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shezanne cassim <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an american imprisoned in the united arab emirates after posting a video that parodied dubai teens will be released this week , a family spokeswoman said tuesday . shezanne cassim plans to fly back to the united states on thursday , family spokeswoman jennifer gore said . there was no immediate response to the family 's announcement from the uae government , which has not replied to previous requests for comment on cassim 's case . u.s. state department spokeswoman jen psaki said tuesday that after getting credit against his one-year sentence for time served and for good behavior , ' cassim was moved to a deportation facility for processing . we understand processing will take a few days , at which point he will be returning to the united states , ' psaki said , adding that u.s. diplomats have visited cassim regularly in custody and should do so again wednesday . cassim , 29 , of woodbury , minnesota , moved to dubai in 2006 after graduating from college to work for pricewaterhousecoopers . his family says the 29-year-old was arrested in april after uploading a 19-minute video that pokes fun at a clique of dubai teens influenced by hip-hop culture . in december , he was sentenced to a year in prison and a fine of about $ 2,700 . the charges were not read in court , but the country 's main english-language newspaper reported that cassim was accused of defaming the uae 's image abroad . uae officials would say only that cassim was charged under the uae 's penal code ' and was entitled to the fair trial protections contained in the uae 's constitution . ' in the 1990s , the label satwa g ' was coined for a group of suburban teens who were known to talk tougher than they really were . cassim 's video depicts a look at a combat school ' in the dubai district of satwa , where these gangsters ' are trained . the training includes how to throw sandals at targets , use clothing accessories as whips and how to call on the phone for backup . cassim 's family said they were n't notified of the charges against him for five months . american gets 1-year prison sentence for parody video ' he tries to put on a brave face , ' his brother , shervon cassim , said in december . he said that he was doing fine , not to worry about him , but i could just sense that he 's a little depressed . my impression is that he 's going just a little bit crazy in his cell . ' shervon cassim said his brother made the video just for fun . ' he 's a big fan of'snl ,' funny or die ,'all those shows , and he and his friends just wanted to make a funny sketch comedy in their spare time , ' shervon cassim said . there was no indication in local law that making a comedy video , making fun of teenagers in the suburbs , was a threat to the uae 's national security . ' the online comedy community funny or die , in fact , rallied to cassim 's support , launching a # freeshez campaign to correspond with u.n. human rights day on december 10 . cassim ended up serving nine months -- more than half of those before being charged -- before his recent move to a deportation facility , his family said in a statement . the family said it reached out to u.s. secretary of state john kerry before his mideast trip last week , with u.s. sen. amy klobuchar also pushing for his release . the disregard for freedom of expression , the arbitrary application of this cybercrime law , the constant delays revealed the uae legal system as archaic and unfair by modern standards , ' said susan burns , the family 's u.s.-based lawyer . however , we are relieved that the uae finally realized that shezanne deserved to be released . ' new day blog : will ferrell joins fight to free american shezanne cassim cnn 's jamie crawford and sara sidner contributed to this report . | shezanne cassim plans to fly back to the united states on thursday , family says |
eu <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the united states and its allies are angrier at russia now over ukraine , but will they do anything more about it -- especially europe ? in solemn procession , wooden caskets carrying the remains of those killed in the downing of malaysia airlines flight 17 over eastern ukraine -- the majority of the dead were dutch citizens -- have been arriving in the netherlands . in all , the nearly 300 victims hailed from more than 10 countries , leaving nations mourning and politicians debating how to deal with moscow , whose ties with the ukrainian rebels suspected of downing the jet on july 17 are being cast in the most negative light . the tragedy has stirred european officials to look at new action against a country that is crucial to their economies . what 's the layout on sanctions ? on july 16 , the u.s. imposed its harshest sanctions yet on russia over its annexation of crimea , and what the obama administration said was russia 's failure to end the ukraine conflict . president barack obama expanded steps in targeting two banks , gazprom bank and veb ; and two energy companies , novotek and rosneft . they wo n't be able to get important financing in the united states . in addition , the administration froze any u.s. assets and prohibited american business contacts for eight russian arms companies that make weapons , including small arms , mortars and surface-to-air missiles . one is the kalashnikov concern , maker of the ak-47 and other arms . earlier this year , the united states and europe imposed a more limited range of sanctions in response to russia 's annexation of crimea and the massing of troops along its eastern border with ukraine . those included asset freezes and travel bans . what 's changed since then ? mh17 was blown out of the sky . u.s. officials believe russia armed the pro-russian rebels in eastern ukraine with the rocket system suspected of shooting down the jetliner on july 17 . though , they now say it 's likely the rebels did n't know it was a commercial plane at more than 30,000 feet . russian leaders deny any responsibility -- even indirectly -- and are pointing fingers at ukraine and nato for stirring up trouble in the region . it 's only upped the ante regarding russia and its relationship with the united states and its european allies . aside from the general allied approach to ukraine , there is more pressure than ever now on europe to take tougher action because so many of the mh17 passengers were from there , and emotions are fever pitch . why has n't europe acted that forcefully ? earlier this year , europe joined the united states in imposing limited sanctions in response to russia'actions in crimea and eastern ukraine . those sanctions included asset freezes and travel bans . the u.s. response is tougher but it does n't do a ton of business with russia . europe on the other hand does . experts said europe imports nearly 30 % of its energy from russia , raising the specter of rolling blackouts and unheated homes in the region next winter should russia decide to retaliate for tougher sanctions . london 's place as a regional financial hub is highly dependent on russian capital . france has already signed off on a deal to deliver two warships to russia , according to experts . oil giant shell , which has its headquarters in the hague , is the largest corporation in the netherlands and has huge investments in russia . remember the mh17 victims and the netherlands . but ... ' so the europeans have over the last decade , as russia has grown as an oil country , gotten themselves so intermeshed that it 's very tough for them to do it , ' said cnn 's fareed zakaria , referring to tougher sanctions . but is n't the pressure really on now ? yes . the european union 's 28 member states displayed a little more resolve on thursday . eu ambassadors said they were considering targeting banks vital to russia 's economy , including access to capital markets , defense and technologies such as the energy sector . robert kahn , a senior fellow for international economics with the council on foreign relations , said sanctions are only effective if widely backed by western nations . u.s. sanctions alone have teeth but similar action by european allies would apply real pain . we 're really at an early inning of the sanctions , ' kahn said . ok , so what 's next ? it 's really not clear if widespread anger at moscow will ultimately force new action to isolate russia further . the eu ambassadors continue to meet on the subject and there is no indication they will abandon caution at the very least . there are a lot of economic interests that would be affected by a comprehensive breakdown in relations , ' kahn said . map : europe 's thirst for russian gas but the end , some experts believe europe is unlikely to take a tougher line . i honestly think the europeans have no spine , ' said boston university professor alya guseva , an economic sociologist . it 's amazing to me on a moral level . how bad should it get ? as a human being , i do n't quite grasp that . this seems to be as bad as it can get . ' but if they acted , what would be the toughest step ? let 's start with the current sanctions overall . kahn predicted that by fall , those will begin targeting specific sectors of russia 's economy -- the eighth-largest in the world , with gdp of more than $ 2 trillion . it 's going to take some time for the accumulated effects of all of this to really be felt by the russian people , ' he said . real pain for russia would come from any sanctions aimed at cutting off an entire part of its economy , such as defense , energy or finance , according to experts . kahn said the united states took a first step in this direction last week by adding important russian banks and energy companies to its list . i think the most realistic goal is what obama was articulating early on : to change the calculus , ' guseva said . it does n't even have to be the damage that is done . it has to be a credible threat that damage can be done . the russian economy is not that strong ... it may not take much to sort of spin out of control . ' who are ukraine 's pro-russia rebels ? sanctions : top 10 russian targets opinion : europe must increase sanctions on russia | this week , the eu said it was adding more people and entities to its sanctions list |
uk <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- it may run contrary to the conventional image of a sport obsessed with the latest technological improvement but , from stockholm to shanghai , players are turning back the clock to take part in the latest craze -- hickory golf . the game , which involves using 19th century wooden-shafted clubs , has proved a hit as national championships in the united states , australia , canada , england , france , germany , sweden and finland have blossomed . companies too have been attracted to the format as a way of motivating staff . golfers love a challenge , ' says gavin bottrell , who runs hickory golf days in britain . there 's a saying about modern golf clubs that you can buy any shot out of the shop . playing with hickory makes people think more about their swing and be clever about their shots . ' hickory clubs were used widely until the 1930s , when manufacturers turned to more modern materials for construction . however , despite their lesser performance , the attraction of dressing up in old-fashioned golfing garb and hacking around 18 holes with mashies , niblicks and cleeks -- the evocative names given to the clubs used by bobby jones , walter hagen and henry cotton -- has endured . the format has a huge following in the u.s. where devotees gather at historic courses to play an authentic ' round of golf . hampton munsey , who organizes the u.s. hickory open in morganton , north carolina , says the size of the field has almost doubled since the event was first held in 2008 . this year 's tournament already has entrants from sweden and germany , with players'ages ranging from 20 to 70 . the camaraderie is almost as important as the game itself , ' says munsey , a member of the society of hickory golfers . people feel a certain level of pride at being able to play with the old clubs and do well with them . ' bottrell , a university researcher , has been buying and selling hickory clubs since 1995 . he now has 60 full sets , which he rents out to companies as a package for $ 934 . recently , he has noticed an increase in interest from abroad , with amateur golfers from germany , south korea and australia all wanting their own slice of hickory history . but bottrell 's profit margins are nothing compared to one scottish collector . in april last year , edinburgh antiques dealer john dixon sold 7,000 clubs to a chinese entrepreneur for $ 193,500 . the load has since been shipped to china in bundles of 20 . i think he is tapping into a growing market over there . new golf courses are opening in china all the time , ' says dixon . if they are building so many courses they need the merchandise and the memorabilia to go with it . ' at bottrell 's hickory golf days , participants try to enter the spirit of the era by dressing up in knickerbockers , neckties , flat caps and braces . they usually raid local charity shops and come up with some kind of outfit , ' he said . they sometimes look like they 've stepped out of a pantomime . there 's quite a lot of confusion as to what golfers were wearing in the early 1900s . ' | companies in the uk are paying up to $ 934 to hire hickory clubs for corporate team-building days |
barca <tsp> ( cnn ) -- barcelona soccer coach tito vilanova is recovering in hospital following surgery to remove a regrown cancerous tumor . the spanish league leaders'website reported on thursday that the operation went ahead according to schedule . ' the manager 's post-surgery recovery will determine his stay at hospital . in line with the patient 's wishes , please respect the privacy and confidentiality of the process , ' the club said . in november 2011 , vilanova had a tumor removed from his parotid gland -- which is at the back of the mouth -- when he was assistant to his predecessor as barca boss , pep guardiola . that operation was thought to have been a success and when guardiola went on sabbatical , vilanova took over as coach of the team -- seemingly in good health , but more cancerous cells have been discovered . vilanova is expected to be hospitalized for three to four days after his surgery and will then have chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment lasting around six weeks , according to barca 's website . club doctors have said he will still be able to work while his treatment takes place and there are no plans for him to step down . his assistant jordi roura will take charge for the weekend clash with valladolid . at a press conference , club president sandro rosell said : i want to thank everyone for their support on behalf of the team and tito . we have complete confidence in the team . the club is very strong and very united , we 're capable of overcoming adversity . tito is strong , very strong , he 's shown us that and we 're convinced that he 'll be back with us soon . ' vilanova had told the barca website earlier this week : being a head manager is difficult , but being an assistant manager is n't easy either . i would say it 's more difficult to be an assistant manager than it is to be a head manager . ' under vilanova 's guidance , barcelona have been unbeatable in the spanish league -- dropping just two points -- and hold a nine-point lead over second-placed atletico madrid , with close rivals real madrid 13 points behind the catalan side . real responded to the news by expressing their support for vilanova , in a statement on their official website . they said : real madrid wish to express their heartfelt support to barcelona coach , tito vilanova , to whom we wish a prompt recovery . real madrid extend this support to his club and family . ' barca also finished top of their european champions league group , suffering just one defeat in six matches . key to their success this season has been the number of goals lionel messi has scored , with the argentine netting 25 times during the current campaign and 90 times during the calendar year . as a youngster vilanova was at barcelona 's youth academy -- la masia -- with guardiola , though unlike the former barca captain he failed to graduate to the first team . vilanova went on to play for some of spanish football 's lesser known clubs -- figueras , celta , badajoz , mallorca , lleida , elche and gramenet -- before retiring as a player in 2002 and turning to coaching . when the 44-year-old vilanova was appointed , barca sporting director andoni zubizarreta argued it was a logical decision ' because he represents the same style of play and the same philosophy . ' tito has been working here with us , so why not tito ? he puts in all the hours until he sleeps and he has the personality that we need to lift us . he 's different to pep , but tito 's the one , ' said zubizarreta . we 've always looked in house . we have tito -- it 's simple . we need n't go out on the market . ' between 2008 and 2014 with guardiola and vilanova as coach and assistant , the catalan club won 14 trophies , including two champions league titles . that recent success has been fostered on a tradition of developing their own players at their youth academy . our style of play is so different from the rest of the teams that it 's just easier to send out a guy that grew up playing our style football , ' said vilanova . these players train their whole lives as barca players , with the barca system . if they play for the first team , it 's because we think we can win with them on the pitch . ' since taking charge of barca , vilanova has won 23 of his 27 matches in all competitions , suffering just two defeats . | when vilanova was assistant to guardiola between 2008 and 2014 , barca won 14 trophies |
barca <tsp> ( cnn ) -- barcelona soccer coach tito vilanova is recovering in hospital following surgery to remove a regrown cancerous tumor . the spanish league leaders'website reported on thursday that the operation went ahead according to schedule . ' the manager 's post-surgery recovery will determine his stay at hospital . in line with the patient 's wishes , please respect the privacy and confidentiality of the process , ' the club said . in november 2011 , vilanova had a tumor removed from his parotid gland -- which is at the back of the mouth -- when he was assistant to his predecessor as barca boss , pep guardiola . that operation was thought to have been a success and when guardiola went on sabbatical , vilanova took over as coach of the team -- seemingly in good health , but more cancerous cells have been discovered . vilanova is expected to be hospitalized for three to four days after his surgery and will then have chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment lasting around six weeks , according to barca 's website . club doctors have said he will still be able to work while his treatment takes place and there are no plans for him to step down . his assistant jordi roura will take charge for the weekend clash with valladolid . at a press conference , club president sandro rosell said : i want to thank everyone for their support on behalf of the team and tito . we have complete confidence in the team . the club is very strong and very united , we 're capable of overcoming adversity . tito is strong , very strong , he 's shown us that and we 're convinced that he 'll be back with us soon . ' vilanova had told the barca website earlier this week : being a head manager is difficult , but being an assistant manager is n't easy either . i would say it 's more difficult to be an assistant manager than it is to be a head manager . ' under vilanova 's guidance , barcelona have been unbeatable in the spanish league -- dropping just two points -- and hold a nine-point lead over second-placed atletico madrid , with close rivals real madrid 13 points behind the catalan side . real responded to the news by expressing their support for vilanova , in a statement on their official website . they said : real madrid wish to express their heartfelt support to barcelona coach , tito vilanova , to whom we wish a prompt recovery . real madrid extend this support to his club and family . ' barca also finished top of their european champions league group , suffering just one defeat in six matches . key to their success this season has been the number of goals lionel messi has scored , with the argentine netting 25 times during the current campaign and 90 times during the calendar year . as a youngster vilanova was at barcelona 's youth academy -- la masia -- with guardiola , though unlike the former barca captain he failed to graduate to the first team . vilanova went on to play for some of spanish football 's lesser known clubs -- figueras , celta , badajoz , mallorca , lleida , elche and gramenet -- before retiring as a player in 2002 and turning to coaching . when the 44-year-old vilanova was appointed , barca sporting director andoni zubizarreta argued it was a logical decision ' because he represents the same style of play and the same philosophy . ' tito has been working here with us , so why not tito ? he puts in all the hours until he sleeps and he has the personality that we need to lift us . he 's different to pep , but tito 's the one , ' said zubizarreta . we 've always looked in house . we have tito -- it 's simple . we need n't go out on the market . ' between 2008 and 2014 with guardiola and vilanova as coach and assistant , the catalan club won 14 trophies , including two champions league titles . that recent success has been fostered on a tradition of developing their own players at their youth academy . our style of play is so different from the rest of the teams that it 's just easier to send out a guy that grew up playing our style football , ' said vilanova . these players train their whole lives as barca players , with the barca system . if they play for the first team , it 's because we think we can win with them on the pitch . ' since taking charge of barca , vilanova has won 23 of his 27 matches in all competitions , suffering just two defeats . | under vilanova , barca have won 23 of their 27 matches this season |
carpentier <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's the punchline of a joke no one bothered to write the set-up for : warren buffett 's secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does . it 's a joke about the fishnet our tax code turns into when it snares a golden snapper instead of a few million sardines , a joke about the kind of man who still employs a person he refers to as his secretary ' in 2012 and a joke about a rich guy who allegedly cares enough about his secretary 's tax rate that he 'll get behind a government effort to raise his taxes but ca n't bring himself to call her an executive assistant . and it 's now the punchline on which the obama administration decided to rest its efforts to increase taxes on the wealthy in an election year . what was one semi-faceless woman on the other side of the mahogany doors of buffett 's office is now a road show featuring four wealthy obama donors and their ( at least in some press accounts ) still-nameless assistants story . no one called them secretaries , ' though . the word secretary ' conjures up images of a bygone era , of pearls and sweater sets , sensible heels and knee-length skirts , and the right mixture of efficiency and self-effacement to fade into the background while acting as a powerful man 's right hand . perhaps that -- and the plethora of lawyers in the city limits -- is why the phrase warren buffett 's secretary ' did n't strike any odd notes in washington even as most of the rest of the country would consider the word consigned to the same heap containing stewardess , ' love child ' and going steady . ' in 2012 , we do n't celebrate secretaries'day ; we celebrate administrative professionals day . we have -- when we have administrative support at all , which is increasingly rare in the post-recession hyper-productive economy -- administrative assistants , executive assistants or ( if you 're a celebrity ) personal assistants . and while it probably goes without saying that at least a few still fetch coffee for the higher-ups , a fair number of administrative and executive assistants would probably look askance at a boss who asked them to stop answering phones , planning for meetings and dealing with the time-consuming minutiae of keeping an office functioning to do a personal task like that . plus , in the modern economy , there 's no longer a secretarial pool : more likely , a group of employees and managers will be pooled together to use the resources of one administrative assistant , who then gets to juggle not only their work demands but their desire to have their demands met before those of their colleagues . if you bring five different people coffee on demand , that 's less assisting one 's supervisors and more waiting on them . at its core , being an assistant -- or an administrative professional -- is framed as a career upgrade , even if many of the tasks are essentially the same : it 's a way of acknowledging the importance of administrative work and support to the success of many projects and even many people . a secretary served one boss -- and it 's the service nature of that categorization that perhaps rubs us the wrong way nowadays -- with both professional tasks and more than a few personal ones . administrative professional ' denotes strictly professional assistance ; secretary ' still holds the connotation of work wife . ' the phrase warren buffett 's secretary ' sounds strange . are we supposed to conjure up a modern-day joan holloway , doralee rhodes , the sweet ' and loyal maria of the r.b . greaves song or the stern , all-knowing mother-figure of an assistant ? do they still get coffee , buy gifts for relatives , even take dictation ? and how does buffett 's secretary ' feel about being the invisible half of his political punchline-turned-policy ? if nothing else , debbie bosanek -- who , despite having a real name , is still known to the world as warren buffett 's secretary ' -- seems to have a sense of humor about the whole thing . though , when conservative commentators take her limited role in the fight to raise rich people 's taxes seriously enough that they decided to speculate that she is too rich to be the poster child for the downtrodden , she 'd have to be amused , if she was n't going to get annoyed . it 's probably not the first time that her boss'needs have trumped her personal desires , and at least it netted her a seat at the state of the union . but it 's interesting that , even in the wake of the occupy movement calling for more attention to be paid to income inequality , the legislation is still called the buffett rule . the rule designed to even the playing field by putting buffett 's taxes on bosanek 's scale is n't called the bosanek rule or the secretaries'rule . it makes no obvious reference to the people to whom buffett is to be made more equal . instead , it 's the buffett rule . it 's about him ; it concerns him ; it affects him ; it takes his name . bosanek will probably go back to being the anonymous secretary of the story ( if she has n't already done so ) , and the legislation inspired by buffett 's epiphany about her unequal tax rate will get named after him . even when legislation is intended to ding the 1 % , it still bears their name , and it 's still with the permission of at least some of them -- whether it be buffett or the four donors with whom obama shared the stage this week -- that it 's even on the political agenda . it 's not getting pushed because bosanek deserves it but because buffett thinks she deserves it . after all , that 's what secretaries do : they fade into the background . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of megan carpentier . | carpentier : secretary is a work wife , ' rather than administrative professional ' |
carpentier <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's the punchline of a joke no one bothered to write the set-up for : warren buffett 's secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does . it 's a joke about the fishnet our tax code turns into when it snares a golden snapper instead of a few million sardines , a joke about the kind of man who still employs a person he refers to as his secretary ' in 2012 and a joke about a rich guy who allegedly cares enough about his secretary 's tax rate that he 'll get behind a government effort to raise his taxes but ca n't bring himself to call her an executive assistant . and it 's now the punchline on which the obama administration decided to rest its efforts to increase taxes on the wealthy in an election year . what was one semi-faceless woman on the other side of the mahogany doors of buffett 's office is now a road show featuring four wealthy obama donors and their ( at least in some press accounts ) still-nameless assistants story . no one called them secretaries , ' though . the word secretary ' conjures up images of a bygone era , of pearls and sweater sets , sensible heels and knee-length skirts , and the right mixture of efficiency and self-effacement to fade into the background while acting as a powerful man 's right hand . perhaps that -- and the plethora of lawyers in the city limits -- is why the phrase warren buffett 's secretary ' did n't strike any odd notes in washington even as most of the rest of the country would consider the word consigned to the same heap containing stewardess , ' love child ' and going steady . ' in 2012 , we do n't celebrate secretaries'day ; we celebrate administrative professionals day . we have -- when we have administrative support at all , which is increasingly rare in the post-recession hyper-productive economy -- administrative assistants , executive assistants or ( if you 're a celebrity ) personal assistants . and while it probably goes without saying that at least a few still fetch coffee for the higher-ups , a fair number of administrative and executive assistants would probably look askance at a boss who asked them to stop answering phones , planning for meetings and dealing with the time-consuming minutiae of keeping an office functioning to do a personal task like that . plus , in the modern economy , there 's no longer a secretarial pool : more likely , a group of employees and managers will be pooled together to use the resources of one administrative assistant , who then gets to juggle not only their work demands but their desire to have their demands met before those of their colleagues . if you bring five different people coffee on demand , that 's less assisting one 's supervisors and more waiting on them . at its core , being an assistant -- or an administrative professional -- is framed as a career upgrade , even if many of the tasks are essentially the same : it 's a way of acknowledging the importance of administrative work and support to the success of many projects and even many people . a secretary served one boss -- and it 's the service nature of that categorization that perhaps rubs us the wrong way nowadays -- with both professional tasks and more than a few personal ones . administrative professional ' denotes strictly professional assistance ; secretary ' still holds the connotation of work wife . ' the phrase warren buffett 's secretary ' sounds strange . are we supposed to conjure up a modern-day joan holloway , doralee rhodes , the sweet ' and loyal maria of the r.b . greaves song or the stern , all-knowing mother-figure of an assistant ? do they still get coffee , buy gifts for relatives , even take dictation ? and how does buffett 's secretary ' feel about being the invisible half of his political punchline-turned-policy ? if nothing else , debbie bosanek -- who , despite having a real name , is still known to the world as warren buffett 's secretary ' -- seems to have a sense of humor about the whole thing . though , when conservative commentators take her limited role in the fight to raise rich people 's taxes seriously enough that they decided to speculate that she is too rich to be the poster child for the downtrodden , she 'd have to be amused , if she was n't going to get annoyed . it 's probably not the first time that her boss'needs have trumped her personal desires , and at least it netted her a seat at the state of the union . but it 's interesting that , even in the wake of the occupy movement calling for more attention to be paid to income inequality , the legislation is still called the buffett rule . the rule designed to even the playing field by putting buffett 's taxes on bosanek 's scale is n't called the bosanek rule or the secretaries'rule . it makes no obvious reference to the people to whom buffett is to be made more equal . instead , it 's the buffett rule . it 's about him ; it concerns him ; it affects him ; it takes his name . bosanek will probably go back to being the anonymous secretary of the story ( if she has n't already done so ) , and the legislation inspired by buffett 's epiphany about her unequal tax rate will get named after him . even when legislation is intended to ding the 1 % , it still bears their name , and it 's still with the permission of at least some of them -- whether it be buffett or the four donors with whom obama shared the stage this week -- that it 's even on the political agenda . it 's not getting pushed because bosanek deserves it but because buffett thinks she deserves it . after all , that 's what secretaries do : they fade into the background . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of megan carpentier . | megan carpentier : political discussion revolves around warren buffett 's secretary ' |
florida <tsp> miami ( cnn ) -- a florida prosecutor told the court she intends to seek the death penalty in a case where a 10-year-old girl was found dead in the back of her father 's truck . carmen and jorge barahona , the adopted parents of the girl , nubia barahona , have been charged with first-degree murder . in florida , the prosecution must file a notice at the beginning of the legal proceedings if it plans to seek the death penalty . if that 's not done , the state waives the right to seek that sentence later in the case . monday 's first appearance on the charges is just the beginning of the barahonas'criminal case . as it continues , the prosecutors will make it clear whether the death penalty will be sought . the barahonas have also been charged with eight counts of aggravated child abuse and eight counts of child neglect . jorge barahona is charged with an additional count of mutilation or abuse of a dead body . they pleaded not guilty on monday . in court , the couple sat apart from each other but next to their individual attorneys . jorge barahona was wearing a bulletproof vest that showed his bare arms , and carmen barahona was in a bright orange jail-issued outfit . over the years the couple has been at the center of multiple complaints to florida 's department of children and families , with callers reporting that nubia and her twin brother were locked in bathrooms for long periods of time or bound with tape , according to testimony given in family court . nevertheless , the children remained in the barahona home . this case prompted an independent review of the dcf . the panel recently released the nubia report , ' recommending changes the agency should make in training and technology . the report says when a call is made to the abuse hotline , dcf should work with law enforcement to ensure an appropriate joint response when children are not located quickly . ' that change is a result of a phone call to the abuse hotline four days before nubia 's body was found in her father 's truck . the call was made by a therapist , saying that the granddaughter of carmen barahona told her that the twins were being abused , according to documents released in the case . a dcf investigator went to the house but did not see the children and did not notify the police . the pest control truck that barahona was driving was found by a road ranger on the side of interstate 95 in the west palm beach area on february 14 . firefighters called to the scene found barahona and nubia 's brother suffering from burns and a chemical-related illness , said west palm beach police department spokesman chase scott . hazardous material teams were called in to investigate fumes coming from the vehicle . the department of environmental protection went into the rear of the vehicle , moving aside some chemicals and located a body in a bag in the rear of the vehicle , ' said scott . the body has since been identified by the palm beach medical examiner as that of nubia barahona . jorge barahona did speak to police after he was arrested , according to a probable cause affidavit for the aggravated child abuse charges . the document says that barahona told police that he drove to west palm beach that day after he placed his deceased daughter in a plastic bag , which he loaded in the rear of his truck . ' when jorge barahona and his son were released from the hospital , the father went to jail and the child went to a therapeutic foster home . jail is where both jorge and carmen barahona will be staying , since they were denied bond , awaiting a resolution of their case . | case led to a review of florida 's department of children and families |
washington <tsp> the detainee hunger strike at guantanamo bay is entering its third month . official reports say 100 of the detainees remaining at the detention camp are refusing food ; lawyers for the detainees say the number is closer to 130 . twenty-three are being force-fed through nasal feeding tubes and at least 40 additional medical personnel have been flown to the base to help the overwhelmed staff care for those protesting their detention . last week , president obama reaffirmed his position that the detention camp at guantanamo needs to be closed and that keeping detainees there without charge indefinitely is contrary to who we are , it is contrary to our interests , and it needs to stop . ' closing guantanamo was one of obama 's key 2008 campaign promises . five years later , the prison complex is populated with 166 detainees , 86 of whom have been approved for transfer to other countries , and is being considered for a $ 200 million renovation . opinion : why has obama abandoned his guantanamo pledge ? nearly 70 % of the almost 800 detainees who have been held at guantanamo were released by the bush administration . since then , some u.s. officials have become increasingly worried about former detainees joining militant groups . a key reason guantanamo remains open is the fear that released inmates would mount terrorist attacks against the united states , its interests and its allies . sen. lindsey graham , a south carolina republican , for instance , last year called guantanamo detainees crazy bastards that want to kill us all ' . this view appears to be substantiated by government reports claiming many released inmates go on to join terrorist groups . last year the u.s. director of national intelligence issued an unclassified summary ' estimating that the number of released detainees confirmed ( 15.9 percent ) or suspected ( 12.0 percent ) of joining militant groups was 27.9 percent . it is impossible to assess the validity of the government 's assertion that more than a quarter of former guantanamo detainees are confirmed or suspected to have joined a militant group because the government has not publicly released the names of former detainees who have returned to the battlefield ' since april 2009 . the new america foundation analyzed pentagon reports , news stories , and other publicly available documents to create a list of former detainees who have either joined or are suspected of joining militant groups since their release . the list is available here . of the 603 former detainees who have been transferred out of the prison camp , we identified only 17 individuals ( 2.8 percent ) who are confirmed to be engaging in terrorist or insurgent activities against the united states or its citizens , while there are 21 individuals ( 3.5 percent ) who are suspected of engaging in such activities . we also identified 15 former detainees who are confirmed or are suspected of militant attacks against non-u.s. targets ( 2.5 percent ) . for the purposes of our study , for a former detainee to be considered confirmed ' that he had joined a militant group , there had to be a preponderance of information claiming he was directly involved in terrorist or insurgent activities . for those suspected ' of such acts , there were plausible but unverified accounts about their involvement in such activities . released prisoners who simply made anti-american statements or propaganda were not considered to be confirmed or suspected to be part of a militant group . while it is possible there are some former detainees participating in terrorist and insurgent activities who have not been identified publicly , we are confident that our numbers are reasonably accurate because groups like al-qaeda and the taliban are eager to trumpet the identities of released guantanamo detainees who join their ranks and the media is also quick to highlight such stories . based on the public record , even if you combine all the released guantanamo prisoners who are confirmed or suspected to have taken part in any form of militant activity anywhere in the world , the total comes to 53 , or 8.8 % , which is much lower than the 27 % being cited by the u.s. intelligence community . this 8.8 % rate is also far smaller than the recidivism rate of criminals in the united states , which currently stands around 67.5 % , according to the bureau of justice statistics . interestingly , all but one of these former guantanamo detainees who joined militant groups were released under the bush administration . under obama , comprehensive threat assessments have been used to determine a detainee 's eligibility for release , which has contributed to the fact that of the 72 prisoners released under obama we were only able to find one who had joined a militant group after his release . still , even if the number of guantanamo prisoners who have returned to the battlefield ' is quite small , they are certainly dangerous . take said ali al-shiri , who co-founded al qaeda in the arabian peninsula ( aqap ) in 2009 . transferred to saudi arabia in november 2007 during the george w. bush administration , al-shiri completed the kingdom 's rehabilitation program and promptly headed to yemen , where he became aqap 's deputy commander . another example is abdullah ghulam rasoul , who has emerged as a senior taliban commander . rasoul was also transferred from guantanamo to afghanistan in 2007 by the bush administration and rejoined the taliban shortly after the afghan government released him from custody . in 2009 , after the yemen-based aqap claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing of a detroit-bound airliner on christmas day , obama issued a moratorium on all detainee transfers to yemen . of the 86 detainees currently approved for transfer out of guantanamo , 56 are from yemen . congress then passed , and obama signed , the defense authorization act of 2011 which barred the use of government funds to transfer detainees into the united states or into the custody of other countries unless certain security concerns , like maintaining effective control over the detention facility housing the detainees , could be met . so far , it has been close to impossible for countries in the middle east and south asia , where most of the remaining detainees are from , to meet the standards set in this legislation . yet the fact remains that 86 of the prisoners in guantanamo were cleared for release three years ago following a year-long investigation of their cases by an interagency task force of officials at the department of justice , pentagon , state department and the department of homeland security . these detainees , some now on hunger strike , have good reason to despair that they will remain in guantanamo forever . their cases have been exhaustively investigated . they have found to be guilty of nothing , yet they are being held indefinitely . indefinite detention without charge is a policy that we usually associate with dictatorships , not democracies . add to this the facts that less than 3 % of the detainees at guantanamo can be confirmed by the public record to have engaged in anti-american terrorism or insurgent actions following their release and those 17 detainees were all released before the intensive review of the cases of the remaining prisoners at guantanamo began under the obama administration in 2009 . and so the guantanamo prisoners who have been cleared for release remain in seemingly perpetual custody , not because they 've been charged or because the rate of former detainees joining militant groups is at all high , but because washington politics has effectively ensured that there is nowhere else for them to go . for these prisoners , attempting to starve themselves to death is an almost rational response to their bleak future . it 's a story that kafka might have written . unfortunately , this one is true . | peter bergen : washington talks of guantanamo prisoners as major threat |
macheda <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- deep into injury time in one of manchester united 's most important games of the english premier league season a 17-year-old italian on debut hit a stunning winner and lifted himself to instant stardom . man of the moment : seventeen-year-old federico macheda is now a legend at manchester united federico macheda was the teenager who came on as a substitute and scored late on sunday for the red devils -- helping them to a 3-2 win after they had earlier trailed 2-1 to aston villa at old trafford . the finish was of the highest quality -- as he curled the ball past villa goal-keeper brad freidel from a wide angle . his fine touch , turn and shot were made all the more amazing given their significance in the context of both the match and season . but , who is this 17-year-old hero ? and how did he get to live his fairytale ? born in rome in 1991 ( yes , 1991 ) , macheda , known by team-mates as kiko ' , is a striker who developed his game through the ranks of the lazio youth programme in italy -- where he is considered as one of the brightest talents of the future . he made a move to manchester united in september 2007 , and quickly moved up the ranks -- starting out in the under-18 side , before progressing to the senior reserve team . he officially signed a professional contract with the club on his 17th birthday , in august 2008 . although sunday 's goal puts his name permanently on the minds of all manchester united faithful , it 's not the first time he has made an impression . just six days before he scored a thrilling hat-trick for the reserve team in a 3-3 draw against newcastle at st james'park . he has also represented italy at under 19 level . what did you think of macheda 's goal ? can he go on to become a top club and international player ? share your thoughts in the sound off box below . macheda was eventually booked for celebrating with the crowd after his strike -- though he later revealed he had hugged family members -- who were in the crowd to see his debut . he was named man of the match for his goal ( after playing just 30 minutes ) and although he was n't allowed the bottle of wine he won for the honor -- he told manchester united television this is the best day of my life . ' in the post-match interview on sky sports , macheda said : i think this is the day of my dreams -- to score a goal like that on my debut . ' the manchester united supporters'web site has since been inundated with comments praising macheda , and there are even several proposed supporters'chants being drafted for their new star . english-based italian football journalist gabriele marcotti told cnn he had been impressed by macheda 's progress at a young age -- but felt it was important he did n't get ahead of himself . when a guy scores like that on debut there 's always excitement . but , he needs to keep his feet on the ground and keep working , ' marcotti said . marcotti said the reaction from italian fans was likely to be mixed . while there would be happiness that he is emerging as a great prospect for italy in future , there is also concern that players like macheda are moving to england at a young age and the italian clubs who train them gain very little in compensation , he said . | this is the best day of my life , ' macheda said after the victory |
macheda <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- deep into injury time in one of manchester united 's most important games of the english premier league season a 17-year-old italian on debut hit a stunning winner and lifted himself to instant stardom . man of the moment : seventeen-year-old federico macheda is now a legend at manchester united federico macheda was the teenager who came on as a substitute and scored late on sunday for the red devils -- helping them to a 3-2 win after they had earlier trailed 2-1 to aston villa at old trafford . the finish was of the highest quality -- as he curled the ball past villa goal-keeper brad freidel from a wide angle . his fine touch , turn and shot were made all the more amazing given their significance in the context of both the match and season . but , who is this 17-year-old hero ? and how did he get to live his fairytale ? born in rome in 1991 ( yes , 1991 ) , macheda , known by team-mates as kiko ' , is a striker who developed his game through the ranks of the lazio youth programme in italy -- where he is considered as one of the brightest talents of the future . he made a move to manchester united in september 2007 , and quickly moved up the ranks -- starting out in the under-18 side , before progressing to the senior reserve team . he officially signed a professional contract with the club on his 17th birthday , in august 2008 . although sunday 's goal puts his name permanently on the minds of all manchester united faithful , it 's not the first time he has made an impression . just six days before he scored a thrilling hat-trick for the reserve team in a 3-3 draw against newcastle at st james'park . he has also represented italy at under 19 level . what did you think of macheda 's goal ? can he go on to become a top club and international player ? share your thoughts in the sound off box below . macheda was eventually booked for celebrating with the crowd after his strike -- though he later revealed he had hugged family members -- who were in the crowd to see his debut . he was named man of the match for his goal ( after playing just 30 minutes ) and although he was n't allowed the bottle of wine he won for the honor -- he told manchester united television this is the best day of my life . ' in the post-match interview on sky sports , macheda said : i think this is the day of my dreams -- to score a goal like that on my debut . ' the manchester united supporters'web site has since been inundated with comments praising macheda , and there are even several proposed supporters'chants being drafted for their new star . english-based italian football journalist gabriele marcotti told cnn he had been impressed by macheda 's progress at a young age -- but felt it was important he did n't get ahead of himself . when a guy scores like that on debut there 's always excitement . but , he needs to keep his feet on the ground and keep working , ' marcotti said . marcotti said the reaction from italian fans was likely to be mixed . while there would be happiness that he is emerging as a great prospect for italy in future , there is also concern that players like macheda are moving to england at a young age and the italian clubs who train them gain very little in compensation , he said . | macheda , a product of lazio 's youth programme , is just 17 years old |
