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michael christian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the two australian radio personalities who made the prank phone call to a british hospital caring for the pregnant duchess of cambridge made tearful apologies monday for making the call , which may have led to the suicide of a nurse who spoke to the pair . mel greig and michael christian , both crying at times , told two australian television shows monday that their thoughts are with the family of jacintha saldanha , the 46-year-old nurse who put the prank call through to the ward where the duchess was . saldanha apparently committed suicide friday . i 'm very sorry and saddened for the family , and i ca n't imagine what they 've been going through , ' greig said on the program today tonight . ' christian described himself as gutted , shattered and heartbroken . ' for the part we played , we 're incredibly sorry , ' christian said on today tonight . ' the pair said the idea for the call came out of a production meeting before their 2dayfm show , the idea being to capitalize on what was the hottest topic in the news , catherine 's pregnancy . the prank has drawn public outrage , which has snowballed since the nurse 's death . this death is on your conscience , ' reads one post on 2dayfm 's facebook page . several posters accused greig and christian of having blood on your hands . ' but in their interviews monday , both stressed that while they made the call to king edward vii hospital , they did not have a say on whether it went to air . the call was recorded and then went through a vetting process at their network , southern cross austereo , before it was broadcast , they said . this was put through every filter that everything is put through before it makes it to air , ' christian said in an interview with the program a current affair . ' but christian said he did not know what that vetting process entailed . i 'm certainly not aware of what filters it needs to pass through , ' he said . our role is just to record and get the audio , ' christian said . greig and christian said they never expected the prank call to be successful . death casts glare on'shock jocks' posing as queen elizabeth and prince charles , the pair said they thought their bad accents would give them away and whoever answered the phone at the hospital would hang up on them . we wanted to be hung up on with our silly voices , ' greig said . we assumed that we 'd be hung up on , and that would be that , ' christian said . but they were put through to the duchess 's ward and given some details of her medical condition . it was never meant to go that far . it was meant to be a silly little prank that so many people have done before , ' greig said . it was saldanha who put the call through . if we played any involvement in her death , then we 're very sorry for that , ' said greig , who described how she found out about saldana 's apparent suicide . it 's the worst phone call i 've had in my life , ' she said , fighting tears . there 's not a minute that goes by that we do n't think about her family and what they must be going through , and the thought that we may have played a part in that is gut-wrenching , ' greig said . the pair have been taken off the air by their network , which has not said when they might return . i do n't even want to think about going back on air , to be honest , ' greig said . i 'm still trying to make sense of it all , ' christian said . we 're shattered . we 're people , too . ' greig said she 'd willingly face saldanha 's family if it would help bring them closure . if that 's gon na make them feel better , then i 'll do what i have to do , ' she said . i 've thought about this a million times in my head , that i 've wanted to just reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry , ' greig said . i hope they 're ok , i really do . ' | michael christian says he 's gutted , shattered and heartbroken ' |
chelsea <tsp> ( cnn ) -- didier drogba muscled his way through for a late winner to put chelsea into the fa cup final with a 2-1 victory over arsenal at wembley on saturday . a bare-chested drogba is congratulated by salomon kalou after scoring the winner at wembley . the all-london clash rarely hit the heights on a difficult pitch , but drogba 's 84th minute strike gave guus hiddink 's men a deserved victory and leaves them in contention for three trophies . dutchman hiddink , who took temporary charge of the blues in february and has lost only one match , said drogba had proved his worth again . he is proving already he is so dangerous , very strong and physically fit , ' he told press association . we respect each other very much but also challenge each other without thinking this is a big name . ' arsenal went ahead in the 18th minute as theo walcott 's volley deflected past petr cech , but florent malouda equalized for chelsea just after the half hour mark . chelsea looked the stronger against an arsenal team missing key defenders and goalkeeper manuel almunia and it came as no surprise when ivory coast star drogba scored a typical winner . he latched on to frank lampard 's hopeful volleyed through ball , shrugged off mikael silvestre before rounding lukasz fabianksi to roll the ball into an empty net . ivory coast international drogba scored the winning goal against manchester united in the 2007 fa cup final and may get the chance to repeat the trick . quintuple chasing united play everton in the second semifinal , also at wembley , on sunday . chelsea , who are a still challenging third in the premier league and semifinals of the champions league , showed their character after falling behind to walcott 's strike . the england international winger connected with a chipped cross from kieran gibbs and his effort took a cruel deflection off ashley cole 's arm to beat cech . arsenal had made a fine start , but without injured central defender william gallas and with fabianski showing a lack of authority in goal , chelsea came back strongly into the game . malouda went close with a cross shot which eluded fabianski , but he was not be denied soon afterwards as picked out by lampard he cut inside emmanuel eboue and beat fabianski at his near post . more slack defending from denilson allowed nicolas anelka time to shoot and his shot hit the post with fabianski beaten . walcott looked occasionally dangerous on the flank and twice sent in crosses which might have been converted , but chelsea looked the more threatening and the teams were spared extra time when drogba powered through to score . arsenal manager arsene wenger was left to rue their defensive errors and the performance of his 20-year-old polish goalkeeper . he 's a great goalkeeper but it was not his greatest day , ' wenger said . inexperience , yes . it was a game when any mistake could be costly . ' | didier droba winner ends arsenal 's long unbeaten run and puts chelsea in final |
congressional district <tsp> it was billed as the day 's marquee primary battle , but in the end it was an easy night for mitch mcconnell . the five-term senator from kentucky -- who 's the top republican in the chamber -- defeated tea party-backed challenger matt bevin in tuesday 's primary . in tuesday 's other high-profile race , two republican candidates in georgia will face a july runoff for the u.s. senate , cnn projects . according to numbers compiled by the associated press , mcconnell led bevin 60 % -36 % with 97 % of precincts reporting . bevin conceded , telling supporters that he had spoken with mcconnell . that conversation was confirmed by aides to the incumbent . in his concession speech , bevin did n't back mcconnell , but he said he has no intention of supporting the democratic platform over the republican platform . ' but bevin appeared critical of mcconnell and the groups that supported him , saying the attacks that we have been on the receiving end of have made our opposition smaller people . it has cheapened their accomplishments and it has weakened the foundation of their platform . ' mcconnell praised bevin and made a pitch for reconciliation . matt brought a lot of passion and tenacity to this race and he made me a stronger candidate . a tough race is behind , it 's time to unite . to my opponent 's supporters , i hope you 'll join me in the months ahead and know that your fight is my fight , ' mcconnell said . how mcconnell crushed the tea party kentucky was one of six states holding primaries on tuesday and again , anti-establishment candidates faced long odds in high-profile republican showdowns . in georgia , cnn projects michelle nunn will win the democratic senate primary , taking another step toward following in the footsteps of her father , sam nunn . on the republican side , businessman david perdue led the pack with 30 % of the vote -- well below the 50 % a candidate must get in order to avoid a runoff , according to numbers complied by the associated press . perdue will face off against rep. jack kingston , who came in second with just under 27 % of the vote . the winner of the july runoff will go on to face nunn in november to fill the seat of retiring gop sen. saxby chambliss . in oregon , cnn projects sen. jeff merkley has won the democratic primary , and pediatric neurosurgeon monica wehby is the projected winner of the gop senate primary . the two will face off in the general election in november . and in idaho , cnn projects rep. mike simpson has won the gop primary in the state 's 2nd congressional district , turning back a challenge from tea party candidate bryan smith . 5 key primaries to watch tuesday while his primary battle ended up easier than originally expected , mcconnell now faces a much tougher test against kentucky secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . cnn projected that grimes would win her primary . a rising democratic star , she faced no real opposition in her primary and already has had big names -- such as former president bill clinton -- team up with her on the campaign trail . speaking to supporters who held up signs that read obama needs alison grimes ' and kentucky needs mitch mcconnell , ' the senate majority leader tied his democratic challenger to president barack obama and to senate majority leader harry reid . my opponent is in this race because barack obama and harry reid want her to be in this race , ' said mcconnell , adding that a vote for my opponent is a vote for obamacare and the president who sold it to us on a mountain of lies . ' grimes , who spoke at her victory celebration just minutes after mcconnell 's speech ended , quickly fired back . i 'm here to tell you tonight , my fellow kentuckians , i am not an empty dress , i am not a rubber stamp and i am not a cheerleader . i am a strong , kentucky woman who is an independent thinker who , when i 'm kentucky 's next senator , the decisions i make will be what 's best for the people of the commonwealth of kentucky , not partisan interests , ' grimes declared . and she highlighted where she does n't see eye-to-eye with obama . i do n't agree with the president 's war on coal . i think it 's wrong for kentucky , ' grimes said . grimes connected to big donors , big hitters bevin , a businessman from louisville , announced his primary challenge last summer , and quickly gained the support of tea party activists and some influential dc-based anti-establishment groups . the race between the two men quickly turned ugly , and expensive , as both campaigns and outside groups spent big bucks . anti-establishment republicans felt that mcconnell represented everything wrong in washington and thought he could be knocked off . the senate conservatives fund dished out $ 1 million in support of bevin and against mcconnell . but the group recently became very quiet , with mcconnell 's formidable lead in the public opinion polls . large campaign war chest but mcconnell had a large campaign war chest , as well as the backing from two kentucky-based super pacs , and such powerful national groups as the u.s. chamber of commerce and the national rifle association . and mcconnell ended his primary campaign by once again touting his endorsement from kentucky 's other republican senator , rand paul , the one-time upstart who beat mcconnell 's pick in the 2010 gop senate primary in kentucky . but the two quickly mended fences , and paul , who is very influential among tea party activists and libertarians , backed mcconnell last year before bevin got into the race . paul congratulated mcconnell in a tweet . the narrator in one of mcconnell 's two closing statewide tv commercials says , on tuesday , join with rand paul and vote for mitch mcconnell . ' and the spot includes a clip of paul saying last year that kentucky ought to be proud of having senator mcconnell . ' earlier this year mcconnell predicted big wins for incumbents facing primary challenges from the right , saying , i think we are going to crush them everywhere . ' mcconnell told the new york times that when it came to tea party challenges , i do n't think they are going to have a single nominee anywhere in the country . ' his prediction might come true , as mcconnell 's defeat of bevin was the latest in a string of victories for incumbent and more moderate republicans over candidates backed by tea party activists and other grassroots and anti-establishment groups . soon after the race in kentucky was called for mcconnell , two of the groups backing bevin closed ranks behind the senate minority leader . now it 's time for republicans to unite for victory in november , ' said a statement from the senate conservatives fund . and the madison project released a statement saying , we congratulate mcconnell on winning the primary . we ask all republicans to come together to defeat extremist hollywood liberal allison lundergan grimes this fall . ' now it 's on to november 's midterm elections , where democrats -- who hold a 55-45 majority in the chamber ( including two independents who caucus with the party -- are defending 21 of the 36 seats in play , with half of those democratic-held seats in red or purple states . key races to watch the only states where the democrats currently hope to play offense are kentucky and georgia . if the gop flips six democratic held seats , they 'll will win control of the chamber , and mcconnell will get a promotion from minority leader to majority leader . mcconnell made a pitch for that promotion in his victory speech , saying we can take the reins of power away from harry reid and make this president accountable . make me the majority leader and kentucky will lead america . ' a big question right now is whether bevin and his supporters will rally around mcconnell , or if they sit it out come november . in 2010 , after paul topped mcconnell-backed candidate trey grayson , the minority leader was quick to bring all sides together at a unity rally . the battle ahead the faceoff in kentucky should continue to be heated , and expensive . when all 's said and done , the race could become the most expensive senate campaign in history , breaking the $ 82 million record set in the 2012 senate battle in massachusetts . grimes , 35 , is using classic campaign strategy against the 72-year-old longtime incumbent : it 's time for change . we 've had 30 years of failed leadership under mitch mcconnell ; we can not afford six more , ' grimes declared emphatically to a packed house at her campaign headquarters here in louisville on monday . to counter that , mcconnell is using a standard strategy for a longtime incumbent . he is trying to paint his seniority as a plus and warn kentuckians about the perils of a junior senator with little clout in washington representing them instead of a potential senate majority leader . my opponent , i certainly agree , is a new face , but a new face for what ? new face for the status quo . same majority leader , same agenda , no change at all . a new face for no change at all , ' mcconnell argues on the stump . but grimes'full-throated assault on mcconnell goes beyond a call for change . she is using mcconnell 's gop leader status and his frequent moves to block legislation to make him the symbol of gridlock in washington . like republicans all over the country , mcconnell is trying hard to make this election a referendum on president barack obama , who lost kentucky big in 2012 and is highly unpopular now . do we want to go in a different direction , or do we want harry reid to continue to be the majority leader ? do we want a vote for barack obama in a state that he carried four out of 120 countries ? that 's what 's really at stake in the fall election , ' mcconnell told cnn monday . and the pro-mcconnell outside group kentuckians for strong leadership said they would spend nearly $ 600,000 starting wednesday to run a television commercial that ties grimes to the president . the problem for mcconnell is that he too has a high unfavorable ratings back home , and democrats here are hoping that will be his ultimate downfall . the most recent polling indicates the two candidates are all tied up in the november showdown . | cnn projects mike simpson has won the gop primary in idaho 's 2nd congressional district |
gop <tsp> it was billed as the day 's marquee primary battle , but in the end it was an easy night for mitch mcconnell . the five-term senator from kentucky -- who 's the top republican in the chamber -- defeated tea party-backed challenger matt bevin in tuesday 's primary . in tuesday 's other high-profile race , two republican candidates in georgia will face a july runoff for the u.s. senate , cnn projects . according to numbers compiled by the associated press , mcconnell led bevin 60 % -36 % with 97 % of precincts reporting . bevin conceded , telling supporters that he had spoken with mcconnell . that conversation was confirmed by aides to the incumbent . in his concession speech , bevin did n't back mcconnell , but he said he has no intention of supporting the democratic platform over the republican platform . ' but bevin appeared critical of mcconnell and the groups that supported him , saying the attacks that we have been on the receiving end of have made our opposition smaller people . it has cheapened their accomplishments and it has weakened the foundation of their platform . ' mcconnell praised bevin and made a pitch for reconciliation . matt brought a lot of passion and tenacity to this race and he made me a stronger candidate . a tough race is behind , it 's time to unite . to my opponent 's supporters , i hope you 'll join me in the months ahead and know that your fight is my fight , ' mcconnell said . how mcconnell crushed the tea party kentucky was one of six states holding primaries on tuesday and again , anti-establishment candidates faced long odds in high-profile republican showdowns . in georgia , cnn projects michelle nunn will win the democratic senate primary , taking another step toward following in the footsteps of her father , sam nunn . on the republican side , businessman david perdue led the pack with 30 % of the vote -- well below the 50 % a candidate must get in order to avoid a runoff , according to numbers complied by the associated press . perdue will face off against rep. jack kingston , who came in second with just under 27 % of the vote . the winner of the july runoff will go on to face nunn in november to fill the seat of retiring gop sen. saxby chambliss . in oregon , cnn projects sen. jeff merkley has won the democratic primary , and pediatric neurosurgeon monica wehby is the projected winner of the gop senate primary . the two will face off in the general election in november . and in idaho , cnn projects rep. mike simpson has won the gop primary in the state 's 2nd congressional district , turning back a challenge from tea party candidate bryan smith . 5 key primaries to watch tuesday while his primary battle ended up easier than originally expected , mcconnell now faces a much tougher test against kentucky secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . cnn projected that grimes would win her primary . a rising democratic star , she faced no real opposition in her primary and already has had big names -- such as former president bill clinton -- team up with her on the campaign trail . speaking to supporters who held up signs that read obama needs alison grimes ' and kentucky needs mitch mcconnell , ' the senate majority leader tied his democratic challenger to president barack obama and to senate majority leader harry reid . my opponent is in this race because barack obama and harry reid want her to be in this race , ' said mcconnell , adding that a vote for my opponent is a vote for obamacare and the president who sold it to us on a mountain of lies . ' grimes , who spoke at her victory celebration just minutes after mcconnell 's speech ended , quickly fired back . i 'm here to tell you tonight , my fellow kentuckians , i am not an empty dress , i am not a rubber stamp and i am not a cheerleader . i am a strong , kentucky woman who is an independent thinker who , when i 'm kentucky 's next senator , the decisions i make will be what 's best for the people of the commonwealth of kentucky , not partisan interests , ' grimes declared . and she highlighted where she does n't see eye-to-eye with obama . i do n't agree with the president 's war on coal . i think it 's wrong for kentucky , ' grimes said . grimes connected to big donors , big hitters bevin , a businessman from louisville , announced his primary challenge last summer , and quickly gained the support of tea party activists and some influential dc-based anti-establishment groups . the race between the two men quickly turned ugly , and expensive , as both campaigns and outside groups spent big bucks . anti-establishment republicans felt that mcconnell represented everything wrong in washington and thought he could be knocked off . the senate conservatives fund dished out $ 1 million in support of bevin and against mcconnell . but the group recently became very quiet , with mcconnell 's formidable lead in the public opinion polls . large campaign war chest but mcconnell had a large campaign war chest , as well as the backing from two kentucky-based super pacs , and such powerful national groups as the u.s. chamber of commerce and the national rifle association . and mcconnell ended his primary campaign by once again touting his endorsement from kentucky 's other republican senator , rand paul , the one-time upstart who beat mcconnell 's pick in the 2010 gop senate primary in kentucky . but the two quickly mended fences , and paul , who is very influential among tea party activists and libertarians , backed mcconnell last year before bevin got into the race . paul congratulated mcconnell in a tweet . the narrator in one of mcconnell 's two closing statewide tv commercials says , on tuesday , join with rand paul and vote for mitch mcconnell . ' and the spot includes a clip of paul saying last year that kentucky ought to be proud of having senator mcconnell . ' earlier this year mcconnell predicted big wins for incumbents facing primary challenges from the right , saying , i think we are going to crush them everywhere . ' mcconnell told the new york times that when it came to tea party challenges , i do n't think they are going to have a single nominee anywhere in the country . ' his prediction might come true , as mcconnell 's defeat of bevin was the latest in a string of victories for incumbent and more moderate republicans over candidates backed by tea party activists and other grassroots and anti-establishment groups . soon after the race in kentucky was called for mcconnell , two of the groups backing bevin closed ranks behind the senate minority leader . now it 's time for republicans to unite for victory in november , ' said a statement from the senate conservatives fund . and the madison project released a statement saying , we congratulate mcconnell on winning the primary . we ask all republicans to come together to defeat extremist hollywood liberal allison lundergan grimes this fall . ' now it 's on to november 's midterm elections , where democrats -- who hold a 55-45 majority in the chamber ( including two independents who caucus with the party -- are defending 21 of the 36 seats in play , with half of those democratic-held seats in red or purple states . key races to watch the only states where the democrats currently hope to play offense are kentucky and georgia . if the gop flips six democratic held seats , they 'll will win control of the chamber , and mcconnell will get a promotion from minority leader to majority leader . mcconnell made a pitch for that promotion in his victory speech , saying we can take the reins of power away from harry reid and make this president accountable . make me the majority leader and kentucky will lead america . ' a big question right now is whether bevin and his supporters will rally around mcconnell , or if they sit it out come november . in 2010 , after paul topped mcconnell-backed candidate trey grayson , the minority leader was quick to bring all sides together at a unity rally . the battle ahead the faceoff in kentucky should continue to be heated , and expensive . when all 's said and done , the race could become the most expensive senate campaign in history , breaking the $ 82 million record set in the 2012 senate battle in massachusetts . grimes , 35 , is using classic campaign strategy against the 72-year-old longtime incumbent : it 's time for change . we 've had 30 years of failed leadership under mitch mcconnell ; we can not afford six more , ' grimes declared emphatically to a packed house at her campaign headquarters here in louisville on monday . to counter that , mcconnell is using a standard strategy for a longtime incumbent . he is trying to paint his seniority as a plus and warn kentuckians about the perils of a junior senator with little clout in washington representing them instead of a potential senate majority leader . my opponent , i certainly agree , is a new face , but a new face for what ? new face for the status quo . same majority leader , same agenda , no change at all . a new face for no change at all , ' mcconnell argues on the stump . but grimes'full-throated assault on mcconnell goes beyond a call for change . she is using mcconnell 's gop leader status and his frequent moves to block legislation to make him the symbol of gridlock in washington . like republicans all over the country , mcconnell is trying hard to make this election a referendum on president barack obama , who lost kentucky big in 2012 and is highly unpopular now . do we want to go in a different direction , or do we want harry reid to continue to be the majority leader ? do we want a vote for barack obama in a state that he carried four out of 120 countries ? that 's what 's really at stake in the fall election , ' mcconnell told cnn monday . and the pro-mcconnell outside group kentuckians for strong leadership said they would spend nearly $ 600,000 starting wednesday to run a television commercial that ties grimes to the president . the problem for mcconnell is that he too has a high unfavorable ratings back home , and democrats here are hoping that will be his ultimate downfall . the most recent polling indicates the two candidates are all tied up in the november showdown . | cnn projects mike simpson has won the gop primary in idaho 's 2nd congressional district |
gop <tsp> it was billed as the day 's marquee primary battle , but in the end it was an easy night for mitch mcconnell . the five-term senator from kentucky -- who 's the top republican in the chamber -- defeated tea party-backed challenger matt bevin in tuesday 's primary . in tuesday 's other high-profile race , two republican candidates in georgia will face a july runoff for the u.s. senate , cnn projects . according to numbers compiled by the associated press , mcconnell led bevin 60 % -36 % with 97 % of precincts reporting . bevin conceded , telling supporters that he had spoken with mcconnell . that conversation was confirmed by aides to the incumbent . in his concession speech , bevin did n't back mcconnell , but he said he has no intention of supporting the democratic platform over the republican platform . ' but bevin appeared critical of mcconnell and the groups that supported him , saying the attacks that we have been on the receiving end of have made our opposition smaller people . it has cheapened their accomplishments and it has weakened the foundation of their platform . ' mcconnell praised bevin and made a pitch for reconciliation . matt brought a lot of passion and tenacity to this race and he made me a stronger candidate . a tough race is behind , it 's time to unite . to my opponent 's supporters , i hope you 'll join me in the months ahead and know that your fight is my fight , ' mcconnell said . how mcconnell crushed the tea party kentucky was one of six states holding primaries on tuesday and again , anti-establishment candidates faced long odds in high-profile republican showdowns . in georgia , cnn projects michelle nunn will win the democratic senate primary , taking another step toward following in the footsteps of her father , sam nunn . on the republican side , businessman david perdue led the pack with 30 % of the vote -- well below the 50 % a candidate must get in order to avoid a runoff , according to numbers complied by the associated press . perdue will face off against rep. jack kingston , who came in second with just under 27 % of the vote . the winner of the july runoff will go on to face nunn in november to fill the seat of retiring gop sen. saxby chambliss . in oregon , cnn projects sen. jeff merkley has won the democratic primary , and pediatric neurosurgeon monica wehby is the projected winner of the gop senate primary . the two will face off in the general election in november . and in idaho , cnn projects rep. mike simpson has won the gop primary in the state 's 2nd congressional district , turning back a challenge from tea party candidate bryan smith . 5 key primaries to watch tuesday while his primary battle ended up easier than originally expected , mcconnell now faces a much tougher test against kentucky secretary of state alison lundergan grimes . cnn projected that grimes would win her primary . a rising democratic star , she faced no real opposition in her primary and already has had big names -- such as former president bill clinton -- team up with her on the campaign trail . speaking to supporters who held up signs that read obama needs alison grimes ' and kentucky needs mitch mcconnell , ' the senate majority leader tied his democratic challenger to president barack obama and to senate majority leader harry reid . my opponent is in this race because barack obama and harry reid want her to be in this race , ' said mcconnell , adding that a vote for my opponent is a vote for obamacare and the president who sold it to us on a mountain of lies . ' grimes , who spoke at her victory celebration just minutes after mcconnell 's speech ended , quickly fired back . i 'm here to tell you tonight , my fellow kentuckians , i am not an empty dress , i am not a rubber stamp and i am not a cheerleader . i am a strong , kentucky woman who is an independent thinker who , when i 'm kentucky 's next senator , the decisions i make will be what 's best for the people of the commonwealth of kentucky , not partisan interests , ' grimes declared . and she highlighted where she does n't see eye-to-eye with obama . i do n't agree with the president 's war on coal . i think it 's wrong for kentucky , ' grimes said . grimes connected to big donors , big hitters bevin , a businessman from louisville , announced his primary challenge last summer , and quickly gained the support of tea party activists and some influential dc-based anti-establishment groups . the race between the two men quickly turned ugly , and expensive , as both campaigns and outside groups spent big bucks . anti-establishment republicans felt that mcconnell represented everything wrong in washington and thought he could be knocked off . the senate conservatives fund dished out $ 1 million in support of bevin and against mcconnell . but the group recently became very quiet , with mcconnell 's formidable lead in the public opinion polls . large campaign war chest but mcconnell had a large campaign war chest , as well as the backing from two kentucky-based super pacs , and such powerful national groups as the u.s. chamber of commerce and the national rifle association . and mcconnell ended his primary campaign by once again touting his endorsement from kentucky 's other republican senator , rand paul , the one-time upstart who beat mcconnell 's pick in the 2010 gop senate primary in kentucky . but the two quickly mended fences , and paul , who is very influential among tea party activists and libertarians , backed mcconnell last year before bevin got into the race . paul congratulated mcconnell in a tweet . the narrator in one of mcconnell 's two closing statewide tv commercials says , on tuesday , join with rand paul and vote for mitch mcconnell . ' and the spot includes a clip of paul saying last year that kentucky ought to be proud of having senator mcconnell . ' earlier this year mcconnell predicted big wins for incumbents facing primary challenges from the right , saying , i think we are going to crush them everywhere . ' mcconnell told the new york times that when it came to tea party challenges , i do n't think they are going to have a single nominee anywhere in the country . ' his prediction might come true , as mcconnell 's defeat of bevin was the latest in a string of victories for incumbent and more moderate republicans over candidates backed by tea party activists and other grassroots and anti-establishment groups . soon after the race in kentucky was called for mcconnell , two of the groups backing bevin closed ranks behind the senate minority leader . now it 's time for republicans to unite for victory in november , ' said a statement from the senate conservatives fund . and the madison project released a statement saying , we congratulate mcconnell on winning the primary . we ask all republicans to come together to defeat extremist hollywood liberal allison lundergan grimes this fall . ' now it 's on to november 's midterm elections , where democrats -- who hold a 55-45 majority in the chamber ( including two independents who caucus with the party -- are defending 21 of the 36 seats in play , with half of those democratic-held seats in red or purple states . key races to watch the only states where the democrats currently hope to play offense are kentucky and georgia . if the gop flips six democratic held seats , they 'll will win control of the chamber , and mcconnell will get a promotion from minority leader to majority leader . mcconnell made a pitch for that promotion in his victory speech , saying we can take the reins of power away from harry reid and make this president accountable . make me the majority leader and kentucky will lead america . ' a big question right now is whether bevin and his supporters will rally around mcconnell , or if they sit it out come november . in 2010 , after paul topped mcconnell-backed candidate trey grayson , the minority leader was quick to bring all sides together at a unity rally . the battle ahead the faceoff in kentucky should continue to be heated , and expensive . when all 's said and done , the race could become the most expensive senate campaign in history , breaking the $ 82 million record set in the 2012 senate battle in massachusetts . grimes , 35 , is using classic campaign strategy against the 72-year-old longtime incumbent : it 's time for change . we 've had 30 years of failed leadership under mitch mcconnell ; we can not afford six more , ' grimes declared emphatically to a packed house at her campaign headquarters here in louisville on monday . to counter that , mcconnell is using a standard strategy for a longtime incumbent . he is trying to paint his seniority as a plus and warn kentuckians about the perils of a junior senator with little clout in washington representing them instead of a potential senate majority leader . my opponent , i certainly agree , is a new face , but a new face for what ? new face for the status quo . same majority leader , same agenda , no change at all . a new face for no change at all , ' mcconnell argues on the stump . but grimes'full-throated assault on mcconnell goes beyond a call for change . she is using mcconnell 's gop leader status and his frequent moves to block legislation to make him the symbol of gridlock in washington . like republicans all over the country , mcconnell is trying hard to make this election a referendum on president barack obama , who lost kentucky big in 2012 and is highly unpopular now . do we want to go in a different direction , or do we want harry reid to continue to be the majority leader ? do we want a vote for barack obama in a state that he carried four out of 120 countries ? that 's what 's really at stake in the fall election , ' mcconnell told cnn monday . and the pro-mcconnell outside group kentuckians for strong leadership said they would spend nearly $ 600,000 starting wednesday to run a television commercial that ties grimes to the president . the problem for mcconnell is that he too has a high unfavorable ratings back home , and democrats here are hoping that will be his ultimate downfall . the most recent polling indicates the two candidates are all tied up in the november showdown . | cnn projects perdue and kingston will face a runoff in georgia 's gop senate primary |
jobs <tsp> among chief executives , steve jobs was an outlier . ceos of public companies are generally hands-on , but jobs was involved in practically every detail , from determining which industries apple should invade to the material used for the iphone 's screen . jobs even got directly involved in customer service , which was a part of apple 's business for which he exercised a great deal of attention and patience . he fielded e-mails about broken laptops and intervened on support calls . by comparison , a representative for at & t , apple 's longtime carrier partner for the coveted iphone , threatened a customer , who had twice e-mailed company ceo randall stephenson complaining about price hikes , with a cease-and-desist notice . i do n't think even steve jobs can spin 2 gb for $ 25/month as a good thing for the consumer , ' the customer , giorgio galante , wrote in his recap , as reported by wired , which is a cnn.com content partner . unlike other leaders , jobs was not only handling an unusual number of his company 's own basic customer service inquiries , but he also fielded some of stephenson 's , since at & t and apple were conjoined on various business interests relating to the iphone and ipad . when a customer asked jobs via e-mail in 2008 why blackberry owners could tether their phones to their computers for wireless internet access but the same could not be done with an iphone , jobs wrote , we agree , and are discussing it with att . ' the feature eventually came . asked about tethering an iphone to an ipad on at & t , jobs replied only , no . ' jobs consoled another at & t customer , mark trapp , who expressed his frustration over his cell carrier 's plans to discontinue unlimited data plans . i think its ( sic ) going to work out just fine for almost all customers . try it , ' jobs wrote , but he was less supportive in a message to another customer , dennis wurster , about the same matter : it 's between you and att . ' steve 's proclivity for responding to e-mails , and the reputation that came with that , made his inbox a prominent target for customers looking to overstep rows of supervisors to get broken computers replaced and generous credit for service outages . this approach intensified as his legendary reputation and apple 's customer base grew . apple took notice and repurposed the messages to be used as data points for internal use , evidenced by a graph charting customer complaints about the ill-fated internet service , mobileme . long before that , however , jobs was extraordinarily embedded in handling customer complaints . on october 11 , 1999 , not long after jobs returned to a dying company and took on the title of interim ceo ( or iceo ) , he fielded an inquiry from a customer named david about ibook laptop shortages . we are doing the best we can with a limited supply ( which is finally now increasing ) . please remember that some of the first pre-orders came from compusa , ' jobs wrote . dozens of stories have floated around the web about the times when an e-mail to jobs yielded a phone call from an executive support team and an outcome that far exceeded reasonable expectations . in 1999 , a customer got his g4 tower desktop repaired after an e-mail to jobs resulted in a phone call from the mysterious executive relations team . in 2001 , a student software developer was told by apple support that , despite his sob story about dropping the hard drive connected to his laptop causing damage , they could n't resolve an issue that resulted from physical abuse . after writing to the ceo , he got a call from one of jobs'associates who asked him several questions and then tempered his expectations by saying similarly that he did not meet the standards for a comped repair . but a month passed after he took his computer in for repairs , and there was still no charge from apple . the customer recalled on an internet message board : i contacted the support people , and they said the charges had been waived by'someone higher up .'uncle steve must be smiling on me . ' jobs would not always grant customers'wishes , and he certainly did not buy into the adage that the customer is always right . ' for example , a customer complaining about apple not honoring its warranty for his computer received the following response from jobs in 2008 : this is what happens when your macbook pro sustains water damage . they are pro machines and they do n't like water . it sounds like you 're just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself . ' jobs did n't often pick up the phone to go back and forth with customers , but at least one apple customer , scott steckley , recalls a time when an e-mail to jobs , explaining how there seemed to be no end in sight to his wait for a computer repair , was met with a phone call . hi scott , this is steve , ' steckley recalled hearing from the other end of the phone . steve jobs ? ' he asked . yeah , ' jobs said . i just wanted to apologize for your incredibly long wait . it 's really nobody 's fault . it 's just one of those things . ' yeah , i understand . ' then jobs explained that he expedited the repair . i also wanted to thank you for your support of apple , ' jobs said . i see how much equipment you own . it really makes my day to see someone who enjoys our products so much and who supports us in the good times and bad . ' | apple 's steve jobs sometimes fielded customer service inquiries by e-mail |
jobs <tsp> among chief executives , steve jobs was an outlier . ceos of public companies are generally hands-on , but jobs was involved in practically every detail , from determining which industries apple should invade to the material used for the iphone 's screen . jobs even got directly involved in customer service , which was a part of apple 's business for which he exercised a great deal of attention and patience . he fielded e-mails about broken laptops and intervened on support calls . by comparison , a representative for at & t , apple 's longtime carrier partner for the coveted iphone , threatened a customer , who had twice e-mailed company ceo randall stephenson complaining about price hikes , with a cease-and-desist notice . i do n't think even steve jobs can spin 2 gb for $ 25/month as a good thing for the consumer , ' the customer , giorgio galante , wrote in his recap , as reported by wired , which is a cnn.com content partner . unlike other leaders , jobs was not only handling an unusual number of his company 's own basic customer service inquiries , but he also fielded some of stephenson 's , since at & t and apple were conjoined on various business interests relating to the iphone and ipad . when a customer asked jobs via e-mail in 2008 why blackberry owners could tether their phones to their computers for wireless internet access but the same could not be done with an iphone , jobs wrote , we agree , and are discussing it with att . ' the feature eventually came . asked about tethering an iphone to an ipad on at & t , jobs replied only , no . ' jobs consoled another at & t customer , mark trapp , who expressed his frustration over his cell carrier 's plans to discontinue unlimited data plans . i think its ( sic ) going to work out just fine for almost all customers . try it , ' jobs wrote , but he was less supportive in a message to another customer , dennis wurster , about the same matter : it 's between you and att . ' steve 's proclivity for responding to e-mails , and the reputation that came with that , made his inbox a prominent target for customers looking to overstep rows of supervisors to get broken computers replaced and generous credit for service outages . this approach intensified as his legendary reputation and apple 's customer base grew . apple took notice and repurposed the messages to be used as data points for internal use , evidenced by a graph charting customer complaints about the ill-fated internet service , mobileme . long before that , however , jobs was extraordinarily embedded in handling customer complaints . on october 11 , 1999 , not long after jobs returned to a dying company and took on the title of interim ceo ( or iceo ) , he fielded an inquiry from a customer named david about ibook laptop shortages . we are doing the best we can with a limited supply ( which is finally now increasing ) . please remember that some of the first pre-orders came from compusa , ' jobs wrote . dozens of stories have floated around the web about the times when an e-mail to jobs yielded a phone call from an executive support team and an outcome that far exceeded reasonable expectations . in 1999 , a customer got his g4 tower desktop repaired after an e-mail to jobs resulted in a phone call from the mysterious executive relations team . in 2001 , a student software developer was told by apple support that , despite his sob story about dropping the hard drive connected to his laptop causing damage , they could n't resolve an issue that resulted from physical abuse . after writing to the ceo , he got a call from one of jobs'associates who asked him several questions and then tempered his expectations by saying similarly that he did not meet the standards for a comped repair . but a month passed after he took his computer in for repairs , and there was still no charge from apple . the customer recalled on an internet message board : i contacted the support people , and they said the charges had been waived by'someone higher up .'uncle steve must be smiling on me . ' jobs would not always grant customers'wishes , and he certainly did not buy into the adage that the customer is always right . ' for example , a customer complaining about apple not honoring its warranty for his computer received the following response from jobs in 2008 : this is what happens when your macbook pro sustains water damage . they are pro machines and they do n't like water . it sounds like you 're just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself . ' jobs did n't often pick up the phone to go back and forth with customers , but at least one apple customer , scott steckley , recalls a time when an e-mail to jobs , explaining how there seemed to be no end in sight to his wait for a computer repair , was met with a phone call . hi scott , this is steve , ' steckley recalled hearing from the other end of the phone . steve jobs ? ' he asked . yeah , ' jobs said . i just wanted to apologize for your incredibly long wait . it 's really nobody 's fault . it 's just one of those things . ' yeah , i understand . ' then jobs explained that he expedited the repair . i also wanted to thank you for your support of apple , ' jobs said . i see how much equipment you own . it really makes my day to see someone who enjoys our products so much and who supports us in the good times and bad . ' | jobs sometimes provided exceptional support but could also be cold |
jobs <tsp> among chief executives , steve jobs was an outlier . ceos of public companies are generally hands-on , but jobs was involved in practically every detail , from determining which industries apple should invade to the material used for the iphone 's screen . jobs even got directly involved in customer service , which was a part of apple 's business for which he exercised a great deal of attention and patience . he fielded e-mails about broken laptops and intervened on support calls . by comparison , a representative for at & t , apple 's longtime carrier partner for the coveted iphone , threatened a customer , who had twice e-mailed company ceo randall stephenson complaining about price hikes , with a cease-and-desist notice . i do n't think even steve jobs can spin 2 gb for $ 25/month as a good thing for the consumer , ' the customer , giorgio galante , wrote in his recap , as reported by wired , which is a cnn.com content partner . unlike other leaders , jobs was not only handling an unusual number of his company 's own basic customer service inquiries , but he also fielded some of stephenson 's , since at & t and apple were conjoined on various business interests relating to the iphone and ipad . when a customer asked jobs via e-mail in 2008 why blackberry owners could tether their phones to their computers for wireless internet access but the same could not be done with an iphone , jobs wrote , we agree , and are discussing it with att . ' the feature eventually came . asked about tethering an iphone to an ipad on at & t , jobs replied only , no . ' jobs consoled another at & t customer , mark trapp , who expressed his frustration over his cell carrier 's plans to discontinue unlimited data plans . i think its ( sic ) going to work out just fine for almost all customers . try it , ' jobs wrote , but he was less supportive in a message to another customer , dennis wurster , about the same matter : it 's between you and att . ' steve 's proclivity for responding to e-mails , and the reputation that came with that , made his inbox a prominent target for customers looking to overstep rows of supervisors to get broken computers replaced and generous credit for service outages . this approach intensified as his legendary reputation and apple 's customer base grew . apple took notice and repurposed the messages to be used as data points for internal use , evidenced by a graph charting customer complaints about the ill-fated internet service , mobileme . long before that , however , jobs was extraordinarily embedded in handling customer complaints . on october 11 , 1999 , not long after jobs returned to a dying company and took on the title of interim ceo ( or iceo ) , he fielded an inquiry from a customer named david about ibook laptop shortages . we are doing the best we can with a limited supply ( which is finally now increasing ) . please remember that some of the first pre-orders came from compusa , ' jobs wrote . dozens of stories have floated around the web about the times when an e-mail to jobs yielded a phone call from an executive support team and an outcome that far exceeded reasonable expectations . in 1999 , a customer got his g4 tower desktop repaired after an e-mail to jobs resulted in a phone call from the mysterious executive relations team . in 2001 , a student software developer was told by apple support that , despite his sob story about dropping the hard drive connected to his laptop causing damage , they could n't resolve an issue that resulted from physical abuse . after writing to the ceo , he got a call from one of jobs'associates who asked him several questions and then tempered his expectations by saying similarly that he did not meet the standards for a comped repair . but a month passed after he took his computer in for repairs , and there was still no charge from apple . the customer recalled on an internet message board : i contacted the support people , and they said the charges had been waived by'someone higher up .'uncle steve must be smiling on me . ' jobs would not always grant customers'wishes , and he certainly did not buy into the adage that the customer is always right . ' for example , a customer complaining about apple not honoring its warranty for his computer received the following response from jobs in 2008 : this is what happens when your macbook pro sustains water damage . they are pro machines and they do n't like water . it sounds like you 're just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself . ' jobs did n't often pick up the phone to go back and forth with customers , but at least one apple customer , scott steckley , recalls a time when an e-mail to jobs , explaining how there seemed to be no end in sight to his wait for a computer repair , was met with a phone call . hi scott , this is steve , ' steckley recalled hearing from the other end of the phone . steve jobs ? ' he asked . yeah , ' jobs said . i just wanted to apologize for your incredibly long wait . it 's really nobody 's fault . it 's just one of those things . ' yeah , i understand . ' then jobs explained that he expedited the repair . i also wanted to thank you for your support of apple , ' jobs said . i see how much equipment you own . it really makes my day to see someone who enjoys our products so much and who supports us in the good times and bad . ' | i just wanted to apologize for your incredibly long wait , ' jobs told one customer |
