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pakistan <tsp> how terrible is it to be born a girl in the world today ? the almost daily headlines about another cruel act of violence and discrimination against women -- from the kidnapping of nearly 300 school girls in nigeria last month , to the latest gruesome stoning of a woman in pakistan -- provide plenty of reasons to be pessimistic about women 's equality and safety in today 's world . the recent case of misogynist extremism ' in california , where a young man killed six people in retribution ' for all the girls who had rejected him , underscores the fact that all societies suffer from violence against women . indeed , the world health organization estimates that 35 % of women worldwide experience intimate-partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime . a new world bank report estimates that in some countries , the economic toll of violence against women exceeds a staggering 3 % of gdp . also shocking in the 21st century is that the leading cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15 to 19 is complication related to pregnancy and childbirth , in many cases because girls are married and bearing children before their young bodies are ready . high rates of child marriage in some countries also limit the educational opportunities and economic independence of girls . add in a persistent preference for sons in south , east and central asia that has resulted in millions of missing girls , ' and the picture for girls today seems pretty grim . but these challenges , as daunting as they are , should not obscure the important gains that women and girls have made in recent decades -- gains that point to a much brighter future . first , the global gender gap in education has been shrinking : between 1999 and 2009 , the number of girls out of school dropped from nearly 61 million to 35 million , and equal numbers of girls and boys now complete primary school in latin america and east asia . in fact , around the world , women are beginning to outnumber men at the university level -- in some cases by a wide margin . women 's political participation worldwide also continues to grow . as of july 2013 , 35 countries , including nine in africa , had national parliaments with at least 30 % female representatives and several countries now include quotas to ensure women 's political participation . examples of women rising to the top of their fields -- just think of hillary clinton , janet yellen , angela merkel , sheryl sandberg and others -- and on their own terms , are increasingly more common . the dire statistics we hear today about violence against women have a silver lining -- that violence is being counted -- and quantified -- which is a huge leap forward from centuries of silence and acceptance of the oppression of women . honor crimes and sexual violence have long gone unrecorded because such behavior is tolerated , ignored , or conveniently covered up in mostly rural communities . survivors often remain silent for fear their attackers will take revenge if they report the crime . but national and international media coverage and popular outrage are beginning to shift the dynamic . the proliferation of mobile phones and use of social media mean that violence and discrimination against women are increasingly reported . in the aftermath of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old female student in new delhi , india , journalists called me asking why are we seeing such an uptick in sexual violence against women now -- is it somehow related to globalization ? my response is that we simply have no data to conclude that the incidence of sexual violence in india is actually increasing -- reported incidents may be on the rise , but that could be because women , supported by male family members , are finally breaking the code of silence to denounce and prosecute their attackers . the outrage in the new delhi case forced the indian government to strengthen its sexual assault laws -- including making rape in some cases punishable by life in prison or the death penalty and increasing the minimum sentence for gang rape to 20 years . as depressing and disturbing as the headlines can be , news of violence , hatred , and discrimination against women is beginning to catalyze powerful change . so too is the growing body of evidence that disempowering women poses an enormous economic cost on society . there will inevitably be backlash against that change -- backlash that will take the form of deranged extremists from california to nigeria to pakistan -- but the momentum of positive change for women and girls in the world today is undeniable . | a woman in pakistan was stoned to death , nearly 300 girls in nigeria were kidnapped |
nigeria <tsp> how terrible is it to be born a girl in the world today ? the almost daily headlines about another cruel act of violence and discrimination against women -- from the kidnapping of nearly 300 school girls in nigeria last month , to the latest gruesome stoning of a woman in pakistan -- provide plenty of reasons to be pessimistic about women 's equality and safety in today 's world . the recent case of misogynist extremism ' in california , where a young man killed six people in retribution ' for all the girls who had rejected him , underscores the fact that all societies suffer from violence against women . indeed , the world health organization estimates that 35 % of women worldwide experience intimate-partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime . a new world bank report estimates that in some countries , the economic toll of violence against women exceeds a staggering 3 % of gdp . also shocking in the 21st century is that the leading cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15 to 19 is complication related to pregnancy and childbirth , in many cases because girls are married and bearing children before their young bodies are ready . high rates of child marriage in some countries also limit the educational opportunities and economic independence of girls . add in a persistent preference for sons in south , east and central asia that has resulted in millions of missing girls , ' and the picture for girls today seems pretty grim . but these challenges , as daunting as they are , should not obscure the important gains that women and girls have made in recent decades -- gains that point to a much brighter future . first , the global gender gap in education has been shrinking : between 1999 and 2009 , the number of girls out of school dropped from nearly 61 million to 35 million , and equal numbers of girls and boys now complete primary school in latin america and east asia . in fact , around the world , women are beginning to outnumber men at the university level -- in some cases by a wide margin . women 's political participation worldwide also continues to grow . as of july 2013 , 35 countries , including nine in africa , had national parliaments with at least 30 % female representatives and several countries now include quotas to ensure women 's political participation . examples of women rising to the top of their fields -- just think of hillary clinton , janet yellen , angela merkel , sheryl sandberg and others -- and on their own terms , are increasingly more common . the dire statistics we hear today about violence against women have a silver lining -- that violence is being counted -- and quantified -- which is a huge leap forward from centuries of silence and acceptance of the oppression of women . honor crimes and sexual violence have long gone unrecorded because such behavior is tolerated , ignored , or conveniently covered up in mostly rural communities . survivors often remain silent for fear their attackers will take revenge if they report the crime . but national and international media coverage and popular outrage are beginning to shift the dynamic . the proliferation of mobile phones and use of social media mean that violence and discrimination against women are increasingly reported . in the aftermath of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old female student in new delhi , india , journalists called me asking why are we seeing such an uptick in sexual violence against women now -- is it somehow related to globalization ? my response is that we simply have no data to conclude that the incidence of sexual violence in india is actually increasing -- reported incidents may be on the rise , but that could be because women , supported by male family members , are finally breaking the code of silence to denounce and prosecute their attackers . the outrage in the new delhi case forced the indian government to strengthen its sexual assault laws -- including making rape in some cases punishable by life in prison or the death penalty and increasing the minimum sentence for gang rape to 20 years . as depressing and disturbing as the headlines can be , news of violence , hatred , and discrimination against women is beginning to catalyze powerful change . so too is the growing body of evidence that disempowering women poses an enormous economic cost on society . there will inevitably be backlash against that change -- backlash that will take the form of deranged extremists from california to nigeria to pakistan -- but the momentum of positive change for women and girls in the world today is undeniable . | a woman in pakistan was stoned to death , nearly 300 girls in nigeria were kidnapped |
las vegas <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manny pacquiao became the fifth boxer to win major world titles in five different weight divisions after demolishing wbo welterweight champion miguel cotto in las vegas on saturday night . the filipino , dubbed pac man ' , stopped the puerto rican in the 12th and final round to boost his claims to be known as the world 's best pound-for-pound fighter with a victory in his seventh weight category -- his ring magazine and ibo crowns are not universally recognized . cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the mgm grand arena , with pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds . the fight began well for cotto as he delivered several powerful jabs , despite pacquiao 's speed . but cotto found himself on the canvas in the second round after pacquiao struck him with a flash knockdown pacquaio followed this in the fourth round with a right-hook left-hook combo , and continued to punish his opponent , who suffered swelling above both eyes . cotto lasted until the final round , when referee kenny bayless stopped the fight following another onslaught from pacquiao . i heard that he was bigger than me and stronger than me and that 's why i tried to be more aggressive and fight toe to toe and try to ( negate ) his power , ' pacquiao said . our strategy for the fight was not to hurry , take our time , because we knew his strategy was that he was going to counter . we were very careful in the early rounds then i controlled the fight and tried to put him under pressure . we tried our best to knock him out because that 's what my trainer said . i thought they were going to stop the fight in the 11th round and i was surprised he made it to the 12th round . ' it was pacquiao 's first fight since a stunning knockout of britain 's ricky hatton sixth months ago at the same venue , having convincingly defeated the legendary oscar de la hoya in his previous outing . pacquiao , who has won 49 fights , lost three and drawn two , is being lined up for a money-spinning fight with american floyd mayweather jr , who has also won five major titles in five weight divisions . pacquiao was rated as favorite by las vegas oddsmakers , but cotto -- who has held a world title every year since 2004 -- had just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts going into the bout . | he stopped puerto rico 's cotto in the 12th and final round of the bout in las vegas |
filipino <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manny pacquiao became the fifth boxer to win major world titles in five different weight divisions after demolishing wbo welterweight champion miguel cotto in las vegas on saturday night . the filipino , dubbed pac man ' , stopped the puerto rican in the 12th and final round to boost his claims to be known as the world 's best pound-for-pound fighter with a victory in his seventh weight category -- his ring magazine and ibo crowns are not universally recognized . cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the mgm grand arena , with pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds . the fight began well for cotto as he delivered several powerful jabs , despite pacquiao 's speed . but cotto found himself on the canvas in the second round after pacquiao struck him with a flash knockdown pacquaio followed this in the fourth round with a right-hook left-hook combo , and continued to punish his opponent , who suffered swelling above both eyes . cotto lasted until the final round , when referee kenny bayless stopped the fight following another onslaught from pacquiao . i heard that he was bigger than me and stronger than me and that 's why i tried to be more aggressive and fight toe to toe and try to ( negate ) his power , ' pacquiao said . our strategy for the fight was not to hurry , take our time , because we knew his strategy was that he was going to counter . we were very careful in the early rounds then i controlled the fight and tried to put him under pressure . we tried our best to knock him out because that 's what my trainer said . i thought they were going to stop the fight in the 11th round and i was surprised he made it to the 12th round . ' it was pacquiao 's first fight since a stunning knockout of britain 's ricky hatton sixth months ago at the same venue , having convincingly defeated the legendary oscar de la hoya in his previous outing . pacquiao , who has won 49 fights , lost three and drawn two , is being lined up for a money-spinning fight with american floyd mayweather jr , who has also won five major titles in five weight divisions . pacquiao was rated as favorite by las vegas oddsmakers , but cotto -- who has held a world title every year since 2004 -- had just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts going into the bout . | the filipino becomes only the fifth boxer to win major titles in five weight divisions |
ibo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manny pacquiao became the fifth boxer to win major world titles in five different weight divisions after demolishing wbo welterweight champion miguel cotto in las vegas on saturday night . the filipino , dubbed pac man ' , stopped the puerto rican in the 12th and final round to boost his claims to be known as the world 's best pound-for-pound fighter with a victory in his seventh weight category -- his ring magazine and ibo crowns are not universally recognized . cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the mgm grand arena , with pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds . the fight began well for cotto as he delivered several powerful jabs , despite pacquiao 's speed . but cotto found himself on the canvas in the second round after pacquiao struck him with a flash knockdown pacquaio followed this in the fourth round with a right-hook left-hook combo , and continued to punish his opponent , who suffered swelling above both eyes . cotto lasted until the final round , when referee kenny bayless stopped the fight following another onslaught from pacquiao . i heard that he was bigger than me and stronger than me and that 's why i tried to be more aggressive and fight toe to toe and try to ( negate ) his power , ' pacquiao said . our strategy for the fight was not to hurry , take our time , because we knew his strategy was that he was going to counter . we were very careful in the early rounds then i controlled the fight and tried to put him under pressure . we tried our best to knock him out because that 's what my trainer said . i thought they were going to stop the fight in the 11th round and i was surprised he made it to the 12th round . ' it was pacquiao 's first fight since a stunning knockout of britain 's ricky hatton sixth months ago at the same venue , having convincingly defeated the legendary oscar de la hoya in his previous outing . pacquiao , who has won 49 fights , lost three and drawn two , is being lined up for a money-spinning fight with american floyd mayweather jr , who has also won five major titles in five weight divisions . pacquiao was rated as favorite by las vegas oddsmakers , but cotto -- who has held a world title every year since 2004 -- had just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts going into the bout . | he has won in seven categories but his ring magazine and ibo crowns are not universally recognized |
michael mann <tsp> ( cnn ) -- actor alec baldwin told a luncheon crowd at the national press club in washington on monday what it was like getting kicked off a plane for using his cell phone . a very young asian-american woman , who was a very breathtakingly beautiful woman and very serene , she said ,'mr . baldwin , would you gather your things and come with me , please .'and it just kind of had this narcotic effect on me . it was like ... she just spoke very quietly and very calmly . and they threw me off the plane , ' he said . he said it felt like a scene from a michael mann movie where you would expect really smart writing and great acting . ' baldwin was kicked off the american airlines flight in december when he was accused of refusing to turn off his cell phone after the plane 's doors were closed . baldwin was in washington monday to promote federal funding for the arts . in his remarks he pointed out that spending for the arts stimulates economic spending . the 30 rock ' actor is currently under contract to promote capital one bank . becoming a spokesperson for a bank at the time of the banking collapse and at the genesis of the occupy wall street movement was not a goal of mine in my career , ' he told the crowd . he says all of his proceeds from that deal flow through his foundation and go to arts funding . | he said it felt like a scene from a michael mann movie |
washington <tsp> ( cnn ) -- actor alec baldwin told a luncheon crowd at the national press club in washington on monday what it was like getting kicked off a plane for using his cell phone . a very young asian-american woman , who was a very breathtakingly beautiful woman and very serene , she said ,'mr . baldwin , would you gather your things and come with me , please .'and it just kind of had this narcotic effect on me . it was like ... she just spoke very quietly and very calmly . and they threw me off the plane , ' he said . he said it felt like a scene from a michael mann movie where you would expect really smart writing and great acting . ' baldwin was kicked off the american airlines flight in december when he was accused of refusing to turn off his cell phone after the plane 's doors were closed . baldwin was in washington monday to promote federal funding for the arts . in his remarks he pointed out that spending for the arts stimulates economic spending . the 30 rock ' actor is currently under contract to promote capital one bank . becoming a spokesperson for a bank at the time of the banking collapse and at the genesis of the occupy wall street movement was not a goal of mine in my career , ' he told the crowd . he says all of his proceeds from that deal flow through his foundation and go to arts funding . | baldwin was in washington monday to promote federal funding for the arts |
caroline wozniacki <tsp> ( cnn ) -- venus williams'hopes of landing a fourth miami masters title were left in tatters after the u.s. star was forced to pull out with a back injury . the seven-time grand slam champion withdrew ahead of her third round clash with fellow american sloane stephens saturday . williams , ranked 18th in the world , had hoped to shake off the problem following her win over japan 's kimiko date-krum . it is the latest setback for the 32-year-old , who in 2011 fought back from sjogren 's syndrome , an auto-immune disease which causes fatigue . yesterday i was having some pain , and then just wanted to see how i felt in the warmup -- just not able to play today , ' williams told reporters . it 's really disappointing . this is just the kind of tournament you want to play well at . but i have faced disappointments in my life and my career . it 's not the first , probably not the last , just have to get through it and stay positive . ' williams now hopes to return to action in charleston , south carolina next month . i 've dealt with injuries before in my whole career , ' she said . i know how to hopefully recover quickly from them . i 'm playing in charleston , so that 's really still my goal , to get ready to play there . ' her younger sister serena went through to round four -- despite needing to resort to riding a bike to the event due to traffic problems . the top seed and five-time miami champion battled to a 6-3 6-3 win over japan 's ayumi morita to set up a meeting with slovakian 13th seed dominika cibulkova . venus williams was n't the only big name to leave the tournament saturday as caroline wozniacki crashed out after suffering a shock defeat by spanish wild card garbine muguruza . the world no . 9 was stunned 6-2 6-4 just a week after losing out in the final at indian wells to maria sharapova . muguruza , ranked 73rd in the world , will now take on li na in the fourth round . chinese star li saw off american varvara lepchenko 6-2 , 6-4 as she continued her comeback from injury . the world no . 5 had been out of action for seven weeks after suffering an ankle injury during her australian open defeat by victoria azarenka . but while li is still in with a chance of glory , azarenka 's hopes are over after she was forced to withdraw with an ankle injury of her own . it was really obvious what the decision was couple days ago already , ' azarenka told reporters . i just wanted to give my 100 % possibility to play and today was my last test . ' maria sharapova will be hoping to progress to the fourth round sunday when she takes on fellow russian russian elena vesnina . sharapova , who won at indian wells last weekend , eased past canada 's eugenie bouchard 6-2 6-0 friday following a power outage . in the men 's section , last year 's runner-up andy murray eased into the third round with a comfortable 6-3 6-1 victory over australia 's bernard tomic . murray , who won the tournament back in 2009 , will face grigor dimitrov next after the bulgarian overcame simone bolelli . no matter how you start your match you need to make your opponent work hard , ' murray told sky sports after seeing off a disappointing tomic . i did n't hit it unbelievable today but i worked hard . once i got the breakthrough he made mistakes . but it is unbelievably hot and windy . it 's tough to feel comfortable , maybe more than my opponent because i am used to the court and the wind and the humidity . ' elsewhere , sam querrey survived an almighty scare to win his first match since becoming the u.s. no.1 . querrey overcame lukasz kubot 4-6 6-3 6-3 to secure his place in the next round . i started out a little slow , ' he told the tournament 's official website . he broke me the first game , but then he served really well rest of the first set . but after that , i felt pretty good second and third sets . i served big and hit my forehand well . i was pretty happy . ' there were also wins for france 's jo-wilfried tsonga , italy 's andreas seppi , belgium 's david goffin and eighth seed richard gasquet . sunday 's action is set to include world no.1 novak djokovic , who is looking to win a fourth miami masters title djokovic , who destroyed lukas rosol 6-1 6-0 friday , will take on india 's somdev devvarman , currently ranked 254th in the world . but one man who wo n't be on court is fifth seed juan martin del potro after he was sent crashing out in the second round by tobias kamke . del potro reached the final at indian wells last week , but was unable to see off 89th ranked kamke . i was excited to play here , but [ it was ] just a bad day and he [ played ] really well , ' the argentine told the tournament 's official website . | caroline wozniacki suffers shock defeat by wild card |
sam querrey <tsp> ( cnn ) -- venus williams'hopes of landing a fourth miami masters title were left in tatters after the u.s. star was forced to pull out with a back injury . the seven-time grand slam champion withdrew ahead of her third round clash with fellow american sloane stephens saturday . williams , ranked 18th in the world , had hoped to shake off the problem following her win over japan 's kimiko date-krum . it is the latest setback for the 32-year-old , who in 2011 fought back from sjogren 's syndrome , an auto-immune disease which causes fatigue . yesterday i was having some pain , and then just wanted to see how i felt in the warmup -- just not able to play today , ' williams told reporters . it 's really disappointing . this is just the kind of tournament you want to play well at . but i have faced disappointments in my life and my career . it 's not the first , probably not the last , just have to get through it and stay positive . ' williams now hopes to return to action in charleston , south carolina next month . i 've dealt with injuries before in my whole career , ' she said . i know how to hopefully recover quickly from them . i 'm playing in charleston , so that 's really still my goal , to get ready to play there . ' her younger sister serena went through to round four -- despite needing to resort to riding a bike to the event due to traffic problems . the top seed and five-time miami champion battled to a 6-3 6-3 win over japan 's ayumi morita to set up a meeting with slovakian 13th seed dominika cibulkova . venus williams was n't the only big name to leave the tournament saturday as caroline wozniacki crashed out after suffering a shock defeat by spanish wild card garbine muguruza . the world no . 9 was stunned 6-2 6-4 just a week after losing out in the final at indian wells to maria sharapova . muguruza , ranked 73rd in the world , will now take on li na in the fourth round . chinese star li saw off american varvara lepchenko 6-2 , 6-4 as she continued her comeback from injury . the world no . 5 had been out of action for seven weeks after suffering an ankle injury during her australian open defeat by victoria azarenka . but while li is still in with a chance of glory , azarenka 's hopes are over after she was forced to withdraw with an ankle injury of her own . it was really obvious what the decision was couple days ago already , ' azarenka told reporters . i just wanted to give my 100 % possibility to play and today was my last test . ' maria sharapova will be hoping to progress to the fourth round sunday when she takes on fellow russian russian elena vesnina . sharapova , who won at indian wells last weekend , eased past canada 's eugenie bouchard 6-2 6-0 friday following a power outage . in the men 's section , last year 's runner-up andy murray eased into the third round with a comfortable 6-3 6-1 victory over australia 's bernard tomic . murray , who won the tournament back in 2009 , will face grigor dimitrov next after the bulgarian overcame simone bolelli . no matter how you start your match you need to make your opponent work hard , ' murray told sky sports after seeing off a disappointing tomic . i did n't hit it unbelievable today but i worked hard . once i got the breakthrough he made mistakes . but it is unbelievably hot and windy . it 's tough to feel comfortable , maybe more than my opponent because i am used to the court and the wind and the humidity . ' elsewhere , sam querrey survived an almighty scare to win his first match since becoming the u.s. no.1 . querrey overcame lukasz kubot 4-6 6-3 6-3 to secure his place in the next round . i started out a little slow , ' he told the tournament 's official website . he broke me the first game , but then he served really well rest of the first set . but after that , i felt pretty good second and third sets . i served big and hit my forehand well . i was pretty happy . ' there were also wins for france 's jo-wilfried tsonga , italy 's andreas seppi , belgium 's david goffin and eighth seed richard gasquet . sunday 's action is set to include world no.1 novak djokovic , who is looking to win a fourth miami masters title djokovic , who destroyed lukas rosol 6-1 6-0 friday , will take on india 's somdev devvarman , currently ranked 254th in the world . but one man who wo n't be on court is fifth seed juan martin del potro after he was sent crashing out in the second round by tobias kamke . del potro reached the final at indian wells last week , but was unable to see off 89th ranked kamke . i was excited to play here , but [ it was ] just a bad day and he [ played ] really well , ' the argentine told the tournament 's official website . | sam querrey wins debut game as u.s. no.1 |
super bowl <tsp> ( entertainment weekly ) -- with an unexpectedly big gross of $ 24.6 million , according to sunday 's early estimates , liam neeson 's kidnapping thriller taken ' was the easy victor at the box office on this super bowl weekend . liam neeson stars in 20th century fox 's taken , ' which debuted at no . 1 this weekend . that 's a particularly impressive feat for a male-baiting film whose key audience has had plenty of distractions during this national football holiday frame . to be sure , the movie drew an a- cinemascore review from a crowd that was nearly three-fifths men and 70 percent over the age of 25 -- an almost exact mirror of the big game 's core demographic . for neeson , who has n't starred in a major hollywood release since 2005 's batman begins ' and the chronicles of narnia : the lion , the witch , and the wardrobe ' ( to which he lent his voice ) , this is a nice turn of events , indeed : the $ 24.6 million premiere is the fifth best of his career , and , really , the top debut ever for a flick featuring him as a solo lead star . certainly , taken 's ' weekend sum could decrease slightly after the super bowl is played tonight and the actual final friday-to-sunday box office figures are calculated , but the film has no chance of falling out of first place . that 's because its next closest competitor was two-time champ paul blart : mall cop , ' which brought in $ 14 million and fell to no . 2 . with $ 83.4 million in the bank to date , the kevin james comedy is basically assured of becoming the first 2009 release to gross $ 100 million . the uninvited ' ( no . 3 ) was next , with a decent $ 10.5 million -- exactly the kind of first-weekend number that all asian horror remakes seem to get these days . hotel for dogs ' ( no . 4 with $ 8.7 million ) and gran torino ' ( no . 5 with $ 8.6 million ) rounded out the top five . ( at $ 110.5 million and counting , gran torino ' is now the top-grossing movie of clint eastwood 's career . ) and the other big new release , the renee zellweger comedy new in town ' -- the kind of female-friendly counterprogramming that studio bigwigs typically expect to do well on weekends like this -- got little love at no . 8 , earning just $ 6.8 million . among best picture nominees , slumdog millionaire ' once again fared best , banking $ 7.7 million at no . 6 , while all the others fell outside of the top 10 ( i.e . they all banked less than about $ 3.7 million a piece ) . that result is a tad disappointing for the reader ' and milk , ' as both movies expanded somewhat wide this weekend ( they grossed $ 2.4 million and $ 1.4 million , respectively ) . overall , the cumulative box office was essentially flat with the same frame a year ago , when the hannah montana/miley cyrus concert film came out of nowhere to be the big winner . just like the arizona cardinals will do tonight . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly copyright 2009 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | taken 's ' weekend sum could decrease slightly after the super bowl |
white house <tsp> ( cnn ) -- china spoke out strongly sunday against a meeting between u.s. president barack obama and the dalai lama , saying it hurt the feelings of the chinese people and harmed sino-u.s . relations . ' this action seriously interfered with china 's internal affairs , ' said ma zhaoxu , a spokesman for the chinese foreign ministry , in a statement , adding that officials have lodged formal complaints with their u.s. counterparts in beijing and washington . obama met with the dalai lama on saturday in washington , commending the tibetan spiritual leader on his commitment to nonviolence and pursuit of the middle way ' approach with china , the white house said in a statement . during the closed-door visit at the white house , obama stressed the u.s. policy that tibet is a part of the people 's republic of china and the united states does not support independence for tibet , ' the white house said . in the nearly 45-minute meeting , the president voiced support for direct dialogue ' between china and tibet as a way to peace , the statement said . the dalai lama stated that he is not seeking independence for tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the chinese government can soon resume , ' the white house said . american support of the dalai lama has long been a subject of contention in u.s.-china relations . chinese officials view the religious leader as a separatist . the issue of tibet is one that involves china 's sovereignty and territorial integrity , ' foreign ministry spokesman hong lei said in a statement released before the meeting . we oppose foreign leaders meeting with the dalai lama in any format . ' the strong objection to the meeting continued after it was over . by allowing the dalai lama to visit the u.s. and arranging the top leader to meet him , the united states has seriously violated basic principles of international relations and its own repeated solemn pledges , and harmed sino-u.s. relations , ' ma 's statement said . china therefore expresses its strong indignation and firm opposition . ' the statement concluded by calling on the u.s. to take china 's solemn and just stance seriously , and adopt immediate measures to eliminate adverse consequences . ' the president last met with his fellow nobel peace laureate in february 2010 . the dalai lama expressed hopes that his relationship with china can improve , with u.s. help . the current dalai lama is also known by the name tenzin gyatso . he was born in 1935 in modern-day qinghai , china . the term dalai lama ' is a buddhist religious title . in traditional tibetan belief , the title is given to those who are the reincarnations of a line of revered religious teachers . the current dalai lama is considered the 14th in this line . the dalai lama has been in washington on an 11-day visit . he has conducted a mass ritual for buddhists and met with several lawmakers on capitol hill . cnn 's steven jiang contributed to this report . | u.s. does not support independence for tibet , white house says |
obama <tsp> ( cnn ) -- china spoke out strongly sunday against a meeting between u.s. president barack obama and the dalai lama , saying it hurt the feelings of the chinese people and harmed sino-u.s . relations . ' this action seriously interfered with china 's internal affairs , ' said ma zhaoxu , a spokesman for the chinese foreign ministry , in a statement , adding that officials have lodged formal complaints with their u.s. counterparts in beijing and washington . obama met with the dalai lama on saturday in washington , commending the tibetan spiritual leader on his commitment to nonviolence and pursuit of the middle way ' approach with china , the white house said in a statement . during the closed-door visit at the white house , obama stressed the u.s. policy that tibet is a part of the people 's republic of china and the united states does not support independence for tibet , ' the white house said . in the nearly 45-minute meeting , the president voiced support for direct dialogue ' between china and tibet as a way to peace , the statement said . the dalai lama stated that he is not seeking independence for tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the chinese government can soon resume , ' the white house said . american support of the dalai lama has long been a subject of contention in u.s.-china relations . chinese officials view the religious leader as a separatist . the issue of tibet is one that involves china 's sovereignty and territorial integrity , ' foreign ministry spokesman hong lei said in a statement released before the meeting . we oppose foreign leaders meeting with the dalai lama in any format . ' the strong objection to the meeting continued after it was over . by allowing the dalai lama to visit the u.s. and arranging the top leader to meet him , the united states has seriously violated basic principles of international relations and its own repeated solemn pledges , and harmed sino-u.s. relations , ' ma 's statement said . china therefore expresses its strong indignation and firm opposition . ' the statement concluded by calling on the u.s. to take china 's solemn and just stance seriously , and adopt immediate measures to eliminate adverse consequences . ' the president last met with his fellow nobel peace laureate in february 2010 . the dalai lama expressed hopes that his relationship with china can improve , with u.s. help . the current dalai lama is also known by the name tenzin gyatso . he was born in 1935 in modern-day qinghai , china . the term dalai lama ' is a buddhist religious title . in traditional tibetan belief , the title is given to those who are the reincarnations of a line of revered religious teachers . the current dalai lama is considered the 14th in this line . the dalai lama has been in washington on an 11-day visit . he has conducted a mass ritual for buddhists and met with several lawmakers on capitol hill . cnn 's steven jiang contributed to this report . | obama pushes for'direct dialogue'between dalai lama , chinese |
acura <tsp> ( cnn ) -- acura found itself in a bit of hot water this week when it was revealed that a casting agency in los angeles only desired light-skinned african-american actors for the company 's super bowl commercial featuring jay leno and jerry seinfeld . the company apologized , but that has n't stopped a lot of the chatter criticizing acura for not doing more to keep the casting agency in check . this really is n't a new story considering how many times in the past we 've heard similar stories , including that advertising agencies have non-urban dictates like refusing to buy advertising space on black-focused radio , tv , magazine and online properties . worldwide , nearly $ 500 million is spent on bleaching products , an effort for people with darker skin to lighten their skin . this is pretty laughable considering the lengths some whites go to darken their skin through tanning beds or even spray painting a bronze look in order to appear darker . ( i 'm still trying to figure out the skin tone of speaker of the house john boehner . ) but there is another critical discussion that must be had , and that is the belief that the lighter skinned you are , the better your life will be . the effects of this mindset are examined in the documentary dark girls , ' produced by actor/director bill duke and directed by chan berry . dark girls ' explores the pain that is associated with having dark skin , even re-creating the white doll-black doll studies made famous by dr. kenneth clark , which played a crucial role in the brown vs. board of education supreme court decision . facilitator : show me the smart child . [ a black child 's hand points to the fairest-skinned depiction among a spectrum of drawings of a little girl , identical , save for the skin color ) . facilitator : and why is she the smart child ? child : 'cause she is white . facilitator : ok. show me the dumb child . [ the little girl , who is brown-skinned , points to the drawing of the child with the darkest skin ) . facilitator : and why is she the dumb child ? child : because she black . facilitator : well , show me the ugly child . [ again , the little girl points to the darkest drawing ) . facilitator : and why is she the ugly child ? child : 'cause she black . facilitator : show me the good-looking child . [ the little girl points to the fairest drawing . ] facilitator : and why is she the good-looking child ? child : 'cause she light-skinned-ed . i talked to duke and berry on my tv one show , washington watch , and both said the results of the documentary were stunning when considering how pervasive skin color plays a role in the minds of kids , even at an early age . unfortunately , i think we 've accepted values that set standards of beauty that are not us , ' duke said . and as a result of that , as you saw the small child , unfortunately , at a very , very , very young age , whatever they look like is not beautiful enough . and so they try to be something other , and we sell them products to do that , and i think whoever 's selling that ad thinks in the same way . ' in the documentary , one woman fighting back tears tells the story of a friend who recently had a baby : it was my first time seeing the baby , and the baby was beautiful . and she said , girl , i 'm so glad she did n't come out dark ! ' in addition to the acura controversy , there have been complaints that on album covers and magazine ads , the skin of beyonce , who is already light-skinned , is made even lighter to make her appear white . even when it comes to dating , some black men have the view , light is bright ; she 's alright . ' in our film , we have a young man saying he does not think a dark-skinned girl looks right on his arm . he says that in the camera , ' duke said . he says long hair , fair skin - he feels better with that person on his arm . ' berry says it 's vital that we have real discussions about this issue . i want to continue what has happened six months ago when we dropped the trailer on everybody -- to know that -- to recognize that there is an issue with us , and then start the healing process , ' he said . if you recognize that you have an issue , and then open up about it and start talking about it , that 's when the healing begins . so with our film -- we 're not psychiatrists , or psychologists , or sociologists , roland . we 're just filmmakers who decided to point a lens at this particular subject , this issue , to say ,'listen . this is how we can fix this , possibly . just open up and talk about it ,'because , as bill says , you 're not going to find anything outside of yourself to heal this . it 's going to come from within . ' while dark girls ' ( www.officialdarkgirlsmovie.com ) makes its way across the country , duke and berry are working on their next documentary , which will deal with light-skinned black women . even that is a serious issue ; even to the degree that some blacks still pass for white in the 21st century . just last year , my aunt rita died in louisiana . she lived most of her adult life as a white woman , even though she was black . her daughter , who is married to a white man and passes for white even though she knows she 's black -- but her kids do n't know -- waited two months to tell my grandmother that her only surviving sister had died . why ? because she was afraid of her black relatives showing up and exposing their secret . how 's that for a post-racial america ? | acura criticized after agency sought light-skinned african-americans for its super bowl ad |
woods <tsp> ( cnn ) -- he did n't win , but tiger woods showed why he is still the no . 1 drawcard in golf with a brave bid for victory at the barclays tournament sunday . he had been tied for the lead after three birdies on his opening nine holes , but a recurrence of his back injury seemed to have scuppered his chances of a sixth pga tour title this season . the american crumpled to his knees in pain after sending an approach shot into the murky water hazard at 13 , and he registered a bogey before dropping another shot at 15 . however , he birdied the next two holes to give himself a chance of a playoff against clubhouse leader adam scott , but his 27-foot putt from the fringe stopped an inch short of the hole . a grim-faced woods received a standing ovation from the gallery crowd at liberty national in jersey city , before explaining how his back had gone into spasm ' even before the 13th . the problem started before the tournament , caused by a too soft ' mattress at the hotel where he was staying . i had a chance . i hit a good putt . i thought i made it . it was a little double-breaker and i thought i had it , ' said the 37-year-old , who remained top of the fedex cup playoff standings after finishing tied for second with u.s. open winner justin rose , canada 's graham delaet and american gary woodland . rose could also have made a playoff , but surprisingly three-putted at the last for bogey and a final round of three-under 68 . woodland also had a chance , but the joint third-round leader could only par as he closed with a disappointing 73 . delaet surged up the leaderboard with a seven-birdie 65 , but it was not enough to beat scott as the masters champion prevailed on 11-under after a flawless 66 to claim the $ 1.44 million first prize . scott , whose caddy steve williams helped woods to many of his successes , said his turning point had been three late birdies on saturday . i 'd been playing like a dog , ' he said . i do n't know if it 's been my best golf since the masters , but i played consistently well to win here . ' scott , who also had top-five finishes at the british open and pga championship , moved up to second in the fedex cup standings ahead of the next event in boston -- the deutsche bank championship this coming week , which features the top 100 players . british open champion phil mickelson finished two shots off the australian on 275 following his 65 , which left him tied for sixth with fellow americans d.a . points and jim furyk . the veteran left-hander moved up to third in the playoff standings . matt kuchar , who won the tournament in 2010 , dropped back from sharing the third-round lead to a tie for 19th . his birdie at the last was mere consolation after a triple-bogey seven at the ninth and five other dropped holes . the 35-year-old slumped to fifth in the standings , from second . | however , as with other contenders , woods'chances end at final hole |
woods <tsp> ( cnn ) -- he did n't win , but tiger woods showed why he is still the no . 1 drawcard in golf with a brave bid for victory at the barclays tournament sunday . he had been tied for the lead after three birdies on his opening nine holes , but a recurrence of his back injury seemed to have scuppered his chances of a sixth pga tour title this season . the american crumpled to his knees in pain after sending an approach shot into the murky water hazard at 13 , and he registered a bogey before dropping another shot at 15 . however , he birdied the next two holes to give himself a chance of a playoff against clubhouse leader adam scott , but his 27-foot putt from the fringe stopped an inch short of the hole . a grim-faced woods received a standing ovation from the gallery crowd at liberty national in jersey city , before explaining how his back had gone into spasm ' even before the 13th . the problem started before the tournament , caused by a too soft ' mattress at the hotel where he was staying . i had a chance . i hit a good putt . i thought i made it . it was a little double-breaker and i thought i had it , ' said the 37-year-old , who remained top of the fedex cup playoff standings after finishing tied for second with u.s. open winner justin rose , canada 's graham delaet and american gary woodland . rose could also have made a playoff , but surprisingly three-putted at the last for bogey and a final round of three-under 68 . woodland also had a chance , but the joint third-round leader could only par as he closed with a disappointing 73 . delaet surged up the leaderboard with a seven-birdie 65 , but it was not enough to beat scott as the masters champion prevailed on 11-under after a flawless 66 to claim the $ 1.44 million first prize . scott , whose caddy steve williams helped woods to many of his successes , said his turning point had been three late birdies on saturday . i 'd been playing like a dog , ' he said . i do n't know if it 's been my best golf since the masters , but i played consistently well to win here . ' scott , who also had top-five finishes at the british open and pga championship , moved up to second in the fedex cup standings ahead of the next event in boston -- the deutsche bank championship this coming week , which features the top 100 players . british open champion phil mickelson finished two shots off the australian on 275 following his 65 , which left him tied for sixth with fellow americans d.a . points and jim furyk . the veteran left-hander moved up to third in the playoff standings . matt kuchar , who won the tournament in 2010 , dropped back from sharing the third-round lead to a tie for 19th . his birdie at the last was mere consolation after a triple-bogey seven at the ninth and five other dropped holes . the 35-year-old slumped to fifth in the standings , from second . | world no . 1 tiger woods ties for second place after a brave effort |
