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turley <tsp> house republicans are hoping the third time is a charm in their effort to sue president barack obama over his signature health care law . after two washington law firms backed out of earlier commitments to represent house republicans in their legal challenge , house speaker john boehner hired jonathan turley on tuesday . turley is a george washington professor who is an expert on constitutional law and well known to cable tv viewers as a legal analyst . professor turley is a renowned legal scholar who agrees that president obama has clearly overstepped his constitutional authority . he is a natural choice to handle this lawsuit , ' boehner 's spokesman michael steel said in a written statement . obamacare 's next fight for survival house democratic leader nancy pelosi criticized the move to continue the legal effort and referred to turley as a tv lawyer ' in a press conference tuesday . pelosi has criticized boehner 's office for using taxpayer funds to pay for the litigation . the democratic leader told reporters she hoped the latest announcement on the lawsuit was in response to internal republican politics , and that the legal fight was n't a sign that gop leaders are n't interested in working across the aisle . the house voted mostly along party lines in july to approve a lawsuit against the president for unilaterally making changes to obamacare . although many republicans backed the delays the administration approved last year , they maintained it was congress'job to change the law . but house republicans have had trouble retaining a firm because of the political blowback on the issue . obama confident as new enrollment opens at healthcare.gov the house 's office of general counsel will represent the house in court , but the resolution that passed this summer gives the speaker the authority to hire outside lawyers to finalize the legal strategy and file a formal complaint . some are suggesting the gop case be broadened to respond to any executive action the president takes on immigration . beyond the political concerns , many constitutional experts have raised doubts that federal courts will take up the obamacare case pushed by the gop-controlled house . the legal burden will be on the house to demonstrate it was damaged as an institution by the president 's actions . rubio , ryan crafting obamacare alternative the supreme court may rule on the controversial health care law before the house case makes its way through the system . earlier this month the high court announced it would consider a challenge to the law that on the tax credits that many americans use to subsidize health plans they purchase on the federal health exchange .
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turley is the third firm to represent the gop case to sue obama over his health care law
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gop <tsp> house republicans are hoping the third time is a charm in their effort to sue president barack obama over his signature health care law . after two washington law firms backed out of earlier commitments to represent house republicans in their legal challenge , house speaker john boehner hired jonathan turley on tuesday . turley is a george washington professor who is an expert on constitutional law and well known to cable tv viewers as a legal analyst . professor turley is a renowned legal scholar who agrees that president obama has clearly overstepped his constitutional authority . he is a natural choice to handle this lawsuit , ' boehner 's spokesman michael steel said in a written statement . obamacare 's next fight for survival house democratic leader nancy pelosi criticized the move to continue the legal effort and referred to turley as a tv lawyer ' in a press conference tuesday . pelosi has criticized boehner 's office for using taxpayer funds to pay for the litigation . the democratic leader told reporters she hoped the latest announcement on the lawsuit was in response to internal republican politics , and that the legal fight was n't a sign that gop leaders are n't interested in working across the aisle . the house voted mostly along party lines in july to approve a lawsuit against the president for unilaterally making changes to obamacare . although many republicans backed the delays the administration approved last year , they maintained it was congress'job to change the law . but house republicans have had trouble retaining a firm because of the political blowback on the issue . obama confident as new enrollment opens at healthcare.gov the house 's office of general counsel will represent the house in court , but the resolution that passed this summer gives the speaker the authority to hire outside lawyers to finalize the legal strategy and file a formal complaint . some are suggesting the gop case be broadened to respond to any executive action the president takes on immigration . beyond the political concerns , many constitutional experts have raised doubts that federal courts will take up the obamacare case pushed by the gop-controlled house . the legal burden will be on the house to demonstrate it was damaged as an institution by the president 's actions . rubio , ryan crafting obamacare alternative the supreme court may rule on the controversial health care law before the house case makes its way through the system . earlier this month the high court announced it would consider a challenge to the law that on the tax credits that many americans use to subsidize health plans they purchase on the federal health exchange .
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turley is the third firm to represent the gop case to sue obama over his health care law
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rajasthan <tsp> rajasthan , india ( cnn ) -- some call him the river maker , others the rainman of rajasthan . his real name is rajendra singh . his nicknames come from his self-imposed mission to solve his state 's water problems , one raindrop at a time . rajendra singh is trying to solve water issues in rajasthan -- one of india 's driest states . today with global warming and climate change so many things are going on . yes , this is the global problem . this is the modern problem . the solution is indigenous water conservation , ' singh says . singh lives and works in rajasthan , one of the driest states in india . it is the country 's largest state in land mass but has only about one percent of the country 's water resources . singh has spent the last 25 years of his life practicing what he preaches there . his message is always the same . he says rainwater is a resource we can not afford to waste , instead we should capture and utilize it . if the drops come from the cloud , we can catch it ! ' he says with his hands stretched to the sky . and that drop go [ es ] into the under [ ground ] aquifer and fulfills the aquifer . if that drop comes back so [ it will ] make springs , make a river . ' we caught up with him in rajasthan 's alwar district . one of india 's so-called princely states ' once ruled by indian royalty . back in the 1980s the government declared the area a dark zone : an area villagers could no longer pump up clean water because the water table had gotten so low . when there was a famine there was a drought i had to leave . ' farmer narin joshi told us who has lived in the area his whole life . i had to work as a laborer in delhi to make ends meet . there was no way i could earn any money here . i had to go . ' that meant leaving his wife behind to raise their children and try to keep them fed . if there is a harvest we benefit from the farm . ' his wife kalawati devi his wife says . and if there is no harvest we get nothing . ' for 10 years joshi worked as a snack seller in delhi sending back money to help his family survive . he says that all changed after singh and his organization tarun bharat sangh showed up . the group came to teach the villagers something their forefathers once practiced : the building of traditional dams called johads . the dams are made of earth and rock . they are fashioned to capture the rain so the water will trickle down and replenish the aquifer eventually giving rise to water in the wells and bringing dead rivers back to life . but the work takes a community effort . one family is not enough to get it done . singh says his role is to teach and motivate the community . there are more than 10-thousand water harvesting structures we [ have ] made in last 25 years . and all these structures came through the community effort . i just motivate and realize to the community and [ the ] community joined hands with us and they made it ! ' it is easy to see the result when water becomes available again . everything from water buffalo to majestic peacocks . water snakes gather at the watering holes . over the years singh says his organization and the villagers of rajasthan have revived seven rivers across the state helping more than a thousand villages . now instead of traveling long distances carrying heavy vats of water , or migrating to the cities to make a living , the villagers can stay put and begin to enjoy their surroundings more . the availability of water brought the joshi family back together again because the husband could finally make a living here . i have planted many kinds of trees . for my livelihood i do farming . ' he says my family and i are leading very peaceful lives . '
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rajasthan is india 's largest state and also one of the driest
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rajasthan <tsp> rajasthan , india ( cnn ) -- some call him the river maker , others the rainman of rajasthan . his real name is rajendra singh . his nicknames come from his self-imposed mission to solve his state 's water problems , one raindrop at a time . rajendra singh is trying to solve water issues in rajasthan -- one of india 's driest states . today with global warming and climate change so many things are going on . yes , this is the global problem . this is the modern problem . the solution is indigenous water conservation , ' singh says . singh lives and works in rajasthan , one of the driest states in india . it is the country 's largest state in land mass but has only about one percent of the country 's water resources . singh has spent the last 25 years of his life practicing what he preaches there . his message is always the same . he says rainwater is a resource we can not afford to waste , instead we should capture and utilize it . if the drops come from the cloud , we can catch it ! ' he says with his hands stretched to the sky . and that drop go [ es ] into the under [ ground ] aquifer and fulfills the aquifer . if that drop comes back so [ it will ] make springs , make a river . ' we caught up with him in rajasthan 's alwar district . one of india 's so-called princely states ' once ruled by indian royalty . back in the 1980s the government declared the area a dark zone : an area villagers could no longer pump up clean water because the water table had gotten so low . when there was a famine there was a drought i had to leave . ' farmer narin joshi told us who has lived in the area his whole life . i had to work as a laborer in delhi to make ends meet . there was no way i could earn any money here . i had to go . ' that meant leaving his wife behind to raise their children and try to keep them fed . if there is a harvest we benefit from the farm . ' his wife kalawati devi his wife says . and if there is no harvest we get nothing . ' for 10 years joshi worked as a snack seller in delhi sending back money to help his family survive . he says that all changed after singh and his organization tarun bharat sangh showed up . the group came to teach the villagers something their forefathers once practiced : the building of traditional dams called johads . the dams are made of earth and rock . they are fashioned to capture the rain so the water will trickle down and replenish the aquifer eventually giving rise to water in the wells and bringing dead rivers back to life . but the work takes a community effort . one family is not enough to get it done . singh says his role is to teach and motivate the community . there are more than 10-thousand water harvesting structures we [ have ] made in last 25 years . and all these structures came through the community effort . i just motivate and realize to the community and [ the ] community joined hands with us and they made it ! ' it is easy to see the result when water becomes available again . everything from water buffalo to majestic peacocks . water snakes gather at the watering holes . over the years singh says his organization and the villagers of rajasthan have revived seven rivers across the state helping more than a thousand villages . now instead of traveling long distances carrying heavy vats of water , or migrating to the cities to make a living , the villagers can stay put and begin to enjoy their surroundings more . the availability of water brought the joshi family back together again because the husband could finally make a living here . i have planted many kinds of trees . for my livelihood i do farming . ' he says my family and i are leading very peaceful lives . '
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rajendra singh has devoted his life to solving rajasthan 's water problems
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asian americans <tsp> ( cnn ) -- recently , an organization called students for fair admissions , inc. filed a lawsuit against harvard university , alleging that its admissions practices violate title vi of the civil rights act for intentionally discriminating against applicants on the basis of race ' -- specifically , against asian americans . ( a second , similar lawsuit was filed against the university of north carolina -- chapel hill . ) the lawsuit alleges that harvard has , through the use of holistic ' consideration of applicants , systematically ' excluded qualified asian americans in favor of less qualified black and latino applicants in an attempt to illegally achieve racial balancing . ' here 's the thing . this lawsuit -- and the organization that filed it -- is not the affirmative action crusade it may seem , and i will get to that in a minute . as an asian american graduate of harvard , i read this news with dismay , both because i share a lot in common with the plaintiff at the core of the suit -- let 's call her jane dou -- and because my personal experience has been so fundamentally different . you see , both she and i are second-generation asian americans , the children of immigrants who saw preparing us for higher education as their fundamental responsibility . it 's a common running joke among second-generation asian americans that our parents start us on college prep before we begin potty training . the joke did n't seem so funny to me when i was a kid , however . i remember earning minutes of tv by defining vocabulary words correctly -- while i was still in 4th grade . i remember being rewarded for finishing homework early by getting extra mommy homework , ' which always involved problem sets and practice exams from a dog-eared stack of princeton review test prep tomes . i did n't remember being dressed in a crimson-colored onesie while still an infant , but my mother showed me the one she 'd bought for me , proudly pulling it from storage on the day i headed out to college . that 's because to my parents , it was n't enough for me to just go to college . there was only one school they saw as a fitting goal , and it was the reason they came to america , my mother said , hoping that one day they would have kids who would grow up to attend it . that was harvard university , the only school whose brand name shone brightly enough to reach across the waters to taiwan . other schools might offer a more dynamic curriculum , better access to senior faculty , a greater amount of financial aid . none of that mattered . to them , it was hafu daxue or bust . as it turns out , i did get into harvard . and two years later , so did my sister . and her part-time undergraduate job at the harvard admissions office ended up leading us to a few awkward revelations . you see , in the course of her job , she was able to gain access to college admissions files , and could n't resist pulling her own to see what it said . the file told her bluntly that she had been a marginal ' admit based on her application , but that she was ultimately accepted because she had a brother who was already a student in good standing †” that is to say , me . incensed , she then pulled my file to see whether i had gotten in on my own merits . and what she shared with me was the discovery that i essentially would have been denied admission , based on scores and grades that were somewhat lower than hers , and an all-too-typical extracurricular career ( piano , math team , blah blah blah ) . what saved my application was the optional interview i 'd done on campus , in which i 'd ended up talking about everything that was n't in my application : my aspirations to be a writer . the horror movie that i 'd scripted and shot in secret at our high school . the subtle differences between anxiety , suspense and fear . the fact that i actually really , really suck at piano . the interviewer made the case that i had intangibles that made me a potential asset to the student body , and pressed for me to be considered seriously , despite my middling distinction . someone decided to take his advice . i hope they did n't end up regretting it . now , let 's go back to jane dou . she did n't end up at the center of the harvard suit accidentally . she was discovered through a broad-based campaign conducted by sffa founder edward blum †” a frustrated republican congressional candidate who has chosen to make a career out of waging war on laws and policies that give special privileges ' to minorities . dou was someone blum wanted -- a student willing to serve as a test case in a high-profile attack on affirmative action . it 's important to note that whatever its outcome , the lawsuit wo n't help dou . it 's almost certain that she 's been accepted by other colleges , and by the time the suit is resolved she will likely have graduated from one of them . what this lawsuit is really is just the latest attempt to derail an apparatus that has given hundreds of thousands of blacks , hispanics and , yes , asians a means to climb out of circumstances defined by our society 's historical racism . it is hardly a coincidence that blum has chosen to use the asian american community as his tool to do so . there are millions of asians who , like my parents , see a prestigious-university education as not just a goal for their children but a virtual entitlement , the product of years of aspiration and preparation . but there are millions of other asian americans -- a significant majority , in fact , at 69 % -- who support affirmative action as a necessary way for us to achieve a better society , and who recognize that we have benefited and continue to benefit from its fruits , both directly and indirectly . as loyola university chicago assistant professor of higher education oiyan poon puts it , the question asian americans face now is ,'do we care about justice or just us ?'' she adds , if we care about justice , we have to see that we 're only being used as cover to dismantle a policy initiative that is about racial equity , which ultimately benefits everyone . ' and then there 's the reality that my sister and i experienced personally -- which is that getting into college is about more than just scores . despite all of my parents'drills and test prep , i was ultimately accepted into harvard only due to the very holistic ' practices that this lawsuit attacks . my sister , meanwhile , was pushed over the line due to her connection to me , a secondary legacy ' tie that , based on the research of harvard university researcher michael hurwitz , might have conveyed as much as a 19 % boost over other applicants , given her profile . meanwhile , my kids -- primary legacy ' candidates -- will have up to a 50 % greater chance of getting in , for no reason other than being born . that 's great for them , should they choose to apply to my alma mater , but it 's a huge obstacle to overcome for those who do n't have that advantage . it amounts to what richard d. kahlenberg , a senior fellow at the century foundation , calls affirmative action for the rich . ' and it locks out the vast majority of blacks , hispanics and immigrants of every race . is n't that the real outrage ?