arab <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the outlook for the underequipped members of the syrian opposition appeared to brighten thursday on the eve of a friends of syria meeting in tunisia . diplomatic sources told cnn that a number of arab nations are supplying arms to the syrian opposition . the sources would n't identify which countries . in london , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton predicted the opposition will find willing sources to supply them with munitions to counter the syrian government onslaught blamed for thousands of deaths since last march . there will be increasingly capable opposition forces , ' she said thursday . they will find somewhere , somehow the means to defend themselves , as well as begin offensive measures and the pressure will build on russia and china . world opinion is not going to stand idly by . ' russia and china both vetoed a u.n. security council resolution that would have condemned the syrian government for attacking its people . also thursday , u.s. officials told cnn they are considering providing the opposition with nonlethal aid -- such as secure radio communications and training . that is a step beyond what the obama administration was saying tuesday , when it was still clinging to the hope that political solutions would end the bloodshed . we do n't believe that it makes sense to contribute now to the further militarization of syria , what we do n't want to see is the spiral of violence increase , ' state department spokeswoman victoria nuland said . that said , if we ca n't get assad to yield to the pressure that we are all bringing to bear , we may have to consider additional measures . ' turkish foreign minister ahmet davutoglu has recently suggested that , beyond humanitarian aid and diplomatic solutions , we need to think about contingencies as well . ' both the u.s. military and intelligence community have expressed concern about providing arms to an opposition whose composition is unclear . the 70-plus countries and international organizations gathering friday in tunis are expected to unveil a plan for delivering emergency aid to the syrian people and issue a stern warning to president bashar al-assad . they want him to agree to an immediate cease-fire and provide access to humanitarian groups to deliver the aid or face a yet-to-be mentioned response from the world community . a draft of the document , shared with cnn , calls on the syrian government to implement an immediate cease-fire and to allow free and unimpeded access by the united nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in homs and other areas . ' diplomats cautioned the draft was subject to change . what 's more , the communiquã© will recognize the opposition syrian national council , members of which will be at the session , as a credible representative of the syrian people . the united states insists it will not provide weapons to the syrian opposition , and will leave it to others who have expressed an interest in doing so . nobody told washington they armed the libyans and officials said they expect the same nod-wink in syria . neither russia , which is a soviet-era ally and arms dealer to syria , nor china is participating . preparations for the tunis meeting coincided with the release thursday of a u.n. report that identifies syrian commanders and high-ranking officials who may be responsible for widespread , systematic and gross human rights violations ' and apparent crimes against humanity . the violations have been conducted with the apparent knowledge and consent ' of the country 's highest levels , ' the independent international commission of inquiry on the syrian arab republic says . thousands have died in syria since mid-march of 2011 , when the government launched a crackdown against protesters . at least 101 deaths were reported thursday , including 14 children and a soldier killed when he refused to open fire on people , the opposition local coordination committees of syria said . seventeen unidentified corpses were found in a military prison in the zawiya mountain area of idlib province , the group said . residents told the lcc they believe it 's likely most of these unidentified bodies were of soldiers who had defected . opposition forces reported more shelling of homs , the 20th consecutive day of attacks on the besieged city at the center of resistance . on thursday , the united nations announced the appointment of former secretary-general kofi annan as joint special envoy of the united nations and arab league on the syrian crisis . annan will be tackling an environment described by the u.n. commission report as one in which most of the citizenry is in a state of disarray . ' the government has manifestly failed in its responsibility to protect the population , ' the report says . anti-government armed groups have also committed abuses , although not comparable in scale and organization with those carried out by the state . ' meanwhile , britain and france demanded syrian president bashar al-assad cease attacks against homs so three journalists can receive medical care , even as reports emerged thursday of renewed shelling in the flashpoint city . the journalists were in homs to document attacks by al-assad 's forces when they were wounded in shelling , which also killed american reporter marie colvin and french photographer remi ochlik . al-assad has denied targeting civilians , saying his forces are after terrorists ' and foreign fighters bent on destabilizing syria . evidence that civilians are being killed by government forces has been documented by citizen journalists who post their work on social media websites and youtube . the opposition reports the death toll exceeds 9,000 . cnn and other media outlets often can not independently verify opposition or government reports because the syrian regime has severely limited access to the country by foreign journalists . the syrian foreign ministry denied syria was responsible for the deaths on wednesday of two journalists who infiltrated its territory on their own , ' according to a banner on syrian state tv . the british foreign office summoned sami khiyami , the syrian ambassador to the united kingdom , and political director sir geoffrey adams said syria was expected to facilitate the return of the bodies of the two journalists and to provide medical treatment to british photographer paul conroy . conroy and french reporter edith bouvier of le figaro were wounded in the shelling in the homs neighborhood of baba amr . bouvier said in a youtube video that she needed immediate medical treatment . my leg is broken , the length of my femur . i need to be operated on as quickly as possible , the doctors have treated me as best as they can except they can not perform any surgical operations , so i need as quickly as possible , during a cease-fire , a car with medical equipment or at least in good condition to take me to lebanon to be treated as quickly as possible , ' she said . dr. mohammed al-mohammed , who has been treating the wounded journalists in baba amr , said bouvier was in critical condition and conroy had been moved to a safe house , ' which the physician said was a misnomer . the problem is that we do n't have a safe place , anywhere secure , in baba amr , ' al-mohammed told cnn thursday in an telephone interview . he bemoaned the lack of medical supplies . we just have the basics , ' he said . i have to admit , all very primitive . ' cnn 's elise labott , hamdi alkhshali , brian walker , arwa damon , hala gorani , tom watkins and joe sterling contributed to this report . | arab nations providing arms to opposition , sources say |
brancheau <tsp> orlando , florida ( cnn ) -- a federal hearing began monday to determine whether seaworld orlando should be charged with a willful violation in the 2010 death of killer whale trainer dawn brancheau . as witnesses took the stand inside the seminole county courthouse in sanford , florida , members of people for the ethical treatment of animals , or peta , demonstrated outside . monday was the first day of the hearing , which will resume at 9 a.m. tuesday and is expected to continue all week . in february 2010 , as park guests watched in horror , brancheau , 40 , was pulled into a seaworld pool and drowned by a 12,000-pound killer whale named tilikum . brancheau had been sitting on the shamu stadium 's pool edge during a private show . after a lengthy investigation , the occupational safety and health administration -- the federal agency that works to prevent workplace injuries -- cited seaworld of florida in august 2010 for willfully endangering employees by not taking proper safety precautions . seaworld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals , ' cindy coe , osha 's atlanta regional administrator , said in a statement . nonetheless , it required its employees to work within the pool wall , on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals , ' she said . the citation said the park allowed its employees to work with tilikum , a whale with known aggressive tendencies ' who was involved in the 1991 death of a trainer at a vancouver , british columbia , marine park . the theme park did not provide barriers , decking , oxygen supply systems or other types of protection for the trainers , osha said . seaworld spokeswoman becca bides disagreed , saying , these allegations are completely baseless , unsupported by any evidence or precedent , and reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the safety requirements associated with marine mammal care . ' seaworld contested osha 's findings and is presenting evidence to the osha review committee , a separate government agency , at this week 's hearing in sanford , northeast of orlando . osha review committee administrative judge ken welsch is presiding over the hearing , in which both sides are presenting evidence and witness testimony . in his opening remarks on monday , osha attorney john black said seaworld allowed their trainers to take a calculated risk by working with killer whales that have the potential to cause harm or death to those who get close . trainers are required to sign a document that acknowledges that they have read the standard operating procedure manual and acknowledge the calculated risk . black called the document a release waiver and argued that the park 's training for the handlers was not enough . seaworld 's attorney said the handlers'training is only one component , noting that the animals are trained , too . it goes hand in hand , ' said carla j. gunnin stone . it 's unclear if osha 's attorneys will present surveillance video showing brancheau 's death . her relatives have fought to keep it sealed . u.s. district judge gregory presnell on thursday denied the brancheau family 's request to keep the tape from being released or used at the hearing . we can not comment on what may or may not be presented ( during the hearing ) , as that depends not only on our own attorneys but also on any rulings issued by the judge in the case , ' osha spokesman michael wald said . since the accident , seaworld has restricted all trainers from entering the water with killer whales until further notice , though tilikum has returned in a theme park show called one ocean . ' | it 's unclear whether video of brancheau 's death will be shown at this week 's hearing |
brancheau <tsp> orlando , florida ( cnn ) -- a federal hearing began monday to determine whether seaworld orlando should be charged with a willful violation in the 2010 death of killer whale trainer dawn brancheau . as witnesses took the stand inside the seminole county courthouse in sanford , florida , members of people for the ethical treatment of animals , or peta , demonstrated outside . monday was the first day of the hearing , which will resume at 9 a.m. tuesday and is expected to continue all week . in february 2010 , as park guests watched in horror , brancheau , 40 , was pulled into a seaworld pool and drowned by a 12,000-pound killer whale named tilikum . brancheau had been sitting on the shamu stadium 's pool edge during a private show . after a lengthy investigation , the occupational safety and health administration -- the federal agency that works to prevent workplace injuries -- cited seaworld of florida in august 2010 for willfully endangering employees by not taking proper safety precautions . seaworld recognized the inherent risk of allowing trainers to interact with potentially dangerous animals , ' cindy coe , osha 's atlanta regional administrator , said in a statement . nonetheless , it required its employees to work within the pool wall , on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals , ' she said . the citation said the park allowed its employees to work with tilikum , a whale with known aggressive tendencies ' who was involved in the 1991 death of a trainer at a vancouver , british columbia , marine park . the theme park did not provide barriers , decking , oxygen supply systems or other types of protection for the trainers , osha said . seaworld spokeswoman becca bides disagreed , saying , these allegations are completely baseless , unsupported by any evidence or precedent , and reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the safety requirements associated with marine mammal care . ' seaworld contested osha 's findings and is presenting evidence to the osha review committee , a separate government agency , at this week 's hearing in sanford , northeast of orlando . osha review committee administrative judge ken welsch is presiding over the hearing , in which both sides are presenting evidence and witness testimony . in his opening remarks on monday , osha attorney john black said seaworld allowed their trainers to take a calculated risk by working with killer whales that have the potential to cause harm or death to those who get close . trainers are required to sign a document that acknowledges that they have read the standard operating procedure manual and acknowledge the calculated risk . black called the document a release waiver and argued that the park 's training for the handlers was not enough . seaworld 's attorney said the handlers'training is only one component , noting that the animals are trained , too . it goes hand in hand , ' said carla j. gunnin stone . it 's unclear if osha 's attorneys will present surveillance video showing brancheau 's death . her relatives have fought to keep it sealed . u.s. district judge gregory presnell on thursday denied the brancheau family 's request to keep the tape from being released or used at the hearing . we can not comment on what may or may not be presented ( during the hearing ) , as that depends not only on our own attorneys but also on any rulings issued by the judge in the case , ' osha spokesman michael wald said . since the accident , seaworld has restricted all trainers from entering the water with killer whales until further notice , though tilikum has returned in a theme park show called one ocean . ' | dawn brancheau died during 2010 florida show |
defense department <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's been less than two months since president barack obama signed the bill that will eventually lead to repeal of the controversial ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military . and the military is already taking steps to implement the repeal of do n't ask , do n't tell . ' the pentagon released a memo friday that finalizes how the department will begin adopting its policy to the new law , how it will train troops with regards to gays and lesbians serving openly and how it all will be communicated to congress and the public . the plan focuses on three tiers of training : -- tier one for experts who may frequently deal with do n't ask , do n't tell ' repeal matters , like chaplains and military lawyers . -- tier two for senior leaders who will need to oversee education and training of the troops in their command . -- tier three for the rank-and-file , active-duty service members , reservists and civilians working for the defense department . on march 1 clifford stanley , the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness , will provide a progress report on the preparation for repeal to the white house , the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff . the memo says the do n't ask , do n't tell ' law will not be repealed until , among other milestones , the tier one and tier two training is complete and tier three training is underway . at that point , the secretary , chairman and the president will certify the department is ready for gay men and lesbians to serve openly . after the certification takes place , a 60-day countdown begins before repeal is officially implemented . that date has not been decided yet . | defense department preparing to implement repeal of do n't ask , do n't tell ' |
sue fulton <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a panel of new york national guard officers has recommended that an iraq war veteran who acknowledged his homosexuality must leave the service , his supporters said tuesday . first lt. dan choi , shown at a gay protest rally in may in california , disclosed in march that he was gay . first lt. dan choi disclosed in march that he is gay , challenging the 1994 do n't ask , do n't tell ' law that requires the military to discharge troops who disclose their sexual orientation . tuesday 's ruling , made after a daylong hearing , is a step toward stripping choi of his officer 's commission and ending his career . it 's disappointing , but not unexpected , ' said sue fulton , a spokeswoman for knights out , a group of gay and lesbian west point alumni choi helped found . fulton said the guard 's federal recognition board heard from members of choi 's unit , his commanding officer and fellow soldiers who served in iraq , and reviewed more than 150 letters of support for choi , a 2003 west point graduate and an arab linguist . at the end of the day , they did not consider any of that material [ to ] whether he was a good soldier , ' she said . it was solely about whether he said he was gay . ' the closed-door hearing began tuesday morning before the board , which certifies that guard officers meet the standards of the regular army . its decision came after several hours of deliberation tuesday afternoon . the hearing is considered a confidential personnel matter , and the service wo n't comment on the results , said lt. col. paul fanning , a national guard spokesman . the board 's recommendation must be approved by the commander of the u.s. 1st army , which oversees the national guard and army reserve . but choi 's public declaration is a finding of fact that the board has to deal with , ' fanning said . the army has no choice but to follow through with that , ' he said . more than 12,500 gays have been forced to leave the military since do n't ask , do n't tell ' went into effect -- including dozens of arabic speakers , people highly valued by the military since the invasion of iraq . choi transferred from the active-duty army to the national guard in june 2008 , fanning said . he served as an infantry platoon leader in iraq in 2006 and 2007 and , like many soldiers , had his yearlong tour of duty extended by three months . choi served as celebrity grand marshal of the san francisco , california , gay pride parade over the weekend . he told cnn 's american morning ' on monday that he is acting on the lessons that i learned at west point -- honesty and courage and integrity . ' it 's an informed decision , ' he said . but more important than the consequences , more important than punishments or those fears that we might have , we take courage and we take those things very seriously of the values that we were taught . and it 's more important that we be honest with ourselves , we have integrity , and we have courage . ' president obama campaigned on a pledge to repeal do n't ask , do n't tell ' and has been criticized for not moving faster on that goal since taking office in january . he told gay-rights advocates at a monday night reception at the white house that his administration is already working with house and senate members to get the law changed . it 's not for me to tell you to be patient any more than it was for others to counsel patience to african-americans who were petitioning for equal rights a half-century ago , ' obama said . but he added , i do have a responsibility to see that this change is administered in a practical -- and a way that takes over the long term . ' fulton said that while obama ca n't change the law himself , he could sign an executive order halting discharges while the policy is under review . | disappointing , but not unexpected , ' says supporter sue fulton of guard 's decision |
murphy <tsp> bath , maine ( cnn ) -- under clear , blue skies , a ship dedicated to fallen medal of honor recipient and navy seal lt. michael murphy was christened saturday by his mother , maureen , at bath iron works shipyard in maine . i feel not only michael 's presence , but that ship embodies the spirits of michael and his teammates , ' murphy 's father , daniel , told cnn . following tradition , murphy 's mother cracked a bottle of champagne against the hull of the uss michael murphy . happy birthday , son ! ' murphy 's mom said on what would have been her son 's 35th birthday . his life was cut short in the mountains of afghanistan in 2005 . dr. josh appel , an air force reserve flight surgeon , helped retrieve murphy 's body after a firefight that claimed the lives of 18 other troops , including 2 seals from murphy 's team . appel called the christening a symbolic gesture that brings michael 's spirit into the ship . ' murphy 's team -- on a mission to go after a taliban leader -- was ambushed when the troops were outnumbered by taliban fighters . murphy was honored for his courage by running into a clearing to call for help despite exposing himself to enemy fire . he was hit with two bullets in his back , but continued to seek help on the call . his final words to his command belied the deadly attack under way : thank you , ' he said . we can never repay , but must never ever forget , ' said sen. olympia snowe , r-maine , in front of more than 2,000 people at the shipyard . the ship 's dedication comes during a week of honors for navy seals . members of the elite special ops force killed osama bin laden during a 38-minute operation early monday in pakistan . you 're going to have good days . you 're going to have bad days , ' rear adm. garry bonelli told cnn . what we 're trying to do is defend freedom and follow out the president 's orders . that 's what we 're all about . ' the destroyer will be moved to a dry dock for several months while workers put the final touches on it . the lettering on the stern of the ship does n't need any more work . it says , michael murphy , ' but among its admirers , it 's already being called the murph . ' | uss michael murphy named for medal of honor recipient |
murphy <tsp> bath , maine ( cnn ) -- under clear , blue skies , a ship dedicated to fallen medal of honor recipient and navy seal lt. michael murphy was christened saturday by his mother , maureen , at bath iron works shipyard in maine . i feel not only michael 's presence , but that ship embodies the spirits of michael and his teammates , ' murphy 's father , daniel , told cnn . following tradition , murphy 's mother cracked a bottle of champagne against the hull of the uss michael murphy . happy birthday , son ! ' murphy 's mom said on what would have been her son 's 35th birthday . his life was cut short in the mountains of afghanistan in 2005 . dr. josh appel , an air force reserve flight surgeon , helped retrieve murphy 's body after a firefight that claimed the lives of 18 other troops , including 2 seals from murphy 's team . appel called the christening a symbolic gesture that brings michael 's spirit into the ship . ' murphy 's team -- on a mission to go after a taliban leader -- was ambushed when the troops were outnumbered by taliban fighters . murphy was honored for his courage by running into a clearing to call for help despite exposing himself to enemy fire . he was hit with two bullets in his back , but continued to seek help on the call . his final words to his command belied the deadly attack under way : thank you , ' he said . we can never repay , but must never ever forget , ' said sen. olympia snowe , r-maine , in front of more than 2,000 people at the shipyard . the ship 's dedication comes during a week of honors for navy seals . members of the elite special ops force killed osama bin laden during a 38-minute operation early monday in pakistan . you 're going to have good days . you 're going to have bad days , ' rear adm. garry bonelli told cnn . what we 're trying to do is defend freedom and follow out the president 's orders . that 's what we 're all about . ' the destroyer will be moved to a dry dock for several months while workers put the final touches on it . the lettering on the stern of the ship does n't need any more work . it says , michael murphy , ' but among its admirers , it 's already being called the murph . ' | murphy , a navy seal lieutenant , was killed in 2005 in afghanistan |
haiti <tsp> ( cnn ) -- reginald desroches is deploying to haiti to tag key infrastructure buildings with red , yellow and green markers -- designations on whether they 're still usable . desroches has years of experience as a civil engineering expert dealing with structures in the wake of earthquakes . this disaster is also personal : he was born in haiti and one of his uncles died in the quake 's aftermath . the associate chair of georgia tech 's school of civil engineering , desroches will lead a team of experts in haiti about the sustainability of buildings . he spoke with cnn before heading to port-au-prince . below is a transcript of the interview , a portion of which has been edited . cnn : what will be your task in haiti ? desroches : there 's an urgent need for a group of experts in earthquake engineering , preferably french speaking , to come down and assess the critical buildings to determine whether or not they 're safe to reoccupy . essentially , we go about tagging them : red for unsafe ; green for safe ; yellow for something in between . we were asked to do this on a number of critical infrastructure buildings , including hospitals , schools , u.n. facilities , government buildings , as well as buildings occupied by various nations'ambassadors . evidently , there has n't been anybody on the ground yet to do that service , so there 's a need to get somebody in there asap to assess as many buildings as possible . ... there 's a specific manual that 's been developed by the applied technology council and the manual is geared toward the rapid assessment of buildings after earthquakes . the manual gives you guidelines based on the type of damage -- the type of cracking you have in columns and other load-bearing elements , as well as how many of them have specific levels of damage . based on this checklist , you can then determine what category your building should be classified as . cnn : in many ways , this is the nightmare scenario . you have this quake in impoverished haiti . supplies are hard to get down there . in a month or two , you have the start of a rain season and following that you enter hurricane season . desroches : there are a number of issues there . they clearly do n't have the infrastructure to facilitate rapid recovery from this . there are a number of buildings that have collapsed and bodies are still there . it will take weeks , if not months , to recover those bodies . and like you said , the rain season is coming up . ... it 's really the worst of all cases . this is probably the one country that could not handle an event like this . i call this in some ways the perfect storm of an earthquake , given that it was large , it was very shallow , the infrastructure is extremely poor and the government was n't prepared . so i think the resulting disaster is really a combination of a number of factors working against it . cnn : describe your own personal feelings as you head down there , as haitian and as somebody who lost a loved one . desroches : i had one uncle that passed away . his was what we typically call secondary effect . ' he was found safe following the earthquake . he had been somewhat ill with prostate cancer and he had [ gone ] back several times to the u.s. for treatment . ... my father spoke to him shortly after the event and he was doing fine on wednesday . then , it sounds like he was n't feeling very well . on friday , i believe , he went to the hospital and clearly with all the other critical patients , they could n't really deal with him . and he died on saturday . a lot of these things are never captured during an event like an earthquake or hurricane . we call them secondary effect , ' where a hospital is overrun and those that are ill -- maybe not directly from the earthquake -- end up dying whereas normally they probably would not . cnn : when you first talked to him , you must have been relieved that he was alive and you must have been celebrating . desroches : absolutely . another close relative , my godmother and godfather : we 've been told through their children in the u.s. that they are safe but their home has been destroyed . cnn : what 's going through your mind as you return home ? desroches : i was born in haiti . i came [ to the u.s. ] as a very young child . i was 1½ . i spent the majority of my life in the u.s. ... but we still have a lot of family and ties to haiti . for many years , as my capacity as a civil engineering professor , i 've always wanted to do whatever i can to help haiti . and i see this as one opportunity to do that , given that i do earthquake engineering . i want to use this opportunity , not only to help them recover in the short term , but also rebuild haiti so that it 's safe and sustainable . and i think this earthquake , unfortunately , provides the opportunity to start from scratch and make it a much better , more resilient place . | haiti must be rebuilt so that it 's safe and sustainable , ' he says |
haiti <tsp> ( cnn ) -- reginald desroches is deploying to haiti to tag key infrastructure buildings with red , yellow and green markers -- designations on whether they 're still usable . desroches has years of experience as a civil engineering expert dealing with structures in the wake of earthquakes . this disaster is also personal : he was born in haiti and one of his uncles died in the quake 's aftermath . the associate chair of georgia tech 's school of civil engineering , desroches will lead a team of experts in haiti about the sustainability of buildings . he spoke with cnn before heading to port-au-prince . below is a transcript of the interview , a portion of which has been edited . cnn : what will be your task in haiti ? desroches : there 's an urgent need for a group of experts in earthquake engineering , preferably french speaking , to come down and assess the critical buildings to determine whether or not they 're safe to reoccupy . essentially , we go about tagging them : red for unsafe ; green for safe ; yellow for something in between . we were asked to do this on a number of critical infrastructure buildings , including hospitals , schools , u.n. facilities , government buildings , as well as buildings occupied by various nations'ambassadors . evidently , there has n't been anybody on the ground yet to do that service , so there 's a need to get somebody in there asap to assess as many buildings as possible . ... there 's a specific manual that 's been developed by the applied technology council and the manual is geared toward the rapid assessment of buildings after earthquakes . the manual gives you guidelines based on the type of damage -- the type of cracking you have in columns and other load-bearing elements , as well as how many of them have specific levels of damage . based on this checklist , you can then determine what category your building should be classified as . cnn : in many ways , this is the nightmare scenario . you have this quake in impoverished haiti . supplies are hard to get down there . in a month or two , you have the start of a rain season and following that you enter hurricane season . desroches : there are a number of issues there . they clearly do n't have the infrastructure to facilitate rapid recovery from this . there are a number of buildings that have collapsed and bodies are still there . it will take weeks , if not months , to recover those bodies . and like you said , the rain season is coming up . ... it 's really the worst of all cases . this is probably the one country that could not handle an event like this . i call this in some ways the perfect storm of an earthquake , given that it was large , it was very shallow , the infrastructure is extremely poor and the government was n't prepared . so i think the resulting disaster is really a combination of a number of factors working against it . cnn : describe your own personal feelings as you head down there , as haitian and as somebody who lost a loved one . desroches : i had one uncle that passed away . his was what we typically call secondary effect . ' he was found safe following the earthquake . he had been somewhat ill with prostate cancer and he had [ gone ] back several times to the u.s. for treatment . ... my father spoke to him shortly after the event and he was doing fine on wednesday . then , it sounds like he was n't feeling very well . on friday , i believe , he went to the hospital and clearly with all the other critical patients , they could n't really deal with him . and he died on saturday . a lot of these things are never captured during an event like an earthquake or hurricane . we call them secondary effect , ' where a hospital is overrun and those that are ill -- maybe not directly from the earthquake -- end up dying whereas normally they probably would not . cnn : when you first talked to him , you must have been relieved that he was alive and you must have been celebrating . desroches : absolutely . another close relative , my godmother and godfather : we 've been told through their children in the u.s. that they are safe but their home has been destroyed . cnn : what 's going through your mind as you return home ? desroches : i was born in haiti . i came [ to the u.s. ] as a very young child . i was 1½ . i spent the majority of my life in the u.s. ... but we still have a lot of family and ties to haiti . for many years , as my capacity as a civil engineering professor , i 've always wanted to do whatever i can to help haiti . and i see this as one opportunity to do that , given that i do earthquake engineering . i want to use this opportunity , not only to help them recover in the short term , but also rebuild haiti so that it 's safe and sustainable . and i think this earthquake , unfortunately , provides the opportunity to start from scratch and make it a much better , more resilient place . | desroches is a native of haiti ; his uncle died in the quake 's aftermath |
haiti <tsp> ( cnn ) -- reginald desroches is deploying to haiti to tag key infrastructure buildings with red , yellow and green markers -- designations on whether they 're still usable . desroches has years of experience as a civil engineering expert dealing with structures in the wake of earthquakes . this disaster is also personal : he was born in haiti and one of his uncles died in the quake 's aftermath . the associate chair of georgia tech 's school of civil engineering , desroches will lead a team of experts in haiti about the sustainability of buildings . he spoke with cnn before heading to port-au-prince . below is a transcript of the interview , a portion of which has been edited . cnn : what will be your task in haiti ? desroches : there 's an urgent need for a group of experts in earthquake engineering , preferably french speaking , to come down and assess the critical buildings to determine whether or not they 're safe to reoccupy . essentially , we go about tagging them : red for unsafe ; green for safe ; yellow for something in between . we were asked to do this on a number of critical infrastructure buildings , including hospitals , schools , u.n. facilities , government buildings , as well as buildings occupied by various nations'ambassadors . evidently , there has n't been anybody on the ground yet to do that service , so there 's a need to get somebody in there asap to assess as many buildings as possible . ... there 's a specific manual that 's been developed by the applied technology council and the manual is geared toward the rapid assessment of buildings after earthquakes . the manual gives you guidelines based on the type of damage -- the type of cracking you have in columns and other load-bearing elements , as well as how many of them have specific levels of damage . based on this checklist , you can then determine what category your building should be classified as . cnn : in many ways , this is the nightmare scenario . you have this quake in impoverished haiti . supplies are hard to get down there . in a month or two , you have the start of a rain season and following that you enter hurricane season . desroches : there are a number of issues there . they clearly do n't have the infrastructure to facilitate rapid recovery from this . there are a number of buildings that have collapsed and bodies are still there . it will take weeks , if not months , to recover those bodies . and like you said , the rain season is coming up . ... it 's really the worst of all cases . this is probably the one country that could not handle an event like this . i call this in some ways the perfect storm of an earthquake , given that it was large , it was very shallow , the infrastructure is extremely poor and the government was n't prepared . so i think the resulting disaster is really a combination of a number of factors working against it . cnn : describe your own personal feelings as you head down there , as haitian and as somebody who lost a loved one . desroches : i had one uncle that passed away . his was what we typically call secondary effect . ' he was found safe following the earthquake . he had been somewhat ill with prostate cancer and he had [ gone ] back several times to the u.s. for treatment . ... my father spoke to him shortly after the event and he was doing fine on wednesday . then , it sounds like he was n't feeling very well . on friday , i believe , he went to the hospital and clearly with all the other critical patients , they could n't really deal with him . and he died on saturday . a lot of these things are never captured during an event like an earthquake or hurricane . we call them secondary effect , ' where a hospital is overrun and those that are ill -- maybe not directly from the earthquake -- end up dying whereas normally they probably would not . cnn : when you first talked to him , you must have been relieved that he was alive and you must have been celebrating . desroches : absolutely . another close relative , my godmother and godfather : we 've been told through their children in the u.s. that they are safe but their home has been destroyed . cnn : what 's going through your mind as you return home ? desroches : i was born in haiti . i came [ to the u.s. ] as a very young child . i was 1½ . i spent the majority of my life in the u.s. ... but we still have a lot of family and ties to haiti . for many years , as my capacity as a civil engineering professor , i 've always wanted to do whatever i can to help haiti . and i see this as one opportunity to do that , given that i do earthquake engineering . i want to use this opportunity , not only to help them recover in the short term , but also rebuild haiti so that it 's safe and sustainable . and i think this earthquake , unfortunately , provides the opportunity to start from scratch and make it a much better , more resilient place . | civil engineering quake expert heads to haiti to assess buildings |
sebastien vettel <tsp> ( cnn ) -- last year 's world champion lewis hamilton has claimed pole position for sunday 's inaugural abu dhabi grand prix while his successor as formula one 's top driver , jenson button , qualified fifth . hamilton will be looking to end a disappointing year for mclaren with victory in the season finale at the new yas marina circuit , but even with a win can do no better than hold onto his fifth overall placing in f1 's first day-night event . the 24-year-old will start a race from the front of the grid for the 17th time in his career , and the fourth in the last seven races , after setting the fastest time in all three sessions . he clocked a best lap of one minute 40.948 seconds as the sun set on saturday evening to head off the red bull duo of sebastian vettel and mark webber . vettel , whose bid to prevent button clinching the world title ended last time out in brazil , timed 1:41.615 while webber recorded 1:41.726 . the car is the best it has been all year . it was a smooth lap , and it just kept getting better and better , ' hamilton told reporters . the place is just stunning . they all said it would be a great event , but it 's mind-blowing . it 's a great place to come to , a great country . the weather has been great and the people are so respectful and so welcoming . i hope we can put on a great show tomorrow . ' button 's bid to ensure the first all-british front row since 1995 came to nothing as he was out-qualified by teammate rubens barrichello for the 10th time this season . the brazilian is expected to be making his final race outing for world champions brawn , who are expected to sign nico rosberg from williams . the german , who announced during the week that he will be leaving the british team , qualified ninth as toyota 's jarno trulli and bmw sauber duo robert kubica and nick heidfeld took sixth , seventh and eighth places . kimi raikkonen , who will be making his final race appearance for ferrari , finished outside the top-10 for only the third time this season , and will start in 11th behind toro rosso 's sebastien buemi . heikki kovalainen 's chances of keeping his drive with mclaren took a blow as he finished 15th after suffering gearbox problems . the finn , fastest in friday 's practice sessions , was just ahead of two-time world champion fernando alonso , who along with renault teammate romain grosjean failed to make it beyond the opening 20-minute session . alonso , at least , can look forward to joining ferrari as raikkonen 's replacement , but frenchman grosjean faces an uncertain future as he has failed to take his chance since taking over from the sacked nelson piquet jr. former world champions ferrari will prop up the grid as veteran giancarlo fisichella again struggled ahead of what could be the final race of his career as he will be the team 's reserve driver next year when the injured felipe massa returns . | red bull duo sebastien vettel and mark webber second and third for f1 's first day-night race |
f1 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- last year 's world champion lewis hamilton has claimed pole position for sunday 's inaugural abu dhabi grand prix while his successor as formula one 's top driver , jenson button , qualified fifth . hamilton will be looking to end a disappointing year for mclaren with victory in the season finale at the new yas marina circuit , but even with a win can do no better than hold onto his fifth overall placing in f1 's first day-night event . the 24-year-old will start a race from the front of the grid for the 17th time in his career , and the fourth in the last seven races , after setting the fastest time in all three sessions . he clocked a best lap of one minute 40.948 seconds as the sun set on saturday evening to head off the red bull duo of sebastian vettel and mark webber . vettel , whose bid to prevent button clinching the world title ended last time out in brazil , timed 1:41.615 while webber recorded 1:41.726 . the car is the best it has been all year . it was a smooth lap , and it just kept getting better and better , ' hamilton told reporters . the place is just stunning . they all said it would be a great event , but it 's mind-blowing . it 's a great place to come to , a great country . the weather has been great and the people are so respectful and so welcoming . i hope we can put on a great show tomorrow . ' button 's bid to ensure the first all-british front row since 1995 came to nothing as he was out-qualified by teammate rubens barrichello for the 10th time this season . the brazilian is expected to be making his final race outing for world champions brawn , who are expected to sign nico rosberg from williams . the german , who announced during the week that he will be leaving the british team , qualified ninth as toyota 's jarno trulli and bmw sauber duo robert kubica and nick heidfeld took sixth , seventh and eighth places . kimi raikkonen , who will be making his final race appearance for ferrari , finished outside the top-10 for only the third time this season , and will start in 11th behind toro rosso 's sebastien buemi . heikki kovalainen 's chances of keeping his drive with mclaren took a blow as he finished 15th after suffering gearbox problems . the finn , fastest in friday 's practice sessions , was just ahead of two-time world champion fernando alonso , who along with renault teammate romain grosjean failed to make it beyond the opening 20-minute session . alonso , at least , can look forward to joining ferrari as raikkonen 's replacement , but frenchman grosjean faces an uncertain future as he has failed to take his chance since taking over from the sacked nelson piquet jr. former world champions ferrari will prop up the grid as veteran giancarlo fisichella again struggled ahead of what could be the final race of his career as he will be the team 's reserve driver next year when the injured felipe massa returns . | red bull duo sebastien vettel and mark webber second and third for f1 's first day-night race |
farley-berens <tsp> phoenix , arizona ( cnn ) nearly 12 million parents in the united states currently are raising kids on their own . when single parents face a devastating illness such as cancer , everyday needs like cleaning and cooking can become a struggle . jody farley-berens saw the need firsthand , when her childhood friend faced that situation . making ends meet is insurmountable , ' said farley-berens . there are so many doctors'appointments , copays , surgeries , prescriptions . and then the inability to work -- any savings that there may have been is gone very quickly . ' she did all she could to help . after her friend passed away , farley-berens helped start a nonprofit dedicated to assisting others in similar circumstances . since 2006 , singleton moms has provided practical , financial and emotional support to more than 300 parents in the phoenix area . do you know a hero ? nominations are open for cnn heroes 2015 tiffany montgomery , 48 , was a newly single mom when she was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer . farley-berens'group pitched in to help , so montgomery could spend more time with her daughter ezri , now 10 . when you ca n't really do much and you 're looking at the dirt on the floor , it 's one more level of stress , ' she said . you have these people that come in , that do n't know you , and'you 're going to help me with cleaning my house ?'' singleton moms has actually changed my whole outlook . they care about you , and they 're demonstrating their love through their actions . ' i sat down with farley-berens to ask her about her work . below is an edited version of our conversation . cnn : tell me about the woman who inspired your work . farley-berens : i grew up with a girl named michelle singleton who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 . she was a single mother of four children and i was a young mom with two kids . and it was scary . you just want to be there to watch them grow up . paying the bills , cleaning her home , making dinner for her kids -- all of that became a real struggle . i wanted to make things as easy as possible for her . so when i would go to the store , i 'd grab an extra tide and extra toilet paper . when i would make my meals for my family , i would double it and bring a meal over to her house . once i helped with an electric bill . i just tried to do those little things that i hoped would relieve her of some stress . about six months after she passed , we got to thinking she could n't have been the only one . there were other people like her that needed help . and that 's how singleton moms was born . cnn : i 'd imagine that many people have n't thought about the struggles of being a single parent with cancer . how are you able to help ? farley-berens : we focus on day-to-day support -- financial assistance , housecleaning , prepared meals , supplies for the home , kids'events . it 's that old-fashioned mentality of neighbors helping neighbors . who does n't like a clean house that they did n't have to clean themselves ? we have a team of volunteers that have all been background-checked and they sweep , mop , clean the bathrooms . we even have a couple of volunteers who go way above and beyond and will do laundry and fold clothes . and so , our parents can come home from chemo , sit on the couch and read a book with their child without having to worry about , ugh , the bathroom needs to be cleaned . ' it 's just to allow them to focus on what 's important , which is their health and their family . cnn : is this work hard for you sometimes , on a personal level ? farley-berens : about 80 % of the parents we support are stage 4 , which means that battling cancer is their full-time job . they will not go back to work and for the rest of their lives , they 'll be in treatment . it 's hard . it 's a rollercoaster . i 've had bouts when a certain mom has passed where i did n't get out of bed for two weeks . and i thought , why am i doing this ? ' but then i come back and remember why . and so , while michelle is and always will be our inspiration , there are now so many others that are just as inspirational . they 're why i keep doing what i do . cnn : we should note that name of the organization is no longer entirely accurate . farley-berens : we 're not just about moms -- we have dads , too ! not a lot , but if you are a single parent , you need the support . they tend to even get a little special treatment . everybody 's like , oh , there 's a dad here . ' and so they give them lots of hugs and pay a lot of attention to them . cnn : it 's such a serious subject , but your group seems to have a very fun vibe . farley-berens : we 're very social ! once a month , all of our families come to pick up their supplies . we do crafts with the kids , snacks and have a good time . we like having any event because cancer sucks , and there 's not a lot of happy that goes with that . but life does still go on , so it 's really important that these families can just de-stress and have fun . no one can understand what they 're going through like another single parent with cancer . so giving them the opportunity to meet and support each other is very powerful . cancer can be so defeating . it 's an ugly word and it 's a sad word . and so , it 's my hope that singleton moms can bring joy and say to cancer , you ca n't defeat us . we are still going to be strong and we 're going to celebrate life . and you ca n't take that away from us . ' want to get involved ? check out the singleton moms website at www.singletonmoms.org/ and see how to help . | farley-berens saw the need firsthand through her childhood friend |
farley-berens <tsp> phoenix , arizona ( cnn ) nearly 12 million parents in the united states currently are raising kids on their own . when single parents face a devastating illness such as cancer , everyday needs like cleaning and cooking can become a struggle . jody farley-berens saw the need firsthand , when her childhood friend faced that situation . making ends meet is insurmountable , ' said farley-berens . there are so many doctors'appointments , copays , surgeries , prescriptions . and then the inability to work -- any savings that there may have been is gone very quickly . ' she did all she could to help . after her friend passed away , farley-berens helped start a nonprofit dedicated to assisting others in similar circumstances . since 2006 , singleton moms has provided practical , financial and emotional support to more than 300 parents in the phoenix area . do you know a hero ? nominations are open for cnn heroes 2015 tiffany montgomery , 48 , was a newly single mom when she was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer . farley-berens'group pitched in to help , so montgomery could spend more time with her daughter ezri , now 10 . when you ca n't really do much and you 're looking at the dirt on the floor , it 's one more level of stress , ' she said . you have these people that come in , that do n't know you , and'you 're going to help me with cleaning my house ?'' singleton moms has actually changed my whole outlook . they care about you , and they 're demonstrating their love through their actions . ' i sat down with farley-berens to ask her about her work . below is an edited version of our conversation . cnn : tell me about the woman who inspired your work . farley-berens : i grew up with a girl named michelle singleton who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 . she was a single mother of four children and i was a young mom with two kids . and it was scary . you just want to be there to watch them grow up . paying the bills , cleaning her home , making dinner for her kids -- all of that became a real struggle . i wanted to make things as easy as possible for her . so when i would go to the store , i 'd grab an extra tide and extra toilet paper . when i would make my meals for my family , i would double it and bring a meal over to her house . once i helped with an electric bill . i just tried to do those little things that i hoped would relieve her of some stress . about six months after she passed , we got to thinking she could n't have been the only one . there were other people like her that needed help . and that 's how singleton moms was born . cnn : i 'd imagine that many people have n't thought about the struggles of being a single parent with cancer . how are you able to help ? farley-berens : we focus on day-to-day support -- financial assistance , housecleaning , prepared meals , supplies for the home , kids'events . it 's that old-fashioned mentality of neighbors helping neighbors . who does n't like a clean house that they did n't have to clean themselves ? we have a team of volunteers that have all been background-checked and they sweep , mop , clean the bathrooms . we even have a couple of volunteers who go way above and beyond and will do laundry and fold clothes . and so , our parents can come home from chemo , sit on the couch and read a book with their child without having to worry about , ugh , the bathroom needs to be cleaned . ' it 's just to allow them to focus on what 's important , which is their health and their family . cnn : is this work hard for you sometimes , on a personal level ? farley-berens : about 80 % of the parents we support are stage 4 , which means that battling cancer is their full-time job . they will not go back to work and for the rest of their lives , they 'll be in treatment . it 's hard . it 's a rollercoaster . i 've had bouts when a certain mom has passed where i did n't get out of bed for two weeks . and i thought , why am i doing this ? ' but then i come back and remember why . and so , while michelle is and always will be our inspiration , there are now so many others that are just as inspirational . they 're why i keep doing what i do . cnn : we should note that name of the organization is no longer entirely accurate . farley-berens : we 're not just about moms -- we have dads , too ! not a lot , but if you are a single parent , you need the support . they tend to even get a little special treatment . everybody 's like , oh , there 's a dad here . ' and so they give them lots of hugs and pay a lot of attention to them . cnn : it 's such a serious subject , but your group seems to have a very fun vibe . farley-berens : we 're very social ! once a month , all of our families come to pick up their supplies . we do crafts with the kids , snacks and have a good time . we like having any event because cancer sucks , and there 's not a lot of happy that goes with that . but life does still go on , so it 's really important that these families can just de-stress and have fun . no one can understand what they 're going through like another single parent with cancer . so giving them the opportunity to meet and support each other is very powerful . cancer can be so defeating . it 's an ugly word and it 's a sad word . and so , it 's my hope that singleton moms can bring joy and say to cancer , you ca n't defeat us . we are still going to be strong and we 're going to celebrate life . and you ca n't take that away from us . ' want to get involved ? check out the singleton moms website at www.singletonmoms.org/ and see how to help . | jody farley-berens helps single parents who are battling cancer |
