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fukushima daiichi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the death toll climbed to 10 in japan as the remnants of former typhoon roke raced into the northern pacific on thursday , government officials said . four people are missing , according to local government officials . roke hit the japanese mainland wednesday morning as a powerful typhoon , packing winds of up to 167 kph ( 103 mph ) . the storm caused widespread flooding and disrupted transportation throughout the island nation a day earlier . the storm hit as japan is still recovering from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck in march , killing more than 15,000 people . ahead of the storm , there were fears that it would affect tokyo electric power co. 's fukushima daiichi plant , which went into a nuclear crisis after the march disaster . tepco officials canceled outdoor construction at the plant . plant officials said thursday that they have not seen any major problems at the plant due to roke . at one point before the storm made landfall , about 1 million people were urged to evacuate from vulnerable areas as heavy rain pounded central and western japan . some downpours came up to 50 millimeters ( 2 inches ) an hour , and some regions received more than 450 millimeters ( 17 inches ) over a day , according to japanese public broadcaster nhk . cnn 's yoko wakatsuki and junko ogura contributed to this report | plant officials report no major problems at the stricken fukushima daiichi nuclear plant |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- frustrated democrats went to the senate floor friday to seek republican approval for a long list of administration nominees currently blocked by controversial secret holds placed by gop senators . but a republican senator objected to each of them as they came up . most of the people on the list , we do n't know why they 're sitting there . we do n't even know who 's making them sit there , ' complained sen. claire mccaskill , d-missouri , who is spearheading democratic efforts to banish secret holds . enter stage left , the anonymous hold . or as i like to call it , nobody can blame me cause they do n't know who i am . ' mccaskill said the delay in approving these nominees is particularly agonizing because most of them passed out of committee with little or no opposition . if there is a legitimate complaint or grievance against any nominee , i think any senator has a right to be heard and appeal to the body for a vote , ' sen. dick durbin of illinois , the number two democrat , said thursday . but secret holds , i think , have become a reprehensible part of the process here and need to end . ' sen. tom coburn , r-oklahoma , was the lone republican on the floor friday during the nearly two-hour debate on the issue . he objected to democratic requests to approve the nominees not because he personally opposes them but as courtesy to people on my side of the aisle who have problems with some of these nominees . ' coburn said republicans have a right to a public debate on nominees they oppose and democrats are trying to get around that by seeking unanimous consent to quickly confirm them . in fact , coburn won praise from mccaskill because she said he is the only republican senator who has made his holds public . democrats are especially upset because they think most republicans are getting around a senate rule adopted three years ago that requires senators to make public their holds once they 've had them in place for six legislative days . sen. sheldon whitehouse , d-rhode island , called the practice hold-laundering , ' which is when senators rotate a secret hold off to one another before hitting the six-day trigger for making their names public and thereby keep a hold in place indefinitely . republicans do n't deny using the method but argue it 's allowed by senate rules which could be changed if democrats want . if they think the rule needs to be tightened up they can offer to change the rule , ' suggested a gop leadership aide . in fact , democrats said an effort is under way to offer an amendment to the financial regulations bill currently on the floor to shorten the six-day window to two days . democrats complain the secret holds keep the obama administration from being able to effectively govern and point to one nominee , michael huerta , to be the no . 2 official at the federal aviation administration , as an example of a key appointee stalled by an anonymous senator . at a news conference on thursday , durbin said that republicans that day had finally lifted a hold and approved the nomination of a top national oceanic and atmospheric administration official only after feeling pressured because of the oil spill in the gulf of mexico . if they 're going to move this appointee ... because of an oil spill , what does it take to move the deputy administrator of the faa in charge of air safety , ' durbin asked . fill in the blanks . ' asked about democratic concerns over the issue earlier this week , senate republican leader mitch mcconnell of kentucky acknowledged , we 've always had a challenging environment in the senate with regard to the confirmation of executive branch appointments . this administration 's been treated about the same as previous administrations in terms of the pace of confirmations . ' democrats disputed that notion and cited figures suggesting obama 's nominees are moving slower than george w. bush 's at this time in his presidency . a top republican senator accused democrats also of using rotating holds . what i have run into in trying to get a bill or an amendment in the senate in the past is the same practice , ' said sen. john thune of south dakota , the fourth-ranking republican in the senate . where the democrats would have a hold on it and you try to trace it down and you kind of have an idea of who it might be and you go to them , [ they respond ]'no i do n't ,'and nobody ever knew because it was just rotated around . ' | democrats say secret holds keep obama administration from being able to effectively govern |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- frustrated democrats went to the senate floor friday to seek republican approval for a long list of administration nominees currently blocked by controversial secret holds placed by gop senators . but a republican senator objected to each of them as they came up . most of the people on the list , we do n't know why they 're sitting there . we do n't even know who 's making them sit there , ' complained sen. claire mccaskill , d-missouri , who is spearheading democratic efforts to banish secret holds . enter stage left , the anonymous hold . or as i like to call it , nobody can blame me cause they do n't know who i am . ' mccaskill said the delay in approving these nominees is particularly agonizing because most of them passed out of committee with little or no opposition . if there is a legitimate complaint or grievance against any nominee , i think any senator has a right to be heard and appeal to the body for a vote , ' sen. dick durbin of illinois , the number two democrat , said thursday . but secret holds , i think , have become a reprehensible part of the process here and need to end . ' sen. tom coburn , r-oklahoma , was the lone republican on the floor friday during the nearly two-hour debate on the issue . he objected to democratic requests to approve the nominees not because he personally opposes them but as courtesy to people on my side of the aisle who have problems with some of these nominees . ' coburn said republicans have a right to a public debate on nominees they oppose and democrats are trying to get around that by seeking unanimous consent to quickly confirm them . in fact , coburn won praise from mccaskill because she said he is the only republican senator who has made his holds public . democrats are especially upset because they think most republicans are getting around a senate rule adopted three years ago that requires senators to make public their holds once they 've had them in place for six legislative days . sen. sheldon whitehouse , d-rhode island , called the practice hold-laundering , ' which is when senators rotate a secret hold off to one another before hitting the six-day trigger for making their names public and thereby keep a hold in place indefinitely . republicans do n't deny using the method but argue it 's allowed by senate rules which could be changed if democrats want . if they think the rule needs to be tightened up they can offer to change the rule , ' suggested a gop leadership aide . in fact , democrats said an effort is under way to offer an amendment to the financial regulations bill currently on the floor to shorten the six-day window to two days . democrats complain the secret holds keep the obama administration from being able to effectively govern and point to one nominee , michael huerta , to be the no . 2 official at the federal aviation administration , as an example of a key appointee stalled by an anonymous senator . at a news conference on thursday , durbin said that republicans that day had finally lifted a hold and approved the nomination of a top national oceanic and atmospheric administration official only after feeling pressured because of the oil spill in the gulf of mexico . if they 're going to move this appointee ... because of an oil spill , what does it take to move the deputy administrator of the faa in charge of air safety , ' durbin asked . fill in the blanks . ' asked about democratic concerns over the issue earlier this week , senate republican leader mitch mcconnell of kentucky acknowledged , we 've always had a challenging environment in the senate with regard to the confirmation of executive branch appointments . this administration 's been treated about the same as previous administrations in terms of the pace of confirmations . ' democrats disputed that notion and cited figures suggesting obama 's nominees are moving slower than george w. bush 's at this time in his presidency . a top republican senator accused democrats also of using rotating holds . what i have run into in trying to get a bill or an amendment in the senate in the past is the same practice , ' said sen. john thune of south dakota , the fourth-ranking republican in the senate . where the democrats would have a hold on it and you try to trace it down and you kind of have an idea of who it might be and you go to them , [ they respond ]'no i do n't ,'and nobody ever knew because it was just rotated around . ' | republicans say democrats use the same tactic |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- frustrated democrats went to the senate floor friday to seek republican approval for a long list of administration nominees currently blocked by controversial secret holds placed by gop senators . but a republican senator objected to each of them as they came up . most of the people on the list , we do n't know why they 're sitting there . we do n't even know who 's making them sit there , ' complained sen. claire mccaskill , d-missouri , who is spearheading democratic efforts to banish secret holds . enter stage left , the anonymous hold . or as i like to call it , nobody can blame me cause they do n't know who i am . ' mccaskill said the delay in approving these nominees is particularly agonizing because most of them passed out of committee with little or no opposition . if there is a legitimate complaint or grievance against any nominee , i think any senator has a right to be heard and appeal to the body for a vote , ' sen. dick durbin of illinois , the number two democrat , said thursday . but secret holds , i think , have become a reprehensible part of the process here and need to end . ' sen. tom coburn , r-oklahoma , was the lone republican on the floor friday during the nearly two-hour debate on the issue . he objected to democratic requests to approve the nominees not because he personally opposes them but as courtesy to people on my side of the aisle who have problems with some of these nominees . ' coburn said republicans have a right to a public debate on nominees they oppose and democrats are trying to get around that by seeking unanimous consent to quickly confirm them . in fact , coburn won praise from mccaskill because she said he is the only republican senator who has made his holds public . democrats are especially upset because they think most republicans are getting around a senate rule adopted three years ago that requires senators to make public their holds once they 've had them in place for six legislative days . sen. sheldon whitehouse , d-rhode island , called the practice hold-laundering , ' which is when senators rotate a secret hold off to one another before hitting the six-day trigger for making their names public and thereby keep a hold in place indefinitely . republicans do n't deny using the method but argue it 's allowed by senate rules which could be changed if democrats want . if they think the rule needs to be tightened up they can offer to change the rule , ' suggested a gop leadership aide . in fact , democrats said an effort is under way to offer an amendment to the financial regulations bill currently on the floor to shorten the six-day window to two days . democrats complain the secret holds keep the obama administration from being able to effectively govern and point to one nominee , michael huerta , to be the no . 2 official at the federal aviation administration , as an example of a key appointee stalled by an anonymous senator . at a news conference on thursday , durbin said that republicans that day had finally lifted a hold and approved the nomination of a top national oceanic and atmospheric administration official only after feeling pressured because of the oil spill in the gulf of mexico . if they 're going to move this appointee ... because of an oil spill , what does it take to move the deputy administrator of the faa in charge of air safety , ' durbin asked . fill in the blanks . ' asked about democratic concerns over the issue earlier this week , senate republican leader mitch mcconnell of kentucky acknowledged , we 've always had a challenging environment in the senate with regard to the confirmation of executive branch appointments . this administration 's been treated about the same as previous administrations in terms of the pace of confirmations . ' democrats disputed that notion and cited figures suggesting obama 's nominees are moving slower than george w. bush 's at this time in his presidency . a top republican senator accused democrats also of using rotating holds . what i have run into in trying to get a bill or an amendment in the senate in the past is the same practice , ' said sen. john thune of south dakota , the fourth-ranking republican in the senate . where the democrats would have a hold on it and you try to trace it down and you kind of have an idea of who it might be and you go to them , [ they respond ]'no i do n't ,'and nobody ever knew because it was just rotated around . ' | senate democrats seek approval of nominees they say gop is blocking |
wimbledon <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the wimbledon tennis championships provide two weeks of pure sporting theatre permeated with tears , tantrums , comebacks , upsets , joy , despair , strawberries and cream . so , perhaps the only surprise attached to the appointment of an ace poet to cover the tournament is that it was n't served up sooner in its rich 133-year history . matt harvey has been chosen as top seed -- a baseline bard who will pen a poem for every day of the two-week grand slam , chronicling the sights and sounds of south west london into a series of soulful sonnets . a regular contributor to bbc radio and a self-confessed wimbledon obsessive , harvey is already salivating at the prospect of trawling the sprawling site in sw19 . he told cnn : it 's just fantastic to be given such access to the place and the people . i 've already spent time there before the lines have been painted and in the museum , and it has been fascinating . i even got to sit in the umpire 's chair on centre court and had to pinch myself . when it starts i imagine i 'll be wandering about in the background . i 'll have to respond to the things people will be talking about , like if a pigeon is shredded by roger federer 's racket -- not that i wish ill of any pigeons , or federer 's racket for that matter . i will also have to touch upon the traditions like strawberries and cream and cliff richard , and also the new addition of the roof -- welcoming people to the wimbledome . the attention i 've had since it was announced just makes me realize how much everybody loves it . i 'm not the icing on the cake for wimbledon , but hopefully i can be one of the many hundreds of thousands on the icing that 's on the cake . ' poetry has a permanent presence at wimbledon , the immortal lines if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same , ' from rudyard kipling 's poem'if'adorning the players'entrance to centre court . harvey 's task is to follow in those feted footsteps and compose an original work for each one of the 14 days of wimbledon . so where will he draw his inspiration from ? he explained : i 'll be getting there early and experiencing wimbledon before people get in and the change when they do arrive -- and i 'll probably go and recite some poems to people in the queue too . wimbledon has such a rich history to draw on too . i can write about the fact that in the olden days women had to wear corsets and the like , which meant their clothes weighed three times more than the men . or about the 1905 champion , may sutton , who caused a stir by rolling her sleeves up above the elbow and wearing a dress that showed her ankles . there are also a bunch of racket stringers who sit in a little hut at wimbledon where the players take their rackets to be tuned to their specifications . plus , the queen is going to be there for the first time since the silver jubilee in 1977 , when virginia wade won the women 's title , so there is enough to write about without even mentioning the on-court action . ' harvey 's poems will be available on the official wimbledon and poetry trust web sites , and he 'll be blogging throughout the tournament . he 'll also have his very own twitter page , meaning punters can embrace their poetic side by tweeting suggestions during the tournament . he explained : i do a bit in my live show where members of the audience write a line of poetry on a scrap of paper and they always fit together better than people think , so i 'll be inviting people to tweet me some pithy lines and hopefully we can do the same thing . twitter is limited to 140 characters but you may just be able to fit a couplet in there . ' • to follow matt harvey 's poems during the tournament visit the wimbledon or poetry trust web sites . | matt harvey has been appointed wimbledon 's first official poet |
arizona <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- taxes , religion and education -- this politically charged trifecta divided the supreme court on wednesday in a case involving a state school choice program . at issue is a lawsuit challenging arizona 's tax breaks for voluntary donations benefiting private school scholarships . the 13-year-old program provides dollar-for-dollar income tax breaks for money given to school tuition organizations , ' or stos . some arizona taxpayers challenged the program as unconstitutional because , they say , not-for-profit religious organizations award most of the scholarships , and require children to enroll in religious schools . those opponents say the state has effectively been funneling taxpayer money to religious schools through a third-party front ' group . the justices appeared torn over whether that represented a de facto endorsement ' of religion by arizona . the state could not give tuition vouchers on the basis of religion -- could not say , if you are a catholic you do n't get these tuition vouchers , ' said justice elena kagan , who was impressive in her command of the complex issues argued . but what the state has done here , apparently , is to set up a scheme that uses intermediaries that can make exactly that distinction , that can say -- sorry , if you are a catholic you do n't get scholarships out of our sto . ' one key issue for the court is whether the tax credit means the donated amount is the government 's money or an individual 's . there is a very important philosophical point here . you think that all the money belongs to the government , except to the extent that it deigns to allow private people to keep some of it , ' justice samuel alito told a lawyer for the taxpayer plaintiffs . they do n't owe it to the government if they have made this contribution . that 's the whole point . ' besides the church-state questions , the high court must decide whether individual residents have standing ' to sue the state , even if they do not donate to the scholarship program . that could be the key legal point the justices decide to tackle , aside from the larger state-action debate . the growing popularity of school choice plans around the country has raised fresh legal questions about whether arizona 's plan is religion-neutral , and whether parents have true decision-making power , free from government intervention . a federal appeals court ruled the decade-old lawsuit could proceed . in 2002 , the supreme court separately upheld school voucher programs . supporters of the arizona aid program say theirs is no different from the cleveland program approved eight years ago , because in both cases , government does not direct any money to religious schools . arizonans can receive a $ 500 credit ( $ 1,000 for a couple filing jointly ) off their state income taxes for contributions to school tuition organizations , which operate as charities . these organizations must spend at least 90 percent of money received on scholarships , and must offer them to students at more than one school . parents would apply for the tax-credit funded scholarships at either a religious or secular school . state figures show more than 50 school tuition organizations had received about $ 400 million in contributions through last year . in 2009 the program provided 27,000 scholarships to 373 schools , with most going to students who would not have been able to afford to attend . an arizona republic newspaper investigation found that of the $ 54 million in scholarships awarded in 2008 , 93 percent went to students attending religious schools . four arizona taxpayers had sued the state and some of the largest school tuition organizations . the plaintiffs are represented by various outside groups including the american civil liberties union . in oral arguments , the divided bench struggled over whether these four arizona taxpayers could claim they were directly affected by how the scholarship money was spent , and whether the program was funded by money from the government or private contributors . arguing for the obama administration , acting solicitor general neal katyal defended the state program , saying parents ultimately control where the scholarship money is spent . if you placed an electronic tag to track and monitor each cent that the [ suing taxpayers ] pay in tax , not a cent , not a fraction of a cent , would go into any religious school 's coffers , ' he said . several left-leaning justices appeared unconvinced . echoing the arguments of the taxpayer plaintiffs , justice sonia sotomayor said , either you pay it to the state [ in taxes ] or you use it for this [ school ] purpose , but it 's the state 's money and it 's given you by its largesse , the right to redirect it . ' does anyone have standing , in your view , to challenge this scheme ? ' justice ruth bader ginsburg asked the government lawyer . the establishment clause will be unenforceable unless we recognize taxpayer standing . ' suppose that an sto -- this is a hypothetical case -- discriminated on the basis of race . no hispanic or no white or no black can receive our money , ' said justice anthony kennedy , who could well prove the deciding vote in this appeal . do n't you think a strong argument can be made that it can be attributed to the state , ' allowing a private individual discrimination claim to be made . the state has all sorts of rules about what an sto has to be . the state provides the mechanism through the credit for the funding . ' kagan added , there are stos that make these distinctions that clearly would be impermissible if the state administered the program . ' paul bender , attorney for the plaintiffs by contrast , faced tough questioning from several conservative justices over the state action . how is it discriminating on the basis of religion if the sto does n't care whether it goes to a religious school or not ? it 's treated the same ? ' asked chief justice john roberts . that does n't matter . if the state 's grantee cares , that 's unconstitutional , ' said bender , an arizona state university professor . this is a government spending program . is there any doubt about that ? the money in this program is not private charitable contributions . ' it 's a great leap to say that it 's government funds , that any money the government does n't take from me because it gives me a deduction , is government money , ' said justice antonin scalia . this money has never been in the government 's coffers . the government has declined to take this money . ' taxpayers are generally limited in their ability to claim constitutional wrongdoing over government spending . a special class was carved by the high court 42 years ago for some kinds of disputes related to the first amendment 's prohibition on government establishment of religion . ' the current cases are arizona christian school tuition org . v. winn ( 09-987 ) and garriott v. winn ( 09-991 ) . a ruling is expected sometime next year . | arizona gives tax credits for money donated for private school scholarships |
florida <tsp> sanford , florida ( cnn ) -- federal prosecutors and the fbi have opened an investigation into the killing of an unarmed teen by a neighborhood watch volunteer in florida . the death drew protesters monday to the courthouse in seminole county , north of orlando , to demand justice for trayvon martin , the 17-year-old who was shot and killed last month while walking back to his father 's fiancee 's house in sanford . the african-american teen 's parents said monday that they believed race was a factor in their son 's death , and the congressional black caucus had called for a federal investigation , saying local police have shown blatant disregard for justice . ' late monday , the justice department said it would dispatch officials to sanford to investigate and to address tension in the community . ' the department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation , ' justice department spokeswoman xochitl hinojosa said in a written statement . the department also is providing assistance to and cooperating with the state officials in their investigation into the incident . ' florida gov . rick scott also weighed in monday evening , noting that the case has caused significant concern within the sanford community and the state ' and asking the florida department of law enforcement to provide any assistance necessary ' to local investigators . the man who shot trayvon , george zimmerman , has not been charged . he told police he shot the teen in self-defense , and police say they have no evidence to refute his story . trayvon 's father , tracy martin , told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' that his son 's death was a matter of profiling . ' i think that 's an issue that mr. zimmerman himself considers as someone suspicious -- a black kid with a hoodie on , jeans , tennis shoes , ' martin said . thousands of people wear that outfit every day , so what was so suspicious about trayvon that zimmerman felt as though he had to confront him ? ' and the slain teen 's mother told nbc 's today ' show that the neighborhood watch captain was out there reacting to the color of his skin . ' my son was n't doing anything but walking on the sidewalk , and i just do n't understand why this situation got out of control , ' sybrina fulton said . cnn has made numerous attempts to contact zimmerman , who is hispanic , but have been unsuccessful . in a statement to the orlando sentinel , his father says zimmerman grew up in a multiracial family and has moved out of his home after receiving death threats . and in announcing the federal probe , hinojosa cautioned that bringing a civil rights case requires the government prove that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids -- the highest level of intent in criminal law . ' at the seminole county courthouse , a handful of student protesters and a law professor from florida a & m university met with a representative of the state attorney 's office to discuss the ongoing investigation while protesters demanded zimmerman 's arrest . many carried signs in remembrance of trayvon . gone but not forgotten , ' read one that had a picture of the young man wearing a football uniform . no justice for trayvon . no peace for sanford ! ' read another . assistant state attorney pat whitaker told the students it would take several weeks to look at the case , but that the investigation of the sanford police needs to be greatly supplemented , ' jasmine rand , the famu professor , said after the meeting . the state attorney 's office also said a voice analysis would be conducted on 911 calls from the night of the shooting to determine who was yelling for help , students said . zimmerman , 28 , called police around nightfall on february 26 to report a suspicious man in his neighborhood . something 's wrong with him . yep . he 's coming to check me out , ' zimmerman told a police dispatcher in a 911 call released monday . he 's got something in his hands . i do n't know what his deal is . send officers over here . ' the teen started to run , zimmerman reported . when he said he was following , the dispatcher told him , we do n't need you to do that . ' shortly afterward , neighbors began calling 911 to report a fight , then a gunshot . by the time police arrived , trayvon lay dead . he was carrying a bag of skittles and an iced tea that he had purchased at a nearby convenience store , and was headed back to his father 's fiancee 's home . martin said he 's positive ' that his son 's voice that can be heard screaming for help in the neighbors'calls . it 's heartwrenching , because those actually were my son 's last words , ' he said . and to hear his last words being cries of help , is devastating . it tears me apart as a father . ' cnn 's roland s. martin , rick martin , john couwels , vivian kuo and terry frieden contributed to this report . | the 17-year-old was not armed when he was killed last month in florida |
florida <tsp> sanford , florida ( cnn ) -- federal prosecutors and the fbi have opened an investigation into the killing of an unarmed teen by a neighborhood watch volunteer in florida . the death drew protesters monday to the courthouse in seminole county , north of orlando , to demand justice for trayvon martin , the 17-year-old who was shot and killed last month while walking back to his father 's fiancee 's house in sanford . the african-american teen 's parents said monday that they believed race was a factor in their son 's death , and the congressional black caucus had called for a federal investigation , saying local police have shown blatant disregard for justice . ' late monday , the justice department said it would dispatch officials to sanford to investigate and to address tension in the community . ' the department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation , ' justice department spokeswoman xochitl hinojosa said in a written statement . the department also is providing assistance to and cooperating with the state officials in their investigation into the incident . ' florida gov . rick scott also weighed in monday evening , noting that the case has caused significant concern within the sanford community and the state ' and asking the florida department of law enforcement to provide any assistance necessary ' to local investigators . the man who shot trayvon , george zimmerman , has not been charged . he told police he shot the teen in self-defense , and police say they have no evidence to refute his story . trayvon 's father , tracy martin , told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' that his son 's death was a matter of profiling . ' i think that 's an issue that mr. zimmerman himself considers as someone suspicious -- a black kid with a hoodie on , jeans , tennis shoes , ' martin said . thousands of people wear that outfit every day , so what was so suspicious about trayvon that zimmerman felt as though he had to confront him ? ' and the slain teen 's mother told nbc 's today ' show that the neighborhood watch captain was out there reacting to the color of his skin . ' my son was n't doing anything but walking on the sidewalk , and i just do n't understand why this situation got out of control , ' sybrina fulton said . cnn has made numerous attempts to contact zimmerman , who is hispanic , but have been unsuccessful . in a statement to the orlando sentinel , his father says zimmerman grew up in a multiracial family and has moved out of his home after receiving death threats . and in announcing the federal probe , hinojosa cautioned that bringing a civil rights case requires the government prove that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids -- the highest level of intent in criminal law . ' at the seminole county courthouse , a handful of student protesters and a law professor from florida a & m university met with a representative of the state attorney 's office to discuss the ongoing investigation while protesters demanded zimmerman 's arrest . many carried signs in remembrance of trayvon . gone but not forgotten , ' read one that had a picture of the young man wearing a football uniform . no justice for trayvon . no peace for sanford ! ' read another . assistant state attorney pat whitaker told the students it would take several weeks to look at the case , but that the investigation of the sanford police needs to be greatly supplemented , ' jasmine rand , the famu professor , said after the meeting . the state attorney 's office also said a voice analysis would be conducted on 911 calls from the night of the shooting to determine who was yelling for help , students said . zimmerman , 28 , called police around nightfall on february 26 to report a suspicious man in his neighborhood . something 's wrong with him . yep . he 's coming to check me out , ' zimmerman told a police dispatcher in a 911 call released monday . he 's got something in his hands . i do n't know what his deal is . send officers over here . ' the teen started to run , zimmerman reported . when he said he was following , the dispatcher told him , we do n't need you to do that . ' shortly afterward , neighbors began calling 911 to report a fight , then a gunshot . by the time police arrived , trayvon lay dead . he was carrying a bag of skittles and an iced tea that he had purchased at a nearby convenience store , and was headed back to his father 's fiancee 's home . martin said he 's positive ' that his son 's voice that can be heard screaming for help in the neighbors'calls . it 's heartwrenching , because those actually were my son 's last words , ' he said . and to hear his last words being cries of help , is devastating . it tears me apart as a father . ' cnn 's roland s. martin , rick martin , john couwels , vivian kuo and terry frieden contributed to this report . | florida governor 's asks the state to assist probe as well |
kingdom tower <tsp> ( cnn ) -- dubai , long champion of all things biggest , longest and most expensive , will soon have some competition from neighboring saudi arabia . dubai 's iconic burj khalifa , the world 's tallest building , could be stripped of its guinness title if saudi arabia succeeds in its plans to construct the even larger kingdom tower in jeddah -- a prospect looking more likely as work begins next week , according to construction weekly . consultants advanced construction technology services have recently announced testing materials to build the 3,280-feet ( 1 kilometer ) skyscraper ( the burj khalifa , by comparison , stands at a meeker 2,716 feet , or 827 meters ) . the kingdom tower , estimated to cost $ 1.23 billion , would have 200 floors and overlook the red sea . building it will require about 5.7 million square feet of concrete and 80,000 tons of steel , according to the saudi gazette . building a structure that tall , particularly on the coast , where saltwater could potentially damage it , is no easy feat . the foundations , which will be 200 feet ( 60 meters ) deep , need to be able to withstand the saltwater of the nearby ocean . as a result , advanced construction technology services will test the strength of different concretes . wind load is another issue for buildings of this magnitude . to counter this challenge , the tower will change shape regularly . because it changes shape every few floors , the wind loads go round the building and wo n't be as extreme as on a really solid block , ' gordon gill explained to construction weekly . gill is a partner at adrian smith + gordon gill architecture , the design architects for the project . delivering the concrete to higher floors will also be a challenge . possibly , engineers could use similar methods to those employed when building the burj khalifa ; 6 million cubic feet of concrete was pushed through a single pump , usually at night when temperatures were low enough to ensure that it would set . though ambitious , building the kingdom tower should be feasible , according to sang dae kim , the director of the council on tall buildings . at this point in time we can build a tower that is one kilometer , maybe two kilometers . any higher than that and we will have to do a lot of homework , ' he told construction weekly . first dinosaur bones in saudi discovered inside the world 's largest mall when the elevators do n't work in the world 's tallest building | saudi arabia is set to start on kingdom tower , slated to be the world 's tallest building |
kingdom tower <tsp> ( cnn ) -- dubai , long champion of all things biggest , longest and most expensive , will soon have some competition from neighboring saudi arabia . dubai 's iconic burj khalifa , the world 's tallest building , could be stripped of its guinness title if saudi arabia succeeds in its plans to construct the even larger kingdom tower in jeddah -- a prospect looking more likely as work begins next week , according to construction weekly . consultants advanced construction technology services have recently announced testing materials to build the 3,280-feet ( 1 kilometer ) skyscraper ( the burj khalifa , by comparison , stands at a meeker 2,716 feet , or 827 meters ) . the kingdom tower , estimated to cost $ 1.23 billion , would have 200 floors and overlook the red sea . building it will require about 5.7 million square feet of concrete and 80,000 tons of steel , according to the saudi gazette . building a structure that tall , particularly on the coast , where saltwater could potentially damage it , is no easy feat . the foundations , which will be 200 feet ( 60 meters ) deep , need to be able to withstand the saltwater of the nearby ocean . as a result , advanced construction technology services will test the strength of different concretes . wind load is another issue for buildings of this magnitude . to counter this challenge , the tower will change shape regularly . because it changes shape every few floors , the wind loads go round the building and wo n't be as extreme as on a really solid block , ' gordon gill explained to construction weekly . gill is a partner at adrian smith + gordon gill architecture , the design architects for the project . delivering the concrete to higher floors will also be a challenge . possibly , engineers could use similar methods to those employed when building the burj khalifa ; 6 million cubic feet of concrete was pushed through a single pump , usually at night when temperatures were low enough to ensure that it would set . though ambitious , building the kingdom tower should be feasible , according to sang dae kim , the director of the council on tall buildings . at this point in time we can build a tower that is one kilometer , maybe two kilometers . any higher than that and we will have to do a lot of homework , ' he told construction weekly . first dinosaur bones in saudi discovered inside the world 's largest mall when the elevators do n't work in the world 's tallest building | the kingdom tower will reach 3,280 feet , have 200 floors and cost $ 1.2 billion |
republican <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- election night was terrible for the democratic party , and hillary clinton was not spared . clinton visited 20 states and stumped for 26 candidates ahead of election day 2014 . her midterm record was an abysmal 11 wins , 14 losses and one runoff , according to cnn projections . but there is an argument - clinton advisers will spin it to you - in the context of what appears to be an all-but-certain run in 2016 , that her midterm record is far less important than what she gained while campaigning for democrats . re-learning to stump going into the midterms , clinton 's mostly paid speeches were corporate and dull . she addressed audiences that were full of executive types who did not alawys seem excited to see her ; many of whom were attending conferences that had no connection to the former secretary of state . that changed during clinton 's time on the campaign trail . the former secretary of state stretched her long-dormant political legs and toyed with what will likely be her presidential message . she honed a new message based on women 's rights and opposition to wall street and - perhaps most importantly - got some needed practice ahead of a possible presidential run . when the former secretary of state took the stage at september 's tom harkin steak fry in iowa - her first real political speech of the year - she appeared to reporters on the ground to be flat and out-of-practice . that afternoon , the crowd responded with far more excitement to tom harkin , their retiring senator , and bill clinton , hillary 's husband and the former president . but over time during the midterms , clinton became more comfortable on the stump . elections come down often to who 's got more money , who 's peddling more fear and who turns out , ' clinton confidently told an excited audience in north carolina in october . she did n't she away from hitting her republican opponents and drawing some contrast between them and the person she was endorsing . most noticeably , clinton honed her focus on women . nearly every event clinton did was geared towards some combination of mothers and grandmothers . in pennsylvania she spoke to a women for wolf ' event , while in louisiana it was moms and grams with mary ' who filled the event space . clinton seemed to embrace the theme and recognize that fact that if she runs for president , it will be from a historic perch as possibly the nation 's first woman president . do n't let anyone dismiss what you 're doing today as women 's work , ' she told an audience in san francisco . do n't let anyone send you back to the sidelines . ' as clinton has grown back into the role of retail politician , though , so have her republican detractors . groups like the republican national committee and america rising learned how to prod clinton and poked her with emails to reporters and tweets about her gaffes . they sometimes drove the media conversation and seized on mistakes she made . shortly after the senate officially turned red on tuesday , rand paul 's facebook page uploaded a photo of clinton and the six losing senate candidates that she endorsed . hillaryslosers , ' read the photos that went gangbusters online . the morning after the country , effectively , turned red , the republican national committee blasted an email to reporters : hillary 's policies were on the ballot . ''this is bigger than a single surrogate' clinton 's closest confidants also do n't see tuesday as a repudiation of clinton . this is bigger than a single surrogate , ' said a clinton source with knowledge of her midterm schedule who requested anonymity to speak candidly . no surrogate is that , sort of , silver bullet . ' the source added that going into the midterms there was a realization that clinton has n't given a political speech , certainly on any regular basis , in six years . ' given that , and despite her less than 50 percent batting average with successful candidates , people close to clinton felt confidant that the midterms were time well spent for the former first lady . i think her going back in for grimes was a good example [ of not shying away from tough races ] , going to iowa twice , too ' the source said . there was no ,'oh man , we ought to pull out of here because it is going to be a loss . ' the source argued that 2016 did n't come up a great deal during the conversations about where to go in 2014 . growing from the book tour hillary clinton 's book tour was defined by her gaffes in the interviews trying to sell it . out of the gate , clinton slipped up answering questions about her and her husband 's wealth - pointing out the now mega-rich couple was dead broke ' when they left the white house - and it seemed like she was never fully able to recover . longtime clinton confidants were concerned about her book tour performance . with the book tour , there were a lot of unforced errors . that was concerning , ' said one longtime clinton adviser . it was an open question whether she was going to fumble about her wealth . ' but watching clinton on the stump , the source said , it seemed that clinton kicked off the rust . republicans see it differently . she is going to have to meet a reality where talking about only war on women issues and raising the minimum wage is not sufficient to win a national election or elections in these states , ' said tim miller , executive director of america rising , said after tuesday night . i think that is a reality that the whole democratic party is going to have to meet but hillary clinton was gung ho about that message , too . ' the midterms also were n't rhetorically flawless for clinton . in boston , the former first lady shorthanded ' a line that seemed to hint it was n't corporations and business that create jobs . ' clinton went on to walk back the comment that was , for the most part , her only noticeable gaffe for two months on the stump . that is a departure from her book tour , a two month long affair riddled with slips of the tongue , and confidants were happy to see her gaffe on the populist side of the party . was it completely without these sort of perceived bumps ? no , ' said the source with knowledge of clinton 's midterm schedule . but , at the end of the day , was it viewed as time well spent ? yes . ' | clinton 's republican detractors also grew and learned how to effectively attack clinton |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- election night was terrible for the democratic party , and hillary clinton was not spared . clinton visited 20 states and stumped for 26 candidates ahead of election day 2014 . her midterm record was an abysmal 11 wins , 14 losses and one runoff , according to cnn projections . but there is an argument - clinton advisers will spin it to you - in the context of what appears to be an all-but-certain run in 2016 , that her midterm record is far less important than what she gained while campaigning for democrats . re-learning to stump going into the midterms , clinton 's mostly paid speeches were corporate and dull . she addressed audiences that were full of executive types who did not alawys seem excited to see her ; many of whom were attending conferences that had no connection to the former secretary of state . that changed during clinton 's time on the campaign trail . the former secretary of state stretched her long-dormant political legs and toyed with what will likely be her presidential message . she honed a new message based on women 's rights and opposition to wall street and - perhaps most importantly - got some needed practice ahead of a possible presidential run . when the former secretary of state took the stage at september 's tom harkin steak fry in iowa - her first real political speech of the year - she appeared to reporters on the ground to be flat and out-of-practice . that afternoon , the crowd responded with far more excitement to tom harkin , their retiring senator , and bill clinton , hillary 's husband and the former president . but over time during the midterms , clinton became more comfortable on the stump . elections come down often to who 's got more money , who 's peddling more fear and who turns out , ' clinton confidently told an excited audience in north carolina in october . she did n't she away from hitting her republican opponents and drawing some contrast between them and the person she was endorsing . most noticeably , clinton honed her focus on women . nearly every event clinton did was geared towards some combination of mothers and grandmothers . in pennsylvania she spoke to a women for wolf ' event , while in louisiana it was moms and grams with mary ' who filled the event space . clinton seemed to embrace the theme and recognize that fact that if she runs for president , it will be from a historic perch as possibly the nation 's first woman president . do n't let anyone dismiss what you 're doing today as women 's work , ' she told an audience in san francisco . do n't let anyone send you back to the sidelines . ' as clinton has grown back into the role of retail politician , though , so have her republican detractors . groups like the republican national committee and america rising learned how to prod clinton and poked her with emails to reporters and tweets about her gaffes . they sometimes drove the media conversation and seized on mistakes she made . shortly after the senate officially turned red on tuesday , rand paul 's facebook page uploaded a photo of clinton and the six losing senate candidates that she endorsed . hillaryslosers , ' read the photos that went gangbusters online . the morning after the country , effectively , turned red , the republican national committee blasted an email to reporters : hillary 's policies were on the ballot . ''this is bigger than a single surrogate' clinton 's closest confidants also do n't see tuesday as a repudiation of clinton . this is bigger than a single surrogate , ' said a clinton source with knowledge of her midterm schedule who requested anonymity to speak candidly . no surrogate is that , sort of , silver bullet . ' the source added that going into the midterms there was a realization that clinton has n't given a political speech , certainly on any regular basis , in six years . ' given that , and despite her less than 50 percent batting average with successful candidates , people close to clinton felt confidant that the midterms were time well spent for the former first lady . i think her going back in for grimes was a good example [ of not shying away from tough races ] , going to iowa twice , too ' the source said . there was no ,'oh man , we ought to pull out of here because it is going to be a loss . ' the source argued that 2016 did n't come up a great deal during the conversations about where to go in 2014 . growing from the book tour hillary clinton 's book tour was defined by her gaffes in the interviews trying to sell it . out of the gate , clinton slipped up answering questions about her and her husband 's wealth - pointing out the now mega-rich couple was dead broke ' when they left the white house - and it seemed like she was never fully able to recover . longtime clinton confidants were concerned about her book tour performance . with the book tour , there were a lot of unforced errors . that was concerning , ' said one longtime clinton adviser . it was an open question whether she was going to fumble about her wealth . ' but watching clinton on the stump , the source said , it seemed that clinton kicked off the rust . republicans see it differently . she is going to have to meet a reality where talking about only war on women issues and raising the minimum wage is not sufficient to win a national election or elections in these states , ' said tim miller , executive director of america rising , said after tuesday night . i think that is a reality that the whole democratic party is going to have to meet but hillary clinton was gung ho about that message , too . ' the midterms also were n't rhetorically flawless for clinton . in boston , the former first lady shorthanded ' a line that seemed to hint it was n't corporations and business that create jobs . ' clinton went on to walk back the comment that was , for the most part , her only noticeable gaffe for two months on the stump . that is a departure from her book tour , a two month long affair riddled with slips of the tongue , and confidants were happy to see her gaffe on the populist side of the party . was it completely without these sort of perceived bumps ? no , ' said the source with knowledge of clinton 's midterm schedule . but , at the end of the day , was it viewed as time well spent ? yes . ' | hillary clinton helped democrats campaign during the 2014 midterm |