israeli <tsp> ( cnn ) -- israel has halted a plan that would have displaced tens of thousands of bedouins in the southern part of the country . the controversial plan would have involved destroying unrecognized ' villages in the negev , and resettling the displaced bedouin citizens into recognized ' villages . benny begin , a former lawmaker who helped construct the plan , said thursday it does not have enough votes in the knesset , the israeli parliament , to move forward . the prawer plan was based on an effort to better integrate israel 's bedouin population into israeli society . following recommendations of a committee chaired by retired supreme court justice eliezer goldberg , the israeli cabinet approved a plan in 2011 . the cabinet also approved more economic development in the bedouin sector of the negev , the government said at the time . but the plan to displace bedouins sparked anger . last month , israeli riot police broke up a demonstration comprising more than 1,000 people who were protesting . according to israeli sources , more than 40,000 bedouins would have been affected by the plan ; bedouin elders estimate the total at more than 70,000 . in a statement thursday , begin said he has suggested that the law be halted , but efforts to develop the bedouin communities in the negev continue . prime minister benjamin netanyahu accepted my suggestion , ' he said . | the aim was to integrate the historic farming community more into israeli society |
south korean <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the last seven south koreans who remained at a manufacturing complex jointly run by north and south korea left the area friday -- further crumbling one of the few symbols of inter-korean cooperation amid high tensions between the nations . the workers left the kaesong industrial complex in north korea and returned to the south , the south korean unification ministry said . this marks the first time in the facility 's nine-year history that no south korean workers are there . south korean broadcaster ytn , a cnn affiliate , showed video of the south koreans'vehicles , with luggage tied on top , re-entering the south . the move caps a monthlong winding down of operations at the complex , which the north suspended during a frenzy of rhetoric aimed at south korea and the united states last month . the north 's rhetoric intensified after the u.n. security council voted in march to slap tougher sanctions on the regime and amid u.s.-south korean military drills in the region . the complex , which sits just north of the demilitarized zone that separates the two countries , houses the operations of more than 120 south korean companies . one of the seven returning south koreans , hong yang-ho , chairman of kaesong industrial district management committee , said his panel is urging north korea to reopen the complex as soon as possible so as to minimize damages ( to ) relevant companies . ' we hope there will be further negotiations through various channels , ' he said friday . south korea presses north for talks on crisis at joint industrial zone the north began blocking south koreans from entering the complex across the heavily fortified border in april . it then pulled out more than 50,000 north koreans who work in the zone 's factories , saying it was temporarily suspending activity there . the move surprised some observers since kaesong was considered a key source of hard currency for the kim jong un regime . last week , south korea started withdrawing its remaining citizens from the manufacturing zone jointly operated with the north . the seven south koreans who returned friday had remained at kaesong to tie up loose ends . south korea withdraws citizens from joint factory after north snubs talks it is n't the first time kaesong has shut down . in 2009 , north korea temporarily suspended kaesong industrial complex several times , not permitting south koreans to enter and exit the zone . the suspension also took place during the annual u.s.-south korean joint military drill . but that time , south koreans still remained at the complex . in 2012 , the production value of the complex grew to $ 500 million ; five years earlier , it topped $ 100 million for the first time . the average wage for north korean workers in kaesong industrial complex is $ 134 per month , according to the south korean unification ministry . north korean authorities take about 45 % of their wages for various tax reasons . | the complex houses the operations of more than 120 south korean companies . |
smith <tsp> ( cnn ) -- orlando 's police chief on monday named a florida man as the primary suspect ' in the case of the man 's missing ex-fiancee , who has n't been seen since the two appeared on an episode of the people 's court . ' police chief paul rooney identified dale smith jr. , who relatives say is the father of two of michelle parker 's children , as the lone suspect in the case . we had to look at every aspect of the case before we could come out publicly and state that mr. smith is our primary focus , ' rooney said at a news conference . we will not rest until michelle is found . ' although rooney publicly identified smith in the case , no charges have been filed . the woman was last seen driving near orlando on november 17 , shortly after the people 's court ' segment that had been taped months earlier aired . her last known communication was a brief , seemingly innocuous text message to her brother that same day , according to the official facebook page devoted to her case . attempts to reach smith by phone -- at numbers believed to be his and that of his parents -- and social media -- via facebook e-mail , on a profile believed to be his -- for comment on monday 's developments and the case generally have thus far been unsuccessful. he has refused authorities'offer to take a polygraph test in the case , rooney told reporters . parker 's mother , yvonne stewart , said in monday 's news conference that the naming of smith as a suspect is huge . ' she urged him to come forward more earnestly , in hopes that his information will lead to her daughter . this is a sad day , really , but i think it was inevitable , ' stewart said . ( michelle is ) so beautiful , she does n't deserve this . ' rooney acknowledged that authorities recently searched smith 's parents'house , though he did n't want to go into evidence that we seized or did n't seize . ' parker 's black hummer suv was found a day after she was last seen , according to the facebook page . she is described as white , 33 years old , roughly 5 feet 5 inches tall with short dark brown hair . her sister , lauren erickson , earlier told hln 's nancy grace that her sister and smith met about five years ago . they were estranged , and the people 's court ' episode revolved around their dispute over who 'd get a $ 5,000 engagement ring , with judge marilyn milian eventually suggesting they split the proceeds and stay apart from one another . erickson said that her sister was devoted to her children , whom she , her mother and the rest of the family have not seen since parker 's disappearance . she would never do anything to leave them . they are her world , ' erickson said . they ` re the reason that she was working two jobs and going to school full time -- so that she could give them a better life . ' on monday night , brother dustin erickson told hln 's vinnie politan that for all the talk about smith , his main focus is on his sister . he and other family members urged people to continue distributing fliers , spreading the word about parker and looking for her at every opportunity . my biggest thing is that i still need to search for my sister , ' dustin erickson said . she is still missing and i still need to find her . ' | her mother calls the naming of smith as a suspect sad ' but inevitable ' |
smith <tsp> ( cnn ) -- orlando 's police chief on monday named a florida man as the primary suspect ' in the case of the man 's missing ex-fiancee , who has n't been seen since the two appeared on an episode of the people 's court . ' police chief paul rooney identified dale smith jr. , who relatives say is the father of two of michelle parker 's children , as the lone suspect in the case . we had to look at every aspect of the case before we could come out publicly and state that mr. smith is our primary focus , ' rooney said at a news conference . we will not rest until michelle is found . ' although rooney publicly identified smith in the case , no charges have been filed . the woman was last seen driving near orlando on november 17 , shortly after the people 's court ' segment that had been taped months earlier aired . her last known communication was a brief , seemingly innocuous text message to her brother that same day , according to the official facebook page devoted to her case . attempts to reach smith by phone -- at numbers believed to be his and that of his parents -- and social media -- via facebook e-mail , on a profile believed to be his -- for comment on monday 's developments and the case generally have thus far been unsuccessful. he has refused authorities'offer to take a polygraph test in the case , rooney told reporters . parker 's mother , yvonne stewart , said in monday 's news conference that the naming of smith as a suspect is huge . ' she urged him to come forward more earnestly , in hopes that his information will lead to her daughter . this is a sad day , really , but i think it was inevitable , ' stewart said . ( michelle is ) so beautiful , she does n't deserve this . ' rooney acknowledged that authorities recently searched smith 's parents'house , though he did n't want to go into evidence that we seized or did n't seize . ' parker 's black hummer suv was found a day after she was last seen , according to the facebook page . she is described as white , 33 years old , roughly 5 feet 5 inches tall with short dark brown hair . her sister , lauren erickson , earlier told hln 's nancy grace that her sister and smith met about five years ago . they were estranged , and the people 's court ' episode revolved around their dispute over who 'd get a $ 5,000 engagement ring , with judge marilyn milian eventually suggesting they split the proceeds and stay apart from one another . erickson said that her sister was devoted to her children , whom she , her mother and the rest of the family have not seen since parker 's disappearance . she would never do anything to leave them . they are her world , ' erickson said . they ` re the reason that she was working two jobs and going to school full time -- so that she could give them a better life . ' on monday night , brother dustin erickson told hln 's vinnie politan that for all the talk about smith , his main focus is on his sister . he and other family members urged people to continue distributing fliers , spreading the word about parker and looking for her at every opportunity . my biggest thing is that i still need to search for my sister , ' dustin erickson said . she is still missing and i still need to find her . ' | she was last seen november 17 , the day she and smith were on the people 's court ' |
smith <tsp> ( cnn ) -- orlando 's police chief on monday named a florida man as the primary suspect ' in the case of the man 's missing ex-fiancee , who has n't been seen since the two appeared on an episode of the people 's court . ' police chief paul rooney identified dale smith jr. , who relatives say is the father of two of michelle parker 's children , as the lone suspect in the case . we had to look at every aspect of the case before we could come out publicly and state that mr. smith is our primary focus , ' rooney said at a news conference . we will not rest until michelle is found . ' although rooney publicly identified smith in the case , no charges have been filed . the woman was last seen driving near orlando on november 17 , shortly after the people 's court ' segment that had been taped months earlier aired . her last known communication was a brief , seemingly innocuous text message to her brother that same day , according to the official facebook page devoted to her case . attempts to reach smith by phone -- at numbers believed to be his and that of his parents -- and social media -- via facebook e-mail , on a profile believed to be his -- for comment on monday 's developments and the case generally have thus far been unsuccessful. he has refused authorities'offer to take a polygraph test in the case , rooney told reporters . parker 's mother , yvonne stewart , said in monday 's news conference that the naming of smith as a suspect is huge . ' she urged him to come forward more earnestly , in hopes that his information will lead to her daughter . this is a sad day , really , but i think it was inevitable , ' stewart said . ( michelle is ) so beautiful , she does n't deserve this . ' rooney acknowledged that authorities recently searched smith 's parents'house , though he did n't want to go into evidence that we seized or did n't seize . ' parker 's black hummer suv was found a day after she was last seen , according to the facebook page . she is described as white , 33 years old , roughly 5 feet 5 inches tall with short dark brown hair . her sister , lauren erickson , earlier told hln 's nancy grace that her sister and smith met about five years ago . they were estranged , and the people 's court ' episode revolved around their dispute over who 'd get a $ 5,000 engagement ring , with judge marilyn milian eventually suggesting they split the proceeds and stay apart from one another . erickson said that her sister was devoted to her children , whom she , her mother and the rest of the family have not seen since parker 's disappearance . she would never do anything to leave them . they are her world , ' erickson said . they ` re the reason that she was working two jobs and going to school full time -- so that she could give them a better life . ' on monday night , brother dustin erickson told hln 's vinnie politan that for all the talk about smith , his main focus is on his sister . he and other family members urged people to continue distributing fliers , spreading the word about parker and looking for her at every opportunity . my biggest thing is that i still need to search for my sister , ' dustin erickson said . she is still missing and i still need to find her . ' | dale smith jr. is a suspect in michelle parker 's disappearance , a police chief says |
brazil <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cesc fabregas is returning to london and the english premier league after the spain international signed for chelsea from barcelona thursday . the midfielder , who started his career with barcelona , spent eight years with chelsea 's london rivals arsenal between 2003 and 2011 , before rejoining the catalan club . firstly i 'd like to thank everyone at barcelona where i enjoyed three wonderful years , ' said fabregas , who has joined chelsea on a five-year contract , in a statement on the club 's website . it was my childhood club and i 'll always be proud and honored that i had a chance to play for such a great team , ' added the 27-year-old , who is on world cup duty with spain in brazil . chelsea finished third last season , securing the epl 's third european champions league automatic qualifying spot . in manager jose mourinho 's first season back in charge at stamford bridge , chelsea also reached the champions league semifinals before being knocked out by atletico madrid . fabregas'arrival gives mourinho a wealth of midfield talent , given chelsea 's portuguese manager already has eden hazard , oscar , ramires , nemanja matic and john obi mikel at his disposal . i do feel that i have unfinished business in the premier league and now is the right time to return , ' said fabregas , who played over 300 games for arsenal during his first spell in england but won just one trophy -- the fa cup in 2005 . i considered all the other offers very carefully and i firmly believe that chelsea is the best choice . they match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies . they have an amazing squad of players and an incredible manager . i 'm fully committed to this team and i ca n't wait to start playing . ' barcelona , which failed to retain the spanish title last season , issued a statement thanking fabregas for his professionalism and dedication ' during his time at the nou camp . the spanish club will reportedly receive an upfront payment of $ 45.4 million for fabregas , though the transfer fee could rise with contractual add-ons . chelsea are also reportedly keen to sign another la liga player -- atletico madrid 's spain international striker diego costa . | fabregas , 27 , is on world cup duty with spain in brazil |
haiti <tsp> ( cnn ) -- can-do founder eric klein spent most of 2010 in haiti helping people recover from the devastating earthquake . as he returns to haiti in 2011 , his first stop will be at an orphanage that his charity helped rebuild last year . the 50 children there call him ek . ' the orphanage is completely out of food and resources . when you get out there , it is again the first day of the disaster -- it is like you are there for the first time , ' klein said . the need is still so great -- the disaster is not over , and in some ways it is just getting worse . ' why do i do it ? anger and frustration . if it was your kids , and you were in the same situation , you are going to do whatever you can . you are not going to stop . and for the aid workers , the haitian people have become family and we are emotionally invested , so we will see it through . ' for all the efforts of aid workers , haiti is still struggling with tattered tent cities , scarce basic necessities , and a cholera epidemic that has killed more than 3,000 people . it is hard to go back , ' klein said . people are out there , risking their lives and trying to make a difference , but they are limited , and for many the funding is gone . there is so much to do in haiti that it is overwhelming . ' and while donors , and prospective donors , are frustrated with the results of the dollars they sent in the wake of the quake , klein is frustrated too . i do n't want to say nothing has been done , and you do n't want to take away from the groups that are out there , trying their hardest to make a difference , ' klein said , but where is the master plan ? people are dying . people are running out of time . ' according to klein , nongovernment organizations working in haiti are mostly responsible for slow progress , and he encourages donors to hold them accountable . but the haitian election and resulting political turmoil have delayed the launching of much-needed recovery projects , he said . we have supplies right now with haiti 's customs , still being processed , which was originally sent over there , and needed there , more than three weeks ago ' klein said . it discourages you when they are in total desperation and they look at you as the person to help them -- and your hands are tied . you ca n't get the stuff out and you go back to them empty-handed , and it is the worst feeling in the world . ' despite aid worker frustrations , caryl stern , president and ceo of the u.s. fund for unicef , has seen improvement . during the earthquake , roughly 4,000 schools in and around port-au-prince were destroyed . by the end of 2010 , unicef had completed 57 semipermanent schools , with another 70 under construction . it has also re-equipped 2,000 temporary schools with learning materials such as backpacks , blackboards and furniture . stern 's greatest encouragement is the children 's crisp white uniforms . a month ago i was awed by 40 schoolgirls at a semipermanent school , who were wearing spotless white school uniforms , ' she said . most of these girls are still living in tents , but every day they scrubbed their shirts , stretched them to remove wrinkles , folded them tightly to their textbook and placed them under their mattress . if this is what their future means to them , who am i to give up and say no ? ' her frustration with donor fatigue is that it has turned into an intellectual debate , weighing donations and speed of progress . stern said this debate ignores the fact that these are people , and their lives are in the balance . i do n't want america to stop from asking these tough questions , because they have to keep all of us on the ball . i just want them to understand that the option to stop helping haiti , while we address those questions , is that people will die , ' stern said . this additional crisis of cholera in haiti is being met by organizations already dealing with exhausted volunteers , donor fatigue and doubt . we are really stretched right now in our own capacity , and we are making a call to other organizations to step up response . ' said jennifer tierney , development director for doctors without borders . thus far , doctors without borders has treated 84,500 people suffering from cholera , and the group does not see an end to the epidemic on the immediate horizon . samaritan 's purse has also issued an urgent call for medical professionals to volunteer in haiti . in addition to volunteers , the group needs financial support to continue to provide medical supplies . it has sent 10 planeloads full of these supplies , but the supplies are barely keeping pace with the need . it can take 24 bags of iv solution , eight bags a day for three days , per person . if you then look at thousands of people affected , you can see the overwhelming need . ' said melissa strickland of samaritan 's purse . she understands the frustration donors feel , and said the slow progress weighs heavy on the aid workers as well . it hits your heart , to see more suffering on top of suffering . we are working such long hours , and you just try to focus on what is being done , and hold the hand of the mom who is scared her baby is going to die , and you reassure her and tackle the task at hand -- you focus on that , and that is what keeps you going , ' said strickland . | schoolchildren in haiti prize their donated uniforms , which gives aid workers encouragement |
japan <tsp> beijing ( cnn ) -- the policeman tapping on our car window makes it clear we are in a no-go area before placing his hand over the lens of our camera . later , filming across the road , a chinese soldier approaches and makes it clear it is time to move on . things are tense around the japanese embassy in beijing . chinese military vehicles are clearly visible parked around the side of the building . within minutes of our arrival there 's a flurry of activity , as soldiers and police suddenly appear speaking into walkie-talkies and making phone calls . large protests during the weekend have raised the alert . thousands of people across china took to the streets outside japanese consulates . japanese-owned businesses and restaurants were vandalized and cars overturned . it is all over a group of rocky uninhabited islands in the east china sea that japan says it owns -- a claim china vigorously disputes . maritime disputes not just about china ' the diaoyu islands are ours , they are a part of china . it is as if they are our home . if a thief breaks into our home , do n't we have to drive the thief out ? ' activist tsang kin shing asked . tsang took it upon himself to claim the islands for china . the hong kong-based activist , known as bull , ' joined others who swam out to the islands in a symbolic protest . they were detained by japanese police but later released . bull is happy to proclaim himself a chinese nationalist , but he 's no fan of the ruling communist party . 14 held after raising flag ' the diaoyu island movement is not only aimed at the japanese , it is also aimed at communist rule , ' he said . we want to use it to educate our people to fight for their rights and make china truly democratic and strong . ' the diaoyu islands -- known by japan as senkaku -- are indeed many things to many people . there are potential resource riches here : oil and gas and it is strategically vital . japanese activists too have swum ashore , raising their flag . asia 's most dangerous waters ' i believe that our landing was success if we could show that senkaku islands are japan 's territory and we the japanese must protest by ourselves , ' said japanese politician yoshihiro kojima . it has touched off a diplomatic row . chinese analysts like guo xiangang , the deputy director of the china institute of international studies -- a think tank connected to china 's ministry of foreign affairs -- says it is rooted in history and age-old hatred but reasserted beijing 's sovereignty claim . there should n't be any discussion on diaoyu island . it has always been a part of china , ' he said . when it comes to china 's relations with japan , history runs deep and often venomous . the islands are symbolic of what many in china see as unfinished business , redressing the impact of japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s . china says its claim on diaoyu extends back hundreds of years . japan says china ceded sovereignty when it lost the sino-japanese war in 1895 . japan 's surrender in world war ii clouded the issue again . the islands were administered by the u.s. occupation force after the war . but in 1972 washington returned them to japan as part of its withdrawal from okinawa . that , says guo , is where the current troubles begin . the u.s. handed over the island to japan for its own purpose during the cold war . so , personally , i think the u.s. should take the blame for the dispute of diaoyu island , ' he said . the u.s. says it is not taking a position in the current dispute . but it is treaty bound to defend its ally japan . adding to the tension , the u.s. and japan have started joint war games . it is a routine annual event but this year the aim is to seize an island . for now this is just an exercise , but with tensions running high , there are fears it could become reality . japan deporting chinese held over island landing | japan administers islands known as senkaku by tokyo and diaoyu by china |
japan <tsp> beijing ( cnn ) -- the policeman tapping on our car window makes it clear we are in a no-go area before placing his hand over the lens of our camera . later , filming across the road , a chinese soldier approaches and makes it clear it is time to move on . things are tense around the japanese embassy in beijing . chinese military vehicles are clearly visible parked around the side of the building . within minutes of our arrival there 's a flurry of activity , as soldiers and police suddenly appear speaking into walkie-talkies and making phone calls . large protests during the weekend have raised the alert . thousands of people across china took to the streets outside japanese consulates . japanese-owned businesses and restaurants were vandalized and cars overturned . it is all over a group of rocky uninhabited islands in the east china sea that japan says it owns -- a claim china vigorously disputes . maritime disputes not just about china ' the diaoyu islands are ours , they are a part of china . it is as if they are our home . if a thief breaks into our home , do n't we have to drive the thief out ? ' activist tsang kin shing asked . tsang took it upon himself to claim the islands for china . the hong kong-based activist , known as bull , ' joined others who swam out to the islands in a symbolic protest . they were detained by japanese police but later released . bull is happy to proclaim himself a chinese nationalist , but he 's no fan of the ruling communist party . 14 held after raising flag ' the diaoyu island movement is not only aimed at the japanese , it is also aimed at communist rule , ' he said . we want to use it to educate our people to fight for their rights and make china truly democratic and strong . ' the diaoyu islands -- known by japan as senkaku -- are indeed many things to many people . there are potential resource riches here : oil and gas and it is strategically vital . japanese activists too have swum ashore , raising their flag . asia 's most dangerous waters ' i believe that our landing was success if we could show that senkaku islands are japan 's territory and we the japanese must protest by ourselves , ' said japanese politician yoshihiro kojima . it has touched off a diplomatic row . chinese analysts like guo xiangang , the deputy director of the china institute of international studies -- a think tank connected to china 's ministry of foreign affairs -- says it is rooted in history and age-old hatred but reasserted beijing 's sovereignty claim . there should n't be any discussion on diaoyu island . it has always been a part of china , ' he said . when it comes to china 's relations with japan , history runs deep and often venomous . the islands are symbolic of what many in china see as unfinished business , redressing the impact of japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s . china says its claim on diaoyu extends back hundreds of years . japan says china ceded sovereignty when it lost the sino-japanese war in 1895 . japan 's surrender in world war ii clouded the issue again . the islands were administered by the u.s. occupation force after the war . but in 1972 washington returned them to japan as part of its withdrawal from okinawa . that , says guo , is where the current troubles begin . the u.s. handed over the island to japan for its own purpose during the cold war . so , personally , i think the u.s. should take the blame for the dispute of diaoyu island , ' he said . the u.s. says it is not taking a position in the current dispute . but it is treaty bound to defend its ally japan . adding to the tension , the u.s. and japan have started joint war games . it is a routine annual event but this year the aim is to seize an island . for now this is just an exercise , but with tensions running high , there are fears it could become reality . japan deporting chinese held over island landing | followed arrest by japan of pro-china activists who landed on the islands |
japan <tsp> beijing ( cnn ) -- the policeman tapping on our car window makes it clear we are in a no-go area before placing his hand over the lens of our camera . later , filming across the road , a chinese soldier approaches and makes it clear it is time to move on . things are tense around the japanese embassy in beijing . chinese military vehicles are clearly visible parked around the side of the building . within minutes of our arrival there 's a flurry of activity , as soldiers and police suddenly appear speaking into walkie-talkies and making phone calls . large protests during the weekend have raised the alert . thousands of people across china took to the streets outside japanese consulates . japanese-owned businesses and restaurants were vandalized and cars overturned . it is all over a group of rocky uninhabited islands in the east china sea that japan says it owns -- a claim china vigorously disputes . maritime disputes not just about china ' the diaoyu islands are ours , they are a part of china . it is as if they are our home . if a thief breaks into our home , do n't we have to drive the thief out ? ' activist tsang kin shing asked . tsang took it upon himself to claim the islands for china . the hong kong-based activist , known as bull , ' joined others who swam out to the islands in a symbolic protest . they were detained by japanese police but later released . bull is happy to proclaim himself a chinese nationalist , but he 's no fan of the ruling communist party . 14 held after raising flag ' the diaoyu island movement is not only aimed at the japanese , it is also aimed at communist rule , ' he said . we want to use it to educate our people to fight for their rights and make china truly democratic and strong . ' the diaoyu islands -- known by japan as senkaku -- are indeed many things to many people . there are potential resource riches here : oil and gas and it is strategically vital . japanese activists too have swum ashore , raising their flag . asia 's most dangerous waters ' i believe that our landing was success if we could show that senkaku islands are japan 's territory and we the japanese must protest by ourselves , ' said japanese politician yoshihiro kojima . it has touched off a diplomatic row . chinese analysts like guo xiangang , the deputy director of the china institute of international studies -- a think tank connected to china 's ministry of foreign affairs -- says it is rooted in history and age-old hatred but reasserted beijing 's sovereignty claim . there should n't be any discussion on diaoyu island . it has always been a part of china , ' he said . when it comes to china 's relations with japan , history runs deep and often venomous . the islands are symbolic of what many in china see as unfinished business , redressing the impact of japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s . china says its claim on diaoyu extends back hundreds of years . japan says china ceded sovereignty when it lost the sino-japanese war in 1895 . japan 's surrender in world war ii clouded the issue again . the islands were administered by the u.s. occupation force after the war . but in 1972 washington returned them to japan as part of its withdrawal from okinawa . that , says guo , is where the current troubles begin . the u.s. handed over the island to japan for its own purpose during the cold war . so , personally , i think the u.s. should take the blame for the dispute of diaoyu island , ' he said . the u.s. says it is not taking a position in the current dispute . but it is treaty bound to defend its ally japan . adding to the tension , the u.s. and japan have started joint war games . it is a routine annual event but this year the aim is to seize an island . for now this is just an exercise , but with tensions running high , there are fears it could become reality . japan deporting chinese held over island landing | uninhabited island group in east china sea claimed by china and japan |
real madrid <tsp> ( cnn ) -- real madrid extended their lead at the top of la liga to seven points on saturday after they won against real zaragoza and rivals barcelona only drew away to villarreal . jose mourinho 's men enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 win at the bernabeu although they had to come from behind . angel lafita gave bottom-placed side zaragoza an early lead with an 11th minute strike but a goal from kaka after half an hour gave real a deserved equalizer . the home side wasted little time establishing their dominance in the second half with cristiano ronaldo putting them in front in the 49th minute . mesut ozil doubled the lead seven minutes later to wrap up the three points . meanwhile , barcelona could n't find a way to unlock the defence of la liga strugglers villarreal . the result continues a mixed bag of a season away from home which has now yielded five draws , four wins and one loss . a vladimir weiss goal earned espanyol a 1-0 win over 10-man mallorca . the result moves them level on points with fourth-placed levante who host getafe on sunday . fernando llorente scored a hat-trick for athletic bilbao as they came from behind to beat rayo vallecano 3-2 . miguel cuesta gave the home side the lead in the 10th minute before llorente struck in the 17th and 23rd minute . alejandro arribas squared things up four minutes later but llorente was on hand in the 68th minute to grab the winner . meanwhile in serie a , leaders juventus beat udinese 2-1 in turin to keep their title charge on track . alessandro matri gave juve the lead three minutes before halftime only for substitute floro flores to equalize ten minutes after the break . matri scored what proved to be the winner in the 63rd minute to open up a four-point gap over ac milan who host cagliari at the san siro on sunday night . earlier , catania and parma drew 1-1 . | real madrid extend la liga lead to seven points with 3-1 win over real zaragoza |
university of virginia <tsp> the only known suspect in the disappearance of university of virginia student hannah graham was in custody wednesday night . jesse matthew , who had been sought on suspicion of abduction with the intent to defile , was arrested in galveston county , texas . he was found on the beach in gilchrist on the bolivar peninsula , according to that county 's sheriff 's office . we have a person in custody , but there 's a long road ahead of us , and that long road includes finding hannah graham , ' charlottesville police chief timothy longo told reporters . he declined to go into the circumstances of matthew being taken into custody . an extradition process is under way for the 32-year-old matthew , who is also wanted on suspicion of two counts of reckless driving , longo said . according to cnn affiliate kprc , deputies got a call about a suspicious person camping on the beach . one responded , and ran the license plate of that person 's vehicle . it came back as wanted , the affiliate reported . matthew did not resist arrest , kprc said . earlier , matthew 's lawyer was mum about most everything . i am mr. matthew 's attorney , ' said james camblos , who spoke outside his office in charlottesville , virginia . i was hired on saturday . that 's the only thing that i 'm going to confirm at this point . the family and i -- nobody is making any statements at this point in time . we might later on , but right now we are not , ' he said . his comments came one day after authorities obtained an arrest warrant for his client , who police believe was the last person with graham . she was last seen september 13 in an area of charlottesville known as the downtown mall . investigators have been looking for her since , and in an increasingly large area . we 're asking for a broader community search with property owners , ' longo told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' wednesday night . specifically , he said he wants property owners of large parcels in surrounding counties to search their land and report back . authorities have previously searched matthew 's apartment and car . although they have declined to discuss the specifics of what might have been found , potential evidence was sent to a lab for analysis . according to longo , matthew willingly went to a police station over the weekend , when there was no warrant for his arrest . he asked for a lawyer . they spoke and then left , longo said . camblos confirmed that he was the attorney who met with matthew at the police station . i 'm not telling you anything else at this point , ' he said . authorities are now offering a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of graham , 18 , a second-year student at the university of virginia . they have received 1,500 tips so far in the case , and are urging anyone with information to call the police tip line at 434-295-3851 . we 're asking every person within the sound of my voice to help us find hannah graham , ' longo , the police chief , said . hannah graham disappearance : what we know | university of virginia student hannah graham was last seen september 13 |
texas <tsp> the only known suspect in the disappearance of university of virginia student hannah graham was in custody wednesday night . jesse matthew , who had been sought on suspicion of abduction with the intent to defile , was arrested in galveston county , texas . he was found on the beach in gilchrist on the bolivar peninsula , according to that county 's sheriff 's office . we have a person in custody , but there 's a long road ahead of us , and that long road includes finding hannah graham , ' charlottesville police chief timothy longo told reporters . he declined to go into the circumstances of matthew being taken into custody . an extradition process is under way for the 32-year-old matthew , who is also wanted on suspicion of two counts of reckless driving , longo said . according to cnn affiliate kprc , deputies got a call about a suspicious person camping on the beach . one responded , and ran the license plate of that person 's vehicle . it came back as wanted , the affiliate reported . matthew did not resist arrest , kprc said . earlier , matthew 's lawyer was mum about most everything . i am mr. matthew 's attorney , ' said james camblos , who spoke outside his office in charlottesville , virginia . i was hired on saturday . that 's the only thing that i 'm going to confirm at this point . the family and i -- nobody is making any statements at this point in time . we might later on , but right now we are not , ' he said . his comments came one day after authorities obtained an arrest warrant for his client , who police believe was the last person with graham . she was last seen september 13 in an area of charlottesville known as the downtown mall . investigators have been looking for her since , and in an increasingly large area . we 're asking for a broader community search with property owners , ' longo told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' wednesday night . specifically , he said he wants property owners of large parcels in surrounding counties to search their land and report back . authorities have previously searched matthew 's apartment and car . although they have declined to discuss the specifics of what might have been found , potential evidence was sent to a lab for analysis . according to longo , matthew willingly went to a police station over the weekend , when there was no warrant for his arrest . he asked for a lawyer . they spoke and then left , longo said . camblos confirmed that he was the attorney who met with matthew at the police station . i 'm not telling you anything else at this point , ' he said . authorities are now offering a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of graham , 18 , a second-year student at the university of virginia . they have received 1,500 tips so far in the case , and are urging anyone with information to call the police tip line at 434-295-3851 . we 're asking every person within the sound of my voice to help us find hannah graham , ' longo , the police chief , said . hannah graham disappearance : what we know | jesse matthew was reportedly camping on a beach in texas |
al qaeda <tsp> falluja , iraq ( cnn ) -- like many young boys , khidir loves playing with toy cars and wants to be a policeman like his father when he grows up . but it was his father 's very job that caused the tiny child to suffer the unimaginable . khidir , now 8 , was kidnapped and held hostage for two years by operatives with al qaeda in iraq . khidir was just 6 years old when he was savagely ripped away from his family , kidnapped by al qaeda operatives in iraq . they beat me with a shovel , they pulled my teeth out with pliers , they would go like this and pull it , ' said khidir , now 8 , demonstrating with his hands . and they would make me work on the farm gathering carrots . ' what followed was even more horrific , an ordeal that would last for two years in captivity . khidir and his father spoke to cnn recently , more than half a year after his rescue by iraqi police . watch boy describe torture » ' this is where they hammered a nail into my leg and then they pulled it out , ' he says , lifting up his pant leg to show a tiny wound . he says his captors also pulled out each of his tiny fingernails , broke both his arms , and beat him repeatedly on the side of the head with a shovel . he still suffers chronic headaches . he remembers them laughing as they inflicted the pain . i would think about my mommy and daddy , ' he replies , when asked how he managed to get through the agony . his father , abdul qader , struggles for words . when he tells me about how they would torture him , i ca n't tolerate it . i start crying , ' he says . what hurts me the most is when they hammered a nail into his leg . ' the father , a police officer , was sleeping at the police station in falluja when his son was kidnapped . it was too dangerous to go home regularly . although falluja was no longer controlled by insurgents , assassinations against police were common . i woke up to the sound of a huge explosion ... and then i heard my name on the radio . i ran outside and they came to me saying your house was blown up , ' he says . when the police patrol came back , they all started kissing and comforting me , ' he continues . i was asking ,'what 's going on ? where is my family ?'they told me that they took my son . this was a disaster . i went mad that day , i was n't normal , i was hysterical . ' khidir 's grandmother was at home with the family at the time . the kidnappers climbed the fence and kicked in the door , ' she says . they were screaming for abdul qader . i told them he 's not here . they called me a liar and said we want his son . his son was hiding behind me , clutching my clothes . i said this is not his son . they hit me on the back with a rifle and ripped him out of my arms . ' the last thing she remembers were his screams of granny , granny ! ' the attackers rigged the house with explosives and demolished it before taking off with the 6-year-old . the boy 's grandmother and seven other family members rushed out of the home before it exploded . the kidnappers called me on the phone and demanded that some prisoners that we had be released or they would slit his throat , ' khidir 's father says . but i said no to the release . i would not put killers back out on the street that would hurt other muslims . so i thought to myself ,'let my son be a martyr .' he even held a secret funeral for his little boy . he did n't want to tell the rest of the family that he had refused the kidnappers'ultimatum , allowing them to hope that he was still alive . last december , nearly two years later , police in taji , about 45 miles ( 70 kilometers ) away , received a tip that terrorists were holding kidnapped children . we thought that it was just a tip to ambush us , but we considered the mission as a sacrifice , ' said iraqi police capt . khalib ali . either we find the children and free them or face the danger and take the risk . ' the tip led the iraqi police to a rundown farm and a series of mud huts . khidir 's tiny body was twisted abnormally . and in another hut , they found another child . two children are still believed to be with the kidnappers . al qaeda in iraq has historically kidnapped children for money , to pressure officials , and even to use in terrorist attacks . for khidir 's father , it was as if his son had come back from the dead . he did n't recognize his mother or his grandmother , ' abdul qader says . but then he saw me in uniform and ran to me . i went flying toward him to hug him . people said be careful ; both his arms are broken . so i held him from his waist , and he hugged me , kissed me , smelled me , and then broke into a smile . ' the father flips through old family photos -- all they were able to salvage from their destroyed home -- and notes some of the kidnappers are still at large . he still fears for his son 's safety , but says he wo n't quit the police force . never , never , ' he says . if i leave the police force , if others leave the force , who will protect us from the terrorists ? we are the only ones . ' cnn 's yousif bassil contributed to this report . | iraqi boy survives two-year hostage ordeal by al qaeda in iraq operatives |