jody farley-berens <tsp> phoenix , arizona ( cnn ) nearly 12 million parents in the united states currently are raising kids on their own . when single parents face a devastating illness such as cancer , everyday needs like cleaning and cooking can become a struggle . jody farley-berens saw the need firsthand , when her childhood friend faced that situation . making ends meet is insurmountable , ' said farley-berens . there are so many doctors'appointments , copays , surgeries , prescriptions . and then the inability to work -- any savings that there may have been is gone very quickly . ' she did all she could to help . after her friend passed away , farley-berens helped start a nonprofit dedicated to assisting others in similar circumstances . since 2006 , singleton moms has provided practical , financial and emotional support to more than 300 parents in the phoenix area . do you know a hero ? nominations are open for cnn heroes 2015 tiffany montgomery , 48 , was a newly single mom when she was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer . farley-berens'group pitched in to help , so montgomery could spend more time with her daughter ezri , now 10 . when you ca n't really do much and you 're looking at the dirt on the floor , it 's one more level of stress , ' she said . you have these people that come in , that do n't know you , and'you 're going to help me with cleaning my house ?'' singleton moms has actually changed my whole outlook . they care about you , and they 're demonstrating their love through their actions . ' i sat down with farley-berens to ask her about her work . below is an edited version of our conversation . cnn : tell me about the woman who inspired your work . farley-berens : i grew up with a girl named michelle singleton who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 . she was a single mother of four children and i was a young mom with two kids . and it was scary . you just want to be there to watch them grow up . paying the bills , cleaning her home , making dinner for her kids -- all of that became a real struggle . i wanted to make things as easy as possible for her . so when i would go to the store , i 'd grab an extra tide and extra toilet paper . when i would make my meals for my family , i would double it and bring a meal over to her house . once i helped with an electric bill . i just tried to do those little things that i hoped would relieve her of some stress . about six months after she passed , we got to thinking she could n't have been the only one . there were other people like her that needed help . and that 's how singleton moms was born . cnn : i 'd imagine that many people have n't thought about the struggles of being a single parent with cancer . how are you able to help ? farley-berens : we focus on day-to-day support -- financial assistance , housecleaning , prepared meals , supplies for the home , kids'events . it 's that old-fashioned mentality of neighbors helping neighbors . who does n't like a clean house that they did n't have to clean themselves ? we have a team of volunteers that have all been background-checked and they sweep , mop , clean the bathrooms . we even have a couple of volunteers who go way above and beyond and will do laundry and fold clothes . and so , our parents can come home from chemo , sit on the couch and read a book with their child without having to worry about , ugh , the bathroom needs to be cleaned . ' it 's just to allow them to focus on what 's important , which is their health and their family . cnn : is this work hard for you sometimes , on a personal level ? farley-berens : about 80 % of the parents we support are stage 4 , which means that battling cancer is their full-time job . they will not go back to work and for the rest of their lives , they 'll be in treatment . it 's hard . it 's a rollercoaster . i 've had bouts when a certain mom has passed where i did n't get out of bed for two weeks . and i thought , why am i doing this ? ' but then i come back and remember why . and so , while michelle is and always will be our inspiration , there are now so many others that are just as inspirational . they 're why i keep doing what i do . cnn : we should note that name of the organization is no longer entirely accurate . farley-berens : we 're not just about moms -- we have dads , too ! not a lot , but if you are a single parent , you need the support . they tend to even get a little special treatment . everybody 's like , oh , there 's a dad here . ' and so they give them lots of hugs and pay a lot of attention to them . cnn : it 's such a serious subject , but your group seems to have a very fun vibe . farley-berens : we 're very social ! once a month , all of our families come to pick up their supplies . we do crafts with the kids , snacks and have a good time . we like having any event because cancer sucks , and there 's not a lot of happy that goes with that . but life does still go on , so it 's really important that these families can just de-stress and have fun . no one can understand what they 're going through like another single parent with cancer . so giving them the opportunity to meet and support each other is very powerful . cancer can be so defeating . it 's an ugly word and it 's a sad word . and so , it 's my hope that singleton moms can bring joy and say to cancer , you ca n't defeat us . we are still going to be strong and we 're going to celebrate life . and you ca n't take that away from us . ' want to get involved ? check out the singleton moms website at www.singletonmoms.org/ and see how to help . | jody farley-berens helps single parents who are battling cancer |
cnn heroes <tsp> phoenix , arizona ( cnn ) nearly 12 million parents in the united states currently are raising kids on their own . when single parents face a devastating illness such as cancer , everyday needs like cleaning and cooking can become a struggle . jody farley-berens saw the need firsthand , when her childhood friend faced that situation . making ends meet is insurmountable , ' said farley-berens . there are so many doctors'appointments , copays , surgeries , prescriptions . and then the inability to work -- any savings that there may have been is gone very quickly . ' she did all she could to help . after her friend passed away , farley-berens helped start a nonprofit dedicated to assisting others in similar circumstances . since 2006 , singleton moms has provided practical , financial and emotional support to more than 300 parents in the phoenix area . do you know a hero ? nominations are open for cnn heroes 2015 tiffany montgomery , 48 , was a newly single mom when she was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer . farley-berens'group pitched in to help , so montgomery could spend more time with her daughter ezri , now 10 . when you ca n't really do much and you 're looking at the dirt on the floor , it 's one more level of stress , ' she said . you have these people that come in , that do n't know you , and'you 're going to help me with cleaning my house ?'' singleton moms has actually changed my whole outlook . they care about you , and they 're demonstrating their love through their actions . ' i sat down with farley-berens to ask her about her work . below is an edited version of our conversation . cnn : tell me about the woman who inspired your work . farley-berens : i grew up with a girl named michelle singleton who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 . she was a single mother of four children and i was a young mom with two kids . and it was scary . you just want to be there to watch them grow up . paying the bills , cleaning her home , making dinner for her kids -- all of that became a real struggle . i wanted to make things as easy as possible for her . so when i would go to the store , i 'd grab an extra tide and extra toilet paper . when i would make my meals for my family , i would double it and bring a meal over to her house . once i helped with an electric bill . i just tried to do those little things that i hoped would relieve her of some stress . about six months after she passed , we got to thinking she could n't have been the only one . there were other people like her that needed help . and that 's how singleton moms was born . cnn : i 'd imagine that many people have n't thought about the struggles of being a single parent with cancer . how are you able to help ? farley-berens : we focus on day-to-day support -- financial assistance , housecleaning , prepared meals , supplies for the home , kids'events . it 's that old-fashioned mentality of neighbors helping neighbors . who does n't like a clean house that they did n't have to clean themselves ? we have a team of volunteers that have all been background-checked and they sweep , mop , clean the bathrooms . we even have a couple of volunteers who go way above and beyond and will do laundry and fold clothes . and so , our parents can come home from chemo , sit on the couch and read a book with their child without having to worry about , ugh , the bathroom needs to be cleaned . ' it 's just to allow them to focus on what 's important , which is their health and their family . cnn : is this work hard for you sometimes , on a personal level ? farley-berens : about 80 % of the parents we support are stage 4 , which means that battling cancer is their full-time job . they will not go back to work and for the rest of their lives , they 'll be in treatment . it 's hard . it 's a rollercoaster . i 've had bouts when a certain mom has passed where i did n't get out of bed for two weeks . and i thought , why am i doing this ? ' but then i come back and remember why . and so , while michelle is and always will be our inspiration , there are now so many others that are just as inspirational . they 're why i keep doing what i do . cnn : we should note that name of the organization is no longer entirely accurate . farley-berens : we 're not just about moms -- we have dads , too ! not a lot , but if you are a single parent , you need the support . they tend to even get a little special treatment . everybody 's like , oh , there 's a dad here . ' and so they give them lots of hugs and pay a lot of attention to them . cnn : it 's such a serious subject , but your group seems to have a very fun vibe . farley-berens : we 're very social ! once a month , all of our families come to pick up their supplies . we do crafts with the kids , snacks and have a good time . we like having any event because cancer sucks , and there 's not a lot of happy that goes with that . but life does still go on , so it 's really important that these families can just de-stress and have fun . no one can understand what they 're going through like another single parent with cancer . so giving them the opportunity to meet and support each other is very powerful . cancer can be so defeating . it 's an ugly word and it 's a sad word . and so , it 's my hope that singleton moms can bring joy and say to cancer , you ca n't defeat us . we are still going to be strong and we 're going to celebrate life . and you ca n't take that away from us . ' want to get involved ? check out the singleton moms website at www.singletonmoms.org/ and see how to help . | do you know a hero ? nominations are open for 2015 cnn heroes |
mexicans <tsp> san diego , calif. ( cnn ) -- twenty years ago , an editor at the los angeles times told me the newspaper had changed the way it reported on mexico . now we cover it as a local story , ' he said . why not ? there are more mexicans living in los angeles than in any other city in the world except for mexico city . from one end of the golden state to another , hispanics are a natural part of the cultural landscape . mexican restaurants that are anything but exceptional do n't stay open long because the competition is too stiff . cities , counties , streets and subdivisions are named after catholic saints . you hear spanish in the air , and no longer question why that is . most weekends , in many cities , there is a mexican-style festival with food and music . mariachis and margaritas are always on the menu . supermarket clerks , bank tellers and restaurant cashiers greet me by rolling the r 's ' in my last name : navarrrrrette . welcome to california , which will soon achieve a milestone of sorts . if state demographers are correct , in the nation 's most populous state , which is home to more than 1 in 10 americans , hispanics will soon overtake whites to become the state 's largest racial/ethnic group . demographers predict that sometime this spring in california , hispanics will make up 39 % of the population while non-hispanic whites will account for 38.8 % . it 's a nativist nightmare . for those californians who worry about the phenomenon that sociologists call cultural displacement , ' those feelings of being marginalized and left behind will only intensify . so will the sense of irony . a state that was once controlled by mexico , before manifest destiny came along and ordained that god wanted white folks from kansas and missouri to have it , is now heavily populated by the runaway children of mexico and their offspring . an enormous swath of oceanfront property has been reclaimed without a formal declaration of war . forget what you 've heard about a reconquista : the fabled reconquering of the southwest by mexican-americans on behalf of mexico . that 's loco . most mexican-americans are barely on speaking terms with mexico . we ( i am among them ) understand that our neighbor had no room in its economy for our dark-skinned , uneducated parents and grandparents , who were forced to go north . now , most of us reciprocate and have little room in our hearts for mexico . our loyalty is to the united states . even if we were speaking to our mexican brethren , we 'd be conversing in different languages . most mexicans speak spanish , and about 80 % of u.s. latinos speak english . americans need to study up on this group . the census bureau estimates that hispanics , whose heritage can be traced to more than a dozen countries and who make up 17 % of the u.s. population , will account for as much as 29 % by 2050 . and while some americans might like to believe that these figures are artificially high due to undocumented immigrants , these are u.s. citizens and legal residents we 're talking about . these are just , as comedian george lopez likes to say , the people who answer the door when the bell rings . about 70 % of this population will be mexican or mexican-american . and when we arrive at the point where nearly 3 in 10 americans are hispanic , hispanics will see our imprint just about everywhere -- food , language , sports , fashion , entertainment , business , pop culture and beyond . so what does it mean that california has gone back to its roots and become what it was before 1850 : a hispanic state ? on the one hand , there is always the chance that , in a state such as california , this could be a kind of psychological tipping point where even the densest folks in commerce , media , academia and other fields finally get the message that hispanics are an essential and productive part of the state 's economic engine . in the golden state , whatever business you 're in , and whatever goal you 're pursuing , if you 're not incorporating hispanics into your vision and onto your team , then you 're leaving money on the table for your competition . on the other hand , those folks who worry about change might become even more fearful and hostile -- for it is fear that drives the immigration debate . americans did n't just wake up one morning and discover the concept of rule of law ' and that the united states shared a border with mexico . those things have been around for quite a while . what 's new is the demographics . as soon as many non-hispanics began to see this writing on the wall , they started building more walls . so , if enough americans deny and resist the new reality and try to -- as they say south of the border , cover the sun with their thumb -- things might get worse before they get better . there could be more conflict and hostility , as hispanics become frustrated with efforts to thwart their ascendancy . of course , hispanics themselves have the greatest power to determine their destiny . we have to make better choices and stop being a cheap date for the political parties . we have to put the united states , and our community , before our allegiance to any political party . most hispanics are registered democrats , but this goes for hispanic republicans , too . we have to elect better leaders and hold them accountable . we have to be as hard on our friends as we are on our enemies . we have to reflect now and then on what road we 're on , and change course if necessary . and we have to stop squabbling with one another , and make our community safe for diverse opinions that stray from the established narrative . there is reason for optimism . there are better days ahead , and nothing to fear . hispanics did n't just come to america . in california , and the rest of the southwest , it was the other way around . america came to hispanics . now we are one and the same . | he says nativists balk , but mexicans not new ; they are long woven into fabric , loyal to u.s . |
gene kelly <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- when it comes to theatrical dance in the arab world , all roads lead to mahmoud reda . during a glittering career , the 79-year-old egyptian dancer and choreographer has performed on the world 's most prestigious stages , including new york 's carnegie hall and congress hall in berlin . his universal appeal , likened to u.s. dance legends gene kelly and fred astaire , has allowed reda to export his particular mix of theatrical and traditional dance around the globe . this year , the arab dance ambassador celebrates the 50th anniversary of his influential folk dance group , the reda dance troupe . reda 's style draws from techniques of jazz , ballet , hindu dance and russian folkloric dance . it has had influenced and shaped the dance form known as raks sharki ' ( oriental dance ) , more commonly known as belly dancing ' outside the middle east . i was inspired by folklore and putting my own technique with some blend of classical ballet to improve , you know , the movements , ' reda told cnn . | reda 's universal appeal is often compared with fred astaire or gene kelly |
georgia <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- the tabloid-friendly tale of the so-called california octomom ' continues to stir debate -- this time 2,000 miles away in the georgia state capitol , where lawmakers say they 're trying to prevent a repeat . proposed legislation regulating in-vitro practices came after nadya suleman gave birth to octuplets . a georgia state senator introduced legislation to limit the number of embryos that can be implanted in a woman 's uterus during in-vitro fertilization procedures . sen. ralph hudgens , a republican from near athens , georgia , said his legislation was inspired by nadya suleman , the woman who said she gave birth to octuplets after being fertilized with six embryos -- an unusually high number . she is not married , ' said hudgens . she is unemployed , she is on government assistance and now she is going to put those 14 children on the back of the taxpayers in the state of california . ' suleman , 33 , had six children before the procedure . hudgens'plan , which was co-sponsored by several other senators , would limit the number of embryos a doctor could implant to two for women under 40 years old and three for women 40 or older . those numbers are slightly less than what 's considered the norm in medical circles . the american society for reproductive medicine recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 . the reason for allowing more embryos in women over 40 is that it is more difficult for them to get pregnant . state lawmakers in missouri are considering a similar bill . and england and italy have had similar limits on the books for years . at least some fertility doctors say the limits in hudgens'bill would hurt chances for women to get pregnant . they say that while three embryos are usually enough , there are special cases when they need more . what this bill will effectively do is shut us down , ' said dr. daniel shapiro , a fertility doctor in atlanta . patients seeking reproductive care in georgia will go to tennessee or south carolina or alabama . they will just leave . ' breaking the law would carry a fine of up to $ 1,000 under the legislation . some critics of the plan also see another problem , calling it a backdoor effort to outlaw abortions in the state . the bill , which hudgens titled the ethical treatment of human embryos act , ' contains language that says a living in vitro human embryo is a biological human being who is not the property of any person or entity . ' the anti-abortion group georgia right to life issued a news release in support of the bill on the day it was introduced . georgia right to life supports sen. hudgens in this legislation and wants to see strong protections in place to stop the dangerous practice of implanting more embryos than is medically recommended , ' the group said , saying the plan would help avoid premature births and low birth weight in in-vitro fertilization cases . realistically , the bill faces long odds of passing -- at least in the near future . tuesday was day 25 of the georgia legislature 's 40-day session . legislators will meet 10 more days , then take a break until june , when lawmakers will consider how money flowing to the state from the federal economic-stimulus plan may help their ongoing budget woes . according the the georgia legislature 's web site on tuesday , hudgens'bill had been read and assigned to a committee , but no other action had taken place . some georgians from the lawmaker 's part of the state say they hope he has to keep waiting for a long time . unless the senator is a physician , ethicist or other informed professional , he should step aside and let the medical professionals determine what is best in individual cases , ' dorothy west wrote in a letter to the editor of the athens banner-herald , hudgens'hometown paper . there are other issues more important to the citizens of georgia that should be addressed . ' cnn 's elizabeth cohen and doug gross contributed to this report . | bill faces long odds of passing because of timing in georgia legislature |
georgia <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- the tabloid-friendly tale of the so-called california octomom ' continues to stir debate -- this time 2,000 miles away in the georgia state capitol , where lawmakers say they 're trying to prevent a repeat . proposed legislation regulating in-vitro practices came after nadya suleman gave birth to octuplets . a georgia state senator introduced legislation to limit the number of embryos that can be implanted in a woman 's uterus during in-vitro fertilization procedures . sen. ralph hudgens , a republican from near athens , georgia , said his legislation was inspired by nadya suleman , the woman who said she gave birth to octuplets after being fertilized with six embryos -- an unusually high number . she is not married , ' said hudgens . she is unemployed , she is on government assistance and now she is going to put those 14 children on the back of the taxpayers in the state of california . ' suleman , 33 , had six children before the procedure . hudgens'plan , which was co-sponsored by several other senators , would limit the number of embryos a doctor could implant to two for women under 40 years old and three for women 40 or older . those numbers are slightly less than what 's considered the norm in medical circles . the american society for reproductive medicine recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 . the reason for allowing more embryos in women over 40 is that it is more difficult for them to get pregnant . state lawmakers in missouri are considering a similar bill . and england and italy have had similar limits on the books for years . at least some fertility doctors say the limits in hudgens'bill would hurt chances for women to get pregnant . they say that while three embryos are usually enough , there are special cases when they need more . what this bill will effectively do is shut us down , ' said dr. daniel shapiro , a fertility doctor in atlanta . patients seeking reproductive care in georgia will go to tennessee or south carolina or alabama . they will just leave . ' breaking the law would carry a fine of up to $ 1,000 under the legislation . some critics of the plan also see another problem , calling it a backdoor effort to outlaw abortions in the state . the bill , which hudgens titled the ethical treatment of human embryos act , ' contains language that says a living in vitro human embryo is a biological human being who is not the property of any person or entity . ' the anti-abortion group georgia right to life issued a news release in support of the bill on the day it was introduced . georgia right to life supports sen. hudgens in this legislation and wants to see strong protections in place to stop the dangerous practice of implanting more embryos than is medically recommended , ' the group said , saying the plan would help avoid premature births and low birth weight in in-vitro fertilization cases . realistically , the bill faces long odds of passing -- at least in the near future . tuesday was day 25 of the georgia legislature 's 40-day session . legislators will meet 10 more days , then take a break until june , when lawmakers will consider how money flowing to the state from the federal economic-stimulus plan may help their ongoing budget woes . according the the georgia legislature 's web site on tuesday , hudgens'bill had been read and assigned to a committee , but no other action had taken place . some georgians from the lawmaker 's part of the state say they hope he has to keep waiting for a long time . unless the senator is a physician , ethicist or other informed professional , he should step aside and let the medical professionals determine what is best in individual cases , ' dorothy west wrote in a letter to the editor of the athens banner-herald , hudgens'hometown paper . there are other issues more important to the citizens of georgia that should be addressed . ' cnn 's elizabeth cohen and doug gross contributed to this report . | georgia state senator says bill was inspired by octomom ' nadya suleman |
jenna talackova <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- the miss universe organization announced tuesday it is ending its ban on transgender contestants after coming under scrutiny recently when a canadian competitor was told she would be disqualified because she was born male . miss universe officials insist the change is in spite of , not because of , legal threats from women 's rights lawyer gloria allred made on behalf of contestant jenna talackova . we made the decision two days before we even heard that ( allred ) was involved , ' pageant owner donald trump told cnn monday . had i known she was involved , maybe i would n't have made that decision because she 's easy to beat . ' allred launched a blistering attack on trump at a news conference a week ago , saying his pageant had no right to question talackova 's sexuality . she did not ask mr. trump to prove that he is a naturally born man or to see photos of his birth to view his anatomy to prove that he was male , ' allred said . in a twitter posting monday , trump called allred a third rate lawyer ' who actually hurts jenna . ' is gloria a man or a woman ? ? ? ? -- -- few men would know the answer to that one , ' trump tweeted in a personal retort to allred . allred did not immediately respond to cnn 's request for a response to trump 's attack . the miss universe pageant announced last week that talackova , 23 , could compete provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of canada , and the standards established by other international competitions . ' allred had criticized that announcement , saying the conditions were ambigious . ' trump later said talackova could compete without conditions , but stopped short of a permanent rule change . miss universe president paula shugart , in a statement released tuesday , said the credit for lifting the ban should go to the gay & lesbian alliance against defamation ( glaad ) , not allred . the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with glaad and not jenna 's legal representation , which if anything delayed the process , ' shugart said . we have a long history of supporting equality for all women , and this was something we took very seriously . ' shugart joined glaad in a joint announcement tuesday that the miss universe organization is close to finalizing an official policy change that will allow women who are transgender to participate in its beauty competitions . ' discussions between the pageant and glaad began last month after news reports that talackova had been disqualified from the miss canada universe competition after winning a regional title , the joint statement said . the resulting change opens this fall 's 2013 pageant season to transgender women , it said . for more than two weeks , the miss universe organization and mr. trump made it clear to glaad that they were open to making a policy change to include women who are transgender , ' said glaad spokesman herndon graddick . we appreciate that ( trump ) and his team responded swiftly and appropriately , ' graddick said . talackova , a 6-foot-1-inch blond canadian , underwent sexual reassignment surgery four years ago . in a 2010 interview , she said she knew she was a girl at age 4 . she said she started hormone therapy at age 14 and underwent sexual reassignment surgery at 19 . she won a regional beauty crown qualifying her for canada 's national title , but she was then told the miss canada universe pageant in toronto on may 19 was only open to naturally born females . ' i am a woman , ' talackova said in a prepared statement she read to reporters in allred 's conference room last week . i was devastated and i felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust . ' | allred attacked the pageant for disqualifying jenna talackova because she was born a man |
cuban <tsp> miami ( cnn ) -- it sounded like a good deal : get a cuban birth certificate and stay in the united states , worry-free . but federal authorities say the birth certificates were n't legitimate , and the undocumented immigrants trying to get them were n't cuban . now a federal judge in florida has sentenced several people for conspiring to commit immigration fraud . the defendants , authorities say , made more than half a million dollars selling forged cuban birth certificates to undocumented immigrants and helping them fill out fraudulent u.s. immigration forms . their aim , investigators said , was to exploit a u.s. law that allows cuban immigrants to apply for permanent residence if they 've been in the united states for more than a year . authorities arrested nelson daniel silvestri soutto , laura maria ponce santos , amelia osorio and fidel morejon vega last year . court documents show that all four have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud . new immigration rules help undocumented families court documents provide details about a type of scam that 's becoming increasingly common , immigration lawyers say . in one conversation with a confidential informant recorded by investigators , morejon demanded thousands of dollars in payment for cuban birth certificates and provided advice about how to answer questions from immigration authorities who might ask why he has a mexican accent . 'uh , because i work with a lot of mexicans and i caught it ( the accent ) ...'' period , ' morejon said , according to a transcript of the conversation filed in federal court . you are cuban ... from today on ... 3:25 in the afternoon you are entering the united states and you are cuban . ' morejon advised the informant and an undercover officer not to make conversation with officials , and to tell them they arrived in a raft , ' according to the transcript . investigators describe morejon as the scheme 's ringleader , accusing him of recruiting the others and paying them referral fees for each undocumented immigrant who purchased his services . opinion : solve immigration without a quick path to citizenship he met with numerous illegal aliens and told them that he could assist them in obtaining their residency in the united states by pretending to be cuban , ' according to a court document filed along with morejon 's guilty plea agreement last year . to effectuate the fraud , morejon posed as an immigration officer to impress the illegal aliens ( and ) also threatened some of the illegal aliens with deportation , ' the document said . the day authorities arrested him , they found blank cuban birth certificates and altered naturalization certificates in his florida home , federal prosecutors said in a memo filed this month . in addition to selling fake cuban birth certificates , morejon also sold fraudulent presidential pardons , prosecutors said . morejon , of kissimmee , florida , is scheduled to be sentenced later this month . prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence him to more than three years in prison . the full extent of morejon 's fraud remains unknown as his former customers continue to be identified by the government , ' prosecutors said . the one conclusion that must be drawn from all the facts is that morejon devoted his life , over a period of more than three and a half years , to extracting as much money as possible from his customers and obtaining that money by whatever means necessary . ' u.s. district judge cecilia m. altonaga sentenced ponce earlier this month to six months in prison , two years on parole and nine months under house arrest . osorio was sentenced thursday to four months in prison , two years of parole and 11 months under house arrest . and silvestri was sentenced to a year in prison , three years on parole and nine months under house arrest . morejon pleaded guilty and acknowledged he was the organizer , ' said hugo rodriguez , an attorney representing morejon . that means he 'll likely receive a higher sentence , rodriguez said . attorney richard serafini , who represents osorio , declined to comment but referred to a memo he filed in court earlier this month , arguing for a lower sentence . the memo argues that osorio , 61 , paid morejon thousands of dollars for a fraudulent presidential pardon for her son , who had been convicted of a federal drug offense . she became involved in the conspiracy through her efforts to help her son ' and her criminal conduct was an extreme aberration , ' serafini wrote . her background is one of hard work , dedication to her family and , until this episode , law-abiding , ' the memo said . attorneys for ponce and silvestri did not respond to requests for comment . this type of scam has been happening in florida for years but appears to be on the rise , immigration attorney wilfredo allen said . there are consequences beyond this particular case , according to maite hoyos , an immigration attorney in miami . more and more , she said , authorities are asking her cuban clients to prove the validity of their birth certificates -- something , she says , that suggests that this type of fraud is on investigators'radar . adriana hauser reported from miami . catherine e. shoichet wrote the story in atlanta . | you are cuban from today on , ' the plot 's alleged ringleader tells one client |
cuban <tsp> miami ( cnn ) -- it sounded like a good deal : get a cuban birth certificate and stay in the united states , worry-free . but federal authorities say the birth certificates were n't legitimate , and the undocumented immigrants trying to get them were n't cuban . now a federal judge in florida has sentenced several people for conspiring to commit immigration fraud . the defendants , authorities say , made more than half a million dollars selling forged cuban birth certificates to undocumented immigrants and helping them fill out fraudulent u.s. immigration forms . their aim , investigators said , was to exploit a u.s. law that allows cuban immigrants to apply for permanent residence if they 've been in the united states for more than a year . authorities arrested nelson daniel silvestri soutto , laura maria ponce santos , amelia osorio and fidel morejon vega last year . court documents show that all four have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud . new immigration rules help undocumented families court documents provide details about a type of scam that 's becoming increasingly common , immigration lawyers say . in one conversation with a confidential informant recorded by investigators , morejon demanded thousands of dollars in payment for cuban birth certificates and provided advice about how to answer questions from immigration authorities who might ask why he has a mexican accent . 'uh , because i work with a lot of mexicans and i caught it ( the accent ) ...'' period , ' morejon said , according to a transcript of the conversation filed in federal court . you are cuban ... from today on ... 3:25 in the afternoon you are entering the united states and you are cuban . ' morejon advised the informant and an undercover officer not to make conversation with officials , and to tell them they arrived in a raft , ' according to the transcript . investigators describe morejon as the scheme 's ringleader , accusing him of recruiting the others and paying them referral fees for each undocumented immigrant who purchased his services . opinion : solve immigration without a quick path to citizenship he met with numerous illegal aliens and told them that he could assist them in obtaining their residency in the united states by pretending to be cuban , ' according to a court document filed along with morejon 's guilty plea agreement last year . to effectuate the fraud , morejon posed as an immigration officer to impress the illegal aliens ( and ) also threatened some of the illegal aliens with deportation , ' the document said . the day authorities arrested him , they found blank cuban birth certificates and altered naturalization certificates in his florida home , federal prosecutors said in a memo filed this month . in addition to selling fake cuban birth certificates , morejon also sold fraudulent presidential pardons , prosecutors said . morejon , of kissimmee , florida , is scheduled to be sentenced later this month . prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence him to more than three years in prison . the full extent of morejon 's fraud remains unknown as his former customers continue to be identified by the government , ' prosecutors said . the one conclusion that must be drawn from all the facts is that morejon devoted his life , over a period of more than three and a half years , to extracting as much money as possible from his customers and obtaining that money by whatever means necessary . ' u.s. district judge cecilia m. altonaga sentenced ponce earlier this month to six months in prison , two years on parole and nine months under house arrest . osorio was sentenced thursday to four months in prison , two years of parole and 11 months under house arrest . and silvestri was sentenced to a year in prison , three years on parole and nine months under house arrest . morejon pleaded guilty and acknowledged he was the organizer , ' said hugo rodriguez , an attorney representing morejon . that means he 'll likely receive a higher sentence , rodriguez said . attorney richard serafini , who represents osorio , declined to comment but referred to a memo he filed in court earlier this month , arguing for a lower sentence . the memo argues that osorio , 61 , paid morejon thousands of dollars for a fraudulent presidential pardon for her son , who had been convicted of a federal drug offense . she became involved in the conspiracy through her efforts to help her son ' and her criminal conduct was an extreme aberration , ' serafini wrote . her background is one of hard work , dedication to her family and , until this episode , law-abiding , ' the memo said . attorneys for ponce and silvestri did not respond to requests for comment . this type of scam has been happening in florida for years but appears to be on the rise , immigration attorney wilfredo allen said . there are consequences beyond this particular case , according to maite hoyos , an immigration attorney in miami . more and more , she said , authorities are asking her cuban clients to prove the validity of their birth certificates -- something , she says , that suggests that this type of fraud is on investigators'radar . adriana hauser reported from miami . catherine e. shoichet wrote the story in atlanta . | prosecutors : scammers made $ 500,000 selling fake cuban birth certificates |
miami <tsp> miami , florida ( cnn ) -- an internationally known catholic priest who was shown in photographs last week embracing a bathing-suit-clad woman on a florida beach has admitted they had a two-year affair . the rev . alberto cutie was removed from his duties after pictures showed him bare-chested with a woman . the rev . alberto cutie -- sometimes called father oprah ' because of the advice he gave on spanish-language media -- said monday on cbs' early show ' that he is in love with the woman and is considering his options : whether to break up with her or leave the priesthood and marry her . the woman , who has not been publicly identified , wants to get married , cutie said . the priest was removed from his duties last week at st. francis de sales catholic church in miami beach , florida , and on the radio paz and radio peace networks . i take full responsibility for what i did , and i know it 's wrong , ' he said monday . the photos of the cuban-american priest , also known as padre alberto , ' appeared on the cover of last week 's tv notas magazine and on eight inside pages . the cover says in spanish : good god ! padre alberto . first photos of a priest'in flagrante'with his lover . ' other media outlets throughout latin america , including the official notimex news agency in mexico , picked up the story , and it became an internet sensation . cutie has millions of followers in the spanish-speaking world . in a message posted on the miami , florida , archdiocese web page last week , archbishop john c. favalora apologized to parishioners and radio listeners for what he called a scandal . ' father cutie made a promise of celibacy and all priests are expected to fulfill that promise with the help of god , ' favalora said . father cutie 's actions can not be condoned despite the good works he has done as a priest . ' cutie expressed his regret in an online statement last week and again monday on the cbs program . i deeply apologize to the catholic community and especially to my bishop and to my brother priests who are faithful and who are committed to celibacy , ' cutie said . the priest said he believes in celibacy but thinks it should be optional . he said he had never had a sexual relationship with anyone other than the woman since leaving the seminary 15 years ago . watch father cutie question the celibacy requirement » ' i do n't support the breaking of the celibacy promise , ' cutie said . i understand fully that this is wrong . i do n't want to be the anti-celibacy priest . i think that 's unfortunate , ' he said . i think it 's a debate that 's going on in our society , and now i 've become kind of a poster boy for it . but i do n't want to be that . i believe that celibacy is good , and that it 's a good commitment to god . this is something i 've struggled with . and something that i never expected to become a public debate . ' he also talked about the woman , saying they have been friends for a long time and the attraction was there from early on , but it was not acted on until a couple of years ago . they have both struggled ' with the relationship , he said . she 's also a woman of faith , ' cutie said . she 's also somebody who cares about the priesthood , who cares about these things . so it has n't been easy . and those who have helped me through this process know it has n't been easy . obviously , you know , through the photos , it looked like a frivolous thing on the beach , you know , and that 's not what it is . it 's something deeper than that . ' cutie was the first catholic priest to host a daily talk show on a major secular television network , his information on the linkedin online professional network says . in addition to his tv and radio appearances , he has written newspaper advice columns and a self-help book , real life , real love . ' before being removed , he was president and general director of pax catholic communications , home of radio paz and radio peace in miami . | catholic priest was removed from duties in miami archdiocese |
ebola <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as the world reels from its deadliest ebola outbreak , health experts are fast-tracking tests for various vaccines , and hope to have millions of experimental doses by next year . there is currently no cure or vaccine for ebola , which continues to spread in liberia , sierra leone and guinea . the virus has killed nearly 5,000 people -- mostly in those three nations -- and infected twice that number . scientists racing to stop the epidemic are trying various experimental drugs on patients , including zmapp and tkm-ebola . in addition to drug development , there 's a scramble to develop vaccines , with scores of companies working on experimental doses , the world health organization said this week . health care workers in affected nations will get the first opportunity to try the experimental vaccines . glaxosmithkline and the public health agency of canada are already conducting the first phase of clinical trials for two experimental vaccines , according to the who . the latter hopes to have 12 million experimental doses by the first quarter of next year . the gsk vaccine is being tried on healthy volunteers in the united kingdom and mali ; the canadian one is undergoing testing on healthy volunteers in the united states . if the vaccines are determined to be safe , tens of thousands of doses could be used in west african trials beginning in january of next year , ' the who said . other vaccines in the works include those by protein sciences and inovio , and another one by russian scientists . according to the latest who figures released saturday , there have been at least 10,141 cases of ebola -- with 4,922 reported deaths -- as of thursday . liberia , sierra leone and guinea account for nearly all the cases . all but one district in liberia and all districts in sierra leone have reported at least one case of ebola since the start of the outbreak in march , the who said . about 450 health workers have caught the virus worldwide . of those , 244 have died . ebola is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person . the push for vaccines came as new cases of ebola were confirmed in new york and mali , the latter the first case in that nation . complete coverage on ebola cnn 's jen christensen and journalist katarina hoije contributed to this report . | there is currently no cure or vaccine for ebola |
madison avenue <tsp> ( cnn ) -- hate to stand in long lines on black friday ? after getting your fill of thanksgiving turkey , go online instead . cyber monday , december 2 , is n't just for toys and electronics . you can also find great travel deals you can book as gifts for the intrepid jet-setter on your list , or for your wanderlust self . here is a sampling of travel deals from the sun-drenched beaches of the caribbean and florida , the white-frosted slopes of colorado , cosmopolitan new york and boston and europe 's rails -- and lots more . note that some offerings have blackout dates and are for limited time only . so remember , the early bird gobbles up the deals ; you can start shopping at the stroke of midnight on december 2 in most cases . schuss the slopes hotel jerome in the heart of aspen , colorado , is offering 30 % off room rates ; three-night minimum required , fully prepaid and nonrefundable . valid travel dates are through the end of ski season ( blackout dates apply ) . philadelphia story book one of the renovated business class rooms in the radisson blu warwick hotel and pay $ 19.26 , in honor of the year the historic hotel opened . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2013 , through february 28 , 2014 ( based upon availability , blackout dates , other conditions apply ) . across the pond rail europe is offering its first cyber monday promo ( which extends to december 6 ) offering $ 100 off global and select eurail passes . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2013 , through march 31 , 2014 . visit the rail website and enter coupon code cyber2013 . shelling out less in florida book three or more consecutive nights at captiva island 's south seas island resort on cyber monday and receive 25 % off the best available rate . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2014 , through march 21 , 2014 ( subject to blackout dates , certain accommodation types ) . book it via facebook at www.facebook.com/southseasresortvillage or twitter @ ssislandresort . warm weather paradise the deal in aruba : the beachfront hyatt regency aruba resort spa and casino is offering a gimmicky 12/2/2013-themed promo that features 20 % off a deluxe room , a $ 12.02 daily cocktail credit at piet 's pier bar , and a $ 20.13 daily credit at zoia spa . valid travel dates are may , june , september , october and november , 2014 . book it on cyber monday , from 12:02 a.m. to 8:13 p.m. ( 20:13 ) , via the website or call 011-297-586-1234 . the deal in tortola : book the spacious , private cielo villa on tortola for a week 's stay and get 20 % off rates that begin at $ 390 per night . valid travel dates are december 15 , 2013 , to december 15 , 2014 . book it on cyber monday , from 6 a.m. to midnight , visit www.vrbo.com and enter property # 272558 or call 978-462-7091 . the deal on paradise island : beginning black friday through cyber monday , book a minimum two nights in a beach tower room at family-friendly atlantis resort on paradise island for $ 99 per night . bonus : rates are refundable . valid travel dates are august 24 , 2014 , to october 29 , 2014 , and november 30 , 2014 , to december 25 , 2014 . ( deals for other travel dates are also offered , blackout dates and other terms apply . ) empire state of mind the deal on madison : madison avenue 's historic roosevelt hotel is offering a two-hour flash sale on cyber monday offering 50 % off best available rates for select rooms . valid travel dates are january 3 , 2014 , to march 31 , 2014 . book it at https : //www.reservations-page.com/c00268/h01416/be.ashx ? pc=cy50 between 10 a.m. and noon ( est ) and enter rate code cy50 . ( bookings must be prepaid , are nonrefundable , and subject to availability and blackout dates . ) the deal in the village : great gatsby-inspired jade hotel in greenwich village is offering a 1920's-themed package that includes a $ 192 room rate , lunch at grape & vine for $ 19.20 and two 1920 's theme cocktails . valid travel dates are january and february , 2014 . book it on cyber monday between midnight and 7:20 p.m. ( 19:20 ) . budget bonus the economy lodging chain red roof inns is featuring up to 30 % off room rates on properties nationwide ( discounts vary according to property , subject to blackout dates ) . valid travel dates are december 3 through february 28 , 2014 . book by visiting the hotel website and use vp code 616892 or call 800-red-roof . california surfin'the web the deal in beverly hills : a credit card-throw from la 's rodeo drive , the montage beverly hills is offering 40 % off best available room rates and a complimentary bottle of champagne upon arrival ( excluding packages and previously booked rooms ) . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2013 , through february 28 , 2014 ( blackout dates december 21 to 31 , 2013 , and january weekends ) . the deal in berkeley : book any room category and receive 40 % off the best available rate at the historic claremont hotel , club & spa in berkeley . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2013 , through april 30 , 2014 ( based upon availability , blackout dates apply ) . book it at the hotel website using promo code cyber . do n't leave home until you book it american express is offering its first cyber monday deal , a 72-hour promo at participating hotels throughout the usa and canada , for limited post-holiday travel . valid travel dates are january 13 , 2014 , to january 31 , 2014 . the 72-hour promotion begins on cyber monday at www.amextravel.com . red sox nation the deal in cape cod : cape cod 's beachfront sea crest beach hotel is offering up to 30 % off room rates for three nights or more and 20 % off one- or two-night stays . valid travel dates are december 6 , 2013 , to june 16 , 2014 ( blackout dates and certain terms may apply ) . visit the website at midnight on black friday through cyber monday . the deal in boston 's back bay : stay two nights and get 10 % off the best available rate per night and upgrade upon arrival at handsome fifteen beacon hotel in boston 's back bay . valid travel dates are december 2 , 2013 , through march 31 , 2014 . book it cyber monday by visiting the website or call 617-670-1500 . the deal in boston 's faneuil hall : the bostonian millennium , across from faneuil hall , is offering a $ 129 room rate for friday and sunday nights and a 30 % discount off best available rates other nights . the deal begins black friday and runs through cyber monday . valid travel dates are november 29 , 2013 , through march 2014 . book it by visiting the website and use code cyberm . how about a saturday sale ? south carolina beach destination myrtle beach is launching travel saturday , a one-day cybertravel shopping event on november 30 . we 're looking forward to seeing how consumers react to having the chance to purchase heavily discounted travel deals while they 're still surrounded by family and could be setting the dates for their 2014 travel plans , ' said susan phillips , director of marketing for the myrtle beach area chamber of commerce/cvb . discounts include 35 % off room rates during the peak summer months and perks like free rounds of golf and 50 % off tickets to attractions like ripley 's aquarium . visit www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/travelsaturday . | new york is chilly but greenwich village and madison avenue are still hot |
raqqa <tsp> raqqa was , a matter of months ago , one of syria 's most liberal cities . now locals call it tora bora . they say it 's as if the taliban of afghanistan have taken over . after months of bombardment by the regime and a chaotic lack of control by weak and divided moderate rebels , al qaeda have found a broken society , made it their home , and imposed on it hardline islamist law . each morning , activists told us , they seem to awake to a more conservative city . the bayanaat ' or rulings sometimes appear on town walls . many limit women 's rights -- to walk alone , to style or show their hair . other edicts come by word of mouth -- no smoking , no cameras . behind them are often foreign jihadists from the al qaeda linked militant group the islamic state of iraq and syria , or isis . the fear that now grips the city can be felt in the shocking bruises on adnan 's body . adnan , whose name has been changed out of fears for his safety , was behind some graffiti in raqqa that told isis to get out . they caught him filming too , and dragged him into the burned-out ruins of a church they had torched and labeled as a new isis base . adnan was then taken to a nearby basement where the torture started . every 15 minutes , someone poured water on me , electrocuted me , kicked me , then walked out , ' he said . but his own pain , he said , he could handle , as his body eventually went numb . it was hearing the pain and the screams of other prisoners he knew that was the hardest . when a person is tortured in front of you , you feel responsible . that 's the hardest . one guy still inside used to call me dad as i taught him about democracy , ' he said . one isis video -- part of a high-definition , heavily produced social media channel that displays their ideals and exploits -- shows their militants driving through raqqa at night . they pass a poster , put up by isis , encouraging women to wear the islamic hijab or partial veil , to cover their beauty ' . the militants'goal , though , is reaching a cafe where they tell patrons smoking will be banned . another video shows them burning not only marijuana , but also large numbers of cigarette cartons . another shows an isis teacher -- his face blurred -- with a group of schoolchildren , all wearing isis 's distinctive black headbands . it is extraordinarily dangerous to film inside raqqa . activists have been beaten and jailed by isis for doing so . but cnn has gathered rare video from some activists and from isis 's own websites that paint a chilling picture of the rapid lurch towards radical islamist ideology in a city now under isis control . dozens of interviews with activists and syrians have also detailed the story of a city where women -- along with the previously liberal lifestyle of an entire town -- are being rapidly suppressed by militants bent on establishing an islamic caliphate across northern syria . one female activist said : they are closing hair salons , women ca n't go out at certain times . they spat on one girl for disobedience . it 's like afghanistan . now people call raqqa tora bora . ' the speed of change has overwhelmed many who notice that the city is becoming quieter and more conservative each week . isis first came into town on may 15 , and swiftly executed men they accused of working for the regime . at first , they seemed an islamist but better-organized alternative to the rebels who had failed to bring governance or peace to the city for months . but slowly a broader agenda emerged and began to gather pace each week , activists told cnn . rebels who opposed isis were at first jailed , sparking protests . yet isis became increasingly uncompromising in their grip on the town . rules for social conduct in raqqa , some written and some not , have emerged in the past few weeks . they have yet to reach the extent of those seen in the nearby town of jarablus -- where one poster recently warned thieves would have their hand chopped off -- but locals fear that could come soon . anti-isis dissent has been silenced in raqqa , and many activists and locals we spoke to have fled the town . some stay and spray-paint graffiti declaring that isis and syrian president bashar al-assad are the same , or telling isis to get out . locals note the irony in the fact that isis beats them for this graffiti , just in the same way that the assad regime was accused of torturing young people for anti-government graffiti in the southern town of daraa -- an incident that began the revolution in march 2011 . for many , isis is now something worse than the regime . is al qaeda taking over northern syria ? how jihadis are being smuggled through turkey syrian rebels embrace sharia law | activist : it 's like afghanistan . now people call raqqa tora bora . ' |