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a lawsuit was filed against harvard alleging discrimination against asian americans
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mourinho <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the english media created an icon , an almost perfect human being . ' - soccer agent paulo texeira . above all else , jose mourinho just needs to feel loved again . it has been in short supply during the final , painful throes of his tempestuous tenure as coach of real madrid . beaten to the la liga title by barcelona , blasted out of the champions league by borussia dortmund and battered by the press in madrid , this is a season he 's decried as the worst of his career . the 50-year-old leaves looking visibly drained , with dissent dripping from the dressing room and insults ringing in his ears , rivals lamenting him as a scourge ' on spanish football . little wonder then that mourinho has opted for a return to chelsea , the english side that helped the portuguese etch his name into the fabric of modern football folklore as the special one . ' for a man who seems determined to forge new frontiers and embrace different cultures around the continent his desire for a second stint at stamford bridge has come as a surprise to many . but according to portuguese journalist jose carlos freitas , mourinho 's latest move is down to the concept of pater familias ; having reached a stage in his career where he wants to mold a club in his image for the long term . i think he is ready to come back to chelsea in a different way , to try and build something from zero , ' freitas , a reporter at the record newspaper , told cnn . it will be a challenge to rebuild chelsea 's team . this might be the job that keeps him there for five or 10 years . he needs to be the number one guy in the club , not only winning but thinking about the club , changing it , preparing it . when mourinho was starting his career he wanted to win things -- leagues , cups and the champions league -- but now he has achieved this status in his career where he needs more . i see this might be a great chance for him to finally have a real connection with ( chelsea 's billionaire russian owner roman abramovich ) in the way that they can build a chelsea to look like manchester united did under alex ferguson . ' freitas agrees that mourinho 's time at real will have chastened the coach who famously anointed himself as special . ' three years in spain have brought a hat-trick of domestic trophies , including a league title that broke barcelona 's dominance under pep guardiola , but , crucially , not the 10th european champions league crown their fervent fans crave . growls of disquiet had been audible for a while but as soon as real 's quest for la decima ' ended , it became a crescendo . mourinho spoke of the people in spain who hated ' him and confirmation of his departure led barcelona vice-president carles vilarrubi to declare him a scourge on spanish football ' in a radio interview . vilarrubi also predicted he 'll be a disaster ' at chelsea . dressing room dissent unusually for a coach who has prided himself on forging unbreakable spirit amongst his squad , criticism has also seeped from his players . the coach 's decision to drop goalkeeper iker casillas , spain 's world cup-winning captain and a real poster boy with 23 years'service to the club , in favor of new signing diego lopez caused much of the consternation . his own players , including fellow portuguese pepe , criticized his treatment of casillas but mourinho would not yield , dismissing the defender 's remarks as jealousy . despite this fractious finale to his real career , one of mourinho 's former players has a different take on the culture of conflict that has dominated the final chapter of his bernabeu reign . at real madrid some players were against him but you have to look at that in a different way : why , in a 12-year career , is it that only two or three people are complaining ? ' asks frederico castro roque dos santos , known as freddy , who played under mourinho for portuguese side uniao de leiria . for me this is success , this is huge . everywhere he goes people like him ; he passed through so many clubs , so many players , so many figures and only now some people complain . ' even as a young coach mourinho was laying the founding principles upon which his success would be based . his first step is demonstrating , and demanding , ultimate loyalty from his charges . so what was it like to play for him ? he protected us from everyone , from the president , from fans , from journalists . to protect his own people he does n't care about the consequences outside , ' freddy explained . even when he left inter milan , one player that hardly played ( italian defender marco materazzi ) hugged him and cried with him , so this revealed what he does inside a team . he makes you believe you are the best player . in my case , a player who was 20 years old , he told me i would be the best player in the league . even though i was n't , i believed him . this is like a father to a son , your son is always the best . this is his major weapon . he 's also good with personal relationships -- he is like a psychologist . he has a lot of qualities that are not normal in coaches . i believe he is the same person but when you are coach of chelsea or real madrid you have more enemies , let 's say . it is a more difficult fight when you are in a big team , but he will protect everyone until the end . ' press relations mourinho 's entrance at chelsea back in 2004 was unforgettable . suave and sophisticated , he strolled into his new post as a champions league winner with porto and instantly declared to the gathered media : i think i am a special one . ' this one line came to symbolize his close relationship with the english press . they loved his perceived arrogance , the way he prowled the touchline , and he admired their principles of fair play . though that relationship had soured by the time he left chelsea in 2007 , having secured five major trophies -- including the club 's first league title in 55 year -- it still represented the high point in his dealings with the media . his time as coach of internazionale in italy , which yielded two serie a titles , two domestic cup wins and another champions league triumph , was punctuated by rows with journalists -- one even accused him of physical violence . relations with the notorious madrid press veered between difficult and impossible ; mourinho 's desire to shape the club the way he wanted combined with his confrontational style jarred with many . he always understood something that is awfully important in modern football , to play a role , as if in the theater , ' freitas explains . if you go to the theater you see an actor performing a role and he does that . i think he does that sometimes in a positive way , sometimes in a way people do n't understand . the press in madrid never understood this . the press are all supporters of the club . it 's a personal thing in spain , when they see someone who is trying to change the situation at the club . he tried to change the organization ; he had problems with ( former real director ) jorge valdano , trying to have full control of the professional team . this was not regarded as a positive thing by the press or the players . there was no way out for him , even if he had won the champions league . if he had won'la decima'then he could have gone out using the main door leaving like a god , but he did n't . ' freddy 's playing career is nearing an end but he already has his uefa'b ' coaching license as he looks to follow in mourinho 's footsteps . he says his old coach 's methods will form the basis upon which he approaches his role . as mourinho said , we always can improve the individual , ' he explained . we do n't have to take the best players to have the best team , we can put a couple of guys together and make them the best together . i saw this with my eyes so i want to do it for the kids back in my home country angola . i learnt from mourinho that everyone should be treated differently . you would n't treat frank lampard the same like john obi mikel . a guy that is more explosive i try to extract his quality , a guy that is more technical too , we do n't need to criticize . we were in one team that was simple and we were fighting to be champions with a low budget , inferior players , but as a unit it worked , i saw it with my eyes . we can inject psychology and knowledge into any individual . mourinho is almost complete as a coach . in england he is known as'the special one'but when you know him , you see that it 's not a joke . he is special . '
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jose mourinho is returning to coach chelsea six years after leaving london
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mourinho <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the english media created an icon , an almost perfect human being . ' - soccer agent paulo texeira . above all else , jose mourinho just needs to feel loved again . it has been in short supply during the final , painful throes of his tempestuous tenure as coach of real madrid . beaten to the la liga title by barcelona , blasted out of the champions league by borussia dortmund and battered by the press in madrid , this is a season he 's decried as the worst of his career . the 50-year-old leaves looking visibly drained , with dissent dripping from the dressing room and insults ringing in his ears , rivals lamenting him as a scourge ' on spanish football . little wonder then that mourinho has opted for a return to chelsea , the english side that helped the portuguese etch his name into the fabric of modern football folklore as the special one . ' for a man who seems determined to forge new frontiers and embrace different cultures around the continent his desire for a second stint at stamford bridge has come as a surprise to many . but according to portuguese journalist jose carlos freitas , mourinho 's latest move is down to the concept of pater familias ; having reached a stage in his career where he wants to mold a club in his image for the long term . i think he is ready to come back to chelsea in a different way , to try and build something from zero , ' freitas , a reporter at the record newspaper , told cnn . it will be a challenge to rebuild chelsea 's team . this might be the job that keeps him there for five or 10 years . he needs to be the number one guy in the club , not only winning but thinking about the club , changing it , preparing it . when mourinho was starting his career he wanted to win things -- leagues , cups and the champions league -- but now he has achieved this status in his career where he needs more . i see this might be a great chance for him to finally have a real connection with ( chelsea 's billionaire russian owner roman abramovich ) in the way that they can build a chelsea to look like manchester united did under alex ferguson . ' freitas agrees that mourinho 's time at real will have chastened the coach who famously anointed himself as special . ' three years in spain have brought a hat-trick of domestic trophies , including a league title that broke barcelona 's dominance under pep guardiola , but , crucially , not the 10th european champions league crown their fervent fans crave . growls of disquiet had been audible for a while but as soon as real 's quest for la decima ' ended , it became a crescendo . mourinho spoke of the people in spain who hated ' him and confirmation of his departure led barcelona vice-president carles vilarrubi to declare him a scourge on spanish football ' in a radio interview . vilarrubi also predicted he 'll be a disaster ' at chelsea . dressing room dissent unusually for a coach who has prided himself on forging unbreakable spirit amongst his squad , criticism has also seeped from his players . the coach 's decision to drop goalkeeper iker casillas , spain 's world cup-winning captain and a real poster boy with 23 years'service to the club , in favor of new signing diego lopez caused much of the consternation . his own players , including fellow portuguese pepe , criticized his treatment of casillas but mourinho would not yield , dismissing the defender 's remarks as jealousy . despite this fractious finale to his real career , one of mourinho 's former players has a different take on the culture of conflict that has dominated the final chapter of his bernabeu reign . at real madrid some players were against him but you have to look at that in a different way : why , in a 12-year career , is it that only two or three people are complaining ? ' asks frederico castro roque dos santos , known as freddy , who played under mourinho for portuguese side uniao de leiria . for me this is success , this is huge . everywhere he goes people like him ; he passed through so many clubs , so many players , so many figures and only now some people complain . ' even as a young coach mourinho was laying the founding principles upon which his success would be based . his first step is demonstrating , and demanding , ultimate loyalty from his charges . so what was it like to play for him ? he protected us from everyone , from the president , from fans , from journalists . to protect his own people he does n't care about the consequences outside , ' freddy explained . even when he left inter milan , one player that hardly played ( italian defender marco materazzi ) hugged him and cried with him , so this revealed what he does inside a team . he makes you believe you are the best player . in my case , a player who was 20 years old , he told me i would be the best player in the league . even though i was n't , i believed him . this is like a father to a son , your son is always the best . this is his major weapon . he 's also good with personal relationships -- he is like a psychologist . he has a lot of qualities that are not normal in coaches . i believe he is the same person but when you are coach of chelsea or real madrid you have more enemies , let 's say . it is a more difficult fight when you are in a big team , but he will protect everyone until the end . ' press relations mourinho 's entrance at chelsea back in 2004 was unforgettable . suave and sophisticated , he strolled into his new post as a champions league winner with porto and instantly declared to the gathered media : i think i am a special one . ' this one line came to symbolize his close relationship with the english press . they loved his perceived arrogance , the way he prowled the touchline , and he admired their principles of fair play . though that relationship had soured by the time he left chelsea in 2007 , having secured five major trophies -- including the club 's first league title in 55 year -- it still represented the high point in his dealings with the media . his time as coach of internazionale in italy , which yielded two serie a titles , two domestic cup wins and another champions league triumph , was punctuated by rows with journalists -- one even accused him of physical violence . relations with the notorious madrid press veered between difficult and impossible ; mourinho 's desire to shape the club the way he wanted combined with his confrontational style jarred with many . he always understood something that is awfully important in modern football , to play a role , as if in the theater , ' freitas explains . if you go to the theater you see an actor performing a role and he does that . i think he does that sometimes in a positive way , sometimes in a way people do n't understand . the press in madrid never understood this . the press are all supporters of the club . it 's a personal thing in spain , when they see someone who is trying to change the situation at the club . he tried to change the organization ; he had problems with ( former real director ) jorge valdano , trying to have full control of the professional team . this was not regarded as a positive thing by the press or the players . there was no way out for him , even if he had won the champions league . if he had won'la decima'then he could have gone out using the main door leaving like a god , but he did n't . ' freddy 's playing career is nearing an end but he already has his uefa'b ' coaching license as he looks to follow in mourinho 's footsteps . he says his old coach 's methods will form the basis upon which he approaches his role . as mourinho said , we always can improve the individual , ' he explained . we do n't have to take the best players to have the best team , we can put a couple of guys together and make them the best together . i saw this with my eyes so i want to do it for the kids back in my home country angola . i learnt from mourinho that everyone should be treated differently . you would n't treat frank lampard the same like john obi mikel . a guy that is more explosive i try to extract his quality , a guy that is more technical too , we do n't need to criticize . we were in one team that was simple and we were fighting to be champions with a low budget , inferior players , but as a unit it worked , i saw it with my eyes . we can inject psychology and knowledge into any individual . mourinho is almost complete as a coach . in england he is known as'the special one'but when you know him , you see that it 's not a joke . he is special . '
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mourinho ready to build a dynasty at chelsea , according to a portuguese journalist