democrats <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- election night was terrible for the democratic party , and hillary clinton was not spared . clinton visited 20 states and stumped for 26 candidates ahead of election day 2014 . her midterm record was an abysmal 11 wins , 14 losses and one runoff , according to cnn projections . but there is an argument - clinton advisers will spin it to you - in the context of what appears to be an all-but-certain run in 2016 , that her midterm record is far less important than what she gained while campaigning for democrats . re-learning to stump going into the midterms , clinton 's mostly paid speeches were corporate and dull . she addressed audiences that were full of executive types who did not alawys seem excited to see her ; many of whom were attending conferences that had no connection to the former secretary of state . that changed during clinton 's time on the campaign trail . the former secretary of state stretched her long-dormant political legs and toyed with what will likely be her presidential message . she honed a new message based on women 's rights and opposition to wall street and - perhaps most importantly - got some needed practice ahead of a possible presidential run . when the former secretary of state took the stage at september 's tom harkin steak fry in iowa - her first real political speech of the year - she appeared to reporters on the ground to be flat and out-of-practice . that afternoon , the crowd responded with far more excitement to tom harkin , their retiring senator , and bill clinton , hillary 's husband and the former president . but over time during the midterms , clinton became more comfortable on the stump . elections come down often to who 's got more money , who 's peddling more fear and who turns out , ' clinton confidently told an excited audience in north carolina in october . she did n't she away from hitting her republican opponents and drawing some contrast between them and the person she was endorsing . most noticeably , clinton honed her focus on women . nearly every event clinton did was geared towards some combination of mothers and grandmothers . in pennsylvania she spoke to a women for wolf ' event , while in louisiana it was moms and grams with mary ' who filled the event space . clinton seemed to embrace the theme and recognize that fact that if she runs for president , it will be from a historic perch as possibly the nation 's first woman president . do n't let anyone dismiss what you 're doing today as women 's work , ' she told an audience in san francisco . do n't let anyone send you back to the sidelines . ' as clinton has grown back into the role of retail politician , though , so have her republican detractors . groups like the republican national committee and america rising learned how to prod clinton and poked her with emails to reporters and tweets about her gaffes . they sometimes drove the media conversation and seized on mistakes she made . shortly after the senate officially turned red on tuesday , rand paul 's facebook page uploaded a photo of clinton and the six losing senate candidates that she endorsed . hillaryslosers , ' read the photos that went gangbusters online . the morning after the country , effectively , turned red , the republican national committee blasted an email to reporters : hillary 's policies were on the ballot . ''this is bigger than a single surrogate' clinton 's closest confidants also do n't see tuesday as a repudiation of clinton . this is bigger than a single surrogate , ' said a clinton source with knowledge of her midterm schedule who requested anonymity to speak candidly . no surrogate is that , sort of , silver bullet . ' the source added that going into the midterms there was a realization that clinton has n't given a political speech , certainly on any regular basis , in six years . ' given that , and despite her less than 50 percent batting average with successful candidates , people close to clinton felt confidant that the midterms were time well spent for the former first lady . i think her going back in for grimes was a good example [ of not shying away from tough races ] , going to iowa twice , too ' the source said . there was no ,'oh man , we ought to pull out of here because it is going to be a loss . ' the source argued that 2016 did n't come up a great deal during the conversations about where to go in 2014 . growing from the book tour hillary clinton 's book tour was defined by her gaffes in the interviews trying to sell it . out of the gate , clinton slipped up answering questions about her and her husband 's wealth - pointing out the now mega-rich couple was dead broke ' when they left the white house - and it seemed like she was never fully able to recover . longtime clinton confidants were concerned about her book tour performance . with the book tour , there were a lot of unforced errors . that was concerning , ' said one longtime clinton adviser . it was an open question whether she was going to fumble about her wealth . ' but watching clinton on the stump , the source said , it seemed that clinton kicked off the rust . republicans see it differently . she is going to have to meet a reality where talking about only war on women issues and raising the minimum wage is not sufficient to win a national election or elections in these states , ' said tim miller , executive director of america rising , said after tuesday night . i think that is a reality that the whole democratic party is going to have to meet but hillary clinton was gung ho about that message , too . ' the midterms also were n't rhetorically flawless for clinton . in boston , the former first lady shorthanded ' a line that seemed to hint it was n't corporations and business that create jobs . ' clinton went on to walk back the comment that was , for the most part , her only noticeable gaffe for two months on the stump . that is a departure from her book tour , a two month long affair riddled with slips of the tongue , and confidants were happy to see her gaffe on the populist side of the party . was it completely without these sort of perceived bumps ? no , ' said the source with knowledge of clinton 's midterm schedule . but , at the end of the day , was it viewed as time well spent ? yes . ' | clinton found a voice campaigning for other democrats and honed what will likely be her 2016 message |
mexican <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a year after mexican trucks were first permitted to conduct long-haul operations in the united states , so few trucks have signed up for the pilot program that government auditors fear they wo n't be able to complete a congressionally mandated study of the program 's safety . only six mexican trucking companies -- most with a single truck -- are participating in the program thus far , with some 24 other companies under review . as of july , mexican trucks had made fewer than 100 long-haul trips into the united states . unless the number of participating trucks increases significantly , the department of transportation 's inspector general says , the department will not have the data needed to determine whether mexican trucks present a danger on u.s. highways . the low participation seemingly belies critics of the north american free trade agreement , or nafta , who feared the agreement would unloose thousands of mexican trucks on u.s. highways , displacing american trucks and endangering american lives . but opponents of the program attribute the low participation to other factors , including bureaucratic roadblocks to participation , the trade imbalance and a reluctance by mexican companies to join a temporary program . the opponents say they remain fearful that the program ultimately will hurt american trucking jobs . further , they said the inspector general 's report confirms fears the u.s. government will not hold mexican trucks and truckers to the same safety standards as their u.s. counterparts . the inspector generals report pretty much has confirmed everything that our organization has contended since day one , ' said todd spencer of the owner-operator independent drivers association . the federal motor carrier safety administration ( fmcsa ) has applied a double standard ' to mexican operations , he said . the report says fmcsa auditors allowed mexican drivers to respond in spanish to test questions , and that some mexican drivers were unable to explain the meaning of signs labeled railroad crossing ' and wrong way . ' and one fmcsa auditor did not investigate why one mexican trucking company submitted a report containing incomplete drug and alcohol tests . the fmcsa said it has taken steps to address problems uncovered by the inspector general . it now requires english responses to questions about traffic and road signs , and requires testing of all 21 signs used in the test . safety is our first priority , and we will continue to look for ways to improve our program , ' the agency said in a statement to cnn . the agency has already incorporated several important safety recommendations from the office of the inspector general . ' as for program participation , the fmcsa said it is working with the mexican government to provide program information to other trucking companies . the agency recognizes that statistically valid results will require much broader participation , ' the fmcsa told the inspector general . under the program , approved mexican trucks are allowed to carry mexican goods throughout the united states -- well beyond the commercial zone in border states where they previously had to off-load . before receiving permanent long-haul authority , participants must go through a series of inspections and safety evaluations . the program is not open to hazardous material trucks or passenger carriers . to date , the department of transportation says , none of the participating mexican carriers has had a reportable crash in the united states since joining the program . supporters of the program blame the low participation on the temporary nature of the program . it 's a bit of a'catch-22'because the mexican trucks have been yanked around so long they are hesitant to spend the money on a pilot program , ' said james clark , director of the san diego regional chamber of commerce 's mexico business center . i think they are concerned about making an investment in something that might be temporary . ' many of them say ,'to hell with it . we have enough business in our own country ,'' clark said . clark dismissed concerns that mexican trucks were less safe than u.s. rigs . i think it 's a jobs concern disguised as a safety issue , ' he said . i mean they can frighten people by saying ,'oh my god , they 'll have these old ramshackled trucks ( on u.s . roads ) .'' but , he said , that trucks have to pass the exact same safety standards ' as u.s. trucks , and the drivers must be equally qualified . mexico outlines details of cross-border trucking pact | just six mexican trucking companies are participating in the program so far |
mexican <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a year after mexican trucks were first permitted to conduct long-haul operations in the united states , so few trucks have signed up for the pilot program that government auditors fear they wo n't be able to complete a congressionally mandated study of the program 's safety . only six mexican trucking companies -- most with a single truck -- are participating in the program thus far , with some 24 other companies under review . as of july , mexican trucks had made fewer than 100 long-haul trips into the united states . unless the number of participating trucks increases significantly , the department of transportation 's inspector general says , the department will not have the data needed to determine whether mexican trucks present a danger on u.s. highways . the low participation seemingly belies critics of the north american free trade agreement , or nafta , who feared the agreement would unloose thousands of mexican trucks on u.s. highways , displacing american trucks and endangering american lives . but opponents of the program attribute the low participation to other factors , including bureaucratic roadblocks to participation , the trade imbalance and a reluctance by mexican companies to join a temporary program . the opponents say they remain fearful that the program ultimately will hurt american trucking jobs . further , they said the inspector general 's report confirms fears the u.s. government will not hold mexican trucks and truckers to the same safety standards as their u.s. counterparts . the inspector generals report pretty much has confirmed everything that our organization has contended since day one , ' said todd spencer of the owner-operator independent drivers association . the federal motor carrier safety administration ( fmcsa ) has applied a double standard ' to mexican operations , he said . the report says fmcsa auditors allowed mexican drivers to respond in spanish to test questions , and that some mexican drivers were unable to explain the meaning of signs labeled railroad crossing ' and wrong way . ' and one fmcsa auditor did not investigate why one mexican trucking company submitted a report containing incomplete drug and alcohol tests . the fmcsa said it has taken steps to address problems uncovered by the inspector general . it now requires english responses to questions about traffic and road signs , and requires testing of all 21 signs used in the test . safety is our first priority , and we will continue to look for ways to improve our program , ' the agency said in a statement to cnn . the agency has already incorporated several important safety recommendations from the office of the inspector general . ' as for program participation , the fmcsa said it is working with the mexican government to provide program information to other trucking companies . the agency recognizes that statistically valid results will require much broader participation , ' the fmcsa told the inspector general . under the program , approved mexican trucks are allowed to carry mexican goods throughout the united states -- well beyond the commercial zone in border states where they previously had to off-load . before receiving permanent long-haul authority , participants must go through a series of inspections and safety evaluations . the program is not open to hazardous material trucks or passenger carriers . to date , the department of transportation says , none of the participating mexican carriers has had a reportable crash in the united states since joining the program . supporters of the program blame the low participation on the temporary nature of the program . it 's a bit of a'catch-22'because the mexican trucks have been yanked around so long they are hesitant to spend the money on a pilot program , ' said james clark , director of the san diego regional chamber of commerce 's mexico business center . i think they are concerned about making an investment in something that might be temporary . ' many of them say ,'to hell with it . we have enough business in our own country ,'' clark said . clark dismissed concerns that mexican trucks were less safe than u.s. rigs . i think it 's a jobs concern disguised as a safety issue , ' he said . i mean they can frighten people by saying ,'oh my god , they 'll have these old ramshackled trucks ( on u.s . roads ) .'' but , he said , that trucks have to pass the exact same safety standards ' as u.s. trucks , and the drivers must be equally qualified . mexico outlines details of cross-border trucking pact | as of july , mexican trucks had made fewer than 100 long-haul trips into the u.s . |
oscar isaac <tsp> ( cnn ) -- david simon has gotten behind a hero . ' according to the hollywood reporter , the wire ' creator will be co-producing show me a hero , ' a six-hour miniseries to air on hbo . ( hbo , like cnn , is a unit of time warner . ) the program fits in perfectly with simon 's concerns about race , class and the political conflicts they spawn . it 's based on a 1999 nonfiction work by lisa belkin about a battle over housing in yonkers , new york , just north of new york city . an effort to add low-income housing to the city 's east side led to a ferocious court case , angry demonstrations , tribal politics and , eventually , a suicide . the book has been compared to j. anthony lukas'classic work about boston 's busing crisis , common ground . ' show me a hero ' comes with a sterling pedigree . besides simon , oscar winner paul haggis ( crash , ' million dollar baby ' ) has signed on to direct , and catherine keener ( capote , ' captain phillips ' ) and oscar isaac ( inside llewyn davis ' ) are set to star . simon will co-write the script with william f. zorzi . simon 's most recent series , treme , ' wrapped up its run on hbo last december . | program will be directed by paul haggis , star catherine keener , oscar isaac |
boustany <tsp> editor 's note : rep. charles boustany is a republican who represents southwest louisiana . before being elected to congress , boustany practiced medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon for 14 years . rep. charles boustany says democrats'health care plans do n't focus on quality . ( cnn ) -- americans deserve the best health care system in the world -- one that emphasizes quality , but reduces cost , so all americans can participate . as a doctor , i saw firsthand the problems many patients face finding a doctor , navigating the system , and paying their health care bills . unfortunately , democrats'plans in congress fail to focus on quality . house republican leader john boehner , r-ohio , recently stated that the democrats were proposing a government-run nightmare operated by federal bureaucrats . ' if enacted , their plans would complicate the system and take more money from american pockets -- a nightmare , indeed . one report estimates more than 100 million people could drop their current health care coverage if the plans were open to all employers . one reason cited for the drop in current coverage -- businesses no longer offering private coverage -- would contradict the president 's promise to allow americans to keep their current coverage , if they like it . imposed employer mandates could cost 4.7 million people their jobs . all of this means that many people who like their current health insurance might not be able to keep it and be forced into a new system , including a government option with lower reimbursement rates that might discourage their current doctor from continuing to treat them . just as a doctor has the obligation to be honest and straightforward with their patients , democrats in washington must inform the public of the impact their plans will have on current insurance and the exact costs . as the economy struggles to recover , americans are rightfully concerned about the potential cost of health reform , as shown by a recent cnn survey . before we know how much it will cost and how it will affect those currently with insurance , we can not have an open and honest debate on the merits of any proposal . while the house bill remains unscored by the congressional budget office , health overhaul plans being crafted by senate democrats will likely cost more than $ 1 trillion over 10 years and could fail to cover millions of americans . as a doctor , i know there is a better way to help all americans achieve meaningful health care access . the president 's proposed cuts in health care spending will result in limited treatment options for patients , and by shifting the burden of debt to the next generation of americans , our children will be the ones helping to defer the outrageous costs . with our government 's inability to maintain the medicare and medicaid programs that we currently fund , how much deeper can the hole get ? the government accountability office refers to congress'failure to face medicare 's monetary difficulties as a leadership deficit . ' even some blue dog democrats are asking if funding a new plan is even possible if the government can not solve the funding problems of the current plans . patients in these programs continue to be denied access to a doctor in many communities . a few months ago , i received an e-mail from a medicaid patient diagnosed with a brain tumor . doctors told her that she would likely be put on a six-month waiting list for brain surgeons currently serving medicaid patients . for timely care , she had to borrow a neighbor 's car , secure child care for her autistic child and drive four hours to a hospital in shreveport , louisiana . patients in government-run plans obviously deserve better than this , so is this new government-run plan going to be any better ? republicans will give all americans the liberty to select the plan that works best for them and let those who like their health care coverage keep it . we pledge to make quality health care coverage more available and less expensive , including those with pre-existing health conditions . we want to protect americans from losing their current health coverage because an employer drops private coverage for a government-run program . this plan should also improve american lives through effective wellness , prevention and disease management programs , while finding innovative treatments for life-threatening diseases . we will ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors . by lowering costs and building more personalized plans , we can help more americans develop a meaningful doctor-patient relationship . president obama stated that if you like what you 're getting , keep it . nobody is forcing you to shift . no one will take it away , no matter what . ' this rhetoric sounds comforting , but fellow democrats do n't seem to share his view -- as evidenced by their proposed bill . some democrats are completely unwilling to reach across the aisle . sen. chris dodd , d-connecticut , said , my goal is to write a good bill ; my goal is not bipartisanship . ' other congressional democrat members were told explicitly not to work with republicans . ' moderate house democrats even recently complained in a letter to several committee chairmen about being left out of any meaningful discussions on health-policy changes . health reform should be open and transparent . no matter what party weighs in on the issue , americans must fully comprehend the complicated decisions we face , and also understand how these new decisions will affect them . leaders need to compromise , negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies , and reform health care the right way -- by developing a strong plan that encompasses the needs of all americans . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of charles boustany . | rep. boustany : many americans could lose current health plans |
boustany <tsp> editor 's note : rep. charles boustany is a republican who represents southwest louisiana . before being elected to congress , boustany practiced medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon for 14 years . rep. charles boustany says democrats'health care plans do n't focus on quality . ( cnn ) -- americans deserve the best health care system in the world -- one that emphasizes quality , but reduces cost , so all americans can participate . as a doctor , i saw firsthand the problems many patients face finding a doctor , navigating the system , and paying their health care bills . unfortunately , democrats'plans in congress fail to focus on quality . house republican leader john boehner , r-ohio , recently stated that the democrats were proposing a government-run nightmare operated by federal bureaucrats . ' if enacted , their plans would complicate the system and take more money from american pockets -- a nightmare , indeed . one report estimates more than 100 million people could drop their current health care coverage if the plans were open to all employers . one reason cited for the drop in current coverage -- businesses no longer offering private coverage -- would contradict the president 's promise to allow americans to keep their current coverage , if they like it . imposed employer mandates could cost 4.7 million people their jobs . all of this means that many people who like their current health insurance might not be able to keep it and be forced into a new system , including a government option with lower reimbursement rates that might discourage their current doctor from continuing to treat them . just as a doctor has the obligation to be honest and straightforward with their patients , democrats in washington must inform the public of the impact their plans will have on current insurance and the exact costs . as the economy struggles to recover , americans are rightfully concerned about the potential cost of health reform , as shown by a recent cnn survey . before we know how much it will cost and how it will affect those currently with insurance , we can not have an open and honest debate on the merits of any proposal . while the house bill remains unscored by the congressional budget office , health overhaul plans being crafted by senate democrats will likely cost more than $ 1 trillion over 10 years and could fail to cover millions of americans . as a doctor , i know there is a better way to help all americans achieve meaningful health care access . the president 's proposed cuts in health care spending will result in limited treatment options for patients , and by shifting the burden of debt to the next generation of americans , our children will be the ones helping to defer the outrageous costs . with our government 's inability to maintain the medicare and medicaid programs that we currently fund , how much deeper can the hole get ? the government accountability office refers to congress'failure to face medicare 's monetary difficulties as a leadership deficit . ' even some blue dog democrats are asking if funding a new plan is even possible if the government can not solve the funding problems of the current plans . patients in these programs continue to be denied access to a doctor in many communities . a few months ago , i received an e-mail from a medicaid patient diagnosed with a brain tumor . doctors told her that she would likely be put on a six-month waiting list for brain surgeons currently serving medicaid patients . for timely care , she had to borrow a neighbor 's car , secure child care for her autistic child and drive four hours to a hospital in shreveport , louisiana . patients in government-run plans obviously deserve better than this , so is this new government-run plan going to be any better ? republicans will give all americans the liberty to select the plan that works best for them and let those who like their health care coverage keep it . we pledge to make quality health care coverage more available and less expensive , including those with pre-existing health conditions . we want to protect americans from losing their current health coverage because an employer drops private coverage for a government-run program . this plan should also improve american lives through effective wellness , prevention and disease management programs , while finding innovative treatments for life-threatening diseases . we will ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors . by lowering costs and building more personalized plans , we can help more americans develop a meaningful doctor-patient relationship . president obama stated that if you like what you 're getting , keep it . nobody is forcing you to shift . no one will take it away , no matter what . ' this rhetoric sounds comforting , but fellow democrats do n't seem to share his view -- as evidenced by their proposed bill . some democrats are completely unwilling to reach across the aisle . sen. chris dodd , d-connecticut , said , my goal is to write a good bill ; my goal is not bipartisanship . ' other congressional democrat members were told explicitly not to work with republicans . ' moderate house democrats even recently complained in a letter to several committee chairmen about being left out of any meaningful discussions on health-policy changes . health reform should be open and transparent . no matter what party weighs in on the issue , americans must fully comprehend the complicated decisions we face , and also understand how these new decisions will affect them . leaders need to compromise , negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies , and reform health care the right way -- by developing a strong plan that encompasses the needs of all americans . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of charles boustany . | boustany : plans could burden next generation with enormous cost |
bmw <tsp> with a bang , ' george strother told reporters when asked how his morning started . a bmw sport utility vehicle crashed through the roof of the family 's garage in escondido , california , in the early hours of wednesday morning . my wife thought it was an earthquake , she was really freaked out , ' strother later said . the strothers'house sits below street level , so an out-of-control car that careened off the roadway could land on top of the garage . the first thing that we saw , ' strother said to reporters , the bmw that had come through the roof had landed on the hood of our ( nissan ) pathfinder . ' police and firefighters stood by while a tow truck pulled the luxury suv through the ceiling , into the garage , and dragged it out and across the driveway using the tow truck cables . what remains , according to strother , is a hole big enough to drive a bmw suv through , ' though he believes there is little overall structural damage to the garage . the driver has not been located , lt. eric skaja of the escondido police told cnn by phone , and the automobile is a dealer loaner car . the person to whom the vehicle was loaned has been identified , but has not come forward or been arrested so far . the police currently are investigating the incident as a misdemeanor hit and run . if it turns out the driver was under the influence , skaja said the penalty for a dui is significantly more serious than the penalty for a misdemeanor hit and run . the strothers , though , were never in danger . their bedroom is at the other end of the house . | bmw crashes through roof of garage at house that sits lower than street level |
bmw <tsp> with a bang , ' george strother told reporters when asked how his morning started . a bmw sport utility vehicle crashed through the roof of the family 's garage in escondido , california , in the early hours of wednesday morning . my wife thought it was an earthquake , she was really freaked out , ' strother later said . the strothers'house sits below street level , so an out-of-control car that careened off the roadway could land on top of the garage . the first thing that we saw , ' strother said to reporters , the bmw that had come through the roof had landed on the hood of our ( nissan ) pathfinder . ' police and firefighters stood by while a tow truck pulled the luxury suv through the ceiling , into the garage , and dragged it out and across the driveway using the tow truck cables . what remains , according to strother , is a hole big enough to drive a bmw suv through , ' though he believes there is little overall structural damage to the garage . the driver has not been located , lt. eric skaja of the escondido police told cnn by phone , and the automobile is a dealer loaner car . the person to whom the vehicle was loaned has been identified , but has not come forward or been arrested so far . the police currently are investigating the incident as a misdemeanor hit and run . if it turns out the driver was under the influence , skaja said the penalty for a dui is significantly more serious than the penalty for a misdemeanor hit and run . the strothers , though , were never in danger . their bedroom is at the other end of the house . | police say the bmw was a loaner from a car dealer |
americans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- an entire class of statin drugs will get new labels that alert the public to safety concerns , the food and drug administration announced tuesday . statins , which treat cholesterol , now will come with labels that include a warning that the drugs , taken by almost 32 million americans , can cause memory loss and confusion . the fda says reports in general have not been serious , and the symptoms subsided when patients stopped taking the medications . the new labeling will also warn doctors and patients that statins can cause hyperglycemia , an increase in blood sugar levels and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes . the fda will no longer recommend routine and periodic monitoring of liver enzymes of patients taking statins . instead , it said liver enzyme tests should be performed before a patient starts taking statins , and then only when clinically indicated . that 's because according to the fda , serious injury to the liver is rare , and routine monitoring does n't detect or prevent it . the new label will tell patients who experience fatigue , loss of appetite , dark urine , upper stomach pain or jaundice to notify their doctor immediately . there also will be a label change specific to lovastatin ( mevacor ) . certain medicines interact with this particular statin , increasing the risk of myopathy , or muscle damage . the agency says some drugs should never be taken with mevacor including protease inhibitors , a class of hiv drugs and certain drugs used to treat bacterial and fungal infections . we want healthcare professionals and patients to have the most current information on the risks of statins , but also to assure them that these medications continue to provide an important health benefit of lowering cholesterol , ' said dr. mary parks , in the fda 's center for drug evaluation and research . statins are used to prevent and treat atherosclerosis , the build up of plaque on the inside of blood vessels causing them to become thick and hard . the result can be heart attacks and stroke . statins help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , or bad ' cholesterol . the products that will have these label changes include lipitor ( atorvastatin ) , mevacor ( lovastatin ) , crestor ( rosuvastatin ) and zocor ( simvastatin ) . labels for combination statin products like advicor , simcor and vytorin will also change . in a statement , pfizer , maker of lipitor , one of the top-selling prescription drugs in the world told cnn : the announcement today by the fda provides additional information to physicians and patients regarding statins including lipitor ( atorvastatin calcium ) . the class labeling is based on fda evaluation of all statin labels , entry of new interacting drugs on the market , and a review of clinical data and post marketing reports . lipitor has been supported by a wealth of clinical research and real-world experience and has been studied in more than 400 ongoing or completed trials , including more than 80,000 patients and is backed by more than 19 years of clinical experience and more than 200 million patient-years of experience . ' amy egan , deputy director for safety in the fda 's division of metabolism and endocrinology products , says the agency looked at the adverse events reported to determine the scope of the problem . they ca n't say what caused the memory loss and confusion , but it seems to be a class effect and a rare event . when we looked at these reports they ran the gamut -- memory loss , memory impairment , confusion -- and they were occurring anywhere from one day after initiation of the statin to years after initiation . ' egan said . we could not identify if it was age specific because it was across a range of age groups . we did not see it occurring as a drug interaction , where patients were also taking other medications that were reacting with the statin to cause the confusional state . but we really want to get the message out there that we do not consider this a major problem , and certainly it does not outweigh the tremendous benefits of statin therapy . ' james howard , director of the lipid clinic at medstar washington hospital center in washington , dc , says the new changes are a real step forward . he says the concern over an increased risk of diabetes is valid but not a reason to shun statins . the diabetic has a significant increased risk for heart disease , and the most clearly demonstrated therapy that will affect that is to control their cholesterol and their blood pressure , ' howard said . statins are very important in diabetics to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke . so the benefit they will receive in that reduction in risk far outweighs the risk of developing diabetes . it 's a small risk , but it 's a lot of people . ' | nearly 32 million americans take statins , a cholesterol drug |
huntleigh usa <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- attorneys for the family of a 9/11 victim said they will push forward with a wrongful death lawsuit against united airlines and a private security company despite a federal judge 's decision to dismiss the massachusetts port authority from the suit . the lawsuit , originally filed in manhattan federal court , alleges that massport , united airlines and security company huntleigh usa were responsible for the security breaches that led to the death of mark bavis , 31 , who was aboard united flight 175 when it crashed into the world trade center 's south tower on september 11 , 2001 . donald migliori , an attorney for bavis'family , said that wednesday 's dismissal of massport -- the agency that owns and operates boston logan international airport -- from the lawsuit was a disappointment , but that it narrows the case 's focus around security on the airplane itself . it will be very targeted to united airlines , ' he said of the lawsuit . united failed wholesale at keeping the american public safe . ' the suit claims that security screeners at logan international had trouble communicating in english , were unable to detect weapons such as the chemical spray mace , and were operating under a general manager who was unaware of the al qaeda terrorist threat . this was a tragic event and we are actively working to resolve this case , ' said united airlines spokeswoman megan mccarthy . from the start , the defendants have said they are not liable for the attacks . massport filed a motion to dismiss in may , claiming that the federal aviation administrations regulations for screening passengers and their baggage was the airline 's responsibility , not the airport 's . massport was dismissed from the suit on wednesday . the entire logan airport community will forever carry in its heart the events of september 11 , 2001 , ' said massport interim ceo david mackey in a statement released after the dismissal . our thoughts and prayers will always be with the victims of that tragic day and their families . ' the bavis family is one of 96 families who opted not to settle through the september 11th victim compensation fund , migliori said . their lawsuit , which is the last remaining suit brought by family members of 9/11 victims , was filed in 2002 . there are lessons that can be learned from this and they want those lessons to be viewed and not buried , ' migliori said . the trial is set to start november 7 . cnn 's sheila steffen contributed to this report | the suit also names united airlines and security company huntleigh usa |
manga <tsp> ( cnn ) -- everyone from twilight moms ' to family guy ' fans is waiting in line at comic-con . this nearly 40-year-old convention is mainly devoted to comic books , and it was sold out before the exhibitors and speakers were even announced this year . why are so many people there ? in 2009 , diamond comics , one of the world 's largest comic book , graphic novel and merchandise distributors , sent out 79 million comic books and 15 million graphic novels to stores . it 's not only geeky , teenage boys reading the comics . buyers include include teenage girls , college students and professionals in their 40s , comic book store owners and industry experts say . many people , including mike van houten , started reading comic books as children . van houten , who has owned oxford comic books in atlanta , georgia , for 30 years , still remembers the first comics he bought . i started collecting comic books when i was a little kid , maybe 12 years old . i went into an old-timey drug store -- it still had a counter that had a malt shop -- and back in the back it had a rack of comics , ' he said . i remember buying three comics , all marvel . fantastic four , ' captain america , ' and spiderman , ' and i fell in love with them . ' but comic books were n't always designed to attract children 's allowance dollars . american comics started out in the 1930s as a successful way to sell newspapers , said mike richardson , ceo of dark horse comics . the sunday paper was literally wrapped in funnies to get people to buy that newspaper as opposed to the competition , ' he said . the comic strips were so popular that two salesmen had the idea to repackage them . ' after the success of action comics no.1 , which was the first appearance of superman -- and a failed comic strip , richardson pointed out -- a flood of copycat superhero comic books appeared . for many years comics were taken as children 's entertainment , ' richardson said . but we 've seen the graying of the comic book audience . because we have an older clientele , the subject matter has matured . there was a poll done recently that said comic readers are more likely to be in their mid 20s than 12 or younger . ' even the art in comic books -- a major appeal of the medium -- is more mature , he said . comic books also have seen a shift in storylines and characters . shelley loewnau , owner of teahouse comics in sandy springs , georgia , said that more of today 's comic books appeal to women . [ women comic book characters are ] positive role models -- strong women , confident women , women with great careers , ' loewnau said . pepper potts from'iron man'is a great example of that . tony stark could n't run the company without her . and then there 's also the great clothing , the costumes . it 's not just the woman in the bathing suit anymore . ' [ artists ] are crossing over , ' said peter bell , owner of bell book & comic in dayton , ohio . like greg rucka , who wrote mystery novels and crime novels . now he 's writing'batman .'that 's perfect . you have a mystery writer writing about a great detective . it makes sense . ' when a mainstream writer writes a comic book , people want to check it out , he said . in japan , people have enjoyed comics since the time of emperor meji . these days , it is not uncommon to see businessmen , grandmothers and school children all reading comic books on subways and trains . yoshimura kazuma , the chief researcher of the manga museum in kyoto , japan , said the cartoon form is appealing because it offers a more unique expression than a movie or a novel . ' the transformation , exaggeration and omissions ' that the images in comics make convey information on multiple levels , and is similar to the way chinese writing is ideographic script , he said . ( in japanese kanji , for example , the idea or image of the word is often included in the shape of the word 's symbol . ) the equivalent of a comic book in japan is called manga . ' manga is a mainstay of japanese publishing , taking the form of magazines or even small paperback books . these printed cartoons follow a similar structure to american comic books , but have evolved to appeal to japanese sensibilities and include a wide variety of topics . manga can encompass just about any genre : science fiction , horror , fantasy , comedy , action , sports , fashion , geared toward young women or men , and even graphic and adult content in some cases . hollywood likes comic books , too . in the past 10 years , the box office has been beholden to anything superhero . we 've seen wildly successful franchises of marvel 's iron man , ' spiderman , ' the x-men , ' and d.c . comic 's batman , ' and the watchmen . ' dark horse comics has had success with the hellboy ' franchise , 300 ' and sin city ' . van hauten points out that there are plenty of other movies based on comic books that are n't so overtly full of superheroes . it 's astounding , even a movie like tom hanks' road to perdition ' was a comic graphic novel . another one is american splendor , ' harvey pekar 's graphic novel . they 're all over the map . ' so how does a fan of these movies take the next step and follow their favorite characters on other adventures ? comic books are a great option , said bell . there 's even a phone number to call -- 888-comic-book -- to find out the comic shop closest to you . not to worry , said bell , it probably wo n't be like the comic book guy 's store from the simpsons . ' it 's like cheers in here , ' said bell of his store . it 's some place people can come to and hang out and talk about [ their favorite comics ] . things they ca n't get to at home or at work , ' he said . the community is growing . a lot of people do n't want to admit they like comics . ' but bell said not to hide your pride , because you might be surprised who else reads your favorite title . | manga is a mainstay of the japanese publishing industry |
hawaiian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the shaka sign -- a person 's thumb and pinkie extended , the rest of the fingers in a fist -- is uniquely hawaiian , a way to say right on , ' hang loose ' or simply hello . but it turns out it 's not the only way islanders have used their hands to communicate . a research group at the university of hawaii at manoa announced friday that they had documented -- for the first time -- hawaii sign language , or hsl , which deaf people across the islands'diverse ethnic groups have used for decades if not longer . while there is written evidence dating back to 1821 indicating such a language existed , beginning in the 1940s it started to get largely phased out in favor of american sign language . quiz : how good is your sign language ? researchers identified about 40 hawaiians who still use it -- interviewing 19 of them , plus two adult children , on four islands for their study . but they are all 80 years of age or older , making it imperative to act now in order to preserve it before it 's too late . researchers are committed to a long term study of hsl with the goals of producing ... a dictionary ( and ) archived videotaped data , ' said james woodward , an adjunct professor of linguistics at the university of hawaii at mano . it is also hoped that an effort can be made to revitalize hsl , so that it can be taught in high schools and universities in hawaii . ' hearing-impaired people have found ways to communicate for generations , all across the world . that might mean tapping into a well-established language , like asl or international sign language , or finding some other way to get a point across . comic uses sign language ' if they do n't have access to learning a sign language that 's already in existence , then a community of deaf people will find a way to communicate , ' said leanne hinton , a professor emeritus at the university of california at berkeley . over time , they will find a way to stabilize and have a structure that becomes an actual language . ' that 's what the hawaii university researchers say happened -- even if few realized that a distinctive sign language existed for decades on the island until now . while the now-prevailing asl has rubbed off some , woodward said it 's been relatively minimal among those practicing hawaii sign language . specifically , at least 80 % of its signs are distinct , while the rest come from asl -- which he said is enough to characterize it as its own language , rather than a dialect . for example , the hawaii sign language word for father is to wag your finger -- whereas in asl , it 's an open hand with fingers spread and a thumb to the forehead . want to say that someone is telling a lie ? then put an index finger in the middle of your throat . the grammar structure in hawaii sign language also differentiates it from asl , woodward noted . sign languages ... evolve in a community of users , and are not signed versions of spoken languages , ' the university said in a press release . the full history of hsl is yet to be told . ' nyc sign language star surprised by fame | records dating to the 1800s pointing to a sign language on the hawaiian islands |