raqqa <tsp> raqqa was , a matter of months ago , one of syria 's most liberal cities . now locals call it tora bora . they say it 's as if the taliban of afghanistan have taken over . after months of bombardment by the regime and a chaotic lack of control by weak and divided moderate rebels , al qaeda have found a broken society , made it their home , and imposed on it hardline islamist law . each morning , activists told us , they seem to awake to a more conservative city . the bayanaat ' or rulings sometimes appear on town walls . many limit women 's rights -- to walk alone , to style or show their hair . other edicts come by word of mouth -- no smoking , no cameras . behind them are often foreign jihadists from the al qaeda linked militant group the islamic state of iraq and syria , or isis . the fear that now grips the city can be felt in the shocking bruises on adnan 's body . adnan , whose name has been changed out of fears for his safety , was behind some graffiti in raqqa that told isis to get out . they caught him filming too , and dragged him into the burned-out ruins of a church they had torched and labeled as a new isis base . adnan was then taken to a nearby basement where the torture started . every 15 minutes , someone poured water on me , electrocuted me , kicked me , then walked out , ' he said . but his own pain , he said , he could handle , as his body eventually went numb . it was hearing the pain and the screams of other prisoners he knew that was the hardest . when a person is tortured in front of you , you feel responsible . that 's the hardest . one guy still inside used to call me dad as i taught him about democracy , ' he said . one isis video -- part of a high-definition , heavily produced social media channel that displays their ideals and exploits -- shows their militants driving through raqqa at night . they pass a poster , put up by isis , encouraging women to wear the islamic hijab or partial veil , to cover their beauty ' . the militants'goal , though , is reaching a cafe where they tell patrons smoking will be banned . another video shows them burning not only marijuana , but also large numbers of cigarette cartons . another shows an isis teacher -- his face blurred -- with a group of schoolchildren , all wearing isis 's distinctive black headbands . it is extraordinarily dangerous to film inside raqqa . activists have been beaten and jailed by isis for doing so . but cnn has gathered rare video from some activists and from isis 's own websites that paint a chilling picture of the rapid lurch towards radical islamist ideology in a city now under isis control . dozens of interviews with activists and syrians have also detailed the story of a city where women -- along with the previously liberal lifestyle of an entire town -- are being rapidly suppressed by militants bent on establishing an islamic caliphate across northern syria . one female activist said : they are closing hair salons , women ca n't go out at certain times . they spat on one girl for disobedience . it 's like afghanistan . now people call raqqa tora bora . ' the speed of change has overwhelmed many who notice that the city is becoming quieter and more conservative each week . isis first came into town on may 15 , and swiftly executed men they accused of working for the regime . at first , they seemed an islamist but better-organized alternative to the rebels who had failed to bring governance or peace to the city for months . but slowly a broader agenda emerged and began to gather pace each week , activists told cnn . rebels who opposed isis were at first jailed , sparking protests . yet isis became increasingly uncompromising in their grip on the town . rules for social conduct in raqqa , some written and some not , have emerged in the past few weeks . they have yet to reach the extent of those seen in the nearby town of jarablus -- where one poster recently warned thieves would have their hand chopped off -- but locals fear that could come soon . anti-isis dissent has been silenced in raqqa , and many activists and locals we spoke to have fled the town . some stay and spray-paint graffiti declaring that isis and syrian president bashar al-assad are the same , or telling isis to get out . locals note the irony in the fact that isis beats them for this graffiti , just in the same way that the assad regime was accused of torturing young people for anti-government graffiti in the southern town of daraa -- an incident that began the revolution in march 2011 . for many , isis is now something worse than the regime . is al qaeda taking over northern syria ? how jihadis are being smuggled through turkey syrian rebels embrace sharia law | raqqa , one of syria 's most liberal cities , has been seized by al qaeda-backed militants |
google <tsp> ( financial times ) -- google is on the verge of unveiling an ã la carte subscription service for some of youtube 's specialist video channels , to finance a broader range of content and add a second revenue stream to the digital video market leader . the move , which has been in the works for months , could be announced as early as this week . it will apply to as many as 50 youtube channels , people familiar with the plan say . viewers will be able to subscribe to each channel for as little as $ 1.99 a month . the subscription service will enable channel operators to produce different content , such as tv shows and films , a person familiar with the plan said . advertising on youtube and rival video sites has risen fast , but remains a fraction of television budgets . digital video advertising will jump from $ 2.93bn to $ 4.14bn in 2013 , emarketer estimates , but will account for just 2.4 per cent of all ad spending . youtube claims the lion 's share of that revenue . brian wieser at pivotal research estimates that youtube 's ad revenues will rise from $ 1.3bn in 2012 to $ 2bn this year and bernstein research said on friday that its revenues could exceed $ 15bn in the next several years ' , roughly matching cbs or viacom . youtube told the financial times that it had nothing to announce ' regarding channel subscriptions but was looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to youtube for our users to enjoy and provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content , beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer ' . youtube 's channel partners include howcast , world wrestling entertainment , the onion and machinima -- a network for gamers . it is unclear which channels have signed on to the new service . cable and satellite channels , which traditionally rely on a dual revenue stream model , are eyeing youtube 's subscription service to generate revenue from older shows and new programming , according to another person familiar with the project . youtube has moved away from its early days as a destination for user-generated content to professionally produced video that would not look out of place on television . in the past 18 months it has spent more than $ 200m on advances to dozens of start-up channels . the new channels have helped expand youtube 's audience to 1bn users who watch 6bn hours of video each month . every one of ad age 's 100 largest brands has advertised on the site . we 're seeing a myriad of brands increasing their media spend , ' said robert kyncl , global head of content partnerships for youtube . time warner , the chernin group , bertelsmann , discovery communications and comcast have all invested in companies that create or aggregate youtube content . traditional media companies are also eyeing audiences flocking to individual youtube channels : dreamworks animation , the company behind the shrek movies , this week acquired awesomeness tv , a teen-focused ' youtube network in a deal that could be worth $ 117m if earnings targets are met . subscription youtube channels will compete with the likes of netflix , the streaming service with more than 30m subscribers , and hulu , owned by walt disney , news corp and comcast , which said last week it had surpassed 4m . © the financial times limited 2013 | google on verge of unveiling subscription service for youtube 's specialist video channels |
a & e <tsp> ( cnn ) one of the biggest tv events of all time is being reimagined for new audiences . roots , ' the epic miniseries about an african-american slave and his descendants , had a staggering audience of over 100 million viewers back in 1977 . now a & e networks are remaking the miniseries , to air in 2016 . a & e , lifetime and history ( formerly the history channel ) announced thursday that the three networks would simulcast a remake of the saga of kunta kinte , an african who was captured , shipped to america and sold into slavery to work on a virginia plantation . levar burton , who portrayed kinte in the original , will co-executive produce the new miniseries . a press release describes the new version as original ' and contemporary ' and will draw more from alex haley 's classic novel , roots : the saga of an american family . ' producers will consult scholars in african and african-american history for added authenticity . we are proud to bring this saga to fans of the original , as well as to a new generation that will experience this powerful and poignant tale for the first time , ' said dirk hoogstra , history 's executive vice president and general manager . audiences will once again feel the impact of kunta kinte 's indomitable spirit . ' executive producer mark wolper , son of the original 's producer david l. wolper , added , kunta kinte began telling his story over 200 years ago and that story went through his family lineage , to alex haley , to my father , and now the mantle rests with me . like kunta kinte fought to tell his story over and over again , so must we . ' the remade roots ' will encounter a new generation of viewers who have witnessed barack obama make history as the nation 's first african-american president and 12 years a slave ' win the oscar for best picture , but also widespread racial unrest over police treatment of black suspects in many u.s. cities . my career began with'roots'and i am proud to be a part of this new adaptation , ' said burton . there is a huge audience of contemporary young americans who do not know the story of'roots'or its importance . ' | the a & e networks are remaking the blockbuster roots ' miniseries , to air in 2016 |
african-american <tsp> ( cnn ) one of the biggest tv events of all time is being reimagined for new audiences . roots , ' the epic miniseries about an african-american slave and his descendants , had a staggering audience of over 100 million viewers back in 1977 . now a & e networks are remaking the miniseries , to air in 2016 . a & e , lifetime and history ( formerly the history channel ) announced thursday that the three networks would simulcast a remake of the saga of kunta kinte , an african who was captured , shipped to america and sold into slavery to work on a virginia plantation . levar burton , who portrayed kinte in the original , will co-executive produce the new miniseries . a press release describes the new version as original ' and contemporary ' and will draw more from alex haley 's classic novel , roots : the saga of an american family . ' producers will consult scholars in african and african-american history for added authenticity . we are proud to bring this saga to fans of the original , as well as to a new generation that will experience this powerful and poignant tale for the first time , ' said dirk hoogstra , history 's executive vice president and general manager . audiences will once again feel the impact of kunta kinte 's indomitable spirit . ' executive producer mark wolper , son of the original 's producer david l. wolper , added , kunta kinte began telling his story over 200 years ago and that story went through his family lineage , to alex haley , to my father , and now the mantle rests with me . like kunta kinte fought to tell his story over and over again , so must we . ' the remade roots ' will encounter a new generation of viewers who have witnessed barack obama make history as the nation 's first african-american president and 12 years a slave ' win the oscar for best picture , but also widespread racial unrest over police treatment of black suspects in many u.s. cities . my career began with'roots'and i am proud to be a part of this new adaptation , ' said burton . there is a huge audience of contemporary young americans who do not know the story of'roots'or its importance . ' | the epic 1977 miniseries about an african-american slave had 100 million viewers |
dark knight <tsp> ( cnn ) -- according to a russian proverb , god makes the priests . jesters come from the devil . heath ledger dominates as the joker in the dark knight ' in a performance already garnering raves . you wo n't have any trouble believing that aphorism when you see heath ledger 's mesmerizing performance as the joker in the dark knight , ' christopher nolan 's hotly anticipated and often brilliantly executed follow-up to batman begins . ' his face caked in cracked white greasepaint , his smile a grotesque red lipstick scar , kohl rimming his eyes , the joker is a cruel kind of clown , the kind that is only interested in the last laugh . slouched in his purple suit , ledger gives him a lopsided shuffle , a permanently craning neck and an insinuating , deceptively neighborly voice . but there 's something reptilian about the way his tongue flicks through his pursed lips like a pickpocket . he 's hungry for trouble , a maniac for mayhem -- and in gotham city , where crime is still running wild , he can make himself right at home . ledger dominates this movie as a living presence , a live wire , dangerous and unpredictable . it 's an astonishing performance , as extravagant and free ( deranged ' might be a better word ) as his ennis del mar in brokeback mountain ' was inhibited and tongue-tied . see how ledger made the joker his own » and the dark knight ' takes him -- and its world -- very seriously . even more than batman himself , the joker would usually scream camp ' ( and has in the tv series and other movies ) but nolan refuses to go there . his gotham is cement and glass , a real ' city not so different from what we might find in any contemporary action thriller . ( chicago doubles for batman 's metropolis . ) unlike tim burton or joel schumacher , who directed previous batman films , nolan favors location work over studio artifice , and he seems determined to keep the computer-generated imagery within the bounds of gravity . even the fetishistic attention to batman 's toys -- his suit , his weaponry and transport -- emphasizes utility and design ; this is not a superhero in the supernatural sense . ( he may not be a hero , either , according to the serious-to-a-fault script by nolan and his brother jonathan . ) batman begins , ' which came out in 2005 , was about the politics of fear , the power of nightmares . bruce wayne ( christian bale ) overcame his own phobia to turn fear back on the fear mongers and restore hope to gotham . in the dark knight ' ( nolan must have been tempted to add of the soul ' to the title ) , the joker might be his shadow or his evil twin . in some sick way , they need each other . you complete me , ' the joker lisps to batman , mimicking ( mocking ? ) jerry maguire . ' watch co-stars defend ledger » the word is nowhere stated , but this joker is unmistakably a terrorist -- he blows up hospitals , rigs bombs to commuter ferries , burns his own ill-gotten gains . ( he even manages to put gotham 's crime syndicates under his thumb . ) that makes batman a kind of one-man department of homeland security . and if he has to ride roughshod over civil liberties to get the job done -- eavesdropping on the entire city 's cell phone data , for example -- then so be it . to their credit , neither nolan nor bruce wayne is comfortable with this glorified vigilante figure . however , the only legitimate alternative turns out to be a civic crusader , district attorney harvey dent ( aaron eckhart ) . dent , who carries around a double-headed coin , may seem honorable , but he was once known as two-faced harvey . ' with whom will he cast his lot ? that 's the movie 's ultimate ideological battleground . ireport.com : lining up for'batman ?'send photos , video unfortunately , if dent gives the movie a classic character arc , eckhart 's disappointingly bland performance fails to nail the narcissism that must be the flip side to his zeal , making his ultimate about-face hard to accept . that 's the film 's most obvious flaw . whenever the joker and batman are in the vicinity , the movie hums with finely tuned dread and anticipation . but the longer it goes on ( and yes , it does go on too long ) , dent triangulates the equation , ultimately pulling it out of whack . still , for the most part , the dark knight ' is an exceptionally smart , brooding picture with some terrific performances . in a summer when action overwhelms intelligence ( and even good sense ) , here 's a movie that works on many levels . it even features the single most awesome truck stunt i 've ever seen . and though ledger 's tragic death in january ca n't help but cast a morbid pall over the proceedings -- and that 's saying something , given some of the film 's plot points -- when he 's on the screen the movie lights up . it 's a bravura turn . i 'll be surprised if ledger does n't get a posthumous oscar for it . the dark knight ' runs 152 minutes and is rated pg-13 . for entertainment weekly 's take , click here . | cnn.com reviewer : dark knight ' is an exceptional follow-up to batman begins ' |
turkey <tsp> istanbul ( cnn ) -- over the last six months , iran has evaded u.s. sanctions by importing turkish gold to pay for billions of dollars worth of energy sales to turkey . turkey 's deputy prime minister has described what amounts to a gold-for-oil barter system . read more : turkey : facing a soft landing or serious turbulence ? why did , all of the sudden , turkey 's gold exports , especially gold bullion , go up ? ' ali babacan asked while speaking before a parliamentary budget commission this month . the official transcript of his statements was published by a turkish government website wednesday . an important part of that is iran , ' he said . when turkey buys iranian oil , we pay for it in turkish lira . ... however , it is not possible for iran to take that money as dollars into its own country due to international restrictions , the u.s.a. 's sanctions . therefore , when iran can not take this money back as currency , they withdraw turkish lira and buy gold from our market . they take the gold back to their own country . ' read more : turkey boom dampened by europe 's troubles according to turkish government statistics , iran has imported billions of dollars worth of gold from turkey since it was ejected from the swift international electronic banking system in march . babacan 's rhetorical question and answer resolved suspicions that turkish economists have had for months , after they noticed an enormous spike in turkey 's gold exports to iran in april . cnn blog : turkey 's changing world ' our gold has always been there , the iranians never paid any attention to it up until the last year when they were kicked out of the swift banking system , ' said atilla yesilada , an economic analyst with global source turkey . the turkish government reported that iran leapt to first place among turkey 's export markets in april . that month , turkey exported $ 1.2 billion in gold to iran , a 438.2 % jump from the previous year . turkey is the big hole , the big gap in the wall of sanctions , ' yesilada said . he was pointing to the u.s.-led campaign to impose an economic blockade on iran . many economists say washington has effectively declared economic war on iran because of disagreements over its controversial nuclear program . the u.s. accuses iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons , charges that tehran has long denied . read more : press freedoms watchdog slams turkish government since the sanctions have been unilaterally imposed by washington , turkey is not breaking any international law by trading oil for gold with iran . but in doing so , the turks risk incurring the wrath of the u.s. government , an important military and political ally . at the end of july , the president issued an order that authorizes treasury to impose sanctions on anyone who helps the government of iran acquire u.s. dollars or precious metals , including gold , ' a u.s. treasury department spokesman wrote to cnn this week , on condition he not be named . we ca n't comment on any investigations that may be ongoing . ' economists say the gold-for-oil trade shows the sanctions are hurting iran . this is very , very 19th century , taking gold around to manage your international sanctions , ' said djavad salehi-isfahani , a professor of economics at the virginia polytechnic institute . iran lost its ability to sell oil , get electronic credit and use that to buy other stuff . ' there has been a great deal of speculation about how the gold is physically being transferred from turkey to iran . those questions extend also to the united arab emirates . in august , turkish government statistics show that the uae suddenly replaced iran as turkey 's chief export market . however , the main turkish export to the uae was gold -- $ 1.9 billion worth in august alone . dubai has traditionally been the world 's most important economic gateway to iran . in his appearance before the parliamentary commission , deputy prime minister babacan declined to comment on the logistics of the gold shipments . instead , unconfirmed stories have swirled in the turkish media of gold bullion being hand-carried out of the country in suitcases . we need to be more transparent about what iran is doing with those gold bars , which apparently are being transported by physical couriers using 50-kilo ( 110-pound ) bags , which is the limit of how much gold you can take out of turkey , ' said yesilada , the turkish economist . there are really several james bondian-like aspects to this , which no government would engage in , in an official or commercial transaction . ' the picture looks like a james bond movie . you have individuals with black suitcases carrying gold , ' said behzad yaghmaian , an iranian-american political economist at ramapo college . this could not have happened in any form without the knowledge of the turkish state . this amount could not have left the country to go to iran without the state knowing about it . ' the turkish government has not responded to a written request from cnn to comment on the gold trade . some concerned observers worry the economic intrigue threatens to draw attention from the growing impact the u.s.-led sanctions are having on ordinary iranians . sanctions are a form of collective punishment on the iranian people , ' said yaghmaian , the author of social change in iran : an eyewitness account of dissent , defiance and new movements for rights . ' iranians who oppose the islamic republic ( of iran ) , who have been under pressure by the islamic republic , who have been subjected to different forms of violence by the islamic republic , are once again facing a new form of violence that is economic violence . ' iranians have watched their buying power collapse over the last year , as the value of the iranian rial plunged . there have also been reports of shortages of foreign pharmaceuticals and medical supplies , since iranian companies have found it next to impossible to pay foreign suppliers because of restrictions on international banking . | in april , turkey exported $ 1.2 billion in gold to iran , a 438.2 % jump from the previous year |
turkey <tsp> istanbul ( cnn ) -- over the last six months , iran has evaded u.s. sanctions by importing turkish gold to pay for billions of dollars worth of energy sales to turkey . turkey 's deputy prime minister has described what amounts to a gold-for-oil barter system . read more : turkey : facing a soft landing or serious turbulence ? why did , all of the sudden , turkey 's gold exports , especially gold bullion , go up ? ' ali babacan asked while speaking before a parliamentary budget commission this month . the official transcript of his statements was published by a turkish government website wednesday . an important part of that is iran , ' he said . when turkey buys iranian oil , we pay for it in turkish lira . ... however , it is not possible for iran to take that money as dollars into its own country due to international restrictions , the u.s.a. 's sanctions . therefore , when iran can not take this money back as currency , they withdraw turkish lira and buy gold from our market . they take the gold back to their own country . ' read more : turkey boom dampened by europe 's troubles according to turkish government statistics , iran has imported billions of dollars worth of gold from turkey since it was ejected from the swift international electronic banking system in march . babacan 's rhetorical question and answer resolved suspicions that turkish economists have had for months , after they noticed an enormous spike in turkey 's gold exports to iran in april . cnn blog : turkey 's changing world ' our gold has always been there , the iranians never paid any attention to it up until the last year when they were kicked out of the swift banking system , ' said atilla yesilada , an economic analyst with global source turkey . the turkish government reported that iran leapt to first place among turkey 's export markets in april . that month , turkey exported $ 1.2 billion in gold to iran , a 438.2 % jump from the previous year . turkey is the big hole , the big gap in the wall of sanctions , ' yesilada said . he was pointing to the u.s.-led campaign to impose an economic blockade on iran . many economists say washington has effectively declared economic war on iran because of disagreements over its controversial nuclear program . the u.s. accuses iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons , charges that tehran has long denied . read more : press freedoms watchdog slams turkish government since the sanctions have been unilaterally imposed by washington , turkey is not breaking any international law by trading oil for gold with iran . but in doing so , the turks risk incurring the wrath of the u.s. government , an important military and political ally . at the end of july , the president issued an order that authorizes treasury to impose sanctions on anyone who helps the government of iran acquire u.s. dollars or precious metals , including gold , ' a u.s. treasury department spokesman wrote to cnn this week , on condition he not be named . we ca n't comment on any investigations that may be ongoing . ' economists say the gold-for-oil trade shows the sanctions are hurting iran . this is very , very 19th century , taking gold around to manage your international sanctions , ' said djavad salehi-isfahani , a professor of economics at the virginia polytechnic institute . iran lost its ability to sell oil , get electronic credit and use that to buy other stuff . ' there has been a great deal of speculation about how the gold is physically being transferred from turkey to iran . those questions extend also to the united arab emirates . in august , turkish government statistics show that the uae suddenly replaced iran as turkey 's chief export market . however , the main turkish export to the uae was gold -- $ 1.9 billion worth in august alone . dubai has traditionally been the world 's most important economic gateway to iran . in his appearance before the parliamentary commission , deputy prime minister babacan declined to comment on the logistics of the gold shipments . instead , unconfirmed stories have swirled in the turkish media of gold bullion being hand-carried out of the country in suitcases . we need to be more transparent about what iran is doing with those gold bars , which apparently are being transported by physical couriers using 50-kilo ( 110-pound ) bags , which is the limit of how much gold you can take out of turkey , ' said yesilada , the turkish economist . there are really several james bondian-like aspects to this , which no government would engage in , in an official or commercial transaction . ' the picture looks like a james bond movie . you have individuals with black suitcases carrying gold , ' said behzad yaghmaian , an iranian-american political economist at ramapo college . this could not have happened in any form without the knowledge of the turkish state . this amount could not have left the country to go to iran without the state knowing about it . ' the turkish government has not responded to a written request from cnn to comment on the gold trade . some concerned observers worry the economic intrigue threatens to draw attention from the growing impact the u.s.-led sanctions are having on ordinary iranians . sanctions are a form of collective punishment on the iranian people , ' said yaghmaian , the author of social change in iran : an eyewitness account of dissent , defiance and new movements for rights . ' iranians who oppose the islamic republic ( of iran ) , who have been under pressure by the islamic republic , who have been subjected to different forms of violence by the islamic republic , are once again facing a new form of violence that is economic violence . ' iranians have watched their buying power collapse over the last year , as the value of the iranian rial plunged . there have also been reports of shortages of foreign pharmaceuticals and medical supplies , since iranian companies have found it next to impossible to pay foreign suppliers because of restrictions on international banking . | government says iran has imported billions of dollars worth of gold from turkey since march |
nigerian <tsp> the united states is offering its help , but making clear that the nigerian government must take the lead in finding more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the islamist militant group boko haram . officials told cnn the obama administration is sharing intelligence with nigerian authorities and could provide other assistance , but there is no planning to send u.s. troops . with a world economic forum gathering set to begin wednesday in abuja , the nigerian government came under mounting pressure to save the girls abducted in the country 's remote northeast and threatened with being sold into slavery . on a trip to africa , secretary of state john kerry said the united states will do everything possible to support the nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and to hold the perpetrators to justice . ' in washington , u.s. officials offered few specific details on american help being provided . we are going to keep working with the nigerians privately on that , ' state department spokeswoman marie harf told reporters . obviously they have come out very publicly and said that they are , you know , making every effort to find these girls . i just do n't think we are going to outline how we are helping them . what we are focused on is making sure they can find ( the girls ) and bring them home to their families . ' no u.s. troops harf noted that sarah sewall , the undersecretary of state for civilian security , democracy and human rights , would be traveling to nigeria in coming days . asked if she anticipated u.s. troops or other assets getting sent to nigeria , harf replied : i do not . ' white house spokesman jay carney said president barack obama has been briefed on the situation a few times . carney also listed a series of u.s. programs and steps in nigeria , most predating the latest kidnappings , intended to strengthen its criminal justice system , improve its ability to combat improvised explosive devices ( ieds ) and expand economic opportunity for women . there are other things , i am sure ... but this is an outrage and a tragedy and we are doing what we can to assist the nigerian government to support its efforts to find and free the young women who were abducted , ' he said . according to two senior u.s. officials , nigerian authorities so far have not asked for specific help in any kind of possible joint rescue mission . one of the officials said the nigerians privately indicated they want to handle the situation themselves , perhaps because they do n't want visible american forces in their country . we are sharing intelligence that may be relevant to this situation , ' said another u.s. official with direct knowledge of the situation , speaking on condition of not being identified due to the sensitive nature of the information . you are going to see a focus on this in all three channels of government : diplomatic , intelligence and military . ' sharing intelligence the united states could offer satellite imagery and electronic intelligence such as communications intercepts in the effort to rescue the kidnapped girls . another american official said the u.s. military is not planning to send troops , but could consider helping nigerian forces with any planning for a rescue mission , under existing military cooperation agreements . u.s. africa command has long been helping nigerian forces improve their training and operations to counter boko haram militants . last week , the state department 's annual report on global terrorism described boko haram as a group that espouses a violent sunni extremist ideology ' and has received funding from al qaeda in the islamic magreb . the united states designated boko haram a terrorist organization last november , said the report , which blamed the group for attacks in northern and northeastern nigeria that have killed thousands of people since 2009 . among the most notorious attacks by boko haram were a 2011 bombing at a united nations building in abuja that killed more than 20 people , and a wave of bombings in kano , nigeria , in 2012 that killed 180 people in one day , the state department report said . the group also has freed prisoners and killed students and soldiers in other attacks , and kidnapped french citizens in neighboring cameroon , according to the report . link to al qaeda affiliates boko haram receives the bulk of its funding from bank robberies and related criminal activities , including extortion and kidnapping for ransoms , ' as well as the al qaeda in the islamic magreb funding , the report added . according to u.s. authorities , boko haram has gotten training in weapons and communications from aqim as well as al qaeda in the arabian peninsula . last week , attorney general eric holder asked u.s. intelligence agencies to prepare a report for him on the latest schoolgirl kidnappings in nigeria , an american law enforcement official told cnn . the attorney general also requested an assessment of boko haram that could help the justice department seek indictments or curtail funding sources for the group . the name boko haram means western education is sin , ' and a video made public monday showed a man claiming to be boko haram leader abubakar shekau saying the kidnapped girls should get married instead of going to school . i abducted your girls . i will sell them in the market , by allah , ' the man says in the video first obtained by agence france-presse . selling humans ' there is a market for selling humans . allah says i should sell . he commands me to sell . i will sell women . i sell women , ' he continues , according to a cnn translation from the local hausa language . according to accounts , armed members of boko haram overwhelmed security guards at a school in northeastern borno state , pulled the girls out of bed and forced them into trucks . the convoy then disappeared into a forest bordering cameroon . the total number kidnapped was 276 , according to nigerian authorities . at least 53 escaped , leaving 223 missing , police said . nigerian president goodluck jonathan said sunday that his government would free the girls . in washington , a group of u.s. senators from both parties has introduced a resolution condemning the kidnappings and calling for the united states to help the nigerian government improve school security and go after boko haram . the resolution stops short of calling for sending american troops , instead urging timely civilian assistance ' from the united states and allied african nations to help rescue the abducted girls . attacking and abducting young women simply for going to school is despicable and must never be tolerated , ' sen. barbara boxer , a california democrat , said in a statement . the international community must make clear that all children deserve the chance to pursue an education without fear and that those responsible for these heinous crimes will be held accountable . ' 6 reasons why the world should demand action what 's at stake in war against girls'kidnappers ? boko haram : the essence of terror | sources : the united states is sharing intelligence with nigerian authorities |
salman bin hamad al khalifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- bahrain crown prince salman bin hamad al khalifa has insisted sunday 's grand prix in the gulf kingdom will go ahead despite continued anti-government protests on the country 's streets . as the first practice session got underway at the sakhir circuit , the crown prince and formula one chief bernie eccelstone defended the decision to press ahead with the race , amid continuing demonstrations . the force india team decided not to take part in friday 's second practice session , opting to return to their hotel before night fell . on thursday a petrol bomb exploded near a car carrying four of their staff back to the capital manama . the bahrain grand prix was canceled twice in 2010 and several uk politicians , as well as human rights group amnesty international , have called for this year 's installment to be shelved . why is bahrain f1 race under fire ? on the track , mercedes'nico rosberg continued the impressive form which saw him clinch his first ever f1 victory at last week 's chinese grand prix by posting the fastest overall time . but at an impromptu press conference , the crown prince was inundated with questions relating to off-track matters . he said : canceling the race just empowers extremists . for those of us trying to navigate a way out of this political problem , having the race allows us to build bridges across communities and celebrate our nation as an idea that is positive not divisive . we are not trying to say we are perfect , we are a real country with real issues . i genuinely believe this race is a force for good , it unites many people from many religious backgrounds under the roof of formula one . this race should continue because it a big event for this country , it is important economically and socially . i absolutely can guarantee that any problems that may or may not happen are not directed at formula one . there are people who are out to cause chaos . the attack that happened around force india was aimed at the police , it was unprovoked and quite dangerous . at no time was anyone from formula one in danger . vettel aims to bounce back in bahrain ' i 'm very confident that protests which will happen at some point , there 's one today , is part of the political process in any country . the race is the race and we are here to celebrate that . i 'm here to go racing . ' eccelstone maintained that the protests in bahrain and the arrival of formula one were unrelated . if people have got a complaint about something else it is nothing to do with f1 . ' on the track , german rosberg was half a second clear of red bull 's mark webber in practice , while reigning world champion sebastian vettel came fourth . mclaren 's lewis hamilton was fourth with rosberg 's teammate michael schumacher sixth . rosberg told his team 's official website his fast pace represented a good start to the weekend : whilst it 's nice to be quickest today , we know that does n't count . the most important thing still is to improve our race pace . for the moment , it looks reasonable but we need to analyze where we are on high fuel levels compared to our competitors and draw our conclusions . the conditions are really tough out there , so the race will be quite demanding from the tire perspective . ' force india chose not to participate in the afternoon session so their staff could return to the team 's hotel before dark . their decision comes a day after four of their team were caught up in an anti-government protest on their way back from the track , when a petrol bomb was thrown near to their car . deputy team principal robert fearnley told cnn world sport : the most important thing for us is that we 've got to have the well being of our crew foremost in our minds . that is what the objective was . unfortunately we had an experience that was uncomfortable on wednesday evening . we have n't seen anything since , there has n't been any issues since , it was just an unfortunate destabilizing program . ' | bahrain crown prince salman bin hamad al khalifa insists grand prix will go ahead |
cuban <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cuban dissident blogger yoani sanchez visited the white house on wednesday , a milestone in her being allowed to travel outside the communist island . sanchez is visiting the united states as part of an 80-day tour of 10 countries that she began in february . national security council spokeswoman caitlin hayden described sanchez , a winner of the state department 's international women of courage award , as a respected advocate for the freedom of information . ' the united states looks forward to the day when all cubans will have the opportunity to express themselves in public without fear and we will continue to support policies that encourage the free flow of information to , from and within cuba , ' hayden said . in the white house on wednesday , sanchez met the senior director for western hemisphere affairs , ricardo zuniga , who is a special assistant to president obama . she discussed her efforts to promote free speech in cuba . sanchez is a vocal critic of raul and fidel castro , the revolutionary brothers who have been running the country for more than 50 years . last week , sanchez visited columbia university in new york . for several years , sanchez said the government retaliated against her criticism by repeatedly refusing to give her an exit visa . in january , cuba ended its unpopular policy of requiring citizens to obtain a letter of invitation and an exit permit before leaving the country . dissidents said the policy was used to punish them for their anti-government advocacy . while other government critics have left the country under the new law , sanchez is the highest-profile figure in the dissident community to test the easing of restrictions . much of the funding for her trip , sanchez has said , came from donors and from people offering her a free place to stay . sanchez has more than 400,000 followers on twitter , but with limited access to the internet in cuba , she said she had been forced to communicate with the public by sending cell phone text messages that are uploaded to the social messaging service . she said beyond attending technology forums and enjoying easier access to high-speed internet , she was looking forward to meeting some of the volunteers who translate her writings from spanish to other languages . mj porter , who helps translate sanchez 's blogs into english from her apartment in seattle , told cnn last year she could n't wait to meet the cuban blogger . i am a big crier , so i will probably cry for about an hour , ' porter said . then i will laugh and then cry some more . it 's hard for me to imagine . ' sanchez said she was surprised to be able to travel , especially because some cubans still face restrictions on leaving the country . the government still prohibits the travel of some officials , sports stars and citizens whose travel abroad violates public interest . ' a handful of other dissidents have reported that they were informed by the government they would be barred from leaving the country . longtime dissident gisela delgado said she was told by officials that even though she has a valid passport , she is on the list of cubans who are n't permitted to travel . the state decides who can leave and who ca n't , ' delgado said . for 54 years , it 's been a way to manipulate us and divide us , the whole cuban family . ' cnn 's patrick oppman in havana contributed to this report . | cuban government for years denied her an exit visa |
chelsea <tsp> london , england -- chelsea are waiting on the fitness of john terry ahead of wednesday 's champions league match with valencia , but frank lampard has been ruled out . john terry tries out his protective mask during training for chelsea on tuesday . center-back terry suffered a broken cheekbone during saturday 's 0-0 draw with fulham , and chelsea manager avram grant will see how he fares during training on tuesday before making a decision on his availability . terry trained at valencia 's mestalla stadium with a face mask on after surgery on sunday . john terry wants to play which is very good . now we need to wait for training and then we will speak with the medical department and decide , ' said grant . grant has confirmed that lampard will definitely sit the game out though as the midfielder continues to recover from his thigh injury . midfielder michael essien , who scored a last-minute winner for chelsea to knock valencia out of last season 's champions league , has also been battling a leg injury but he took part in training on tuesday and is expected to play . e-mail to a friend | chelsea are still waiting on the fitness of england captain john terry |
sharon osbourne <tsp> ( cnn ) -- here 's what you need to know about pauly shore : you ca n't make any joke about him that he has n't made about himself , because he loves to play the victim . it 's like a roast . or rodney dangerfield with'no repsect ,' he says . i giggle when i put myself down . it 's just funny to me . ' after his glory days of chilling major as the weasel on mtv and his foray into mainstream movies with stoner comedies like encino man ' and bio-dome , ' shore 's career stalled . it was when the offers dried up that shore took matters into his own hands and created a new character : self-deprecating former star . he threw himself into stand-up and began creating starring roles for himself once again with independent films that he wrote , directed and produced . you 've got two choices , ' he says . you can either make a s -- tload of money -- not me personally , but someone in the business who 's very box office-friendly -- being cast in other people 's stuff or do what i 'm doing and not make any money but be 100 % in control of it and make it exactly how i want it to be . ' his latest project is a comedy special , vegas is my oyster , ' airing on showtime now . oyster ' is a throwback to old-time variety shows , and in it , shore plays the emcee and straight man trying to corral wildcards like andy dick and tom green during the avn awards weekend in las vegas . former charlie sheen goddess bree olson , ron jeremy , dave navarro , bobby lee and amber lancaster also make appearances . it 's quite a feat to try and pull off a show with all these people , getting them there , having them show up that night sober and looking good , ' shore said . but after contemplating every painstaking detail , down to which scalloped curtain to hang on stage , he 's proud of his work . it 's shot well ; it 's sexy ; it 's no-holds-barred and edgy . my main goal is to do something entertaining , and we 're pushing the envelope on this particular show . i loved having the porno awards be the backdrop . ' shore is no stranger to a fast lifestyle . his comedian father , sammy , was elvis presley 's opening act and founded the comedy store in los angeles . his mother , mitzi , has been running the club since 1973 . from an early age , shore was around lady-loving , hard-partying legends like sam kinison and richard pryor . back in his mtv days , he romped with lisa lisa , ' and he 's been a frequent guest at the playboy mansion . i think i 'm living a lot of guys'dreams . for sure , ' he says . but i am a guilt-free person , ' he continues . unlike tiger woods or arnold schwarzenegger or any of these guys that live the unfaithful , cheating lie , or even women who live that lie , i 'm not that person . i was when i was younger , but i chose the wrong girls to date . now i still choose those girls , but i also know that it 's not going anywhere . i do n't promise them anything ; they do n't promise me anything . it 's very light . i have enough drama in my own life . plus , i like having different girlfriends in different places that i travel . ' if shore , 43 , were to settle down , he says a sharon osbourne type is his ideal . at the end of the day , i think , do n't quote me on this -- and you can even say do n't quote me -- that 's probably the type of girl that i would wind up with . she loves him and protects him but also manages him and cares for him . i think if ozzy did n't have sharon , he would be dead by now . ' until that love comes along for him , shore will be on the road . remember that ( life cereal ) commercial ,'i know , let 's get mikey to do it !'i 'm like the mikey of comedians , ' he says . i go to markets that no one would ever go to . those are my fans . people always ask me , who are your fans ? my fans are people that live in jackson , michigan , and also ( the ) tsa . they love me . ' | if shore , 43 , were to settle down , he says a sharon osbourne type is his ideal |
avb <tsp> ( cnn ) -- chelsea 's sacking of andre villas-boas came under fire monday with former blues boss luis felipe scolari warning it will be hell ' for whoever succeeds the portuguese at stamford bridge . ex-brazil national team boss scolari is one of six managers dismissed by chelsea owner roman abramovich and , like himself , does not believe villas-boas was given enough time by the russian billionaire . england has clubs like arsenal , where arsene wenger has been for several years , yet has won only two or three championships , ' he told a news conference for his present club palmeiras . chelsea 's culture is very different , but this move is strange -- although it 's not so strange to me because of what i went through there . blog : chelsea right to sack avb ' villas-boas was a champion and he will continue to be . he needed to replace at least seven or eight players , even since i was there , but he failed . it will be hell for whoever succeeds him . ' blog : can english clubs catch europe 's best ? but dutch legend ruud gullit , who managed chelsea before abramovich took control , told cnn that he disagreed with scolari . i do not think it is'hell'-- i had a great time at chelsea which i still treasure , for me it was no hell . ' gullit hinted that he believed villas-boas needed to have made better use of his senior squad members . the older players need to help the younger players know how to play the game , you ca n't ignore them by putting them on the bench and not in the team . ' richard bevan , the chief executive of the league managers'association , also condemned the sacking monday . looking for what is an eighth manager in nine years is a serious embarrassment to the owner , the club , the fans and the league , ' bevan told bbc . bevan had spoken to villas-boas , who was very disappointed , frustrated ( and ) saddened ' by his dismissal . and arsenal manager wenger also believed that abramovich had been hasty to remove villas-boas . i feel sorry for him and it 's sad every time a manager loses his job because it 's a job that demands a full commitment and i think he did that . i am sorry he was not given enough time to do his job , ' he told gathered reporters . chelsea players have also come out in support of their former manager with central defender david luiz thanking the portuguese . he said on twitter : thanks avb ! you are an amazing guy ! big hug . ' midfielder juan mata , one of villas-boas'signings , also reacted on facebook . it has n't been an easy day for those who , like me , are part of chelsea . i would like to thank the manager and wish him luck . we have to keep working hard and better days will come . thanks for your support ! ' chelsea made a move to strengthen its coaching staff monday after the departure of villas-boas by appointing former player eddie newton to assist interim manager roberto di matteo . the 40-year-old newton was assistant to di matteo at both mk dons and west bromwich albion , but told sky sports his appointment had come totally out of the blue . ' di matteo later told chelsea tv that the club have to move on ' after the sacking of villas-boas . andre has brought some very good , positive ideas and changes to this football club and we will benefit from his changes , ' he claimed . our duty now is to look forward and to try to get the results that we need in the league , the champions league and in the fa cup to have a good season . ' the first test of the new management team will be an fa cup replay on tuesday night at second flight birmingham . | ruud gullit says avb made a mistake by leaving experienced players on bench |
