being in the tens of thousands of dollars and have since climbed into the millions . with the ransoms they collect , pirates can earn up to $ 40,000 a year , analysts say . that 's a fortune for someone from an impoverished country . some analysts say companies are simply making the problem worse by paying the piracies . yes , the ransoms have probably caused the piracy to become a bit more rampant . but at the same time , from the owner 's point of view , there is no other way currently to secure the safe release of the vessel along with the crew and the cargo , ' mody said . it 's basically a cycle . ' other trouble spots this year were waters off nigeria , with 20 attacks ; malaysia with 14 ; and bangladesh with 12 . | somali pirates accounted for 54 percent of all attacks this year |
malaysia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first nine months of this year has seen more pirate attacks than all of last year . and more than half of those attacks were carried out by suspected somali pirates , an international maritime watchdog group said wednesday . the increase in attacks has forced many countries to patrol pirate hotspots such as the gulf of aden . the increased activity in somalia is the major reason for the spike , ' said cyrus mody , manager of the international maritime bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . from january 1 until september 30 , pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks , compared with 293 in all of 2008 , the bureau said . of the incidents this year , somali pirates accounted for 54 percent : they launched 168 attacks . most of them took place off the east coast of somalia and in the gulf of aden , a major shipping route between yemen and somalia . they successfully hijacked 32 vessels and took 533 hostages . eight others were wounded , four more killed and one is missing , the bureau said . somali pirates are still holding four ships for ransom with 80 crew members as hostages . somalia 's transitional government , which has a tenuous grip on power , has been unable to stop the pirates -- many of whom are based in the port cities . this has prompted europe and other western countries to step up maritime patrols . in the gulf of aden , the number of attacks have gone up . but because of the presence of naval vessels , the success rate of the pirates have decreased , ' mody said . the navies are responding very very effectively . ' today 's pirates are a far cry from the eye-patched , peg-legged swashbucklers of hollywood . they don night-vision goggles , carry rocket launchers and navigate with global positioning devices . many pirates are trained fighters ; others are young thugs enlisted for the job . experts say they often sail out to sea in a mother ship and wait for a target . when they find one , the pirates board smaller boats and move in , typically with five to seven armed hijackers per boat . two recent trends have led to a rise in piracy : access and opportunity . as global commerce picks up , more and more of the world 's fuels , minerals and other crucial commodities travel by ship . ninety-five percent of america 's foreign trade , for instance , moves by water , according to the u.s. maritime administration . that cargo is an easy target for robbers in countries that lack the resources to secure their shorelines , such as somalia . those who have tracked pirate activity say it started in somalia in the 1980s , when the pirates claimed they were aiming to stop the rampant illegal fishing and dumping that continues to this day off the somali coast . piracy accelerated after the fall of the somali government in the early 1990s and began to flourish after shipping companies started paying ransoms . those payments started out being in the tens of thousands of dollars and have since climbed into the millions . with the ransoms they collect , pirates can earn up to $ 40,000 a year , analysts say . that 's a fortune for someone from an impoverished country . some analysts say companies are simply making the problem worse by paying the piracies . yes , the ransoms have probably caused the piracy to become a bit more rampant . but at the same time , from the owner 's point of view , there is no other way currently to secure the safe release of the vessel along with the crew and the cargo , ' mody said . it 's basically a cycle . ' other trouble spots this year were waters off nigeria , with 20 attacks ; malaysia with 14 ; and bangladesh with 12 . | other trouble spots were waters off nigeria , malaysia and bangladesh |
fifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- asian football chief mohammed bin hammam will be sepp blatter 's only opponent in the forthcoming fifa presidential elections , the sport 's governing body confirmed on monday . the 75-year-old blatter , who has held office since 1998 , will go head-to-head with the qatari on june 1 in zurich , switzerland . elias figueroa , a former international defender for chile , had intended to put himself forward for the role but announced last week there was not enough time for a credible campaign to be launched . american journalist grant wahl said earlier this year he was hoping to stand , but it was more a ploy to raise awareness about what he called the need for change ' at an organization which has earned $ 4.189 billion over the last four years than a realistic challenge to blatter 's supremacy . marvelous mourinho record falls -- but will it ever be beaten ? africa 's issa hayatou was the last candidate to run against the swiss when he was defeated in the 2002 ballot , which came after a campaign of accusations of financial mismanagement at fifa . bin hammam , a fifa executive committee member and president of the asian football confederation , told cnn last month that the time had arrived for change in the organization after more than a decade under the stewardship of the swiss . blatter , who has been involved with fifa since 1975 , announced at a recent uefa congress in paris this will be his last term as president if he is elected for another four years at the helm . blatter plans final term as bin hammam calls for change the 61-year-old bin hammam became afc chief in 2002 and has called for greater transparency among football 's decision makers . if successful in his bid to succeed blatter , bin hammam would become the ninth president in fifa 's history . | sepp blatter and mohammed bin hammam are the only candidates in fifa 's presidential vote |
britain <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- britain 's prince william is starting a two-month attachment with the royal navy on monday , part of the future king 's continued experience with various branches of the military , the ministry of defense said saturday . prince william and his father , prince charles , at his graduation from the royal air force in april . william , 25 , will spend the first part of his attachment on a basic sea safety course training in sea survival , firefighting and ship damage repair , according to the ministry . if william passes the course , as expected , he will join the hms iron duke in the caribbean , the department said . the ship 's function is to support overseas british territories in the event of a hurricane and to carry out counter-narcotic operations . the prince , who will be called sub lieutenant wales in the navy , is expected to spend time aboard a frigate , a mine hunter , a submarine and helicopters during his attachment , which ends august 1 , the ministry of defense said . william completed a four-month attachment with the royal air force this year and received his pilot 's wings upon graduating in april . he learned to fly three different aircraft during the attachment and is known as flying officer wales within the raf . william is also a second lieutenant in the british army , where he serves in the blues and royals regiment of the household cavalry . the attachments are designed to provide the prince with military experience for when he becomes head of the armed forces as king . when he becomes king , he needs to know his armed forces -- instinctively be very familiar with them -- and so he is doing this visit to the royal navy , ' said rear adm. bob cooling , the assistant chief of naval staff . william 's father , prince charles , had a five-year career in the navy in the 1970s . charles served on the guided missile destroyer hms norfolk and two frigates before qualifying as a helicopter pilot and joining a naval air squadron that operated from the aircraft carrier hms hermes . prince charles spent his last nine months in the navy in 1976 in command of the coastal minehunter hms bronington . william 's uncle prince andrew served 22 years in the royal navy as a helicopter pilot , seeing active service during the falklands war between britain and argentina in 1982 . queen elizabeth ii 's husband , prince philip , william 's grandfather , spent more than 13 years in the royal navy . he saw active service throughout world war ii and was in tokyo harbor when japan surrendered . | britain 's prince william begins two-month attachment with royal navy on monday |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- friday , president barack obama walked into the white house briefing room and gave the american people his thoughts on the trayvon martin case . his comments were striking in their honesty and in their personal nature . he did n't lecture . he was n't angry . he was reflective . he spoke about his personal experiences , and the shared experiences of so many others . he called for respect for the process and the verdict , but used the remarks as an opportunity to help others understand why so many people were angry . he said that 35 ago , trayvon martin could have been me . ' he started a national conversation . and -- in the most predictable and disappointing fashion -- he became a lightning rod for criticism from his political opponents . within moments of his speech , cable news and twitter was full of comments from the right questioning the president 's motives and words . he was called divisive . he was accused of fanning the flames of discontent . some said that by raising this issue , he was not being a president for everyone , just for african-americans . those criticisms could not be more sad . nor could they be more off base . because while obama 's comments may have been focused on some of the racial divisions we face as a nation , to me his remarks were about so much more . they were about all of the divisions we face . there are far too many stereotypes and bigotries that divide us on a daily basis . far too many people of different backgrounds who feel targeted , mocked , or looked down upon by others . obama 's comments do n't just speak to the young black man who worries he 's being followed , or who sees other people look at him with fear . he spoke to the young sikh-american man who is called a terrorist ' on the street or stared at with fear for wearing a turban publicly . he spoke to the young indian-american man , born and raised in this country , who is mocked and called a racial slur and told welcome to america ' by a u.s. senator because his skin color is a little darker . he spoke to the servicewoman who wears our nation 's uniform but finds that the greatest threat might come from male colleagues . he spoke to the young woman who walks down the street and feels the need to cover up because of all the eyes checking out ' her body . he spoke to the young hispanic-american who is assumed to be an illegal immigrant just because of his or her last name . and yes , he spoke to the white americans who feel fear that of being robbed when approached by a young black man . the fact is we do still have divisions in this country based on racism . and sexism . and ageism . and more isms ' than any of us care to admit . so when the president says trayvon martin could have been me , ' of course that 's somewhat about race . but not entirely . those misconceptions about him and the fear martin felt that night are all too familiar to way too many americans . trayvon martin could have been any of us . obama has been the recipient of more than his fair share of attacks . but friday 's were -- for me -- some of the most disappointing i 've witnessed since he took office . not everything needs to be a fight . we ought to be able to have nonpoliticized conversations about issues that are this important . sometimes , rather than throw a punch , it might be more productive to just join the conversation . friday was one of those days . and unless we have more conversations like the one the president advocates -- and until we realize it 's a conversation that we all are a part of -- we 'll wo n't every fully get to a place where we are finally judged purely on the content of our character . ' the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of mo elleithee . | he says obama was speaking to divisions we all face |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- friday , president barack obama walked into the white house briefing room and gave the american people his thoughts on the trayvon martin case . his comments were striking in their honesty and in their personal nature . he did n't lecture . he was n't angry . he was reflective . he spoke about his personal experiences , and the shared experiences of so many others . he called for respect for the process and the verdict , but used the remarks as an opportunity to help others understand why so many people were angry . he said that 35 ago , trayvon martin could have been me . ' he started a national conversation . and -- in the most predictable and disappointing fashion -- he became a lightning rod for criticism from his political opponents . within moments of his speech , cable news and twitter was full of comments from the right questioning the president 's motives and words . he was called divisive . he was accused of fanning the flames of discontent . some said that by raising this issue , he was not being a president for everyone , just for african-americans . those criticisms could not be more sad . nor could they be more off base . because while obama 's comments may have been focused on some of the racial divisions we face as a nation , to me his remarks were about so much more . they were about all of the divisions we face . there are far too many stereotypes and bigotries that divide us on a daily basis . far too many people of different backgrounds who feel targeted , mocked , or looked down upon by others . obama 's comments do n't just speak to the young black man who worries he 's being followed , or who sees other people look at him with fear . he spoke to the young sikh-american man who is called a terrorist ' on the street or stared at with fear for wearing a turban publicly . he spoke to the young indian-american man , born and raised in this country , who is mocked and called a racial slur and told welcome to america ' by a u.s. senator because his skin color is a little darker . he spoke to the servicewoman who wears our nation 's uniform but finds that the greatest threat might come from male colleagues . he spoke to the young woman who walks down the street and feels the need to cover up because of all the eyes checking out ' her body . he spoke to the young hispanic-american who is assumed to be an illegal immigrant just because of his or her last name . and yes , he spoke to the white americans who feel fear that of being robbed when approached by a young black man . the fact is we do still have divisions in this country based on racism . and sexism . and ageism . and more isms ' than any of us care to admit . so when the president says trayvon martin could have been me , ' of course that 's somewhat about race . but not entirely . those misconceptions about him and the fear martin felt that night are all too familiar to way too many americans . trayvon martin could have been any of us . obama has been the recipient of more than his fair share of attacks . but friday 's were -- for me -- some of the most disappointing i 've witnessed since he took office . not everything needs to be a fight . we ought to be able to have nonpoliticized conversations about issues that are this important . sometimes , rather than throw a punch , it might be more productive to just join the conversation . friday was one of those days . and unless we have more conversations like the one the president advocates -- and until we realize it 's a conversation that we all are a part of -- we 'll wo n't every fully get to a place where we are finally judged purely on the content of our character . ' the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of mo elleithee . | mo elliethee : obama offered thoughts on zimmerman case ; shared own experiences |
greene <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at dinnertime the other evening i walked into a seafood restaurant in a small strip mall off u.s. 41 in southwestern florida . the dã©cor was faithful to an under-the-ocean theme , right down to bubbling water behind portholes built into one wall . along a corridor , on the door to the men 's room , was a framed photograph of a young , smiling kirk douglas . you could n't look at it without grinning . even if you had never set eyes on him in your life , you would know in a glance that this guy was some sort of star . the business he was in -- the movie-star business -- has always been built on instant visceral reaction . you 've got star quality , or you do n't . with kirk douglas , there was never a question . he was golden . i bring this up because sunday is douglas'birthday . he is turning -- believe it or not -- 96 . he is the last man standing of all the great name-above-the-title stars of hollywood 's so-called golden age . john wayne , gary cooper , humphrey bogart , jimmy stewart , clark gable -- all of them , except him , gone . i knew exactly why that photograph of douglas was on the door to the men 's room in the submarine-themed restaurant . one of douglas'most unforgettable movies was 1954 's 20,000 leagues under the sea , ' adapted from the jules verne saga . douglas played the swashbuckling seafarer ned land . from the archives : kirk douglas , 92 , takes stock of his life it was the first favorite movie of my life . i must have seen it at least six times in the big palace of a downtown theater in our midwestern hometown . i kept making my parents take me . the whole movie was thrilling , but one scene topped them all : douglas , in a red-and-white-striped t-shirt , a guitar in his hands , sang a song called whale of a tale ' to his shipmates : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you , lads . . . . ' no textbooks are needed to define what constitutes star quality . that one bit of film contains all the information necessary . about 25 years ago , i saw in the paper that 20,000 leagues under the sea ' was scheduled to be broadcast in prime time on abc . this was in the pre-youtube , pre-netflix era ; if a wonderful old movie was going to be aired , your one shot at seeing it was at the whim and convenience of a network . i eagerly awaited -- especially for the chance to see and hear kirk douglas sing whale of a tale ' one more time . i watched the movie -- every minute of it . no whale of a tale . ' they had cut it out , for time reasons . edited for television . ' i could n't believe they 'd done it . the next morning , i remembered that i knew someone who knew someone who claimed to know kirk douglas . i made a few phone calls , and was given a california number that i was told was douglas'business office . i called , expecting to leave a message . and kirk douglas picked up the phone . i asked him if he 'd heard about how the movie had been edited . he had n't . i rarely watch my own films , ' he said . they 're for other people , not for me . ' i told him that whale of a tale ' had been taken out of the tv version . he became livid . furious . that 's a sacrilege , ' he said . i had no idea they 'd done that . if they ca n't use'whale of a tale ,'then they should n't run the picture at all . ' i could barely concentrate on what he was saying , because it was hard enough processing the fact that i was talking with kirk douglas . it was really a rollicking song that everyone liked , ' he said . '20,000 leagues under the sea'holds a very special place in my heart , because it was the movie that made me a star to young kids . in my earlier movies i had played rather rough characters -- characters that kids probably should n't have seen . but when i played ned land in '20,000 leagues under the sea ,'all of a sudden i had a whole new audience . ' from the archives : douglas deals frankly with stroke , depression and then , in the middle of our conversation , without prompting , he did something that will stay with me forever . he started to sing whale of a tale ' over the telephone : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you lads , a whale of a tale or two . . . ' the sound of that voice , across all the years . the magic of a movie star : ' . . .'bout the flapping fish and the girls i 've loved , on nights like this with the moon above , a whale of a tale and it 's all true , i swear by my tattoo . ' being 96 is often not much fun for those who make it to that age , and douglas has battled health problems in recent years . the last of those legends with the special something that turns out to be eternal . all those indelible roles , in a letter to three wives ' and ace in the hole ' and the bad and the beautiful ' and strangers when we meet ' and spartacus ' and seven days in may ' . . . . when douglas started making pictures , charlie chaplin was still acting in movies . douglas'son michael has already had a long and full movie career . ninety-six . i stood in that restaurant and looked at him grinning off the painted door , the wattage of the smile above his cleft chin undimmed . happy birthday , sir . what a life for issur danielovitch , as he was named by his parents on december 9 , 1916 , in amsterdam , new york -- what a life for the self-described ragman 's son who decided he would be kirk douglas , and see where that might take him . a whale of a tale , and it 's all true . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene | bob greene says kirk douglas is hollywood 's last remaining golden age idol |
greene <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at dinnertime the other evening i walked into a seafood restaurant in a small strip mall off u.s. 41 in southwestern florida . the dã©cor was faithful to an under-the-ocean theme , right down to bubbling water behind portholes built into one wall . along a corridor , on the door to the men 's room , was a framed photograph of a young , smiling kirk douglas . you could n't look at it without grinning . even if you had never set eyes on him in your life , you would know in a glance that this guy was some sort of star . the business he was in -- the movie-star business -- has always been built on instant visceral reaction . you 've got star quality , or you do n't . with kirk douglas , there was never a question . he was golden . i bring this up because sunday is douglas'birthday . he is turning -- believe it or not -- 96 . he is the last man standing of all the great name-above-the-title stars of hollywood 's so-called golden age . john wayne , gary cooper , humphrey bogart , jimmy stewart , clark gable -- all of them , except him , gone . i knew exactly why that photograph of douglas was on the door to the men 's room in the submarine-themed restaurant . one of douglas'most unforgettable movies was 1954 's 20,000 leagues under the sea , ' adapted from the jules verne saga . douglas played the swashbuckling seafarer ned land . from the archives : kirk douglas , 92 , takes stock of his life it was the first favorite movie of my life . i must have seen it at least six times in the big palace of a downtown theater in our midwestern hometown . i kept making my parents take me . the whole movie was thrilling , but one scene topped them all : douglas , in a red-and-white-striped t-shirt , a guitar in his hands , sang a song called whale of a tale ' to his shipmates : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you , lads . . . . ' no textbooks are needed to define what constitutes star quality . that one bit of film contains all the information necessary . about 25 years ago , i saw in the paper that 20,000 leagues under the sea ' was scheduled to be broadcast in prime time on abc . this was in the pre-youtube , pre-netflix era ; if a wonderful old movie was going to be aired , your one shot at seeing it was at the whim and convenience of a network . i eagerly awaited -- especially for the chance to see and hear kirk douglas sing whale of a tale ' one more time . i watched the movie -- every minute of it . no whale of a tale . ' they had cut it out , for time reasons . edited for television . ' i could n't believe they 'd done it . the next morning , i remembered that i knew someone who knew someone who claimed to know kirk douglas . i made a few phone calls , and was given a california number that i was told was douglas'business office . i called , expecting to leave a message . and kirk douglas picked up the phone . i asked him if he 'd heard about how the movie had been edited . he had n't . i rarely watch my own films , ' he said . they 're for other people , not for me . ' i told him that whale of a tale ' had been taken out of the tv version . he became livid . furious . that 's a sacrilege , ' he said . i had no idea they 'd done that . if they ca n't use'whale of a tale ,'then they should n't run the picture at all . ' i could barely concentrate on what he was saying , because it was hard enough processing the fact that i was talking with kirk douglas . it was really a rollicking song that everyone liked , ' he said . '20,000 leagues under the sea'holds a very special place in my heart , because it was the movie that made me a star to young kids . in my earlier movies i had played rather rough characters -- characters that kids probably should n't have seen . but when i played ned land in '20,000 leagues under the sea ,'all of a sudden i had a whole new audience . ' from the archives : douglas deals frankly with stroke , depression and then , in the middle of our conversation , without prompting , he did something that will stay with me forever . he started to sing whale of a tale ' over the telephone : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you lads , a whale of a tale or two . . . ' the sound of that voice , across all the years . the magic of a movie star : ' . . .'bout the flapping fish and the girls i 've loved , on nights like this with the moon above , a whale of a tale and it 's all true , i swear by my tattoo . ' being 96 is often not much fun for those who make it to that age , and douglas has battled health problems in recent years . the last of those legends with the special something that turns out to be eternal . all those indelible roles , in a letter to three wives ' and ace in the hole ' and the bad and the beautiful ' and strangers when we meet ' and spartacus ' and seven days in may ' . . . . when douglas started making pictures , charlie chaplin was still acting in movies . douglas'son michael has already had a long and full movie career . ninety-six . i stood in that restaurant and looked at him grinning off the painted door , the wattage of the smile above his cleft chin undimmed . happy birthday , sir . what a life for issur danielovitch , as he was named by his parents on december 9 , 1916 , in amsterdam , new york -- what a life for the self-described ragman 's son who decided he would be kirk douglas , and see where that might take him . a whale of a tale , and it 's all true . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene | greene watched a tv version in which song was cut ; he called douglas , who was appalled |
greene <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at dinnertime the other evening i walked into a seafood restaurant in a small strip mall off u.s. 41 in southwestern florida . the dã©cor was faithful to an under-the-ocean theme , right down to bubbling water behind portholes built into one wall . along a corridor , on the door to the men 's room , was a framed photograph of a young , smiling kirk douglas . you could n't look at it without grinning . even if you had never set eyes on him in your life , you would know in a glance that this guy was some sort of star . the business he was in -- the movie-star business -- has always been built on instant visceral reaction . you 've got star quality , or you do n't . with kirk douglas , there was never a question . he was golden . i bring this up because sunday is douglas'birthday . he is turning -- believe it or not -- 96 . he is the last man standing of all the great name-above-the-title stars of hollywood 's so-called golden age . john wayne , gary cooper , humphrey bogart , jimmy stewart , clark gable -- all of them , except him , gone . i knew exactly why that photograph of douglas was on the door to the men 's room in the submarine-themed restaurant . one of douglas'most unforgettable movies was 1954 's 20,000 leagues under the sea , ' adapted from the jules verne saga . douglas played the swashbuckling seafarer ned land . from the archives : kirk douglas , 92 , takes stock of his life it was the first favorite movie of my life . i must have seen it at least six times in the big palace of a downtown theater in our midwestern hometown . i kept making my parents take me . the whole movie was thrilling , but one scene topped them all : douglas , in a red-and-white-striped t-shirt , a guitar in his hands , sang a song called whale of a tale ' to his shipmates : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you , lads . . . . ' no textbooks are needed to define what constitutes star quality . that one bit of film contains all the information necessary . about 25 years ago , i saw in the paper that 20,000 leagues under the sea ' was scheduled to be broadcast in prime time on abc . this was in the pre-youtube , pre-netflix era ; if a wonderful old movie was going to be aired , your one shot at seeing it was at the whim and convenience of a network . i eagerly awaited -- especially for the chance to see and hear kirk douglas sing whale of a tale ' one more time . i watched the movie -- every minute of it . no whale of a tale . ' they had cut it out , for time reasons . edited for television . ' i could n't believe they 'd done it . the next morning , i remembered that i knew someone who knew someone who claimed to know kirk douglas . i made a few phone calls , and was given a california number that i was told was douglas'business office . i called , expecting to leave a message . and kirk douglas picked up the phone . i asked him if he 'd heard about how the movie had been edited . he had n't . i rarely watch my own films , ' he said . they 're for other people , not for me . ' i told him that whale of a tale ' had been taken out of the tv version . he became livid . furious . that 's a sacrilege , ' he said . i had no idea they 'd done that . if they ca n't use'whale of a tale ,'then they should n't run the picture at all . ' i could barely concentrate on what he was saying , because it was hard enough processing the fact that i was talking with kirk douglas . it was really a rollicking song that everyone liked , ' he said . '20,000 leagues under the sea'holds a very special place in my heart , because it was the movie that made me a star to young kids . in my earlier movies i had played rather rough characters -- characters that kids probably should n't have seen . but when i played ned land in '20,000 leagues under the sea ,'all of a sudden i had a whole new audience . ' from the archives : douglas deals frankly with stroke , depression and then , in the middle of our conversation , without prompting , he did something that will stay with me forever . he started to sing whale of a tale ' over the telephone : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you lads , a whale of a tale or two . . . ' the sound of that voice , across all the years . the magic of a movie star : ' . . .'bout the flapping fish and the girls i 've loved , on nights like this with the moon above , a whale of a tale and it 's all true , i swear by my tattoo . ' being 96 is often not much fun for those who make it to that age , and douglas has battled health problems in recent years . the last of those legends with the special something that turns out to be eternal . all those indelible roles , in a letter to three wives ' and ace in the hole ' and the bad and the beautiful ' and strangers when we meet ' and spartacus ' and seven days in may ' . . . . when douglas started making pictures , charlie chaplin was still acting in movies . douglas'son michael has already had a long and full movie career . ninety-six . i stood in that restaurant and looked at him grinning off the painted door , the wattage of the smile above his cleft chin undimmed . happy birthday , sir . what a life for issur danielovitch , as he was named by his parents on december 9 , 1916 , in amsterdam , new york -- what a life for the self-described ragman 's son who decided he would be kirk douglas , and see where that might take him . a whale of a tale , and it 's all true . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene | greene : douglas turns 96 today , has come far from his early n.y. days as issur danielovitch |