american sign language <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the shaka sign -- a person 's thumb and pinkie extended , the rest of the fingers in a fist -- is uniquely hawaiian , a way to say right on , ' hang loose ' or simply hello . but it turns out it 's not the only way islanders have used their hands to communicate . a research group at the university of hawaii at manoa announced friday that they had documented -- for the first time -- hawaii sign language , or hsl , which deaf people across the islands'diverse ethnic groups have used for decades if not longer . while there is written evidence dating back to 1821 indicating such a language existed , beginning in the 1940s it started to get largely phased out in favor of american sign language . quiz : how good is your sign language ? researchers identified about 40 hawaiians who still use it -- interviewing 19 of them , plus two adult children , on four islands for their study . but they are all 80 years of age or older , making it imperative to act now in order to preserve it before it 's too late . researchers are committed to a long term study of hsl with the goals of producing ... a dictionary ( and ) archived videotaped data , ' said james woodward , an adjunct professor of linguistics at the university of hawaii at mano . it is also hoped that an effort can be made to revitalize hsl , so that it can be taught in high schools and universities in hawaii . ' hearing-impaired people have found ways to communicate for generations , all across the world . that might mean tapping into a well-established language , like asl or international sign language , or finding some other way to get a point across . comic uses sign language ' if they do n't have access to learning a sign language that 's already in existence , then a community of deaf people will find a way to communicate , ' said leanne hinton , a professor emeritus at the university of california at berkeley . over time , they will find a way to stabilize and have a structure that becomes an actual language . ' that 's what the hawaii university researchers say happened -- even if few realized that a distinctive sign language existed for decades on the island until now . while the now-prevailing asl has rubbed off some , woodward said it 's been relatively minimal among those practicing hawaii sign language . specifically , at least 80 % of its signs are distinct , while the rest come from asl -- which he said is enough to characterize it as its own language , rather than a dialect . for example , the hawaii sign language word for father is to wag your finger -- whereas in asl , it 's an open hand with fingers spread and a thumb to the forehead . want to say that someone is telling a lie ? then put an index finger in the middle of your throat . the grammar structure in hawaii sign language also differentiates it from asl , woodward noted . sign languages ... evolve in a community of users , and are not signed versions of spoken languages , ' the university said in a press release . the full history of hsl is yet to be told . ' nyc sign language star surprised by fame | a professor says at least 80 % of its signs are distinct from american sign language |
troy polamalu <tsp> ( cnn ) -- november has recently transformed into movember , ' the month for growing mustaches to raise money for fighting prostate cancer . now , for those who are n't interested in the shaggy look -- or who might be follicly ' challenged -- there 's another way to help another good cause : by cutting your locks . the veterans of foreign wars is sponsoring the vfw mane event , a fund-raising effort that it says started when the pittsburgh steelers'troy polamalu offered to cut his famous hair -- for the first time in a decade -- to help veterans . my hair gets a lot of attention , and by cutting it after more than ten years , it is my hope that i can help bring to light the fate of our country 's veterans , ' the nfl safety said on his vfw donation page . polamalu , 32 , will get his long locks trimmed on monday , veterans day , in front of a crowd at pittsburgh 's heinz field , although it 's unclear how much he 'll actually get cut . bleacher report noted that polamalu 's facebook post in september described a ceremonial ' haircut , and usatoday reported that he 'll have only a lock trimmed at monday 's event , which it noted is being held in conjunction with his shampoo sponsor , head & shoulders . the vfw is encouraging others to participate by setting up a donation page , or just donate to polamalu , to support their own haircuts on veterans day as a unique way to raise funds for veterans . the vfw released images of some shaggy participants' before ' photos on twitter . polamalu has raised more than $ 53,000 ( you can donate to him here ) . the mane event is part of the vfw 's united for veterans initiative , which it says aims to bring awareness to vfw programs and services that work to alleviate veterans'struggles . ' polamalu is no stranger to supporting veterans'causes : he and his wife , theodora , created the harry panos fund for veterans , named after theodora 's grandfather , who fought in world war ii . if haircuts are n't your thing , there are many other simple ways you can help support veterans on veterans day or any day of the year : you can donate your frequent flier miles to help the fisher house foundation , which builds homes for the families of veterans caring for them during hospitalization . or you can buy holiday cards from puppies behind bars ( pdf ) , one of many organizations that trains rescue dogs to help veterans with debilitating ptsd . rescue dogs trained to rescue vets watch emotional reunion of afghan war vet , daughters cnn 's veterans in focus | nfl safety troy polamalu is getting his hair cut to raise money for veterans |
pittsburgh <tsp> ( cnn ) -- november has recently transformed into movember , ' the month for growing mustaches to raise money for fighting prostate cancer . now , for those who are n't interested in the shaggy look -- or who might be follicly ' challenged -- there 's another way to help another good cause : by cutting your locks . the veterans of foreign wars is sponsoring the vfw mane event , a fund-raising effort that it says started when the pittsburgh steelers'troy polamalu offered to cut his famous hair -- for the first time in a decade -- to help veterans . my hair gets a lot of attention , and by cutting it after more than ten years , it is my hope that i can help bring to light the fate of our country 's veterans , ' the nfl safety said on his vfw donation page . polamalu , 32 , will get his long locks trimmed on monday , veterans day , in front of a crowd at pittsburgh 's heinz field , although it 's unclear how much he 'll actually get cut . bleacher report noted that polamalu 's facebook post in september described a ceremonial ' haircut , and usatoday reported that he 'll have only a lock trimmed at monday 's event , which it noted is being held in conjunction with his shampoo sponsor , head & shoulders . the vfw is encouraging others to participate by setting up a donation page , or just donate to polamalu , to support their own haircuts on veterans day as a unique way to raise funds for veterans . the vfw released images of some shaggy participants' before ' photos on twitter . polamalu has raised more than $ 53,000 ( you can donate to him here ) . the mane event is part of the vfw 's united for veterans initiative , which it says aims to bring awareness to vfw programs and services that work to alleviate veterans'struggles . ' polamalu is no stranger to supporting veterans'causes : he and his wife , theodora , created the harry panos fund for veterans , named after theodora 's grandfather , who fought in world war ii . if haircuts are n't your thing , there are many other simple ways you can help support veterans on veterans day or any day of the year : you can donate your frequent flier miles to help the fisher house foundation , which builds homes for the families of veterans caring for them during hospitalization . or you can buy holiday cards from puppies behind bars ( pdf ) , one of many organizations that trains rescue dogs to help veterans with debilitating ptsd . rescue dogs trained to rescue vets watch emotional reunion of afghan war vet , daughters cnn 's veterans in focus | he 'll get the trim on monday , veterans day , at pittsburgh 's heinz field |
veterans of foreign wars <tsp> ( cnn ) -- november has recently transformed into movember , ' the month for growing mustaches to raise money for fighting prostate cancer . now , for those who are n't interested in the shaggy look -- or who might be follicly ' challenged -- there 's another way to help another good cause : by cutting your locks . the veterans of foreign wars is sponsoring the vfw mane event , a fund-raising effort that it says started when the pittsburgh steelers'troy polamalu offered to cut his famous hair -- for the first time in a decade -- to help veterans . my hair gets a lot of attention , and by cutting it after more than ten years , it is my hope that i can help bring to light the fate of our country 's veterans , ' the nfl safety said on his vfw donation page . polamalu , 32 , will get his long locks trimmed on monday , veterans day , in front of a crowd at pittsburgh 's heinz field , although it 's unclear how much he 'll actually get cut . bleacher report noted that polamalu 's facebook post in september described a ceremonial ' haircut , and usatoday reported that he 'll have only a lock trimmed at monday 's event , which it noted is being held in conjunction with his shampoo sponsor , head & shoulders . the vfw is encouraging others to participate by setting up a donation page , or just donate to polamalu , to support their own haircuts on veterans day as a unique way to raise funds for veterans . the vfw released images of some shaggy participants' before ' photos on twitter . polamalu has raised more than $ 53,000 ( you can donate to him here ) . the mane event is part of the vfw 's united for veterans initiative , which it says aims to bring awareness to vfw programs and services that work to alleviate veterans'struggles . ' polamalu is no stranger to supporting veterans'causes : he and his wife , theodora , created the harry panos fund for veterans , named after theodora 's grandfather , who fought in world war ii . if haircuts are n't your thing , there are many other simple ways you can help support veterans on veterans day or any day of the year : you can donate your frequent flier miles to help the fisher house foundation , which builds homes for the families of veterans caring for them during hospitalization . or you can buy holiday cards from puppies behind bars ( pdf ) , one of many organizations that trains rescue dogs to help veterans with debilitating ptsd . rescue dogs trained to rescue vets watch emotional reunion of afghan war vet , daughters cnn 's veterans in focus | the veterans of foreign wars is encouraging others to do the same |
wigan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- robin van persie scored after just 33 seconds as manchester united maintained their slim advantage at the top of the english premier league wednesday with a 1-0 win over west ham . the old trafford faithful had barely settled in their seats when the dutch striker picked up a pass from michael carrick and saw his shot deflect off james collins to loop over visiting goalkeeper jussi jaaskelainen . it was the quickest goal of the epl season and left united a point clear of neighbors and defending champions manchester city , who won 2-0 at wigan . united have fallen behind in many games this season before recovering and manager alex ferguson was delighted by their defensive display . if we can keep clean sheets more often than not it will a good foundation to challenge for the title , ' he told sky sports . recalled mario balotelli gave city a second half lead at wigan before james milner sealed the three points with a thumping strike from outside the penalty area . balotelli 's performance earned scant praise from his manager roberto mancini . i think mario can do better . he scored one important goal but can continue to improve . for me , he did not play very well , ' he told sky sports . rafael benitez is still searching for his first win and first goal since taking charge of chelsea as interim manager following the sacking of roberto di matteo . his side were held 0-0 at home by west london rivals fulham , off the back of the same result against manchester city sunday . it left chelsea seven points adrift of leaders manchester united in third place in the standings and benitez was again subjected to barracking by home supporters unhappy at his appointment . west bromwich albion slipped back to fourth with a first defeat in five games , beaten 3-1 at welsh side swansea . spanish midfielder michu scored his eighth epl goal of the season to put swansea ahead and they were two up inside 10 minutes when wayne routledge netted . routledge added his second and the home side 's third just before the interval , but there was still time for west brom to pull one back when on-loan romelu lukaku scored in injury time at the end of the half . tottenham hotspur took closer order in fifth with a 2-1 home win over liverpool at white hart lane . aaron lennon was set up by gareth bale for an early opener for spurs . bale then put the home side two clear after just 16 minutes when he crashed home a deflected free kick . in the second half , the pair were involved in a bizarre incident as lennon smashed a clearance into bale 's face and it found its way into the tottenham goal , but liverpool could not force an equalizer . everton and arsenal are just behind them in sixth and seventh after they shared a 1-1 draw at goodison park . theo walcott put the gunners ahead in the first minute , but belgian international marouane fellaini curled home a leveler midway through the first half . newcastle 's miserable recent run continued with a 2-1 defeat at stoke while southampton remained in the drop zone after a 1-1 draw at home to norwich . it was referee mark clattenburg 's first match in charge since being cleared of racially abusing chelsea 's john obi mikel . | mario balotelli scores as manchester city beat wigan 2-0 to stay second |
chelsea <tsp> ( cnn ) -- robin van persie scored after just 33 seconds as manchester united maintained their slim advantage at the top of the english premier league wednesday with a 1-0 win over west ham . the old trafford faithful had barely settled in their seats when the dutch striker picked up a pass from michael carrick and saw his shot deflect off james collins to loop over visiting goalkeeper jussi jaaskelainen . it was the quickest goal of the epl season and left united a point clear of neighbors and defending champions manchester city , who won 2-0 at wigan . united have fallen behind in many games this season before recovering and manager alex ferguson was delighted by their defensive display . if we can keep clean sheets more often than not it will a good foundation to challenge for the title , ' he told sky sports . recalled mario balotelli gave city a second half lead at wigan before james milner sealed the three points with a thumping strike from outside the penalty area . balotelli 's performance earned scant praise from his manager roberto mancini . i think mario can do better . he scored one important goal but can continue to improve . for me , he did not play very well , ' he told sky sports . rafael benitez is still searching for his first win and first goal since taking charge of chelsea as interim manager following the sacking of roberto di matteo . his side were held 0-0 at home by west london rivals fulham , off the back of the same result against manchester city sunday . it left chelsea seven points adrift of leaders manchester united in third place in the standings and benitez was again subjected to barracking by home supporters unhappy at his appointment . west bromwich albion slipped back to fourth with a first defeat in five games , beaten 3-1 at welsh side swansea . spanish midfielder michu scored his eighth epl goal of the season to put swansea ahead and they were two up inside 10 minutes when wayne routledge netted . routledge added his second and the home side 's third just before the interval , but there was still time for west brom to pull one back when on-loan romelu lukaku scored in injury time at the end of the half . tottenham hotspur took closer order in fifth with a 2-1 home win over liverpool at white hart lane . aaron lennon was set up by gareth bale for an early opener for spurs . bale then put the home side two clear after just 16 minutes when he crashed home a deflected free kick . in the second half , the pair were involved in a bizarre incident as lennon smashed a clearance into bale 's face and it found its way into the tottenham goal , but liverpool could not force an equalizer . everton and arsenal are just behind them in sixth and seventh after they shared a 1-1 draw at goodison park . theo walcott put the gunners ahead in the first minute , but belgian international marouane fellaini curled home a leveler midway through the first half . newcastle 's miserable recent run continued with a 2-1 defeat at stoke while southampton remained in the drop zone after a 1-1 draw at home to norwich . it was referee mark clattenburg 's first match in charge since being cleared of racially abusing chelsea 's john obi mikel . | chelsea held to second goalless draw under rafael benitez |
john zawahri <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- slain santa monica gunman john zawahri left behind a note on his body apologizing for killing his father and his brother and hoping his father 's estate would support his mother , police said friday . zawahri , 23 , who lived with his father in a house that was also set afire , wrote a three- to four-page handwritten letter in which he spent a larger ' measure of it saying good-bye to his friends than talking about his family , police said . authorities described the tone of the letter as conversational talk ' without overall hatred to anything , ' a police spokesman said . he was sorry for having killed his father . he was sorry for having killed his brother , that he hoped his mother would be looked after financially and that she would receive financial recompense from the father 's estate , and he said goodbye to his friends , ' said santa monica police chief jacqueline seabrooks said . it was more of a farewell , ' seabrooks added . santa monica shooting survivor :'thank god , i 'm alive' no motive to his alleged shooting -- in which a total of five people were killed -- was given in the note , she said . police revealed friday that zawahri tried a buy a weapon in 2011 , but the u.s. justice department issued a notice stating that zawahri was ineligible to buy a firearm . seabrooks said the justice department denial may have something to do with our contact with him in 2006 , but i 'm not sure . ' police had contact with zawahri in 2006 , but because he was a juvenile then , authorities were n't releasing further information , the chief said . zawahri had suffered mental health issues , a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told cnn last week . a couple of years ago , he was hospitalized for treatment after allegedly talking about harming someone , according to the official . it 's not clear whether the california state government or his family committed him for treatment or whether he committed himself . it 's also unclear under what circumstances he was released . zawahri used firearm components to construct a rifle that is illegal to possess , seabrooks said friday . shooting takes 5 lives he allegedly fired 100 or fewer rounds during a shooting rampage across santa monica , adjacent to los angeles , that ended at the santa monica college , where police shot him to death , authorities said . he was armed with multiple guns and about 1,300 rounds of ammunition , police said . when asked where or how zawahri obtained the firearms used in the shootings -- especially after the justice department deemed him ineligible to buy weapons -- santa monica police sgt . richard lewis stated : that is a part of the investigation that we will not disclose . ' his father and brother died of gunshot wounds , and their bodies were found in the back of the father 's santa monica house , a police spokesman said . their bodies were identifiable , and it 's not that they were burned beyond recognition , ' the chief said . neighbors said the parents were divorced . the mother has spoken with investigators , but the police chief did n't elaborate further . zawahri was unemployed and had n't attended santa monica college , where his shooting rampage ended , since 2010 , a police spokesman said friday . gunman previously hospitalized for mental health | slain gunman john zawahri hopes his father 's estate will support his mother |
dortmund <tsp> ( cnn ) -- josep guardiola hailed bayern munich 's best bundesliga performance this season after his side crushed schalke 4-0 on saturday to stay second in the league . bayern joined borussia dortmund on 16 points , as the leading side could only draw 1-1 away to another bavarian side , nuremberg , and lose its 100 % record . that was our best bundesliga performance of the season so far . we totally dominated one of the strongest teams in germany , ' said coach guardiola . we did very well . i 'm satisfied and proud of this performance and my players . ' schalke , like bayern , had won in the opening round of the champions league group stage in midweek but had no answer to the european and german champion . vice-captain bastian schweinsteiger scored the opener on his return from injury , converting arjen robben 's 21st-minute corner , and striker mario mandzukic made it 2-0 at halftime with a header from david alaba 's cross . second-half goals from france midfielder franck ribery and substitute striker claudio pizarro sealed bayern 's 31st league match without defeat and ended the home side 's run of four wins in all competitions . four-nil at home is a hiding and not we wanted at all , ' said schalke coach jens keller . we started very , very well , and had 20 very good minutes . but then we were hit by a double strike and we never recovered from it . ' dortmund , losing finalist in last season 's champions league , could not bounce back from a midweek defeat against italian side napoli . nuremberg had not won in five previous matches , and went behind eight minutes before halftime to a free-kick by defender marcel schmelzer . however , per nilsson canceled that out six minutes after the break against a dortmund side which had key players robert lewandowski and henrikh mkhitaryan on the bench , rested after their european exertions . one point behind the top two , bayer leverkusen also has five wins from six after winning 4-1 at mainz . australia striker robbie kruse scored twice and set up another for lars bender before stefan kiessling headed his fifth goal this season . hannover stayed fourth after beating ausgburg 2-1 at home thanks to a late penalty from hungary midfielder szabolcs huszti . hamburg , which reportedly hopes to appoint former netherlands coach bert van marwijk to replace the sacked thorsten fink , slumped to a fourth successive defeat as striker nils petersen netted both goals in a 2-0 win for werder bremen . another former bayern striker , ivica olic , also scored twice to take his league tally to four as sixth-placed wolfsburg beat hoffenheim 2-1 . the croatian 's double came after anthony modeste joined kiessling , mainz 's nicolai muller , stuttgart 's vedad ibisevic and dortmund 's pierre-emerick aubameyang on a bundesliga-leading five goals . | bayern munich joins borussia dortmund at the top of the bundesliga table |
dortmund <tsp> ( cnn ) -- josep guardiola hailed bayern munich 's best bundesliga performance this season after his side crushed schalke 4-0 on saturday to stay second in the league . bayern joined borussia dortmund on 16 points , as the leading side could only draw 1-1 away to another bavarian side , nuremberg , and lose its 100 % record . that was our best bundesliga performance of the season so far . we totally dominated one of the strongest teams in germany , ' said coach guardiola . we did very well . i 'm satisfied and proud of this performance and my players . ' schalke , like bayern , had won in the opening round of the champions league group stage in midweek but had no answer to the european and german champion . vice-captain bastian schweinsteiger scored the opener on his return from injury , converting arjen robben 's 21st-minute corner , and striker mario mandzukic made it 2-0 at halftime with a header from david alaba 's cross . second-half goals from france midfielder franck ribery and substitute striker claudio pizarro sealed bayern 's 31st league match without defeat and ended the home side 's run of four wins in all competitions . four-nil at home is a hiding and not we wanted at all , ' said schalke coach jens keller . we started very , very well , and had 20 very good minutes . but then we were hit by a double strike and we never recovered from it . ' dortmund , losing finalist in last season 's champions league , could not bounce back from a midweek defeat against italian side napoli . nuremberg had not won in five previous matches , and went behind eight minutes before halftime to a free-kick by defender marcel schmelzer . however , per nilsson canceled that out six minutes after the break against a dortmund side which had key players robert lewandowski and henrikh mkhitaryan on the bench , rested after their european exertions . one point behind the top two , bayer leverkusen also has five wins from six after winning 4-1 at mainz . australia striker robbie kruse scored twice and set up another for lars bender before stefan kiessling headed his fifth goal this season . hannover stayed fourth after beating ausgburg 2-1 at home thanks to a late penalty from hungary midfielder szabolcs huszti . hamburg , which reportedly hopes to appoint former netherlands coach bert van marwijk to replace the sacked thorsten fink , slumped to a fourth successive defeat as striker nils petersen netted both goals in a 2-0 win for werder bremen . another former bayern striker , ivica olic , also scored twice to take his league tally to four as sixth-placed wolfsburg beat hoffenheim 2-1 . the croatian 's double came after anthony modeste joined kiessling , mainz 's nicolai muller , stuttgart 's vedad ibisevic and dortmund 's pierre-emerick aubameyang on a bundesliga-leading five goals . | dortmund drops first points of season in 1-1 draw at nuremberg |
tottenham <tsp> ( cnn ) -- watching brad friedel being put through his paces at tottenham hotspur 's training facility in chigwell , essex , you could be forgiven for thinking he was a lot younger than his 40 years . but the veteran american goalkeeper , who is coming to the end of his first season with the english premier league club , has no plans to hang up his gloves just yet . i enjoy playing football so much that i try to keep disciplined . i do yoga -- i 've done that for eight or nine years now , ' he told cnn world sport . friedel 's fitness levels have allowed him to notch up over 450 appearances in england 's top division in a career spanning 15 years and four clubs : liverpool , blackburn rovers , aston villa and spurs . he has not missed an epl game in almost eight seasons . footballers'health has rarely been out the headlines in recent weeks after bolton wanderers'fabrice muamba collapsed at white hart lane in the fa cup quarterfinal against spurs last month . although he was n't on the pitch that day , the incident left friedel in shock and disbelief . here you have a 23-year-old , an incredibly fit footballer that collapses and goes into cardiac arrest and then 72 hours later you start to hear about the miracle , and it gave everyone a lift . ' inevitably , the incident brought the issue of heart-screening of footballers to the fore , but friedel is confident that procedures in place are already pretty good . i think it 's going to be better at some clubs than others . when i came here i was fully screened , also at aston villa and blackburn . i think we have to take into consideration as well that these things just happen sometimes , ' friedel said . take what happened to my good friend stiliyan petrov ( aston villa player who was recently diagnosed with acute leukemia ) -- that was n't something that was openly going to be detected years prior . hopefully they 've caught it really early . ' the most heartening aspect of both stories has been the positive response , he said . the great thing about football is that it can bring everyone together and help do a lot of good around the world . ' it 's nearly two decades since ohio-born friedel left his homeland in search of a professional career abroad . soccer in the united states has come a million miles from when i started . there was n't a professional league back then , ' he said . we all got scholarships into university if you were good enough and then if you were one of the lucky ones you would get into the youth national team . then , if you were really fortunate , you got a chance to play overseas . ' friedel will return to the u.s. in mid-year as tottenham embark upon a preseason tour , with friendlies lined up against la galaxy and the new york red bulls . i think the style of soccer we 've played over the years and especially since harry ( redknapp ) took over , has gone down well in the u.s. , ' he says . we 're one of the teams people really enjoy watching and hopefully with the branding efforts we 'll become bigger in the states . ' but for now , friedel and spurs have more pressing matters to attend to with european champions league qualification to secure . the club are currently lying fourth in the table , the final qualifying spot in the epl , having dropped from third place after a poor run of results . it 's very important that we 're in the champions league next year ... to attract the best players from around the world . it will be a disappointment if we do n't . i think the gaffer would say the same . ' | veteran tottenham goalkeeper brad friedel talks to cnn 's pedro pinto |
united states <tsp> ( cnn ) -- formula one has yet to win over the united states , but former world champion jenson button hopes this weekend 's race in texas will be the start of something big . the new , purpose-built circuit of the americas in austin will host the first u.s. grand prix since 2007 on sunday -- the penultimate race of the season , and crucial in the drivers'title fight between sebastian vettel and fernando alonso . racing in austin is one of the most exciting grands prix , ' button told cnn . it 's a purpose-built circuit for formula one ... it 's very important for us to make this work in the states . five years ago we raced , it was n't the best race but it was on a circuit which was n't built for formula one cars , but for indycar and nascar . this was built for formula one . we 're hoping it works . looking at the layout of the circuit and driving it in the simulator , it 's pretty cool . there are lots of corners , heavy breaking , long straights for overtaking . so i 've got a feeling it 's going to be a good weekend . ' while f1 has spread around the world to new markets , it has struggled to touch the heartland of u.s. motorsport 's fanbase , which favors open-wheel racing -- generally seen as more accessible for fans and competitors alike . racing here , racing in austin , a very young , vibrant city , we 're hopefully going to get a lot of the youngsters interested in the sport , ' button said . not just as spectators , but actually wanting to be involved in the sport in the future . ' button 's future in f1 is tied with mclaren for next season , but he will have a new teammate following lewis hamilton 's decision to join rivals mercedes . when button joined mclaren in 2010 as a newly-crowned world champion , it was hoped he could form an all-british dream partnership with his compatriot . but after three seasons as teammates neither driver has managed to win the title , and a twitter row erupted in the aftermath of 2008 champion hamilton 's announcement he will move to the german outfit in 2013 . hamilton will end a career-long association with mclaren after the season-ending brazilian grand prix next weekend , but button insists the pair still enjoy an amicable professional relationship . we have a very good working relationship , ' button said . we 're competitive , as we should be -- you want to beat everyone and that includes your teammate . he 's extremely fast , he 's an extremely talented driver so it makes my life difficult . but i like that , i like that challenge . when we 're working together , we share every bit of information , as we should . ' hamilton , who sits fifth in the drivers'standings 12 points and one place above button , accused his colleague of unfollowing ' him -- unsubscribing to his tweets -- on twitter after october 's japanese grand prix . just noticed @ jensonbutton unfollowed , thats a shame . after 3 years as teammates , i thought we respected one another but clearly he does n't , ' hamilton said via his official twitter account , which has over one million followers . however , hamilton , who made his f1 debut with mclaren in 2007 , later apologized for the outburst , tweeting : my bad , just found out jenson never followed me . do n't blame him ! need to be on twitter more ! ' button 's new teammate will be young mexican sergio perez , who has made his name in an impressive second season at sauber . he 's obviously an exciting talent , ' added button . he 's willing to learn , he seems intelligent , those are the three ingredients you need as a racing driver . he 's only 22 , which is quite scary . he 's 10 years younger than me which makes me feel very old ! i 'm looking forward to the partnership . it 's a fresh start and it 's exciting . ' button has won two races this season , in australia and belgium , and finished on the podium another three times . however , last season 's runner-up has been frustrated by his inability to challenge both red bull 's current leader and two-time defending champion vettel , and ferrari 's alonso -- who , like the german , is seeking a third world title . it 's been a tough year , ' button said . you 've got to love the wins . the two wins for me were pretty special , but i 've also had some pretty bad races . i sorted those issues out , but i 'd lost so much ground by then it 's difficult to fight for the championship . the last few races have been fun , i 've really enjoyed it . there 's been a massive amount of competition between the top four or five teams so the sport 's in a great place . it is the best the sport has been for many years , so it 's the best time to come back to america and see if it works . the racing is great , we 've got a lot of top drivers , a lot of top teams , great partners and sponsors involved -- it should work . ' | jenson button is looking forward to the first f1 grand prix in the united states since 2007 |
carson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a shadowy figure in the back seat of an suv in surveillance photos is a second person of interest ' in the slaying of the university of north carolina student body president , police said monday . investigators say a second male appears in the back seat in this atm photo , which has been colorized . police on saturday released photos taken by an atm camera that show a young man driving a sport utility vehicle possibly using one of student eve carson 's atm cards in the chapel hill area . a large , shadowy form appears in the back seat of the vehicle , which police say may have been carson 's . carson , 22 , was found shot to death early wednesday in a suburban neighborhood near the university of north carolina at chapel hill campus . her toyota highlander was found the next day in another neighborhood to the west , close to where she lived with roommates . we do believe there is a second unidentified male seated in the rear seat , ' the chapel hill police department said in a statement . we have been exploring ways to enhance the quality of this photo in an effort to learn more about this person . ' police have not identified the pictured driver , who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a vintage houston astros baseball cap . chapel hill police chief brian curran said saturday that carson 's killing feels like a random crime . ' the medical examiner told police that there were no injuries to carson 's body besides gunshot wounds and no signs of sexual assault , curran said . on sunday , more than 1,000 people crowded the first united methodist church in carson 's hometown of athens , georgia , for her funeral , the athens banner-herald reported . the university of north carolina will hold a memorial service for carson after students return from this week 's spring break , chancellor james moeser said in a statement on the school 's web site . on saturday , the school 's top-ranked men 's basketball team wore reminders of the popular student president on their jerseys as they took on duke university in durham , north carolina . watch as students remember the slain campus leader » the north carolina players wore patches on the jerseys that simply read eve , ' and many of duke 's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support . a moment of silence for carson also was held before tipoff . the unc-chapel hill board of trustees has pledged $ 25,000 to the crime stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in carson 's slaying . carson was a student member of the board . e-mail to a friend | driver appears to be using one of student eve carson 's atm cards |
carson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a shadowy figure in the back seat of an suv in surveillance photos is a second person of interest ' in the slaying of the university of north carolina student body president , police said monday . investigators say a second male appears in the back seat in this atm photo , which has been colorized . police on saturday released photos taken by an atm camera that show a young man driving a sport utility vehicle possibly using one of student eve carson 's atm cards in the chapel hill area . a large , shadowy form appears in the back seat of the vehicle , which police say may have been carson 's . carson , 22 , was found shot to death early wednesday in a suburban neighborhood near the university of north carolina at chapel hill campus . her toyota highlander was found the next day in another neighborhood to the west , close to where she lived with roommates . we do believe there is a second unidentified male seated in the rear seat , ' the chapel hill police department said in a statement . we have been exploring ways to enhance the quality of this photo in an effort to learn more about this person . ' police have not identified the pictured driver , who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a vintage houston astros baseball cap . chapel hill police chief brian curran said saturday that carson 's killing feels like a random crime . ' the medical examiner told police that there were no injuries to carson 's body besides gunshot wounds and no signs of sexual assault , curran said . on sunday , more than 1,000 people crowded the first united methodist church in carson 's hometown of athens , georgia , for her funeral , the athens banner-herald reported . the university of north carolina will hold a memorial service for carson after students return from this week 's spring break , chancellor james moeser said in a statement on the school 's web site . on saturday , the school 's top-ranked men 's basketball team wore reminders of the popular student president on their jerseys as they took on duke university in durham , north carolina . watch as students remember the slain campus leader » the north carolina players wore patches on the jerseys that simply read eve , ' and many of duke 's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support . a moment of silence for carson also was held before tipoff . the unc-chapel hill board of trustees has pledged $ 25,000 to the crime stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in carson 's slaying . carson was a student member of the board . e-mail to a friend | carson was found shot to death early wednesday near campus |
carson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a shadowy figure in the back seat of an suv in surveillance photos is a second person of interest ' in the slaying of the university of north carolina student body president , police said monday . investigators say a second male appears in the back seat in this atm photo , which has been colorized . police on saturday released photos taken by an atm camera that show a young man driving a sport utility vehicle possibly using one of student eve carson 's atm cards in the chapel hill area . a large , shadowy form appears in the back seat of the vehicle , which police say may have been carson 's . carson , 22 , was found shot to death early wednesday in a suburban neighborhood near the university of north carolina at chapel hill campus . her toyota highlander was found the next day in another neighborhood to the west , close to where she lived with roommates . we do believe there is a second unidentified male seated in the rear seat , ' the chapel hill police department said in a statement . we have been exploring ways to enhance the quality of this photo in an effort to learn more about this person . ' police have not identified the pictured driver , who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a vintage houston astros baseball cap . chapel hill police chief brian curran said saturday that carson 's killing feels like a random crime . ' the medical examiner told police that there were no injuries to carson 's body besides gunshot wounds and no signs of sexual assault , curran said . on sunday , more than 1,000 people crowded the first united methodist church in carson 's hometown of athens , georgia , for her funeral , the athens banner-herald reported . the university of north carolina will hold a memorial service for carson after students return from this week 's spring break , chancellor james moeser said in a statement on the school 's web site . on saturday , the school 's top-ranked men 's basketball team wore reminders of the popular student president on their jerseys as they took on duke university in durham , north carolina . watch as students remember the slain campus leader » the north carolina players wore patches on the jerseys that simply read eve , ' and many of duke 's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support . a moment of silence for carson also was held before tipoff . the unc-chapel hill board of trustees has pledged $ 25,000 to the crime stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in carson 's slaying . carson was a student member of the board . e-mail to a friend | carson was student body president at university of north carolina at chapel hill |
vermont <tsp> ( cnn ) bernie sanders , my vermont senator and , indeed , a friend of many years , is now running for president . he noted at his announcement ( with a familiar note of wise irony ) : people should not underestimate me . ' to most americans , of course , sen. bernie sanders is only a name , if that . he is barely known to the general public , which makes him a very long shot indeed to win election to the highest office in the nation . those who follow politics a little more closely will possibly think of him as some left-wing kook that only the most liberal state in the union would ever dream of electing to the senate , as we did in 2006 . let me add this , as someone who has followed him closely ( and with admiration ) for a long time : when people stop to listen to bernie , they realize that -- whether or not they agree with his ideas -- he is , without a question , an authentic voice who speaks without fear . and nobody should underestimate him . i remember when bernie was mayor of burlington ; it is the largest city in vermont ( which is n't saying much ) . i met him then , and his voice struck me as something not quite heard before . he spoke with a throaty brooklyn accent , and he was jewish -- not your typical vermonter . he served as mayor of this progressive town on the shores of lake champlain with remarkable energy for many years , listening closely to what people had to say , learning about politics at the local level , making a real difference in the daily lives of hard-working people . he was never a democrat -- and is n't yet . he 's a progressive , holding his seat in the u.s. senate as an independent , although he votes with the democrats on major issues . when bernie decided to run for jim jeffords'seat in the house of representatives in 1988 , many considered him a long shot . i remember hosting a fundraising event at my farmhouse , where bernie held the floor for almost two hours , answering questions with a forthrightness that stunned those who had never encountered in person his fierce , funny , entertaining , passionate voice . bernie won that seat , again and again . make no mistake about this : vermont is n't just a rainbow-colored state full of ex-hippies and leftists in berets . it 's an agricultural economy , and bernie has understood this well . he has thoughtfully supported vermont 's dairy-farming community over many years . he has also been a strong supporter of vermont 's hunting culture -- much to the annoyance of many on the left , who wonder why the nra does n't attack him . i was never prouder of bernie than during the run-up to the invasion of iraq . he was a singular and somewhat lonely voice in the house , strongly opposing the 2003 invasion . he saw vividly that this was the worst foreign policy move in american history , one with endless repercussions . he was especially outraged by the outing of former cia spy valerie plame in 2006 by an official from the pentagon , and he suggested in several fiery speeches that is was time for a serious investigation of how we got into the iraq war in the first place . this was typical of bernie : the clear voice in the midst of the crowd , the man who says no when somebody needs to say it loudly . so what would it look like if , by some bizarre chance , bernie caught fire and became president ? he would certainly work hard for universal health care , which has been a passion of his . i 've heard him rail against the efforts of insurance and drug companies to undermine a system -- the single-payer system -- that has worked well throughout europe for decades , reducing the costs of health care and actually improving it as well . he would not be wall street 's best friend . indeed , he did n't support president george w. bush in his efforts to bail out the bankers , and wrote an open letter to henry paulson , the u.s. secretary of the treasury , protesting that bailout . famously , on december 10 , 2010 , he gave an eight and a half hour speech on the floor of the u.s. senate opposing the reinstatement of bush-era tax cuts , a vivid piece of rhetoric worth looking at closely by anyone who wants to understand bernie 's views . he is a socialist , of course . how many american politicians have ever said this aloud ? and what does he really mean by that term ? bernie knows what he 's doing . by proclaiming himself a socialist , he is drawing attention to the fact that large corporations and banks , many with international bases , have controlled american public policy for a very long time , usually to the detriment of working people . and it 's working people who seem mostly to interest bernie sanders . he has been one of only a few voices in the senate in the past decade who has consistently pointed out that extreme right-wing factions funded by millionaires and billionaires ' ( one of bernie 's favorite mantras ) have held sway over american politics for as long as anyone can recall . and this sway has usually operated to the detriment of people who actually repair roads , serve meals , deliver the mail , drive trucks and teach in schools . as president , bernie would also stand up against those who wish to deny climate change . indeed , bernie co-sponsored with barbara boxer the global warming pollution reduction act of 2007 . he has , for years , been a tireless advocate for the environment , aware of how its degradation has deeply hurt working people at home and abroad . but does he actually have the slightest chance of winning the democratic nomination ? and if he won it , could he defeat a republican candidate with billionaires at his or her disposal ? he 's not crazy . in fact , he 's probably the sanest person in the presidential sweepstakes . but he ca n't win , and he knows that . what he will do , however , is move hillary clinton on matters of importance to progressives : the restraining of wall street and large corporations , the scandal of how america allows its political campaigns to be funded and the welfare of working class americans , who seems pathetically easy to persuade -- again and again -- to vote against their own economic interests . a steep climb looms before him . but i applaud bernie sanders . i hope he soars and that his brave and commonsensical voice is heard . | he says the vermont senator could help move hillary clinton to left on progressive issues |