peace corps <tsp> ( cnn ) -- hundreds dead . many more infected . pervasive fear and denial are challenging authorities in west africa who are trying to assess and address the ebola crisis . so far , it has killed more than 650 people , says doctors without borders . that 's the highest death toll the world health organization has recorded in an ebola outbreak . and it 's getting worse . the swelling numbers prompted heads of state to cancel travel plans on thursday to direct their full attention toward fighting the outbreak of the virus that has crippled parts of liberia , sierra leone and guinea and stirred palpable concerns that it will spread around the region and the world . liberian president ellen johnson sirleaf and sierra leone 's president ernest koroma both canceled trips to the united states , and koroma declared a state of emergency . he announced a action plan that addressed many of the barriers international medical workers complain they face while fighting disease . some residents in affected villages have accused them of bringing the disease into the country and have barricaded their towns or otherwise blocked access to ebola hemorrhagic fever victims . a nurse with doctors without borders , monia sayah , told cnn , the most challenging ' aspect of trying to help people is that we go into communities where we are not necessarily welcome , ' because people do n't want to believe they or their loved ones have ebola -- in part because they understand now that the survival rate is not very high . ' koroma said he will deploy police and military to accompany the aid workers . they will search house to house for the infirm and enforce orders designed to curb the virus'spread . what is the risk of catching ebola on a plane ? aid groups pull out ' the matter has reached a crisis point , ' liberian information minister lewis brown told cnn 's richard quest . ... the dire prognosis is that it will get worse before it gets better . ' the dangers are so real that some humanitarian organizations are pulling out to protect their own . samaritan 's purse -- an international evangelical christian humanitarian agency -- and the missionary group serving in mission have recalled all nonessential personnel from liberia . the peace corps announced wednesday it is doing the same , removing its 340 volunteers from that country , as well as sierra leone and guinea . while there are no confirmed cases , a spokeswoman for the agency did say that two volunteers did come in contact with someone who ended up dying from the virus . those americans have n't shown signs of ebola but are being isolated just in case , with the spokeswoman saying they ca n't return home until they get medical clearance to do so . american dies one american , 40-year-old patrick sawyer , died in a nigerian hospital earlier this month -- having come from liberia , where he was a top ministry of finance official , and before he could go back home to minnesota to celebrate his daughters'birthdays . but the vast majority of those afflicted are africans . they come from big cities and small villages , some of them falling ill without really knowing what hit them . this epidemic is without precedent , ' said bart janssens , director of operations for doctors without borders , a group also known as mã©decins sans frontiã¨res . it 's absolutely not under control , and the situation keeps worsening . ' as of now , the outbreak has been confined to west africa . but there are rising concerns that it could spread , especially since a person may not know they have ebola or show symptoms for two to 21 days after being infected . sawyer , for example , collapsed getting off a plane in lagos , nigeria . he very well could have made it out of the region , perhaps to the united states , before showing symptoms of ebola ; it 's only then that the virus spreads . to further complicate matters , signs of ebola include fever , headaches , weakness and vomiting -- symptoms that also define many other ailments , from malaria to the flu that brown notes often pop up at this time of year . ' for all these reasons and more , janssens says , if the situation does not improve fairly quickly , there is a real risk for new countries to be affected . ' could outbreak spread to u.s. ? 2 infected americans ebola spreads through the transmission of bodily fluids . those most at risk are loved ones of those infected , as well as health care workers tending to the ill. sawyer is believed to have been infected by his ailing sister , who he spent time with in liberia -- even though neither likely knew she had ebola -- according to brown . then there are those like dr. sheik humarr khan , who fell ill early last week while overseeing ebola treatment at a sierra leone hospital and died days later . two americans affiliated with samaritan 's purse who also were infected have shown a slight improvement in the past 24 hours ' though both are in serious condition , according to the christian humanitarian agency . one of them is dr. kent brantly , a 33-year-old who last lived in fort worth , texas . he has been the medical director for the ebola consolidated case management center in monrovia , liberia , where he has been providing care for ebola patients since october . after testing positive for the virus , brantly went into treatment at elwa hospital . the other is charlotte , north carolina , resident nancy writebol , a serving in mission member working with samaritan 's purse to help fight the ebola outbreak . ebola fears hit close to home it is believed one of the local staff was infected with ebola and came to work with the virus on july 21 and 22 , samaritan 's purse vice president ken isaacs said . that staff member died thursday . we think it was in the scrub-down area where the disease was passed to both nancy and kent , ' he said . brown , the liberian information minister , noted brantly and writebol 's fight in his cnn interview , as well as liberia 's need for more health care workers like them . we join the families in prayers that they can come through this and become ... shining examples that , if care is taken , one can come out of this . ' liberian president :'ebola kills' on monday , the cdc issued an alert warning travelers to avoid hospitals with ebola patients and funerals for those patients in liberia , sierra leone and guinea due to the outbreak . the united states is considering raising the alert to discourage nonessential ' travel to those three countries , a spokesman said . liberian president ellen johnson sirleaf has told the ministry of health to consider quarantines in some areas and cremating bodies in an attempt to prevent further infection , according to brown . the president also urged residents to avoid public amusement and entertainment areas , and set aside friday for the disinfection and chlorination of all public facilities . ' my fellow liberians , ebola is real . ebola is contagious . and ebola kills , ' sirleaf said . all of us must all take extra measures announced by the ministry of health to keep ourselves safe . the government will do its part . but you must do yours . ' cnn 's jonathan helman , elise labott , pamela brown and nana karikari-apau contributed to this report . | that includes the peace corps , which is pulling 340 volunteers from 3 nations |
berlusconi <tsp> rome ( cnn ) -- former italian prime minister silvio berlusconi has survived political , corruption and sex scandals over the years , but on friday , a milan court sentenced the flamboyant politician to four years in prison for tax evasion . berlusconi , who is likely to appeal , called it an unacceptable political sentence ' in an interview that aired on cnn affiliate tgcom24 . i was convinced that i would get acquitted of an accusation that is far from the truth , ' he said . this is a conviction i can easily define as political , incredible and even intolerable . ' he added : i 'm a victim of judicial harassment . ' his trial , which also involved executives from berlusconi 's mediaset television group and the head of a swiss bank , concerned the purchase of tv rights for films that were then resold within the group at inflated prices . prosecutors said the scheme , involving about 3,000 american films , allowed those involved to avoid a major tax bill . they may have to pay a fine of up to €10 million ( $ 12.9 million ) if the court 's ruling is upheld . under the italian legal system , berlusconi and his fellow defendants have the right to appeal their sentence twice , in the appeals court and a higher court . also , because the case dates to july 2006 , the statute of limitations will expire next year , meaning there is a good chance none of the defendants will serve any prison time . berlusconi , 76 , resigned as prime minister in november amid his country 's debt crisis , bringing to an apparent end an 18-year era in which he dominated italian politics . through the years , he was accused of embezzlement , fraud and bribery , but he was never convicted until the tax evasion case . he also faces trial on charges that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was accused of theft . the woman involved in the long-running case is the moroccan dancer karima el mahroug , nicknamed ruby the heart-stealer . ' american movie star george clooney had been expected to appear friday as a defense witness in that case but did not show up . the actor 's representative said he would not be serving as a witness for berlusconi . cnn 's hada messia contributed to this report . | berlusconi has survived a series of legal cases over the years |
berlusconi <tsp> rome ( cnn ) -- former italian prime minister silvio berlusconi has survived political , corruption and sex scandals over the years , but on friday , a milan court sentenced the flamboyant politician to four years in prison for tax evasion . berlusconi , who is likely to appeal , called it an unacceptable political sentence ' in an interview that aired on cnn affiliate tgcom24 . i was convinced that i would get acquitted of an accusation that is far from the truth , ' he said . this is a conviction i can easily define as political , incredible and even intolerable . ' he added : i 'm a victim of judicial harassment . ' his trial , which also involved executives from berlusconi 's mediaset television group and the head of a swiss bank , concerned the purchase of tv rights for films that were then resold within the group at inflated prices . prosecutors said the scheme , involving about 3,000 american films , allowed those involved to avoid a major tax bill . they may have to pay a fine of up to €10 million ( $ 12.9 million ) if the court 's ruling is upheld . under the italian legal system , berlusconi and his fellow defendants have the right to appeal their sentence twice , in the appeals court and a higher court . also , because the case dates to july 2006 , the statute of limitations will expire next year , meaning there is a good chance none of the defendants will serve any prison time . berlusconi , 76 , resigned as prime minister in november amid his country 's debt crisis , bringing to an apparent end an 18-year era in which he dominated italian politics . through the years , he was accused of embezzlement , fraud and bribery , but he was never convicted until the tax evasion case . he also faces trial on charges that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was accused of theft . the woman involved in the long-running case is the moroccan dancer karima el mahroug , nicknamed ruby the heart-stealer . ' american movie star george clooney had been expected to appear friday as a defense witness in that case but did not show up . the actor 's representative said he would not be serving as a witness for berlusconi . cnn 's hada messia contributed to this report . | former italian prime minister silvio berlusconi calls sentence political ' |
brown <tsp> ( cnn ) -- chris brown must return to california the same way he got to washington , d.c. -- in chains on the grueling con air ' inmate transport system . a los angeles judge refused a request to free the singer from custody on wednesday so he could make his own way back from washington . brown , 24 , was taken to washington by u.s. marshals this month for trial on an assault charge , but that has been put on hold until the appeal of his bodyguard 's conviction is completed . brown has been on probation since 2009 when he pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge in the beating of his then-girlfriend rihanna fenty . he and bodyguard christopher hollosy were arrested on assault charges in washington for allegedly beating a man who tried to take a photo of brown last december . the arrest led to a revocation of brown 's probation , but he was allowed to enter a rehab program instead of going to jail . he was ordered to jail last month when he was kicked out of the rehab program for rules violations . planes , chains and automobiles : chris brown 's miserable trip to trial brown is now stuck between a rock and a hard spot , ' attorney robert kalunian told judge victor greenberg during a brief hearing in los angeles on wednesday . he has been locked up for 39 days and still has not had a probation revocation hearing , kalunian said . assistant district attorney mary murray said she strenuously ' opposed releasing brown now , arguing the only change since brown was jailed in march is that his case has gotten worse . ' the washington judge who found his bodyguard guilty in the assault case also concluded that brown was the initial aggressor ' in the incident , murray said . a hearing was set for may 1 in los angeles to set a date for another hearing that could determine if brown 's washington case warranted a probation revocation . it could be several months before his trial in washington is held . i think it 's a little over the top to have him in custody on this misdemeanor when everybody saw the bodyguard 's trial and which was nothing more than a bloody nose , ' brown lawyer mark geragos told reporters in washington earlier wednesday . and you have got the bodyguard who was convicted and who readily admitted he was the one who did the punching.â so all of this is much ado about nothing . ' chris brown 's freedom at stake with 2 cases the delay in brown 's washington trial came after prosecutors refused to grant immunity to hollosy so he could testify without jeopardizing his own case . on monday , hollosy was found guilty of assaulting a man on a washington sidewalk before brown 's trial was to begin in the case . the prosecutors cited hollosy 's refusal to talk to them about his testimony as a major reason for the decision not to grant immunity . their motion also said they suspected he might lie in his testimony to help brown . the cynic in me would say apparently it is not a search for the truth because if they wanted the truth they would give hollosy immunity and allow him to testify , ' geragos said wednesday outside court . cnn 's paul courson and sunny hostin contributed to this report . | the assault trial is delayed until appeal from brown bodyguard is done |
brown <tsp> ( cnn ) -- chris brown must return to california the same way he got to washington , d.c. -- in chains on the grueling con air ' inmate transport system . a los angeles judge refused a request to free the singer from custody on wednesday so he could make his own way back from washington . brown , 24 , was taken to washington by u.s. marshals this month for trial on an assault charge , but that has been put on hold until the appeal of his bodyguard 's conviction is completed . brown has been on probation since 2009 when he pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge in the beating of his then-girlfriend rihanna fenty . he and bodyguard christopher hollosy were arrested on assault charges in washington for allegedly beating a man who tried to take a photo of brown last december . the arrest led to a revocation of brown 's probation , but he was allowed to enter a rehab program instead of going to jail . he was ordered to jail last month when he was kicked out of the rehab program for rules violations . planes , chains and automobiles : chris brown 's miserable trip to trial brown is now stuck between a rock and a hard spot , ' attorney robert kalunian told judge victor greenberg during a brief hearing in los angeles on wednesday . he has been locked up for 39 days and still has not had a probation revocation hearing , kalunian said . assistant district attorney mary murray said she strenuously ' opposed releasing brown now , arguing the only change since brown was jailed in march is that his case has gotten worse . ' the washington judge who found his bodyguard guilty in the assault case also concluded that brown was the initial aggressor ' in the incident , murray said . a hearing was set for may 1 in los angeles to set a date for another hearing that could determine if brown 's washington case warranted a probation revocation . it could be several months before his trial in washington is held . i think it 's a little over the top to have him in custody on this misdemeanor when everybody saw the bodyguard 's trial and which was nothing more than a bloody nose , ' brown lawyer mark geragos told reporters in washington earlier wednesday . and you have got the bodyguard who was convicted and who readily admitted he was the one who did the punching.â so all of this is much ado about nothing . ' chris brown 's freedom at stake with 2 cases the delay in brown 's washington trial came after prosecutors refused to grant immunity to hollosy so he could testify without jeopardizing his own case . on monday , hollosy was found guilty of assaulting a man on a washington sidewalk before brown 's trial was to begin in the case . the prosecutors cited hollosy 's refusal to talk to them about his testimony as a major reason for the decision not to grant immunity . their motion also said they suspected he might lie in his testimony to help brown . the cynic in me would say apparently it is not a search for the truth because if they wanted the truth they would give hollosy immunity and allow him to testify , ' geragos said wednesday outside court . cnn 's paul courson and sunny hostin contributed to this report . | new : chris brown 's situation has gotten worse , ' a prosecutor says |
cdc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- unbeknownst to her parents , sydney kirk tried a little medical experiment on herself when she was in the eighth grade . for a day or two , every so often , she stopped taking her drugs for her attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder . sydney kirk , right , took a medication vacation from her adhd drugs unbeknownst to her mom , julie . i told my parents i just forgot to take them , but really i was n't taking them on purpose , ' says sydney , who 's now 15 and about to start 10th grade at a private school in olney , maryland . i just did n't like how they made me feel . they made me shy and less talkative . i was n't myself . ' sydney says she felt so much better off the medication that she confessed her medication vacation to her parents and asked if she could stop taking the drugs -- drugs she 'd been on since third grade -- permanently . after consulting her doctor , her parents agreed , and while sydney 's concentration suffered a bit and her grades did slip a little , she and her parents are happy with the results . she 's doing great , ' says sydney 's mother , julie kirk . we 've had to work on her study skills , but there 's no way she 'd go back to taking the drugs . ' while doctors do n't endorse patients with adhd taking themselves off drugs without consulting their physician , kirk 's experience brings up a question often on the minds of parents : does my child really need drugs for adhd , and if so , is there a point when he or she should stop taking them ? according to 2006 statistics from the centers for disease control and prevention , some 4.5 million children and teens have adhd . watch more on questions to ask about adhd medication » dr. james waxmonsky , an assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the university at buffalo , state university of new york , says parents need to weigh in when doctors are making decisions about adhd treatments . we 're very collaborative with patients and their families , ' he says . waxmonsky , a child psychiatrist , and other experts advise parents to ask these questions when considering whether drugs are the best approach for a child with adhd . 1 . what can we do instead of , or in addition to , drugs ? kirk says her daughter 's doctor never brought up alternatives to drugs for sydney 's adhd , which she describes as mild . we were never given the option of teaching her coping skills , ' kirk says . it was immediately ,'let 's give her the drugs .' once sydney went off her adhd drugs in eighth grade , her parents taught her study skills to help her concentrate better . sometimes they take away my phone and my ipod to get rid of distractions , ' sydney says . i did n't like it at first . i fought them . i said ,'why do n't you trust me ?'but it really did help . ' waxmonsky says while some children clearly do better on adhd drugs , others do n't need them . drugs are viewed as the frontline treatment even though there are behavioral treatments that long-term are equally as effective , ' he says . 2 . is this free drug sample really the best drug for my child ? in a recent article , consumer reports warned parents against accepting free drug samples for adhd . because drug companies tend to give samples for only the most expensive drugs , once the samples run out , you 'll end up paying more than if your child had been prescribed a generic drug . consumer reports also has ratings on adhd drugs . this is n't like taking an antibiotic for 10 days , ' says dr. john santa , director of the consumer reports health ratings center . kids take these drugs for years , maybe even for a lifetime . ' according to consumer reports , you could save $ 3,000 a year or more by choosing a generic drug . waxmonsky says both brand-name and generic drugs can work well against adhd , and that different drugs work better for different patients . pharmaceutical companies say free samples can be helpful to patients . free samples have helped improve the quality of life for millions of americans , ' says ken johnson , senior vice president of pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america , adding that free samples can help a doctor determine whether a particular drug works for a patient . 3 . what can we expect with this treatment ? waxmonsky advises patients to get doctors to be very clear about what results to expect on any adhd treatment . some parents think medication will take care of everything -- will help their child get better grades and be more popular , ' he says . but medication does n't take care of everything . you should ask your doctor ,'what do you expect to get better and what do you expect not to get better ?' if a parent or child ever feels like it is time for the child to stop taking medication , waxmonsky and others recommend consulting the doctor to determine whether a medication vacation is a good idea . in this , timing is very important : you would n't want to go off these drugs during final exam week , ' says waxmonsky . do you want your daughter to get the hpv vaccine ? tell us what you 're thinking at empoweredpatient @ cnn.com . cnn 's jennifer pifer bixler and sabriya rice contributed to this report . | the cdc estimates 4.5 million children and teens have adhd |
george w. bush <tsp> port-au-prince , haiti ( cnn ) -- u.s. helicopters carrying food hovered above the ground in one area of the battered haitian capital on saturday , flinging out boxes to the anxious crowd . it was a chaotic scene as hundreds of haitians without food and water for four days swarmed toward the boxes , ignoring the wind and dust kicked up from the helicopters'blades . a similar scene erupted friday when a food convoy with the world food programme was forced to leave an area after men in the crowd starting pushing and shoving their way to the trucks . elsewhere , people stood in long , orderly lines for food , according to a cnn crew , although anxiety about whether there was enough to go around permeated the wait . in petionville , a suburb of port-au-prince , u.s. troops handed out about 2,500 meals saturday , before they ran out . seventy soldiers arrived with the army 's 82nd airborne division in petionville to set up a distribution base and a landing zone for helicopters . they began handing out meals about 2 p.m. ' our goal is to get supplies out to the people who need it the most , ' col. mike foster said . we got a good start . ' authorities set up more than a dozen aid distribution points across battered port-au-prince , as aid workers toted medical supplies into the battered island nation . still , although some progress could be observed four days after tuesday 's devastating earthquake , problems persisted . get the latest developments on haiti a cnn crew observed u.n. world food programme personnel who were trying to move food from a warehouse damaged from the earthquake . the building has large cracks up its side , weakening the walls . its doors could not be forced fully open to allow a forklift through , so workers were painstakingly hand-carrying the supplies out . despite the difficulties , the haitian ambassador to the united states , raymond joseph , said he did not believe that violence will increase , as long as distribution of food continues . i think it wo n't get any more violent than it is now , ' he said . also saturday , former presidents bill clinton and george w. bush kicked off a fundraising drive -- a donation push called the clinton bush haiti fund , similar to the appeal led by clinton and bush 's father , former president george h.w . bush , for the victims of the 2004 asian tsunami . the drive was announced at the white house , with president obama flanked by presidents clinton and george w. bush . we 're moving forward with one of the largest relief efforts in our history to save lives and to deliver relief that averts an even larger catastrophe , ' obama said . obama said his predecessors will tap into the incredible generosity , the ingenuity , the can-do spirit ' of americans . see full coverage of haiti the leaders said the best way for americans to help haiti is to donate money . i know a lot of people want to send blankets or water , ' bush said . just send your cash . ' aid delivery has been slowed by damaged roads , the destroyed port and bottlenecks at the airport . as tv images showed people jostling for aid , u.s. officials reiterated what they said has been a continuation of relief efforts : ongoing search and rescue operations ; the establishment of 14 aid distribution points ; finding alternatives to the damaged port , distributing water containers , water purification units , medical supplies , and establishing medical clinics and field hospitals . israel was establishing a field hospital to treat thousands of victims from the earthquake , expected to absorb 500 casualties a day . the u.n. world food programme said it plans to reach 2 million people with one-week rations of ready-to-eat food , ' and unicef said it is distributing water purification tablets , dehydration salts and other supplies , specifically to halt diarrhea infections and diseases . the u.s. southern command said the military is supplying many resources . about 4,200 u.s. military personnel are currently supporting task force operations , and 6,300 military personnel are scheduled to arrive by monday , the command said . aid efforts from the uss carl vinson , an aircraft carrier off the coast of haiti , were in full gear saturday , with flights transporting concrete-breaking equipment , medical supplies and water . some of those flights are ferrying aid from the airport to the surrounding region and choppers have rescued two american citizens . the u.s. agency for international development said saturday that the uss carl vinson has delivered more than 30 pallets of relief supplies for transport by helicopters . the u.s . naval ship comfort pushed out of the port of baltimore for haiti on saturday and is expected to arrive late next week . a full-scale medical hospital , the craft is equipped with one of the largest trauma facilities in the united states . it was in port-au -prince in 2007 , and again in 2009 , on humanitarian missions , and its medical workers tended to many haitians during those visits . secretary of state hillary clinton arrived in haiti on saturday , with top relief officials and aid . she returned to the states later saturday with americans who had been evacuated , state department officials said . usaid chief , rajiv shah , who as traveling with clinton , said some roads have been cleared in haiti and that water purifications systems have been sent . a major shipment of medical aid was being trucked to haiti through the dominican republic , which shares the caribbean island of hispaniola with haiti , a red cross spokesman said . six truckloads of urgently needed medical equipment , ' including a field hospital , and 50 people specializing in health , water , and sanitation , were en route , he said . a finnish red cross plane also landed in port-au-prince with a badly needed mobile medical clinic , he said . cnn 's karl penhaul , arthur brice , elise labott , laurie ure and dugald mcconnell contributed to this report . | presidents bill clinton , george w. bush kick off fundraising drive |
nebraska <tsp> ( cnn ) -- june squibb has been in show business for 60 years -- but it 's only now , with her performance in the film nebraska , ' that she is getting wide recognition . and no wonder . it 's not often a role gives an older woman an opportunity to say the f-word and lift up her skirts at a cemetery -- and leads to an oscar nomination for best supporting actress . 5 things we learned from the oscar nominations as kate grant in nebraska , ' squibb is the blunt , put-upon wife of woody grant ( bruce dern ) , a cantankerous former auto mechanic who 's convinced he 's won a million-dollar sweepstakes . it 's a role that could have been played for one-dimensional laughs , but squibb 's performance brings out both kate 's hard edges and protective heart -- for her sons , who run interference for woody , and for woody himself . director alexander payne was n't surprised . it 's called being a pro , ' he told the new york times . squibb had also appeared in payne 's about schmidt ' as jack nicholson 's wife , who dies early in the film . squibb said she 's thrilled with the attention but has had plenty of time to prepare . i 've gone through being discovered an awful lot of times in new york on stage , and even some of the films i 've made , ' she told cnn . she 's been at this acting thing for a while , with regular appearances in the theater , in small movie roles and on television . her late husband , charles kakatsakis , was an acting teacher . their son , harry , is a filmmaker . she knows the business . she even played on the silliness of oscar campaigning in a video for jimmy kimmel live . ' nebraska ' was released on dvd and blu-ray on tuesday . squibb spoke with cnn about the film , her newfound fame and the oscar nod . the following is an edited version of the interview : cnn : so what 's it like , being an overnight success at 84 ? june squibb : it 's different , god knows -- and i certainly was never nominated for an academy award before -- but it 's fun . i 'm enjoying it tremendously . cnn : tell me how this came about . you had a small role in about schmidt . ' squibb : ( for ) about schmidt ' they did n't know me , and they were looking far and wide , and finally they accepted a tape from new york . ( alexander payne ) said , the minute he saw the tape he knew that 's what he wanted for about schmidt . ' so 10 years have gone by , and again he was looking for this woman 's role , and he told me he thought i was n't right for it . he thought i was that sweet little lady from about schmidt . ' but his office asked if i would take the script and read two scenes on tape for him , and i did . and he said when he saw the tape , he knew this was it . cnn : what is an alexander payne shoot like ? squibb : it 's very relaxed because he 's relaxed . he basically comes into it knowing what he wants , and if he does n't , he might even tell you . in one instance , when i was telling off the family with the f-word , he said to me , i do n't know what i want . so we tried it all different ways . he 's very open . and he does understand how an actor works . he understands what we have to go through to get somewhere . cnn : how did you approach portraying the wife ? she starts out as almost dismissive of what seems like a no-good husband , and then you realize how deep and firm their passion and relationship is . squibb : i did n't think that out so much . i think the way i work is each scene and deal with it as what that scene is . i never really thought in terms of the trip , because i was taking it . cnn : were there any scenes that were difficult for you to do , like lifting up your skirts in the cemetery ? ( in that scene , squibb 's character mocks a former boyfriend by pulling up her skirt to show his gravestone what he missed . ) squibb : the cemetery is the first scene that i shot . when i found that out , i screamed , alexander ! this is hard ! ' and he said , no , we 're doing it first , and it 'll be fine . ' and of course it was . we had a good time and it was fun to shoot . i think he got what he wanted from it . the first day on set is always a little nervous-making , no matter how much you 've worked or who you worked with . cnn : did you always want to be an actress ? squibb : it was never a question of wanting . i always thought of myself as i am an actress . i went from illinois to the cleveland playhouse and worked there for five years . and i went to new york from there . ... i went there in'56 , and i was on broadway by'59 . i think i did five broadway shows while i was there . i did everything -- off-broadway , stock , anything you can possibly do . cnn : has the acting life been all it 's cracked up to be ? squibb : it 's been a wonderful life . of course , it 's difficult -- it 's probably the hardest career you could ever pick . but i 've had a wonderful career ; i 've really worked a lot . i went to new york and started working right away . so i was one of the lucky ones in that respect . | she 's always had regular work , but nebraska ' has made her somewhat of a name |
nebraska <tsp> ( cnn ) -- june squibb has been in show business for 60 years -- but it 's only now , with her performance in the film nebraska , ' that she is getting wide recognition . and no wonder . it 's not often a role gives an older woman an opportunity to say the f-word and lift up her skirts at a cemetery -- and leads to an oscar nomination for best supporting actress . 5 things we learned from the oscar nominations as kate grant in nebraska , ' squibb is the blunt , put-upon wife of woody grant ( bruce dern ) , a cantankerous former auto mechanic who 's convinced he 's won a million-dollar sweepstakes . it 's a role that could have been played for one-dimensional laughs , but squibb 's performance brings out both kate 's hard edges and protective heart -- for her sons , who run interference for woody , and for woody himself . director alexander payne was n't surprised . it 's called being a pro , ' he told the new york times . squibb had also appeared in payne 's about schmidt ' as jack nicholson 's wife , who dies early in the film . squibb said she 's thrilled with the attention but has had plenty of time to prepare . i 've gone through being discovered an awful lot of times in new york on stage , and even some of the films i 've made , ' she told cnn . she 's been at this acting thing for a while , with regular appearances in the theater , in small movie roles and on television . her late husband , charles kakatsakis , was an acting teacher . their son , harry , is a filmmaker . she knows the business . she even played on the silliness of oscar campaigning in a video for jimmy kimmel live . ' nebraska ' was released on dvd and blu-ray on tuesday . squibb spoke with cnn about the film , her newfound fame and the oscar nod . the following is an edited version of the interview : cnn : so what 's it like , being an overnight success at 84 ? june squibb : it 's different , god knows -- and i certainly was never nominated for an academy award before -- but it 's fun . i 'm enjoying it tremendously . cnn : tell me how this came about . you had a small role in about schmidt . ' squibb : ( for ) about schmidt ' they did n't know me , and they were looking far and wide , and finally they accepted a tape from new york . ( alexander payne ) said , the minute he saw the tape he knew that 's what he wanted for about schmidt . ' so 10 years have gone by , and again he was looking for this woman 's role , and he told me he thought i was n't right for it . he thought i was that sweet little lady from about schmidt . ' but his office asked if i would take the script and read two scenes on tape for him , and i did . and he said when he saw the tape , he knew this was it . cnn : what is an alexander payne shoot like ? squibb : it 's very relaxed because he 's relaxed . he basically comes into it knowing what he wants , and if he does n't , he might even tell you . in one instance , when i was telling off the family with the f-word , he said to me , i do n't know what i want . so we tried it all different ways . he 's very open . and he does understand how an actor works . he understands what we have to go through to get somewhere . cnn : how did you approach portraying the wife ? she starts out as almost dismissive of what seems like a no-good husband , and then you realize how deep and firm their passion and relationship is . squibb : i did n't think that out so much . i think the way i work is each scene and deal with it as what that scene is . i never really thought in terms of the trip , because i was taking it . cnn : were there any scenes that were difficult for you to do , like lifting up your skirts in the cemetery ? ( in that scene , squibb 's character mocks a former boyfriend by pulling up her skirt to show his gravestone what he missed . ) squibb : the cemetery is the first scene that i shot . when i found that out , i screamed , alexander ! this is hard ! ' and he said , no , we 're doing it first , and it 'll be fine . ' and of course it was . we had a good time and it was fun to shoot . i think he got what he wanted from it . the first day on set is always a little nervous-making , no matter how much you 've worked or who you worked with . cnn : did you always want to be an actress ? squibb : it was never a question of wanting . i always thought of myself as i am an actress . i went from illinois to the cleveland playhouse and worked there for five years . and i went to new york from there . ... i went there in'56 , and i was on broadway by'59 . i think i did five broadway shows while i was there . i did everything -- off-broadway , stock , anything you can possibly do . cnn : has the acting life been all it 's cracked up to be ? squibb : it 's been a wonderful life . of course , it 's difficult -- it 's probably the hardest career you could ever pick . but i 've had a wonderful career ; i 've really worked a lot . i went to new york and started working right away . so i was one of the lucky ones in that respect . | june squibb , 84 , is up for best supporting actress for nebraska ' |
christmas <tsp> ( cnn ) all we want for christmas is you , mariah carey ! according to ew , new line cinema is planning a mariah carey christmas movie . producer jonathan shestack confirmed that he is working on the yet-untitled project with carey 's good friend director brett ratner co-producing . it 's a little bit about how music can take you back in time , ' shestack told ew . it will be everything you hope a christmas movie with mariah carey would be . ' here are five reasons this movie has to happen : what is the christmas season without a little mariah ? duh ! her 1994 hit all i want for christmas is you ' is a classic , and admit it : you start listening to it well before the holiday season even begins . it 's the jam ! the '90s are so coming back the backstreet boys have a documentary out , nbc is bringing the sitcom coach ' back to television , jnco jeans are being spotted , and there 's talk of a new version of full house . ' mariah was the queen of the 1990s , so it 's only right that she get in on the revival . you ca n't forget about her she already told you : do n't forget about us . ' she 's come a long way from glitter ' carey was ridiculed for the dismal 2001 film glitter , ' but she has more than since redeemed herself with small roles in the critically acclaimed lee daniels films precious ' and the butler . ' the diva still reigns lest we forget how much sparkle she can bring into our lives , check out this collection of mariah carey throwing shade . it really is everything . | new line cinema is reportedly planning a mariah carey christmas movie |
carey <tsp> ( cnn ) all we want for christmas is you , mariah carey ! according to ew , new line cinema is planning a mariah carey christmas movie . producer jonathan shestack confirmed that he is working on the yet-untitled project with carey 's good friend director brett ratner co-producing . it 's a little bit about how music can take you back in time , ' shestack told ew . it will be everything you hope a christmas movie with mariah carey would be . ' here are five reasons this movie has to happen : what is the christmas season without a little mariah ? duh ! her 1994 hit all i want for christmas is you ' is a classic , and admit it : you start listening to it well before the holiday season even begins . it 's the jam ! the '90s are so coming back the backstreet boys have a documentary out , nbc is bringing the sitcom coach ' back to television , jnco jeans are being spotted , and there 's talk of a new version of full house . ' mariah was the queen of the 1990s , so it 's only right that she get in on the revival . you ca n't forget about her she already told you : do n't forget about us . ' she 's come a long way from glitter ' carey was ridiculed for the dismal 2001 film glitter , ' but she has more than since redeemed herself with small roles in the critically acclaimed lee daniels films precious ' and the butler . ' the diva still reigns lest we forget how much sparkle she can bring into our lives , check out this collection of mariah carey throwing shade . it really is everything . | carey was queen of the '90s , and that decade is totally hot now |
carey <tsp> ( cnn ) all we want for christmas is you , mariah carey ! according to ew , new line cinema is planning a mariah carey christmas movie . producer jonathan shestack confirmed that he is working on the yet-untitled project with carey 's good friend director brett ratner co-producing . it 's a little bit about how music can take you back in time , ' shestack told ew . it will be everything you hope a christmas movie with mariah carey would be . ' here are five reasons this movie has to happen : what is the christmas season without a little mariah ? duh ! her 1994 hit all i want for christmas is you ' is a classic , and admit it : you start listening to it well before the holiday season even begins . it 's the jam ! the '90s are so coming back the backstreet boys have a documentary out , nbc is bringing the sitcom coach ' back to television , jnco jeans are being spotted , and there 's talk of a new version of full house . ' mariah was the queen of the 1990s , so it 's only right that she get in on the revival . you ca n't forget about her she already told you : do n't forget about us . ' she 's come a long way from glitter ' carey was ridiculed for the dismal 2001 film glitter , ' but she has more than since redeemed herself with small roles in the critically acclaimed lee daniels films precious ' and the butler . ' the diva still reigns lest we forget how much sparkle she can bring into our lives , check out this collection of mariah carey throwing shade . it really is everything . | new line cinema is reportedly planning a mariah carey christmas movie |
new line cinema <tsp> ( cnn ) all we want for christmas is you , mariah carey ! according to ew , new line cinema is planning a mariah carey christmas movie . producer jonathan shestack confirmed that he is working on the yet-untitled project with carey 's good friend director brett ratner co-producing . it 's a little bit about how music can take you back in time , ' shestack told ew . it will be everything you hope a christmas movie with mariah carey would be . ' here are five reasons this movie has to happen : what is the christmas season without a little mariah ? duh ! her 1994 hit all i want for christmas is you ' is a classic , and admit it : you start listening to it well before the holiday season even begins . it 's the jam ! the '90s are so coming back the backstreet boys have a documentary out , nbc is bringing the sitcom coach ' back to television , jnco jeans are being spotted , and there 's talk of a new version of full house . ' mariah was the queen of the 1990s , so it 's only right that she get in on the revival . you ca n't forget about her she already told you : do n't forget about us . ' she 's come a long way from glitter ' carey was ridiculed for the dismal 2001 film glitter , ' but she has more than since redeemed herself with small roles in the critically acclaimed lee daniels films precious ' and the butler . ' the diva still reigns lest we forget how much sparkle she can bring into our lives , check out this collection of mariah carey throwing shade . it really is everything . | new line cinema is reportedly planning a mariah carey christmas movie |