golden age <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at dinnertime the other evening i walked into a seafood restaurant in a small strip mall off u.s. 41 in southwestern florida . the dã©cor was faithful to an under-the-ocean theme , right down to bubbling water behind portholes built into one wall . along a corridor , on the door to the men 's room , was a framed photograph of a young , smiling kirk douglas . you could n't look at it without grinning . even if you had never set eyes on him in your life , you would know in a glance that this guy was some sort of star . the business he was in -- the movie-star business -- has always been built on instant visceral reaction . you 've got star quality , or you do n't . with kirk douglas , there was never a question . he was golden . i bring this up because sunday is douglas'birthday . he is turning -- believe it or not -- 96 . he is the last man standing of all the great name-above-the-title stars of hollywood 's so-called golden age . john wayne , gary cooper , humphrey bogart , jimmy stewart , clark gable -- all of them , except him , gone . i knew exactly why that photograph of douglas was on the door to the men 's room in the submarine-themed restaurant . one of douglas'most unforgettable movies was 1954 's 20,000 leagues under the sea , ' adapted from the jules verne saga . douglas played the swashbuckling seafarer ned land . from the archives : kirk douglas , 92 , takes stock of his life it was the first favorite movie of my life . i must have seen it at least six times in the big palace of a downtown theater in our midwestern hometown . i kept making my parents take me . the whole movie was thrilling , but one scene topped them all : douglas , in a red-and-white-striped t-shirt , a guitar in his hands , sang a song called whale of a tale ' to his shipmates : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you , lads . . . . ' no textbooks are needed to define what constitutes star quality . that one bit of film contains all the information necessary . about 25 years ago , i saw in the paper that 20,000 leagues under the sea ' was scheduled to be broadcast in prime time on abc . this was in the pre-youtube , pre-netflix era ; if a wonderful old movie was going to be aired , your one shot at seeing it was at the whim and convenience of a network . i eagerly awaited -- especially for the chance to see and hear kirk douglas sing whale of a tale ' one more time . i watched the movie -- every minute of it . no whale of a tale . ' they had cut it out , for time reasons . edited for television . ' i could n't believe they 'd done it . the next morning , i remembered that i knew someone who knew someone who claimed to know kirk douglas . i made a few phone calls , and was given a california number that i was told was douglas'business office . i called , expecting to leave a message . and kirk douglas picked up the phone . i asked him if he 'd heard about how the movie had been edited . he had n't . i rarely watch my own films , ' he said . they 're for other people , not for me . ' i told him that whale of a tale ' had been taken out of the tv version . he became livid . furious . that 's a sacrilege , ' he said . i had no idea they 'd done that . if they ca n't use'whale of a tale ,'then they should n't run the picture at all . ' i could barely concentrate on what he was saying , because it was hard enough processing the fact that i was talking with kirk douglas . it was really a rollicking song that everyone liked , ' he said . '20,000 leagues under the sea'holds a very special place in my heart , because it was the movie that made me a star to young kids . in my earlier movies i had played rather rough characters -- characters that kids probably should n't have seen . but when i played ned land in '20,000 leagues under the sea ,'all of a sudden i had a whole new audience . ' from the archives : douglas deals frankly with stroke , depression and then , in the middle of our conversation , without prompting , he did something that will stay with me forever . he started to sing whale of a tale ' over the telephone : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you lads , a whale of a tale or two . . . ' the sound of that voice , across all the years . the magic of a movie star : ' . . .'bout the flapping fish and the girls i 've loved , on nights like this with the moon above , a whale of a tale and it 's all true , i swear by my tattoo . ' being 96 is often not much fun for those who make it to that age , and douglas has battled health problems in recent years . the last of those legends with the special something that turns out to be eternal . all those indelible roles , in a letter to three wives ' and ace in the hole ' and the bad and the beautiful ' and strangers when we meet ' and spartacus ' and seven days in may ' . . . . when douglas started making pictures , charlie chaplin was still acting in movies . douglas'son michael has already had a long and full movie career . ninety-six . i stood in that restaurant and looked at him grinning off the painted door , the wattage of the smile above his cleft chin undimmed . happy birthday , sir . what a life for issur danielovitch , as he was named by his parents on december 9 , 1916 , in amsterdam , new york -- what a life for the self-described ragman 's son who decided he would be kirk douglas , and see where that might take him . a whale of a tale , and it 's all true . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene | bob greene says kirk douglas is hollywood 's last remaining golden age idol |
issur danielovitch <tsp> ( cnn ) -- at dinnertime the other evening i walked into a seafood restaurant in a small strip mall off u.s. 41 in southwestern florida . the dã©cor was faithful to an under-the-ocean theme , right down to bubbling water behind portholes built into one wall . along a corridor , on the door to the men 's room , was a framed photograph of a young , smiling kirk douglas . you could n't look at it without grinning . even if you had never set eyes on him in your life , you would know in a glance that this guy was some sort of star . the business he was in -- the movie-star business -- has always been built on instant visceral reaction . you 've got star quality , or you do n't . with kirk douglas , there was never a question . he was golden . i bring this up because sunday is douglas'birthday . he is turning -- believe it or not -- 96 . he is the last man standing of all the great name-above-the-title stars of hollywood 's so-called golden age . john wayne , gary cooper , humphrey bogart , jimmy stewart , clark gable -- all of them , except him , gone . i knew exactly why that photograph of douglas was on the door to the men 's room in the submarine-themed restaurant . one of douglas'most unforgettable movies was 1954 's 20,000 leagues under the sea , ' adapted from the jules verne saga . douglas played the swashbuckling seafarer ned land . from the archives : kirk douglas , 92 , takes stock of his life it was the first favorite movie of my life . i must have seen it at least six times in the big palace of a downtown theater in our midwestern hometown . i kept making my parents take me . the whole movie was thrilling , but one scene topped them all : douglas , in a red-and-white-striped t-shirt , a guitar in his hands , sang a song called whale of a tale ' to his shipmates : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you , lads . . . . ' no textbooks are needed to define what constitutes star quality . that one bit of film contains all the information necessary . about 25 years ago , i saw in the paper that 20,000 leagues under the sea ' was scheduled to be broadcast in prime time on abc . this was in the pre-youtube , pre-netflix era ; if a wonderful old movie was going to be aired , your one shot at seeing it was at the whim and convenience of a network . i eagerly awaited -- especially for the chance to see and hear kirk douglas sing whale of a tale ' one more time . i watched the movie -- every minute of it . no whale of a tale . ' they had cut it out , for time reasons . edited for television . ' i could n't believe they 'd done it . the next morning , i remembered that i knew someone who knew someone who claimed to know kirk douglas . i made a few phone calls , and was given a california number that i was told was douglas'business office . i called , expecting to leave a message . and kirk douglas picked up the phone . i asked him if he 'd heard about how the movie had been edited . he had n't . i rarely watch my own films , ' he said . they 're for other people , not for me . ' i told him that whale of a tale ' had been taken out of the tv version . he became livid . furious . that 's a sacrilege , ' he said . i had no idea they 'd done that . if they ca n't use'whale of a tale ,'then they should n't run the picture at all . ' i could barely concentrate on what he was saying , because it was hard enough processing the fact that i was talking with kirk douglas . it was really a rollicking song that everyone liked , ' he said . '20,000 leagues under the sea'holds a very special place in my heart , because it was the movie that made me a star to young kids . in my earlier movies i had played rather rough characters -- characters that kids probably should n't have seen . but when i played ned land in '20,000 leagues under the sea ,'all of a sudden i had a whole new audience . ' from the archives : douglas deals frankly with stroke , depression and then , in the middle of our conversation , without prompting , he did something that will stay with me forever . he started to sing whale of a tale ' over the telephone : ' got a whale of a tale to tell you lads , a whale of a tale or two . . . ' the sound of that voice , across all the years . the magic of a movie star : ' . . .'bout the flapping fish and the girls i 've loved , on nights like this with the moon above , a whale of a tale and it 's all true , i swear by my tattoo . ' being 96 is often not much fun for those who make it to that age , and douglas has battled health problems in recent years . the last of those legends with the special something that turns out to be eternal . all those indelible roles , in a letter to three wives ' and ace in the hole ' and the bad and the beautiful ' and strangers when we meet ' and spartacus ' and seven days in may ' . . . . when douglas started making pictures , charlie chaplin was still acting in movies . douglas'son michael has already had a long and full movie career . ninety-six . i stood in that restaurant and looked at him grinning off the painted door , the wattage of the smile above his cleft chin undimmed . happy birthday , sir . what a life for issur danielovitch , as he was named by his parents on december 9 , 1916 , in amsterdam , new york -- what a life for the self-described ragman 's son who decided he would be kirk douglas , and see where that might take him . a whale of a tale , and it 's all true . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of bob greene | greene : douglas turns 96 today , has come far from his early n.y. days as issur danielovitch |
chan <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | justice andrew macrae in sentencing describes chan as a clever and beguiling charlatan ' |
chan <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | former lover of billionaire nina wang , peter chan , sentenced to 12 years'jail for forgery |
chan <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | chan , 53 , claimed he was employed as a feng shui master by wang to find her missing husband |
wang <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | former lover of billionaire nina wang , peter chan , sentenced to 12 years'jail for forgery |
wang <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | chan , 53 , claimed he was employed as a feng shui master by wang to find her missing husband |
wang <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- the former lover and feng shui master to one of asia 's wealthiest women has been sentenced to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of forging a will that made him the beneficiary of her multi-billion-dollar fortune following a long-running case that transfixed hong kong . peter chan chun-chuen , 53 , formerly known as tony chan , was convicted on friday after a jury found him guilty of forging the will of the eccentric billionaire widow nina wang , according to a statement from hong kong 's court of first instance . he was also found guilty of a further charge of using a false instrument after the eight-member jury returned its verdict on thursday after deliberating for two days . in his reasons for sentencing , justice andrew macrae said chan had shown not the slightest remorse ' for his conduct . i have no doubt from the evidence i have heard that you are nothing more than a clever and no doubt beguiling charlatan , ' he said in his judgment . wang , the heiress known for her iconic pigtail braids and nicknamed little sweetie , ' died of cancer in 2007 . after her death , a will was presented by chan , who claimed he had been her confidante and lover for over 14 years . the will stipulated that her estate , valued at $ 4 billion , go to him . wang 's family disputed the will , allegedly signed by her in 2006 , and a court finally dismissed the claims to the inheritance in 2011 , ruling in favor of a charity run by wang 's siblings , chinachem charitable foundation ltd . in a long-running case that often seemed like a soap opera , the court heard details about the bizarre rituals associated with feng shui , adultery and the long love affair between one of asia 's most eccentric tycoons and a man 23 years her junior . wang was the widow of hong kong industrialist teddy wang , who was kidnapped in 1990 and has never been seen since . authorities declared him legally dead in 1999 . the wangs'chinachem group earned the family billions in property deals and was hong kong 's largest private property developer . chan , a former bartender and self-taught feng shui master , who is married with children , told the court wang hired him in 1992 to find her missing husband . during testimony , the court heard how wang ordered contractors to dig as many as 80 feng shui holes to be filled with pieces of jade at properties owned by chinachem group , according to a report in the south china morning post . feng shui -- which literally translates as wind-water ' in english -- is a chinese system of geomancy or divination that relies strongly on the orientation of buildings or objects to retain auspicious qi ' or energy . many corporate buildings in hong kong are situated according to the tenets of feng shui . a court judgment said chan had received about hk $ 2.1billion ( $ 27 million ) from her between 2005 and 2006 . his lawyers contended the payments were intended to groom him for managing her estate . the south china morning post reported that chan had recently renounced the practice of feng shui and converted to christianity , also changing his name to peter chan . reports said the court heard for the first time how chan had 10 previous criminal convictions relating to credit cards applications in which he claimed to be a qualified medical doctor working in public hospitals . he was fined $ hk20,000 ( $ 2,600 ) in 1986 after pleading guilty to 10 counts , including obtaining property by deception and obtaining services by deception . | he claimed wang 's will had made him the main beneficiary of her $ 4 billion fortune |
afghanistan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- how does the american public feel about the war in afghanistan ? in a word , wary . u.s. forces have been engaged in fierce fighting to oust the taliban in afghanistan . president obama on friday announced his strategy to fight terrorism in afghanistan and pakistan , a plan that includes more troops , new legislation , improved troop training and added civilian expertise . the united states of american did not choose to fight a war in afghanistan . nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on september 11 , 2001 , ' obama said friday . we have a clear and focused goal : to disrupt , dismantle and defeat al qaeda in pakistan and afghanistan , ' he said . stressing that the safety of people around the world is at stake , ' obama said the situation is increasingly perilous ' in the region in and around afghanistan , where the united states has been fighting al qaeda and the taliban for more than 7½ years after attacks in new york and at the pentagon . nevertheless , the american public has been wary about the war in afghanistan , according to a cnn/opinion research corp. poll conducted in february . watch cnn 's bill schneider break down the numbers » last month , americans were almost evenly divided between those who support the war and those who oppose it , the poll showed , with 47 percent in favor and 51 percent opposed . opposition to the war in afghanistan is more muted than opposition to the war in iraq , but it 's not so muted among democrats . two-thirds of americans overall oppose the war in iraq , but 64 percent of democrats oppose the war in afghanistan . the anti-war movements in vietnam and iraq helped define what the democratic party stands for . watch : is afghanistan obama 's vietnam ? » ' if we do n't learn from our iraq experience , we are doomed to repeat it , ' rep. lynn woolsey , d-california , said on the house floor thursday . why are americans wary about afghanistan ? the recession . iraq war fatigue . and frustration . only 31 percent of americans believe the united states is winning the war in afghanistan . fifty percent believe the united states is winning in iraq -- the highest number in at least five years . but americans still want to get out of iraq . last month , when president obama said he would send 17,000 more u.s. troops to afghanistan , the public was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt . democrats were willing to go along with the president , but they were less enthusiastic than republicans a solid majority of americans believe the united states can win a military victory in afghanistan , but afghanistan has become a political war . winning depends , not just on what the united states can do , but also what afghanistan and pakistan can do . americans have far less confidence in them . the cnn/opinion research corp. poll surveyed 1,046 adult americans by telephone on february 18-19 , 2009 . the sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points . | americans almost evenly divided on opinion of afghanistan war , poll shows |
afghanistan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- how does the american public feel about the war in afghanistan ? in a word , wary . u.s. forces have been engaged in fierce fighting to oust the taliban in afghanistan . president obama on friday announced his strategy to fight terrorism in afghanistan and pakistan , a plan that includes more troops , new legislation , improved troop training and added civilian expertise . the united states of american did not choose to fight a war in afghanistan . nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on september 11 , 2001 , ' obama said friday . we have a clear and focused goal : to disrupt , dismantle and defeat al qaeda in pakistan and afghanistan , ' he said . stressing that the safety of people around the world is at stake , ' obama said the situation is increasingly perilous ' in the region in and around afghanistan , where the united states has been fighting al qaeda and the taliban for more than 7½ years after attacks in new york and at the pentagon . nevertheless , the american public has been wary about the war in afghanistan , according to a cnn/opinion research corp. poll conducted in february . watch cnn 's bill schneider break down the numbers » last month , americans were almost evenly divided between those who support the war and those who oppose it , the poll showed , with 47 percent in favor and 51 percent opposed . opposition to the war in afghanistan is more muted than opposition to the war in iraq , but it 's not so muted among democrats . two-thirds of americans overall oppose the war in iraq , but 64 percent of democrats oppose the war in afghanistan . the anti-war movements in vietnam and iraq helped define what the democratic party stands for . watch : is afghanistan obama 's vietnam ? » ' if we do n't learn from our iraq experience , we are doomed to repeat it , ' rep. lynn woolsey , d-california , said on the house floor thursday . why are americans wary about afghanistan ? the recession . iraq war fatigue . and frustration . only 31 percent of americans believe the united states is winning the war in afghanistan . fifty percent believe the united states is winning in iraq -- the highest number in at least five years . but americans still want to get out of iraq . last month , when president obama said he would send 17,000 more u.s. troops to afghanistan , the public was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt . democrats were willing to go along with the president , but they were less enthusiastic than republicans a solid majority of americans believe the united states can win a military victory in afghanistan , but afghanistan has become a political war . winning depends , not just on what the united states can do , but also what afghanistan and pakistan can do . americans have far less confidence in them . the cnn/opinion research corp. poll surveyed 1,046 adult americans by telephone on february 18-19 , 2009 . the sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points . | americans wary about afghanistan because of recession and iraq , schneider says |
ocd <tsp> ( time.com ) -- why do some people find it impossible to get rid of old newspapers and junk mail , and end up hoarding them instead ? new research suggests that hoarders have unique patterns of brain activity when faced with making decisions about their possessions , compared with healthy people . and despite the fact that hoarding has traditionally been seen as a symptom or subtype of obsessive compulsive disorder ( ocd ) , brain activity in those who can not de-clutter is also distinct from that of people with typical ocd , the study shows . many things are unique and distinct about hoarding , ' says dr. eric hollander , director of the autism and obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder program at montefiore/albert einstein school of medicine in new york , who was not associated with the new research . he notes that the new study adds to the evidence that hoarding should be recognized as a specific syndrome that falls not under the standard definition of ocd — only about 18 % of people with hoarding symptoms meet the full criteria for ocd as it is currently defined — but within a spectrum of related conditions . [ this ] is a very interesting and important study , ' he says . indeed , a separate diagnosis of hoarding disorder has been proposed for inclusion in the upcoming revision of psychiatry 's diagnostic manual , the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders ( dsm-5 ) . time.com : real-world hoarders and obsessive-compulsives for the new research , published in the archives of general psychiatry , david tolin of the institute of living in hartford , connecticut , recruited 107 people for brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fmri ) . forty-three people had hoarding disorder , 31 people had ocd and 33 participants were normal controls . the participants were asked to bring a sample of their own junk mail or newspapers to the lab and were assured that researchers would n't throw out anything they wanted to keep . the participants were also told that while they were having their brain activity imaged , they would be asked to decide whether to keep or shred these papers . inside the scanner , the participants were shown images of either their own stuff — preceded by a slide identifying it as yours ' — or images of junk mail and newspapers from the lab , labeled ours . ' for each item , they had to decide whether or not to submit it to the shredder . not surprisingly , people with hoarding disorder chose to keep more of their own items than did those with ocd or those without a diagnosis . when they were faced with tossing or keeping their own items , the hoarders'brain responses also differed from that of the other participants : they showed excessive activation in the anterior cingulate cortex , a brain region involved with decision-making , particularly in situations involving conflicting information or uncertainty . activity was also elevated in the insula , a region that monitors one 's emotional and physical state ( it 's also involved in disgust , shame and other strong negative emotions ) . together , these regions help assign relative levels of importance or significance to objects . time.com : a better way to treat obsessive-compulsive kids ' hoarders have great difficulty making decisions , especially around the value of their possessions , ' says michael jenike , an ocd expert and professor of psychiatry at harvard , who was not associated with the research . this study is very interesting as it demonstrates that brain regions associated with monitoring for errors under conditions of uncertainty are activated when hoarding patients are deciding whether or not to throw out personal items . ' in other words , hoarders assign too much value to their possessions , making it difficult or impossible to decide to get rid of them . consequently , the study found that people with hoarding disorder took much longer to make decisions about discarding their possessions and felt more sadness and anxiety about these choices than did the other participants . one of the characteristics of hoarding is that people feel this sense of discomfort if they feel like they may be giving away something that they could use in future , ' says hollander , explaining that patients often become greatly distressed or even angry if they are pushed to give up apparently useless or excess possessions . interestingly , however , when people with hoarding disorder made similar decisions about discarding junk mail that did n't belong to them , they again showed unusual levels of activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula — but in this case , their brain activity was much lower than normal . the paper 's authors note that the reduced activity is a pattern reminiscent of that seen in patients with autism , ' who are often disengaged from others and who , like hoarders , have rigid routines as well as obsessive behavior . the authors suggest that this lack of brain activity could be linked with the diminished motivation and poor insight frequently observed ' in patients who hoard ; that is , it may be what allows them to live amidst overwhelming clutter and piles of junk , but fail to clear it out or even be bothered by it . time.com : want to make quicker decisions ? muzzle your brain meanwhile , the hyperactivity in these regions may make them overly anxious about and attached to their own possessions , rendering them too overwhelmed to decide to change . hollander compares it to a check engine ' light that keeps flashing on the dash for no reason . a healthy person might be able to disregard the alarm as irrelevant , but the hoarder becomes obsessively focused on it . one problem with hoarding , and with ocd , is that when that alarm goes off , it becomes more and more important and the brain pays more and more attention to these signals . ' says hollander . the [ person 's ] specific concern becomes more and more salient and other routines and activities become less salient , and that 's what 's associated with functional consequences . their lives get smaller and smaller . ' so , it 's not that hoarders are slobs or obsessive collectors . rather , it 's that they have problems making the kinds of decisions about their stuff that others would consider reasonable . time.com : how supermarkets turn shoppers into hoarders hollander notes also that the new findings could have important implications for the treatment of hoarding . a new type of transcranial magnetic stimulation ( tms ) , for example — a therapy that uses non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain to treat depression — may work for people with hoarding disorder . although the tms currently used for depression does n't reach all brain regions , the new type may be able to affect the insula . because of the shape of the coil , it can penetrate more deeply into brain , ' says hollander . this study suggests that if you want to treating hoarding , the insula would be a good target . ' this article was originally published on time.com inside the hoarder 's brain : a unique problem with decision-making & copy 2012 time , inc. time is a registered trademark of time inc. used with permission . | brain activity of hoarders is distinct from that of people with ocd |