hillary clinton <tsp> ( cnn ) bernie sanders , my vermont senator and , indeed , a friend of many years , is now running for president . he noted at his announcement ( with a familiar note of wise irony ) : people should not underestimate me . ' to most americans , of course , sen. bernie sanders is only a name , if that . he is barely known to the general public , which makes him a very long shot indeed to win election to the highest office in the nation . those who follow politics a little more closely will possibly think of him as some left-wing kook that only the most liberal state in the union would ever dream of electing to the senate , as we did in 2006 . let me add this , as someone who has followed him closely ( and with admiration ) for a long time : when people stop to listen to bernie , they realize that -- whether or not they agree with his ideas -- he is , without a question , an authentic voice who speaks without fear . and nobody should underestimate him . i remember when bernie was mayor of burlington ; it is the largest city in vermont ( which is n't saying much ) . i met him then , and his voice struck me as something not quite heard before . he spoke with a throaty brooklyn accent , and he was jewish -- not your typical vermonter . he served as mayor of this progressive town on the shores of lake champlain with remarkable energy for many years , listening closely to what people had to say , learning about politics at the local level , making a real difference in the daily lives of hard-working people . he was never a democrat -- and is n't yet . he 's a progressive , holding his seat in the u.s. senate as an independent , although he votes with the democrats on major issues . when bernie decided to run for jim jeffords'seat in the house of representatives in 1988 , many considered him a long shot . i remember hosting a fundraising event at my farmhouse , where bernie held the floor for almost two hours , answering questions with a forthrightness that stunned those who had never encountered in person his fierce , funny , entertaining , passionate voice . bernie won that seat , again and again . make no mistake about this : vermont is n't just a rainbow-colored state full of ex-hippies and leftists in berets . it 's an agricultural economy , and bernie has understood this well . he has thoughtfully supported vermont 's dairy-farming community over many years . he has also been a strong supporter of vermont 's hunting culture -- much to the annoyance of many on the left , who wonder why the nra does n't attack him . i was never prouder of bernie than during the run-up to the invasion of iraq . he was a singular and somewhat lonely voice in the house , strongly opposing the 2003 invasion . he saw vividly that this was the worst foreign policy move in american history , one with endless repercussions . he was especially outraged by the outing of former cia spy valerie plame in 2006 by an official from the pentagon , and he suggested in several fiery speeches that is was time for a serious investigation of how we got into the iraq war in the first place . this was typical of bernie : the clear voice in the midst of the crowd , the man who says no when somebody needs to say it loudly . so what would it look like if , by some bizarre chance , bernie caught fire and became president ? he would certainly work hard for universal health care , which has been a passion of his . i 've heard him rail against the efforts of insurance and drug companies to undermine a system -- the single-payer system -- that has worked well throughout europe for decades , reducing the costs of health care and actually improving it as well . he would not be wall street 's best friend . indeed , he did n't support president george w. bush in his efforts to bail out the bankers , and wrote an open letter to henry paulson , the u.s. secretary of the treasury , protesting that bailout . famously , on december 10 , 2010 , he gave an eight and a half hour speech on the floor of the u.s. senate opposing the reinstatement of bush-era tax cuts , a vivid piece of rhetoric worth looking at closely by anyone who wants to understand bernie 's views . he is a socialist , of course . how many american politicians have ever said this aloud ? and what does he really mean by that term ? bernie knows what he 's doing . by proclaiming himself a socialist , he is drawing attention to the fact that large corporations and banks , many with international bases , have controlled american public policy for a very long time , usually to the detriment of working people . and it 's working people who seem mostly to interest bernie sanders . he has been one of only a few voices in the senate in the past decade who has consistently pointed out that extreme right-wing factions funded by millionaires and billionaires ' ( one of bernie 's favorite mantras ) have held sway over american politics for as long as anyone can recall . and this sway has usually operated to the detriment of people who actually repair roads , serve meals , deliver the mail , drive trucks and teach in schools . as president , bernie would also stand up against those who wish to deny climate change . indeed , bernie co-sponsored with barbara boxer the global warming pollution reduction act of 2007 . he has , for years , been a tireless advocate for the environment , aware of how its degradation has deeply hurt working people at home and abroad . but does he actually have the slightest chance of winning the democratic nomination ? and if he won it , could he defeat a republican candidate with billionaires at his or her disposal ? he 's not crazy . in fact , he 's probably the sanest person in the presidential sweepstakes . but he ca n't win , and he knows that . what he will do , however , is move hillary clinton on matters of importance to progressives : the restraining of wall street and large corporations , the scandal of how america allows its political campaigns to be funded and the welfare of working class americans , who seems pathetically easy to persuade -- again and again -- to vote against their own economic interests . a steep climb looms before him . but i applaud bernie sanders . i hope he soars and that his brave and commonsensical voice is heard . | he says the vermont senator could help move hillary clinton to left on progressive issues |
bernie sanders <tsp> ( cnn ) bernie sanders , my vermont senator and , indeed , a friend of many years , is now running for president . he noted at his announcement ( with a familiar note of wise irony ) : people should not underestimate me . ' to most americans , of course , sen. bernie sanders is only a name , if that . he is barely known to the general public , which makes him a very long shot indeed to win election to the highest office in the nation . those who follow politics a little more closely will possibly think of him as some left-wing kook that only the most liberal state in the union would ever dream of electing to the senate , as we did in 2006 . let me add this , as someone who has followed him closely ( and with admiration ) for a long time : when people stop to listen to bernie , they realize that -- whether or not they agree with his ideas -- he is , without a question , an authentic voice who speaks without fear . and nobody should underestimate him . i remember when bernie was mayor of burlington ; it is the largest city in vermont ( which is n't saying much ) . i met him then , and his voice struck me as something not quite heard before . he spoke with a throaty brooklyn accent , and he was jewish -- not your typical vermonter . he served as mayor of this progressive town on the shores of lake champlain with remarkable energy for many years , listening closely to what people had to say , learning about politics at the local level , making a real difference in the daily lives of hard-working people . he was never a democrat -- and is n't yet . he 's a progressive , holding his seat in the u.s. senate as an independent , although he votes with the democrats on major issues . when bernie decided to run for jim jeffords'seat in the house of representatives in 1988 , many considered him a long shot . i remember hosting a fundraising event at my farmhouse , where bernie held the floor for almost two hours , answering questions with a forthrightness that stunned those who had never encountered in person his fierce , funny , entertaining , passionate voice . bernie won that seat , again and again . make no mistake about this : vermont is n't just a rainbow-colored state full of ex-hippies and leftists in berets . it 's an agricultural economy , and bernie has understood this well . he has thoughtfully supported vermont 's dairy-farming community over many years . he has also been a strong supporter of vermont 's hunting culture -- much to the annoyance of many on the left , who wonder why the nra does n't attack him . i was never prouder of bernie than during the run-up to the invasion of iraq . he was a singular and somewhat lonely voice in the house , strongly opposing the 2003 invasion . he saw vividly that this was the worst foreign policy move in american history , one with endless repercussions . he was especially outraged by the outing of former cia spy valerie plame in 2006 by an official from the pentagon , and he suggested in several fiery speeches that is was time for a serious investigation of how we got into the iraq war in the first place . this was typical of bernie : the clear voice in the midst of the crowd , the man who says no when somebody needs to say it loudly . so what would it look like if , by some bizarre chance , bernie caught fire and became president ? he would certainly work hard for universal health care , which has been a passion of his . i 've heard him rail against the efforts of insurance and drug companies to undermine a system -- the single-payer system -- that has worked well throughout europe for decades , reducing the costs of health care and actually improving it as well . he would not be wall street 's best friend . indeed , he did n't support president george w. bush in his efforts to bail out the bankers , and wrote an open letter to henry paulson , the u.s. secretary of the treasury , protesting that bailout . famously , on december 10 , 2010 , he gave an eight and a half hour speech on the floor of the u.s. senate opposing the reinstatement of bush-era tax cuts , a vivid piece of rhetoric worth looking at closely by anyone who wants to understand bernie 's views . he is a socialist , of course . how many american politicians have ever said this aloud ? and what does he really mean by that term ? bernie knows what he 's doing . by proclaiming himself a socialist , he is drawing attention to the fact that large corporations and banks , many with international bases , have controlled american public policy for a very long time , usually to the detriment of working people . and it 's working people who seem mostly to interest bernie sanders . he has been one of only a few voices in the senate in the past decade who has consistently pointed out that extreme right-wing factions funded by millionaires and billionaires ' ( one of bernie 's favorite mantras ) have held sway over american politics for as long as anyone can recall . and this sway has usually operated to the detriment of people who actually repair roads , serve meals , deliver the mail , drive trucks and teach in schools . as president , bernie would also stand up against those who wish to deny climate change . indeed , bernie co-sponsored with barbara boxer the global warming pollution reduction act of 2007 . he has , for years , been a tireless advocate for the environment , aware of how its degradation has deeply hurt working people at home and abroad . but does he actually have the slightest chance of winning the democratic nomination ? and if he won it , could he defeat a republican candidate with billionaires at his or her disposal ? he 's not crazy . in fact , he 's probably the sanest person in the presidential sweepstakes . but he ca n't win , and he knows that . what he will do , however , is move hillary clinton on matters of importance to progressives : the restraining of wall street and large corporations , the scandal of how america allows its political campaigns to be funded and the welfare of working class americans , who seems pathetically easy to persuade -- again and again -- to vote against their own economic interests . a steep climb looms before him . but i applaud bernie sanders . i hope he soars and that his brave and commonsensical voice is heard . | jay parini : bernie sanders , who is running for president , is a liberal long shot , but he 's also a populist truth-teller who speaks without fear |
andrea bocelli <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- elizabeth taylor went to the hollywood bowl to hear andrea bocelli in concert , the first night out in months for the big-screen legend . elizabeth taylor went to see andrea bocelli at the hollywood bowl , a rare outing for the film legend . taylor , bound to a wheelchair by scoliosis , said her mind and soul were transported by his beauty , his voice , his inner being . ' the 77-year-old actress posted online messages through the twitter social network after the italian tenor 's concert monday night . i went to see andrea bocelli last night . the first time i 've been out in months . the hollywood bowl allowed me to use my wheelchair , ' taylor 's first tweet said . my mind , my soul were transported by his beauty , his voice , his inner being . god has kissed this man and i thank god for it , ' she wrote in a second message . taylor opened her twitter account this year as dameelizabeth ' at the suggestion of her close friend , model-actress-author-businesswoman kathy ireland , her publicist dick guttman said . taylor is very adventurous ' and exceedingly active ' despite health problems that sent her to a hospital for a week last month , guttman said . she is working on a new perfume to follow up on her popular white diamonds , he said . | elizabeth taylor attended andrea bocelli concert at hollywood bowl |
operation sunflower <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a high-profile appeal for help from the public to solve three child pornography cases has led to the arrest of two suspects , immigration and customs enforcement announced friday . ice said it took lance robert fries , 43 , into custody friday afternoon at his attorney 's office in tucson . he faces potential federal charges of production of child pornography and is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court monday , ice said . thursday night , letha mae montemayor , 52 , was arrested outside a los angeles apartment building after law enforcement officials received multiple tips and located her , authorities said friday . she is charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography . the two arrests came after ice asked for the public 's help in identifying four suspects in three unsolved child pornography cases . montemayor , previously known as jane doe , ' was allegedly involved in one of the cases along with an unidentified man . 245 arrested in u.s.-led child sex abuse operation fries , called john doe ' until he was identified , was allegedly involved in a second case , ice spokeswoman gillian christensen said . the suspect in the third case is still unidentified , she said . according to ice , montemayor was identified as a suspect through the tattoos and her facial appearance and was arrested less than 10 hours after the appeal for tips . montemayor is expected to have an initial court appearance monday . cnn was unable to learn whether she has a lawyer . this arrest would not have happened without the public 's help , and it demonstrates how much individual citizens can do to help law enforcement attack crime , ' ice director john morton said in a statement issued friday . her case involves the alleged sexual molestation of an unidentified girl . investigators believe the abuse took place about 11 years ago when the girl was around 13 years old , but the pornographic images were widely circulated . ice posted pictures on its website of an unidentified woman and man suspected of abusing the girl . the woman had very distinctive tattoos visible in the pictures . a criminal complaint alleged the woman is seen in about five images sexually abusing the girl . so far , law enforcement officials have not learned the name or location of the man suspected in the jane doe abuse case , and they are still seeking the public 's help in finding him . the girl whom the pair allegedly abused also has not been identified . ice officials said they believe she is now an adult . nationwide child porn investigation leads to couple 's arrest in oregon morton made the appeal for identifying the suspects at a news conference thursday in washington , when he announced the results of operation sunflower . it is an international operation aimed at child pornography and sexual abuse in which 245 suspects were arrested and 123 victims of child exploitation were identified . late thursday night , special agents received a call to the ice tip line regarding john doe 's possible identity . that case involved the sexual exploitation of a prepubescent boy by an adult male . investigators were able to identify the victim and confirm that the boy is now safe . in order to protect the victim 's privacy , ice said it would release no details about his identity or relationship to the suspect . the pornographic images involving the girl were first discovered by ice homeland security investigations agents in chicago in 2007 . the pictures were submitted to the national center for missing and exploited children 's child victim identification program . ice determined the images were not related to any known case and the victim had n't been identified . through forensic analysis , agents determined the images were taken in the los angeles area . a 2001 wall calendar was visible in some pictures , helping officials determine the abuse happened 11 years ago . in the john doe case , hsi special agents first discovered the images in portland , oregon , in 2006 . the material was submitted to the child victim identification program , which determined the victim had not yet been identified and was not linked with other known child pornography images . this is truly a remarkable turn of events and it again demonstrates the collective power that can be brought to bear when law enforcement and the public team up to combat the sexual exploitation of children , ' morton said . those who produce and trade child pornography over the internet believe they 're protected by the anonymity of cyberspace . through our collective efforts , we 're proving these predators wrong and gaining justice for their innocent victims . ' 18 rescued in child pornography raids , feds say cnn 's melissa gray contributed to this report . | immigration agency 's operation sunflower ' identifies 123 child victims of pornography , abuse |
non-hodgkin <tsp> when the planes struck the world trade center on september 11 , 2001 , new york city police detective ernie vallebuona raced from staten island to the site to help look for survivors , along with his fellow police officers . it was like a surreal scene . there was a lot of confusion , a lot of smoke , ' he said . you could n't see when you were trying to walk through the smoke to search for survivors . you know , you could barely see your hand in front of you . ' vallebuona spent the next six months at the site . three years later , he was diagnosed with non-hodgkin 's lymphoma , a cancer of the lymphoid tissue . he underwent extensive treatment , including stem cell transplants , radiation and chemotherapy . he is currently in remission . he had to drain his retirement savings to pay for medical bills not covered by insurance . firefighters responding to 9/11 at increased cancer risk ' most city workers do have health insurance , but unfortunately a catastrophic illness such as cancer or anything like that , you know , not everything is covered , ' he explained . there is a lot of expenses that fly under the radar , you do n't realize it until you are getting them and like most police officers i know , you are only maybe like three or four paychecks away from the homeless shelter . ' vallebuona is one of thousands of first responders , volunteers and residents who say they became ill as a result of working or living near the attack site . people are terribly sick . people ca n't support their families . people are having trouble getting by , ' said noah kushlefsky , an attorney who represents vallebuona and 3,800 other first responders . i have clients who have been evicted from homes . i have clients who ca n't pay their rent , their phones have been shut off , and these people are in desperate need of some assistance so that they can live their lives , ' he said . these are people that dropped everything and ran down to ground zero to try and help . i have clients who volunteered for the salvation army , worked in st. paul 's church . i have a client from minnesota who was watching tv , got in his pickup truck , drove to new york , and then spent four months on the pile , and he is so terribly disabled that he can barely walk up the stairs and is on oxygen 24 hours a day . ' while 9/11 victims and their families received compensation from the federal government in the years immediately following the attacks , those who came in afterward to help with rescue , recovery and cleanup efforts and then became sick have yet to receive such assistance . for years they were caught up in disputes over whether the air at ground zero was really toxic -- the environmental protection agency long claimed it was safe -- and whether the illnesses could be linked to the attack site . in january 2011 , president barack obama signed the zadroga act , named after new york police detective james zadroga , who died of a respiratory illness after working at the world trade center site . the law sets aside money for medical care and $ 2.775 billion dollars to compensate claimants for lost wages and other damages related to the illnesses . the money has yet to be dispersed , although lawyers and government officials involved in handling the claims expect payments to some who developed respiratory , digestive and other conditions to begin in the next couple of months . triple-amputee veteran gets'smart'home on september 11 cancer was initially rejected for coverage under the zadroga act , but that decision was reversed earlier this year . on monday , federal health authorities outlined the 58 types of cancer that will be included . i think it is way far overdue as far as being added on , ' vallebuona said . common sense alone tells you that cancer was all along linked . ' he went on to list several other police officers he worked with who had gotten cancer . what are the odds with all of these people coming down with the same type of , the same exact type of cancer or a linked cancer ? ' he asked . he said early in his career at the nypd , he would hear about one case of cancer a year . now it 's like ... too numerous to even count . ' the decision to include cancer has added another layer of complexity to the law 's implementation , kushlefsky said . for one thing , it 's possible that some people will not be diagnosed with cancer until years down the road , creating challenges for determining whether the cancer originated because of work at ground zero . more immediately , adding cancer will undoubtedly mean the $ 2.775 billion dollars set aside for compensation will be exhausted before everyone is taken care of , meaning that congress will have to step in to provide additional funds . kushlefsky is confident that will happen . i would be shocked if the federal government decided somebody was sick from being down there , has been damaged in a certain amount , and then decided that they 're only going to pay a fraction of it , ' he said . i mean , it 's pretty obvious that at some point the government 's going to have no choice but to fully fund this for all covered illnesses . ' vallebuona , now retired from the nypd , is grateful his cancer is in remission and a little unsure about whether any money will ever come through . you know , it 's really an unknown , ' he said . i 'm not sure what it holds . it 's been something they 've been talking about for 10 years now , and it 's always this little carrot dangling . ' and if the money does come through , vallebuona has no idea how much he could get . i 'm not even thinking about that , ' he said . if i can recoup what i lost alone in terms of co-payments and parking garage bills , i will be a happy man . ' 58 cancers receive 9/11 fund coverage | retired officer ernie vallebuona was diagnosed with non-hodgkin 's lymphoma |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when it comes to the sport of wrestling , longtime adversaries iran and the united states are friendly enemies . andy hrovat , right , seen wrestling reineris salas of cuba , is among the u.s. wrestlers touring this winter . a u.s. freestyle men 's wrestling team will go to the islamic republic -- where the sport is widely popular -- for a prestigious tournament in march . nine american wrestlers will take part in the takhti cup competition , scheduled for march 12-13 , according to state iranian media and usa wrestling -- the national governing body for olympics wrestling in the united states . in iran , wrestling and soccer are the two major sports , ' said gary abbott , director of communications for usa wrestling in colorado springs , colorado . they know their wrestling as well as anyone in the world . they treat our athletes like kings . ' relations between the united states and iran ended after iranian militants seized the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979 and held americans hostage there for 444 days . more recently , the two countries have been at odds over iran 's nuclear ambitions and have been sharply critical of each other 's policies and actions in the middle east . but abbott said there has been a history of u.s. and iranian wrestling exchanges despite the politics . both sides are always looking for opportunities to compete . abbott said iran is one of the top wrestling powers in the world , along with countries such as the united states , russia , turkey and ukraine . competing in a wrestling-crazy society like iran is special to americans , who look forward to getting on the mats before large crowds in sold-out arenas . for the common citizen , an american wrestler in iran is like michael jordan going over there , ' abbott said , referring to the world-famous american basketball legend . usa wrestling said the trip is one of several overseas events this winter for american wrestlers . u.s. teams also will also be competing in russia , ukraine , sweden , cuba , bulgaria , belarus , turkey , serbia , hungary and slovenia . the team going to iran includes four men who have represented the united states in the olympics . | u.s. official says of iran : they treat our athletes like kings ' |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when it comes to the sport of wrestling , longtime adversaries iran and the united states are friendly enemies . andy hrovat , right , seen wrestling reineris salas of cuba , is among the u.s. wrestlers touring this winter . a u.s. freestyle men 's wrestling team will go to the islamic republic -- where the sport is widely popular -- for a prestigious tournament in march . nine american wrestlers will take part in the takhti cup competition , scheduled for march 12-13 , according to state iranian media and usa wrestling -- the national governing body for olympics wrestling in the united states . in iran , wrestling and soccer are the two major sports , ' said gary abbott , director of communications for usa wrestling in colorado springs , colorado . they know their wrestling as well as anyone in the world . they treat our athletes like kings . ' relations between the united states and iran ended after iranian militants seized the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979 and held americans hostage there for 444 days . more recently , the two countries have been at odds over iran 's nuclear ambitions and have been sharply critical of each other 's policies and actions in the middle east . but abbott said there has been a history of u.s. and iranian wrestling exchanges despite the politics . both sides are always looking for opportunities to compete . abbott said iran is one of the top wrestling powers in the world , along with countries such as the united states , russia , turkey and ukraine . competing in a wrestling-crazy society like iran is special to americans , who look forward to getting on the mats before large crowds in sold-out arenas . for the common citizen , an american wrestler in iran is like michael jordan going over there , ' abbott said , referring to the world-famous american basketball legend . usa wrestling said the trip is one of several overseas events this winter for american wrestlers . u.s. teams also will also be competing in russia , ukraine , sweden , cuba , bulgaria , belarus , turkey , serbia , hungary and slovenia . the team going to iran includes four men who have represented the united states in the olympics . | u.s. freestyle men 's wrestling team will participate in iran tournament |
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when it comes to the sport of wrestling , longtime adversaries iran and the united states are friendly enemies . andy hrovat , right , seen wrestling reineris salas of cuba , is among the u.s. wrestlers touring this winter . a u.s. freestyle men 's wrestling team will go to the islamic republic -- where the sport is widely popular -- for a prestigious tournament in march . nine american wrestlers will take part in the takhti cup competition , scheduled for march 12-13 , according to state iranian media and usa wrestling -- the national governing body for olympics wrestling in the united states . in iran , wrestling and soccer are the two major sports , ' said gary abbott , director of communications for usa wrestling in colorado springs , colorado . they know their wrestling as well as anyone in the world . they treat our athletes like kings . ' relations between the united states and iran ended after iranian militants seized the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979 and held americans hostage there for 444 days . more recently , the two countries have been at odds over iran 's nuclear ambitions and have been sharply critical of each other 's policies and actions in the middle east . but abbott said there has been a history of u.s. and iranian wrestling exchanges despite the politics . both sides are always looking for opportunities to compete . abbott said iran is one of the top wrestling powers in the world , along with countries such as the united states , russia , turkey and ukraine . competing in a wrestling-crazy society like iran is special to americans , who look forward to getting on the mats before large crowds in sold-out arenas . for the common citizen , an american wrestler in iran is like michael jordan going over there , ' abbott said , referring to the world-famous american basketball legend . usa wrestling said the trip is one of several overseas events this winter for american wrestlers . u.s. teams also will also be competing in russia , ukraine , sweden , cuba , bulgaria , belarus , turkey , serbia , hungary and slovenia . the team going to iran includes four men who have represented the united states in the olympics . | longtime adversaries iran and the united states are friendly enemies on the mat |
universal <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- apparently the truffula valley is a much better training ground for the box office than mars , as dr. seuss'the lorax ' had no trouble fending off disney 's expensive new sci-fi arrival john carter . ' universal 's the lorax ' dropped a relatively mild 44 percent for $ 39.1 million in its second weekend -- a drop that virtually replicates the second-weekend decline of 45 percent for 2008′s dr. seuss'horton hears a who ! ' today the lorax ' will pass the vow ' to become the year 's top grosser , finishing the weekend with a cumulative tally of nearly $ 122 million in just 10 days . but the real story here , of course , is john carter , ' which disney infamously spent $ 250 million to produce . with that kind of price tag , carter ' really needed to open to $ 50 million at a bare minimum . other films that reportedly cost around $ 250 million include spider-man 3 , ' harry potter and the half-blood prince , ' pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides , ' and avatar , ' and those four movies debuted to an average of $ 99 million . john carter , ' on the other hand , collected an estimated $ 30.6 million this weekend . that 's slightly better than the $ 25 million or so that most in the industry were predicting , and would represent a solid start for many films . but it 's a dismal showing for such a costly project . both the movie and its marketing campaign are to blame for the soft opening . the film , which garnered mixed reviews and marked the first live-action undertaking for pixar 's andrew stanton ( finding nemo , ' wall-e ' ) , is based on tarzan author edgar rice burroughs'1917 book a princess of mars . ' that book was the first in a series of barsoom sci-fi novels that later influenced films such as star wars ' and avatar . ' however , since the general public is not overly familiar with the barsoom works , john carter ' appeared derivative of the very things it inspired . also not helping the movie out was its cast , headed by an unproven taylor kitsch ( friday night lights ' ) . true , avatar ' featured the similarly untested sam worthington , but james cameron 's name is as big as any movie star , and he at least surrounded worthington with some familiar faces like sigourney weaver and michelle rodriguez . the most familiar face in john carter ' was ... mark strong ? but it 's really disney 's marketing that performed a disservice to the movie . for months , john carter ' suffered from muddled ads and trailers , none more misjudged than its super bowl commercial , which wrongly assumed audiences were so familiar with the john carter ' brand that simply seeing the movie 's title would excite them . also hurting matters was the generic title , which disney shortened from john carter of mars ' with the reported belief that of mars ' would turn off female moviegoers . but mars is the project 's major selling point . without it , the movie became a sphinx to the general public . who is john carter ? where is he ? why can he leap great distances ? i understand the desire to not reveal too much of a film 's story , but these are basic questions that were n't answered by disney 's advertising until right before john carter 's ' release . by then , it was too late . the film tilted toward men , whom disney says comprised 63 percent of the audience . it also skewed a bit older than one might expect a pg-13 sci-fi adventure would , with 59 percent of the audience over age 25 . showings in 3-d represented 64 percent of the movie 's gross . and audiences generally liked john carter , ' with cinemascore participants giving it a b+ ' rating . one cinemascore finding is particularly worth noting : only 8 percent of those polled said taylor kitsch was their reason for buying a ticket . compare that number to 72 percent for safe house ' star denzel washington . the week 's two other new releases , silent house ' and a thousand words , ' did n't make much of an impression . silent house , ' an r-rated shot-in-one-take horror flick starring elizabeth olsen , debuted to a quiet $ 7 million and virtually tied act of valor ' for fourth place . what it will be remembered for most , though , is its f ' cinemascore rating . silent house ' becomes the second film branded with the dreaded grade this year , joining the devil inside ' -- a cinemascore f ' now seems specifically reserved for horror films with unsatisfying endings . a thousand words , ' which opened in sixth place with $ 6.4 million , was another misfire for star eddie murphy . the $ 40 million comedy was shot in 2008 and intended for a 2009 release , but was held up for three years when dreamworks split from paramount . now , it has the distinction of joining murphy 's other recent flops : 2008′s meet dave ' and 2009′s imagine that , ' which debuted to $ 5.3 million and $ 5.5 million , respectively . among holdovers , the r-rated teen party flick project x ' fared surprisingly well , slipping only 45 percent for $ 11.6 million . that duplicates the trajectory of chronicle , ' another found-footage ' film starring teenagers , which dropped 45 percent its second weekend . and act of valor ' fell 48 percent for $ 7 million in its third weekend , pushing its total gross to $ 56.1 million . in limited release , the r-rated ensemble comedy friends with kids , ' starring adam scott , jennifer westfeldt , megan fox , and a quarter of bridesmaids ' alums ( kristen wiig , maya rudolph , jon hamm , and chris o'dowd ) , had a so-so debut with $ 2.2 million from 374 theaters . that equates to a per-location average of $ 5,799 . the ewan mcgregor-emily blunt romantic dramedy salmon fishing in the yemen ' reeled in $ 240,000 at 18 theaters , while the oscar-nominated israeli drama footnote ' took in $ 48,100 at two locations . 1 . dr. seuss'the lorax ' -- $ 39.1 mil 2 . john carter ' -- $ 30.6 mil 3 . project x ' -- $ 11.6 mil 4 . silent house ' -- $ 7.0 mil 4 . act of valor ' -- $ 7.0 mil 6 . a thousand words ' -- $ 6.4 mil see the full article at ew.com click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | universal 's the lorax ' dropped a relatively mild 44 percent for $ 39.1 million |
afghan <tsp> kabul , afghanistan ( cnn ) -- the female police officer who killed a u.s. contractor in kabul on monday is an iranian national , an afghan government official said tuesday . sediq seddiqi , an afghan interior ministry spokesman , said the afghan police officer is an iranian citizen who met her afghan husband in iran . after they eventually went to live in afghanistan , he managed to help her illegally obtain afghan citizenship . the united states has long been concerned about iranian terror-related activity against u.s. targets . but seddiqi said he does n't have evidence to link the attacker to militant groups carrying out acts of terror . she was arrested and was questioned , he said . it was the latest in a number of so-called insider attacks by afghan soldiers and police officers , or attackers dressed like them . more than 50 people have been killed in afghanistan in similar attacks this year , which the afghan government calls acts of terrorism . a biannual pentagon report to congress this month said there 's been an overall increase in insider attacks on u.s. or coalition training forces . monday 's incident marked the first such attack involving a female attacker , said hagen messer , a spokesman for nato 's international security assistance force . the victim was identified as joseph griffin , 49 , of mansfield , georgia , according to dyncorp international , which describes itself as a global government services provider in support of u.s. national security and foreign policy objectives , delivering support solutions for defense , diplomacy , and international development . ' the civilian contractor for the security assistance force was working as an adviser to afghan police , said maj. martyn crighton , another isaf spokesman . dyncorp said griffin had been supporting the afghan interior ministry and afghan national police development program . griffin , a veteran of the u.s. military who had served in u.s.-based law enforcement positions , had supported several of the company 's global training and mentoring programs since november 2000 . he began his most recent assignment in july 2011 , dyncorp said . joe spent his career helping people all over the world , most recently working to help the afghan people secure a better future , ' said steve gaffney , chairman and chief executive of dyncorp international . the loss of any team member is tragic , but to have this happen over the holidays makes it seem all the more unfair . ' | the victim was an adviser to afghan police |
afghan <tsp> kabul , afghanistan ( cnn ) -- the female police officer who killed a u.s. contractor in kabul on monday is an iranian national , an afghan government official said tuesday . sediq seddiqi , an afghan interior ministry spokesman , said the afghan police officer is an iranian citizen who met her afghan husband in iran . after they eventually went to live in afghanistan , he managed to help her illegally obtain afghan citizenship . the united states has long been concerned about iranian terror-related activity against u.s. targets . but seddiqi said he does n't have evidence to link the attacker to militant groups carrying out acts of terror . she was arrested and was questioned , he said . it was the latest in a number of so-called insider attacks by afghan soldiers and police officers , or attackers dressed like them . more than 50 people have been killed in afghanistan in similar attacks this year , which the afghan government calls acts of terrorism . a biannual pentagon report to congress this month said there 's been an overall increase in insider attacks on u.s. or coalition training forces . monday 's incident marked the first such attack involving a female attacker , said hagen messer , a spokesman for nato 's international security assistance force . the victim was identified as joseph griffin , 49 , of mansfield , georgia , according to dyncorp international , which describes itself as a global government services provider in support of u.s. national security and foreign policy objectives , delivering support solutions for defense , diplomacy , and international development . ' the civilian contractor for the security assistance force was working as an adviser to afghan police , said maj. martyn crighton , another isaf spokesman . dyncorp said griffin had been supporting the afghan interior ministry and afghan national police development program . griffin , a veteran of the u.s. military who had served in u.s.-based law enforcement positions , had supported several of the company 's global training and mentoring programs since november 2000 . he began his most recent assignment in july 2011 , dyncorp said . joe spent his career helping people all over the world , most recently working to help the afghan people secure a better future , ' said steve gaffney , chairman and chief executive of dyncorp international . the loss of any team member is tragic , but to have this happen over the holidays makes it seem all the more unfair . ' | new : attacker met her afghan husband in iran , afghan interior ministry spokesman says |
cnn <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- a former los angeles public schools official is suing the system over settlements with dozens of students who were awarded $ 470,000 each , alleging that a teacher sentenced to prison on charges of lewd behavior never came into abusive contact with those children . the lawsuit , by former chief risk officer gregg breed of san bernardino , accuses the district of corruption , lawyer cronyism and incompetence in the way it settled the lawsuit against former teacher mark berndt of miramonte elementary . berndt was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison for putting pupils in bondage , and then photographing them with semen-filled spoons held at their mouths and 3-inch cockroaches crawling across their faces . berndt had pleaded no contest to felony lewd acts on 23 children . the scandal led to almost 200 students suing the district , claiming that they , too , were victims . in a cnn interview wednesday at his beverly hills attorney 's office , breed said he urged the system to wait until a conviction in the berndt case before settling the student claims . among the student allegations was that they were forced to eat cookies with semen on them , breed said . there 's clearly some children where there was no evidence that they ate a cookie , had semen in their mouth or fluid in their mouth . they are alleging , but it 's not necessary true , ' breed said . i did not agree with settling , but they felt it was politically better and they felt the pressure ' from the scandal , he said . but my view point was to wait and see because we really do n't know if there was semen in the classroom . this is a sad case , ' he added . there is corruption at lausd sadly , and there 's a lot of people in place supervising that do n't have the level of expertise needed to see ( the corruption ) . ' last june , the school system sought a court injunction imposing a gag order ' on breed to keep him from publicly discussing the miramonte settlement fiasco , ' his suit said . but a judge dismissed the district 's request as long as breed never mentioned the names of the alleged student victims , breed said . on wednesday , a media consultant hired by the school district to be its spokesman dismissed the allegations as frivolous ' and described breed as a disgruntled employee . the allegations are false . there was a rigorous processing of all the settlements , ' said sean rossall , the consultant serving as spokesman for the system 's general counsel . there had to be substantial information before any settlement was made . these are nothing more than baseless allegations by a disgruntled former employee , ' rossall continued . he 's simply trying to latch on to the attention being paid to miramonte to try to line his own pocket with millions of dollars , taxpayer dollars . it 's really unfortunate that he would choose to do this and impact the families that are already impacted by the incident in miramonte and take this money from our students and schools with baseless allegations , ' rossall added . last year , general counsel david holmquist told cnn that the district was paying $ 30 million to settle what now amounts to 63 of 190 students'claims alleging they were victims of sexually lewd acts by berndt . holmquist called the agreements good settlements ' at the time . the remaining students'claims are still pending . breed 's lawsuit , which seeks at least $ 10 million in damages , claims los angeles unifed school district chief business and compliance counsel gregory mcnair and holmquist ignored a school list of approved outside attorneys . instead , the lawsuit claims , they hired outside representation based on mcnair 's personal relationships ' with those law firms . those newly hired legal firms did n't have experience in sexual assault and molestation cases , but still represented the system in handling legal claims filed in the miramonte abuse case , the lawsuit claims . one outside counsel was a law firm where mcnair once worked , and another was an attorney who was a law school classmate of mcnair 's , the suit charged . mcnair and holmquist could n't be reached for comment wednesday . school spokesman rossall said he was speaking on their behalf . under an alleged cronyism ' arrangement , the outside attorneys were paid between $ 390 to $ 450 an hour -- more than twice the $ 175-an-hour rate that the board typically paid on its approved list of outside attorneys , the lawsuit claims . when asking about the legal fees , school spokesman rossall said the miramonte case is a different size of scope in litigation than is typically seen . ' we really need specialists who understood the issues and had the bandwidth to handle the amount of claims being brought forth , ' rossall said . breed found numerous errors ' in vetting each student claims , such as the lack of signatures verifying information , lack of social security numbers , and the wrong names when compared to school classroom rosters , the lawsuit claims . for example , one pupil who received $ 470,000 did not attend classes with the abuser ' and essentially maintained others wanted and got money so he should get some as well , ' the lawsuit states . in another example , a girl was touched just once on the shoulder by the accused teacher , ' and when this issue was raised , the outside counsel contacted the mediator , who ruled he could n't change the settlement , the suit said . because the proper vetting process was not followed , lausd will be forced to pay $ 470,000 for a single act of touching on the shoulder , ' the lawsuit said . breed , who has 30 years of experience in risk management , was hired by the district to serve as chief risk officer from april 2012 to june 2013 at a salary of $ 14,438 a month , the lawsuit said . breed claimed that when he acted as a whistle-blower in reporting his allegations , his contract was not renewed in an act of retaliation , and he was denied more than $ 14,000 in annual contributions to his retirement account . at the time the school district announced the $ 30 million settlement , holmquist said taxpayer money and possibly school insurance funds would cover that cost , but those insurance carriers are now refusing to indemnify the school system and fund the settlement because of attorney incompetence by corruptly selected counsel , ' the lawsuit contends . a second teacher at miramonte elementary , martin springer , was also charged with felony lewd conduct with a girl under age 14 in the aftermath of the berndt case in 2011 . springer has pleaded not guilty , and his case is pending . | new : school board felt it was politically better ' to settle claims without conviction , ex-official tells cnn |
mclaren <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a controversial car modification pioneered by mclaren will be banned for the next formula one season after the rest of the teams voted against it . the f-duct aerodynamic system , which channels air flow to allow vehicles to go faster on the straights , has also been adapted by ferrari . however , concerns have arisen about how the feature is operated , with ferrari 's version requiring the driver to open and close a hole in the cockpit with his hands -- meaning less control over the steering wheel . mclaren unsuccessfully tried to convince the other teams at a meeting before sunday 's spanish grand prix , won by red bull 's mark webber , that the innovation should not be barred . the formula one teams association told cnn that the decision was part of a package of measures that will be forwarded to motorsport 's governing body , the fia , for ratification . a fota spokesperson said details of the other recommendations would not be made available at this stage . red bull boss christian horner outlined his opposition to the f-duct system . it is a clever piece of engineering and hats off to the guys who invented it , but some of the solutions this weekend look a bit marginal when you see drivers driving with finger tips and no hands , ' he said in quotes carried by autoweek.com . so i think there is a safety issue and a cost issue to take into account . ' at the weekend , ferrari 's fernando alonso , who finished second in barcelona , denied claims that he had to drive with his hand off the wheel , saying he has a pad sewn into his left glove to close the air hole . in the simulator we practiced with this method so that now it is automatic . but in the future we will find a more comfortable solution for the drivers , ' he told france 's auto hebdo . however , mercedes chief nick fry also backed the banning of the system , according to autosport.com . i personally think that it is sensible to nip in the bud technologies that , on the face of it , do n't really have a relevance for use outside of f1 , ' he said . by the end of the year i know we , and i am sure most of the other teams , will have an f-duct on their car -- and that neutralizes the advantage of having it . the engineers have already come up with ideas for next year that are zany in the extreme , and it is difficult to see how they would be used elsewhere . plus they would be expensive . what we should be encouraging is stuff that we can be using elsewhere , and i am personally a big proponent of kers because of that . ' kinetic energy recovery systems were used to great effect by mclaren and ferrari last year , while renault and bmw sauber also used the technology . it was banned for this year , but some teams hope to have it reinstated for 2011 . earlier this year , the f1 teams voted to ban the double-diffuser system from next season . brawn successfully used it at the start of 2009 to gain a big advantage which led to it winning the world constructors'title and also the drivers'crown for jenson button . | mclaren team pioneered f-duct system , which allows cars to go faster on the straights |