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mourinho <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the english media created an icon , an almost perfect human being . ' - soccer agent paulo texeira . above all else , jose mourinho just needs to feel loved again . it has been in short supply during the final , painful throes of his tempestuous tenure as coach of real madrid . beaten to the la liga title by barcelona , blasted out of the champions league by borussia dortmund and battered by the press in madrid , this is a season he 's decried as the worst of his career . the 50-year-old leaves looking visibly drained , with dissent dripping from the dressing room and insults ringing in his ears , rivals lamenting him as a scourge ' on spanish football . little wonder then that mourinho has opted for a return to chelsea , the english side that helped the portuguese etch his name into the fabric of modern football folklore as the special one . ' for a man who seems determined to forge new frontiers and embrace different cultures around the continent his desire for a second stint at stamford bridge has come as a surprise to many . but according to portuguese journalist jose carlos freitas , mourinho 's latest move is down to the concept of pater familias ; having reached a stage in his career where he wants to mold a club in his image for the long term . i think he is ready to come back to chelsea in a different way , to try and build something from zero , ' freitas , a reporter at the record newspaper , told cnn . it will be a challenge to rebuild chelsea 's team . this might be the job that keeps him there for five or 10 years . he needs to be the number one guy in the club , not only winning but thinking about the club , changing it , preparing it . when mourinho was starting his career he wanted to win things -- leagues , cups and the champions league -- but now he has achieved this status in his career where he needs more . i see this might be a great chance for him to finally have a real connection with ( chelsea 's billionaire russian owner roman abramovich ) in the way that they can build a chelsea to look like manchester united did under alex ferguson . ' freitas agrees that mourinho 's time at real will have chastened the coach who famously anointed himself as special . ' three years in spain have brought a hat-trick of domestic trophies , including a league title that broke barcelona 's dominance under pep guardiola , but , crucially , not the 10th european champions league crown their fervent fans crave . growls of disquiet had been audible for a while but as soon as real 's quest for la decima ' ended , it became a crescendo . mourinho spoke of the people in spain who hated ' him and confirmation of his departure led barcelona vice-president carles vilarrubi to declare him a scourge on spanish football ' in a radio interview . vilarrubi also predicted he 'll be a disaster ' at chelsea . dressing room dissent unusually for a coach who has prided himself on forging unbreakable spirit amongst his squad , criticism has also seeped from his players . the coach 's decision to drop goalkeeper iker casillas , spain 's world cup-winning captain and a real poster boy with 23 years'service to the club , in favor of new signing diego lopez caused much of the consternation . his own players , including fellow portuguese pepe , criticized his treatment of casillas but mourinho would not yield , dismissing the defender 's remarks as jealousy . despite this fractious finale to his real career , one of mourinho 's former players has a different take on the culture of conflict that has dominated the final chapter of his bernabeu reign . at real madrid some players were against him but you have to look at that in a different way : why , in a 12-year career , is it that only two or three people are complaining ? ' asks frederico castro roque dos santos , known as freddy , who played under mourinho for portuguese side uniao de leiria . for me this is success , this is huge . everywhere he goes people like him ; he passed through so many clubs , so many players , so many figures and only now some people complain . ' even as a young coach mourinho was laying the founding principles upon which his success would be based . his first step is demonstrating , and demanding , ultimate loyalty from his charges . so what was it like to play for him ? he protected us from everyone , from the president , from fans , from journalists . to protect his own people he does n't care about the consequences outside , ' freddy explained . even when he left inter milan , one player that hardly played ( italian defender marco materazzi ) hugged him and cried with him , so this revealed what he does inside a team . he makes you believe you are the best player . in my case , a player who was 20 years old , he told me i would be the best player in the league . even though i was n't , i believed him . this is like a father to a son , your son is always the best . this is his major weapon . he 's also good with personal relationships -- he is like a psychologist . he has a lot of qualities that are not normal in coaches . i believe he is the same person but when you are coach of chelsea or real madrid you have more enemies , let 's say . it is a more difficult fight when you are in a big team , but he will protect everyone until the end . ' press relations mourinho 's entrance at chelsea back in 2004 was unforgettable . suave and sophisticated , he strolled into his new post as a champions league winner with porto and instantly declared to the gathered media : i think i am a special one . ' this one line came to symbolize his close relationship with the english press . they loved his perceived arrogance , the way he prowled the touchline , and he admired their principles of fair play . though that relationship had soured by the time he left chelsea in 2007 , having secured five major trophies -- including the club 's first league title in 55 year -- it still represented the high point in his dealings with the media . his time as coach of internazionale in italy , which yielded two serie a titles , two domestic cup wins and another champions league triumph , was punctuated by rows with journalists -- one even accused him of physical violence . relations with the notorious madrid press veered between difficult and impossible ; mourinho 's desire to shape the club the way he wanted combined with his confrontational style jarred with many . he always understood something that is awfully important in modern football , to play a role , as if in the theater , ' freitas explains . if you go to the theater you see an actor performing a role and he does that . i think he does that sometimes in a positive way , sometimes in a way people do n't understand . the press in madrid never understood this . the press are all supporters of the club . it 's a personal thing in spain , when they see someone who is trying to change the situation at the club . he tried to change the organization ; he had problems with ( former real director ) jorge valdano , trying to have full control of the professional team . this was not regarded as a positive thing by the press or the players . there was no way out for him , even if he had won the champions league . if he had won'la decima'then he could have gone out using the main door leaving like a god , but he did n't . ' freddy 's playing career is nearing an end but he already has his uefa'b ' coaching license as he looks to follow in mourinho 's footsteps . he says his old coach 's methods will form the basis upon which he approaches his role . as mourinho said , we always can improve the individual , ' he explained . we do n't have to take the best players to have the best team , we can put a couple of guys together and make them the best together . i saw this with my eyes so i want to do it for the kids back in my home country angola . i learnt from mourinho that everyone should be treated differently . you would n't treat frank lampard the same like john obi mikel . a guy that is more explosive i try to extract his quality , a guy that is more technical too , we do n't need to criticize . we were in one team that was simple and we were fighting to be champions with a low budget , inferior players , but as a unit it worked , i saw it with my eyes . we can inject psychology and knowledge into any individual . mourinho is almost complete as a coach . in england he is known as'the special one'but when you know him , you see that it 's not a joke . he is special . '
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one of his former players says mourinho is perfectly suited to english football
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portuguese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the english media created an icon , an almost perfect human being . ' - soccer agent paulo texeira . above all else , jose mourinho just needs to feel loved again . it has been in short supply during the final , painful throes of his tempestuous tenure as coach of real madrid . beaten to the la liga title by barcelona , blasted out of the champions league by borussia dortmund and battered by the press in madrid , this is a season he 's decried as the worst of his career . the 50-year-old leaves looking visibly drained , with dissent dripping from the dressing room and insults ringing in his ears , rivals lamenting him as a scourge ' on spanish football . little wonder then that mourinho has opted for a return to chelsea , the english side that helped the portuguese etch his name into the fabric of modern football folklore as the special one . ' for a man who seems determined to forge new frontiers and embrace different cultures around the continent his desire for a second stint at stamford bridge has come as a surprise to many . but according to portuguese journalist jose carlos freitas , mourinho 's latest move is down to the concept of pater familias ; having reached a stage in his career where he wants to mold a club in his image for the long term . i think he is ready to come back to chelsea in a different way , to try and build something from zero , ' freitas , a reporter at the record newspaper , told cnn . it will be a challenge to rebuild chelsea 's team . this might be the job that keeps him there for five or 10 years . he needs to be the number one guy in the club , not only winning but thinking about the club , changing it , preparing it . when mourinho was starting his career he wanted to win things -- leagues , cups and the champions league -- but now he has achieved this status in his career where he needs more . i see this might be a great chance for him to finally have a real connection with ( chelsea 's billionaire russian owner roman abramovich ) in the way that they can build a chelsea to look like manchester united did under alex ferguson . ' freitas agrees that mourinho 's time at real will have chastened the coach who famously anointed himself as special . ' three years in spain have brought a hat-trick of domestic trophies , including a league title that broke barcelona 's dominance under pep guardiola , but , crucially , not the 10th european champions league crown their fervent fans crave . growls of disquiet had been audible for a while but as soon as real 's quest for la decima ' ended , it became a crescendo . mourinho spoke of the people in spain who hated ' him and confirmation of his departure led barcelona vice-president carles vilarrubi to declare him a scourge on spanish football ' in a radio interview . vilarrubi also predicted he 'll be a disaster ' at chelsea . dressing room dissent unusually for a coach who has prided himself on forging unbreakable spirit amongst his squad , criticism has also seeped from his players . the coach 's decision to drop goalkeeper iker casillas , spain 's world cup-winning captain and a real poster boy with 23 years'service to the club , in favor of new signing diego lopez caused much of the consternation . his own players , including fellow portuguese pepe , criticized his treatment of casillas but mourinho would not yield , dismissing the defender 's remarks as jealousy . despite this fractious finale to his real career , one of mourinho 's former players has a different take on the culture of conflict that has dominated the final chapter of his bernabeu reign . at real madrid some players were against him but you have to look at that in a different way : why , in a 12-year career , is it that only two or three people are complaining ? ' asks frederico castro roque dos santos , known as freddy , who played under mourinho for portuguese side uniao de leiria . for me this is success , this is huge . everywhere he goes people like him ; he passed through so many clubs , so many players , so many figures and only now some people complain . ' even as a young coach mourinho was laying the founding principles upon which his success would be based . his first step is demonstrating , and demanding , ultimate loyalty from his charges . so what was it like to play for him ? he protected us from everyone , from the president , from fans , from journalists . to protect his own people he does n't care about the consequences outside , ' freddy explained . even when he left inter milan , one player that hardly played ( italian defender marco materazzi ) hugged him and cried with him , so this revealed what he does inside a team . he makes you believe you are the best player . in my case , a player who was 20 years old , he told me i would be the best player in the league . even though i was n't , i believed him . this is like a father to a son , your son is always the best . this is his major weapon . he 's also good with personal relationships -- he is like a psychologist . he has a lot of qualities that are not normal in coaches . i believe he is the same person but when you are coach of chelsea or real madrid you have more enemies , let 's say . it is a more difficult fight when you are in a big team , but he will protect everyone until the end . ' press relations mourinho 's entrance at chelsea back in 2004 was unforgettable . suave and sophisticated , he strolled into his new post as a champions league winner with porto and instantly declared to the gathered media : i think i am a special one . ' this one line came to symbolize his close relationship with the english press . they loved his perceived arrogance , the way he prowled the touchline , and he admired their principles of fair play . though that relationship had soured by the time he left chelsea in 2007 , having secured five major trophies -- including the club 's first league title in 55 year -- it still represented the high point in his dealings with the media . his time as coach of internazionale in italy , which yielded two serie a titles , two domestic cup wins and another champions league triumph , was punctuated by rows with journalists -- one even accused him of physical violence . relations with the notorious madrid press veered between difficult and impossible ; mourinho 's desire to shape the club the way he wanted combined with his confrontational style jarred with many . he always understood something that is awfully important in modern football , to play a role , as if in the theater , ' freitas explains . if you go to the theater you see an actor performing a role and he does that . i think he does that sometimes in a positive way , sometimes in a way people do n't understand . the press in madrid never understood this . the press are all supporters of the club . it 's a personal thing in spain , when they see someone who is trying to change the situation at the club . he tried to change the organization ; he had problems with ( former real director ) jorge valdano , trying to have full control of the professional team . this was not regarded as a positive thing by the press or the players . there was no way out for him , even if he had won the champions league . if he had won'la decima'then he could have gone out using the main door leaving like a god , but he did n't . ' freddy 's playing career is nearing an end but he already has his uefa'b ' coaching license as he looks to follow in mourinho 's footsteps . he says his old coach 's methods will form the basis upon which he approaches his role . as mourinho said , we always can improve the individual , ' he explained . we do n't have to take the best players to have the best team , we can put a couple of guys together and make them the best together . i saw this with my eyes so i want to do it for the kids back in my home country angola . i learnt from mourinho that everyone should be treated differently . you would n't treat frank lampard the same like john obi mikel . a guy that is more explosive i try to extract his quality , a guy that is more technical too , we do n't need to criticize . we were in one team that was simple and we were fighting to be champions with a low budget , inferior players , but as a unit it worked , i saw it with my eyes . we can inject psychology and knowledge into any individual . mourinho is almost complete as a coach . in england he is known as'the special one'but when you know him , you see that it 's not a joke . he is special . '
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mourinho ready to build a dynasty at chelsea , according to a portuguese journalist
|