dsm-5 <tsp> ( time.com ) -- why do some people find it impossible to get rid of old newspapers and junk mail , and end up hoarding them instead ? new research suggests that hoarders have unique patterns of brain activity when faced with making decisions about their possessions , compared with healthy people . and despite the fact that hoarding has traditionally been seen as a symptom or subtype of obsessive compulsive disorder ( ocd ) , brain activity in those who can not de-clutter is also distinct from that of people with typical ocd , the study shows . many things are unique and distinct about hoarding , ' says dr. eric hollander , director of the autism and obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder program at montefiore/albert einstein school of medicine in new york , who was not associated with the new research . he notes that the new study adds to the evidence that hoarding should be recognized as a specific syndrome that falls not under the standard definition of ocd — only about 18 % of people with hoarding symptoms meet the full criteria for ocd as it is currently defined — but within a spectrum of related conditions . [ this ] is a very interesting and important study , ' he says . indeed , a separate diagnosis of hoarding disorder has been proposed for inclusion in the upcoming revision of psychiatry 's diagnostic manual , the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders ( dsm-5 ) . time.com : real-world hoarders and obsessive-compulsives for the new research , published in the archives of general psychiatry , david tolin of the institute of living in hartford , connecticut , recruited 107 people for brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fmri ) . forty-three people had hoarding disorder , 31 people had ocd and 33 participants were normal controls . the participants were asked to bring a sample of their own junk mail or newspapers to the lab and were assured that researchers would n't throw out anything they wanted to keep . the participants were also told that while they were having their brain activity imaged , they would be asked to decide whether to keep or shred these papers . inside the scanner , the participants were shown images of either their own stuff — preceded by a slide identifying it as yours ' — or images of junk mail and newspapers from the lab , labeled ours . ' for each item , they had to decide whether or not to submit it to the shredder . not surprisingly , people with hoarding disorder chose to keep more of their own items than did those with ocd or those without a diagnosis . when they were faced with tossing or keeping their own items , the hoarders'brain responses also differed from that of the other participants : they showed excessive activation in the anterior cingulate cortex , a brain region involved with decision-making , particularly in situations involving conflicting information or uncertainty . activity was also elevated in the insula , a region that monitors one 's emotional and physical state ( it 's also involved in disgust , shame and other strong negative emotions ) . together , these regions help assign relative levels of importance or significance to objects . time.com : a better way to treat obsessive-compulsive kids ' hoarders have great difficulty making decisions , especially around the value of their possessions , ' says michael jenike , an ocd expert and professor of psychiatry at harvard , who was not associated with the research . this study is very interesting as it demonstrates that brain regions associated with monitoring for errors under conditions of uncertainty are activated when hoarding patients are deciding whether or not to throw out personal items . ' in other words , hoarders assign too much value to their possessions , making it difficult or impossible to decide to get rid of them . consequently , the study found that people with hoarding disorder took much longer to make decisions about discarding their possessions and felt more sadness and anxiety about these choices than did the other participants . one of the characteristics of hoarding is that people feel this sense of discomfort if they feel like they may be giving away something that they could use in future , ' says hollander , explaining that patients often become greatly distressed or even angry if they are pushed to give up apparently useless or excess possessions . interestingly , however , when people with hoarding disorder made similar decisions about discarding junk mail that did n't belong to them , they again showed unusual levels of activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula — but in this case , their brain activity was much lower than normal . the paper 's authors note that the reduced activity is a pattern reminiscent of that seen in patients with autism , ' who are often disengaged from others and who , like hoarders , have rigid routines as well as obsessive behavior . the authors suggest that this lack of brain activity could be linked with the diminished motivation and poor insight frequently observed ' in patients who hoard ; that is , it may be what allows them to live amidst overwhelming clutter and piles of junk , but fail to clear it out or even be bothered by it . time.com : want to make quicker decisions ? muzzle your brain meanwhile , the hyperactivity in these regions may make them overly anxious about and attached to their own possessions , rendering them too overwhelmed to decide to change . hollander compares it to a check engine ' light that keeps flashing on the dash for no reason . a healthy person might be able to disregard the alarm as irrelevant , but the hoarder becomes obsessively focused on it . one problem with hoarding , and with ocd , is that when that alarm goes off , it becomes more and more important and the brain pays more and more attention to these signals . ' says hollander . the [ person 's ] specific concern becomes more and more salient and other routines and activities become less salient , and that 's what 's associated with functional consequences . their lives get smaller and smaller . ' so , it 's not that hoarders are slobs or obsessive collectors . rather , it 's that they have problems making the kinds of decisions about their stuff that others would consider reasonable . time.com : how supermarkets turn shoppers into hoarders hollander notes also that the new findings could have important implications for the treatment of hoarding . a new type of transcranial magnetic stimulation ( tms ) , for example — a therapy that uses non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain to treat depression — may work for people with hoarding disorder . although the tms currently used for depression does n't reach all brain regions , the new type may be able to affect the insula . because of the shape of the coil , it can penetrate more deeply into brain , ' says hollander . this study suggests that if you want to treating hoarding , the insula would be a good target . ' this article was originally published on time.com inside the hoarder 's brain : a unique problem with decision-making & copy 2012 time , inc. time is a registered trademark of time inc. used with permission . | separate diagnosis of hoarding disorder has been proposed for dsm-5 |
sheen <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- actor charlie sheen cited irreconcilable differences ' when he filed for divorce from brooke mueller monday afternoon , a marriage that apparently hit the rocks when he was arrested last christmas day . sheen listed december 25 , 2009 , as their date of separation and the day their twin infant sons began living solely with him . the couple married on may 30 , 2008 . the divorce petition , filed in los angeles county superior court , requested jointed legal and physical custody of bob and max sheen , the boys who were born to the couple on march 14 , 2009 . sheen was arrested on felony domestic violence charges after mueller called police to their holiday home in aspen , colorado , last christmas . she claimed he held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her , the police report said . the felonies were reduced to a misdemeanor third-degree assault count in exchange for his guilty plea in august . the plea deal allowed his time in a a malibu rehab center to count for his 30-day jail term . sheen 's three-month probation is set to end tuesday . he signed the divorce petition monday morning , just six days after new york police reported finding him emotionally disturbed ' in a hotel room . sheen was briefly hospitalized for what his representative said was an allergic reaction to medication . the new york incident led to tabloid speculation that sheen 's mental and physical health was in danger , but his publicist stan rosenfield sought to shoot down the reports . rosenfield shared with cnn an e-mail he received sunday from sheen manager mark burg , describing the reports as complete bulls -- t fabricated lies ! ! ! ' charlie is fine and will be at work on tuesday , ' burg wrote . the son of actor martin sheen , charlie sheen signed a contract last summer to continue with his hit cbs sitcom two and a half men . ' cnn 's brittany kaplan contributed to this report . | charlie sheen cites irreconcilable differences ' with brooke mueller |
sheen <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- actor charlie sheen cited irreconcilable differences ' when he filed for divorce from brooke mueller monday afternoon , a marriage that apparently hit the rocks when he was arrested last christmas day . sheen listed december 25 , 2009 , as their date of separation and the day their twin infant sons began living solely with him . the couple married on may 30 , 2008 . the divorce petition , filed in los angeles county superior court , requested jointed legal and physical custody of bob and max sheen , the boys who were born to the couple on march 14 , 2009 . sheen was arrested on felony domestic violence charges after mueller called police to their holiday home in aspen , colorado , last christmas . she claimed he held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her , the police report said . the felonies were reduced to a misdemeanor third-degree assault count in exchange for his guilty plea in august . the plea deal allowed his time in a a malibu rehab center to count for his 30-day jail term . sheen 's three-month probation is set to end tuesday . he signed the divorce petition monday morning , just six days after new york police reported finding him emotionally disturbed ' in a hotel room . sheen was briefly hospitalized for what his representative said was an allergic reaction to medication . the new york incident led to tabloid speculation that sheen 's mental and physical health was in danger , but his publicist stan rosenfield sought to shoot down the reports . rosenfield shared with cnn an e-mail he received sunday from sheen manager mark burg , describing the reports as complete bulls -- t fabricated lies ! ! ! ' charlie is fine and will be at work on tuesday , ' burg wrote . the son of actor martin sheen , charlie sheen signed a contract last summer to continue with his hit cbs sitcom two and a half men . ' cnn 's brittany kaplan contributed to this report . | sheen and mueller separated last christmas , the petition says |
sheen <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- actor charlie sheen cited irreconcilable differences ' when he filed for divorce from brooke mueller monday afternoon , a marriage that apparently hit the rocks when he was arrested last christmas day . sheen listed december 25 , 2009 , as their date of separation and the day their twin infant sons began living solely with him . the couple married on may 30 , 2008 . the divorce petition , filed in los angeles county superior court , requested jointed legal and physical custody of bob and max sheen , the boys who were born to the couple on march 14 , 2009 . sheen was arrested on felony domestic violence charges after mueller called police to their holiday home in aspen , colorado , last christmas . she claimed he held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her , the police report said . the felonies were reduced to a misdemeanor third-degree assault count in exchange for his guilty plea in august . the plea deal allowed his time in a a malibu rehab center to count for his 30-day jail term . sheen 's three-month probation is set to end tuesday . he signed the divorce petition monday morning , just six days after new york police reported finding him emotionally disturbed ' in a hotel room . sheen was briefly hospitalized for what his representative said was an allergic reaction to medication . the new york incident led to tabloid speculation that sheen 's mental and physical health was in danger , but his publicist stan rosenfield sought to shoot down the reports . rosenfield shared with cnn an e-mail he received sunday from sheen manager mark burg , describing the reports as complete bulls -- t fabricated lies ! ! ! ' charlie is fine and will be at work on tuesday , ' burg wrote . the son of actor martin sheen , charlie sheen signed a contract last summer to continue with his hit cbs sitcom two and a half men . ' cnn 's brittany kaplan contributed to this report . | mueller called police to arrest sheen on domestic violence last christmas |
americans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- for the first time since 2007 , a majority of americans think things are going well in the nation , a new cnn/orc international poll found . it 's a slim majority — just 52 percent of americans said things are going well , while 48 percent said things are going badly — but it 's the most positive appraisal of the state of the nation that the poll has found since january of 2007 . and it marks consistent improvement in the mood of the nation over the past few months , despite a series of national security crises and continued gridlock in washington . in september , 50 percent of respondents said things were going well . economic sentiments have improved over the past year as well . though just one-third of americans believe the nation 's economy is starting to recover , that marks an 8-point increase from a year ago , when 24 percent said the same . a plurality , 41 percent , say the economy has stabilized , a 5-point improvement from november of 2013 . and just 26 percent of americans say the country 's economic conditions are getting worse , a decline from the 39 percent who said so in 2013 . but the mood of the nation is n't consistently positive in the new cnn/orc poll — it suggests both a gender and geographic divide . men are both more positive about the state of the nation and the economy than women , the poll shows . fifty-five percent of men say things are going well in america , compared to 48 percent of women who say the same ; 36 percent of men believe the economy is recovering , while only 28 percent of women say the same . and economic conditions appear to be better in the northeast and midwest than they are in the southern and western parts of the nation , as respondents are more likely in those regions to say the economy is improving . they 're also more likely to say that things are going well than their counterparts in the south and west . the cnn/orc poll was conducted among 1,045 adults via telephone from nov. 21-23 , and has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3 points . | fifty-two percent of americans say things are going well in the nation |
americans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- for the first time since 2007 , a majority of americans think things are going well in the nation , a new cnn/orc international poll found . it 's a slim majority — just 52 percent of americans said things are going well , while 48 percent said things are going badly — but it 's the most positive appraisal of the state of the nation that the poll has found since january of 2007 . and it marks consistent improvement in the mood of the nation over the past few months , despite a series of national security crises and continued gridlock in washington . in september , 50 percent of respondents said things were going well . economic sentiments have improved over the past year as well . though just one-third of americans believe the nation 's economy is starting to recover , that marks an 8-point increase from a year ago , when 24 percent said the same . a plurality , 41 percent , say the economy has stabilized , a 5-point improvement from november of 2013 . and just 26 percent of americans say the country 's economic conditions are getting worse , a decline from the 39 percent who said so in 2013 . but the mood of the nation is n't consistently positive in the new cnn/orc poll — it suggests both a gender and geographic divide . men are both more positive about the state of the nation and the economy than women , the poll shows . fifty-five percent of men say things are going well in america , compared to 48 percent of women who say the same ; 36 percent of men believe the economy is recovering , while only 28 percent of women say the same . and economic conditions appear to be better in the northeast and midwest than they are in the southern and western parts of the nation , as respondents are more likely in those regions to say the economy is improving . they 're also more likely to say that things are going well than their counterparts in the south and west . the cnn/orc poll was conducted among 1,045 adults via telephone from nov. 21-23 , and has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3 points . | one-third of americans say the economy is improving , an 8-point increase from last year |
stefan edberg <tsp> roger federer has become the latest tennis star to turn to a former legend for help with the 17-time grand slam champion adding his childhood hero ' stefan edberg to his coaching team for the upcoming season . the 32-year-old swiss announced the move on facebook , revealing that swede edberg will join the team for the first grand slam of 2014 in australia next month . i am happy to announce that beginning in melbourne , stefan edberg will join severin luthi on my coaching team , ' federer posted . severin , who has been part of my team for the last seven years , will do most of the weeks and stefan has agreed to work with us for at least 10 weeks . stefan was my childhood hero , and i am really looking forward to spending time and learning from him . ' federer endured a difficult 2013 and dispensed with the services of american coach paul annacone in october . but swiss davis cup captain luthi has remained in the fold and told federer 's official website that he was looking forward to working alongside edberg . like roger , i have a tremendous amount of respect for stefan and i am sure he will bring a lot to our team as roger continues to chase titles in 2014 , ' he said . edberg spent a couple of days with federer in dubai earlier this month and his hiring follows a recent trend , started when reigning wimbledon champion andy murray took on ivan lendl before the start of the 2012 season . six-time grand slam champion edberg will be hoping that his involvement with federer will prove as successful . i 'm really excited to be part of roger 's team and i hope together we can bring out his best tennis , ' he told federer 's official website . others leading stars have also followed suit although maria sharapova 's association with jimmy connors lasted just one match . earlier this month , atp world tour finals champion novak djokovic hired german great boris becker to his coaching team . former french open michael chang is helping kei nishikori of japan while another clay court ace , sergi bruguera , is in richard gasquet 's team . becker has been watching djokovic in action this week at the big exhibition tournament in abu dhabi and the serbian reached the final friday with a 7-6 6-3 win over frenchman jo-wilfried tsonga . he will play david ferrer , who upset fellow spaniard and world number one rafael nadal with a 6-4 6-4 win on a fast indoor surface . djokovic , who ended 2013 with 24 straight wins , revealed he will not play any further warm up events ahead of his defense of the australian crown . but he believes becker 's experience will take him to even greater heights next year . he had a great serve and he can help me in different parts of my game on court as well , including the mental aspect , ' djokovic told gathered reporters . meanwhile murray , returning after injury wrecked the back end of his 2013 campaign , finished fifth in the six-man field when he beat stanislas wawrinka 6-3 6-4 . | stefan edberg joins roger federer 's coaching team |
roger federer <tsp> roger federer has become the latest tennis star to turn to a former legend for help with the 17-time grand slam champion adding his childhood hero ' stefan edberg to his coaching team for the upcoming season . the 32-year-old swiss announced the move on facebook , revealing that swede edberg will join the team for the first grand slam of 2014 in australia next month . i am happy to announce that beginning in melbourne , stefan edberg will join severin luthi on my coaching team , ' federer posted . severin , who has been part of my team for the last seven years , will do most of the weeks and stefan has agreed to work with us for at least 10 weeks . stefan was my childhood hero , and i am really looking forward to spending time and learning from him . ' federer endured a difficult 2013 and dispensed with the services of american coach paul annacone in october . but swiss davis cup captain luthi has remained in the fold and told federer 's official website that he was looking forward to working alongside edberg . like roger , i have a tremendous amount of respect for stefan and i am sure he will bring a lot to our team as roger continues to chase titles in 2014 , ' he said . edberg spent a couple of days with federer in dubai earlier this month and his hiring follows a recent trend , started when reigning wimbledon champion andy murray took on ivan lendl before the start of the 2012 season . six-time grand slam champion edberg will be hoping that his involvement with federer will prove as successful . i 'm really excited to be part of roger 's team and i hope together we can bring out his best tennis , ' he told federer 's official website . others leading stars have also followed suit although maria sharapova 's association with jimmy connors lasted just one match . earlier this month , atp world tour finals champion novak djokovic hired german great boris becker to his coaching team . former french open michael chang is helping kei nishikori of japan while another clay court ace , sergi bruguera , is in richard gasquet 's team . becker has been watching djokovic in action this week at the big exhibition tournament in abu dhabi and the serbian reached the final friday with a 7-6 6-3 win over frenchman jo-wilfried tsonga . he will play david ferrer , who upset fellow spaniard and world number one rafael nadal with a 6-4 6-4 win on a fast indoor surface . djokovic , who ended 2013 with 24 straight wins , revealed he will not play any further warm up events ahead of his defense of the australian crown . but he believes becker 's experience will take him to even greater heights next year . he had a great serve and he can help me in different parts of my game on court as well , including the mental aspect , ' djokovic told gathered reporters . meanwhile murray , returning after injury wrecked the back end of his 2013 campaign , finished fifth in the six-man field when he beat stanislas wawrinka 6-3 6-4 . | stefan edberg joins roger federer 's coaching team |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in their first head-to-head debate , sen. john mccain criticized sen. barack obama as a candidate who does n't understand ' the key issues the country faces , and obama linked mccain to president bush on several issues . i 'm afraid sen. obama does n't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy , ' mccain said friday as the two traded jabs over iraq . obama shot back , i absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy . and the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there . ' mccain drew from his experience overseas as he tried to portray himself as the more qualified candidate . incredibly , incredibly sen. obama did n't go to iraq for 900 days and never asked for a meeting with gen. [ david ] petraeus , ' he said . watch mccain , obama talk about fighting in iraq » mccain slammed obama for not supporting the surge , an increase of about 30,000 troops to iraq in early 2007 . bush sent the additional troops as part of a campaign to pacify baghdad and its surrounding provinces . john , you like to pretend like the war started in 2007 , ' obama shot back . you talk about the surge . the war started in 2003 , and at the time when the war started , you said it was going to be quick and easy . you said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were . you were wrong . ' watch entire debate : part 1 » | part 2 » | part 3 » obama repeatedly criticized the bush administration and charged that mccain is an endorser of his policies . see scenes from the debate » in describing his tax plan , obama said , over time , that , i think , is going to be a better recipe for economic growth than the -- the policies of president bush that john mccain wants to -- wants to follow . ' obama also said the economic crisis is the final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by george bush , supported by sen . mccain . ' both candidates squeezed in a few cheap shots . obama brought up mccain 's jokingly singing a line about bombing iran , and mccain jabbed obama for his short-lived presidential seal . ' immediately after the debate , both campaigns issued statements declaring their candidate the winner . grade the candidates'performance in the debate ' this was a clear victory for barack obama on john mccain 's home turf . sen. mccain offered nothing but more of the same failed bush policies , and barack obama made a forceful case for change in our economy and our foreign policy , ' said obama-biden campaign manager david plouffe . john mccain needed a game-changer tonight , and by any measure , he did n't get it , ' he said . ireport.com : who do you think won the debate ? mccain 's campaign said there was one man who was presidential tonight ; that man was john mccain . ' there was another who was political ; that was barack obama . john mccain won this debate and controlled the dialogue throughout , whether it was the economy , taxes , spending , iraq or iran . there was a leadership gap , a judgment gap and a boldness gap on display tonight , a fact barack obama acknowledged when he said john mccain was right at least five times , ' communications director jill hazelbaker said . full coverage of the debates during the first 30 minutes of the debate , the candidates focused on the economy , even though the debate was supposed to be centered on foreign policy . for a while , it seemed like the debate might not even take place , because mccain said he would not show up unless congress came to an agreement on the government 's proposed $ 700 billion bailout plan . mccain said friday that enough progress has been made for him to attend the debate , even though congress has not made a deal . here 's a snapshot of what the candidates said . on government spending : mccain said he would consider a spending freeze on everything but defense , veterans affairs and entitlement programs in order to cut back on government spending . obama disagreed , saying , the problem is , you 're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel . there are some programs that are very important that are currently underfunded , ' obama said . he agreed that the government needs to cut spending in some areas , but he said other areas , such as early childhood education , need more funding . mccain repeated his call to veto every bill with earmarks . watch the candidates spar over earmarks » obama said the country absolutely ' needs earmark reform but said , the fact is , eliminating earmarks alone is not a recipe for how we are going to get the middle class back on track . ' on the bailout proposal : obama said that the united states was facing its worst financial crisis since the great depression . mccain said he was encouraged that republicans and democrats were working together to solve the crisis . obama refused to be pinned down on whether he would support a $ 700 billion plan proposed by president bush 's top economic advisers , saying the final details of the proposal were not known . mccain said he hoped to be able to vote for it . on the likelihood of another terrorist attack : mccain that another attack on the scale of the september 11 hijackings is much less likely ' now than it was the day after the terrorist attacks . america is safer now than it was on 9/11 , ' he said , but we have a long way to go before we can declare america safe . ' obama agreed that the united states is safer in some ways ' but said the country needed to focus more on issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and restoring america 's image in the world . on relations with russia : obama called for a re-evaluation of the united states'approach to russia in light of the country 's recent military action in the caucasus . you can not be a 21st-century superpower and act like a 20th-century dictatorship , ' he said . mccain accused obama of responding naively to russia 's invasion of neighboring georgia last month by calling on both sides to exercise restraint . mccain said he would support the inclusion of georgia and ukraine in nato . on iran : mccain said iranian nuclear weapons would be an existential threat to the state of israel ' and would encourage other countries in the middle east to seek nuclear weapons as well . we can not allow another holocaust , ' he said . obama agreed that the united states can not tolerate a nuclear iran , ' calling for tougher sanctions from a range of countries including russia and china . mccain called for a new league of democracies ' to stand firm against iran . on iraq : mccain said the next president will have to decide when and how to leave iraq and what the united states will leave behind . the republican candidate said that the war had been badly managed at the beginning but that the united states was now winning , thanks to a great general and a strategy that succeeded . ' sen. obama refuses to acknowledge that we are winning in iraq , ' mccain said . obama responded , that 's not true ; that 's not true . ' he blasted mccain as having been wrong about the war at the start , saying mccain had failed to anticipate the uprising against u.s. forces and violence between rival religious groups in the country . watch obama tell mccain he was'wrong'» ' at the time when the war started , you said it was quick and easy . you said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were , ' obama said , citing the key white house policy justifying the 2003 invasion . you were wrong . you said that we were going to be greeted as liberators . you were wrong , ' he said . | barack obama says john mccain wrong about iraq |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- in their first head-to-head debate , sen. john mccain criticized sen. barack obama as a candidate who does n't understand ' the key issues the country faces , and obama linked mccain to president bush on several issues . i 'm afraid sen. obama does n't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy , ' mccain said friday as the two traded jabs over iraq . obama shot back , i absolutely understand the difference between tactics and strategy . and the strategic question that the president has to ask is not whether or not we are employing a particular approach in the country once we have made the decision to be there . ' mccain drew from his experience overseas as he tried to portray himself as the more qualified candidate . incredibly , incredibly sen. obama did n't go to iraq for 900 days and never asked for a meeting with gen. [ david ] petraeus , ' he said . watch mccain , obama talk about fighting in iraq » mccain slammed obama for not supporting the surge , an increase of about 30,000 troops to iraq in early 2007 . bush sent the additional troops as part of a campaign to pacify baghdad and its surrounding provinces . john , you like to pretend like the war started in 2007 , ' obama shot back . you talk about the surge . the war started in 2003 , and at the time when the war started , you said it was going to be quick and easy . you said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were . you were wrong . ' watch entire debate : part 1 » | part 2 » | part 3 » obama repeatedly criticized the bush administration and charged that mccain is an endorser of his policies . see scenes from the debate » in describing his tax plan , obama said , over time , that , i think , is going to be a better recipe for economic growth than the -- the policies of president bush that john mccain wants to -- wants to follow . ' obama also said the economic crisis is the final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by george bush , supported by sen . mccain . ' both candidates squeezed in a few cheap shots . obama brought up mccain 's jokingly singing a line about bombing iran , and mccain jabbed obama for his short-lived presidential seal . ' immediately after the debate , both campaigns issued statements declaring their candidate the winner . grade the candidates'performance in the debate ' this was a clear victory for barack obama on john mccain 's home turf . sen. mccain offered nothing but more of the same failed bush policies , and barack obama made a forceful case for change in our economy and our foreign policy , ' said obama-biden campaign manager david plouffe . john mccain needed a game-changer tonight , and by any measure , he did n't get it , ' he said . ireport.com : who do you think won the debate ? mccain 's campaign said there was one man who was presidential tonight ; that man was john mccain . ' there was another who was political ; that was barack obama . john mccain won this debate and controlled the dialogue throughout , whether it was the economy , taxes , spending , iraq or iran . there was a leadership gap , a judgment gap and a boldness gap on display tonight , a fact barack obama acknowledged when he said john mccain was right at least five times , ' communications director jill hazelbaker said . full coverage of the debates during the first 30 minutes of the debate , the candidates focused on the economy , even though the debate was supposed to be centered on foreign policy . for a while , it seemed like the debate might not even take place , because mccain said he would not show up unless congress came to an agreement on the government 's proposed $ 700 billion bailout plan . mccain said friday that enough progress has been made for him to attend the debate , even though congress has not made a deal . here 's a snapshot of what the candidates said . on government spending : mccain said he would consider a spending freeze on everything but defense , veterans affairs and entitlement programs in order to cut back on government spending . obama disagreed , saying , the problem is , you 're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel . there are some programs that are very important that are currently underfunded , ' obama said . he agreed that the government needs to cut spending in some areas , but he said other areas , such as early childhood education , need more funding . mccain repeated his call to veto every bill with earmarks . watch the candidates spar over earmarks » obama said the country absolutely ' needs earmark reform but said , the fact is , eliminating earmarks alone is not a recipe for how we are going to get the middle class back on track . ' on the bailout proposal : obama said that the united states was facing its worst financial crisis since the great depression . mccain said he was encouraged that republicans and democrats were working together to solve the crisis . obama refused to be pinned down on whether he would support a $ 700 billion plan proposed by president bush 's top economic advisers , saying the final details of the proposal were not known . mccain said he hoped to be able to vote for it . on the likelihood of another terrorist attack : mccain that another attack on the scale of the september 11 hijackings is much less likely ' now than it was the day after the terrorist attacks . america is safer now than it was on 9/11 , ' he said , but we have a long way to go before we can declare america safe . ' obama agreed that the united states is safer in some ways ' but said the country needed to focus more on issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and restoring america 's image in the world . on relations with russia : obama called for a re-evaluation of the united states'approach to russia in light of the country 's recent military action in the caucasus . you can not be a 21st-century superpower and act like a 20th-century dictatorship , ' he said . mccain accused obama of responding naively to russia 's invasion of neighboring georgia last month by calling on both sides to exercise restraint . mccain said he would support the inclusion of georgia and ukraine in nato . on iran : mccain said iranian nuclear weapons would be an existential threat to the state of israel ' and would encourage other countries in the middle east to seek nuclear weapons as well . we can not allow another holocaust , ' he said . obama agreed that the united states can not tolerate a nuclear iran , ' calling for tougher sanctions from a range of countries including russia and china . mccain called for a new league of democracies ' to stand firm against iran . on iraq : mccain said the next president will have to decide when and how to leave iraq and what the united states will leave behind . the republican candidate said that the war had been badly managed at the beginning but that the united states was now winning , thanks to a great general and a strategy that succeeded . ' sen. obama refuses to acknowledge that we are winning in iraq , ' mccain said . obama responded , that 's not true ; that 's not true . ' he blasted mccain as having been wrong about the war at the start , saying mccain had failed to anticipate the uprising against u.s. forces and violence between rival religious groups in the country . watch obama tell mccain he was'wrong'» ' at the time when the war started , you said it was quick and easy . you said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were , ' obama said , citing the key white house policy justifying the 2003 invasion . you were wrong . you said that we were going to be greeted as liberators . you were wrong , ' he said . | mccain says obama does n't understand ' some key issues |
schweitzer <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's the biggest storyline heading into next year 's midterm elections : will republicans succeed in taking control of the u.s. senate ? republicans argue that an announcement over the weekend vastly improves their chances . democrats vehemently disagree . the news from montana 's former democratic gov . brian schweitzer . the man known for his signature bolo tie said he would not run for senate next year , as many democrats had expected . schweitzer captured nearly two-thirds of the vote in his 2008 re-election as governor of the red state and was seen by many as the best chance for the party to keep the seat of retiring sen. max baucus blue . schweitzer has recently faced potentially damaging stories about his ties to a political nonprofit group and its disclosure practices . but sources said that may have just been the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research schweitzer may have faced had he decided to launch a senate bid . but schweitzer denied that impacted his decision . this is n't my first rodeo , ' he told the associated press . schweitzer wo n't run for senate in 2014 a republican source said schweitzer 's decision is a sea change in the 2014 atmosphere . ' winning the majority is something we 've always thought not only possible , but our mission and bar for success , yet many others remained skeptical -- particularly donors and the pundit class , ' said the source , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . this development starts to break through that wall and crumple the belief that a republican majority is out of reach . ' next year , the democrats will try to maintain their majority in the senate , where they currently hold a 54-46 edge ( including two independents who caucus with the party ) over the gop . they hope to expand that to 55-45 following october 's special senate election in new jersey , which they are favored to win . but they most likely will be defending 21 of 35 seats up for grabs in november 2014 . besides montana , republicans are also optimistic about capturing seats in two other states that vote red in presidential elections : neighboring south dakota , where democratic sen. tim johnson is not running for re-election ; and west virginia , where democratic sen. jay rockefeller is retiring . if the gop captures montana , south dakota , and west virginia , it only needs three more seats to reach the magic number of 51 . republican eyes are focused on four democrats facing tough battles next year : mark pryor of arkansas , mary landrieu of louisiana , kay hagan of north carolina , and mark begich of alaska . take three of those four races and the republicans will do what they could n't do in 2010 and 2012 : win back the majority . we are in a strong position not only to win in montana , but national pundits are now beginning to recognize something that we 've been saying since february : republicans are positioned to win the senate majority in 2014 , ' national republican senatorial committee spokesman brad dayspring said in an e-mail on monday . democratic senatorial campaign committee deputy executive director matt cantor disagrees . republicans have been feeling good about their chances in the u.s. senate for six years and they 're still in the minority , ' cantor told cnn . the math still strongly favors democrats and so does history . democratic incumbent senators are very tough to beat . only three democratic incumbents have lost re-election in a decade . ' sources say that recent stories about schweitzer were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research he might have faced if he had launched a senate bid . democrats and republicans agree on schweitzer : there was a treasure trove of opposition research . it 's highly unlikely that his candidacy would have been successful , ' said a democratic source who asked for anonymity in order to speak more candidly . now we have a list of prospects , and while there 's no question that they begin as underdogs in a red state , democrats are better off with a candidate that can win rather than a candidate that would self-combust before the 2014 elections . ' but schweitzer had statewide name recognition that no other democrat may be able to match , said nathan gonzales , political editor of the non-partisan rothenberg political report . republicans have a narrow path to the senate majority in 2014 , but it got a little wider when schweitzer decided not to run , ' gonzales said . we still do n't know who the candidates will be , but schweitzer was a proven vote-getter with nearly universal name identification . no democrat will start from the same place he would have . democrats can win in republican-leaning states , but it takes someone with proven independence from the national party . we 'll see if democrats can find that candidate . ' democrats are also defending retirements in iowa , where sen. tom harkin is not running for a sixth term , and michigan , where sen. carl levin is not bidding for a seventh term . as of now , both of those seats appear to be safer for the democrats . the two republican retirements are in states that appear to be safe for the gop : sen. mike johanns of nebraska and sen. saxby chambliss of georgia , although democrats think an ugly primary in georgia could lead to a very conservative nominee who would be beatable in the general election . the only other seat democrats hope to put in play is in kentucky , where senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , who 's running for a sixth-term , is facing a challenge from democratic secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . | former democratic montana gov . brian schweitzer decides he wo n't run for senate |
schweitzer <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's the biggest storyline heading into next year 's midterm elections : will republicans succeed in taking control of the u.s. senate ? republicans argue that an announcement over the weekend vastly improves their chances . democrats vehemently disagree . the news from montana 's former democratic gov . brian schweitzer . the man known for his signature bolo tie said he would not run for senate next year , as many democrats had expected . schweitzer captured nearly two-thirds of the vote in his 2008 re-election as governor of the red state and was seen by many as the best chance for the party to keep the seat of retiring sen. max baucus blue . schweitzer has recently faced potentially damaging stories about his ties to a political nonprofit group and its disclosure practices . but sources said that may have just been the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research schweitzer may have faced had he decided to launch a senate bid . but schweitzer denied that impacted his decision . this is n't my first rodeo , ' he told the associated press . schweitzer wo n't run for senate in 2014 a republican source said schweitzer 's decision is a sea change in the 2014 atmosphere . ' winning the majority is something we 've always thought not only possible , but our mission and bar for success , yet many others remained skeptical -- particularly donors and the pundit class , ' said the source , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . this development starts to break through that wall and crumple the belief that a republican majority is out of reach . ' next year , the democrats will try to maintain their majority in the senate , where they currently hold a 54-46 edge ( including two independents who caucus with the party ) over the gop . they hope to expand that to 55-45 following october 's special senate election in new jersey , which they are favored to win . but they most likely will be defending 21 of 35 seats up for grabs in november 2014 . besides montana , republicans are also optimistic about capturing seats in two other states that vote red in presidential elections : neighboring south dakota , where democratic sen. tim johnson is not running for re-election ; and west virginia , where democratic sen. jay rockefeller is retiring . if the gop captures montana , south dakota , and west virginia , it only needs three more seats to reach the magic number of 51 . republican eyes are focused on four democrats facing tough battles next year : mark pryor of arkansas , mary landrieu of louisiana , kay hagan of north carolina , and mark begich of alaska . take three of those four races and the republicans will do what they could n't do in 2010 and 2012 : win back the majority . we are in a strong position not only to win in montana , but national pundits are now beginning to recognize something that we 've been saying since february : republicans are positioned to win the senate majority in 2014 , ' national republican senatorial committee spokesman brad dayspring said in an e-mail on monday . democratic senatorial campaign committee deputy executive director matt cantor disagrees . republicans have been feeling good about their chances in the u.s. senate for six years and they 're still in the minority , ' cantor told cnn . the math still strongly favors democrats and so does history . democratic incumbent senators are very tough to beat . only three democratic incumbents have lost re-election in a decade . ' sources say that recent stories about schweitzer were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research he might have faced if he had launched a senate bid . democrats and republicans agree on schweitzer : there was a treasure trove of opposition research . it 's highly unlikely that his candidacy would have been successful , ' said a democratic source who asked for anonymity in order to speak more candidly . now we have a list of prospects , and while there 's no question that they begin as underdogs in a red state , democrats are better off with a candidate that can win rather than a candidate that would self-combust before the 2014 elections . ' but schweitzer had statewide name recognition that no other democrat may be able to match , said nathan gonzales , political editor of the non-partisan rothenberg political report . republicans have a narrow path to the senate majority in 2014 , but it got a little wider when schweitzer decided not to run , ' gonzales said . we still do n't know who the candidates will be , but schweitzer was a proven vote-getter with nearly universal name identification . no democrat will start from the same place he would have . democrats can win in republican-leaning states , but it takes someone with proven independence from the national party . we 'll see if democrats can find that candidate . ' democrats are also defending retirements in iowa , where sen. tom harkin is not running for a sixth term , and michigan , where sen. carl levin is not bidding for a seventh term . as of now , both of those seats appear to be safer for the democrats . the two republican retirements are in states that appear to be safe for the gop : sen. mike johanns of nebraska and sen. saxby chambliss of georgia , although democrats think an ugly primary in georgia could lead to a very conservative nominee who would be beatable in the general election . the only other seat democrats hope to put in play is in kentucky , where senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , who 's running for a sixth-term , is facing a challenge from democratic secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . | recent reports have tied schweitzer to nonprofit group with questions about practices |
schweitzer <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's the biggest storyline heading into next year 's midterm elections : will republicans succeed in taking control of the u.s. senate ? republicans argue that an announcement over the weekend vastly improves their chances . democrats vehemently disagree . the news from montana 's former democratic gov . brian schweitzer . the man known for his signature bolo tie said he would not run for senate next year , as many democrats had expected . schweitzer captured nearly two-thirds of the vote in his 2008 re-election as governor of the red state and was seen by many as the best chance for the party to keep the seat of retiring sen. max baucus blue . schweitzer has recently faced potentially damaging stories about his ties to a political nonprofit group and its disclosure practices . but sources said that may have just been the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research schweitzer may have faced had he decided to launch a senate bid . but schweitzer denied that impacted his decision . this is n't my first rodeo , ' he told the associated press . schweitzer wo n't run for senate in 2014 a republican source said schweitzer 's decision is a sea change in the 2014 atmosphere . ' winning the majority is something we 've always thought not only possible , but our mission and bar for success , yet many others remained skeptical -- particularly donors and the pundit class , ' said the source , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . this development starts to break through that wall and crumple the belief that a republican majority is out of reach . ' next year , the democrats will try to maintain their majority in the senate , where they currently hold a 54-46 edge ( including two independents who caucus with the party ) over the gop . they hope to expand that to 55-45 following october 's special senate election in new jersey , which they are favored to win . but they most likely will be defending 21 of 35 seats up for grabs in november 2014 . besides montana , republicans are also optimistic about capturing seats in two other states that vote red in presidential elections : neighboring south dakota , where democratic sen. tim johnson is not running for re-election ; and west virginia , where democratic sen. jay rockefeller is retiring . if the gop captures montana , south dakota , and west virginia , it only needs three more seats to reach the magic number of 51 . republican eyes are focused on four democrats facing tough battles next year : mark pryor of arkansas , mary landrieu of louisiana , kay hagan of north carolina , and mark begich of alaska . take three of those four races and the republicans will do what they could n't do in 2010 and 2012 : win back the majority . we are in a strong position not only to win in montana , but national pundits are now beginning to recognize something that we 've been saying since february : republicans are positioned to win the senate majority in 2014 , ' national republican senatorial committee spokesman brad dayspring said in an e-mail on monday . democratic senatorial campaign committee deputy executive director matt cantor disagrees . republicans have been feeling good about their chances in the u.s. senate for six years and they 're still in the minority , ' cantor told cnn . the math still strongly favors democrats and so does history . democratic incumbent senators are very tough to beat . only three democratic incumbents have lost re-election in a decade . ' sources say that recent stories about schweitzer were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to opposition research he might have faced if he had launched a senate bid . democrats and republicans agree on schweitzer : there was a treasure trove of opposition research . it 's highly unlikely that his candidacy would have been successful , ' said a democratic source who asked for anonymity in order to speak more candidly . now we have a list of prospects , and while there 's no question that they begin as underdogs in a red state , democrats are better off with a candidate that can win rather than a candidate that would self-combust before the 2014 elections . ' but schweitzer had statewide name recognition that no other democrat may be able to match , said nathan gonzales , political editor of the non-partisan rothenberg political report . republicans have a narrow path to the senate majority in 2014 , but it got a little wider when schweitzer decided not to run , ' gonzales said . we still do n't know who the candidates will be , but schweitzer was a proven vote-getter with nearly universal name identification . no democrat will start from the same place he would have . democrats can win in republican-leaning states , but it takes someone with proven independence from the national party . we 'll see if democrats can find that candidate . ' democrats are also defending retirements in iowa , where sen. tom harkin is not running for a sixth term , and michigan , where sen. carl levin is not bidding for a seventh term . as of now , both of those seats appear to be safer for the democrats . the two republican retirements are in states that appear to be safe for the gop : sen. mike johanns of nebraska and sen. saxby chambliss of georgia , although democrats think an ugly primary in georgia could lead to a very conservative nominee who would be beatable in the general election . the only other seat democrats hope to put in play is in kentucky , where senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , who 's running for a sixth-term , is facing a challenge from democratic secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . | schweitzer was a favorite because of name recognition and electoral success in red state |
kanye west <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on friday , kanye west stopped a concert in sydney to demand that everyone stand up . he looked around the crowd , pointing out those slow to rise . he said , unless you got a handicap pass and you get special parking and s * * t , ' he simply would not continue the show until everyone was on their feet . the crowd shouted , stand up ! ' or even , f * * * ing stand up ! ' after a minute , west pointed out two people who , he said , do n't want to stand up . ' one of them waved a prosthetic leg in the air , so west turned to the last holdout . he demanded to know if the fan was in a wheelchair . the crowd laughed . he complained , this is the longest i 've had to wait to do a song , it 's unbelievable . ' finally , as the crowd was shouting that the fan was in a wheelchair , west sent a bodyguard to verify it , then finally started his song , the good life . ' reaction to this incident throughout social media and in numerous publications was swift and condemnatory . west , in return , lashed out at the media . but in fact , although west 's celebrity magnifies the story , the bigger issue here is that his demand that his fans prove their disability is entirely typical . every day , in every context , people with disabilities get challenged to prove how disabled they are . this constant questioning isolates people with disabilities , increases stress and shame , and can lead directly to verbal or even physical abuse . here are a few examples : a few weeks ago , actor george takei shared a meme showing a woman standing up from a wheelchair at a grocery store to reach a liquor bottle . the caption , there has been a miracle in the alcohol isle , ' suggested that this woman was n't really that disabled if she could stand up to get some booze . disability advocates protested and takei initially told them to lighten up , but he has subsequently apologized . i was alerted to the story by a woman who can walk about 100 feet before needing her chair , and who goes through life worried about being accused of faking . the parking lot , with its handicapped spots , can be particularly fraught for people with invisible disabilities . on my facebook page , one of my readers remarked that , all i see are looks of disapproval , barely veiled disgust and constant scrutiny . i 'd gladly trade my'good'parking space for being able to walk more than 25 yards at a time . ' who knows how many people with invisible disabilities , managing pain , enjoying the concert , were forced to their feet by the glare of kanye west and the peer pressure of the shouting crowd ? invisible disability also gets people in trouble with the law . when a disabled person does n't react the way a law enforcement officer thinks he or she should , violence often follows . but visible disability is no protection . in 2008 , as shown in a disturbing video , a florida deputy did n't believe a man who had been arrested on a traffic violation was really a quadriplegic , so she dumped him onto the floor to see if he would use his legs out of duress . these are just a few of the ways we constantly demand that people with disabilities prove themselves . we do it because , to the not-disabled , claiming disability seems to have a kind of power . thanks to the americans with disabilities act , to claim disability is to ask for reasonable accommodation -- accessible buildings , more time on tests , audible formats for books , social security disability payments , and more . too many people seem to regard the request to accommodate as a burden and meet such requests with suspicion . the not-disabled exercise their privilege by demanding that people prove their disabilities ; then , all too often , proof just generates pity , not understanding or inclusion . by demanding everyone rise , by calling out the disabled members of his audience even as he grudgingly tolerated their inability to stand , west was being totally normal . if you think what he did was wrong , remember that the next time you are tempted to stare down someone walking from a handicapped spot at the grocery store . remember that the next time someone managing pain ca n't make it into work . remember that the next time a student needs a little more time on a test . because the problem is n't that west was so thoughtless , although he was . the problem is that he learned this thoughtlessness from us . | kanye west insisted audience members stand before he would sing song in australia concert |
kanye west <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on friday , kanye west stopped a concert in sydney to demand that everyone stand up . he looked around the crowd , pointing out those slow to rise . he said , unless you got a handicap pass and you get special parking and s * * t , ' he simply would not continue the show until everyone was on their feet . the crowd shouted , stand up ! ' or even , f * * * ing stand up ! ' after a minute , west pointed out two people who , he said , do n't want to stand up . ' one of them waved a prosthetic leg in the air , so west turned to the last holdout . he demanded to know if the fan was in a wheelchair . the crowd laughed . he complained , this is the longest i 've had to wait to do a song , it 's unbelievable . ' finally , as the crowd was shouting that the fan was in a wheelchair , west sent a bodyguard to verify it , then finally started his song , the good life . ' reaction to this incident throughout social media and in numerous publications was swift and condemnatory . west , in return , lashed out at the media . but in fact , although west 's celebrity magnifies the story , the bigger issue here is that his demand that his fans prove their disability is entirely typical . every day , in every context , people with disabilities get challenged to prove how disabled they are . this constant questioning isolates people with disabilities , increases stress and shame , and can lead directly to verbal or even physical abuse . here are a few examples : a few weeks ago , actor george takei shared a meme showing a woman standing up from a wheelchair at a grocery store to reach a liquor bottle . the caption , there has been a miracle in the alcohol isle , ' suggested that this woman was n't really that disabled if she could stand up to get some booze . disability advocates protested and takei initially told them to lighten up , but he has subsequently apologized . i was alerted to the story by a woman who can walk about 100 feet before needing her chair , and who goes through life worried about being accused of faking . the parking lot , with its handicapped spots , can be particularly fraught for people with invisible disabilities . on my facebook page , one of my readers remarked that , all i see are looks of disapproval , barely veiled disgust and constant scrutiny . i 'd gladly trade my'good'parking space for being able to walk more than 25 yards at a time . ' who knows how many people with invisible disabilities , managing pain , enjoying the concert , were forced to their feet by the glare of kanye west and the peer pressure of the shouting crowd ? invisible disability also gets people in trouble with the law . when a disabled person does n't react the way a law enforcement officer thinks he or she should , violence often follows . but visible disability is no protection . in 2008 , as shown in a disturbing video , a florida deputy did n't believe a man who had been arrested on a traffic violation was really a quadriplegic , so she dumped him onto the floor to see if he would use his legs out of duress . these are just a few of the ways we constantly demand that people with disabilities prove themselves . we do it because , to the not-disabled , claiming disability seems to have a kind of power . thanks to the americans with disabilities act , to claim disability is to ask for reasonable accommodation -- accessible buildings , more time on tests , audible formats for books , social security disability payments , and more . too many people seem to regard the request to accommodate as a burden and meet such requests with suspicion . the not-disabled exercise their privilege by demanding that people prove their disabilities ; then , all too often , proof just generates pity , not understanding or inclusion . by demanding everyone rise , by calling out the disabled members of his audience even as he grudgingly tolerated their inability to stand , west was being totally normal . if you think what he did was wrong , remember that the next time you are tempted to stare down someone walking from a handicapped spot at the grocery store . remember that the next time someone managing pain ca n't make it into work . remember that the next time a student needs a little more time on a test . because the problem is n't that west was so thoughtless , although he was . the problem is that he learned this thoughtlessness from us . | perry : do n't blame just kanye west for conduct that many of us routinely engage in |