chinese <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- on an island off the coast of the chinese city of shanghai , architects , engineers and contractors are preparing to build a new city later this year . in itself , this is nothing special one would think . dongtan , the eco-city being built off the coast of shanghai on the yangtze river . with 20 percent of the world population living in china and national population figures set to hit 1.47 billion by 2020 , there is always demand for new housing . but the city that is to be built on chongming island at the mouth of the yangtze river is like no other in the world : dongtan eco-city is planned to be first truly environmentally and economically sustainable city . situated on a plot of land that is around two-thirds the size of manhattan , dongtan is surrounded by wetlands and lies beside a bird sanctuary where hundreds of rare migratory birds seek refuge . it was these unusual natural conditions that sparked the ambitious idea of creating a new urban concept for an entirely sustainable city that would minimally impact the surrounding environment . planning started in 2005 , after the london-based engineering and design firm arup signed a contract with the shanghai industrial investment corporation ( siic ) . we were asked to create an'eco-demonstrator', ' explains roger wood , arup 's project coordinator for the dongtan project since 2004 , a project that incorporated a number of ideas and design concepts that would increase the chinese understanding of sustainability . china has known about sustainability for 20 years , but -- like everyone else -- it has just not been able to apply it as a concept . ' the project is to be implemented in several phases , starting with a one square-kilometer plot that is expected to be ready in time for shanghai 's 2010 world expo and that will house around 5,000 people . the 6.5 square kilometer start-up area will be developed to accommodate 80,000 people by 2020 and by 2050 , the city is projected to cover an area of 30 square kilometers and have a population of half a million . building a community spirit today the site is still isolated from the mainland , but the opening of a bridge and tunnel link in 2008 will reduce travel times to and from the island from over three hours to just one hour . dongtan is however not to be just another dormitory town from which people commute to shanghai : the new city will provide jobs to its inhabitants . it is what we call integrated urbanism : we look not just at the environment , but also at social and economic aspects : employment opportunities , the way people work , the way people play , the way they move around the city , ' says wood . at the same time , the project also deals with technical aspects like how to provide a sustainable water supply , how to treat wastewater , how to recycle and process waste and how to reduce the use of cars , by concentrating activities around three village entrees ' and encouraging people to walk , use bikes or public transport . the important thing is that we are not restricting people ; we are trying to encourage them to think about the way they live . questions like : how much electricity do you use and what type of electricity ? ' says wood , adding that cars in dongtan will run on hydro-fuel or electricity , thus reducing noise and improving air quality . but what will daily life in dongtan be like ? wood describes a typical day , in which people can walk their children to school , head on to work , easily meet their partners and friends for lunch and enjoy the many green spaces . at the same time people will also be more aware of their impact on the environment . they will get electricity from wind turbines and they will be able to monitor their energy and water use in the home . the project is very much about creating a community , ' says wood . community is very important and it is something the chinese are very good at now , but which may disappear with the current explosive growth of cities . ' visionary concept despite all the new technologies and sustainable concepts , dongtan will remain a recognizably chinese city . after studying the site and its history and looking at the elements that make up the traditional chinese city , designers came up with ways to give dongtan a chinese feel . there are lots of water spaces and bridges with what the chinese call'dreamy pools'. it is a city that is close to nature and that helps people understand nature , ' says wood . using ideas from dongtan , arup is today working on the development of master plans for three other eco-cities in china and also master plans for cities in russia , britain and saudi arabia . the key of the dongtan concept is that all elements are considered . and in principle this can be applied anywhere else in the world . but it does take a visionary to make the project viable ; a project like that is not just business as usual . it is more complex , because the economic viability is just as important as sustainability . a city ca n't be sustainable if it is not economically viable , ' says wood . thus , starting on a modest one-square kilometer plot at the mouth of yangtze river , a group of visionaries is perhaps revolutionizing the way we will live in and think about cities around the world . ............................................. are new environmentally friendly cities the answer to preventing global warming ? share your views and read others'thoughts in the just imagine forum . e-mail to a friend | city will retain a traditional chinese feel |
chinese <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- on an island off the coast of the chinese city of shanghai , architects , engineers and contractors are preparing to build a new city later this year . in itself , this is nothing special one would think . dongtan , the eco-city being built off the coast of shanghai on the yangtze river . with 20 percent of the world population living in china and national population figures set to hit 1.47 billion by 2020 , there is always demand for new housing . but the city that is to be built on chongming island at the mouth of the yangtze river is like no other in the world : dongtan eco-city is planned to be first truly environmentally and economically sustainable city . situated on a plot of land that is around two-thirds the size of manhattan , dongtan is surrounded by wetlands and lies beside a bird sanctuary where hundreds of rare migratory birds seek refuge . it was these unusual natural conditions that sparked the ambitious idea of creating a new urban concept for an entirely sustainable city that would minimally impact the surrounding environment . planning started in 2005 , after the london-based engineering and design firm arup signed a contract with the shanghai industrial investment corporation ( siic ) . we were asked to create an'eco-demonstrator', ' explains roger wood , arup 's project coordinator for the dongtan project since 2004 , a project that incorporated a number of ideas and design concepts that would increase the chinese understanding of sustainability . china has known about sustainability for 20 years , but -- like everyone else -- it has just not been able to apply it as a concept . ' the project is to be implemented in several phases , starting with a one square-kilometer plot that is expected to be ready in time for shanghai 's 2010 world expo and that will house around 5,000 people . the 6.5 square kilometer start-up area will be developed to accommodate 80,000 people by 2020 and by 2050 , the city is projected to cover an area of 30 square kilometers and have a population of half a million . building a community spirit today the site is still isolated from the mainland , but the opening of a bridge and tunnel link in 2008 will reduce travel times to and from the island from over three hours to just one hour . dongtan is however not to be just another dormitory town from which people commute to shanghai : the new city will provide jobs to its inhabitants . it is what we call integrated urbanism : we look not just at the environment , but also at social and economic aspects : employment opportunities , the way people work , the way people play , the way they move around the city , ' says wood . at the same time , the project also deals with technical aspects like how to provide a sustainable water supply , how to treat wastewater , how to recycle and process waste and how to reduce the use of cars , by concentrating activities around three village entrees ' and encouraging people to walk , use bikes or public transport . the important thing is that we are not restricting people ; we are trying to encourage them to think about the way they live . questions like : how much electricity do you use and what type of electricity ? ' says wood , adding that cars in dongtan will run on hydro-fuel or electricity , thus reducing noise and improving air quality . but what will daily life in dongtan be like ? wood describes a typical day , in which people can walk their children to school , head on to work , easily meet their partners and friends for lunch and enjoy the many green spaces . at the same time people will also be more aware of their impact on the environment . they will get electricity from wind turbines and they will be able to monitor their energy and water use in the home . the project is very much about creating a community , ' says wood . community is very important and it is something the chinese are very good at now , but which may disappear with the current explosive growth of cities . ' visionary concept despite all the new technologies and sustainable concepts , dongtan will remain a recognizably chinese city . after studying the site and its history and looking at the elements that make up the traditional chinese city , designers came up with ways to give dongtan a chinese feel . there are lots of water spaces and bridges with what the chinese call'dreamy pools'. it is a city that is close to nature and that helps people understand nature , ' says wood . using ideas from dongtan , arup is today working on the development of master plans for three other eco-cities in china and also master plans for cities in russia , britain and saudi arabia . the key of the dongtan concept is that all elements are considered . and in principle this can be applied anywhere else in the world . but it does take a visionary to make the project viable ; a project like that is not just business as usual . it is more complex , because the economic viability is just as important as sustainability . a city ca n't be sustainable if it is not economically viable , ' says wood . thus , starting on a modest one-square kilometer plot at the mouth of yangtze river , a group of visionaries is perhaps revolutionizing the way we will live in and think about cities around the world . ............................................. are new environmentally friendly cities the answer to preventing global warming ? share your views and read others'thoughts in the just imagine forum . e-mail to a friend | chinese island is first truly environmentally sustainable city |
west <tsp> ( cnn ) -- australian authorities say that isis leaders ordered followers to behead someone on australian soil as a demonstration killing . ' prosecutors say they uncovered a plot that was clearly designed to shock and horrify ' the public . now that president barack obama has announced the united states will seek to degrade and destroy isis , should americans worry they will become targets for similar plots from this ruthless terrorist group ? isis has worked diligently to taunt the u.s. and its allies . the alleged plot in australia , which triggered that country 's largest ever anti-terrorist dragnet , is only the most recent example . even before isis became well-known , british soldier lee rigby was butchered in a london street last year . there is a real possibility that americans , too , will face the threat of such demonstration killings ' on u.s. soil . the news from australia comes on the heels of recent videotaped decapitations of american journalists james foley and steven sotloff . the isis killer mocks the american president and addresses him personally in the sotloff video : i 'm back , obama . ... i remember a time you could not win an election without promising to bring out troops back home from iraq and afghanistan . ' the militant claims to want an end to american missile strikes against the group . but everything isis does seems to indicate the opposite . it 's hard not to escape the impression that isis wants to be attacked by the united states , by its western allies and by the rest of the world . killing americans and broadcasting their beheadings ; slaying a british citizen the same way ; calling for the deaths of australians in the streets of sidney -- these all seem designed to stoke fury in the west against the islamist extremists . is isis on a suicide mission ? not really . isis wants the united states to join in the fight . but that does not mean the u.s. should ignore the threat . obama should deal with isis carefully . the group is extremely dangerous and allowing it to continue scoring victories would be disastrous . still , isis efforts to draw america into its vortex are telling . isis leader abu bakr al-baghdadi believes he has much to gain by turning this into a war between his forces -- whom he perceives as representatives of islam -- and the united states , the most powerful military force in the world . washington is trying to enlist a wide-ranging coalition to fight against isis , and it is enlisting other muslim-majority arab states to participate . it is crucial that isis not be allowed to portray this battle as a war pitting muslims against non-muslims . it is a fight between a blood-thirsty extremist organization that embraces a brutal interpretation of islam against those who disagree with isis'goals , methods and ideology . the united states is the country with the power to tip the scales , but it is hardly isis'main enemy . as a former isis fighter told cnn , the main and principal goal of the islamic state that they tell their new members is to establish an islamic state that will encompass the arab world , ' he said . and after that , we go to other countries . ' for al-baghdadi , fighting america and its coalition of 40 countries is a badge of honor , a powerful recruiting tool . it is proof that he and his organization have become the leaders of global jihad , toppling al qaeda , their rival in that contest . isis was once part of al qaeda ( it was once called al qaeda in iraq ) , but its tactics proved too extreme even for the perpetrators of 9/11 , which predicted public beheadings of muslims would turn other muslims against the group . now isis has become more powerful than al qaeda . al-baghdadi has conquered more than osama bin laden dared to dream he might do in his lifetime . but that does not mean al-baghdadi did not learn from his former leader . as bin laden explained , when people see a strong horse , by nature they will like the strong horse . ' nothing makes for a stronger horse , a more powerful draw in the world of jihad , than fighting america . until now , isis has achieved enormous victories , adding to its allure , but these are likely inebriating the group with the poisonous brew of hubris . isis has scored battlefield victories against syrian government forces , rival syrian opposition fighters , the iraqi military and even the storied kurdish peshmerga militias . by now , al-baghdadi and his men may be feeling invincible . they may believe they have all the power of god on their side . this is where hubris comes in . this is where they risk overplaying their hand . the killings of foley and sotloff already jolted the american public and their war-weary president out of the all-pervasive post-iraq war opposition to entering a new conflict in the middle east . isis is a threat that can not be ignored . isis'atrocities in syria , along with all the killing in that country , were receiving little attention until the syrian civil war boiled over into iraq , and isis swept across the border it says does not exist . now that al-baghdadi and his men have started challenging and defying the west , they have finally captured attention beyond the middle east . with every step they have taken beyond syria , with every move closer to american , british , australian or european interests , they have given new impetus to international involvement . even obama , the most reluctant of commanders in chief , has decided to act . for three years , obama had resisted calls to arm syrian rebels despite some 200,000 killed in that country 's civil war . isis has suddenly changed that equation with its sweep in iraq , endangering america 's friends , the kurds , threatening genocide against the yazidis and then ostentatiously killing american citizens . according to australian prime minister tony abbott , officials had firm evidence that an attack on a random ' australian citizen was in the works . this is not just suspicion , ' he said . the australian people are at serious risk from a terrorist attack . ' in al-baghdadi 's calculus , an attack on australians -- or any westerners -- would produce propaganda and recruiting gains . isis is gambling that drawing america and the west into the fight will make it stronger , but if the west is strategic and smart , this move will prove to be isis'worst mistake . | she says isis wants to turn the conflict into war between islam and the west |
west <tsp> ( cnn ) -- australian authorities say that isis leaders ordered followers to behead someone on australian soil as a demonstration killing . ' prosecutors say they uncovered a plot that was clearly designed to shock and horrify ' the public . now that president barack obama has announced the united states will seek to degrade and destroy isis , should americans worry they will become targets for similar plots from this ruthless terrorist group ? isis has worked diligently to taunt the u.s. and its allies . the alleged plot in australia , which triggered that country 's largest ever anti-terrorist dragnet , is only the most recent example . even before isis became well-known , british soldier lee rigby was butchered in a london street last year . there is a real possibility that americans , too , will face the threat of such demonstration killings ' on u.s. soil . the news from australia comes on the heels of recent videotaped decapitations of american journalists james foley and steven sotloff . the isis killer mocks the american president and addresses him personally in the sotloff video : i 'm back , obama . ... i remember a time you could not win an election without promising to bring out troops back home from iraq and afghanistan . ' the militant claims to want an end to american missile strikes against the group . but everything isis does seems to indicate the opposite . it 's hard not to escape the impression that isis wants to be attacked by the united states , by its western allies and by the rest of the world . killing americans and broadcasting their beheadings ; slaying a british citizen the same way ; calling for the deaths of australians in the streets of sidney -- these all seem designed to stoke fury in the west against the islamist extremists . is isis on a suicide mission ? not really . isis wants the united states to join in the fight . but that does not mean the u.s. should ignore the threat . obama should deal with isis carefully . the group is extremely dangerous and allowing it to continue scoring victories would be disastrous . still , isis efforts to draw america into its vortex are telling . isis leader abu bakr al-baghdadi believes he has much to gain by turning this into a war between his forces -- whom he perceives as representatives of islam -- and the united states , the most powerful military force in the world . washington is trying to enlist a wide-ranging coalition to fight against isis , and it is enlisting other muslim-majority arab states to participate . it is crucial that isis not be allowed to portray this battle as a war pitting muslims against non-muslims . it is a fight between a blood-thirsty extremist organization that embraces a brutal interpretation of islam against those who disagree with isis'goals , methods and ideology . the united states is the country with the power to tip the scales , but it is hardly isis'main enemy . as a former isis fighter told cnn , the main and principal goal of the islamic state that they tell their new members is to establish an islamic state that will encompass the arab world , ' he said . and after that , we go to other countries . ' for al-baghdadi , fighting america and its coalition of 40 countries is a badge of honor , a powerful recruiting tool . it is proof that he and his organization have become the leaders of global jihad , toppling al qaeda , their rival in that contest . isis was once part of al qaeda ( it was once called al qaeda in iraq ) , but its tactics proved too extreme even for the perpetrators of 9/11 , which predicted public beheadings of muslims would turn other muslims against the group . now isis has become more powerful than al qaeda . al-baghdadi has conquered more than osama bin laden dared to dream he might do in his lifetime . but that does not mean al-baghdadi did not learn from his former leader . as bin laden explained , when people see a strong horse , by nature they will like the strong horse . ' nothing makes for a stronger horse , a more powerful draw in the world of jihad , than fighting america . until now , isis has achieved enormous victories , adding to its allure , but these are likely inebriating the group with the poisonous brew of hubris . isis has scored battlefield victories against syrian government forces , rival syrian opposition fighters , the iraqi military and even the storied kurdish peshmerga militias . by now , al-baghdadi and his men may be feeling invincible . they may believe they have all the power of god on their side . this is where hubris comes in . this is where they risk overplaying their hand . the killings of foley and sotloff already jolted the american public and their war-weary president out of the all-pervasive post-iraq war opposition to entering a new conflict in the middle east . isis is a threat that can not be ignored . isis'atrocities in syria , along with all the killing in that country , were receiving little attention until the syrian civil war boiled over into iraq , and isis swept across the border it says does not exist . now that al-baghdadi and his men have started challenging and defying the west , they have finally captured attention beyond the middle east . with every step they have taken beyond syria , with every move closer to american , british , australian or european interests , they have given new impetus to international involvement . even obama , the most reluctant of commanders in chief , has decided to act . for three years , obama had resisted calls to arm syrian rebels despite some 200,000 killed in that country 's civil war . isis has suddenly changed that equation with its sweep in iraq , endangering america 's friends , the kurds , threatening genocide against the yazidis and then ostentatiously killing american citizens . according to australian prime minister tony abbott , officials had firm evidence that an attack on a random ' australian citizen was in the works . this is not just suspicion , ' he said . the australian people are at serious risk from a terrorist attack . ' in al-baghdadi 's calculus , an attack on australians -- or any westerners -- would produce propaganda and recruiting gains . isis is gambling that drawing america and the west into the fight will make it stronger , but if the west is strategic and smart , this move will prove to be isis'worst mistake . | ghitis : the u.s. and west must be strategic and smart in dealing with the brutal isis |
japanese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- like gin and tonic without the lime , like hendrix without the guitar , sushi would n't be sushi without japanese soy sauce . you might pay scant attention to that funny bottle with the bright red cap , but for many , soy sauce is serious business , worthy even of a pilgrimage to its homeland of yuasa . a 40-minute train ride from wakayama city ( about 100 kilometers south of osaka ) , the tiny town of yuasa is the birthplace of the fermented condiment . it also happens to be a great place to revisit japan 's historic edo period ( 1603-1868 ) . more on cnn : the best sushi restaurants in tokyo here 's how the salty legend goes some 750 years ago , a japanese priest arrived in yuasa after a trip to china , bringing with him a newfound skill for making miso ( soybean paste ) . soy sauce was discovered accidentally -- a byproduct of the miso-making process . yuasa soon became the country 's most important soy sauce brewing center . despite being a town of just a thousand or so houses , at one time it was crammed with more than 90 soy sauce stores , almost one soy sauce shop for every 10 homes . today , the entire city is protected by japanese law -- its of 323 houses and other traditional buildings ( four soy sauce breweries included ) recognized for their immense cultural value . called hongawara , ' some of the oldest buildings date back more than 400 years . many still have their traditional lattice windows and curved tile roofs . generally tranquil , yuasa is the kind of place where friendly residents chitchat with neighbors and museums and shops are often left open and unattended . travelers can sign out free bikes or check out the historic area on foot . in addition to the old soy sauce breweries , there are shrines and other interesting pieces of architecture worth some facebook bragging . more on cnn : 10 things that make wakayama japan 's best kept secret salty attractions the yuasa area is stocked with historic attractions . founded in 1841 , kadocho is one of the area 's oldest soy sauce factories . it still uses the same huge tub it always has to brew soy sauce . it also has an exhibition hall across the street with the original tools used to brew soy sauce . during yuasa 's annual andon ( paper lantern ) festival , the streets of town are lighted with paper lanterns ; the andon gallery is an ode to the japanese paper lantern . formerly a public bathhouse dating to the edo period , jinburo has displays documenting life in ancient yuasa . renovated cafes in edo-period machiya ( traditional wooden houses ) and a 113-year-old sushi restaurant , nihonryori yokogusu , offer visitors a way to check out the interiors of yuasa 's old structures . more on cnn : how to eat sushi getting there and around to get to yuasa , take the jr line to yuasa station , 40 minutes from wakayama city station and 80 minutes from osaka 's kansai airport . yuasa 's main pedestrian zone is about a 15-minute walk from yuasa jr station or five minutes by bike . free loaner bikes and maps can be found at the information center across from the yuasa train station , behind the taxi stop . some museums and shops are closed on sunday . yuasa information center , 1077-6 yuasa , yuasa-cho ; +81 0737 63 4123 ; open daily , except december 29-january 3 ; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. more on cnn : kawagoe : the most japanese ' destination of all | a japanese priest discovered japanese soy sauce in yuasa more than 750 years ago |
japan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- like gin and tonic without the lime , like hendrix without the guitar , sushi would n't be sushi without japanese soy sauce . you might pay scant attention to that funny bottle with the bright red cap , but for many , soy sauce is serious business , worthy even of a pilgrimage to its homeland of yuasa . a 40-minute train ride from wakayama city ( about 100 kilometers south of osaka ) , the tiny town of yuasa is the birthplace of the fermented condiment . it also happens to be a great place to revisit japan 's historic edo period ( 1603-1868 ) . more on cnn : the best sushi restaurants in tokyo here 's how the salty legend goes some 750 years ago , a japanese priest arrived in yuasa after a trip to china , bringing with him a newfound skill for making miso ( soybean paste ) . soy sauce was discovered accidentally -- a byproduct of the miso-making process . yuasa soon became the country 's most important soy sauce brewing center . despite being a town of just a thousand or so houses , at one time it was crammed with more than 90 soy sauce stores , almost one soy sauce shop for every 10 homes . today , the entire city is protected by japanese law -- its of 323 houses and other traditional buildings ( four soy sauce breweries included ) recognized for their immense cultural value . called hongawara , ' some of the oldest buildings date back more than 400 years . many still have their traditional lattice windows and curved tile roofs . generally tranquil , yuasa is the kind of place where friendly residents chitchat with neighbors and museums and shops are often left open and unattended . travelers can sign out free bikes or check out the historic area on foot . in addition to the old soy sauce breweries , there are shrines and other interesting pieces of architecture worth some facebook bragging . more on cnn : 10 things that make wakayama japan 's best kept secret salty attractions the yuasa area is stocked with historic attractions . founded in 1841 , kadocho is one of the area 's oldest soy sauce factories . it still uses the same huge tub it always has to brew soy sauce . it also has an exhibition hall across the street with the original tools used to brew soy sauce . during yuasa 's annual andon ( paper lantern ) festival , the streets of town are lighted with paper lanterns ; the andon gallery is an ode to the japanese paper lantern . formerly a public bathhouse dating to the edo period , jinburo has displays documenting life in ancient yuasa . renovated cafes in edo-period machiya ( traditional wooden houses ) and a 113-year-old sushi restaurant , nihonryori yokogusu , offer visitors a way to check out the interiors of yuasa 's old structures . more on cnn : how to eat sushi getting there and around to get to yuasa , take the jr line to yuasa station , 40 minutes from wakayama city station and 80 minutes from osaka 's kansai airport . yuasa 's main pedestrian zone is about a 15-minute walk from yuasa jr station or five minutes by bike . free loaner bikes and maps can be found at the information center across from the yuasa train station , behind the taxi stop . some museums and shops are closed on sunday . yuasa information center , 1077-6 yuasa , yuasa-cho ; +81 0737 63 4123 ; open daily , except december 29-january 3 ; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. more on cnn : kawagoe : the most japanese ' destination of all | yuasa 's architecture dates to edo-era japan |
assyrian <tsp> ( cnn ) assyrians in northeastern syria villages awoke tuesday to isis militants at their doors , with the islamist extremists abducting scores from the christian group and forcing hundreds more to run for their lives , an advocate said . the isis fighters burst past a few men guarding the village of tal shamiram at about 4 a.m. ( 9 p.m . et monday ) and abducted children , women and the elderly , said usama edward , founder of the assyrian human rights network . talking to cnn from stockholm , sweden , edward said that between 70 and 100 people were kidnapped in that village and others in the same cluster near tal tamer . the syrian observatory for human rights reported that isis had abducted 90 assyrians . reliable sources ' told the london-based monitoring organization that they 'd overheard isis militants talking on wireless devices about having detained 56 crusaders ' in tal shamiram alone . in the village of ghibsh , isis executed two citizens for dealing with the kurds , ' the syrian observatory reported . syrian kurdish fighters -- who are part of the people 's protection units , or ypgs , and affiliated with kurdish fighters out of iraq -- are among those battling the islamist extremist group . about 700 assyrian families managed to escape the onslaught , with 600 taking up refuge in st. mary 's cathedral in al-hasakah , syria , edward said . the assyrians lack food , water , blankets and other necessities after years of being in the middle of a civil war . they are facing a possible massacre by the ( syrian ) regime and by isis , ' edward said . everyone is fighting everyone else . they are surrounded . ' isis has attacked numerous minority groups during a bloody campaign to create a vast caliphate across syria and iraq under its extreme version of sharia law . that includes assyrians in qaraqosh , a historic town of 50,000 people in northern iraq about 20 miles southeast of mosul that was overrun this summer . many mosul residents had fled to qaraqosh after the islamist extremists took over that city , iraq 's second-largest . at the time , isis issued an ultimatum to christians living there : convert to islam , pay a fine or face death by sword . ' the latest reported abduction occurred about 160 miles ( 255 kilometers ) east of qaraqosh . edward , from the assyrian human rights network , said members of his group and other syrian christians have been left all alone ' by syria 's government and the world . kurdish fighters may launch an operation to rescue those abducted , but it very dangerous ( and ) everyone could get killed . ' this is like a miracle that they have survived this long , ' he said of his fellow assyrians . how can these people stay alive ? they are trying to defend their homes . ' isis is n't the only threat to assyrians , given all the violence around them in the places they call home . nearly four years in , syria 's civil war is still raging -- with a u.n. official in january reporting some 220,000 people killed and 7.6 million displaced . there are atrocities in that war that are n't being blamed on isis , including a human rights watch report out tuesday blaming syria 's government for hundreds of new discriminate attacks ' in the past year , including the use of barrel bombs . iraq is n't exactly a picture of stability , either . the militant group is n't thought to have penetrated baghdad . that city has seen more than its fair share of attacks in recent months -- the latest being bombings , just a few minutes apart , that killed 21 women , children and men on tuesday , according to officials . still , it 's isis that has gotten the most traction internationally for its success and tactics . the militant group has ruthlessly gone after groups that do n't give into its subscribe to isis'take on islam . some of those affected are christians , but many others are muslims who do n't accept its radical ideology . by last year , isis had taken over swaths of territory in iraq and syria and later inspired terror attacks in paris and the danish capital of copenhagen . but it 's received pushback recently , with a strong showing from kurdish peshmerga fighters and the retooling of iraq 's once maligned military . there also have been hundreds of u.s.-led airstrikes in iraq and syria targeting isis , which the u.s. government also refers to as isil . this is a difficult mission and it will remain difficult for some time , ' president barack obama said this month . ( but ) our coalition is on the offensive , isil is on the defensive , and isil is going to lose . ' the threat is anything but over . in some places , the group is holding and even gaining ground . the biggest test , for all sides , will likely come over mosul . up to 25,000 iraqi troops could begin their push to retake that northern iraqi city as soon as april , a u.s. official has said . a u.s. defense department official said washington is supplying the iraqis with 10,000 m16 rifles , 10,000 m68 close combat optical scopes , some 23,000 ammunition magazines and thousands ' of additional helmets and kevlar vests in preparation for the mosul assault . this shipment is in addition to 250 mine-resistant vehicles sent over in january , and some 1,800 hellfire missiles shipped over in 2014 and this year . cnn 's raja razek , barbara starr , mohammed tawfeeq and jason hanna contributed to this report . | assyrian rights advocate : women , children and elderly are among the scores abducted |
iraqis <tsp> ( cnn ) assyrians in northeastern syria villages awoke tuesday to isis militants at their doors , with the islamist extremists abducting scores from the christian group and forcing hundreds more to run for their lives , an advocate said . the isis fighters burst past a few men guarding the village of tal shamiram at about 4 a.m. ( 9 p.m . et monday ) and abducted children , women and the elderly , said usama edward , founder of the assyrian human rights network . talking to cnn from stockholm , sweden , edward said that between 70 and 100 people were kidnapped in that village and others in the same cluster near tal tamer . the syrian observatory for human rights reported that isis had abducted 90 assyrians . reliable sources ' told the london-based monitoring organization that they 'd overheard isis militants talking on wireless devices about having detained 56 crusaders ' in tal shamiram alone . in the village of ghibsh , isis executed two citizens for dealing with the kurds , ' the syrian observatory reported . syrian kurdish fighters -- who are part of the people 's protection units , or ypgs , and affiliated with kurdish fighters out of iraq -- are among those battling the islamist extremist group . about 700 assyrian families managed to escape the onslaught , with 600 taking up refuge in st. mary 's cathedral in al-hasakah , syria , edward said . the assyrians lack food , water , blankets and other necessities after years of being in the middle of a civil war . they are facing a possible massacre by the ( syrian ) regime and by isis , ' edward said . everyone is fighting everyone else . they are surrounded . ' isis has attacked numerous minority groups during a bloody campaign to create a vast caliphate across syria and iraq under its extreme version of sharia law . that includes assyrians in qaraqosh , a historic town of 50,000 people in northern iraq about 20 miles southeast of mosul that was overrun this summer . many mosul residents had fled to qaraqosh after the islamist extremists took over that city , iraq 's second-largest . at the time , isis issued an ultimatum to christians living there : convert to islam , pay a fine or face death by sword . ' the latest reported abduction occurred about 160 miles ( 255 kilometers ) east of qaraqosh . edward , from the assyrian human rights network , said members of his group and other syrian christians have been left all alone ' by syria 's government and the world . kurdish fighters may launch an operation to rescue those abducted , but it very dangerous ( and ) everyone could get killed . ' this is like a miracle that they have survived this long , ' he said of his fellow assyrians . how can these people stay alive ? they are trying to defend their homes . ' isis is n't the only threat to assyrians , given all the violence around them in the places they call home . nearly four years in , syria 's civil war is still raging -- with a u.n. official in january reporting some 220,000 people killed and 7.6 million displaced . there are atrocities in that war that are n't being blamed on isis , including a human rights watch report out tuesday blaming syria 's government for hundreds of new discriminate attacks ' in the past year , including the use of barrel bombs . iraq is n't exactly a picture of stability , either . the militant group is n't thought to have penetrated baghdad . that city has seen more than its fair share of attacks in recent months -- the latest being bombings , just a few minutes apart , that killed 21 women , children and men on tuesday , according to officials . still , it 's isis that has gotten the most traction internationally for its success and tactics . the militant group has ruthlessly gone after groups that do n't give into its subscribe to isis'take on islam . some of those affected are christians , but many others are muslims who do n't accept its radical ideology . by last year , isis had taken over swaths of territory in iraq and syria and later inspired terror attacks in paris and the danish capital of copenhagen . but it 's received pushback recently , with a strong showing from kurdish peshmerga fighters and the retooling of iraq 's once maligned military . there also have been hundreds of u.s.-led airstrikes in iraq and syria targeting isis , which the u.s. government also refers to as isil . this is a difficult mission and it will remain difficult for some time , ' president barack obama said this month . ( but ) our coalition is on the offensive , isil is on the defensive , and isil is going to lose . ' the threat is anything but over . in some places , the group is holding and even gaining ground . the biggest test , for all sides , will likely come over mosul . up to 25,000 iraqi troops could begin their push to retake that northern iraqi city as soon as april , a u.s. official has said . a u.s. defense department official said washington is supplying the iraqis with 10,000 m16 rifles , 10,000 m68 close combat optical scopes , some 23,000 ammunition magazines and thousands ' of additional helmets and kevlar vests in preparation for the mosul assault . this shipment is in addition to 250 mine-resistant vehicles sent over in january , and some 1,800 hellfire missiles shipped over in 2014 and this year . cnn 's raja razek , barbara starr , mohammed tawfeeq and jason hanna contributed to this report . | official : u.s. sending thousands of rifles , scopes , magazines , helmets to iraqis |
olympics <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico scored the quickest goal in olympic football history to ensure five-time world cup winners brazil miss out yet again on an olympic gold medal . it was one of two simple goals scored by oribe peralta which allowed the mexicans to command a game which was littered with defensive errors by the brazilians . brazil could have pulled off a comeback when hulk scored in injury time and oscar missed the equalizer with seconds to go . peralta 's record-breaking first goal after just 29 seconds of play was an early example of what was to come . brazil 's defenders made the first of many poor clearances and the striker just accepted the ball outside the brazilian area to shoot for goal in the bottom corner of the net with a low drive . the much-fancied brazilians were in shock from the early setback and there was an altercation between raphael and juan after the goal as they tried to work out who was to blame for the error which allowed mexico in . and they struggled to get the ball past a mexican side happy to defend for the rest of the first period . the brazilians had 60 % of the the goalscoring opportunities , yet they failed to capitalize on every single one . neymar put a number of shots over the bar and he was joined by attempts by raphael . live blog : olympic final as it happened seven minutes into the second half , brazil 's neymar crashed into the mexican goalkeeper in the area , but british referee mark clattenburg rightly waved away calls for a penalty . the mexicans seemed to be spurred on in the second half by a series of poor clearances and they fancied getting another goal . tiago silva failed to clear the ball from his area and , luckily for the brazilians , marco fabian found it tough to control the ball and his looped shot hit the bar . peralta looked set for his second goal when he saw off the final defender in the box and shot the ball into the net . however , he was ruled to be offside . he finally made the breakthrough minutes later . as a free kick came in , he had an easy header into the right hand side of the goal from the center of the area as the brazilians stood like statues . however , in an example of how much the game meant to brazil , they tried to fashion a last minute comeback and nearly pulled it off . hulk broke free in injury time with a great low finish through the goalkeeper 's legs to make it 2-1 to reignite brazil 's hopes of saving the game . moments late oscar had a golden opportunity to equalize but sent his header over the bar . a near capacity crowd 86,162 people came to see the olympics final at london 's wembley stadium . whilst peralta 's first goal broke the olympic record for the fastest goal , it was not the fastest seen at wembley . that was scored by paul chow of english amateur soccer side whitley bay after 21 seconds in may 2010 . | peralta 's goal is the fastest scored in the olympics , but not the fastest scored at wembley |
olympics <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico scored the quickest goal in olympic football history to ensure five-time world cup winners brazil miss out yet again on an olympic gold medal . it was one of two simple goals scored by oribe peralta which allowed the mexicans to command a game which was littered with defensive errors by the brazilians . brazil could have pulled off a comeback when hulk scored in injury time and oscar missed the equalizer with seconds to go . peralta 's record-breaking first goal after just 29 seconds of play was an early example of what was to come . brazil 's defenders made the first of many poor clearances and the striker just accepted the ball outside the brazilian area to shoot for goal in the bottom corner of the net with a low drive . the much-fancied brazilians were in shock from the early setback and there was an altercation between raphael and juan after the goal as they tried to work out who was to blame for the error which allowed mexico in . and they struggled to get the ball past a mexican side happy to defend for the rest of the first period . the brazilians had 60 % of the the goalscoring opportunities , yet they failed to capitalize on every single one . neymar put a number of shots over the bar and he was joined by attempts by raphael . live blog : olympic final as it happened seven minutes into the second half , brazil 's neymar crashed into the mexican goalkeeper in the area , but british referee mark clattenburg rightly waved away calls for a penalty . the mexicans seemed to be spurred on in the second half by a series of poor clearances and they fancied getting another goal . tiago silva failed to clear the ball from his area and , luckily for the brazilians , marco fabian found it tough to control the ball and his looped shot hit the bar . peralta looked set for his second goal when he saw off the final defender in the box and shot the ball into the net . however , he was ruled to be offside . he finally made the breakthrough minutes later . as a free kick came in , he had an easy header into the right hand side of the goal from the center of the area as the brazilians stood like statues . however , in an example of how much the game meant to brazil , they tried to fashion a last minute comeback and nearly pulled it off . hulk broke free in injury time with a great low finish through the goalkeeper 's legs to make it 2-1 to reignite brazil 's hopes of saving the game . moments late oscar had a golden opportunity to equalize but sent his header over the bar . a near capacity crowd 86,162 people came to see the olympics final at london 's wembley stadium . whilst peralta 's first goal broke the olympic record for the fastest goal , it was not the fastest seen at wembley . that was scored by paul chow of english amateur soccer side whitley bay after 21 seconds in may 2010 . | a near capacity 86,162 people came to see the olympics final at london 's wembley stadium |
peralta <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico scored the quickest goal in olympic football history to ensure five-time world cup winners brazil miss out yet again on an olympic gold medal . it was one of two simple goals scored by oribe peralta which allowed the mexicans to command a game which was littered with defensive errors by the brazilians . brazil could have pulled off a comeback when hulk scored in injury time and oscar missed the equalizer with seconds to go . peralta 's record-breaking first goal after just 29 seconds of play was an early example of what was to come . brazil 's defenders made the first of many poor clearances and the striker just accepted the ball outside the brazilian area to shoot for goal in the bottom corner of the net with a low drive . the much-fancied brazilians were in shock from the early setback and there was an altercation between raphael and juan after the goal as they tried to work out who was to blame for the error which allowed mexico in . and they struggled to get the ball past a mexican side happy to defend for the rest of the first period . the brazilians had 60 % of the the goalscoring opportunities , yet they failed to capitalize on every single one . neymar put a number of shots over the bar and he was joined by attempts by raphael . live blog : olympic final as it happened seven minutes into the second half , brazil 's neymar crashed into the mexican goalkeeper in the area , but british referee mark clattenburg rightly waved away calls for a penalty . the mexicans seemed to be spurred on in the second half by a series of poor clearances and they fancied getting another goal . tiago silva failed to clear the ball from his area and , luckily for the brazilians , marco fabian found it tough to control the ball and his looped shot hit the bar . peralta looked set for his second goal when he saw off the final defender in the box and shot the ball into the net . however , he was ruled to be offside . he finally made the breakthrough minutes later . as a free kick came in , he had an easy header into the right hand side of the goal from the center of the area as the brazilians stood like statues . however , in an example of how much the game meant to brazil , they tried to fashion a last minute comeback and nearly pulled it off . hulk broke free in injury time with a great low finish through the goalkeeper 's legs to make it 2-1 to reignite brazil 's hopes of saving the game . moments late oscar had a golden opportunity to equalize but sent his header over the bar . a near capacity crowd 86,162 people came to see the olympics final at london 's wembley stadium . whilst peralta 's first goal broke the olympic record for the fastest goal , it was not the fastest seen at wembley . that was scored by paul chow of english amateur soccer side whitley bay after 21 seconds in may 2010 . | peralta 's goal is the fastest scored in the olympics , but not the fastest scored at wembley |