portuguese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the english media created an icon , an almost perfect human being . ' - soccer agent paulo texeira . above all else , jose mourinho just needs to feel loved again . it has been in short supply during the final , painful throes of his tempestuous tenure as coach of real madrid . beaten to the la liga title by barcelona , blasted out of the champions league by borussia dortmund and battered by the press in madrid , this is a season he 's decried as the worst of his career . the 50-year-old leaves looking visibly drained , with dissent dripping from the dressing room and insults ringing in his ears , rivals lamenting him as a scourge ' on spanish football . little wonder then that mourinho has opted for a return to chelsea , the english side that helped the portuguese etch his name into the fabric of modern football folklore as the special one . ' for a man who seems determined to forge new frontiers and embrace different cultures around the continent his desire for a second stint at stamford bridge has come as a surprise to many . but according to portuguese journalist jose carlos freitas , mourinho 's latest move is down to the concept of pater familias ; having reached a stage in his career where he wants to mold a club in his image for the long term . i think he is ready to come back to chelsea in a different way , to try and build something from zero , ' freitas , a reporter at the record newspaper , told cnn . it will be a challenge to rebuild chelsea 's team . this might be the job that keeps him there for five or 10 years . he needs to be the number one guy in the club , not only winning but thinking about the club , changing it , preparing it . when mourinho was starting his career he wanted to win things -- leagues , cups and the champions league -- but now he has achieved this status in his career where he needs more . i see this might be a great chance for him to finally have a real connection with ( chelsea 's billionaire russian owner roman abramovich ) in the way that they can build a chelsea to look like manchester united did under alex ferguson . ' freitas agrees that mourinho 's time at real will have chastened the coach who famously anointed himself as special . ' three years in spain have brought a hat-trick of domestic trophies , including a league title that broke barcelona 's dominance under pep guardiola , but , crucially , not the 10th european champions league crown their fervent fans crave . growls of disquiet had been audible for a while but as soon as real 's quest for la decima ' ended , it became a crescendo . mourinho spoke of the people in spain who hated ' him and confirmation of his departure led barcelona vice-president carles vilarrubi to declare him a scourge on spanish football ' in a radio interview . vilarrubi also predicted he 'll be a disaster ' at chelsea . dressing room dissent unusually for a coach who has prided himself on forging unbreakable spirit amongst his squad , criticism has also seeped from his players . the coach 's decision to drop goalkeeper iker casillas , spain 's world cup-winning captain and a real poster boy with 23 years'service to the club , in favor of new signing diego lopez caused much of the consternation . his own players , including fellow portuguese pepe , criticized his treatment of casillas but mourinho would not yield , dismissing the defender 's remarks as jealousy . despite this fractious finale to his real career , one of mourinho 's former players has a different take on the culture of conflict that has dominated the final chapter of his bernabeu reign . at real madrid some players were against him but you have to look at that in a different way : why , in a 12-year career , is it that only two or three people are complaining ? ' asks frederico castro roque dos santos , known as freddy , who played under mourinho for portuguese side uniao de leiria . for me this is success , this is huge . everywhere he goes people like him ; he passed through so many clubs , so many players , so many figures and only now some people complain . ' even as a young coach mourinho was laying the founding principles upon which his success would be based . his first step is demonstrating , and demanding , ultimate loyalty from his charges . so what was it like to play for him ? he protected us from everyone , from the president , from fans , from journalists . to protect his own people he does n't care about the consequences outside , ' freddy explained . even when he left inter milan , one player that hardly played ( italian defender marco materazzi ) hugged him and cried with him , so this revealed what he does inside a team . he makes you believe you are the best player . in my case , a player who was 20 years old , he told me i would be the best player in the league . even though i was n't , i believed him . this is like a father to a son , your son is always the best . this is his major weapon . he 's also good with personal relationships -- he is like a psychologist . he has a lot of qualities that are not normal in coaches . i believe he is the same person but when you are coach of chelsea or real madrid you have more enemies , let 's say . it is a more difficult fight when you are in a big team , but he will protect everyone until the end . ' press relations mourinho 's entrance at chelsea back in 2004 was unforgettable . suave and sophisticated , he strolled into his new post as a champions league winner with porto and instantly declared to the gathered media : i think i am a special one . ' this one line came to symbolize his close relationship with the english press . they loved his perceived arrogance , the way he prowled the touchline , and he admired their principles of fair play . though that relationship had soured by the time he left chelsea in 2007 , having secured five major trophies -- including the club 's first league title in 55 year -- it still represented the high point in his dealings with the media . his time as coach of internazionale in italy , which yielded two serie a titles , two domestic cup wins and another champions league triumph , was punctuated by rows with journalists -- one even accused him of physical violence . relations with the notorious madrid press veered between difficult and impossible ; mourinho 's desire to shape the club the way he wanted combined with his confrontational style jarred with many . he always understood something that is awfully important in modern football , to play a role , as if in the theater , ' freitas explains . if you go to the theater you see an actor performing a role and he does that . i think he does that sometimes in a positive way , sometimes in a way people do n't understand . the press in madrid never understood this . the press are all supporters of the club . it 's a personal thing in spain , when they see someone who is trying to change the situation at the club . he tried to change the organization ; he had problems with ( former real director ) jorge valdano , trying to have full control of the professional team . this was not regarded as a positive thing by the press or the players . there was no way out for him , even if he had won the champions league . if he had won'la decima'then he could have gone out using the main door leaving like a god , but he did n't . ' freddy 's playing career is nearing an end but he already has his uefa'b ' coaching license as he looks to follow in mourinho 's footsteps . he says his old coach 's methods will form the basis upon which he approaches his role . as mourinho said , we always can improve the individual , ' he explained . we do n't have to take the best players to have the best team , we can put a couple of guys together and make them the best together . i saw this with my eyes so i want to do it for the kids back in my home country angola . i learnt from mourinho that everyone should be treated differently . you would n't treat frank lampard the same like john obi mikel . a guy that is more explosive i try to extract his quality , a guy that is more technical too , we do n't need to criticize . we were in one team that was simple and we were fighting to be champions with a low budget , inferior players , but as a unit it worked , i saw it with my eyes . we can inject psychology and knowledge into any individual . mourinho is almost complete as a coach . in england he is known as'the special one'but when you know him , you see that it 's not a joke . he is special . '
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the portuguese coach 's three-year tenure at real madrid ended in failure
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uruguay <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico dealt a body blow to the world cup chances of former champions france with 2-0 win over les bleus in their group a clash in polakwane on thursday . second half goals from javier hernandez and veteran cuauhtemoc blanco gave them a deserved victory against raymond domenech 's men , who again disappointed . the result also means that mexico and uruguay are both assured of qualification if they draw their final group match in rustenburg on june 22 whatever the outcome of france 's game against hosts south africa . hosts held as world cup begins hernandez made the breakthrough in the 64th minute as he rounded hugo lloris in the french goal to score after being put through by his captain rafael marquez . the clinching goal in the 78th minute came through a penalty by blanco , awarded after his fellow substitute pablo barrera had burst into the penalty area past patrice evra to be brought down by eric abidal . the 37-year-old blanco took a long run-up and beat lloris with ease . catch cnn 's world cup twitter.buzz the mexicans , who drew their opening match against the hosts , were always the more lively side with arsenal 's carlos vela and carlos salcido both having half chances with lloris the busier goalkeeper . france looked to improve after the interval and chelsea 's florent malouda had their best opportunity as his powerful shot was pushed over , but it was just about all they had to show in an attacking sense and the omens do no look good for the 2006 runners-up . domenech said it was now a question of salvaging pride after winning a solitary point from their two games following a tepid goalless draw against uruguay . we need a miracle now , ' he told afp . we have to be strong and at least play for our honor . at least we must show something in the last match . when we are forced to rely on others , there 's nothing to say , ' added domenech who will stand down as france coach after the finals .
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uruguay and mexico will both qualify from group if they draw their final match
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polakwane <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mexico dealt a body blow to the world cup chances of former champions france with 2-0 win over les bleus in their group a clash in polakwane on thursday . second half goals from javier hernandez and veteran cuauhtemoc blanco gave them a deserved victory against raymond domenech 's men , who again disappointed . the result also means that mexico and uruguay are both assured of qualification if they draw their final group match in rustenburg on june 22 whatever the outcome of france 's game against hosts south africa . hosts held as world cup begins hernandez made the breakthrough in the 64th minute as he rounded hugo lloris in the french goal to score after being put through by his captain rafael marquez . the clinching goal in the 78th minute came through a penalty by blanco , awarded after his fellow substitute pablo barrera had burst into the penalty area past patrice evra to be brought down by eric abidal . the 37-year-old blanco took a long run-up and beat lloris with ease . catch cnn 's world cup twitter.buzz the mexicans , who drew their opening match against the hosts , were always the more lively side with arsenal 's carlos vela and carlos salcido both having half chances with lloris the busier goalkeeper . france looked to improve after the interval and chelsea 's florent malouda had their best opportunity as his powerful shot was pushed over , but it was just about all they had to show in an attacking sense and the omens do no look good for the 2006 runners-up . domenech said it was now a question of salvaging pride after winning a solitary point from their two games following a tepid goalless draw against uruguay . we need a miracle now , ' he told afp . we have to be strong and at least play for our honor . at least we must show something in the last match . when we are forced to rely on others , there 's nothing to say , ' added domenech who will stand down as france coach after the finals .
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mexico beat france 2-0 in their group a clash in polakwane
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yemen <tsp> ( cnn ) relations between iran and saudi arabia have always been thorny , but rarely has the state of affairs been as venomous as it is today . tehran and riyadh each point to the other as the main reason for much of the turmoil in the middle east . in its most recent incarnation , the iranian-saudi conflict by proxy has reached yemen in a spiral that both sides portray as climatic . for riyadh and its regional allies , the saudi military intervention in yemen -- operation decisive storm ' -- is the moment the sunni arab nation finally woke up to repel the expansion of shia-iranian influence . for tehran and its regional allies -- including the houthi movement in yemen -- saudi arabia 's actions are in defense of a retrogressive status quo order that is no longer tenable . and yet both sides have good reasons to want to stop the yemeni crisis from spiraling out of control and evolving into an unwinnable war . when iranian president hassan rouhani was elected in june 2013 , he pledged to reach out to riyadh . he was up front and called tehran 's steep deterioration of relations with the saudis over the last decade as one of the principal burdens on iranian foreign policy . from lebanon and afghanistan to pakistan and the gaza strip , the iranian-saudi rivalry and conflict through proxy has been deep and costly . and yet despite rouhani 's open pledge , profound differences over syria and iraq in particular have kept riyadh and tehran apart . but if the questions of syria and iraq prevented a pause in hostilities , the saudi military intervention in yemen since late march has all but raised the stakes to unprecedentedly dangerous levels . unlike in syria and in iraq , the saudi military is now directly battling it out with iranian-backed rebels in yemen . while riyadh no doubt exaggerates tehran 's role in the yemen crisis , its fingerprints are nonetheless evident . iran provides financial support , weapons , training and intelligence to houthis , ' gerald feierstein , a u.s. state department official and former yemen ambassador , told a congressional hearing last week . we believe that iran sees opportunities with the houthis to expand its influence in yemen and threaten saudi and gulf arab interests . ' the iranians find the charges biased and point to the saudi airstrikes in yemen as a much bigger case of meddling in a neighbor 's affairs . in iran , the cue came from the country 's top authority , supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei , who has been unusually blunt . he tweeted : despite disputes , the saudis used to display composure [ with ] us but now inexperienced youngsters have come to power & replaced composure [ with ] barbarism . ' three days after khamenei 's speech , iran suspended religious pilgrimages to mecca . this came as news broke about two iranian teenage boys who had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the police while visiting saudi arabia . meanwhile , anti-saudi protests have been staged in a number of iranian cities . khamenei 's speech opened the floodgate of anti-saudi statements . the voices of hardline figures in tehran have been the most agitated . general ahmad purdastan , the commander of the iranian ground forces , taunted the saudis . beware of the day when firecrackers explode in riyadh , ' purdastan said , in a not-so-subtle warning . but it was not only the hawks that came out swinging against the saudis . ayatollah ali-akbar hashemi rafsanjani , a former president and arguably iran 's most vocal advocate of better iranian-saudi relations . called riyadh 's military intervention a strategic mistake ' and urged for a political solution . seeking a political solution is iran 's stated aim for the yemeni crisis , but the prospects of such an effort succeeding are slim . iranian foreign minister javad zarif has provided a four-point plan : to get a ceasefire , to encourage the provision of humanitarian aid , to promote political dialogue among warring yemeni parties , and to achieve the formation of an inclusive government . but the iranian proposal also asks for an end to saudi airstrikes . as zarif put it , iran and saudi arabia need to talk , but we can not talk to determine the future of yemen . ' the saudis have thus far ignored the iranian proposal . meanwhile , the houthi leadership has welcomed the plan . as one of its leaders said , in iran 's plan , unacceptable solutions do not exist . ' not only do the saudis not have any faith in any iranian-drafted political package that is welcomed by the houthis , but riyadh believes that the international disposition favors it . saudi arabia was elated by the u.n. security council vote on 14 april that condemned the houthi movement . only russia abstained . but a solution to the yemeni crisis will not come from the u.n . the u.n. can provide a cover for riyadh 's military intervention , but it can not secure it a military win . this leaves riyadh with a fundamental question about how far it is willing to take its fight in yemen . saudi airstrikes alone will not finish off the houthi movement and it allies in the yemeni armed forces . it requires ground troops on a huge scale . riyadh has tried hard to muster a military coalition that is willing to dispatch ground troops but its effort has so far been nothing short of a fiasco . the pakistanis most famously turned down the saudi request and let it be known that yemen is a quagmire they can do without . instead , islamabad has asked iran to push the houthis for a political compromise that riyadh can live with . the turks were enthusiastic at first about stopping the houthis -- but in his visit to tehran last week , turkish president recep tayyip erdogan made it clear that he has prioritized iranian-turkish trade relations over rivalry in yemen , and emphasized a political solution for the yemeni conflict . the egyptians and the jordanians are still supportive of saudi efforts and claim publicly to be open to the idea of deploying military forces to assist riyadh in yemen . but whether they will go through with it is another matter . egypt has a long list of problems of its own , including a bloody counter-terrorism campaign in sinai that it can not afford to lose , but also an eastern border with lawless libya that is increasingly a new front in cairo 's fight against jihadists . it is hard to see how egyptian general abdel fattah el-sisi can commit troops to a yemeni campaign that is not a direct threat to egypt 's security . the same kind of domestic realities , including the threat from isis , will also prevent jordan from any significant contribution to saudi military efforts in yemen . these hard realities leave riyadh with two options . it can look for or even mediate a political solution that will invariably include the same houthis that riyadh is attacking today . alternatively , given the absence of willing states to contribute ground troops , riyadh will have to contemplate a full-scale invasion of yemen . that is scenario that is very hard to contemplate . the iranians too are faced with stark choices . it is beyond tehran 's ability to tame the yemeni crisis . as tempting as it might be for tehran to see the saudis bleed in yemen , the danger of this conflict further fuelling sectarian tensions in the middle east will undermine broader regional iranian interests . a political compromise that both riyadh and tehran and their respective yemeni allies can live with seems to be the only option that is not cataclysmic .