macheda <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- deep into injury time in one of manchester united 's most important games of the english premier league season a 17-year-old italian on debut hit a stunning winner and lifted himself to instant stardom . man of the moment : seventeen-year-old federico macheda is now a legend at manchester united federico macheda was the teenager who came on as a substitute and scored late on sunday for the red devils -- helping them to a 3-2 win after they had earlier trailed 2-1 to aston villa at old trafford . the finish was of the highest quality -- as he curled the ball past villa goal-keeper brad freidel from a wide angle . his fine touch , turn and shot were made all the more amazing given their significance in the context of both the match and season . but , who is this 17-year-old hero ? and how did he get to live his fairytale ? born in rome in 1991 ( yes , 1991 ) , macheda , known by team-mates as kiko ' , is a striker who developed his game through the ranks of the lazio youth programme in italy -- where he is considered as one of the brightest talents of the future . he made a move to manchester united in september 2007 , and quickly moved up the ranks -- starting out in the under-18 side , before progressing to the senior reserve team . he officially signed a professional contract with the club on his 17th birthday , in august 2008 . although sunday 's goal puts his name permanently on the minds of all manchester united faithful , it 's not the first time he has made an impression . just six days before he scored a thrilling hat-trick for the reserve team in a 3-3 draw against newcastle at st james'park . he has also represented italy at under 19 level . what did you think of macheda 's goal ? can he go on to become a top club and international player ? share your thoughts in the sound off box below . macheda was eventually booked for celebrating with the crowd after his strike -- though he later revealed he had hugged family members -- who were in the crowd to see his debut . he was named man of the match for his goal ( after playing just 30 minutes ) and although he was n't allowed the bottle of wine he won for the honor -- he told manchester united television this is the best day of my life . ' in the post-match interview on sky sports , macheda said : i think this is the day of my dreams -- to score a goal like that on my debut . ' the manchester united supporters'web site has since been inundated with comments praising macheda , and there are even several proposed supporters'chants being drafted for their new star . english-based italian football journalist gabriele marcotti told cnn he had been impressed by macheda 's progress at a young age -- but felt it was important he did n't get ahead of himself . when a guy scores like that on debut there 's always excitement . but , he needs to keep his feet on the ground and keep working , ' marcotti said . marcotti said the reaction from italian fans was likely to be mixed . while there would be happiness that he is emerging as a great prospect for italy in future , there is also concern that players like macheda are moving to england at a young age and the italian clubs who train them gain very little in compensation , he said . | federico macheda scores stoppage time winner for manchester united |
khartoum <tsp> a sudanese lawyer filed an appeal thursday for a pregnant woman sentenced to death this month for refusing to renounce her christianity . the filing asks the appeals court to reverse the verdict by the lower court and free meriam yehya ibrahim , 27 . ibrahim , who is eight months pregnant , was convicted of apostasy , or the renunciation of faith . she is in prison with her 20-month-old son , but the toddler is free to leave any time , according to her lawyer , mohamed jar elnabi . her husband , daniel wani , is a u.s. citizen who uses a wheelchair and totally depends on her for all details of his life , ' her lawyer said . the appeal the appeals court in khartoum will issue a ruling on the case in the next week , but it will first ask the lower court to submit the documents it used to make the ruling , according to her lawyer . once that 's done , it will issue a case number , he said . we will continue checking with the appeals court , but inshallah ( allah willing ) ... the appeal court will reverse the sentence and set her free , ' he said . christian or muslim ? ibrahim says her father was a sudanese muslim and her mother was ethiopian orthodox . her father left when she was 6 , and she was raised as a christian . the court had warned her to renounce her christianity by may 15 , but she held firm to her beliefs . sudanese parliament speaker fatih izz al-deen said claims she was raised as non-muslim are untrue . she was raised in an islamic environment , and her brother , a muslim , filed the complaint against her , according to al-deen . the complaint alleges that she went missing for several years , and her family was shocked to find out she married a christian , according to her lawyer . however , because her father was muslim , the courts considered her one too , which would mean her marriage to a non-muslim man is void . attempts to contact sudan 's justice minister and foreign affairs minister for comment were unsuccessful . 100 lashes in addition to the death sentence , the court convicted her of adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes . the parliament speaker has said the verdict is not final and will go through all the judicial stages to reach the constitutional court . worldwide condemnation rights groups and foreign embassies worldwide condemned the verdict . the fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice , and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion , is abhorrent and should never be even considered , ' said manar idriss , amnesty international 's sudan researcher . katherine perks with the african centre for justice and peace studies said the verdict goes against sudan 's own constitution and commitments made under regional and international law . ' foreign embassies in khartoum , including those of the united states , united kingdom and canada , urged the government to reverse course . in past cases involving pregnant or nursing women , the sudanese government waited until the mother weaned her child before executing any sentence , said christian solidarity worldwide spokeswoman kiri kankhwende . opinion : why marrying for love should never mean death | a khartoum court convicted her of apostasy , or the renunciation of faith |
apollo 15 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it may be the next best thing to owning a piece of the moon . a cloth american flag that was taken to the moon 's surface was one of more than 500 aviation and space exploration artifacts sold into private hands at auction this week . to be honest with you , there 's only 12 men who walked on the moon out of 105 billion people who have walked on this earth since humankind started walking upright , ' larry mcglynn , the newest owner of the american flag told cnn on friday . these are incredibly rare items . ' the 2.5 inch-by-1.75 inch commemorative american flag framed with an apollo 15 uniform patch†” which also went to the moon†” was sold to mcglynn for $ 27,741.35 , according to bobby livingston , executive vice president of new hampshire-based rr auction . but the biggest seller was a complete apollo 15 rotational hand controller used by commander david scott to fly and land his lunar module on the surface of the moon in 1971 . the joystick-like device was purchased by an anonymous european client for $ 610,063 , livingston said . it 's a very important hand controller . it was the most used of all the missions , ' livingston said , adding that scott had to manually land with the joystick because he was off-course during his descent onto the moon . a crewman optical alignment sight , which is similar to a periscope for space , sold for over $ 126,000 , he said . all three items came from scott 's personal collection . these items represent the pinnacle of apollo-era flown material , ' said richard jurek , co-author of marketing the moon : the selling of the apollo lunar program . ' he added , while risking their lives during the most critical and historic phases of their mission -- these are the items that the astronauts personally selected to retain as mementos from arguably the greatest technological and engineering achievement of the 20th century . ' the market is hot for space items , especially lunar-surface artifacts and prices are continually going up , livingston said . the weeklong auction was rr auction 's seventh nasa-themed sale . seventy items from apollo 11 -- the first manned mission to land on the moon -- also were offered , including pieces from the personal collections of buzz aldrin and michael collins . many of the collectors , including mcglynn , grew up watching america 's space program , and feel a personal connection to the pieces . i actually saw an american flag like the one i bought at a geology professor 's house years ago , ' mcglynn said . though he did not want to identify the professor , he said that the flag was a gift from an astronaut who was advised by the professor . these astronauts resonate . people love the heroism and the sophistication , ' livingston said . you have to remember , everyone from galileo to einstein to neil armstrong looked up to the moon , wanting to figure out how to get there -- and these astronauts were able to get up there and come back down . ' | a joystick used by apollo 15 commander to land on the moon sold for over $ 600,000 |
rahm emanuel <tsp> ( cnn ) -- after an 11-year-old girl was shot and killed by a stray bullet while sitting on a friend 's bedroom floor , chicago officials met monday to discuss the city 's recent surge in gun violence . the girl was just one of 47 shooting victims in chicago over the weekend , five of which were fatal , according to statistics released by the chicago police department . shamiya adams was brought to a nearby hospital in critical condition on friday and pronounced dead saturday morning , according to anthony brucci , a spokesman for cook county medical examiner 's office . she was visiting a friend when a stray bullet from outside the residence struck her , according to chicago police officer jose estrada . no other injuries were reported at that incident , and no one has been arrested or charged , estrada said . an investigation is ongoing . every morning , i wake up and i cry , ' the girl 's mother told cnn affiliate wls . i just ca n't believe it . ' she used to tell me every day , give me a letter every day -- how much she loved me , how i was the best mother in the world , ' shaneetha goodloe said , her voice cracking with emotion . and i will never hear that again from her . ' asked what she would say to anyone who had anything to do with the child 's death , goodloe replied : speak up . if you know anything , you should say something because this was n't for her . this was not for my child . she was not supposed to die from a bullet to her brain , ' she said . chicago mayor rahm emanuel met monday with the chicago police superintendent and community leaders to discuss violence in their city , an event scheduled before the uptick in gun violence over the weekend . our kids only get heard when there is a shot , be it a basketball shot or a bullet shot . there are other kids out there , ' emanuel said at the meeting . everybody says ,'so what are you going to do ?'as if there 's a single thing that 's going to resolve this problem , ' emanuel said . it is a communitywide problem , which requires a communitywide solution . ' blame weak gun laws for violence , chicago 's top cop says emanuel went on to say that public safety in chicago goes beyond police and into investments in after-school and summer job programs , gun law enforcement and penalties and community building . the violent weekend in chicago follows a deadly independence day weekend when more than 60 people were shot and nine were killed , according to police statistics . chicago police superintendent garry mccarthy blamed weak gun laws for the spurt of holiday violence . there has to come a tipping point where this changes , ' mccarthy said then of the violence . the illogical nature of what 's happening here -- that government can intercede and prevent this from happening is overwhelming . and i refuse to think otherwise in a great country like america that we can continue to allow this to happen -- not just on a state , but on a federal level . ' chicago to get more atf agents to help fight gun crime chicago 's $ 8 million push to protect students from gangs tackling chicago 's'crime gap' gang violence : what happens when you do n't die ? cnn 's george howell and michael pearson contributed to this report . | chicago mayor rahm emanuel : our kids only get heard when there is a shot ' |
afghanistan <tsp> london , england ( cnn ) -- a large protest was happening saturday in london against the war in afghanistan , with organizers saying thousands from around the country would take part . demonstrators were marching from speakers corner in hyde park to trafalgar square , where there were planned speeches from labour politician tony benn , former london mayor ken livingstone , two members of parliament and others . london 's metropolitan police said more than 5,000 people were expected to take part . former british soldier joe glenton was one of those marching . he served in afghanistan and was jailed when he refused to go back , and friday , he handed back the veterans badge he received when he left the armed forces . there 's a real upswell of support , and there 's something coming , ' he told cnn about the anti-war sentiment he sees in britain . also at the protest was mandy sylvester , who said her son has been in afghanistan for four weeks with the british paratrooper regiment . as protesters behind her held signs reading , cut war not welfare , ' sylvester told cnn the war costs too much and is no longer justified . the reason why we 're there has changed three times , to my knowledge , ' she said . the reason why we 're there now is because we 're there . ' the stop the war coalition was organizing the demonstration along with the campaign for nuclear disarmament ( cnd ) and the british muslim initiative . afghanistan is at the top of the agenda for saturday 's meeting of nato leaders in lisbon , portugal , where they agreed with the afghan government to leave international forces there for many years after a planned military transition in 2014 . protesters called saturday for the troops to come home , with one saying they are only exacerbating the situation ' by being in afghanistan . any development that has happened has n't been for the afghan people , ' said protester chaz singh . it 's only been for the businesses that have come from america , the u.k. , and europe . ' cnn 's craig johnston contributed to this report . | it coincides with saturday 's nato meeting on afghanistan |
pakistani <tsp> ( cnn ) -- al-jazeera cameraman sami al-hajj arrived home in the sudanese capital of khartoum early friday after nearly six years in the u.s. navy prison camp at guantanamo bay , cuba . al-jazeera cameraman sami al-hajj at a hospital in khartoum after his release from guantanamo bay . i was so happy that i cried , ' al-hajj told the qatar-based arabic news network by phone from his hospital room , where he was taken after arriving at the airport . it is our right to be happy and to rejoice , but we also miss our brothers that we left behind and who live in very difficult conditions . ' an official with the u.s. embassy in khartoum said the transfer brought to an end a matter that the united states and sudan considered to be of great mutual concern . ' al-hajj , a sudanese citizen in his late 30s , was captured in afghanistan in december 2001 by pakistani intelligence officers and handed over to the united states , which accused him of being an enemy combatant . ' a senior pentagon official confirmed the journalist 's release . al-hajj was held without being charged or given a trial , al-jazeera reported . the cameraman was on a legitimate assignment and carried a work visa at the time of his capture , the network said . it also reported that the u.s. plane that carried al-hajj had about 20 other former detainees aboard who also had been released from guantanamo bay . the plane dropped off a moroccan national , identified as al-saeed bou jaadiya , the network said . al-jazeera aired video showing a bearded al-hajj being carried from the plane in khartoum by u.s. military personnel and laid on a stretcher . he was transported to al-amal hospital . he was brought in here by ambulance and entered to the intensive care unit on a stretcher , ' said al-jazeera director general wadah khanfar from the hospital . he was exhausted and very sick , and he 's receiving the necessary care in the hospital . ' khanfar said he was awaiting word from doctors on his medical condition . in a statement , u.s . charge d'affaires alberto fernandez of the u.s. embassy in khartoum said the transfer is a result of many factors and the work of many hands . an important one was the cooperation between the u.s. embassy in khartoum and the sudanese ministry of foreign affairs and the national intelligence and security service . ' al-hajj had been on a hunger strike for more than a year and was being force-fed , said zachary katznelson , a lawyer who has worked on al-hajj 's case since august 2005 and last visited him three weeks ago . al-hajj is remarkably thin , ' katznelson said . he looks like an ill man . ' the journalist was conscious , but did not appear to speak to anyone as paramedics rolled his stretcher inside . family members stooped to kiss him as the gurney passed . i would have hoped they were here with me now . i look forward to the moment , ' al-hajj said told al-jazeera before being reunited with his family . earlier , al-hajj 's wife spoke to the network about his release . now i can think differently , ' asma ismailov said . now i can plan my life differently . everything will be all right , god willing . ' al-hajj 's young son , mohammed , said he would kiss his head ' when he sees his father . i 'll tell him that i love him and i need him . ' the sudanese government told al-jazeera that al-hajj faced no charges in sudan and is a free man . the network also said the united states placed some conditions on al-hajj 's release , including one that prevents him from any political activity . reporters without borders , which campaigned for al-hajj 's release , said in a statement that the cameraman never should have been held so long . ' u.s. authorities never proved that he had been involved in any kind of criminal activity , ' the worldwide press freedom group said . the organization said al-hajj was accused of gun-smuggling for al qaeda and running an islamist web site , although no evidence supporting those charges was produced . we are delighted that sami al-hajj can finally be reunited with his family and friends , ' said joel simon , executive director of the committee to protect journalists . but his detention for six years , without the most basic due process , is a grave injustice and represents a threat to all journalists working in conflict areas . ' e-mail to a friend | pakistani intelligence officers captured him in afghanistan in december 2001 |
sami al-hajj <tsp> ( cnn ) -- al-jazeera cameraman sami al-hajj arrived home in the sudanese capital of khartoum early friday after nearly six years in the u.s. navy prison camp at guantanamo bay , cuba . al-jazeera cameraman sami al-hajj at a hospital in khartoum after his release from guantanamo bay . i was so happy that i cried , ' al-hajj told the qatar-based arabic news network by phone from his hospital room , where he was taken after arriving at the airport . it is our right to be happy and to rejoice , but we also miss our brothers that we left behind and who live in very difficult conditions . ' an official with the u.s. embassy in khartoum said the transfer brought to an end a matter that the united states and sudan considered to be of great mutual concern . ' al-hajj , a sudanese citizen in his late 30s , was captured in afghanistan in december 2001 by pakistani intelligence officers and handed over to the united states , which accused him of being an enemy combatant . ' a senior pentagon official confirmed the journalist 's release . al-hajj was held without being charged or given a trial , al-jazeera reported . the cameraman was on a legitimate assignment and carried a work visa at the time of his capture , the network said . it also reported that the u.s. plane that carried al-hajj had about 20 other former detainees aboard who also had been released from guantanamo bay . the plane dropped off a moroccan national , identified as al-saeed bou jaadiya , the network said . al-jazeera aired video showing a bearded al-hajj being carried from the plane in khartoum by u.s. military personnel and laid on a stretcher . he was transported to al-amal hospital . he was brought in here by ambulance and entered to the intensive care unit on a stretcher , ' said al-jazeera director general wadah khanfar from the hospital . he was exhausted and very sick , and he 's receiving the necessary care in the hospital . ' khanfar said he was awaiting word from doctors on his medical condition . in a statement , u.s . charge d'affaires alberto fernandez of the u.s. embassy in khartoum said the transfer is a result of many factors and the work of many hands . an important one was the cooperation between the u.s. embassy in khartoum and the sudanese ministry of foreign affairs and the national intelligence and security service . ' al-hajj had been on a hunger strike for more than a year and was being force-fed , said zachary katznelson , a lawyer who has worked on al-hajj 's case since august 2005 and last visited him three weeks ago . al-hajj is remarkably thin , ' katznelson said . he looks like an ill man . ' the journalist was conscious , but did not appear to speak to anyone as paramedics rolled his stretcher inside . family members stooped to kiss him as the gurney passed . i would have hoped they were here with me now . i look forward to the moment , ' al-hajj said told al-jazeera before being reunited with his family . earlier , al-hajj 's wife spoke to the network about his release . now i can think differently , ' asma ismailov said . now i can plan my life differently . everything will be all right , god willing . ' al-hajj 's young son , mohammed , said he would kiss his head ' when he sees his father . i 'll tell him that i love him and i need him . ' the sudanese government told al-jazeera that al-hajj faced no charges in sudan and is a free man . the network also said the united states placed some conditions on al-hajj 's release , including one that prevents him from any political activity . reporters without borders , which campaigned for al-hajj 's release , said in a statement that the cameraman never should have been held so long . ' u.s. authorities never proved that he had been involved in any kind of criminal activity , ' the worldwide press freedom group said . the organization said al-hajj was accused of gun-smuggling for al qaeda and running an islamist web site , although no evidence supporting those charges was produced . we are delighted that sami al-hajj can finally be reunited with his family and friends , ' said joel simon , executive director of the committee to protect journalists . but his detention for six years , without the most basic due process , is a grave injustice and represents a threat to all journalists working in conflict areas . ' e-mail to a friend | sami al-hajj arrives home in sudan and is taken to hospital , network says |
china <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- iran , syria and now china . president barack obama faces a third front of vulnerability on his administration 's record of defending human rights with the muddled situation involving activist chen guangcheng . with his re-election campaign just hitting full stride , obama hoped to capitalize on foreign policy successes , such as last year 's raid that killed osama bin laden , to blunt republican attacks on the sluggish u.s. economic recovery . however , the increasingly strange and challenging case of chen provides potential fresh fodder for opponents to continue their attempts to portray the obama presidency as soft or acquiescing to brutal regimes that abuse their own people . presumptive republican presidential nominee mitt romney led the attack thursday , saying at a campaign event that circumstances of the incident -- if true -- meant a dark day for freedom , and it 's a day of shame for the obama administration . ' conservative republicans such as sen. john mccain of arizona have criticized the obama administration for not providing strong support for iranian protesters last year or the syrian opposition movement in its ongoing conflict with forces of president bashar al-assad . ultimately , ending violations of conscience requires the political will and moral courage of world leaders , especially the president of the united states , ' mccain said last week . unfortunately , that will and leadership are lacking in the case of syria today . ' chen 's case casts new light on china 's history of political persecution and rights abuses and comes at a particularly delicate time as u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton and treasury secretary timothy geithner arrived this week for long-planned talks on strategic and economic issues . chen :'i want to go to the united states' the blind , self-taught human rights attorney has been persecuted by chinese authorities for years for his work exposing the government 's policy restricting the number of children a couple may have , mistreatment of disabled people and other abuses . he escaped from house arrest last month and took refuge in the u.s. embassy in beijing , setting off a behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort intended to prevent the situation from derailing the top-level meetings with clinton and geithner . on wednesday , all seemed resolved when the 40-year-old chen left the embassy to join his family at a beijing hospital , with u.s. officials saying that he never requested asylum and that china gave assurances that he and his family would not face further persecution . that quickly unraveled at the hospital , where chen said he wanted u.s. help to flee china with his family because he feared for their safety . the situation has tested the obama administration 's approach to relations with china , straining its commitment to uphold human rights even as it strives to maintain steady ties with beijing . last week , when chen was still inside the embassy , u.s. officials refused to confirm his location and obama declined to comment directly on the case when asked about it at a news conference . in comments thursday at the high-level talks with china , clinton made no mention of chen while saying the topic of human rights was part of the discussion . a senior state department official said thursday the united states will do what it can to help chen and his family leave china if they want to , but added that washington does n't have a magic wand ' to get him out of the country . at the white house , press secretary jay carney referred questions about the situation in china to the state department . carney repeated details previously released by state department officials that chen never asked for asylum while in the u.s. embassy and was never pressured to leave . romney , however , said news reports indicated that u.s. officials may have sped up chen 's decision to leave the embassy because they wanted to move on to a series of discussions that mr. geithner and our secretary of state are planning on having with china . ' he also complained that the embassy failed to put in place the kind of verifiable measures that would assure the safety of mr. chen and his family . ' we are a place of freedom here and around the world , and we should stand up and defend freedom wherever it is under attack , ' romney said . ben labolt , spokesman for the obama campaign , said romney 's thursday comments rang hollow . he has no coherent foreign policy vision , no concrete plans to enhance our security and strengthen our alliances , and he has taken conflicting positions on every major foreign policy issue facing our nation , ' labolt said in a statement . rather than leveling these empty political attacks at the president , mitt romney should tell the american people exactly what he would do as commander in chief . ' a statement by house speaker john boehner , r-ohio , said that the united states has an obligation to stand with the oppressed , not with the oppressor . ' having handed chen guangcheng back over to the chinese government , the obama administration is responsible for ensuring his safety , ' boehner 's statement said . while our economic relationship with china is important and vital to the future of people in both countries , the united states has an obligation to use its engagement with china to press for reforms in china 's human rights practices , particularly with respect to the reprehensible'one-child'policy . ' human rights groups and some members of congress are pressuring the obama administration to help chen and his family get out . noting the presence of clinton in china for the talks , republican rep. chris smith of new jersey called for the obama administration to do everything it can to ensure that chen guangcheng , his family members and all those who have helped him are removed from harm 's way . ' they must seize this golden opportunity to help save chen and his family and demonstrate to the world that the ( united states ) stands firm for fundamental human rights and the rule of law , ' said smith , the chairman of the congressional-executive commission on china . trade talks are important , but human rights are not'an irritant'-- we have a duty to protect and defend . ' later thursday , smith chaired an emergency hearing on the issue that included a telephone conversation with chen from beijing amplified by holding a cellular phone up to a hearing room microphone . speaking to chen , smith called his case a test of the chinese government 's commitment to protect him and also a test of the united states as to whether or not human rights really do matter . ' carney , repeatedly asked about the issue by reporters at the white house daily briefing , said the president is not concerned about political back-and-forth on this issue . ' he is focused on the need to advance u.s. interests in our relationship with china ' and to make an open and frank discussion on human rights ' part of that relationship , carney said . human rights advocacy groups raised doubts about whether beijing would stick to the promises it reportedly made regarding chen 's ability to live free of persecution in china . chinese officials did not comment directly on what deal had been reached with the united states over chen . in comments reported by state media , they focused on what they described as interference ' by washington in china 's internal affairs . to kenneth lieberthal , director of the john l. thornton china center and a senior fellow in foreign policy at the brookings institution , the balance of human rights issues such as the chen case with other significant issues for both the united states and china marked a maturing of relations between the countries . the juxtaposition of a classic human rights issue with these other issues highlights the range of our relationship and our capacity now to do what u.s. policy has sought -- which is to deal with these issues separately so that problems in any one part of the relationship do n't disrupt our ability to address very important issues in other parts of the relationship , ' lieberthal said on the brookings website . that 's what a mature relationship is about . ' a co-author of a book on obama 's foreign policy published in march , lieberthal said the balanced approach by washington does not mean , as some in the advocacy community have said , that this means that effectively we do n't give much priority to human rights . ' what it does mean is that we give priority to human rights , we give priority to nuclear proliferation , we give priority to cybersecurity , we give priority to jobs and economic growth in the united states and how china 's economic polices affect that , ' said lieberthal , a former university of michigan professor who was a special adviser on national security affairs to president bill clinton . we have a series of priorities , each of which we pursue vigorously , and i think that 's the right way to do it . ' carney seemed to agree thursday , telling reporters : we are continuing to pursue our broad agenda with china on a whole range of issues . ' cnn 's paul courson contributed to this report . | the administration tries to balance human rights with other issues in china dealings |
sanford <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the south carolina ethics commission has charged gov . mark sanford with 37 counts of violating state ethics laws , according to a complaint released by the commission on monday . the complaint follows a three-month investigation into sanford 's use of taxpayer money . sanford is accused of using tax money to buy business-class airfare on domestic and international flights , flying on a state-owned aircraft to political gatherings or events which involved no official business , ' and spending campaign funds for personal use such as buying a ticket to attend president obama 's inauguration in january . south carolina law requires state officials to buy the lowest fares available for flights , and bars the use of state aircraft for personal use . sanford 's office did not respond to requests for comment about the charges . the governor , once a rising star in the republican party before he revealed an extramarital affair in june , faces a hearing along with his legal team before a three-member ethics panel . cathy hazelwood , general counsel to the state ethics commission , said no date has been set for the hearing . after arguments are presented , the panel will determine if sanford broke any state laws . the ethics case involves civil charges that are punishable by fines , and sanford can appeal decisions up to the state supreme court . only the state attorney general , henry mcmaster , can decide to pursue criminal charges against the governor . mcmaster is reviewing the allegations to determine if any laws were broken . the new charges compound sanford 's political problems , which have been simmering for months as investigators scrutinized his finances . state legislators already have filed an impeachment resolution against the governor for leaving the state this summer to visit his argentine mistress without installing a proper chain of command or informing his staff . a special house subcommittee will meet in columbia on tuesday to formally consider the resolution for the first time . state rep. greg delleney , a republican and one of the sponsors of the impeachment resolution , said he expects the subcommittee to look over the ethics commission results during the thanksgiving holiday and decide whether to adjust the measure to include material from the ethics complaint . delleney said he thinks monday 's report will give new momentum to the impeachment push . the sheer volume of the violations might be useful in bringing some more representatives over to the side of impeachment , ' delleney said . if the special subcommittee decides to move forward with impeachment , the resolution will be passed onto the judiciary committee , which will then vote on whether to bring it to the floor of the legislature when lawmakers return to the state capital of columbia in january . for sanford to be forcibly removed from office , two-thirds of the south carolina house and and two-thirds of the state senate must vote to impeach him . | sanford announced affair with argentine woman in june |
sanford <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the south carolina ethics commission has charged gov . mark sanford with 37 counts of violating state ethics laws , according to a complaint released by the commission on monday . the complaint follows a three-month investigation into sanford 's use of taxpayer money . sanford is accused of using tax money to buy business-class airfare on domestic and international flights , flying on a state-owned aircraft to political gatherings or events which involved no official business , ' and spending campaign funds for personal use such as buying a ticket to attend president obama 's inauguration in january . south carolina law requires state officials to buy the lowest fares available for flights , and bars the use of state aircraft for personal use . sanford 's office did not respond to requests for comment about the charges . the governor , once a rising star in the republican party before he revealed an extramarital affair in june , faces a hearing along with his legal team before a three-member ethics panel . cathy hazelwood , general counsel to the state ethics commission , said no date has been set for the hearing . after arguments are presented , the panel will determine if sanford broke any state laws . the ethics case involves civil charges that are punishable by fines , and sanford can appeal decisions up to the state supreme court . only the state attorney general , henry mcmaster , can decide to pursue criminal charges against the governor . mcmaster is reviewing the allegations to determine if any laws were broken . the new charges compound sanford 's political problems , which have been simmering for months as investigators scrutinized his finances . state legislators already have filed an impeachment resolution against the governor for leaving the state this summer to visit his argentine mistress without installing a proper chain of command or informing his staff . a special house subcommittee will meet in columbia on tuesday to formally consider the resolution for the first time . state rep. greg delleney , a republican and one of the sponsors of the impeachment resolution , said he expects the subcommittee to look over the ethics commission results during the thanksgiving holiday and decide whether to adjust the measure to include material from the ethics complaint . delleney said he thinks monday 's report will give new momentum to the impeachment push . the sheer volume of the violations might be useful in bringing some more representatives over to the side of impeachment , ' delleney said . if the special subcommittee decides to move forward with impeachment , the resolution will be passed onto the judiciary committee , which will then vote on whether to bring it to the floor of the legislature when lawmakers return to the state capital of columbia in january . for sanford to be forcibly removed from office , two-thirds of the south carolina house and and two-thirds of the state senate must vote to impeach him . | sanford is accused of using tax money for personal travel |
sanford <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the south carolina ethics commission has charged gov . mark sanford with 37 counts of violating state ethics laws , according to a complaint released by the commission on monday . the complaint follows a three-month investigation into sanford 's use of taxpayer money . sanford is accused of using tax money to buy business-class airfare on domestic and international flights , flying on a state-owned aircraft to political gatherings or events which involved no official business , ' and spending campaign funds for personal use such as buying a ticket to attend president obama 's inauguration in january . south carolina law requires state officials to buy the lowest fares available for flights , and bars the use of state aircraft for personal use . sanford 's office did not respond to requests for comment about the charges . the governor , once a rising star in the republican party before he revealed an extramarital affair in june , faces a hearing along with his legal team before a three-member ethics panel . cathy hazelwood , general counsel to the state ethics commission , said no date has been set for the hearing . after arguments are presented , the panel will determine if sanford broke any state laws . the ethics case involves civil charges that are punishable by fines , and sanford can appeal decisions up to the state supreme court . only the state attorney general , henry mcmaster , can decide to pursue criminal charges against the governor . mcmaster is reviewing the allegations to determine if any laws were broken . the new charges compound sanford 's political problems , which have been simmering for months as investigators scrutinized his finances . state legislators already have filed an impeachment resolution against the governor for leaving the state this summer to visit his argentine mistress without installing a proper chain of command or informing his staff . a special house subcommittee will meet in columbia on tuesday to formally consider the resolution for the first time . state rep. greg delleney , a republican and one of the sponsors of the impeachment resolution , said he expects the subcommittee to look over the ethics commission results during the thanksgiving holiday and decide whether to adjust the measure to include material from the ethics complaint . delleney said he thinks monday 's report will give new momentum to the impeachment push . the sheer volume of the violations might be useful in bringing some more representatives over to the side of impeachment , ' delleney said . if the special subcommittee decides to move forward with impeachment , the resolution will be passed onto the judiciary committee , which will then vote on whether to bring it to the floor of the legislature when lawmakers return to the state capital of columbia in january . for sanford to be forcibly removed from office , two-thirds of the south carolina house and and two-thirds of the state senate must vote to impeach him . | legislators already have filed an impeachment resolution against sanford |
aleppo <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo after weeks of fighting with regime troops , a network of opposition activists said saturday , in the latest sign that government forces are losing ground . rebel brigades have had the sprawling military base in a stranglehold for days . read more : syrian boy risks life for stranger a rebel commander told cnn in early december that at least 250 government soldiers had defected since the infantry academy came under siege , with most joining the rebel forces . the free syrian army now has control of most of the base , the opposition local coordination committees for syria said saturday . heavy clashes were also reported between regime forces and rebel fighters in and around the town of daraya , near the capital , damascus . watch : patriot missiles a warning to syria 's al-assad regime forces are shelling parts of the city , which has been under siege for weeks , according to the opposition syrian observatory for human rights . the observatory also reported shelling by government security forces of the northeastern towns of harasta and erbeen , in the damascus suburbs , saturday morning . there are also clashes between rebel fighters and regime forces along the main highway that passes southern damascus , it said . the lcc reported airstrikes by fighter jets on southern neighborhoods of the capital . at least 60 people died across the country on saturday , including 20 in damascus and its suburbs , the lcc reported . cnn can not independently confirm government or opposition claims about violence and casualties as syria has severely restricted access for journalists . syria 's foreign minister walid moallem called for an end to u.s. and european union sanctions against his country in a meeting with u.n. humanitarian chief valerie amos in damascus on saturday , according to syria 's official news agency , sana . moaellem said the sanctions were responsible for the syrian people 's suffering and urged the united nations to condemn them . he also called on amos for u.n. help to reconstruct infrastructure such as hospitals damaged during the 22-month conflict , sana said . the u.n. secretary general 's special representative for children and armed conflict , leila zerrougui , also arrived in the capital friday to assess the impact of the conflict on the country 's children , the news agency said . read more : obama recognizes syrian opposition coalition zerrougui will meet syrian officials , u.n. staffers in the country and members of civil society groups during the four-day visit , it said . sana also reported that government forces had continued their mission friday to clear areas and neighborhoods in deir ezzor , in the country 's east , from mercenary terrorists . ' the syrian government refers to the rebel forces as terrorists . u.s. officials said friday that syrian president bashar al-assad 's control is crumbling at an accelerating pace . it 's at its lowest point yet , ' said one senior u.s. official with direct knowledge of the latest assessments . u.s. intelligence believes the decline has accelerated in recent weeks . the trend is moving more rapidly than it has in the past . ' read more : syrian refugees on run :'i want people to feel our pain' the officials agreed to talk on the condition their names not be used because they were not authorized to discuss the information with the media . the united states and germany are sending patriot missiles and troops to the turkish border in order to protect their fellow nato member from potential threats from syria . the surface-to-air interceptors would be dealing with threats that come out of syria , ' said u.s. defense secretary leon panetta friday . threats would include syrian strikes inside turkey and fighting between the government and rebels that extends into turkey . errant syrian artillery shells struck the turkish border town of akcakale and killed five turkish civilians in october . the united states has accused damascus of launching scud-type artillery from the capital at rebels in the country 's north . one washington official said missiles came close to the border of turkey , a staunch u.s. ally . syria 's government called the accusations untrue rumors ' friday , according to state news agency sana . damascus accused turkey and its partners of instigating rumors to make the government look bad internationally . read more : refugee figures fail to give true picture of syria crisis reports that the syrian government may be considering the use of chemical weapons have also heightened international concerns in recent days . syria denies it has such weapons and says it would not use them even if it did . the syrian civil war started in march 2011 when a government crackdown on civilian demonstrators morphed into a fight between the regime and rebels . the conflict has a proxy element , with sunni countries such as turkey , qatar and saudi arabia backing the rebels and shiite iran backing the alawite regime . the alawite faith is an offshoot of shiite islam . more than 40,000 people have died in the war . the united nations said on friday that many syrians will continue to be killed and maimed after the war ends because of deadly explosives placed in residential areas across the country . cnn 's arwa damon , pierre meilhan , yousuf basil and amir ahmed contributed to this report . | syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo , activists say |