peralta <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico scored the quickest goal in olympic football history to ensure five-time world cup winners brazil miss out yet again on an olympic gold medal . it was one of two simple goals scored by oribe peralta which allowed the mexicans to command a game which was littered with defensive errors by the brazilians . brazil could have pulled off a comeback when hulk scored in injury time and oscar missed the equalizer with seconds to go . peralta 's record-breaking first goal after just 29 seconds of play was an early example of what was to come . brazil 's defenders made the first of many poor clearances and the striker just accepted the ball outside the brazilian area to shoot for goal in the bottom corner of the net with a low drive . the much-fancied brazilians were in shock from the early setback and there was an altercation between raphael and juan after the goal as they tried to work out who was to blame for the error which allowed mexico in . and they struggled to get the ball past a mexican side happy to defend for the rest of the first period . the brazilians had 60 % of the the goalscoring opportunities , yet they failed to capitalize on every single one . neymar put a number of shots over the bar and he was joined by attempts by raphael . live blog : olympic final as it happened seven minutes into the second half , brazil 's neymar crashed into the mexican goalkeeper in the area , but british referee mark clattenburg rightly waved away calls for a penalty . the mexicans seemed to be spurred on in the second half by a series of poor clearances and they fancied getting another goal . tiago silva failed to clear the ball from his area and , luckily for the brazilians , marco fabian found it tough to control the ball and his looped shot hit the bar . peralta looked set for his second goal when he saw off the final defender in the box and shot the ball into the net . however , he was ruled to be offside . he finally made the breakthrough minutes later . as a free kick came in , he had an easy header into the right hand side of the goal from the center of the area as the brazilians stood like statues . however , in an example of how much the game meant to brazil , they tried to fashion a last minute comeback and nearly pulled it off . hulk broke free in injury time with a great low finish through the goalkeeper 's legs to make it 2-1 to reignite brazil 's hopes of saving the game . moments late oscar had a golden opportunity to equalize but sent his header over the bar . a near capacity crowd 86,162 people came to see the olympics final at london 's wembley stadium . whilst peralta 's first goal broke the olympic record for the fastest goal , it was not the fastest seen at wembley . that was scored by paul chow of english amateur soccer side whitley bay after 21 seconds in may 2010 . | defensive errors from brazil allowed mexican oribe peralta to score two easy goals |
romania <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nadia comaneci will forever be remembered as the first gymnast to achieve the perfect score of 10 in olympic competition on the way to winning three gold medals at the 1976 montreal games . comaneci , who was just 14 , went into the olympics with admittedly very , very low expectations ' -- but in the space of a few short days became one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet . competing for romania , she was awarded seven scores of 10 during the course of the competition as she took gold in the uneven bars , beam and all-round disciplines , backed up by a silver in the team event and bronze on the floor . it 's hard to believe it 's 36 years since i did that , it does n't feel that long , but it is . i remember everything , all the routines , ' she said in an interview for cnn 's human to hero series . coached by the famous combination of bela and marta karolyi , who trained many gymnastics champions , comaneci went on to claim two more gold medals at the 1980 olympics in moscow and captured two world championship golds and nine at european championship level . she retired from competition in 1981 and turned to coaching , but in 1989 , shortly before the revolution which other threw romanian president nicolae ceaucescu , comaneci defected to the united states . in 1994 she became engaged to american gymnast bart conner , who had first met her back in 1976 . they married in 1996 in bucharest as she returned to her native country for the first time since defecting . comaneci became a u.s. citizen in 2001 and is still involved in gymnastics through an academy she runs with conner , while holding a number of honorary positions with the romanian and international federations . early years spotted by the karolyis at the age of six , comaneci started training at their academy in her hometown of onesti . i did n't know i wanted to be a gymnast , i was just introduced to the gym , ' she said . i loved the place because it looked like a hi-tech playground with mats and a lot of things i can hang from . but i like the competition . and probably if i did n't do gymnastics i would have done a different sport and hopefully i would have been good enough . ' that competitive edge helped her burst onto the international scene with four golds at the european championships in norway in 1975 , and the following year came olympic immortality . inspirations in a golden era for women 's gymnastics , the 1972 olympics in munich featured two competitors who were a big influence on comaneci as she watched at home in romania . she admired the graceful ludmilla tourischeva , who won the all-round gold title , but it was another soviet union entrant , the diminutive olga korbut , who captured her imagination -- and that of the international audience -- in winning three gold medals . olga korbut was the famous gymnast in that time , but i was watching her in the gymnastics and i said to myself ,'i hope one day i will be like her ,' said comaneci . four years later they competed against each other in montreal , with korbut winning gold as part of a russian team which relegated romania to silver . perfection while comaneci missed out on that team gold , it was her performances in the individual and all-round disciplines that catapulted the teenager to fame . competing in the uneven bars final , comaneci first achieved perfection , a mark of 10 from the judges . but there was an element of farce as she awaited her score . first of all it was not 10 , it was a one point zero zero because the computers could n't cope ! ' she recalled . they were not prepared for the 10 , so they did n't make enough space after the decimal to be able to accommodate the 10 . they said it was a one point zero zero or a hundred , which meant nothing in gymnastics , or a one is ... a one is a really bad score . ' after the technical glitch was sorted , comaneci was able to celebrate with her teammates , but in contrast to the emotional korbut , she rarely showed emotion during competition and was the butt of some criticism for her demeanor . i always said that i was the kind of person who did n't smile all the time , but i did smile at the end of the routine , ' comaneci said . i think that when you are on a four-inch balance beam , you do n't care about laughing or smiling or waving to the crowd because you 're going to be down in a second . ' looking back on her feat , the gymnastics equivalent of the first four-minute mile in athletics , comaneci almost downplays her achievement . people ask me what the definition of perfection , i said it 's none , there is no definition of perfection . at some particular time when i was 14 years old , i 've done something that people did n't expect , ' she said . it 's a ladder that you climb in life , and i got there first . ' philosophy comaneci is aware that , like korbut before her , she inspired a generation of gymnasts , but she believes they should stamp their own mark on their career . i do n't think you should replicate what i 've done , everybody has to be unique and do their own thing , ' comaneci said . i think that the kids should have role models , but i do n't think you should duplicate anybody . you should create your own thing . ' comaneci spent many hours of training from an early age to win her gold medals , and says that is still the recipe for success . you have to have a lot of passion for what you do , to be able to work hard and to have a lot of motivation because you 're going to go to places that you 're never going to believe . ' | competing for romania she won three golds in 1976 montreal games |
george h.w . bush <tsp> on january 14 , 2013 , george h.w . bush was released from a houston hospital after seven weeks of treatment for bronchitis , an infection and a persistent cough . on thursday he was sky-diving to celebrate his 90th birthday . a year and a half ago , bush was already suffering from a form of parkinson 's disease , and some people were n't sure how much he would be able to bounce back after his lengthy hospitalization . but not only has he been able to travel -- and now sky-dive -- he has also seen a political resurgence . bushes thank clinton , obama for well wishes in april of last year , he attended the opening of his son 's presidential library , telling the audience , it 's a great pleasure to be here to honor our oldest son . ' in july , he visited the white house , where president barack obama recognized him for his commitment to volunteerism through his points of light ' initiative . we are surely a kinder and gentler nation because of you , ' obama told bush . democrat nunn features bush 41 in first ad just in the past month , he received several prestigious honors recognizing his decades of public service and his presidency . the proud yale'48 graduate received an honorary degree from archrival harvard , even attending the ceremony , and he also was given a profile in courage award by the jfk library for the 1990 budget deal , which included the politically toxic tax hikes . he admitted at the time that cutting the deal would probably cost him politically , and it did . he lost his re-election bid in 1992 . he and his presidency are now seen in a much better light than they were then . bush 's earthbound celebration will be a dinner with 200 friends and family and a performance by irish tenor ronan tynan . his jump was a tandem one from a helicopter with mike elliott and members of the all veteran group , former members of the u. s. army golden knights parachute team . bush also celebrated his 75th , 80th and 85th birthdays with jumps . a just-released cnn/orc international poll shows 58 % of americans now have a favorable opinion of bush , compared with 47 % in 1992 . his poll numbers jumped to near 70 % during the early days of his son george w. bush 's presidency . his approval rating is second only to bill clinton 's 66 % rate among living presidents . the 41st president marked the 25th anniversary of his inauguration this year . he and his wife , barbara , attended a celebration event in april featuring hundreds of former administration officials , family and friends , who gathered at his presidential library in college station , texas . the bushes attended some of the seminars examining his presidency and its effects and talked to many of the attendees . they just relished it , ' former sen. alan simpson of wyoming , a friend since the 1960s , said of the bushes'reaction to the event . bush was especially touched , simpson said , by the attendance of democratic sen. tom harkin of iowa at the event that spotlighted their work together pushing the americans with disabilities act , which bush signed into law . history is sorting ' through bush 's presidency now , and he is receiving more credit than while he was in office , simpson said . wait a minute -- the ( berlin ) wall came down ... this guy did things , ' he said . 25 years ago this hour , the people placed their hopes and trust in our team . still hard to believe i had the honor to serve as president , ' the former president posted on his twitter account in january on the actual anniversary of his inauguration . ron kaufman , a longtime friend and former bush white house official , said , history is going to be very , very kind to 41 for many reasons . ... clearly there 's a resurgence of people looking at 41 , his lifetime and his presidency and after his presidency . ... respect grows for him and for his family . ' the former president , who had mostly stayed away from politics in recent years , now finds himself a big financial draw for republicans thanks to his fascination with colorful socks . as of last week , the republican national committee said it had raised around $ 1 million selling pairs of striped yellow , orange , green and blue socks it created under bush 's name . as for bush 's birthday and the attention it will bring , simpson said , i think he will say .'i do n't deserve this .'( but ) the fact is , you ( celebrate ) the big 7-0 , big 8-0 , big 9-0 -- he 'd be tickled to death . ' kaufman said bush does n't want people puffing him up ' and will leave it to history to judge his legacy . he really enjoys life to the fullest , ' he said . kaufman added that after bush 's illness , he is less worried about death ... more enjoying his life as it is . ' that includes shaving his head to show solidarity with the son of a member of his secret service detail who has cancer , and traveling to duke university to honor coach mike krzyzewski for his work supporting cancer research . as for how the nation views him today , simpson said bush is quite touched ' by an outpouring of love and affection he receives from people across the nation . wherever he goes , people love him , ' kaufman said . opinion : what bush at 90 can teach millennials neil bush : what 41 wants for his birthday 41 things about bush 41 | in the years since he left office , george h.w . bush 's presidency is seen in a different light |
george h.w . bush <tsp> on january 14 , 2013 , george h.w . bush was released from a houston hospital after seven weeks of treatment for bronchitis , an infection and a persistent cough . on thursday he was sky-diving to celebrate his 90th birthday . a year and a half ago , bush was already suffering from a form of parkinson 's disease , and some people were n't sure how much he would be able to bounce back after his lengthy hospitalization . but not only has he been able to travel -- and now sky-dive -- he has also seen a political resurgence . bushes thank clinton , obama for well wishes in april of last year , he attended the opening of his son 's presidential library , telling the audience , it 's a great pleasure to be here to honor our oldest son . ' in july , he visited the white house , where president barack obama recognized him for his commitment to volunteerism through his points of light ' initiative . we are surely a kinder and gentler nation because of you , ' obama told bush . democrat nunn features bush 41 in first ad just in the past month , he received several prestigious honors recognizing his decades of public service and his presidency . the proud yale'48 graduate received an honorary degree from archrival harvard , even attending the ceremony , and he also was given a profile in courage award by the jfk library for the 1990 budget deal , which included the politically toxic tax hikes . he admitted at the time that cutting the deal would probably cost him politically , and it did . he lost his re-election bid in 1992 . he and his presidency are now seen in a much better light than they were then . bush 's earthbound celebration will be a dinner with 200 friends and family and a performance by irish tenor ronan tynan . his jump was a tandem one from a helicopter with mike elliott and members of the all veteran group , former members of the u. s. army golden knights parachute team . bush also celebrated his 75th , 80th and 85th birthdays with jumps . a just-released cnn/orc international poll shows 58 % of americans now have a favorable opinion of bush , compared with 47 % in 1992 . his poll numbers jumped to near 70 % during the early days of his son george w. bush 's presidency . his approval rating is second only to bill clinton 's 66 % rate among living presidents . the 41st president marked the 25th anniversary of his inauguration this year . he and his wife , barbara , attended a celebration event in april featuring hundreds of former administration officials , family and friends , who gathered at his presidential library in college station , texas . the bushes attended some of the seminars examining his presidency and its effects and talked to many of the attendees . they just relished it , ' former sen. alan simpson of wyoming , a friend since the 1960s , said of the bushes'reaction to the event . bush was especially touched , simpson said , by the attendance of democratic sen. tom harkin of iowa at the event that spotlighted their work together pushing the americans with disabilities act , which bush signed into law . history is sorting ' through bush 's presidency now , and he is receiving more credit than while he was in office , simpson said . wait a minute -- the ( berlin ) wall came down ... this guy did things , ' he said . 25 years ago this hour , the people placed their hopes and trust in our team . still hard to believe i had the honor to serve as president , ' the former president posted on his twitter account in january on the actual anniversary of his inauguration . ron kaufman , a longtime friend and former bush white house official , said , history is going to be very , very kind to 41 for many reasons . ... clearly there 's a resurgence of people looking at 41 , his lifetime and his presidency and after his presidency . ... respect grows for him and for his family . ' the former president , who had mostly stayed away from politics in recent years , now finds himself a big financial draw for republicans thanks to his fascination with colorful socks . as of last week , the republican national committee said it had raised around $ 1 million selling pairs of striped yellow , orange , green and blue socks it created under bush 's name . as for bush 's birthday and the attention it will bring , simpson said , i think he will say .'i do n't deserve this .'( but ) the fact is , you ( celebrate ) the big 7-0 , big 8-0 , big 9-0 -- he 'd be tickled to death . ' kaufman said bush does n't want people puffing him up ' and will leave it to history to judge his legacy . he really enjoys life to the fullest , ' he said . kaufman added that after bush 's illness , he is less worried about death ... more enjoying his life as it is . ' that includes shaving his head to show solidarity with the son of a member of his secret service detail who has cancer , and traveling to duke university to honor coach mike krzyzewski for his work supporting cancer research . as for how the nation views him today , simpson said bush is quite touched ' by an outpouring of love and affection he receives from people across the nation . wherever he goes , people love him , ' kaufman said . opinion : what bush at 90 can teach millennials neil bush : what 41 wants for his birthday 41 things about bush 41 | george h.w . bush will celebrate 90th birthday with 200 family and friends |
bout <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- international arms dealer viktor bout has been indicted by federal authorities on a series of new charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . the new indictment , announced in new york and washington wednesday , comes as the united states steps up efforts to extradite bout to new york from thailand , where he has been jailed since 2008 . the indictment charges bout , a russian native , and his alleged american co-conspirator , richard chichakli , with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 and with money laundering and wire fraud . chichakli remains at large , authorities said . the justice department said bout has been an international weapons trafficker since the 1990s , carrying out a massive weapons trafficking business by assembling a fleet of cargo planes to transport weapons to parts of africa , the middle east and south america . the arms that bout has sold or brokered have fueled conflicts and supported regimes in afghanistan , angola , the democratic republic of the congo , liberia , rwanda , sierra leone and sudan , ' the justice department said . bout allegedly made a career of arming bloody conflicts and supporting rogue regimes across multiple continents , even using the u.s. banking system to secretly finance a private fleet of aircraft , ' said u.s. attorney preet bharara . the superseding indictments were returned by a grand jury in the southern district of new york . the previous indictment of bout centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . thai courts to date have balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges . the united states has apprised thai authorities of the new charges against bout ... and will continue to work closely with them on this matter , ' the justice department statement said . the united states is also coordinating with interpol to locate and arrest chichakli . ' tuesday , a thai court rejected a request by bout to be released on bond . | bout , a russian , has been in jail in thailand since 2008 |
bout <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- international arms dealer viktor bout has been indicted by federal authorities on a series of new charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . the new indictment , announced in new york and washington wednesday , comes as the united states steps up efforts to extradite bout to new york from thailand , where he has been jailed since 2008 . the indictment charges bout , a russian native , and his alleged american co-conspirator , richard chichakli , with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 and with money laundering and wire fraud . chichakli remains at large , authorities said . the justice department said bout has been an international weapons trafficker since the 1990s , carrying out a massive weapons trafficking business by assembling a fleet of cargo planes to transport weapons to parts of africa , the middle east and south america . the arms that bout has sold or brokered have fueled conflicts and supported regimes in afghanistan , angola , the democratic republic of the congo , liberia , rwanda , sierra leone and sudan , ' the justice department said . bout allegedly made a career of arming bloody conflicts and supporting rogue regimes across multiple continents , even using the u.s. banking system to secretly finance a private fleet of aircraft , ' said u.s. attorney preet bharara . the superseding indictments were returned by a grand jury in the southern district of new york . the previous indictment of bout centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . thai courts to date have balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges . the united states has apprised thai authorities of the new charges against bout ... and will continue to work closely with them on this matter , ' the justice department statement said . the united states is also coordinating with interpol to locate and arrest chichakli . ' tuesday , a thai court rejected a request by bout to be released on bond . | bout accused of buying planes to transport weapons to africa , mideast |
boeing 727 <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- international arms dealer viktor bout has been indicted by federal authorities on a series of new charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . the new indictment , announced in new york and washington wednesday , comes as the united states steps up efforts to extradite bout to new york from thailand , where he has been jailed since 2008 . the indictment charges bout , a russian native , and his alleged american co-conspirator , richard chichakli , with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 and with money laundering and wire fraud . chichakli remains at large , authorities said . the justice department said bout has been an international weapons trafficker since the 1990s , carrying out a massive weapons trafficking business by assembling a fleet of cargo planes to transport weapons to parts of africa , the middle east and south america . the arms that bout has sold or brokered have fueled conflicts and supported regimes in afghanistan , angola , the democratic republic of the congo , liberia , rwanda , sierra leone and sudan , ' the justice department said . bout allegedly made a career of arming bloody conflicts and supporting rogue regimes across multiple continents , even using the u.s. banking system to secretly finance a private fleet of aircraft , ' said u.s. attorney preet bharara . the superseding indictments were returned by a grand jury in the southern district of new york . the previous indictment of bout centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . thai courts to date have balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges . the united states has apprised thai authorities of the new charges against bout ... and will continue to work closely with them on this matter , ' the justice department statement said . the united states is also coordinating with interpol to locate and arrest chichakli . ' tuesday , a thai court rejected a request by bout to be released on bond . | american richard chichakli also accused of illegal purchase of boeing 727 , boeing 737 |
clapton <tsp> london , england -- in his autobiography , eric clapton admits that he enjoys nothing more than sitting in a deck chair on a white sandy beach watching his children playing in the sea . private getaway : eric clapton enjoys spending time relaxing on his superyacht va bene . it 's the perfect antidote to a punishing tour schedule , and with gigs in the u.s. , canada , the uk , scandinavia and europe so far this year , getting away from it all is an experience he values . he found that he was particularly at ease aboard the 157 ft ( 47.8m ) motor yacht va bene , which he chartered in 2005 and cruised with friends around the mediterranean . the sheltered port of bonifacio at the southern end of corsica became one of his favorite haunts . in fact , clapton enjoyed va bene so much that he bought her . it was the first time he 'd ever had to borrow money to buy something , but he had fallen for the yacht , despite her 13 years and slightly dated looks . besides there was always the possibility of updating her to give her a new lease of life . va bene came with an interesting pedigree . she had originally been commissioned by a greek ship owner in 1992 to a design by richard hein ( of oceanco fame ) and built by kees cornelissen in holland . she was then purchased by f1 motor racing supremo bernie ecclestone before being sold to an american . a steel-hulled displacement yacht with a cruising speed of about 14 knots , va bene can accommodate 12 guests in six separate sleeping cabins and has a crew complement of 13 . having lived with va bene for a couple of years , eric clapton finally felt the time was right for a refit . clapton was particularly keen for the work to be carried out in the uk , partly because he wanted to buy british but also because he could keep a close eye on proceedings . pendennis shipyard in falmouth , cornwall , was an obvious choice . roger taylor , the drummer with queen has his yacht tiger lilly refitted regularly in falmouth and pete townsend of the who is another famous client . pendennis shipyard representative alastair heane was first introduced to the yacht during the charter show in antigua in december 2006 . eric clapton has a house on the island and va bene is based here during the winter season . heane quickly established a detailed proposal of work . the plan was to get va bene to falmouth after clapton had finished his 2007 summer holiday so that the work could be carried out during the winter . the initial time frame was three months but like most complex refits this quickly extended to six as the work list grew . the target was to have va bene ready and waiting in porto cervo sardinia on july 1 this year in time for eric clapton 's month-long family holiday -- a date that was set in stone to fit around his tour schedule . we caught up with va bene during a photo shoot at the end of june 2008 on the very day she was setting sail from palma , mallorca , to meet up with the boss in sardinia . with the final last-minute touches still being applied and the crew busily unpacking everything from the owner 's precious guitar to his children 's cuddly toys , it was a close run thing but pendennis had met the deadline in style . the first thing that strikes you on boarding va bene is the calm , informal atmosphere of what is clearly a much-loved family yacht rather than a glitzy monument to success . eric clapton may be one of the world 's greatest living rock stars but he is also an unpretentious family man who wants a yacht that he can relax on . the saloon encapsulates this perfectly . rather than a single formal space with designer furniture that look so immaculate you hardly dare sit down , va bene 's saloon is divided into four separate areas with clusters of contrasting chairs , sofas , tables and cabinets . one group of guests can be relaxing round the card table and matching leather chairs , while others stretch out on the big taupe corduroy sofa to watch a movie . that still leaves room for him to sneak off into another corner and perch on one of the special armless low-level chairs to play his guitar . the adjacent dining room is a little more formal but even here the overriding feeling is of a wonderfully light room centered around what looks like a huge limed-oak table inlaid with italian marble . in fact , it is all the handiwork of a talented local artisan who painted the surface of the original table to match the materials found elsewhere on the yacht right down to the fake wooden joints and natural marble flaws . this solution appealed both to clapton 's desire to refresh rather than replace where possible and his appreciation of skilled craftsmanship . he is a keen collector of modern art himself and every spare wall and surface reflects this passion . from intricate postcard-sized oil paintings of venice to large , sprawling canvases and some beautiful marble sculptures and ceramic vases , it is a collection that reflects the singer 's own ability to transcend the confines of any one genre . perhaps that also explains the relatively neutral tones of the décor . there is an art deco theme running through the main guest areas , which the refit has refreshed and modernized rather dispensed with . the limed-oak paneling is original but all the garish gold door handles , light fittings and switches have either been replaced or replated in chrome to give it a much more contemporary feel . the high gloss white painted ceiling panels and moldings have all been meticulously flatted back to leave a softer matt finish while all the ceiling lights , some 400 of them in total , have been replaced with modern recessed spots . as you 'd expect aboard a musician 's yacht , the av system was another major beneficiary of the refit . every cabin and guest space now has a discreet arcam ipod dock so that he can plug in his iphone wherever he is and enjoy instant access to his personal music library . all bar one of the existing bang & olufsen crt televisions have also been swapped for high-definition panasonic viera flat screens . the highlight of the refit is the new owner 's suite on the main deck -- a space that clapton and his wife rarely used before the refit , because it is at the opposite end of the yacht to his children 's cabins . ( they preferred the smaller but more family-friendly location of the vip guest suite next to the main run of cabins on the lower deck . ) but it 's a much more enticing space these days . reconfigured by interior designers h2 in putney , london , it now enjoys a much bigger family bathroom complete with walk-in rain shower , dramatic stone basins , a large tub and a natural teak floor . the key to the success of the refit , which cost in excess of us $ 4 million , lay in the planning . pendennis 's tyrone harvey and a small team started with a technical visit to the yacht in palma , mallorca , in the early summer of last year . within days of arriving in falmouth va bene had undergone sea trials with duncan propellers to try and improve an ongoing issue with her performance and economy . it eventually transpired that one of the gearboxes had been incorrectly fitted . she was then moored alongside at pendennis while her crew started the long job of removing her entire inventory . she also had her teak deck stripped off before she was floated into the 150m long dry dock . despite all the changes , va bene left falmouth on time , arriving in sardinia on july 1 . indeed , it was during this holiday that eric clapton took time out to talk to superyacht world about his born-again va bene ( see p74 ) . now that he has had a chance to enjoy the fruits of his and pendennis 's labor , va bene is available for charter through burgess yachts in the mediterranean and caribbean . it 's not often you get to walk in the shadow of a genuine rock legend but on va bene you can also swim , sunbathe and sleep in eric clapton 's personal holiday home . chartering just does n't get any better than that . subscribe to superyachtworld copyright © 2009 ipc media ltd. all rights reserved | eric clapton owns the 48 meter superyacht va bene |
clapton <tsp> london , england -- in his autobiography , eric clapton admits that he enjoys nothing more than sitting in a deck chair on a white sandy beach watching his children playing in the sea . private getaway : eric clapton enjoys spending time relaxing on his superyacht va bene . it 's the perfect antidote to a punishing tour schedule , and with gigs in the u.s. , canada , the uk , scandinavia and europe so far this year , getting away from it all is an experience he values . he found that he was particularly at ease aboard the 157 ft ( 47.8m ) motor yacht va bene , which he chartered in 2005 and cruised with friends around the mediterranean . the sheltered port of bonifacio at the southern end of corsica became one of his favorite haunts . in fact , clapton enjoyed va bene so much that he bought her . it was the first time he 'd ever had to borrow money to buy something , but he had fallen for the yacht , despite her 13 years and slightly dated looks . besides there was always the possibility of updating her to give her a new lease of life . va bene came with an interesting pedigree . she had originally been commissioned by a greek ship owner in 1992 to a design by richard hein ( of oceanco fame ) and built by kees cornelissen in holland . she was then purchased by f1 motor racing supremo bernie ecclestone before being sold to an american . a steel-hulled displacement yacht with a cruising speed of about 14 knots , va bene can accommodate 12 guests in six separate sleeping cabins and has a crew complement of 13 . having lived with va bene for a couple of years , eric clapton finally felt the time was right for a refit . clapton was particularly keen for the work to be carried out in the uk , partly because he wanted to buy british but also because he could keep a close eye on proceedings . pendennis shipyard in falmouth , cornwall , was an obvious choice . roger taylor , the drummer with queen has his yacht tiger lilly refitted regularly in falmouth and pete townsend of the who is another famous client . pendennis shipyard representative alastair heane was first introduced to the yacht during the charter show in antigua in december 2006 . eric clapton has a house on the island and va bene is based here during the winter season . heane quickly established a detailed proposal of work . the plan was to get va bene to falmouth after clapton had finished his 2007 summer holiday so that the work could be carried out during the winter . the initial time frame was three months but like most complex refits this quickly extended to six as the work list grew . the target was to have va bene ready and waiting in porto cervo sardinia on july 1 this year in time for eric clapton 's month-long family holiday -- a date that was set in stone to fit around his tour schedule . we caught up with va bene during a photo shoot at the end of june 2008 on the very day she was setting sail from palma , mallorca , to meet up with the boss in sardinia . with the final last-minute touches still being applied and the crew busily unpacking everything from the owner 's precious guitar to his children 's cuddly toys , it was a close run thing but pendennis had met the deadline in style . the first thing that strikes you on boarding va bene is the calm , informal atmosphere of what is clearly a much-loved family yacht rather than a glitzy monument to success . eric clapton may be one of the world 's greatest living rock stars but he is also an unpretentious family man who wants a yacht that he can relax on . the saloon encapsulates this perfectly . rather than a single formal space with designer furniture that look so immaculate you hardly dare sit down , va bene 's saloon is divided into four separate areas with clusters of contrasting chairs , sofas , tables and cabinets . one group of guests can be relaxing round the card table and matching leather chairs , while others stretch out on the big taupe corduroy sofa to watch a movie . that still leaves room for him to sneak off into another corner and perch on one of the special armless low-level chairs to play his guitar . the adjacent dining room is a little more formal but even here the overriding feeling is of a wonderfully light room centered around what looks like a huge limed-oak table inlaid with italian marble . in fact , it is all the handiwork of a talented local artisan who painted the surface of the original table to match the materials found elsewhere on the yacht right down to the fake wooden joints and natural marble flaws . this solution appealed both to clapton 's desire to refresh rather than replace where possible and his appreciation of skilled craftsmanship . he is a keen collector of modern art himself and every spare wall and surface reflects this passion . from intricate postcard-sized oil paintings of venice to large , sprawling canvases and some beautiful marble sculptures and ceramic vases , it is a collection that reflects the singer 's own ability to transcend the confines of any one genre . perhaps that also explains the relatively neutral tones of the décor . there is an art deco theme running through the main guest areas , which the refit has refreshed and modernized rather dispensed with . the limed-oak paneling is original but all the garish gold door handles , light fittings and switches have either been replaced or replated in chrome to give it a much more contemporary feel . the high gloss white painted ceiling panels and moldings have all been meticulously flatted back to leave a softer matt finish while all the ceiling lights , some 400 of them in total , have been replaced with modern recessed spots . as you 'd expect aboard a musician 's yacht , the av system was another major beneficiary of the refit . every cabin and guest space now has a discreet arcam ipod dock so that he can plug in his iphone wherever he is and enjoy instant access to his personal music library . all bar one of the existing bang & olufsen crt televisions have also been swapped for high-definition panasonic viera flat screens . the highlight of the refit is the new owner 's suite on the main deck -- a space that clapton and his wife rarely used before the refit , because it is at the opposite end of the yacht to his children 's cabins . ( they preferred the smaller but more family-friendly location of the vip guest suite next to the main run of cabins on the lower deck . ) but it 's a much more enticing space these days . reconfigured by interior designers h2 in putney , london , it now enjoys a much bigger family bathroom complete with walk-in rain shower , dramatic stone basins , a large tub and a natural teak floor . the key to the success of the refit , which cost in excess of us $ 4 million , lay in the planning . pendennis 's tyrone harvey and a small team started with a technical visit to the yacht in palma , mallorca , in the early summer of last year . within days of arriving in falmouth va bene had undergone sea trials with duncan propellers to try and improve an ongoing issue with her performance and economy . it eventually transpired that one of the gearboxes had been incorrectly fitted . she was then moored alongside at pendennis while her crew started the long job of removing her entire inventory . she also had her teak deck stripped off before she was floated into the 150m long dry dock . despite all the changes , va bene left falmouth on time , arriving in sardinia on july 1 . indeed , it was during this holiday that eric clapton took time out to talk to superyacht world about his born-again va bene ( see p74 ) . now that he has had a chance to enjoy the fruits of his and pendennis 's labor , va bene is available for charter through burgess yachts in the mediterranean and caribbean . it 's not often you get to walk in the shadow of a genuine rock legend but on va bene you can also swim , sunbathe and sleep in eric clapton 's personal holiday home . chartering just does n't get any better than that . subscribe to superyachtworld copyright © 2009 ipc media ltd. all rights reserved | clapton enjoys spending time on the boat to get away from his work |
clapton <tsp> london , england -- in his autobiography , eric clapton admits that he enjoys nothing more than sitting in a deck chair on a white sandy beach watching his children playing in the sea . private getaway : eric clapton enjoys spending time relaxing on his superyacht va bene . it 's the perfect antidote to a punishing tour schedule , and with gigs in the u.s. , canada , the uk , scandinavia and europe so far this year , getting away from it all is an experience he values . he found that he was particularly at ease aboard the 157 ft ( 47.8m ) motor yacht va bene , which he chartered in 2005 and cruised with friends around the mediterranean . the sheltered port of bonifacio at the southern end of corsica became one of his favorite haunts . in fact , clapton enjoyed va bene so much that he bought her . it was the first time he 'd ever had to borrow money to buy something , but he had fallen for the yacht , despite her 13 years and slightly dated looks . besides there was always the possibility of updating her to give her a new lease of life . va bene came with an interesting pedigree . she had originally been commissioned by a greek ship owner in 1992 to a design by richard hein ( of oceanco fame ) and built by kees cornelissen in holland . she was then purchased by f1 motor racing supremo bernie ecclestone before being sold to an american . a steel-hulled displacement yacht with a cruising speed of about 14 knots , va bene can accommodate 12 guests in six separate sleeping cabins and has a crew complement of 13 . having lived with va bene for a couple of years , eric clapton finally felt the time was right for a refit . clapton was particularly keen for the work to be carried out in the uk , partly because he wanted to buy british but also because he could keep a close eye on proceedings . pendennis shipyard in falmouth , cornwall , was an obvious choice . roger taylor , the drummer with queen has his yacht tiger lilly refitted regularly in falmouth and pete townsend of the who is another famous client . pendennis shipyard representative alastair heane was first introduced to the yacht during the charter show in antigua in december 2006 . eric clapton has a house on the island and va bene is based here during the winter season . heane quickly established a detailed proposal of work . the plan was to get va bene to falmouth after clapton had finished his 2007 summer holiday so that the work could be carried out during the winter . the initial time frame was three months but like most complex refits this quickly extended to six as the work list grew . the target was to have va bene ready and waiting in porto cervo sardinia on july 1 this year in time for eric clapton 's month-long family holiday -- a date that was set in stone to fit around his tour schedule . we caught up with va bene during a photo shoot at the end of june 2008 on the very day she was setting sail from palma , mallorca , to meet up with the boss in sardinia . with the final last-minute touches still being applied and the crew busily unpacking everything from the owner 's precious guitar to his children 's cuddly toys , it was a close run thing but pendennis had met the deadline in style . the first thing that strikes you on boarding va bene is the calm , informal atmosphere of what is clearly a much-loved family yacht rather than a glitzy monument to success . eric clapton may be one of the world 's greatest living rock stars but he is also an unpretentious family man who wants a yacht that he can relax on . the saloon encapsulates this perfectly . rather than a single formal space with designer furniture that look so immaculate you hardly dare sit down , va bene 's saloon is divided into four separate areas with clusters of contrasting chairs , sofas , tables and cabinets . one group of guests can be relaxing round the card table and matching leather chairs , while others stretch out on the big taupe corduroy sofa to watch a movie . that still leaves room for him to sneak off into another corner and perch on one of the special armless low-level chairs to play his guitar . the adjacent dining room is a little more formal but even here the overriding feeling is of a wonderfully light room centered around what looks like a huge limed-oak table inlaid with italian marble . in fact , it is all the handiwork of a talented local artisan who painted the surface of the original table to match the materials found elsewhere on the yacht right down to the fake wooden joints and natural marble flaws . this solution appealed both to clapton 's desire to refresh rather than replace where possible and his appreciation of skilled craftsmanship . he is a keen collector of modern art himself and every spare wall and surface reflects this passion . from intricate postcard-sized oil paintings of venice to large , sprawling canvases and some beautiful marble sculptures and ceramic vases , it is a collection that reflects the singer 's own ability to transcend the confines of any one genre . perhaps that also explains the relatively neutral tones of the décor . there is an art deco theme running through the main guest areas , which the refit has refreshed and modernized rather dispensed with . the limed-oak paneling is original but all the garish gold door handles , light fittings and switches have either been replaced or replated in chrome to give it a much more contemporary feel . the high gloss white painted ceiling panels and moldings have all been meticulously flatted back to leave a softer matt finish while all the ceiling lights , some 400 of them in total , have been replaced with modern recessed spots . as you 'd expect aboard a musician 's yacht , the av system was another major beneficiary of the refit . every cabin and guest space now has a discreet arcam ipod dock so that he can plug in his iphone wherever he is and enjoy instant access to his personal music library . all bar one of the existing bang & olufsen crt televisions have also been swapped for high-definition panasonic viera flat screens . the highlight of the refit is the new owner 's suite on the main deck -- a space that clapton and his wife rarely used before the refit , because it is at the opposite end of the yacht to his children 's cabins . ( they preferred the smaller but more family-friendly location of the vip guest suite next to the main run of cabins on the lower deck . ) but it 's a much more enticing space these days . reconfigured by interior designers h2 in putney , london , it now enjoys a much bigger family bathroom complete with walk-in rain shower , dramatic stone basins , a large tub and a natural teak floor . the key to the success of the refit , which cost in excess of us $ 4 million , lay in the planning . pendennis 's tyrone harvey and a small team started with a technical visit to the yacht in palma , mallorca , in the early summer of last year . within days of arriving in falmouth va bene had undergone sea trials with duncan propellers to try and improve an ongoing issue with her performance and economy . it eventually transpired that one of the gearboxes had been incorrectly fitted . she was then moored alongside at pendennis while her crew started the long job of removing her entire inventory . she also had her teak deck stripped off before she was floated into the 150m long dry dock . despite all the changes , va bene left falmouth on time , arriving in sardinia on july 1 . indeed , it was during this holiday that eric clapton took time out to talk to superyacht world about his born-again va bene ( see p74 ) . now that he has had a chance to enjoy the fruits of his and pendennis 's labor , va bene is available for charter through burgess yachts in the mediterranean and caribbean . it 's not often you get to walk in the shadow of a genuine rock legend but on va bene you can also swim , sunbathe and sleep in eric clapton 's personal holiday home . chartering just does n't get any better than that . subscribe to superyachtworld copyright © 2009 ipc media ltd. all rights reserved | bernie ecclestone had owned the vessel before clapton bought it |