craig wilson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the father of a new year 's day baby pleaded guilty thursday to killing the infant by violently shaking him . camryn jakeb wilson was the first baby born in 2008 in summit county , ohio , arriving at 12:33 a.m. january 1 . craig wilson 's guilty plea in akron , ohio , to murder and child endangering charges ended a yearlong saga surrounding the death of camryn jakeb wilson , the first baby born in summit county , ohio , in 2008 . this type of crime is always difficult to understand , but today i do hope that camryn 's mother has some closure and that today is one step toward healing , ' summit county prosecutor sherri bevan walsh said . camryn 's mother , crystal wilson , had left the 10-week-old infant in his father 's care on march 12 , 2008 , while she attended a meeting . when she returned to their cuyahoga falls home she found camryn in a baby swing , listless and breathing abnormally while her husband of 10 months sat on a couch . doctors at akron children 's hospital quickly determined that camryn had suffered traumatic brain injuries and bleeding in his eyes that could only have been caused by violent shaking . learn about shaken baby syndrome » camryn died in his mother 's arms , surrounded by other family members , on march 25 , 2008 , shortly after being removed from life support . craig wilson , 29 , confessed to police that he was frustrated after an argument with his wife over his ex-girlfriend and a child he had with her . he shook and squeezed camryn before laying him in the swing but had n't intended to hurt the infant , he told police . the national center on shaken baby syndrome estimates that as many as 1,400 babies annually are injured or killed by shaking . despite the confession , the case dragged on for a year after an autopsy showed camryn had suffered broken ribs prior to the fatal shaking . the finding raised the possibility that another person had previously abused camryn and perhaps contributed to his death , said jonathan t. sinn , craig wilson 's defense attorney . see photos of the family » craig wilson 's trial was scheduled to begin monday . sinn had hoped to negotiate a plea deal with prosecutors that would send craig wilson to prison for a flat 20-year term , but in the end , prosecutors would n't budge . from the moment my client was arrested , he took responsibility for his actions and for the killing of his child , ' sinn said . from a human perspective , that 's very admirable . from a defense perspective , it makes it difficult to mount a defense when somebody acknowledges completely their guilt . ' judge lynne callahan sentenced wilson to 15 years to life . he is unlikely to be paroled in less than 20 years , sinn said . | craig wilson confessed to shaking baby after argument with wife |
russian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a videotape on a russian web site allegedly showing a state department employee having sex with a prostitute is a smear campaign ' meant to discredit the man , a state department spokesman said thursday . the state department has said the tape allegedly showing an employee having sex with a prostitute is a fake . the employee , brendan kyle hatcher , denied any encounter with a prostitute to his superiors at the u.s. embassy in moscow , another state department official said . state department spokesman ian kelly said the u.s. ambassador to russia , john beyrle , supports ' hatcher , who remains at his job at the embassy . hatcher had previously worked in the sensitive area of religious and human rights in russia , the spokesman said . mr. hatcher ... enjoys the full confidence of ambassador beyrle and fully intends to serve out the rest of his tour in moscow , ' kelly said at an afternoon briefing at the state department . the united states deplores this type of campaign and use of the internet to smear a foreign service officer of good standing , ' he added . watch why the u.s. says the tape is doctored » beyrle was unequivocal in expressing his support in an interview with abc news . kyle hatcher has done nothing wrong , ' he said . clearly , the video we saw was a montage of lot of different clips , some of them which are clearly fabricated . ' a senior state department official said , it 's a doctored tape and a set-up designed to implicate someone working as a liaison with religious and human rights groups in russia . ' the official said hatcher , who is married , was approached by russians ; they tried to blackmail him , but he did everything correctly , ' reporting the incident to his supervisors at the embassy . the tape then appeared on the tabloid newspaper web site compromat.ru and was picked up by other outlets . diplomatic sources who declined to be named said compromat.ru has a history of ties to russia 's security services . russia 's foreign ministry had no comment when asked about the video . another senior state department official , who has seen the video , said it 's clear to me that it 's him , ' referring to portions showing hatcher alone in the hotel room . but then the lights go down , ' and the footage from there on is faked , that official said . the video of hatcher in the hotel room was taken last year , somewhere in siberia , ' said the senior state department official who watched the video . it was shot in a hotel that hatcher visited , the official said . when questioned about the possible motivation for creating the video , the official said it 's presumed it was done because of his human rights work , ' in russia . the official doubted the incident will have any effect on u.s.-russian relations and noted that the kremlin and the russian foreign ministry have both been very cooperative ' in the months since the footage came to light . the vast majority of people there are working toward better relations , ' the official said . another official said hatcher is a great officer ' who , until last summer , was a political reporting officer focusing on religious freedom issues in russia . the assignment lasts two years : one year in that specialty and a year on the visa-issuing line at the embassy . last year , this official said , hatcher was the lead officer compiling the state department 's religious freedom report and was given an award for his work by the ambassador . another official confirmed that hatcher received a meritorious honor award in 2009 and a group award in 2008 . hatcher , one official said , worked with religious groups that are considered outside the mainstream ' in russia , such as protestants and non-christians . such faiths often face official and unofficial discrimination in the largely russian-orthodox society . another senior state department official said , there is a lot of inertia ' among some special security services in russia . they are pretty much unreconstructed , ' he said . the security services may have wanted to compromise hatcher 's ability to work with religious groups , he says , or they may have wanted to throw a stick into the spokes ' of the u.s.-russia relationship . some in moscow , ' he said , are looking to integrate with the west , and others are trying to stop that . ' the officials asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter . cnn 's matthew chance in moscow and paul courson in washington contributed to this report . | new : russian officials are being very cooperative , ' u.s. official says |
russian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a videotape on a russian web site allegedly showing a state department employee having sex with a prostitute is a smear campaign ' meant to discredit the man , a state department spokesman said thursday . the state department has said the tape allegedly showing an employee having sex with a prostitute is a fake . the employee , brendan kyle hatcher , denied any encounter with a prostitute to his superiors at the u.s. embassy in moscow , another state department official said . state department spokesman ian kelly said the u.s. ambassador to russia , john beyrle , supports ' hatcher , who remains at his job at the embassy . hatcher had previously worked in the sensitive area of religious and human rights in russia , the spokesman said . mr. hatcher ... enjoys the full confidence of ambassador beyrle and fully intends to serve out the rest of his tour in moscow , ' kelly said at an afternoon briefing at the state department . the united states deplores this type of campaign and use of the internet to smear a foreign service officer of good standing , ' he added . watch why the u.s. says the tape is doctored » beyrle was unequivocal in expressing his support in an interview with abc news . kyle hatcher has done nothing wrong , ' he said . clearly , the video we saw was a montage of lot of different clips , some of them which are clearly fabricated . ' a senior state department official said , it 's a doctored tape and a set-up designed to implicate someone working as a liaison with religious and human rights groups in russia . ' the official said hatcher , who is married , was approached by russians ; they tried to blackmail him , but he did everything correctly , ' reporting the incident to his supervisors at the embassy . the tape then appeared on the tabloid newspaper web site compromat.ru and was picked up by other outlets . diplomatic sources who declined to be named said compromat.ru has a history of ties to russia 's security services . russia 's foreign ministry had no comment when asked about the video . another senior state department official , who has seen the video , said it 's clear to me that it 's him , ' referring to portions showing hatcher alone in the hotel room . but then the lights go down , ' and the footage from there on is faked , that official said . the video of hatcher in the hotel room was taken last year , somewhere in siberia , ' said the senior state department official who watched the video . it was shot in a hotel that hatcher visited , the official said . when questioned about the possible motivation for creating the video , the official said it 's presumed it was done because of his human rights work , ' in russia . the official doubted the incident will have any effect on u.s.-russian relations and noted that the kremlin and the russian foreign ministry have both been very cooperative ' in the months since the footage came to light . the vast majority of people there are working toward better relations , ' the official said . another official said hatcher is a great officer ' who , until last summer , was a political reporting officer focusing on religious freedom issues in russia . the assignment lasts two years : one year in that specialty and a year on the visa-issuing line at the embassy . last year , this official said , hatcher was the lead officer compiling the state department 's religious freedom report and was given an award for his work by the ambassador . another official confirmed that hatcher received a meritorious honor award in 2009 and a group award in 2008 . hatcher , one official said , worked with religious groups that are considered outside the mainstream ' in russia , such as protestants and non-christians . such faiths often face official and unofficial discrimination in the largely russian-orthodox society . another senior state department official said , there is a lot of inertia ' among some special security services in russia . they are pretty much unreconstructed , ' he said . the security services may have wanted to compromise hatcher 's ability to work with religious groups , he says , or they may have wanted to throw a stick into the spokes ' of the u.s.-russia relationship . some in moscow , ' he said , are looking to integrate with the west , and others are trying to stop that . ' the officials asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter . cnn 's matthew chance in moscow and paul courson in washington contributed to this report . | russian site allegedly shows state department employee having sex with prostitute |
lionel messi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- lionel messi scored his 33rd and 34th goals of the season as barcelona crushed valladolid 4-0 to retain their spanish primera liga title by three points from real madrid , who were held 1-1 at malaga on sunday . the 22-year-old messi put the icing on the cake of a memorable campaign for him personally , helping barca finish the season on 99 points , the most points gained in spanish league history . with arch-rivals madrid breathing down their necks , just a point separated the two sides going into the final match of the season , pep guardiola 's side knew that only a victory would guarantee their fourth league title in six seasons . and they were handed the perfect start when visiting defender luis prieto managed to slice pedro 's 27th-minute cross into his own net . pedro was instrumental in barca 's second goal four minutes later , sliding the ball through the goalkeeper 's legs after latching onto messi 's pass . argentine maestro messi then took over . he netted his first -- and barca 's third -- on the hour mark when tapping home after yaya toure 's powerful run had split the valladolid defence . the scoring was completed with 15 minutes remaining when messi fired home after against being set-up by toure . speaking to reporters after the match , barca captain carlos puyol said : real madrid had a great season and made life tough for us but we fought hard to win this title with a huge points tally . it is really nice to celebrate this title in front of our fans . we have had some difficult moments and they really helped us get through them . ' the victory also meant real 's result became redundant , although their failure to win now increases the pressure even further on coach manuel pellegrini . pellegrini 's side fell behind on nine minutes when sergio duda finished fired malaga ahead , although dutchman rafael van der vaart earned the visitors a point with a superb turn and strike . the final day results mean that valencia ( third ) and sevilla ( fourth ) join barca and real madrid in next year 's champions league . meanwhile , valladolid 's defeat means they join xerez and tenerife in being relegated to the second division -- while malaga and racing santander both survive the drop . | lionel messi scores 33rd and 34th goals of the season as barca finish on 99 points |
gadhafi <tsp> tripoli , libya ( cnn ) -- moammar gadhafi 's forces thursday pounded the strategic port of misrata , his sole daughter defied the coalition and the three leaders of that alliance declared the libyan leader must go and go for good . ' to the west , in tripoli , antiaircraft fire followed several thunderous explosions , and libyan state television reported civilian casualties from nato airstrikes . the attacks came as the alliance chief asked for more precision fighter jets in order to avoid civilian deaths . at a nato summit in berlin , secretary general anders fogh rasmussen told reporters that nato has the necessary assets to continue aerial strikes , but the tactical nature of the fight has changed . now they hide their heavy arms in populated areas , where before many targets were easier to get to , ' rasmussen said . to avoid civilian casualties , we need very sophisticated equipment . so , we need a few more precision fighter ground-attack aircraft for air-to-ground missions . ' with the conflict at a deadly impasse , britain and france have been pressuring nato to step up airstrikes . in a joint op-ed that will appear friday in three european newspapers , u.s. president barack obama , french president nicolas sarkozy and united kingdom prime minister david cameron wrote about their vision of libya 's pathway to peace . ' we are convinced that better times lie ahead for the people of libya , ' they wrote . they likened the fighting in misrata to a medieval siege . ' the white house released text of the opinion piece , which called on the libyan troops to return to their barracks . our duty and our mandate under u.n. security council resolution 1973 is to protect civilians , and we are doing that . it is not to remove ( gadhafi ) by force . but it is impossible to imagine a future for libya with ( gadhafi ) in power , ' the three wrote . the international criminal court is rightly investigating the crimes committed against civilians and the grievous violations of international law . it is unthinkable that someone who has tried to massacre his own people can play a part in their future government . ' gadhafi 's daughter , ayesha , speaking to a cheering crowd in tripoli , said the united states tried to kill her and other children in 1986 . in 1911 , italy attacked my country and killed my ( great- ) grandfather , ' she said . now in 2011 , they 're trying to kill my father . ' my father once said that'if the libyan nation does n't want me , then i do n't deserve to live ,'' ayesha gadhafi said . the libyans answered him in a united voice :'those who do n't want you do n't deserve to live !'' ayesha gadhafi also said rebel forces were being wrongly portrayed . who are those civilians that you 're trying to protect while killing us ? are they those who hold rpgs and other weapons ? ' the emir of qatar , meanwhile , told cnn it 's possible ' weapons provided by his state have reached libyan rebels in the past two days . hamad bin khalifa told the situation room ' that the opposition first must be trained in use of the weapons . libyan deputy foreign minister khaled kaim accused qatar late wednesday of providing rebels in eastern libya with anti-tank warheads , but he did not say when . a week ago , a cnn team in eastern libya saw the rebels with anti-tank missiles , which they did n't have before . rebels near ajdabiya were beginning to show signs of discipline and have received new equipment , cnn 's ben wedeman reported . despite the enhanced organization , they were not ready to take the offensive . in misrata , at least 23 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded in the dawn attack at the port and a nearby residential area , said the director of one of the four clinics open in the city . he said at least 700 people have died since the violence erupted in misrata in february the attacks thursday destroyed a cement factory and cargo containers at the misrata port , where a medical aid ship was expected to dock , residents said . if people do not die here from shelling , they will die from starving since gadhafi is preventing aid from arriving to the port , ' said mohammed , a medical assistant . he said the shelled port had reopened and did not sustain major damage . misrata residents interviewed by cnn did not want to be identified because of security reasons . cnn could not independently verify the reports but the international organization for migration said it chartered an 800-person-capacity boat to evacuate at least 6,000 stranded migrant workers in misrata , many of whom have been living in warehouses with little food and a lot of fear . the organization said the boat was carrying hundreds of tons of medical aid to misrata and was en route to the port . from reports on the ground , this rescue mission can not come soon enough , ' an iom worker on the boat said in a news release . it is going to be heartbreaking not being able to take everyone out at once . ' misrata has been under siege for weeks . reports of civilian casualties streamed in tuesday and wednesday . u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon said that in addition to misrata , the situation also is particularly grave in the cities of zintan and al-brega because of critical food and water shortages . rebels have pushed back the battle lines in the east from the war-weary city of ajdabiya toward al-brega . we are also deeply concerned with the fate of third-country nationals who are trapped in the areas of fighting , ' ban said at an arab league meeting on libya in cairo . as the fighting rages , the situation will only get worse and the more distant a political solution . ' international delegates attending a meeting on libya thursday in qatar again urged gadhafi to step down immediately . but the libyan strongman has shown no signs of backing down . state-run television aired video thursday of gadhafi hanging out of the sunroof of a sport utility vehicle and waving to other cars and people on the streets . cnn 's frederik pleitgen , ben wedeman and reza sayah contributed to this report . | gadhafi 's daughter rallies supporters |
himym <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- this week 's episode of how i met your mother ' featured a pretty unforgettable smile-inducing kicker . after ted found himself bemoaning his romantic setbacks and lack of personal progress , a look into the not-so-distant future revealed he had a daughter . tear up ? join the club . but would you have guessed that the moment was n't even part of the greater plan for the season ? we had a week of treading water , to be honest , ' says co-creator/executive producer carter bays . we have the arc of the season going , but this was one week where there was n't one , specific big event happening . we always get nervous about those kinds of episodes because you want to know that the story is moving forward . ' so , he says , they took a step back , ' and decided to put a little perspective on the overall story of the series . we were really telling the story that a father probably should tell his kids because it was only 22 minutes as opposed to seven seasons , ' he jokes . indeed the flashbacks and talk about the past was a nice reminder of where we 've been with the gang . but as bays sees it , it 's also a great reminder of where we 're going -- without giving everything away . yes , he admits , they made sure neil patrick harris hid his left hand so we would n't know whether or not barney would be married three years from now . he 's so good at making that look natural , ' he says , laughing . he 's a magician ; he 's good with his hands . he knows what he 's doing ' but does barney ? this episode saw the once notorious womanizer seemingly settling into life as a one-woman man . to be fair , becki newton previously warned ew that barney and quinn would be on the fast track . but after just a few episodes of courting , they 're living together ... and liking it ! is it all too fast ? bays does n't think so . i think barney is in love . at a certain age , you stop worrying about the pacing so much and you sort of realize you 're only on this planet a short time so you might as well be with the person you care about the most , ' he says . and i think that 's quinn right now for barney . ' the best way to show that , he says , was to break barriers -- by breaking wind . we put off having a fart sound effect on our show for seven years , and we did pretty well without it . and it was one of those things as a showrunner that you know two things right away : you 're going to be embarrassed that you 're doing it at the table read , and you know that in the final cut , it 's going to be the funniest moment and get a laugh , ' he says . and it 's not'blazing saddles'-- cowboys sitting around eating beans †” it 's actually a very real threshold to cross in a relationship . it 's a big relationship moment . ' so where do they go from here ? for one , quinn and barney will continue moving pretty quickly , he says , and next week , we 'll see more from robin ( colbie smulders ) than we did in this episode . robin , there is some excitement in her life coming up , especially next week 's episode , ' he says . when we pick up , robin and ted still are n't talking and viewers are going to see how that affects their lives and friendship . we went for the reality of those situations , ' he says . i feel like on this show we 've gone as far as we can go where it 's just the gang hanging out at the bar week in and week out , with these big thing happen to them that do n't really change things . ted and robin have now reached the point where it 's not as simple as hanging out at the bar and forgetting the fact that ted 's in love with her , and she 's not in love with him . it 's complicated . ' but , not to worry , he says . i feel like [ there 's ] a satisfying ending -- the way it all wraps up as the season comes to a close . ' 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 . | himym ' co-creator/executive producer carter bays talks about the this week 's episode |
dawuni <tsp> ( cnn ) -- dubbed ghana 's bob marley , ' reggae sensation rocky dawuni is known not only for bringing his upbeat vibe to audiences across the world , but also for promoting social issues through his extensive humanitarian work . the acclaimed singer-songwriter first fell in love with reggae at a young age when he heard a ghanaian military band play a bob marley song . he was instantly hooked . i remember totally being drawn to the words and also the message and the intentions of the music , ' he told cnn 's isha sesay . now based in los angeles , dawuni has recorded five albums and performed alongside global stars such as stevie wonder on some of the world 's biggest stages . but perhaps his most impressive feat so far has been the creation of the independence splash festival in ghana , an annual event that attracts thousands of music lovers and also raises awareness for a series of social causes , including provision of clean water and education for girls . an edited version of the interview follows . cnn : can you describe the first time you ever heard reggae and the feeling it created in you ? rocky dawuni : the first time i heard reggae music was ( in ) michel camp , which is a military barracks in ghana where i was born . there was a military band called hot barrels which used to ... do covers . i was interested in music , so every time i used to hang out at their rehearsal . and then one time , they started playing covers , bob marley , and i remember totally being drawn to the words and also the message and the intentions of the music . it was really love at first sight . and since then i also realized that my calling too was in that direction , using music as that tool to articulate all that i see around me . cnn : when did you first realize you could sing ? rd : right from the onset , because our environment in africa , everything is music . when a child is born , everybody 's singing , when there 's celebration , everybody 's singing . so at that time , i just joined in everywhere and i realized that i could ... make up melodies , i was like , this could be an interesting path for me . then i started growing in my confidence , i started researching about it and then it just took off from there . cnn : you grew up being motivated by spreading a message -- how was that received as you were playing your first concerts ? rd : the thing that i believe about messages is that you have to understand that the message is always higher than the messenger . so you always have to put the message in such a way that you do n't become preachy , because we 're all on this journey together , everybody who 's part of this human family . me having that platform does n't mean that it makes me a person that can be able to point people in the right direction -- i just open options and i create the environment , and that environment creates dialogue . and it 's just like , when we start talking amongst each other , we 'll figure it out . so i believe in the subtlety of the message . cnn : which is more important to you , critical acclaim or commercial success ? rd : all of it has its place , but in the long run , my intention ... is that i want the music to be in the hands of everybody , so i do n't look at it more as a commercial thing , i look at it in terms of the message and the communication . i want everybody to experience what i have experienced , i want to communicate with everybody . i want everybody to feel and understand what message i 'm trying to carry across . i want everybody to be part of this new brotherhood of all of us . i call it the brotherhood of all of us because everybody is part of it . it does n't matter what your background is , what 's your religion , what 's your cultural background , what 's your gender . it does n't matter . we are all together in this world . we are sharing the same space , we are breathing the same air . cnn : every year you put on a concert called the rocky dawuni independence splash , talk to me about it . rd : ghana was the first sub-saharan country to be independent . so i realized that ghana 's independence day , its importance was not only a matter of celebrating the day , its importance was that this day could be a day we could use to reflect on where africa is . and right now ... ghana has really taken the leadership role when it comes to having democratic institutions , stability and even economically . so ghana has really been able to do all things that i feel ... we need to share with the rest of africa as we were the first independent country . so i felt that the concert was a means to start this celebration whereby all africa comes and in doing so , there 's the music and there 's also all the dimensions of us interacting with each other . so every year , no matter where i am , i go back and then have this event and then also i started using it for social causes . we 've worked on everything from water issues to girl child education issues , to hand washing , sanitation issues , hiv/aids . for me , i feel that my talent , whatever god has given me , my abilities that god has given me , is for me to utilize for that purpose . | dawuni is the creator of the annual independence splash festival in ghana |
dawuni <tsp> ( cnn ) -- dubbed ghana 's bob marley , ' reggae sensation rocky dawuni is known not only for bringing his upbeat vibe to audiences across the world , but also for promoting social issues through his extensive humanitarian work . the acclaimed singer-songwriter first fell in love with reggae at a young age when he heard a ghanaian military band play a bob marley song . he was instantly hooked . i remember totally being drawn to the words and also the message and the intentions of the music , ' he told cnn 's isha sesay . now based in los angeles , dawuni has recorded five albums and performed alongside global stars such as stevie wonder on some of the world 's biggest stages . but perhaps his most impressive feat so far has been the creation of the independence splash festival in ghana , an annual event that attracts thousands of music lovers and also raises awareness for a series of social causes , including provision of clean water and education for girls . an edited version of the interview follows . cnn : can you describe the first time you ever heard reggae and the feeling it created in you ? rocky dawuni : the first time i heard reggae music was ( in ) michel camp , which is a military barracks in ghana where i was born . there was a military band called hot barrels which used to ... do covers . i was interested in music , so every time i used to hang out at their rehearsal . and then one time , they started playing covers , bob marley , and i remember totally being drawn to the words and also the message and the intentions of the music . it was really love at first sight . and since then i also realized that my calling too was in that direction , using music as that tool to articulate all that i see around me . cnn : when did you first realize you could sing ? rd : right from the onset , because our environment in africa , everything is music . when a child is born , everybody 's singing , when there 's celebration , everybody 's singing . so at that time , i just joined in everywhere and i realized that i could ... make up melodies , i was like , this could be an interesting path for me . then i started growing in my confidence , i started researching about it and then it just took off from there . cnn : you grew up being motivated by spreading a message -- how was that received as you were playing your first concerts ? rd : the thing that i believe about messages is that you have to understand that the message is always higher than the messenger . so you always have to put the message in such a way that you do n't become preachy , because we 're all on this journey together , everybody who 's part of this human family . me having that platform does n't mean that it makes me a person that can be able to point people in the right direction -- i just open options and i create the environment , and that environment creates dialogue . and it 's just like , when we start talking amongst each other , we 'll figure it out . so i believe in the subtlety of the message . cnn : which is more important to you , critical acclaim or commercial success ? rd : all of it has its place , but in the long run , my intention ... is that i want the music to be in the hands of everybody , so i do n't look at it more as a commercial thing , i look at it in terms of the message and the communication . i want everybody to experience what i have experienced , i want to communicate with everybody . i want everybody to feel and understand what message i 'm trying to carry across . i want everybody to be part of this new brotherhood of all of us . i call it the brotherhood of all of us because everybody is part of it . it does n't matter what your background is , what 's your religion , what 's your cultural background , what 's your gender . it does n't matter . we are all together in this world . we are sharing the same space , we are breathing the same air . cnn : every year you put on a concert called the rocky dawuni independence splash , talk to me about it . rd : ghana was the first sub-saharan country to be independent . so i realized that ghana 's independence day , its importance was not only a matter of celebrating the day , its importance was that this day could be a day we could use to reflect on where africa is . and right now ... ghana has really taken the leadership role when it comes to having democratic institutions , stability and even economically . so ghana has really been able to do all things that i feel ... we need to share with the rest of africa as we were the first independent country . so i felt that the concert was a means to start this celebration whereby all africa comes and in doing so , there 's the music and there 's also all the dimensions of us interacting with each other . so every year , no matter where i am , i go back and then have this event and then also i started using it for social causes . we 've worked on everything from water issues to girl child education issues , to hand washing , sanitation issues , hiv/aids . for me , i feel that my talent , whatever god has given me , my abilities that god has given me , is for me to utilize for that purpose . | rocky dawuni is a reggae musician and spokesman for social causes |
baytown <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a texas inmate in a wheelchair , who escaped on foot from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons , is now on the u.s . marshals'list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives . arcade comeaux jr. , 49 , produced a weapon and fired upon two correctional officers , took them hostage and forced them to drive to baytown , texas , ' the u.s . marshals service said in a statement . he then put the officers in the back of the van and took their weapons and one of their uniforms , the statement said . comeaux was serving three life sentences for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon . he escaped monday during transport from huntsville , texas , to stiles , texas . the 6-foot , 200-pound man was shackled and in a wheelchair , which he had claimed was needed for mobility , ' michelle lyons , director of public information for the texas department of criminal justice in huntsville , said in a statement . about 45 minutes into the trip , as they were driving through conroe , 40 minutes north of houston , the prisoner pulled out a pistol and ordered the guards to drive south to baytown , east of houston . he fired once , but hit no one during the escape about 9 a.m. , officials said . law enforcement officers found the unharmed officers an hour later . comeaux was being transferred so he could be near john sealy hospital in galveston for treatment of the supposed paralysis he had suffered during a reported stroke , officials said . at least $ 16,000 in reward money has been offered for information leading to comeaux 's rearrest and a task force of more than 100 investigators is searching for him , focusing on the houston area , where he grew up and has family . his escape has led the man who oversees texas'criminal justice system to call for a shakeup of the prison system . i just think enough 's enough , ' said sen. john whitmire , the texas democrat from houston who is chairman of the state senate 's criminal justice committee . we need a complete shakeup of the leadership of our prison system and/or an outside review by third parties , ' he told cnn by phone wednesday . we just ca n't have security breaches of this nature . ' whitmire said the guards had failed to pat down comeaux while he was in his wheelchair and before they began the trip . sure enough , he has a firearm , ' he said . the question is , are there others ( in the prison system ) ? i think you have to assume that there are until you find out differently . ' so far this year , more than 900 cell phones have been confiscated from the 112 locations that house the state 's 158,000 prisoners . it 's pretty rampant , ' he said . i want the director to come forward and tell us what it 's going to take ' to solve the problem , he said . john moriarty , inspector general of the texas department of criminal justice , said such lapses are highly unusual in the state 's penal system . we have no open gun investigations other than this one , ' he said . the last one was several years ago . ' texas department of criminal justice executive director brad livingston , who has been in the job since 2005 , did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment . | comeaux forced officers to drive him to baytown , texas , where he fled on foot |
mh17 <tsp> a ukrainian journalist working as a freelancer for cnn remains in detention two days after he was detained by pro-russian separatists . armed men from the self-declared donetsk people 's republic seized anton skiba outside a hotel in the separatist-controlled city of donetsk after he had worked for one day with a cnn television crew . since his detention , cnn has attempted through a number of different separatist officials , including the office of the separatist prime minister alexander borodai , to secure skiba 's freedom . cnn chose not to report his detention at the time while making efforts to obtain his release . that has not happened to date , so cnn is now publicly asking those who are holding skiba to release him immediately . armed fighters led by a senior official from the rebel region were waiting outside the donbass palace hotel when cnn 's crew returned from a day 's work at the mh17 crash site on tuesday evening . the official , who later introduced himself as alexandr kalyussky , the deputy prime minister in charge of industry in the donetsk people 's republic , initially accused skiba of terrorism ' and of posting cash rewards for the killing of separatist fighters on his facebook page . kalyussky showed a folder of printed documents that he claimed was evidence , including an apparent printout of skiba 's facebook page . gunmen escorted skiba to a waiting car . the young man did not resist as he was led away . kalyussky seized a cell phone from cnn cameraman jeff kehl , who tried to film the detention . later , kalyussky apologized and returned the cell phone to kehl on condition that kehl delete the video . in subsequent conversations with cnn , kalyussky dropped the accusation that skiba was offering cash rewards for assassinations . late tuesday night , kalyussky said skiba was being questioned for having multiple forms of identification with different surnames . on wednesday , another high-ranking separatist official told cnn that skiba admitted to being a ukrainian agent . ' the u.s. ambassador to ukraine said he was very alarmed ' by the incident . geoffrey pyatt , the envoy , laid the blame at moscow 's door . he told cnn 's christiane amanpour the kremlin was trying to use information and fear as part of its strategy to sow chaos in ukraine . that 's a strategy that leads to a dead end for russia . ' state department spokeswoman marie harf strongly condemned what she called skiba 's kidnapping ' by russian-backed separatists . we demand his immediate release along with the other hostage i believe they hold , ' she said . several international human rights and press freedom organizations have called for skiba 's immediate release . i strongly condemn this incident . journalists must not become targets just for fulfilling their professional duties , ' said dunja mijatovic , the representative for media freedom at the organization for security and co-operation in europe . the committee to protect journalists , reporters without borders , and the united nations human rights monitoring mission in ukraine have also expressed concern about skiba and urged his release . the climate for press freedom in the volatile eastern ukraine has deteriorated further , ' the cpj warned . the group reported that separatists have detained up to 10 foreign correspondents in the last week who came to the region to report on the plane crash . on tuesday , a british reporter working for the television network russia today and a cameraman for the abkhazian network news agency went missing while reporting on clashes on the outskirts of donetsk , the cpj said . rt freelancer graham phillips and an anna cameraman identified only as vadim have been missing since tuesday , the cpj said . they were last seen near donetsk airport . on wednesday , skiba made a short phone call to cnn . he said he was being questioned at the headquarters of the donetsk security services and added that he would not be available ' before the call was abruptly cut off . it was unclear whether the call was made under duress . on thursday , separatist officials did not respond to additional requests from cnn about skiba 's welfare . on july 11 , kalyussky -- the separatist official who detained skiba -- was added to the growing list of dpr officials to face sanctions from the european union . anton skiba had previously also worked as a fixer for the bbc for two days in the wake of the malaysia airlines flight 17 crash . a journalist at the weekly moscow-based newsmagazine russian reporter told cnn that skiba also worked for several months in 2013 as a photographer for the publication . he was working as a fixer for cnn -- a freelance position that combines journalism , translating and providing local knowledge . | skiba was taken to a waiting car by gunmen after working at the mh17 crash site |
cher <tsp> ( the frisky ) -- this week joaquin phoenix went on the late show with david letterman ' -- clean-shaven and once again good-looking -- to apologize for the stunt he pulled when he appeared on the show in character for the flick i 'm still here . ' joaquin assured us that letterman was not in on the joke . but it got us thinking -- why is letterman ' the place celebrities go to unleash their crazy ? do they drug stars in the green room ? or does david make people feel so uncomfortable that they let out their inner freak ? who knows ? but we rounded up the 10 most insane david letterman interviews in our recent memory . the frisky : 9 celebrities try to explain why they cheated 1.wacky joaquin starting , of course , with joaquin 's february 2009 interview , during which he revealed that he was retiring from acting and embarking on a rap career . his shaggy beard , sunglasses at night , one-word answers to questions , and overall twiggy , skittish behavior had us seriously worried . 2 . drew flashed dave drew barrymore seems so together these days that it 's easy to forget that she was once a total mess . case in point : her 1995 interview with letterman . it 's hard to believe that she was n't on anything when she revealed that her birthday usually makes her nauseous and talked about how liberating stripping is . then drew jumped on the desk and proceeded to flash dave . 3 . madonna made us cringe a year earlier , madonna made quite a spectacle of herself on letterman . ' after berating dave for being so interested in her sex life and calling him a sick [ expletive ] , ' she said , are n't you going to smell them ? i gave him my underpants and he wo n't smell them . ' this was during her goth phase , when she was rocking black hair and combat boots , and more attitude . the frisky : 12 celebs who deny getting breast implants despite radical pics 4 . farrah was acting weird in 1997 , farrah fawcett appeared on the cover of playboy and did a pay-per-view special called all of me . ' and she made an appearance on david letterman , ' which she was late for because there were people , lots of people . ' she revealed that she and her mother had to have conceived on the same day , since their children have the same birthday . but the best moment was when she got totally confused and paused for a while . wow . i really thought i was looking out the window , ' she said , before giggling compulsively . 5 . crispin 's awkward interview crispin glover was so cute and innocent in back to the future . ' but he ruined it all when he appeared on letterman ' in 1987 to promote his movie river 's edge . ' and it was n't just the bad wig , '70s shirt , striped pants , and platform shoes that turned the world off . i 'm a movie star , ' he declared , awkwardly . then he challenged david to an arm-wrestling match . the frisky : 10 stars with bad body habits 6 . paris squirmed in 2007 , paris hilton went on letterman ' after her stint in the slammer and the whole thing was just uncomfortable . how 'd you like being in jail ? ' david asked , just a few seconds in . not too much , ' she replied . yes , he also asked about the food . it 's not supposed to be good -- it 's jail , ' she said . 7 . cher was defensive is n't it weird that cher looks younger now ( see the recent mtv vma show , anyone ? ) than she did in her 1986 letterman ' interview ? for her 1996 appearance , she kept her hands firmly across her chest . when david asked why she refused to come on the show for years and then relented , cher explained , i want to pay my hotel bill . i have a huge hotel bill . i thought i 'd come on and see what this guy is like . ' so what did she think ? you 're an [ insert a not-so-nice-name for'jerk'] . ' 8 . courtney pulled a drew ' nearly a decade later , courtney love went on letterman ' wearing almost the same ensemble that drew barrymore sported on the show . before she even sat down , she flashed him . then she did it again and again , before falling off a chair . i learned how to flirt from watching david letterman flirt with sandra bernhard . it has been the crisis of all my dysfunctional relationships ever since , ' she said . yowch . the frisky : 13 hollywood guys who fell for regular gals 9 . andy kaufman 's big joke andy kaufman is n't known for his straight interviews . in 1982 , he appeared on letterman ' with wrestler jerry lawler . why ? because part of kaufman 's shtick was wrestling women , and as such , lawler challenged him to a match . during the interview , lawler slaps kaufman , which leads to a tirade worthy of a real housewife . ' we 'll never know if this whole bit was staged . 10 . borat bombed we know what to expect from sacha baron cohen when he 's in character as borat , but david letterman did n't seem prepared . seems he thought he was getting an interview with sacha proper . when david asked about sacha 's wife , he was no doubt referring to isla fischer . but sacha responded , my wife is dead . high five . when i buy my wife , she was very nice , she cook good , she was strong on plow . but after three years when she was 15 , her voice got deep and she grow much hair on chest . ' david was not amused . tm & © 2010 tmv , inc. | all rights reserved | cher said she only came on the show in order to pay her huge hotel bill |
istanbul <tsp> istanbul , turkey ( cnn ) -- turkish security forces barricaded the commercial center of istanbul in an attempt to stop may day celebrations from taking place in the city 's iconic taksim square . police fired plastic pellets and used tear gas and water cannon in an attempt to disperse may day demonstrators who tried to defy the ban and reach the city center . protesters responded by throwing stones and bottles and shooting fireworks at riot police . similar clashes erupted in the turkish capital ankara and the port city of izmir . turkish authorities went to great lengths to prevent people from gathering in istanbul , turkey 's largest city . citing security threats by extremist groups , the government shut istanbul 's subway system , stopped many commercial ferry services between the european and asian halves of the city , and blocked vehicular traffic on some of istanbul 's busiest roads . intelligence units have received information that illegal terrorist organizations and their extensions are going to resort to violence against security forces . this situation would create circumstances that would not only disrupt public order and security but also seriously threaten the rights and freedoms of our citizens , ' the istanbul governor 's office announced in a written statement released wednesday night . the governor 's office also justified the ban , arguing that may day rallies would hurt istanbul 's image as a tourist destination . taksim square and the surrounding area are not suitable for high attendance gatherings and demonstrations , ' the governor 's office wrote . in taksim vehicular and pedestrian traffic is intense and the area has great tourism potential with 24/7 tourist hotels , so negative developments in this area would negatively impact the country economy , tourism potential and the marketing image of our country . ' but the shut-down of the city center left many foreign tourists bewildered , as police turned them away from barricades . some visitors could be seen dragging suitcases through empty and barricaded streets in a confused search for hotels . closed , ' a police officer said , turning away an elderly european couple trying to enter taksim square . the sprawling pedestrian area was all but deserted throughout the day on thursday , with the exception of security forces , a handful of journalists , and wandering flocks of pigeons . for decades , may day , or international workers day , has been a day of tension between leftist turkish labor unions and security forces . taksim square holds particular importance to leftist parties , because dozens of people were killed there in a may 1 , 1977 rally in which gunfire triggered a deadly stampede . in 2011 and 2012 , the ruling justice and development party allowed leftist groups to rally in taksim for the first time in decades . the gatherings were festive and peaceful , decorated with giant posters of those who died in 1977 . but in 2013 , the government banned the annual rally , sparking a day of violence that has spiraled into the most politically turbulent year of anti-government protests turkey has seen in more than a decade . turkey 's prime minister recep tayyip erdogan has been in power since his party first won parliamentary elections in 2002 . he frequently denounces his critics , accusing them of being terrorists bent on overthrowing his government . his supporters argue turkey has grown more democratic during the erdogan era . they point to his party 's sweeping victory in local elections last march , when justice and development party candidates won at least 43 % of the national vote . we have moved away from a state that saw its citizens as a threat , ' said deputy prime minister besir atalay in a speech earlier this week . but many human rights groups and press freedoms organizations argue the erdogan government has grown increasingly intolerant of public displays of dissent in recent years . this week , the u.s.-based human rights organization freedom house downgraded classification of turkey from partly free ' to not free . ' constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press and expression are only partially upheld in practice , undermined by restrictive provisions in the criminal code and the anti-terrorism act , ' freedom house said . they also said , turkey remained the world 's leading jailer of journalists in 2013 . ' | turkish authorities went to great lengths to prevent public gatherings in istanbul |
u.s. navy <tsp> ( cnn ) -- australia 's prime minister repeated saturday that he has a high degree of confidence ' that acoustic signals detected in the indian ocean are from at least one of the two black boxes from the missing malaysian plane , but predicted that finding them remains a massive , massive task . ' it is likely to continue for a long time to come , ' tony abbott told journalists in beijing , where he was on a diplomatic visit . chinese officials appreciate australia 's transparency and candor ' in the search for malaysia airlines flight 370 , he said , adding i think it 's to our country 's credit that we 've approached it that way . ' more than 35 days since the plane vanished from radar screens early march 8 during a flight from kuala lumpur , malaysia , to beijing , the search continued . up to 11 military aircraft , one civil aircraft and 14 ships will assist in sunday 's search for the missing airliner , the australia 's joint agency coordination centre said . the australian maritime safety authority planned a visual search area totaling approximately 22,203 square miles ( 57,506 square kilometers ) . the center of the search area lies about 1,367 miles ( 2,200 kilometers ) northwest of perth . during friday 's search , only a small number of the objects sighted from aircraft and ships were recovered ; as has been the case throughout the effort , none was linked to the boeing aircraft , according to the joint agency coordination centre . still , the u.s. navy commander leading the american effort to find malaysia airlines flight 370 said he was optimistic ' about how the search is proceeding . the four pings detected in recent days were continuous and consistent with what a black box would emit , said cmdr . william marks . we 've ruled out that it was anything natural , or anything from commercial shipping , or anything like that . ' i agree with the prime minister , ' marks said . we 're optimistic . ' families skeptical but the optimism was not universal . relatives of the 239 people who were aboard the plane when it vanished met friday with malaysia airlines and government officials . the mother of pouria nourmohammadi , the 19-year-old iranian man who used a fake passport to board the plane , came away unimpressed . i feel the malaysian government has forgotten about all things mh370 , ' his mother told cnn on saturday . these days there is not news . they only keep saying ,'we are searching .'' on saturday , searchers aboard the australian vessel ocean shield were planning to continue towing the ping locator -- referred to as a tpl -- at a walking pace through the water in hopes of picking up new signals from either or both of the locator signals that were attached to the plane 's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder , marks said . the more signals they can locate , the more investigators say they can narrow the search zone . we have to stick with the tpl for just a little while longer to make sure we have exhausted every ounce of power coming from the battery through the black boxes , ' he said . the batteries were certified to last 30 days , but the beacon manufacturer predicted they would last days longer . once the searchers have concluded that there is no hope that the batteries could still be powering the beacons , searchers will lower into the water the bluefin-21 , a sonar device , to scour the ocean floor . the bluefin 's pace is slower than that of the tpl , he said . four pings , one dud on april 5 , the tpl detected two sets of underwater pulses of a frequency close to that used by the locator beacons . three days later , last tuesday , it reacquired the signals twice . all four signals were within 17 miles of one another . a fifth ping , detected thursday by a sonobuoy dropped from an airplane , is unlikely to be related to the aircraft black boxes , ' australian chief search coordinator angus houston said a day later . tracking pings is only one early step in the hunt to find the plane 's data recorders , wreckage and the people aboard . imagining the search underwater as the focus narrows , more questions surface in search for malaysia 370 the hunt for a flight 370 ping : how they are doing it how deep is deep ? imagining the mh370 search underwater cnn 's ralph ellis , david molko and elizabeth joseph and journalists ivy sam and chan kok leong contributed to this report . | we 're optimistic , ' u.s. navy commander says |