syrian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo after weeks of fighting with regime troops , a network of opposition activists said saturday , in the latest sign that government forces are losing ground . rebel brigades have had the sprawling military base in a stranglehold for days . read more : syrian boy risks life for stranger a rebel commander told cnn in early december that at least 250 government soldiers had defected since the infantry academy came under siege , with most joining the rebel forces . the free syrian army now has control of most of the base , the opposition local coordination committees for syria said saturday . heavy clashes were also reported between regime forces and rebel fighters in and around the town of daraya , near the capital , damascus . watch : patriot missiles a warning to syria 's al-assad regime forces are shelling parts of the city , which has been under siege for weeks , according to the opposition syrian observatory for human rights . the observatory also reported shelling by government security forces of the northeastern towns of harasta and erbeen , in the damascus suburbs , saturday morning . there are also clashes between rebel fighters and regime forces along the main highway that passes southern damascus , it said . the lcc reported airstrikes by fighter jets on southern neighborhoods of the capital . at least 60 people died across the country on saturday , including 20 in damascus and its suburbs , the lcc reported . cnn can not independently confirm government or opposition claims about violence and casualties as syria has severely restricted access for journalists . syria 's foreign minister walid moallem called for an end to u.s. and european union sanctions against his country in a meeting with u.n. humanitarian chief valerie amos in damascus on saturday , according to syria 's official news agency , sana . moaellem said the sanctions were responsible for the syrian people 's suffering and urged the united nations to condemn them . he also called on amos for u.n. help to reconstruct infrastructure such as hospitals damaged during the 22-month conflict , sana said . the u.n. secretary general 's special representative for children and armed conflict , leila zerrougui , also arrived in the capital friday to assess the impact of the conflict on the country 's children , the news agency said . read more : obama recognizes syrian opposition coalition zerrougui will meet syrian officials , u.n. staffers in the country and members of civil society groups during the four-day visit , it said . sana also reported that government forces had continued their mission friday to clear areas and neighborhoods in deir ezzor , in the country 's east , from mercenary terrorists . ' the syrian government refers to the rebel forces as terrorists . u.s. officials said friday that syrian president bashar al-assad 's control is crumbling at an accelerating pace . it 's at its lowest point yet , ' said one senior u.s. official with direct knowledge of the latest assessments . u.s. intelligence believes the decline has accelerated in recent weeks . the trend is moving more rapidly than it has in the past . ' read more : syrian refugees on run :'i want people to feel our pain' the officials agreed to talk on the condition their names not be used because they were not authorized to discuss the information with the media . the united states and germany are sending patriot missiles and troops to the turkish border in order to protect their fellow nato member from potential threats from syria . the surface-to-air interceptors would be dealing with threats that come out of syria , ' said u.s. defense secretary leon panetta friday . threats would include syrian strikes inside turkey and fighting between the government and rebels that extends into turkey . errant syrian artillery shells struck the turkish border town of akcakale and killed five turkish civilians in october . the united states has accused damascus of launching scud-type artillery from the capital at rebels in the country 's north . one washington official said missiles came close to the border of turkey , a staunch u.s. ally . syria 's government called the accusations untrue rumors ' friday , according to state news agency sana . damascus accused turkey and its partners of instigating rumors to make the government look bad internationally . read more : refugee figures fail to give true picture of syria crisis reports that the syrian government may be considering the use of chemical weapons have also heightened international concerns in recent days . syria denies it has such weapons and says it would not use them even if it did . the syrian civil war started in march 2011 when a government crackdown on civilian demonstrators morphed into a fight between the regime and rebels . the conflict has a proxy element , with sunni countries such as turkey , qatar and saudi arabia backing the rebels and shiite iran backing the alawite regime . the alawite faith is an offshoot of shiite islam . more than 40,000 people have died in the war . the united nations said on friday that many syrians will continue to be killed and maimed after the war ends because of deadly explosives placed in residential areas across the country . cnn 's arwa damon , pierre meilhan , yousuf basil and amir ahmed contributed to this report . | syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo , activists say |
damascus <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo after weeks of fighting with regime troops , a network of opposition activists said saturday , in the latest sign that government forces are losing ground . rebel brigades have had the sprawling military base in a stranglehold for days . read more : syrian boy risks life for stranger a rebel commander told cnn in early december that at least 250 government soldiers had defected since the infantry academy came under siege , with most joining the rebel forces . the free syrian army now has control of most of the base , the opposition local coordination committees for syria said saturday . heavy clashes were also reported between regime forces and rebel fighters in and around the town of daraya , near the capital , damascus . watch : patriot missiles a warning to syria 's al-assad regime forces are shelling parts of the city , which has been under siege for weeks , according to the opposition syrian observatory for human rights . the observatory also reported shelling by government security forces of the northeastern towns of harasta and erbeen , in the damascus suburbs , saturday morning . there are also clashes between rebel fighters and regime forces along the main highway that passes southern damascus , it said . the lcc reported airstrikes by fighter jets on southern neighborhoods of the capital . at least 60 people died across the country on saturday , including 20 in damascus and its suburbs , the lcc reported . cnn can not independently confirm government or opposition claims about violence and casualties as syria has severely restricted access for journalists . syria 's foreign minister walid moallem called for an end to u.s. and european union sanctions against his country in a meeting with u.n. humanitarian chief valerie amos in damascus on saturday , according to syria 's official news agency , sana . moaellem said the sanctions were responsible for the syrian people 's suffering and urged the united nations to condemn them . he also called on amos for u.n. help to reconstruct infrastructure such as hospitals damaged during the 22-month conflict , sana said . the u.n. secretary general 's special representative for children and armed conflict , leila zerrougui , also arrived in the capital friday to assess the impact of the conflict on the country 's children , the news agency said . read more : obama recognizes syrian opposition coalition zerrougui will meet syrian officials , u.n. staffers in the country and members of civil society groups during the four-day visit , it said . sana also reported that government forces had continued their mission friday to clear areas and neighborhoods in deir ezzor , in the country 's east , from mercenary terrorists . ' the syrian government refers to the rebel forces as terrorists . u.s. officials said friday that syrian president bashar al-assad 's control is crumbling at an accelerating pace . it 's at its lowest point yet , ' said one senior u.s. official with direct knowledge of the latest assessments . u.s. intelligence believes the decline has accelerated in recent weeks . the trend is moving more rapidly than it has in the past . ' read more : syrian refugees on run :'i want people to feel our pain' the officials agreed to talk on the condition their names not be used because they were not authorized to discuss the information with the media . the united states and germany are sending patriot missiles and troops to the turkish border in order to protect their fellow nato member from potential threats from syria . the surface-to-air interceptors would be dealing with threats that come out of syria , ' said u.s. defense secretary leon panetta friday . threats would include syrian strikes inside turkey and fighting between the government and rebels that extends into turkey . errant syrian artillery shells struck the turkish border town of akcakale and killed five turkish civilians in october . the united states has accused damascus of launching scud-type artillery from the capital at rebels in the country 's north . one washington official said missiles came close to the border of turkey , a staunch u.s. ally . syria 's government called the accusations untrue rumors ' friday , according to state news agency sana . damascus accused turkey and its partners of instigating rumors to make the government look bad internationally . read more : refugee figures fail to give true picture of syria crisis reports that the syrian government may be considering the use of chemical weapons have also heightened international concerns in recent days . syria denies it has such weapons and says it would not use them even if it did . the syrian civil war started in march 2011 when a government crackdown on civilian demonstrators morphed into a fight between the regime and rebels . the conflict has a proxy element , with sunni countries such as turkey , qatar and saudi arabia backing the rebels and shiite iran backing the alawite regime . the alawite faith is an offshoot of shiite islam . more than 40,000 people have died in the war . the united nations said on friday that many syrians will continue to be killed and maimed after the war ends because of deadly explosives placed in residential areas across the country . cnn 's arwa damon , pierre meilhan , yousuf basil and amir ahmed contributed to this report . | fierce fighting is reported in the town of daraya , near damascus |
damascus <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syrian rebels have seized most of a military academy outside aleppo after weeks of fighting with regime troops , a network of opposition activists said saturday , in the latest sign that government forces are losing ground . rebel brigades have had the sprawling military base in a stranglehold for days . read more : syrian boy risks life for stranger a rebel commander told cnn in early december that at least 250 government soldiers had defected since the infantry academy came under siege , with most joining the rebel forces . the free syrian army now has control of most of the base , the opposition local coordination committees for syria said saturday . heavy clashes were also reported between regime forces and rebel fighters in and around the town of daraya , near the capital , damascus . watch : patriot missiles a warning to syria 's al-assad regime forces are shelling parts of the city , which has been under siege for weeks , according to the opposition syrian observatory for human rights . the observatory also reported shelling by government security forces of the northeastern towns of harasta and erbeen , in the damascus suburbs , saturday morning . there are also clashes between rebel fighters and regime forces along the main highway that passes southern damascus , it said . the lcc reported airstrikes by fighter jets on southern neighborhoods of the capital . at least 60 people died across the country on saturday , including 20 in damascus and its suburbs , the lcc reported . cnn can not independently confirm government or opposition claims about violence and casualties as syria has severely restricted access for journalists . syria 's foreign minister walid moallem called for an end to u.s. and european union sanctions against his country in a meeting with u.n. humanitarian chief valerie amos in damascus on saturday , according to syria 's official news agency , sana . moaellem said the sanctions were responsible for the syrian people 's suffering and urged the united nations to condemn them . he also called on amos for u.n. help to reconstruct infrastructure such as hospitals damaged during the 22-month conflict , sana said . the u.n. secretary general 's special representative for children and armed conflict , leila zerrougui , also arrived in the capital friday to assess the impact of the conflict on the country 's children , the news agency said . read more : obama recognizes syrian opposition coalition zerrougui will meet syrian officials , u.n. staffers in the country and members of civil society groups during the four-day visit , it said . sana also reported that government forces had continued their mission friday to clear areas and neighborhoods in deir ezzor , in the country 's east , from mercenary terrorists . ' the syrian government refers to the rebel forces as terrorists . u.s. officials said friday that syrian president bashar al-assad 's control is crumbling at an accelerating pace . it 's at its lowest point yet , ' said one senior u.s. official with direct knowledge of the latest assessments . u.s. intelligence believes the decline has accelerated in recent weeks . the trend is moving more rapidly than it has in the past . ' read more : syrian refugees on run :'i want people to feel our pain' the officials agreed to talk on the condition their names not be used because they were not authorized to discuss the information with the media . the united states and germany are sending patriot missiles and troops to the turkish border in order to protect their fellow nato member from potential threats from syria . the surface-to-air interceptors would be dealing with threats that come out of syria , ' said u.s. defense secretary leon panetta friday . threats would include syrian strikes inside turkey and fighting between the government and rebels that extends into turkey . errant syrian artillery shells struck the turkish border town of akcakale and killed five turkish civilians in october . the united states has accused damascus of launching scud-type artillery from the capital at rebels in the country 's north . one washington official said missiles came close to the border of turkey , a staunch u.s. ally . syria 's government called the accusations untrue rumors ' friday , according to state news agency sana . damascus accused turkey and its partners of instigating rumors to make the government look bad internationally . read more : refugee figures fail to give true picture of syria crisis reports that the syrian government may be considering the use of chemical weapons have also heightened international concerns in recent days . syria denies it has such weapons and says it would not use them even if it did . the syrian civil war started in march 2011 when a government crackdown on civilian demonstrators morphed into a fight between the regime and rebels . the conflict has a proxy element , with sunni countries such as turkey , qatar and saudi arabia backing the rebels and shiite iran backing the alawite regime . the alawite faith is an offshoot of shiite islam . more than 40,000 people have died in the war . the united nations said on friday that many syrians will continue to be killed and maimed after the war ends because of deadly explosives placed in residential areas across the country . cnn 's arwa damon , pierre meilhan , yousuf basil and amir ahmed contributed to this report . | new : syria 's foreign minister meets with u.n. humanitarian chief in damascus |
lee <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first hint something was amiss was the knock on the door from a television reporter . elaine mcclain and her husband , david mcclain , of sanford , florida , were not expecting a journalist to drop by looking for george zimmerman , the man who says he fatally shot an unarmed teenager in self-defense . the death of trayvon martin has sparked strong reactions across the country , and those sentiments made their way to the unassuming mcclains . the next day , a letter arrived with taste the rainbow ' written on the envelope in felt-tip pen . that is the slogan for skittles candy . when he was shot , martin was carrying skittles candy and a can of iced tea he had purchased from a nearby convenience store . the letter was followed by a parade of reporters arriving at the mcclains'home . only then , elaine mcclain said , did she and her husband learn that director spike lee had retweeted a message to his 250,000 followers with the couple 's address , identifying it as george zimmerman 's home . the mcclains have a son whose middle name is george and whose last name is zimmerman , but he has no connection with the controversy . after the tweets , with hate mail arriving and strangers with microphones knocking on the door , the mcclains left their house for a hotel . lee apologized on twitter to the couple and asked people to leave them in peace , and on thursday , elaine mcclain said , lee called her and gave a sincere apology . lee also told her he would pay the couple 's cost of having to leave their home , elaine mcclain said . the family 's attorney , matt morgan , said lee reached an agreement with the couple . the mcclains are relieved that this matter is now behind them , ' morgan said . we had a very sincere and heartfelt conversation with mr. lee today . his apology was genuine and our clients were grateful . we asked mr. lee to do the right thing and he did . ' the mcclains said they were not seeking financial gain from their troubles . david mcclain said he simply wants to get his life back to a rational state . ' zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer who says he killed in self-defense last month , lives more than 4 miles from the mcclains . he is reported to be in hiding . cnn 's selin darkalstanian , michael martinez and john branch contributed to this report . | lee retweeted an address identified as george zimmerman 's |
lee <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first hint something was amiss was the knock on the door from a television reporter . elaine mcclain and her husband , david mcclain , of sanford , florida , were not expecting a journalist to drop by looking for george zimmerman , the man who says he fatally shot an unarmed teenager in self-defense . the death of trayvon martin has sparked strong reactions across the country , and those sentiments made their way to the unassuming mcclains . the next day , a letter arrived with taste the rainbow ' written on the envelope in felt-tip pen . that is the slogan for skittles candy . when he was shot , martin was carrying skittles candy and a can of iced tea he had purchased from a nearby convenience store . the letter was followed by a parade of reporters arriving at the mcclains'home . only then , elaine mcclain said , did she and her husband learn that director spike lee had retweeted a message to his 250,000 followers with the couple 's address , identifying it as george zimmerman 's home . the mcclains have a son whose middle name is george and whose last name is zimmerman , but he has no connection with the controversy . after the tweets , with hate mail arriving and strangers with microphones knocking on the door , the mcclains left their house for a hotel . lee apologized on twitter to the couple and asked people to leave them in peace , and on thursday , elaine mcclain said , lee called her and gave a sincere apology . lee also told her he would pay the couple 's cost of having to leave their home , elaine mcclain said . the family 's attorney , matt morgan , said lee reached an agreement with the couple . the mcclains are relieved that this matter is now behind them , ' morgan said . we had a very sincere and heartfelt conversation with mr. lee today . his apology was genuine and our clients were grateful . we asked mr. lee to do the right thing and he did . ' the mcclains said they were not seeking financial gain from their troubles . david mcclain said he simply wants to get his life back to a rational state . ' zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer who says he killed in self-defense last month , lives more than 4 miles from the mcclains . he is reported to be in hiding . cnn 's selin darkalstanian , michael martinez and john branch contributed to this report . | the couple sought a personal apology and retraction from lee |
lee <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the first hint something was amiss was the knock on the door from a television reporter . elaine mcclain and her husband , david mcclain , of sanford , florida , were not expecting a journalist to drop by looking for george zimmerman , the man who says he fatally shot an unarmed teenager in self-defense . the death of trayvon martin has sparked strong reactions across the country , and those sentiments made their way to the unassuming mcclains . the next day , a letter arrived with taste the rainbow ' written on the envelope in felt-tip pen . that is the slogan for skittles candy . when he was shot , martin was carrying skittles candy and a can of iced tea he had purchased from a nearby convenience store . the letter was followed by a parade of reporters arriving at the mcclains'home . only then , elaine mcclain said , did she and her husband learn that director spike lee had retweeted a message to his 250,000 followers with the couple 's address , identifying it as george zimmerman 's home . the mcclains have a son whose middle name is george and whose last name is zimmerman , but he has no connection with the controversy . after the tweets , with hate mail arriving and strangers with microphones knocking on the door , the mcclains left their house for a hotel . lee apologized on twitter to the couple and asked people to leave them in peace , and on thursday , elaine mcclain said , lee called her and gave a sincere apology . lee also told her he would pay the couple 's cost of having to leave their home , elaine mcclain said . the family 's attorney , matt morgan , said lee reached an agreement with the couple . the mcclains are relieved that this matter is now behind them , ' morgan said . we had a very sincere and heartfelt conversation with mr. lee today . his apology was genuine and our clients were grateful . we asked mr. lee to do the right thing and he did . ' the mcclains said they were not seeking financial gain from their troubles . david mcclain said he simply wants to get his life back to a rational state . ' zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer who says he killed in self-defense last month , lives more than 4 miles from the mcclains . he is reported to be in hiding . cnn 's selin darkalstanian , michael martinez and john branch contributed to this report . | new : director spike lee apologizes to couple and will pay costs of their leaving home |
melissa mccarthy <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- a comedian who did n't risk looking foolish would n't even be in the game . in the heat , ' which has the scruffy honor of being the first female buddy-cop action comedy , melissa mccarthy does more than risk looking foolish †” she risks coming off as borderline insane , like a dissolute biker -- turned -- homeless person , like she 's royally out of control . is it any wonder that she shocks the audience into laughter in more scenes than not ? with her naughty-angel features , and her italicized gumption that 's so stylized it turns sarcasm into a blunt-witted form of sincerity , mccarthy plays shannon mullins , a proudly slobby lethal weapon of a boston police detective who favors fingerless leather gloves , keeps an arsenal of firearms ( including a rocket launcher ) in her refrigerator , and doles out cut-to-the-quick insults the way that most of us say hello ! ' movies : 10 all-time greatest mullins gets paired with her opposite number : sarah ashburn ( sandra bullock ) , an uptight , by-the-book fbi agent in ugly off-the-rack pants suits . ashburn may be great at catching criminals , but she 's so smug about it that she drives even her fbi boss ( demian bichir ) crazy . the laws of the buddy-cop comedy are as basic , familiar and inviolable as the rules of checkers . a pair of law enforcers get yoked together , and they do n't pretend to like each other . one is a tut-tutting straight-arrow , the other a wild-card screw-up . and no matter how thick the jokes get , the gods of gunfire and major vehicular damage must be served . there 's no reason to think that this time-honored testosterone formula , with two actresses now planted at the center of it , would change all that much , and in the heat , ' it does n't . except in one crucial way . funny ladies packing'heat :'not your typical buddy cop movie the director , paul feig , possesses a highly developed radar for the alternating currents of competition and camaraderie in female relationships . as he proved in bridesmaids ' ( 2011 ) , the one other major film he 's directed , feig understands how women who do n't like each other express their antipathy †” in ways both more direct and less direct than what men do . in the heat , ' feig stages scenes like richard donner ( lethal weapon ' ) with a touch of george cukor ( the women ' ) . he has made a piece of smash-and-grab policier pulp that , through the interplay of bullock and mccarthy , spins to its own snarly/confessional feminine beat . movie style : 20 all-time greatest there 's a very funny scene in which ashburn and mullins , who have teamed up to nab a drug lord , go undercover at a dance club , where mullins tries to transform ashburn 's bank teller ' outfit into something halfway clubby . she rips off ashburn 's sleeves , then her pant legs , revealing a pair of spanx . yet even as mullins is shredding her partner 's clothes and shredding her ego even more , her hilarious lack of mercy comes off as a version of sisterly compassion . forget the mid-level dealer whose phone they 're out to bug . she 's trying to save this poor woman from herself . ashburn 's problem is that she 's all head and no instinct , a kind of quantico-trained robot ; she does n't know how to bond . mccarthy plays mullins'repugnance at her partner 's inhuman professionalism with a cringing spontaneity , as when she puts up her hand for a high five , and ashburn has to go and wreck it by slapping and then clasping that hand . ( it 's far from the only time in the movie when mullins looks like she wants to throw up , a motif you would not see in a male buddy comedy . ) as long as these two are at loggerheads , the heat ' has a catchy , lock-and-load hostility . it 's much more clever than , say , the two bad boys ' films , and less cartoonish than either the rush hour ' movies or the lethal weapon ' sequels ( though not lethal weapon ' itself ) . with bullock doing a variation on her miss congeniality ' geek-tomboy-who-has-to-bloom character , and mccarthy letting her acidly oddball observations rip , the two actresses make their interplay bubble . when mullins confuses ashburn 's overly fussy pair of pajamas with a tuxedo , it 's all wrong , yet somehow right . and when the partners go to an old man 's bar and do shots all night , dancing to deee-lite 's groove is in the heart , ' the drunken craziness is infectious enough to make you want to join them . but once these two get to be friends , the comic tension dissipates , and the film 's boilerplate drug-dealer plot takes over and goes on and on . the heat ' is fresher than a lot of the male-centric movies it takes off from , because there 's little about aggressive guy banter that has n't been worn to the ground by hollywood . you can tell how much the times have changed when ashburn gets an oyster-shucking knife stuck in her thigh , then pulled out , then shoved back , or when she performs a graphic emergency tracheotomy †” and the blood-gushing grossness is , in every sense , a gag . it 's genuinely jolting ( in a way that , i suspect , may prove highly commercial ) to see women go through these motions . but the motions are still market-tested and machine-tooled . even when they 're channeling the happy madness of melissa mccarthy . grade : b see the original story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | sandra bullock and melissa mccarthy co-star in the heat ' |
sandra bullock <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- a comedian who did n't risk looking foolish would n't even be in the game . in the heat , ' which has the scruffy honor of being the first female buddy-cop action comedy , melissa mccarthy does more than risk looking foolish †” she risks coming off as borderline insane , like a dissolute biker -- turned -- homeless person , like she 's royally out of control . is it any wonder that she shocks the audience into laughter in more scenes than not ? with her naughty-angel features , and her italicized gumption that 's so stylized it turns sarcasm into a blunt-witted form of sincerity , mccarthy plays shannon mullins , a proudly slobby lethal weapon of a boston police detective who favors fingerless leather gloves , keeps an arsenal of firearms ( including a rocket launcher ) in her refrigerator , and doles out cut-to-the-quick insults the way that most of us say hello ! ' movies : 10 all-time greatest mullins gets paired with her opposite number : sarah ashburn ( sandra bullock ) , an uptight , by-the-book fbi agent in ugly off-the-rack pants suits . ashburn may be great at catching criminals , but she 's so smug about it that she drives even her fbi boss ( demian bichir ) crazy . the laws of the buddy-cop comedy are as basic , familiar and inviolable as the rules of checkers . a pair of law enforcers get yoked together , and they do n't pretend to like each other . one is a tut-tutting straight-arrow , the other a wild-card screw-up . and no matter how thick the jokes get , the gods of gunfire and major vehicular damage must be served . there 's no reason to think that this time-honored testosterone formula , with two actresses now planted at the center of it , would change all that much , and in the heat , ' it does n't . except in one crucial way . funny ladies packing'heat :'not your typical buddy cop movie the director , paul feig , possesses a highly developed radar for the alternating currents of competition and camaraderie in female relationships . as he proved in bridesmaids ' ( 2011 ) , the one other major film he 's directed , feig understands how women who do n't like each other express their antipathy †” in ways both more direct and less direct than what men do . in the heat , ' feig stages scenes like richard donner ( lethal weapon ' ) with a touch of george cukor ( the women ' ) . he has made a piece of smash-and-grab policier pulp that , through the interplay of bullock and mccarthy , spins to its own snarly/confessional feminine beat . movie style : 20 all-time greatest there 's a very funny scene in which ashburn and mullins , who have teamed up to nab a drug lord , go undercover at a dance club , where mullins tries to transform ashburn 's bank teller ' outfit into something halfway clubby . she rips off ashburn 's sleeves , then her pant legs , revealing a pair of spanx . yet even as mullins is shredding her partner 's clothes and shredding her ego even more , her hilarious lack of mercy comes off as a version of sisterly compassion . forget the mid-level dealer whose phone they 're out to bug . she 's trying to save this poor woman from herself . ashburn 's problem is that she 's all head and no instinct , a kind of quantico-trained robot ; she does n't know how to bond . mccarthy plays mullins'repugnance at her partner 's inhuman professionalism with a cringing spontaneity , as when she puts up her hand for a high five , and ashburn has to go and wreck it by slapping and then clasping that hand . ( it 's far from the only time in the movie when mullins looks like she wants to throw up , a motif you would not see in a male buddy comedy . ) as long as these two are at loggerheads , the heat ' has a catchy , lock-and-load hostility . it 's much more clever than , say , the two bad boys ' films , and less cartoonish than either the rush hour ' movies or the lethal weapon ' sequels ( though not lethal weapon ' itself ) . with bullock doing a variation on her miss congeniality ' geek-tomboy-who-has-to-bloom character , and mccarthy letting her acidly oddball observations rip , the two actresses make their interplay bubble . when mullins confuses ashburn 's overly fussy pair of pajamas with a tuxedo , it 's all wrong , yet somehow right . and when the partners go to an old man 's bar and do shots all night , dancing to deee-lite 's groove is in the heart , ' the drunken craziness is infectious enough to make you want to join them . but once these two get to be friends , the comic tension dissipates , and the film 's boilerplate drug-dealer plot takes over and goes on and on . the heat ' is fresher than a lot of the male-centric movies it takes off from , because there 's little about aggressive guy banter that has n't been worn to the ground by hollywood . you can tell how much the times have changed when ashburn gets an oyster-shucking knife stuck in her thigh , then pulled out , then shoved back , or when she performs a graphic emergency tracheotomy †” and the blood-gushing grossness is , in every sense , a gag . it 's genuinely jolting ( in a way that , i suspect , may prove highly commercial ) to see women go through these motions . but the motions are still market-tested and machine-tooled . even when they 're channeling the happy madness of melissa mccarthy . grade : b see the original story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | sandra bullock and melissa mccarthy co-star in the heat ' |
marlo thomas <tsp> ( cnn ) -- think back to the age before goldieblox , before gender-neutral easy-bake ovens , before my princess boy ' or it gets better ' or lean in . ' way before apps for infants or tv networks for toddlers , in the days when schoolhouse rock ' was in its infancy . that 'd bring you to the early 1970s , when an album in a bright pink sleeve was passed among teachers , parents , librarians and kids . it was called free to be ... you and me , ' and record players around the country spun songs such as william 's doll , ' parents are people ' and it 's all right to cry . ' when it debuted in 1972 , there was nothing else like it -- at least , nothing so popular . it was feminist and multicultural ; an early childhood education in empathy ; multimedia before anybody used the word . there was the gold record album , a best-selling book and in 1974 , an emmy- and peabody-winning tv special that starred its creator , marlo thomas , and friends ' -- literally , her formidable list of famous pals , including harry belafonte , alan alda , diana ross , roberta flack , carl reiner , rosey grier and a young michael jackson . more than 40 years later , there 's nostalgia in its opening chords and a legacy that still courses through classrooms . children memorized every lyric and asked their parents and teacher to play the record over and over again , ' letty cottin pogrebin , a ms. magazine co-founder , wrote in the 2012 book when we were free to be : looking back at a children 's classic and the difference it made . ' it challenged teachers to face up to their entrenched , often unacknowledged , gender biases and to cast a more critical eye on the books they were assigning , whom they called on most often in class , whom they allowed to dominate the block corner or the dress-up box . ' the idea began with thomas , star of the sitcom that girl , ' and , in 1971 , a new auntie . her young niece 's storybooks were the same ones thomas had read as a kid , and recent entries to the bedtime canon reinforced that boys were pilots and doctors while girls were stewardesses and nurses . with the help of her friends and contacts , including poet shel silverstein and co-producer carole hart , the album and book were born . honestly i was just trying to do something for one little girl , ' thomas wrote in when we were free to be . ' that it would grow to become a cultural phenomenon was never a part of the plan . ' free to be ' was revolutionary for its kid-savvy and reach , but it was n't universally beloved . for every free to be ' class play , another school would n't acknowledge it . tv producers initially balked at a song that seemed to show thomas and belafonte as an interracial couple . at least one tv critic warned parents to keep kids away from the television when free to be ' was on . focus on the family founder james dobson criticized it and advocated for traditional gender roles in child-rearing . even its supporters argued that some of the skits were classist , and noted its bent toward traditional families with mommies , daddies and children . but its overall message lined up with shifting attitudes of the time , said lori rotskoff , a cultural historian and co-editor of when we were free to be . ' in the same year the free to be ' album debuted , president richard nixon signed title ix , ms. magazine began regular publication and tv 's maude ' had an abortion , just months before roe v. wade was decided . there 's something distinct about the cultural moment it was produced , ' rotskoff said . ( free to be ) retained so much of that progressive , oppositional challenging the norm , and it did so in a way that made it palatable . ' it fit into changing classrooms , too . educator barbara sprung spent part of the 1970s creating a nonsexist , multicultural curriculum for preschoolers , she wrote in when we were free to be . ' it meant posters and toys that showed women as construction workers and african-americans as doctors -- materials she sometimes had to create on her own . she instructed educators to run with girls on the playground , to play dolls with boys and to be mindful of messages in books and music . as happens in every movement , backsliding occurred , ' sprung wrote , noting that plenty of toys were still sexualized , violent and color-coded by gender . fortunately , classroom materials and children 's trade books continued to depict an increasingly nonsexist , multiracial and inclusive view of the world . ' as a kid on long island in the 1970s , miriam peskowitz was a frustrated free to be ' fan . she wrote in when we were free to be ' about her feminist mom 's righteous letters and calls demanding her daughter be able take wood and mechanical shop , or that girls need not wait for boys to ask them to square dance . ( square dancing , of course , being one way that schools satisfied title ix requirements . ) to peskowitz 's dismay , she had the same arguments at her child 's school decades later . peskowitz watched in the mornings as her daughter settled down to draw bubble letters with her gal pals while boys raced each other to the chessboards . the teacher said it was n't a problem ; it 's just what the kids chose . after i nudged again and again , the teacher eventually taught all the children in the classroom how to play chess . some girls started to choose that as their morning activity , ' wrote peskowitz , the author of the daring book for girls . ' very often , ' peskowitz wrote , all it takes to outsmart gender stereotypes is a little creative thinking and a little gumption . when we speak about feminism to adults , we tend to talk about negatives and things gone wrong . ...'free to be 's'cheeriness still has the power to make our hearts sing . it 's a kind of feminism and a gender vision that is generous and likable and fun , all the things that feminism is usually accused of lacking . ' but it has n't necessarily gotten easier to talk about gender roles in school , said laura lovett , an associate professor of history at the university of massachusetts and co-editor of when we were free to be . ' i talk to a lot of teachers now who say they could n't show some of these things today , ' lovett said . there 's an anxiety about discussing something that might be seen as homosexual ; there 's anxiety about the school mentioning something that would be seen as negative or positive . ' most educators-in-training are too young to remember the heyday of free to be , ' lovett said , and they would n't recognize a world where girls do n't have access to sports and bullying is encouraged . ideas that seemed so new in free to be ... you and me ' now turn up every day in dora the explorer , ' brave ' and long shelves of picture books . when lovett plays the music for college students now , she 'll sometimes see nods and smiles from those who could sing along , and raised eyebrows from first-timers . it was so surprising and so contemporary , ' lovett said . they thought it was so new , and so exciting . ' in fact , lovett said , she 's lost several copies to students who borrowed the cd and never brought it back . instead , they pass it around to others , just the way people heard it all those years ago . what are your free to be ... you and me ' memories ? share in the comments , on twitter @ cnnliving or on cnn living 's facebook page ! | actress and activist marlo thomas was inspired by her niece to create free to be ... ' |
you and me <tsp> ( cnn ) -- think back to the age before goldieblox , before gender-neutral easy-bake ovens , before my princess boy ' or it gets better ' or lean in . ' way before apps for infants or tv networks for toddlers , in the days when schoolhouse rock ' was in its infancy . that 'd bring you to the early 1970s , when an album in a bright pink sleeve was passed among teachers , parents , librarians and kids . it was called free to be ... you and me , ' and record players around the country spun songs such as william 's doll , ' parents are people ' and it 's all right to cry . ' when it debuted in 1972 , there was nothing else like it -- at least , nothing so popular . it was feminist and multicultural ; an early childhood education in empathy ; multimedia before anybody used the word . there was the gold record album , a best-selling book and in 1974 , an emmy- and peabody-winning tv special that starred its creator , marlo thomas , and friends ' -- literally , her formidable list of famous pals , including harry belafonte , alan alda , diana ross , roberta flack , carl reiner , rosey grier and a young michael jackson . more than 40 years later , there 's nostalgia in its opening chords and a legacy that still courses through classrooms . children memorized every lyric and asked their parents and teacher to play the record over and over again , ' letty cottin pogrebin , a ms. magazine co-founder , wrote in the 2012 book when we were free to be : looking back at a children 's classic and the difference it made . ' it challenged teachers to face up to their entrenched , often unacknowledged , gender biases and to cast a more critical eye on the books they were assigning , whom they called on most often in class , whom they allowed to dominate the block corner or the dress-up box . ' the idea began with thomas , star of the sitcom that girl , ' and , in 1971 , a new auntie . her young niece 's storybooks were the same ones thomas had read as a kid , and recent entries to the bedtime canon reinforced that boys were pilots and doctors while girls were stewardesses and nurses . with the help of her friends and contacts , including poet shel silverstein and co-producer carole hart , the album and book were born . honestly i was just trying to do something for one little girl , ' thomas wrote in when we were free to be . ' that it would grow to become a cultural phenomenon was never a part of the plan . ' free to be ' was revolutionary for its kid-savvy and reach , but it was n't universally beloved . for every free to be ' class play , another school would n't acknowledge it . tv producers initially balked at a song that seemed to show thomas and belafonte as an interracial couple . at least one tv critic warned parents to keep kids away from the television when free to be ' was on . focus on the family founder james dobson criticized it and advocated for traditional gender roles in child-rearing . even its supporters argued that some of the skits were classist , and noted its bent toward traditional families with mommies , daddies and children . but its overall message lined up with shifting attitudes of the time , said lori rotskoff , a cultural historian and co-editor of when we were free to be . ' in the same year the free to be ' album debuted , president richard nixon signed title ix , ms. magazine began regular publication and tv 's maude ' had an abortion , just months before roe v. wade was decided . there 's something distinct about the cultural moment it was produced , ' rotskoff said . ( free to be ) retained so much of that progressive , oppositional challenging the norm , and it did so in a way that made it palatable . ' it fit into changing classrooms , too . educator barbara sprung spent part of the 1970s creating a nonsexist , multicultural curriculum for preschoolers , she wrote in when we were free to be . ' it meant posters and toys that showed women as construction workers and african-americans as doctors -- materials she sometimes had to create on her own . she instructed educators to run with girls on the playground , to play dolls with boys and to be mindful of messages in books and music . as happens in every movement , backsliding occurred , ' sprung wrote , noting that plenty of toys were still sexualized , violent and color-coded by gender . fortunately , classroom materials and children 's trade books continued to depict an increasingly nonsexist , multiracial and inclusive view of the world . ' as a kid on long island in the 1970s , miriam peskowitz was a frustrated free to be ' fan . she wrote in when we were free to be ' about her feminist mom 's righteous letters and calls demanding her daughter be able take wood and mechanical shop , or that girls need not wait for boys to ask them to square dance . ( square dancing , of course , being one way that schools satisfied title ix requirements . ) to peskowitz 's dismay , she had the same arguments at her child 's school decades later . peskowitz watched in the mornings as her daughter settled down to draw bubble letters with her gal pals while boys raced each other to the chessboards . the teacher said it was n't a problem ; it 's just what the kids chose . after i nudged again and again , the teacher eventually taught all the children in the classroom how to play chess . some girls started to choose that as their morning activity , ' wrote peskowitz , the author of the daring book for girls . ' very often , ' peskowitz wrote , all it takes to outsmart gender stereotypes is a little creative thinking and a little gumption . when we speak about feminism to adults , we tend to talk about negatives and things gone wrong . ...'free to be 's'cheeriness still has the power to make our hearts sing . it 's a kind of feminism and a gender vision that is generous and likable and fun , all the things that feminism is usually accused of lacking . ' but it has n't necessarily gotten easier to talk about gender roles in school , said laura lovett , an associate professor of history at the university of massachusetts and co-editor of when we were free to be . ' i talk to a lot of teachers now who say they could n't show some of these things today , ' lovett said . there 's an anxiety about discussing something that might be seen as homosexual ; there 's anxiety about the school mentioning something that would be seen as negative or positive . ' most educators-in-training are too young to remember the heyday of free to be , ' lovett said , and they would n't recognize a world where girls do n't have access to sports and bullying is encouraged . ideas that seemed so new in free to be ... you and me ' now turn up every day in dora the explorer , ' brave ' and long shelves of picture books . when lovett plays the music for college students now , she 'll sometimes see nods and smiles from those who could sing along , and raised eyebrows from first-timers . it was so surprising and so contemporary , ' lovett said . they thought it was so new , and so exciting . ' in fact , lovett said , she 's lost several copies to students who borrowed the cd and never brought it back . instead , they pass it around to others , just the way people heard it all those years ago . what are your free to be ... you and me ' memories ? share in the comments , on twitter @ cnnliving or on cnn living 's facebook page ! | ' free to be ... you and me'was first broadcast on abc on march 11 , 1974 |
bo <tsp> jinan , china ( cnn ) -- with the hotel front desk clerk busy checking me in , her co-worker picked up the ringing phone . do we have any foreign journalists staying here ? ' she repeated the question being asked at the other end of the phone . no , ' she replied , before the clerk helping me threw her a look . oh yes , three just got here . ' with the local authorities now presumably alerted to our presence , any hope we had of maintaining a low profile at the start of our reporting trip to cover the most anticipated trial in china in recent memory had ended . we arrived in the eastern city of jinan on tuesday , two days before the local intermediate people 's court was set to try disgraced communist leader bo xilai , who was once tipped to be a future president but now faces charges of bribe-taking , embezzlement and abuse of power . bo 's spectacular downfall -- complete with tales of murder , corruption and betrayal -- triggered the greatest political crisis for the ruling communist party in decades . during his trial , the charismatic and controversial politician is expected to make his first public appearance since april 2012 when he was stripped of his top party posts . timeline : the bo xilai scandal given the high drama and political stakes , it seems prudent for china 's top leaders to pick one of the country 's blandest cities for the spectacle . jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles ( 1,200 kilometers ) -- from chongqing , bo 's former powerbase , or other places where he had held senior positions . the presiding judge is said to be a tested and reliable official in the eyes of beijing . coincidentally , shandong province -- with jinan being the capital -- is also home to the ancient sage confucius , whose philosophy emphasizes respect to authority -- an idea that nervous local officials probably wish unruly ' foreign journalists would learn quickly . the courthouse sits at the end of a narrow , tree-lined downtown street , surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings . all looked normal and quiet as we exited the car , if not for the dozen soldiers unloading plastic barriers from trucks across the street from the court 's main gate . a press pen was in the making . while our cameraman tested satellite signal strength for potential live shot locations , an official directed us to a nearby hotel , where the government had set up a media center . after going through a metal detector and a hand-wand inspection , we entered the building and reached the first position in what seemed to be an assembly line for the credential application process -- involving passport check , form distribution , information verification , data entry and photo-taking . five steps later , we were told our press cards would be ready the following afternoon . but officials there did n't seem to know much else about the open ' trial -- questions about likely courtroom access , live broadcast opportunities or press conferences went unanswered . almost as soon as the trial date was set last weekend , we had been calling the court trying to apply for a spot inside the courtroom -- only to be kicked around by different departments . as night fell tuesday , we started live broadcast near a side entrance to the court . a notice posted in the bulletin board by the gate announced bo 's trial information . pedestrians stopped to snap photos of the notice with their phones . meanwhile , i received a text message from human rights activist chen guangfu , elder brother of the blind lawyer chen guangcheng , who had intended to witness ' the trial . he said , after he got off the train , state security agents awaiting him at jinan 's west railway station forced him to return to his home village some 125 miles ( 200 kilometers ) away . hu jia , another prominent rights advocate , tweeted that the authorities in jinan had tightened their grip over all activists ahead of the trial . the day before the trial brought a new excitement and a degree of chaos to the courthouse 's doorstep . despite a heavy police presence , some bo admirers -- he retains considerable support in chongqing and elsewhere in china -- showed up in the morning , along with onlookers and petitioners with various grievances -- all eager to take the rare opportunity to share their stories and opinions with the gathering foreign reporters . during chairman mao 's time , everyone was equal and we had no corruption --'singing red and smashing black'was achieving that and benefited people , ' declared a 66-year-old local resident who only identified herself as ms. li , as she referred to bo 's famous campaign to revive maoist ideology and crack down on crimes . he 's not a god or perfect , but the masses supported him , ' she added . they ca n't just condemn him to hell -- i want him to have a fair trial . ' why bother ? ' scoffed 62-year-old retired worker , named mr. liu , who stood next to her . bo 's a victim of political struggles . ' you think he actually believed in this'singing red and smashing black'stuff ? it was all for appearance 's sake , ' he continued and turned sarcastic . we ordinary people should just feel happy to be fed and clothed , and watch whatever news they put on tv . ' as the crowd grew larger and louder , the police decided to intervene , shooing off the speakers for disrupting traffic and ordering reporters to stay inside the designated media zone across the street . but an elderly petitioner 's cry for help briefly caused new commotion . wearing a paper headband with the character wronged ' written on it , the woman kept yelling at policemen who were dragging her away in front of news cameras : i 'm 80 years old and have a heart condition -- stop pushing me ! ' the atmosphere among the assembled press was just as excitable -- at one point a number of reporters rushed to the city 's west railway station as a rumor circulated that a train carrying bo would be arriving . by late afternoon , a legion of newly accredited journalists -- almost all from overseas media as most domestic outlets are barred from covering politically sensitive events -- had settled in . some journalists questioned whether a day spent running around in the summer heat to cover a trial where the outcome is all but certain was really worth it . the conviction rate for first- and second-instance criminal trials in china -- where the party controls the police , prosecution and courts -- stood at 99.9 % in 2010 , a u.s. state department report cited the supreme people 's court as saying . the only unknown ' in the bo case seems to be the sentencing . after a long day of stakeout and live reports , we finally headed back to the hotel two blocks away from the court . as we walked into the hyatt regency jinan , part of a sprawling mixed-use development , i was reminded by the sign that the hotel 's chinese name is jinan wanda hyatt -- a nod to the property 's owner , the dalian-based wanda group . the real estate conglomerate -- headed by china 's richest man -- saw its business take off in the 1990s , propelled by land deals with the local government when bo was mayor of the coastal city in northeastern china . wanda is not implicated in the bo case , but it seems -- despite the top leaders'best efforts to choose a neutral ' location for the trial -- bo 's shadow looms large even in jinan . | bo xilai set to be tried at the local intermediate people 's court in jinan |