egyptians <tsp> cairo , egypt ( cnn ) -- u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton said wednesday she took on the complicated and difficult ' task of trying to restart talks on israeli-palestinian peace during her talks with egypt 's leaders . egypt is an essential partner ' in that effort , she said . president obama , special envoy [ george ] mitchell -- who is here with me today -- and i are all deeply and personally committed to achieving a two-state solution and comprehensive peace between israelis , palestinians and all of their arab neighbors , ' clinton said at a joint news conference with egyptian foreign minister ahmed ali aboul gheit . she spoke on the final stop on her weeklong trip that stretched from pakistan to the middle east . clinton met with aboul gheit and other egyptian leaders before consulting wednesday with egyptian president hosni mubarak . clinton angered palestinian leaders during her stop saturday in jerusalem when she praised israel for what she called unprecedented ' steps to limit -- but not fully halt -- the construction of jewish settlements . egyptian leaders told clinton her statement was perceived as a sort of backtracking ' and listened with great interest ' as she insisted the u.s. opposition to settlements has not changed , aboul gheit said . we talked about this very clearly and very candidly , ' he said , noting that egypt feels that israel is hindering the process ' by continuing its settlement activities . clinton again clarified the u.s. position at wednesday 's news conference in cairo : our policy on settlements has not changed . i want to say that again : our policy on settlement activity has not changed , ' she said . we do not accept the legitimacy of settlement activity . and we have a very firm belief that ending all activity -- current and future -- would be preferable , and that is what we have put forth , and that is what we have continued to support . ' but palestinian frustration over clinton 's statement in jerusalem and the stalled peace process was still on display wednesday in the west bank city of ramallah . saeb erakat , chief negotiator for the palestinian authority , said that if israeli settlement construction did not end , it may be the moment of truth ' for the palestinian leadership . erakat raised the possibility that the two-state solution is no longer an option and maybe the palestinian people should refocus their attention to the one-state solution where muslims , christians and jews can live as equal . ' israel is opposed to any notion of a one-state solution , ' seeing it as a fundamental threat to the jewish nature of the state . however , israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has been reluctant to embrace the idea of a two-state solution , something the united states and others see as the only way to resolve the israeli-palestinian conflict . clinton returns to washington later wednesday . she said she felt very satisfied by what we accomplished on this trip ' despite the complex issues at hand . every issue that we touched on during this trip is complicated and difficult ; each requires patience , perseverance and determination to see them through , ' clinton said . if these were easy questions with simple answers , i would not have made this trip . ' she said that a key part of getting the peace process back on track is improving the image of the united states in the region . it is important to recognize that after a period of time in which the united states'position was rejected or was certainly questioned , what we are doing is very carefully and consistently rebuilding those bonds , creating those partnerships , finding common ground so we and our international partners will be able to make progress , ' she said . when asked for a timeline of the resumption of israeli-palestinian talks , clinton would only say , we are working hard to see that happen . i 'm not going to make predictions . ' | clinton meets with egyptians after angering palestinians with praise for israel |
egyptians <tsp> cairo , egypt ( cnn ) -- u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton said wednesday she took on the complicated and difficult ' task of trying to restart talks on israeli-palestinian peace during her talks with egypt 's leaders . egypt is an essential partner ' in that effort , she said . president obama , special envoy [ george ] mitchell -- who is here with me today -- and i are all deeply and personally committed to achieving a two-state solution and comprehensive peace between israelis , palestinians and all of their arab neighbors , ' clinton said at a joint news conference with egyptian foreign minister ahmed ali aboul gheit . she spoke on the final stop on her weeklong trip that stretched from pakistan to the middle east . clinton met with aboul gheit and other egyptian leaders before consulting wednesday with egyptian president hosni mubarak . clinton angered palestinian leaders during her stop saturday in jerusalem when she praised israel for what she called unprecedented ' steps to limit -- but not fully halt -- the construction of jewish settlements . egyptian leaders told clinton her statement was perceived as a sort of backtracking ' and listened with great interest ' as she insisted the u.s. opposition to settlements has not changed , aboul gheit said . we talked about this very clearly and very candidly , ' he said , noting that egypt feels that israel is hindering the process ' by continuing its settlement activities . clinton again clarified the u.s. position at wednesday 's news conference in cairo : our policy on settlements has not changed . i want to say that again : our policy on settlement activity has not changed , ' she said . we do not accept the legitimacy of settlement activity . and we have a very firm belief that ending all activity -- current and future -- would be preferable , and that is what we have put forth , and that is what we have continued to support . ' but palestinian frustration over clinton 's statement in jerusalem and the stalled peace process was still on display wednesday in the west bank city of ramallah . saeb erakat , chief negotiator for the palestinian authority , said that if israeli settlement construction did not end , it may be the moment of truth ' for the palestinian leadership . erakat raised the possibility that the two-state solution is no longer an option and maybe the palestinian people should refocus their attention to the one-state solution where muslims , christians and jews can live as equal . ' israel is opposed to any notion of a one-state solution , ' seeing it as a fundamental threat to the jewish nature of the state . however , israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has been reluctant to embrace the idea of a two-state solution , something the united states and others see as the only way to resolve the israeli-palestinian conflict . clinton returns to washington later wednesday . she said she felt very satisfied by what we accomplished on this trip ' despite the complex issues at hand . every issue that we touched on during this trip is complicated and difficult ; each requires patience , perseverance and determination to see them through , ' clinton said . if these were easy questions with simple answers , i would not have made this trip . ' she said that a key part of getting the peace process back on track is improving the image of the united states in the region . it is important to recognize that after a period of time in which the united states'position was rejected or was certainly questioned , what we are doing is very carefully and consistently rebuilding those bonds , creating those partnerships , finding common ground so we and our international partners will be able to make progress , ' she said . when asked for a timeline of the resumption of israeli-palestinian talks , clinton would only say , we are working hard to see that happen . i 'm not going to make predictions . ' | egyptians reportedly tell clinton her comments perceived as a sort of backtracking ' |
syria <tsp> ( cnn ) the latest isis-appointed governor of mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on thursday , according to iraqi police . hassan saeed al-jabouri , also known as abu taluut , was killed 18 miles south of mosul in the village of qayyara , according to maj. gen. watheq al-hamdani , a senior regional iraqi police commander who is leading the government 's efforts to retake mosul from isis . jabouri is the second isis-appointed governor of mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days . earlier this month , u.s. airstrikes killed one of his predecessors , radwan taleb al-hamdouni , according to u.s. security officials . mosul is a key stronghold for isis fighters and was taken from iraqi forces earlier this year . the pentagon said that it has a strategy to retake the city beginning in january . meanwhile , more than 100 people were injured or killed in six airstrikes by syrian forces on the isis held city of al-bab and the town of qbasin in the northeast of aleppo , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . in the village of abo qassayed , 30 isis militants were killed tuesday as syrian kurdish forces captured that town held by isis , according to the observatory . isis captured a jordanian fighter pilot wednesday after his plane crashed over raqqa . evidence clearly indicates ' that the terrorist group did not down the aircraft , ' u.s. central command said in a statement . turkey warming up to iraq relations between iraq and turkey are improving because of the new government in baghdad , turkish foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu said thursday . now that the coldness between turkey and iraq is over , we will accelerate our relations in every possible way , ' he said in a televised interview . iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi said that iraq and turkey share common economic and security goals , according to anadolu agency , turkey 's government news agency . iraq wants to reach global oil market 's through turkey , al-abadi said . turkey 's prime minister ahmet davutoglu promised that turkey will not allow any foreign fighter access to syria , whether they be syrian opposition or isis fighters , according to anadolu agency . | 30 isis fighters are killed in syria by kurdish forces , rights group says |
syria <tsp> ( cnn ) the latest isis-appointed governor of mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on thursday , according to iraqi police . hassan saeed al-jabouri , also known as abu taluut , was killed 18 miles south of mosul in the village of qayyara , according to maj. gen. watheq al-hamdani , a senior regional iraqi police commander who is leading the government 's efforts to retake mosul from isis . jabouri is the second isis-appointed governor of mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days . earlier this month , u.s. airstrikes killed one of his predecessors , radwan taleb al-hamdouni , according to u.s. security officials . mosul is a key stronghold for isis fighters and was taken from iraqi forces earlier this year . the pentagon said that it has a strategy to retake the city beginning in january . meanwhile , more than 100 people were injured or killed in six airstrikes by syrian forces on the isis held city of al-bab and the town of qbasin in the northeast of aleppo , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . in the village of abo qassayed , 30 isis militants were killed tuesday as syrian kurdish forces captured that town held by isis , according to the observatory . isis captured a jordanian fighter pilot wednesday after his plane crashed over raqqa . evidence clearly indicates ' that the terrorist group did not down the aircraft , ' u.s. central command said in a statement . turkey warming up to iraq relations between iraq and turkey are improving because of the new government in baghdad , turkish foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu said thursday . now that the coldness between turkey and iraq is over , we will accelerate our relations in every possible way , ' he said in a televised interview . iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi said that iraq and turkey share common economic and security goals , according to anadolu agency , turkey 's government news agency . iraq wants to reach global oil market 's through turkey , al-abadi said . turkey 's prime minister ahmet davutoglu promised that turkey will not allow any foreign fighter access to syria , whether they be syrian opposition or isis fighters , according to anadolu agency . | turkey promises iraq it will block border to syria from isis fighters |
isis <tsp> ( cnn ) the latest isis-appointed governor of mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on thursday , according to iraqi police . hassan saeed al-jabouri , also known as abu taluut , was killed 18 miles south of mosul in the village of qayyara , according to maj. gen. watheq al-hamdani , a senior regional iraqi police commander who is leading the government 's efforts to retake mosul from isis . jabouri is the second isis-appointed governor of mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days . earlier this month , u.s. airstrikes killed one of his predecessors , radwan taleb al-hamdouni , according to u.s. security officials . mosul is a key stronghold for isis fighters and was taken from iraqi forces earlier this year . the pentagon said that it has a strategy to retake the city beginning in january . meanwhile , more than 100 people were injured or killed in six airstrikes by syrian forces on the isis held city of al-bab and the town of qbasin in the northeast of aleppo , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . in the village of abo qassayed , 30 isis militants were killed tuesday as syrian kurdish forces captured that town held by isis , according to the observatory . isis captured a jordanian fighter pilot wednesday after his plane crashed over raqqa . evidence clearly indicates ' that the terrorist group did not down the aircraft , ' u.s. central command said in a statement . turkey warming up to iraq relations between iraq and turkey are improving because of the new government in baghdad , turkish foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu said thursday . now that the coldness between turkey and iraq is over , we will accelerate our relations in every possible way , ' he said in a televised interview . iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi said that iraq and turkey share common economic and security goals , according to anadolu agency , turkey 's government news agency . iraq wants to reach global oil market 's through turkey , al-abadi said . turkey 's prime minister ahmet davutoglu promised that turkey will not allow any foreign fighter access to syria , whether they be syrian opposition or isis fighters , according to anadolu agency . | isis did not shoot down plane with pilot , u.s. officials say |
isis <tsp> ( cnn ) the latest isis-appointed governor of mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on thursday , according to iraqi police . hassan saeed al-jabouri , also known as abu taluut , was killed 18 miles south of mosul in the village of qayyara , according to maj. gen. watheq al-hamdani , a senior regional iraqi police commander who is leading the government 's efforts to retake mosul from isis . jabouri is the second isis-appointed governor of mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days . earlier this month , u.s. airstrikes killed one of his predecessors , radwan taleb al-hamdouni , according to u.s. security officials . mosul is a key stronghold for isis fighters and was taken from iraqi forces earlier this year . the pentagon said that it has a strategy to retake the city beginning in january . meanwhile , more than 100 people were injured or killed in six airstrikes by syrian forces on the isis held city of al-bab and the town of qbasin in the northeast of aleppo , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . in the village of abo qassayed , 30 isis militants were killed tuesday as syrian kurdish forces captured that town held by isis , according to the observatory . isis captured a jordanian fighter pilot wednesday after his plane crashed over raqqa . evidence clearly indicates ' that the terrorist group did not down the aircraft , ' u.s. central command said in a statement . turkey warming up to iraq relations between iraq and turkey are improving because of the new government in baghdad , turkish foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu said thursday . now that the coldness between turkey and iraq is over , we will accelerate our relations in every possible way , ' he said in a televised interview . iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi said that iraq and turkey share common economic and security goals , according to anadolu agency , turkey 's government news agency . iraq wants to reach global oil market 's through turkey , al-abadi said . turkey 's prime minister ahmet davutoglu promised that turkey will not allow any foreign fighter access to syria , whether they be syrian opposition or isis fighters , according to anadolu agency . | 30 isis fighters are killed in syria by kurdish forces , rights group says |
isis <tsp> ( cnn ) the latest isis-appointed governor of mosul was killed in coalition airstrikes on thursday , according to iraqi police . hassan saeed al-jabouri , also known as abu taluut , was killed 18 miles south of mosul in the village of qayyara , according to maj. gen. watheq al-hamdani , a senior regional iraqi police commander who is leading the government 's efforts to retake mosul from isis . jabouri is the second isis-appointed governor of mosul killed by airstrikes and had been in office for less than 25 days . earlier this month , u.s. airstrikes killed one of his predecessors , radwan taleb al-hamdouni , according to u.s. security officials . mosul is a key stronghold for isis fighters and was taken from iraqi forces earlier this year . the pentagon said that it has a strategy to retake the city beginning in january . meanwhile , more than 100 people were injured or killed in six airstrikes by syrian forces on the isis held city of al-bab and the town of qbasin in the northeast of aleppo , according to the syrian observatory for human rights . in the village of abo qassayed , 30 isis militants were killed tuesday as syrian kurdish forces captured that town held by isis , according to the observatory . isis captured a jordanian fighter pilot wednesday after his plane crashed over raqqa . evidence clearly indicates ' that the terrorist group did not down the aircraft , ' u.s. central command said in a statement . turkey warming up to iraq relations between iraq and turkey are improving because of the new government in baghdad , turkish foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu said thursday . now that the coldness between turkey and iraq is over , we will accelerate our relations in every possible way , ' he said in a televised interview . iraqi prime minister haider al-abadi said that iraq and turkey share common economic and security goals , according to anadolu agency , turkey 's government news agency . iraq wants to reach global oil market 's through turkey , al-abadi said . turkey 's prime minister ahmet davutoglu promised that turkey will not allow any foreign fighter access to syria , whether they be syrian opposition or isis fighters , according to anadolu agency . | turkey promises iraq it will block border to syria from isis fighters |
afghanistan <tsp> seven u.s. marines were killed in the midair collision of two u.s. military helicopters along the arizona-california border , officials said thursday . six killed in the crash were based at camp pendleton , california , and one was from yuma , arizona , the marine corps said . the crash occurred during routine training operations wednesday night around 10:30 p.m . et , according to marine corps air station yuma base commander col. robert kuckuk . the collision occurred in the chocolate mountains on the california side of the range , near yuma . the aircraft , an ah-1w super cobra attack helicopter and a uh-1y huey utility chopper , were part of the 3rd marine aircraft wing and based at camp pendleton . according to gunnery sgt . dustin dunk , a spokesperson for air station yuma , two other helicopters were in the immediate area of the collision . authorities were investigating . we wo n't know exactly what happened until the investigation is complete , and we ca n't make any assumptions right now , ' said 1st lt. maureen dooley , a marine corps spokeswoman . while weather did not appear to play a factor , visibility may have been severely limited by nightfall and a significant amount of dust , referred to as a brown out , ' created by the helicopters landing and taking off , according to dunk . the marines on board were preparing for deployment to afghanistan , dooley said . we have aircraft going out to yuma training ranges on a weekly basis , and they go out there primarily because the aircraft mimics what they will see in afghanistan , ' dooley said . authorities did not plan to release the names of the marines involved until their families were notified . this tragedy serves as another stark and sad reminder of the peril our men and women in uniform encounter on a daily basis -- not only abroad , but on our own soil . it also reminds us that , whether in combat or training , no military mission is ever routine , ' arizona gov . jan brewer said in a statement . we must never take for granted nor forget these soldiers'sacrifice and service to the united states of america . ' marine corps air station yuma is home to about 4,000 active duty marines and sailors . it supports 80 % of the marine corps air-to-ground aviation training and covers five square miles in southeastern yuma . the military has long used the ah-1w and uh-1 huey for a variety of tasks . the military describes the ah-1w as the backbone of the united states marine corps'attack helicopter fleet . ' the uh-1y is a twin-engine , medium-size helicopter . | spokeswoman : marines onboard were preparing to deploy to afghanistan |
tucson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the u.s. supreme court 's decision upholding a piece of arizona 's controversial immigration law portends such a huge ' increase in policing for one department that the chief wondered tuesday if his agency will be able to handle the workload . at a time when the tucson police department is down 160 officers because of a weakened economy , the agency now must make up to 50,000 additional phone calls a year to federal officials to verify the immigration status of persons whom officers have stopped and have reason to believe are in the country illegally , police chief roberto villaseñor said tuesday . other law agencies in arizona , however , reported business as usual ' a day after the supreme court ruling . just 70 miles from the mexican border , the tucson department may have to spend more than $ 10 million a year to book and jail up to 36,000 arrestees also suspected of being illegal immigrants -- a more than 7 % increase to the agency 's $ 130 million budget , villaseñor said . the police chief said he wonders if his 950-officer agency has been dealt an impossible mandate . ' the state law , sb 1070 , allows citizens to sue his department or others if they fail to enforce federal immigration laws , the chief said . romney , gop struggle with immigration issue ' just for my agency , it will be a huge workload , just making the calls and waiting for a response on what to do , ' the police chief of arizona 's second-largest city said . i 'm not sure the federal government is capable of handling all the requests that they will be receiving , ' villaseñor added . i do n't know what effect it will have on my agency . ' tuesday marked the first 24 hours that state and local law agencies began enforcing the state immigration law since monday 's court ruling , and law agencies were either engaged in training or rolling out the mandatory immigration checks , said amy rezzonico , a spokeswoman for arizona attorney general 's office . i 'm pretty sure it will be business as usual to some degree , ' rezzonico said . analysis : five things learned from high court ruling that was the case for the more than 3,100 police officers in phoenix , the state 's largest city , located 180 miles from the border . a police department spokesman said tuesday he had no immediate feedback from officers or u.s. immigration and customs enforcement on the progress or results of the day 's immigration checks . we 're really not attempting a big shift from what we 're doing now , ' said spokesman sgt . tommy thompson . i think there 's a misconception that police officers in arizona are going to go out and hunt down people who are illegally in the united states . i am mandated to make a reasonable attempt to contact ice , ' thompson said . it 's 107 in phoenix today . how long am i going to stand on the side of the road with someone ( awaiting an ice response ) ? it 's a matter of minutes -- 20 minutes maybe , 30 minutes maybe . ' groups say immigration fight is changing arizona concerns by lawmen such as villaseñor unfolded as president barack obama and arizona gov . jan brewer squared off about the impact of monday 's u.s. supreme court ruling that upheld the show-me-your-papers ' provision -- but struck down other portions of the state law intended to deter illegal immigration . already , the obama administration has indicated it wo n't allow arizona 's immigration priorities to become federal priorities . the administration has ended the so-called 287 ( g ) agreements with arizona , under which state and local law agencies entered into a partnership with the department of homeland security and were delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions . also , the administration recently halted deportations of dream act-eligible immigrants -- young adult undocumented immigrants -- as it will redirect resources to deporting those who are deemed a greater threat , such as criminals . the white house highlighted its tougher approach on criminals in announcing a record number of deportations last year . in denouncing some of those obama measures , arizona 's brewer said further lawsuits lay ahead on the immigration status checks , and pledged , this certainly is not the end of our journey . ' the portion of the state law validated by the high court is potent , one expert said . if you read the statute carefully , it literally creates an obligation for all law enforcement agencies to determine status of individuals , ' said marc miller , a vice dean and law professor at the university of arizona . by making it a mandate and lining it up against the warnings of the supreme court , it 's created an impossibly difficult question for police and sheriffs . are we concerned about racial profiling ? absolutely . ' but how police will apply the law -- requiring immigration checks while enforcing other laws if reasonable suspicion ' of illegal immigration exists -- is confusing , ' cnn senior legal analyst jeffrey toobin said . what does it look like in the real world to have reasonable suspicion that someone is here illegally ? what is a police officer supposed to do ? ' toobin asked . how to apply that in the real world is kind of mysterious to me . ' at least two sheriffs in arizona said that the law wo n't result in great change for their departments . a changing national mood on immigration ? pima county sheriff clarence dupnik said his deputies will continue to call the border patrol to determine a person 's immigration status if a deputy suspects that person is in the country illegally . that will result in about 100 referrals a month to the border patrol , he said . we 're continuing to do business as usual , ' said dupnik , who 's been sheriff for 32 years . dupnik said he opposed sb 1070 because if the entire law had been upheld by the federal courts , it would have resulted in overcrowded jails and overburdened state courts . the more important thing is how the chief of a law enforcement agency chooses to enforce the law , ' dupnik said . for example , other counties do immigration sweeps , but not his , he said . law enforcement did not ask for this law , ' dupnik said . law enforcement did not need this law . ' santa cruz county sheriff tony estrada said the validated portion of the law marked very little change ' for his department . his county shares a 50-mile border with mexico and is a major corridor for smuggling of drugs and illegal migrants . his 39 officers will continue to call any of the 1,000 u.s. border patrol agents in his county to conduct immigration checks , he said . our concern is the public perception of what we are doing , ' he said . he fears latinos wo n't ask for help and witnesses wo n't come forward , he said . the hispanics will look at us a little differently , and that concerns me , ' estrada said . merchants and residents of the latino community reported anxiety and fear among clientele and neighbors . phoenix taqueria owner hector manrique said tuesday that business has been dropping since the law was proposed in 2010 ; he predicted it will get worse now that the supreme court has ruled . it 's bad for the hispanic community , ' said manrique , a native of mexico who has been in phoenix since 1990 and has run the taqueria guadalajara since 2003 . it seemed like everybody kind of forgot about it for a little bit and now , all of a sudden , i 've got friends who were talking to me yesterday , and they 're pretty scared because they 've got kids , they 've got family to support . ' kelly ramirez , 31 , of tucson , a real estate broker and business owner , said many latino immigrants do n't know the details of the law , but they do know something has changed . they ca n't really look into it , so what they 'll do is they 'll hide , ' she said . there 's going to be less conversation , less help from individuals that maybe are n't doing anything wrong but know of somebody that is . ' russell pearce , the former republican state senator who authored sb 1070 and then was ousted from office in a recall election in his suburban phoenix district last year , told cnn tuesday that accusations of possible racial profiling were demeaning to law enforcement . ' an officer is trained to pay attention to things that do n't fit . all this bill does is allow them to ask the questions they need to ask , ' pearce said . opinion : how arizona law hurts hispanic citizens cnn 's laura smith-spark , melissa abbey and kelly andersen contributed to this report . | tucson chief worries about $ 10 million cost and 50,000 immigration checks |
nato <tsp> kiev , ukraine ( cnn ) -- a planned missile defense system in eastern europe poses no threat to russia , president george bush said tuesday , responding to concerns that the u.s. might use interceptor missiles for offensive purposes . president bush , with president viktor yushchenko , praised ukraine 's democratic and military reforms . the missile defense system is not aimed at russia , ' bush said at a news conference in kiev following talks with the ukrainian president . it 's viewed as an anti-russian device . well , it 's not . ' his comments came before he left kiev for a nato summit in bucharest , romania , that is expected to highlight divisions over the plan . the summit begins wednesday . russia and some european countries have expressed concerns about the missile defense system . while poland and the czech republic have agreed to host parts of the system , others in europe share russian concerns that the defensive shield could be used for offensive aims . outside the u.s. embassy in kiev on monday , protesters gathered to denounce bush 's visit . they chanted , thrust signs into the air -- one reading , yankee go home ' -- and burned an effigy of bush in the street . watch the demonstration » the u.s. has tried to dissuade opposition over the plan . washington offered to allow russian monitors at the missile sites and to negotiate limits to the system over time . the united states also told russia the system would not be operational until iran test-fires a missile that could threaten europe . many european countries do n't believe the u.s. assertion that the system is needed to guard against imminent threats from iran or north korea . europe is dependent on russia for at least 40 percent of its oil and is reluctant to upset the kremlin . the issue will likely be divisive at this week 's three-day nato summit , where russian president vladimir putin plans to make a rare appearance . putin normally declines invitations to attend . bush is slated to meet sunday with putin in the russian resort city of sochi on the black sea , according to ria novosti . it will be the last meeting between the two men before the outgoing russian president steps down , the russian news agency reported . russia also is unhappy with nato 's eastward march . the alliance has already welcomed former soviet republics such as latvia , lithuania and estonia . bush is pushing hard for georgia and ukraine to join nato as well . before leaving tuesday for bucharest , bush said that russia will not be able to veto georgia 's or ukraine 's inclusion into nato . bush said that both countries should be able to take part in nato 's membership action plan , or map , which is designed to help aspiring countries meet the requirements of joining the alliance . i strongly believe that ukraine and georgia should be given map , ' bush said . and there 's no tradeoffs , period . ' the u.s. president further said he was working as hard as i can ' to ensure the two countries are accepted into the map and that russia will have no power to block their inclusion . in remarks last month , former u.s . ambassador to ukraine steven pifer told the u.s. commission on security and cooperation in europe that nato has long made clear that any decision regarding membership is between nato and the country concerned , and not subject to veto by any third party . ' russia is not a nato member but works with the alliance via the nato-russia council . russia 's concerns also align with those of some nato members who oppose welcoming georgia and ukraine into the fold . pifer said last month that nato should strive to maintain good relations with russia , but should not allow moscow a veto , either explicit or tacit , over relations between the alliance and third countries . ' allowing russia a say , pifer said , would encourage those in russia who wish to reassert a russian-led post-soviet bloc rather than develop a relationship of cooperation and full partnership with europe and the west . ' bush said he phoned putin recently to reassure him on both issues . nato is an organization that 's peaceful . nato is an organization that helps democracies flourish . and democracies are good things to have on your border , ' bush said he told putin . ukrainian president viktor yushchenko said his country should be able to start the nato membership process . we are not speaking about joining nato ; we are only speaking about map , ' he said at the news conference . why should ukraine be deprived of that sovereign right , since the principle of open doors is the basic principle for nato ? ' bush added that ukraine already contributes to nato missions , specifically in iraq , afghanistan and kosovo . ukraine also has demonstrated a commitment to democracy , he said . responding to a reporter 's question , bush denied that the united states might ease off on membership plans for ukraine and georgia if russia acquiesces on the missile shield . both issues threaten to destabilize nato , said jane sharp of the center for war studies at king 's college london , but she has heard particularly sharp criticism of the missile defense plan . somebody in the uk ministry of defense said to me ,'we are being dragged along on this missile defense thing to the american trough like pigs with rings in our noses ,'' sharp said . it 's a nuisance for europeans , and i think they are irritated with the czechs and the poles for trying to do deals with the americans . ' e-mail to a friend | analyst says both issues threaten to destabilize nato |
nato <tsp> kiev , ukraine ( cnn ) -- a planned missile defense system in eastern europe poses no threat to russia , president george bush said tuesday , responding to concerns that the u.s. might use interceptor missiles for offensive purposes . president bush , with president viktor yushchenko , praised ukraine 's democratic and military reforms . the missile defense system is not aimed at russia , ' bush said at a news conference in kiev following talks with the ukrainian president . it 's viewed as an anti-russian device . well , it 's not . ' his comments came before he left kiev for a nato summit in bucharest , romania , that is expected to highlight divisions over the plan . the summit begins wednesday . russia and some european countries have expressed concerns about the missile defense system . while poland and the czech republic have agreed to host parts of the system , others in europe share russian concerns that the defensive shield could be used for offensive aims . outside the u.s. embassy in kiev on monday , protesters gathered to denounce bush 's visit . they chanted , thrust signs into the air -- one reading , yankee go home ' -- and burned an effigy of bush in the street . watch the demonstration » the u.s. has tried to dissuade opposition over the plan . washington offered to allow russian monitors at the missile sites and to negotiate limits to the system over time . the united states also told russia the system would not be operational until iran test-fires a missile that could threaten europe . many european countries do n't believe the u.s. assertion that the system is needed to guard against imminent threats from iran or north korea . europe is dependent on russia for at least 40 percent of its oil and is reluctant to upset the kremlin . the issue will likely be divisive at this week 's three-day nato summit , where russian president vladimir putin plans to make a rare appearance . putin normally declines invitations to attend . bush is slated to meet sunday with putin in the russian resort city of sochi on the black sea , according to ria novosti . it will be the last meeting between the two men before the outgoing russian president steps down , the russian news agency reported . russia also is unhappy with nato 's eastward march . the alliance has already welcomed former soviet republics such as latvia , lithuania and estonia . bush is pushing hard for georgia and ukraine to join nato as well . before leaving tuesday for bucharest , bush said that russia will not be able to veto georgia 's or ukraine 's inclusion into nato . bush said that both countries should be able to take part in nato 's membership action plan , or map , which is designed to help aspiring countries meet the requirements of joining the alliance . i strongly believe that ukraine and georgia should be given map , ' bush said . and there 's no tradeoffs , period . ' the u.s. president further said he was working as hard as i can ' to ensure the two countries are accepted into the map and that russia will have no power to block their inclusion . in remarks last month , former u.s . ambassador to ukraine steven pifer told the u.s. commission on security and cooperation in europe that nato has long made clear that any decision regarding membership is between nato and the country concerned , and not subject to veto by any third party . ' russia is not a nato member but works with the alliance via the nato-russia council . russia 's concerns also align with those of some nato members who oppose welcoming georgia and ukraine into the fold . pifer said last month that nato should strive to maintain good relations with russia , but should not allow moscow a veto , either explicit or tacit , over relations between the alliance and third countries . ' allowing russia a say , pifer said , would encourage those in russia who wish to reassert a russian-led post-soviet bloc rather than develop a relationship of cooperation and full partnership with europe and the west . ' bush said he phoned putin recently to reassure him on both issues . nato is an organization that 's peaceful . nato is an organization that helps democracies flourish . and democracies are good things to have on your border , ' bush said he told putin . ukrainian president viktor yushchenko said his country should be able to start the nato membership process . we are not speaking about joining nato ; we are only speaking about map , ' he said at the news conference . why should ukraine be deprived of that sovereign right , since the principle of open doors is the basic principle for nato ? ' bush added that ukraine already contributes to nato missions , specifically in iraq , afghanistan and kosovo . ukraine also has demonstrated a commitment to democracy , he said . responding to a reporter 's question , bush denied that the united states might ease off on membership plans for ukraine and georgia if russia acquiesces on the missile shield . both issues threaten to destabilize nato , said jane sharp of the center for war studies at king 's college london , but she has heard particularly sharp criticism of the missile defense plan . somebody in the uk ministry of defense said to me ,'we are being dragged along on this missile defense thing to the american trough like pigs with rings in our noses ,'' sharp said . it 's a nuisance for europeans , and i think they are irritated with the czechs and the poles for trying to do deals with the americans . ' e-mail to a friend | u.s. president says he will push for ukraine , georgia to join nato |
nato <tsp> kiev , ukraine ( cnn ) -- a planned missile defense system in eastern europe poses no threat to russia , president george bush said tuesday , responding to concerns that the u.s. might use interceptor missiles for offensive purposes . president bush , with president viktor yushchenko , praised ukraine 's democratic and military reforms . the missile defense system is not aimed at russia , ' bush said at a news conference in kiev following talks with the ukrainian president . it 's viewed as an anti-russian device . well , it 's not . ' his comments came before he left kiev for a nato summit in bucharest , romania , that is expected to highlight divisions over the plan . the summit begins wednesday . russia and some european countries have expressed concerns about the missile defense system . while poland and the czech republic have agreed to host parts of the system , others in europe share russian concerns that the defensive shield could be used for offensive aims . outside the u.s. embassy in kiev on monday , protesters gathered to denounce bush 's visit . they chanted , thrust signs into the air -- one reading , yankee go home ' -- and burned an effigy of bush in the street . watch the demonstration » the u.s. has tried to dissuade opposition over the plan . washington offered to allow russian monitors at the missile sites and to negotiate limits to the system over time . the united states also told russia the system would not be operational until iran test-fires a missile that could threaten europe . many european countries do n't believe the u.s. assertion that the system is needed to guard against imminent threats from iran or north korea . europe is dependent on russia for at least 40 percent of its oil and is reluctant to upset the kremlin . the issue will likely be divisive at this week 's three-day nato summit , where russian president vladimir putin plans to make a rare appearance . putin normally declines invitations to attend . bush is slated to meet sunday with putin in the russian resort city of sochi on the black sea , according to ria novosti . it will be the last meeting between the two men before the outgoing russian president steps down , the russian news agency reported . russia also is unhappy with nato 's eastward march . the alliance has already welcomed former soviet republics such as latvia , lithuania and estonia . bush is pushing hard for georgia and ukraine to join nato as well . before leaving tuesday for bucharest , bush said that russia will not be able to veto georgia 's or ukraine 's inclusion into nato . bush said that both countries should be able to take part in nato 's membership action plan , or map , which is designed to help aspiring countries meet the requirements of joining the alliance . i strongly believe that ukraine and georgia should be given map , ' bush said . and there 's no tradeoffs , period . ' the u.s. president further said he was working as hard as i can ' to ensure the two countries are accepted into the map and that russia will have no power to block their inclusion . in remarks last month , former u.s . ambassador to ukraine steven pifer told the u.s. commission on security and cooperation in europe that nato has long made clear that any decision regarding membership is between nato and the country concerned , and not subject to veto by any third party . ' russia is not a nato member but works with the alliance via the nato-russia council . russia 's concerns also align with those of some nato members who oppose welcoming georgia and ukraine into the fold . pifer said last month that nato should strive to maintain good relations with russia , but should not allow moscow a veto , either explicit or tacit , over relations between the alliance and third countries . ' allowing russia a say , pifer said , would encourage those in russia who wish to reassert a russian-led post-soviet bloc rather than develop a relationship of cooperation and full partnership with europe and the west . ' bush said he phoned putin recently to reassure him on both issues . nato is an organization that 's peaceful . nato is an organization that helps democracies flourish . and democracies are good things to have on your border , ' bush said he told putin . ukrainian president viktor yushchenko said his country should be able to start the nato membership process . we are not speaking about joining nato ; we are only speaking about map , ' he said at the news conference . why should ukraine be deprived of that sovereign right , since the principle of open doors is the basic principle for nato ? ' bush added that ukraine already contributes to nato missions , specifically in iraq , afghanistan and kosovo . ukraine also has demonstrated a commitment to democracy , he said . responding to a reporter 's question , bush denied that the united states might ease off on membership plans for ukraine and georgia if russia acquiesces on the missile shield . both issues threaten to destabilize nato , said jane sharp of the center for war studies at king 's college london , but she has heard particularly sharp criticism of the missile defense plan . somebody in the uk ministry of defense said to me ,'we are being dragged along on this missile defense thing to the american trough like pigs with rings in our noses ,'' sharp said . it 's a nuisance for europeans , and i think they are irritated with the czechs and the poles for trying to do deals with the americans . ' e-mail to a friend | new : bush : russia ca n't veto georgia 's , ukraine 's inclusion in nato 's map program |