mediterranean <tsp> cnn has learned that u.s. intelligence agencies have identified three russian amphibious warships in the eastern mediterranean that are believed to be carrying weapons shipments that might be used to resupply the syrian regime , according to a pentagon official . the official declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the information . the united states has been tracking the ships since they left russian ports several days ago . u.s. satellites were able to see some indications of containers being loaded onto the ships . although it 's not confirmed , it 's believed the ships may be carrying some components of the controversial russian s-300 air defense missile system and other weapons for the regime . the united states has been pressing the russians for weeks to not deliver that system to syria because of the threat it would pose by upgrading syria 's already robust air defense system . the united states believes it would give the syrian government a much greater ability to target u.s. , israeli , nato or other aircraft that may try to strike targets on the ground in the future . the official said the united states did not see any military helicopters being loaded ; it is believed the syrians want to add the helicopters to their inventories . the russians have kept a regular naval presence in the eastern mediterranean so they can move in and out of the port of tartous , where they have facilities . several sensitive military assets are in the region this month as well . in the next two weeks , the u.s. navy aircraft carrier uss eisenhower will also be in the region on a scheduled rotation as it returns to its home port on the east coast . a u.s. patriot missile battery and f-16s are heading to jordan for a training exercise , though the jordanians have asked for the patriots to remain after the exercise concludes at the end of the month . | u.s. intelligence : three russian warships in the mediterranean may have weapons for syria |
afghan <tsp> frederick , maryland ( cnn ) -- nearly two years after arriving in america with the promise of a new nose and ears , aesha mohammadzai has finally begun the process of reconstructive surgery . the young afghan woman , whose face was mutilated by her taliban husband and in-laws , checked into walter reed national military medical center in bethesda , maryland , early thursday morning . after nearly six hours , the first of about six anticipated surgeries -- which will be performed over the course of up to two years -- is now complete , said mati arsala , who along with his wife has been caring for aesha . i woke her up at 5 a.m. , ' he said thursday night , recounting how the day began . she said ,'momo mati'-- that 's what she calls me , uncle mati --'let me sleep .'i said ,'you have an operation today ,'and she jumped . as soon as i said that , she jumped ! she was ready ! ' her spirits were high going in , he said . she was laughing and chatting with her doctors . because of privacy regulations , cnn was not on hand thursday and doctors were prevented from speaking directly about her case . the haunting story and image of aesha , now 22 , became known the world over after her face appeared on the cover of time magazine in august 2010 . that same month she arrived in california , welcomed with the best of intentions by people wanting to help her start over with a new and restored face . but aesha , who effectively became a poster child for the oppression of women in afghanistan , was n't emotionally prepared for the grueling process that awaited her . until now , and amid several moves , that hoped-for surgery remained elusive . in may , 16 months after meeting aesha , cnn published an exclusive piece documenting her complicated and winding journey in america . we set out to tell her story because the last the world knew , she was well on her way to a fairytale ending . we wanted readers to understand the truth : that fairytale endings are n't always possible , especially for someone with aesha 's challenges . the responses from readers were overwhelming . some messages we received were more surprising than others . many wanted to give donations to support aesha . others offered their own stories , tips to pass along to those caring for aesha , as well as medical and psychological diagnoses . people in afghanistan -- u.s. troops , ngo workers and a kabul blogger -- reached out , as did a man who knew her on the base where she first was brought after being brutalized and left to die . a new yorker in the fitness business asked to send aesha workout clothes -- with the hope that someday she might interview aesha for a program she calls celebrity sweat . ' someone in atlanta offered to choreograph and teach aesha her very own bollywood dance . a poet penned a piece to honor her . aesha and the frederick , maryland , couple caring for her , mati arsala and jamila rasouli-arsala , need the well wishes and good vibes now more than ever . this medical odyssey will be a long and difficult one . the team assembled to work with aesha did their best -- even putting together a three-hour presentation , the arsalas say -- to prepare all of them for what was to come . finally , she took the first step , ' jamila said thursday night . i hope everything will be good . ' a week before her surgery , we sat down with aesha and her adopted family , including her 14-year-old sister , ' miena ahmadzai , to talk about how they were feeling . i 'm not scared . i 'm happy , ' aesha said , sitting between jamila and miena , all three of them wearing necklaces aesha created . given all she 's been through , the years of abuse and the mutilation of her face , surgery is nothing to be afraid of , she said in pashto . i suffered a lot in my life , ' she said , as jamila translated . now i feel that a light comes into my life . ' she held hands with miena , with whom she 's become very close , the two only letting go to unwrap and chomp on chocolates plucked from a heart-shaped candy box in front of them . the next day miena , jamila 's daughter by her first husband , was boarding a plane to spend a month in germany with her father and family there . miena said she was sorry she would n't be around after the initial surgery , but she knows that she and aesha will talk and visit with each other by skype . miena looked over at aesha with a grin and gave her own prediction of how things will go : i 'm pretty sure , once she gets all her surgery , she 'll have a lot of guys drooling . ' aii , miena ! ' aesha screamed , her eyes as wide as her smile as she play-swatted her friend . the arsalas and aesha said they were ready for what awaits them . this is what she 's wanted for so long , and they take great comfort in the confidence they have in the doctors who will be caring for her . walter reed bethesda , the shortened name for the facility that combines the former walter reed army medical center and the national naval medical center , is the world 's largest military medical center . u.s. rep. roscoe bartlett and his office secured aesha 's treatment at the medical center . that the military , so often associated with violence , would step up to do this fills the maryland republican with pride . people know we take care of wounded soldiers . that 's kind of an obligation ; what else could you do ? but this -- you do n't have to do this . ... it puts a real human face on our military , ' he said . how can your heart not go out to aesha ? ' aesha will also have additional support from fahima vorgetts , jamila 's cousin , who introduced aesha to the arsalas . vorgetts , who lives in west virginia about an hour away from the arsalas in maryland , travels often . but she said she has carved out time to be there after the surgery and is prepared to help care for aesha during her recovery . vorgetts marvels at aesha 's smile and ability to be loving , despite all she 's been through . she has this innocence about her , but she 's also very smart and she understands things , vorgetts said recently of aesha . i think she has , and i hope she has , a brighter future . ' the road will not be an easy one to travel . over the course of her multiple surgeries , there will be plenty of pain and discomfort , not to mention the emotional toll she will experience as she watches herself look far worse before she will look better . thursday 's surgery , which set her up to have skin in her forehead expanded for future use in rebuilding her nose , is only the beginning , mati said . but by the time he left her room thursday evening , he said she seemed more than up for the challenge . she 's in a private room . she 's awake . she ate . she had a hamburger , fruit , ice cream and yogurt . and did i say fruit ? she ate like a pig , he said with a tired laugh . it 's only beginning , but it was very successful . ' to support aesha in her surgical journey , cnn ireport is asking people who have undergone reconstructive surgery to share their stories . some already have . submitted videos will be pieced together and played for aesha so she knows she is not alone . the family caring for aesha has also set up a website , aesha 's journey , so people can follow her progress , send her notes , make direct donations to her personal account and even reach out to buy her handcrafted jewelry . all this , the arsalas hope , will help aesha gain the life she deserves . to contact the author of this piece , e-mail jessica.ravitz @ turner.com . | young afghan woman was mutilated by her taliban husband and in-laws |
florida <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president-elect barack obama left no doubt about his position on the hottest topic in the world of college football . florida came out on top over oklahoma in thursday night 's bcs championship game . we need a playoff , ' obama told reporters after being asked about florida 's 24-14 victory over oklahoma in thursday night 's bcs championship game . if i 'm utah , or if i 'm usc or if i 'm texas , i might still have some quibbles . ' since its inception in 1998 , the ncaa 's bowl championship series has weathered criticism from nearly all directions . the bcs is the system that chooses the contenders for college football 's most prominent postseason games : the fiesta , orange , rose and sugar bowls , as well the national championship game , which this year put oklahoma against florida . the bcs relies on a compilation of polls and rankings instead of , to the consternation of many , actual competition . florida , oklahoma and texas all finished the season with one loss . texas actually handed oklahoma its one defeat in october on a neutral field . when the bcs computer system put florida and oklahoma in this year 's national championship game , the annual back-and-forth over whether to have a college football playoff system was reignited . utah was the only college football team to finish the season undefeated , but its conference is considered less competitive and therefore was put at a statistical disadvantage in the bcs . friday was not the first time obama stated his preference for a playoff system . it would add three extra weeks to the season , ' obama said in a 60 minutes ' interview just after his election . you could trim back on the regular season . i do n't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this . so , i 'm going to throw my weight around a little bit . i think it 's the right thing to do . ' each year , republicans and democrats alike are angered by what they see as inherent unfairness in the bcs arrangement . in 2008 , legislators -- for one reason or another -- drafted legislation to invalidate the bcs on grounds that it misdirects commerce . watch how a playoff system could change college football » in an april resolution , the house of representatives formally , if not forcibly , condemned the bcs as an illegal restraint of trade that violates the sherman anti-trust act ' and also urged the justice department 's antitrust division to investigate . since this resolution , though , no serious action has been pursued . on thursday , rep. joe barton , r-texas , reintroduced the college football playoff act of 2008 . the bill , originally introduced december 10 , would prohibit , as an unfair and deceptive act or practice , the promotion , marketing , and advertising of any post-season ncaa division i football game as a national championship game unless such game is the culmination of a fair and equitable playoff system . ' if passed , this bill would apply to any game that occurs after january 31 , 2011 . it would be enforceable by the federal trade commission . barton said thursday that those watching the championship game are being bamboozled . ' this year 's bcs failure proves once again that it 's time for college football to come up with a fair way to determine its champion , ' he said in a statement . it does pit two very worthy teams against each other , but can anyone say unequivocally that the winner will be the best team in the country ? ' the bcs governing body -- made up of the commissioners from all ncaa division i-a conferences ; the athletics director from notre dame , which is n't affiliated with a conference ; and representatives from each bowl organization -- announced in spring 2008 that the system would be used through at least the 2014 season . later , espn outbid fox for a four-year television rights deal with the bcs . to begin in 2011 , this contract rests on the understanding that the current system will remain in place . barton , the ranking republican in the energy and commerce committee , represents the 6th district of texas . two of his co-sponsors , republican reps. michael mccaul and lamar smith , represent districts 10 and 21 , respectively -- two of the four districts that collectively represent austin , home of the university of texas . regardless of lawmakers'personal affiliation with home teams , the official motivation for college football reform is the same as for any similar economic reform : to help the little guy compete . the bcs is composed of eleven conferences . the six traditionally dominant conferences -- the atlantic coast , big east , big 12 , big ten , pacific 10 and southeastern -- are guaranteed at least one berth in one of the bcs bowls . each year , they are awarded $ 18 million , plus $ 4.5 million for each additional team that appears in a bowl game . meanwhile , only one team from the smaller conferences -- conference usa , mid-american , mountain west , sun belt and western athletic -- is given this opportunity . for the 2006-07 postseason , an average of $ 25.5 million in revenue was awarded per large conference , while the small conferences averaged $ 5 million each . as the argument goes , the larger postseason earnings provide an advantage -- in athletic recruiting , as well as for each university as a whole -- to the power ' conferences . this is not the first time lawmakers have voiced their discontent . in 2005 , barton summoned a bcs official before an energy and commerce subcommittee , but legislation did not result . and in 2003 , both the house and senate judiciary committees held oversight hearings to examine the bcs system , though the combined result yielded not much more than a sound bite from current vice president-elect joe biden : ' it looks un-american . ... it looks like a rigged deal . ' | florida beat oklahoma , 24-14 , in thursday night 's bcs championship game |
francis <tsp> the washing of feet was a radical act in jesus'time . it is no less radical in the modern era , with pope francis'decision to break with the long-standing papal tradition of washing only priests'feet , to include women and non-christians in the symbolic ceremony . the controversy began on holy thursday last year when pope francis washed the feet of two women and two muslims at a juvenile detention center in rome . before this , modern popes had only ever washed the feet of 12 priests at the vatican , during the mass for the last supper . watch : pope francis washes prisoners'feet this year , pope francis visited a home for the elderly and disabled , the fondazione don carlo gnocchi , to wash the feet of 12 disabled people of different ages , ethnicities and religious confessions , ' during a special lord 's supper mass , according to the vatican . those chosen for the special honor included a 16-year-old boy from cape verde who was paralyzed in a diving accident last year , a 19-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with cerebral palsy , and two 86-year-olds with mobility problems . the 78-year-old pope smiled at each of the people whose feet he washed , but clearly struggled to get up from his knees as he moved down the line ; two assistants helped him to his feet . he appeared to tire towards the end of the short ceremony . the tradition of the pontiff washing his priests'feet is based on a passage of the bible which says that jesus attended to his disciples at the last supper , saying , if i , your lord and teacher , have washed your feet , you also ought to wash one another 's feet . ' ( john 13:15 ) vatican ecclesiastical rules say that only adult males ' may have their feet washed at the mass of the last supper ( according to the roman missal , 2002 ) , following the biblical tradition that jesus washed the feet of 12 men . the choice of 12 priests is also symbolic of jesus'institution of the priesthood , which according to catholic tradition , occurred at the last supper . for many years , however , bishops around the world received permission from the vatican to wash the feet of women as well in their churches . in fact , when the now-pope was archbishop of buenos aires , argentina , he washed the feet of young mothers at a maternity hospital in 2005 . and it was n't the first -- or last -- time his choice would provoke debate : in 2001 , he washed and kissed the feet of 12 aids patients at a hospice in the argentinian capital , and in 2008 , he washed the feet of recovering drug addicts at a rehab center in the city . but until last year , no pope had dared to go against vatican rules and choose anyone but priests for the holy thursday event . in choosing to change the practice , francis is being as radical as jesus was in his own time . according to the talmud , the washing of feet was forbidden to any jew except those in slavery , ' the us conference of catholic bishops says in its holy thursday mandatum . jesus'action of washing the feet of his disciples was unusual for his gesture went beyond the required laws of hospitality ( washing of hands ) to what was , in appearance , a menial task . ' by eschewing traditional practice , pope francis is emphasizing the spirit rather than the letter of the law -- something jesus himself did by breaking with jewish tradition in washing his disciples'feet . and the spirit , or meaning , behind washing the feet of another person is one of humility and service -- that through the act , the leader becomes a servant to his followers . the vatican 's congregation for divine worship says that foot-washing represents the service and charity of christ , who came'not to be served , but to serve .'' according to vatican spokesman father thomas rosica , francis'gesture in 2013 was one of humility and service , intended to embrace those on the fringes of society . ' from the beginning of his papacy , the pope himself has been on the fringes ' of long-standing vatican protocol , for example by choosing to live outside of the papal palace and eschewing traditional papal garments and modes of transport . in breaking the rules of foot-washing at the vatican , the pope is acknowledging what has been a practice in local churches for some time , and also reminding catholics that the important thing is not whose foot is being washed , but the spirit behind that gesture . | pope francis washed the feet of 12 people at a home for the elderly and disabled |
francis <tsp> the washing of feet was a radical act in jesus'time . it is no less radical in the modern era , with pope francis'decision to break with the long-standing papal tradition of washing only priests'feet , to include women and non-christians in the symbolic ceremony . the controversy began on holy thursday last year when pope francis washed the feet of two women and two muslims at a juvenile detention center in rome . before this , modern popes had only ever washed the feet of 12 priests at the vatican , during the mass for the last supper . watch : pope francis washes prisoners'feet this year , pope francis visited a home for the elderly and disabled , the fondazione don carlo gnocchi , to wash the feet of 12 disabled people of different ages , ethnicities and religious confessions , ' during a special lord 's supper mass , according to the vatican . those chosen for the special honor included a 16-year-old boy from cape verde who was paralyzed in a diving accident last year , a 19-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with cerebral palsy , and two 86-year-olds with mobility problems . the 78-year-old pope smiled at each of the people whose feet he washed , but clearly struggled to get up from his knees as he moved down the line ; two assistants helped him to his feet . he appeared to tire towards the end of the short ceremony . the tradition of the pontiff washing his priests'feet is based on a passage of the bible which says that jesus attended to his disciples at the last supper , saying , if i , your lord and teacher , have washed your feet , you also ought to wash one another 's feet . ' ( john 13:15 ) vatican ecclesiastical rules say that only adult males ' may have their feet washed at the mass of the last supper ( according to the roman missal , 2002 ) , following the biblical tradition that jesus washed the feet of 12 men . the choice of 12 priests is also symbolic of jesus'institution of the priesthood , which according to catholic tradition , occurred at the last supper . for many years , however , bishops around the world received permission from the vatican to wash the feet of women as well in their churches . in fact , when the now-pope was archbishop of buenos aires , argentina , he washed the feet of young mothers at a maternity hospital in 2005 . and it was n't the first -- or last -- time his choice would provoke debate : in 2001 , he washed and kissed the feet of 12 aids patients at a hospice in the argentinian capital , and in 2008 , he washed the feet of recovering drug addicts at a rehab center in the city . but until last year , no pope had dared to go against vatican rules and choose anyone but priests for the holy thursday event . in choosing to change the practice , francis is being as radical as jesus was in his own time . according to the talmud , the washing of feet was forbidden to any jew except those in slavery , ' the us conference of catholic bishops says in its holy thursday mandatum . jesus'action of washing the feet of his disciples was unusual for his gesture went beyond the required laws of hospitality ( washing of hands ) to what was , in appearance , a menial task . ' by eschewing traditional practice , pope francis is emphasizing the spirit rather than the letter of the law -- something jesus himself did by breaking with jewish tradition in washing his disciples'feet . and the spirit , or meaning , behind washing the feet of another person is one of humility and service -- that through the act , the leader becomes a servant to his followers . the vatican 's congregation for divine worship says that foot-washing represents the service and charity of christ , who came'not to be served , but to serve .'' according to vatican spokesman father thomas rosica , francis'gesture in 2013 was one of humility and service , intended to embrace those on the fringes of society . ' from the beginning of his papacy , the pope himself has been on the fringes ' of long-standing vatican protocol , for example by choosing to live outside of the papal palace and eschewing traditional papal garments and modes of transport . in breaking the rules of foot-washing at the vatican , the pope is acknowledging what has been a practice in local churches for some time , and also reminding catholics that the important thing is not whose foot is being washed , but the spirit behind that gesture . | pope francis broke with tradition , to include ordinary ' people ; women and non-christians |
new jersey <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- federal agents say a missing new jersey woman may be one of 11 victims believed to have been slain by admitted serial killer israel keyes . investigators believe the woman debra feldman , 49 , was last seen at her hackensack home on april 8 , 2009 . she has not been heard from since . the fbi said keyes admitted that on april 9 , 2009 , he abducted a female from a state on the east coast and transported her over multiple state lines into new york . keyes said he killed the victim and buried her in upstate new york . fbi special agent barbara woodruff told cnn thursday that keyes -- before he committed suicide last year -- was shown pictures of unsolved murder victims and people who had gone missing to see whether he would admit to being involved in any of those cases . when keyes was shown a picture of feldman , he paused , looking at it a long time , before saying , i 'm not ready to talk about that one , ' according to woodruff . footage on the fbi website shows keyes during the interviews with federal agents , telling them he would release certain information or details about his victims , and then changing his mind . detailed interactive map of keyes'travels ' he did enjoy the cat and mouse game , ' woodruff said . keyes committed suicide in his alaska jail cell last december by slitting his wrist and strangling himself with bedding . investigators described keyes as a kind of a murder addict who hunted victims in remote locations such as parks , campgrounds or hiking trails . an army veteran and traveling contractor , keyes studied other serial killers , but liked to say that he had not patterned himself after any other killer . serial killer a murder addict a multi-agency effort by the anchorage police , the fbi and local law enforcement agencies in lufkin , texas , arrested keyes in march 2012 for the abduction of samantha koenig , an 18-year-old barista . her body was found in a lake in april 2012 . keyes left many unanswered questions and a four-page note that expressed no remorse or clues to other slayings when he took his life . authorities are asking that anyone who may have information about keyes or feldman , or information about her around the time of her disappearance to contact the hackensack police department or call 1-800-call-fbi . cnn 's matt smith , mayra cuevas and brad lendon contributed to this report | serial killer israel keyes may have killed missing new jersey woman |
u.n. security council <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the wife of fugitive libyan leader moammar gadhafi , three of his children and some of his grandchildren arrived in algeria on monday morning , algerian diplomats said . mourad benmehidi , the algerian ambassador to the united nations , said he relayed the news to secretary-general ban ki-moon earlier monday . benmehidi said his country granted entrance to gadhafi 's wife , safia , his daughter , aisha , sons hannibal and mohamed and their children on humanitarian grounds . ' we made sure the international community has been informed , ' said benmehidi . the ambassador said he did not know whether moammar gadhafi was expected to seek entry into algeria and claimed none of the gadhafis were subject to u.n. security council sanctions . in fact , u.n. security council resolution 1970 , passed on february 26 , includes the names of all three gadhafi children who are now in algeria as being subject to a travel ban ' because of their closeness of association with ( the ) regime . ' the u.n. ban requires all member states ' to prevent them and others listed from entering their territories , unless there is some special circumstance that the council agrees warrants an exception . the resolution also allows the nation -- in this case , algeria -- to determine on a case-by-case basis that such entry or transit is required to advance peace and stability ( and ) notifies the committee within 48 hours after making such a determination . ' news on monday of the gadhafi relatives'departure from libya came the same day that a senior rebel commander reported that khamis gadhafi , a son of the libyan leader and military commander in his regime , had been killed sunday night . mahdi al-harati , the vice chairman of the rebels'military council , the military wing of the national transitional council , said khamis gadhafi died in a battle with rebel forces between the villages of tarunah and bani walid in northwest libya . khamis gadhafi , who was a senior military commander under his father , was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries , said al-harati . he was then buried in the area by rebel forces , al-harati said . his father , moammar gadhafi , meanwhile , is still wanted by the international criminal court in the hague on charges of war crimes . so , too , is moammar 's son saif al-islam gadhafi and his brother-in-law and intelligence chief , abdullah al-sanussi . but should any of those three get to algeria , there is no guarantee they would face trial . algeria is not a signatory of the rome treaty that established the international criminal court . the longtime ruler 's whereabouts have been a mystery since the rebels overran tripoli last week . rebel commanders said gadhafi was not found in the network of tunnels beneath his bab al-aziziya compound , and reports that he had been holed up in an apartment block nearby or at a farm near tripoli 's airport did n't pan out . the national transitional council , which is forming a provisional government in tripoli since overrunning the city last week , has not yet confirmed the news about gadhafi 's family members , spokesman mahmoud al-shammam told cnn . but he said that if true , the ntc would demand the return of the family members . he promised they would receive a fair trial . the rebels had previously speculated that gadhafi could be trying to reach algeria or libya 's southern neighbor chad , both countries with which his government had close ties . those are the only two neighboring countries that have been showing support for him , ' guma el-gamaty , an ntc official based in britain , said last week . in london , britain 's foreign and commonwealth office said the fate of gadhafi 's relatives is a matter for the ntc . ' in washington , white house spokesman jay carney told reporters the united states has no indication gadhafi has left libya . on monday night , a senior official in president barack obama 's administration -- speaking on condition of anonymity , given the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue -- said the libyan leader 's wife and three children are believed to be in the algerian government 's custody . the official echoed earlier comments from u.s. state department spokeswoman victoria nuland that what 's important is that gadhafi and his relatives , wherever they are , are held accountable . we want to see justice and accountability for gadhafi and those members of his family with blood on their hands and those members of his regime with blood on their hands , ' nuland said . but it 'll be a decision of the libyan people , ( as to ) how that goes forward . ' algeria , which the cia world factbook says has a population of 35 million , repeatedly has been mentioned as a possible destination for gadhafi and his family . guma el-gamaty , the britain-based coordinator for libya 's national transitional council , said earlier this month that algeria and chad are the only two neighboring countries that have been showing support for him . ' jon alterman , director of the middle east program at the center for strategic and international studies , noted similarities between libya under gadhafi and algeria , with a largely oil-driven economy and strong central government under president abdelaziz bouteflika that is concerned with popular uprisings . ' my sense is that algeria was supportive , in part , because they had worked out a modus vivendi ( or , practical compromise ) with gadhafi and they feared the contagion of mass popular unrest in the region , ' alterman said . yet while many nations in africa had determined it was easier to manage ( gadhafi ) than to defeat him , ' especially when he shared some oil-derived wealth around the continent , alterman said he finds it unlikely any nation will now risk international scorn by taking in the embattled leader himself -- or that gadhafi would ever leave libya . of gadhafi 's family members now in algeria , aisha gadhafi was a good will ambassador for the u.n. development program and has kept a low profile during the six-month revolt against her father . she had been named to the position in 2009 to address hiv/aids and violence against women in libya , but u.n. officials terminated her position as gadhafi unleashed his military on anti-government protesters early in the conflict . she is due to give birth in early september , sources close to her family told cnn . hannibal gadhafi is a headline maker . he has reportedly paid millions of dollars for private parties featuring big-name entertainers including beyonce , mariah carey and usher . several of the artists now say they have given the money back . rebels who picked through his seaside villa on sunday also introduced cnn 's dan rivers to his family 's badly burned former nanny , who said she had been doused with boiling water by his wife , model aline skaf , when she refused to beat one of their crying toddlers . the nanny , shweyga mullah , is covered with scars from the abuse , which was corroborated by another member of the household staff . hannibal was also accused of a string of violent incidents in europe , including beating his staff and his wife . charges were dropped in the case of his staff , and skaf later said her broken nose was the result of an accident . in another high-profile episode , hannibal was stopped after driving his ferrari 90 mph the wrong way on the champs-elysees in paris . he invoked diplomatic immunity . mohamed gadhafi , meanwhile , was one of three gadhafi sons who had been reported captured as the rebels overran tripoli last week . but the rebels said he had escaped the next day . cnn 's jill dougherty , greg botelho , richard roth and mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report . | the 3 gadhafi children in algeria are named in a u.n. security council travel ban |
jerusalem <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) a palestinian teenager 's name will be removed from an israeli memorial commemorating fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism after his family and others complained . mohammed abu khdeir 's name appeared this week on the wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl , the site of the national cemetery , as the nation prepared to mark its memorial day on wednesday . abu khdeir , 16 , was beaten and burned alive by three israelis in july , according to prosecutors . a picture on the memorial website for abu khdeir shows an israeli flag with two flowers called blood of the maccabees ' in israel , a symbol often used on memorial day , when the country honors its soldiers killed in the line of duty and victims of terrorism . but abu khdeir 's family objected to his inclusion on the memorial wall . his father , hussein abu khdeir , said no one asked for his permission to put his son 's name on the wall . i refuse that my son 's name will be listed between soldiers of the occupation , ' he said . almagor , an organization that works on behalf of victims of terror in israel , also opposes abu khdeir 's inclusion on the memorial . almagor described the teen 's death as a rogue attack and said he 's not a terror victim . somebody did here a trick , and we are going to fight to correct it , ' said almagor ceo meir indor . we will not recognize someone who was murdered in a brutal way in an individual action . ' indor 's organization wrote a letter to the national insurance institute of israel -- the country 's social security administration , which maintains the memorial site -- demanding that abu khdeir 's name be removed from the memorial wall . indor said if the teenager 's name is not taken off , members of almagor want their own family members'names removed . on wednesday , israel radio reported that the national insurance institute of israel will remove abu khdeir 's name from the memorial following his father 's complaints . the teen 's name has already been removed from the organization 's website , which lists the names on the memorial wall . a panel of judges began hearing evidence in january against the three suspects in abu khdeir 's killing . | abu khdeir 's name is on the memorial wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl |
israelis <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) a palestinian teenager 's name will be removed from an israeli memorial commemorating fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism after his family and others complained . mohammed abu khdeir 's name appeared this week on the wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl , the site of the national cemetery , as the nation prepared to mark its memorial day on wednesday . abu khdeir , 16 , was beaten and burned alive by three israelis in july , according to prosecutors . a picture on the memorial website for abu khdeir shows an israeli flag with two flowers called blood of the maccabees ' in israel , a symbol often used on memorial day , when the country honors its soldiers killed in the line of duty and victims of terrorism . but abu khdeir 's family objected to his inclusion on the memorial wall . his father , hussein abu khdeir , said no one asked for his permission to put his son 's name on the wall . i refuse that my son 's name will be listed between soldiers of the occupation , ' he said . almagor , an organization that works on behalf of victims of terror in israel , also opposes abu khdeir 's inclusion on the memorial . almagor described the teen 's death as a rogue attack and said he 's not a terror victim . somebody did here a trick , and we are going to fight to correct it , ' said almagor ceo meir indor . we will not recognize someone who was murdered in a brutal way in an individual action . ' indor 's organization wrote a letter to the national insurance institute of israel -- the country 's social security administration , which maintains the memorial site -- demanding that abu khdeir 's name be removed from the memorial wall . indor said if the teenager 's name is not taken off , members of almagor want their own family members'names removed . on wednesday , israel radio reported that the national insurance institute of israel will remove abu khdeir 's name from the memorial following his father 's complaints . the teen 's name has already been removed from the organization 's website , which lists the names on the memorial wall . a panel of judges began hearing evidence in january against the three suspects in abu khdeir 's killing . | the palestinian teenager was beaten and burned by three israelis , authorities say |
mount herzl <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) a palestinian teenager 's name will be removed from an israeli memorial commemorating fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism after his family and others complained . mohammed abu khdeir 's name appeared this week on the wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl , the site of the national cemetery , as the nation prepared to mark its memorial day on wednesday . abu khdeir , 16 , was beaten and burned alive by three israelis in july , according to prosecutors . a picture on the memorial website for abu khdeir shows an israeli flag with two flowers called blood of the maccabees ' in israel , a symbol often used on memorial day , when the country honors its soldiers killed in the line of duty and victims of terrorism . but abu khdeir 's family objected to his inclusion on the memorial wall . his father , hussein abu khdeir , said no one asked for his permission to put his son 's name on the wall . i refuse that my son 's name will be listed between soldiers of the occupation , ' he said . almagor , an organization that works on behalf of victims of terror in israel , also opposes abu khdeir 's inclusion on the memorial . almagor described the teen 's death as a rogue attack and said he 's not a terror victim . somebody did here a trick , and we are going to fight to correct it , ' said almagor ceo meir indor . we will not recognize someone who was murdered in a brutal way in an individual action . ' indor 's organization wrote a letter to the national insurance institute of israel -- the country 's social security administration , which maintains the memorial site -- demanding that abu khdeir 's name be removed from the memorial wall . indor said if the teenager 's name is not taken off , members of almagor want their own family members'names removed . on wednesday , israel radio reported that the national insurance institute of israel will remove abu khdeir 's name from the memorial following his father 's complaints . the teen 's name has already been removed from the organization 's website , which lists the names on the memorial wall . a panel of judges began hearing evidence in january against the three suspects in abu khdeir 's killing . | abu khdeir 's name is on the memorial wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl |
palestinian <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) a palestinian teenager 's name will be removed from an israeli memorial commemorating fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism after his family and others complained . mohammed abu khdeir 's name appeared this week on the wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl , the site of the national cemetery , as the nation prepared to mark its memorial day on wednesday . abu khdeir , 16 , was beaten and burned alive by three israelis in july , according to prosecutors . a picture on the memorial website for abu khdeir shows an israeli flag with two flowers called blood of the maccabees ' in israel , a symbol often used on memorial day , when the country honors its soldiers killed in the line of duty and victims of terrorism . but abu khdeir 's family objected to his inclusion on the memorial wall . his father , hussein abu khdeir , said no one asked for his permission to put his son 's name on the wall . i refuse that my son 's name will be listed between soldiers of the occupation , ' he said . almagor , an organization that works on behalf of victims of terror in israel , also opposes abu khdeir 's inclusion on the memorial . almagor described the teen 's death as a rogue attack and said he 's not a terror victim . somebody did here a trick , and we are going to fight to correct it , ' said almagor ceo meir indor . we will not recognize someone who was murdered in a brutal way in an individual action . ' indor 's organization wrote a letter to the national insurance institute of israel -- the country 's social security administration , which maintains the memorial site -- demanding that abu khdeir 's name be removed from the memorial wall . indor said if the teenager 's name is not taken off , members of almagor want their own family members'names removed . on wednesday , israel radio reported that the national insurance institute of israel will remove abu khdeir 's name from the memorial following his father 's complaints . the teen 's name has already been removed from the organization 's website , which lists the names on the memorial wall . a panel of judges began hearing evidence in january against the three suspects in abu khdeir 's killing . | the palestinian teenager was beaten and burned by three israelis , authorities say |
abu khdeir <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) a palestinian teenager 's name will be removed from an israeli memorial commemorating fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism after his family and others complained . mohammed abu khdeir 's name appeared this week on the wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl , the site of the national cemetery , as the nation prepared to mark its memorial day on wednesday . abu khdeir , 16 , was beaten and burned alive by three israelis in july , according to prosecutors . a picture on the memorial website for abu khdeir shows an israeli flag with two flowers called blood of the maccabees ' in israel , a symbol often used on memorial day , when the country honors its soldiers killed in the line of duty and victims of terrorism . but abu khdeir 's family objected to his inclusion on the memorial wall . his father , hussein abu khdeir , said no one asked for his permission to put his son 's name on the wall . i refuse that my son 's name will be listed between soldiers of the occupation , ' he said . almagor , an organization that works on behalf of victims of terror in israel , also opposes abu khdeir 's inclusion on the memorial . almagor described the teen 's death as a rogue attack and said he 's not a terror victim . somebody did here a trick , and we are going to fight to correct it , ' said almagor ceo meir indor . we will not recognize someone who was murdered in a brutal way in an individual action . ' indor 's organization wrote a letter to the national insurance institute of israel -- the country 's social security administration , which maintains the memorial site -- demanding that abu khdeir 's name be removed from the memorial wall . indor said if the teenager 's name is not taken off , members of almagor want their own family members'names removed . on wednesday , israel radio reported that the national insurance institute of israel will remove abu khdeir 's name from the memorial following his father 's complaints . the teen 's name has already been removed from the organization 's website , which lists the names on the memorial wall . a panel of judges began hearing evidence in january against the three suspects in abu khdeir 's killing . | abu khdeir 's name is on the memorial wall at jerusalem 's mount herzl |
jacoby <tsp> ( cnn ) -- change is never pretty . and the change that results when 50 states step in to take on a job washington has tried and failed to do can be especially messy . this is what 's happening -- with a vengeance -- on immigration . in the past five years , there has been a virtual revolution in immigration lawmaking . and the result is not just chaos -- it 's a lot of bad policy . states from arizona to virginia have enacted laws cracking down on illegal immigration . some go after the immigrants ; some target the businesses that hire them . some rely on local police to do the job ; others require that employers use the federal e-verify system to check the immigration status of employees . many of these statutes have been challenged in court , and the decisions that have been handed down are all over the map . the most controversial provisions of arizona 's 2010 immigration law , senate bill 1070 , were put on hold by a federal judge before they could go into effect , and in april the 9th u.s . circuit court of appeals upheld that ruling . but when alabama 's similar law , passed in june , came before a federal judge , she came to exactly the opposite conclusion , upholding sections almost identical to those blocked by the 9th circuit . and on friday , the 11th u.s . circuit court of appeals took yet a third view , blocking some provisions of the alabama law but upholding others -- including the section that permits local police to ask about the immigration status of people they stop for other reasons . an immigration reform advocate who went to sleep five years ago when congress last tried and failed to pass immigration reform would n't recognize the landscape today . the notion that immigration policy is a federal responsibility -- once widely accepted by both parties -- has been shattered , probably forever . far from finding state immigration laws unconstitutional -- as many legal experts once insisted -- the supreme court 's may ruling in the whiting v. u.s. chamber of commerce case endorsed the principle that states can and should play a significant role in controlling illegal immigration . and policies once unthinkable to many are now commonplace . a full one-third of the states now require some or all employers to use the federal e-verify system to check the immigration status of new hires . four states have enacted measures modeled on arizona 's controversial policing law . of course , it 's understandable that states are stepping in to grapple with immigration : the system is dysfunctional , and voters want something done . the problem is that most state lawmakers respond to this clamor by intensifying state enforcement . but critical as enforcement is , enforcement alone wo n't solve the problem . to do that , lawmakers need to combine enforcement with fixes to the legal immigration system -- providing enough visas for immigrants who contribute to the economy , create jobs and keep our cities vital while also protecting u.s. workers . and these kinds of fixes are much harder for states to make . so instead , most simply crack down harder on the broken system . consider what happened this year in alabama , the state with the nation 's toughest immigration law . the new measure touches nearly every aspect of life in alabama : hiring , firing , policing , the criminal justice system , state contracts , schools and religion -- the aim being to make every aspect of life harsher and less hospitable for illegal immigrants.the two recent court decisions on the law are not the last word -- there will be many appeals . and in the meantime , chaos reigns across alabama . local law enforcement officials are at a loss , unsure who they should asking for immigration papers or where to house those they arrest -- most jails in alabama are already full . immigrants are fleeing the state in droves -- illegal immigrants but also legal residents who have unauthorized relatives and are afraid to lead police to their doors . five percent of hispanic children have stopped attending school . employers -- particularly farmers -- are complaining desperately about labor shortages . and fruit and vegetables are rotting in fields across the state . is there a silver lining ? at first blush , it 's hard to see one . but sometimes things have to get worse before they get better . voters are n't blind . most support tough immigration enforcement , but they can also see the crops rotting not just in alabama but also in georgia , arizona and other states . employers and business groups once hesitant to get involved in the debate are coming out of the woodwork to complain about worker shortages . and in a few states , this has led to productive dialogue , even , occasionally , a breakthrough . in a handful of states , the two parties have put their heads together and considered options for solving the problem . in other places , lawmakers have listened to employers when they explained the damage harsh enforcement would do to the economy . this ferment bore fruit in several states this year . in arizona , indiana , kansas , tennessee and texas , legislators stopped short of passing the most draconian measures on the table . and in utah , politicians , business leaders , law enforcement and faith groups came together to enact legislation that went beyond enforcement only -- trying to create a system that works , at least in utah . the most important part of the utah solution is a state guest-worker program . exactly how it will function is controversial -- utah 's answer involves unauthorized workers already in the state and others waiting in mexico for legal visas . but the underlying principle is only common sense : replacing illegal immigrants with a legal foreign work force that employers can turn to when they ca n't find enough willing and able american workers . justice louis brandeis called the states the laboratories ' of democracy . a lot of what 's going on in those laboratories today is disastrous . certainly , in alabama , the results look more like a train wreck than science . but maybe even that offers some reason for hope . after all , even congress can stand by only so long . at some point , surely , washington will have to impose order on the chaos spreading in the states . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tamar jacoby . | tamar jacoby : states grappling with immigration by making own laws have made bad policy |