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iran has proposed a four-point plan for yemen but saudis have ignored it
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iran <tsp> ( cnn ) relations between iran and saudi arabia have always been thorny , but rarely has the state of affairs been as venomous as it is today . tehran and riyadh each point to the other as the main reason for much of the turmoil in the middle east . in its most recent incarnation , the iranian-saudi conflict by proxy has reached yemen in a spiral that both sides portray as climatic . for riyadh and its regional allies , the saudi military intervention in yemen -- operation decisive storm ' -- is the moment the sunni arab nation finally woke up to repel the expansion of shia-iranian influence . for tehran and its regional allies -- including the houthi movement in yemen -- saudi arabia 's actions are in defense of a retrogressive status quo order that is no longer tenable . and yet both sides have good reasons to want to stop the yemeni crisis from spiraling out of control and evolving into an unwinnable war . when iranian president hassan rouhani was elected in june 2013 , he pledged to reach out to riyadh . he was up front and called tehran 's steep deterioration of relations with the saudis over the last decade as one of the principal burdens on iranian foreign policy . from lebanon and afghanistan to pakistan and the gaza strip , the iranian-saudi rivalry and conflict through proxy has been deep and costly . and yet despite rouhani 's open pledge , profound differences over syria and iraq in particular have kept riyadh and tehran apart . but if the questions of syria and iraq prevented a pause in hostilities , the saudi military intervention in yemen since late march has all but raised the stakes to unprecedentedly dangerous levels . unlike in syria and in iraq , the saudi military is now directly battling it out with iranian-backed rebels in yemen . while riyadh no doubt exaggerates tehran 's role in the yemen crisis , its fingerprints are nonetheless evident . iran provides financial support , weapons , training and intelligence to houthis , ' gerald feierstein , a u.s. state department official and former yemen ambassador , told a congressional hearing last week . we believe that iran sees opportunities with the houthis to expand its influence in yemen and threaten saudi and gulf arab interests . ' the iranians find the charges biased and point to the saudi airstrikes in yemen as a much bigger case of meddling in a neighbor 's affairs . in iran , the cue came from the country 's top authority , supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei , who has been unusually blunt . he tweeted : despite disputes , the saudis used to display composure [ with ] us but now inexperienced youngsters have come to power & replaced composure [ with ] barbarism . ' three days after khamenei 's speech , iran suspended religious pilgrimages to mecca . this came as news broke about two iranian teenage boys who had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the police while visiting saudi arabia . meanwhile , anti-saudi protests have been staged in a number of iranian cities . khamenei 's speech opened the floodgate of anti-saudi statements . the voices of hardline figures in tehran have been the most agitated . general ahmad purdastan , the commander of the iranian ground forces , taunted the saudis . beware of the day when firecrackers explode in riyadh , ' purdastan said , in a not-so-subtle warning . but it was not only the hawks that came out swinging against the saudis . ayatollah ali-akbar hashemi rafsanjani , a former president and arguably iran 's most vocal advocate of better iranian-saudi relations . called riyadh 's military intervention a strategic mistake ' and urged for a political solution . seeking a political solution is iran 's stated aim for the yemeni crisis , but the prospects of such an effort succeeding are slim . iranian foreign minister javad zarif has provided a four-point plan : to get a ceasefire , to encourage the provision of humanitarian aid , to promote political dialogue among warring yemeni parties , and to achieve the formation of an inclusive government . but the iranian proposal also asks for an end to saudi airstrikes . as zarif put it , iran and saudi arabia need to talk , but we can not talk to determine the future of yemen . ' the saudis have thus far ignored the iranian proposal . meanwhile , the houthi leadership has welcomed the plan . as one of its leaders said , in iran 's plan , unacceptable solutions do not exist . ' not only do the saudis not have any faith in any iranian-drafted political package that is welcomed by the houthis , but riyadh believes that the international disposition favors it . saudi arabia was elated by the u.n. security council vote on 14 april that condemned the houthi movement . only russia abstained . but a solution to the yemeni crisis will not come from the u.n . the u.n. can provide a cover for riyadh 's military intervention , but it can not secure it a military win . this leaves riyadh with a fundamental question about how far it is willing to take its fight in yemen . saudi airstrikes alone will not finish off the houthi movement and it allies in the yemeni armed forces . it requires ground troops on a huge scale . riyadh has tried hard to muster a military coalition that is willing to dispatch ground troops but its effort has so far been nothing short of a fiasco . the pakistanis most famously turned down the saudi request and let it be known that yemen is a quagmire they can do without . instead , islamabad has asked iran to push the houthis for a political compromise that riyadh can live with . the turks were enthusiastic at first about stopping the houthis -- but in his visit to tehran last week , turkish president recep tayyip erdogan made it clear that he has prioritized iranian-turkish trade relations over rivalry in yemen , and emphasized a political solution for the yemeni conflict . the egyptians and the jordanians are still supportive of saudi efforts and claim publicly to be open to the idea of deploying military forces to assist riyadh in yemen . but whether they will go through with it is another matter . egypt has a long list of problems of its own , including a bloody counter-terrorism campaign in sinai that it can not afford to lose , but also an eastern border with lawless libya that is increasingly a new front in cairo 's fight against jihadists . it is hard to see how egyptian general abdel fattah el-sisi can commit troops to a yemeni campaign that is not a direct threat to egypt 's security . the same kind of domestic realities , including the threat from isis , will also prevent jordan from any significant contribution to saudi military efforts in yemen . these hard realities leave riyadh with two options . it can look for or even mediate a political solution that will invariably include the same houthis that riyadh is attacking today . alternatively , given the absence of willing states to contribute ground troops , riyadh will have to contemplate a full-scale invasion of yemen . that is scenario that is very hard to contemplate . the iranians too are faced with stark choices . it is beyond tehran 's ability to tame the yemeni crisis . as tempting as it might be for tehran to see the saudis bleed in yemen , the danger of this conflict further fuelling sectarian tensions in the middle east will undermine broader regional iranian interests . a political compromise that both riyadh and tehran and their respective yemeni allies can live with seems to be the only option that is not cataclysmic .
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vatanka : tensions between iran and saudi arabia are at an unprecedented level
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iran <tsp> ( cnn ) relations between iran and saudi arabia have always been thorny , but rarely has the state of affairs been as venomous as it is today . tehran and riyadh each point to the other as the main reason for much of the turmoil in the middle east . in its most recent incarnation , the iranian-saudi conflict by proxy has reached yemen in a spiral that both sides portray as climatic . for riyadh and its regional allies , the saudi military intervention in yemen -- operation decisive storm ' -- is the moment the sunni arab nation finally woke up to repel the expansion of shia-iranian influence . for tehran and its regional allies -- including the houthi movement in yemen -- saudi arabia 's actions are in defense of a retrogressive status quo order that is no longer tenable . and yet both sides have good reasons to want to stop the yemeni crisis from spiraling out of control and evolving into an unwinnable war . when iranian president hassan rouhani was elected in june 2013 , he pledged to reach out to riyadh . he was up front and called tehran 's steep deterioration of relations with the saudis over the last decade as one of the principal burdens on iranian foreign policy . from lebanon and afghanistan to pakistan and the gaza strip , the iranian-saudi rivalry and conflict through proxy has been deep and costly . and yet despite rouhani 's open pledge , profound differences over syria and iraq in particular have kept riyadh and tehran apart . but if the questions of syria and iraq prevented a pause in hostilities , the saudi military intervention in yemen since late march has all but raised the stakes to unprecedentedly dangerous levels . unlike in syria and in iraq , the saudi military is now directly battling it out with iranian-backed rebels in yemen . while riyadh no doubt exaggerates tehran 's role in the yemen crisis , its fingerprints are nonetheless evident . iran provides financial support , weapons , training and intelligence to houthis , ' gerald feierstein , a u.s. state department official and former yemen ambassador , told a congressional hearing last week . we believe that iran sees opportunities with the houthis to expand its influence in yemen and threaten saudi and gulf arab interests . ' the iranians find the charges biased and point to the saudi airstrikes in yemen as a much bigger case of meddling in a neighbor 's affairs . in iran , the cue came from the country 's top authority , supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei , who has been unusually blunt . he tweeted : despite disputes , the saudis used to display composure [ with ] us but now inexperienced youngsters have come to power & replaced composure [ with ] barbarism . ' three days after khamenei 's speech , iran suspended religious pilgrimages to mecca . this came as news broke about two iranian teenage boys who had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the police while visiting saudi arabia . meanwhile , anti-saudi protests have been staged in a number of iranian cities . khamenei 's speech opened the floodgate of anti-saudi statements . the voices of hardline figures in tehran have been the most agitated . general ahmad purdastan , the commander of the iranian ground forces , taunted the saudis . beware of the day when firecrackers explode in riyadh , ' purdastan said , in a not-so-subtle warning . but it was not only the hawks that came out swinging against the saudis . ayatollah ali-akbar hashemi rafsanjani , a former president and arguably iran 's most vocal advocate of better iranian-saudi relations . called riyadh 's military intervention a strategic mistake ' and urged for a political solution . seeking a political solution is iran 's stated aim for the yemeni crisis , but the prospects of such an effort succeeding are slim . iranian foreign minister javad zarif has provided a four-point plan : to get a ceasefire , to encourage the provision of humanitarian aid , to promote political dialogue among warring yemeni parties , and to achieve the formation of an inclusive government . but the iranian proposal also asks for an end to saudi airstrikes . as zarif put it , iran and saudi arabia need to talk , but we can not talk to determine the future of yemen . ' the saudis have thus far ignored the iranian proposal . meanwhile , the houthi leadership has welcomed the plan . as one of its leaders said , in iran 's plan , unacceptable solutions do not exist . ' not only do the saudis not have any faith in any iranian-drafted political package that is welcomed by the houthis , but riyadh believes that the international disposition favors it . saudi arabia was elated by the u.n. security council vote on 14 april that condemned the houthi movement . only russia abstained . but a solution to the yemeni crisis will not come from the u.n . the u.n. can provide a cover for riyadh 's military intervention , but it can not secure it a military win . this leaves riyadh with a fundamental question about how far it is willing to take its fight in yemen . saudi airstrikes alone will not finish off the houthi movement and it allies in the yemeni armed forces . it requires ground troops on a huge scale . riyadh has tried hard to muster a military coalition that is willing to dispatch ground troops but its effort has so far been nothing short of a fiasco . the pakistanis most famously turned down the saudi request and let it be known that yemen is a quagmire they can do without . instead , islamabad has asked iran to push the houthis for a political compromise that riyadh can live with . the turks were enthusiastic at first about stopping the houthis -- but in his visit to tehran last week , turkish president recep tayyip erdogan made it clear that he has prioritized iranian-turkish trade relations over rivalry in yemen , and emphasized a political solution for the yemeni conflict . the egyptians and the jordanians are still supportive of saudi efforts and claim publicly to be open to the idea of deploying military forces to assist riyadh in yemen . but whether they will go through with it is another matter . egypt has a long list of problems of its own , including a bloody counter-terrorism campaign in sinai that it can not afford to lose , but also an eastern border with lawless libya that is increasingly a new front in cairo 's fight against jihadists . it is hard to see how egyptian general abdel fattah el-sisi can commit troops to a yemeni campaign that is not a direct threat to egypt 's security . the same kind of domestic realities , including the threat from isis , will also prevent jordan from any significant contribution to saudi military efforts in yemen . these hard realities leave riyadh with two options . it can look for or even mediate a political solution that will invariably include the same houthis that riyadh is attacking today . alternatively , given the absence of willing states to contribute ground troops , riyadh will have to contemplate a full-scale invasion of yemen . that is scenario that is very hard to contemplate . the iranians too are faced with stark choices . it is beyond tehran 's ability to tame the yemeni crisis . as tempting as it might be for tehran to see the saudis bleed in yemen , the danger of this conflict further fuelling sectarian tensions in the middle east will undermine broader regional iranian interests . a political compromise that both riyadh and tehran and their respective yemeni allies can live with seems to be the only option that is not cataclysmic .