mary magdalene <tsp> ( cnn ) my name is mark goodacre , and i am a professor of new testament and christian origins in the department of religious studies at duke university . i was series adviser and one of many on-camera experts on cnn 's finding jesus . ' i also appeared in each episode of the program . viewers were invited to tweet and post their questions on the finding jesus ' facebook page during the season finale about mary magdalene . below are some of the most interesting , and my answers to them . they have been edited for style and clarity for this article : anarie kennedy : the copy we have of the gospel of mary magdalene comes from the second century , but is it possible that the gospel itself could be older ( like first century ) ? goodacre : actually , the copy we saw in the show dates from the fifth century . it is currently located in berlin , germany . although it 's our most complete manuscript , it is missing several pages . there are two other fragments of the gospel of mary , both in greek , and both dating from the third century . it is difficult to date the gospel itself . one of the difficulties is that there are no references to it at all in antiquity . our best guess is that it was written at some point in the middle to late second century . gustavo odría : where can we get a good translation of the gospel of mary magdalene ? goodacre : there are several good translations of the gospel of mary . one suggestion is karen king 's the gospel of mary of magdala : jesus and the first woman apostle . ' that book also has good introduction and discussion materials . one thing that is worth adding is that the gospel is not actually called the gospel of mary magdalene . ' the term magdalene ' does not come at all in the texts we have of the gospel . the heroine is simply called mary . ' edward james reeves : i would like to know what really happened to mary magdalene ? where did she go ? who last saw her ? goodacre : this is one of the great mysteries about the character ! she is so prominent at the end of each of the canonical gospels , and the reader is expecting to see more of her and to hear more about her in the rest of the new testament , but there is nothing . she is not mentioned in acts of the apostles , or in paul 's letters , or anywhere else . one possibility is that the early church suppressed her memory and chose not to tell the story of this famous female apostle . but if that is the case , it is surprising that the gospel writers pay so much attention to her in their passion and resurrection narratives . another possibility , and we touched on this in the episode , is that mary died not long after the events narrated in the gospels . perhaps she was a wealthy , elderly widow ? @ turnbullteacher : would n't church fathers writing in the second century have written if jesus was married or not ? goodacre : that 's a good question . there is actually nothing in second century writers that says that jesus was married and clement of alexandria ( died 215 ad ) takes for granted that jesus was not married . when the gospel of jesus'wife ' was published in 2012 , it was at first thought that this might witness to a tradition of jesus being married from as early as the second century , but it is now clear that the fragment is a modern forgery . @ anna585858 : do you think magdalene is a nickname or reference to mary 's hometown ? goodacre : it 's a good guess that magdalene ' refers to magdala , and so her name would refer to her hometown , just as jesus the nazarene ' is from nazareth . there are other characters in the new testament who are identified by their hometowns . for example simon of cyrene and joseph of arimathea . you are right , though , that it could be a nickname and that it might not have anything to do with magdala . @ allsaintsradio : why was the gospel of mary magdalene left out of the canon of 66 biblical books ? goodacre : this is a tough one because it is not clear that it was ever in contention . the gospel of mary is not even mentioned in any of the extant lists of early christian works . but in any case , the book was probably written too late to have had a chance of competing with matthew , mark , luke and john , all of which are written by the end of the first or , at the latest , the beginning of the second century . further , the gospel of mary 's theology is different from the theology of what became the four canonical gospels . @ stephanoledreed : where is it ( said ) that jesus had a wife ? goodacre : there are no ancient texts in which jesus had a wife . the closest we get to the idea is the gospel of philip in which mary magdalene is described as jesus' companion , ' one of three women who always walked with the lord . ' the same gospel says that jesus used to kiss her often , but we do n't know whereabouts he kissed her because there is a hole in the manuscript at just that point ! however , the gospel of philip is probably too late ( late second to mid-third century ) to be able to tell us anything reliable about the historical mary magdalene . funding jesus : who bankrolled christ 's ministry ? i would like to thank everyone for their great questions over the last six weeks . sorry that fellow on-camera expert candida moss and i could not get to all of them . thanks too for all the encouraging words about finding jesus . ' we are pleased that so many of you have enjoyed and profited from watching it . if you would like to explore these issues in more detail , perhaps i might recommend my podcast , the nt pod , which you can find on itunes or at http : //podacre.blogspot.com . | mary magdalene is one of the bible 's most complicated characters |
mark goodacre <tsp> ( cnn ) my name is mark goodacre , and i am a professor of new testament and christian origins in the department of religious studies at duke university . i was series adviser and one of many on-camera experts on cnn 's finding jesus . ' i also appeared in each episode of the program . viewers were invited to tweet and post their questions on the finding jesus ' facebook page during the season finale about mary magdalene . below are some of the most interesting , and my answers to them . they have been edited for style and clarity for this article : anarie kennedy : the copy we have of the gospel of mary magdalene comes from the second century , but is it possible that the gospel itself could be older ( like first century ) ? goodacre : actually , the copy we saw in the show dates from the fifth century . it is currently located in berlin , germany . although it 's our most complete manuscript , it is missing several pages . there are two other fragments of the gospel of mary , both in greek , and both dating from the third century . it is difficult to date the gospel itself . one of the difficulties is that there are no references to it at all in antiquity . our best guess is that it was written at some point in the middle to late second century . gustavo odría : where can we get a good translation of the gospel of mary magdalene ? goodacre : there are several good translations of the gospel of mary . one suggestion is karen king 's the gospel of mary of magdala : jesus and the first woman apostle . ' that book also has good introduction and discussion materials . one thing that is worth adding is that the gospel is not actually called the gospel of mary magdalene . ' the term magdalene ' does not come at all in the texts we have of the gospel . the heroine is simply called mary . ' edward james reeves : i would like to know what really happened to mary magdalene ? where did she go ? who last saw her ? goodacre : this is one of the great mysteries about the character ! she is so prominent at the end of each of the canonical gospels , and the reader is expecting to see more of her and to hear more about her in the rest of the new testament , but there is nothing . she is not mentioned in acts of the apostles , or in paul 's letters , or anywhere else . one possibility is that the early church suppressed her memory and chose not to tell the story of this famous female apostle . but if that is the case , it is surprising that the gospel writers pay so much attention to her in their passion and resurrection narratives . another possibility , and we touched on this in the episode , is that mary died not long after the events narrated in the gospels . perhaps she was a wealthy , elderly widow ? @ turnbullteacher : would n't church fathers writing in the second century have written if jesus was married or not ? goodacre : that 's a good question . there is actually nothing in second century writers that says that jesus was married and clement of alexandria ( died 215 ad ) takes for granted that jesus was not married . when the gospel of jesus'wife ' was published in 2012 , it was at first thought that this might witness to a tradition of jesus being married from as early as the second century , but it is now clear that the fragment is a modern forgery . @ anna585858 : do you think magdalene is a nickname or reference to mary 's hometown ? goodacre : it 's a good guess that magdalene ' refers to magdala , and so her name would refer to her hometown , just as jesus the nazarene ' is from nazareth . there are other characters in the new testament who are identified by their hometowns . for example simon of cyrene and joseph of arimathea . you are right , though , that it could be a nickname and that it might not have anything to do with magdala . @ allsaintsradio : why was the gospel of mary magdalene left out of the canon of 66 biblical books ? goodacre : this is a tough one because it is not clear that it was ever in contention . the gospel of mary is not even mentioned in any of the extant lists of early christian works . but in any case , the book was probably written too late to have had a chance of competing with matthew , mark , luke and john , all of which are written by the end of the first or , at the latest , the beginning of the second century . further , the gospel of mary 's theology is different from the theology of what became the four canonical gospels . @ stephanoledreed : where is it ( said ) that jesus had a wife ? goodacre : there are no ancient texts in which jesus had a wife . the closest we get to the idea is the gospel of philip in which mary magdalene is described as jesus' companion , ' one of three women who always walked with the lord . ' the same gospel says that jesus used to kiss her often , but we do n't know whereabouts he kissed her because there is a hole in the manuscript at just that point ! however , the gospel of philip is probably too late ( late second to mid-third century ) to be able to tell us anything reliable about the historical mary magdalene . funding jesus : who bankrolled christ 's ministry ? i would like to thank everyone for their great questions over the last six weeks . sorry that fellow on-camera expert candida moss and i could not get to all of them . thanks too for all the encouraging words about finding jesus . ' we are pleased that so many of you have enjoyed and profited from watching it . if you would like to explore these issues in more detail , perhaps i might recommend my podcast , the nt pod , which you can find on itunes or at http : //podacre.blogspot.com . | mark goodacre , who appears in the series , answers your questions about her |
desalvo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- investigators are on the verge of solving the last of the boston strangler killings of the 1960s , thanks to new dna tests and a sample secretly collected from a relative of longtime suspect albert desalvo . dna taken from a water bottle thrown away by one of desalvo 's nephews is a familial match ' with genetic material preserved in the january 1964 killing of 19-year-old mary sullivan , suffolk county district attorney dan conley said thursday . this is good evidence , strong evidence and reliable evidence , but it 's not sufficient to close the case with absolute certainty , ' conley told reporters . dna from desalvo 's remains is needed to prove once and for all ' that the onetime handyman was sullivan 's killer -- and perhaps to close other cases to which desalvo confessed . the strangler killings terrorized boston from mid-1962 to early 1964 . conley said 11 murders have been attributed to desalvo -- who confessed to the killings -- including sullivan . he also confessed to two additional murders who were not suspected victims of the strangler . city of fear : photos from the boston strangler era , 1963 desalvo was never charged with the murders . he was stabbed to death in 1973 while serving a life prison term for unrelated rapes . there was no forensic evidence to link albert desalvo to mary sullivan 's murder until today , ' conley said . the new dna match now excludes 99.9 % ' of the population as suspects , he said -- and now that a judge has approved desalvo 's exhumation , the dna match could be confirmed in a matter of days . ' as for the rest of the victims , the developments give us a glimmer of hope that there can one day be finality , if not accountability , ' for their families , conley said . the news has convinced sullivan 's nephew , casey sherman , who wrote a 2001 book in which he argued another man may have been behind the strangler killings . he said thursday that he was surprised his aunt 's slaying was still being investigated and told reporters , i go where the evidence leads . ' it 's taken 49 years for police to legitimately say they got their man , and they 'll probably be able to say that very soon , ' sherman said . he spoke emotionally of the closure the news will bring to him and his mother , diane dodd , sullivan 's younger sister . it 's amazing to me today to understand that people really did care what happened to my aunt , a 19-year-old girl heinously murdered in 1964 , ' he said . but a lawyer for the desalvos told cnn the family was outraged , disgusted and offended ' by the decision to secretly take a dna sample one of its members , a move she called unnecessary and creepy . ' they feel victimized by this process , ' the attorney , elaine whitfield sharp , said . this was an unwarranted invasion of privacy by a government agency . we have offered them dna as recently as last year , there was no reason to sneak around to get it . ' conley said scientists tried several times in the late 1990s and early 2000s to isolate dna evidence from semen found in sullivan 's body and on a blanket . they resumed their efforts last year , after a laboratory successfully salvaged dna from decades-old material , and found what they believe is the unique genetic profile of sullivan 's killer . serial killers : fast facts despite an exhaustive search , investigators found no usable samples of desalvo 's dna to compare to the material from the crime scene . so boston police commissioner ed davis said he had a detective from the police department 's fugitive squad shadow desalvo relatives until he spotted one of the suspect 's nephews throwing away a water bottle . that water bottle was tested , and the match came back , ' he said . we 've been sitting on that information for a while , so that all the reports could come back , and we could put ourselves in a position to petition the court for an exhumation order , so that we can positively close that case up . ' the nephew was working at an outdoor construction site when he threw away the plastic bottle , which was retrieved by plainclothes investigators , according to a law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity . conley said authorities did n't ask the desalvo family for their cooperation , but he defended the secret collection of their dna as a fair and legal and ethical method . ' he said they did nothing wrong , ' but found themselves in the shadow of accusations that could never be fully proven or discounted . ' we would probably have given them a lot of anxiety , perhaps , if we had approached them directly , ' he said . if this familial examination pointed us in a different directions , then we would n't have even have had to involve them any further . ' desalvo 's brother , richard desalvo , offered blood and saliva samples at that time in hopes of proving his brother 's innocence in 2001 . those tests had been unable to find a match between desalvo family dna and the killings , but conley discounted them thursday because they were n't conducted by law enforcement . sharp said richard desalvo 's dna would have been a closer match than the nephew 's , she said . and the family offered samples of albert desalvo 's dna that are in control of an independent forensic scientist , she said . they said they would get back to us and they never did , ' she said . instead , they went sneaking around . ' cnn 's sheila steffen and susan candiotti contributed to this report . | dna from a relative links albert desalvo to the last strangler victim , mary sullivan |
desalvo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- investigators are on the verge of solving the last of the boston strangler killings of the 1960s , thanks to new dna tests and a sample secretly collected from a relative of longtime suspect albert desalvo . dna taken from a water bottle thrown away by one of desalvo 's nephews is a familial match ' with genetic material preserved in the january 1964 killing of 19-year-old mary sullivan , suffolk county district attorney dan conley said thursday . this is good evidence , strong evidence and reliable evidence , but it 's not sufficient to close the case with absolute certainty , ' conley told reporters . dna from desalvo 's remains is needed to prove once and for all ' that the onetime handyman was sullivan 's killer -- and perhaps to close other cases to which desalvo confessed . the strangler killings terrorized boston from mid-1962 to early 1964 . conley said 11 murders have been attributed to desalvo -- who confessed to the killings -- including sullivan . he also confessed to two additional murders who were not suspected victims of the strangler . city of fear : photos from the boston strangler era , 1963 desalvo was never charged with the murders . he was stabbed to death in 1973 while serving a life prison term for unrelated rapes . there was no forensic evidence to link albert desalvo to mary sullivan 's murder until today , ' conley said . the new dna match now excludes 99.9 % ' of the population as suspects , he said -- and now that a judge has approved desalvo 's exhumation , the dna match could be confirmed in a matter of days . ' as for the rest of the victims , the developments give us a glimmer of hope that there can one day be finality , if not accountability , ' for their families , conley said . the news has convinced sullivan 's nephew , casey sherman , who wrote a 2001 book in which he argued another man may have been behind the strangler killings . he said thursday that he was surprised his aunt 's slaying was still being investigated and told reporters , i go where the evidence leads . ' it 's taken 49 years for police to legitimately say they got their man , and they 'll probably be able to say that very soon , ' sherman said . he spoke emotionally of the closure the news will bring to him and his mother , diane dodd , sullivan 's younger sister . it 's amazing to me today to understand that people really did care what happened to my aunt , a 19-year-old girl heinously murdered in 1964 , ' he said . but a lawyer for the desalvos told cnn the family was outraged , disgusted and offended ' by the decision to secretly take a dna sample one of its members , a move she called unnecessary and creepy . ' they feel victimized by this process , ' the attorney , elaine whitfield sharp , said . this was an unwarranted invasion of privacy by a government agency . we have offered them dna as recently as last year , there was no reason to sneak around to get it . ' conley said scientists tried several times in the late 1990s and early 2000s to isolate dna evidence from semen found in sullivan 's body and on a blanket . they resumed their efforts last year , after a laboratory successfully salvaged dna from decades-old material , and found what they believe is the unique genetic profile of sullivan 's killer . serial killers : fast facts despite an exhaustive search , investigators found no usable samples of desalvo 's dna to compare to the material from the crime scene . so boston police commissioner ed davis said he had a detective from the police department 's fugitive squad shadow desalvo relatives until he spotted one of the suspect 's nephews throwing away a water bottle . that water bottle was tested , and the match came back , ' he said . we 've been sitting on that information for a while , so that all the reports could come back , and we could put ourselves in a position to petition the court for an exhumation order , so that we can positively close that case up . ' the nephew was working at an outdoor construction site when he threw away the plastic bottle , which was retrieved by plainclothes investigators , according to a law enforcement source who spoke on condition of anonymity . conley said authorities did n't ask the desalvo family for their cooperation , but he defended the secret collection of their dna as a fair and legal and ethical method . ' he said they did nothing wrong , ' but found themselves in the shadow of accusations that could never be fully proven or discounted . ' we would probably have given them a lot of anxiety , perhaps , if we had approached them directly , ' he said . if this familial examination pointed us in a different directions , then we would n't have even have had to involve them any further . ' desalvo 's brother , richard desalvo , offered blood and saliva samples at that time in hopes of proving his brother 's innocence in 2001 . those tests had been unable to find a match between desalvo family dna and the killings , but conley discounted them thursday because they were n't conducted by law enforcement . sharp said richard desalvo 's dna would have been a closer match than the nephew 's , she said . and the family offered samples of albert desalvo 's dna that are in control of an independent forensic scientist , she said . they said they would get back to us and they never did , ' she said . instead , they went sneaking around . ' cnn 's sheila steffen and susan candiotti contributed to this report . | desalvo was never charged in the killings and was stabbed to death in 1973 |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the white house defended president barack obama from criticism that he was tone deaf in his reaction to the mass shootings at washington navy yard . obama : shooting a'cowardly'act for a second straight day , white house press secretary jay carney faced questions about a monday afternoon event that occurred as the situation at the navy yard was still unfolding . obama touched on the tragedy before forcefully criticizing conservative republicans who are threatening to shut down the government . obama pressures conservative republicans mccain to house republicans : do n't shut down government ' i understand that some republicans are trying to make something of this , ' carney said on tuesday in response to a question from cnn senior white house correspondent jim acosta . the president spoke about the navy yard at the very top of his briefing . he talked about the cowardly act that had taken place , the tragedy that was unfolding and the loss of life and he called for and demanded a seamless investigation with federal and local law enforcement officials and that is what we 're seeing now , ' carney said . obama himself stepped in on tuesday to address the controversy , telling telemundo in an interview to keep in mind ' that he addressed the shooting while it was still going on , while we were still gathering information . ' he continued , i think that everybody understands that the minute something like this happens , i 'm in touch with the fbi , i 'm in touch with my national security team , we 're making sure that all the assets are out there for us to deal with this as well as we can . ' on the other hand , obama said , what is also important to remember is that congress has a lot of work to do right now ' in a short period of time , noting looming fiscal deadlines that he says are crucial for the economy . obama had planned on tuesday to tout his economic accomplishments on the fifth anniversary of the wall street meltdown and criticize a group of conservative republicans for their push to shut down the federal government if the national health care law is n't defunded . his comments were designed as a prelude to the white house battle plan in the fights over the upcoming deadlines over government funding , the debt ceiling , and as a americans begin to start enrolling in the affordable care act , better known as obamacare . 5 things obama planned before shooting a distracted president struggles with the economy white house officials did delay the event from late morning to early afternoon , to ensure that the president would n't be speaking at the same time at a news conference updating the evolving situation at the navy yard . but they said they never considered canceling the event . we are confronting another mass shooting and it happened on a military installation in our nation 's capital . it 's a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel , ' the president said at the top of his remarks . these are men and women who were going to work , doing their jobs protecting all of us . they 're patriots and they know the dangers of serving abroad but today they face the unimaginable violence that they would n't have expected here at home . ' but minutes later obama took the fight to some in the gop , saying , i can not remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it ca n't get 100 % of what it wants . that 's never happened before but that 's what 's happening right now , ' and adding that forcing a shutdown would be the height of irresponsibility . ' your guide to a government shutdown debt ceiling'x date'could hit oct. 18 the president 's quick pivot first to the latest developments in the syrian crisis and then into his criticism of the gop stands in contrast to his initial reaction to last december 's shooting of 20 children and six adults in newtown , connecticut , when he urged national unity . and it brought criticism from house speaker john boehner . it 's a shame that the president could not manage to rise above partisanship today , ' the top republican in congress said in a statement a few hours after obama 's event . republican national committee chairman reince priebus continued the attack on tuesday , tweeting disappointing that potus could n't rise above partisanship yesterday ... hours after # navyyardshooting ' former house speaker and 2012 republican presidential candidate newt gingrich expanded on the criticism . president reagan , in the tragedy of the ( space shuttle ) challenger , postponed the state of the union address because he realized the country needed to be in mourning . president obama should have recognized that an event this painful and tragic , in the nation 's capital , required being president rather than partisan , and being concerned about people rather than concerned about attacking , ' said gingrich , a co-host of cnn 's crossfire . ' a top republican strategist went a step farther . when there is a tragic event like this in the nation 's capital and the local baseball team expresses that it would be insensitive to participate in the national pastime , but the president proceeds with a self-congratulatory press conference to celebrate his miniscule economic accomplishments , it tells you the obama administration has become tone-deaf , ' said alex castellanos , a cnn contributor who co-founded purple strategies , a bipartisan public affairs firm . bill clinton , who'felt our pain ,'would never have made this mistake . ' opinion : gun control is not the answer it 's not just republicans who are critical of the president -- a senior democratic consultant was critical of obama 's timing , too . suprisingly tone-deaf . national unity has been at the heart of the obama brand since his 2004'there are no red states and no blue states'speech . to pass up a chance to unite the country after a tragedy was a missed opportunity . unhelpful in terms of politics . even more unhelpful in terms of governance , ' said the consultant , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . while carney says the president was horrified by this news ' ( of the shootings ) , he defended monday 's white house event and would n't entertain any second day quarterbacking , saying we knew what the public knew , ' adding we had the same information you did . ' will rampage move the dial on gun control ? and he pushed back against criticism that obama 's speech was partisan . far from being a partisan speech , the president made clear in his speech that many republicans on capitol hill agree with him that we should not go down the road of threatening to shut down the government or defaulting on our obligations in the name of some partisan agenda item , ' carney said . and white house officials questioned the appropriateness of some house republicans who they say were launching partisan attacks at the administration on monday over last september 's deadly attack at the u.s. consulate in benghazi that left the u.s. ambassador to libya and three other americans dead . later monday , the tone did appear to shift at the white house . a latin music event in the east room that was planned for the evening was postponed , according to white house officials , in light of today 's tragic events at the washington navy yard and out of respect for the victims and their families . ' around the same time , the u.s. flag on top of the white house was lowered to half staff . remembering the navy yard victims | obama criticized for launching attack on congressional republicans in hours after navy yard shootings |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the white house defended president barack obama from criticism that he was tone deaf in his reaction to the mass shootings at washington navy yard . obama : shooting a'cowardly'act for a second straight day , white house press secretary jay carney faced questions about a monday afternoon event that occurred as the situation at the navy yard was still unfolding . obama touched on the tragedy before forcefully criticizing conservative republicans who are threatening to shut down the government . obama pressures conservative republicans mccain to house republicans : do n't shut down government ' i understand that some republicans are trying to make something of this , ' carney said on tuesday in response to a question from cnn senior white house correspondent jim acosta . the president spoke about the navy yard at the very top of his briefing . he talked about the cowardly act that had taken place , the tragedy that was unfolding and the loss of life and he called for and demanded a seamless investigation with federal and local law enforcement officials and that is what we 're seeing now , ' carney said . obama himself stepped in on tuesday to address the controversy , telling telemundo in an interview to keep in mind ' that he addressed the shooting while it was still going on , while we were still gathering information . ' he continued , i think that everybody understands that the minute something like this happens , i 'm in touch with the fbi , i 'm in touch with my national security team , we 're making sure that all the assets are out there for us to deal with this as well as we can . ' on the other hand , obama said , what is also important to remember is that congress has a lot of work to do right now ' in a short period of time , noting looming fiscal deadlines that he says are crucial for the economy . obama had planned on tuesday to tout his economic accomplishments on the fifth anniversary of the wall street meltdown and criticize a group of conservative republicans for their push to shut down the federal government if the national health care law is n't defunded . his comments were designed as a prelude to the white house battle plan in the fights over the upcoming deadlines over government funding , the debt ceiling , and as a americans begin to start enrolling in the affordable care act , better known as obamacare . 5 things obama planned before shooting a distracted president struggles with the economy white house officials did delay the event from late morning to early afternoon , to ensure that the president would n't be speaking at the same time at a news conference updating the evolving situation at the navy yard . but they said they never considered canceling the event . we are confronting another mass shooting and it happened on a military installation in our nation 's capital . it 's a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel , ' the president said at the top of his remarks . these are men and women who were going to work , doing their jobs protecting all of us . they 're patriots and they know the dangers of serving abroad but today they face the unimaginable violence that they would n't have expected here at home . ' but minutes later obama took the fight to some in the gop , saying , i can not remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it ca n't get 100 % of what it wants . that 's never happened before but that 's what 's happening right now , ' and adding that forcing a shutdown would be the height of irresponsibility . ' your guide to a government shutdown debt ceiling'x date'could hit oct. 18 the president 's quick pivot first to the latest developments in the syrian crisis and then into his criticism of the gop stands in contrast to his initial reaction to last december 's shooting of 20 children and six adults in newtown , connecticut , when he urged national unity . and it brought criticism from house speaker john boehner . it 's a shame that the president could not manage to rise above partisanship today , ' the top republican in congress said in a statement a few hours after obama 's event . republican national committee chairman reince priebus continued the attack on tuesday , tweeting disappointing that potus could n't rise above partisanship yesterday ... hours after # navyyardshooting ' former house speaker and 2012 republican presidential candidate newt gingrich expanded on the criticism . president reagan , in the tragedy of the ( space shuttle ) challenger , postponed the state of the union address because he realized the country needed to be in mourning . president obama should have recognized that an event this painful and tragic , in the nation 's capital , required being president rather than partisan , and being concerned about people rather than concerned about attacking , ' said gingrich , a co-host of cnn 's crossfire . ' a top republican strategist went a step farther . when there is a tragic event like this in the nation 's capital and the local baseball team expresses that it would be insensitive to participate in the national pastime , but the president proceeds with a self-congratulatory press conference to celebrate his miniscule economic accomplishments , it tells you the obama administration has become tone-deaf , ' said alex castellanos , a cnn contributor who co-founded purple strategies , a bipartisan public affairs firm . bill clinton , who'felt our pain ,'would never have made this mistake . ' opinion : gun control is not the answer it 's not just republicans who are critical of the president -- a senior democratic consultant was critical of obama 's timing , too . suprisingly tone-deaf . national unity has been at the heart of the obama brand since his 2004'there are no red states and no blue states'speech . to pass up a chance to unite the country after a tragedy was a missed opportunity . unhelpful in terms of politics . even more unhelpful in terms of governance , ' said the consultant , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . while carney says the president was horrified by this news ' ( of the shootings ) , he defended monday 's white house event and would n't entertain any second day quarterbacking , saying we knew what the public knew , ' adding we had the same information you did . ' will rampage move the dial on gun control ? and he pushed back against criticism that obama 's speech was partisan . far from being a partisan speech , the president made clear in his speech that many republicans on capitol hill agree with him that we should not go down the road of threatening to shut down the government or defaulting on our obligations in the name of some partisan agenda item , ' carney said . and white house officials questioned the appropriateness of some house republicans who they say were launching partisan attacks at the administration on monday over last september 's deadly attack at the u.s. consulate in benghazi that left the u.s. ambassador to libya and three other americans dead . later monday , the tone did appear to shift at the white house . a latin music event in the east room that was planned for the evening was postponed , according to white house officials , in light of today 's tragic events at the washington navy yard and out of respect for the victims and their families . ' around the same time , the u.s. flag on top of the white house was lowered to half staff . remembering the navy yard victims | new : obama says in interview that he discussed the shooting while it was unfolding |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the white house defended president barack obama from criticism that he was tone deaf in his reaction to the mass shootings at washington navy yard . obama : shooting a'cowardly'act for a second straight day , white house press secretary jay carney faced questions about a monday afternoon event that occurred as the situation at the navy yard was still unfolding . obama touched on the tragedy before forcefully criticizing conservative republicans who are threatening to shut down the government . obama pressures conservative republicans mccain to house republicans : do n't shut down government ' i understand that some republicans are trying to make something of this , ' carney said on tuesday in response to a question from cnn senior white house correspondent jim acosta . the president spoke about the navy yard at the very top of his briefing . he talked about the cowardly act that had taken place , the tragedy that was unfolding and the loss of life and he called for and demanded a seamless investigation with federal and local law enforcement officials and that is what we 're seeing now , ' carney said . obama himself stepped in on tuesday to address the controversy , telling telemundo in an interview to keep in mind ' that he addressed the shooting while it was still going on , while we were still gathering information . ' he continued , i think that everybody understands that the minute something like this happens , i 'm in touch with the fbi , i 'm in touch with my national security team , we 're making sure that all the assets are out there for us to deal with this as well as we can . ' on the other hand , obama said , what is also important to remember is that congress has a lot of work to do right now ' in a short period of time , noting looming fiscal deadlines that he says are crucial for the economy . obama had planned on tuesday to tout his economic accomplishments on the fifth anniversary of the wall street meltdown and criticize a group of conservative republicans for their push to shut down the federal government if the national health care law is n't defunded . his comments were designed as a prelude to the white house battle plan in the fights over the upcoming deadlines over government funding , the debt ceiling , and as a americans begin to start enrolling in the affordable care act , better known as obamacare . 5 things obama planned before shooting a distracted president struggles with the economy white house officials did delay the event from late morning to early afternoon , to ensure that the president would n't be speaking at the same time at a news conference updating the evolving situation at the navy yard . but they said they never considered canceling the event . we are confronting another mass shooting and it happened on a military installation in our nation 's capital . it 's a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel , ' the president said at the top of his remarks . these are men and women who were going to work , doing their jobs protecting all of us . they 're patriots and they know the dangers of serving abroad but today they face the unimaginable violence that they would n't have expected here at home . ' but minutes later obama took the fight to some in the gop , saying , i can not remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it ca n't get 100 % of what it wants . that 's never happened before but that 's what 's happening right now , ' and adding that forcing a shutdown would be the height of irresponsibility . ' your guide to a government shutdown debt ceiling'x date'could hit oct. 18 the president 's quick pivot first to the latest developments in the syrian crisis and then into his criticism of the gop stands in contrast to his initial reaction to last december 's shooting of 20 children and six adults in newtown , connecticut , when he urged national unity . and it brought criticism from house speaker john boehner . it 's a shame that the president could not manage to rise above partisanship today , ' the top republican in congress said in a statement a few hours after obama 's event . republican national committee chairman reince priebus continued the attack on tuesday , tweeting disappointing that potus could n't rise above partisanship yesterday ... hours after # navyyardshooting ' former house speaker and 2012 republican presidential candidate newt gingrich expanded on the criticism . president reagan , in the tragedy of the ( space shuttle ) challenger , postponed the state of the union address because he realized the country needed to be in mourning . president obama should have recognized that an event this painful and tragic , in the nation 's capital , required being president rather than partisan , and being concerned about people rather than concerned about attacking , ' said gingrich , a co-host of cnn 's crossfire . ' a top republican strategist went a step farther . when there is a tragic event like this in the nation 's capital and the local baseball team expresses that it would be insensitive to participate in the national pastime , but the president proceeds with a self-congratulatory press conference to celebrate his miniscule economic accomplishments , it tells you the obama administration has become tone-deaf , ' said alex castellanos , a cnn contributor who co-founded purple strategies , a bipartisan public affairs firm . bill clinton , who'felt our pain ,'would never have made this mistake . ' opinion : gun control is not the answer it 's not just republicans who are critical of the president -- a senior democratic consultant was critical of obama 's timing , too . suprisingly tone-deaf . national unity has been at the heart of the obama brand since his 2004'there are no red states and no blue states'speech . to pass up a chance to unite the country after a tragedy was a missed opportunity . unhelpful in terms of politics . even more unhelpful in terms of governance , ' said the consultant , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . while carney says the president was horrified by this news ' ( of the shootings ) , he defended monday 's white house event and would n't entertain any second day quarterbacking , saying we knew what the public knew , ' adding we had the same information you did . ' will rampage move the dial on gun control ? and he pushed back against criticism that obama 's speech was partisan . far from being a partisan speech , the president made clear in his speech that many republicans on capitol hill agree with him that we should not go down the road of threatening to shut down the government or defaulting on our obligations in the name of some partisan agenda item , ' carney said . and white house officials questioned the appropriateness of some house republicans who they say were launching partisan attacks at the administration on monday over last september 's deadly attack at the u.s. consulate in benghazi that left the u.s. ambassador to libya and three other americans dead . later monday , the tone did appear to shift at the white house . a latin music event in the east room that was planned for the evening was postponed , according to white house officials , in light of today 's tragic events at the washington navy yard and out of respect for the victims and their families . ' around the same time , the u.s. flag on top of the white house was lowered to half staff . remembering the navy yard victims | obama touched on the shootings and syria situation before criticizing gop in previously scheduled event |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the white house defended president barack obama from criticism that he was tone deaf in his reaction to the mass shootings at washington navy yard . obama : shooting a'cowardly'act for a second straight day , white house press secretary jay carney faced questions about a monday afternoon event that occurred as the situation at the navy yard was still unfolding . obama touched on the tragedy before forcefully criticizing conservative republicans who are threatening to shut down the government . obama pressures conservative republicans mccain to house republicans : do n't shut down government ' i understand that some republicans are trying to make something of this , ' carney said on tuesday in response to a question from cnn senior white house correspondent jim acosta . the president spoke about the navy yard at the very top of his briefing . he talked about the cowardly act that had taken place , the tragedy that was unfolding and the loss of life and he called for and demanded a seamless investigation with federal and local law enforcement officials and that is what we 're seeing now , ' carney said . obama himself stepped in on tuesday to address the controversy , telling telemundo in an interview to keep in mind ' that he addressed the shooting while it was still going on , while we were still gathering information . ' he continued , i think that everybody understands that the minute something like this happens , i 'm in touch with the fbi , i 'm in touch with my national security team , we 're making sure that all the assets are out there for us to deal with this as well as we can . ' on the other hand , obama said , what is also important to remember is that congress has a lot of work to do right now ' in a short period of time , noting looming fiscal deadlines that he says are crucial for the economy . obama had planned on tuesday to tout his economic accomplishments on the fifth anniversary of the wall street meltdown and criticize a group of conservative republicans for their push to shut down the federal government if the national health care law is n't defunded . his comments were designed as a prelude to the white house battle plan in the fights over the upcoming deadlines over government funding , the debt ceiling , and as a americans begin to start enrolling in the affordable care act , better known as obamacare . 5 things obama planned before shooting a distracted president struggles with the economy white house officials did delay the event from late morning to early afternoon , to ensure that the president would n't be speaking at the same time at a news conference updating the evolving situation at the navy yard . but they said they never considered canceling the event . we are confronting another mass shooting and it happened on a military installation in our nation 's capital . it 's a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel , ' the president said at the top of his remarks . these are men and women who were going to work , doing their jobs protecting all of us . they 're patriots and they know the dangers of serving abroad but today they face the unimaginable violence that they would n't have expected here at home . ' but minutes later obama took the fight to some in the gop , saying , i can not remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it ca n't get 100 % of what it wants . that 's never happened before but that 's what 's happening right now , ' and adding that forcing a shutdown would be the height of irresponsibility . ' your guide to a government shutdown debt ceiling'x date'could hit oct. 18 the president 's quick pivot first to the latest developments in the syrian crisis and then into his criticism of the gop stands in contrast to his initial reaction to last december 's shooting of 20 children and six adults in newtown , connecticut , when he urged national unity . and it brought criticism from house speaker john boehner . it 's a shame that the president could not manage to rise above partisanship today , ' the top republican in congress said in a statement a few hours after obama 's event . republican national committee chairman reince priebus continued the attack on tuesday , tweeting disappointing that potus could n't rise above partisanship yesterday ... hours after # navyyardshooting ' former house speaker and 2012 republican presidential candidate newt gingrich expanded on the criticism . president reagan , in the tragedy of the ( space shuttle ) challenger , postponed the state of the union address because he realized the country needed to be in mourning . president obama should have recognized that an event this painful and tragic , in the nation 's capital , required being president rather than partisan , and being concerned about people rather than concerned about attacking , ' said gingrich , a co-host of cnn 's crossfire . ' a top republican strategist went a step farther . when there is a tragic event like this in the nation 's capital and the local baseball team expresses that it would be insensitive to participate in the national pastime , but the president proceeds with a self-congratulatory press conference to celebrate his miniscule economic accomplishments , it tells you the obama administration has become tone-deaf , ' said alex castellanos , a cnn contributor who co-founded purple strategies , a bipartisan public affairs firm . bill clinton , who'felt our pain ,'would never have made this mistake . ' opinion : gun control is not the answer it 's not just republicans who are critical of the president -- a senior democratic consultant was critical of obama 's timing , too . suprisingly tone-deaf . national unity has been at the heart of the obama brand since his 2004'there are no red states and no blue states'speech . to pass up a chance to unite the country after a tragedy was a missed opportunity . unhelpful in terms of politics . even more unhelpful in terms of governance , ' said the consultant , who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely . while carney says the president was horrified by this news ' ( of the shootings ) , he defended monday 's white house event and would n't entertain any second day quarterbacking , saying we knew what the public knew , ' adding we had the same information you did . ' will rampage move the dial on gun control ? and he pushed back against criticism that obama 's speech was partisan . far from being a partisan speech , the president made clear in his speech that many republicans on capitol hill agree with him that we should not go down the road of threatening to shut down the government or defaulting on our obligations in the name of some partisan agenda item , ' carney said . and white house officials questioned the appropriateness of some house republicans who they say were launching partisan attacks at the administration on monday over last september 's deadly attack at the u.s. consulate in benghazi that left the u.s. ambassador to libya and three other americans dead . later monday , the tone did appear to shift at the white house . a latin music event in the east room that was planned for the evening was postponed , according to white house officials , in light of today 's tragic events at the washington navy yard and out of respect for the victims and their families . ' around the same time , the u.s. flag on top of the white house was lowered to half staff . remembering the navy yard victims | white house spokesman defends obama , saying time is running out on congress to act on economy |