art sherman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's going to take two to three weeks for thoroughbred california chrome to heal from a nasty injury to his hoof , his trainer art sherman said sunday . he 's got a lot of talent , ' sherman said of the colt that was the favorite for the belmont stakes but was denied his shot at becoming the first triple crown in 36 years . tonalist was victorious saturday at the storied race in elmont , new york . california chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth with wicked strong . sherman said the colt 's injury occurred during the first jump . ' he just needs a little time off , ' sherman said , explaining that the injury is superficial ' and not deep . ' sherman assured that california chrome will not be in any pain as his injury is treated in part with a special bandage , and his recuperation will involve some pasture time . ' as to what went wrong for a horse who many thought would win saturday , sherman alluded to the amount of racing california chrome did leading up to the belmont stakes . the colt , which brought in $ 3.5 million this year , ran his third triple crown race in five weeks . eleven horses competed in the belmont stakes . sherman suggested sunday that , as with any athlete , rest is just as pivotal as racing and training . i think you need a little more time between races , ' he said . jockey victor espinoza seemed optimistic that chrome would recover . thank you to everyone for your support on this journey , you are awesome ! i hope california chrome gets better soon , ' he tweeted saturday evening . california chrome 's owner steve coburn was incensed saturday that none of the top three finishers had raced in both the derby and preakness , the two prerequisites to the triple crown . those horse owners took the coward 's way out , ' coburn blasted . coburn did n't ease off his comments sunday . on abc , he was asked whether he regretted his rant . not only no , but hell no , ' coburn answered . i do not regret it one bit . it 's the truth . ' he was asked if he thought the rules should change so that horses should have to participate in the other two races to run at belmont . yes i do , i mean think of it this way . ok , it says triple crown . you nominate your horse for the triple crown -- that means three . the triple crown trophy has three points on it . so when you earn enough points to be in the kentucky derby , those 20 horses that start in the kentucky derby should be the only 20 allowed to run in the preakness and the belmont , for the triple crown . ' at a news conference , sherman was asked what he thought of coburn 's comments at the race . coburn was in the heat of the moment , ' he said . sometimes your emotions get in front of you . ' cnn 's suzanne presto contributed to this report . | injury is not deep , ' trainer art sherman says |
california chrome <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's going to take two to three weeks for thoroughbred california chrome to heal from a nasty injury to his hoof , his trainer art sherman said sunday . he 's got a lot of talent , ' sherman said of the colt that was the favorite for the belmont stakes but was denied his shot at becoming the first triple crown in 36 years . tonalist was victorious saturday at the storied race in elmont , new york . california chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth with wicked strong . sherman said the colt 's injury occurred during the first jump . ' he just needs a little time off , ' sherman said , explaining that the injury is superficial ' and not deep . ' sherman assured that california chrome will not be in any pain as his injury is treated in part with a special bandage , and his recuperation will involve some pasture time . ' as to what went wrong for a horse who many thought would win saturday , sherman alluded to the amount of racing california chrome did leading up to the belmont stakes . the colt , which brought in $ 3.5 million this year , ran his third triple crown race in five weeks . eleven horses competed in the belmont stakes . sherman suggested sunday that , as with any athlete , rest is just as pivotal as racing and training . i think you need a little more time between races , ' he said . jockey victor espinoza seemed optimistic that chrome would recover . thank you to everyone for your support on this journey , you are awesome ! i hope california chrome gets better soon , ' he tweeted saturday evening . california chrome 's owner steve coburn was incensed saturday that none of the top three finishers had raced in both the derby and preakness , the two prerequisites to the triple crown . those horse owners took the coward 's way out , ' coburn blasted . coburn did n't ease off his comments sunday . on abc , he was asked whether he regretted his rant . not only no , but hell no , ' coburn answered . i do not regret it one bit . it 's the truth . ' he was asked if he thought the rules should change so that horses should have to participate in the other two races to run at belmont . yes i do , i mean think of it this way . ok , it says triple crown . you nominate your horse for the triple crown -- that means three . the triple crown trophy has three points on it . so when you earn enough points to be in the kentucky derby , those 20 horses that start in the kentucky derby should be the only 20 allowed to run in the preakness and the belmont , for the triple crown . ' at a news conference , sherman was asked what he thought of coburn 's comments at the race . coburn was in the heat of the moment , ' he said . sometimes your emotions get in front of you . ' cnn 's suzanne presto contributed to this report . | trainer says california chrome wo n't be in any pain while his injury gets treated |
vitesse arnhem <tsp> amsterdam , holland -- ajax lost ground on dutch league leaders psv eindhoven after being held to a 2-2 draw at vitesse arnhem on sunday . ajax 's leonardo , front in blue , duels for the ball with sebastien sansoni and abubakari yakubu of vitesse . the amsterdam side led 2-1 with two goals in four minutes just after half-time from urby emanuelson and luis suarez following mads junker 's early opener , but harrie gommans rescued a draw . ajax are now five points adrift of psv , who beat excelsior 2-1 on saturday , with heerenveen , feyenoord and groningen just one point further back . feyenoord were held 1-1 at home by groningen on sunday , with marcus berg putting the visitors on course for a 13th win of the season until an own goal by mark-jan fledderus on the stroke of half-time gave the rotterdam side a point . at the other end of the table , heracles registered their first away win of the season with a 5-0 thumping of fellow strugglers venlo . relegation-threatened sparta rotterdam and nec nijmegen both picked up vital victories . sparta won 2-1 at sixth-placed twente enschede as goals from yuri rose and charles dissels on 28 and 51 minutes kept the visitors above of second-bottom nijmegen on goal difference . nec won 2-0 at home to ninth-placed utrecht , the club 's first victory since early november , as jhonny van beukering and brett holman netted in the second half . e-mail to a friend | second-placed ajax held 2-2 at home by vitesse arnhem in dutch eredivisie |
palestine <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- by the end of world war ii in april 1945 , with about two-thirds of european jewry wiped out , jewish survivors stepped out of the darkness in search of a place to call home . bestselling author anita diamant releases her latest historical novel , day after night . ' about 250,000 were considered displaced persons , according to the united states holocaust memorial museum . a growing number of jews -- before , during and especially after the war -- dreamt of helping to build a jewish homeland in what was , at the time , british-controlled palestine . getting out of europe , for a lot of people , felt like getting out of a graveyard , ' said bestselling author anita diamant , whose newest book focuses on this period . palestine was like over the rainbow , practically . it was somewhere that they knew they were wanted , at least by the jewish community in palestine , and it was a way to start over again in a completely new world . ' immigration quotas , however , meant that the more than 100,000 jews who arrived between 1945 and 1948 , when israel was declared a state , did so illegally . most of those who were captured were sent to internment camps in places like cyprus . but some jewish prisoners ended up at a camp in palestine called atlit , located on the mediterranean coast near the city of haifa . living in barracks and peering through barbed wire , these holocaust survivors lived in limbo between their past and their future . nobody else wanted them , so they wanted to go to palestine , ' diamant said . there was this bottleneck . it was a big problem for the british , and it was also a public relations nightmare for the british . ' watch diamant talk about her new book » one night in october 1945 , members of the palmach -- an underground jewish fighting force originally created to help the british fight the nazis -- broke into atlit and helped more than 200 prisoners escape . central in this charge was yitzhak rabin , who would go on to be israel 's prime minister , and who was assassinated by a jewish extremist in 1995 . diamant , author of the red tent , ' among other books , delves into the lives of four women who were part of this experience in her latest historical novel , day after night . ' carrying with them different wartime experiences , they are : a polish partisan fighter , a parisian woman who was forced into prostitution , a dutch jew who was in hiding , and a concentration camp survivor . cnn sat down with diamant , a daughter of holocaust survivors , to talk about her latest book , the reason this story is relatively unknown and her attempt to stay out of middle east politics . cnn : how did you decide to focus on this specific story ? diamant : the story found me , the way i think all of my novels found me . my daughter was in israel on a semester program when she was 15 , in 2000 , and my husband and i went on the parents'trip . so we were on and off the buses with the kids as they did their field trips , and one of the field trips was in atlit . we were given the tour , and we were told the story of this escape and about these so-called illegal immigrants . and i thought there 's a novel . cnn : this is n't a piece of israel 's history that many seem to know about . why is that ? diamant : american jews , even people who know haifa well , who know israel well , it comes as a surprise to them . it 's not one of the big bloody chapters . it was early in the conflict in terms of jewish resistance . after this they started bombing train tracks and doing more overt military resistance to the british occupation , as it was known then . part of the reason we do n't know about it is that i think the holocaust is still such a huge shadow , and it 's still something we focus on . this is a relatively tender interlude . it 's not the founding of the state , and it 's not the holocaust . cnn : are the characters based on real women you learned about in your research ? diamant : no , they 're my girls . i invented them based on some stories that i had heard and read . ... there were women partisan fighters . i know that women were forced to do things against their will to survive . a lot of people were in hiding . it 's sort of based on common knowledge about what happened during the war but at the same time trying to flesh out women 's stories which i still think are under-told . cnn : what was the central struggle facing these women and the people in atlit in general ? diamant : it 's the struggle to continue after great loss , great pain and great suffering . how do you cope with those memories ? where do you put them ? how do you carry them with you into the future ? how much do you have to forget in order to live , to continue ? ... we are a resilient species . life moves on and they fall in love . and they 're coming back to life , their bodies are coming back to life . a lot of marriages happened in displaced persons camps and camps like this , and a lot of babies were conceived in places like this , too , because life demands that we continue . but that can feel also like a betrayal of all the people you lost , so it 's a painful tension -- the past and the future . cnn : politically , everything that involves israel is so loaded . did you worry about this ? did you factor in how history unfolded after this ? diamant : i focused it very narrowly on this one little window of history . for it to have integrity , telling the story of that period , you ca n't know what happens next . so i really focused on their stories , their personal stories . maybe that 's a cop-out ? but in writing a historical novel , you ca n't go outside of the box . i do n't think i can . although ... a couple characters say , they told us there was nobody here . there are all these arabs here . ' there was a slogan : people without a land , and a land without a people . ' that was the slogan in europe that was used to drum up zionist support . but in fact there were people in the land , and they got there and they went , what ? no one told us . ' jews have been grappling with that fact from before the founding of the state . so it 's acknowledged in here , but it 's not the center of the book . | some were imprisoned in british-controlled palestine and later freed in breakout |
peapod plus travel beds <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- small portable sleep tents for infants and small children may pose a safety hazard , prompting the consumer product safety commission and kidco inc. to issue a voluntary recall of more than 220,000 peapod and peapod plus travel beds . the safety commission said babies can potentially roll off the edge of the inflatable air mattress and become trapped between the mattress and the fabric sides of the tent and suffocate . the recall was prompted in part after a report that a 5-month-old boy in new york was found dead last year with his face pressed against the side wall of the tent . the cause of death was not determined , according to the safety commission . there are nine other reports in the united states and canada of children who became trapped or were found crying underneath the mattress . the travel tents were made in china and sold at independent juvenile specialty stores nationwide and online at amazon.com from january 2005 until now for between $ 70 and $ 100 . the safety commission said the tents have a zippered side and an inflatable air mattress that fits into a zippered pocket underneath the floor of the tent . the tents fold into a round shape and come with a fabric bag for storage and transport . consumers are being warned to stop using the tents , which come in a variety of colors and models , and contact the libertyville , illinois-based company to get a free repair kit . click here to see the recalled product . | 220,000 peapod and peapod plus travel beds subject to voluntary recall |
french <tsp> ( cnn ) the terrorist who gunned down four people at a kosher market in eastern paris earlier this month recorded the attack on a camera , a u.s. intelligence official told cnn on friday . the information backed up a report by eric pelletier , a national security reporter at the french magazine l'express , who wrote that amedy coulibaly recorded seven minutes of the attack , including the moments when he killed three people . citing a french source close to the investigation , pelletier reported friday that coulibaly was able to use a computer at the market to email a copy of the attack video before he was killed by police . coulibaly was carrying the gopro camera on his torso during the january 9 attack and subsequent standoff , the source told l'express . french investigators have viewed the recording , said pelletier , who shared details of his reporting with cnn . but a second police source told l'express saturday that it could not yet be determined whether coulibaly had managed to email out the video . there is a strong probability that this video may have been transmitted to a recipient and not to a traditional media outlet , ' an investigator told l'express . the investigator expressed his fear to see that video surface online one day . the source said french investigators have examined computers recovered from the grocery store and are looking into what accomplices coulibaly may have connected with around that time . several survivors said coulibaly tried to connect to the internet on his own computer but failed . he then went to a second computer in the store after forcing a hostage to help him . he inserted his memory card into the computer and appeared to be manipulating video or image files on the computer . coulibaly reportedly had proclaimed his allegiance to isis . he is believed to have killed a policewoman a day before the market attack . officials said they believe hayat boumeddiene , coulibaly 's widow , may have played a role in the plans and has fled to syria . two days before coulibaly was killed , brothers said and cherif kouachi attacked the offices of satirical magazine charlie hebdo , killing 12 people and injuring 11 . they died the same day as coulibaly as police moved in to end a separate siege . | source tells french journalist that the terrorist emailed video of the attack |
port said <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) -- soccer fans in the restive egyptian city of port said clashed with security forces and torched a police station saturday , the interior ministry said . at least 10 people were injured in the fighting , the latest over the last year . violent clashes in port said have highlighted the longstanding resentment residents there feel toward cairo and president mohamed morsy . the green ultras -- fans of the city 's al-masry football club long in the middle of political violence -- threw rocks at police vehicles that were transporting prisoners from jail to a court for their hearing . after the incident , about 500 people gathered in front of a police station . they threw rocks and molotov cocktails and set fire to the building . the people also prevented emergency vehicles from arriving at the scene to help put out the fire . the interior ministry said the situation is now under control . the violence comes during a civil disobedience movement in the runup to a march 9 final verdict for people involved in deadly clashes after port said-based al-masry defeated cairo 's al-ahry 3-1 in a february 2012 soccer game . the fighting , dubbed the massacre at port said , left 74 dead and 1,000 injured . the history of tense relations between port said and cairo dates back about 60 years , as residents of port said have felt betrayed by egyptian security forces during a series of wars with israel . thousands of residents were displaced several times because of the suez war , the six day war of 1967 , the war of attrition with israel , and the 1973 arab-israeli war . egyptian opposition leader calls for election boycott residents of port said , in the northeastern corner of the country , believed security forces did not adequately defend their city . in addition , some say cairo has not invested enough in port said 's infrastructure , and that their city does n't reap enough tax benefits from trade with international ships that pass though port said via the critical suez canal . some also contend that port said is still getting the cold shoulder from cairo after a 1999 assassination attempt of then-president hosni mubarak , who was visiting the city . elsewhere , tensions flared in mansoura , in the nile delta region . thousands poured into the streets for the funeral of housam abdelazim , killed friday night in clashes between protesters and members of the security forces , the state-run ahram news outlet said . the death occurred when the forces were preventing an attack by protesters against a complex of buildings that houses dakahliya provincial headquarters . he was killed after a police vehicle drove over him , witnesses said . the security forces fired tear gas as the protesters threw molotov cocktails and cut off roads leading to the provincial government buildings . scores injured in anti-government protests in egypt kerry visits egypt a protest erupted in cairo as u.s. secretary of state john kerry paid a visit to egypt on saturday , part of his first trip overseas as america 's top diplomat . dozens of protesters in front of the ministry of foreign affairs set on fire pictures of kerry , according to the state-run mena news outlet . other protesters laid on the ground at the front gate of the ministry . some formed a human chain on a bridge leading to the ministry and held banners rejecting kerry 's visit to egypt . the demonstration caused congestion with many cars backed up on corniche nile road . the protesters chanted anti-u.s. and anti-israel slogans . this came before kerry 's meeting with foreign ministry mohamed kamel amr . his stopover comes amid political quarreling in egypt . the obama administration has been stressing to morsy and other political figures the importance of political consensus . secretary kerry sees'urgent'need to revive egyptian economy speaking at a meeting with business leaders , kerry said it is paramount , essential , urgent that the egyptian economy get stronger , that it get back on its feet . ' kerry said that there needs to be a sense of security and an agreement with the international monetary fund to help jump-start the economy . kerry said he spoke with the leaders of great britain , france , germany and turkey and all want to be helpful but all of them believe egypt must make some fundamental economic choices . ' kerry met with amre moussa and nabil el araby , the former and current heads of the arab league . he met with opposition leaders on saturday , but state news said opposition leaders hamdeen sabahy and mohamed elbaradei decided not to meet with kerry . he will meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations and morsy on sunday . in his visit with morsy , he will broach very specific ways ' in which obama wants to help egypt , including economic assistance , support for private business , increasing egyptian exports to the united states and investing in education . in remarks to reporters on sunday , he reiterated the importance of economic and political strides . there must be a willingness on all sides ' in egypt to make meaningful compromises , ' and egyptians must stay focused on economic and political opportunities to succeed in forging a successful democracy . his visit comes as egypt has been engulfed in political unrest for months . he said the united states will help egyptians achieve their aspirations for democracy and economic opportunity without interference . we come here as friends ' of egyptians , not favoring a particular group , person or ideology . he said the best way to ensure human rights ' in the country is through the broadest possible ' political and economic participation . kerry also said he appreciated morsy 's role in helping bring about a cease-fire between israel and militants in gaza in fighting there last year . cnn 's amir ahmed reported from atlanta . cnn 's jill dougherty reported from cairo . cnn 's joe sterling contributed to this report | there has long been tense ties between port said and cairo |
port said <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) -- soccer fans in the restive egyptian city of port said clashed with security forces and torched a police station saturday , the interior ministry said . at least 10 people were injured in the fighting , the latest over the last year . violent clashes in port said have highlighted the longstanding resentment residents there feel toward cairo and president mohamed morsy . the green ultras -- fans of the city 's al-masry football club long in the middle of political violence -- threw rocks at police vehicles that were transporting prisoners from jail to a court for their hearing . after the incident , about 500 people gathered in front of a police station . they threw rocks and molotov cocktails and set fire to the building . the people also prevented emergency vehicles from arriving at the scene to help put out the fire . the interior ministry said the situation is now under control . the violence comes during a civil disobedience movement in the runup to a march 9 final verdict for people involved in deadly clashes after port said-based al-masry defeated cairo 's al-ahry 3-1 in a february 2012 soccer game . the fighting , dubbed the massacre at port said , left 74 dead and 1,000 injured . the history of tense relations between port said and cairo dates back about 60 years , as residents of port said have felt betrayed by egyptian security forces during a series of wars with israel . thousands of residents were displaced several times because of the suez war , the six day war of 1967 , the war of attrition with israel , and the 1973 arab-israeli war . egyptian opposition leader calls for election boycott residents of port said , in the northeastern corner of the country , believed security forces did not adequately defend their city . in addition , some say cairo has not invested enough in port said 's infrastructure , and that their city does n't reap enough tax benefits from trade with international ships that pass though port said via the critical suez canal . some also contend that port said is still getting the cold shoulder from cairo after a 1999 assassination attempt of then-president hosni mubarak , who was visiting the city . elsewhere , tensions flared in mansoura , in the nile delta region . thousands poured into the streets for the funeral of housam abdelazim , killed friday night in clashes between protesters and members of the security forces , the state-run ahram news outlet said . the death occurred when the forces were preventing an attack by protesters against a complex of buildings that houses dakahliya provincial headquarters . he was killed after a police vehicle drove over him , witnesses said . the security forces fired tear gas as the protesters threw molotov cocktails and cut off roads leading to the provincial government buildings . scores injured in anti-government protests in egypt kerry visits egypt a protest erupted in cairo as u.s. secretary of state john kerry paid a visit to egypt on saturday , part of his first trip overseas as america 's top diplomat . dozens of protesters in front of the ministry of foreign affairs set on fire pictures of kerry , according to the state-run mena news outlet . other protesters laid on the ground at the front gate of the ministry . some formed a human chain on a bridge leading to the ministry and held banners rejecting kerry 's visit to egypt . the demonstration caused congestion with many cars backed up on corniche nile road . the protesters chanted anti-u.s. and anti-israel slogans . this came before kerry 's meeting with foreign ministry mohamed kamel amr . his stopover comes amid political quarreling in egypt . the obama administration has been stressing to morsy and other political figures the importance of political consensus . secretary kerry sees'urgent'need to revive egyptian economy speaking at a meeting with business leaders , kerry said it is paramount , essential , urgent that the egyptian economy get stronger , that it get back on its feet . ' kerry said that there needs to be a sense of security and an agreement with the international monetary fund to help jump-start the economy . kerry said he spoke with the leaders of great britain , france , germany and turkey and all want to be helpful but all of them believe egypt must make some fundamental economic choices . ' kerry met with amre moussa and nabil el araby , the former and current heads of the arab league . he met with opposition leaders on saturday , but state news said opposition leaders hamdeen sabahy and mohamed elbaradei decided not to meet with kerry . he will meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations and morsy on sunday . in his visit with morsy , he will broach very specific ways ' in which obama wants to help egypt , including economic assistance , support for private business , increasing egyptian exports to the united states and investing in education . in remarks to reporters on sunday , he reiterated the importance of economic and political strides . there must be a willingness on all sides ' in egypt to make meaningful compromises , ' and egyptians must stay focused on economic and political opportunities to succeed in forging a successful democracy . his visit comes as egypt has been engulfed in political unrest for months . he said the united states will help egyptians achieve their aspirations for democracy and economic opportunity without interference . we come here as friends ' of egyptians , not favoring a particular group , person or ideology . he said the best way to ensure human rights ' in the country is through the broadest possible ' political and economic participation . kerry also said he appreciated morsy 's role in helping bring about a cease-fire between israel and militants in gaza in fighting there last year . cnn 's amir ahmed reported from atlanta . cnn 's jill dougherty reported from cairo . cnn 's joe sterling contributed to this report | people gathered at a port said police station and threw rocks and molotov cocktails |