bo <tsp> jinan , china ( cnn ) -- with the hotel front desk clerk busy checking me in , her co-worker picked up the ringing phone . do we have any foreign journalists staying here ? ' she repeated the question being asked at the other end of the phone . no , ' she replied , before the clerk helping me threw her a look . oh yes , three just got here . ' with the local authorities now presumably alerted to our presence , any hope we had of maintaining a low profile at the start of our reporting trip to cover the most anticipated trial in china in recent memory had ended . we arrived in the eastern city of jinan on tuesday , two days before the local intermediate people 's court was set to try disgraced communist leader bo xilai , who was once tipped to be a future president but now faces charges of bribe-taking , embezzlement and abuse of power . bo 's spectacular downfall -- complete with tales of murder , corruption and betrayal -- triggered the greatest political crisis for the ruling communist party in decades . during his trial , the charismatic and controversial politician is expected to make his first public appearance since april 2012 when he was stripped of his top party posts . timeline : the bo xilai scandal given the high drama and political stakes , it seems prudent for china 's top leaders to pick one of the country 's blandest cities for the spectacle . jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles ( 1,200 kilometers ) -- from chongqing , bo 's former powerbase , or other places where he had held senior positions . the presiding judge is said to be a tested and reliable official in the eyes of beijing . coincidentally , shandong province -- with jinan being the capital -- is also home to the ancient sage confucius , whose philosophy emphasizes respect to authority -- an idea that nervous local officials probably wish unruly ' foreign journalists would learn quickly . the courthouse sits at the end of a narrow , tree-lined downtown street , surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings . all looked normal and quiet as we exited the car , if not for the dozen soldiers unloading plastic barriers from trucks across the street from the court 's main gate . a press pen was in the making . while our cameraman tested satellite signal strength for potential live shot locations , an official directed us to a nearby hotel , where the government had set up a media center . after going through a metal detector and a hand-wand inspection , we entered the building and reached the first position in what seemed to be an assembly line for the credential application process -- involving passport check , form distribution , information verification , data entry and photo-taking . five steps later , we were told our press cards would be ready the following afternoon . but officials there did n't seem to know much else about the open ' trial -- questions about likely courtroom access , live broadcast opportunities or press conferences went unanswered . almost as soon as the trial date was set last weekend , we had been calling the court trying to apply for a spot inside the courtroom -- only to be kicked around by different departments . as night fell tuesday , we started live broadcast near a side entrance to the court . a notice posted in the bulletin board by the gate announced bo 's trial information . pedestrians stopped to snap photos of the notice with their phones . meanwhile , i received a text message from human rights activist chen guangfu , elder brother of the blind lawyer chen guangcheng , who had intended to witness ' the trial . he said , after he got off the train , state security agents awaiting him at jinan 's west railway station forced him to return to his home village some 125 miles ( 200 kilometers ) away . hu jia , another prominent rights advocate , tweeted that the authorities in jinan had tightened their grip over all activists ahead of the trial . the day before the trial brought a new excitement and a degree of chaos to the courthouse 's doorstep . despite a heavy police presence , some bo admirers -- he retains considerable support in chongqing and elsewhere in china -- showed up in the morning , along with onlookers and petitioners with various grievances -- all eager to take the rare opportunity to share their stories and opinions with the gathering foreign reporters . during chairman mao 's time , everyone was equal and we had no corruption --'singing red and smashing black'was achieving that and benefited people , ' declared a 66-year-old local resident who only identified herself as ms. li , as she referred to bo 's famous campaign to revive maoist ideology and crack down on crimes . he 's not a god or perfect , but the masses supported him , ' she added . they ca n't just condemn him to hell -- i want him to have a fair trial . ' why bother ? ' scoffed 62-year-old retired worker , named mr. liu , who stood next to her . bo 's a victim of political struggles . ' you think he actually believed in this'singing red and smashing black'stuff ? it was all for appearance 's sake , ' he continued and turned sarcastic . we ordinary people should just feel happy to be fed and clothed , and watch whatever news they put on tv . ' as the crowd grew larger and louder , the police decided to intervene , shooing off the speakers for disrupting traffic and ordering reporters to stay inside the designated media zone across the street . but an elderly petitioner 's cry for help briefly caused new commotion . wearing a paper headband with the character wronged ' written on it , the woman kept yelling at policemen who were dragging her away in front of news cameras : i 'm 80 years old and have a heart condition -- stop pushing me ! ' the atmosphere among the assembled press was just as excitable -- at one point a number of reporters rushed to the city 's west railway station as a rumor circulated that a train carrying bo would be arriving . by late afternoon , a legion of newly accredited journalists -- almost all from overseas media as most domestic outlets are barred from covering politically sensitive events -- had settled in . some journalists questioned whether a day spent running around in the summer heat to cover a trial where the outcome is all but certain was really worth it . the conviction rate for first- and second-instance criminal trials in china -- where the party controls the police , prosecution and courts -- stood at 99.9 % in 2010 , a u.s. state department report cited the supreme people 's court as saying . the only unknown ' in the bo case seems to be the sentencing . after a long day of stakeout and live reports , we finally headed back to the hotel two blocks away from the court . as we walked into the hyatt regency jinan , part of a sprawling mixed-use development , i was reminded by the sign that the hotel 's chinese name is jinan wanda hyatt -- a nod to the property 's owner , the dalian-based wanda group . the real estate conglomerate -- headed by china 's richest man -- saw its business take off in the 1990s , propelled by land deals with the local government when bo was mayor of the coastal city in northeastern china . wanda is not implicated in the bo case , but it seems -- despite the top leaders'best efforts to choose a neutral ' location for the trial -- bo 's shadow looms large even in jinan . | jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles -- from chongqing , bo 's former powerbase |
bo <tsp> jinan , china ( cnn ) -- with the hotel front desk clerk busy checking me in , her co-worker picked up the ringing phone . do we have any foreign journalists staying here ? ' she repeated the question being asked at the other end of the phone . no , ' she replied , before the clerk helping me threw her a look . oh yes , three just got here . ' with the local authorities now presumably alerted to our presence , any hope we had of maintaining a low profile at the start of our reporting trip to cover the most anticipated trial in china in recent memory had ended . we arrived in the eastern city of jinan on tuesday , two days before the local intermediate people 's court was set to try disgraced communist leader bo xilai , who was once tipped to be a future president but now faces charges of bribe-taking , embezzlement and abuse of power . bo 's spectacular downfall -- complete with tales of murder , corruption and betrayal -- triggered the greatest political crisis for the ruling communist party in decades . during his trial , the charismatic and controversial politician is expected to make his first public appearance since april 2012 when he was stripped of his top party posts . timeline : the bo xilai scandal given the high drama and political stakes , it seems prudent for china 's top leaders to pick one of the country 's blandest cities for the spectacle . jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles ( 1,200 kilometers ) -- from chongqing , bo 's former powerbase , or other places where he had held senior positions . the presiding judge is said to be a tested and reliable official in the eyes of beijing . coincidentally , shandong province -- with jinan being the capital -- is also home to the ancient sage confucius , whose philosophy emphasizes respect to authority -- an idea that nervous local officials probably wish unruly ' foreign journalists would learn quickly . the courthouse sits at the end of a narrow , tree-lined downtown street , surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings . all looked normal and quiet as we exited the car , if not for the dozen soldiers unloading plastic barriers from trucks across the street from the court 's main gate . a press pen was in the making . while our cameraman tested satellite signal strength for potential live shot locations , an official directed us to a nearby hotel , where the government had set up a media center . after going through a metal detector and a hand-wand inspection , we entered the building and reached the first position in what seemed to be an assembly line for the credential application process -- involving passport check , form distribution , information verification , data entry and photo-taking . five steps later , we were told our press cards would be ready the following afternoon . but officials there did n't seem to know much else about the open ' trial -- questions about likely courtroom access , live broadcast opportunities or press conferences went unanswered . almost as soon as the trial date was set last weekend , we had been calling the court trying to apply for a spot inside the courtroom -- only to be kicked around by different departments . as night fell tuesday , we started live broadcast near a side entrance to the court . a notice posted in the bulletin board by the gate announced bo 's trial information . pedestrians stopped to snap photos of the notice with their phones . meanwhile , i received a text message from human rights activist chen guangfu , elder brother of the blind lawyer chen guangcheng , who had intended to witness ' the trial . he said , after he got off the train , state security agents awaiting him at jinan 's west railway station forced him to return to his home village some 125 miles ( 200 kilometers ) away . hu jia , another prominent rights advocate , tweeted that the authorities in jinan had tightened their grip over all activists ahead of the trial . the day before the trial brought a new excitement and a degree of chaos to the courthouse 's doorstep . despite a heavy police presence , some bo admirers -- he retains considerable support in chongqing and elsewhere in china -- showed up in the morning , along with onlookers and petitioners with various grievances -- all eager to take the rare opportunity to share their stories and opinions with the gathering foreign reporters . during chairman mao 's time , everyone was equal and we had no corruption --'singing red and smashing black'was achieving that and benefited people , ' declared a 66-year-old local resident who only identified herself as ms. li , as she referred to bo 's famous campaign to revive maoist ideology and crack down on crimes . he 's not a god or perfect , but the masses supported him , ' she added . they ca n't just condemn him to hell -- i want him to have a fair trial . ' why bother ? ' scoffed 62-year-old retired worker , named mr. liu , who stood next to her . bo 's a victim of political struggles . ' you think he actually believed in this'singing red and smashing black'stuff ? it was all for appearance 's sake , ' he continued and turned sarcastic . we ordinary people should just feel happy to be fed and clothed , and watch whatever news they put on tv . ' as the crowd grew larger and louder , the police decided to intervene , shooing off the speakers for disrupting traffic and ordering reporters to stay inside the designated media zone across the street . but an elderly petitioner 's cry for help briefly caused new commotion . wearing a paper headband with the character wronged ' written on it , the woman kept yelling at policemen who were dragging her away in front of news cameras : i 'm 80 years old and have a heart condition -- stop pushing me ! ' the atmosphere among the assembled press was just as excitable -- at one point a number of reporters rushed to the city 's west railway station as a rumor circulated that a train carrying bo would be arriving . by late afternoon , a legion of newly accredited journalists -- almost all from overseas media as most domestic outlets are barred from covering politically sensitive events -- had settled in . some journalists questioned whether a day spent running around in the summer heat to cover a trial where the outcome is all but certain was really worth it . the conviction rate for first- and second-instance criminal trials in china -- where the party controls the police , prosecution and courts -- stood at 99.9 % in 2010 , a u.s. state department report cited the supreme people 's court as saying . the only unknown ' in the bo case seems to be the sentencing . after a long day of stakeout and live reports , we finally headed back to the hotel two blocks away from the court . as we walked into the hyatt regency jinan , part of a sprawling mixed-use development , i was reminded by the sign that the hotel 's chinese name is jinan wanda hyatt -- a nod to the property 's owner , the dalian-based wanda group . the real estate conglomerate -- headed by china 's richest man -- saw its business take off in the 1990s , propelled by land deals with the local government when bo was mayor of the coastal city in northeastern china . wanda is not implicated in the bo case , but it seems -- despite the top leaders'best efforts to choose a neutral ' location for the trial -- bo 's shadow looms large even in jinan . | it will be bo 's first public appearance since april 2012 when he was stripped of his posts |
elizabeth warren <tsp> ( cnn ) -- hillary clinton has n't said whether she 's going to run for president in 2016 . and massachusetts sen. elizabeth warren has said , repeatedly , that she 's not planning to run . but , given the dynamics of today 's politics , the two women need each other . and they both should run for the democratic nomination . a primary challenge from warren could be the very best thing to happen to clinton in a run for the presidency . most pundits have argued that a warren challenge would be a problem that clinton needs to confront , a genuine roadblock in her path to the presidency . the division and discord , they say , would be a repeat of the 2008 primaries where she ultimately lost to barack obama . but a warren candidacy could have a very healthy effect for clinton and for the democratic party . the biggest challenge that clinton faces right now , assuming that she decides to run , is that she might be unable to generate enough excitement among democrats that would mobilize voters and excite the media in the general election . part of the problem revolves around the same old issue of inevitability . ' as in 2008 , people treat her candidacy as a given and assume that she would be the likely democratic nominee . in american politics , voters tend to like the underdog . when clinton hit the campaign trail in 2008 as the inevitable ' winner , she often fell flat . obama used the image of inevitability against her . indeed , some of the finest moments in her campaign came toward the end when it became clear that obama was probably going to win the nomination . her fight intensified , and she made a much stronger appeal to key elements of the democratic party . as new york sen. chuck schumer recently reminded his party , democrats do best when they deal with the issues facing the middle class and advance an agenda that focuses on economic security for all . far from being radical , ' this has been the kind of policy agenda for which democratic voters thirst . it was the heart of the new deal and the great society , as well as successful democratic midterm campaigns ( like 1982 or 2006 ) and the 2008 election . in recent times , democrats have done well when they pay attention to the middle class and suffer when they move too far away from these issues . this kind of agenda could inspire democratic voters and attract independents who are frustrated with the continued challenges facing the middle class . if warren forces clinton to confront these issues and to articulate a stronger response to the economic issues of our days -- creating countervailing pressure to the political experts who will implore her to stay away from these questions -- it would only make the former first lady and secretary of state a stronger candidate . warren 's candidacy would force clinton to put herself on the record over how she would help the middle class -- committing to the kinds of policies that will be desirable to many voters , including some independents and even moderate republicans who are struggling in this economy and who are uncomfortable with the solutions offered by a gop that continues to lean hard to the right . a warren candidacy would also put pressure on clinton 's team to make sure they pay close attention to the grass roots . in the 2008 primaries , the clinton campaign faltered in dealing with the political ground war , the job of mobilizing and organizing local activists and deploying social media to bring out supporters . if there is no democratic challenger , clinton might not do enough to prepare for the onslaught she would face from a gop , a party armed with tea party activists and a huge network of campaign donors ready for battle . if warren runs , clinton will be forced to have her campaign infrastructure in place and in top form before the general election campaign begins . there is also the virtue of clinton sharpening her basic campaign skills . although she has never really left politics since her husband 's election as president in 1992 , she is probably a bit rusty , as her book rollout in june showed . in the current media environment , there is no room for mistakes -- and given that the republicans might have some pretty strong candidates in the mix , she will have to be at the top of her game . clinton is an immensely skilled politician and can compete with the best , but the challenge of running against warren would make her stronger by the fall of 2016 . both candidates would benefit from a real primary . polls show clinton has a commanding lead against any challenger , including warren , so the odds are this would not be a genuine threat to her nomination . but a primary would vastly enhance warren 's stature on capitol hill and give her a bigger profile within the party for years to come . for clinton , a vigorous challenge from the base of the party will be just the kind of competitive spur that she needs . | hillary clinton has n't said whether she 's running in 2016 ; elizabeth warren says she is not |
khan <tsp> islamabad , pakistan ( cnn ) -- an anti-drone activist and journalist from pakistan is missing after being abducted from his home , his lawyer said monday . kareem khan was seized from his home in rawalpindi on the night of february 5th , according to attorney shazad akbar . he was picked up by 20 men , some of them dressed in police uniforms , akbar said . kareem khan was my first client in 2010 against u.s. drone strikes in the tribal areas of pakistan , ' shahzad told cnn monday . shahzad said he lodged a complaint with local police but they denied having picked him up . khan hails from the tribal area of north waziristan . he was due to travel to europe this week to speak to german , dutch and british parliamentarians about his personal experience with drone strikes , according to reprieve , a uk-based charity that provides legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves . khan was also involved in legal proceedings against the pakistani government concerning its failure to investigate the deaths of his son and brother in a drone strike , the charity said on its website . we are very worried about mr khan 's safety , ' writes clare algar , executive director of reprieve . he is a crucial witness to the dangers of the cia 's covert drone programme , and has simply sought justice for the death of his son and brother through peaceful , legal routes . ' khan spoke to cnn in december 2010 about the airstrike a year earlier that had targeted his home in machikhel , a village in north waziristan . khan said the missiles killed his 35-year-old brother , a teacher with a master 's degree in english literature ; his 18 year-old son , and several others . he filed a $ 500 million lawsuit against the u.s. government . khan was one of the first people to raise awareness about drone strikes , said noor behram , a journalist based in north waziristan . he said it was a great setback that he had disappeared just before he could raise the issue on an international forum during his europe trip . behram said a protest against what describes as khan 's arrest would be held tuesday at the press club in the town of miranshah . muhammad saleem reported the story from islamabad , chandrika narayan reported and wrote the story from atlanta | khan was due to travel this week to speak to european parliamentarians |
khan <tsp> islamabad , pakistan ( cnn ) -- an anti-drone activist and journalist from pakistan is missing after being abducted from his home , his lawyer said monday . kareem khan was seized from his home in rawalpindi on the night of february 5th , according to attorney shazad akbar . he was picked up by 20 men , some of them dressed in police uniforms , akbar said . kareem khan was my first client in 2010 against u.s. drone strikes in the tribal areas of pakistan , ' shahzad told cnn monday . shahzad said he lodged a complaint with local police but they denied having picked him up . khan hails from the tribal area of north waziristan . he was due to travel to europe this week to speak to german , dutch and british parliamentarians about his personal experience with drone strikes , according to reprieve , a uk-based charity that provides legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves . khan was also involved in legal proceedings against the pakistani government concerning its failure to investigate the deaths of his son and brother in a drone strike , the charity said on its website . we are very worried about mr khan 's safety , ' writes clare algar , executive director of reprieve . he is a crucial witness to the dangers of the cia 's covert drone programme , and has simply sought justice for the death of his son and brother through peaceful , legal routes . ' khan spoke to cnn in december 2010 about the airstrike a year earlier that had targeted his home in machikhel , a village in north waziristan . khan said the missiles killed his 35-year-old brother , a teacher with a master 's degree in english literature ; his 18 year-old son , and several others . he filed a $ 500 million lawsuit against the u.s. government . khan was one of the first people to raise awareness about drone strikes , said noor behram , a journalist based in north waziristan . he said it was a great setback that he had disappeared just before he could raise the issue on an international forum during his europe trip . behram said a protest against what describes as khan 's arrest would be held tuesday at the press club in the town of miranshah . muhammad saleem reported the story from islamabad , chandrika narayan reported and wrote the story from atlanta | kareem khan 's brother and son were killed in drone strike |
gaza <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israeli troops have completed their withdrawal from gaza after a three-week military campaign against hamas militants , the israel defense forces said wednesday . palestinians look at an damaged rocket launcher left behind by israeli forces . the forces are now redeployed outside the gaza strip , and are prepared for any development , ' a military statement read . during their withdrawal , israeli troops warned gaza residents to avoid unexploded bombs or shells left behind and report their location to israeli authorities . israel said it had achieved its goal to halt hamas'firing of rockets into southern israel from gaza . hamas , the palestinian militant group that has controlled the territory since 2007 , also declared victory in the conflict during a rally in gaza city on tuesday . israeli troops began to withdraw sunday following tentative , separate cease-fire declarations by israel prime minister ehud olmert and hamas . u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon , who visited the territory tuesday , criticized both sides and the international community for what he called their collective political failure ' in settling the decades-old israeli-palestinian conflict . i have condemned from the outbreak of this conflict the excessive use of force by israeli forces in gaza . i view the rocket attacks into israel as completely unacceptable . we need to restore basic respect for civilians , ' he said . watch troops prepare to withdraw » the conflict , which began december 27 , has left more than 1,300 palestinians and 13 israelis dead . confirmation of the israeli withdrawal came within a day of the inauguration of barack obama as the new president of the united states , replacing george w. bush , whose administration was among the most supportive of israel in decades . ban said he hoped obama would consider settling the conflict a matter of priority . ' speaking during a visit to sderot , the southern israeli city that has endured rocket fire from hamas for years , ban said the bush administration was leading and heavily engaged ' in the region , but added , unfortunately , we have not achieved the goals . ' obama has vowed to move swiftly and has said he was assembling a strong team to be immediately engaged ' on day one . ' in a statement welcoming the new u.s. president , olmert said israel and the united states would remain full partners in advancing peace and stability in the middle east . ' cnn 's shira medding contributed to this report . | israel says it has removed its troops from gaza after three-week offensive |
gaza <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israeli troops have completed their withdrawal from gaza after a three-week military campaign against hamas militants , the israel defense forces said wednesday . palestinians look at an damaged rocket launcher left behind by israeli forces . the forces are now redeployed outside the gaza strip , and are prepared for any development , ' a military statement read . during their withdrawal , israeli troops warned gaza residents to avoid unexploded bombs or shells left behind and report their location to israeli authorities . israel said it had achieved its goal to halt hamas'firing of rockets into southern israel from gaza . hamas , the palestinian militant group that has controlled the territory since 2007 , also declared victory in the conflict during a rally in gaza city on tuesday . israeli troops began to withdraw sunday following tentative , separate cease-fire declarations by israel prime minister ehud olmert and hamas . u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon , who visited the territory tuesday , criticized both sides and the international community for what he called their collective political failure ' in settling the decades-old israeli-palestinian conflict . i have condemned from the outbreak of this conflict the excessive use of force by israeli forces in gaza . i view the rocket attacks into israel as completely unacceptable . we need to restore basic respect for civilians , ' he said . watch troops prepare to withdraw » the conflict , which began december 27 , has left more than 1,300 palestinians and 13 israelis dead . confirmation of the israeli withdrawal came within a day of the inauguration of barack obama as the new president of the united states , replacing george w. bush , whose administration was among the most supportive of israel in decades . ban said he hoped obama would consider settling the conflict a matter of priority . ' speaking during a visit to sderot , the southern israeli city that has endured rocket fire from hamas for years , ban said the bush administration was leading and heavily engaged ' in the region , but added , unfortunately , we have not achieved the goals . ' obama has vowed to move swiftly and has said he was assembling a strong team to be immediately engaged ' on day one . ' in a statement welcoming the new u.s. president , olmert said israel and the united states would remain full partners in advancing peace and stability in the middle east . ' cnn 's shira medding contributed to this report . | more than 1,300 people have died in gaza operation |
michigan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the disappearance last autumn of three young michigan brothers has turned into a murder investigation , authorities said tuesday . residents in the small city of morenci , michigan , have searched two months for tanner skelton , 5 , alexander william skelton , 7 , and andrew skelton , 9 , who were last seen at their father 's home on thanksgiving . the father , john skelton , who is charged with parental kidnapping , is the primary suspect , police chief larry weeks said at a news conference . weeks said that while he could not disclose much information , he wanted to put an end to false hope ' the boys would be found alive . he asked farmers and others to be on the lookout for their remains . when the time is appropriate , charges will be requested , ' weeks said . john skelton told investigators he gave the boys to a group called united foster outreach and underground sanctuaries , weeks said . no such group was found to exist , the chief said . it 's just one example of misinformation that we have received from him that indicates the direction this investigation is continuing in , ' the chief said . skelton was arrested in december upon his release from a mental health facility where he was treated after a suicide attempt . skelton also said he left the three boys with a woman , whom he identified as joann taylor , the morning before he tried to take his own life -- in part to ensure that they did not witness his suicide attempt , police said . skelton said taylor was supposed to return the boys to their mother at their home in morenci , a southern michigan town of about 2,400 people about 40 miles west-northwest of toledo , ohio , on november 26 , weeks said . but the boys never arrived . earlier , authorities determined that skelton had no established relationship ' with the person he named as taylor , and they are n't certain she even exists . kathye herrera told reporters tuesday the boys'mother , tanya , and the family are experiencing utter despair to a peaceful feeling knowing that the boys are in a better place . ' andrew , alexander and tanner will be on their hearts and minds forever , ' said herrera , thanking the community for aiding the family and helping in searches in michigan and ohio . they will be missed not only by the family , but by friends , classmates and the entire community . ' according to cnn detroit affiliate wdiv , john skelton appeared friday for a brief court hearing as part of his divorce case . the judge asked him whether he was prepared to give the children to their mother , and he answered , i ca n't , ' wdiv said . skelton family friend bill foster told hln 's jane velez-mitchell he understood why weeks made tuesday 's announcement . too many people started believing they [ the boys ] could be with someone or an organization , ' he said . the last time someone other than a family member saw the boys was at 5 p.m. on november 25 , according to weeks . police say tanner is 3 feet , 6 inches tall , has strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes and weighs about 40 pounds . alexander is 3 feet , 9 inches tall , has brown hair and eyes , weighs about 45 pounds and has scars on his hairline and chin . the oldest brother , andrew , is 4 feet , 1 inch tall , has brown hair and eyes and weighs roughly 57 pounds . | three michigan boys have been missing since november |
republicans <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- it 's coming next week . or next month . it 'll protect 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation . or 3 million . or less . there 's still a lot of uncertainty about president obama 's upcoming immigration executive order , since obama himself has yet to make a final decision on an action to fix the broken system . but while details are n't yet locked down , there are a few things we know for certain : the move is coming before year 's end , the fate of millions of immigrants are at stake , and republicans are fuming . here 's what else you should know about the upcoming immigration order : what is obama going to do ? the biggest question -- one the white house is n't ready to answer quite yet -- is what changes obama will bring to the immigration system to make it fairer . he vowed to take action on his own earlier this year , saying congress had failed to pass any meaningful reforms themselves . administration officials , however , have laid out the contours of a plan : many parents of american citizens , who are undocumented immigrants themselves , will be allowed to stay and work in the united states legally . an estimate from the migration policy institute puts the number of undocumented parents who might be eligible -- since they 've been in the united states for 5 years -- at 3.3 million . related : the immigration waiting game will end soon other potential areas of reform include extending the deportation deferment for immigrants who were brought to the united states as children . obama enacted a rule in 2012 permitting some of those children to avoid deportation , but there were age restrictions . changing them could bring hundreds of thousands more into the fold . officials also said the plan could include a stronger focus on deporting criminals who are undocumented immigrants and an expansion of worker visas in areas like technology . lastly , the plan could include new resources to bolster security on the border . what will that actually do for immigrants ? immigration activists have long called for a fix to the system that would end deportations splitting up families . thanks to the 14th amendment to the u.s. constitution , anyone born in the u.s. is automatically a citizen - that includes children whose parents are undocumented immigrants . but this also means many immigrant families find themselves in positions where one or both parents face deportation , while their children are allowed to stay . permitting those parents in the united states to work legally and avoid deportation would allow families to remain together . president obama has said keeping families together would be part of the reason he 'll acting alone to provide relief from the threat of deportation . how many people would be affected by the move remains to be determined , since the details are n't yet finalized . if obama announces he 'll allow all undocumented parents of u.s. citizens , legal permanent residents , or deferred-deportation-eligible kids , 3.7 million people could be affected , according to the migration policy institute 's report . but a stricter policy could bring those numbers down . mandating parents live in the u.s. for at least 5 years before becoming eligible would bring the number affected to 3.4 million ; a 10-year minimum would bring it down further to an estimated 2.6 million people . will it be enough ? even under the broadest interpretation , obama is expected to provide relief to 5 million undocumented immigrants . that 's fewer than half the 11.7 million currently thought to be in the united states . his action would be far less sweeping than a comprehensive bill passed through congress . it would also be temporary . the next president could simply undo the orders and re-start deportations . but with congress unlikely to pass a comprehensive bill , obama 's action may be the best activists can hope for . immigration rights groups have been waiting a long time for obama to pull the trigger on his immigration action . first announced this spring , the white house initially said the actions would be in place by the end of the summer . politics got in the way when obama pushed the announcement until after this month 's midterm elections . now activists say anticipation is high with the waiting game nearing an end . but their expectations for obama 's final plan are n't exactly sky high . our expectations are n't tempered . but we fear that obama 's may be , ' said clarissa martinez , deputy vice president of the national council of la raza . lorella praeli , the advocacy director at immigrants'rights group united we dream , said she expected the eventual announcement to fall somewhere short of the maximum obama could do with his executive power . i think they will try to couch that as'these are our political constraints ,'' she said . what will republicans do if obama offers relief to many undocumented immigrants ? impeachment ? as soon as obama announced he was taking unilateral action on immigration , republicans denounced him as overstepping his constitutional bounds . those cries of overreach do n't show signs of quieting as the announcement nears . on the extreme end are calls for impeachment , which were fueled this week when rep. joe barton , a republican from texas , said obama 's moves could spark proceedings in the house . charles krauthammer , a conservative columnist , said thursday night the potential actions are an impeachable offense . ' related : immigration action would spur calls for impeachment it 's hard to say exactly how republicans will react since the action has n't been announced in any detail . but no matter what obama does it 's certain to spark gop outrage . house speaker john boehner said obama was playing with matches and would get burned ' if he went ahead with executive action . soon-to-be senate majority leader mitch mcconnell said the president would poison the well ' in terms of working with republicans for the final two years of his presidency . the lawsuit against obama that house republicans have threatened could be expanded to include the immigration order . and any funding required for the plan could be held up in congress . all that only seems to empower democrats , who say the threats demonstrate how resistant the gop is to changing the broken immigration system . will it all cause a government shutdown ? it all comes down to timing . as obama prepares to unveil the long-awaited immigration action , lawmakers in the congressional lame duck are wading through some important business , chiefly passing a measure that would fund the federal government . if the immigration announcement comes before the spending bill is passed , republicans could hold it up . with funds running out in mid-december , that could trigger another government shutdown . to avoid that , republicans could pass a short-term spending measure the keeps the government running while they determine their next steps . but even some democrats do n't want to take chances -- sen. harry reid , the outgoing senate majority leader , said he wanted obama to wait until after the spending bill passes to make the immigration announcement . the white house , meanwhile , has n't given any hints on when the announcement will come , saying the decision wo n't be made until obama returns from his trip to asia this weekend . related : could immigration cause another government shutdown ? | republicans have said it will poison the well ' if he goes around congress |
maysak <tsp> ( cnn ) a large storm system dubbed typhoon maysak is churning over the pacific ocean , days away from a possible direct hit on the philippines . maysak is moving west-northwest after skirting the federated states of micronesia , according to the u.s. joint typhoon warning center . its eye is projected to make landfall in the central or northern part of the philippine island of luzon on sunday , though the country 's residents could start feeling its effects days before . that could interrupt the easter celebration for many in the predominantly catholic nation , which may be socked by heavy rains and potent winds . the international red cross noted that many people are expected to throng coastal areas at this time . ' images of the typhoon as seen from the international space station were posted to twitter , including a vine video showing the swirling eye of the storm . the storm has weakened and is expected to lose more strength before it reaches the philippines . its maximum sustained winds on wednesday were 150 mph , making it a super typhoon in the joint typhoon warning center 's definition . but by thursday , the winds'strength had declined to around 132 mph -- no longer a super typhoon but still the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane . meteorologist ivan cabrera told cnn that maysak could weaken further to become a tropical storm by the time it reaches the philippine coast . this will not be a catastrophic storm , ' cabrera said . that said , it could still cause flooding and bring strong winds , he cautioned . the philippines is frequently hit by typhoons . in december , for instance , hagupit killed at least 18 people in the east asian nation and injured hundreds more . but that devastation paled in comparison to the havoc wrought by super typhoon haiyan in november 2013 , which killed more than 6,000 people and injured more than 27,000 others . that typhoon , considered to be among the strongest storms ever to make landfall , hit the eastern city of tacloban especially hard . the irony of the upcoming storm is its timing : in april , just after the philippines atmospheric geophysical and astronomical services administration officially declared the onset of the nation 's dry , or summer , season . pagasa meteorologist shelley ignacio predicts maysak -- which is called chedeng in the philippines -- will bring heavy rains to luzon starting on friday , according to the state-run philippines news agency . the country 's national disaster risk reduction and management council went on red alert on wednesday because of the storm , the news agency reports . that alert means all relevant personnel are on standby and the public should be on guard for possible effects of the storm . cnn 's jethro mullen contributed to this report . | maysak has sustained winds of more than 130 mph but is expected to weaken |
easter <tsp> ( cnn ) a large storm system dubbed typhoon maysak is churning over the pacific ocean , days away from a possible direct hit on the philippines . maysak is moving west-northwest after skirting the federated states of micronesia , according to the u.s. joint typhoon warning center . its eye is projected to make landfall in the central or northern part of the philippine island of luzon on sunday , though the country 's residents could start feeling its effects days before . that could interrupt the easter celebration for many in the predominantly catholic nation , which may be socked by heavy rains and potent winds . the international red cross noted that many people are expected to throng coastal areas at this time . ' images of the typhoon as seen from the international space station were posted to twitter , including a vine video showing the swirling eye of the storm . the storm has weakened and is expected to lose more strength before it reaches the philippines . its maximum sustained winds on wednesday were 150 mph , making it a super typhoon in the joint typhoon warning center 's definition . but by thursday , the winds'strength had declined to around 132 mph -- no longer a super typhoon but still the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane . meteorologist ivan cabrera told cnn that maysak could weaken further to become a tropical storm by the time it reaches the philippine coast . this will not be a catastrophic storm , ' cabrera said . that said , it could still cause flooding and bring strong winds , he cautioned . the philippines is frequently hit by typhoons . in december , for instance , hagupit killed at least 18 people in the east asian nation and injured hundreds more . but that devastation paled in comparison to the havoc wrought by super typhoon haiyan in november 2013 , which killed more than 6,000 people and injured more than 27,000 others . that typhoon , considered to be among the strongest storms ever to make landfall , hit the eastern city of tacloban especially hard . the irony of the upcoming storm is its timing : in april , just after the philippines atmospheric geophysical and astronomical services administration officially declared the onset of the nation 's dry , or summer , season . pagasa meteorologist shelley ignacio predicts maysak -- which is called chedeng in the philippines -- will bring heavy rains to luzon starting on friday , according to the state-run philippines news agency . the country 's national disaster risk reduction and management council went on red alert on wednesday because of the storm , the news agency reports . that alert means all relevant personnel are on standby and the public should be on guard for possible effects of the storm . cnn 's jethro mullen contributed to this report . | it 's forecast to hit the philippines during the easter weekend |
philippines <tsp> ( cnn ) a large storm system dubbed typhoon maysak is churning over the pacific ocean , days away from a possible direct hit on the philippines . maysak is moving west-northwest after skirting the federated states of micronesia , according to the u.s. joint typhoon warning center . its eye is projected to make landfall in the central or northern part of the philippine island of luzon on sunday , though the country 's residents could start feeling its effects days before . that could interrupt the easter celebration for many in the predominantly catholic nation , which may be socked by heavy rains and potent winds . the international red cross noted that many people are expected to throng coastal areas at this time . ' images of the typhoon as seen from the international space station were posted to twitter , including a vine video showing the swirling eye of the storm . the storm has weakened and is expected to lose more strength before it reaches the philippines . its maximum sustained winds on wednesday were 150 mph , making it a super typhoon in the joint typhoon warning center 's definition . but by thursday , the winds'strength had declined to around 132 mph -- no longer a super typhoon but still the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane . meteorologist ivan cabrera told cnn that maysak could weaken further to become a tropical storm by the time it reaches the philippine coast . this will not be a catastrophic storm , ' cabrera said . that said , it could still cause flooding and bring strong winds , he cautioned . the philippines is frequently hit by typhoons . in december , for instance , hagupit killed at least 18 people in the east asian nation and injured hundreds more . but that devastation paled in comparison to the havoc wrought by super typhoon haiyan in november 2013 , which killed more than 6,000 people and injured more than 27,000 others . that typhoon , considered to be among the strongest storms ever to make landfall , hit the eastern city of tacloban especially hard . the irony of the upcoming storm is its timing : in april , just after the philippines atmospheric geophysical and astronomical services administration officially declared the onset of the nation 's dry , or summer , season . pagasa meteorologist shelley ignacio predicts maysak -- which is called chedeng in the philippines -- will bring heavy rains to luzon starting on friday , according to the state-run philippines news agency . the country 's national disaster risk reduction and management council went on red alert on wednesday because of the storm , the news agency reports . that alert means all relevant personnel are on standby and the public should be on guard for possible effects of the storm . cnn 's jethro mullen contributed to this report . | it 's forecast to hit the philippines during the easter weekend |