best domestic service <tsp> hobbits might not need the extra legroom , but they know a good airline when they see one . air new zealand , the carrier that has regularly pressed the diminutive denizens of middle earth into service in its advertising campaigns , has been named the world 's best airline . australia-based safety assessment website airlineratings.com says the airline came top of its 2015 airline excellence ' chart because of its reputation as a trendsetter . ' it also led the website 's top 10 airlines for 2015 . this is the second year in a row the airline has scooped the airline of the year prize . airlineratings said air new zealand had been honored for its award winning in-flight innovations , record financial performance , operational safety and motivation of its staff . ' the 75-year-old airline was also praised for its commitment to a young , technologically-advanced fleet and its continual focus on the environment . ' it was also presented with airlineratings'best premium economy class award . quite simply air new zealand is an airline of first choice . and given the airline 's location and the country 's size its performance is even more remarkable , ' geoffrey thomas , the agency 's chief editor , said . outstanding efforts air new zealand 's chief executive officer , christopher luxon , said the award recognized the outstanding efforts ' of his airline 's 11,000 staff . multiple prizes were also doled out for down-under flyer qantas -- honored for best domestic service , best catering and best lounges , with a special commendation for its safety record . etihad airways scooped best first class , cathay pacific took the best business class prize , thai airways got best economy class , while best in-flight entertainment went to emirates . virgin australia won the best cabin crew prize for its outstanding staff . prizes in the low cost airline sector ' were given to u.s. carrier jetblue , norwegian in europe and kulula.com and scoot in asia . lan chile , etihad and eva air were named for excellence in long haul travel . as yet , there are no awards for airlines flying to middle earth . airlineratings.com 's top 10 airlines for 2015 1 . air new zealand ; 2 . etihad 3 . cathay pacific 4 . qantas 5 . emirates 6 . singapore airlines 7 . eva air 8 . lufthansa 9 . all nippon airways 10 . british airways | qantas was honored for best domestic service , best catering and best lounge |
doug lansky <tsp> ( cnn ) jingle those bells , the holiday season is near . too near , for anyone who still has n't managed to find something for that special traveler in their life . forget the usual cliched gifts like journals , luggage tags and panama hats . we 've got a selection of cool gifts for every type of traveler . already purchased this year 's batch of presents ? there 's always a birthday to buy for in 2015 . or something for yourself . gopro hero4 silver the new hero4 silver is the first of the popular photography brand to offer a built-in touch display and hilight tag , which enables you to mark key moments for convenient playback and editing . that means whether you 're diving , skiing , surfing or strolling through a quaint town , all those travel memories can be captured in high-definition and shared within minutes thanks to its built-in wi-fi and bluetooth . from $ 399.99 , more info at gopro hornet mini-stove admittedly there are n't many situations where kit needs to be streamlined so keenly that a camping stove that folds down to the size of a lipstick is desirable . and , if anyone does find themselves huddled on the side of a mountain waiting for their tiny burner to warm up a vacuum pack of gelatinous gloop , it 's maybe time to rethink their vacation plans . that said , the tiny , lightweight ( 44 grams ) hornet is such a cool concept , it 's worth slipping into the tiniest backpack just in case an emergency casserole is needed . the hornet fms-300t mini-stove starts from about $ 44 and is available online at fire-maple.com . gilchrist & soames london traveller kit some lucky travelers already get to enjoy gilchrist and soames'london collection in their hotel rooms . the rest of us are grateful the toiletry collection is available online . the gilchrist & soames london traveller kit includes essentials like shampoo , conditioner , body lotion and lip balm , all in a felt travel tote . air passengers can deploy these to envelop themselves in a haze of red tea , soy and grape seed that will cunningly conceal the fact they 've been in transit for 24 hours . from $ 28 , available online at gilchrist & soames . jaeger-lecoultre duometre unique travel time watch we do n't just love this watch for its shiny , pretty face . the pink-gold travel time watch from jaeger-lecoultre shows a traveler 's home time , set by turning the crown counterclockwise , and destination time zone , set by turning clockwise . the globe at the six o'clock position displays time zones and a day/night indicator . and in case there 's any doubt over whether it 's est or cst , major time zones are shown on the back of the watch . from $ 39,000 , more info online at jaeger-lecoultre daines and hathaway triple bar set for anyone stuck in the desert or facing an unexpected hotel bar drought , the convenience of the daines and hathaway is a selling point . fill two of the flasks with gin , one with vermouth to create a to-go martini wrapped up in a neat leather case . because camel trekking in the sahara should n't stop anyone from enjoying a drink . from $ 299 , available for purchase at pittards ' travel : the guide ' by doug lansky from best of ' guides to every palookaville on the planet to navel-gazing meditations on the inner journey some find on the backpacker circuit , travel books come in all types . but we 've never seen one quite like doug lansky 's new travel : the guide , ' which punctures travel pretensions and myths with lots of big pictures , surprising graphics and humorous observations . no wonder peter moore -- author of vroom with a view , ' one of our 15 funniest travel books ever -- blurbed it as seriously brilliant ! ' published by look books ( $ 4.99 ebook , $ 60 hardcover coffee table edition ) , available at amazon.com beer and beans speakeasy scarf this is no ordinary flap of cloth . beer and beans speakeasy scarf has a secret pocket in the folds of the fabric to hide travel documents . besides keeping them hugged close , the scarf makes it easy to whip out passports at the gate . because no one wants to be the fumbling passenger holding up the line . from $ 52 , available at speakeasytravelsupply.com merrell all out blaze shoes we 've always loved putting on anything made by michigan-based outdoor shoemaker merrell . which is why we know adventurous travelers will be psyched to dirty up the new all out blaze line of lightweight hiking shoes designed to stabilize movement and absorb impact while you blaze new trails . ' get it ? ok , it 's a corny pitch line , but shoes like this are meant to be worn out not talked about . men 's all out blaze ( $ 130 ) , women 's all out blaze aero sport ( $ 110 ) . more info at merrell.com la mer 's sculpting collection nobody wants to lug their entire skincare collection on vacation , yet holidays are when our hides tend to take the worst beatings . for those who 've been exposed to too much sun , chlorine , salt water or dry airplane air , there 's the la mer sculpting collection , which includes three signature power-treatments for skin : the treatment lotion , the eye concentrate , the lifting contour serum and creme de la mer . those not familiar with the brand , owned by estee lauder , will become believers after one dose of the creme de la mer . instant results . $ 440 , available at cremedelamer.com bike-powered siva cycle atom battery charger cycling and cell phones go together like lance armstrong and denial , so its a pity that gps navigation and fitness apps aimed at riders suck down battery power so rapidly . the solution has finally arrived in the form of the bike-powered siva cycle atom battery charger . crowd-funded via kickstarter and due out just after christmas , the tiny device attaches to the rear wheel , where it converts revolutions into enough juice to amp up any usb-charged gizmo . there 's even a detachable battery so riders can carry away some power in their pocket after the cycling 's done . the atom , $ 129 , available at sivacycle.com lomo'instant instagrammed-up cell phones have cast a long shadow over the old school wait-and-see funky photography of lomo cameras . the new lomo'instant , lomo 's first instant camera , redresses this by shortening the wait for film to be developed without compromising the camera 's artsy vibe . lomo'instant sanermo camera comes with three lenses -- fisheye , portrait and closeup . like other lomo cameras , the instant edition allows settings like multiple exposure and color filters and has the largest aperture setting ( f/8 ) among all available instant cameras on the market . from $ 169 , available online at shop.lomography.com burberry 's customized poncho sarah jessica parker has one . so does cara delevingne . which means couture-obsessed travelers would probably also love burberry 's new color-block wool and cashmere reversible blanket poncho . the sizable poncho is a stylish inflight snuggie as well as a functional off-flight fashion item . initials can be added when ordering . from $ 1,395 , available at burberry.com handpresso outdoor hybrid set eight times out of 10 , the complimentary coffee given in hotel rooms is n't going to cut it . then there 's those middle-of-nowhere camping trips that see travelers willing to wrestle a crocodile if it 'll get them a fresh cup of espresso to start the day . this is where the handpresso comes in -- a small , portable manual espresso machine that uses ground coffee or e.s.e . espresso pods . the outdoor hybrid set comes with four unbreakable cups , an insulated flask to keep water hot and a small reusable napkin . available online from $ 220 at handpresso.com suitpack an unruffled suit is an elusive holy grail for business travelers . there are various unproven mathematical formulas and old ceo tales for stuffing a suit in a bag and having it arrive at the other end in boardroom-imposing condition . a new piece of luggage , cleverly called suitpack , ' has taken a proven ( we 've tried it several times ) creative approach to the problem . several devices , including shoulder pads , are used for folding the suit . while packing a suit in the suitpack does take a bit of time and requires step-by-step instructions for the first few goes , the time saved at the other end by not having to press or steam it in the shower makes it worth the learning curve . it 's light , sturdy , looks decent and can fit enough extras to accommodate all other clothing needs for a short one-bag-only business trip . it can also get on the plane as carry-on . at $ 149 , there 's a chance it could be sneaked onto the company expense account . free delivery is currently being offered to the u.s. , uk , australia , singapore , india , hong kong and several other countries . to order and for more details : suit-pack.com jo totes georgia nautical camera bag a camera that 's getting knocked around and filthy is n't going to take great travel photos . the jo totes georgia nautical camera keeps equipment safe -- it 's stylish , too . with blue and white stripes and a brown faux leather exterior , protective foam is sewn into all four sides and the bottom of the satchel . it has adjustable interior pads and plenty of extra pockets , so it can be used as a stylish everyday bag or carryall weekender . from $ 109 , available online at jo totes | doug lansky 's new travel : the guide ' punctures travel pretensions and myths |
britain <tsp> ( cnn ) -- authorities in portugal have received a letter from british prosecutors asking to interview people there in connection with the 2007 disappearance of madeleine mccann , the authorities told cnn on thursday . the letter was sent on january 10 by britain 's crown prosecution service , amid a renewed push to find the british girl who disappeared while on vacation with her family in the portuguese resort town of praia da luz . she was 3 years old at the time , and the case prompted headlines around the world . the latest developments in the case come about three months after new police sketches were released of potential suspects and uk police appeared in a tv appeal for information . the program prompted a flurry of tips , and police in portugal announced in october that they would reopen the case . since then , the portuguese investigation has run in parallel with the british one . pedro do carmo , the deputy national director of the judiciary police in portugal , said last week that the scotland yard investigation was focused on three people but did not give further details . cnn 's erin mclaughlin contributed to this report . | investigators in portugal and britain are working together in a new push to find missing girl |
sherry arnold <tsp> ( cnn ) -- two people have been detained in the death of a 43-year-old montana schoolteacher last seen six days ago while out on a morning jog , law enforcement agencies said friday . sidney public schools , for which sherry arnold had worked as a math teacher at sidney high school , announced that the school district learned of her death around 9:30 a.m. friday . no other details were immediately available . law enforcement officers have taken one adult male into custody , and another adult male is being questioned ' in relation to arnold 's case , the fbi said friday in a statement . the investigation to determine what happened to ms. arnold continues , ' the federal agency said . sidney police chief frank difonzo told reporters later friday that law enforcement officers in north dakota -- including members of the williams county sheriff 's office , williston police and the north dakota criminal investigation bureau -- helped arrest the first man , who is 47 years old . that man is now being being held in a williams county , north dakota , jail . the second male , age 22 , has been detained for questioning ' in rapid city , south dakota , added difonzo . the police chief declined to offer further details or answer questions because this investigation is rapidly moving forward . ' arnold went running around 6:30 a.m. last saturday in her small town in eastern montana , but never returned home . other than one of her running shoes found along her route , authorities had not indicated -- until friday -- that there had been any sign of her . the woman 's disappearance rocked sidney , located about 100 miles south of the canadian border . it has a population of just under 5,200 people , according to the u.s. census bureau . a massive search effort involved hundreds of volunteers , as well as law enforcement authorities and national guard members . authorities on wednesday determined the prudent course of action is to scale back the ground search . ' we 're such a small community , and crime is absolutely unheard of , ' said christine mullen , 26 , a cnn ireport contributor who joined the search effort , even though she did n't know arnold personally . we do n't lock our car doors . ( we 're ) completely shocked . ' the fbi said friday that dozens of tips were called into ( a ) tip line ' -- one of which led to the arrest and questioning . sidney public schools said that all sporting events for friday had been canceled and additional counselors ( were ) on hand ' to help students cope . in interviews with hln 's jane velez-mitchell earlier this week , the victim 's husband , gary arnold , said he was hopeful even as he admitted that the disappearance has been very difficult ' on the couple 's children . he said that he could n't fathom why anyone would harm her in any way . ' she is a good person . she 's kind , she 's sincere , ' arnold said of his wife . she 's a great teacher , a referee , she 's a great wife and mother . ' | sherry arnold was a teacher with the sidney public schools in eastern montana |
wayne rooney <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united are now just one point behind leaders chelsea at the top of the english premier league , after a double from in-form wayne rooney helped them to a comfortable 3-0 home win over west ham on tuesday evening . england striker rooney , who is enjoying the best goalscoring run of his career , has now scored 27 goals this season , as well as finding the net in united 's last six league matches at old trafford . former england striker michael owen added a late third goal , to ensure that united head into sunday 's league cup final against aston villa at wembley in good heart . rooney opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time , superbly converting a diving header from antonio valencia 's cross . and the 24-year-old doubled his advantage in similar vein in the second half , again finding space to head home another pin-point valencia cross . west ham arrived at old trafford on the back on consecutive victories that had seen them move away from the relegation zone , but they were always second best here and their fate was sealed when owen netted his eighth goal of the season from a paul scholes through-pass . | wayne rooney scores twice as manchester united defeat west ham 3-0 |
premier league <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united are now just one point behind leaders chelsea at the top of the english premier league , after a double from in-form wayne rooney helped them to a comfortable 3-0 home win over west ham on tuesday evening . england striker rooney , who is enjoying the best goalscoring run of his career , has now scored 27 goals this season , as well as finding the net in united 's last six league matches at old trafford . former england striker michael owen added a late third goal , to ensure that united head into sunday 's league cup final against aston villa at wembley in good heart . rooney opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time , superbly converting a diving header from antonio valencia 's cross . and the 24-year-old doubled his advantage in similar vein in the second half , again finding space to head home another pin-point valencia cross . west ham arrived at old trafford on the back on consecutive victories that had seen them move away from the relegation zone , but they were always second best here and their fate was sealed when owen netted his eighth goal of the season from a paul scholes through-pass . | the result leaves united just a point behind premier league leaders chelsea |
alaskan <tsp> he 's a beloved mayor , who 's held the top office in talkeetna , alaska , for 16 years . so imagine the townfolks'shock when he was attacked . brutally mauled . by a dog . oh , did we mention , this mayor 's a cat ? mayor stubbs , a yellow tabby with more responsibility than your average cat , survived -- but is in bad shape . a punctured lung . a fractured sternum . a 5-inch gash on his side . doctors took out a chest tube tuesday , and he was breathing on his own for the first time since the weekend attack . it 's a shame , ' said ashley kearns , who works at a pizza shop in the small town about 110 miles north of anchorage . he 's the mayor , it 's not a joke . i know it 's ridiculous , but the town is run really well . ' profile : mayor of alaska village walks on four paws political career the story of how mayor stubbs rose to power made international news after he was found in a box full of kittens in front of nagley 's general store in town . lauri stec , manager of the general store , decided to keep one kitten and named it stubbs ' because he had no tail . soon afterward , residents were n't happy with any of the human candidates in the upcoming mayoral election and voted for stubbs as a write-in candidate . the kitten won , set up its unofficial mayor 's office in the general store and spent more than a decade running the town . because the town of talkeetna is a historical district , ' the mayoral post is more symbolic than functional , locals say . that distinction makes it easy for the community of about 800 human beings to be led by a feline . the weekend attack even though dogs run loose and outnumber people in talkeetna , the canines seem to respect stubbs'authority , todd basilone , owner of mountain high pizza pie told cnn last year . but at least one dog may have had a problem with him . stubbs was strolling about the town saturday night as he does every night , when an unleashed dog came running across the street and bit into him . he had a big gash on his side about 4-5 inches long and once we got him to the vet we found out the gash went down to his organs , ' said stec . right now is a crucial time cause he 's heavily sedated on pain meds . he 's in a lot of pain . ' stubbs'medical bills could top $ 2,000 , stec said . and as the mayor fights for his life , there has been no word on the suspect . he is a large dog , ' stec said . he 's a local dog . ' cat runs for mayor in mexico | cat has been mayor of alaskan town for more than 15 years |
israel <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- a barrage of rockets and mortars fired into southern israel continued sunday , the latest in a four-day escalation of violence sparked by a series of attacks on israeli civilians and soldiers thursday . by noon sunday , 20 incoming rockets had been reported by israeli officials . an eighth victim died from thursday 's attacks , israeli police said sunday . he was identified as yitzhak sela , a 56-year-old bus driver . the attacks on buses , cars and security personnel killed six other israeli civilians and one soldier and wounded more than 30 people , authorities said . since then , nearly 100 rockets have been fired into israel , israel defense forces spokesman brig . gen. yoav ( poly ) mordechai said sunday . at least one israeli was killed in an attack in beer sheva , authorities said . mordechai blamed hamas for the rocket attacks , saying it is not a movement but rather a murderous terrorist organization supported by iran . ' hamas has denied involvement in thursday 's attacks and accused israel of looking for a pretext to attack gaza . the israeli military has targeted 15 terrorist infrastructure sites ' in gaza and intercepted around 13 rockets , ' the idf said in a statement . fifteen people , including three children , have been killed in the gaza airstrikes , said sami zaqout of the al mezan center for human rights . forty-four others were injured , zaqout said . the office of palestinian prime minister salam fayyad , in a statement sunday , said israel 's rogue behavior must end . ' the palestinian government calls upon the israeli government to cease and desist in its use of its unjustified aggression against the palestinian people in gaza and to respect international law and refrain from revenge , terror , and collective punishment tactics , ' the statement said . on sunday , an idf airstrike north of gaza city hit an abandoned hamas police training camp , hamas sources said . no injuries were reported . israeli authorities arrested dozens of men in hebron and surrounding towns . among the 60 arrested was a member of the palestinian legislative council and others known to either belong to or support hamas , said hebron gov . kamel hamid . the rockets and mortars fired from gaza on saturday forced more than 500,000 people into bomb shelters , israeli defense officials said . thursday 's string of attacks was the deadliest against the israeli population in two years . the attacks occurred about 20 kilometers ( 12 miles ) from the israeli city of eilat , close to the israeli-egyptian border . israeli soldiers exchanged gunfire with the assailants and killed seven militants , the military said . early saturday , the hamas military wing izzedine al qassam brigades , announced it was ending a de facto two-year truce with israel . the series of attacks and airstrikes comes a month before palestinian officials plan to make a bid for statehood in the united nations . the retaliation in gaza and what happened last night in hebron is not acceptable , ' palestinian negotiator saeb erakat said on sunday . what is happening right now is making us very sure that our strategy of getting full recognition from the united nations is the right way to go because when we are a full member of the u.n. , israel will have to think twice before attacking us . ' israel seized gaza , the west bank and other territory during the 1967 six-day war . president barack obama earlier this year called on negotiations between israel and the palestinians to be based on border demarcations pre-dating the 1967 war . israeli leaders have been vehemently opposed to such a move . on saturday , the mideast quartet -- the united states , the united nations , the european union and russia -- issued a statement voicing its concerns over the unsustainable situation in gaza as well as the risk of escalation ' and the group of negotiators calls for restraint from all sides . ' israel believes the attacks have their roots in gaza , but are coming out of the neighboring egyptian region of sinai . egypt denies the allegation , saying it has been cracking down on terror groups in its portion of the sinai . cnn 's marwah jbara-tibi , guy azriel , kevin flower , michal zippori and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . | new : idf spokesman says more than 100 rockets have been fired into israel since thursday |
israel <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- a barrage of rockets and mortars fired into southern israel continued sunday , the latest in a four-day escalation of violence sparked by a series of attacks on israeli civilians and soldiers thursday . by noon sunday , 20 incoming rockets had been reported by israeli officials . an eighth victim died from thursday 's attacks , israeli police said sunday . he was identified as yitzhak sela , a 56-year-old bus driver . the attacks on buses , cars and security personnel killed six other israeli civilians and one soldier and wounded more than 30 people , authorities said . since then , nearly 100 rockets have been fired into israel , israel defense forces spokesman brig . gen. yoav ( poly ) mordechai said sunday . at least one israeli was killed in an attack in beer sheva , authorities said . mordechai blamed hamas for the rocket attacks , saying it is not a movement but rather a murderous terrorist organization supported by iran . ' hamas has denied involvement in thursday 's attacks and accused israel of looking for a pretext to attack gaza . the israeli military has targeted 15 terrorist infrastructure sites ' in gaza and intercepted around 13 rockets , ' the idf said in a statement . fifteen people , including three children , have been killed in the gaza airstrikes , said sami zaqout of the al mezan center for human rights . forty-four others were injured , zaqout said . the office of palestinian prime minister salam fayyad , in a statement sunday , said israel 's rogue behavior must end . ' the palestinian government calls upon the israeli government to cease and desist in its use of its unjustified aggression against the palestinian people in gaza and to respect international law and refrain from revenge , terror , and collective punishment tactics , ' the statement said . on sunday , an idf airstrike north of gaza city hit an abandoned hamas police training camp , hamas sources said . no injuries were reported . israeli authorities arrested dozens of men in hebron and surrounding towns . among the 60 arrested was a member of the palestinian legislative council and others known to either belong to or support hamas , said hebron gov . kamel hamid . the rockets and mortars fired from gaza on saturday forced more than 500,000 people into bomb shelters , israeli defense officials said . thursday 's string of attacks was the deadliest against the israeli population in two years . the attacks occurred about 20 kilometers ( 12 miles ) from the israeli city of eilat , close to the israeli-egyptian border . israeli soldiers exchanged gunfire with the assailants and killed seven militants , the military said . early saturday , the hamas military wing izzedine al qassam brigades , announced it was ending a de facto two-year truce with israel . the series of attacks and airstrikes comes a month before palestinian officials plan to make a bid for statehood in the united nations . the retaliation in gaza and what happened last night in hebron is not acceptable , ' palestinian negotiator saeb erakat said on sunday . what is happening right now is making us very sure that our strategy of getting full recognition from the united nations is the right way to go because when we are a full member of the u.n. , israel will have to think twice before attacking us . ' israel seized gaza , the west bank and other territory during the 1967 six-day war . president barack obama earlier this year called on negotiations between israel and the palestinians to be based on border demarcations pre-dating the 1967 war . israeli leaders have been vehemently opposed to such a move . on saturday , the mideast quartet -- the united states , the united nations , the european union and russia -- issued a statement voicing its concerns over the unsustainable situation in gaza as well as the risk of escalation ' and the group of negotiators calls for restraint from all sides . ' israel believes the attacks have their roots in gaza , but are coming out of the neighboring egyptian region of sinai . egypt denies the allegation , saying it has been cracking down on terror groups in its portion of the sinai . cnn 's marwah jbara-tibi , guy azriel , kevin flower , michal zippori and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . | new : the palestinian government calls on israel to end rogue behavior ' |
israel <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- a barrage of rockets and mortars fired into southern israel continued sunday , the latest in a four-day escalation of violence sparked by a series of attacks on israeli civilians and soldiers thursday . by noon sunday , 20 incoming rockets had been reported by israeli officials . an eighth victim died from thursday 's attacks , israeli police said sunday . he was identified as yitzhak sela , a 56-year-old bus driver . the attacks on buses , cars and security personnel killed six other israeli civilians and one soldier and wounded more than 30 people , authorities said . since then , nearly 100 rockets have been fired into israel , israel defense forces spokesman brig . gen. yoav ( poly ) mordechai said sunday . at least one israeli was killed in an attack in beer sheva , authorities said . mordechai blamed hamas for the rocket attacks , saying it is not a movement but rather a murderous terrorist organization supported by iran . ' hamas has denied involvement in thursday 's attacks and accused israel of looking for a pretext to attack gaza . the israeli military has targeted 15 terrorist infrastructure sites ' in gaza and intercepted around 13 rockets , ' the idf said in a statement . fifteen people , including three children , have been killed in the gaza airstrikes , said sami zaqout of the al mezan center for human rights . forty-four others were injured , zaqout said . the office of palestinian prime minister salam fayyad , in a statement sunday , said israel 's rogue behavior must end . ' the palestinian government calls upon the israeli government to cease and desist in its use of its unjustified aggression against the palestinian people in gaza and to respect international law and refrain from revenge , terror , and collective punishment tactics , ' the statement said . on sunday , an idf airstrike north of gaza city hit an abandoned hamas police training camp , hamas sources said . no injuries were reported . israeli authorities arrested dozens of men in hebron and surrounding towns . among the 60 arrested was a member of the palestinian legislative council and others known to either belong to or support hamas , said hebron gov . kamel hamid . the rockets and mortars fired from gaza on saturday forced more than 500,000 people into bomb shelters , israeli defense officials said . thursday 's string of attacks was the deadliest against the israeli population in two years . the attacks occurred about 20 kilometers ( 12 miles ) from the israeli city of eilat , close to the israeli-egyptian border . israeli soldiers exchanged gunfire with the assailants and killed seven militants , the military said . early saturday , the hamas military wing izzedine al qassam brigades , announced it was ending a de facto two-year truce with israel . the series of attacks and airstrikes comes a month before palestinian officials plan to make a bid for statehood in the united nations . the retaliation in gaza and what happened last night in hebron is not acceptable , ' palestinian negotiator saeb erakat said on sunday . what is happening right now is making us very sure that our strategy of getting full recognition from the united nations is the right way to go because when we are a full member of the u.n. , israel will have to think twice before attacking us . ' israel seized gaza , the west bank and other territory during the 1967 six-day war . president barack obama earlier this year called on negotiations between israel and the palestinians to be based on border demarcations pre-dating the 1967 war . israeli leaders have been vehemently opposed to such a move . on saturday , the mideast quartet -- the united states , the united nations , the european union and russia -- issued a statement voicing its concerns over the unsustainable situation in gaza as well as the risk of escalation ' and the group of negotiators calls for restraint from all sides . ' israel believes the attacks have their roots in gaza , but are coming out of the neighboring egyptian region of sinai . egypt denies the allegation , saying it has been cracking down on terror groups in its portion of the sinai . cnn 's marwah jbara-tibi , guy azriel , kevin flower , michal zippori and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . | new : israel has targeted 15 sites and intercepted around 13 rockets |
west indies <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a.b . de villiers scored the fastest century by a south african batsman at a cricket world cup to give his country a winning start to the 2011 tournament on thursday , beating the west indies by seven wickets in new delhi . de villiers , who also scored a world cup ton against the windies four years ago with 146 in the caribbean , guided the proteas to their target of 223 with 7.1 of the 50 allotted overs remaining . he came to the crease with south africa wobbling at 20-2 after key batsman jacques kallis fell for just four runs , but he added 119 with captain graeme smith ( 45 ) to steady the innings and then an unbroken 84 with j.p. duminy . there was a brief break for rain after 38 overs , but de villiers went on to reach three figures in 97 balls faced -- a lot slower than australian matthew hayden 's record of 66 against south africa in 2007 . world cup cricketers to honor nz earthquake victims it was the 27-year-old 's 10th century in one-day internationals -- nine of them have resulted in victories -- and his third against the west indies as he finished on 107 off 105 balls . he told reporters that his time with indian premier league side delhi darevils in the lucrative twenty20 competition had proved insightful . i chatted to graeme before the game and said that the outfield gets very damp at night here , therefore it 's better to bat second . it 's really hard to defend a total on this outfield , ' de villiers said in quotes carried by the afp agency . duminy passed 2,000 runs in limited-overs cricket as he hit the winning shot to be unbeaten on 42 from 53 balls in his world cup debut against the 1975 and 1979 champions . the match had an inauspicious start when the south african national anthem was cut short , to the bemusement of the players and fans . another south african debutant , spin bowler imran tahir , claimed four wickets in his first international match as the windies were bowled out for 222 in 47.3 overs after losing the toss and being asked to bat first . the pakistan-born 31-year-old ended with figures of 4-41 from his 10 overs , while fast bowler dale steyn took 3-24 and spinner johan botha claimed 2-48 in his first world cup outing . australia captain ponting reprimanded for tv incident the west indies reached 113 for the loss of only one batsman when botha , who opened the bowling with steyn , trapped top scorer darren bravo leg before wicket for 73 off 82 deliveries . tahir then struck twice before dwayne bravo was run-out after a rollicking 40 off 37 balls that featured three sixes . tahir also dismissed veteran left-hander shivnarine chanderpaul for 31 and steyn cleaned up the tail as the last five wickets fell for just 14 runs . the result put south africa second in group b on run differential behind co-hosts india and above england , with all three teams having won their opening matches . on friday the action returns to group a , with four-time champions australia playing new zealand in the indian city of nagpur . in group b , co-hosts bangladesh take on ireland in dhaka . | south africa beat west indies by seven wickets in group b clash in new delhi |
west indies <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a.b . de villiers scored the fastest century by a south african batsman at a cricket world cup to give his country a winning start to the 2011 tournament on thursday , beating the west indies by seven wickets in new delhi . de villiers , who also scored a world cup ton against the windies four years ago with 146 in the caribbean , guided the proteas to their target of 223 with 7.1 of the 50 allotted overs remaining . he came to the crease with south africa wobbling at 20-2 after key batsman jacques kallis fell for just four runs , but he added 119 with captain graeme smith ( 45 ) to steady the innings and then an unbroken 84 with j.p. duminy . there was a brief break for rain after 38 overs , but de villiers went on to reach three figures in 97 balls faced -- a lot slower than australian matthew hayden 's record of 66 against south africa in 2007 . world cup cricketers to honor nz earthquake victims it was the 27-year-old 's 10th century in one-day internationals -- nine of them have resulted in victories -- and his third against the west indies as he finished on 107 off 105 balls . he told reporters that his time with indian premier league side delhi darevils in the lucrative twenty20 competition had proved insightful . i chatted to graeme before the game and said that the outfield gets very damp at night here , therefore it 's better to bat second . it 's really hard to defend a total on this outfield , ' de villiers said in quotes carried by the afp agency . duminy passed 2,000 runs in limited-overs cricket as he hit the winning shot to be unbeaten on 42 from 53 balls in his world cup debut against the 1975 and 1979 champions . the match had an inauspicious start when the south african national anthem was cut short , to the bemusement of the players and fans . another south african debutant , spin bowler imran tahir , claimed four wickets in his first international match as the windies were bowled out for 222 in 47.3 overs after losing the toss and being asked to bat first . the pakistan-born 31-year-old ended with figures of 4-41 from his 10 overs , while fast bowler dale steyn took 3-24 and spinner johan botha claimed 2-48 in his first world cup outing . australia captain ponting reprimanded for tv incident the west indies reached 113 for the loss of only one batsman when botha , who opened the bowling with steyn , trapped top scorer darren bravo leg before wicket for 73 off 82 deliveries . tahir then struck twice before dwayne bravo was run-out after a rollicking 40 off 37 balls that featured three sixes . tahir also dismissed veteran left-hander shivnarine chanderpaul for 31 and steyn cleaned up the tail as the last five wickets fell for just 14 runs . the result put south africa second in group b on run differential behind co-hosts india and above england , with all three teams having won their opening matches . on friday the action returns to group a , with four-time champions australia playing new zealand in the indian city of nagpur . in group b , co-hosts bangladesh take on ireland in dhaka . | pakistan-born imran tahir takes four west indies wickets on his international debut |
eid al-fitr <tsp> ( cnn ) -- pope francis has called for mutual respect between religions in a message addressed to muslims as they prepare to celebrate eid al-fitr next week , at the end of the holy month of ramadan . it is traditional for the pontifical council for interreligious dialogue to send a message of good wishes and a proposed theme for common reflection at this time . opinion : how the'francis effect'could rescue the church but francis , who was elected to the papacy in march , said that he wanted to add the personal touch . this year , the first of my pontificate , i have decided to sign this traditional message myself and to send it to you , dear friends , as an expression of esteem and friendship for all muslims , especially those who are religious leaders , ' he writes . this year , the theme on which i would like to reflect with you and with all who will read this message is one that concerns both muslims and christians : promoting mutual respect through education . ' francis said his message should apply to everyone , with all people respecting the life , dignity and rights of each person . regarding the education of muslim and christian youth , we have to bring up our young people to think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers , and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices , ' he said . what is ramadan ? francis returned this week from a trip to brazil for world youth day , during which he met many young roman catholics . in his message , the pope refers to a speech he gave to the vatican diplomatic corps in march , in which he stressed the need for dialogue with islam . with those words , he sought to emphasize once more the great importance of dialogue and cooperation among believers , in particular christians and muslims , and the need for it to be enhanced , ' he said . the message was sent out in multiple languages , including arabic . francis'predecessor , former pontiff benedict xvi , angered many in the muslim world when he gave a speech in 2006 in which he quoted a 14th-century byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of islam 's prophet mohammed as evil and inhuman ' and spread by the sword . ' opinion : what the pope left out about women cnn 's hada messia contributed to this report . | it is sent ahead of eid al-fitr , the celebration marking the end of ramadan |
seth rogen <tsp> ( cnn ) -- i did n't know anything about the watch ' going in -- somehow missed the trailers , interviews and tv spots that must have been out there . all i knew was the cast : ben stiller , vince vaughn , jonah hill and richard ayoade , which seemed like a good start . stiller narrates the movie , takes no time at all to declare his ohio town the best place in the universe and proudly introduces himself as the manager of a certain warehouse store that i wo n't name here ( but which must have swallowed up half the budget , judging by the constant name-checking ) . then , weirdly , the movie ditches the focus on evan ( stiller ) and stays with the store 's night-shift security guard , a guy called antonio who 's celebrating becoming a u.s. citizen by helping himself to a little vodka and wild things ' on a dozen high-definition tv screens at once . and suddenly , there 's green gunk everywhere . what on earth 's going on ? what kind of ben stiller movie is this ? these are legitimate questions , i think , but neither director akiva schaffer ( from saturday night live ' and hot rod ' ) nor screenwriting team seth rogen and evan goldberg of superbad ' and jared stern can muster entirely convincing answers . the basic plot : evan forms a neighborhood watch committee to solve the antonio mystery , enlisting three misfit volunteers to the cause and soon enough comes face to face with the kind of illegal alien you 're more likely to meet in a ridley scott horror movie . in other words , this is your typical buddy comedy sci-fi paranoia thriller -- a lot like the burbs ' and a bit like paul , ' which rogen starred in and superbad 's ' greg mottola directed -- but with less in the way of quirky charm and a whole lot more jokes about male genitalia . anyone who saw superbad ' knows the phallus looms large in rogen 's and goldberg 's comic imagination . but that movie was about hormonal adolescents . apparently the specter of the penis is not diminished in the minds of middle-aged men . evan is , in his words , shooting blanks , ' and ca n't bring himself to admit it to his ovulating wife ( rosemarie dewitt ) . his partner in crime-busting , bob ( vaughn ) , is equally obsessed with the condoms he sees his teenage daughter 's boyfriend buying . as for the polite englishman who joins them , jamarcus ( ayoade ) , he just wants to join in a community activity -- and fantasizes about the sexual rewards that may accrue to a local hero . that leaves franklin ( hill ) , a dropout who failed to measure up in the eyes of town cop sgt . bressman ( will forte ) , and who 's willing to put on a dress and go all the way with a suspicious neighbor ( r. lee ermey ) just to prove his manhood . these are all funny guys , and they do their best to make up for a slapdash script that must have taken all of a weekend to toss off . but schaffer shows his inexperience by playing everything for laughs . another director might have given us scares and suspense as well as these infinite riffs on emasculated men pretending to be cops . the movie has one exceptional sequence , though it froze the smile on my face . evan has killed his first extraterrestrial , and the guys decide to take photographic evidence -- a ritual that immediately descends into sexual simulation . it 's a goof on the infamous abu ghraib photos , a moment of jet-black satire that 's both subversive and tasteless . it 's also much toothier than anything else in this flaccid movie . | seth rogen and evan goldberg from superbad ' are among the screenwriters |
mohammed <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the united states on wednesday announced charges against khalid sheikh mohammed , accused of orchestrating the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , and four others accused of involvement in the plot . if convicted , the five accused could be sentenced to death , ' the defense department said in a statement . along with mohammed , the others are walid muhammad salih mubarak bin'attash , ramzi binalshibh , ali abdul aziz ali , and mustafa ahmed adam al hawsawi . the charges allege that the five are responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks of sept. 11 , 2001 , in new york , washington , d.c. , and shanksville , pa. , resulting in the killing of 2,976 people , ' the statement said . father of slain firefighter relishes trial the five accused are charged with terrorism , hijacking aircraft , conspiracy , murder in violation of the law of war , attacking civilians , attacking civilian objects , intentionally causing serious bodily injury , and destruction of property in violation of the law of war . the convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial . ' why obama ca n't close guantanamo the convening authority , the office of military commissions , referred charges to a capital military commission , the department said . each of the five accused have been provided , in addition to their detailed defense counsel , learned counsel , possessing specialized knowledge and experience in death penalty cases , to assist them in their defense , ' the pentagon said . the chief judge of the military commissions trial judiciary will assign a military judge to the case , and the five will be arraigned at naval station guantanamo bay , cuba , within 30 days of service of the referred charges upon them . wednesday 's action is a refiling of charges against the accused conspirators . the military initially charged mohammed in 2008 , but president barack obama stopped the case as part of his effort to close the u.s. detention center at guantanamo bay . ten years of'gitmo'-- and more to come unable to close the center , obama attempted to move the case to federal court in new york in 2009 , only to run into a political firestorm . the plan was dropped after complaints about cost and security . last april , attorney general eric holder announced the five would face a military trial at guantanamo bay . the american civil liberties union opposes the military tribunals . they are sure to be subject to continuous legal challenges and delays , and their outcomes will not be seen as legitimate . that is not justice , ' the group said wednesday . aclu executive director anthony d. romero said the administration is making a terrible mistake by prosecuting the most important terrorism trials of our time in a second-tier system of justice . ' whatever verdict comes out of the guantanamo military commissions will be tainted by an unfair process and the politics that wrongly pulled these cases from federal courts , which have safely and successfully handled hundreds of terrorism trials , ' romero said . the military commissions were set up to achieve easy convictions and hide the reality of torture , not to provide a fair trial . although the rules have been improved , the military commissions continue to violate due process by allowing the use of hearsay and coerced or secret evidence . ' | khalid sheikh mohammed is the accused mastermind of the september 11 attacks |