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iran has proposed a four-point plan for yemen but saudis have ignored it
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saudis <tsp> ( cnn ) relations between iran and saudi arabia have always been thorny , but rarely has the state of affairs been as venomous as it is today . tehran and riyadh each point to the other as the main reason for much of the turmoil in the middle east . in its most recent incarnation , the iranian-saudi conflict by proxy has reached yemen in a spiral that both sides portray as climatic . for riyadh and its regional allies , the saudi military intervention in yemen -- operation decisive storm ' -- is the moment the sunni arab nation finally woke up to repel the expansion of shia-iranian influence . for tehran and its regional allies -- including the houthi movement in yemen -- saudi arabia 's actions are in defense of a retrogressive status quo order that is no longer tenable . and yet both sides have good reasons to want to stop the yemeni crisis from spiraling out of control and evolving into an unwinnable war . when iranian president hassan rouhani was elected in june 2013 , he pledged to reach out to riyadh . he was up front and called tehran 's steep deterioration of relations with the saudis over the last decade as one of the principal burdens on iranian foreign policy . from lebanon and afghanistan to pakistan and the gaza strip , the iranian-saudi rivalry and conflict through proxy has been deep and costly . and yet despite rouhani 's open pledge , profound differences over syria and iraq in particular have kept riyadh and tehran apart . but if the questions of syria and iraq prevented a pause in hostilities , the saudi military intervention in yemen since late march has all but raised the stakes to unprecedentedly dangerous levels . unlike in syria and in iraq , the saudi military is now directly battling it out with iranian-backed rebels in yemen . while riyadh no doubt exaggerates tehran 's role in the yemen crisis , its fingerprints are nonetheless evident . iran provides financial support , weapons , training and intelligence to houthis , ' gerald feierstein , a u.s. state department official and former yemen ambassador , told a congressional hearing last week . we believe that iran sees opportunities with the houthis to expand its influence in yemen and threaten saudi and gulf arab interests . ' the iranians find the charges biased and point to the saudi airstrikes in yemen as a much bigger case of meddling in a neighbor 's affairs . in iran , the cue came from the country 's top authority , supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei , who has been unusually blunt . he tweeted : despite disputes , the saudis used to display composure [ with ] us but now inexperienced youngsters have come to power & replaced composure [ with ] barbarism . ' three days after khamenei 's speech , iran suspended religious pilgrimages to mecca . this came as news broke about two iranian teenage boys who had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the police while visiting saudi arabia . meanwhile , anti-saudi protests have been staged in a number of iranian cities . khamenei 's speech opened the floodgate of anti-saudi statements . the voices of hardline figures in tehran have been the most agitated . general ahmad purdastan , the commander of the iranian ground forces , taunted the saudis . beware of the day when firecrackers explode in riyadh , ' purdastan said , in a not-so-subtle warning . but it was not only the hawks that came out swinging against the saudis . ayatollah ali-akbar hashemi rafsanjani , a former president and arguably iran 's most vocal advocate of better iranian-saudi relations . called riyadh 's military intervention a strategic mistake ' and urged for a political solution . seeking a political solution is iran 's stated aim for the yemeni crisis , but the prospects of such an effort succeeding are slim . iranian foreign minister javad zarif has provided a four-point plan : to get a ceasefire , to encourage the provision of humanitarian aid , to promote political dialogue among warring yemeni parties , and to achieve the formation of an inclusive government . but the iranian proposal also asks for an end to saudi airstrikes . as zarif put it , iran and saudi arabia need to talk , but we can not talk to determine the future of yemen . ' the saudis have thus far ignored the iranian proposal . meanwhile , the houthi leadership has welcomed the plan . as one of its leaders said , in iran 's plan , unacceptable solutions do not exist . ' not only do the saudis not have any faith in any iranian-drafted political package that is welcomed by the houthis , but riyadh believes that the international disposition favors it . saudi arabia was elated by the u.n. security council vote on 14 april that condemned the houthi movement . only russia abstained . but a solution to the yemeni crisis will not come from the u.n . the u.n. can provide a cover for riyadh 's military intervention , but it can not secure it a military win . this leaves riyadh with a fundamental question about how far it is willing to take its fight in yemen . saudi airstrikes alone will not finish off the houthi movement and it allies in the yemeni armed forces . it requires ground troops on a huge scale . riyadh has tried hard to muster a military coalition that is willing to dispatch ground troops but its effort has so far been nothing short of a fiasco . the pakistanis most famously turned down the saudi request and let it be known that yemen is a quagmire they can do without . instead , islamabad has asked iran to push the houthis for a political compromise that riyadh can live with . the turks were enthusiastic at first about stopping the houthis -- but in his visit to tehran last week , turkish president recep tayyip erdogan made it clear that he has prioritized iranian-turkish trade relations over rivalry in yemen , and emphasized a political solution for the yemeni conflict . the egyptians and the jordanians are still supportive of saudi efforts and claim publicly to be open to the idea of deploying military forces to assist riyadh in yemen . but whether they will go through with it is another matter . egypt has a long list of problems of its own , including a bloody counter-terrorism campaign in sinai that it can not afford to lose , but also an eastern border with lawless libya that is increasingly a new front in cairo 's fight against jihadists . it is hard to see how egyptian general abdel fattah el-sisi can commit troops to a yemeni campaign that is not a direct threat to egypt 's security . the same kind of domestic realities , including the threat from isis , will also prevent jordan from any significant contribution to saudi military efforts in yemen . these hard realities leave riyadh with two options . it can look for or even mediate a political solution that will invariably include the same houthis that riyadh is attacking today . alternatively , given the absence of willing states to contribute ground troops , riyadh will have to contemplate a full-scale invasion of yemen . that is scenario that is very hard to contemplate . the iranians too are faced with stark choices . it is beyond tehran 's ability to tame the yemeni crisis . as tempting as it might be for tehran to see the saudis bleed in yemen , the danger of this conflict further fuelling sectarian tensions in the middle east will undermine broader regional iranian interests . a political compromise that both riyadh and tehran and their respective yemeni allies can live with seems to be the only option that is not cataclysmic .
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vatanka : saudis have tried to muster a ground invasion coalition but have failed
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saudis <tsp> ( cnn ) relations between iran and saudi arabia have always been thorny , but rarely has the state of affairs been as venomous as it is today . tehran and riyadh each point to the other as the main reason for much of the turmoil in the middle east . in its most recent incarnation , the iranian-saudi conflict by proxy has reached yemen in a spiral that both sides portray as climatic . for riyadh and its regional allies , the saudi military intervention in yemen -- operation decisive storm ' -- is the moment the sunni arab nation finally woke up to repel the expansion of shia-iranian influence . for tehran and its regional allies -- including the houthi movement in yemen -- saudi arabia 's actions are in defense of a retrogressive status quo order that is no longer tenable . and yet both sides have good reasons to want to stop the yemeni crisis from spiraling out of control and evolving into an unwinnable war . when iranian president hassan rouhani was elected in june 2013 , he pledged to reach out to riyadh . he was up front and called tehran 's steep deterioration of relations with the saudis over the last decade as one of the principal burdens on iranian foreign policy . from lebanon and afghanistan to pakistan and the gaza strip , the iranian-saudi rivalry and conflict through proxy has been deep and costly . and yet despite rouhani 's open pledge , profound differences over syria and iraq in particular have kept riyadh and tehran apart . but if the questions of syria and iraq prevented a pause in hostilities , the saudi military intervention in yemen since late march has all but raised the stakes to unprecedentedly dangerous levels . unlike in syria and in iraq , the saudi military is now directly battling it out with iranian-backed rebels in yemen . while riyadh no doubt exaggerates tehran 's role in the yemen crisis , its fingerprints are nonetheless evident . iran provides financial support , weapons , training and intelligence to houthis , ' gerald feierstein , a u.s. state department official and former yemen ambassador , told a congressional hearing last week . we believe that iran sees opportunities with the houthis to expand its influence in yemen and threaten saudi and gulf arab interests . ' the iranians find the charges biased and point to the saudi airstrikes in yemen as a much bigger case of meddling in a neighbor 's affairs . in iran , the cue came from the country 's top authority , supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei , who has been unusually blunt . he tweeted : despite disputes , the saudis used to display composure [ with ] us but now inexperienced youngsters have come to power & replaced composure [ with ] barbarism . ' three days after khamenei 's speech , iran suspended religious pilgrimages to mecca . this came as news broke about two iranian teenage boys who had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the police while visiting saudi arabia . meanwhile , anti-saudi protests have been staged in a number of iranian cities . khamenei 's speech opened the floodgate of anti-saudi statements . the voices of hardline figures in tehran have been the most agitated . general ahmad purdastan , the commander of the iranian ground forces , taunted the saudis . beware of the day when firecrackers explode in riyadh , ' purdastan said , in a not-so-subtle warning . but it was not only the hawks that came out swinging against the saudis . ayatollah ali-akbar hashemi rafsanjani , a former president and arguably iran 's most vocal advocate of better iranian-saudi relations . called riyadh 's military intervention a strategic mistake ' and urged for a political solution . seeking a political solution is iran 's stated aim for the yemeni crisis , but the prospects of such an effort succeeding are slim . iranian foreign minister javad zarif has provided a four-point plan : to get a ceasefire , to encourage the provision of humanitarian aid , to promote political dialogue among warring yemeni parties , and to achieve the formation of an inclusive government . but the iranian proposal also asks for an end to saudi airstrikes . as zarif put it , iran and saudi arabia need to talk , but we can not talk to determine the future of yemen . ' the saudis have thus far ignored the iranian proposal . meanwhile , the houthi leadership has welcomed the plan . as one of its leaders said , in iran 's plan , unacceptable solutions do not exist . ' not only do the saudis not have any faith in any iranian-drafted political package that is welcomed by the houthis , but riyadh believes that the international disposition favors it . saudi arabia was elated by the u.n. security council vote on 14 april that condemned the houthi movement . only russia abstained . but a solution to the yemeni crisis will not come from the u.n . the u.n. can provide a cover for riyadh 's military intervention , but it can not secure it a military win . this leaves riyadh with a fundamental question about how far it is willing to take its fight in yemen . saudi airstrikes alone will not finish off the houthi movement and it allies in the yemeni armed forces . it requires ground troops on a huge scale . riyadh has tried hard to muster a military coalition that is willing to dispatch ground troops but its effort has so far been nothing short of a fiasco . the pakistanis most famously turned down the saudi request and let it be known that yemen is a quagmire they can do without . instead , islamabad has asked iran to push the houthis for a political compromise that riyadh can live with . the turks were enthusiastic at first about stopping the houthis -- but in his visit to tehran last week , turkish president recep tayyip erdogan made it clear that he has prioritized iranian-turkish trade relations over rivalry in yemen , and emphasized a political solution for the yemeni conflict . the egyptians and the jordanians are still supportive of saudi efforts and claim publicly to be open to the idea of deploying military forces to assist riyadh in yemen . but whether they will go through with it is another matter . egypt has a long list of problems of its own , including a bloody counter-terrorism campaign in sinai that it can not afford to lose , but also an eastern border with lawless libya that is increasingly a new front in cairo 's fight against jihadists . it is hard to see how egyptian general abdel fattah el-sisi can commit troops to a yemeni campaign that is not a direct threat to egypt 's security . the same kind of domestic realities , including the threat from isis , will also prevent jordan from any significant contribution to saudi military efforts in yemen . these hard realities leave riyadh with two options . it can look for or even mediate a political solution that will invariably include the same houthis that riyadh is attacking today . alternatively , given the absence of willing states to contribute ground troops , riyadh will have to contemplate a full-scale invasion of yemen . that is scenario that is very hard to contemplate . the iranians too are faced with stark choices . it is beyond tehran 's ability to tame the yemeni crisis . as tempting as it might be for tehran to see the saudis bleed in yemen , the danger of this conflict further fuelling sectarian tensions in the middle east will undermine broader regional iranian interests . a political compromise that both riyadh and tehran and their respective yemeni allies can live with seems to be the only option that is not cataclysmic .