hillary <tsp> editor 's note : this post was created for your reading pleasure as a collaborative effort between the editorial staffs of buzzfeed and cnn . ( buzzfeed/cnn ) -- hillary clinton inadvertently won over the internet when a photo of her coolly typing away at her blackberry with sunglasses on ( inside a plane , no less ) went viral . now , she has taken social media matters into her own hands with her first official tweet on monday . clinton even gave a savvy nod to stacy lambe and adam smith , creators of the popular tumblr page texts from hillary , ' in her first tweet . but it was n't just the two of them freaking out about the former first lady and secretary of state 's twitter debut . here are some of our favorite responses to clinton 's long-anticipated entry to the popular microblogging platform . if you are reading this on mobile or an outdated browser , you wo n't be able to see this story in all its glory . click here instead . . | hillary clinton sent out her first twitter missive on monday |
hillary <tsp> editor 's note : this post was created for your reading pleasure as a collaborative effort between the editorial staffs of buzzfeed and cnn . ( buzzfeed/cnn ) -- hillary clinton inadvertently won over the internet when a photo of her coolly typing away at her blackberry with sunglasses on ( inside a plane , no less ) went viral . now , she has taken social media matters into her own hands with her first official tweet on monday . clinton even gave a savvy nod to stacy lambe and adam smith , creators of the popular tumblr page texts from hillary , ' in her first tweet . but it was n't just the two of them freaking out about the former first lady and secretary of state 's twitter debut . here are some of our favorite responses to clinton 's long-anticipated entry to the popular microblogging platform . if you are reading this on mobile or an outdated browser , you wo n't be able to see this story in all its glory . click here instead . . | clinton nodded to the texts from hillary ' meme in her inaugural tweet |
wigan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- arsenal ended wigan 's eight-year stay in the premier league with a ruthless 4-1 victory at the emirates to keep their champions league dreams alive and relegate the fa cup winners . the result had numerous repercussions but arsenal coach arsene wenger will concentrate on the fact that his side can secure a 16th successive season of champions league football by taking three points at newcastle on sunday . goals from lukas podolski ( 2 ) , theo walcott and aaron ramsey moved the gunners up to fourth in the premier league with 70 points , crucially one more than north london rivals tottenham hotspur with one game of the season left . we 've got another big game on sunday and we 'll give it all again , ' frenchman wenger , whose side trailed spurs by eight points in february , told sky sports . it is sad ( wigan ) go down because they play good football with intelligent players . ' the defeat that sent wigan back to the second tier championship came just three days after roberto martinez 's side won the fa cup , stunning manchester city with a 1-0 victory at wembley . in the long history of english football , wigan become the first side to be relegated in the same season as winning the fa cup , a tournament that was first contested in 1871 . nonetheless , the wembley win means wigan garnered more silverware during their eight years in the premier league than rivals arsenal , whose last trophy came when winning the fa cup at the end of the 2004-2005 season . i never expected this to happen , ' said martinez , whose side briefly rallied when shaun maloney made it 1-1 on the stroke of half-time . the group of players we have at the club are an incredible bunch , and we did n't deserve this . i am glad they showed what they were capable of -- winning the fa cup was an incredible achievement -- but this is a tough day for the club . ' despite the disappointment , martinez -- who has been heavily linked with taking the vacant everton job in recent days -- preferred to focus on the positives of his side 's top flight adventure . we had an incredible eight years in the premier league and we need to build for the future , ' the spaniard added . it 's great to win the fa cup . it 's an achievement that will live forever . the relegation is something we can rectify . the club is on a fantastic financial footing . we are stronger than ever . it 's important we make our fans really proud . they supported us like they always do . it 's a difficult time . it 's a time to look forward to the future . ' as the latics joined queens park rangers and reading , who lost 2-0 at home to manchester city on tuesday , in the championship , fans of sunderland and aston villa all breathed a huge sigh of relief as their premier league survival was ensured . during their spell in the premier league , wigan often flirted with relegation -- twice surviving on the final day -- but the 2012-2013 season proved a step too far . one of the wembley heroes , goalkeeper joel robles , was in tears at the final whistle . reading were another team departing the premier league and they ended their home campaign with their 21st defeat of the season , as visiting city fans thanked roberto mancini for his tenure at the club . the italian was dismissed on monday despite delivering manchester city 's first major trophies in over three decades , with assistant coach brian kidd taking charge of the team at short notice . goals in each half from sergio aguero and edin dzeko saw city finish the season in second place , with the victory ensuring that wednesday 's europa league finalists chelsea could no longer catch them . with chilean manuel pellegrini strongly tipped to take charge of city , the club 's supporters unfurled banners and sang songs in praise of mancini -- who delivered the 2011 fa cup and 2012 premier league title during his spell in charge . | arsenal maintain champions league bid with victory that relegates wigan |
wigan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- arsenal ended wigan 's eight-year stay in the premier league with a ruthless 4-1 victory at the emirates to keep their champions league dreams alive and relegate the fa cup winners . the result had numerous repercussions but arsenal coach arsene wenger will concentrate on the fact that his side can secure a 16th successive season of champions league football by taking three points at newcastle on sunday . goals from lukas podolski ( 2 ) , theo walcott and aaron ramsey moved the gunners up to fourth in the premier league with 70 points , crucially one more than north london rivals tottenham hotspur with one game of the season left . we 've got another big game on sunday and we 'll give it all again , ' frenchman wenger , whose side trailed spurs by eight points in february , told sky sports . it is sad ( wigan ) go down because they play good football with intelligent players . ' the defeat that sent wigan back to the second tier championship came just three days after roberto martinez 's side won the fa cup , stunning manchester city with a 1-0 victory at wembley . in the long history of english football , wigan become the first side to be relegated in the same season as winning the fa cup , a tournament that was first contested in 1871 . nonetheless , the wembley win means wigan garnered more silverware during their eight years in the premier league than rivals arsenal , whose last trophy came when winning the fa cup at the end of the 2004-2005 season . i never expected this to happen , ' said martinez , whose side briefly rallied when shaun maloney made it 1-1 on the stroke of half-time . the group of players we have at the club are an incredible bunch , and we did n't deserve this . i am glad they showed what they were capable of -- winning the fa cup was an incredible achievement -- but this is a tough day for the club . ' despite the disappointment , martinez -- who has been heavily linked with taking the vacant everton job in recent days -- preferred to focus on the positives of his side 's top flight adventure . we had an incredible eight years in the premier league and we need to build for the future , ' the spaniard added . it 's great to win the fa cup . it 's an achievement that will live forever . the relegation is something we can rectify . the club is on a fantastic financial footing . we are stronger than ever . it 's important we make our fans really proud . they supported us like they always do . it 's a difficult time . it 's a time to look forward to the future . ' as the latics joined queens park rangers and reading , who lost 2-0 at home to manchester city on tuesday , in the championship , fans of sunderland and aston villa all breathed a huge sigh of relief as their premier league survival was ensured . during their spell in the premier league , wigan often flirted with relegation -- twice surviving on the final day -- but the 2012-2013 season proved a step too far . one of the wembley heroes , goalkeeper joel robles , was in tears at the final whistle . reading were another team departing the premier league and they ended their home campaign with their 21st defeat of the season , as visiting city fans thanked roberto mancini for his tenure at the club . the italian was dismissed on monday despite delivering manchester city 's first major trophies in over three decades , with assistant coach brian kidd taking charge of the team at short notice . goals in each half from sergio aguero and edin dzeko saw city finish the season in second place , with the victory ensuring that wednesday 's europa league finalists chelsea could no longer catch them . with chilean manuel pellegrini strongly tipped to take charge of city , the club 's supporters unfurled banners and sang songs in praise of mancini -- who delivered the 2011 fa cup and 2012 premier league title during his spell in charge . | wigan become first club to win fa cup and be relegated in same season |
olympics <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- u.s. president george w. bush praised the u.s. relationship with south korea on wednesday and said the two nations should continue to work together to eliminate threats from north korea . president george w. bush and south korean president lee myung-bak attend a joint press conference in seoul . bush spoke during a news conference with south korean president lee myung-bak . the stop in south korea is part of bush 's weeklong asian tour . our relationship is important vital and i believe it is strong , ' bush said . bush said he was still concerned about north korea and said the country has a long way to go before it is taken off his axis of evil list ' as well as removing it from a list of countries that sponsor terrorism . i am concerned about north korea 's human rights record , ' bush said i am concerned about the uranium enrichment ... ' he spoke hours after thousands of protesters packed the streets of the south korean capital tuesday . watch bush speak on his hopes for his axis of evil ' list » while some demonstrations were peaceful , violence erupted at other protest sites . in one instance , riot police fired a water cannon to keep the crowds at bay . police said they detained about 80 protesters . they estimated about 2,700 people were participating in the protests , which included a candlelight march and a sit-in . but the organizers said some 10,000 were taking part in the demonstrations . bush 's weeklong trip to the region is his ninth visit as president . see a map of bush 's itinerary » his stop in seoul comes just a few months after violent street protests erupted over worries about the safety of u.s. beef imports . while those tensions seem to have eased , the united states'nuclear disarmament deal with north korea is also a concern . michael green , a former bush adviser on asian affairs , and now with the center for strategic and international studies , says seoul 's proximity to north korea contributes to an ongoing unease . the north koreans have 11,000 artillery tubes and rockets aimed at the south korean capital , so any little thing that we do with north korea makes the south koreans very jittery , ' green said . he added , on the other hand , the u.s. has to worry a great deal about where terrorists might get nuclear weapons or nuclear material . ' after south korea , the president will go to thailand for what 's being billed as a major asia policy speech before making his way to beijing , china , for the olympics . cnn 's elaine quijano and kathy paik contributed to this report . | his asia trip 's final stop is in beijing , china , where he will attend olympics |
thailand <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- u.s. president george w. bush praised the u.s. relationship with south korea on wednesday and said the two nations should continue to work together to eliminate threats from north korea . president george w. bush and south korean president lee myung-bak attend a joint press conference in seoul . bush spoke during a news conference with south korean president lee myung-bak . the stop in south korea is part of bush 's weeklong asian tour . our relationship is important vital and i believe it is strong , ' bush said . bush said he was still concerned about north korea and said the country has a long way to go before it is taken off his axis of evil list ' as well as removing it from a list of countries that sponsor terrorism . i am concerned about north korea 's human rights record , ' bush said i am concerned about the uranium enrichment ... ' he spoke hours after thousands of protesters packed the streets of the south korean capital tuesday . watch bush speak on his hopes for his axis of evil ' list » while some demonstrations were peaceful , violence erupted at other protest sites . in one instance , riot police fired a water cannon to keep the crowds at bay . police said they detained about 80 protesters . they estimated about 2,700 people were participating in the protests , which included a candlelight march and a sit-in . but the organizers said some 10,000 were taking part in the demonstrations . bush 's weeklong trip to the region is his ninth visit as president . see a map of bush 's itinerary » his stop in seoul comes just a few months after violent street protests erupted over worries about the safety of u.s. beef imports . while those tensions seem to have eased , the united states'nuclear disarmament deal with north korea is also a concern . michael green , a former bush adviser on asian affairs , and now with the center for strategic and international studies , says seoul 's proximity to north korea contributes to an ongoing unease . the north koreans have 11,000 artillery tubes and rockets aimed at the south korean capital , so any little thing that we do with north korea makes the south koreans very jittery , ' green said . he added , on the other hand , the u.s. has to worry a great deal about where terrorists might get nuclear weapons or nuclear material . ' after south korea , the president will go to thailand for what 's being billed as a major asia policy speech before making his way to beijing , china , for the olympics . cnn 's elaine quijano and kathy paik contributed to this report . | he will next visit thailand to make what 's being billed as major speech on asia policy |
city council <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- the city council of san bernardino , california , declared a fiscal emergency ahead of a planned bankruptcy filing , a move that allows officials to bypass a 60-day mediation period with creditors that is mandated by the state . the seven-member council immediately followed the action wednesday night by voting 5-2 to seek chapter 9 bankruptcy protection . these votes mean that the city of san bernardino will move forward with its plan to file for chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in approximately 30 days , ' according to a statement released by andrea travis miller , the interim city manager . it does not mean the city will not negotiate in good faith with its creditors -- just that it may not complete those negotiations prior to the chapter 9 filing . ' last week , miller and finance director jason simpson issued a report stating that the city was facing insolvency and its expenditures are projected to exceed revenues by $ 45 million . the city 's general fund reserves had been as high as $ 19 million in 2001 but are now depleted , the report said . some $ 10 million to $ 16 million in annual revenue has evaporated in recent years as taxable sales dried up and property values plummeted in the city of 211,000 residents , the report said . san bernardino is about 60 miles east of downtown los angeles . prior agreements reducing city salaries are now ending , creating an increase in salaries and benefits of $ 10 million effective july 1 , 2012 , and increased costs in future years as merit increases resume , ' the report said . despite negotiating tens of millions of dollars in concessions and reducing its work force by 20 % over the past four years , san bernardino would not have enough cash on hand to meet its obligations , according to the report . the city has reached a breaking point , ' the report said . san bernardino continues to date to meet its financial obligations to vendors , creditors and employees , miller said . san bernardino would be the third california city to file for bankruptcy in the past few weeks . many municipalities in the golden state and around the nation are struggling to cover their costs as the economic malaise continues to hurt tax revenue streams , experts said . this will lead to more municipal bankruptcies , which have been rare until now . this is not the end . this is the beginning , ' peter navarro , business professor at university of california , irvine , told cnn recently . as cities see it can be done and is being done , it will give them the idea to do it . ' the town of mammoth lakes , california , sought protection july 2 after a property developer won a $ 43 million court judgment against the resort town of just over 8,000 residents . experts say this filing should not be lumped in with the other two california towns since it was an unusual circumstance . the city of stockton , however , filed for bankruptcy in late june after three months of mediation with creditors failed to close a $ 26 million budget shortfall . the city of 292,000 residents had already addressed $ 90 million in deficits over the past three years , mainly through reducing services and employee compensation . both stockton 's and san bernardino 's fiscal troubles are due in large part to the massive housing downturn and recession that swept across california . both towns were hit particularly hard by the foreclosure crisis , which left numerous abandoned homes and reduced property values in its wake . that led to lower property tax revenues , critical to supporting public services . also , municipalities have struggled from budget changes made on the state level . because of massive budget shortfalls , gov . jerry brown and the state legislature made changes to vehicle tax money and redevelopment agencies that stripped locales of hundreds of millions in state funding . while some areas of the golden state are starting to recover , the regions containing those two towns are not , said chris mckenna , executive director of the league of california cities . by filing for bankruptcy , cities will be able to keep police and firefighters on the street and possibly keep some parks and libraries open while they work out their finances , he said . more municipal bankruptcies are likely in california and throughout the nation , as cities continue to battle rising costs and a weak economy , said eric hoffman , an analyst at moody 's investors service . cnnmoney 's tami luhby contributed to this report . | the city council of san bernardino votes 5-2 to pursue bankruptcy filing |
smaug <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- even rote fantasy blockbusters can — and usually do — feature the showdown of good and evil . to conjure true darkness , however , is a trickier feat . early on in the hobbit : the desolation of smaug , ' bilbo baggins ( martin freeman ) , having proved his mettle as a budding thief and honorary comrade to thorin 's band of dwarves , finds himself at the top of a tree in the forest of mirkwood , where he spies an idyllic vista of autumn leaves . then he drops into a huge , sticky web , and a pack of giant spiders attempt to eat him alive . these monster arachnids have a fearful presence , like something out of a nightmare devised by ray harryhausen . a year ago , peter jackson 's the hobbit : an unexpected journey ' got the job done , but it was too bright and busy and noisy , with creatures that kept popping up as if out of a jack-in-the-box . the desolation of smaug ' is a more grandly somber movie , and also a much better one , with forces of boldly intense and unified malevolence . j.r.r . tolkien published the hobbit in 1937 , on the eve of world war ii , and his book is suffused with a sense of evil looming up in the world . this time jackson nails that tone : the feeling that bilbo , who 's been recruited to steal back a wondrous gem called the arkenstone from the dragon smaug , is up against a cosmic storm of black forces . the dragon has ravaged the land , the angry , hulking orcs are on a power trip , and the elves — led by the imperious thranduil ( lee pace ) — are isolationists who trap the dwarves in a dungeon , setting up a great escape via wine barrels on white rapids . the dwarves , thirsting to return to their homeland ( they could almost be pre-wwii zionists ) , are portrayed with a crusty urgency that takes them up dizzying stone peaks and pits them against one another . does the desolation of smaug ' meander ? of course it does — it 's a hobbit movie ! yet jackson 's direction is spiky and majestic , and the risky move of inventing his own tolkien character — the elf guard tauriel ( evangeline lilly ) — as a love interest for legolas ( orlando bloom ) pays off . these two bring some badly needed heat to the woodlands . speaking of heat , the dragon is , quite simply , a marvel : gargantuan yet balletic , hoarding his mountain of gold with a razor-toothed smile , breathing not just flame but an inferno , and voiced by benedict cumberbatch with the most delicious , insidious knowledge . bilbo , as played by freeman , suggests a sly-dog dana carvey without irony , and he is certainly overmatched , but that does n't mean he 's outplayed . desolation is now his business . grade : a- see the original story at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved . | bilbo baggin has proved his mettle in the desolation of smaug |
andy murray <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it was a match of two halves for world no . 3 roger federer as he moved into the second round of dubai championships with victory over michael llodra . the 16-time grand slam winner took just 18 minutes to wrap up the first set 6-0 against his french opponent but struggled in the second before eventually taking it on a tie-break . the swiss , who recently won the world tennis tournament in the dutch city of rotterdam to take his career titles count to 71 , is gunning for a fifth crown in dubai . it 's always great to start off a tournament winning the first set 6-0 , ' second seed federer told the atp tour 's official website . a family affair in dubai but mixed results for the djokovic brothers ' after that , i really had to sort of make sure i controlled michael as much as i could because i know he 's a dangerous player . i think i was solid . i could have served maybe a touch better . but still , i was never really in a whole lot of problems . tie-breakers , as we saw , can go quickly either way , especially on a quick court like tonight . i hope i back it up day for day now . ' federer will face unseeded spaniard feliciano lopez in round two , after he beat nicolas mahut , of france , 6-4 6-4 . britain 's andy murray was far from his best as he labored to a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over german qualifier michael berrer in his first match since his australian open semifinal defeat to world no . 1 novak djokovic . it was a frustrating match because i was up a break in the second set , and i gave it back , ' murray told reporters . in the third set , again i went up a break and gave the break straight back . so i could have made it a little bit easier for myself if i played a bit better . ' murray 's next opponent will be switzerland 's marco chiudinelli after he beat russian nikolay davydenko 6-4 5-7 6-4 . jo-wilfried tsonga , from france , recorded a 7-6 6-4 win over cypriot marcos baghdatis to set up a match with lukas rosol from the czech republic . rosol 's compatriot tomas berdych , seeded fifth , enjoyed a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over germany 's benjamin becker and will face slovakian qualifier lukas lacko in round two . no . 8 seed juan martin del potro , from argentina , beat ukrainian alexandr dolgopolov 6-3 7-6 to set up a clash with qualifier andrey golubev . | no . 3 seed andy murray labors to 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over qualifier michael berrer |
maoist <tsp> kathmandu , nepal ( cnn ) -- nepal 's maoist government took the president to task monday for ordering the country 's army chief of staff to stay in office after they had fired him , calling the decision unconstitutional . ' general rookmangud katawal gestures after inspecting a guard of honor in new delhi on december 12 , 2007 . neither the constitution nor the military act gives the president the right to do anything besides supporting the government 's decision , ' said krishna bahadur mahara , the minister for information and communication . late sunday night , president ram baran yadav ordered gen. rookmangud katawal , who was sacked by the government sunday morning , to continue in office . nepal 's interim constitution gives the president powers as supreme commander of the army and guardian of the constitution . the president took the step after 18 parties in parliament requested the president to intervene , ' presidential spokesman rajendra dahal told cnn sunday night . the decision to fire katawal touched off protests . supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations sunday . despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . the coalition government led by the unified communist party of nepal ( maoist ) -- better known as maoist -- leads a minority government for which its largest coalition partner , the communist party of nepal ( unified marxist leninist ) , has withdrawn support . it is unclear if the government will fall , since madhesi janadhikar ( people 's rights ) forum , another coalition partner and the fourth largest party in parliament , is undecided about staying in the government . nepal 's cabinet voted to dismiss katawal after the military refused the government 's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former maoist rebels , as a 2006 peace deal required . the maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency . under the deal , more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country 's security forces . | maoist government ordered army chief of staff to be fired after recruitment issue |
chinese <tsp> nanjing , china ( cnn ) -- nanjing , a city of 8 million in eastern china , is the capital of the coastal jiangsu province . but some 80 years ago it was the capital of china . the revolutionary sun yat-sen founded the republic of china ( roc ) here in 1912 after playing an instrumental role in overthrowing the qing dynasty , the last of the imperial eras in china . sun 's successor , chiang kai-shek , headquartered his nationalist kuomintang ( kmt ) government here from 1927 until the communist party pushed them from the mainland in 1949 and moved the capital north to beijing . this gave nanjing , whose name literally means the southern capital , ' something of an identity crisis . but 64 years after the end of the kmt 's rule , the city seems to have found its place again as a legacy of minguo , or the republic of china . from tourism to dining to real estate , many nanjing businesses are selling themselves with a nod to the former capital 's nationalist past . the city 's main center of nightlife , known simply as 1912 , is named and themed after the founding year of the republic . located a stone 's throw from the kmt 's presidential palace , century-old villas are revamped and dolled-up to house bars and restaurants . the complex boasts of its classic minguo cultural significance ' on its website . walking around the city 's commercial center , xinjiekou , it 's common to see billboards and video screens advertising new real estate known for its minguo flavor . ' yihe road was the city 's legation quarter in the early 20th century and is lined up with distinctive minguo-style architecture -- exquisite and painstakingly intricate chinese carvings decorate the otherwise european faã§ade . the quiet 500-meter strip has in recent years been renovated by authorities to resemble its former republican glory . while culture-lovers swarm here to trace nanjing 's olden-day charms , university graduates are often seen taking graduation photos in retro republican-style outfits . instead of run-of-the-mill black robes , male students don chinese tunic suits , known as sun yat-sen suits , while females wear ocean-blue , wrap-up tops and black cotton skirts . enthusiasm for this era has also provided the most unlikely of job opportunities in china . xu jinshui , 46 , is a professional impersonator of chiang -- a controversial figure for many mainlanders . during the day he stands like a wax figure outside the presidential palace . fully chiang-costumed , xu charges tourists for taking photos with him . by night , the quiet zhejiang native ushers in guests at ming du hui , a minguo-themed restaurant , still dressed as chiang . if we want to introduce the minguo cuisine to the public , we need to throw in a related experience , ' explains general manager lv xinhe . chiang kai-shek is a famous character and people know about him . ' the 150-seat restaurant , whose per-head bill averages rmb 300 ( us $ 48 ) , serves food that was popular with nationalist officials . the menu includes yellow croaker soup , which was said to be chiang 's favorite , and may-ling soong 's steak , a meat dish designed by chiang 's wife . the local communist government seems to encourage the cultural comeback . according to shen jiahua , the president of nanjing dining chamber of commerce , the authorities have endeavored to popularize republican food since 2011 . a dozen restaurants in the city have been certified to carry the minguo big cuisine . ' [ what we do is ] to pass on the dining culture of nanjing and create a unique culinary signature of the city , ' says shen . the well-groomed 56-year-old former soldier owns yushang xunfu , a 4,000-square-meter nanjing restaurant devoted to researching , developing and cooking the cuisine , which comprise the prevailing governmental dishes of the time . each of the establishment 's 27 dishes is coupled with an interesting historical anecdote , often linked with influential kmt leaders , such as sun and bai chongxi , a noted hui-muslim nationalist general . shen spent approximately rmb 40 million ( us $ 6.4 million ) decorating the restaurant , which features colossal crystal chandeliers . the clientele are mostly businessmen , government employees and military officials . commercial gimmicks are perhaps the most obvious part of [ this republican cultural comeback ] , and it is best and most easily manifested through cuisine , ' says media producer and culture consultant frank hossack . hossack , 43 , came to china in 1993 . the scot has lived in nanjing for the past decade and now edits , among other things , english-language magazine the nanjinger . this specific period attracts the locals because , according to him , it was when the government really made the biggest bounds , greatest developments and smartest innovations in what was called the nanking decade from 1927 to 1937 . ' hossack also regards the nostalgic trend as a reflection of nanjing 's desire to find a new identity , when the provincial capital is often eclipsed by nearby shanghai , which is a 90-minute train ride to the southeast . chinese magazine fan yue ri li defined the republican culture , or the republican feeling , ' as an aristocratic spirit . ' in one article , the publication argued that modern china needed this lost essence because , for one reason , the general social customs , taste and language are becoming coarse and vulgar . ' the lengthy essay was later re-posted on the web edition of the state-run people 's daily . to some extent , it shows people partly recognize that era 's values , ' says roc culture specialist chen weixin . although chen declines to point out the specific values , a general consensus among the chinese public and media is that republican times often embody openness , diversity , freedom and democracy , as an architect focusing on republican times , 42-year-old chen has been involved in the restoration of many minguo buildings , including part of the presidential palace . on the other hand , it shows that people are connecting with their culture and history , ' he adds . here on the mainland , [ a certain incident in ] history caused a disruption to the passing of the traditional culture , but the republican culture was in line with it , ' he continues . that 's why people resonate with that era 's culture . ' according to chen , the republican culture never went extinct in nanjing after 1949 , even though it did diminish . the city 's layout till today is based on the capital plan , ' a blueprint drafted by the nationalist government from 1930-1937 . as chiang 's wife , may-ling soong , once said : we live in the present , we dream of the future and we learn eternal truths from the past . ' this may well explain nanjing 's obsession with its republican past . | nanjing , a city of 8 million in eastern china , was previously the chinese capital |
obama <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- after more than 18 years on the nation 's highest court , supreme court justice david souter is retiring , a source close to souter told cnn thursday . david souter has served more than 18 years on the supreme court . souter will leave after the current court term recesses in june , the source said . filling souter 's seat would be president barack obama 's first supreme court appointment -- and the first since george w. bush 's picks of samuel alito in 2006 and chief justice john roberts in 2005 . souter , 69 , was tapped for the court by president george h.w . bush in 1990 , but disappointed many conservatives when he turned out to be a typical old-fashioned yankee republican -- a moderate , with an independent , even quirky streak . souter 's departure will leave the two oldest justices -- and the most liberal -- still on the bench . retirements for john paul stevens , 89 , and ruth bader ginsburg , 76 , have been rumored for years , with many expecting that one or the other would be the first to give a new democratic president a supreme court vacancy . souter 's decision came as something of a surprise , although he has long been known to prefer the quiet of his new hampshire farmhouse to the bustle of the nation 's capital . cnn 's bill mears contributed to this report . | souter 's replacement would be president obama 's first supreme court appointment |
iraq <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they are four american friends and seasoned travelers who were hiking through iraq 's kurdistan region before three of them crossed the unmarked border with iran , where they were detained by iranian authorities . ahmed awa , on the border of iraq and iran , is where police saw and warned the american hikers friday . kurdish officials identified the detained hikers as shane bauer , sarah shourd and joshua fattal , cnn confirmed sunday . the fourth hiker , shon meckfessel , stayed behind in iraq . my husband and i are eager for the best welfare and conditions for our son , josh , and for the other two companions he 's with , ' laura fattal of elkins park , pennsylvania , told cnn radio . and that is our only concern , his welfare and the best conditions for him . ' meckfessel was identified by his grandmother , who told cnn that he stayed behind because he felt sick . meckfessel is at the u.s. embassy in baghdad . my grandson has asked me not to talk to the media , ' said the grandmother , irene meckfessel of carmichael , california , before hanging up saturday . iran 's state-run media reported that iranian security forces arrested the three americans friday for illegally entering the country from iraq 's kurdistan region and that the matter is under investigation . u.s. state department officials say the swiss ambassador to tehran is seeking information about the case on behalf of washington . the united states and iran do not have diplomatic relations and switzerland represents u.s. diplomatic interests in iran . friends of the travelers told cnn that the three who were detained have spent time or have lived in western europe and the middle east . sandy close , executive director of the nonprofit pacific news service , described bauer -- a photographer whose material was occasionally posted on her web site in the past -- as a gifted linguist and photographer with wanderlust for travel and a student of arab cultures . he 's a remarkably talented guy . ' shourd described herself as a teacher-activist-writer from california currently based in the middle east ' on a profile listed on a travel web site . fattal shared his friends'love of travel and learning , and was described as fiercely intellectual ' by his friend , chris foraker , who spoke to cnn affiliate kval in eugene , oregon . foraker said he met fattal during a study abroad program in 2003 , and the two worked together at the aprovecho sustainable living research center in cottage grove . the four travelers spent the night at the nirwan hotel in sulaimaniya on thursday , said mudhafer mohammed , the owner of the hotel . bauer , shourd and fattal left early friday in a taxi for ahmed awa , a kurdish town near iraq 's border with iran , planning to hike in the mountains there , according to peshrow ahmed , spokesman for the security manager of sulaimaniya . ahmed awa police spotted the hikers at one point friday , ahmed said , and warned them that they were near the border with iran -- which is not marked in the area -- and that they should be careful . the group was in contact with meckfessel in sulaimaniya until about 1:30 p.m. friday , when they reported they were surrounded by iranian soldiers , ' ahmed said . no further communication was received . mohammed , of the nirwan hotel , told cnn that the hikers said they had come to the area because they heard it was safe , saying they were considering a trip to ahmed awa . but , he said , he advised them against it . i warned them many times , ' mohammed told cnn . when they told me that they are planning to go to ahmed awa , i told them ,'do n't go there because it is unsafe for you because you 're american and ahmed awa is very close to the iranian border ,'' he said . meckfessel left the hotel about 4:30 p.m. , mohammed said , asking him to take care of their luggage and saying he would not return . later , he said , sulaimaniya security forces took the luggage from the hotel . cnn 's arwa damon and susan candiotti contributed to this report . | americans accused of illegally entering iran from iraq 's kurdish region , state tv says |
iraq <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they are four american friends and seasoned travelers who were hiking through iraq 's kurdistan region before three of them crossed the unmarked border with iran , where they were detained by iranian authorities . ahmed awa , on the border of iraq and iran , is where police saw and warned the american hikers friday . kurdish officials identified the detained hikers as shane bauer , sarah shourd and joshua fattal , cnn confirmed sunday . the fourth hiker , shon meckfessel , stayed behind in iraq . my husband and i are eager for the best welfare and conditions for our son , josh , and for the other two companions he 's with , ' laura fattal of elkins park , pennsylvania , told cnn radio . and that is our only concern , his welfare and the best conditions for him . ' meckfessel was identified by his grandmother , who told cnn that he stayed behind because he felt sick . meckfessel is at the u.s. embassy in baghdad . my grandson has asked me not to talk to the media , ' said the grandmother , irene meckfessel of carmichael , california , before hanging up saturday . iran 's state-run media reported that iranian security forces arrested the three americans friday for illegally entering the country from iraq 's kurdistan region and that the matter is under investigation . u.s. state department officials say the swiss ambassador to tehran is seeking information about the case on behalf of washington . the united states and iran do not have diplomatic relations and switzerland represents u.s. diplomatic interests in iran . friends of the travelers told cnn that the three who were detained have spent time or have lived in western europe and the middle east . sandy close , executive director of the nonprofit pacific news service , described bauer -- a photographer whose material was occasionally posted on her web site in the past -- as a gifted linguist and photographer with wanderlust for travel and a student of arab cultures . he 's a remarkably talented guy . ' shourd described herself as a teacher-activist-writer from california currently based in the middle east ' on a profile listed on a travel web site . fattal shared his friends'love of travel and learning , and was described as fiercely intellectual ' by his friend , chris foraker , who spoke to cnn affiliate kval in eugene , oregon . foraker said he met fattal during a study abroad program in 2003 , and the two worked together at the aprovecho sustainable living research center in cottage grove . the four travelers spent the night at the nirwan hotel in sulaimaniya on thursday , said mudhafer mohammed , the owner of the hotel . bauer , shourd and fattal left early friday in a taxi for ahmed awa , a kurdish town near iraq 's border with iran , planning to hike in the mountains there , according to peshrow ahmed , spokesman for the security manager of sulaimaniya . ahmed awa police spotted the hikers at one point friday , ahmed said , and warned them that they were near the border with iran -- which is not marked in the area -- and that they should be careful . the group was in contact with meckfessel in sulaimaniya until about 1:30 p.m. friday , when they reported they were surrounded by iranian soldiers , ' ahmed said . no further communication was received . mohammed , of the nirwan hotel , told cnn that the hikers said they had come to the area because they heard it was safe , saying they were considering a trip to ahmed awa . but , he said , he advised them against it . i warned them many times , ' mohammed told cnn . when they told me that they are planning to go to ahmed awa , i told them ,'do n't go there because it is unsafe for you because you 're american and ahmed awa is very close to the iranian border ,'' he said . meckfessel left the hotel about 4:30 p.m. , mohammed said , asking him to take care of their luggage and saying he would not return . later , he said , sulaimaniya security forces took the luggage from the hotel . cnn 's arwa damon and susan candiotti contributed to this report . | fellow travel companion shon meckfessel felt sick , stayed behind in iraq |
kurdish <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they are four american friends and seasoned travelers who were hiking through iraq 's kurdistan region before three of them crossed the unmarked border with iran , where they were detained by iranian authorities . ahmed awa , on the border of iraq and iran , is where police saw and warned the american hikers friday . kurdish officials identified the detained hikers as shane bauer , sarah shourd and joshua fattal , cnn confirmed sunday . the fourth hiker , shon meckfessel , stayed behind in iraq . my husband and i are eager for the best welfare and conditions for our son , josh , and for the other two companions he 's with , ' laura fattal of elkins park , pennsylvania , told cnn radio . and that is our only concern , his welfare and the best conditions for him . ' meckfessel was identified by his grandmother , who told cnn that he stayed behind because he felt sick . meckfessel is at the u.s. embassy in baghdad . my grandson has asked me not to talk to the media , ' said the grandmother , irene meckfessel of carmichael , california , before hanging up saturday . iran 's state-run media reported that iranian security forces arrested the three americans friday for illegally entering the country from iraq 's kurdistan region and that the matter is under investigation . u.s. state department officials say the swiss ambassador to tehran is seeking information about the case on behalf of washington . the united states and iran do not have diplomatic relations and switzerland represents u.s. diplomatic interests in iran . friends of the travelers told cnn that the three who were detained have spent time or have lived in western europe and the middle east . sandy close , executive director of the nonprofit pacific news service , described bauer -- a photographer whose material was occasionally posted on her web site in the past -- as a gifted linguist and photographer with wanderlust for travel and a student of arab cultures . he 's a remarkably talented guy . ' shourd described herself as a teacher-activist-writer from california currently based in the middle east ' on a profile listed on a travel web site . fattal shared his friends'love of travel and learning , and was described as fiercely intellectual ' by his friend , chris foraker , who spoke to cnn affiliate kval in eugene , oregon . foraker said he met fattal during a study abroad program in 2003 , and the two worked together at the aprovecho sustainable living research center in cottage grove . the four travelers spent the night at the nirwan hotel in sulaimaniya on thursday , said mudhafer mohammed , the owner of the hotel . bauer , shourd and fattal left early friday in a taxi for ahmed awa , a kurdish town near iraq 's border with iran , planning to hike in the mountains there , according to peshrow ahmed , spokesman for the security manager of sulaimaniya . ahmed awa police spotted the hikers at one point friday , ahmed said , and warned them that they were near the border with iran -- which is not marked in the area -- and that they should be careful . the group was in contact with meckfessel in sulaimaniya until about 1:30 p.m. friday , when they reported they were surrounded by iranian soldiers , ' ahmed said . no further communication was received . mohammed , of the nirwan hotel , told cnn that the hikers said they had come to the area because they heard it was safe , saying they were considering a trip to ahmed awa . but , he said , he advised them against it . i warned them many times , ' mohammed told cnn . when they told me that they are planning to go to ahmed awa , i told them ,'do n't go there because it is unsafe for you because you 're american and ahmed awa is very close to the iranian border ,'' he said . meckfessel left the hotel about 4:30 p.m. , mohammed said , asking him to take care of their luggage and saying he would not return . later , he said , sulaimaniya security forces took the luggage from the hotel . cnn 's arwa damon and susan candiotti contributed to this report . | americans accused of illegally entering iran from iraq 's kurdish region , state tv says |
venezuelan <tsp> caracas , venezuela ( cnn ) -- speculation and messages of support surged in venezuela wednesday , a day after president hugo chavez announced he would travel to cuba for surgery . doctors there will remove a lesion in the coming days from the same area of his body where doctors removed a cancerous tumor last year , chavez said . the 57-year-old venezuelan leader told state media in a phone interview late tuesday that there was a high likelihood that the lesion was cancerous , due to its location , which he did not disclose . if it turns out to be malignant there will surely need to be another phase of radiation therapy , and this would slow me down , of course , ' he said . in june , chavez said doctors in cuba had removed a cancerous tumor but did not specify what type of cancer it was . he announced in october that treatment had cured him of cancer . word of the new operation , which chavez first announced on state television tuesday afternoon , comes at a critical time , about seven months ahead of a presidential election . to my competitor , a son of god as i am , i wish him a successful operation , a quick recovery and a long life , ' opposition candidate henrique capriles radonski said wednesday in a twitter post . the president 's allies sent strong messages of support . the president will have his treatment . the president will be with us in the campaign , he will be our candidate and he is our candidate for october 7 . ... the revolution will continue with chavez in front , ' said diosdado cabello , president of venezuela 's national assembly . but some venezuelans said they were skeptical . what surprises me is that the president had said before that his cancer was completely cured , so it took all of us by surprise , ' attorney lourdes rivas said . there is great anguish and uncertainty about whether he will be a candidate with such poor health . ' store owner carlos picardo said he was confident the venezuelan president would pull through . of course it 's quite sensitive , but he is going to come out of this like he has come out of everything else . he will survive this . and if he does not , well , he is mortal like all of us , ' he said . in his interview with state television late tuesday , chavez said he was confident he would leave a legacy in venezuela , no matter what doctors discover . truly at this stage of life ... i am no longer myself . truly i am the people , and i say this with much humility , but that 's how i feel . independently of the days , years , et cetera that may be left in my physical life , i know that when i truly leave ... i will remain alive for many years ... i live in the people and the country , ' he said . journalist osmary hernandez contributed to this report . | it took all of us by surprise , ' one venezuelan says of the news |