interpol <tsp> ( cnn ) -- police in three european countries were looking sunday for 6-year-old twin girls abducted by their father , who was found dead last week . interpol issued an international yellow notice missing persons alert saturday for alessia and livia schepp . such notices are distributed to police in interpol 's 188 member countries to help find missing people , especially children . the schepp sisters were reported missing january 30 after their father , matthias , took them from their home in st. sulpice , near lausanne in western switzerland , interpol said . he took the girls following personal problems at home , according to the state police in vaud , which covers the area of st. sulpice . state police said schepp drove through marseilles , france , on tuesday . two days later , police in bari , italy , found the father 's body , but there was no sign of the girls . a spokesman for the vaud state police said the investigation is focused on switzerland , france and italy . both girls are blonde and about 3 feet , 9 inches tall , interpol said . when they were taken , livia was wearing a green t-shirt , jeans , a violet ski jacket , and adidas sneakers . alessia was wearing a t-shirt with red and white stripes , jeans , a brown jacket , and black shoes . cnn 's melissa gray contributed to this report | interpol has issued an international missing persons alert |
alessia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- police in three european countries were looking sunday for 6-year-old twin girls abducted by their father , who was found dead last week . interpol issued an international yellow notice missing persons alert saturday for alessia and livia schepp . such notices are distributed to police in interpol 's 188 member countries to help find missing people , especially children . the schepp sisters were reported missing january 30 after their father , matthias , took them from their home in st. sulpice , near lausanne in western switzerland , interpol said . he took the girls following personal problems at home , according to the state police in vaud , which covers the area of st. sulpice . state police said schepp drove through marseilles , france , on tuesday . two days later , police in bari , italy , found the father 's body , but there was no sign of the girls . a spokesman for the vaud state police said the investigation is focused on switzerland , france and italy . both girls are blonde and about 3 feet , 9 inches tall , interpol said . when they were taken , livia was wearing a green t-shirt , jeans , a violet ski jacket , and adidas sneakers . alessia was wearing a t-shirt with red and white stripes , jeans , a brown jacket , and black shoes . cnn 's melissa gray contributed to this report | alessia and livia schepp were abducted by their father a week ago |
russia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- big , big sigh of relief among russia 's super-rich , as the west announces smart sanctions ' against a group of kremlin officials and members of russian parliament in response to the referendum that took place in crimea and produced a result resembling the elections in the old soviet union : 96.7 % of the people who took part in it voted for the peninsula to become part of russia . the joke on the streets of moscow is that the politicians took the bullet for the oligarchs , not for the first time and not the last . but jokes aside , the fate of crimea is sealed . it will become part of russia in about three months'time and , as things stand now , president vladimir putin has already signed an executive order recognizing the peninsula as an independent state , confirming his determination to stick to his guns in his address to the federal assembly . the russian leader has gone way too far in his attempt to prevent crimea -- with two thirds of its population made up of ethnic russians -- from sliding into mayhem to pull back now , sanctions or no sanctions . it would have been political suicide for him to remain idle in the face of what had happened in kiev last month . most western leaders obviously understood that , even though their rhetoric did not show it . in fact , most if not all western leaders are probably thanking their lucky stars they have to deal with mr putin in the kremlin and not some die-hard nationalist who would be dreaming of a revival of the former soviet empire , flexing military muscles with frightening regularity . no-one wants cold war so , the so-called smart sanctions , ' which have been announced by washington and brussels in response to events in crimea were an anti-climax and a confirmation of a total lack of any desire on the part of the west to take the fight with russia any further . sure , a bit of posturing and tough talking never hurt the opinion polls at home , but there are more important things than dragging out the dust covered cold war from the cupboard and losing out on business deals , while having all that lovely russian money flowing to the west dry up . the cold war is very 1960s , you know , and no one really wants it to come back . the debate about the legality of the referendum in crimea will ramble on for a while but it is very difficult to imagine how the result can now be reversed . from the russian side of the fence , in case you 're wondering , the plebiscite in crimea was a logical response to the overthrow of the democratically elected regime of president viktor yanukovych in kiev -- albeit with its incompetence and corruption -- and the country finding itself with a bunch of opportunists in charge and some pretty rough characters from the far-right acting as their enforcers , saying nasty things about russia from the word go . no wonder then that moscow shrugged all accusations that the crimean referendum was illegal coming from kiev and the west , saying : look who 's talking ! ' at the moment , all the kremlin officials and members of parliament mentioned in the lists provided by washington and brussels are putting on a brave face and saying that they see it as a privilege and an honor to be in them , pointing out that they do n't keep any money or own any assets abroad . not in their own names they do n't , because about a year ago a law had been passed in russia that no governments officials and members of parliament were allowed to have foreign accounts and own properties abroad . so a transformation of ownership had taken place and it would be pretty hard to figure out who owns what and where . and in case anyone is wondering how then politicians and the servants of the people generally keep their wealth hidden , be it in russia or in the west , it 's all about trusted people , fixers , ' handling it for them . yes , yes , do n't look surprised , democracy , both regulated and without boundaries , has its own well-tested system . otherwise why would people go into politics at all ? getting personal privately some russian officials are saying that all these lists represent a break with the old tradition of not getting personal during a row . no one called for smart sanctions against specific yanks and brits when they pulled off that invasion of iraq , ' one angry official in moscow complained to me . and no one was naming names when the war in libya went all wrong . ' yes , getting personal in politics was always a taboo and this this round boundaries were crossed . so what now ? well , the noises will continue for a while , getting louder when crimea joins russia proper . mind you , the situation may get more complicated if parts of eastern ukraine start pushing hard for their on referendums on their future with russia , like the one in crimea . that is why it 's now a good time for both the west and russia to start finding the way out of this crisis . for everyone 's sake . read more : putin vs. obama face off over crimea facts the views expressed in this commentary are solely those of alexander nekrassov . | on sunday , 96.7 % of voters in crimea 's referendum chose to leave ukraine and join russia |
russia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- big , big sigh of relief among russia 's super-rich , as the west announces smart sanctions ' against a group of kremlin officials and members of russian parliament in response to the referendum that took place in crimea and produced a result resembling the elections in the old soviet union : 96.7 % of the people who took part in it voted for the peninsula to become part of russia . the joke on the streets of moscow is that the politicians took the bullet for the oligarchs , not for the first time and not the last . but jokes aside , the fate of crimea is sealed . it will become part of russia in about three months'time and , as things stand now , president vladimir putin has already signed an executive order recognizing the peninsula as an independent state , confirming his determination to stick to his guns in his address to the federal assembly . the russian leader has gone way too far in his attempt to prevent crimea -- with two thirds of its population made up of ethnic russians -- from sliding into mayhem to pull back now , sanctions or no sanctions . it would have been political suicide for him to remain idle in the face of what had happened in kiev last month . most western leaders obviously understood that , even though their rhetoric did not show it . in fact , most if not all western leaders are probably thanking their lucky stars they have to deal with mr putin in the kremlin and not some die-hard nationalist who would be dreaming of a revival of the former soviet empire , flexing military muscles with frightening regularity . no-one wants cold war so , the so-called smart sanctions , ' which have been announced by washington and brussels in response to events in crimea were an anti-climax and a confirmation of a total lack of any desire on the part of the west to take the fight with russia any further . sure , a bit of posturing and tough talking never hurt the opinion polls at home , but there are more important things than dragging out the dust covered cold war from the cupboard and losing out on business deals , while having all that lovely russian money flowing to the west dry up . the cold war is very 1960s , you know , and no one really wants it to come back . the debate about the legality of the referendum in crimea will ramble on for a while but it is very difficult to imagine how the result can now be reversed . from the russian side of the fence , in case you 're wondering , the plebiscite in crimea was a logical response to the overthrow of the democratically elected regime of president viktor yanukovych in kiev -- albeit with its incompetence and corruption -- and the country finding itself with a bunch of opportunists in charge and some pretty rough characters from the far-right acting as their enforcers , saying nasty things about russia from the word go . no wonder then that moscow shrugged all accusations that the crimean referendum was illegal coming from kiev and the west , saying : look who 's talking ! ' at the moment , all the kremlin officials and members of parliament mentioned in the lists provided by washington and brussels are putting on a brave face and saying that they see it as a privilege and an honor to be in them , pointing out that they do n't keep any money or own any assets abroad . not in their own names they do n't , because about a year ago a law had been passed in russia that no governments officials and members of parliament were allowed to have foreign accounts and own properties abroad . so a transformation of ownership had taken place and it would be pretty hard to figure out who owns what and where . and in case anyone is wondering how then politicians and the servants of the people generally keep their wealth hidden , be it in russia or in the west , it 's all about trusted people , fixers , ' handling it for them . yes , yes , do n't look surprised , democracy , both regulated and without boundaries , has its own well-tested system . otherwise why would people go into politics at all ? getting personal privately some russian officials are saying that all these lists represent a break with the old tradition of not getting personal during a row . no one called for smart sanctions against specific yanks and brits when they pulled off that invasion of iraq , ' one angry official in moscow complained to me . and no one was naming names when the war in libya went all wrong . ' yes , getting personal in politics was always a taboo and this this round boundaries were crossed . so what now ? well , the noises will continue for a while , getting louder when crimea joins russia proper . mind you , the situation may get more complicated if parts of eastern ukraine start pushing hard for their on referendums on their future with russia , like the one in crimea . that is why it 's now a good time for both the west and russia to start finding the way out of this crisis . for everyone 's sake . read more : putin vs. obama face off over crimea facts the views expressed in this commentary are solely those of alexander nekrassov . | he says it 's time for russia and the west to start finding ways to deescalate the crisis |
afghans <tsp> herat , afghanistan ( cnn ) -- suicide bombers targeted security forces and foreign civil affairs workers in separate blasts monday in the western afghanistan city of herat , killing at least four people and wounding 26 , a police official told cnn . the attacks occurred within minutes of each other just blocks apart in herat , an area where u.s. military officials have hinted american troops would be withdrawn by july because it has been largely free of violence . the bombers targeted the ministry of transport in central herat , and a compound that houses an italian provincial reconstruction team -- an outreach unit made up of civilian affairs and aid workers , said police commander abdul rauf ahmadi . the first explosion occurred when a suicide bomber on foot detonated an explosive vest near at the ministry of transport , a busy section of central herat , he said . witnesses say there were civilian casualties , though it was not immediately clear whether anybody was killed in that blast . the second attack came minutes later when a suicide bomber , also on foot , blew himself up outside the main gate of a compound housing the italian prt team , paving the way for gunmen to launch an assault at the compound , ahmadi said . afghan and nato-led forces battled gunmen , who had taken up position inside a building next to the compound , harif taib , a government official in herat , told cnn . ahmadi said the situation was under police control and the gunfight had ended , though witnesses said gunfire could still be heard hours after the initial explosions coming from direction of the compound . the italian news agency ansa reported 15 italian soldiers were among the wounded in herat . but none were among the dead , a government official said . we can reassure the families that among the dead , there are no italian soldiers , ' undersecretary of defense guido crosetto told rai1 radio . the blasts rattled afghans in herat , which has been considered one of the country 's success stories with the nato-led international security assistance force turning some of the primary security for the area over to afghans . it 's a big surprise , ' said nemaqullah rahimi , 22 . we 've have n't had a bombing in six months . ' rahimi , a driver-for-hire in herat , said his girlfriend 's uncle was among the wounded in the blast near the transport ministry . the number-two american commander in afghanistan , lt. gen. david rodriguez , hinted in a cnn interview in february that herat may be one location u.s. forces could begin to withdraw from as part of president barack obama 's self-imposed deadline to begin bringing home troops by july 2011 . the attacks come the same day that army gen. david petraeus , commander of nato-led troops in afghanistan , joined two other generals in offering sincere apologies ' for an airstrike that killed nine civilians in southern afghanistan . maj. gen. john toolan , the head of isaf command in southwest afghanistan , said his apology was being made on behalf of the coalition ' and its top leaders , including petraeus . earlier , afghan officials said that saturday 's attack in helmand province killed a dozen children and two women . there was no immediate explanation for the disparity between this figure and the toll of nine civilians killed offered sunday by toolan , who also noted that a u.s. marine was killed immediately before the strike . the strike provoked the ire of afghan president hamid karzai , who strongly condemned the airstrike and insisted he was warning the u.s military and government for the last time ' on behalf of the afghan people about civilian deaths . he called the operation a mistake , but offered a different death toll , saying 10 children , two women and two men were killed . in the statement , toolan pleaded with afghans to not only forgive , but also to work with coalition forces in hopes of bolstering their security . i offer our heartfelt apologies to the families and friends of those killed , ' toolan said in a statement . i ask that the afghan people continue to trust and assist their security forces , so that together we can stop the senseless killing brought upon us by an enemy who wants to exploit the afghan people through fear and violence . journalist jennifer glasse contributed to this report . | new : bombings rattle afghans in herat , which has been largely free of violence |
rosberg <tsp> ( cnn ) mercedes driver and f1 championship leader lewis hamilton stole pole position for sunday 's chinese grand prix from teammate and fierce rival nico rosberg in dramatic fashion . hamilton took first place on the front row on the last lap , beating rosberg by a slim four hundredths of a second margin . frenemies the two former friends have enjoyed , or rather endured , a heated rivalry since falling out last season and rosberg 's annoyance at hamilton 's last ditch success was obvious . the german appeared upset as he left his car and refused to shake hamilton 's hand . he did , however , find time to congratulate fellow german driver sebastian vettel , who will start in third after the ferrari driver surprisingly won the malaysian gp two weeks ago . i do n't actually mind him having more ( poles ) , ' a nonplussed hamilton told afp after the session . he can have the trophy for most poles . as long as i have the trophy for winning -- that 's all that matters . ultimately qualifying is not the end of the world . ' i am frustrated ' in the post qualifying press conference rosberg appeared more magnanimous , but still shocked by hamilton 's last minute burst of speed . i was frustrated , i am frustrated , yeah , ' rosberg admitted . it 's so close and of course i would have wanted to have pole today ... it 's just four hundredths and that makes it even more annoying because it 's just very , very close . a lap is never 100 per cent perfect and four hundredths is really the blink of an eye . ' kimi raikkonen will join his teammate vettel on the second row and will be looking for a repeat of ferrari 's performance in malaysia , which shocked mercedes and hamilton in particular . huge support but hamilton has been quickest all weekend and will enjoy a surprising amount of support in shanghai , a track the british driver has always thrived on . have you seen the banners that i have here ? ' he told the assembled press when asked why he liked racing at shanghai so much . the support i have here 's pretty unreal . i just like the track . i guess it just naturally suits my driving style . ' | rosberg refused to shake hamilton 's hand afterward |
rosberg <tsp> ( cnn ) mercedes driver and f1 championship leader lewis hamilton stole pole position for sunday 's chinese grand prix from teammate and fierce rival nico rosberg in dramatic fashion . hamilton took first place on the front row on the last lap , beating rosberg by a slim four hundredths of a second margin . frenemies the two former friends have enjoyed , or rather endured , a heated rivalry since falling out last season and rosberg 's annoyance at hamilton 's last ditch success was obvious . the german appeared upset as he left his car and refused to shake hamilton 's hand . he did , however , find time to congratulate fellow german driver sebastian vettel , who will start in third after the ferrari driver surprisingly won the malaysian gp two weeks ago . i do n't actually mind him having more ( poles ) , ' a nonplussed hamilton told afp after the session . he can have the trophy for most poles . as long as i have the trophy for winning -- that 's all that matters . ultimately qualifying is not the end of the world . ' i am frustrated ' in the post qualifying press conference rosberg appeared more magnanimous , but still shocked by hamilton 's last minute burst of speed . i was frustrated , i am frustrated , yeah , ' rosberg admitted . it 's so close and of course i would have wanted to have pole today ... it 's just four hundredths and that makes it even more annoying because it 's just very , very close . a lap is never 100 per cent perfect and four hundredths is really the blink of an eye . ' kimi raikkonen will join his teammate vettel on the second row and will be looking for a repeat of ferrari 's performance in malaysia , which shocked mercedes and hamilton in particular . huge support but hamilton has been quickest all weekend and will enjoy a surprising amount of support in shanghai , a track the british driver has always thrived on . have you seen the banners that i have here ? ' he told the assembled press when asked why he liked racing at shanghai so much . the support i have here 's pretty unreal . i just like the track . i guess it just naturally suits my driving style . ' | pushed teammate rosberg into second on the last lap |
hamilton <tsp> ( cnn ) mercedes driver and f1 championship leader lewis hamilton stole pole position for sunday 's chinese grand prix from teammate and fierce rival nico rosberg in dramatic fashion . hamilton took first place on the front row on the last lap , beating rosberg by a slim four hundredths of a second margin . frenemies the two former friends have enjoyed , or rather endured , a heated rivalry since falling out last season and rosberg 's annoyance at hamilton 's last ditch success was obvious . the german appeared upset as he left his car and refused to shake hamilton 's hand . he did , however , find time to congratulate fellow german driver sebastian vettel , who will start in third after the ferrari driver surprisingly won the malaysian gp two weeks ago . i do n't actually mind him having more ( poles ) , ' a nonplussed hamilton told afp after the session . he can have the trophy for most poles . as long as i have the trophy for winning -- that 's all that matters . ultimately qualifying is not the end of the world . ' i am frustrated ' in the post qualifying press conference rosberg appeared more magnanimous , but still shocked by hamilton 's last minute burst of speed . i was frustrated , i am frustrated , yeah , ' rosberg admitted . it 's so close and of course i would have wanted to have pole today ... it 's just four hundredths and that makes it even more annoying because it 's just very , very close . a lap is never 100 per cent perfect and four hundredths is really the blink of an eye . ' kimi raikkonen will join his teammate vettel on the second row and will be looking for a repeat of ferrari 's performance in malaysia , which shocked mercedes and hamilton in particular . huge support but hamilton has been quickest all weekend and will enjoy a surprising amount of support in shanghai , a track the british driver has always thrived on . have you seen the banners that i have here ? ' he told the assembled press when asked why he liked racing at shanghai so much . the support i have here 's pretty unreal . i just like the track . i guess it just naturally suits my driving style . ' | rosberg refused to shake hamilton 's hand afterward |
hamilton <tsp> ( cnn ) mercedes driver and f1 championship leader lewis hamilton stole pole position for sunday 's chinese grand prix from teammate and fierce rival nico rosberg in dramatic fashion . hamilton took first place on the front row on the last lap , beating rosberg by a slim four hundredths of a second margin . frenemies the two former friends have enjoyed , or rather endured , a heated rivalry since falling out last season and rosberg 's annoyance at hamilton 's last ditch success was obvious . the german appeared upset as he left his car and refused to shake hamilton 's hand . he did , however , find time to congratulate fellow german driver sebastian vettel , who will start in third after the ferrari driver surprisingly won the malaysian gp two weeks ago . i do n't actually mind him having more ( poles ) , ' a nonplussed hamilton told afp after the session . he can have the trophy for most poles . as long as i have the trophy for winning -- that 's all that matters . ultimately qualifying is not the end of the world . ' i am frustrated ' in the post qualifying press conference rosberg appeared more magnanimous , but still shocked by hamilton 's last minute burst of speed . i was frustrated , i am frustrated , yeah , ' rosberg admitted . it 's so close and of course i would have wanted to have pole today ... it 's just four hundredths and that makes it even more annoying because it 's just very , very close . a lap is never 100 per cent perfect and four hundredths is really the blink of an eye . ' kimi raikkonen will join his teammate vettel on the second row and will be looking for a repeat of ferrari 's performance in malaysia , which shocked mercedes and hamilton in particular . huge support but hamilton has been quickest all weekend and will enjoy a surprising amount of support in shanghai , a track the british driver has always thrived on . have you seen the banners that i have here ? ' he told the assembled press when asked why he liked racing at shanghai so much . the support i have here 's pretty unreal . i just like the track . i guess it just naturally suits my driving style . ' | lewis hamilton will start on pole in china |
stay up late <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- a disabled punk band has launched a campaign to fight for the rights of disabled people to be able to party late . heavy load are a uk-based punk band with three out of five members who are disabled . heavy load , ' describe themselves as an anarcho-garage-punk ' band and are made up of five musicians , one of whom has downs syndrome and two who have unspecified learning disabilities . their campaign , stay up late , ' encourages carers to support disabled people who want to stay out past 10pm . heavy load 's manager and bass guitarist , paul richards , 39 , told cnn : the stay up late ' campaign is to raise awareness , and tackle the issue where disabled gig-goers end up going home at 9pm , therefore missing most of the evening , because their support workers finish their shifts at 10pm . we started the campaign because we 'd be playing a gig and something strange happens at 9pm when people would start to go home . we were also frustrated with asking to go on earlier in the evening so that our fans would still be there . it 's not very punk to go on at 8.30pm , ' he added . stay up late ' has received widespread support from disabled people and the uk government , richards said . even carers who may be required to work later if the campaign is successful have offered their support . so far , we 've only had one or two support workers say that they do n't think they should be required to work unsociable hours , ' richards said . the group has also partnered with the uk 's leading learning disabilities charity mencap , who they say have really helped to relay their message to a wider audience . mencap and heavy load teamed up last week where the band headlined a concert in london for people with learning disabilities , giving them an opportunity to be involved in running a club night . see images from the concert » they concert was held in conjunction with london venue proud camden , and around 400 people attended the event which finished at 1am . everyone at the event , from the door girl , to bar staff and cloakroom attendants , were people with learning disabilities , venue owner alex proud told cnn . it 's the first event of its kind for people with a learning disability and there was a real buzz about how people with learning disability are an untapped source in the entertainment industry . ' he said : at these nights there is a lack of inhibitions . they tend to let their hair down and really know how to party ; it 's a hell of a lot of fun for all involved . proud is eager to put on events that include people with a learning disability and to make the public more aware of this often overlooked group . young people with learning disabilities want to go out , but they are not catered for in the entertainment industry , ' he added . heavy load have been together for 13 years since meeting at the southdown housing in england , a non-profit assisted-living community for people with learning disabilities . vocalist jimmy nicholls , 62 , posted an advert and a week later the band including michael white , 47 ( drums ) simon barker , 37 ( lead vocals ) and mick williams , 47 ( guitar and vocals ) was formed . since then the band has gained many disabled and non-disabled fans and a successful documentary , heavy load , ' has been made about their lives . now they are looking forward to setting up the stay up late ' campaign around the world . richards said : when we visited new york last year we were surprised to find that it 's an issue for people with learning disabilities to get out much at all -- so there is definitely a need there . we 've also been asked to go to russia , serbia , other parts of the u.s. , scotland and czech republic to play and promote the campaign -- which we 'd love to do , but money 's tight , he added . however , richards insists the campaign is not about partying late every night . we do n't insist on people staying up late against their will -- just having the choice to do what they want to do ! ' | disabled punk bank heavy load have launched the stay up late ' campaign |
dubai open chess tournament <tsp> ( cnn ) sometimes the best ideas come from the bathroom . but gaioz nigalidze 's ideas from the loo were a little too good . the georgian chess grandmaster has been banned from the dubai open chess tournament after officials discovered he was darting to the toilet to consult his smartphone , which was logged onto a chess analysis app , the dubai chess and culture club said . nigalidze 's opponent , tigran petrosian of armenia , grew suspicious when nigalidze kept bolting to the restroom . the armenian noticed the georgian was oddly frequenting the toilet after each move during a crucial part of the game , ' the dubai chess and culture club said . when officials first checked nigalidze , they did n't find any device on him , the club said . but after looking into the bathroom stall he visited , they found the smartphone hidden in toilet paper . at first , nigalidze claimed the smartphone was n't his , the dubai chess organization said . but the phone was logged on to a social media network under his account . they also found his game being analyzed in one of the chess applications , ' the chess club said . the infraction has been reported to the international chess federation . the dubai tournament 's chief arbiter , mahdi abdul rahim , said players found guilty of cheating will be suspended for three years from all sanctioned tournaments and up to 15 years for a repeated offense , the chess and culture club said . but this would n't be an isolated case of cheating in high-stakes chess matches . in 2008 , an iranian player was banned from the dubai open after getting help from someone who was watching the game 's live broadcast and was sending suggestions via text messages , the dubai chess club said . nigalidze 's resume includes victories in the 2013 and 2014 georgian chess championships . it 's not clear how many times he went to the bathroom during those matches . | gaioz nigalidze is banned from the dubai open chess tournament |