jacoby <tsp> ( cnn ) -- change is never pretty . and the change that results when 50 states step in to take on a job washington has tried and failed to do can be especially messy . this is what 's happening -- with a vengeance -- on immigration . in the past five years , there has been a virtual revolution in immigration lawmaking . and the result is not just chaos -- it 's a lot of bad policy . states from arizona to virginia have enacted laws cracking down on illegal immigration . some go after the immigrants ; some target the businesses that hire them . some rely on local police to do the job ; others require that employers use the federal e-verify system to check the immigration status of employees . many of these statutes have been challenged in court , and the decisions that have been handed down are all over the map . the most controversial provisions of arizona 's 2010 immigration law , senate bill 1070 , were put on hold by a federal judge before they could go into effect , and in april the 9th u.s . circuit court of appeals upheld that ruling . but when alabama 's similar law , passed in june , came before a federal judge , she came to exactly the opposite conclusion , upholding sections almost identical to those blocked by the 9th circuit . and on friday , the 11th u.s . circuit court of appeals took yet a third view , blocking some provisions of the alabama law but upholding others -- including the section that permits local police to ask about the immigration status of people they stop for other reasons . an immigration reform advocate who went to sleep five years ago when congress last tried and failed to pass immigration reform would n't recognize the landscape today . the notion that immigration policy is a federal responsibility -- once widely accepted by both parties -- has been shattered , probably forever . far from finding state immigration laws unconstitutional -- as many legal experts once insisted -- the supreme court 's may ruling in the whiting v. u.s. chamber of commerce case endorsed the principle that states can and should play a significant role in controlling illegal immigration . and policies once unthinkable to many are now commonplace . a full one-third of the states now require some or all employers to use the federal e-verify system to check the immigration status of new hires . four states have enacted measures modeled on arizona 's controversial policing law . of course , it 's understandable that states are stepping in to grapple with immigration : the system is dysfunctional , and voters want something done . the problem is that most state lawmakers respond to this clamor by intensifying state enforcement . but critical as enforcement is , enforcement alone wo n't solve the problem . to do that , lawmakers need to combine enforcement with fixes to the legal immigration system -- providing enough visas for immigrants who contribute to the economy , create jobs and keep our cities vital while also protecting u.s. workers . and these kinds of fixes are much harder for states to make . so instead , most simply crack down harder on the broken system . consider what happened this year in alabama , the state with the nation 's toughest immigration law . the new measure touches nearly every aspect of life in alabama : hiring , firing , policing , the criminal justice system , state contracts , schools and religion -- the aim being to make every aspect of life harsher and less hospitable for illegal immigrants.the two recent court decisions on the law are not the last word -- there will be many appeals . and in the meantime , chaos reigns across alabama . local law enforcement officials are at a loss , unsure who they should asking for immigration papers or where to house those they arrest -- most jails in alabama are already full . immigrants are fleeing the state in droves -- illegal immigrants but also legal residents who have unauthorized relatives and are afraid to lead police to their doors . five percent of hispanic children have stopped attending school . employers -- particularly farmers -- are complaining desperately about labor shortages . and fruit and vegetables are rotting in fields across the state . is there a silver lining ? at first blush , it 's hard to see one . but sometimes things have to get worse before they get better . voters are n't blind . most support tough immigration enforcement , but they can also see the crops rotting not just in alabama but also in georgia , arizona and other states . employers and business groups once hesitant to get involved in the debate are coming out of the woodwork to complain about worker shortages . and in a few states , this has led to productive dialogue , even , occasionally , a breakthrough . in a handful of states , the two parties have put their heads together and considered options for solving the problem . in other places , lawmakers have listened to employers when they explained the damage harsh enforcement would do to the economy . this ferment bore fruit in several states this year . in arizona , indiana , kansas , tennessee and texas , legislators stopped short of passing the most draconian measures on the table . and in utah , politicians , business leaders , law enforcement and faith groups came together to enact legislation that went beyond enforcement only -- trying to create a system that works , at least in utah . the most important part of the utah solution is a state guest-worker program . exactly how it will function is controversial -- utah 's answer involves unauthorized workers already in the state and others waiting in mexico for legal visas . but the underlying principle is only common sense : replacing illegal immigrants with a legal foreign work force that employers can turn to when they ca n't find enough willing and able american workers . justice louis brandeis called the states the laboratories ' of democracy . a lot of what 's going on in those laboratories today is disastrous . certainly , in alabama , the results look more like a train wreck than science . but maybe even that offers some reason for hope . after all , even congress can stand by only so long . at some point , surely , washington will have to impose order on the chaos spreading in the states . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tamar jacoby . | jacoby : silver lining to bad laws is that they clarify need , can help start dialogue about reality |
ebola <tsp> it 's not the type of plane either kent brantly or nancy writebol likely planned to take home . but when health officials evacuate the two american aid workers infected with ebola in west africa , it will be the plane they take . the centers for disease control and prevention has outfitted a gulfstream jet with an isolation pod designed and built by the u.s. defense department , the cdc and a private company . the pod , officially called an aeromedical biological containment system , is a portable , tentlike device that ensures the flight crew and others on the flight remain safe from an infectious disease . a u.s.-contracted medical charter flight left cartersville , georgia , thursday afternoon , to evacuate the americans , a source familiar with the travel plans told cnn . at least one of them will be brought to emory university near the headquarters of the centers for disease control and prevention in atlanta , georgia , hospital officials told cnn 's dr. sanjay gupta . the cdc raised its travel warning for guinea , liberia , and sierra leone from level 2 to level 3 on thursday , warning against any nonessential travel to the region . since 2003 , the agency has only issued level 3 alerts on two occasions : during the outbreak of sars , severe acute respiratory syndrome , in 2003 , and in the aftermath of the 2010 haiti earthquake . the cdc is sending 50 additional personnel to the three countries , cdc director dr. tom frieden said . they will be working to speed up laboratory testing , trace potentially infected people and strengthen the local health care systems . ebola is believed to have killed 729 people in guinea , liberia , sierra leone and nigeria between march 1 and july 27 , according to the world health organization . stopping this particular epidemic could take months . it 's like fighting a forest fire , frieden says -- if you leave even one burning ember , the epidemic can start again . it 's not going to be quick . it 's not going to be easy . but we know what to do . ' evacuating brantly and writebol was ultimately up to the aid organizations they work for , frieden said . moving them could do more harm than the good that might come with better treatment options in a developed country . i can tell you that airplanes are tough environments , ' said dr. lee norman , chief medical officer at the university of kansas hospital . norman was a flight surgeon for 16 years in the air force . you want to have the shortest trip possible for the best quality medical care . that is as available in europe as it is in the u.s . it 's a matter of how much flight they can handle . ' the american health care system is well-prepared for ebola patients , experts say . i think any major medical center can take care of any ebola patient , ' said dr. william schaffner , an expert on infectious diseases at vanderbilt university 's school of medicine . we have isolation rooms we use all the time . ' these isolation rooms are used for patients suspected to have tuberculosis , sars , middle east respiratory syndrome or another infectious disease . schaffner said not much would be different for an ebola patient , though more stringent precautions might be taken to ensure health care workers are following all protocols . but all that is minor compared to the adjustments you have to make during influenza ( season ) , for example , ' he said . the cdc has quarantine stations around the country staffed 24/7 . and most hospital staffs have been alerted and are on the lookout for ebola symptoms , said dr. eric legome , chief of emergency medicine at kings county hospital in new york . symptoms include fever , headache , diarrhea and vomiting . some patients have trouble breathing . doctors are asking patients with these symptoms if they have traveled recently to the three countries primarily affected by the ebola outbreak : guinea , sierra leone and liberia . they 're also asking if patients have been in contact with anyone else who has traveled to the region lately . legome said hospitals have a low threshold to isolate patients , meaning anyone who is even remotely suspected of being infected will immediately be put in an isolated icu room so health officials can run tests . they would most likely be flying in civilian aircraft and seek care in civilian hospitals , urgent care clinics , physicians'offices and emergency departments , ' said norman . that is exactly why this awareness is important for all caregivers . ' ebola is not airborne , he said . it can not be transmitted via coughs or sneezes . if an infected person is exhibiting symptoms , he or she can transmit the disease via bodily fluids such as blood , breast milk or semen . the virus does not die with a patient -- so deceased bodies can transmit the disease . there is no specific treatment for ebola . doctors can only administer what they call supportive therapy , ' which means supporting the patient 's own immune system as it tries to battle the infection . this usually involves intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration and shock , said christopher mores , associate director of louisiana state university 's center for experimental infectious diseases . this therapy for ebola patients could also include blood or platelet transfusions and oxygen therapy . ebola can last two to three weeks , mores said , so patients would remain in isolation until their symptoms subside and tests come back negative for the virus . | american health care system well-prepared for ebola patients , experts say |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president barack obama entered office with two overriding legislative goals : health care reform and climate change mitigation . he obtained the first goal but not the second . now he has to decide whether the laws that congress passes pose any constraint on his actions , or whether those laws are simply vessels whose precise contents can be filled as the president sees fit . on tuesday , two federal courts rendered contrasting decisions regarding the legality of subsidies paid to those who have obtained insurance through the federal exchange established under the affordable care act , the obamacare legislation that a deeply divided congress passed in 2009 . the act contains a provision authorizing federal subsidies to low-income individuals who purchase insurance through a state ' health exchange . the question that the two courts had to answer was whether the specific statutory reference to state exchanges precludes subsidies to those who obtained insurance coverage through the federal exchange . the u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit ruled 2-1 that such subsidies were not permitted ; the 4th circuit , the federal appeals court based in nearby virginia , held that the subsidies were allowed . the conflicting decisions reflect conflicting views of what counts as the law . according to the d.c . circuit 's majority , the law is contained in the plain language of a statute . but according to the virginia-based court , the law consists of what congress intended to do when it enacted the affordable care act . for its part , the obama administration emphasizes what congress intended instead of what congress actually wrote and passed . when white house press secretary josh earnest was asked if the letter of the law matters to the white house on this , ' he responded that what the courts are charged with doing is evaluating the intent of congress . ' that approach would save the subsidies that underpin the affordable care act , but it would doom the administration 's approach to climate change . when obama took office , he asked congress to enact sweeping federal legislation to combat climate change . the president insisted that such new legislation was necessary to respond to climate change -- indeed , some of his more zealous supporters argued that federal climate change legislation was necessary to save the world from destruction . but once congress rebuffed his plea for such a law , obama decided that maybe it was n't necessary after all . instead , he turned to the clean air act , which congress enacted in 1970 to reduce the clouds of air pollution that plagued so many american cities at the time . the intent of the congress that passed the clean air act was to empower the environmental protection agency to regulate emissions of substances that make people sick when they breathe them . that congress did not even think about climate change , and the pollutants that congress did contemplate are fundamentally different from greenhouse gases that occur naturally in the atmosphere , are not toxic when breathed even at the elevated levels that now exist in the atmosphere , and that cause harm indirectly by facilitating the greenhouse effect that has begun to change the world 's climates . if we were to follow earnest 's advice and evaluate the intent of congress , then the clean air act would not apply to climate change . but the supreme court read the clean air act in the same way that the d.c. federal appeals court read the affordable care act . in the landmark 2007 decision of massachusetts v. epa , the high court held the clear text of the clean air act encompassed all sorts of air pollutants , not just those that were in the mind of congress when it enacted the law . that broad understanding of the clean air act forms the legal foundation for the epa 's ongoing regulation of greenhouse gas emitters and of obama 's climate action plan . now obama , a former adjunct law professor , faces a choice . if he defends efforts to interpret the affordable care act based on what congress apparently intended rather than on the law 's actual provisions , then he undercuts the legal theory for his response to climate change . but if he defers to what the law actually says , then he loses the subsidies that are integral to the success of the affordable care act . of course , the president could simply advance whatever legal theory suits his policy aims . we expect more from judges . and few judges have articulated the judicial task better than oliver wendell holmes , who remarked , we do not inquire what the legislature meant ; we ask only what the statute means . ' even if josh earnest would prefer otherwise . join us on facebook.com/cnnopinion . | obama seeks to use decades-old law to regulate gases related to climate change |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president barack obama entered office with two overriding legislative goals : health care reform and climate change mitigation . he obtained the first goal but not the second . now he has to decide whether the laws that congress passes pose any constraint on his actions , or whether those laws are simply vessels whose precise contents can be filled as the president sees fit . on tuesday , two federal courts rendered contrasting decisions regarding the legality of subsidies paid to those who have obtained insurance through the federal exchange established under the affordable care act , the obamacare legislation that a deeply divided congress passed in 2009 . the act contains a provision authorizing federal subsidies to low-income individuals who purchase insurance through a state ' health exchange . the question that the two courts had to answer was whether the specific statutory reference to state exchanges precludes subsidies to those who obtained insurance coverage through the federal exchange . the u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit ruled 2-1 that such subsidies were not permitted ; the 4th circuit , the federal appeals court based in nearby virginia , held that the subsidies were allowed . the conflicting decisions reflect conflicting views of what counts as the law . according to the d.c . circuit 's majority , the law is contained in the plain language of a statute . but according to the virginia-based court , the law consists of what congress intended to do when it enacted the affordable care act . for its part , the obama administration emphasizes what congress intended instead of what congress actually wrote and passed . when white house press secretary josh earnest was asked if the letter of the law matters to the white house on this , ' he responded that what the courts are charged with doing is evaluating the intent of congress . ' that approach would save the subsidies that underpin the affordable care act , but it would doom the administration 's approach to climate change . when obama took office , he asked congress to enact sweeping federal legislation to combat climate change . the president insisted that such new legislation was necessary to respond to climate change -- indeed , some of his more zealous supporters argued that federal climate change legislation was necessary to save the world from destruction . but once congress rebuffed his plea for such a law , obama decided that maybe it was n't necessary after all . instead , he turned to the clean air act , which congress enacted in 1970 to reduce the clouds of air pollution that plagued so many american cities at the time . the intent of the congress that passed the clean air act was to empower the environmental protection agency to regulate emissions of substances that make people sick when they breathe them . that congress did not even think about climate change , and the pollutants that congress did contemplate are fundamentally different from greenhouse gases that occur naturally in the atmosphere , are not toxic when breathed even at the elevated levels that now exist in the atmosphere , and that cause harm indirectly by facilitating the greenhouse effect that has begun to change the world 's climates . if we were to follow earnest 's advice and evaluate the intent of congress , then the clean air act would not apply to climate change . but the supreme court read the clean air act in the same way that the d.c. federal appeals court read the affordable care act . in the landmark 2007 decision of massachusetts v. epa , the high court held the clear text of the clean air act encompassed all sorts of air pollutants , not just those that were in the mind of congress when it enacted the law . that broad understanding of the clean air act forms the legal foundation for the epa 's ongoing regulation of greenhouse gas emitters and of obama 's climate action plan . now obama , a former adjunct law professor , faces a choice . if he defends efforts to interpret the affordable care act based on what congress apparently intended rather than on the law 's actual provisions , then he undercuts the legal theory for his response to climate change . but if he defers to what the law actually says , then he loses the subsidies that are integral to the success of the affordable care act . of course , the president could simply advance whatever legal theory suits his policy aims . we expect more from judges . and few judges have articulated the judicial task better than oliver wendell holmes , who remarked , we do not inquire what the legislature meant ; we ask only what the statute means . ' even if josh earnest would prefer otherwise . join us on facebook.com/cnnopinion . | president barack obama 's team argues against a literal reading of the health care law |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- president barack obama entered office with two overriding legislative goals : health care reform and climate change mitigation . he obtained the first goal but not the second . now he has to decide whether the laws that congress passes pose any constraint on his actions , or whether those laws are simply vessels whose precise contents can be filled as the president sees fit . on tuesday , two federal courts rendered contrasting decisions regarding the legality of subsidies paid to those who have obtained insurance through the federal exchange established under the affordable care act , the obamacare legislation that a deeply divided congress passed in 2009 . the act contains a provision authorizing federal subsidies to low-income individuals who purchase insurance through a state ' health exchange . the question that the two courts had to answer was whether the specific statutory reference to state exchanges precludes subsidies to those who obtained insurance coverage through the federal exchange . the u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit ruled 2-1 that such subsidies were not permitted ; the 4th circuit , the federal appeals court based in nearby virginia , held that the subsidies were allowed . the conflicting decisions reflect conflicting views of what counts as the law . according to the d.c . circuit 's majority , the law is contained in the plain language of a statute . but according to the virginia-based court , the law consists of what congress intended to do when it enacted the affordable care act . for its part , the obama administration emphasizes what congress intended instead of what congress actually wrote and passed . when white house press secretary josh earnest was asked if the letter of the law matters to the white house on this , ' he responded that what the courts are charged with doing is evaluating the intent of congress . ' that approach would save the subsidies that underpin the affordable care act , but it would doom the administration 's approach to climate change . when obama took office , he asked congress to enact sweeping federal legislation to combat climate change . the president insisted that such new legislation was necessary to respond to climate change -- indeed , some of his more zealous supporters argued that federal climate change legislation was necessary to save the world from destruction . but once congress rebuffed his plea for such a law , obama decided that maybe it was n't necessary after all . instead , he turned to the clean air act , which congress enacted in 1970 to reduce the clouds of air pollution that plagued so many american cities at the time . the intent of the congress that passed the clean air act was to empower the environmental protection agency to regulate emissions of substances that make people sick when they breathe them . that congress did not even think about climate change , and the pollutants that congress did contemplate are fundamentally different from greenhouse gases that occur naturally in the atmosphere , are not toxic when breathed even at the elevated levels that now exist in the atmosphere , and that cause harm indirectly by facilitating the greenhouse effect that has begun to change the world 's climates . if we were to follow earnest 's advice and evaluate the intent of congress , then the clean air act would not apply to climate change . but the supreme court read the clean air act in the same way that the d.c. federal appeals court read the affordable care act . in the landmark 2007 decision of massachusetts v. epa , the high court held the clear text of the clean air act encompassed all sorts of air pollutants , not just those that were in the mind of congress when it enacted the law . that broad understanding of the clean air act forms the legal foundation for the epa 's ongoing regulation of greenhouse gas emitters and of obama 's climate action plan . now obama , a former adjunct law professor , faces a choice . if he defends efforts to interpret the affordable care act based on what congress apparently intended rather than on the law 's actual provisions , then he undercuts the legal theory for his response to climate change . but if he defers to what the law actually says , then he loses the subsidies that are integral to the success of the affordable care act . of course , the president could simply advance whatever legal theory suits his policy aims . we expect more from judges . and few judges have articulated the judicial task better than oliver wendell holmes , who remarked , we do not inquire what the legislature meant ; we ask only what the statute means . ' even if josh earnest would prefer otherwise . join us on facebook.com/cnnopinion . | nagle : on climate change , obama wants judges to read the law literally |
nancy pelosi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the power of music and the power of politics met tuesday , with a hip-hop mogul and one of the most prominent leaders in congress joining their considerable forces to spotlight issues facing youth in america . russell simmons hopes by investing in youths they can stay out of trouble and be more successful adults . house speaker nancy pelosi attended a youth conference co-sponsored by entrepreneur and entertainer russell simmons in washington . the one-day event , called keeping the promise to our children , brought legislators together with entertainment a-listers , including oscar-nominee terrence howard , who used their celebrity to advocate a variety of causes : foster care , health care and education among them . simmons'hip hop summit action network and the nonprofit , california-based children uniting nations hosted the event . this is the fourth conference organized by daphna ziman , an adoptive mother of a child formerly in foster care and founder of children uniting nations , which matches children in foster care with mentors . actress gabrielle union and actor/musician howard were among the celebrities at the conference who pushed for policy changes directed at improving educational outreach to foster children . only 54 percent of children in foster care graduate high school , according to the university of chicago 's chapin hall center for children . intervening in the lives of these young people , giving them a sense of dignity and worth , providing them with more opportunities , therefore , is one of the most important things you can do , not just for them , which is the most important thing , but for the strength of our country , ' said pelosi at a news conference before the event . panel discussions at the conference also addressed nutrition , mental health , hiv/aids and drug abuse . children uniting nations plans to lobby congress on these issues , said the organization 's spokeswoman , juliette harris . last year , the organization pushed for a $ 5,000 college loan subsidy for students who mentor at-risk youths , and the subsidy was passed in the house as part of the college opportunity and affordability act . this year , the organization has lobbied for the foster care mentoring act of 2009 , which was introduced by sen. mary landrieu , d-louisiana ; and rep. joseph crowley , d-new york , also attendees at tuesday 's conference . the act proposes an allocation of $ 15 million for foster-care mentoring programs . investing in youths now can help them stay out of trouble and be more successful adults , said simmons . we have such a great opportunity to make changes at this time and save our communities money and anguish , ' said simmons . the economics of saving kids save money . ' | u.s. house speaker nancy pelosi of california also attends one-day conference |
prejean <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- carrie prejean has been dethroned as miss california usa for contract violations , ' including missing scheduled pageant events , according to a state pageant official . donald trump poses with carrie prejean in may . prejean was removed as miss california usa on wednesday . prejean , 22 , retained her title last month despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . miss usa pageant owner donald trump decided to fire prejean a month after he gave her a second chance . carrie is a beautiful young woman , and i wish her well as she pursues her other interests , ' trump said . runner-up tami farrell , who was miss malibu , will immediately assume the miss california usa title , state pageant executive director keith lewis said . this was a decision based solely on contract violations , including ms. prejean 's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the miss california usa organization , ' he said . watch the new miss california talk about the developments » lewis told cnn 's larry king on wednesday that it was n't one thing prejean did , but many , many , many things . ' she came to us and said ,'i 'm not interested in your input ; i 'll make my own decision what i 'm going to do ,' lewis said . you know , when you have a contract , when you 're working for someone , you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is . ' lewis told king it was clear she was not interesting in upholding the title or the responsibilities . ' trump brought prejean and lewis together in new york for a meeting last month , after which he announced that communications between the beauty queen and pageant officials had been repaired . i told carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the miss california usa organization , and i gave her the opportunity to do so , ' trump said . unfortunately , it just does n't look like it is going to happen , and i offered keith my full support in making this decision . ' charles limandri , prejean 's lawyer , said she learned about the decision wednesday morning in a phone call from trump 's office . this is all kind of a big shock , ' limandri said . we 've been working with mr. trump 's office . she 's been doing all the speaking engagements she 's been asked to do . it is not true that she has not been cooperating . ' no one from the pageant organization ever warned prejean she was not doing what they wanted , he said . something is going on , ' he said . truth is not being told . i do n't understand where this is coming from , or why . ' for people to say that she breached her contract , that she is not doing speaking engagements is false , ' he said . she did one last sunday in las vegas and it went really well . ' prejean stepped into controversy at the miss usa pageant in april when she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage in a response to a question asked during the national pageant by perez hilton , a pageant judge . prejean finished as first runner-up , but it was not clear if her answer cost her the crown . during a radio interview wednesday with billy bush , who also was host of the pageant , prejean said it was that controversy that led to her losing her title , not contract issues . it 's just because of my answer , i think , ' prejean told bush . none of this would be happening right now if i just said yeah , gays should get married , you 're right perez hilton . ' wednesday night on larry king , bush asked the new miss california usa the question that sparked controversy for prejean . bush asked tami farrell whether in light of several states allowing gay marriage she thought other states should do the same . i think it 's a personal decision and a civil rights issue , ' farrell said . it 's something we should let each state decide . ' in addition to prejean 's gay marriage answer , controversy boiled to a new level in early may when seminude photos of prejean appeared on gossip web sites . miss california usa officials -- some of them outspoken advocates of same-sex marriage -- suggested the photos breached the contract prejean signed with the pageant . these officials also complained they could n't reach prejean and she had missed important pageant events . the controversy seemed over when trump declared the pictures not to be too racy and prejean promised to do better in communicating with the state pageant . hilton , the judge who asked the same-sex question during the pageant , cheered prejean 's firing . better late than never , ' hilton said . shanna moakler , a former miss usa who resigned as co-executive director of the california pageant when trump did not dismiss prejean last month , welcomed wednesday 's decision . first and foremost , my faith has been restored in the miss universe organization and with donald trump , ' moakler said . i believed eventually what i intimately knew would come to fruition . ' | better late than never , ' perez hilton says of carrie prejean 's firing |
prejean <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- carrie prejean has been dethroned as miss california usa for contract violations , ' including missing scheduled pageant events , according to a state pageant official . donald trump poses with carrie prejean in may . prejean was removed as miss california usa on wednesday . prejean , 22 , retained her title last month despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . miss usa pageant owner donald trump decided to fire prejean a month after he gave her a second chance . carrie is a beautiful young woman , and i wish her well as she pursues her other interests , ' trump said . runner-up tami farrell , who was miss malibu , will immediately assume the miss california usa title , state pageant executive director keith lewis said . this was a decision based solely on contract violations , including ms. prejean 's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the miss california usa organization , ' he said . watch the new miss california talk about the developments » lewis told cnn 's larry king on wednesday that it was n't one thing prejean did , but many , many , many things . ' she came to us and said ,'i 'm not interested in your input ; i 'll make my own decision what i 'm going to do ,' lewis said . you know , when you have a contract , when you 're working for someone , you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is . ' lewis told king it was clear she was not interesting in upholding the title or the responsibilities . ' trump brought prejean and lewis together in new york for a meeting last month , after which he announced that communications between the beauty queen and pageant officials had been repaired . i told carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the miss california usa organization , and i gave her the opportunity to do so , ' trump said . unfortunately , it just does n't look like it is going to happen , and i offered keith my full support in making this decision . ' charles limandri , prejean 's lawyer , said she learned about the decision wednesday morning in a phone call from trump 's office . this is all kind of a big shock , ' limandri said . we 've been working with mr. trump 's office . she 's been doing all the speaking engagements she 's been asked to do . it is not true that she has not been cooperating . ' no one from the pageant organization ever warned prejean she was not doing what they wanted , he said . something is going on , ' he said . truth is not being told . i do n't understand where this is coming from , or why . ' for people to say that she breached her contract , that she is not doing speaking engagements is false , ' he said . she did one last sunday in las vegas and it went really well . ' prejean stepped into controversy at the miss usa pageant in april when she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage in a response to a question asked during the national pageant by perez hilton , a pageant judge . prejean finished as first runner-up , but it was not clear if her answer cost her the crown . during a radio interview wednesday with billy bush , who also was host of the pageant , prejean said it was that controversy that led to her losing her title , not contract issues . it 's just because of my answer , i think , ' prejean told bush . none of this would be happening right now if i just said yeah , gays should get married , you 're right perez hilton . ' wednesday night on larry king , bush asked the new miss california usa the question that sparked controversy for prejean . bush asked tami farrell whether in light of several states allowing gay marriage she thought other states should do the same . i think it 's a personal decision and a civil rights issue , ' farrell said . it 's something we should let each state decide . ' in addition to prejean 's gay marriage answer , controversy boiled to a new level in early may when seminude photos of prejean appeared on gossip web sites . miss california usa officials -- some of them outspoken advocates of same-sex marriage -- suggested the photos breached the contract prejean signed with the pageant . these officials also complained they could n't reach prejean and she had missed important pageant events . the controversy seemed over when trump declared the pictures not to be too racy and prejean promised to do better in communicating with the state pageant . hilton , the judge who asked the same-sex question during the pageant , cheered prejean 's firing . better late than never , ' hilton said . shanna moakler , a former miss usa who resigned as co-executive director of the california pageant when trump did not dismiss prejean last month , welcomed wednesday 's decision . first and foremost , my faith has been restored in the miss universe organization and with donald trump , ' moakler said . i believed eventually what i intimately knew would come to fruition . ' | new : prejean tells billy bush she thinks gay marriage answer was reason for firing |
prejean <tsp> los angeles , california ( cnn ) -- carrie prejean has been dethroned as miss california usa for contract violations , ' including missing scheduled pageant events , according to a state pageant official . donald trump poses with carrie prejean in may . prejean was removed as miss california usa on wednesday . prejean , 22 , retained her title last month despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . miss usa pageant owner donald trump decided to fire prejean a month after he gave her a second chance . carrie is a beautiful young woman , and i wish her well as she pursues her other interests , ' trump said . runner-up tami farrell , who was miss malibu , will immediately assume the miss california usa title , state pageant executive director keith lewis said . this was a decision based solely on contract violations , including ms. prejean 's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the miss california usa organization , ' he said . watch the new miss california talk about the developments » lewis told cnn 's larry king on wednesday that it was n't one thing prejean did , but many , many , many things . ' she came to us and said ,'i 'm not interested in your input ; i 'll make my own decision what i 'm going to do ,' lewis said . you know , when you have a contract , when you 're working for someone , you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is . ' lewis told king it was clear she was not interesting in upholding the title or the responsibilities . ' trump brought prejean and lewis together in new york for a meeting last month , after which he announced that communications between the beauty queen and pageant officials had been repaired . i told carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the miss california usa organization , and i gave her the opportunity to do so , ' trump said . unfortunately , it just does n't look like it is going to happen , and i offered keith my full support in making this decision . ' charles limandri , prejean 's lawyer , said she learned about the decision wednesday morning in a phone call from trump 's office . this is all kind of a big shock , ' limandri said . we 've been working with mr. trump 's office . she 's been doing all the speaking engagements she 's been asked to do . it is not true that she has not been cooperating . ' no one from the pageant organization ever warned prejean she was not doing what they wanted , he said . something is going on , ' he said . truth is not being told . i do n't understand where this is coming from , or why . ' for people to say that she breached her contract , that she is not doing speaking engagements is false , ' he said . she did one last sunday in las vegas and it went really well . ' prejean stepped into controversy at the miss usa pageant in april when she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage in a response to a question asked during the national pageant by perez hilton , a pageant judge . prejean finished as first runner-up , but it was not clear if her answer cost her the crown . during a radio interview wednesday with billy bush , who also was host of the pageant , prejean said it was that controversy that led to her losing her title , not contract issues . it 's just because of my answer , i think , ' prejean told bush . none of this would be happening right now if i just said yeah , gays should get married , you 're right perez hilton . ' wednesday night on larry king , bush asked the new miss california usa the question that sparked controversy for prejean . bush asked tami farrell whether in light of several states allowing gay marriage she thought other states should do the same . i think it 's a personal decision and a civil rights issue , ' farrell said . it 's something we should let each state decide . ' in addition to prejean 's gay marriage answer , controversy boiled to a new level in early may when seminude photos of prejean appeared on gossip web sites . miss california usa officials -- some of them outspoken advocates of same-sex marriage -- suggested the photos breached the contract prejean signed with the pageant . these officials also complained they could n't reach prejean and she had missed important pageant events . the controversy seemed over when trump declared the pictures not to be too racy and prejean promised to do better in communicating with the state pageant . hilton , the judge who asked the same-sex question during the pageant , cheered prejean 's firing . better late than never , ' hilton said . shanna moakler , a former miss usa who resigned as co-executive director of the california pageant when trump did not dismiss prejean last month , welcomed wednesday 's decision . first and foremost , my faith has been restored in the miss universe organization and with donald trump , ' moakler said . i believed eventually what i intimately knew would come to fruition . ' | prejean was miss california usa , controversial due to statements , topless photos |
windows <tsp> ( cnet ) -- the company paid to treat people to free newspapers in london , lighted the empire state building in windows'colors and draped toronto 's cn tower with a 300-foot banner -- all part of a massive $ 300 million ad campaign that accompanied the product 's arrival . windows 95 , which was separate from the company 's business-oriented windows nt product , added a number of features over its predecessors including better network support , the ability to send faxes ( yes , there was a time when that was a big deal ) along with basic audio recording , audio playback , and video playback tools . features now thought of as core parts of windows , such as the start menu and taskbar , also made their debut with windows 95 . plus , it just looked a whole lot better graphically and was far more stable than past consumer versions of windows . internet explorer debuted around the same time , but was sold separately as part of microsoft 's plus pack for windows 95 . it was eventually bundled in directly with the operating system in an update to windows 95 released the following year . by the time windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001 , it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world . if you look at windows 95 , it was a quantum leap in difference in technological capability and stability , ' gartner analyst neil macdonald said at that time . a decade and a half after windows 95 hit the market , though , one question looms large for windows : are all its best days in the past ? clearly it was a different time and microsoft might be hard pressed to capture that kind of consumer attention no matter what it did . but , never mind the long lines , will microsoft be able to continue to sell windows at the price and volume it has ? it 's one of the most important questions facing microsoft as a company . while the company has expanded far beyond its windows roots , windows and office remain the engine driving the vast majority of the company 's profits even as it looks to cell phones , search , and online services to augment its mainstay businesses . at the moment , the windows business is doing quite well , with windows 7 selling at an impressive clip . indeed windows 7 is selling far faster than windows 95 did in its early days , though that 's as much a testament to how large the pc market is as anything else . the longer-term question is whether windows can outpace what i call the generic web experience . in the coming years , smartbooks , tablets , cell phones , netbooks and shapes we probably have n't thought of will all be capable of delivering the web , which is for many people their main use of a pc . for windows to be as relevant on windows 95 's 20th anniversary as it is today , the company will have had to manage to evolve the operating system significantly . i see a few ways this can happen , but none is a sure thing . first , microsoft ( or a third-party software maker ) can develop a new killer app that only runs on windows . it 's been a long time since this happened , but certainly it 's not impossible . new user interfaces can also be added . touch is already there , as is voice control to some degree , but gesture recognition such as that found in kinect could pave the way for new uses . second , it could evolve windows and windows live to offer a dramatically better way of doing the same tasks that most people do on the web . sure , we can manage our photos and music on the web today and that is getting easier . however , tapping local storage and graphics , microsoft has the potential to offer a better way and , with the latest version of windows live , is trying to do so . third , microsoft could enhance the value of windows by having a browser that is demonstrably superior to non-windows rivals . this appears to be a tall order , given that internet explorer , while still leading in market share , has been well behind rivals when it comes to being seen as the technical leader . for the record , this challenge is not just the one facing microsoft . it 's also the one facing apple 's mac business . and while microsoft must justify the $ 100 or so premium that it charges for windows , apple commands an even higher premium when comparing the mac to one of these generic web ' devices . but apple also has another entrant in the game -- a viable alternative web experience delivered in the form of the ipad . microsoft , at least so far , appears to have only windows , in its various flavors . © 2010 cbs interactive inc. all rights reserved . cnet , cnet.com and the cnet logo are registered trademarks of cbs interactive inc. used by permission . | the question is whether windows can outpace what we call the generic web experience |
windows <tsp> ( cnet ) -- the company paid to treat people to free newspapers in london , lighted the empire state building in windows'colors and draped toronto 's cn tower with a 300-foot banner -- all part of a massive $ 300 million ad campaign that accompanied the product 's arrival . windows 95 , which was separate from the company 's business-oriented windows nt product , added a number of features over its predecessors including better network support , the ability to send faxes ( yes , there was a time when that was a big deal ) along with basic audio recording , audio playback , and video playback tools . features now thought of as core parts of windows , such as the start menu and taskbar , also made their debut with windows 95 . plus , it just looked a whole lot better graphically and was far more stable than past consumer versions of windows . internet explorer debuted around the same time , but was sold separately as part of microsoft 's plus pack for windows 95 . it was eventually bundled in directly with the operating system in an update to windows 95 released the following year . by the time windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001 , it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world . if you look at windows 95 , it was a quantum leap in difference in technological capability and stability , ' gartner analyst neil macdonald said at that time . a decade and a half after windows 95 hit the market , though , one question looms large for windows : are all its best days in the past ? clearly it was a different time and microsoft might be hard pressed to capture that kind of consumer attention no matter what it did . but , never mind the long lines , will microsoft be able to continue to sell windows at the price and volume it has ? it 's one of the most important questions facing microsoft as a company . while the company has expanded far beyond its windows roots , windows and office remain the engine driving the vast majority of the company 's profits even as it looks to cell phones , search , and online services to augment its mainstay businesses . at the moment , the windows business is doing quite well , with windows 7 selling at an impressive clip . indeed windows 7 is selling far faster than windows 95 did in its early days , though that 's as much a testament to how large the pc market is as anything else . the longer-term question is whether windows can outpace what i call the generic web experience . in the coming years , smartbooks , tablets , cell phones , netbooks and shapes we probably have n't thought of will all be capable of delivering the web , which is for many people their main use of a pc . for windows to be as relevant on windows 95 's 20th anniversary as it is today , the company will have had to manage to evolve the operating system significantly . i see a few ways this can happen , but none is a sure thing . first , microsoft ( or a third-party software maker ) can develop a new killer app that only runs on windows . it 's been a long time since this happened , but certainly it 's not impossible . new user interfaces can also be added . touch is already there , as is voice control to some degree , but gesture recognition such as that found in kinect could pave the way for new uses . second , it could evolve windows and windows live to offer a dramatically better way of doing the same tasks that most people do on the web . sure , we can manage our photos and music on the web today and that is getting easier . however , tapping local storage and graphics , microsoft has the potential to offer a better way and , with the latest version of windows live , is trying to do so . third , microsoft could enhance the value of windows by having a browser that is demonstrably superior to non-windows rivals . this appears to be a tall order , given that internet explorer , while still leading in market share , has been well behind rivals when it comes to being seen as the technical leader . for the record , this challenge is not just the one facing microsoft . it 's also the one facing apple 's mac business . and while microsoft must justify the $ 100 or so premium that it charges for windows , apple commands an even higher premium when comparing the mac to one of these generic web ' devices . but apple also has another entrant in the game -- a viable alternative web experience delivered in the form of the ipad . microsoft , at least so far , appears to have only windows , in its various flavors . © 2010 cbs interactive inc. all rights reserved . cnet , cnet.com and the cnet logo are registered trademarks of cbs interactive inc. used by permission . | windows 95 added a number of core features such as the start menu and taskbar |
windows <tsp> ( cnet ) -- the company paid to treat people to free newspapers in london , lighted the empire state building in windows'colors and draped toronto 's cn tower with a 300-foot banner -- all part of a massive $ 300 million ad campaign that accompanied the product 's arrival . windows 95 , which was separate from the company 's business-oriented windows nt product , added a number of features over its predecessors including better network support , the ability to send faxes ( yes , there was a time when that was a big deal ) along with basic audio recording , audio playback , and video playback tools . features now thought of as core parts of windows , such as the start menu and taskbar , also made their debut with windows 95 . plus , it just looked a whole lot better graphically and was far more stable than past consumer versions of windows . internet explorer debuted around the same time , but was sold separately as part of microsoft 's plus pack for windows 95 . it was eventually bundled in directly with the operating system in an update to windows 95 released the following year . by the time windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001 , it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world . if you look at windows 95 , it was a quantum leap in difference in technological capability and stability , ' gartner analyst neil macdonald said at that time . a decade and a half after windows 95 hit the market , though , one question looms large for windows : are all its best days in the past ? clearly it was a different time and microsoft might be hard pressed to capture that kind of consumer attention no matter what it did . but , never mind the long lines , will microsoft be able to continue to sell windows at the price and volume it has ? it 's one of the most important questions facing microsoft as a company . while the company has expanded far beyond its windows roots , windows and office remain the engine driving the vast majority of the company 's profits even as it looks to cell phones , search , and online services to augment its mainstay businesses . at the moment , the windows business is doing quite well , with windows 7 selling at an impressive clip . indeed windows 7 is selling far faster than windows 95 did in its early days , though that 's as much a testament to how large the pc market is as anything else . the longer-term question is whether windows can outpace what i call the generic web experience . in the coming years , smartbooks , tablets , cell phones , netbooks and shapes we probably have n't thought of will all be capable of delivering the web , which is for many people their main use of a pc . for windows to be as relevant on windows 95 's 20th anniversary as it is today , the company will have had to manage to evolve the operating system significantly . i see a few ways this can happen , but none is a sure thing . first , microsoft ( or a third-party software maker ) can develop a new killer app that only runs on windows . it 's been a long time since this happened , but certainly it 's not impossible . new user interfaces can also be added . touch is already there , as is voice control to some degree , but gesture recognition such as that found in kinect could pave the way for new uses . second , it could evolve windows and windows live to offer a dramatically better way of doing the same tasks that most people do on the web . sure , we can manage our photos and music on the web today and that is getting easier . however , tapping local storage and graphics , microsoft has the potential to offer a better way and , with the latest version of windows live , is trying to do so . third , microsoft could enhance the value of windows by having a browser that is demonstrably superior to non-windows rivals . this appears to be a tall order , given that internet explorer , while still leading in market share , has been well behind rivals when it comes to being seen as the technical leader . for the record , this challenge is not just the one facing microsoft . it 's also the one facing apple 's mac business . and while microsoft must justify the $ 100 or so premium that it charges for windows , apple commands an even higher premium when comparing the mac to one of these generic web ' devices . but apple also has another entrant in the game -- a viable alternative web experience delivered in the form of the ipad . microsoft , at least so far , appears to have only windows , in its various flavors . © 2010 cbs interactive inc. all rights reserved . cnet , cnet.com and the cnet logo are registered trademarks of cbs interactive inc. used by permission . | windows and microsoft office remain the engine driving the vast majority of the company 's profits |