ireport boot camp <tsp> editor 's note : brandon ancil is a digital producer and editor for cnn.com . like many cnn ireporters , he shoots , edits and produces all of his content himself . below are some tips to editing a video piece from start to finish . read up , then give ancil 's advice a try in this week 's ireport boot camp challenge . in the world of video production , it 's not a stretch to say that video editors are easily overlooked . last in line to get their hands on the material , the choices a video editor makes can drastically change the impact a video has . with the right style , tone and technique , an ordinary video can be transformed into a gripping video experience . and once you have the basic tools of how to edit , it 's only a matter of time before you 're editing like a pro . review footage the first step when editing is to get your footage onto your computer . the very next step should be to review it . watching all of the video you have to work with , from beginning to end , will bring the story back to you . and while you 're reviewing your footage , you should also be organizing it . organization all editors have their own system of organization . some lay their clips out chronologically while others set their clips into scenes . first determine how you 'd like to organize your clips and then make it happen . luckily , all editing programs from final cut pro to windows movie maker have one basic organized layout . they include : a timeline ( an area where footage can be laid down for review and cutting ) , a clip bin ( an area where transferred clips can be labeled and organized for viewing ) and a viewer ( the video playback area of your editing program ) . whether you 're editing a small project or a large one , it 's best to keep the elements in your bin well catalogued . organization will save you time and stop an editor from being overwhelmed by the amount of available footage . at the beginning of an edit , i break down my video elements into three main groups : b-roll : any video footage that does not include interviews . sots : sot ' or sound on tape , refers to interviews or specific audio for your story . graphics : extra elements that are created in pre- or post-production to enhance the story . make it functional , then fancy no matter how beautiful or beat-up the shots may be , video storytelling is at its core , storytelling . as an editor , your main responsibility should be to tell the story in the most responsible way . you do this by first arranging your audio from interviews , natural sound and/or a voiceover to create your storyline . once that is done , you can then begin to add exciting visual elements to enhance the storytelling . lead with action buck the notion that you save the best for last . in video , you 've got to grab your viewer 's attention and keep it the entire way through . whether it 's compelling video or sound , always lead with an active element that is both integral to the story and interesting to the viewer . create pace and tension there 's nothing worse than a story that gives it all away in the beginning . as an editor , it 's important to create a storyline with tension that builds to keep the viewer watching . if not , you 've broken an unwritten promise to the viewer . audio and music music can aid in building pace and tension in a story . just remember a piece of music should not change the meaning or intent of the story . a way to check this is to simply watch the piece with the music playing -- and then watch it with the music muted . if you find your impression of the story as a whole has changed , revisit your music selection . a music track should complement your story , not compete with it . also select your music carefully . do n't use trademarked music unless you have the license to do so . try using music that 's available in the public domain . sites like pd info can help you identity useable music . make your edits count as with shooting , there are many cardinal sins in editing . among them : jump-cuts , splitting the axis and video effects or transitions . jump-cut : a jump-cut occurs when an editor makes a cut that appears to have skipped or jumped forward . the easiest example to visualize is in an interview setting . if an editor cuts from one thought too quickly to the next without a camera movement or transition , the cut looks noticeably like it has jumped forward . a way to avoid this is to use b-roll ' to cover those cuts . splitting the axis : splitting the axis differs from a jump-cut because of its severity . instead of little change , crossing the axis is a sudden shot change from one side of your subject to his or her opposite side . to better understand , imagine you 're watching an interview . the person is facing the camera with most of their right side toward the camera . suddenly , the camera angle changes , and you see the opposite side of the interviewee . you have crossed the axis - which is a visually jarring cut , and something that should be avoided at all costs . video effects and/or transitions : when used effectively ( and sparingly ) , these elements can aid in cleaning up a video . a white flash can help mitigate a jump cut , or a dip to black can add needed pacing to an emotional story . restraint the kiss acronym -- keep it simple and straightforward ' has never let me down . suppressing your desire to add in more elements can oftentimes be your best tool . this may mean eliminating useless transition effects , graphics or excessive shot changes . finishing touches after you 've edited your piece , take the time to critically review the choices you 've made in both story and video . a peer-review is a great tool . showing your work to someone who has n't seen it before will provide a fresh perspective on your piece . listening to the person 's feedback will help you fill in holes that you may not have noticed yourself . tips learned the hard way save constantly . no one wants to redo their project . and backup your material . if you have enough space , either keep the footage on your camera or double up your material on another computer . for more tips on video production , check out digital producer and editor nick scott 's tip on shooting video . | cnn 's ireport boot camp challenges ireporters to improve storytelling chops |
cnn <tsp> editor 's note : brandon ancil is a digital producer and editor for cnn.com . like many cnn ireporters , he shoots , edits and produces all of his content himself . below are some tips to editing a video piece from start to finish . read up , then give ancil 's advice a try in this week 's ireport boot camp challenge . in the world of video production , it 's not a stretch to say that video editors are easily overlooked . last in line to get their hands on the material , the choices a video editor makes can drastically change the impact a video has . with the right style , tone and technique , an ordinary video can be transformed into a gripping video experience . and once you have the basic tools of how to edit , it 's only a matter of time before you 're editing like a pro . review footage the first step when editing is to get your footage onto your computer . the very next step should be to review it . watching all of the video you have to work with , from beginning to end , will bring the story back to you . and while you 're reviewing your footage , you should also be organizing it . organization all editors have their own system of organization . some lay their clips out chronologically while others set their clips into scenes . first determine how you 'd like to organize your clips and then make it happen . luckily , all editing programs from final cut pro to windows movie maker have one basic organized layout . they include : a timeline ( an area where footage can be laid down for review and cutting ) , a clip bin ( an area where transferred clips can be labeled and organized for viewing ) and a viewer ( the video playback area of your editing program ) . whether you 're editing a small project or a large one , it 's best to keep the elements in your bin well catalogued . organization will save you time and stop an editor from being overwhelmed by the amount of available footage . at the beginning of an edit , i break down my video elements into three main groups : b-roll : any video footage that does not include interviews . sots : sot ' or sound on tape , refers to interviews or specific audio for your story . graphics : extra elements that are created in pre- or post-production to enhance the story . make it functional , then fancy no matter how beautiful or beat-up the shots may be , video storytelling is at its core , storytelling . as an editor , your main responsibility should be to tell the story in the most responsible way . you do this by first arranging your audio from interviews , natural sound and/or a voiceover to create your storyline . once that is done , you can then begin to add exciting visual elements to enhance the storytelling . lead with action buck the notion that you save the best for last . in video , you 've got to grab your viewer 's attention and keep it the entire way through . whether it 's compelling video or sound , always lead with an active element that is both integral to the story and interesting to the viewer . create pace and tension there 's nothing worse than a story that gives it all away in the beginning . as an editor , it 's important to create a storyline with tension that builds to keep the viewer watching . if not , you 've broken an unwritten promise to the viewer . audio and music music can aid in building pace and tension in a story . just remember a piece of music should not change the meaning or intent of the story . a way to check this is to simply watch the piece with the music playing -- and then watch it with the music muted . if you find your impression of the story as a whole has changed , revisit your music selection . a music track should complement your story , not compete with it . also select your music carefully . do n't use trademarked music unless you have the license to do so . try using music that 's available in the public domain . sites like pd info can help you identity useable music . make your edits count as with shooting , there are many cardinal sins in editing . among them : jump-cuts , splitting the axis and video effects or transitions . jump-cut : a jump-cut occurs when an editor makes a cut that appears to have skipped or jumped forward . the easiest example to visualize is in an interview setting . if an editor cuts from one thought too quickly to the next without a camera movement or transition , the cut looks noticeably like it has jumped forward . a way to avoid this is to use b-roll ' to cover those cuts . splitting the axis : splitting the axis differs from a jump-cut because of its severity . instead of little change , crossing the axis is a sudden shot change from one side of your subject to his or her opposite side . to better understand , imagine you 're watching an interview . the person is facing the camera with most of their right side toward the camera . suddenly , the camera angle changes , and you see the opposite side of the interviewee . you have crossed the axis - which is a visually jarring cut , and something that should be avoided at all costs . video effects and/or transitions : when used effectively ( and sparingly ) , these elements can aid in cleaning up a video . a white flash can help mitigate a jump cut , or a dip to black can add needed pacing to an emotional story . restraint the kiss acronym -- keep it simple and straightforward ' has never let me down . suppressing your desire to add in more elements can oftentimes be your best tool . this may mean eliminating useless transition effects , graphics or excessive shot changes . finishing touches after you 've edited your piece , take the time to critically review the choices you 've made in both story and video . a peer-review is a great tool . showing your work to someone who has n't seen it before will provide a fresh perspective on your piece . listening to the person 's feedback will help you fill in holes that you may not have noticed yourself . tips learned the hard way save constantly . no one wants to redo their project . and backup your material . if you have enough space , either keep the footage on your camera or double up your material on another computer . for more tips on video production , check out digital producer and editor nick scott 's tip on shooting video . | cnn 's brandon ancil shares his advice on editing video |
cnn <tsp> editor 's note : brandon ancil is a digital producer and editor for cnn.com . like many cnn ireporters , he shoots , edits and produces all of his content himself . below are some tips to editing a video piece from start to finish . read up , then give ancil 's advice a try in this week 's ireport boot camp challenge . in the world of video production , it 's not a stretch to say that video editors are easily overlooked . last in line to get their hands on the material , the choices a video editor makes can drastically change the impact a video has . with the right style , tone and technique , an ordinary video can be transformed into a gripping video experience . and once you have the basic tools of how to edit , it 's only a matter of time before you 're editing like a pro . review footage the first step when editing is to get your footage onto your computer . the very next step should be to review it . watching all of the video you have to work with , from beginning to end , will bring the story back to you . and while you 're reviewing your footage , you should also be organizing it . organization all editors have their own system of organization . some lay their clips out chronologically while others set their clips into scenes . first determine how you 'd like to organize your clips and then make it happen . luckily , all editing programs from final cut pro to windows movie maker have one basic organized layout . they include : a timeline ( an area where footage can be laid down for review and cutting ) , a clip bin ( an area where transferred clips can be labeled and organized for viewing ) and a viewer ( the video playback area of your editing program ) . whether you 're editing a small project or a large one , it 's best to keep the elements in your bin well catalogued . organization will save you time and stop an editor from being overwhelmed by the amount of available footage . at the beginning of an edit , i break down my video elements into three main groups : b-roll : any video footage that does not include interviews . sots : sot ' or sound on tape , refers to interviews or specific audio for your story . graphics : extra elements that are created in pre- or post-production to enhance the story . make it functional , then fancy no matter how beautiful or beat-up the shots may be , video storytelling is at its core , storytelling . as an editor , your main responsibility should be to tell the story in the most responsible way . you do this by first arranging your audio from interviews , natural sound and/or a voiceover to create your storyline . once that is done , you can then begin to add exciting visual elements to enhance the storytelling . lead with action buck the notion that you save the best for last . in video , you 've got to grab your viewer 's attention and keep it the entire way through . whether it 's compelling video or sound , always lead with an active element that is both integral to the story and interesting to the viewer . create pace and tension there 's nothing worse than a story that gives it all away in the beginning . as an editor , it 's important to create a storyline with tension that builds to keep the viewer watching . if not , you 've broken an unwritten promise to the viewer . audio and music music can aid in building pace and tension in a story . just remember a piece of music should not change the meaning or intent of the story . a way to check this is to simply watch the piece with the music playing -- and then watch it with the music muted . if you find your impression of the story as a whole has changed , revisit your music selection . a music track should complement your story , not compete with it . also select your music carefully . do n't use trademarked music unless you have the license to do so . try using music that 's available in the public domain . sites like pd info can help you identity useable music . make your edits count as with shooting , there are many cardinal sins in editing . among them : jump-cuts , splitting the axis and video effects or transitions . jump-cut : a jump-cut occurs when an editor makes a cut that appears to have skipped or jumped forward . the easiest example to visualize is in an interview setting . if an editor cuts from one thought too quickly to the next without a camera movement or transition , the cut looks noticeably like it has jumped forward . a way to avoid this is to use b-roll ' to cover those cuts . splitting the axis : splitting the axis differs from a jump-cut because of its severity . instead of little change , crossing the axis is a sudden shot change from one side of your subject to his or her opposite side . to better understand , imagine you 're watching an interview . the person is facing the camera with most of their right side toward the camera . suddenly , the camera angle changes , and you see the opposite side of the interviewee . you have crossed the axis - which is a visually jarring cut , and something that should be avoided at all costs . video effects and/or transitions : when used effectively ( and sparingly ) , these elements can aid in cleaning up a video . a white flash can help mitigate a jump cut , or a dip to black can add needed pacing to an emotional story . restraint the kiss acronym -- keep it simple and straightforward ' has never let me down . suppressing your desire to add in more elements can oftentimes be your best tool . this may mean eliminating useless transition effects , graphics or excessive shot changes . finishing touches after you 've edited your piece , take the time to critically review the choices you 've made in both story and video . a peer-review is a great tool . showing your work to someone who has n't seen it before will provide a fresh perspective on your piece . listening to the person 's feedback will help you fill in holes that you may not have noticed yourself . tips learned the hard way save constantly . no one wants to redo their project . and backup your material . if you have enough space , either keep the footage on your camera or double up your material on another computer . for more tips on video production , check out digital producer and editor nick scott 's tip on shooting video . | cnn 's ireport boot camp challenges ireporters to improve storytelling chops |
rigby <tsp> ( cnn ) -- two men convicted of killing a british soldier on a london street last year were sentenced wednesday , one to life in prison and the other to a minimum of 45 years . in a brutal attack recorded on closed-circuit tv and by bystanders , michael adebolajo and michael adebowale hit soldier lee rigby with a car then hacked him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in may 2013 . the islamic converts , through testimony or their lawyers'arguments in court , indicated they killed rigby for allah . cellphone footage replayed at the trial showed adebolajo , still clutching a cleaver in his bloody hands , ranting that the killing was an eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth ' for british soldiers killing muslims overseas . they were convicted of murder in december . adebolajo will spend life in prison . adebowale received a sentence of at least 45 years . rigby , who had served in afghanistan and was off duty when he was killed at the age of 25 , left behind a wife and a young son . the prosecution had asked for the maximum possible sentence : life imprisonment without parole . but defense lawyers argued wednesday for leniency . barrister david gottlieb told the court that the victim was chosen because he was a member of the armed forces and that no one else was hurt in the attack . prosecutor sue hemming said the pair reveled in one of the most appalling terrorist murders i have ever seen . ' not only was the attack brutal and calculated , it was also designed to advance extremist views , ' she said in a prepared statement . as a solider , fusilier lee rigby was targeted in a clear act of revenge , deliberately carried out in full view of members of the public for maximum impact . ' family members attended court wednesday to hear the sentences handed down . outside the court , demonstrators from the english defence league , a far-right group , carried signs calling for capital punishment to be restored . britain abolished the death penalty in the 1960s .'i am a soldier of allah' at the trial , the prosecution said that the pair -- both born and raised in britain by families of christian nigerian origin -- deliberately attacked an unarmed man from behind , using a vehicle as a weapon , and that they murdered him and mutilated his body . at trial , adebolajo denied the charges of murder on the grounds that he had acted from religious conviction . he converted to islam in 2002 to 2003 , while at a university . adebowale , who did not take the stand , converted to islam more recently , in 2008 to 2009 . in court , adebolajo gave a matter-of-fact account of his actions . he declared himself a warrior for allah and said he saw al qaeda as his brothers in islam . ' he testified the only way he knew that rigby was a soldier was because of his backpack . summing up the case before the jury deliberated , judge nigel sweeney reminded jurors of what happened in the 13 minutes between rigby 's body being dragged into the middle of a road near the woolwich barracks and the arrival of police . the judge also cited details of adebolajo 's police interview and witness testimony , including that he loved al qaeda and that he had tried to cut off rigby 's head because it was the proper method under allah . when asked at the trial what his defense to the charge of murder was , adebolajo said : i am a soldier . i am a soldier of allah . ' may :'sickening and barbaric' though adebowale did not give evidence at the trial , his lawyer , abbas lakha , echoed adebolajo 's testimony regarding their intent . the judge told the jury that the defense 's argument -- that rigby 's killing was an act of war or of retaliation -- did not apply . adebolajo and adebowale were found not guilty of attempted murder of a police officer in the case . the prosecution had argued that when they ran toward the police vehicle that responded after rigby 's murder -- with adebolajo holding a knife and adebowale a gun -- they intended to kill an officer . however , the defense argued that the two men wanted to be killed by police . the gun was not loaded . at the time of the verdict , home secretary theresa may said the sickening and barbaric murder ' of rigby had united the entire nation in condemnation . ' violence and extremism of any kind have absolutely no place in our society and can not be justified , ' she said . cnn 's kellie morgan , marie-louise gumuchian and carol jordan contributed to this report . | new : michael adebowale is sentenced to at least 45 years in lee rigby 's death |
rigby <tsp> ( cnn ) -- two men convicted of killing a british soldier on a london street last year were sentenced wednesday , one to life in prison and the other to a minimum of 45 years . in a brutal attack recorded on closed-circuit tv and by bystanders , michael adebolajo and michael adebowale hit soldier lee rigby with a car then hacked him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in may 2013 . the islamic converts , through testimony or their lawyers'arguments in court , indicated they killed rigby for allah . cellphone footage replayed at the trial showed adebolajo , still clutching a cleaver in his bloody hands , ranting that the killing was an eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth ' for british soldiers killing muslims overseas . they were convicted of murder in december . adebolajo will spend life in prison . adebowale received a sentence of at least 45 years . rigby , who had served in afghanistan and was off duty when he was killed at the age of 25 , left behind a wife and a young son . the prosecution had asked for the maximum possible sentence : life imprisonment without parole . but defense lawyers argued wednesday for leniency . barrister david gottlieb told the court that the victim was chosen because he was a member of the armed forces and that no one else was hurt in the attack . prosecutor sue hemming said the pair reveled in one of the most appalling terrorist murders i have ever seen . ' not only was the attack brutal and calculated , it was also designed to advance extremist views , ' she said in a prepared statement . as a solider , fusilier lee rigby was targeted in a clear act of revenge , deliberately carried out in full view of members of the public for maximum impact . ' family members attended court wednesday to hear the sentences handed down . outside the court , demonstrators from the english defence league , a far-right group , carried signs calling for capital punishment to be restored . britain abolished the death penalty in the 1960s .'i am a soldier of allah' at the trial , the prosecution said that the pair -- both born and raised in britain by families of christian nigerian origin -- deliberately attacked an unarmed man from behind , using a vehicle as a weapon , and that they murdered him and mutilated his body . at trial , adebolajo denied the charges of murder on the grounds that he had acted from religious conviction . he converted to islam in 2002 to 2003 , while at a university . adebowale , who did not take the stand , converted to islam more recently , in 2008 to 2009 . in court , adebolajo gave a matter-of-fact account of his actions . he declared himself a warrior for allah and said he saw al qaeda as his brothers in islam . ' he testified the only way he knew that rigby was a soldier was because of his backpack . summing up the case before the jury deliberated , judge nigel sweeney reminded jurors of what happened in the 13 minutes between rigby 's body being dragged into the middle of a road near the woolwich barracks and the arrival of police . the judge also cited details of adebolajo 's police interview and witness testimony , including that he loved al qaeda and that he had tried to cut off rigby 's head because it was the proper method under allah . when asked at the trial what his defense to the charge of murder was , adebolajo said : i am a soldier . i am a soldier of allah . ' may :'sickening and barbaric' though adebowale did not give evidence at the trial , his lawyer , abbas lakha , echoed adebolajo 's testimony regarding their intent . the judge told the jury that the defense 's argument -- that rigby 's killing was an act of war or of retaliation -- did not apply . adebolajo and adebowale were found not guilty of attempted murder of a police officer in the case . the prosecution had argued that when they ran toward the police vehicle that responded after rigby 's murder -- with adebolajo holding a knife and adebowale a gun -- they intended to kill an officer . however , the defense argued that the two men wanted to be killed by police . the gun was not loaded . at the time of the verdict , home secretary theresa may said the sickening and barbaric murder ' of rigby had united the entire nation in condemnation . ' violence and extremism of any kind have absolutely no place in our society and can not be justified , ' she said . cnn 's kellie morgan , marie-louise gumuchian and carol jordan contributed to this report . | the pair hit rigby with a car , hacked him to death with meat cleaver and knives |
venezuela <tsp> it 's been a month since violent clashes between opposition demonstrators and government forces in venezuela first grabbed global attention . protests rage on , and demonstrators show no sign of backing down . medical sources at a hospital in venezuela 's carabobo state said a student protester and a 42-year-old man were killed in clashes there wednesday . state media accused violent right-wing groups of attacking a worker 's march there . in a twitter post , state gov . francisco ameliach said a national guard captain had been killed in fighting , which he described as terrorism . ' a government tally released tuesday said at least 23 people had been killed nationwide and more than 200 others have been injured since protests started . the tally did not specify whether the casualties occurred among demonstrators or government forces , or both . student protesters on both sides packed streets in caracas wednesday . state-run vtv showed pro-government demonstrators waving flags with the face of former president hugo chavez as they marched . opposition student protesters also marched in the country 's capital , cnn affiliate globovision reported , calling for the resignation of the government 's ombudsman . violence surged this week in tachira state , which borders colombia . government forces shot tear gas at opposition barricades there , and a well-known student leader was gunned down monday . daniel tinoco , 24 , was a university student studying mechanical engineering . he died after he was shot in the chest . witnesses told cnn en español that they were at a peaceful vigil with tinoco in the city of san cristobal when two white trucks with 10 armed passengers ambushed the protesters and open fire . the witnesses accused government intelligence services of being complicit in the shooting . authorities have said they 're investigating and denied reports that a government vehicle was involved in the shooting . the weeks of protests across venezuela mark the biggest threat president nicolas maduro has faced since his election last year . demonstrators say they have taken to the streets to protest shortages of goods , high inflation and high crime . opposition protesters and government officials have traded blame for the violence for weeks . in an exclusive interview with cnn 's christiane amanpour last week , maduro was unapologetic about his government 's response to opposition protesters . think about what the u.s. government would do if a political group laid out a road map for overthrowing president barack obama , maduro said . what would happen in the united states if a group said they were going to start something in the united states so that president obama leaves , resigns , to change the constitutional government of the united states ? ' maduro said . surely , the state would react , would use all the force that the law gives it to re-establish order and to put those who are against the constitution where they belong . ' an opposition leader who encouraged protests , leopoldo lopez , remains behind bars , facing charges of arson and conspiracy . he created a road map to topple the legitimate government , ' maduro told cnn last week . so now he 's in jail and he has to go through justice . ' but opposition demonstrators have argued that the government 's approach of tamping down dissent is anything but just . no one accepts a monologue nor impositions from a government that has wanted to resolve the crisis with deaths , injuries , tortures , detentions and prisoners , ' opposition leader henrique capriles radonski said in a twitter post wednesday . after a meeting in santiago , chile , to discuss the crisis in venezuela , foreign ministers from the union of south american nations said they would send a special commission to support and advise a process of peaceful political dialogue in venezuela . the group will have its first meeting by the first week in april , the statement said . the foreign ministers from argentina , bolivia , brazil , chile , colombia , ecuador , guyana , paraguay , peru , suriname and uruguay condemned the recent violence in venezuela and expressed their solidarity with the families of the victims , with the people and with the democratically elected government of this sister nation . ' in remarks broadcast on state-run vtv tuesday night , maduro said he would welcome a delegation from the regional body to help encourage dialogue in venezuela . at a u.s. house hearing wednesday , secretary of state john kerry said the u.s. government is prepared to sanction venezuela if the situation worsens , but he also cautioned that the country 's economy is already fragile . while the united states has voiced its concerns , other countries in the region are not listening to us , particularly , obviously , ' kerry said . the venezuelan government has continued efforts to blame the united states for problems there , he said , which makes it hard for us to be able to have the impact we 'd like to have . ' but still , kerry said he hoped peer pressure from other south american nations could help resolve the crisis . i think the best hope right now is that the efforts of the neighboring countries , who are deeply concerned about what is happening and its impact on the region , may , may be able to encourage the kind of dialogue that could actually pave a way forward , ' he said . we 've become an excuse . we 're a card they play . ' venezuela cuts ties with panama , calling country a'lackey'for the u.s . | venezuela 's government says 23 people have been killed in a month of demonstrations |
venezuela <tsp> it 's been a month since violent clashes between opposition demonstrators and government forces in venezuela first grabbed global attention . protests rage on , and demonstrators show no sign of backing down . medical sources at a hospital in venezuela 's carabobo state said a student protester and a 42-year-old man were killed in clashes there wednesday . state media accused violent right-wing groups of attacking a worker 's march there . in a twitter post , state gov . francisco ameliach said a national guard captain had been killed in fighting , which he described as terrorism . ' a government tally released tuesday said at least 23 people had been killed nationwide and more than 200 others have been injured since protests started . the tally did not specify whether the casualties occurred among demonstrators or government forces , or both . student protesters on both sides packed streets in caracas wednesday . state-run vtv showed pro-government demonstrators waving flags with the face of former president hugo chavez as they marched . opposition student protesters also marched in the country 's capital , cnn affiliate globovision reported , calling for the resignation of the government 's ombudsman . violence surged this week in tachira state , which borders colombia . government forces shot tear gas at opposition barricades there , and a well-known student leader was gunned down monday . daniel tinoco , 24 , was a university student studying mechanical engineering . he died after he was shot in the chest . witnesses told cnn en español that they were at a peaceful vigil with tinoco in the city of san cristobal when two white trucks with 10 armed passengers ambushed the protesters and open fire . the witnesses accused government intelligence services of being complicit in the shooting . authorities have said they 're investigating and denied reports that a government vehicle was involved in the shooting . the weeks of protests across venezuela mark the biggest threat president nicolas maduro has faced since his election last year . demonstrators say they have taken to the streets to protest shortages of goods , high inflation and high crime . opposition protesters and government officials have traded blame for the violence for weeks . in an exclusive interview with cnn 's christiane amanpour last week , maduro was unapologetic about his government 's response to opposition protesters . think about what the u.s. government would do if a political group laid out a road map for overthrowing president barack obama , maduro said . what would happen in the united states if a group said they were going to start something in the united states so that president obama leaves , resigns , to change the constitutional government of the united states ? ' maduro said . surely , the state would react , would use all the force that the law gives it to re-establish order and to put those who are against the constitution where they belong . ' an opposition leader who encouraged protests , leopoldo lopez , remains behind bars , facing charges of arson and conspiracy . he created a road map to topple the legitimate government , ' maduro told cnn last week . so now he 's in jail and he has to go through justice . ' but opposition demonstrators have argued that the government 's approach of tamping down dissent is anything but just . no one accepts a monologue nor impositions from a government that has wanted to resolve the crisis with deaths , injuries , tortures , detentions and prisoners , ' opposition leader henrique capriles radonski said in a twitter post wednesday . after a meeting in santiago , chile , to discuss the crisis in venezuela , foreign ministers from the union of south american nations said they would send a special commission to support and advise a process of peaceful political dialogue in venezuela . the group will have its first meeting by the first week in april , the statement said . the foreign ministers from argentina , bolivia , brazil , chile , colombia , ecuador , guyana , paraguay , peru , suriname and uruguay condemned the recent violence in venezuela and expressed their solidarity with the families of the victims , with the people and with the democratically elected government of this sister nation . ' in remarks broadcast on state-run vtv tuesday night , maduro said he would welcome a delegation from the regional body to help encourage dialogue in venezuela . at a u.s. house hearing wednesday , secretary of state john kerry said the u.s. government is prepared to sanction venezuela if the situation worsens , but he also cautioned that the country 's economy is already fragile . while the united states has voiced its concerns , other countries in the region are not listening to us , particularly , obviously , ' kerry said . the venezuelan government has continued efforts to blame the united states for problems there , he said , which makes it hard for us to be able to have the impact we 'd like to have . ' but still , kerry said he hoped peer pressure from other south american nations could help resolve the crisis . i think the best hope right now is that the efforts of the neighboring countries , who are deeply concerned about what is happening and its impact on the region , may , may be able to encourage the kind of dialogue that could actually pave a way forward , ' he said . we 've become an excuse . we 're a card they play . ' venezuela cuts ties with panama , calling country a'lackey'for the u.s . | south american foreign ministers say they 're sending a commission to venezuela |
pietersen <tsp> ( cnn ) -- kevin pietersen 's career as an international cricketer has been ended by the england and wales cricket board ( ecb ) . the ecb said tuesday that it was not considering the batsmen for selection for the upcoming tour of the west indies or the icc world twenty20 which takes place in bangladesh during march and april . in a statement released on the ecb website , england cricket 's governing body said the time had come to start the rebuilding process following the tour of australia in which england were whitewashed 5-0 in the ashes test series . read more : australia completes ashes rout of england in a statement released tuesday , ecb managing director paul downton said : clearly this was a tough decision because kevin has been such an outstanding player for england as the fact that he is the country 's leading run scorer in international cricket demonstrates . however everyone was aware that there was a need to begin the long term planning after the australia tour . therefore we have decided the time is right to look to the future and start to rebuild not only the team but also team ethic and philosophy . england cricket owes a debt of gratitude to kevin who has proved to be one of the most talented and exciting players to ever represent the country and his 13,797 runs are a testimony to his immense skill . this decision brings some clarity now for the future of the england teams and we all wish kevin the very best in the rest of his career . ' pietersen , a hugely talented and flamboyant batsmen , burst onto the test scene in 2005 against australia scoring two half-centuries on his debut at lord 's . the two innings set the tone for a maverick career in which he amassed 8181 runs in 104 tests including 23 centuries and a further 5,616 runs in one-day and twenty20 internationals combined . for all his runs on the pitch -- pietersen is england 's leading international run-scorer -- the 33-year-old has also been perceived to be a divisive figure in the dressing room at times during his career . pietersen said in the ecb statement that it had been a huge honor ' to play for his country . every time i pulled on the england shirt was a moment of huge pride for me and that is something that will live with me forever , ' pietersen said . although i am obviously very sad the incredible journey has come to an end , i 'm also hugely proud of what we , as a team , have achieved over the past nine years . i feel extremely fortunate to have played at a time of great success for england cricket alongside some of the best cricketers the country has ever produced . i want to thank everyone for their fantastic support and i wish the team the very best of success going forward . i believe i have a great deal still to give as a cricketer . i will continue to play but deeply regret that it wo n't be for england . ' the news of pietersen 's departure from the international scene saddened and confused his former england captain michael vaughan who tweeted : sad way to end a mavericks england career . @ kp24 will be missed ... would love to know what he does that is unmanageable ! ! ? ? ' | pietersen scored 8,181 runs in 104 test matches for england |
pietersen <tsp> ( cnn ) -- kevin pietersen 's career as an international cricketer has been ended by the england and wales cricket board ( ecb ) . the ecb said tuesday that it was not considering the batsmen for selection for the upcoming tour of the west indies or the icc world twenty20 which takes place in bangladesh during march and april . in a statement released on the ecb website , england cricket 's governing body said the time had come to start the rebuilding process following the tour of australia in which england were whitewashed 5-0 in the ashes test series . read more : australia completes ashes rout of england in a statement released tuesday , ecb managing director paul downton said : clearly this was a tough decision because kevin has been such an outstanding player for england as the fact that he is the country 's leading run scorer in international cricket demonstrates . however everyone was aware that there was a need to begin the long term planning after the australia tour . therefore we have decided the time is right to look to the future and start to rebuild not only the team but also team ethic and philosophy . england cricket owes a debt of gratitude to kevin who has proved to be one of the most talented and exciting players to ever represent the country and his 13,797 runs are a testimony to his immense skill . this decision brings some clarity now for the future of the england teams and we all wish kevin the very best in the rest of his career . ' pietersen , a hugely talented and flamboyant batsmen , burst onto the test scene in 2005 against australia scoring two half-centuries on his debut at lord 's . the two innings set the tone for a maverick career in which he amassed 8181 runs in 104 tests including 23 centuries and a further 5,616 runs in one-day and twenty20 internationals combined . for all his runs on the pitch -- pietersen is england 's leading international run-scorer -- the 33-year-old has also been perceived to be a divisive figure in the dressing room at times during his career . pietersen said in the ecb statement that it had been a huge honor ' to play for his country . every time i pulled on the england shirt was a moment of huge pride for me and that is something that will live with me forever , ' pietersen said . although i am obviously very sad the incredible journey has come to an end , i 'm also hugely proud of what we , as a team , have achieved over the past nine years . i feel extremely fortunate to have played at a time of great success for england cricket alongside some of the best cricketers the country has ever produced . i want to thank everyone for their fantastic support and i wish the team the very best of success going forward . i believe i have a great deal still to give as a cricketer . i will continue to play but deeply regret that it wo n't be for england . ' the news of pietersen 's departure from the international scene saddened and confused his former england captain michael vaughan who tweeted : sad way to end a mavericks england career . @ kp24 will be missed ... would love to know what he does that is unmanageable ! ! ? ? ' | kevin pietersen told he has no future as international cricketer with england |
jim carrey <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- nine years after bruce almighty , ' universal is plotting a second coming . ( or technically a third . ) ew has confirmed a variety report that the studio has plans to reunite jim carrey with the yes man ' writers ( jarrad paul and andrew mogel ) for a new chapter in the life of the newscaster who is handed god 's powers and responsibilities after complaining about the big man 's negligence . the 2003 film , which co-starred morgan freeman as god , jennifer aniston as bruce 's wife , and steve carell as his hated rival , grossed more than $ 484 million worldwide , making it carrey 's biggest hit . this would n't be the first bruce ' sequel ; evan almighty ' attempted to hand the reins over to carell 's character , but that expensive , effects-heavy 2007 film underperformed and barely grossed $ 100 million . 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 . | ew has confirmed that universal has plans to reunite jim carrey with the yes man ' writers |