gaioz nigalidze <tsp> ( cnn ) sometimes the best ideas come from the bathroom . but gaioz nigalidze 's ideas from the loo were a little too good . the georgian chess grandmaster has been banned from the dubai open chess tournament after officials discovered he was darting to the toilet to consult his smartphone , which was logged onto a chess analysis app , the dubai chess and culture club said . nigalidze 's opponent , tigran petrosian of armenia , grew suspicious when nigalidze kept bolting to the restroom . the armenian noticed the georgian was oddly frequenting the toilet after each move during a crucial part of the game , ' the dubai chess and culture club said . when officials first checked nigalidze , they did n't find any device on him , the club said . but after looking into the bathroom stall he visited , they found the smartphone hidden in toilet paper . at first , nigalidze claimed the smartphone was n't his , the dubai chess organization said . but the phone was logged on to a social media network under his account . they also found his game being analyzed in one of the chess applications , ' the chess club said . the infraction has been reported to the international chess federation . the dubai tournament 's chief arbiter , mahdi abdul rahim , said players found guilty of cheating will be suspended for three years from all sanctioned tournaments and up to 15 years for a repeated offense , the chess and culture club said . but this would n't be an isolated case of cheating in high-stakes chess matches . in 2008 , an iranian player was banned from the dubai open after getting help from someone who was watching the game 's live broadcast and was sending suggestions via text messages , the dubai chess club said . nigalidze 's resume includes victories in the 2013 and 2014 georgian chess championships . it 's not clear how many times he went to the bathroom during those matches . | gaioz nigalidze is banned from the dubai open chess tournament |
michael brown <tsp> the police chief in ferguson , missouri , has problems . he 's been under intense scrutiny ever since a white officer in his department fatally shot african-american teenager michael brown . now , government officials familiar with ongoing discussions are saying he is expected to step down as part of an effort by city officials to reform the police department . chief thomas jackson and ferguson 's mayor have denied the reports . there 's no denying , however , that jackson is in hot water . here 's a look at five ways the police chief or his department have sparked outrage in the community : 1 . body in the street after brown was gunned down , his body lay in the street for four hours in a blazing missouri sun . police would later say that officials could n't reach the area where the body lay because a crowd had gathered , making it too dangerous . state sen. maria chappelle-nadal said the community was outraged by looking at this body all day long . ' in an apology a month later , jackson would apologize to brown 's family . i 'm truly sorry for the loss of your son . i 'm also sorry that it took so long to remove michael from the street , ' he said during his video statement . investigators were doing important work ' trying to uncover the truth and collect evidence during those four hours , jackson said , but it was just too long , and i 'm truly sorry for that . ' 2 . video of theft as demonstrators clamored for more information about how brown came to lie dead on a ferguson street , the police department clamped down , releasing little information . yet , six days after the shooting -- on the same day police released officer darren wilson 's name to the public -- police decided to release video of a robbery in which brown was involved before he died . to make matters more confusing , jackson told reporters that wilson did n't stop brown because of the robbery , but because he was walking in the street . this caused many to say huh ? ' the decision to release that store surveillance video , while the police department was keeping so many other details close to the vest , created consternation even among his colleagues . missouri state highway patrol capt . ron johnson stated the robbery and shooting of brown are separate issues . ' i told ( chief jackson ) i think both of those being released today was not needed and was not the way that we needed to go , ' he told cnn . today is about taking care of this incident here , getting to those facts that are there , and michael brown and his family . ' jackson responded that news outlets had requested the video and wilson 's identification . he also said they needed to be released at the same time , but he did n't elaborate as to why . brown family attorney benjamin crump said the move was a diversion , and it 's an attempt to smear michael 's character . ' 3 . heavy-handed response to protests when protesters hit the streets -- and violent elements among them looted and vandalized businesses -- it was n't long before police brought out the heavy weaponry . soon , images out of ferguson included police in riot gear with shields and batons , automatic weapons , police dogs , armored vehicles and police firing rubber bullets and tear gas into crowds . it 's important to note that st. louis county police department was in charge of tactical operations within hours of brown 's death , but it all unfolded in ferguson , and that mattered to many onlookers . retired lt. gen. russel honore , well-versed in unrest after leading recovery efforts for hurricane katrina , questioned the logic of letting swat teams handle a civil disturbance . the tactics they are using , i do n't know where they learned them from , ' he said . it appears they may be making them up on the way , but this is escalating the situation . ' 4 . keep walking a common refrain from police to protesters during the demonstrations was , keep moving . ' police were arresting or threatening to arrest anyone who stood still along the sidewalks , whether they were just stopping to rest or a reporter taking notes . a federal judge ruled that they violated the constitution when police told protesters they had to keep walking and that they could n't stand still . in some cases , officers told protesters they could n't stand for more than five seconds . in others , the protesters were told they were walking too slowly . jackson would have to include a statement in his video apology on how officers did not protect the people 's freedom to assemble . the right of the people to peacefully assemble is what the police are here to protect . if anyone who was peacefully exercising that right is upset and angry , i feel responsible and i 'm sorry , ' the police chief said . 5 . lack of police diversity some of the complaints against jackson stretch back further than brown 's shooting . people consistently expressed concerns stemming from specific alleged incidents , from general policing practices and from the lack of diversity on the ferguson police force . these anecdotal accounts underscore the history of mistrust of law enforcement in ferguson that has received a good deal of attention , ' u.s. attorney general eric holder told reporters after visiting the area . the justice department is investigating the police department . it will look at the department 's use of force , analyze stops , searches and arrests , and examine the treatment of people at ferguson 's city jail . many african-americans in ferguson say that they often found themselves subject to racial profiling , such as being pulled over for no obvious reason besides , they presumed , dwb , ' or driving while black . the city is a predominately black community with a mostly white police force . at the time of brown 's shooting , only three of the city 's 53 officers were african-american . | jackson fell under intense scrutiny in the wake of the death of michael brown |
south korea <tsp> ( cnn ) -- everyone knows that it 's a time of dramatic change in asia 's airline industry . what many often fail to appreciate , however , is how much of that drama is being driven by an exponential rise of low-cost carriers ( lcc ) in the region . consider a small sampling of the recent upheaval in asia 's skies . following the dissolution of an ana-airasia joint venture , airasia japan is being rebranded ( hilariously , to some ) as vanilla air ; singapore 's tiger airways has the new name of tigerair ; and jetstar hong kong is expected to launch within the year ; meanwhile , south korea 's jeju air has been busy recording a whopping 960 % increase in profits compared with last year . beating out all foreign legacy and low-cost carriers , its become the third largest carrier at seoul 's incheon airport after korean air and asiana airlines . while southeast asia has a remarkably high lcc presence of almost 50 % -- meaning more than half of total seats are sold by low-cost carriers -- north asia still has an extremely low lcc penetration and thus represents the biggest opportunity for the industry . north asian travelers who have grown partial to the over-the-top service and quality of legacy carriers in the region are still finding the concept of low-cost carriers foreign , or simply irrelevant . they do n't pop up in my searches when i look on travel sites , and it just does n't occur to me to fly them because i have my existing frequent flyer programs that i feel bound to , ' says frequent business traveler sunmi park , 38 , of south korea . for the unacquainted , such as park , here 's a quick guide to the fleets with the often quirky names and bright liveries . 1 . lcc fleets are young and frequently built around a single model ' people tend to think that low-cost carriers have these old planes , but that is a complete myth , ' said edward lau , ceo of jetstar hong kong , in a low-cost carrier workshop earlier this month . the opposite is actually true . ' in order to keep the cost of buying planes as low as possible , low-cost carriers place bulk orders of the newest planes . for the same reason , each lcc usually has just one type of plane in its fleet -- bulk orders of the same plane get better pricing . when jetstar 's new hong kong airline debuts later this year ( pending government approval ) it will be launching with 18 new airbus 320-200 aircraft . apart from its new hong kong fleet , jetstar 's planes across all affiliates have an average age of four to five years . similarly , airasia , the kuala lumpur based low-cost carrier that flies to more than 80 destinations in asia , has a fleet of 141 airbus a320 aircraft , with an average age of three years per plane . 2 . competitiveness hinges on fast turns ' and double daily ' service in aviation lingo , a turn ' means the time it takes for a plane to take off on its next flight after landing . for lccs , fast turns of about 25-40 minutes are imperative to keep costs down and to maintain high levels of aircraft utilization -- the time a plane is in the air each day . full service carriers take about an hour and a half on turns . even in an aviation market known for delays -- china is notorious -- lccs keep costs down by factoring delays into their schedules . to keep lccs viable for consumers , airlines need to have at least some double daily ' flights -- flights to the same destination at least twice a day . this means that if passengers miss their flight , they can take a flight to the same destination later the same day . the target of'double daily'is to build scale and support integrity , ' says alistair hartley , jetstar 's executive director of planning and airline partnerships . 3 . lccs'entry into a market can stimulate the overall market studies have shown that lcc penetration can result in overall travel market growth in a given region . the launch of a low-cost carrier may eat into a dominant full-service carrier 's market share , but the number of passengers in a market has been shown to increase overall , not only for the low-cost carrier , but for full-service carriers . the latter tend to lower prices in response to what lccs are offering , scrambling to adapt business models to a new landscape . 4 . lccs have meant the most to japan japan is the most interesting example of a stagnant market stimulated by the launch of low-cost carriers . despite being one of the largest domestic aviation markets in the world , japan has showed little or no growth in passenger numbers since the turn of the century . japan has the unenviable distinction of being the only major market in the world to have about the same traffic today as 15 years ago , ' said a centre for aviation ( capa ) report published in august . however , with the launch of three low-cost carriers in 2012 -- peach , jetstar japan and airasia japan -- the abysmal ' domestic aviation market grew for the first time in six years . with the introduction of low fares , japanese who could n't afford to fly began traveling , with remarkable results . domestic passenger numbers increased by 8.7 % in 2012 , the largest percentage growth in 20 years . collectively , the three low-cost carriers added 2.6 million passengers to the domestic market and jetstar japan is now the largest domestic carrier from tokyo narita airport . the contribution is not just in greater volumes of passengers whose traveling has a trickle-down effect across the economy , it is also in giving japan 's legacy carriers an incentive to become more efficient , ' said the capa report . 5 . north asia represents the greatest opportunity the figures speak for themselves . air traffic in asia will increase dramatically in the next few decades . while u.s. airport passenger traffic was 1.467 billion arrivals ( the largest in the world ) and asia 's was 1.402 billion in 2009 , asia is expected to become the largest aviation market in the next few years . hello kitty : world 's cutest planes head to the u.s. by 2030 , asia 's passenger traffic is expected to exceed 4.88 billion , in contrast to 2.367 billion projected for the u.s. , according to iata 's airport development supplement published in 2012 . southeast asia already has a high lcc penetration rate -- the lcc capacity share of total seats is approximately 56-57 % -- but the percentage for north asia is stunningly low at 9 % . that 's a 91 % potential upside for us , ' says jetstar 's alistair hartley . no wonder lccs are excited . and growing . | south korea 's jeju air has recorded a 960 % increase in profits over last year |
rice <tsp> former baltimore ravens running back ray rice has won his appeal of his indefinite suspension by the nfl for violating its domestic violence policy , the players union said friday . the suspension has been vacated , ' george atallah , the assistant executive director of external affairs for the players'union , said . rice issued a written statement thanking his supporters , most importantly , my wife janay . ' i made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions , ' rice said , referring to two disturbing videos that show him knocking out his now-wife , janay rice , on an elevator in a casino in atlantic city on february 15 . i am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue . ' he said he will continue to work hard to improve himself and learn from his mistakes . former u.s. district judge barbara jones , a neutral arbitrator , presided over rice 's appeal hearing in new york earlier this month . her decision means rice is immediately able to play but any team will have to consider the consequences of signing someone whose domestic-violence case has been so public . judge : second suspension was'arbitrary' in september , hours after the ravens cut rice , nfl commissioner roger goodell lengthened rice 's suspension from two games to an indefinite period . because rice did not mislead the commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the commissioner could base his increased suspension , i find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary . i therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on rice , ' jones wrote in her decision . she said the case was n't about the number of games that rice was suspended but the need for goodell to be fair and consistent ' in its discipline . following the release of the inside-the-elevator video , which prompted a new round of criticism , the league suspended rice indefinitely . now , the league argues that commissioner goodell was justified in imposing the second discipline because rice had misled him and because the video demonstrated a level of violence that he had not understood . i have found that rice did not mislead the commissioner . moreover , any failure on the part of the league to understand the level of violence was not due to rice 's description of the event , but to the inadequacy of words to convey the seriousness of domestic violence . that the league did not realize the severity of the conduct without a visual record also speaks to their admitted failure in the past to sanction this type of conduct more severely . ' league : we respect decision in august , after outrage over rice 's initial two-game suspension , goodell announced a new league policy for domestic violence and other assaults . first-time offenders would be suspended at least six games and a second offense would draw a lifetime ban . but he did n't alter rice 's punishment at that time . provisions of the initial suspension -- which include counseling , not getting in legal trouble again and not getting in trouble with the nfl again -- still stand , she wrote . the two-game suspension would have ended in september . a spokesman for the nfl , greg aiello , said the league respects the decision . it is questionable that rice will return to the field this season . if a team wanted to sign him and put him on the field that could happen but we 're not expecting that to occur any time soon , ' cnn 's rachel nichols said . if you 're a team that needs a running back , are you going to sign ray rice knowing the backlash against him , knowing how people in the public feel about it ? ' still , winning is the most important thing in the nfl , she said , and there is a possibility rice could get a new contract if a new team thought he could help it win games . the nfl said the league is working to implement a new personal conduct policy in the wake of the ruling . judge jones'ruling underscores the urgency of our work to develop and implement a clear , fair and comprehensive new personal conduct policy , ' said brian mccarthy , the nfl vice president of communications . we expect this policy to be completed and announced in the weeks ahead . our focus is on consistently enforcing an improved policy going forward . ' janay rice speaks tmz sports obtained two videos from the footage taken from surveillance cameras of the altercation with janay rice in atlantic city . it posted the first one , which showed rice dragging janay rice -- limp and face down -- out of the elevator , shortly after the incident . the in-elevator video showing the violent punch was put online september 8 , the same day rice was released and suspended . in a first-person piece published on espn.com , janay rice said her husband understands violence is unacceptable . ray told the truth and has fully accepted responsibility for his actions , which allowed us to work together at improving ourselves and get to the better place we are today , ' she said . she admitted she has a hard time being called a victim . i know there are so many different opinions out there about me -- that i 'm weak , that i 'm making excuses and covering up abuse -- and that some people question my motives for staying with ray , ' she wrote . however , i 'm a strong woman and i come from a strong family . ' the rices also were interview by nbc , portions of which will be aired monday and tuesday . janay rice told the network that she was furious at first but knew that the relationship -- she was his fiancee at the time -- was n't over . rice 's future not with ravens rice , 27 , is currently a free agent . he was a three-time pro bowl selection in eight seasons and played on the baltimore ravens'super bowl championship team in 2012 season . we are aware of the ruling . our owner has already stated that we will not resign him , ' the ravens said in a statement . in march , a grand jury indicted ray rice on a charge of third-degree aggravated assault , and a simple assault charge against janay rice was dropped . the couple were married the next day . ray rice pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and applied to a program for first-time offenders that could clear him of charges in one year . terry o'neill , the president of the national organization of women , said the nfl needs for two things to happen : for goodell to resign and for the league to examine thoroughly how it handles domestic violence cases . another women 's rights group , ultraviolet , said the case is another failure of the nfl to take domestic violence seriously . the problem here is the nfl 's long history of sweeping abuse under the rug , ' co-founder nita chaudhary said . | rice 's wife tells nbc she was angry but knew she would stay with the player |
rice <tsp> former baltimore ravens running back ray rice has won his appeal of his indefinite suspension by the nfl for violating its domestic violence policy , the players union said friday . the suspension has been vacated , ' george atallah , the assistant executive director of external affairs for the players'union , said . rice issued a written statement thanking his supporters , most importantly , my wife janay . ' i made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions , ' rice said , referring to two disturbing videos that show him knocking out his now-wife , janay rice , on an elevator in a casino in atlantic city on february 15 . i am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue . ' he said he will continue to work hard to improve himself and learn from his mistakes . former u.s. district judge barbara jones , a neutral arbitrator , presided over rice 's appeal hearing in new york earlier this month . her decision means rice is immediately able to play but any team will have to consider the consequences of signing someone whose domestic-violence case has been so public . judge : second suspension was'arbitrary' in september , hours after the ravens cut rice , nfl commissioner roger goodell lengthened rice 's suspension from two games to an indefinite period . because rice did not mislead the commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the commissioner could base his increased suspension , i find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary . i therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on rice , ' jones wrote in her decision . she said the case was n't about the number of games that rice was suspended but the need for goodell to be fair and consistent ' in its discipline . following the release of the inside-the-elevator video , which prompted a new round of criticism , the league suspended rice indefinitely . now , the league argues that commissioner goodell was justified in imposing the second discipline because rice had misled him and because the video demonstrated a level of violence that he had not understood . i have found that rice did not mislead the commissioner . moreover , any failure on the part of the league to understand the level of violence was not due to rice 's description of the event , but to the inadequacy of words to convey the seriousness of domestic violence . that the league did not realize the severity of the conduct without a visual record also speaks to their admitted failure in the past to sanction this type of conduct more severely . ' league : we respect decision in august , after outrage over rice 's initial two-game suspension , goodell announced a new league policy for domestic violence and other assaults . first-time offenders would be suspended at least six games and a second offense would draw a lifetime ban . but he did n't alter rice 's punishment at that time . provisions of the initial suspension -- which include counseling , not getting in legal trouble again and not getting in trouble with the nfl again -- still stand , she wrote . the two-game suspension would have ended in september . a spokesman for the nfl , greg aiello , said the league respects the decision . it is questionable that rice will return to the field this season . if a team wanted to sign him and put him on the field that could happen but we 're not expecting that to occur any time soon , ' cnn 's rachel nichols said . if you 're a team that needs a running back , are you going to sign ray rice knowing the backlash against him , knowing how people in the public feel about it ? ' still , winning is the most important thing in the nfl , she said , and there is a possibility rice could get a new contract if a new team thought he could help it win games . the nfl said the league is working to implement a new personal conduct policy in the wake of the ruling . judge jones'ruling underscores the urgency of our work to develop and implement a clear , fair and comprehensive new personal conduct policy , ' said brian mccarthy , the nfl vice president of communications . we expect this policy to be completed and announced in the weeks ahead . our focus is on consistently enforcing an improved policy going forward . ' janay rice speaks tmz sports obtained two videos from the footage taken from surveillance cameras of the altercation with janay rice in atlantic city . it posted the first one , which showed rice dragging janay rice -- limp and face down -- out of the elevator , shortly after the incident . the in-elevator video showing the violent punch was put online september 8 , the same day rice was released and suspended . in a first-person piece published on espn.com , janay rice said her husband understands violence is unacceptable . ray told the truth and has fully accepted responsibility for his actions , which allowed us to work together at improving ourselves and get to the better place we are today , ' she said . she admitted she has a hard time being called a victim . i know there are so many different opinions out there about me -- that i 'm weak , that i 'm making excuses and covering up abuse -- and that some people question my motives for staying with ray , ' she wrote . however , i 'm a strong woman and i come from a strong family . ' the rices also were interview by nbc , portions of which will be aired monday and tuesday . janay rice told the network that she was furious at first but knew that the relationship -- she was his fiancee at the time -- was n't over . rice 's future not with ravens rice , 27 , is currently a free agent . he was a three-time pro bowl selection in eight seasons and played on the baltimore ravens'super bowl championship team in 2012 season . we are aware of the ruling . our owner has already stated that we will not resign him , ' the ravens said in a statement . in march , a grand jury indicted ray rice on a charge of third-degree aggravated assault , and a simple assault charge against janay rice was dropped . the couple were married the next day . ray rice pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and applied to a program for first-time offenders that could clear him of charges in one year . terry o'neill , the president of the national organization of women , said the nfl needs for two things to happen : for goodell to resign and for the league to examine thoroughly how it handles domestic violence cases . another women 's rights group , ultraviolet , said the case is another failure of the nfl to take domestic violence seriously . the problem here is the nfl 's long history of sweeping abuse under the rug , ' co-founder nita chaudhary said . | judge writes that rice should n't have had suspension increased because he did n't lie to nfl |