mohammed <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the united states on wednesday announced charges against khalid sheikh mohammed , accused of orchestrating the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , and four others accused of involvement in the plot . if convicted , the five accused could be sentenced to death , ' the defense department said in a statement . along with mohammed , the others are walid muhammad salih mubarak bin'attash , ramzi binalshibh , ali abdul aziz ali , and mustafa ahmed adam al hawsawi . the charges allege that the five are responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks of sept. 11 , 2001 , in new york , washington , d.c. , and shanksville , pa. , resulting in the killing of 2,976 people , ' the statement said . father of slain firefighter relishes trial the five accused are charged with terrorism , hijacking aircraft , conspiracy , murder in violation of the law of war , attacking civilians , attacking civilian objects , intentionally causing serious bodily injury , and destruction of property in violation of the law of war . the convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial . ' why obama ca n't close guantanamo the convening authority , the office of military commissions , referred charges to a capital military commission , the department said . each of the five accused have been provided , in addition to their detailed defense counsel , learned counsel , possessing specialized knowledge and experience in death penalty cases , to assist them in their defense , ' the pentagon said . the chief judge of the military commissions trial judiciary will assign a military judge to the case , and the five will be arraigned at naval station guantanamo bay , cuba , within 30 days of service of the referred charges upon them . wednesday 's action is a refiling of charges against the accused conspirators . the military initially charged mohammed in 2008 , but president barack obama stopped the case as part of his effort to close the u.s. detention center at guantanamo bay . ten years of'gitmo'-- and more to come unable to close the center , obama attempted to move the case to federal court in new york in 2009 , only to run into a political firestorm . the plan was dropped after complaints about cost and security . last april , attorney general eric holder announced the five would face a military trial at guantanamo bay . the american civil liberties union opposes the military tribunals . they are sure to be subject to continuous legal challenges and delays , and their outcomes will not be seen as legitimate . that is not justice , ' the group said wednesday . aclu executive director anthony d. romero said the administration is making a terrible mistake by prosecuting the most important terrorism trials of our time in a second-tier system of justice . ' whatever verdict comes out of the guantanamo military commissions will be tainted by an unfair process and the politics that wrongly pulled these cases from federal courts , which have safely and successfully handled hundreds of terrorism trials , ' romero said . the military commissions were set up to achieve easy convictions and hide the reality of torture , not to provide a fair trial . although the rules have been improved , the military commissions continue to violate due process by allowing the use of hearsay and coerced or secret evidence . ' | mohammed , four others could be sentenced to death |
afghanistan <tsp> cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr and photojournalist peter morris traveled to southern afghanistan with gen. james conway , commandant of the marine corps . cnn 's barbara starr is on assignment in afghanistan , where she says marines are living in very tough terrain . helmand province , afghanistan ( cnn ) -- our travels in afghanistan continue . i feel like the title of this posting should be why i had to get power-washed in afghanistan ' or the body armor is only heavy until they start shooting at you . ' ok , now i will explain . cnn photojournalist peter morris and i just wrapped up spending several days in southern afghanistan with gen. james conway , commandant of the marine corps , touring the combat zone . the marines are living in some of the toughest terrain there is . it is remote and often raining . that means dust turns to mud , and you find yourself covered in it from head to toe . stinky , cold , wet , oozy mucky mud . the good news is , everybody stinks , so you lose any sense of self-consciousness about it . but you do dream of getting power-washed . so , yes , after a few days a shower was , shall we say , more than essential . for the marines , however , it is a seven-month tour of duty in mud in the winter and dust in the summer . it seems very grim , especially when compounded by the fact that the marines are wearing heavy body armor all the time . ask them if it 's heavy to wear , the typical answer goes something like , it 's only heavy to wear until the bad guys start shooting at you . then it 's ok. ' the young marines know exactly how tough the fight they are facing in the coming weeks and months will likely be . several of them told me security had gotten considerably worse in recent days . their bases were being repeatedly shelled by insurgents , several roadside bombs had gone off , and local afghan police had died at the hands of suicide attacks . senior commanders usually have a more cheery outlook , but here in southern afghanistan , everyone is cautious . almost everyone is a veteran of iraq and learned the tough lesson there about not declaring victory too soon . even conway , who commanded u.s. forces in fallujah , picks his words very carefully . he tells me he believes that everyone must be ready for a spike in u.s. casualties as the marines begin to move into the region in greater numbers this spring . all of this was rattling around in my head when i saw the marines riding around in what they call a 7-ton truck . ' as the name suggests , it 's huge and has some armor plating on the sides . but what it does n't make clear is that the truck is open in the back and sides . the marines insist it is a safe way to transport troops . for years now , the army has used fully armored vehicles only in the combat zone . the marines have a somewhat different view . they believe heavy armor is n't everything ; sometimes being able to get around on the battlefield faster is better . but then again , when someone starts shooting at you , i think you want all the armor you can get . next stop , iraq . yeah , there is still a war there , too . | with all the mud in southern afghanistan , everyone stinks , barbara starr says |
syrian <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- the syrian opposition is blaming pro-government militia members for the slaying of a prominent palestinian militant in his house outside damascus . he was hamas member kamal hosni ghanaja , a former deputy of mahmoud mabhouh , who was slain in dubai in 2010 , a death many observers blame on the israeli spy agency mossad . mabhouh was one of the founders of hamas'military wing . the local coordination committees of syria , which opposes the regime of syrian president bashar al-assad , said the pro-government shabiha militia tortured ghanaja to death and set his house on fire to destroy the evidence of their heinous crime . ' the killing comes amid tensions between syria and hamas and sectarian strife inside syria . ghanaja , also known as nizar abu mujahid , was killed wednesday by an unknown group of men , ' hamas said in a statement thursday . it is investigating the killing and hopes to expose the perpetrators involved in this heinous crime . ' hamas official ahmad yousef said israel could be behind the attack . because of the political and security vacuum on the ground , it will be for israel 's interest to take advantage and conduct something to that extent , ' he said . the only party benefiting is israel by the assassination of hamas officials , ' he said . but israeli defense minister ehud barak said , it is possible that not only israel was on the lookout for him . ' he was not one of the greatest saints of our generation , ' he said . it is expected that ghanaja will be buried in jordan , hamas sources said . the brother abu mujahid served his lifetime devoting himself for the path of god in the ranks of the islamic resistance movement , hamas , and in the service of the palestinian cause and his people , ' the group said . hamas , which controls the territory of gaza and opposes the existence of israel , had long based its political wing in damascus . but the movement 's senior officials decided to leave syria as the 15-month-long uprising against the al-assad regime intensified , leaving a security vacuum , ' hamas'yousef said . the hamas offices remain open in damascus , and lower-level officials -- some of whom have ties to syria , such as family -- handle daily business , he said . syrian government officials and supporters have resented the forging of closer ties between hamas senior leaders and other regional rivals , such as qatar , which is supporting the anti-al-assad opposition , and jordan , which has a peace treaty with israel . hamas leaders have discussed setting up its political wing in jordan . jordan 's king abdullah ii met with hamas politburo chief khaled mashaal and his delegation on thursday to discuss a range of issues , jordan 's state-run news agency petra said . the local coordination committees said the ghanaja assassination ' is the latest example of syrian-palestinian sectarian violence fomented by the government . the pro-regime militia called shabiha has been entering palestinian refugee camps under the guise of safeguarding the camps ' but they commit murder and engage in kidnapping , ' the local coordination committees said . it said the regime is recruiting drug dealers , drug users , and other criminals ' into the militia . the group said the syria 's rejectionist policies ' toward israel have only been attempts to enslave the people . ' the palestinian experiences in the past demonstrate that the syrian regime views the palestinian people as mere cards with which to gamble , regionally and internationally . a regime that kills its own people will not shy away from spilling palestinian blood for the sake of its own survival , ' the local coordination committees said . some estimates say as many as 15,000 people have died in syria in more than 15 months . cnn 's saad abedine , kareem khadder and guy azriel contributed to this report . | a syrian opposition group says the shabiha tortured ghanaja |
wall street <tsp> if investment banker antonio weiss wins senate confirmation as a treasury under secretary , he 'll walk away with a parting payment of up to $ 21 million . talk about a win-win . the financial services firm lazard , where weiss is the global head of investment banking , has agreed to pay him about $ 16 million in unvested income early and give him between $ 1 million and $ 5 million in deferred compensation , according to financial disclosure records he filed with the government ethics office . the disclosures are likely to add fuel to the fire being stoked by liberal senate democrats who are bucking president barack obama by opposing weiss'nomination -- a charge led by massachusetts sen. elizabeth warren . she argues in part that there are already too many wall street executives dominating the obama administration , as well as the democratic party 's , overall economic policymaking . ' the practice of wall street executives cashing out early when they take government jobs drew criticism during last year 's confirmation hearings for the man who might be weiss'new boss , treasury secretary jack lew . when lew left citigroup in 2008 and later joined the state department , he made somewhere between $ 250,000 and $ 500,000 in early stock payouts . deferred compensation and vested stock options were originally designed to keep talented employees from jumping ship . that 's left people like heather slavkin corzo of the afl-cio asking , why are we paying these people to leave ? ' unless it 's just a backdoor way to pay off newly minted government regulators , ' she added , it 's hard to see how it 's in shareholders'interest . ' in fact , the practice led afl-cio president richard trumka to write to seven wall street players last month . in a letter to weiss'firm , he wrote , why is it in the interest of lazard to incentivize such departures ? surely lazard does not expect favorable government treatment from its former executives . ' and that , of course , is exactly what critics fear . the question is why would a company give an executive a special financial reward as they 're about to take a government position . some people say these policies encourage public service , but we worry that they give financial insiders even more sway over the government . in some ways , these companies are ensuring that they 'll have friends in high places , ' said michael smallberg of the project on government oversight , a government watchdog group . smallberg authored a report last year that found a number of major corporations financially reward employees who go through the revolving door . some weiss supporters say his appointment is n't a typical revolving door scenario because lazard is n't regulated by the recent wall street reforms aimed at reining in practices that led to the financial crisis . a lazard spokeswoman said weiss declined to comment and that the firm does not discuss compensation . earlier this week , the new york times'andrew ross sorkin defended the practice writing , would n't it be nice if all private sector businesses offered their employees the opportunity to pursue public service work ... without giving up income or other benefits that they may have earned ? of course it would be . well , that 's what the compensation policies of many of the firms in question do . frankly , it should be encouraged more broadly . ' but to watchdogs like smallberg these policies show how the revolving door is literally written into the pay plans of big companies that already have an advantage over public interest groups when it comes to lobbying and making their voices heard . ' | weiss stands to gain up to $ 21 million if he leaves his wall street firm for d.c . |
neil diamond <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- the day i interviewed neil diamond , he was sitting in a little room to the side of a studio , and a makeup artist was smacking him in the face with a powder puff . he was wearing a white wife-beater t-shirt and looked like he wanted to flee . neil diamond is riding high with a huge world tour , a successful album and a humanitarian award . it was november , and diamond had just come off the first two legs of his biggest world tour yet -- with 64 shows in 50 cities and nine countries already under his belt . in a moment , he would step in front of a camera to begin a round of 70 or so interviews -- beamed via satellite to local television stations -- to talk up the remaining 20 dates , where he 'd thrill diehard fans with such nuggets as cherry cherry , ' song sung blue ' and sweet caroline . ' ours was the only in-person interview he -- or someone in his camp -- had agreed to do . the singer-songwriter ( who turned 68 on january 24 ) stepped into the studio , a man ready for his close-up . he had slipped a black button-down shirt over his t-shirt , and suddenly he looked like neil diamond -- the same neil diamond who next week will be feted by the recording academy as its 2009 musicares person of the year , ' joining an elite club that includes aretha franklin , elton john , sting , bono and quincy jones . he 's working on a follow-up to last year 's cd , the rick rubin-produced home before dark ' -- which earned diamond his first-ever no . 1 debut on the billboard top 200 album chart . that album came after 2005 's 12 songs , ' also produced by rubin , which re-invigorated his recording career . as for live performance , he 's rarely had problems filling arenas -- but he remembers when he did . watch diamond talk about giving back » cnn : the man in black . this has become quite the trademark . neil diamond : yeah . i still wear black , but i got sparkly somewhere along the way -- especially if you are playing in an 18,000-seat arena , you like to be seen by somebody in the back . cnn : i 've been to a neil diamond concert , and everybody stands up , and they sing every word to every song . do n't you ever want to tell them , i 'm singing -- listen ! ' diamond : no , i do n't -- but i did in the very beginning when i first realized on my first few records that people were singing along . i thought , you should n't be singing . that 's my job . let me sing and you listen . ' but then i realized that it 's a compliment . they knew the music , they loved it and they wanted to sing . so i said , all right , let 's sing together . ' [ chuckles ] cnn : whenever you hit the road , you 're one of the year 's top ticket draws and play to more than a million fans per tour . [ diamond had the fifth highest-grossing tour of 2008 , taking in $ 60 million in ticket sales . ] diamond : it 's truly not until the last leg that you finally get the show down . you are relaxed with it , you are not worried about the intricacies of the show , and the last shows are always the best and the most fun . cnn : after 40 years in the business , do you still get nervous ? diamond : i do n't know if it 's nerves . i get excited . i want things to go right . i want the audience to love the show . cnn : for this tour , you 've donated all the proceeds from merchandise sales [ t-shirts , programs and other souvenir items ] to the victims of hurricane ike in texas . we 're talking about a figure that 's somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars . diamond : hurricane ike hit southern texas so fiercely [ in september 2008 , while diamond was on tour ] , and has been forgotten about by the rest of the country -- but these people are still in desperate straits , and are in dire need of our help . and i saw what was going on . the mayor of houston took me around , and he told me about it and introduced me to some people . the next day , i drove down to some of the hardest-hit areas , and i just felt that i had to do something , and i felt that maybe my audience would help me out with it . so we just say the merchandise and whatever you buy goes down to those people to rebuild their homes . they are still living in tents and cars down there . so to all the people down in oak island , galveston , galveston bay and houston , help is on the way -- and that 's the message that i want to bring and spread around . the eagles just made a substantial donation to this fund . cnn : has that inspired new songwriting for you ? diamond : i do n't know if it has inspired new songwriting -- i do n't do a lot of writing when i am out touring -- but it has inspired a reality in me of what 's going on . you tend to live in a bubble when you are traveling and touring . i missed the election completely . i actually worked and performed election night . the wonderful people of green bay , wisconsin , came and filled the place , and i said to them , i appreciate you coming down , because there is something really good on television . ' i missed the election completely . i got off the stage and tuned into the concession speech . but i heard it was very dramatic , and i 'm happy with the outcome . you tend to miss things when you 're on the road . cnn : right before the grammys , you 're being honored by the recording academy as its 2009 musicares person of the year . ' diamond : well , it 's a wonderful honor any time the grammys extend an honor to you . [ diamond has received 12 nominations over his career , but has only won one award . ] but the real satisfaction i get from that benefit -- that big dinner -- is that the money will be going to musicians who are facing very difficult times . it 's not the most secure job in the world , and there are musicians who are facing medical emergencies and financial difficulties who will benefit from the money that is being generated . it 's a cause that 's very close to my heart . i have been very fortunate , and i have been successful . cnn : when you tour , you sell out 20,000-seat arenas -- but do you ever worry about a day when you might walk out on stage and there are only two or three people in the audience ? diamond : well , that did happen to me very early in my career . so yeah , that has occurred to me . i 'm always a little amazed that people show up , and i do n't know where they came from -- but i 'm thrilled that they are there . cnn : do you ever wonder what you would have done had this all not worked out ? diamond : i do , and i do n't like any of the choices that i would have made , or any of the places that i would have been . cnn : i hear you earned a fencing scholarship to nyu . diamond : yeah , i did . but you ca n't make a living as a fencer these days . cnn : so this is definitely much better . diamond : yes , this is a lot better . i love singing . i have been singing since i was a little boy , so to make a life in music as a writer and as a singer -- i think i have the best job in the world . cnn : at the end of the tour , you 're only taking two days off , and then you begin working on your next album . do n't you believe in vacations ? diamond : i 'm not the kind of guy that 's good at laying on the beach for too long . if i 'm laying on the beach , it 's with a guitar and a legal pad , and i 'm thinking about music . | neil diamond to receive recording academy 's person of the year honor |
russian <tsp> an apparent near miss between two aircraft that was captured on video at barcelona airport has prompted an investigation by spanish aviation authorities . the video shows a boeing 767 belonging to russian airline utair pulling up from its landing approach as an aerolineas argentinas airbus a340 taxis across its path . no one was injured in the incident and the utair plane was able to circle round and make a safe landing five minutes later . the video , shot on saturday , had gained nearly two million youtube hits by monday . spain 's airport authority , aena , said the government 's committee on civil aviation incidents and accidents would look into the incident . a barcelona airport aena spokeswoman told cnn that the utair pilot had been cleared to land but exercised his authority to abort . she said the aerolineas argentinas flight also had permission to taxi across the runway . she did not comment on the timing of its maneuver . the spokeswoman said there had been no impact danger and the perspective of the video did not show that there was plenty of space between the two aircraft . it was not about a collision or a possible collision , ' she said , adding that neither airline had submitted a complaint over the incident . cnn aviation analyst miles o'brien said that , according to plans of the airport , the two planes had been about half a mile apart at the time of the incident . that said , you see they had to perform a go-around and if you 've ever been in an airliner that has to performed a go-around , it gets your attention , ' he said . o'brien said air crews on the ground should check to see if the flightpath is clear before crossing a runway as part of standard protocols . what we can say here is the system did ultimately work -- the last resort that is , but there was a series of mistakes ... that led to this . ' aerolineas argentinas in madrid referred calls to its headquarters in buenos aires , where cnn 's efforts to reach anyone at the press office , through the switchboard and three direct lines , were unsuccessful after repeated attempts . in a statement , utair said the pilot of its flight from moscow to barcelona had been following the instructions of barcelona airport dispatchers . while lowering on a final approach track the commander found an obstacle on the runway ( the aircraft of another airlines was crossing it ) , ' it said . the aircraft commander took prompt decision on the implementation of standard operating procedure -- go-around flight maneuver . the maneuver was carried out in the normal mode , the landing was successful , none of the passengers was injured . in this situation , the commander well judged and adequately assessed the situation , showing at the same time composure and professional excellence . according to international rules aircraft while performing approach has an absolute priority over all the aircraft located on the ground . ' faa : 2 jetliners get too close for comfort over houston near miss at newark airport spurs runway rules change , faa says drone , jetliner nearly collided over florida | video shows boeing 767 of russian airline utair pulling up from approach as aircraft crosses its path |
packwood <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- joshua packwood knows what it 's like to be a minority . joshua packwood , 22 , will be the first white valedictorian at the historically black morehouse college . this weekend he 'll be the first white valedictorian to graduate from the historically black , all male morehouse college in the school 's 141-year history . morehouse , in atlanta , georgia , is one the nation 's most prestigious universities of its kind . for more than a century , the school has prided itself on personifying the dream of the rev . martin luther king jr. , one of the school 's most notable alums , by producing morehouse men ' - intelligent and successful black leaders . because i 'm one of the only white students , it 's easy to call me'the white boy ,'i 'm naturally going to stand out , ' says packwood . but packwood , 22 , does n't stand out solely because he is white or has maintained a 4.0 grade point average . for those who do n't know him , what is surprising is that a rhodes scholar finalist turned down a full scholarship to columbia university to attend the all-black men 's university . this came naturally to packwood , who attended a predominantly black high school . a large majority of my friends , like all my girlfriends have been minorities , ' says packwood . so it was very , it was kind of strange that i always kind of gravitated to the black community . ' packwood fit in immediately at morehouse . his charm , movie-star good looks and chiseled physique made him popular among students . he was elected dorm president and to class council during freshmen year - and was a favorite at campus fashion shows . white valedictorian makes history » he also gained worldly experience studying and traveling abroad . life has n't always been easy for packwood . he grew up in a poor area of kansas city , missouri , where he says he found himself gravitating to the black community at a young age . adolescence was rough . his mother 's second marriage to a black man ended in divorce and family tension forced him to seek refuge with his best friend 's family - who were black and middle-class . the experience of living with his best friend 's family had a profound effect on packwood , who says he saw a different side of black america . ' during his teens , packwood says he got into his share of fights and even landed in jail a few times . still , his grades were good and eventually earned him a full scholarships to morehouse college and columbia university . against the advice of some family members , packwood gave up the scholarship to an ivy league school . he felt the true college experience was at morehouse - where he believed he would get more than an education . i gained this interest in african-american studies and i thought that morehouse would probably be the best experience , ' says packwood . i think of it in terms of'study abroad .'if i really want to learn it , if i really want to understand it - maybe it 's best if i immerse myself in the culture . ' mr. packwood is deserving . he has earned this , ' says dr. robert franklin , the president of morehouse . we are committed to merit , to hard work - no matter who it might be . ' for the most part , packwood says the experience among his morehouse brethren has been overwhelmingly good - with the exception of a few negative comments . one guy came up to me and told me -- he did n't like the fact that i was here , ' recalls packwood . he absolutely did n't like the fact that i dated black women . ' so i heard him out , and said ,'i appreciate your opinion but do n't agree with what you have to say ,'... and now we 've become , not necessarily close , but very cool , ' packwood says . that student , vinson muhammad , says he was curious about the reasons why someone like packwood would choose to attend an all-black college . i do n't necessarily support him being here , but because he 's here and we ca n't discriminate against other races , i support him and his mission to be successful in life , ' says muhammad , a junior . i just kind of wish he had done it at a different institution . ' even though he received the support of school administrators , packwood 's scholastic success did not come without some controversy . when word got out that he might become the next valedictorian , some of his classmates - even friends - were admittedly chafed . they approached me and said ,'yeah , i have a problem with you being valedictorian . i know you 've earned it and even though i know you on a personal level - i like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there 's not one that 's done as well as or better than you academically ,' says packwood . still , the majority of students told cnn that he earned his accolades and they stand behind him . some say , if anything , packwood 's academic success should serve as a lesson to his fellow students . i think that it should be a wake-up call to an all black campus , ' says muhammad . at morehouse we 're supposed to be at the top as black men . we only have a few white students and to see a white student will rise to this - is something unsettling to me because it shows that we need to work harder . ' campus administrators say that black or white , packwood 's experience is consistent with the school 's mission : to produce future leaders . i think some of our alumni are a little nervous about a white student graduating from morehouse with all of its rich history for producing african-american male leaders . but i do n't think it 's contradictory at all , ' says sterling hudson , the dean of admissions . overall , packwood says his experience is the best proof of morehouse success , because the school was able to produce a white valedictorian - against the odds . he 's eager to quote the school 's most notable alums . what morehouse stands for at the end of the day , and what dr. king epitomized , it 's not about black or white , it 's about the content of [ a person 's ] character , ' says packwood . it 's about me , representing morehouse in that light -- not as a white man or a black man . ' his experience was so positive that packwood 's younger brother , john , will follow in his footsteps when he enrolls as a freshman at the college next year . could this type of recruitment signal a new trend for morehouse and other historically black colleges and universities ? we 're not aggressively pursuing white students , ' says hudson . but like every other college , we 're interested in diversity . so , if a white student becomes interested in morehouse - of course we are going to treat him like any other student . ' for now , packwood is enjoying his rise to the top . this week , he started his first job with the prestigious investment banking firm goldman sachs on wall street . but he 'll be back at morehouse sunday wearing his cap and gown along with the 500 members of his graduating class . not as a white man or a black man - but as a morehouse man . the interesting thing about josh 's experience is that he had a full morehouse experience , ' says hudson . when he marches across the stage on may 18 and receives his diploma , he 's going to be a morehouse man in every way -- except ethnicity . ' i do n't think ethnicity makes the difference ; it 's what 's in his heart . ' jackie adams and allen huntspon contributed to this report . | throughout his life , packwood always gravitated toward the black experience |
packwood <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- joshua packwood knows what it 's like to be a minority . joshua packwood , 22 , will be the first white valedictorian at the historically black morehouse college . this weekend he 'll be the first white valedictorian to graduate from the historically black , all male morehouse college in the school 's 141-year history . morehouse , in atlanta , georgia , is one the nation 's most prestigious universities of its kind . for more than a century , the school has prided itself on personifying the dream of the rev . martin luther king jr. , one of the school 's most notable alums , by producing morehouse men ' - intelligent and successful black leaders . because i 'm one of the only white students , it 's easy to call me'the white boy ,'i 'm naturally going to stand out , ' says packwood . but packwood , 22 , does n't stand out solely because he is white or has maintained a 4.0 grade point average . for those who do n't know him , what is surprising is that a rhodes scholar finalist turned down a full scholarship to columbia university to attend the all-black men 's university . this came naturally to packwood , who attended a predominantly black high school . a large majority of my friends , like all my girlfriends have been minorities , ' says packwood . so it was very , it was kind of strange that i always kind of gravitated to the black community . ' packwood fit in immediately at morehouse . his charm , movie-star good looks and chiseled physique made him popular among students . he was elected dorm president and to class council during freshmen year - and was a favorite at campus fashion shows . white valedictorian makes history » he also gained worldly experience studying and traveling abroad . life has n't always been easy for packwood . he grew up in a poor area of kansas city , missouri , where he says he found himself gravitating to the black community at a young age . adolescence was rough . his mother 's second marriage to a black man ended in divorce and family tension forced him to seek refuge with his best friend 's family - who were black and middle-class . the experience of living with his best friend 's family had a profound effect on packwood , who says he saw a different side of black america . ' during his teens , packwood says he got into his share of fights and even landed in jail a few times . still , his grades were good and eventually earned him a full scholarships to morehouse college and columbia university . against the advice of some family members , packwood gave up the scholarship to an ivy league school . he felt the true college experience was at morehouse - where he believed he would get more than an education . i gained this interest in african-american studies and i thought that morehouse would probably be the best experience , ' says packwood . i think of it in terms of'study abroad .'if i really want to learn it , if i really want to understand it - maybe it 's best if i immerse myself in the culture . ' mr. packwood is deserving . he has earned this , ' says dr. robert franklin , the president of morehouse . we are committed to merit , to hard work - no matter who it might be . ' for the most part , packwood says the experience among his morehouse brethren has been overwhelmingly good - with the exception of a few negative comments . one guy came up to me and told me -- he did n't like the fact that i was here , ' recalls packwood . he absolutely did n't like the fact that i dated black women . ' so i heard him out , and said ,'i appreciate your opinion but do n't agree with what you have to say ,'... and now we 've become , not necessarily close , but very cool , ' packwood says . that student , vinson muhammad , says he was curious about the reasons why someone like packwood would choose to attend an all-black college . i do n't necessarily support him being here , but because he 's here and we ca n't discriminate against other races , i support him and his mission to be successful in life , ' says muhammad , a junior . i just kind of wish he had done it at a different institution . ' even though he received the support of school administrators , packwood 's scholastic success did not come without some controversy . when word got out that he might become the next valedictorian , some of his classmates - even friends - were admittedly chafed . they approached me and said ,'yeah , i have a problem with you being valedictorian . i know you 've earned it and even though i know you on a personal level - i like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there 's not one that 's done as well as or better than you academically ,' says packwood . still , the majority of students told cnn that he earned his accolades and they stand behind him . some say , if anything , packwood 's academic success should serve as a lesson to his fellow students . i think that it should be a wake-up call to an all black campus , ' says muhammad . at morehouse we 're supposed to be at the top as black men . we only have a few white students and to see a white student will rise to this - is something unsettling to me because it shows that we need to work harder . ' campus administrators say that black or white , packwood 's experience is consistent with the school 's mission : to produce future leaders . i think some of our alumni are a little nervous about a white student graduating from morehouse with all of its rich history for producing african-american male leaders . but i do n't think it 's contradictory at all , ' says sterling hudson , the dean of admissions . overall , packwood says his experience is the best proof of morehouse success , because the school was able to produce a white valedictorian - against the odds . he 's eager to quote the school 's most notable alums . what morehouse stands for at the end of the day , and what dr. king epitomized , it 's not about black or white , it 's about the content of [ a person 's ] character , ' says packwood . it 's about me , representing morehouse in that light -- not as a white man or a black man . ' his experience was so positive that packwood 's younger brother , john , will follow in his footsteps when he enrolls as a freshman at the college next year . could this type of recruitment signal a new trend for morehouse and other historically black colleges and universities ? we 're not aggressively pursuing white students , ' says hudson . but like every other college , we 're interested in diversity . so , if a white student becomes interested in morehouse - of course we are going to treat him like any other student . ' for now , packwood is enjoying his rise to the top . this week , he started his first job with the prestigious investment banking firm goldman sachs on wall street . but he 'll be back at morehouse sunday wearing his cap and gown along with the 500 members of his graduating class . not as a white man or a black man - but as a morehouse man . the interesting thing about josh 's experience is that he had a full morehouse experience , ' says hudson . when he marches across the stage on may 18 and receives his diploma , he 's going to be a morehouse man in every way -- except ethnicity . ' i do n't think ethnicity makes the difference ; it 's what 's in his heart . ' jackie adams and allen huntspon contributed to this report . | packwood : i do n't think ethnicity makes the difference ; it 's what 's in his heart ' |
packwood <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- joshua packwood knows what it 's like to be a minority . joshua packwood , 22 , will be the first white valedictorian at the historically black morehouse college . this weekend he 'll be the first white valedictorian to graduate from the historically black , all male morehouse college in the school 's 141-year history . morehouse , in atlanta , georgia , is one the nation 's most prestigious universities of its kind . for more than a century , the school has prided itself on personifying the dream of the rev . martin luther king jr. , one of the school 's most notable alums , by producing morehouse men ' - intelligent and successful black leaders . because i 'm one of the only white students , it 's easy to call me'the white boy ,'i 'm naturally going to stand out , ' says packwood . but packwood , 22 , does n't stand out solely because he is white or has maintained a 4.0 grade point average . for those who do n't know him , what is surprising is that a rhodes scholar finalist turned down a full scholarship to columbia university to attend the all-black men 's university . this came naturally to packwood , who attended a predominantly black high school . a large majority of my friends , like all my girlfriends have been minorities , ' says packwood . so it was very , it was kind of strange that i always kind of gravitated to the black community . ' packwood fit in immediately at morehouse . his charm , movie-star good looks and chiseled physique made him popular among students . he was elected dorm president and to class council during freshmen year - and was a favorite at campus fashion shows . white valedictorian makes history » he also gained worldly experience studying and traveling abroad . life has n't always been easy for packwood . he grew up in a poor area of kansas city , missouri , where he says he found himself gravitating to the black community at a young age . adolescence was rough . his mother 's second marriage to a black man ended in divorce and family tension forced him to seek refuge with his best friend 's family - who were black and middle-class . the experience of living with his best friend 's family had a profound effect on packwood , who says he saw a different side of black america . ' during his teens , packwood says he got into his share of fights and even landed in jail a few times . still , his grades were good and eventually earned him a full scholarships to morehouse college and columbia university . against the advice of some family members , packwood gave up the scholarship to an ivy league school . he felt the true college experience was at morehouse - where he believed he would get more than an education . i gained this interest in african-american studies and i thought that morehouse would probably be the best experience , ' says packwood . i think of it in terms of'study abroad .'if i really want to learn it , if i really want to understand it - maybe it 's best if i immerse myself in the culture . ' mr. packwood is deserving . he has earned this , ' says dr. robert franklin , the president of morehouse . we are committed to merit , to hard work - no matter who it might be . ' for the most part , packwood says the experience among his morehouse brethren has been overwhelmingly good - with the exception of a few negative comments . one guy came up to me and told me -- he did n't like the fact that i was here , ' recalls packwood . he absolutely did n't like the fact that i dated black women . ' so i heard him out , and said ,'i appreciate your opinion but do n't agree with what you have to say ,'... and now we 've become , not necessarily close , but very cool , ' packwood says . that student , vinson muhammad , says he was curious about the reasons why someone like packwood would choose to attend an all-black college . i do n't necessarily support him being here , but because he 's here and we ca n't discriminate against other races , i support him and his mission to be successful in life , ' says muhammad , a junior . i just kind of wish he had done it at a different institution . ' even though he received the support of school administrators , packwood 's scholastic success did not come without some controversy . when word got out that he might become the next valedictorian , some of his classmates - even friends - were admittedly chafed . they approached me and said ,'yeah , i have a problem with you being valedictorian . i know you 've earned it and even though i know you on a personal level - i like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there 's not one that 's done as well as or better than you academically ,' says packwood . still , the majority of students told cnn that he earned his accolades and they stand behind him . some say , if anything , packwood 's academic success should serve as a lesson to his fellow students . i think that it should be a wake-up call to an all black campus , ' says muhammad . at morehouse we 're supposed to be at the top as black men . we only have a few white students and to see a white student will rise to this - is something unsettling to me because it shows that we need to work harder . ' campus administrators say that black or white , packwood 's experience is consistent with the school 's mission : to produce future leaders . i think some of our alumni are a little nervous about a white student graduating from morehouse with all of its rich history for producing african-american male leaders . but i do n't think it 's contradictory at all , ' says sterling hudson , the dean of admissions . overall , packwood says his experience is the best proof of morehouse success , because the school was able to produce a white valedictorian - against the odds . he 's eager to quote the school 's most notable alums . what morehouse stands for at the end of the day , and what dr. king epitomized , it 's not about black or white , it 's about the content of [ a person 's ] character , ' says packwood . it 's about me , representing morehouse in that light -- not as a white man or a black man . ' his experience was so positive that packwood 's younger brother , john , will follow in his footsteps when he enrolls as a freshman at the college next year . could this type of recruitment signal a new trend for morehouse and other historically black colleges and universities ? we 're not aggressively pursuing white students , ' says hudson . but like every other college , we 're interested in diversity . so , if a white student becomes interested in morehouse - of course we are going to treat him like any other student . ' for now , packwood is enjoying his rise to the top . this week , he started his first job with the prestigious investment banking firm goldman sachs on wall street . but he 'll be back at morehouse sunday wearing his cap and gown along with the 500 members of his graduating class . not as a white man or a black man - but as a morehouse man . the interesting thing about josh 's experience is that he had a full morehouse experience , ' says hudson . when he marches across the stage on may 18 and receives his diploma , he 's going to be a morehouse man in every way -- except ethnicity . ' i do n't think ethnicity makes the difference ; it 's what 's in his heart . ' jackie adams and allen huntspon contributed to this report . | joshua packwood , 22 , will become first white valedictorian of morehouse college |
california <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- britain 's prince harry is to travel to the united states to be presented with a prestigious award honoring his work with war veterans and serving members of the armed forces . the prince will visit washington d.c. on may 7 to receive the atlantic council 's award for distinguished humanitarian leadership , ' st james 's palace announced monday . a spokeswoman for the palace told cnn the trip -- harry 's first to the u.s. since he took part in apache helicopter training in the deserts of arizona and california last year -- was likely to be a flying visit , lasting less than 24 hours . as well as attending the prizegiving dinner at the atlantic council , prince harry is also expected to meet british and american athletes who have taken part in the warrior games , a paralympic sports tournament for armed services personnel , in colorado . and while it is not yet clear if he will attend other events while in the country , there is expected to be a huge level of interest in the prince 's travel plans . when his brother prince william visited the states last year with the duchess of cambridge , the newlywed couple was met with huge and enthusiastic crowds . prince harry is said to be honored ' by news of the award , which he plans to accept on behalf of his brother and their foundation . st james 's palace says he will use the event to pay tribute to the work of british and american charities which help to rehabilitate wounded servicemen and women , and to reintegrate veterans into civilian life . the atlantic council is a non-partisan u.s.-based think-tank which promotes transatlantic cooperation and international security . other high-profile guests whose work will be recognized by the council on may 7 are u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon , violin virtuoso anne-sophie mutter , and unilever ceo paul polman . have you ever met a member of the british royal family ? share your photos , videos and memories through ireport ahead of the queen 's diamond jubilee . | prince last traveled to the u.s. for apache helicopter training in arizona , california |