sacramento <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- sim van der ryn has been a leader in sustainable architecture for over 40 years . as well as creating a portfolio of inspiring green designs -- notably the 1977 bateson building in sacramento -- he is also a teacher and an author . his most recent book design for life ' traces his ancestral and ecological design roots . principal voices talked to van der ryn about the passion which continues to consume his life . sim van der ryn has dedicated his working life to integrating nature 's principals into his designs . cnn : what inspired you to become an architect ? sim van der ryn : probably was when i was 14 , i worked out on a farm helping a handyman build a cape cod cottage from a set of ten dollar magazine plans . i just thought the whole process of translating from a two-dimensional set of drawings to a three-dimensional reality was exciting . cnn : at that time , was there anything that you were interested in pursuing ? svdr : let 's see . i had a tendency towards art -- painting , drawing and sculpture . but my parents were really practical and told me that was n't a suitable profession ! cnn : was ecological architecture always something you wanted to pursue ? svdr : my first interest was really in what we called post-occupancy evaluation ( poe ) . i was interested in the social side of architecture , because it seemed to me that you read architectural criticism and , you know , there was no criteria other than subjective , especially when you consider how a building works for people . i helped found poe which never really went very far . later on i was the chief architect for the state of california and i had money to do that [ poe ] but none of my client agencies wanted to do that . cnn : what is/was poe ? svdr : there is an international association called the environmental design research association which kind of grew out of poe . i started it together with this english woman called clare cooper marcus who was teaching at berkeley [ university of california ] . she did an evaluation of public housing projects . and at the same time a fellow called oscar newman wrote a book called defensible space ' , which was an attack on what was then the standard -- corbu [ le corbusier ] , high rise public housing -- which turned out to actually dynamite a number of projects in this country -- in chicago , st louis . cnn : when you were starting out who did you look up to in the architectural world ? svdr : the biggest influence on me was buckminster fuller who was a peripatetic character who would show up at schools . he really provided a larger vision that was far more than just designing a building . and that for me was the kind of satori moment -- learning from him that the issue was much larger than the building . i never forgot that . he was thinking in whole systems ' terms and i have been ever since . and then my work was always involved in socially orientated architecture -- when we still cared about that in this country . i worked on migrant farm labor housing , i built a lot of prefab systems based on fuller 's work . i was a refugee from holland and as i say in my book [ design for life ] i found who i was just kind of being in the leftover pieces of nature that were in new york city -- during the war construction stopped . so that was a huge influence in shaping my life . i lived in new york but i left as soon as i could . i really not much of an urbanist . i believe in cities , but basically , my work is n't very urban . i like to build in places where nature is . cnn : after the 1973 oil crisis did you notice a change in mood ? was n't there more of a push towards sustainable architecture during that period ? svdr : no , that was n't really true of most places . i was fortunate to hook up with jerry brown . he liked the outsiders . his great genius , when he was governor [ of california ] , was bringing all these outsiders to run these agencies that had always been run by insiders . that was a great gift . the oil embargo of 1973 did wake some people up . [ president ] carter got it but was n't able to sell it . we did have some federal initiatives and in california we have some very strong state initiatives that i 'm proud to say that i had a role in creating . that did make a huge difference . but then of course ronald reagan was elected in 1980 and we just went to sleep for the next twenty-eight years . cnn : of all the buildings you 've created , do you have a favorite ? svdr : some of them are very process related . the early work where i had this class in 1971 and we built this little village out of reclaimed materials . that was a huge huge learning experience and that was a kind of a rehearsal for then doing this farallones institute -- integral urban house at berkeley -- which fine homebuilding magazine called the birth of green ' , which was a nice thing to say because it was n't particularly pretty ! we were just fooling around , figuring stuff out . so those are some of the process/learning projects . of that early period i think the bateson building has held up really well for 30 years . it created quite a bit of change and awareness in the building and architectural community . the fact that you could reduce energy consumption not just by 40 percent -- which was mandated by the laws we passed -- but by 80 percent . that 's a landmark favorite for me . of a recent one , i would say the kirsch center [ for environmental studies ] . another is the solar living center in hopland . i talk about second generation ecological design where we have a much higher level of integration . a lot of the first experiments were just trying to maximize one thing like the sun and then the more we learned we realized we could integrate everything . in terms of experimentation , craftsmanship and beauty the klein house [ more commonly known as the guitar house ] is a kind of favorite . we worked on it for five or six years . i think of it as an experimental project because it 's crazy in terms of four people living in that much space , but just in terms of an exercise and working with new materials like rammed earth it is quite beautiful . cnn : are you still teaching ? svdr : no , i have no formal associations with an institution . that part of my life is over . cnn : but students must contact you all the time wanting advice though . what do you tell them ? svdr : well , i have an association with down in arizona called the eco-institute . i go there once or twice a year . it 's good because it 's a community -- 15-20 students -- who work on real projects . i tell them to go there . cnn : what 's your view on architecture education being taught now ? svdr : i think that architectural education is pretty broken in terms of what we need to be dealing with today . they may have a few courses on sustainability , one or two people on a faculty in a large school who care about this stuff , but they are marginalized . cnn : who , out of the current crop of big name architects , do you admire ? svdr : of the british , norman foster ... cnn : richard rogers ? svdr : and rogers . i think they 're both really good most of the time . i like frank gehry because i think he 's a real person . he 's made huge breakthroughs in terms of using computers to design complex surfaces . cnn : calatrava ? svdr : incredible . maybe more as an engineer than an architect . i like the people who are organic and he 's actually very organic particularly as an engineer . the architecture maybe a little less so . he did this bridge [ sundial bridge ] up in northern california . i think his bridges are remarkable . people like cameron sinclair , i really admire what he is doing . if i were 40 years younger i 'd be doing that . and also ken yeang . i think he 's good because of anyone doing larger buildings he 's one of the ecological pioneers who 's really thinking about them in a climatic sense . there are a lot of good architects who do n't ever get a lot of attention . but , you know , architecture still operates with this fountainhead mystique which is such garbage . cnn : how do your methods of engagement with a project differ from the normal ' processes an architect would go through ? svdr : i focus a lot on process and on collaboration . we do n't try and sell anybody anything . i spend more time interviewing clients than i do trying to sell them something . i 'm not sure what the normal architectural process is , but currently it 's bureaucratic . it 's all governed by metrics . what it seldom gets at is ; what are your aspirations ? what are you trying to do ? the real questions do n't get answered very much . now we have leed and that 's become the new excuse not to think . and it 's not that it is bad . it is an incremental improvement but given what 's happening on the planet right now it 's not enough . and the sad thing is that we 've wasted 30 years . we 're gon na pay big time for that . maybe we can play catch up but it 's going to take a huge shift . | the bateson building in sacramento still regarded as an a icon of ecological design |
ncov <tsp> a newly discovered and often deadly virus related to one that causes the common cold has struck another victim , this time in france . a man hospitalized in april is infected with the novel coronavirus , france 's health ministry said thursday . the ncov virus was recently found for the first time in humans and scattered cases have occurred across parts of the middle east , particularly saudi arabia . it has proved deadly in more than half of the confirmed cases so far , according to the world health organization . of 31 people with confirmed infections , at least 18 have died . but infectious disease specialists believe the virus is very difficult to catch . the newly infected man is the first confirmed infection in france , the health ministry said . he had recently returned from travel to the united arab emirates , which is on the arabian peninsula . identifying the source of the man 's ailment took time , the ministry said . france 's pasteur institute confirmed the case wednesday . the health ministry is seeking anyone who may have had contact with the patient . ncov , like some common colds , is also caused by a coronavirus . and like a cold , it attacks the respiratory system , the centers for disease control and prevention have said . but symptoms are severe and can lead to pneumonia and even kidney failure . once it gets you , it 's a very serious infection , ' said dr. william schaffner , an infectious disease specialist at vanderbilt university medical center in nashville . ncov has also been compared to related coronavirus , the one that causes sars , or severe acute respiratory syndrome , which appears to have been contained in 2004 , according to the cdc . although its discovery in humans is new , ncov would seem potentially deadlier , when contracted , than sars . of the some 8,000 verified cases of sars , fewer than 800 people -- less than one-tenth of those infected -- died . | ncov has been compared to sars , which killed about 10 % of its confirmed victims |
ncov <tsp> a newly discovered and often deadly virus related to one that causes the common cold has struck another victim , this time in france . a man hospitalized in april is infected with the novel coronavirus , france 's health ministry said thursday . the ncov virus was recently found for the first time in humans and scattered cases have occurred across parts of the middle east , particularly saudi arabia . it has proved deadly in more than half of the confirmed cases so far , according to the world health organization . of 31 people with confirmed infections , at least 18 have died . but infectious disease specialists believe the virus is very difficult to catch . the newly infected man is the first confirmed infection in france , the health ministry said . he had recently returned from travel to the united arab emirates , which is on the arabian peninsula . identifying the source of the man 's ailment took time , the ministry said . france 's pasteur institute confirmed the case wednesday . the health ministry is seeking anyone who may have had contact with the patient . ncov , like some common colds , is also caused by a coronavirus . and like a cold , it attacks the respiratory system , the centers for disease control and prevention have said . but symptoms are severe and can lead to pneumonia and even kidney failure . once it gets you , it 's a very serious infection , ' said dr. william schaffner , an infectious disease specialist at vanderbilt university medical center in nashville . ncov has also been compared to related coronavirus , the one that causes sars , or severe acute respiratory syndrome , which appears to have been contained in 2004 , according to the cdc . although its discovery in humans is new , ncov would seem potentially deadlier , when contracted , than sars . of the some 8,000 verified cases of sars , fewer than 800 people -- less than one-tenth of those infected -- died . | out of 31 confirmed cases of infection , the ncov virus has killed at least 18 people |
kamarck <tsp> ( cnn ) -- is the colombia prostitution scandal rocking the secret service an isolated incident ? or is it evidence of a debauched organizational culture that permeates the entire agency when its agents are out of the country and do n't think anyone is watching ? this is the question that has been on everyone 's mind as word leaked out last week about a similar incident involving the secret service and some military personnel in el salvador before president barack obama 's trip there in march . on thursday , an unnamed source told the washington post that such behavior was part of the secret service culture . the implications are serious indeed . paying prostitutes for sex is , of course , sordid , immoral and pretty embarrassing in and of itself . however , if in fact the men in the agency charged with protecting the president and other important government officials when they are abroad have a history of cavorting with prostitutes -- in a culture that says it 's ok -- the problem goes way beyond embarrassment . this whole business may be news to the american public , but if it is really part of the culture it is n't news to those who wish us harm . in the decade since the september 11 attacks , we have come to understand that the shady world of terror is inextricably bound up with the shady world of illegal activity . how many prostitutes ' are also foreign agents or terrorist operatives ? how many others are simply willing to make money , first by selling themselves and then by selling whatever they find in the bedrooms of american government personnel to someone who is up to no good ? this is not a problem that can be solved by the passage of new laws or by moving the boxes around on an organization chart . even the swift action taken to remove the offenders from their jobs , and to revoke the security clearances of others will not offer much of a deterrent once memories of the scandal fade and some new outrage surfaces to dominate the news . ordinarily , changing an organization 's culture is pretty hard work . but when the culture in need of change is a macho culture where good old-fashioned debauchery and boys being boys ' is ok as long as no one gets caught -- the solution is pretty straightforward : hire more women . is n't it funny how having to work alongside a woman who , for instance , knows your wife -- seems to inhibit old fashioned male fun ? we 've seen this before . tales from the 1960 presidential campaign plane can be summarized by the motto : wheels up , rings off ! ' ( as in wedding rings . ) from the candidate on down , the inhabitants of the hard-drinking , virtually all-male world of politicians , and the reporters who wrote about them , covered for each other and kept things private for years . today 's campaign plane has been cleaned up a lot -- from the candidates to the reporters -- and the most important reason is that there are now a fair number of women on the plane , as both advisers with real power and reporters with real power . can you imagine the kind of debauchery that was standard operating procedure 50 years ago being tolerated by beth meyers , the influential , longtime aide to mitt romney who has the important job of heading his vice presidential search ? years ago the only women around were young women with no power . they were often the victims of a bad culture . today there are middle-aged women with real power . they are not victims of the all male culture -- they change it . i know this has happened in politics , i saw it myself coming into the business at the end of the old era . and i suspect it has happened in other professions , as well . do advertising executives still woo clients with multiple martinis and high-class call girls , a la mad men ' ? maybe . but i suspect the presence of lot of powerful women in that business has reduced the overall level of debauchery . if there does turn out to be a culture of debauchery in the secret service , it will not come as a surprise . after all , the protection professions , ' if you will -- secret service , police , military -- are among the last professions to be overwhelmingly male . and yet , as we 've seen in the military , when technology takes over from muscle , women start to do the same things as men . in the workplace they begin to go where only men used to go . and outside of the workplace ? well , it 's hard to imagine an organization where the women head out to a brothel together . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of elaine kamarck . | kamarck : presence of women in powerful jobs has pushed back at macho misbehavior |
kamarck <tsp> ( cnn ) -- is the colombia prostitution scandal rocking the secret service an isolated incident ? or is it evidence of a debauched organizational culture that permeates the entire agency when its agents are out of the country and do n't think anyone is watching ? this is the question that has been on everyone 's mind as word leaked out last week about a similar incident involving the secret service and some military personnel in el salvador before president barack obama 's trip there in march . on thursday , an unnamed source told the washington post that such behavior was part of the secret service culture . the implications are serious indeed . paying prostitutes for sex is , of course , sordid , immoral and pretty embarrassing in and of itself . however , if in fact the men in the agency charged with protecting the president and other important government officials when they are abroad have a history of cavorting with prostitutes -- in a culture that says it 's ok -- the problem goes way beyond embarrassment . this whole business may be news to the american public , but if it is really part of the culture it is n't news to those who wish us harm . in the decade since the september 11 attacks , we have come to understand that the shady world of terror is inextricably bound up with the shady world of illegal activity . how many prostitutes ' are also foreign agents or terrorist operatives ? how many others are simply willing to make money , first by selling themselves and then by selling whatever they find in the bedrooms of american government personnel to someone who is up to no good ? this is not a problem that can be solved by the passage of new laws or by moving the boxes around on an organization chart . even the swift action taken to remove the offenders from their jobs , and to revoke the security clearances of others will not offer much of a deterrent once memories of the scandal fade and some new outrage surfaces to dominate the news . ordinarily , changing an organization 's culture is pretty hard work . but when the culture in need of change is a macho culture where good old-fashioned debauchery and boys being boys ' is ok as long as no one gets caught -- the solution is pretty straightforward : hire more women . is n't it funny how having to work alongside a woman who , for instance , knows your wife -- seems to inhibit old fashioned male fun ? we 've seen this before . tales from the 1960 presidential campaign plane can be summarized by the motto : wheels up , rings off ! ' ( as in wedding rings . ) from the candidate on down , the inhabitants of the hard-drinking , virtually all-male world of politicians , and the reporters who wrote about them , covered for each other and kept things private for years . today 's campaign plane has been cleaned up a lot -- from the candidates to the reporters -- and the most important reason is that there are now a fair number of women on the plane , as both advisers with real power and reporters with real power . can you imagine the kind of debauchery that was standard operating procedure 50 years ago being tolerated by beth meyers , the influential , longtime aide to mitt romney who has the important job of heading his vice presidential search ? years ago the only women around were young women with no power . they were often the victims of a bad culture . today there are middle-aged women with real power . they are not victims of the all male culture -- they change it . i know this has happened in politics , i saw it myself coming into the business at the end of the old era . and i suspect it has happened in other professions , as well . do advertising executives still woo clients with multiple martinis and high-class call girls , a la mad men ' ? maybe . but i suspect the presence of lot of powerful women in that business has reduced the overall level of debauchery . if there does turn out to be a culture of debauchery in the secret service , it will not come as a surprise . after all , the protection professions , ' if you will -- secret service , police , military -- are among the last professions to be overwhelmingly male . and yet , as we 've seen in the military , when technology takes over from muscle , women start to do the same things as men . in the workplace they begin to go where only men used to go . and outside of the workplace ? well , it 's hard to imagine an organization where the women head out to a brothel together . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of elaine kamarck . | elaine kamarck : allegations of debauchery in secret service have serious implications |
national trust for historic preservation <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the national trust for historic preservation 's 2009 dozen distinctive destinations range from a quintessential new england waterfront community to an old west boomtown in nevada . virginia city , nevada , is steeped in gold and silver rush history . each year the organization identifies locations across the united states that provide diverse cultural and historic experiences and share a commitment to preservation and revitalization . the 2009 list was released tuesday . by preserving their historic fabric and having the good sense to hang on to what makes them so special , these towns and cities are ideal travel destinations , ' said national trust for historic preservation president richard moe in a prepared statement . virginia city , nevada , a historic mining boomtown , is among this year 's selections . mansions , saloons and old mines provide a backdrop for silver and gold rush lore and a glimpse into life on the frontier . across the country , the waterfront town of bristol , rhode island , combines stunning views and recreational opportunities with stately old homes and eclectic boutiques and restaurants . also on the 2009 list : athens , georgia ; buffalo , new york ; fort worth , texas ; franklin , tennessee ; hot springs , south dakota ; lake geneva , wisconsin ; lititz , pennsylvania ; santa barbara , california ; santa fe , new mexico ; and saugatuck-douglas , michigan . | the national trust for historic preservation names 12 distinctive destinations |
william petit <tsp> new haven , connecticut ( cnn ) -- a connecticut doctor whose wife and two daughters were killed in a 2007 home invasion took the stand tuesday to testify against one of the accused killers , recalling horrific details of being beaten and tied up by his alleged captors while fearing for the well-being of his family . william petit , testifying on the trial 's second day in new haven superior court , calmly relayed to an attentive jury the events leading up the invasion . prosecutors allege that steven hayes , 47 , and joshua komisarjevsky , 30 , broke into the petit family 's home in july 2007 . the men are said to have beaten up petit , strangled his 48-year-old wife , jennifer hawke-petit , and set the home ablaze . the couple 's two daughters , hayley , 17 , and michaela , 11 , died of smoke inhalation . the two paroled felons are charged with capital murder , kidnapping , sexual assault , burglary and arson . they both could face the death penalty if convicted . hayes is accused of raping hawke-petit , and prosecutors have charged komisarjevsky , who will be tried separately , with sexually assaulting petit 's 11-year-old daughter . july 22 , 2007 , began with petit , his wife and michaela attending church , petit testified tuesday . hayley was just returning home that day from a weekend visiting with friends . petit then played golf with his father while the girls went to the beach . the plan , petit said , was for michaela to help her mother cook dinner that night . michaela loved to cook , ' said petit , who was wearing a heart-shaped petit family foundation pin on his lapel . the family finished dinner and the girls settled into the family room to watch army wives ' ; petit fell asleep in the sun room while reading the sunday paper , he said . the next thing he remembers , he said , was thinking or feeling'ow , ow , ow !'' as blood ran from a gash on his head . i sort of awoke in a daze . ... the next thing i knew i was seated on the middle of the sofa , with my head down ( and ) there was something warm running down the side of my face , ' he testified . i saw two people standing in front of the sofa , one in front and one slightly to the rear ... and the one in the rear holding a gun , down and to his side . ' while petit said he could not clearly see the gun , he could see its form and shape , adding that it appeared to resemble a 9 mm semiautomatic gun . ' prosecutor michael dearington produced a gun as evidence and petit confirmed that gun is consistent with the shape of the gun i saw . ' petit testified that the suspects told him to lie down on the couch and tied my hands at the wrists and my feet at the ankles ' and covered his head with an unidentifiable piece of fabric . i heard one of them say ,'if he moves , put two bullets into him , ' he added . eventually , the suspects led him , with his head still covered , to the basement . i heard nothing from jennifer , hayley or michaela . ... i did not know where they were in the house , for the most part , ' he said . once he was taken to the basement , petit was bound to a support pole by a rope around his chest and waist , his hands still bound with plastic zip ties . i would sort of go in and out of it , and slide down the pole , ' he testified . my body weight sliding down made my body feel better . ... eventually i was able to get the rope on my hands untied , and break the plastic . but i was not able to undo my feet . ' petit recalled that earlier in the ordeal , one of the suspects asked where the family kept their safe . i said we had no safe , ' he testified , adding that much later on , i heard jennifer ... say that she would need to get dressed and need her checkbook or my checkbook to go to the bank . ' a bank teller at a local bank of america branch testified monday that hawke-petit asked to withdraw $ 15,000 , telling the woman she needed the money because she and her family were being held hostage at her house . ' petit said that for the most part it was very quiet ' while he was trapped in the basement , but at one point he heard three loud noises , like someone was throwing 20- or 30-pound sacks on the living room floor . ' i heard moaning and the thumps , and may have yelled out'hey !'' he said . and a voice yelled ,'do n't worry , it 'll be all right in a couple of minutes .'but there was definitely a change of voice . . . more sinister . ' fearing for his family 's safety , petit , still bound by his feet , hopped to the basement door . i just thought time was of the essence , and i needed to get help , ' he said , telling how he hopped up the basement stairs and headed to the house of his neighbor , dave simcik . i started to crawl , but that was n't very efficient , so i started to roll -- the whole time i was yelling'dave , dave !'... i rolled over , with my feet still tied , banging on his garage door , hoping he would hear . the garage door went up , and dave said'can i help you , sir ?', and i said'dave , it 's me , bill , call 911 !'' petit said police arrived moments after he made it to the simcik house . he said officers asked him who was in his house , and he replied , the girls , the girls . ' petit said he recalled hearing a whoosh ' sound shortly after one of the men in the house yelled to him do n't worry , it will all be over soon , ' though he said he did not smell smoke or see flames once he was out of the house . after the ambulance arrived , he was taken to a hospital . in all , petit said , he lost between five and seven pints of blood . prosecutors say the suspects put gasoline in several plastic gallon-size jugs found at the house -- originally filled with windshield washer fluid -- to start the fire in the home . the only other witness tuesday was police sgt . phillip giampietro , who testified that he was working at an extra job ' on the morning of the home invasion when he received word that there was a possible home invasion/hostage situation . ' giampietro described seeing activity in the driveway at one point , ' and then the petit 's vehicle quickly backed down the driveway . ' the chrysler pacifica escaped after hitting an unmarked police car and running over a stone wall . giampietro identified the passenger in the vehicle as hayes . the sergeant said the pacifica took off at a high rate of speed ' and that shortly after it disappeared , i heard a crash . ' giampietro said he and other officers tried to enter the home at that point , but were unable to do so because of the intense smoke , heat and fire . there was so much fire and so much heat the [ window ] panes were disintegrating and falling onto the ground , ' he said . in an odd twist tuesday afternoon , a male juror was dismissed after telling the courtroom that he 's confused by the presentation of the state 's case , and what seems to be a lack of preparation on their part . ' prosecutors filed a motion for his dismissal and judge jon c. blue granted the motion to objections from the defense . in issuing his ruling , blue said that the juror is in such a state of agitation that i 'm worried about the contamination of the jury . ... this is an extraordinary occurrence . ' | william petit 's wife and two daughters were killed in a 2007 home invasion |
interstellar <tsp> ( cnn ) -- practically from the day the space age started on october 4 , 1957 , when the soviet union launched the first human-made satellite into earth orbit , it 's been like this . every time there 's a conspicuous breakthrough in space , somebody , somewhere will find a way to kill the buzz . after philae 's touchdown on the comet wednesday , this hashtag # wecanlandonacometbutwecant ( as in # wecanlandonacometbutwecant find a missing plane on our own planet ) started trending in the twitterverse . ah , yes . and americans are especially good at this grousing . people have been shouting oh , wow ! ' and then oh no ! ' since the 1950s . americans on the one hand were alarmed that their cold war nemesis had rockets big enough to hurl heavy metal projectiles at us and on the other were camping outside at night to see the little beeping ball fly over their backyards . americans'consensus love-hate for space exploration has assumed many forms over the years . once the nation got over its collective shock-and-awe of sputnik , its citizenry demanded that its scientists and politicians figure out a way to get our own projectiles up there asap . we did it , with some notable disasters on the way , at which time the moaning over whether we should spend so much taxpayer money on such risky endeavors would begin . we were taken back to those dismal days in recent weeks when a rocket launched by the privately owned ( but government contracted ) orbital sciences corp. with cargo for the international space station exploded in midair shortly after lifting off from wallops island , virginia . three days later , spaceshiptwo , built by virgin galactic ( private , not taxpayer , dollars in this case ) as a working prototype for a passenger spacecraft , broke up during a flight test over california 's mojave desert and crashed , killing its co-pilot and seriously injuring its pilot . both these catastrophes were too reminiscent of the serial test failures of the 1950s in which rockets regularly blew up before reaching the stratosphere and test pilots seeking faster , higher records in the same mojave skies lost their planes and their lives . it was through such trial and error that , eventually , america got proficient enough to send satellites and people into space and succeed much more often than it did n't . and we fell in love . the romance of space flight became part of our national identity , especially after we started sending humans of our own . as we exceeded our planetary boundaries by sending probes , and then men to the moon , other boundaries seemed less daunting and forbidding . and yet , with many cheering and goading the country to fly higher , farther and faster , there were just as many americans wondering if too many of our resources were being squandered for what was mostly a speculative endeavor . my own cheerleading for space travel was often countered with some spoilsport , honest and sincere , complaining that all that money being shot into the skies could be put to better use on earth : e.g . why do we need to go to mars when we have all these problems on earth to solve ? for a long time , i had no strong counterargument . but now , with the space shuttle program literally mounted in museums and no government plans to return to the moon or head for mars any time soon , i find myself asking how that solving-problems-on-earth thing is going now . i 'm still waiting for a sensible answer , but i do n't think one exists . the urge to explore and push ourselves out into the universe is not mutually exclusive from the effort to improve our own minds and environment . consider : last year , 7 million people visited the national air and space museum in washington , beating out new york 's metropolitan museum of art by roughly a million . many of them look at vintage spacecraft and archival mockups and openly wonder where our yearning for adventure has gone since the turn of this century . even the movies bring this up . we used to be explorers and pioneers , ' says a character in the just-released science fiction spectacular , interstellar . ' now we 're a generation of caretakers . ' christopher nolan 's film conceives a potential future in which what 's left of nasa has gone underground to figure out options for humankind literally choking to death on ecological decay on earth . in this future , it seems as though the moon-landing-denial constituency has gained such a foothold in the public schools that a student can get in trouble for suggesting we did in fact land on the moon . ca n't we all just be happy that human beings can do what the european space agency did this week ? probably not . i 'm just waiting for some troll to claim that it is n't a real breakthrough unless americans do it first . | seymour : interstellar ' notes change from explorers to caretakers ' |
bundesliga <tsp> ( cnn ) -- werder bremen coach thomas schaaf , 48 , has signed a two-year contract extension tying him to the club until 2012 . bremen have emerged as genuine contenders for the bundesliga title this season , lying four points off leaders bayer leverkusen . last season , werder won the german cup and reached the uefa cup final , where they lost to shakhtar donetsk . general manager klaus allofs told the club 's official web site : we are very happy that we can make it known before the turn of the year that we are continuing our work together . we have always stressed in the past weeks that this is our most important personnel detail . this shows the high regard that thomas enjoys with us . he has proved over many years that , with his ability to improve teams and players , he is an important part of our success . ' schaaf , who has been coach at werder since 1999 and led them to the league and cup double in 2004 , said : our common goal is to move forward successfully . i see werder continues to have an interesting team to be able to pursue our goals . therefore , it was not hard to accept the new challenges , ' he added . bremen have coped well with the loss of brazilian attacking midfielder diego , who moved to juventus this summer , with german youngsters like mesut ozil and aaron hunt taking on more prominent roles . they went down 2-0 at home to title rivals schalke last weekend , their first defeat since the opening day of the season . | the new contract ties the 48-year-old to the bundesliga club until 2012 |
nuremberg <tsp> ( cnn ) -- second-placed mainz closed to within four points of german bundesliga leaders borussia dortmund with a 3-0 victory at home to nuremberg on friday night . andre schurrle struck in the first half before nikolce noveski and substitute sami allagui added second-half goals to give mainz a 10th win from 14 matches . dortmund , who have 34 points , host bottom club borussia monchengladbach in saturday 's late match . nuremberg could have moved up to seventh place with victory , but slumped to a sixth league defeat this season -- and third in a row -- to remain on 18 points . striker schurrle scored his sixth of the season in the 27th minute , pouncing from close range after malik fathi guided christian fuchs'corner towards the visiting goal . captain noveski doubled the lead nine minutes after halftime , with the macedonia defender on hand to finish when schurrle flicked on fuchs'free-kick . nuremberg 's on-loan midfielder jens hegeler then headed against the crossbar before allagui sealed the victory with a superb solo effort with four minutes to play . the tunisia international received a long throw from goalkeeper christian wetklo on the halfway line , flicked the ball into space and then beat onrushing custodian raphael schafer to make it 3-0 . in saturday 's other games , eighth-placed defending champions bayern munich host eintracht frankfurt , third-placed bayer leverkusen travel to fellow champions league hopefuls hoffenheim and fourth-placed hannover are at home to freiburg in another top-end clash . schalke will seek to continue the club 's recent revival and leapfrog 13th-placed hosts kaiserslautern , while fellow strugglers stuttgart are at home to mid-table hamburg . on sunday , wolfsburg travel to second-bottom cologne and out-of-form werder bremen host st. pauli . | mainz consolidate second place with a 3-0 victory at home to nuremberg |
nuremberg <tsp> ( cnn ) -- second-placed mainz closed to within four points of german bundesliga leaders borussia dortmund with a 3-0 victory at home to nuremberg on friday night . andre schurrle struck in the first half before nikolce noveski and substitute sami allagui added second-half goals to give mainz a 10th win from 14 matches . dortmund , who have 34 points , host bottom club borussia monchengladbach in saturday 's late match . nuremberg could have moved up to seventh place with victory , but slumped to a sixth league defeat this season -- and third in a row -- to remain on 18 points . striker schurrle scored his sixth of the season in the 27th minute , pouncing from close range after malik fathi guided christian fuchs'corner towards the visiting goal . captain noveski doubled the lead nine minutes after halftime , with the macedonia defender on hand to finish when schurrle flicked on fuchs'free-kick . nuremberg 's on-loan midfielder jens hegeler then headed against the crossbar before allagui sealed the victory with a superb solo effort with four minutes to play . the tunisia international received a long throw from goalkeeper christian wetklo on the halfway line , flicked the ball into space and then beat onrushing custodian raphael schafer to make it 3-0 . in saturday 's other games , eighth-placed defending champions bayern munich host eintracht frankfurt , third-placed bayer leverkusen travel to fellow champions league hopefuls hoffenheim and fourth-placed hannover are at home to freiburg in another top-end clash . schalke will seek to continue the club 's recent revival and leapfrog 13th-placed hosts kaiserslautern , while fellow strugglers stuttgart are at home to mid-table hamburg . on sunday , wolfsburg travel to second-bottom cologne and out-of-form werder bremen host st. pauli . | nuremberg suffer third successive defeat to remain in 10th place in the table |
obama <tsp> johnstown , pennsylvania ( cnn ) -- alaska gov . sarah palin charged into the culture wars saturday in pennsylvania , painting sen. barack obama as a radical on abortion rights . alaska gov . sarah palin speaks at a rally in johnstown , pennsylvania , saturday . the stop comes amid news that palin violated alaska ethics law by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from the state police , a state investigator 's report for the bipartisan legislative council concluded friday . ethics woes aside , palin focused her attention on abortion -- an issue that rallies the conservative base but some say alienates independent and women voters . in times like these with wars and financial crisis , i know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life , and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that , ' palin told a crowd in johnstown . he hopes that you wo n't notice how radical , absolutely radical his idea is on this , and his record is , until it 's too late . ' palin has mostly avoided raising her opposition to abortion rights on the campaign trail since she was tapped as sen. john mccain 's running mate , a fact she readily acknowledged in her remarks . watch more of palin 's views on abortion » but palin said obama 's record on the matter is too extreme to be ignored , and she spent 10 minutes of her 30-minute speech discussing abortion . a vote for barack obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and democratic debate that we deserve and that we need on this issue of life , ' she said . obama is a politician who has long since left behind even the middle ground on the issue of life . ' obama opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the supreme court 's decision in roe v. wade and disagreed with supreme court ruling to uphold the partial birth abortion ban act . ' he did not cast a vote on prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . palin opposes abortion in all cases , including rape and incest , except when a mother 's life is in danger , and said she believes roe v. wade should be overturned and the decision given to the states . mccain voted for the prohibit partial birth abortion bill in 2003 and yes ' for prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . he believes roe v. wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned , and also supports the supreme court ruling upholding the partial birth abortion ban act . palin also talked about a remark obama made about sex education while campaigning in johnstown in march , when he told a voter he did n't want his daughters punished with a baby ' or punished with an std ' if they were not educated about sex and made a mistake . so i listened when our opponent defended his unconditional support for unlimited abortions and he said he said that a woman should n't have to be'punished with a baby ,' palin said as the audience jeered at obama . ladies and gentlemen , he said that right here in johnstown .'punished with a baby .'it 's about time we called him on it . ' obama is also in pennsylvania saturday -- campaigning in the heavily democratic city of philadelphia . during his four-stop swing around the city , obama acknowledged mccain 's efforts to tone down the rhetoric ' on the campaign trail . i appreciated his reminder that we can disagree while still being respectful of each other . i 've said it before , and i 'll say it again -- sen. mccain has served this country with honor , and he deserves our thanks for that , ' obama told an early morning crowd assembled in the northern part of the city . watch more of obama 's comments » ever since last weekend , when palin first accused obama of palling around with a terrorist , ' referring to 1960s radical william ayers , rowdy crowds have called obama a liar , terrorist and worse . at an event friday in lakeville , minnesota , mccain referred to obama as a decent person ' and praised him as a family man ' after two voters expressed fear over obama being elected . watch mccain tell voters not to be afraid of obama » but the arizona senator was met by a sea of boos when asking the crowd to be more respectful toward obama . when the crowd began to boo , mccain told them no , no . i want everyone to be respectful . ' obama later dispensed with polite talk and pivoted to his main campaign trail argument that mccain is out of touch on the economy . sen. mccain 's campaign manager actually said that sen. mccain was n't talking about the market because there 's just not much a candidate for president can say -- and they are n't sure what he 'd say each day even if he did talk about it , ' obama said . but here 's the thing philadelphia . they can run misleading ads , and pursue the politics of anything goes , they can try to change the subject . they can do that what they want to do because the american people understand what 's going on -- but it 's not going to work . not this time . ' cnn 's peter hamby , ed hornick and sasha johnson contributed to this report . | palin hammers obama on the abortion issue in johnstown |
obama <tsp> johnstown , pennsylvania ( cnn ) -- alaska gov . sarah palin charged into the culture wars saturday in pennsylvania , painting sen. barack obama as a radical on abortion rights . alaska gov . sarah palin speaks at a rally in johnstown , pennsylvania , saturday . the stop comes amid news that palin violated alaska ethics law by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from the state police , a state investigator 's report for the bipartisan legislative council concluded friday . ethics woes aside , palin focused her attention on abortion -- an issue that rallies the conservative base but some say alienates independent and women voters . in times like these with wars and financial crisis , i know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life , and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that , ' palin told a crowd in johnstown . he hopes that you wo n't notice how radical , absolutely radical his idea is on this , and his record is , until it 's too late . ' palin has mostly avoided raising her opposition to abortion rights on the campaign trail since she was tapped as sen. john mccain 's running mate , a fact she readily acknowledged in her remarks . watch more of palin 's views on abortion » but palin said obama 's record on the matter is too extreme to be ignored , and she spent 10 minutes of her 30-minute speech discussing abortion . a vote for barack obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and democratic debate that we deserve and that we need on this issue of life , ' she said . obama is a politician who has long since left behind even the middle ground on the issue of life . ' obama opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the supreme court 's decision in roe v. wade and disagreed with supreme court ruling to uphold the partial birth abortion ban act . ' he did not cast a vote on prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . palin opposes abortion in all cases , including rape and incest , except when a mother 's life is in danger , and said she believes roe v. wade should be overturned and the decision given to the states . mccain voted for the prohibit partial birth abortion bill in 2003 and yes ' for prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . he believes roe v. wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned , and also supports the supreme court ruling upholding the partial birth abortion ban act . palin also talked about a remark obama made about sex education while campaigning in johnstown in march , when he told a voter he did n't want his daughters punished with a baby ' or punished with an std ' if they were not educated about sex and made a mistake . so i listened when our opponent defended his unconditional support for unlimited abortions and he said he said that a woman should n't have to be'punished with a baby ,' palin said as the audience jeered at obama . ladies and gentlemen , he said that right here in johnstown .'punished with a baby .'it 's about time we called him on it . ' obama is also in pennsylvania saturday -- campaigning in the heavily democratic city of philadelphia . during his four-stop swing around the city , obama acknowledged mccain 's efforts to tone down the rhetoric ' on the campaign trail . i appreciated his reminder that we can disagree while still being respectful of each other . i 've said it before , and i 'll say it again -- sen. mccain has served this country with honor , and he deserves our thanks for that , ' obama told an early morning crowd assembled in the northern part of the city . watch more of obama 's comments » ever since last weekend , when palin first accused obama of palling around with a terrorist , ' referring to 1960s radical william ayers , rowdy crowds have called obama a liar , terrorist and worse . at an event friday in lakeville , minnesota , mccain referred to obama as a decent person ' and praised him as a family man ' after two voters expressed fear over obama being elected . watch mccain tell voters not to be afraid of obama » but the arizona senator was met by a sea of boos when asking the crowd to be more respectful toward obama . when the crowd began to boo , mccain told them no , no . i want everyone to be respectful . ' obama later dispensed with polite talk and pivoted to his main campaign trail argument that mccain is out of touch on the economy . sen. mccain 's campaign manager actually said that sen. mccain was n't talking about the market because there 's just not much a candidate for president can say -- and they are n't sure what he 'd say each day even if he did talk about it , ' obama said . but here 's the thing philadelphia . they can run misleading ads , and pursue the politics of anything goes , they can try to change the subject . they can do that what they want to do because the american people understand what 's going on -- but it 's not going to work . not this time . ' cnn 's peter hamby , ed hornick and sasha johnson contributed to this report . | obama acknowledges mccain 's efforts to tone down the rhetoric ' |
obama <tsp> johnstown , pennsylvania ( cnn ) -- alaska gov . sarah palin charged into the culture wars saturday in pennsylvania , painting sen. barack obama as a radical on abortion rights . alaska gov . sarah palin speaks at a rally in johnstown , pennsylvania , saturday . the stop comes amid news that palin violated alaska ethics law by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from the state police , a state investigator 's report for the bipartisan legislative council concluded friday . ethics woes aside , palin focused her attention on abortion -- an issue that rallies the conservative base but some say alienates independent and women voters . in times like these with wars and financial crisis , i know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life , and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that , ' palin told a crowd in johnstown . he hopes that you wo n't notice how radical , absolutely radical his idea is on this , and his record is , until it 's too late . ' palin has mostly avoided raising her opposition to abortion rights on the campaign trail since she was tapped as sen. john mccain 's running mate , a fact she readily acknowledged in her remarks . watch more of palin 's views on abortion » but palin said obama 's record on the matter is too extreme to be ignored , and she spent 10 minutes of her 30-minute speech discussing abortion . a vote for barack obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and democratic debate that we deserve and that we need on this issue of life , ' she said . obama is a politician who has long since left behind even the middle ground on the issue of life . ' obama opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the supreme court 's decision in roe v. wade and disagreed with supreme court ruling to uphold the partial birth abortion ban act . ' he did not cast a vote on prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . palin opposes abortion in all cases , including rape and incest , except when a mother 's life is in danger , and said she believes roe v. wade should be overturned and the decision given to the states . mccain voted for the prohibit partial birth abortion bill in 2003 and yes ' for prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . he believes roe v. wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned , and also supports the supreme court ruling upholding the partial birth abortion ban act . palin also talked about a remark obama made about sex education while campaigning in johnstown in march , when he told a voter he did n't want his daughters punished with a baby ' or punished with an std ' if they were not educated about sex and made a mistake . so i listened when our opponent defended his unconditional support for unlimited abortions and he said he said that a woman should n't have to be'punished with a baby ,' palin said as the audience jeered at obama . ladies and gentlemen , he said that right here in johnstown .'punished with a baby .'it 's about time we called him on it . ' obama is also in pennsylvania saturday -- campaigning in the heavily democratic city of philadelphia . during his four-stop swing around the city , obama acknowledged mccain 's efforts to tone down the rhetoric ' on the campaign trail . i appreciated his reminder that we can disagree while still being respectful of each other . i 've said it before , and i 'll say it again -- sen. mccain has served this country with honor , and he deserves our thanks for that , ' obama told an early morning crowd assembled in the northern part of the city . watch more of obama 's comments » ever since last weekend , when palin first accused obama of palling around with a terrorist , ' referring to 1960s radical william ayers , rowdy crowds have called obama a liar , terrorist and worse . at an event friday in lakeville , minnesota , mccain referred to obama as a decent person ' and praised him as a family man ' after two voters expressed fear over obama being elected . watch mccain tell voters not to be afraid of obama » but the arizona senator was met by a sea of boos when asking the crowd to be more respectful toward obama . when the crowd began to boo , mccain told them no , no . i want everyone to be respectful . ' obama later dispensed with polite talk and pivoted to his main campaign trail argument that mccain is out of touch on the economy . sen. mccain 's campaign manager actually said that sen. mccain was n't talking about the market because there 's just not much a candidate for president can say -- and they are n't sure what he 'd say each day even if he did talk about it , ' obama said . but here 's the thing philadelphia . they can run misleading ads , and pursue the politics of anything goes , they can try to change the subject . they can do that what they want to do because the american people understand what 's going on -- but it 's not going to work . not this time . ' cnn 's peter hamby , ed hornick and sasha johnson contributed to this report . | sarah palin , barack obama both campaign saturday in pennsylvania |
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