venezuelan <tsp> caracas , venezuela ( cnn ) -- speculation and messages of support surged in venezuela wednesday , a day after president hugo chavez announced he would travel to cuba for surgery . doctors there will remove a lesion in the coming days from the same area of his body where doctors removed a cancerous tumor last year , chavez said . the 57-year-old venezuelan leader told state media in a phone interview late tuesday that there was a high likelihood that the lesion was cancerous , due to its location , which he did not disclose . if it turns out to be malignant there will surely need to be another phase of radiation therapy , and this would slow me down , of course , ' he said . in june , chavez said doctors in cuba had removed a cancerous tumor but did not specify what type of cancer it was . he announced in october that treatment had cured him of cancer . word of the new operation , which chavez first announced on state television tuesday afternoon , comes at a critical time , about seven months ahead of a presidential election . to my competitor , a son of god as i am , i wish him a successful operation , a quick recovery and a long life , ' opposition candidate henrique capriles radonski said wednesday in a twitter post . the president 's allies sent strong messages of support . the president will have his treatment . the president will be with us in the campaign , he will be our candidate and he is our candidate for october 7 . ... the revolution will continue with chavez in front , ' said diosdado cabello , president of venezuela 's national assembly . but some venezuelans said they were skeptical . what surprises me is that the president had said before that his cancer was completely cured , so it took all of us by surprise , ' attorney lourdes rivas said . there is great anguish and uncertainty about whether he will be a candidate with such poor health . ' store owner carlos picardo said he was confident the venezuelan president would pull through . of course it 's quite sensitive , but he is going to come out of this like he has come out of everything else . he will survive this . and if he does not , well , he is mortal like all of us , ' he said . in his interview with state television late tuesday , chavez said he was confident he would leave a legacy in venezuela , no matter what doctors discover . truly at this stage of life ... i am no longer myself . truly i am the people , and i say this with much humility , but that 's how i feel . independently of the days , years , et cetera that may be left in my physical life , i know that when i truly leave ... i will remain alive for many years ... i live in the people and the country , ' he said . journalist osmary hernandez contributed to this report . | the venezuelan leader says the lesion is likely malignant |
venezuelan <tsp> caracas , venezuela ( cnn ) -- speculation and messages of support surged in venezuela wednesday , a day after president hugo chavez announced he would travel to cuba for surgery . doctors there will remove a lesion in the coming days from the same area of his body where doctors removed a cancerous tumor last year , chavez said . the 57-year-old venezuelan leader told state media in a phone interview late tuesday that there was a high likelihood that the lesion was cancerous , due to its location , which he did not disclose . if it turns out to be malignant there will surely need to be another phase of radiation therapy , and this would slow me down , of course , ' he said . in june , chavez said doctors in cuba had removed a cancerous tumor but did not specify what type of cancer it was . he announced in october that treatment had cured him of cancer . word of the new operation , which chavez first announced on state television tuesday afternoon , comes at a critical time , about seven months ahead of a presidential election . to my competitor , a son of god as i am , i wish him a successful operation , a quick recovery and a long life , ' opposition candidate henrique capriles radonski said wednesday in a twitter post . the president 's allies sent strong messages of support . the president will have his treatment . the president will be with us in the campaign , he will be our candidate and he is our candidate for october 7 . ... the revolution will continue with chavez in front , ' said diosdado cabello , president of venezuela 's national assembly . but some venezuelans said they were skeptical . what surprises me is that the president had said before that his cancer was completely cured , so it took all of us by surprise , ' attorney lourdes rivas said . there is great anguish and uncertainty about whether he will be a candidate with such poor health . ' store owner carlos picardo said he was confident the venezuelan president would pull through . of course it 's quite sensitive , but he is going to come out of this like he has come out of everything else . he will survive this . and if he does not , well , he is mortal like all of us , ' he said . in his interview with state television late tuesday , chavez said he was confident he would leave a legacy in venezuela , no matter what doctors discover . truly at this stage of life ... i am no longer myself . truly i am the people , and i say this with much humility , but that 's how i feel . independently of the days , years , et cetera that may be left in my physical life , i know that when i truly leave ... i will remain alive for many years ... i live in the people and the country , ' he said . journalist osmary hernandez contributed to this report . | venezuelan president hugo chavez says cuban doctors will operate |
medinah <tsp> ( cnn ) -- spanish golfer sergio garcia captured his first u.s. pga tour title in four years on monday , earning himself a place in europe 's team for next month 's ryder cup . he overcame a rain delay which put a halt to sunday 's play to win the wyndham championship , beating south african tim clark by two strokes in greensboro , north carolina . a victory was essential to push the 32-year-old into the top-10 ranked european players who automatically qualify for the team to face the united states . he now stands in sixth place and can not be pushed out of those spots . rory mcilroy , justin rose , graeme mcdowell , paul lawrie , francesco molinari , luke donald , lee westwood and peter hanson were already in the team to travel to medinah at the end of september . european team captain jose maria olazabal also has two wildcard picks for the tournament , with ian poulter expected to take one of those places . we 'll see when the team comes out , but i think my chances are a little better now , ' garcia said . garcia was one of 38 players who had to return to the course to complete their final round on monday . he had a less than solid restart when a bogey dropped him into a tie with clark , who was cheered on by a partisan local crowd who supported him because he once attended the local university . but garcia came back in style . he birdied four holes out of five to put some space between him and the field . at the 13th hole it looked like he was on course for the victory . a chip to within a foot of the hole left him an easy put for another birdie . an impressive bunker shot got him out of trouble and kept him on track for the win at the 15th . not even a bogey on the 18th could spoil the celebrations , even though it meant he had slipped a shot to card a final-round 66 for an 18-under-par total of 262 . clark finished one shot clear of bud cauley in third , while there was a three-way tie for fourth between americans chad campbell and jimmy walker and sweden 's carl petterson on 14 under . garcia 's victory was his first on u.s. soil since he won the 2008 players championship , and eighth overall . it also helped bury some ghosts of his previous visit to the wyndham championship in 2009 , when he held a share of the third-round lead but eventually finished fourth . it doubled his prize money this season on the pga tour to $ 1.8 million from 13 starts , and lifted him up 69 places to 33rd in the fedex cup standings ahead of this week 's opening playoff event , the barclays . clark also continued his climb , up to 54th from 109 . the top 30 players qualify for the tour championship finale . jason dufner finished the regular season second behind tiger woods after his seventh-placing at greensboro , with pga championship winner rory mcilroy third . garcia used a local caddy after parting with his usual bagman after this month 's pga championship , where he missed the cut . caddies are great , but sometimes i feel like i depend too much on them , ' garcia said . instead of making a decision myself , i would wait for the caddy to make a decision for me and then maybe i do n't feel comfortable with that and still try to do it . i wanted to start making decisions for myself , right and wrong . not all my decisions were good this week . but at least i was pretty much 100 % committed to most of my decisions , and that was nice to see . ' | spanish golfer is guaranteed a place in the european team to play at medinah , illinois |
ellen stofan <tsp> ( cnn ) they may not be star trek ' -type extraterrestrials , but we may be close to finding evidence of alien life , a nasa scientist says . i think we 're going to have strong indications of life beyond earth within a decade , and i think we 're going to have definitive evidence within 20 to 30 years , ' nasa chief scientist ellen stofan said tuesday during a panel discussion on water in the universe . we know where to look . we know how to look , ' she said . in most cases , we have the technology , and we 're on a path to implementing it . and so i think we 're definitely on the road . ' nasa released a graphic noting that scientists have found evidence or indications of water on a number of celestial bodies , including the dwarf planet ceres and jupiter 's moon europa . the hubble space telescope has been key to the discoveries , nasa said in a news release . scientists using nasa 's hubble space telescope recently provided powerful evidence that ( jupiter 's moon ) ganymede has a saltwater , sub-surface ocean , likely sandwiched between two layers of ice , ' the agency noted . there are some caveats involved , of course . nasa is n't talking about intelligent alien civilizations from the alpha quadrant ; it 's referring to microorganisms . we are not talking about little green men , ' stofan said at the panel . we are talking about little microbes . ' still , former astronaut john grunsfeld said it 's an exciting time -- and he thinks it 's just a matter of time before we find life outside our solar system as well . i think we 're one generation away in our solar system , whether it 's on an icy moon or on mars , and one generation on a planet around a nearby star , ' he said . and , he added , who knows what that life will look like ? once we get out beyond mars , the likelihood that it 's similar to earth because we share that material gets very , very low , ' he said . and i think that 's where it starts getting exceptionally exciting . ' | nasa chief scientist ellen stofan believes we 're close to finding alien life |
nasa <tsp> ( cnn ) they may not be star trek ' -type extraterrestrials , but we may be close to finding evidence of alien life , a nasa scientist says . i think we 're going to have strong indications of life beyond earth within a decade , and i think we 're going to have definitive evidence within 20 to 30 years , ' nasa chief scientist ellen stofan said tuesday during a panel discussion on water in the universe . we know where to look . we know how to look , ' she said . in most cases , we have the technology , and we 're on a path to implementing it . and so i think we 're definitely on the road . ' nasa released a graphic noting that scientists have found evidence or indications of water on a number of celestial bodies , including the dwarf planet ceres and jupiter 's moon europa . the hubble space telescope has been key to the discoveries , nasa said in a news release . scientists using nasa 's hubble space telescope recently provided powerful evidence that ( jupiter 's moon ) ganymede has a saltwater , sub-surface ocean , likely sandwiched between two layers of ice , ' the agency noted . there are some caveats involved , of course . nasa is n't talking about intelligent alien civilizations from the alpha quadrant ; it 's referring to microorganisms . we are not talking about little green men , ' stofan said at the panel . we are talking about little microbes . ' still , former astronaut john grunsfeld said it 's an exciting time -- and he thinks it 's just a matter of time before we find life outside our solar system as well . i think we 're one generation away in our solar system , whether it 's on an icy moon or on mars , and one generation on a planet around a nearby star , ' he said . and , he added , who knows what that life will look like ? once we get out beyond mars , the likelihood that it 's similar to earth because we share that material gets very , very low , ' he said . and i think that 's where it starts getting exceptionally exciting . ' | nasa chief scientist ellen stofan believes we 're close to finding alien life |
filipinos <tsp> cavite city , philippines ( cnn ) -- not many people recognized efren peñaflorida as he left the philippines last fall to attend a hollywood gala for cnn heroes . but when peñaflorida returned from the event as cnn 's hero of the year , he was greeted by hundreds of screaming fans at the airport in manila . the moment we got home , i ... seemed to have become a celebrity , ' he said . peñaflorida was honored for creating mobile pushcart classrooms , ' carts stocked with books , chalkboards and other supplies , that bring education to poor children in the philippines . since 1997 , he and more than 12,000 teenage volunteers have taught basic reading and writing skills to more than 1,800 children living on the streets . the award and the title [ are ] really significant , ' said peñaflorida , 29 . it gave me and my co-volunteers an affirmation that what we are doing is a worthy cause . ' the plaudits did n't stop there . back home , parades were arranged in both manila and cavite city , where peñaflorida was born and raised . and then-president gloria arroyo conferred him with the order of lakandula -- one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a filipino civilian -- for his dedication to the welfare of society . i received the medal but shared the honor with my co-volunteers , my mentor and the children we reach out to , ' he said . the government heads received an instruction from the president to have the pushcart schools replicated all over the country . ' with peñaflorida 's consultation , the pushcart classroom model started by his nonprofit organization , dynamic teen company , has been replicated more than 50 times by different organizations and institutions across the philippines . and according to peñaflorida , more classrooms are pending as president benigno aquino 's administration reviews plans to expand the infrastructure of the mobile classroom system . the duplication of the pushcart school system ... is happening now in different provinces and regions of the country , and we receive numerous letters from other parts of the world , ' peñaflorida said . filipinos have become more aware of the need for these children to be educated , fed and taken care of . before , they saw [ a pushcart ] as a symbol of poverty , but now they see a pushcart as a symbol of hope and education . ' in cavite city , construction is nearly complete on the dynamic teen company 's new educational center , which is designed to resemble the iconic pushcart . partially funded by the cnn heroes grant of $ 125,000 , the educational center will include a computer lab , a library , a health clinic , a kitchen used for feeding programs and a garage to store the pushcarts . we will call it care for poor children learning center , where children will experience having a place to exercise their rights freely and learn life-changing principles , ' peñaflorida said . it is intended to be finished by early next year ... and [ it ] shall be able to serve hundreds of kids . ' peñaflorida says he knows firsthand what these children lack . he spent his childhood in a shanty near a dump site in cavite city . he founded his organization to provide impoverished children an empowering alternative to gang induction . they need education to be successful in life , ' he said . it 's just giving them what others gave to me . ' peñaflorida 's selflessness has inspired documentaries and tv movies about his life in the philippines and several other countries , including japan , korea , germany , spain and canada . recently , he was invited to bear the torch at the first youth olympic games in singapore . and he can be seen hosting his own search for heroes on the philippine television show ako mismo ' ( i myself ' ) . the show features people working in the philippines to better the lives of others . i was told ... that they came up with this tv show inspired by the speech i gave at the kodak theater , that each person has a hidden hero within ... waiting to be unleashed , ' he said . since i was instrumental in the concept , i must live up to the principles i share and help our country find its heroes and probably help our nation heal herself . ' november 22 will be efren peñaflorida day in cavite city , but peñaflorida will likely miss the celebration as he plans to be back in hollywood honoring this year 's cnn heroes . they are all awesome , ' he said . the works of those 25 souls are so inspiring and truly remarkable . i personally salute them all . ' the 2010 top ten cnn heroes will be announced thursday , september 23 at 1 p.m. on cnn.com . at that time , online voting will begin to select the 2010 cnn hero of the year . the hero of the year will be revealed thanksgiving night during cnn heroes : an all-star tribute , ' hosted by anderson cooper at the shrine auditorium in los angeles , california . | peñaflorida has also become famous ; he hosts a tv show that features selfless filipinos |
hero of the year <tsp> cavite city , philippines ( cnn ) -- not many people recognized efren peñaflorida as he left the philippines last fall to attend a hollywood gala for cnn heroes . but when peñaflorida returned from the event as cnn 's hero of the year , he was greeted by hundreds of screaming fans at the airport in manila . the moment we got home , i ... seemed to have become a celebrity , ' he said . peñaflorida was honored for creating mobile pushcart classrooms , ' carts stocked with books , chalkboards and other supplies , that bring education to poor children in the philippines . since 1997 , he and more than 12,000 teenage volunteers have taught basic reading and writing skills to more than 1,800 children living on the streets . the award and the title [ are ] really significant , ' said peñaflorida , 29 . it gave me and my co-volunteers an affirmation that what we are doing is a worthy cause . ' the plaudits did n't stop there . back home , parades were arranged in both manila and cavite city , where peñaflorida was born and raised . and then-president gloria arroyo conferred him with the order of lakandula -- one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a filipino civilian -- for his dedication to the welfare of society . i received the medal but shared the honor with my co-volunteers , my mentor and the children we reach out to , ' he said . the government heads received an instruction from the president to have the pushcart schools replicated all over the country . ' with peñaflorida 's consultation , the pushcart classroom model started by his nonprofit organization , dynamic teen company , has been replicated more than 50 times by different organizations and institutions across the philippines . and according to peñaflorida , more classrooms are pending as president benigno aquino 's administration reviews plans to expand the infrastructure of the mobile classroom system . the duplication of the pushcart school system ... is happening now in different provinces and regions of the country , and we receive numerous letters from other parts of the world , ' peñaflorida said . filipinos have become more aware of the need for these children to be educated , fed and taken care of . before , they saw [ a pushcart ] as a symbol of poverty , but now they see a pushcart as a symbol of hope and education . ' in cavite city , construction is nearly complete on the dynamic teen company 's new educational center , which is designed to resemble the iconic pushcart . partially funded by the cnn heroes grant of $ 125,000 , the educational center will include a computer lab , a library , a health clinic , a kitchen used for feeding programs and a garage to store the pushcarts . we will call it care for poor children learning center , where children will experience having a place to exercise their rights freely and learn life-changing principles , ' peñaflorida said . it is intended to be finished by early next year ... and [ it ] shall be able to serve hundreds of kids . ' peñaflorida says he knows firsthand what these children lack . he spent his childhood in a shanty near a dump site in cavite city . he founded his organization to provide impoverished children an empowering alternative to gang induction . they need education to be successful in life , ' he said . it 's just giving them what others gave to me . ' peñaflorida 's selflessness has inspired documentaries and tv movies about his life in the philippines and several other countries , including japan , korea , germany , spain and canada . recently , he was invited to bear the torch at the first youth olympic games in singapore . and he can be seen hosting his own search for heroes on the philippine television show ako mismo ' ( i myself ' ) . the show features people working in the philippines to better the lives of others . i was told ... that they came up with this tv show inspired by the speech i gave at the kodak theater , that each person has a hidden hero within ... waiting to be unleashed , ' he said . since i was instrumental in the concept , i must live up to the principles i share and help our country find its heroes and probably help our nation heal herself . ' november 22 will be efren peñaflorida day in cavite city , but peñaflorida will likely miss the celebration as he plans to be back in hollywood honoring this year 's cnn heroes . they are all awesome , ' he said . the works of those 25 souls are so inspiring and truly remarkable . i personally salute them all . ' the 2010 top ten cnn heroes will be announced thursday , september 23 at 1 p.m. on cnn.com . at that time , online voting will begin to select the 2010 cnn hero of the year . the hero of the year will be revealed thanksgiving night during cnn heroes : an all-star tribute , ' hosted by anderson cooper at the shrine auditorium in los angeles , california . | since being named hero of the year , pushcart classrooms ' have spread across the country |
hero of the year <tsp> cavite city , philippines ( cnn ) -- not many people recognized efren peñaflorida as he left the philippines last fall to attend a hollywood gala for cnn heroes . but when peñaflorida returned from the event as cnn 's hero of the year , he was greeted by hundreds of screaming fans at the airport in manila . the moment we got home , i ... seemed to have become a celebrity , ' he said . peñaflorida was honored for creating mobile pushcart classrooms , ' carts stocked with books , chalkboards and other supplies , that bring education to poor children in the philippines . since 1997 , he and more than 12,000 teenage volunteers have taught basic reading and writing skills to more than 1,800 children living on the streets . the award and the title [ are ] really significant , ' said peñaflorida , 29 . it gave me and my co-volunteers an affirmation that what we are doing is a worthy cause . ' the plaudits did n't stop there . back home , parades were arranged in both manila and cavite city , where peñaflorida was born and raised . and then-president gloria arroyo conferred him with the order of lakandula -- one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a filipino civilian -- for his dedication to the welfare of society . i received the medal but shared the honor with my co-volunteers , my mentor and the children we reach out to , ' he said . the government heads received an instruction from the president to have the pushcart schools replicated all over the country . ' with peñaflorida 's consultation , the pushcart classroom model started by his nonprofit organization , dynamic teen company , has been replicated more than 50 times by different organizations and institutions across the philippines . and according to peñaflorida , more classrooms are pending as president benigno aquino 's administration reviews plans to expand the infrastructure of the mobile classroom system . the duplication of the pushcart school system ... is happening now in different provinces and regions of the country , and we receive numerous letters from other parts of the world , ' peñaflorida said . filipinos have become more aware of the need for these children to be educated , fed and taken care of . before , they saw [ a pushcart ] as a symbol of poverty , but now they see a pushcart as a symbol of hope and education . ' in cavite city , construction is nearly complete on the dynamic teen company 's new educational center , which is designed to resemble the iconic pushcart . partially funded by the cnn heroes grant of $ 125,000 , the educational center will include a computer lab , a library , a health clinic , a kitchen used for feeding programs and a garage to store the pushcarts . we will call it care for poor children learning center , where children will experience having a place to exercise their rights freely and learn life-changing principles , ' peñaflorida said . it is intended to be finished by early next year ... and [ it ] shall be able to serve hundreds of kids . ' peñaflorida says he knows firsthand what these children lack . he spent his childhood in a shanty near a dump site in cavite city . he founded his organization to provide impoverished children an empowering alternative to gang induction . they need education to be successful in life , ' he said . it 's just giving them what others gave to me . ' peñaflorida 's selflessness has inspired documentaries and tv movies about his life in the philippines and several other countries , including japan , korea , germany , spain and canada . recently , he was invited to bear the torch at the first youth olympic games in singapore . and he can be seen hosting his own search for heroes on the philippine television show ako mismo ' ( i myself ' ) . the show features people working in the philippines to better the lives of others . i was told ... that they came up with this tv show inspired by the speech i gave at the kodak theater , that each person has a hidden hero within ... waiting to be unleashed , ' he said . since i was instrumental in the concept , i must live up to the principles i share and help our country find its heroes and probably help our nation heal herself . ' november 22 will be efren peñaflorida day in cavite city , but peñaflorida will likely miss the celebration as he plans to be back in hollywood honoring this year 's cnn heroes . they are all awesome , ' he said . the works of those 25 souls are so inspiring and truly remarkable . i personally salute them all . ' the 2010 top ten cnn heroes will be announced thursday , september 23 at 1 p.m. on cnn.com . at that time , online voting will begin to select the 2010 cnn hero of the year . the hero of the year will be revealed thanksgiving night during cnn heroes : an all-star tribute , ' hosted by anderson cooper at the shrine auditorium in los angeles , california . | efren peñaflorida was named cnn hero of the year at a hollywood event in 2009 |
world cup <tsp> ( cnn ) -- paraguay striker roque santa cruz hopes to revive his stalled career after securing a return to his old stomping ground at english premier league club blackburn rovers . the 29-year-old has left high-flying manchester city on loan for the rest of this season , having failed to make an impact following his $ 28 million move from blackburn in mid-2009 . i feel like i am coming home . this has been the easiest decision of my career , ' he told the blackburn website on friday . i want to get playing and scoring goals again , and this is a real chance for me to prove myself after a frustrating period . everyone knows what blackburn rovers means to me . ' santa cruz scored 29 goals in two seasons at ewood park after joining on a free transfer from german club bayern munich , and he followed former rovers manager mark hughes to city . who will be the bargain signings of the january sales ? but he initially struggled with injury and failed to impress hughes'successor roberto mancini as carlos tevez , emmanuel adebayor , mario balotelli and recent signing edin dzeko have taken precedence . mancini has this week also allowed former england defender wayne bridge to join the premier league 's bottom club west ham on loan for the rest of this season . blackburn have missed out with ambitious bids for ronaldinho and david beckham since venky 's took over the club , but manager steve kean believes the move for santa cruz is proof of the indian owners'commitment to success . that is something that shows the fans we can now go and compete , and we can see off other teams -- not only in this country but abroad , ' he said . italian club genoa have signed argentina international striker mauro boselli on loan until the end of this season from struggling english club wigan . the 25-year-old has struggled to make an impact since joining from estudiantes , where he was top scorer in last season 's primera clasura . at the moment he is not in a position where he can help the club , and i am confident he will come back a better and stronger player after his stay in italy , ' wigan 's spanish manager roberto martinez told the club 's website . south africa 's world cup midfielder steven pienaar is expected to leave english club everton after manager david moyes revealed on friday that a bid had been accepted for the player . the 28-year-old , who has been linked with tottenham and inter milan , is out of contract at the end of this season , and has turned down a new deal . we have had two offers -- one of which has been accepted -- and we have given permission for his representatives to speak to the club involved , ' moyes told the everton website . | south africa world cup star steven pienaar expected to leave english club everton |
asian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- before my parents left taiwan in 1967 , they were given a gift box full of america : a collection of the greatest broadway cast recordings of all time , lovingly pressed into 50 sleek disks of vinyl . for over a decade , the contents of the box were the only music played in our home . my sister and i came of age listening to rodgers and hammerstein , lerner and loewe , sondheim and styne and strauss . and when we were finally ushered into the dark of an actual broadway playhouse to experience firsthand the unique alchemy that occurs when music and theater meet , we were hooked for life . all of this is just to explain why i 'm conflicted by the controversy that 's erupted over the recent revival of w.s . gilbert and arthur sullivan 's comic operetta the mikado , ' which is being presented in celebration of the 60th anniversary of seattle 's gilbert & sullivan society , one of the oldest light opera companies in the nation . it 's hardly surprising that the society would choose the mikado ' for its diamond jubilee year . it is the most frequently staged of gilbert and sullivan 's operettas and a perennial favorite of the society . every time , they have done it the same way : as a photocopy of the victorian original , with caucasian actors wearing garish facepaint and outfits that cartoonishly approximate traditional japanese garb . there 's a term for this kind of racial costuming : yellowface . it 's a phenomenon that seems to be resurgent . we saw it in katy perry 's geisha-inspired performance at the american music awards in november , in a january episode of the hit sitcom how i met your mother ' and a month later , in the opening sketch of the venerable comedy program saturday night live . ' each time , the use of yellowface has been defended as loving homage or harmless parody . each time , when asian-americans have pointed out that we do n't find the wearing of cosmetics and wardrobe to simulate asian appearance to be loving ' or harmless , ' our concerns have been dismissed . which is why , despite my deep personal love of musical theater , i think these traditional ' productions -- yellowface productions -- of the mikado ' have to end . they are the deep-drilled root of the yellowface weed : the place from which the scourge keeps springing back , even when its surface expressions are plucked . there are older examples of yellowface in entertainment than the mikado , ' but none so popular , and certainly none that have been as popular among mass audiences for as long -- 129 years and counting . i want to be clear that i 'm not saying that the mikado ' should n't be performed at all . its biting satire and splendidly silly stage play make it quite possibly gilbert and sullivan 's greatest work . but when it is performed by an all-white troupe of actors dressed and made up as asians , it shifts from a brilliant comedy of manners to , as asian-american actress and blogger erin quill says , a racist piece of crap . ' quill , a musical theater veteran and original cast member of the bawdy off-broadway hit avenue q , ' is actually quoting herself . that 's the first line spoken by cheryl , the character she plays in the indie film the mikado project , ' a mockumentary that follows an asian-american theater troupe forced to put on a production of the mikado ' in order to stave off bankruptcy . in the movie , the artistic director makes a desperate attempt to convince us that it wo n't look like yellowface , because underneath the costumes and makeup , it 's asians playing asians -- or at least the asians white people think we are , ' says quill , who also co-wrote the screenplay . obviously , the company is not down for it . ' by demonstrating that asians ca n't present a traditional ' version of the show without looking and feeling ridiculous , the film aptly exposes the uncomfortable racial reality behind operetta 's fanciful farce . but it then goes on to show how little it takes to make a version of the mikado ' that is n't offensive : a commitment to multiethnic casting and an end to the use of makeup to ape exotic ' asian features . and while we 're at it , maybe change the cast names to something that do n't sound like schoolyard slurs ? there 's no reason why nanki-poo , ko-ko and yum-yum could n't be namihiko , kaku and yume , all names that japanese humans might actually be called . change is painful . hardcore fans find the suggestion of any kind of alteration of g & s 's works to be anathema . but live theater is unsettled and organic by nature . no two performances are the same , and shows are revived time and again , with each new production adding contexts that enhance rather than erase the original . indeed , the mikado ' has seen the wildest set of adaptations of all of gilbert and sullivan 's works . 1939 saw the first staging of the hot mikado , ' a jazzed-up edition of the opera featuring an all-black cast , which has since itself been revived dozens of times . in 1987 , monty python member eric idle headlined a much-celebrated version of the mikado ' for british television , which was traditional in all respects , except for resetting the antics at an english seaside resort . even traditional ' productions embrace mutability and modernity . the song i have a little list , ' sung by ko-ko the lord high executioner , details a lengthy set of individuals who never would be missed ' if they were to encounter the business end of a chopper . every mikado ' production customizes the lyrics of the song , rewriting them to lampoon present-day celebrities and situations . if ko-ko can sing about kardashians and customer service operators , there is n't any reason why the rest of the play ca n't be updated as well . a hundred and thirty years ago , asia was exotic and alien and strange ; today , sushi is sold in 7-elevens ( now a japanese-owned chain ! ) and there are 18 million americans who trace our ancestry to that continent , but keep our homes and hearts right here . is n't it time to lower the curtain on yellowface for good ? | he says an all-white cast of asian characters in cartoonish costumes is offensive |
james thompson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did n't do than by the ones you did do . so throw off the bowlines . sail away from the safe harbor . catch the trade winds in your sails . explore . dream . discover . ' -- mark twain italian mountaineer reinhold messner , whose expeditions have inspired others to seek adventure adventure comes to those who seek it . some are born with an adventurous streak , an insatiable curiosity that can only be quelled through discovery , while others seek out adventures as a means of conquering the demons within : fear , boredom , stagnation , a sort of dry rot of the soul . we see adventurous people as being somehow different from ourselves : stronger , braver , tougher , fitter . they are versions of our best selves : the doers in life , the fearless , those who go over the mountain and come back to tell us what 's on the other side . while we may think the true adventurers are a species apart , we are all adventurers at heart -- yet sometimes the urge is stifled by modern life . the lust for adventure is planted in childhood . how many of us sat enthralled under the blankets as our parents read us the adventures of the famous five , treasure island , ' where the wild things are , ' the swiss family robinson , ' tarzan ' and peter pan ' ? children weaned on such stories may be forgiven for assuming adulthood is one long adventure that swings wildly between jungles , swamps , deserted islands and alpine heights . yet modern life is increasingly sedentary and safety-conscious . the desire for comfort and convenience ameliorates our contradictory urge to explore . a few have it thrust upon them : stranded in an inhospitable place , lost in a jungle or called up for combat -- and they find themselves dropped in an adventure that they may not have chosen ; but for the main part , adventure comes to those who seek it . dr. james thompson , a senior lecturer in psychology at university college london , says seeking adventure is more common amongst people who are extroverted , who are outgoing , who are sociable , because one of the things they need -- apart from the excitement of people -- is excitement generally . ' but if you think adventure is something that only happens to other people ; that you are too unfit to climb a mountain , too scared to sail across the open sea , too nervous to travel through a country where you ca n't speak the language ; perhaps you should rethink . after all , having an adventure could be good for you . psychologists have linked adventure-seeking with a range of positive qualities . adventure can : following the stories of this age 's greatest adventurers such as polar explorer douglas mawson , everest climber edmund hillary and mountaineer reinhold messner , we are encouraged not just to follow their paths up mountains or along rock faces -- they also inspire us to take more risks , to seize more from each day . who could fail to be inspired after watching cnn interview the world 's greatest living mountaineer , reinhold messner ? in 1980 , messner was the first person to ascend mount everest alone without supplementary oxygen . later , he crossed antarctica on skis . he tells cnn anchor becky anderson : i 'm a normal person , a totally normal person , and i was really lucky in my life to have to have the opportunity to follow my dreams . so in the beginning i was a rock climber , and all my enthusiasm , my energy and my willpower went into rock climbing . ' many young people are naturally adventurous -- throwing their energy and enthusiasm behind sport , hobbies and travel . witness the explosion of school leavers taking gap years ( a year off in between school and university or the workforce ) , with the destinations becoming more and more exotic and activities accompanying the travel designed to expand their mind as well as their horizons . but later in life , we can wake up and find our lives leeched of adventure . we may be loaded down with a mortgage , kids or a demanding job . adventure then becomes something we prefer to read about rather than live . we fall into the trap of the armchair traveler and become transfixed by all the journeys we did n't make . instead of setting out on our own expeditions , we read joe simpson 's account of his near-death mountaineering experiences in touching the void . ' or we follow sebastian junger 's account of wild sea adventures in the perfect storm . ' but while we are great armchair adventurers , a craving for the real thing can stir in us when we feel the need to change and shake things up . women in their 40s are leading the charge towards adventure . a survey released by the adventure travel trade association in march 2007 said today 's typical adventure traveler was female and fortyish . ' women make up the majority of adventure travelers ( 52 percent ) worldwide , with the most common destination being south america , ' said the trade association . the survey of travelers from 35 countries also found that people aged 41 to 60 are the highest participating age group in adventure travel . a survey by yougov in the uk has identified a new subset of british -- the nifty fifties . they 've had the responsible jobs and raised their children -- and now they want adventure . tesco life insurance has noticed : they 've decided to take the five star version of the student gap year , encompassing all of the adventure with none of the discomforts . neither burgeoning waistlines nor graying hair is going to hold them back . ' some older people are inspired to seek adventure by their children 's gap year experiences . others just want to spend their kids'inheritances . in a survey of older people carried out by tesco life insurance they compiled the nifty fifty wish list . adventure is a common component to their aspirations , the most popular of which are noted below : tony wheeler , one of the founders of guidebook giant lonely planet , ' is now an aging baby-boomer , yet he still pops up in iran , a place that has recently dominated headlines the world over for all the wrong reasons . in a recent piece in uk newspaper the observer , he also recommends holidays in north korea , iraq and afghanistan . messner now is 63 years old and although he no longer has the strength of his youth , he is still setting himself challenges . so my challenge today is this one ( setting up a museum ) , i will finish this one and afterwards i will invent a new challenge and it will be not on everest and not in antarctica it will be probably in a mental dimension because mentally we can go very far also in later years , ' he told cnn . but the yearning for adventure can strike at all ages . dave wroe , 33 , and penny bradfield , 28 , both gave up exciting jobs in the australian media to travel . they are spending april and may in iran and have already braved trekking in the amazon , train travel across india , diving in syria and traveling in columbia . i see adventure as going beyond something you feel comfortable with . if you are uncomfortable going to the end of your street and you go beyond this , then you are being adventurous , ' said wroe . wroe has a point . you do n't have to emulate the deeds of messner to be an adventurer . the spirit of adventure can infiltrate all areas of your life . you can infuse life 's ordinariness ' with an adventure : cooking a meal that you may not have tried before , walking to work on a different route , striking up conversation with someone at the office whom you perceive to be intimidating . successfully pushing your natural boundaries can lead to increased confidence . the general things which determine whether you start being adventurous is your personality and your youth . but once you start noticing that you have been able to overcome a challenge , it becomes a reward in its own right , ' said dr. thompson . for messner , adventure now takes place on the ground , with establishing a climbing museum and being elected a member of the european parliament . speaking to cnn with the mighty mountains behind him , there was a restless but playful look in his eyes . he said he was n't the type to sit around , drink beer and collect his pension in his old age . adventure is so much a part of his life , it seems , that it is an urge that can only be extinguished by death . and so while the strength in his body diminishes , the adventures will take place in his mind . messner is an extraordinary man , and while most of us would struggle to climb everest with or without oxygen , we can still emulate his spirit of adventure in our daily lives . | psychologist dr. james thompson says adventurers tend to be more extroverted |
benedict <tsp> rome ( cnn ) -- scandal is threatening to eclipse the poignancy and pageantry of benedict xvi 's historic final days as pope . vatican officials were already trying monday to swat down unsavory claims by italian publications of a brewing episode involving gay priests , male prostitutes and blackmail when news broke that benedict had moved up the resignation of a scottish archbishop linked over the weekend by a british newspaper to inappropriate relationships with priests . benedict announced two weeks ago that he will step down as pope thursday , becoming the first pontiff to leave the job alive in 598 years . interactive : where does the pope live ? at 85 , he said he was too old , frail and tired to continue on as spiritual leader of the roman catholic church and its 1.2 billion followers worldwide . it was a stunningly unexpected announcement that left church scholars poring over catholic law to answer such basic questions as when the pope 's successor would be chosen and even what he would be called in retirement . but the scandals -- along with lingering questions about how the church has handled claims of abuse by catholic priests around the world -- have dimmed the spotlight on benedict 's final days as pope . clearly , prior to these scandals erupting , the cardinals had a long checklist of things they were looking for in terms of the new pope , ' cnn senior vatican analyst john allen said monday , including finding someone to help spread the message of the church and inspire faith amid flagging practice of the catholic faith in many parts of the world . but in the wake of everything that 's happened in the last 72 hours or so , quite clearly a new item is on that list , which is they also want to make sure they pick somebody who 's got clean hands , ' allen said . vatican reveals pope benedict 's new title archbishop 's resignation the vatican confirmed monday that benedict had accelerated the resignation of cardinal keith o'brien , the archbishop of scotland . o'brien told the pope in november that he would resign effective with his 75th birthday , on march 17 . but benedict decided to make the resignation effective immediately in light of the pope 's imminent resignation , the scottish catholic media office said . the announcement comes a day after a sunday report by the british newspaper the observer that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against o'brien that date back 30 years . the observer did not recount details of the claims or identify any of o'brien 's accusers , but said one of the priests alleged that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him . ' o'brien did not attend mass at st. mary 's cathedral in edinburgh on sunday , but the scottish catholic media office told cnn that the cardinal contests these claims and is taking legal advice . ' his accusers took their complaints to the vatican representative in britain and demanded o'brien 's resignation , the observer reported . at the vatican , the rev . federico lombardi , a spokesman for the church , told reporters that benedict has been informed of the allegations . as late as last week , o'brien appeared to be making plans to take part in the conclave , when the college of cardinals gathers in rome to pick a successor to benedict . but in a statement in which he thanked god for the good he was able to do and apologized to all whom i have offended , ' o'brien said monday that he would not be part of that gathering . i do not wish media attention in rome to be focused on me -- but rather on pope benedict xvi and on his successor , ' o'brien said . opinion :'gay lobby'behind pope 's resignation ? not likely cardinal controversy while o'brien will no longer be involved in electing the new pope , another controversial cardinal 's plan to attend is further taking focus from benedict 's final days in office . cardinal roger mahony of los angeles is facing fresh attention for his role in the cover-up of sexual abuse by priests . documents recently released as part of the 2007 settlement in a previous abuse case detail what terry mckiernan , founder of the watchdog group bishopaccountability.org says is stark ' evidence of efforts by mahoney and others to sidestep authorities investigating sexual abuse . he recently gave a deposition in a 2010 civil lawsuit filed in the united states by a mexican citizen suing the los angeles archdiocese . the man alleges mahony and a mexican cardinal conspired to allow a priest accused of abuse to flee to mexico , putting an untold number of children at risk . mahony has denied the allegations . two groups seeking to stop mahony 's participation in the election said saturday they have collected nearly 10,000 signatures on a petition against his involvement . his participation in the conclave would only bring clouds of shame at a time that should bring springs of hope , ' said chris pumpelly , the communications director for one of the groups , catholics united . survivors network of those abused by priests also worked on the campaign . church law requires that mahony attend , the archdiocese of los angeles said . father albert cutie , an espiscopal priest who studies the vatican , said it would be impossible to exclude every cardinal with a hand in the church 's vast sex-abuse problem . unfortunately , if you were going to tell me no one can go to the conclave who has part in any type of cover up , you would probably exclude every cardinal in the church , because unfortunately that 's the way the church is operated , ' he said . blackmail allegations as if the controversies over o'brien and mahony were not enough , two italian publications reported over the weekend that benedict had decided to resign not because of age , but because of a brewing scandal over the blackmail of gay priests by male prostitutes in rome . benedict received a 300-page report in december detailing the possible blackmail , la repubblica newspaper and the panorama news weekly reported , citing an unidentified senior vatican official and dozens of unnamed sources . the vatican emphatically denied the allegations this weekend , with secretary of state tarcisio bertone criticizing a rash of often unverified , unverifiable or completely false news stories ' as the cardinals prepare for their conclave . cardinal velasio de paulis , one of the men who will help elect benedict 's successor , called the claims guesswork and imagination . ' there is no proof and these allegations only serve to create a climate of division that helps no one , ' he said . while no one outside the vatican has seen the document that purportedly details the claims and vatican officials have not confirmed it exists , allen said such a claim is not improbable . to me that passes the smell test , ' he said . retirement preparations amid the scandal , the vatican still has a transfer of power to manage . on monday , lombardi said it remains unclear when the gathering of church leaders who will elect the next pope will begin . while benedict issued an order monday to allow the election to begin sooner than the 15 days after the seat becomes vacant mandated by church rules , the date for the election will be set by the cardinals when they first gather , monsignor pier luigi celata said monday at a vatican press briefing . it still must happen within 20 days of his resignation , the pope said . after his retirement , benedict is expected to head to the pope 's summer residence in rome before eventually settling in a monastery in vatican city . church officials have said he will seek no influence over the election of his successor , or over management of the church . among other issues , vatican officials are still trying to work out what benedict will be called in retirement . one suggestion is pontifex maximus , ' celata said . the term can be translated as supreme bishop . ' vatican officials hope to have an answer next week , lombardi said . ben wedeman reported from rome ; michael pearson reported and wrote from atlanta . cnn 's wayne drash , hada messia and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report | new : vatican awash in scandal amid preparations for pope benedict xvi 's retirement |