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iran has proposed a four-point plan for yemen but saudis have ignored it
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lance cpl . <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- a u.s. marine videotaped throwing a puppy over a cliff while on patrol in iraq has been kicked out of the corps , and a second marine involved has been disciplined , according to a statement released by the marines . youtube.com removed the video for violating the web site 's terms of use . lance cpl . david motari , based in hawaii with the 1st battalion , 3rd marine regiment , is being processed for separation ' and received non-judicial punishment , officials said in the statement wednesday night . the marine corps would not specify what that punishment was because of privacy regulations . the statement said motari received the punishment for his role in the episode which generated international attention . ' the incident appeared on the internet web site youtube in march , sparking outrage from animal rights groups around the world . in the video , motari is seen throwing the dog off a cliff as it yelps . a second marine , san diego-based sgt . crismarvin banez encarnacion , received non-judicial punishment as well . janice hagar , a spokeswoman for the marines in san diego , said encarnacion shot the video . marine officials at the pentagon would not disclose the severity of the disciplinary action against encarnacion , also because of privacy regulations . cnn did not receive a response from the marine corps in san diego to questions about the case . the statement said the marines conducted an investigation as soon as the youtube video came to the attention of commanders . the actions seen in the internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every marine and will not be tolerated , ' according to the statement . on the video , motari smiles as he is holding the puppy and then hurls the dog over a cliff . an unknown person operating the video cameras is heard laughing and another voice saying that 's mean , motari . ' in a statement , the humane society of the united states applauded the marine corps'decision to punish those involved . the bad actors in this case have been dealt with by the marine corps , which rightly recognizes that harming animals is unacceptable conduct , ' said dale bartlett , the group 's deputy manager for animal cruelty issues . now , the department of defense and the congress must step up protection from cruelty for all animals under the law governing military conduct . '
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hawaii-based lance cpl . david motari is being processed for separation '
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greste <tsp> an al jazeera correspondent who has been held for nearly a month by egyptian authorities calls his detention an attack on press freedoms , according to a letter posted online saturday by the news network . peter greste , an australian , is one of three al jazeera employees who have been held since december 30 by egyptian authorities , who have accused the three for allegedly meeting with members of the banned muslim brotherhood . how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved , ' he wrote . the network did not say how it obtained the letter from greste , who has previously worked for cnn , reuters and bbc . he is being held along with producers mohamed fahmy and baher mohamed . western leaders , human rights groups and journalists have repeatedly called on egypt to release the men , saying their arrests were a violation of human rights and press freedoms . fahmy worked for cnn and the new york times prior to joined the qatar-based network . mohamed is a cairo-based producer for the network . international media demand egypt release detained journalists text of the letter , entitled a letter from tora prison , ' released by al jazeera : i am nervous as i write this . i am in my cold prison cell after my first official exercise session -- four glorious hours in the grass yard behind our block and i do n't want that right to be snatched away . i 've been locked in my cell 24 hours a day for the past 10 days , allowed out only for visits to the prosecutor for questioning , so the chance for a walk in the weak winter sunshine is precious . so too are the books on history , arabic and fiction that my neighbours have passed to me , and the pad and pen i now write with . i want to cling to these tiny joys and avoid anything that might move the prison authorities to punitively withdraw them . i want to protect them almost as much as i want my freedom back . that is why i have sought , until now , to fight my imprisonment quietly from within , to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake , that i 've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own . but after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision . it validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across egypt . all of a sudden , my books seem rather petty . i had been in cairo only two weeks before interior ministry agents burst through the door of my hotel room , that of my colleague and producer mohamed fahmy , and into the home of al jazeera 's second producer baher mohamed . accuracy , fairness , and balance we had been doing exactly as any responsible , professional journalist would -- recording and trying to make sense of the unfolding events with all the accuracy , fairness and balance that our imperfect trade demands . most of the time , it is not a difficult path to walk . but when the egyptian government declared the muslim brotherhood to be terrorist organisation ' , it knocked the middle ground out of the discourse . when the other side , political or otherwise , is a terrorist ' , there is no neutral way . as george w. bush loved to point out after 9/11 , you are either with the government or with the terrorists . so , even talking to them becomes an act of treason , let alone broadcasting their news however benign . the following day , the government fleshed out its definition of the term . anyone caught handing out muslim brotherhood leaflets , or simply participating in protest marches against the government could be arrested and imprisoned for spreading terrorist ideology ' . the muslim brotherhood has lost much of the support and credibility once had when its political leader mohamed morsi became egypt 's first democratically elected president just over a year and a half ago . and many here hold it responsible for a growing wave of islamist violence , but it remains the single largest and best organised social and political force in egypt . what then for a journalist striving for balance , fairness and accuracy ? ' how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved ? i worried about this at the time with mohamed fahmy , but we decided that the choice was obvious -- as obvious as the price we are now paying for making it . the three of us have been accused of collaborating with a terrorist organisation [ the muslim brotherhood ] , of hosting muslim brotherhood meetings in our hotel rooms , of using unlicensed equipments to deliberately broadcast false information to further their aims and defame and discredit the egyptian state . the state has presented no evidence to support the allegations , and we have not been formally charged with any crime . but the prosecutor general has just extended our initial 15-day detention by another 15 days to give investigators more time to find something . he can do this indefinitely -- one of my prison mates has been behind bars for 6 months without a single charge .'the prisons are overflowing' i am in tora prison -- a sprawling complex in the south of the city where the authorities routinely violate legally enshrined prisoners'rights , denying visits from lawyers , keeping cells locked for 20 hours a day ( and 24 hours on public holidays ) and so on . but even that is relatively benign compared to the conditions my colleagues are being held in . fahmy and baher have been accused of being muslim brotherhood members , so they are being held in the far more draconian scorpion prison ' built for convicted terrorists . fahmy has been denied the hospital treatment he badly needs for a shoulder injury he sustained shortly before our arrest . both men spend 24 hours a day in their mosquito-infested cells , sleeping on the floor with no books or writing materials to break the soul- destroying tedium . remember we have not been formally charged , much less convicted of any crime . but this is not just about three al jazeera journalists . our arrest and continued detention sends a clear and unequivocal message to all journalists covering egypt , both foreign and local . the state will not tolerate hearing from the muslim brotherhood or any other critical voices . the prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government . secular activists are sentenced to three years with hard labour for violating protest laws after declining an invitation to openly support the government ; campaigners putting up no ' banners ahead of the constitutional referendum are summarily detained . anyone , in short , who refuses to applaud the institution . so our arrest is not a mistake , and as a journalist this is my battle . i can no longer pretend it 'll go away by keeping quiet and crossing my fingers . i have no particular fight with the egyptian government , just as i have no interest in supporting the muslim brotherhood or any other group here . but as a journalist i am committed to defending a fundamental freedom of the press that no one in my profession can credibly work without . one that is deemed vital to the proper functioning of any open democracy , including egypt 's with its new constitution . of course we will continue to fight this from inside prison and through the judicial system here . but our freedom , and more importantly the freedom of the press here , will not come without loud sustained pressure from human rights and civil society groups , individuals and governments who understand that egypt stability depends as much as on its ability to hold open honest conversations among its people and the world , as it does on its ability to crush violence . we know it is already happening , and all of us are both moved and strengthened by the extraordinary support we have already had , but it needs to continue . peter greste tora prison read the letter on al jazeera
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greste was arrested along with producers mohamed fahmy and baher mohamed
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greste <tsp> an al jazeera correspondent who has been held for nearly a month by egyptian authorities calls his detention an attack on press freedoms , according to a letter posted online saturday by the news network . peter greste , an australian , is one of three al jazeera employees who have been held since december 30 by egyptian authorities , who have accused the three for allegedly meeting with members of the banned muslim brotherhood . how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved , ' he wrote . the network did not say how it obtained the letter from greste , who has previously worked for cnn , reuters and bbc . he is being held along with producers mohamed fahmy and baher mohamed . western leaders , human rights groups and journalists have repeatedly called on egypt to release the men , saying their arrests were a violation of human rights and press freedoms . fahmy worked for cnn and the new york times prior to joined the qatar-based network . mohamed is a cairo-based producer for the network . international media demand egypt release detained journalists text of the letter , entitled a letter from tora prison , ' released by al jazeera : i am nervous as i write this . i am in my cold prison cell after my first official exercise session -- four glorious hours in the grass yard behind our block and i do n't want that right to be snatched away . i 've been locked in my cell 24 hours a day for the past 10 days , allowed out only for visits to the prosecutor for questioning , so the chance for a walk in the weak winter sunshine is precious . so too are the books on history , arabic and fiction that my neighbours have passed to me , and the pad and pen i now write with . i want to cling to these tiny joys and avoid anything that might move the prison authorities to punitively withdraw them . i want to protect them almost as much as i want my freedom back . that is why i have sought , until now , to fight my imprisonment quietly from within , to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake , that i 've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own . but after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision . it validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across egypt . all of a sudden , my books seem rather petty . i had been in cairo only two weeks before interior ministry agents burst through the door of my hotel room , that of my colleague and producer mohamed fahmy , and into the home of al jazeera 's second producer baher mohamed . accuracy , fairness , and balance we had been doing exactly as any responsible , professional journalist would -- recording and trying to make sense of the unfolding events with all the accuracy , fairness and balance that our imperfect trade demands . most of the time , it is not a difficult path to walk . but when the egyptian government declared the muslim brotherhood to be terrorist organisation ' , it knocked the middle ground out of the discourse . when the other side , political or otherwise , is a terrorist ' , there is no neutral way . as george w. bush loved to point out after 9/11 , you are either with the government or with the terrorists . so , even talking to them becomes an act of treason , let alone broadcasting their news however benign . the following day , the government fleshed out its definition of the term . anyone caught handing out muslim brotherhood leaflets , or simply participating in protest marches against the government could be arrested and imprisoned for spreading terrorist ideology ' . the muslim brotherhood has lost much of the support and credibility once had when its political leader mohamed morsi became egypt 's first democratically elected president just over a year and a half ago . and many here hold it responsible for a growing wave of islamist violence , but it remains the single largest and best organised social and political force in egypt . what then for a journalist striving for balance , fairness and accuracy ? ' how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved ? i worried about this at the time with mohamed fahmy , but we decided that the choice was obvious -- as obvious as the price we are now paying for making it . the three of us have been accused of collaborating with a terrorist organisation [ the muslim brotherhood ] , of hosting muslim brotherhood meetings in our hotel rooms , of using unlicensed equipments to deliberately broadcast false information to further their aims and defame and discredit the egyptian state . the state has presented no evidence to support the allegations , and we have not been formally charged with any crime . but the prosecutor general has just extended our initial 15-day detention by another 15 days to give investigators more time to find something . he can do this indefinitely -- one of my prison mates has been behind bars for 6 months without a single charge .'the prisons are overflowing' i am in tora prison -- a sprawling complex in the south of the city where the authorities routinely violate legally enshrined prisoners'rights , denying visits from lawyers , keeping cells locked for 20 hours a day ( and 24 hours on public holidays ) and so on . but even that is relatively benign compared to the conditions my colleagues are being held in . fahmy and baher have been accused of being muslim brotherhood members , so they are being held in the far more draconian scorpion prison ' built for convicted terrorists . fahmy has been denied the hospital treatment he badly needs for a shoulder injury he sustained shortly before our arrest . both men spend 24 hours a day in their mosquito-infested cells , sleeping on the floor with no books or writing materials to break the soul- destroying tedium . remember we have not been formally charged , much less convicted of any crime . but this is not just about three al jazeera journalists . our arrest and continued detention sends a clear and unequivocal message to all journalists covering egypt , both foreign and local . the state will not tolerate hearing from the muslim brotherhood or any other critical voices . the prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government . secular activists are sentenced to three years with hard labour for violating protest laws after declining an invitation to openly support the government ; campaigners putting up no ' banners ahead of the constitutional referendum are summarily detained . anyone , in short , who refuses to applaud the institution . so our arrest is not a mistake , and as a journalist this is my battle . i can no longer pretend it 'll go away by keeping quiet and crossing my fingers . i have no particular fight with the egyptian government , just as i have no interest in supporting the muslim brotherhood or any other group here . but as a journalist i am committed to defending a fundamental freedom of the press that no one in my profession can credibly work without . one that is deemed vital to the proper functioning of any open democracy , including egypt 's with its new constitution . of course we will continue to fight this from inside prison and through the judicial system here . but our freedom , and more importantly the freedom of the press here , will not come without loud sustained pressure from human rights and civil society groups , individuals and governments who understand that egypt stability depends as much as on its ability to hold open honest conversations among its people and the world , as it does on its ability to crush violence . we know it is already happening , and all of us are both moved and strengthened by the extraordinary support we have already had , but it needs to continue . peter greste tora prison read the letter on al jazeera
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peter greste is an australian journalist who is working for qatar-based al jazeera