china <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- in the latest bond movie skyfall , ' daniel craig 's 007 pursues an assassin up a glass skyscraper in the dead of night and meets a glamorous casino host with a troubled past . the action could plausibly have taken place in any of the world 's major metropolises but the film makers chose shanghai and macau , two of china 's most dynamic cities . it reflects the growing importance of china as a market for hollywood movies and chinese backdrops , themes and actors are likely to become only more commonplace . but appealing to chinese audiences is fraught with difficulty as the makers of skyfall , ' which has fallen foul of chinese censors , have discovered . censors cut a key scene and altered subtitled dialogue in the movie , which opened in china on monday . its release was also reportedly delayed to help boost the box office takings of rival homegrown movies . read more : opinion : censorship row reveals tolerant side of china 's new leadership according to the hollywood reporter , the offending scene showed the shooting of a security guard in the lobby of a shanghai skyscraper by the french assassin being chased by bond . later in the movie , at a casino in macau , 007 asks severine ( berenice marlohe ) about her tattoo . the chinese subtitles hint at mob connections , removing a reference to her becoming a prostitute at a young age as per the original . read more : chinese newspaper in eye of censorship storm back on sale and references to the backstory of javier bardem 's rogue mi6 agent were culled to avoid giving attention his role in stalling hong kong 's handover to china , the yangzi evening news reported . such censorship is not uncommon for hollywood films released in china , says rance pow , founder of artisan gateway , a shanghai-based film and cinema consultancy , and every film released in china is subject to the censorship bureau 's approval . read more : censorship protest a test for china scenes deemed offensive were also removed from men in black 3 ' and the pirates of the caribbean : at world 's end . ' movies featuring social unrest , religion , political matters , sex and violence are likely to face extra scrutiny , said pow . part of this is rooted in the fact that china still does not have a movie rating system and so the burden of determining what is appropriate for the general public to see falls on the ( censor ) , ' he said . read more : chinese censors block news on blind activist 's escape domestic film producers , like li peisen , the chairman of orange sky entertainment , say pleasing censors is common sense and part of doing business in china . i think foreign movies have to use chinese elements carefully . there has to be a mix of positive and negative portrayal , ' li told cnn . it 's understandable ( why censors want to remove certain scenes ) if a movie contains only a few china scenes and the chinese characters either get killed or appear in negative roles like prostitutes . ' other challenges hollywood faces as it vies for its share of the chinese box office -- now the world 's second largest -- include rampant piracy and efforts by authorities to protect homegrown films . china relaxed its quota system for u.s. films last year but still only allows 34 movies a year -- up from 20 previously . to circumvent the quota , many u.s. studios are launching tie-ups with their chinese counterparts to get preferential access but these co-productions , as they are known , have mixed results . there is also widespread industry speculation that china rigs release dates to favor domestic movies . pow says that skyfall ' and the hobbit , ' scheduled to be released later this year , may have fallen prey to this : december is traditionally a month where chinese films enjoy a period where no imported ... titles are released in china . ' illegal downloading too takes its toll on the film industry . chinese audiences can easily access a copy of the original skyfall ' should they wish to see the uncut version , but this does not necessarily hurt box office takings , said pow . the publicity surrounding heavy censorship creates greater awareness so while illegal downloading will go up , ticket sales at cinemas will also go up , ' he said . it can spin both ways . ' cnn 's steven jiang and zhang dayu in beijing contributed reporting to this story | china now has world 's second largest box-office takings |
mallya <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- the chairman of india 's ub group , which includes bangalore-based kingfisher airlines and united breweries , made the winning $ 1.8 million bid on a number of mahatma gandhi 's personal items on auction . mahatma gandhi was known for his peaceful opposition to tyranny , which led to india 's independence . vijay mallya was expected to return the items to the indian government , according to cnn-ibn , cnn 's sister station in india . controversy surrounded the sale thursday of gandhi 's items -- among them his metal-rimmed glasses , pocket watch , sandals , bowl and plate -- prompting the seller , james otis , to ask that the items be withdrawn from the auction . india voiced strong objections to the auction . its ministry of external affairs said the bidding would commercialize and thereby demean the memory of the father of the nation and everything that he stood for in his life , beliefs and actions . ' on tuesday , a new delhi court issued an injunction to stop the sale . watch the auction stoke high interest » but the antiquorum auction house in manhattan went ahead with the auction as scheduled . the indian government had rejected an offer from otis , who had asked the indian government to expand its spending on the poor in exchange for the items . india 's government already spends a large amount of money on the country 's disadvantaged sectors , india 's culture minister ambika soni told reporters thursday . still , the government had hoped otis would not allow the public to bid on the items . soni , the culture minister , said that india 's government exercised several options to stop the auction at the antiquorum in new york . gandhi , who waged a long struggle against british rule in india , was assassinated in new delhi by a hindu fanatic on january 30 , 1948 . he is still widely revered for his insistence on non-violent protest to achieve political and social progress . many indians believe selling gandhi 's items for profit is outrageous . i feel very sad about it because gandhi himself never believed in private possessions , ' said varsha das , director of india 's national gandhi museum , using a term of endearment for gandhi . he gave away everything . he did not even have a home to live in . ' cnn 's harmeet shah singh contributed to this report . | mallya expected to return items to indian government , cnn-ibn reports |
india <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- the chairman of india 's ub group , which includes bangalore-based kingfisher airlines and united breweries , made the winning $ 1.8 million bid on a number of mahatma gandhi 's personal items on auction . mahatma gandhi was known for his peaceful opposition to tyranny , which led to india 's independence . vijay mallya was expected to return the items to the indian government , according to cnn-ibn , cnn 's sister station in india . controversy surrounded the sale thursday of gandhi 's items -- among them his metal-rimmed glasses , pocket watch , sandals , bowl and plate -- prompting the seller , james otis , to ask that the items be withdrawn from the auction . india voiced strong objections to the auction . its ministry of external affairs said the bidding would commercialize and thereby demean the memory of the father of the nation and everything that he stood for in his life , beliefs and actions . ' on tuesday , a new delhi court issued an injunction to stop the sale . watch the auction stoke high interest » but the antiquorum auction house in manhattan went ahead with the auction as scheduled . the indian government had rejected an offer from otis , who had asked the indian government to expand its spending on the poor in exchange for the items . india 's government already spends a large amount of money on the country 's disadvantaged sectors , india 's culture minister ambika soni told reporters thursday . still , the government had hoped otis would not allow the public to bid on the items . soni , the culture minister , said that india 's government exercised several options to stop the auction at the antiquorum in new york . gandhi , who waged a long struggle against british rule in india , was assassinated in new delhi by a hindu fanatic on january 30 , 1948 . he is still widely revered for his insistence on non-violent protest to achieve political and social progress . many indians believe selling gandhi 's items for profit is outrageous . i feel very sad about it because gandhi himself never believed in private possessions , ' said varsha das , director of india 's national gandhi museum , using a term of endearment for gandhi . he gave away everything . he did not even have a home to live in . ' cnn 's harmeet shah singh contributed to this report . | india 's ministry of external affairs : bidding would commercialize ' gandhi 's memory |
davis-monthan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jihadist social media postings helped lead to the arrest and charging of four los angeles area men who were allegedly on their way to afghanistan to train with the taliban and join al qaeda , federal officials said . they were also plotting to kill american soldiers and bomb government installations , according to a joint statement monday by the fbi and the u.s. attorney in los angeles . one of the men , a u.s. citizen born in afghanistan , encouraged two of the others to embrace violent islamic doctrine by introducing them online to radical teachings , including those of deceased u.s.-born al-qaeda imam anwar al-awlaki . the three exposed their connection to each other and their radical leanings explicitly on facebook for over a year . and one of them detailed his intentions to participate in jihad in an online chat with an fbi employee . another man was recruited at a later point to join the other three in their training . all four were charged monday in a federal court in california , where three of them appeared for the first time . one of the men was already in afghanistan , where he was apprehended , said u.s. attorney andrã© birotte jr. and assistant director bill lewis from the fbi 's los angeles field office in a joint statement . sohiel omar kabir , ralph deleon , miguel alejandro santana vidriales and arifeen david gojali face charges of supporting terrorists who conspired to kill , kidnap or harm u.s. officers and other u.s. citizens , as well as bomb public places and government facilities . the joint terrorism task force in riverside , california , arrested deleon , 23 , santana , 21 , and gojali , 21 , on friday . kabir , 34 , is in custody in afghanistan , according to the criminal complaint submitted to the u.s. district court . at a detention hearing monday , deleon and santana were ordered held without bond pending another hearing on december 3 . gojali requested a delay in his detention hearing , according to the fbi , and it was rescheduled for next monday . he will be held at least until that court appearance . if you notice their ethnicities , they 're all from a variety of backgrounds , ' david bowdich of the fbi told reporters tuesday . you have philippino , vietnamese , mexican and afghani . they all had one common cause , ' he added , referring to the alleged terrorism . bowdich is the special agent in charge of the counterterrorism division at the fbi 's los angeles office . according to authorities , kabir is a naturalized u.s. citizen , who was born in afghanistan and lived in pomona , california . deleon is a permanent u.s. resident living in ontario and was born in the philippines . santana , a resident of upland , is a lawful permanent resident , born in mexico , who has applied for u.s. citizenship . gojali , 21 , of riverside , is a u.s. citizen . the men face a maximum sentence of 15 years in a federal prison , if convicted . kabir entered the u.s. air force on july 20 , 2000 , and was honorably discharged on december 17 , 2001 , said spokesman mike dickerson of the u.s. air force personnel center . he was an airman first class whose specialty was mobility technician -- a logistics post -- and he served at davis-monthan air force base in arizona , dickerson said . kabir also spent six months in germany before arriving in afghanistan last july , where he was preparing for the others'arrival . deleon 's attorney , randolph driggs of orange , california , declined to comment tuesday . the attorney for santana also declined to comment tuesday . the 74-page complaint details evidence collected against the men from online chats with fbi employees , travel documents , extensive contact with an informant , recorded conversations and their active social media accounts . kabir , santana and deleon all posted radical jihad content to their facebook page , the court documents allege . but kabir 's page in particular contained multiple links to and videos by al-awlaki , videos depicting mujahideen fighters in afghanistan , improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings . deleon and santana'liked'postings on kabir 's facebook page as early as may 2011 , ' according to the court document . kabir led santana and deleon to convert and join the taliban , eventually leading to membership in al-qaeda , the criminal complaint alleges . santana recruited gojali , the fourth man , to join them for the trip abroad to train as terrorists . santana tipped off authorities about his militant inclinations when a customs officer at the border with mexico questioned him about the jihad magazine inspire ' he was carrying into the united states . he allegedly engaged in chat conversations with an fbi online covert employee ' and confirmed his desire to join al qaeda . an unnamed confidential source ' working for the fbi won the trust of santana and deleon , according to the complaint , spent time with them and recorded many of their conversations . santana and deleon told a confidential source ... that they planned to travel to afghanistan to engage in violent jihad , ' the fbi and u.s. attorney statement said . their conversations with the confidential source revealed details of their travel logistics , including flights , passports and visas . ' kabir was to meet up with the three others and lead them to the taliban , the court document said . santana and deleon allegedly pre-trained on a firing range and at a paintball center and took the confidential source along with them . deleon told the confidential source he would quit school and withdraw his tuition money to help pay for the trip to afghanistan , the criminal complaint said . santana told the confidential source said he would like to drive a truck bomb , if he could do it with a big truck . just drive it into like the baddest military base , ' he said , according to the document . if i 'm gon na do , i 'm gon na do that . i 'm gon na take out a whole base . ' cnn 's irving last , jaqueline hurtado , michael martinez , kyung lah and sonya hamasaki contributed to this report . | one defendant served in u.s. air force at davis-monthan base in arizona |
brian nichols <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- atlanta courthouse shooter brian nichols was spared a death sentence friday after the jury deliberating his fate announced that it could not agree on a sentence . brian nichols was spared a death sentence after the jury in his trial announced it was deadlocked . jurors told superior court judge james bodiford on friday night that they were deadlocked , with nine in favor of death and three in favor of life without parole . under georgia law , the jurors must reach a unanimous decision in order to impose a death sentence . in the absence of a unanimous jury verdict , the decision falls in the hands of bodiford , who will decide saturday between a life sentence with or without the possibility of parole . nichols , 37 , was convicted last month of 54 counts for a deadly shooting rampage that began in the same courthouse where he is standing trial . nichols shot three people at the downtown courthouse and a federal agent in atlanta 's buckhead district before being captured in neighboring gwinnett county . defense lawyers said nichols , who confessed to the killings , suffers from a mental disorder . the jurors unanimously found the necessary aggravating circumstances in the four murders , but they were split over the death penalty . if at least seven of the 12 jurors vote for death or for life in prison without parole , the judge can impose a life sentence , with or without possibility of parole . bodiford dismissed the jury friday night after polling each panelist and told the court to return at 8:40 a.m . et saturday for his sentence . after nine weeks of testimony , the jury found nichols guilty of 54 counts , which included the four murders plus numerous aggravated assaults , carjackings and kidnappings . the shootings began in the fulton county courthouse , where nichols was set to stand trial for rape . he overpowered a sheriff 's deputy and took her gun before proceeding to the courtroom of judge rowland barnes , killing him and court reporter julie ann brandau . sgt . hoyt teasley chased nichols to outside the courthouse , where nichols fatally shot him . nichols killed u.s. customs agent david wilhelm before he was captured about 26 hours later in a standoff with police in the apartment of a woman he took hostage in gwinnett county . the case drew nationwide attention , in part because of the cost of nichols'representation : about $ 2 million at last accounting . nichols had attempted to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence , but the fulton county district attorney 's office would not take the death penalty off the table . | brian nichols faced death penalty for killing four people in 2005 shooting rampage |
syria <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria 's president bashar al-assad must step aside , ' european union foreign ministers said in a blistering statement monday , adding the syrian government 's crackdown on anti-government protesters may amount to crimes against humanity . the eu also expanded sanctions on iran and belarus to protest their crackdowns on their citizens , it announced . but the 27 foreign ministers of the union reserved their sharpest criticism for syria and its president . the eu condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing brutal repression led by the syrian regime , ' they said after a meeting in luxembourg . syria 's leader must resign to allow a political transition to take place in syria , ' they said . and they welcomed the creation of the umbrella opposition syrian national council , a day after syria 's foreign minister warned other nations against recognizing it . the ministers said they were deeply disappointed ' that the united nations security council failed to increase sanctions on syria -- a milder statement than had been expected . eu foreign policy chief catherine ashton said the union would continue to press for strong action on syria . the harsh words on syria follow last week 's failure by the u.n. security council to agree on a resolution calling for an immediate end to a military crackdown against opponents of president al-assad . china and russia opposed the resolution , which was supported by the eu 's great britain and france as well as the united states . al-assad has been under international pressure to end a seven-month crackdown on demonstrators calling for the end to his regime . the european union has slapped syria with a number of sanctions , including barring the import of syrian oil and banning the delivery of syrian currency produced in the eu to the syrian central bank . it also has placed travel restrictions on and frozen the assets of officials it says are involved in the attacks on the opposition . the european union is also expanding its sanctions on iran in light of growing concern about the human rights situation ' there , ashton announced monday . she expressed concern about repression of citizens and human rights defenders , journalists , women activists , minority groups , members of the opposition . ' she called on iran to fully respect the rights of their people . ' iran was already under eu economic and trade sanctions related to its nuclear program . ashton said the union was continuing to talk to tehran about its controversial nuclear ambitions . the eu also renewed and expanded sanctions on belarus . nearly 200 people were already subject to an asset freeze and travel ban over the crackdown on civil society and democratic opposition ' after the last two presidential elections . the eu added three companies and 16 individuals to the list of those facing restrictions , and it extended the existing restrictions until the end of october 2012 , it announced . it is expected to name them on tuesday . the ministers extended the visa ban and asset freeze on 192 people in belarus who the eu maintains are responsible for political repression and violations of the international electoral standards ' in the former soviet republic 's 2006 and 2010 presidential elections . the sanctions were imposed against belarus following the december 2010 presidential election that saw the re-election of president alexander lukashenko amid allegations of widespread electoral fraud . the government cracked down on mass protests following the election , including the beating and jailing of former presidential candidate uladzimir nyaklyaeu . other political figures and journalists also were jailed . the ministers also expressed support for libya 's interim government . ashton said the existing eu office in tripoli would soon become a fully-fledged eu delegation . ' cnn 's chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . | eu ministers accuse syria of possible crimes against humanity |
belarus <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria 's president bashar al-assad must step aside , ' european union foreign ministers said in a blistering statement monday , adding the syrian government 's crackdown on anti-government protesters may amount to crimes against humanity . the eu also expanded sanctions on iran and belarus to protest their crackdowns on their citizens , it announced . but the 27 foreign ministers of the union reserved their sharpest criticism for syria and its president . the eu condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing brutal repression led by the syrian regime , ' they said after a meeting in luxembourg . syria 's leader must resign to allow a political transition to take place in syria , ' they said . and they welcomed the creation of the umbrella opposition syrian national council , a day after syria 's foreign minister warned other nations against recognizing it . the ministers said they were deeply disappointed ' that the united nations security council failed to increase sanctions on syria -- a milder statement than had been expected . eu foreign policy chief catherine ashton said the union would continue to press for strong action on syria . the harsh words on syria follow last week 's failure by the u.n. security council to agree on a resolution calling for an immediate end to a military crackdown against opponents of president al-assad . china and russia opposed the resolution , which was supported by the eu 's great britain and france as well as the united states . al-assad has been under international pressure to end a seven-month crackdown on demonstrators calling for the end to his regime . the european union has slapped syria with a number of sanctions , including barring the import of syrian oil and banning the delivery of syrian currency produced in the eu to the syrian central bank . it also has placed travel restrictions on and frozen the assets of officials it says are involved in the attacks on the opposition . the european union is also expanding its sanctions on iran in light of growing concern about the human rights situation ' there , ashton announced monday . she expressed concern about repression of citizens and human rights defenders , journalists , women activists , minority groups , members of the opposition . ' she called on iran to fully respect the rights of their people . ' iran was already under eu economic and trade sanctions related to its nuclear program . ashton said the union was continuing to talk to tehran about its controversial nuclear ambitions . the eu also renewed and expanded sanctions on belarus . nearly 200 people were already subject to an asset freeze and travel ban over the crackdown on civil society and democratic opposition ' after the last two presidential elections . the eu added three companies and 16 individuals to the list of those facing restrictions , and it extended the existing restrictions until the end of october 2012 , it announced . it is expected to name them on tuesday . the ministers extended the visa ban and asset freeze on 192 people in belarus who the eu maintains are responsible for political repression and violations of the international electoral standards ' in the former soviet republic 's 2006 and 2010 presidential elections . the sanctions were imposed against belarus following the december 2010 presidential election that saw the re-election of president alexander lukashenko amid allegations of widespread electoral fraud . the government cracked down on mass protests following the election , including the beating and jailing of former presidential candidate uladzimir nyaklyaeu . other political figures and journalists also were jailed . the ministers also expressed support for libya 's interim government . ashton said the existing eu office in tripoli would soon become a fully-fledged eu delegation . ' cnn 's chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . | they extend sanctions against belarus for its crackdown on the opposition |
michigan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- victoria bol sits under the blazing sun in the soon-to-be world 's newest capital of juba , a city of red soil , winding dirt roads and scattered tin-roofed homes . she watches in delight as children frolic on the streets and women mill about with the new flag of south sudan wrapped around their shoulders . a few feet away , boisterous neighbors spray the rare paved road with a hose , playing with the soapy suds as they hum the new anthem of a nation on the eve of its birth . oh my goodness , i can not believe this day is finally here , ' says bol , a resident of grand rapids , michigan . it is very emotional . i 'm excited , but i 'm also thinking of all the people who died for this to happen . ' bol is among scores who have returned home to witness the birth of south sudan , as it officially splits from the government based in the north on saturday . the airport is packed and homes are filled with people coming in from all over the world , ' bol says . we lost almost everything -- our relatives , our homes , everything we own -- to get to this point . there was no way i was missing this . ' bol says dozens of her relatives died in the violence . she fled juba in 1991 as mortars rained from the sky , and has not set foot in her homeland since then . we were at the airport trying to leave when the north started bombing nearby , ' she says . everything shook . we all started screaming and hiding . ' sudan 's muslim north has been in conflict with the majority christian south for decades . the civil war created a class of refugees who drifted in and out of neighboring countries -- many on foot -- to flee violence and famine that left about 2 million people dead . in january , south sudan voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to split , which was part of a 2005 peace deal that helped end the war . dallas resident abuk makuac escaped juba in 1984 . i wish my many relatives who died in the civil war were here to witness the separation into a new country , ' she says . from here on , i know that they did not die in vain . ' scores who fled the long conflict are coming home to a region that has not changed much over the years . the infrastructure is still lacking -- with about 30 miles of paved roads in all of south sudan , an area the size of texas . it is no michigan , ' bol says with a chuckle , but it 's home , and there is a feeling of solace you get at home that you will never get anywhere else . ' water remains a luxury in most communities and security is still tense , especially in regions bordering the north where violence still rages days before independence . but patriotism trumps the challenges , say the returnees , who gathered this week in juba to discuss how they will help move their new country forward . gordon ajak , who left sudan in 1989 , hopes to capitalize on the opportunities in his homeland after he decides what to invest in . the 46-year-old bought a one-way ticket from canada , where he works as a counselor . i left sudan because ... we were not wanted by the government in the north , ' he says . we have our own country now . it is time to come back to invest and help my people . ' business analysts warn that the minimal infrastructure in south sudan can lead to a difficult business climate . good business skills will come at a premium and there will be a ferocious demand for talent , ' says robert taiwo , director of whitespace advisory , a global firm that works with businesses looking to invest in africa . the rewards , he says , can include unprecedented business opportunities . returning south sudanese will get an opportunity to shape domestic business ethics and this will ultimately govern the commercial context in which everyone operates , ' he says . ajak says he is not deterred by the flashes of violence that have flared in south kordofan , a border area between the northern and southern regions that remains tense ahead of the independence . other challenges such as the disputed region of abyei remain , he says , but he is ready to sacrifice for his new homeland . back before i left , i was being attacked in a country that did not want me , ' he says . the difference now is i 'll be fighting for south sudan . my own country . i 'd rather die for my country than watch them suffer . ' james aguek will not make it home for the festivities , but the orlando resident is planning to move back permanently . he has already torn his sudan passport in anticipation of a new one from south sudan . having a new country gives me a reason to go back , ' the musician says . there is no way i would have gone back to that country if we had not voted for the separation . ' for now , aguek will focus on his upcoming album -- one that includes a song called 99 % . ' it 's a reference to the number that voted for the split . | it is no michigan , ' one expatriate says , but it 's home ' |
xshot <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this section of cnn business traveller aims to keep you up to date with the latest developments in the high flying world of the road warrior . cnn 's richard quest puts the xshot through its paces with the help of a tourist in basel . each show we check out new gadgets and give you our opinion on their usefulness . the xshot this month cnn 's richard quest road tested the xshot , a telescopic stainless-steel rod that allows you to take pictures and videos while keeping yourself in the frame . a camera is screwed in position on the end of the lightweight rod which extends by three feet . the mount fits all compact machines . once in position all you need to do is hit the camera 's self-timer or remote , hold the stick out and say cheese . ' this means you no longer have to be the martyr behind the lens on holiday snaps and you can save yourself the embarrassment of having to ask an unsuspecting member of the public to take a picture of you . of course , you might well feel just as self-conscious dangling a camera on the end of a meter-long metal stick but at least you 'll be able to trust the photographer . quest tested the gadget against the beautiful alpine views from mount stanzahorn , near to the swiss town of lucern . after roping in a succession of tourists to try out the xshot , he decided it was easy to operate and compact , and worthy of a thumbs up from smart traveller . for more details visit xshotpix.com . | this month smart traveller road tested the xshot in basel , switzerland |
xshot <tsp> ( cnn ) -- this section of cnn business traveller aims to keep you up to date with the latest developments in the high flying world of the road warrior . cnn 's richard quest puts the xshot through its paces with the help of a tourist in basel . each show we check out new gadgets and give you our opinion on their usefulness . the xshot this month cnn 's richard quest road tested the xshot , a telescopic stainless-steel rod that allows you to take pictures and videos while keeping yourself in the frame . a camera is screwed in position on the end of the lightweight rod which extends by three feet . the mount fits all compact machines . once in position all you need to do is hit the camera 's self-timer or remote , hold the stick out and say cheese . ' this means you no longer have to be the martyr behind the lens on holiday snaps and you can save yourself the embarrassment of having to ask an unsuspecting member of the public to take a picture of you . of course , you might well feel just as self-conscious dangling a camera on the end of a meter-long metal stick but at least you 'll be able to trust the photographer . quest tested the gadget against the beautiful alpine views from mount stanzahorn , near to the swiss town of lucern . after roping in a succession of tourists to try out the xshot , he decided it was easy to operate and compact , and worthy of a thumbs up from smart traveller . for more details visit xshotpix.com . | the xshot is a three-feet long telescopic stainless-steel rod |
hollywood <tsp> ( cnn ) -- there 's a sad irony in the fact that one of the great tests of america 's freedom of speech should involve a movie that , according to some reviewers , utterly sucks . variety calls the interview ' an alleged satire that 's about as funny as a communist food shortage , and just as protracted . ' yet this comedy ' about two tv guys tasked with assassinating north korean dictator kim jong un has sparked a cyberterror campaign that amounts to extortion . what is being threatened ? well , it started with the leaking of sony emails by online hackers , which has caused tremendous embarrassment to the company and a little humor for the rest of us . but now hackers claiming to be the guardians of peace ' -- the group that said it was behind the sony hack -- seem to have quashed not only the new york premier planned for thursday , but caused sony today to announce that it would cancel the film 's december 25 theatrical release . the hackers had threatened the lives of cinema-goers and those within the vicinity of theaters , and actively invoked memories of 9/11 . is this assault on artistic license coming directly from the north korean regime ? we do n't know . but it should never be forgotten that north korea has financed terrorism in the past , including the bombing of passenger jets . why would they take such offense at the interview ' ? probably because it goes directly after the image of kim . north korea is n't your typical atheist communist dictatorship . it 's far more like the religious-nationalist regime of japan during the second world war , in which the leader is elevated to the status of a living god . put it all together and it 's understandable why theaters chose to take the hackers seriously and pull the movie . of course , it would be nice if they could take a stand for freedom of speech , but they have a wider responsibility to the physical safety of the public . the tragedy is that all this fuss is n't about something approaching a serious work of art . but aside from being trashily commercial , modern hollywood also has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to making movies about bad people overseas . we often see evidence of greedy capitalists on wall street , or nasty homegrown christians attacking gays and lesbians . but serious films about the shocking homophobia of the african continent , anti-religious persecution in china or the obvious evil of north korea are strangely few and far between . this may well be because the marketing people calculate that something so depressing wo n't exactly be box office gold . thus totalitarianism crops up in u.s. cinema either as fantasy ( the empire in star wars ' ) or as something to laugh at ( team america ' also tackled north korea , albeit with genuine wit ) . proof positive of the essentially cowardly nature of hollywood is that executives reportedly screened the ending of the interview ' for the state department -- and won official blessing . perhaps this cyberterrorism will convince hollywood that there are wicked people beyond their shores and that it is worth making far more intelligent movies about them -- movies that go beyond cartoon stereotypes of east and west and deal with the realities of authoritarianism . until then , there are so many questions about the consequences of the recent threats : what happens if someone advertises a private screening of the interview ' ? if netflix decides to make it available for home users , what would the terrorists threaten to do ? if the threats are the offspring of the regime 's fetid imagination , perhaps it reveals something about their limited understanding of how the modern world works . in the age of the internet , you ca n't easily censor a movie or withdraw it from the public domain . and do they really expect u.s./north korean relations to hinge on the willingness of washington to try ? there is something depressingly farcical about this whole story . hopefully , it wo n't turn violent . | stanley : incident points up that hollywood should make serious films about totalitarianism |
valencia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on the day that gareth bale commanded headlines by joining real madrid in a big-money move , lionel messi made news by scoring a hat-trick for barcelona in a 3-2 win against valencia . messi 's treble was his 23rd in the league for barcelona and handed the away side a 3-0 advantage within 41 minutes at the mestalla . barcelona then had to hang on at times after helder postiga netted a brace just before halftime . the home side also had a pair of penalty appeals waved away by the referee . we could have ended with a 3-3 , 2-3 or 2-5 , ' barcelona manager gerardo martino told the club website . regardless of what could have happened i would leave here very pleased with how the team played . we found what we were looking for . ' cesc fabregas set up messi 's first two goals after good work from holding midfielder sergio busquets , and summer signing neymar linked up with the argentine on the third . brazilian forward neymar and messi started together for the first time in the league after neither found the net in the second leg of the spanish super cup last week . there was concern about how neymar and messi were going to interact on the pitch after they played their first match together , ' martino said . they fixed that in less than 24 hours . ' barcelona has won all three of its league games , like arch-rival real madrid . several hours before bale 's deal was announced , madrid defeated athletic bilbao 3-1 . cristiano ronaldo scored his first goal -- messi has five -- with a header from angel di maria 's perfect cross . but it was 21-year-old spanish international isco and bale 's former teammate at tottenham , luka modric , who earned praise from real madrid boss carlo ancelotti . isco , a summer arrival from malaga , accounted for the two other goals and modric impressed with his work rate in midfield . he was fantastic , ' ancelotti told madrid 's website , referring to modric . switching to isco , ancelotti added : he is playing very well and he makes it look like he 's been here for years . he has character and ability and that is very important for us . ' dortmund on a roll only one team in the bundesliga remains unbeaten through four games -- and it 's borussia dortmund . dortmund beat eintracht frankfurt 2-1 thanks to a double from midfielder henrikh mkhitaryan . mkhitaryan scored his first two goals for dortmund after his $ 35 million transfer from shakhtar donetsk . it was n't a vintage display by the champions league runner-up but manager jurgen klopp was n't arguing with the result . we have to play better football , there 's no question , ' klopp was quoted as saying by ap . i 've seen a few weaknesses in our build-up play and ideally we need to defend better . still , with 12 points after four games , this is complaining at a high level . ' defending champion bayern munich trails dortmund by two points . in ligue 1 , monaco moved atop the table with a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten marseille . marseille led 1-0 at home before radamel falcao and emmanuel riviere scored in the second half . falcao and riviere have already combined for eight goals this term . | lionel messi scores three first-half goals for barcelona on the road against valencia |
valencia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on the day that gareth bale commanded headlines by joining real madrid in a big-money move , lionel messi made news by scoring a hat-trick for barcelona in a 3-2 win against valencia . messi 's treble was his 23rd in the league for barcelona and handed the away side a 3-0 advantage within 41 minutes at the mestalla . barcelona then had to hang on at times after helder postiga netted a brace just before halftime . the home side also had a pair of penalty appeals waved away by the referee . we could have ended with a 3-3 , 2-3 or 2-5 , ' barcelona manager gerardo martino told the club website . regardless of what could have happened i would leave here very pleased with how the team played . we found what we were looking for . ' cesc fabregas set up messi 's first two goals after good work from holding midfielder sergio busquets , and summer signing neymar linked up with the argentine on the third . brazilian forward neymar and messi started together for the first time in the league after neither found the net in the second leg of the spanish super cup last week . there was concern about how neymar and messi were going to interact on the pitch after they played their first match together , ' martino said . they fixed that in less than 24 hours . ' barcelona has won all three of its league games , like arch-rival real madrid . several hours before bale 's deal was announced , madrid defeated athletic bilbao 3-1 . cristiano ronaldo scored his first goal -- messi has five -- with a header from angel di maria 's perfect cross . but it was 21-year-old spanish international isco and bale 's former teammate at tottenham , luka modric , who earned praise from real madrid boss carlo ancelotti . isco , a summer arrival from malaga , accounted for the two other goals and modric impressed with his work rate in midfield . he was fantastic , ' ancelotti told madrid 's website , referring to modric . switching to isco , ancelotti added : he is playing very well and he makes it look like he 's been here for years . he has character and ability and that is very important for us . ' dortmund on a roll only one team in the bundesliga remains unbeaten through four games -- and it 's borussia dortmund . dortmund beat eintracht frankfurt 2-1 thanks to a double from midfielder henrikh mkhitaryan . mkhitaryan scored his first two goals for dortmund after his $ 35 million transfer from shakhtar donetsk . it was n't a vintage display by the champions league runner-up but manager jurgen klopp was n't arguing with the result . we have to play better football , there 's no question , ' klopp was quoted as saying by ap . i 've seen a few weaknesses in our build-up play and ideally we need to defend better . still , with 12 points after four games , this is complaining at a high level . ' defending champion bayern munich trails dortmund by two points . in ligue 1 , monaco moved atop the table with a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten marseille . marseille led 1-0 at home before radamel falcao and emmanuel riviere scored in the second half . falcao and riviere have already combined for eight goals this term . | valencia rallied to make the game close thanks to two goals from helder postiga |
chuang li <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an ex-employee allegedly stabbed four former co-workers at a toronto office building wednesday , authorities said . at least one employee of ceridian , a payroll services company , was critically wounded , a police spokeswoman said . out of respect for the privacy of the individual and their family , we are not able to share or comment on the specifics of the individual 's condition , but all four employees are being treated by medical experts at area hospitals , ' a ceridian statement said . a suspect was taken into custody , according to toronto police constable jennifer sidhu , who said the attacker used either scissors or a knife . the suspect was identified by police as chuang li , 47 . he faces charges of attempted murder , aggravated assault and assault with a weapon . the attack happened on the office building 's fifth floor , sidhu said . one of the four people hospitalized had life-threatening wounds , she said . two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a third was treated and released , police said . police did not immediately reveal a possible motive in the attack or details about any relationship between the suspect and the victims . as you might imagine , this is a very difficult time , ' the company statement said . the entire ceridian family is shocked and deeply saddened by this incident . ' mass stabbing at pennsylvania school cnn 's chris boyette contributed to this report . | new : police identify suspect as 47-year-old chuang li |
libya <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in this space , michele flournoy , former undersecretary of defense under president barack obama , and some of her colleagues attacked a recent mitt romney opinion piece in the wall street journal . in their piece , entitled romney 's empty foreign policy agenda , ' they hurl all sorts of tired accusations at the republican nominee . they even recycle a trope used by democrats against ronald reagan and other successful republican presidents , that romney employs cowboy rhetoric . ' yet even as they condemn the republican nominee for wrapping himself in platitudes and falsehoods , ' they offer a remarkable demonstration of some of the serious problems afflicting obama 's stewardship of america 's role in the world . let us scrutinize some of their points . opinion : romney 's empty foreign policy agenda on iran , they assert that there are zero actual policy differences ' between obama and romney , citing the president 's policy of sanctions . but what they neglect to say is that obama resisted imposing the kind of new , crippling sanctions that are necessary to stop iranian nuclear efforts for much of his presidency . today , iran is closer to a nuclear weapon than ever before . what they also conveniently forget is that obama , saying he did not want to be seen as meddling , ' at first issued no more than cursory objections during the iranian spring of 2009 , when dissidents took to the streets of tehran and other cities to protest a stolen election . a president romney would never abandon our basic principles of supporting freedom and democracy in this way . flournoy and company point proudly to the fact that osama bin laden is dead on the president 's watch . ' they are right to be proud of this , as are all americans . but when they say that more al qaeda senior leaders have been taken off the battlefield than at any time since 9/11 , ' they run the danger of hubris . and hubris has been one of the defining characteristics of the president 's foreign policy . alas , we saw a tragic demonstration of the consequences of hubris just this past september 11 , when four americans -- including our ambassador -- were murdered in a terrorist attack on our consulate in benghazi , libya . perhaps believing its own rhetoric about the decimation of al qaeda , the obama administration let down its guard about the significant striking power of al qaeda 's remnants , affiliated and otherwise . certainly , the inadequate protection given to our diplomatic personnel on september 11 -- the anniversary of the terrible attack -- is a spectacular piece of evidence that their judgment was skewed . even worse , after the attack on benghazi , the obama administration appeared to be so desperate to believe that al qaeda was not responsible that it pinned the entire episode on the spontaneous rage of a crowd provoked by an obscure video on the internet . it clung to this version past the point of decency . but it was false . american intelligence agencies have made it clear that our citizens were killed in a terrorist attack launched by an al qaeda affiliate . flournoy 's assertion that obama has effectively managed the tumult of the arab spring ' would be laughable if the consequences of his lack of effective management were not so tragic . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of richard williamson . | he says administration let guard down on al qaeda ; libya killings are tragic consequence |
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