rice <tsp> former baltimore ravens running back ray rice has won his appeal of his indefinite suspension by the nfl for violating its domestic violence policy , the players union said friday . the suspension has been vacated , ' george atallah , the assistant executive director of external affairs for the players'union , said . rice issued a written statement thanking his supporters , most importantly , my wife janay . ' i made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions , ' rice said , referring to two disturbing videos that show him knocking out his now-wife , janay rice , on an elevator in a casino in atlantic city on february 15 . i am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue . ' he said he will continue to work hard to improve himself and learn from his mistakes . former u.s. district judge barbara jones , a neutral arbitrator , presided over rice 's appeal hearing in new york earlier this month . her decision means rice is immediately able to play but any team will have to consider the consequences of signing someone whose domestic-violence case has been so public . judge : second suspension was'arbitrary' in september , hours after the ravens cut rice , nfl commissioner roger goodell lengthened rice 's suspension from two games to an indefinite period . because rice did not mislead the commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the commissioner could base his increased suspension , i find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary . i therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on rice , ' jones wrote in her decision . she said the case was n't about the number of games that rice was suspended but the need for goodell to be fair and consistent ' in its discipline . following the release of the inside-the-elevator video , which prompted a new round of criticism , the league suspended rice indefinitely . now , the league argues that commissioner goodell was justified in imposing the second discipline because rice had misled him and because the video demonstrated a level of violence that he had not understood . i have found that rice did not mislead the commissioner . moreover , any failure on the part of the league to understand the level of violence was not due to rice 's description of the event , but to the inadequacy of words to convey the seriousness of domestic violence . that the league did not realize the severity of the conduct without a visual record also speaks to their admitted failure in the past to sanction this type of conduct more severely . ' league : we respect decision in august , after outrage over rice 's initial two-game suspension , goodell announced a new league policy for domestic violence and other assaults . first-time offenders would be suspended at least six games and a second offense would draw a lifetime ban . but he did n't alter rice 's punishment at that time . provisions of the initial suspension -- which include counseling , not getting in legal trouble again and not getting in trouble with the nfl again -- still stand , she wrote . the two-game suspension would have ended in september . a spokesman for the nfl , greg aiello , said the league respects the decision . it is questionable that rice will return to the field this season . if a team wanted to sign him and put him on the field that could happen but we 're not expecting that to occur any time soon , ' cnn 's rachel nichols said . if you 're a team that needs a running back , are you going to sign ray rice knowing the backlash against him , knowing how people in the public feel about it ? ' still , winning is the most important thing in the nfl , she said , and there is a possibility rice could get a new contract if a new team thought he could help it win games . the nfl said the league is working to implement a new personal conduct policy in the wake of the ruling . judge jones'ruling underscores the urgency of our work to develop and implement a clear , fair and comprehensive new personal conduct policy , ' said brian mccarthy , the nfl vice president of communications . we expect this policy to be completed and announced in the weeks ahead . our focus is on consistently enforcing an improved policy going forward . ' janay rice speaks tmz sports obtained two videos from the footage taken from surveillance cameras of the altercation with janay rice in atlantic city . it posted the first one , which showed rice dragging janay rice -- limp and face down -- out of the elevator , shortly after the incident . the in-elevator video showing the violent punch was put online september 8 , the same day rice was released and suspended . in a first-person piece published on espn.com , janay rice said her husband understands violence is unacceptable . ray told the truth and has fully accepted responsibility for his actions , which allowed us to work together at improving ourselves and get to the better place we are today , ' she said . she admitted she has a hard time being called a victim . i know there are so many different opinions out there about me -- that i 'm weak , that i 'm making excuses and covering up abuse -- and that some people question my motives for staying with ray , ' she wrote . however , i 'm a strong woman and i come from a strong family . ' the rices also were interview by nbc , portions of which will be aired monday and tuesday . janay rice told the network that she was furious at first but knew that the relationship -- she was his fiancee at the time -- was n't over . rice 's future not with ravens rice , 27 , is currently a free agent . he was a three-time pro bowl selection in eight seasons and played on the baltimore ravens'super bowl championship team in 2012 season . we are aware of the ruling . our owner has already stated that we will not resign him , ' the ravens said in a statement . in march , a grand jury indicted ray rice on a charge of third-degree aggravated assault , and a simple assault charge against janay rice was dropped . the couple were married the next day . ray rice pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and applied to a program for first-time offenders that could clear him of charges in one year . terry o'neill , the president of the national organization of women , said the nfl needs for two things to happen : for goodell to resign and for the league to examine thoroughly how it handles domestic violence cases . another women 's rights group , ultraviolet , said the case is another failure of the nfl to take domestic violence seriously . the problem here is the nfl 's long history of sweeping abuse under the rug , ' co-founder nita chaudhary said . | rice says he made inexcusable mistake ' |
brazil <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the committee to protect journalists has placed 12 countries on its impunity index , a list of countries where journalists have been killed and their killers have not been found . the organization 's third annual compilation , released tuesday , cites iraq , somalia , philippines , sri lanka , colombia , afghanistan , nepal , russia , mexico , pakistan , bangladesh and india . the index , which covers 2000 through 2009 , describes the countries as places where journalists are murdered on a recurring basis and governments are unable or unwilling to prosecute the killers . ' leading the field for the third consecutive year was iraq , where all 88 journalist killings remain unsolved , the committee said . all but seven cases involve local journalists , the vast majority of whom ' were targeted by insurgents , it said on its website . but last year marked the first since the u.s.-led invasion of iraq in 2003 that no killing directly related to a journalist 's work was documented there by the organization . still , four journalists were killed in crossfire in 2009 , it said . iraq 's impunity index rating was 2.794 unsolved journalist killings per million inhabitants , nearly triple the rate of any other country . somalia ranked second , reflecting insurgents'routine use of violence to control the news media , ' cpj said . the incidence of fatal , unpunished violence against journalists has increased in the philippines , somalia , russia and mexico , it said . but brazil and colombia , long among the world 's deadliest nations for the news media , each showed improvements , with brazil moving off the list , the committee reported . we 've heard repeated pledges from governments that the killers of journalists will face justice , but until these promises are fulfilled , media will continue to be targeted by those who believe they are above the law and immune from consequences , ' said joel simon , cpj 's executive director . the group noted that many of the countries on the index present themselves as democracies with functioning law enforcement -- nations such as india , russia , the philippines , and mexico . the index includes only those nations with five or more unsolved cases . in the philippines , 30 journalists and two media support workers were killed in maguindanao province , it said , boosting the country from sixth to third on the index . the massacre overshadowed gains that philippine authorities had made , winning convictions in two journalist murders , ' the committee said . in russia , which ranked eighth , three journalists were killed last year , bringing the country 's 10-year total of unsolved killings to 18 , it said . mexico moved from 11th to ninth , reflecting continuing violence against crime reporters there , it said . in mexico , self-censorship is widespread , it said . many nations on the list have seen a reduction in the flow of information . in fourth-ranked sri lanka , with 10 unsolved killings , many of the country 's most senior journalists have fled into exile , ' the cpj said . our goal in compiling this index is to spur leaders in these nations to action , ' said simon . many of these cases are solvable . the perpetrators have been identified but authorities lack the political will to prosecute . ' cpj released the index to coincide with a summit on impunity being held tuesday and wednesday in new york . the index calculates the number of unsolved journalist killings as a percentage of the country 's population . only nations with five or more unsolved cases were included . cpj includes only those killings that are considered to have been deliberate attacks against specific journalists in relation to their work . it does not tally cases of journalists killed in combat or while carrying out other dangerous assignments . the only thing you can say about it is that the murder of journalists gets worse and worse , and the problem is that governments around the world are not interested in finding the perpetrators , ' said stuart h. loory , editor of the magazine global journalist and the lee hills chair in free-press studies at the missouri school of journalism . too often they blame journalists for acting out of line . ' | somalia ranked second , while brazil and colombia each showed improvements |
dtp <tsp> istanbul , turkey ( cnn ) -- kurdish lawmakers announced monday they would submit their resignations from parliament , three days after turkey 's highest court banned their political party on charges that it was a focal point for terrorism . ' ahmet turk , the co-chairman of the now-defunct democratic society party -- known by its initials in turkish , dtp -- made the announcement in a statement to the media monday evening in the southeastern turkish city of diyarbakir . last friday 's closure by the constitutional court stripped turk and fellow co-chair , aysel tugluk , of their parliamentary seats and banned them both from politics for the next five years . the announcement that the remaining 19 elected lawmakers from their party would now resign in protest may exacerbate simmering tensions between the state and turkey 's minority of some 12 million ethnic kurds . the decision of the constitutional court might deprive a significant segment of turkish voters from political representation , ' said a spokesman for the european commission , in a dispatch from the french news agency afp . earlier friday , ahmet turk denounced the court ban in a speech before a crowd of some 10,000 supporters in diyarbakir , the unofficial political capital of turkey 's kurds . i know the mentality of the state and the politicians of this country , ' he said . we did not expect anything different because they can not tolerate the existence of the kurds . they can not tolerate our identity . they can not tolerate our language . ' after the speech , several hundred kurds took to the streets , throwing stones and clashing with turkish riot police , who retaliated by firing tear gas and water cannons . the banning of the dtp came after more then a week of riots and clashes between police and kurdish protesters in cities and towns across turkey . tensions have rapidly escalated , amid reports that the jailed leader of the kurdish separatist movement -- the kurdistan workers'party , known as the pkk -- was moved to a smaller prison cell , and after the pkk claimed responsibility for a deadly ambush last week that killed seven turkish soldiers . in istanbul on sunday , kurdish protesters threw rocks and molotov cocktails and clashed with police in a central commercial district . at one point , gun- and club-wielding turkish ultranationalists joined the fray . explosions of ethnic anger were not limited to turkey 's largest city . in the eastern turkish town of malatya , turkish nationalists were filmed scuffling with kurdish demonstrators sunday . police struggled to keep the two groups apart as they kicked and cursed at each other in the street . clashes also erupted on monday in the coastal city of adana and in the border town of dogubayazit , turkey 's official anatolian news agency reported . anatolian reported that nine demonstrators were detained and that one demonstrator and five police officers were injured in the dogubayazit clash . signs identifying the now-defunct dtp have been removed from the front of the 19th-century , four-story building where the party 's istanbul headquarters is located . two prior incarnations of the dtp have been shut down by the turkish state within the last decade . mustafa avci , the chairman of the party 's istanbul branch , said the turkish state is forcing conflict on the country 's kurdish minority . they are forcing this on us , ' avci said in an interview with cnn on monday . therefore , they are the ones who practice terrorism , not us . ... those who want war are terrorists . ' | turkey 's highest court banned dtp last week , calling it focal point for terrorism ' |
sheik zayed <tsp> what do you give the sheik who 's already checked palaces and private planes off his royal wish list ? how about a menagerie of exotic animals ? that 's partly the story of how a noah 's ark of indigenous and introduced species came to populate sir bani yas , once an inhospitable salt dome island in the arabian gulf . part of abu dhabi emirate , the previously private royal playground now welcomes visitors seeking an arabian safari experience combined with an encounter with that non-indigenous desert species , the multi-star luxury hotel . animal-loving emir the founder and first ruler of the united arab emirates , sheik zayed bin sultan al nahyan started collecting many of the species now thriving in the island 's huge wildlife park after , so the story goes , being given a bevy of exotic creatures as a gift when exploring africa as a young royal . long before cheetahs , giraffes , ethiopian hedgehogs -- and well-heeled tourists -- were introduced to sir bani yas , however , sheik zayed was transforming the island with a particular aim : to save a native species that had virtually been wiped out . the arabian oryx , a kind of antelope , was officially declared extinct in the wild in the late 1960s . its plight moved the animal-loving emir to begin developing sir bani yas ( named after the local bani yas tribe ) as a place to protect it . only the oryx ' the oryx is the main reason the island is the way it is today , ' says matt bottomer , an adventure guide who familiarizes visitors staying on sir bani yas with its many resident creatures . sheikh zayed searched the world to see if there were any oryx in captivity . he found a handful and started a breeding program here . ' to prepare the island for those few remaining antelope in the early 1970s , the late sheik launched an extravagant project that might now be seen as a precursor to other slightly incongruous middle eastern behemoths , such as dubai 's indoor ski resort . he decided literally to make the desert bloom . once desert , now forest hundreds of thousands of trees , including acacia , ghaf ( the national tree of the uae ) , frankincense , gum and mangrove were planted in the desert scrubland of the 87-square-kilometer island to create a habitat for the oryx and other animals . the first trees did n't fare so well . the antelope nibbled away at them a bit too eagerly , and they had to be replanted . they 've since grown to a forest of 4 million , irrigated by desalinated water pumped through an undersea pipeline from the mainland , giving the island an improbably green sheen in this desert environment . as for the oryx , now we have around 500 on sir bani yas , ' bottomer explains . the herd has become healthy enough that animals bred on the island are released into the desert wilds of the mainland . indeed , some species have come to feel so at home in the wildlife park that other animals have been brought in to keep their numbers down . cheetahs were shipped over to eat the arabian sand gazelle , which they hunt in the wild , hyenas and jackals were brought in to clean up anything the big cats left . animal spectacle all of this makes for a great spectacle . only a limited number of visitors were allowed on the island when the wildlife park was established in the 1970s . the weekend tours became so popular they had to be booked more than a year in advance . since sheik zayed 's death , in 2004 , sir bani yas has gradually become more accessible . reached by a 50-seat plane from dubai or abu dhabi , or a 250-kilometer drive from the uae capital followed by a ferry crossing , sir bani yas recreates a wilderness , but you wo n't be staying in a tent . accommodation is in one of three luxury resorts , meaning the wind-down from exploring the wildlife park on a safari-style drive , by foot on a guided walk or by mountain bike , is pretty pampered . wild drives ' you can get really close to the animals on the wildlife drives , ' bottomer says . i 've driven along and the cheetahs have been five meters from the car . ' guided wadi hikes in the mountains , nature walks on the southeast of the island and mountain biking inside and outside the park are even more direct ways of experiencing the territory . each offers the chance to find different animals in different habitats , ' bottomer says . the animals are the main attraction for most visitors , but you can also kayak along the mangrove shores or scuba dive off the island . funnily enough , one of animal you wo n't spot on sir bani yas is a camel . these ships of the desert do well enough on the mainland without needing the island 's protection they were also probably never a terribly original idea as a gift for a royal sheik . getting there rotana jet ( +971 2 444 3366 ) flies from abu dhabi and dubai to sir bani yas island , with single fares starting from $ 54 . become chummy enough with the abu dhabi royal family and you might get an invitation to one of two palaces they maintain in the island 's southern section . failing that there are three resorts on the island , with accommodation ranging from rooms in a former royal palace to upscale villas , all run by anantara ( +971 2 801 5400 ) , which can also arrange day trip tours . rooms from around $ 220 a night . find out more about visiting bani yas at desert islands abu dhabi . | uae founder sheik zayed made the desert bloom ' on sir bani yas island |
valium <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the los angeles coroner has concluded preliminarily that singer michael jackson died of an overdose of propofol , a powerful sedative he was given to help him sleep , according to court documents released monday . a search warrant filed in court showed toxicology reports found propofol in michael jackson 's body . los angeles coroner dr. lakshmanan sathyavagiswaran reached that preliminary conclusion after reviewing toxicology results carried out on jackson 's blood , according to a search warrant and affidavit unsealed in houston , texas . the affidavit , used to outline probable cause for search warrants of the offices of doctors who are believed to have treated jackson , disclosed many details of drugs given to jackson in the weeks before his death . jackson family lawyer londell mcmillan said the report reaffirms the very sad reality that there was a tragic and gross violation of duty and care for michael jackson . ' the publicist for jackson 's family said the family looks forward to the day that justice can be served . ' the jackson family has full confidence in the legal process , and commends the ongoing efforts of the l.a. county coroner , the l.a. district attorney and the l.a. police department , ' the statement said . the associated press is quoting a single law enforcement official , who said the l.a. county coroner ruled michael jackson 's death a homicide . the los angeles county coroner 's office told cnn they had no comment ' on the report . an lapd spokesman said the story did not come from their department . we will not comment on the anonymous ' law enforcement source that claims that michael jackson 's death will be ruled a homicide , ' murray 's lawyer ed chernoff said in a statement on his firm 's web site . most of the reports by anonymous ' sources have been proven wrong . we will be happy to address the coroner 's report when it is officially released . ' the 32-page warrant said dr. conrad murray , jackson 's personal physician , told a detective that he had been treating jackson for insomnia for six weeks . murray said each night he gave jackson 50 mg of propofol , also known as diprivan , diluted with the anesthetic lidocaine via an intravenous drip . watch what court documents show about jackson 's last hours » worried that jackson may have been becoming addicted to the drug , the houston cardiologist said he attempted to wean him from it , putting together combinations of other drugs that succeeded in helping jackson sleep during the two nights prior to his death . on june 22 murray said he gave jackson a cocktail of drugs similar to what he gave him on the day he died , june 25 -- propofol , ativan and versed , which helped the star fall asleep , according to the documents . on june 23 he gave jackson only the ativan and versed , which helped him sleep . but on june 25 , other drugs failed to do the job , as murray recounted to detectives in an hour-by-hour account detailed by detective orlando martinez of the los angeles police department : learn more about the events of the night jackson died » -- at about 1:30 a.m. , murray gave jackson 10 mg of valium . -- at about 2 a.m. , he injected jackson with 2 mg of the anti-anxiety drug ativan . -- at about 3 a.m. , murray then administered 2 mg of the sedative versed . -- at about 5 a.m. , he administered another 2 mg of ativan . -- at about 7:30 a.m. , murray gave jackson yet another 2 mg of versed while monitoring him with a device that measured the oxygen saturation of his blood . -- at about 10:40 a.m. , after repeated demands/requests from jackson , ' murray administered 25 mg of propofol , the document said . jackson finally went to sleep and murray stated that he remained monitoring him . after approximately 10 minutes , murray stated he left jackson 's side to go to the restroom and relieve himself . murray stated he was out of the room for about two minutes maximum . upon his return , murray noticed that jackson was no longer breathing , ' the affidavit said . efforts at cpr proved fruitless , according to murray . shortly after murray said he found jackson not breathing , murray was on the phone with three separate callers starting at 11:18 a.m. and ending at 12:05 p.m. , according to the court documents which cite the doctor 's phone records . murray did n't tell this to anyone when he was interviewed , ' the court documents said . chernoff denied the timeline referenced in the affidavit . much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual . however , unfortunately , much is police theory . most egregiously , the timeline reported by law enforcement was not obtained through interviews with dr. murray , as was implied by the affidavit , ' the statement said . dr. murray simply never told investigators that he found michael jackson at 11:00 a.m. not breathing . he also never said that he waited a mere 10 minutes before leaving to make several phone calls . in fact , dr. murray never said that he left michael jackson 's room to make phone calls at all . ' the document also cited reports from staff at the university of california at los angeles medical center , where jackson 's body was taken , who said murray admitted ' to having given jackson flumazenil to counteract the ativan . the document lists another five doctors and a nurse practitioner who reportedly treated jackson . detectives ... believe that the miscellaneous prescriptions , from multiple doctors ... could have contributed to his death , ' the document said . it can not be determined whether the cause of death is due to the actions of a single night and/or a single doctor , or the grossly negligent treatment of several doctors over an extended period of time . ' according to the warrant and affidavit , murray said he was not the first doctor to give jackson the powerful anesthetic , which the singer called his milk . ' the drug has a milky appearance . jackson also told murray about two unknown doctors in germany who gave him propofol , according to documents . documents show police found eight bottles of propofol inside jackson 's home . a search of murray 's doctor bag , which he left at the house the day jackson died , contained multiple bottles/vials of lidocaine and several bottles/vials of propofol , ativan , versed and anexate , according to the documents . the affidavit said a search of jackson 's home revealed numerous bottles of medications ' at jackson 's bedside that were prescribed by murray and two other physicians -- dr. allan metzger and dr. arnold klein . many of the drugs have an indicated or off label use in the treatment of insomnia , ' the affidavit said . metzger 's lawyer told cnn last month that metzger -- who treated jackson in 2003 -- refused jackson 's request in april for a propofol prescription . klein -- a dermatologist who also was jackson 's longtime friend -- has insisted he never gave jackson dangerous drugs . jackson visited klein 's beverly hills , california , medical office just days before his june 25 death . murray took the job as jackson 's personal physician in may , as the pop star was preparing for a series of comeback concerts set to begin in july at london 's o2 arena . murray told investigators that jackson would not tell him what drugs other doctors had given him , but he did tell murray the medicine given to him by klein and metzger was not working , the affidavit said . the dea has been unable to find a record of dr. murray purchasing , ordering or obtaining any propofol under his medical license or dea number , according to the documents . cnn 's alan duke and mallory simon contributed to this report . | documents : doctor gave valium , ativan , versed before propofol |
kooza <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on the road for 300 days a year , a cirque du soleil touring troupe of 175 relies on the same precise planning for its travel arrangements as it does for its acrobatic moves and dare devil routines . right now , we 're in london , in the u.k. , and we 're working on making sure we have documents ready for spain , for russia , for france , because we 're visiting those countries by the end of the year , ' said geneviã¨ve deslandes , the manager of the canadian performing group 's traveling show kooza . to plan for its visit to each city , one of the first orders of business is finding a place to stay . during their time in london earlier this year , the cast and crew stayed in the london bridge area in 85 apartments . for london , it 's really nice that we have everyone in the same place , but in madrid , we 're in 24 different places , ' said jerome vezina , the travel and lodging coordinator . he says they work on housing for about three cities at the same time . everyone must pack for all seasons , taking everything they will need all year round . each of these ultimate road warriors is allowed three suitcases -- two to send ahead and one to travel with . we do n't live in the present -- sometimes it 's sad to say like that -- we really live in the future , ' deslandes said . more than just a circus , kooza is a community that includes two physiotherapists and four chefs . teachers provide schooling for the younger performers . for 15-year-old mongolian contortionists , it 's straight from math class to warm-ups for the next show . but learning on the road has its benefits , according to thierry degagne , one of the teachers . my student is reading about rosetta stone , and we 're going to visit it , ' she said . | cirque du soleil 's kooza show is on the road for 300 days a year |
miss america <tsp> ( cnn ) -- miss wisconsin laura kaeppeler was crowned miss america 2012 at the pageant in las vegas on saturday night . the 23-year-old 's platform is mentoring children of incarcerated parents . she performed operatic vocals in the talent competition . miss oklahoma betty thompson , was first runner-up ; miss new york kaitlin monte , was second runner-up ; miss arizona jennifer sedler , was third runner-up ; and miss california noelle freeman , was fourth runner-up . | laura kaeppeler of wisconsin is miss america 2012 |
sao paulo <tsp> sao paulo , brazil ( cnn ) throngs of protesters packed the streets of major brazilian cities on sunday , pushing for the impeachment of president dilma rousseff . fueled by mounting anger over a corruption scandal that has implicated politicians in rousseff 's party , demonstrators chanted out with dilma ' and time for change . ' police estimated that 275,000 demonstrators marched in sao paulo . a sea of protesters dressed in the green and yellow of the brazilian flag used decades-old rallying cries to fire up their ranks , singing rock songs that date back to protests of the country 's one-time military dictatorship . it 's the second day of nationwide anti-government demonstrations in less than a month . and protesters vowed that it would n't be the last . there are a number of issues at play . one of the biggest : an investigation into a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme at the state-run oil company petrobras . most of the politicians accused in the investigation belong to rousseff 's workers party and its allies . and during many of the years that the alleged corruption took place , rousseff was the chairwoman of petrobras . there has n't been any evidence she was involved with the scheme , and her supporters say the position is merely a figurehead . rousseff has defended brazilians'right to protest and acknowledged the need to clean up corruption at petrobras but denied any prior knowledge of the alleged kickback scheme . brazilians are still outraged . rousseff won re-election with just over 50 % of the votes in october , but her approval rating plummeted to 13 % after protests began last month . many things have changed since the election , ' janaina , a protester in sao paulo , said on sunday , noting that even some people who voted for rousseff were in the crowd . some protesters said they 'd rather see rousseff step down than push for impeachment , which could be difficult to push through without evidence tying the president directly to the corruption scandal . but janaina said impeachment remained a realistic option . yes , it has to be , ' she said . it 's our last hope . ' cnn 's shasta darlington reported from sao paulo . cnn 's marilia brocchetto , catherine e. shoichet and jessica king contributed to this report . | police say 275,000 demonstrators marched in sao paulo |
dilma rousseff <tsp> sao paulo , brazil ( cnn ) throngs of protesters packed the streets of major brazilian cities on sunday , pushing for the impeachment of president dilma rousseff . fueled by mounting anger over a corruption scandal that has implicated politicians in rousseff 's party , demonstrators chanted out with dilma ' and time for change . ' police estimated that 275,000 demonstrators marched in sao paulo . a sea of protesters dressed in the green and yellow of the brazilian flag used decades-old rallying cries to fire up their ranks , singing rock songs that date back to protests of the country 's one-time military dictatorship . it 's the second day of nationwide anti-government demonstrations in less than a month . and protesters vowed that it would n't be the last . there are a number of issues at play . one of the biggest : an investigation into a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme at the state-run oil company petrobras . most of the politicians accused in the investigation belong to rousseff 's workers party and its allies . and during many of the years that the alleged corruption took place , rousseff was the chairwoman of petrobras . there has n't been any evidence she was involved with the scheme , and her supporters say the position is merely a figurehead . rousseff has defended brazilians'right to protest and acknowledged the need to clean up corruption at petrobras but denied any prior knowledge of the alleged kickback scheme . brazilians are still outraged . rousseff won re-election with just over 50 % of the votes in october , but her approval rating plummeted to 13 % after protests began last month . many things have changed since the election , ' janaina , a protester in sao paulo , said on sunday , noting that even some people who voted for rousseff were in the crowd . some protesters said they 'd rather see rousseff step down than push for impeachment , which could be difficult to push through without evidence tying the president directly to the corruption scandal . but janaina said impeachment remained a realistic option . yes , it has to be , ' she said . it 's our last hope . ' cnn 's shasta darlington reported from sao paulo . cnn 's marilia brocchetto , catherine e. shoichet and jessica king contributed to this report . | many want president dilma rousseff to be impeached |
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