atp world tour finals <tsp> ( cnn ) -- novak djokovic was a man in a hurry . the two-time defending champion at the atp world tour finals might have been expected to be tested by the new u.s. open champion marin cilic , in their group a opener , but it turned in to a one-sided rout monday . world number one djokovic broke the giant croatian no less than six times on his way to a 6-1 6-1 victory in less than an hour at the 02 arena in london . it was the serbian 's 11th straight victory at the end of season event and his 28th straight in matches played indoors . cilic 's powerful serve , which so helped him to his grand slam triumph at flushing meadow , was rendered impotent by the returning brilliance of the number one seed , ' it was a great performance obviously , ' he said after his quickfire victory . marin was a u.s. open winner but i managed to neutralize his service and get a lot of balls back in play . ' djokovic , who is looking to wrap up the season-ending no.1 ranking , will achieve that feat if he reaches the semifinal stage with a 3-0 winning record from the round-robin group . he plays stanislas wawrinka of switzerland next on wednesday and the australian open champion was also a commanding winner in his group opener . wawrinka also dropped just two games in beating giant czech tomas berdych in a little over an hour . the number three seed has been in poor recent form , but he showed a big improvement against the misfiring berdych , who made 24 errors . he was damning in his verdict of his performance following the defeat . well , unfortunately it was my worst match of the whole season , ' berdych told the atp world tour website . my game is about hitting the ball nice , clean , then you can create something . but that 's the beginning of what i did n't have today at all . i hit so many frames . ' spectators at the prestigious eight-man event have now seen four matches with four straight sets victories , the pattern started as japan 's kei nishikori beat home favorite andy murray 6-4 6-4 in the opener sunday . roger federer , who can still pip djokovic to the top ranking , followed up with a 6-1 7-6 win over milos raonic as he began his quest for a record seventh atp world tour finals crown . | novak djokovic wins opening match in atp world tour finals |
madonna <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- lady gaga has paid tribute to pop icon cyndi lauper as they join forces to raise hiv and aids awareness among women . gaga and lauper told cnn 's connect the world ' women need to put their foot down ' in the bedroom . cyndi is a lot of my inspiration , ' gaga said , before relating how she and lauper had met playing gay clubs in gay neighborhoods . lauper replied : that 's very sweet . you know i get inspired by her . i get inspired to remember myself . ' pop icon gaga , who has enjoyed worldwide success thanks to songs such as poker face , ' just dance ' and telephone ' is known as much for her distinctive fashion sense and extravagant performances as she is for her music . but she told cnn 's becky anderson that she was surprised a viewer had asked her whether she wrote her own songs . people are asking that question ? ' queried gaga . i have written every single song i have ever sang and also produced a lot of the music . ' gaga and lauper are on a mission , along with cosmetics giant mac , to ensure women are tested for hiv and aids . this is not a gay disease , this is a disease plaguing women , ' said gaga . and i just want to clarify that . because i think that 's the very sort of pre-assumption , that women are n't getting tested and allowing negotiations to go on in the bedroom and are not putting their foot down . ' lauper added : i lost a lot of friends in the eighties and nineties and it was a big heartbreak and i ca n't just stand by . ' gaga said that she had been a fan of mac since she was young . mac is a lifestyle , it is sort of this place and mecca near my house where i could be who i wanted to be and find myself as an individual . ' she described being a role model to girls and young women as being not a burden but a privilege . i 'm so blessed that i 'm here , ' she said . i 'm absolutely not one of those people who 's a self-obsessed , masturbatory artist who does n't care about my fans or my effect on my fans . i have a very keen understanding of my effect or what i can do . and when you 're in the public eye you 're a role model whether you want to be or not . and i want to be . ' but both women were evasive on a possible collaboration with another blonde icon -- madonna . i do n't know , ' said lauper . who knows ? you always keep it open . ' | lauper says she does not know if the pair will collaborate with madonna |
s. koreans <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- relatives divided since 1953 reunited for the first time saturday at a south korean-built tourism resort in north korea amid tensions between the two sides . elderly men in suits and women in traditional korean silk hanbok dresses sat at numbered tables in a large restaurant , many burst into tears ; some sat , spoke and exchanged photographs ; others simply looked bewildered as they clutched hands and stared into faces unseen for six decades . the relatives have been separated from since the 1950-53 korean war . in seoul , the scenes at a tourism resort at mount kumgang played on tv at a press room . we have held a memorial service for you every year , ' south korean yi jong-sool told his north korean elder brother , yi jong-ryeol , 90 . i ca n't believe you are alive . ' the oldest of the south koreans , kim lye-jong , 96 , bear-hugged her north korean daughter , woo jong-hye , 71 . goh yoon-sob , 81 , from north korea met his son koh bae-il , 63 , from the south ; the two were separated when the son was three years old . the men clutched hands and exchanged photographs . the son appeared speechless as his father spoke to him . our mother was waiting for you , but she died last year , ' south korean yi yun told his older brother yi hwa-chun , 81 . if only she had lived one more year ... ' kang kyung-won , 79 , from north korea sat across from his younger sister kang byong-sun from the south . she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief unable to speak . there were some remarkable stories . four south korean soldiers , initially believed killed in action in north korea , were alive . they met their family members from the south . some 436 south koreans , ranging in age from 12 to 96 , met 97 family members from north korea . but some planned reunions did not go ahead ; some relatives had died in the past few days , while others were too ill or fragile to attend . the meetings , which stretch over three days , will be bittersweet ; the chances of any of the divided family members meeting again are slim . the tragedy of the divided families dates to the 1950-1953 korean war , when the cold war 's division of the peninsula into two nations became permanent . amid fighting , millions of koreans became refugees -- either fleeing the violence or fearing political reprisals from one side or the other . in winter of 1950 , an estimated 650,000 refugees fled north korea when united nations forces retreated in the face of a surprise chinese offensive . there is no direct telephone or mail contact between the two koreas , but some families in the south have managed to broker surreptitious voice and written contact with their relatives in the north in recent years , as north korea 's border with china has become more permeable and illegal cell phones have penetrated the insulated state . some 80,000 south koreans have registered with their government to join one of the infrequent reunions , but 40,000 people are believed to have passed away or given up hope , according to the south 's ministry of unification . numbers north of the korean demilitarized zone are unknown . the first family reunions took place following a landmark summit between the two koreas in 2000 . since then , 17,100 people representing 3,500 families have been reunited on 17 separate occasions . seoul has been keen to make the reunions a regular event . but in recent talks on the matter , the north has demanded 500,000 metric tons of rice and 300,000 metric tons of fertilizer to make the meetings a monthly event . the event comes amid tense inter-korean relations . the north continues to deny any involvement in the sinking of a south korean warship in march that killed 26 sailors . seoul , citing an international investigation , accuses pyongyang of a torpedo attack . on friday , the day before the reunions were due to begin , north korean troops fired two bullets at a south korean guard post . southern soldiers returned three rounds , and are demanding an explanation via the united nations'military armistice commission . but the incident has not affected the reunions . | 80,000 s. koreans have registered to join one of the infrequent reunions |
cruz <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sen. ted cruz , r-texas , said tuesday congress should use all means necessary ' to prevent president barack obama from granting what cruz considers amnesty to more immigrants who are in the country illegally . he said it would be appropriate ' to include a provision that would block the president from doing so in a critical government-funding bill that congress must approve this month . democrats immediately seized on the issue and charged that cruz wants to shut down the government by attaching a poison pill ' to the funding bill , which is known as a continuing resolution or cr . cruz was at the center of last year 's government shutdown , which democrats believe did long term damage to the gop . it 's another ted cruz hostage situation . last october he held the entire federal government hostage to his ideology and now he 's willing to do it again , ' the chairman of the house democrats'campaign arm , rep. steve israel , d-new york told cnn . despite cruz 's tough talk , there appears to be no appetite even among some of the house conservatives who pushed for a confrontation last fall to have a fight on the spending bill this close to the election . in the senate , gop leader mitch mcconnell said he would n't allow another shutdown to happen . still , israel maintained , it 's deja vu all over again . in october as they were shutting down the government , they said they would n't shut down the government . they just ca n't be trusted . ' house republicans are expected to vote thursday on a bill to extend current government-funding levels through december 11 . at issue are gop concerns the president will expand his use of the deferred action for childhood arrivals program , which conservatives consider amnesty . that 's because earlier this summer the president vowed to use executive authority to take a number of steps related to immigration since congress was gridlocked on the issue . the president has since said he wo n't take any unilateral action until after the midterm election . 5 reasons obama 's delay on immigration is political but cruz said tuesday republicans should use every tool at our disposal ' including the cr . i think we should use any and all means necessary to prevent the president from illegally granting amnesty . that certainly , i think , would be appropriate to include in the cr , ' cruz said at a news conference . but i think we should use every -- every -- tool at our disposal . ' cruz declined to say if he would vote against the cr unless the provision is in the bill . let 's wait to see what 's in the cr , ' cruz said . i have a habit of waiting to see what 's in legislation before i make a decision about whether i will support it or not . ' how far can the president go on executive actions ? | cruz says any and all means necessary ' should be used to stop illegally granting amnesty ' |
cruz <tsp> ( cnn ) -- sen. ted cruz , r-texas , said tuesday congress should use all means necessary ' to prevent president barack obama from granting what cruz considers amnesty to more immigrants who are in the country illegally . he said it would be appropriate ' to include a provision that would block the president from doing so in a critical government-funding bill that congress must approve this month . democrats immediately seized on the issue and charged that cruz wants to shut down the government by attaching a poison pill ' to the funding bill , which is known as a continuing resolution or cr . cruz was at the center of last year 's government shutdown , which democrats believe did long term damage to the gop . it 's another ted cruz hostage situation . last october he held the entire federal government hostage to his ideology and now he 's willing to do it again , ' the chairman of the house democrats'campaign arm , rep. steve israel , d-new york told cnn . despite cruz 's tough talk , there appears to be no appetite even among some of the house conservatives who pushed for a confrontation last fall to have a fight on the spending bill this close to the election . in the senate , gop leader mitch mcconnell said he would n't allow another shutdown to happen . still , israel maintained , it 's deja vu all over again . in october as they were shutting down the government , they said they would n't shut down the government . they just ca n't be trusted . ' house republicans are expected to vote thursday on a bill to extend current government-funding levels through december 11 . at issue are gop concerns the president will expand his use of the deferred action for childhood arrivals program , which conservatives consider amnesty . that 's because earlier this summer the president vowed to use executive authority to take a number of steps related to immigration since congress was gridlocked on the issue . the president has since said he wo n't take any unilateral action until after the midterm election . 5 reasons obama 's delay on immigration is political but cruz said tuesday republicans should use every tool at our disposal ' including the cr . i think we should use any and all means necessary to prevent the president from illegally granting amnesty . that certainly , i think , would be appropriate to include in the cr , ' cruz said at a news conference . but i think we should use every -- every -- tool at our disposal . ' cruz declined to say if he would vote against the cr unless the provision is in the bill . let 's wait to see what 's in the cr , ' cruz said . i have a habit of waiting to see what 's in legislation before i make a decision about whether i will support it or not . ' how far can the president go on executive actions ? | democrats say cruz wants a government shutdown |
bloom <tsp> ( cnn ) -- our country is obsessed with the perils of attractive young white women , as this week 's trio of high profile crime stories about amanda knox , jodi arias and the cleveland kidnapping victims demonstrates . we do n't see breathless coverage of the disproportionately large number of african-american men tried for crimes in our system . we see almost no coverage of missing boys , or missing children of color , or crimes against nonwhites . this week an african-american man in mississippi , willie manning , was about to be executed , though he was denied access to dna testing . manning , convicted of murdering two college students in 1994 , maintains his innocence and requested the scientific testing , which has exonerated many convicted murderers , including some on death row . the mississippi supreme court denied that request and ordered his execution . at the last moment , u.s. justice department letters tipped the balance in favor of a reprieve . few media outlets considered the monumental constitutional issues , or even the dramatic ticking clock toward his execution , worthy of mention . is n't the fact that we still execute americans without giving them access to dna testing a stunning , significant story ? yet it got next to no attention . instead , in the last week thousands of hours of attention have been devoted to every detail of just three crime stories . in phoenix , arizona , jodi arias ( whose father is latino ) was convicted wednesday of first degree murder , after the jury unanimously found that she intentionally and with premeditation killed her former boyfriend , travis alexander . the trial was covered live on hln and followed closely on social media and other television networks . the next phase of the trial is scheduled to begin may 15 . in cleveland , ohio , amanda berry reportedly screamed for help , a neighbor came to her aid , and she , her 6-year-old daughter , and two women , gina dejesus ( who is latina ) and michelle knight were freed after a decade of captivity . ariel castro was charged today with kidnapping and rape . amanda knox , the american college student who was convicted , then acquitted of the murder of her roommate in italy , has given tearful interviews in connection with her book tour , as an italian court has reversed again and held that she should stand trial again for the charges . each of these cases includes salacious allegations and high-stakes outcomes . the cleveland victims were reportedly raped and beaten countless times over the years . amanda knox is accused of killing her roommate as part of a drug-fueled sex game . jodi arias posed nude for photos and had sex with her victim just before she murdered him . while each of these crime stories is worthy of news coverage -- especially the cleveland story , which involved serious questions of alleged law enforcement lapses -- many others are equally worthy yet receive little or no attention , even as every detail of the high-profile stories is pored over and rehashed . missing children websites carry pictures of many african-american and latino kids who have disappeared , and photos of little boys who have vanished . news outlets rarely feature their stories . their families grieve their absence and yearn for media coverage that could help find their children and energize law enforcement . and the biggest american crime story of all receives the least mention : that we now incarcerate more of our own people than any other country on earth , or in human history , and that minority males are disproportionately policed , arrested and convicted , and sentenced to harsher sentences . african-american juveniles are six times as likely as whites to be sentenced to prison for identical crimes . in washington , three out of every four black men can expect some time behind bars in their lifetimes . in baltimore and chicago , the majority of young black men are currently under the control of the criminal justice system . in sheer numbers , more african-americans are under correctional control today than were enslaved at the time of the civil war . our disastrous war on drugs has devastated inner-city communities , and led to large numbers of african-americans being legally barred from voting , jury duty , public housing , food stamps , student loans , and many other civic rights and benefits , often for life . we can not fix these problems if we are unaware of them . we can not get a groundswell for reform if we are distracted by titillating outlier stories . the media choose which stories to make high profile , driven by public interest in those stories . we can not call ourselves a nation of equals until we pay equal attention to all those in our criminal justice system whose stories merit our attention , regardless of their race or gender . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of lisa bloom . | lisa bloom : americans are obsessed with the perils of young , attractive white women |
bloom <tsp> ( cnn ) -- our country is obsessed with the perils of attractive young white women , as this week 's trio of high profile crime stories about amanda knox , jodi arias and the cleveland kidnapping victims demonstrates . we do n't see breathless coverage of the disproportionately large number of african-american men tried for crimes in our system . we see almost no coverage of missing boys , or missing children of color , or crimes against nonwhites . this week an african-american man in mississippi , willie manning , was about to be executed , though he was denied access to dna testing . manning , convicted of murdering two college students in 1994 , maintains his innocence and requested the scientific testing , which has exonerated many convicted murderers , including some on death row . the mississippi supreme court denied that request and ordered his execution . at the last moment , u.s. justice department letters tipped the balance in favor of a reprieve . few media outlets considered the monumental constitutional issues , or even the dramatic ticking clock toward his execution , worthy of mention . is n't the fact that we still execute americans without giving them access to dna testing a stunning , significant story ? yet it got next to no attention . instead , in the last week thousands of hours of attention have been devoted to every detail of just three crime stories . in phoenix , arizona , jodi arias ( whose father is latino ) was convicted wednesday of first degree murder , after the jury unanimously found that she intentionally and with premeditation killed her former boyfriend , travis alexander . the trial was covered live on hln and followed closely on social media and other television networks . the next phase of the trial is scheduled to begin may 15 . in cleveland , ohio , amanda berry reportedly screamed for help , a neighbor came to her aid , and she , her 6-year-old daughter , and two women , gina dejesus ( who is latina ) and michelle knight were freed after a decade of captivity . ariel castro was charged today with kidnapping and rape . amanda knox , the american college student who was convicted , then acquitted of the murder of her roommate in italy , has given tearful interviews in connection with her book tour , as an italian court has reversed again and held that she should stand trial again for the charges . each of these cases includes salacious allegations and high-stakes outcomes . the cleveland victims were reportedly raped and beaten countless times over the years . amanda knox is accused of killing her roommate as part of a drug-fueled sex game . jodi arias posed nude for photos and had sex with her victim just before she murdered him . while each of these crime stories is worthy of news coverage -- especially the cleveland story , which involved serious questions of alleged law enforcement lapses -- many others are equally worthy yet receive little or no attention , even as every detail of the high-profile stories is pored over and rehashed . missing children websites carry pictures of many african-american and latino kids who have disappeared , and photos of little boys who have vanished . news outlets rarely feature their stories . their families grieve their absence and yearn for media coverage that could help find their children and energize law enforcement . and the biggest american crime story of all receives the least mention : that we now incarcerate more of our own people than any other country on earth , or in human history , and that minority males are disproportionately policed , arrested and convicted , and sentenced to harsher sentences . african-american juveniles are six times as likely as whites to be sentenced to prison for identical crimes . in washington , three out of every four black men can expect some time behind bars in their lifetimes . in baltimore and chicago , the majority of young black men are currently under the control of the criminal justice system . in sheer numbers , more african-americans are under correctional control today than were enslaved at the time of the civil war . our disastrous war on drugs has devastated inner-city communities , and led to large numbers of african-americans being legally barred from voting , jury duty , public housing , food stamps , student loans , and many other civic rights and benefits , often for life . we can not fix these problems if we are unaware of them . we can not get a groundswell for reform if we are distracted by titillating outlier stories . the media choose which stories to make high profile , driven by public interest in those stories . we can not call ourselves a nation of equals until we pay equal attention to all those in our criminal justice system whose stories merit our attention , regardless of their race or gender . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of lisa bloom . | bloom : a nation of equals must focus on worthy cases regardless of race or gender |
ncaa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president barack obama , a well-known basketball fan , will treat british prime minister david cameron to a little march madness tuesday as the two head to ohio to catch an ncaa men 's tournament basketball game . there will be two games tipping off the tournament in dayton , ohio , a swing state . during halftime of the first game , western kentucky versus mississippi valley state , the two leaders will conduct a joint interview . the leaders'trip to the game comes as obama launched his new tournament bracket challenge ' on his campaign website . obama is asking those who visit the website to predict who will win the college basketball championship and to compare their picks against his . it 's college basketball time again †” and as friends and co-workers gather around the water cooler to talk top seeds and cinderellas , here 's your chance to fill out a bracket with the president himself , ' the website says . the site promises to publish the names of anyone who does better than the president once the tournament is over . obama has publicly picked brackets in years past , drawing heat from republicans last year for appearing in an espn segment to unveil his picks in march 2011 . rnc spokeswoman kirsten kukowski said the white house should explain why filming an espn special on the ncaa tournament should be a priority on his public schedule . ' before revealing the picks , the president did urge viewers to go to usaid.gov to donate to charities that were assisting in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that had devastated japan that month . for the record , obama picked kansas , duke , ohio state , pitt for his 2011 final four and chose kansas to take the championship . it did n't . uconn won , beating butler . it is unclear if obama would reveal this year 's picks during his interview with cameron on tuesday . but cameron 's visit will not be all fun and games . on wednesday , the two leaders will be back in washington conducting extensive meetings about a range of topics including afghanistan and syria , the white house said . there 's a strong working relationship and actually even a strong personal bond between prime minister cameron and president obama , ' white house deputy press secretary josh earnest said last week . we maintain a special and a essential friendship and partnership with the government and people of the united kingdom . the united kingdom is our nato ally and our closest partner in the world . ' on tuesday , the two co-authored an op-ed piece in the washington post titled an alliance the world can count on . ' the alliance between the united states and great britain is a partnership of the heart , bound by the history , traditions and values we share . but what makes our relationship special †” a unique and essential asset †” is that we join hands across so many endeavors . put simply , we count on each other and the world counts on our alliance , ' the leaders said in the article . | obama also launched an ncaa bracket challenge on his campaign website |
ncaa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president barack obama , a well-known basketball fan , will treat british prime minister david cameron to a little march madness tuesday as the two head to ohio to catch an ncaa men 's tournament basketball game . there will be two games tipping off the tournament in dayton , ohio , a swing state . during halftime of the first game , western kentucky versus mississippi valley state , the two leaders will conduct a joint interview . the leaders'trip to the game comes as obama launched his new tournament bracket challenge ' on his campaign website . obama is asking those who visit the website to predict who will win the college basketball championship and to compare their picks against his . it 's college basketball time again †” and as friends and co-workers gather around the water cooler to talk top seeds and cinderellas , here 's your chance to fill out a bracket with the president himself , ' the website says . the site promises to publish the names of anyone who does better than the president once the tournament is over . obama has publicly picked brackets in years past , drawing heat from republicans last year for appearing in an espn segment to unveil his picks in march 2011 . rnc spokeswoman kirsten kukowski said the white house should explain why filming an espn special on the ncaa tournament should be a priority on his public schedule . ' before revealing the picks , the president did urge viewers to go to usaid.gov to donate to charities that were assisting in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that had devastated japan that month . for the record , obama picked kansas , duke , ohio state , pitt for his 2011 final four and chose kansas to take the championship . it did n't . uconn won , beating butler . it is unclear if obama would reveal this year 's picks during his interview with cameron on tuesday . but cameron 's visit will not be all fun and games . on wednesday , the two leaders will be back in washington conducting extensive meetings about a range of topics including afghanistan and syria , the white house said . there 's a strong working relationship and actually even a strong personal bond between prime minister cameron and president obama , ' white house deputy press secretary josh earnest said last week . we maintain a special and a essential friendship and partnership with the government and people of the united kingdom . the united kingdom is our nato ally and our closest partner in the world . ' on tuesday , the two co-authored an op-ed piece in the washington post titled an alliance the world can count on . ' the alliance between the united states and great britain is a partnership of the heart , bound by the history , traditions and values we share . but what makes our relationship special †” a unique and essential asset †” is that we join hands across so many endeavors . put simply , we count on each other and the world counts on our alliance , ' the leaders said in the article . | there will be two games played in ohio on tuesday , tipping off the ncaa tournament |
melbourne cup <tsp> ( cnn ) -- top french jockey christophe lemaire could not believe his luck after winning one of horse-racing 's biggest prizes in dramatic fashion in australia on tuesday . the 32-year-old was able to ride at the melbourne cup only because dunaden 's usual mount craig williams was serving a ban for careless riding , and he had never seen the famed flemington raceway before monday . flown in by the french-trained stayer 's owner sheikh fahad al-thani , lemaire triumphed by the narrowest of margins after a photo-finish with britain 's red cadeaux in the 151st running of the prestigious event . i was a bit anxious after the line , ' lemaire told reporters after claiming the $ 6.4 million first prize for the qatari . a rider on a pony told me they thought i had won and then when i turned the corner back towards the stands , everyone was applauding me . i was n't supposed to ride him and did n't know until yesterday . craig must be devastated and i hope he recovers quickly and that he will win many more big races . two years ago i had a fall before arc weekend and i missed winning four group one races so i know what it is like to watch in your armchair . unfortunately it 's part of a jockey 's life . ' lemaire rated the victory as the second finest of his distinguished career , after the winning on divine proportions at the 2005 prix de diane in chantilly in front of his family . of course i have heard of the melbourne cup before , but the atmosphere and the passion here , it is really something special , ' he said . williams rode dunaden to victory at the geelong cup warm-up as trainer mikel delzangles followed the example set by last year 's winner americain , who could only manage fourth on tuesday behind german-bred lucas cranach . it 's amazing . i thought i was beaten so it 's even better , ' delzangles said . we knew he was a good stayer , but i thought the race was so difficult to win . maybe thanks to americain last year , it made us realize that it was possible to do it . we were just beaten in a group two at longchamp ( in may ) , then we decided that we should look at the melbourne cup . i would like to have a thought for craig williams . he did a great job in preparation for the horse and he has been a gentleman . ' | french-trained dunaden wins prestigious melbourne cup race on tuesday |
china <tsp> johannesburg , south africa ( cnn ) -- south africa has refused the dalai lama a visa to attend an international peace conference in johannesburg this week , a presidential spokesman said . the dalai lama fled china in 1959 after a failed uprising against chinese rule . the tibetan spiritual leader and nobel laureate did not receive a visa because it was not in south africa 's interest for him to attend , said thabo masebe . south africa thinks that , if the dalai lama attended the conference , the focus would shift away from the 2010 world cup -- the global soccer championship it will host next year . we can not allow focus to shift to china and tibet , ' masebe said , adding that south africa has gained much from its trading relationship with china . the dalai lama 's fellow laureate , archbishop desmond tutu , said he would boycott the event . watch the controversy surrounding south africa 's decision » former president f.w . de klerk , another laureate , backed tutu , saying in a statement that he would also not participate in the conference if the dalai lama remained excluded . de klerk said that the decision to refuse the visa made a mockery ' of the peace conference . the decision to exclude the dalai lama is irreconcilable with key principles on which our society is based including the principles of accountability , openness and responsiveness and the rights to freedom of expression and free political activity , ' he said . south africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should , and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country . ' a representative of the dalai lama said he was not surprised by the decision . the tibetan government in exile thinks that china has pressured many countries to refuse a visit by the dalai lama , according to chhime chhoekyapa , an aide in dharamsala , india . the dalai lama fled china in 1959 after a failed uprising against chinese rule . the peace conference was billed as an opportunity to showcase south africa 's role as a human-rights champion ahead of its hosting of soccer 's world cup next year . it was to bring together noble laureates and top soccer officials . in addition to tutu and de klerk , laureates nelson mandela and martti ahtisaari , sepp blatter , president of soccer 's international governing body , and actress charlize theron were invited to attend . the event had the blessing of the nobel committee . | it added south africa has gained much from its trading relationship with china |
kathleen savio <tsp> ( cnn ) -- eight and a half years after his third wife was found dead in a bathtub , the murder trial of former chicago-area police officer drew peterson is set to begin in earnest with opening statements tuesday . the 58-year-old peterson is accused in the 2004 death of his third wife , kathleen savio , in a trial that has been postponed for two years . he also remains under investigation in the october 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife , stacy peterson . a jury of seven men and five women , chosen over two days last week , will weigh drew peterson 's fate during a trial in joliet , illinois , that is expected to last about a month , according to his lawyer joel brodsky . after the jury selection was finished tuesday , will county , illinois , state 's attorney james glasgow told reporters , we 're ready to go ... we 're anxious to get to trial , put the evidence before the jury and arrive at a verdict . ' brodsky , meanwhile , said he planned to use his opening statement to tell the story of drew peterson from beginning to end ... and show the state 's theory is implausible at best . ' inside drew peterson 's tangled love life peterson was married to savio in 2001 when he met then 17-year-old stacy kales ( who later became stacy peterson ) , and those two began having an affair . savio and peterson filed for divorce from each other that october , and their relationship remained contentious for the next several years . boilingbrook , illinois , police records indicate officers were called to savio 's home 18 times to intervene in domestic fights from 2002 to 2004 . drew peterson had savio arrested twice for domestic violence , though she was found not guilty in both cases . a judge in march 2002 granted savio a protection order from her ex-husband , prohibiting him from being near her , entering her home and taking out their children except for two brief weekly visits . ( their two sons later spent every other weekend with their father , per the divorce settlement . ) savio had claimed that , months later , peterson held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her inside her home . in october 2003 , three months after giving birth to what was peterson 's fifth child , the then-19-year-old stacy kales and 49-year-old drew peterson married . the will county prosecutor alleged that , later that year , peterson tried to pay someone $ 25,000 to kill savio . and her sister sue doman told abc news years later that savio had called her saying she feared he was going to kill her , and it was going to look like an accident . ' in session blog : catch up on the peterson case in 3 minutes drew peterson picked up his two sons from savio 's home on february 27 , 2004 , spending the next two days with them . prosecutors believe that he entered her home again early on february 29 and killed her ; she was found naked and dead in her dry tub the next day . at the time of her death , a court was mulling how their marital assets would be divided and savio was set to receive part of peterson 's pension and other support . police initially treated the scene as an accident , although the illinois state police was later brought in to investigate . on march 20 , dr. bryan mitchell from the will county coroner 's office said in an autopsy report that the cause of savio 's death was drowning , her hair was soaked in blood from a cut on her scalp , and she had small bruises on her body . a six-person coroner 's jury ruled her death an accident in may 2004 , after an illinois state police officer told them investigators had no reason to suspect homicide and that the cut on her head was caused by a fall . this trooper had n't gone to the death scene or to the autopsy , nor had he interviewed peterson . savio 's family also testified in that coroner 's jury hearing that savio feared her ex-husband , who stood to benefit financially from her death . in october 2007 stacy peterson contacted a local attorney and told him she wanted to discuss filing for divorce . later that month , after divulging her intentions to her husband , she disappeared . drew peterson said she abandoned her two children , ages 4 and 2 , and ran off with another man . the next month , state police labeled drew peterson a suspect in his fourth wife 's disappearance , though neither he nor anyone else has been charged in that case . stacy peterson has never been found . 2009 : peterson calls a radio talk show the investigation into stacy peterson 's disappearance brought renewed interest in savio 's death . authorities exhumed savio 's body , further tests were conducted , and her death was later ruled a homicide staged to look like an accident . ' in may 2009 , months after a judge admitted authorities had an extensive ' collection of secretly recorded conversations with peterson , drew peterson was indicted and arrested on murder charges in connection with savio 's death . he was ordered held on $ 20 million bond . brodsky , his lawyer , said then in a written statement that prosecutors would not be able to prove their case because he did n't do it . ' there is no evidence that links drew peterson to the death of kathleen savio or anyone else for that matter , ' brodsky said . drew did not harm kathleen ; he has said so from day 1 . we 're obviously disappointed a grand jury indicted him . but an indictment does not mean guilt . ' brodsky told cnn he believes the case has always been about circumstantial evidence and that he will bring a pathologist to trial who will say savio died from an accidental drowning . i think the jury 's going to see that , in fact , this always has been an accidental death and still is an accidental death , ' brodsky martin glink , an attorney for the savio family , said relatives were glad the grand jury felt there was enough evidence to charge peterson . we 're very happy that the wheels of justice have continued to move , and they are pointing in his direction , ' glink told cnn affiliate wls . 2010 : read peterson 's letter to the media peterson 's trial had been set to start in july 2010 , but was delayed . this past april , an illinois appellate court ruled that prosecutors may use potentially incriminating statements made by savio and drew peterson 's still-missing-wife stacy against him , a key development in the case . the ruling overturned an earlier judge 's decision that forbid prosecutors from using eight statements made by savio before her death and by stacy peterson before her disappearance . the defense had argued that using the statements would violate drew peterson 's right to confront the witnesses against him . read more about this story from cnn affiliate wls . | kathleen savio was found dead in her bathtub in 2004 |
redford <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- in the day 1 press conference to open the 2013 sundance film festival , robert redford struck back at a conservative utah group that suggested last week that the state should reconsider its funding of sundance because the festival 's liberal leanings did not reflect the state 's values . sometimes the narrowest mind barks the loudest , and we 've over time come to ignore it , ' said redford , who also reminded utahans of the $ 80 million the festival attracts each year to the local economy . we 're also offering a wide spectrum of choices . it 's up to the audience to choose ... so i would just say to these people -- we either ignore them or remind them that it 's a free country and maybe they should look at the constitution . ' but redford , who took questions alongside sundance institute executive director keri putnam and festival director john cooper did acknowedge that the entire hollywood industry might need to reexamine the way it treats and markets gun violence , especially in the aftermath of the newtown shooting .'ncis'first look : meet abby as a kid ! citing a pair of roadside movie billboards that featured prominent positioning of firearms , redford , who once famously played the sundance kid , said , my thought was [ as i drove by ] , does my industry think that guns will help sell tickets . i do n't know . it 's not a question that i could answer . but it seems like a question worth asking my own industry . maybe there 's a reason that -- maybe yes . i do n't know but it seems fair because i 've noticed how often guns are used in ads as though there 's something that translates in a positive way . ' the trio also discussed the institute 's national and international outreach , seemingly doubling down on its cultural exchange ' in london but slamming the door on rumors that sundance had eyes on a brooklyn-based outpost . there 's no truth to it , ' said redford , who expressed frustration with the initial media report . i would be uncomfortable pushing our way into some place , ' he said . it 's better to be invited . ''himym': new robin sparkles photo this year , the festival features 51 first-time filmmakers from 32 different countries , and there are as many female directors as male in the dramatic competition . redford pointed to the festival 's ability to flow with ' and accomodate ' social , cultural , and technological change as one of its most enduring strengths . [ sundance ] is not meant to be commercial ; it 's meant to be diverse , ' he said. the nice thing is that we 're still here [ after 30 years ] and diversity has proven to be commercial . see the original article at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | redford struck back at a group that suggested the state should reconsider funding sundance |
redford <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- in the day 1 press conference to open the 2013 sundance film festival , robert redford struck back at a conservative utah group that suggested last week that the state should reconsider its funding of sundance because the festival 's liberal leanings did not reflect the state 's values . sometimes the narrowest mind barks the loudest , and we 've over time come to ignore it , ' said redford , who also reminded utahans of the $ 80 million the festival attracts each year to the local economy . we 're also offering a wide spectrum of choices . it 's up to the audience to choose ... so i would just say to these people -- we either ignore them or remind them that it 's a free country and maybe they should look at the constitution . ' but redford , who took questions alongside sundance institute executive director keri putnam and festival director john cooper did acknowedge that the entire hollywood industry might need to reexamine the way it treats and markets gun violence , especially in the aftermath of the newtown shooting .'ncis'first look : meet abby as a kid ! citing a pair of roadside movie billboards that featured prominent positioning of firearms , redford , who once famously played the sundance kid , said , my thought was [ as i drove by ] , does my industry think that guns will help sell tickets . i do n't know . it 's not a question that i could answer . but it seems like a question worth asking my own industry . maybe there 's a reason that -- maybe yes . i do n't know but it seems fair because i 've noticed how often guns are used in ads as though there 's something that translates in a positive way . ' the trio also discussed the institute 's national and international outreach , seemingly doubling down on its cultural exchange ' in london but slamming the door on rumors that sundance had eyes on a brooklyn-based outpost . there 's no truth to it , ' said redford , who expressed frustration with the initial media report . i would be uncomfortable pushing our way into some place , ' he said . it 's better to be invited . ''himym': new robin sparkles photo this year , the festival features 51 first-time filmmakers from 32 different countries , and there are as many female directors as male in the dramatic competition . redford pointed to the festival 's ability to flow with ' and accomodate ' social , cultural , and technological change as one of its most enduring strengths . [ sundance ] is not meant to be commercial ; it 's meant to be diverse , ' he said. the nice thing is that we 're still here [ after 30 years ] and diversity has proven to be commercial . see the original article at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | redford took questions alongside executive director putnam and festival director cooper |
redford <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- in the day 1 press conference to open the 2013 sundance film festival , robert redford struck back at a conservative utah group that suggested last week that the state should reconsider its funding of sundance because the festival 's liberal leanings did not reflect the state 's values . sometimes the narrowest mind barks the loudest , and we 've over time come to ignore it , ' said redford , who also reminded utahans of the $ 80 million the festival attracts each year to the local economy . we 're also offering a wide spectrum of choices . it 's up to the audience to choose ... so i would just say to these people -- we either ignore them or remind them that it 's a free country and maybe they should look at the constitution . ' but redford , who took questions alongside sundance institute executive director keri putnam and festival director john cooper did acknowedge that the entire hollywood industry might need to reexamine the way it treats and markets gun violence , especially in the aftermath of the newtown shooting .'ncis'first look : meet abby as a kid ! citing a pair of roadside movie billboards that featured prominent positioning of firearms , redford , who once famously played the sundance kid , said , my thought was [ as i drove by ] , does my industry think that guns will help sell tickets . i do n't know . it 's not a question that i could answer . but it seems like a question worth asking my own industry . maybe there 's a reason that -- maybe yes . i do n't know but it seems fair because i 've noticed how often guns are used in ads as though there 's something that translates in a positive way . ' the trio also discussed the institute 's national and international outreach , seemingly doubling down on its cultural exchange ' in london but slamming the door on rumors that sundance had eyes on a brooklyn-based outpost . there 's no truth to it , ' said redford , who expressed frustration with the initial media report . i would be uncomfortable pushing our way into some place , ' he said . it 's better to be invited . ''himym': new robin sparkles photo this year , the festival features 51 first-time filmmakers from 32 different countries , and there are as many female directors as male in the dramatic competition . redford pointed to the festival 's ability to flow with ' and accomodate ' social , cultural , and technological change as one of its most enduring strengths . [ sundance ] is not meant to be commercial ; it 's meant to be diverse , ' he said. the nice thing is that we 're still here [ after 30 years ] and diversity has proven to be commercial . see the original article at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | redford : sometimes the narrowest mind barks the loudest ' |
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