benedict <tsp> rome ( cnn ) -- scandal is threatening to eclipse the poignancy and pageantry of benedict xvi 's historic final days as pope . vatican officials were already trying monday to swat down unsavory claims by italian publications of a brewing episode involving gay priests , male prostitutes and blackmail when news broke that benedict had moved up the resignation of a scottish archbishop linked over the weekend by a british newspaper to inappropriate relationships with priests . benedict announced two weeks ago that he will step down as pope thursday , becoming the first pontiff to leave the job alive in 598 years . interactive : where does the pope live ? at 85 , he said he was too old , frail and tired to continue on as spiritual leader of the roman catholic church and its 1.2 billion followers worldwide . it was a stunningly unexpected announcement that left church scholars poring over catholic law to answer such basic questions as when the pope 's successor would be chosen and even what he would be called in retirement . but the scandals -- along with lingering questions about how the church has handled claims of abuse by catholic priests around the world -- have dimmed the spotlight on benedict 's final days as pope . clearly , prior to these scandals erupting , the cardinals had a long checklist of things they were looking for in terms of the new pope , ' cnn senior vatican analyst john allen said monday , including finding someone to help spread the message of the church and inspire faith amid flagging practice of the catholic faith in many parts of the world . but in the wake of everything that 's happened in the last 72 hours or so , quite clearly a new item is on that list , which is they also want to make sure they pick somebody who 's got clean hands , ' allen said . vatican reveals pope benedict 's new title archbishop 's resignation the vatican confirmed monday that benedict had accelerated the resignation of cardinal keith o'brien , the archbishop of scotland . o'brien told the pope in november that he would resign effective with his 75th birthday , on march 17 . but benedict decided to make the resignation effective immediately in light of the pope 's imminent resignation , the scottish catholic media office said . the announcement comes a day after a sunday report by the british newspaper the observer that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against o'brien that date back 30 years . the observer did not recount details of the claims or identify any of o'brien 's accusers , but said one of the priests alleged that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him . ' o'brien did not attend mass at st. mary 's cathedral in edinburgh on sunday , but the scottish catholic media office told cnn that the cardinal contests these claims and is taking legal advice . ' his accusers took their complaints to the vatican representative in britain and demanded o'brien 's resignation , the observer reported . at the vatican , the rev . federico lombardi , a spokesman for the church , told reporters that benedict has been informed of the allegations . as late as last week , o'brien appeared to be making plans to take part in the conclave , when the college of cardinals gathers in rome to pick a successor to benedict . but in a statement in which he thanked god for the good he was able to do and apologized to all whom i have offended , ' o'brien said monday that he would not be part of that gathering . i do not wish media attention in rome to be focused on me -- but rather on pope benedict xvi and on his successor , ' o'brien said . opinion :'gay lobby'behind pope 's resignation ? not likely cardinal controversy while o'brien will no longer be involved in electing the new pope , another controversial cardinal 's plan to attend is further taking focus from benedict 's final days in office . cardinal roger mahony of los angeles is facing fresh attention for his role in the cover-up of sexual abuse by priests . documents recently released as part of the 2007 settlement in a previous abuse case detail what terry mckiernan , founder of the watchdog group bishopaccountability.org says is stark ' evidence of efforts by mahoney and others to sidestep authorities investigating sexual abuse . he recently gave a deposition in a 2010 civil lawsuit filed in the united states by a mexican citizen suing the los angeles archdiocese . the man alleges mahony and a mexican cardinal conspired to allow a priest accused of abuse to flee to mexico , putting an untold number of children at risk . mahony has denied the allegations . two groups seeking to stop mahony 's participation in the election said saturday they have collected nearly 10,000 signatures on a petition against his involvement . his participation in the conclave would only bring clouds of shame at a time that should bring springs of hope , ' said chris pumpelly , the communications director for one of the groups , catholics united . survivors network of those abused by priests also worked on the campaign . church law requires that mahony attend , the archdiocese of los angeles said . father albert cutie , an espiscopal priest who studies the vatican , said it would be impossible to exclude every cardinal with a hand in the church 's vast sex-abuse problem . unfortunately , if you were going to tell me no one can go to the conclave who has part in any type of cover up , you would probably exclude every cardinal in the church , because unfortunately that 's the way the church is operated , ' he said . blackmail allegations as if the controversies over o'brien and mahony were not enough , two italian publications reported over the weekend that benedict had decided to resign not because of age , but because of a brewing scandal over the blackmail of gay priests by male prostitutes in rome . benedict received a 300-page report in december detailing the possible blackmail , la repubblica newspaper and the panorama news weekly reported , citing an unidentified senior vatican official and dozens of unnamed sources . the vatican emphatically denied the allegations this weekend , with secretary of state tarcisio bertone criticizing a rash of often unverified , unverifiable or completely false news stories ' as the cardinals prepare for their conclave . cardinal velasio de paulis , one of the men who will help elect benedict 's successor , called the claims guesswork and imagination . ' there is no proof and these allegations only serve to create a climate of division that helps no one , ' he said . while no one outside the vatican has seen the document that purportedly details the claims and vatican officials have not confirmed it exists , allen said such a claim is not improbable . to me that passes the smell test , ' he said . retirement preparations amid the scandal , the vatican still has a transfer of power to manage . on monday , lombardi said it remains unclear when the gathering of church leaders who will elect the next pope will begin . while benedict issued an order monday to allow the election to begin sooner than the 15 days after the seat becomes vacant mandated by church rules , the date for the election will be set by the cardinals when they first gather , monsignor pier luigi celata said monday at a vatican press briefing . it still must happen within 20 days of his resignation , the pope said . after his retirement , benedict is expected to head to the pope 's summer residence in rome before eventually settling in a monastery in vatican city . church officials have said he will seek no influence over the election of his successor , or over management of the church . among other issues , vatican officials are still trying to work out what benedict will be called in retirement . one suggestion is pontifex maximus , ' celata said . the term can be translated as supreme bishop . ' vatican officials hope to have an answer next week , lombardi said . ben wedeman reported from rome ; michael pearson reported and wrote from atlanta . cnn 's wayne drash , hada messia and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report | benedict retires thursday , the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years |
italian <tsp> rome ( cnn ) -- scandal is threatening to eclipse the poignancy and pageantry of benedict xvi 's historic final days as pope . vatican officials were already trying monday to swat down unsavory claims by italian publications of a brewing episode involving gay priests , male prostitutes and blackmail when news broke that benedict had moved up the resignation of a scottish archbishop linked over the weekend by a british newspaper to inappropriate relationships with priests . benedict announced two weeks ago that he will step down as pope thursday , becoming the first pontiff to leave the job alive in 598 years . interactive : where does the pope live ? at 85 , he said he was too old , frail and tired to continue on as spiritual leader of the roman catholic church and its 1.2 billion followers worldwide . it was a stunningly unexpected announcement that left church scholars poring over catholic law to answer such basic questions as when the pope 's successor would be chosen and even what he would be called in retirement . but the scandals -- along with lingering questions about how the church has handled claims of abuse by catholic priests around the world -- have dimmed the spotlight on benedict 's final days as pope . clearly , prior to these scandals erupting , the cardinals had a long checklist of things they were looking for in terms of the new pope , ' cnn senior vatican analyst john allen said monday , including finding someone to help spread the message of the church and inspire faith amid flagging practice of the catholic faith in many parts of the world . but in the wake of everything that 's happened in the last 72 hours or so , quite clearly a new item is on that list , which is they also want to make sure they pick somebody who 's got clean hands , ' allen said . vatican reveals pope benedict 's new title archbishop 's resignation the vatican confirmed monday that benedict had accelerated the resignation of cardinal keith o'brien , the archbishop of scotland . o'brien told the pope in november that he would resign effective with his 75th birthday , on march 17 . but benedict decided to make the resignation effective immediately in light of the pope 's imminent resignation , the scottish catholic media office said . the announcement comes a day after a sunday report by the british newspaper the observer that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against o'brien that date back 30 years . the observer did not recount details of the claims or identify any of o'brien 's accusers , but said one of the priests alleged that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him . ' o'brien did not attend mass at st. mary 's cathedral in edinburgh on sunday , but the scottish catholic media office told cnn that the cardinal contests these claims and is taking legal advice . ' his accusers took their complaints to the vatican representative in britain and demanded o'brien 's resignation , the observer reported . at the vatican , the rev . federico lombardi , a spokesman for the church , told reporters that benedict has been informed of the allegations . as late as last week , o'brien appeared to be making plans to take part in the conclave , when the college of cardinals gathers in rome to pick a successor to benedict . but in a statement in which he thanked god for the good he was able to do and apologized to all whom i have offended , ' o'brien said monday that he would not be part of that gathering . i do not wish media attention in rome to be focused on me -- but rather on pope benedict xvi and on his successor , ' o'brien said . opinion :'gay lobby'behind pope 's resignation ? not likely cardinal controversy while o'brien will no longer be involved in electing the new pope , another controversial cardinal 's plan to attend is further taking focus from benedict 's final days in office . cardinal roger mahony of los angeles is facing fresh attention for his role in the cover-up of sexual abuse by priests . documents recently released as part of the 2007 settlement in a previous abuse case detail what terry mckiernan , founder of the watchdog group bishopaccountability.org says is stark ' evidence of efforts by mahoney and others to sidestep authorities investigating sexual abuse . he recently gave a deposition in a 2010 civil lawsuit filed in the united states by a mexican citizen suing the los angeles archdiocese . the man alleges mahony and a mexican cardinal conspired to allow a priest accused of abuse to flee to mexico , putting an untold number of children at risk . mahony has denied the allegations . two groups seeking to stop mahony 's participation in the election said saturday they have collected nearly 10,000 signatures on a petition against his involvement . his participation in the conclave would only bring clouds of shame at a time that should bring springs of hope , ' said chris pumpelly , the communications director for one of the groups , catholics united . survivors network of those abused by priests also worked on the campaign . church law requires that mahony attend , the archdiocese of los angeles said . father albert cutie , an espiscopal priest who studies the vatican , said it would be impossible to exclude every cardinal with a hand in the church 's vast sex-abuse problem . unfortunately , if you were going to tell me no one can go to the conclave who has part in any type of cover up , you would probably exclude every cardinal in the church , because unfortunately that 's the way the church is operated , ' he said . blackmail allegations as if the controversies over o'brien and mahony were not enough , two italian publications reported over the weekend that benedict had decided to resign not because of age , but because of a brewing scandal over the blackmail of gay priests by male prostitutes in rome . benedict received a 300-page report in december detailing the possible blackmail , la repubblica newspaper and the panorama news weekly reported , citing an unidentified senior vatican official and dozens of unnamed sources . the vatican emphatically denied the allegations this weekend , with secretary of state tarcisio bertone criticizing a rash of often unverified , unverifiable or completely false news stories ' as the cardinals prepare for their conclave . cardinal velasio de paulis , one of the men who will help elect benedict 's successor , called the claims guesswork and imagination . ' there is no proof and these allegations only serve to create a climate of division that helps no one , ' he said . while no one outside the vatican has seen the document that purportedly details the claims and vatican officials have not confirmed it exists , allen said such a claim is not improbable . to me that passes the smell test , ' he said . retirement preparations amid the scandal , the vatican still has a transfer of power to manage . on monday , lombardi said it remains unclear when the gathering of church leaders who will elect the next pope will begin . while benedict issued an order monday to allow the election to begin sooner than the 15 days after the seat becomes vacant mandated by church rules , the date for the election will be set by the cardinals when they first gather , monsignor pier luigi celata said monday at a vatican press briefing . it still must happen within 20 days of his resignation , the pope said . after his retirement , benedict is expected to head to the pope 's summer residence in rome before eventually settling in a monastery in vatican city . church officials have said he will seek no influence over the election of his successor , or over management of the church . among other issues , vatican officials are still trying to work out what benedict will be called in retirement . one suggestion is pontifex maximus , ' celata said . the term can be translated as supreme bishop . ' vatican officials hope to have an answer next week , lombardi said . ben wedeman reported from rome ; michael pearson reported and wrote from atlanta . cnn 's wayne drash , hada messia and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report | italian publications report allegations of priest blackmail by male prostitutes |
malala <tsp> on the same day that thousands of women stood up to participate in one billion rising , billed as the largest mass action to stop violence against women and girls , the sad news came from south africa that yet another woman was killed . the reason we took notice of 30-year-old reeva steenkamp 's death among so many others killed every day is the shocking news that the man charged with killing her , her boyfriend , is none other than oscar pistorius , the athlete known as blade runner , ' a double amputee whose olympic feats on prosthetic carbon fiber legs made him an international superstar . we do n't know what the investigation will uncover , but steenkamp 's life is now lost . coincidentally , the pistorius case happens around valentine 's day , the date that rising activists marked to bring focus on the crisis of violence against women . nike 's bullet ad with pistorius backfires brutal attacks against girls and women have stirred the world 's conscience with increasing frequency in recent months . there is no question that many societies are finally becoming fed up with the much-too-common practice of attacking , raping and killing women that goes on in all corners of the world . the perpetrators of these crimes are invariably cowards , using superior physical force to intimidate or exert power . we have come to know some of their victims . remember malala yousafzai , the pakistani girl targeted by the taliban because she proclaimed that every girl has a right to an education . she has survived and vowed to continue her struggle despite the taliban 's promise they will try to kill her . the contrast in courage could not be starker . then there is nirbhaya , the new delhi university student who was gang raped in a bus . she died of her horrific injuries , but her assault moved india and the entire world so deeply that her legacy has fueled the battle to stop this violence . earlier this month , in a case gruesomely reminiscent of nirbhaya , 17-year-old anene booysen was raped , mutilated and left for dead , in the south african city of capetown . just as malala has inspired girls to demand an education , nirbhaya has awakened india to the need for better laws and law enforcement to protect women . and , until the authorities get their act together , fierce indian girls are learning self-defense . no wonder the billion rising celebrations have been such a hit all over india . organizers say risings ' are taking place in 203 countries . if true , that means women in a majority of countries on earth could heed the call to stand , and to dance . yes , to dance as a sign of solidarity , purpose and energy ' to shake the world . ' a global push to end violence with song and dance amid the celebration , however , it 's important to keep in mind what the occasion marks . according to u.n. statistics , one in three women will experience violence in her lifetime , including beating , rape or assault , making such violence a more prevalent problem than aids , malaria or any other disease . it means 1 billion women alive at this moment will become part of that statistic , hence the one billion rising . women used to keep their assaults quiet , out of shame or fear of being ostracized . but less so today . there 's lara logan , the cbs correspondent attacked by thugs in cairo 's tahrir square while covering the egyptian revolution , one of countless women assaulted in egypt by gangs of men . some female democracy protesters , fighting for their rights , were later subjected to virginity tests ' by the egyptian military . the problem has deep roots and far-reaching ramifications . women have endured the use of rape as a weapon of war , and domestic violence as a tool of control at home . domestic violence is one of those old traditions that should have died long ago . a 2012 study by unicef found most youngsters in india believe wife-beating is justified . but other surveys found the problem knows no national boundaries . the u.n. says about 14,000 russian women die every year from domestic violence . in some countries , women are subjected to violence as retaliation for other family members'or their own perceived offenses in so-called honor killings . ' in war zones , fighters rape women to humiliate their enemies , to perpetrate ethnic cleansing ' and to force people to leave . an incredible 92 % of liberian women in one study said they had been raped in that country 's war . as you read this , women are being raped in syria , in the congo and in other countries where wars rage . after the violation , many of them will be rejected by their families . violence against women tends to go hand in hand with lack of equality . it also is a sign of a malfunctioning society . it is a stubborn problem , but one that responds to measures , such as those just approved after a perplexing political battle in the united states . as the world changes , as countries emerge from poverty and people fight for their rights , we can look to the level of violence against women as one of the gauges of their success . the arab human development reports of 2002 and 2005 said the low status of women is one of the reasons arab countries had stagnated , calling the rise of women a prerequisite for an arab renaissance . ' pistorius'south africa , a country with a storied history in the fight for racial equality , has a disturbing record of violence against women . around the world , the awareness and determination of women to stand up to violence are a major step forward . but tragedies such as the killing of steenkamp in south africa , one of countless occurring just today , are a reminder of the urgency of the cause . any country , any society that wants to move forward and earn a place of honor among the nations must make it a priority to teach men from the earliest age that violence against women in any form is unacceptable , and those who hurt or intimidate women should be punished . | ghitis says people are taking notice , with the assault on malala , the death of nirbhaya |
ethics committee <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | fifa has set up an ethics committee since the revelations emerged |
blatter <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | blatter says he did n't think there was an offense at the time |
blatter <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | fifa president blatter admits he knew about payments to former fifa officials |
fifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | fifa president blatter admits he knew about payments to former fifa officials |
fifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | the swiss court is investigating fifa for disloyal management ' |
fifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fifa president sepp blatter has admitted that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former fifa executives , but insists he did n't think they were illegal at the time . you ca n't judge the past on the basis of today 's standards . otherwise it would end up with moral justice . i ca n't have known about an offense that was n't even one , ' he told the website of football 's world governing body . a swiss court has published its findings following an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by fifa marketing partner international sports and leisure ( isl ) to former fifa president joao havelange and former executive committee member ricardo teixeira . the report found that havelange had received at least 1.5 million swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and ricardo teixeira was paid at least chf 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from marketing partner isl . blatter was fifa 's general secretary at the time of the alleged irregularities , and in that role he co-signed agreements with the marketing group . blatter has confirmed that he is the p1 ' character investigators referred to in several key points of the report . the investigators specifically identified p1 ' as someone who knew about the illegal payments . it was confirmed by the former chief financial officer of fifa ... that a certain payment made to joao havelange by the company 1 amounting to chf 1 million was mistakenly directly transferred to a fifa account ; not only the cfo had knowledge of this , but also , among others , p1 would also have known about it , ' the report stated . however , blatter defended his involvement on the fifa website in a move that shows the 76-year-old is making some effort to keep the promises of greater transparency he made after being re-elected in 2011 . back then , such payments could even be deducted as a business expense , ' he said of isl 's transactions , which were made between 1999 and the company 's collapse in 2001 . today , that would be punishable under law . ' however , one of fifa 's critics insists that blatter should take more responsibility for the ruling body 's actions . the fifa president has a serious moral compass problem . you are looking at an organization whose culture is tolerant of impropriety , ' david larkin , co-director of campaign group change fifa , told cnn . the president is trying to defend acts that would not be tolerated anywhere else . ' fifa has been keen to point to its active involvement in the case , declaring on wednesday in a response to the document 's publication : the decision by the federal court is in line with what fifa and the fifa president have been advocating since 2011 , when world football 's governing body announced its commitment to the publication of the isl non-prosecution order . ' blatter highlighted the formation of an ethics committee , an adjudicatory body and an investigatory body , and told the fifa website that some important steps have already been taken . ' however , larkin described fifa as the least qualified people to investigate ' the allegations against it . | fifa has set up an ethics committee since the revelations emerged |
apple <tsp> ( fast company ) -- amazon just revealed its own specially curated version of the android marketplace , but has chosen to label it the appstore . ' apple , in turn , has now sued android for trademark violation . the move is a not-so-subtle shot across amazon 's bows . the suit was filed last week , but has emerged at more or less the same time as amazon 's official unveiling tuesday of its android appstore -- amazon 's version of the free-for-all google android marketplace that , on launch , contains 3,800 apps . it will operate under similar constraints , controls and profit sharing with developers as apple 's version , in the hopes that it will be distinguished from other android app markets by being safer ' and containing higher quality apps . but it 's the name amazon 's chosen ( the amazon appstore ) that 's got apple rattled . apple filed a trademark protection over the phrase app store ' after the release of the iphone 3g , making what an independent observer may deem a sensible business move -- especially since the app store is now earning apple a slight profit , and its archive of apps for iphone and ipad ( and now the mac too ) is an incredibly potent advertising lever . as a result , the computer giant is now suing to prevent amazon from using the phrase appstore ' in any way , including marketing , and is also seeking damages . the accusation is that it 's a direct trademark infringement that may confuse and mislead customers ' according to an apple spokesperson , which is the kind of half-true legal phrase often trotted out in cases like this . the app store label is a big bone of contention to many folk at the moment . back in january , microsoft postured against apple 's trademark , and has asked the uspto to void apple 's trademark request on the grounds that the phrase 'app store'' is generic for retail store services featuring apps and unregistrable for ancillary services such as searching for and downloading apps from such stores . ' microsoft was moving to protect its plans for windows phone 7 app store sales , and seemed ignorant of the irony in its request -- as you may recall , ms 's best-selling product is dubbed windows , ' which would definitely seem an arbitrary label and has a very precisely-defined generic use in computing environments that long predates ms 's use of it . but what 's apple really trying to do here ? one may suspect that apple is actually mostly peeved that amazon is trying to leverage off apple 's own successful brand to push sales of a rival smartphone and tablet pc platform -- android . the two companies have a complex friend-and-foe relationship , and amazon 's kindle e-book reader app is prominent in the ipad ( and iphone ) app stores , while its kindle e-reader device is almost pitched as a direct competitor to the ipad . the move to defend apple 's trademark indicates that apple will act to aggressively protect its app store ecosystem from challengers , which may include any plans amazon has to expand its google android efforts . copyright © 2010 fastcompany.com , a unit of mansueto ventures , llc . all rights reserved . | apple filed a trademark protection over the phrase app store ' |
apple <tsp> ( fast company ) -- amazon just revealed its own specially curated version of the android marketplace , but has chosen to label it the appstore . ' apple , in turn , has now sued android for trademark violation . the move is a not-so-subtle shot across amazon 's bows . the suit was filed last week , but has emerged at more or less the same time as amazon 's official unveiling tuesday of its android appstore -- amazon 's version of the free-for-all google android marketplace that , on launch , contains 3,800 apps . it will operate under similar constraints , controls and profit sharing with developers as apple 's version , in the hopes that it will be distinguished from other android app markets by being safer ' and containing higher quality apps . but it 's the name amazon 's chosen ( the amazon appstore ) that 's got apple rattled . apple filed a trademark protection over the phrase app store ' after the release of the iphone 3g , making what an independent observer may deem a sensible business move -- especially since the app store is now earning apple a slight profit , and its archive of apps for iphone and ipad ( and now the mac too ) is an incredibly potent advertising lever . as a result , the computer giant is now suing to prevent amazon from using the phrase appstore ' in any way , including marketing , and is also seeking damages . the accusation is that it 's a direct trademark infringement that may confuse and mislead customers ' according to an apple spokesperson , which is the kind of half-true legal phrase often trotted out in cases like this . the app store label is a big bone of contention to many folk at the moment . back in january , microsoft postured against apple 's trademark , and has asked the uspto to void apple 's trademark request on the grounds that the phrase 'app store'' is generic for retail store services featuring apps and unregistrable for ancillary services such as searching for and downloading apps from such stores . ' microsoft was moving to protect its plans for windows phone 7 app store sales , and seemed ignorant of the irony in its request -- as you may recall , ms 's best-selling product is dubbed windows , ' which would definitely seem an arbitrary label and has a very precisely-defined generic use in computing environments that long predates ms 's use of it . but what 's apple really trying to do here ? one may suspect that apple is actually mostly peeved that amazon is trying to leverage off apple 's own successful brand to push sales of a rival smartphone and tablet pc platform -- android . the two companies have a complex friend-and-foe relationship , and amazon 's kindle e-book reader app is prominent in the ipad ( and iphone ) app stores , while its kindle e-reader device is almost pitched as a direct competitor to the ipad . the move to defend apple 's trademark indicates that apple will act to aggressively protect its app store ecosystem from challengers , which may include any plans amazon has to expand its google android efforts . copyright © 2010 fastcompany.com , a unit of mansueto ventures , llc . all rights reserved . | back in january , microsoft postured against apple 's trademark |
apple <tsp> ( fast company ) -- amazon just revealed its own specially curated version of the android marketplace , but has chosen to label it the appstore . ' apple , in turn , has now sued android for trademark violation . the move is a not-so-subtle shot across amazon 's bows . the suit was filed last week , but has emerged at more or less the same time as amazon 's official unveiling tuesday of its android appstore -- amazon 's version of the free-for-all google android marketplace that , on launch , contains 3,800 apps . it will operate under similar constraints , controls and profit sharing with developers as apple 's version , in the hopes that it will be distinguished from other android app markets by being safer ' and containing higher quality apps . but it 's the name amazon 's chosen ( the amazon appstore ) that 's got apple rattled . apple filed a trademark protection over the phrase app store ' after the release of the iphone 3g , making what an independent observer may deem a sensible business move -- especially since the app store is now earning apple a slight profit , and its archive of apps for iphone and ipad ( and now the mac too ) is an incredibly potent advertising lever . as a result , the computer giant is now suing to prevent amazon from using the phrase appstore ' in any way , including marketing , and is also seeking damages . the accusation is that it 's a direct trademark infringement that may confuse and mislead customers ' according to an apple spokesperson , which is the kind of half-true legal phrase often trotted out in cases like this . the app store label is a big bone of contention to many folk at the moment . back in january , microsoft postured against apple 's trademark , and has asked the uspto to void apple 's trademark request on the grounds that the phrase 'app store'' is generic for retail store services featuring apps and unregistrable for ancillary services such as searching for and downloading apps from such stores . ' microsoft was moving to protect its plans for windows phone 7 app store sales , and seemed ignorant of the irony in its request -- as you may recall , ms 's best-selling product is dubbed windows , ' which would definitely seem an arbitrary label and has a very precisely-defined generic use in computing environments that long predates ms 's use of it . but what 's apple really trying to do here ? one may suspect that apple is actually mostly peeved that amazon is trying to leverage off apple 's own successful brand to push sales of a rival smartphone and tablet pc platform -- android . the two companies have a complex friend-and-foe relationship , and amazon 's kindle e-book reader app is prominent in the ipad ( and iphone ) app stores , while its kindle e-reader device is almost pitched as a direct competitor to the ipad . the move to defend apple 's trademark indicates that apple will act to aggressively protect its app store ecosystem from challengers , which may include any plans amazon has to expand its google android efforts . copyright © 2010 fastcompany.com , a unit of mansueto ventures , llc . all rights reserved . | the name amazon 's chosen -- the amazon appstore -- has got apple rattled |
malaysian <tsp> ( cnn ) the fbi has confirmed that one of its most wanted terrorists , the malaysian bomb maker known as marwan , was killed in an otherwise disastrous raid in the philippines in january . marwan , whose real name is zulkifli bin hir , was believed by the fbi to a member of southeast asian terror group jemaah islamiyah 's central command . the fbi said in february that a dna sample -- understood to be from a severed finger -- taken from a man killed in a raid in the southern philippines showed a link with a known relative of marwan . but the fbi now says tests have confirmed that the dead man was the wanted islamic extremist . after a thorough review of forensic data and information obtained from our philippine law enforcement partners , the fbi has assessed that terrorism subject , zulkifli abdhir ... is deceased and has been removed from the fbi 's list of most wanted terrorists , ' david bowdich , assistant director in charge of the fbi 's los angeles field office , told cnn in a statement . the fbi had been offering a $ 5 million reward for information leading to marwan 's capture in the wake of his 2007 indictment on terror charges in a california court . it accused him of being a supplier of ieds to terrorist organizations , and having conducted bomb making training for terror groups , including the philippines-based abu sayyaf . marwan had previously been falsely reported dead after a raid by philippine security forces in 2012 . the philippines has been fighting an insurgency in the predominantly muslim south for years , and last year signed a peace agreement with the moro islamic liberation front ( milf ) , the largest rebel group in the region . but in january it launched a surprise raid in pursuit of marwan at mamapasono , in the southern province of maguindanao . the mission went disastrously awry . forty-four members of the police 's elite special action force ( saf ) unit were killed in the assault , targeting an area controlled by the bangsamoro islamic freedom fighters ( biff ) -- a hardline splinter group which has rejected the peace deal with the philippines government . according to a report released by the institute for policy analysis of conflict ( ipac ) last month , the biff faction sheltering marwan had sworn allegiance to isis . in the immediate aftermath of the assault , the saf company charged with executing marwan came under fire , before another saf company stationed in nearby milf territory as a blocking force ' became engaged in an eight-hour firefight with milf fighters . according to the ipac report , the saf blocking ' company eventually ran out of ammunition and only one of their number survived , eighteen milf fighters were killed and a number of biff fighters may also died . the clash shattered a three-year ceasefire with the milf , authorities said . a national day of mourning was declared as the men were laid to rest . bowdich expressed the fbi 's sincere condolences to the brave officers of the special action force who lost their lives while attempting to apprehend this dangerous fugitive . ' while an saf superintendent said at a eulogy for the fallen commandos that their sacrifice had been worth it , controversy has dogged the botched mission in the philippines . the ipac report argued that the single-minded focus ' of authorities on killing marwan has threatened the peace agreement with the milf , which is yet to cross the final hurdle of being passed into law by the philippines congress . the best chance the southern philippines has ever had for peace may now be in jeopardy , ' read the report , which argued that the mamapasano fiasco was the result of a misguided emphasis on killing marwan . the report argued that , although marwan had aided terror attacks and provided funds and equipment to milf and abu sayyaf , he was not the master bomber that his reputation suggested . ' yet for the philippines authorities and their u.s. allies , killing marwan had become such a priority that security forces bypassed the mechanisms that had been established to alert the milf to such operations , for fear of word leaking to their target . the report quoted an anonymous indonesian associate of marwan 's who described the malaysian as a little snake who has been blown up into a dragon . ' read more : dozens of philippine police killed in raid on'high value'bomb makers read more : philippines honors 44 slain commandos with day of mourning cnn 's arlene samson-espiritu and kathy quiano contributed to this report . | marwan was a malaysian believed to have provided support to islamist terror groups |
philippine <tsp> ( cnn ) the fbi has confirmed that one of its most wanted terrorists , the malaysian bomb maker known as marwan , was killed in an otherwise disastrous raid in the philippines in january . marwan , whose real name is zulkifli bin hir , was believed by the fbi to a member of southeast asian terror group jemaah islamiyah 's central command . the fbi said in february that a dna sample -- understood to be from a severed finger -- taken from a man killed in a raid in the southern philippines showed a link with a known relative of marwan . but the fbi now says tests have confirmed that the dead man was the wanted islamic extremist . after a thorough review of forensic data and information obtained from our philippine law enforcement partners , the fbi has assessed that terrorism subject , zulkifli abdhir ... is deceased and has been removed from the fbi 's list of most wanted terrorists , ' david bowdich , assistant director in charge of the fbi 's los angeles field office , told cnn in a statement . the fbi had been offering a $ 5 million reward for information leading to marwan 's capture in the wake of his 2007 indictment on terror charges in a california court . it accused him of being a supplier of ieds to terrorist organizations , and having conducted bomb making training for terror groups , including the philippines-based abu sayyaf . marwan had previously been falsely reported dead after a raid by philippine security forces in 2012 . the philippines has been fighting an insurgency in the predominantly muslim south for years , and last year signed a peace agreement with the moro islamic liberation front ( milf ) , the largest rebel group in the region . but in january it launched a surprise raid in pursuit of marwan at mamapasono , in the southern province of maguindanao . the mission went disastrously awry . forty-four members of the police 's elite special action force ( saf ) unit were killed in the assault , targeting an area controlled by the bangsamoro islamic freedom fighters ( biff ) -- a hardline splinter group which has rejected the peace deal with the philippines government . according to a report released by the institute for policy analysis of conflict ( ipac ) last month , the biff faction sheltering marwan had sworn allegiance to isis . in the immediate aftermath of the assault , the saf company charged with executing marwan came under fire , before another saf company stationed in nearby milf territory as a blocking force ' became engaged in an eight-hour firefight with milf fighters . according to the ipac report , the saf blocking ' company eventually ran out of ammunition and only one of their number survived , eighteen milf fighters were killed and a number of biff fighters may also died . the clash shattered a three-year ceasefire with the milf , authorities said . a national day of mourning was declared as the men were laid to rest . bowdich expressed the fbi 's sincere condolences to the brave officers of the special action force who lost their lives while attempting to apprehend this dangerous fugitive . ' while an saf superintendent said at a eulogy for the fallen commandos that their sacrifice had been worth it , controversy has dogged the botched mission in the philippines . the ipac report argued that the single-minded focus ' of authorities on killing marwan has threatened the peace agreement with the milf , which is yet to cross the final hurdle of being passed into law by the philippines congress . the best chance the southern philippines has ever had for peace may now be in jeopardy , ' read the report , which argued that the mamapasano fiasco was the result of a misguided emphasis on killing marwan . the report argued that , although marwan had aided terror attacks and provided funds and equipment to milf and abu sayyaf , he was not the master bomber that his reputation suggested . ' yet for the philippines authorities and their u.s. allies , killing marwan had become such a priority that security forces bypassed the mechanisms that had been established to alert the milf to such operations , for fear of word leaking to their target . the report quoted an anonymous indonesian associate of marwan 's who described the malaysian as a little snake who has been blown up into a dragon . ' read more : dozens of philippine police killed in raid on'high value'bomb makers read more : philippines honors 44 slain commandos with day of mourning cnn 's arlene samson-espiritu and kathy quiano contributed to this report . | 44 elite philippine commandos were killed in the raid on his hideout last month |
marwan <tsp> ( cnn ) the fbi has confirmed that one of its most wanted terrorists , the malaysian bomb maker known as marwan , was killed in an otherwise disastrous raid in the philippines in january . marwan , whose real name is zulkifli bin hir , was believed by the fbi to a member of southeast asian terror group jemaah islamiyah 's central command . the fbi said in february that a dna sample -- understood to be from a severed finger -- taken from a man killed in a raid in the southern philippines showed a link with a known relative of marwan . but the fbi now says tests have confirmed that the dead man was the wanted islamic extremist . after a thorough review of forensic data and information obtained from our philippine law enforcement partners , the fbi has assessed that terrorism subject , zulkifli abdhir ... is deceased and has been removed from the fbi 's list of most wanted terrorists , ' david bowdich , assistant director in charge of the fbi 's los angeles field office , told cnn in a statement . the fbi had been offering a $ 5 million reward for information leading to marwan 's capture in the wake of his 2007 indictment on terror charges in a california court . it accused him of being a supplier of ieds to terrorist organizations , and having conducted bomb making training for terror groups , including the philippines-based abu sayyaf . marwan had previously been falsely reported dead after a raid by philippine security forces in 2012 . the philippines has been fighting an insurgency in the predominantly muslim south for years , and last year signed a peace agreement with the moro islamic liberation front ( milf ) , the largest rebel group in the region . but in january it launched a surprise raid in pursuit of marwan at mamapasono , in the southern province of maguindanao . the mission went disastrously awry . forty-four members of the police 's elite special action force ( saf ) unit were killed in the assault , targeting an area controlled by the bangsamoro islamic freedom fighters ( biff ) -- a hardline splinter group which has rejected the peace deal with the philippines government . according to a report released by the institute for policy analysis of conflict ( ipac ) last month , the biff faction sheltering marwan had sworn allegiance to isis . in the immediate aftermath of the assault , the saf company charged with executing marwan came under fire , before another saf company stationed in nearby milf territory as a blocking force ' became engaged in an eight-hour firefight with milf fighters . according to the ipac report , the saf blocking ' company eventually ran out of ammunition and only one of their number survived , eighteen milf fighters were killed and a number of biff fighters may also died . the clash shattered a three-year ceasefire with the milf , authorities said . a national day of mourning was declared as the men were laid to rest . bowdich expressed the fbi 's sincere condolences to the brave officers of the special action force who lost their lives while attempting to apprehend this dangerous fugitive . ' while an saf superintendent said at a eulogy for the fallen commandos that their sacrifice had been worth it , controversy has dogged the botched mission in the philippines . the ipac report argued that the single-minded focus ' of authorities on killing marwan has threatened the peace agreement with the milf , which is yet to cross the final hurdle of being passed into law by the philippines congress . the best chance the southern philippines has ever had for peace may now be in jeopardy , ' read the report , which argued that the mamapasano fiasco was the result of a misguided emphasis on killing marwan . the report argued that , although marwan had aided terror attacks and provided funds and equipment to milf and abu sayyaf , he was not the master bomber that his reputation suggested . ' yet for the philippines authorities and their u.s. allies , killing marwan had become such a priority that security forces bypassed the mechanisms that had been established to alert the milf to such operations , for fear of word leaking to their target . the report quoted an anonymous indonesian associate of marwan 's who described the malaysian as a little snake who has been blown up into a dragon . ' read more : dozens of philippine police killed in raid on'high value'bomb makers read more : philippines honors 44 slain commandos with day of mourning cnn 's arlene samson-espiritu and kathy quiano contributed to this report . | marwan was a malaysian believed to have provided support to islamist terror groups |
fbi <tsp> ( cnn ) the fbi has confirmed that one of its most wanted terrorists , the malaysian bomb maker known as marwan , was killed in an otherwise disastrous raid in the philippines in january . marwan , whose real name is zulkifli bin hir , was believed by the fbi to a member of southeast asian terror group jemaah islamiyah 's central command . the fbi said in february that a dna sample -- understood to be from a severed finger -- taken from a man killed in a raid in the southern philippines showed a link with a known relative of marwan . but the fbi now says tests have confirmed that the dead man was the wanted islamic extremist . after a thorough review of forensic data and information obtained from our philippine law enforcement partners , the fbi has assessed that terrorism subject , zulkifli abdhir ... is deceased and has been removed from the fbi 's list of most wanted terrorists , ' david bowdich , assistant director in charge of the fbi 's los angeles field office , told cnn in a statement . the fbi had been offering a $ 5 million reward for information leading to marwan 's capture in the wake of his 2007 indictment on terror charges in a california court . it accused him of being a supplier of ieds to terrorist organizations , and having conducted bomb making training for terror groups , including the philippines-based abu sayyaf . marwan had previously been falsely reported dead after a raid by philippine security forces in 2012 . the philippines has been fighting an insurgency in the predominantly muslim south for years , and last year signed a peace agreement with the moro islamic liberation front ( milf ) , the largest rebel group in the region . but in january it launched a surprise raid in pursuit of marwan at mamapasono , in the southern province of maguindanao . the mission went disastrously awry . forty-four members of the police 's elite special action force ( saf ) unit were killed in the assault , targeting an area controlled by the bangsamoro islamic freedom fighters ( biff ) -- a hardline splinter group which has rejected the peace deal with the philippines government . according to a report released by the institute for policy analysis of conflict ( ipac ) last month , the biff faction sheltering marwan had sworn allegiance to isis . in the immediate aftermath of the assault , the saf company charged with executing marwan came under fire , before another saf company stationed in nearby milf territory as a blocking force ' became engaged in an eight-hour firefight with milf fighters . according to the ipac report , the saf blocking ' company eventually ran out of ammunition and only one of their number survived , eighteen milf fighters were killed and a number of biff fighters may also died . the clash shattered a three-year ceasefire with the milf , authorities said . a national day of mourning was declared as the men were laid to rest . bowdich expressed the fbi 's sincere condolences to the brave officers of the special action force who lost their lives while attempting to apprehend this dangerous fugitive . ' while an saf superintendent said at a eulogy for the fallen commandos that their sacrifice had been worth it , controversy has dogged the botched mission in the philippines . the ipac report argued that the single-minded focus ' of authorities on killing marwan has threatened the peace agreement with the milf , which is yet to cross the final hurdle of being passed into law by the philippines congress . the best chance the southern philippines has ever had for peace may now be in jeopardy , ' read the report , which argued that the mamapasano fiasco was the result of a misguided emphasis on killing marwan . the report argued that , although marwan had aided terror attacks and provided funds and equipment to milf and abu sayyaf , he was not the master bomber that his reputation suggested . ' yet for the philippines authorities and their u.s. allies , killing marwan had become such a priority that security forces bypassed the mechanisms that had been established to alert the milf to such operations , for fear of word leaking to their target . the report quoted an anonymous indonesian associate of marwan 's who described the malaysian as a little snake who has been blown up into a dragon . ' read more : dozens of philippine police killed in raid on'high value'bomb makers read more : philippines honors 44 slain commandos with day of mourning cnn 's arlene samson-espiritu and kathy quiano contributed to this report . | a man killed in a raid in the philippines in january was a most wanted ' terrorist , the fbi says |
greeks <tsp> france 's freshly inaugurated socialist president plunged tuesday into the economic mess that has perplexed policymakers and threatened governments by calling for policies that would spur growth in the ailing eurozone . i said that my wish is that growth is not an empty phrase , that it is something which , in reality , is happening , ' francois hollande told reporters in a joint news conference with german chancellor angela merkel in berlin . because , without growth , we ca n't do whatever we want , we wo n't reach the goals which we want to -- and to reduce the debt and deficit . ' he said the best solution would be to put everything on the table ' on may 23 , when the region 's leaders plan to meet next . hollande said he hopes greece -- whose economy is teetering and whose populace is fed up with the austerity demands imposed by the country 's international lenders -- will remain in the eurozone , adding , that 's why we have to make it possible for greece to find solutions . ' but he said it is up to the greeks themselves to make their own decisions about what is best for the country . whatever happens , i will respect the decision of greece , ' he said . for her part , merkel acknowledged after their hour-long meeting that there is going to be , maybe , differences , but also lots of togetherness . ' she noted that hollande 's plane was struck by lightning as it flew from paris . maybe that 's a good omen , a sign for our cooperation , ' said merkel , who has championed austerity measures . france 's first socialist president since françois mitterrand left office in 1995 won in an election this month against incumbent nicolas sarkozy . opinion : what hollande 's victory means for europe 's economy hollande named jean-marc ayrault , a senior party member and mayor of nantes , as prime minister and asked him to form the new government , his office said . at an investiture ceremony at the elysee palace in paris , hollande said he wants to balance the need to reduce the debts of european governments with efforts to stimulate growth . he said he wants to discourage exorbitant ' incomes . it 's time to put production ahead of speculation , ' he said . the challenge of this five-year term is recovery , ' he said at the hotel de ville in paris , prior to departing for berlin . we have big plans . france will rise again and build on the strength and the energy of its creators , of its engineers , its researchers , those who make it live . ' hollande has unsettled investors with his criticism of the austerity policies central to european bailout deals for troubled economies like those of greece and ireland . greeted by flag-waving crowds on the street , a steady stream of prominent french figures arrived at the elysee ahead of tuesday 's inauguration ceremony and walked on a red carpet through the palace 's sun-filled courtyard . they included the socialist party leader martine aubry and bertand delanoe , the mayor of paris . inside the palace , they gathered under chandeliers to witness the transfer of power . the president-elect 's car traveled along the tree-lined streets and avenues of paris , carrying him over the river seine and past the grand palais before pulling up inside the courtyard . hollande made his way up the carpet to be met by sarkozy . the two men , who had fought an at-times bitter campaign , shook hands before entering the palace for a private meeting . afterward , sarkozy and his wife , carla bruni , left the palace , waving from a car as they were driven off , and hollande was sworn in as the seventh president of france 's fifth republic . ayrault , his newly appointed prime minister , has served as president of the socialists in the national assembly since 1997 . in the same year , ayrault was given a six-month suspended sentence and fined 30,000 francs for political favoritism . born in 1950 to working-class parents , he worked as a german teacher before entering politics . he has served as mayor of nantes since 1989 and had been widely expected to be hollande 's pick for prime minister . hollande 's election coincided with the vote in greece that spawned the current political chaos in athens and moved greece closer to the possibility of abandoning the euro , the currency used by it and 16 other european union countries . hollande 's professed doubts about the fiscal austerity advocated by merkel , whose party suffered defeat in a vote sunday in germany 's largest state , have raised questions about whether paris and berlin will read from the same script . hollande has wasted no time addressing the matter . upcoming events include a group of eight meeting and nato summit this month , followed by a g-20 gathering and a european council meeting in june . his approach is expected to affect policy in afghanistan as well as turkey and the middle east . with sarkozy , the united states enjoyed support for its positions on syria , iran and afghanistan . sarkozy also was a proponent of the nato air campaign in libya . hollande , meanwhile , has yet to stake out all of his foreign policy positions . during the election campaign , he pledged to withdraw all french combat troops from afghanistan by the end of the year . he can expect nato leaders to urge him to soften his position when he attends the summit in chicago this month , the focus of which will be afghanistan . relations between turkey and france have been tense because of sarkozy 's apparent opposition to turkey becoming a member of the european union . legislation passed during his presidency that made the denial of the armenian genocide a crime also raised hackles in ankara . some observers expect hollande to show more flexibility on turkey . domestically , hollande has to prove to the french public that he is capable of acting on his promise to bring people together after sarkozy 's presidency , which often polarized opinion . voting in the first round of the presidential election showed large numbers of voters turning to parties on the far left and right of the political spectrum . that scenario could be repeated in legislative elections to be held next month , where hollande 's socialist party can secure a majority in parliament that would allow him to push through his agenda . | the french president says greeks must decide their own fate |
moscow <tsp> madrid , spain ( cnn ) -- chess legends garry kasparov and anatoli karpov faced off again in spain on tuesday , 25 years after their epic first world championship battle in moscow , in what organizers are calling a historic revenge match . ' garry kasparov , right , and anatoli karpov play chess at the arts palau in valencia , on tuesday . revenge or not , the past chess champs will receive undisclosed sums for playing the three-day , 12-game match in the eastern port city of valencia . there will be no additional cash prize for the winner of the exhibition event , which the regional valencia government is organizing under the title valencia , cradle of modern chess , ' event spokesman rafa carretero told cnn . but bragging rights , yes , and perhaps with more on the line for kasparov , who dominated the chess world for 20 years . kasparov carried on that legacy on tuesday , winning the first two games in this rematch , spain 's state new agency efe reported . karpov was world champion when they began their initial five-month match in 1984 in moscow . that match was controversially stopped by chess authorities , citing concerns about the health of the contestants after 48 grueling games . but the next year in moscow , kasparov beat karpov in a rematch and went on to hold the number-one world chess ranking almost without interruption until his retirement in 2005 . the two last met , in their fifth match , in 1990 , with games played in new york and lyon , france . kasparov won . in a total of five world championship matches , kasparov has the edge with 21 wins , 19 losses and 104 ties in a total of 144 games . karpov , now 58 , and kasparov , 46 , told spanish newspaper el pais they hoped the rematch in valencia would put chess in the spotlight again . karpov came from russia to valencia more than a week ago , with a team of elite trainers , organizers said . kasparov arrived last sunday from his home in croatia , where he had been training . the match , at valencia 's palace of arts , has attracted interest from ticket buyers on five continents , organizers said . one of the highest-profile fans on hand is sulaiman al-fahim , president of the chess federation of the united arab emirates and owner of england 's portsmouth football team . dutchman geurt gijssen , who was referee for the last two matches between karpov and kasparov , will referee this match as well , the organizers said . kasparov is now an opposition politician in russia , running unsuccessfully against then-president vladimir putin in 2007 . during their first match , in 1984 , kasparov was just 21 and karpov was 33 . | match comes 25 years after their epic first world championship battle in moscow |
moscow <tsp> madrid , spain ( cnn ) -- chess legends garry kasparov and anatoli karpov faced off again in spain on tuesday , 25 years after their epic first world championship battle in moscow , in what organizers are calling a historic revenge match . ' garry kasparov , right , and anatoli karpov play chess at the arts palau in valencia , on tuesday . revenge or not , the past chess champs will receive undisclosed sums for playing the three-day , 12-game match in the eastern port city of valencia . there will be no additional cash prize for the winner of the exhibition event , which the regional valencia government is organizing under the title valencia , cradle of modern chess , ' event spokesman rafa carretero told cnn . but bragging rights , yes , and perhaps with more on the line for kasparov , who dominated the chess world for 20 years . kasparov carried on that legacy on tuesday , winning the first two games in this rematch , spain 's state new agency efe reported . karpov was world champion when they began their initial five-month match in 1984 in moscow . that match was controversially stopped by chess authorities , citing concerns about the health of the contestants after 48 grueling games . but the next year in moscow , kasparov beat karpov in a rematch and went on to hold the number-one world chess ranking almost without interruption until his retirement in 2005 . the two last met , in their fifth match , in 1990 , with games played in new york and lyon , france . kasparov won . in a total of five world championship matches , kasparov has the edge with 21 wins , 19 losses and 104 ties in a total of 144 games . karpov , now 58 , and kasparov , 46 , told spanish newspaper el pais they hoped the rematch in valencia would put chess in the spotlight again . karpov came from russia to valencia more than a week ago , with a team of elite trainers , organizers said . kasparov arrived last sunday from his home in croatia , where he had been training . the match , at valencia 's palace of arts , has attracted interest from ticket buyers on five continents , organizers said . one of the highest-profile fans on hand is sulaiman al-fahim , president of the chess federation of the united arab emirates and owner of england 's portsmouth football team . dutchman geurt gijssen , who was referee for the last two matches between karpov and kasparov , will referee this match as well , the organizers said . kasparov is now an opposition politician in russia , running unsuccessfully against then-president vladimir putin in 2007 . during their first match , in 1984 , kasparov was just 21 and karpov was 33 . | their 48-game moscow match was controversially stopped citing health concerns |
cnn <tsp> a california state legislator is proposing to ban the captivity of killer whales for entertainment at seaworld in the wake of cnn 's controversial documentary blackfish . ' it is time that we embrace that the long-accepted practice of keeping orcas captive for human amusement must end , ' state assemblyman richard bloom , a democrat from santa monica , said at a press conference friday at the city 's oceanfront pier . bloom was joined by blackfish ' director gabriela cowperthwaite , two former seaworld orca trainers and an animal welfare activist . this is about greed and this is about corporate exploitation , both of the whales and the trainers , but most importantly the whales , ' said john hargrove , a former seaworld orca trainer who resigned in august 2012 . a bloom statement described the proposal as landmark legislation calling for comprehensive improvement to orca protection laws in california . ' currently , there are no laws prohibiting the captive display of orcas , but there are federal laws governing the care , capture and research use of the killer whales , bloom said . the documentary , produced by magnolia pictures and acquired by cnn films , recounts the 2010 death of longtime seaworld trainer dawn brancheau by a killer whale named tilikum , a 12,000-pound bull , in orlando , florida . seaworld also offers orca shows at a third site , in san antonio , texas , but the california legislation would apply only to seaworld 's san diego facility . the film challenges the concept of keeping killer whales for entertainment and implies tilikum had been driven to madness by captivity . since then , a fiery controversy has erupted . seaworld strongly disputes the allegations that blackfish ' makes and called the film grossly one-sided and the product of animal activists . on friday , seaworld spokeswoman becca bides criticized the bill . the premise behind this proposed legislation is severely flawed on multiple levels , and its validity is highly questionable under the united states and california constitutions , ' bides said in a statement . we trust that our leaders who are responsible for voting on this proposal will recognize the clear bias of those behind the bill . ' bides added the participants joining bloom were well-known extreme animal rights activists , many of whom regularly campaign against seaworld and other accredited marine mammal parks and institutions . ' included in the group are some of the same activists that partnered with peta in bringing the meritless claim that animals in human care should be considered slaves under the 13th amendment of the u.s. constitution -- a clear publicity stunt . this legislation appears to reflect the same sort of out-of-the-mainstream thinking , ' bides said in a statement . we engage in business practices that are responsible , sustainable and reflective of the balanced values all americans share . ' the proposed law would end performance-based entertainment for all killer whales in california , captive breeding programs and the export and import of genetic material , and the import and export of orcas within the state . also , the proposal would retire all captive killer whales to sea pens if available and would allow retired orcas to be on display , but not perform . the bill would limit the amount of human interaction for trainer safety , according to bloom 's fact sheet . like the elephant -- the largest land mammal in captivity -- we have realized that orcas are more complex than most other marine mammals and require more space , have a more complex social structure and most importantly need their family network ( pod ) for a happy and healthy life , ' said a fact sheet by bloom . currently , california has 10 captive killer whales , and seven of them were captive-born , according to bloom . in the past 50 years , california has lost 14 orcas , 12 of which were caught in the wild , bloom said . after the tragic death of seaworld trainer dawn brancheau , the public has begun to question the moral justification of keeping orcas in captivity for our general entertainment , ' bloom 's fact sheet said . as a state we should lead the way in ending captivity for entertainment purposes and should be ensuring our current captive population general welfare needs are taken care of , and that we end any future captivity whether it be by capture or captive breeding programs here in california . ' people for the ethical treatment of animals said the proposed legislation has the potential to end the deep injustice of exhibitions of captive marine life , ' said spokesman david w. perle . peta and kind people around the world have called on seaworld to retire these deprived orcas to a seaside sanctuary , but the park continues to defend its overt cruelty , ' perle said in a statement . one animal trainer , grey stafford of arizona 's wildlife world zoo & aquarium , criticized the proposed law , which he said collapses under its own weight of inconsistencies , particularly with respect to animal welfare and future breeding . ' we still have a lot to learn about the killer whales , ' said stafford , who used to train orcas . the killer whale shows ensure the animal and its ocean habitat remain in the public consciousness . i am more concerned about the welfare of all species , ' stafford said . out of sight means out of mind . ' | assemblyman 's bill comes in the wake of cnn 's documentary blackfish ' |
isis <tsp> newport , wales ( cnn ) -- nato members agreed friday to form a spearhead ' force of several thousand land troops ready to deploy within a few days , nato chief anders fogh rasmussen said , as the trans-atlantic alliance grapples with the threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq the troops would be backed by air , sea and special forces support , he said , with a command and control center and extra equipment in eastern europe . this decision sends a clear message : nato protects all allies at all times , ' rasmussen said on the second day of a nato summit in newport , wales . and it sends a clear message to any potential aggressor : should you even think of attacking one ally , you will be facing the whole alliance . ' the new readiness action plan , which includes proposals for more short notice exercises , is intended to help nato respond swiftly to russian aggression and other international conflicts . in these turbulent times , nato must be prepared to undertake the full range of missions and to defend allies against the full range of threats , ' rasmussen said . he said nato members also stand ready to assist iraq ' in its fight against islamist extremists if baghdad asks for help . but pressed by reporters on exactly what aid nato would offer , rasmussen toned down his remarks , saying nato is prepared to consider a defense capability building mission ' in iraq . president barack obama said friday that there 's great conviction that we have to act as part of the international community to degrade ' and ultimately destroy isis jihadists that pose a long-term threat to member countries . the united states has sent military advisers to iraq to help that country combat isis . canada -- a nato member -- said friday it also will send several dozen ' troops to iraq to help advise that country 's government on fighting isis , prime minister stephen harper 's office said . responses to threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq were at the heart of discussions of the alliance 's meeting in wales . obama rebuffs russian warnings on nato , ukraine russia 's annexation of crimea and involvement in the unrest in eastern ukraine have alarmed nato members such as poland and the baltic states . a rapid-reaction force would give those nations more security amid moscow 's deteriorating relationship with the west . u.s. officials have stressed that any force would be defensive in posture and not a provocation to russia . obama said friday at the end of the summit that russia 's aggression against ukraine threatens our vision of a europe that is whole , free and at peace . ' he also rebuffed russian warnings against nato membership for ukraine , saying membership in the alliance remains open to nations that meet our high standards . ' the comments echoed rasmussen 's earlier remarks . no third party has a veto ' on new members joining nato , rasmussen said . also friday , prime minister david cameron said the united kingdom would be willing to contribute 3,500 personnel to the new nato force . edward lucas , a senior editor at the economist in london , said it 's important to get a rapid-reaction force that is pre-authorized , a bit like a pre-authorized credit card , so that if there is a crisis , it can be deployed very quickly by nato military commanders . ' otherwise , activation of the force could get bogged down in political discussions , lucas told cnn . greater spending the allied nations also agreed to work toward increasing defense spending over the next decade as part of their nato commitments , rasmussen said . the goal : 2 % of gross domestic product , 20 % of which will go toward equipment , over the next decade . the ukraine crisis is a major reason for the decision , he said . while he said russia has increased defense spending by 50 % in the last five years , nato nations have cut back on average 20 % . russian aggression against ukraine is a wake-up call , and i think this is exactly what has led capitals in nato allied nations to reconsider defense investments , ' rasmussen said . because it is now obvious that we can not take our security for granted , and we will have to invest more in our defense and security . ' the recent revival of a russian threat in eastern europe has upended some of the assumptions that had underpinned nato 's earlier expansion in the region . this is the first time since the end of world war ii that one european country has tried to grab another 's territory by force , ' rasmussen said thursday . europe must not turn away from the rule of law to the rule of strongest . ' lucas pointed out that when nato first brought eastern european countries such as poland and hungary into its fold in the late 1990s , it decided to regard russia as a friend rather than a threat , forgoing plans to defend the new member states . the whole idea was that nato would be in partnership with russia to deal with other security issues , ' he said . that 's changed because russia did n't like that arrangement . russia has bullied its neighbors . ' opinion : nato 's moment of truth on ukraine cnn 's nic robertson reported from newport , while jethro mullen reported and wrote from hong kong and laura smith-spark from london . | new : nato allies agree they must work together to degrade and destroy isis , obama says |
isis <tsp> newport , wales ( cnn ) -- nato members agreed friday to form a spearhead ' force of several thousand land troops ready to deploy within a few days , nato chief anders fogh rasmussen said , as the trans-atlantic alliance grapples with the threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq the troops would be backed by air , sea and special forces support , he said , with a command and control center and extra equipment in eastern europe . this decision sends a clear message : nato protects all allies at all times , ' rasmussen said on the second day of a nato summit in newport , wales . and it sends a clear message to any potential aggressor : should you even think of attacking one ally , you will be facing the whole alliance . ' the new readiness action plan , which includes proposals for more short notice exercises , is intended to help nato respond swiftly to russian aggression and other international conflicts . in these turbulent times , nato must be prepared to undertake the full range of missions and to defend allies against the full range of threats , ' rasmussen said . he said nato members also stand ready to assist iraq ' in its fight against islamist extremists if baghdad asks for help . but pressed by reporters on exactly what aid nato would offer , rasmussen toned down his remarks , saying nato is prepared to consider a defense capability building mission ' in iraq . president barack obama said friday that there 's great conviction that we have to act as part of the international community to degrade ' and ultimately destroy isis jihadists that pose a long-term threat to member countries . the united states has sent military advisers to iraq to help that country combat isis . canada -- a nato member -- said friday it also will send several dozen ' troops to iraq to help advise that country 's government on fighting isis , prime minister stephen harper 's office said . responses to threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq were at the heart of discussions of the alliance 's meeting in wales . obama rebuffs russian warnings on nato , ukraine russia 's annexation of crimea and involvement in the unrest in eastern ukraine have alarmed nato members such as poland and the baltic states . a rapid-reaction force would give those nations more security amid moscow 's deteriorating relationship with the west . u.s. officials have stressed that any force would be defensive in posture and not a provocation to russia . obama said friday at the end of the summit that russia 's aggression against ukraine threatens our vision of a europe that is whole , free and at peace . ' he also rebuffed russian warnings against nato membership for ukraine , saying membership in the alliance remains open to nations that meet our high standards . ' the comments echoed rasmussen 's earlier remarks . no third party has a veto ' on new members joining nato , rasmussen said . also friday , prime minister david cameron said the united kingdom would be willing to contribute 3,500 personnel to the new nato force . edward lucas , a senior editor at the economist in london , said it 's important to get a rapid-reaction force that is pre-authorized , a bit like a pre-authorized credit card , so that if there is a crisis , it can be deployed very quickly by nato military commanders . ' otherwise , activation of the force could get bogged down in political discussions , lucas told cnn . greater spending the allied nations also agreed to work toward increasing defense spending over the next decade as part of their nato commitments , rasmussen said . the goal : 2 % of gross domestic product , 20 % of which will go toward equipment , over the next decade . the ukraine crisis is a major reason for the decision , he said . while he said russia has increased defense spending by 50 % in the last five years , nato nations have cut back on average 20 % . russian aggression against ukraine is a wake-up call , and i think this is exactly what has led capitals in nato allied nations to reconsider defense investments , ' rasmussen said . because it is now obvious that we can not take our security for granted , and we will have to invest more in our defense and security . ' the recent revival of a russian threat in eastern europe has upended some of the assumptions that had underpinned nato 's earlier expansion in the region . this is the first time since the end of world war ii that one european country has tried to grab another 's territory by force , ' rasmussen said thursday . europe must not turn away from the rule of law to the rule of strongest . ' lucas pointed out that when nato first brought eastern european countries such as poland and hungary into its fold in the late 1990s , it decided to regard russia as a friend rather than a threat , forgoing plans to defend the new member states . the whole idea was that nato would be in partnership with russia to deal with other security issues , ' he said . that 's changed because russia did n't like that arrangement . russia has bullied its neighbors . ' opinion : nato 's moment of truth on ukraine cnn 's nic robertson reported from newport , while jethro mullen reported and wrote from hong kong and laura smith-spark from london . | the united states is pushing to form a coalition against isis |
united states <tsp> newport , wales ( cnn ) -- nato members agreed friday to form a spearhead ' force of several thousand land troops ready to deploy within a few days , nato chief anders fogh rasmussen said , as the trans-atlantic alliance grapples with the threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq the troops would be backed by air , sea and special forces support , he said , with a command and control center and extra equipment in eastern europe . this decision sends a clear message : nato protects all allies at all times , ' rasmussen said on the second day of a nato summit in newport , wales . and it sends a clear message to any potential aggressor : should you even think of attacking one ally , you will be facing the whole alliance . ' the new readiness action plan , which includes proposals for more short notice exercises , is intended to help nato respond swiftly to russian aggression and other international conflicts . in these turbulent times , nato must be prepared to undertake the full range of missions and to defend allies against the full range of threats , ' rasmussen said . he said nato members also stand ready to assist iraq ' in its fight against islamist extremists if baghdad asks for help . but pressed by reporters on exactly what aid nato would offer , rasmussen toned down his remarks , saying nato is prepared to consider a defense capability building mission ' in iraq . president barack obama said friday that there 's great conviction that we have to act as part of the international community to degrade ' and ultimately destroy isis jihadists that pose a long-term threat to member countries . the united states has sent military advisers to iraq to help that country combat isis . canada -- a nato member -- said friday it also will send several dozen ' troops to iraq to help advise that country 's government on fighting isis , prime minister stephen harper 's office said . responses to threats posed by russia 's interference in ukraine and the rise of isis in syria and iraq were at the heart of discussions of the alliance 's meeting in wales . obama rebuffs russian warnings on nato , ukraine russia 's annexation of crimea and involvement in the unrest in eastern ukraine have alarmed nato members such as poland and the baltic states . a rapid-reaction force would give those nations more security amid moscow 's deteriorating relationship with the west . u.s. officials have stressed that any force would be defensive in posture and not a provocation to russia . obama said friday at the end of the summit that russia 's aggression against ukraine threatens our vision of a europe that is whole , free and at peace . ' he also rebuffed russian warnings against nato membership for ukraine , saying membership in the alliance remains open to nations that meet our high standards . ' the comments echoed rasmussen 's earlier remarks . no third party has a veto ' on new members joining nato , rasmussen said . also friday , prime minister david cameron said the united kingdom would be willing to contribute 3,500 personnel to the new nato force . edward lucas , a senior editor at the economist in london , said it 's important to get a rapid-reaction force that is pre-authorized , a bit like a pre-authorized credit card , so that if there is a crisis , it can be deployed very quickly by nato military commanders . ' otherwise , activation of the force could get bogged down in political discussions , lucas told cnn . greater spending the allied nations also agreed to work toward increasing defense spending over the next decade as part of their nato commitments , rasmussen said . the goal : 2 % of gross domestic product , 20 % of which will go toward equipment , over the next decade . the ukraine crisis is a major reason for the decision , he said . while he said russia has increased defense spending by 50 % in the last five years , nato nations have cut back on average 20 % . russian aggression against ukraine is a wake-up call , and i think this is exactly what has led capitals in nato allied nations to reconsider defense investments , ' rasmussen said . because it is now obvious that we can not take our security for granted , and we will have to invest more in our defense and security . ' the recent revival of a russian threat in eastern europe has upended some of the assumptions that had underpinned nato 's earlier expansion in the region . this is the first time since the end of world war ii that one european country has tried to grab another 's territory by force , ' rasmussen said thursday . europe must not turn away from the rule of law to the rule of strongest . ' lucas pointed out that when nato first brought eastern european countries such as poland and hungary into its fold in the late 1990s , it decided to regard russia as a friend rather than a threat , forgoing plans to defend the new member states . the whole idea was that nato would be in partnership with russia to deal with other security issues , ' he said . that 's changed because russia did n't like that arrangement . russia has bullied its neighbors . ' opinion : nato 's moment of truth on ukraine cnn 's nic robertson reported from newport , while jethro mullen reported and wrote from hong kong and laura smith-spark from london . | the united states is pushing to form a coalition against isis |
oregon coast <tsp> ( coastal living ) -- the spirit of a mourning mother haunts heceta head , a 115-year-old lightstation on the windswept oregon coast . some say the ghost , called the gray lady , searches for her infant daughter , who tumbled from the 200-foot cliffs to her death . heceta head sits on an isolated stretch of the windswept oregon coast . a visitor can get creeped out just by the setting -- an isolated stretch of shore where sudden fog can blot out the sun . mariners braving the pounding surf depend on the lighthouse to avoid smashing into the rocks below . the beacon , the strongest on the oregon coast , is visible 21 miles away at sea . the gray lady , usually seen wearing a floor-length gray skirt , lurks in the attic of the lightkeeper 's home , which is on the national register of historic places and now operates as a bed-and-breakfast . one worker saw the silver-haired ghost floating over the floorboards as he repaired a broken attic window . he fled , but the next day the shattered glass in the sealed room had been swept into a neat pile . others report a mischievous side to the spirit . lights flick on unexpectedly , doors suddenly lock , and objects placed in one room later appear in another . coastal living : top 10 haunted lighthouses photographer steve terrill of portland recalls standing outside at dusk and seeing a translucent figure looking down on him from the attic . it moved and then it disappeared , ' he says . we knew absolutely nobody was in there . i thought ,'man this is weird . this must be my imagination .'' steve and a friend were the only ones staying in the building . the next morning his friend called out in alarm . during the night , the inn 's guestbook mysteriously appeared in his room . it was open to a page describing a previous lodger 's encounter with the spirit . i do n't know where that book came from , ' steve says . i 'm getting goosebumps now just thinking about it . ' you , too , can see if the spirit moves you during a lighthouse tour . or reserve a night at the b & b ( rates from $ 133 ; 866/547-3696 or hecetalighthouse.com ) . | the 115-year-old lightstation on the windswept oregon coast is open to visitors |
reddit <tsp> ( cnn ) cnn senior international correspondent nick paton walsh spent two days in the kobani , syria , covering the heavy fighting between kurdish forces and isis militants that has devastated the city . thousands of civilians still live in the city , either unwilling or unable to flee . paton walsh described his experiences -- including meeting a group of children who played in a makeshift graveyard and hid under cushions to protect themselves from isis shelling -- in an ask me anything chat on reddit . here are the highlights from the hourlong conversation . some of the posts have been edited for grammar and clarity . q : i 'm sure you saw and experienced a lot of devastating things in your time over there . what was the most heartbreaking thing you saw ? do you think outside/foreign involvement over there is having more of a positive or negative impact on the people ? ' asked smedynski . paton walsh : the kids in their cushion shelter is always tough . i also remember a bomb shelter some kids made -- two years ago now -- in a refugee camp in bab al salama . they were literally digging a cave with their hands . foreign help comes in many forms . isis have some foreigners . the turkish are just across the border , but the kurds claim they are impeding resupply . the iraqi kurdish peshmerga help a lot with heavy weapons . and the coalition airstrikes also keep isis back and have helped the kurds hang on . but in the end the sheer volume of outside parties now with stakes in the fight for the town means that it will go on a long time . ' q : hi nick , amazing report from kobani - how long were you there and how did you get in ? ' asked suzannelavery . paton walsh : thanks . we were there just under 48 hours . i ca n't really say much about how we got in -- it was a mix of simple and complicated -- but we are grateful to the kurds for their hospitality and care . ' q : what 's the current situation for journalists there ? interested to know about how you get your stories out , how you manage the day to day ? ' asked ithinkandroid . thank you in advance . ' paton walsh : it is complicated . anyone attempting entry should spend weeks thinking about it , and not file until out . day to day , you need the full invitation and hospitality of the kurds to operate in any way . ' q : did you feel safe under the kurds care and hospitality ? ' asked monhen . paton walsh : yes , as safe as one can there . q : you probably are n't allowed to answer this , but , i 'll ask anyways . how does your personal understanding and experience being there , seeing things , and working there differ from what is ultimately reported ? perhaps it does n't ? or , maybe it does ? in either case , i am curious to hear your thoughts . and , thanks for taking the time to do this ama ! ' asked rurd . paton walsh : it 's the same . there is n't some process by which we see and feel a lot of things that we then ignore and follow a preordained script . you see what we do . i know that 's hard to believe in this social media age of micro-digestion , but it 's true . ' q : did you interview any isis members ? ' asked shouldbeworking23 . paton walsh : the nature of isis means that in person you are unlikely -- or ill-advised -- to interview them . social media interaction and skype are possible -- and my colleagues have managed that . the kurds did not have any isis prisoners at the time we were inside kobani . ' q : thank you and your team for being professionals and risking your lives for the story . did you meet any foreign nationals fighting for the kurdish side ? is there any truth to the reports of isis getting resupplied from the turkish side of the border ? how effective do you think are the allied airstrikes on isis ? and last but not least , have you ever touched wolf blitzer 's beard ? again , thank you . ' asked rihannas_forehead . paton walsh : no , no foreign nationals . we were told there may be some , but saw none . isis are not , as far as we can see , getting any resupply -- the turkish are in a bind as they are both presumably trying to not end up in an open fight with isis , whilst securing their own borders . the coalition airstrikes are being effective in terms of denying isis the chance to take all of kobani . the strikes have also meant isis have had to pour in and lose fighters and equipment . they ca n't finish the fight off , though . that will take better equipping for the kurds . wolf 's beard is off limits . period . ' q : hey nick . what do you see as the best solution for the situation in syria right now ? any ideas how to remove assad from power ( if that is even the best way to go about reaching some level of peace ) ? ' asked ceclimber22 . paton walsh : you ca n't tackle isis without also addressing the reason why such extremism has a constituency -- the three years of massacres of sunnis that assad forces perpetrated . but an overall solution for syria is outside of the resources the u.s. wants to commit at this point . there are also too many other players who want an opposite outcome -- iran/russia . the u.s. should be , and perhaps has been , mindful that their increased presence -- like ground troops -- has often become the lightning rod for all anger -- adding a new problem rather than fixing the original one . in end , syria is going to be a conflict that tires of itself . one key problem is that this war has become a proxy conflict for many sides and keeps expanding -- dragging in iraq , and more different militias . so the point in which the combatants get exhausted keeps staying out of reach . it will take a singular seismic event that prompts serious international action , or more likely eventual exhaustion , to stop this war . ' q : what are your thoughts on the cia isis torture videos released yesterday ? do you think the videos will provoke isis to expedite their attacks on u.s. soil ? also , from your perspective , how concerned should we be in regards to isis growth ? the news reports they 're growing rapidly was this evident during your time in syria ? ' asked britney_lewin . paton walsh : isis grew most rapidly when they were not on the global radar , and then when they ran into iraq , taking mosul . since then , their victories have been incremental . they have n't had the huge storming win they need for recruitment -- the constant forward motion that many analysts say makes them attractive to future recruits . they are growing in terms of infrastructure and organization perhaps , but not geographical reach -- if you exclude a handful of pledges of allegiance in other countries that are symbolically worrying , but not game-changers . ' q : does isis/isil actually consider the term'daesh'as offensive ? i have only seen the one report by residents ' in mosul saying that the fighters and leadership see it as offensive . will renaming them , across all fronts , actually do anything ? thanks ! ' asked zib_al-jihad . paton walsh : i do n't think renaming them daesh makes any difference . it might mildly annoy those who watch french politicians on tv . but in the end , a slightly more forcible strategy is required than intellectualized name-calling . ' q : if you could tell the american public just one thing about isis , what would it be ? ' asked oholo . paton walsh : a decade of policies in the middle east helped create them . you need to help find and fund the solution , or it will become a problem on your soil , not just the middle east . ' read : inside kobani , scenes of devastation on every side more : explore panoramic view of aftermath of car bomb attack near border | paton walsh answered question about his experiences on reddit |
zach johnson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- robert allenby overcame an ankle problem to claim a share of the lead after the first round of the sony open in hawaii . the australian suffered the injury after falling of a curb in honolulu earlier this week , but still managed to fire a five-under-par 65 in his first pga tour appearance of 2010 . he was joined at the top of the leaderboard by five other players despite windy conditions at the waialae country club on thursday . his score was matched by former masters champion zach johnson , davis love iii , john merrick , ryan palmer and pga tour qualifying school winner troy merritt . they were one shot ahead of a group of 10 players including current masters champion angel cabrera of argentina , world no . 3 steve stricker , sweden 's carl pettersson and former u.s. ryder cup captain tom lehman . i twisted my ankle on monday and did n't know whether i was going to play , tried it out yesterday and sort of scraped it around the golf course , ' allenby told reporters . i kind of did the same things today really . it 's all a bit abbreviated , the old swing , but the short game 's good and that 's what counts . you need that when you 're not 100 percent . ' british open champion stewart cink was further back in another big group of 11 tied on two-under along with south africa 's rory sabbatini and japan 's ryuichi oda . former world no . 1s ernie els and vijay singh were among those another stroke back alongside two-time major winner retief goosen . meanwhile , david lynn is set to take a one-stroke lead into the third round of the european tour 's joburg open in south africa after friday 's action was halted by bad weather with 30 players still out on the course . the englishman , who has won only once in more than 300 starts , followed up his opening 63 with a four-under-par 67 at royal johannesburg and kensington east . he was five shots clear of compatriot john parry and south africa 's andrew curlewis , who were the highest placed of those yet to complete their rounds , each with three holes to go . home favorite charl schwartzel , also one of four players to score 63 in the first round , was second on 11-under after a 68 . irishman darren clarke , seeking to regain his place in europe 's ryder cup team this year , was tied for third on 10-under after a 69 . | he is matched by zach johnson , davis love , john merrick , ryan palmer , troy merritt |
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