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greste <tsp> an al jazeera correspondent who has been held for nearly a month by egyptian authorities calls his detention an attack on press freedoms , according to a letter posted online saturday by the news network . peter greste , an australian , is one of three al jazeera employees who have been held since december 30 by egyptian authorities , who have accused the three for allegedly meeting with members of the banned muslim brotherhood . how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved , ' he wrote . the network did not say how it obtained the letter from greste , who has previously worked for cnn , reuters and bbc . he is being held along with producers mohamed fahmy and baher mohamed . western leaders , human rights groups and journalists have repeatedly called on egypt to release the men , saying their arrests were a violation of human rights and press freedoms . fahmy worked for cnn and the new york times prior to joined the qatar-based network . mohamed is a cairo-based producer for the network . international media demand egypt release detained journalists text of the letter , entitled a letter from tora prison , ' released by al jazeera : i am nervous as i write this . i am in my cold prison cell after my first official exercise session -- four glorious hours in the grass yard behind our block and i do n't want that right to be snatched away . i 've been locked in my cell 24 hours a day for the past 10 days , allowed out only for visits to the prosecutor for questioning , so the chance for a walk in the weak winter sunshine is precious . so too are the books on history , arabic and fiction that my neighbours have passed to me , and the pad and pen i now write with . i want to cling to these tiny joys and avoid anything that might move the prison authorities to punitively withdraw them . i want to protect them almost as much as i want my freedom back . that is why i have sought , until now , to fight my imprisonment quietly from within , to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake , that i 've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own . but after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision . it validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across egypt . all of a sudden , my books seem rather petty . i had been in cairo only two weeks before interior ministry agents burst through the door of my hotel room , that of my colleague and producer mohamed fahmy , and into the home of al jazeera 's second producer baher mohamed . accuracy , fairness , and balance we had been doing exactly as any responsible , professional journalist would -- recording and trying to make sense of the unfolding events with all the accuracy , fairness and balance that our imperfect trade demands . most of the time , it is not a difficult path to walk . but when the egyptian government declared the muslim brotherhood to be terrorist organisation ' , it knocked the middle ground out of the discourse . when the other side , political or otherwise , is a terrorist ' , there is no neutral way . as george w. bush loved to point out after 9/11 , you are either with the government or with the terrorists . so , even talking to them becomes an act of treason , let alone broadcasting their news however benign . the following day , the government fleshed out its definition of the term . anyone caught handing out muslim brotherhood leaflets , or simply participating in protest marches against the government could be arrested and imprisoned for spreading terrorist ideology ' . the muslim brotherhood has lost much of the support and credibility once had when its political leader mohamed morsi became egypt 's first democratically elected president just over a year and a half ago . and many here hold it responsible for a growing wave of islamist violence , but it remains the single largest and best organised social and political force in egypt . what then for a journalist striving for balance , fairness and accuracy ? ' how do you accurately and fairly report on egypt 's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved ? i worried about this at the time with mohamed fahmy , but we decided that the choice was obvious -- as obvious as the price we are now paying for making it . the three of us have been accused of collaborating with a terrorist organisation [ the muslim brotherhood ] , of hosting muslim brotherhood meetings in our hotel rooms , of using unlicensed equipments to deliberately broadcast false information to further their aims and defame and discredit the egyptian state . the state has presented no evidence to support the allegations , and we have not been formally charged with any crime . but the prosecutor general has just extended our initial 15-day detention by another 15 days to give investigators more time to find something . he can do this indefinitely -- one of my prison mates has been behind bars for 6 months without a single charge .'the prisons are overflowing' i am in tora prison -- a sprawling complex in the south of the city where the authorities routinely violate legally enshrined prisoners'rights , denying visits from lawyers , keeping cells locked for 20 hours a day ( and 24 hours on public holidays ) and so on . but even that is relatively benign compared to the conditions my colleagues are being held in . fahmy and baher have been accused of being muslim brotherhood members , so they are being held in the far more draconian scorpion prison ' built for convicted terrorists . fahmy has been denied the hospital treatment he badly needs for a shoulder injury he sustained shortly before our arrest . both men spend 24 hours a day in their mosquito-infested cells , sleeping on the floor with no books or writing materials to break the soul- destroying tedium . remember we have not been formally charged , much less convicted of any crime . but this is not just about three al jazeera journalists . our arrest and continued detention sends a clear and unequivocal message to all journalists covering egypt , both foreign and local . the state will not tolerate hearing from the muslim brotherhood or any other critical voices . the prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government . secular activists are sentenced to three years with hard labour for violating protest laws after declining an invitation to openly support the government ; campaigners putting up no ' banners ahead of the constitutional referendum are summarily detained . anyone , in short , who refuses to applaud the institution . so our arrest is not a mistake , and as a journalist this is my battle . i can no longer pretend it 'll go away by keeping quiet and crossing my fingers . i have no particular fight with the egyptian government , just as i have no interest in supporting the muslim brotherhood or any other group here . but as a journalist i am committed to defending a fundamental freedom of the press that no one in my profession can credibly work without . one that is deemed vital to the proper functioning of any open democracy , including egypt 's with its new constitution . of course we will continue to fight this from inside prison and through the judicial system here . but our freedom , and more importantly the freedom of the press here , will not come without loud sustained pressure from human rights and civil society groups , individuals and governments who understand that egypt stability depends as much as on its ability to hold open honest conversations among its people and the world , as it does on its ability to crush violence . we know it is already happening , and all of us are both moved and strengthened by the extraordinary support we have already had , but it needs to continue . peter greste tora prison read the letter on al jazeera
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greste says he was doing his job , telling a balanced story of egypt 's political struggle
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bill de blasio <tsp> ( cnn ) -- in cities and towns across america , there 's rising demand for affordable housing while the stock of low-cost homes evaporates . a recent harvard joint center for housing study spells out a critical national shortage -- more than half of low-income tenants today spend more than half of their income on rent . and 21 million people ca n't find rental homes within their means . the struggle for decent , affordable rental housing is increasingly out of reach not only for the poorest of the poor , but for the middle class as well . some might ask : why should the rest of us care ? why not let the market determine what is available and for how much ? we should care because the supply of decent and affordable housing is crucial to any local economy . when millions of people spend the bulk of what they earn on rent , it 's bad for business . affordable housing is key to sustaining successful communities . employers ca n't readily hire the workers they need if those workers ca n't find a decent place to live nearby . when a long , expensive commute stands between families and their jobs , schools or doctors , those families become financially unstable and pull down the communities around them . new york mayor bill de blasio recognized the extent of the stunning erosion of the city 's affordable housing supply ( as did his predecessor michael bloomberg ) and set a goal of adding 200,000 low-cost homes over the next 10 years . that would mean building or preserving units at a rate of about 55 a day . meanwhile , the erosion continues : before de blasio 's first term ends , more than 45,000 existing lower-cost homes will return to market value when restrictions that keep them affordable expire , according to nyu 's furman center . on may 1 , the mayor is set to introduce his plan for how to address the accelerating demand for affordable housing . but that demand wo n't be met without effective tools that enable the public and private sectors to invest in new housing while preserving existing ones . constructing affordable housing is not only hard to do , it 's just not enough . for every new unit created , at least two are lost . in hot real estate markets such as new york , regulations expire ; in cooler markets , affordable units are overcome by age and decay . it is far more costly to create homes than to preserve what 's already there . any real solution , in addition to looking to new construction , must also look to preservation . the lower east side neighborhood of jacksonville , florida , is a fine example of how preservation can work . four years ago , the apartments at 887 franklin st. were so derelict and dangerous that government housing officials considered pulling their funding , portending disaster for a neighborhood already reeling under the weight of recession and investment flight . today , after a $ 5 million renovation by new owner ability housing of northeast florida , the 60-unit oakland terrace is a clean , well-lit and safe place for families to live , complete with a new playground that residents and their children helped design . the neighborhood now has the potential to become economically stronger . oakland terrace was financed through a public-private partnership made possible by the federal low income housing tax credit program , and improvements to the property were largely paid for through an equity investment provided by a key private sector partner , td bank . but for every oakland terrace , america faces many more unresolved affordable housing challenges . a $ 26 billion capital-needs backlog that 's associated with our publicly financed affordable housing stock looms . traditional federal subsidies that enable affordability -- such as section 8 , which authorizes rental housing payment assistance to private landlords on behalf of more than 3 million low-income households -- are being cut back . federal housing subsidy programs such as home were slashed this year . these vital programs need to be preserved and expanded . other important tools are at the ready , but sadly , they are inactive or underutilized . back in 2008 , president george w. bush signed into law the national housing trust fund , requiring at least 90 % of its funds be used to build , preserve or rehabilitate rental housing for low-income households . but this program and others like it have yet to receive the funding that was envisioned by the law . another valuable initiative is the rental assistance demonstration program , which enables private developers to work with public housing authorities to preserve affordable housing . but it has only been funded for up to 60,000 housing units . so while rad offers promise to select cities such as baltimore , san francisco and houston , hundreds more housing authorities from los angeles to little rock , arkansas , to lackawanna , new york , are waiting for congress to lift the cap so that desperately needed private capital can flow to aging public housing . expanding lihtc -- the federal tax credit for low-income housing that was instrumental in the preservation of oakland terrace -- is another important step . this reagan-era policy gives the private sector an incentive to create and invest in affordable housing and helps finance more than 100,000 new rental units every year . these tax credits enable affordable rents for low income and middle class families and is often used to create mixed-income developments . such housing is a critical resource for working families . to date , lihtc has financed the development of more than 2.6 million affordable rental homes across the country , leveraging more than $ 100 billion in private capital in the process . the bipartisan policy center recently called for expanding the tax credit by 50 % over current funding levels to help close the gap between the costs of producing or preserving properties and the equity and debt that can be raised from the private sector to support them . this is n't about handouts . it 's about using tools we already know are shown to work to preserve and expand our nation 's supply of decent homes working people can afford . only then can employers hire the workers they need and families hold their financial footing . only then can local communities thrive .
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he says mayor bill de blasio 's plan to add new low-cost homes is n't enough
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barack obama <tsp> venezuela 's interim leader has upped the ante in his accusations about u.s. plots to destabilize his country , calling on president barack obama to investigate . factors in the pentagon and the cia ' are conspiring as elections approach in the south american country , interim president nicolas maduro said this week . we want to say to president barack obama , stop this madness , ' maduro said during a campaign planning meeting broadcast monday on state-run vtv . the united states has been denying a steady stream of accusations from the acting leader ever since the day he announced president hugo chavez 's death . monday was no exception . let me say it here extremely clearly , looking right at you , ' state department spokeswoman victorial nuland told reporters . the united states categorically rejects allegations of any u.s. government involvement in any plots to destabilize the venezuelan government or to harm anyone in venezuela . ' hours before he announced that chavez had died on march 5 , maduro said that a u.s. air force attache had been expelled from venezuela and accused him of seeking military support for a plot against chavez . chavez 's criticisms of u.s. imperialism were a hallmark of his presidency and played well with his supporters . and some analysts say it 's no surprise that the accusations have escalated with maduro on the ticket to replace chavez in presidential elections april 14 . maduro , meanwhile , has remained firm in his claims . i am saying the absolute truth , ' maduro said , because we have the testimonies and direct , first-hand information . ' last week maduro announced that planning was in the works for a commission of the world 's best scientists ' to investigate whether chavez , who died after battling cancer , had been poisoned . maduro stressed that he was n't accusing the united states , but he implied that the united states could have been behind such an attack on chavez . in the 1940s and 1950s , the united states and other countries had scientific laboratories testing how to cause cancer , ' maduro said . seventy years have passed . these kinds of laboratories of evil and death have not advanced ? ' also last week , he accused otto reich and roger noriega -- two fierce critics of chavez 's government who once worked for the u.s. state department -- of plotting to assassinate henrique capriles radonski , the opposition candidate for venezuela 's presidency . reich and noriega both denied the accusations and warned that it could be a sign that venezuela 's government was involved in a plot of its own against the opposition candidate . these charges are so removed from reality that they may well be a smoke screen behind which the venezuelan government is planning to eliminate capriles , ' reich said in a twitter post sunday . noriega said monday that cuban officials could be behind the accusations , which he described as no laughing matter . ' of course , this is a baseless , malicious lie , but it should not be dismissed as a cynical campaign tactic , ' noriega wrote in an online post . maduro has said his government was offering security for capriles . this candidate knows that he has all the guarantees to conduct his campaign in liberty , ' maduro said , and we are going to avoid any craziness against him . '
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we want to say to president barack obama , stop this madness , ' maduro says
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pentagon <tsp> venezuela 's interim leader has upped the ante in his accusations about u.s. plots to destabilize his country , calling on president barack obama to investigate . factors in the pentagon and the cia ' are conspiring as elections approach in the south american country , interim president nicolas maduro said this week . we want to say to president barack obama , stop this madness , ' maduro said during a campaign planning meeting broadcast monday on state-run vtv . the united states has been denying a steady stream of accusations from the acting leader ever since the day he announced president hugo chavez 's death . monday was no exception . let me say it here extremely clearly , looking right at you , ' state department spokeswoman victorial nuland told reporters . the united states categorically rejects allegations of any u.s. government involvement in any plots to destabilize the venezuelan government or to harm anyone in venezuela . ' hours before he announced that chavez had died on march 5 , maduro said that a u.s. air force attache had been expelled from venezuela and accused him of seeking military support for a plot against chavez . chavez 's criticisms of u.s. imperialism were a hallmark of his presidency and played well with his supporters . and some analysts say it 's no surprise that the accusations have escalated with maduro on the ticket to replace chavez in presidential elections april 14 . maduro , meanwhile , has remained firm in his claims . i am saying the absolute truth , ' maduro said , because we have the testimonies and direct , first-hand information . ' last week maduro announced that planning was in the works for a commission of the world 's best scientists ' to investigate whether chavez , who died after battling cancer , had been poisoned . maduro stressed that he was n't accusing the united states , but he implied that the united states could have been behind such an attack on chavez . in the 1940s and 1950s , the united states and other countries had scientific laboratories testing how to cause cancer , ' maduro said . seventy years have passed . these kinds of laboratories of evil and death have not advanced ? ' also last week , he accused otto reich and roger noriega -- two fierce critics of chavez 's government who once worked for the u.s. state department -- of plotting to assassinate henrique capriles radonski , the opposition candidate for venezuela 's presidency . reich and noriega both denied the accusations and warned that it could be a sign that venezuela 's government was involved in a plot of its own against the opposition candidate . these charges are so removed from reality that they may well be a smoke screen behind which the venezuelan government is planning to eliminate capriles , ' reich said in a twitter post sunday . noriega said monday that cuban officials could be behind the accusations , which he described as no laughing matter . ' of course , this is a baseless , malicious lie , but it should not be dismissed as a cynical campaign tactic , ' noriega wrote in an online post . maduro has said his government was offering security for capriles . this candidate knows that he has all the guarantees to conduct his campaign in liberty , ' maduro said , and we are going to avoid any craziness against him . '
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nicolas maduro says factors in the pentagon and the cia ' are conspiring
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nana addo dankwa akufo-addo <tsp> accra , ghana ( cnn ) -- ghana 's supreme court thursday declared president john dramani mahama validly elected ' as the court dismissed all claims of voter fraud , mismanagement and irregularities in the west african nation 's december 2012 presidential election . after the election , ghana 's independent electoral commission declared mahama the winner with 50.7 % of the vote , narrowly avoiding a runoff with his main challenger , nana addo dankwa akufo-addo . but challenges followed , with allegations of widespread mismanagement and voting irregularities at more than 10,000 polling stations . akufo-addo and two other officials of his new patriotic party sued and the case went to the supreme court . mahama , from the ruling national democratic congress party , was sworn in as president , and thursday 's court ruling means he will retain the office . the supreme court dismissed all six claims alleging fraud and irregularities , with judges ruling unanimously against claims that certification forms had duplicate serial numbers , that votes from phony polling places were counted , and that there was duplication of polling station codes , meaning that votes from a particular voting station might have been counted twice or more . akufo-addo made a statement after the ruling was announced , saying he will not seek a court review of the decision , congratulating president mahama and calling on ghanaians to work out their differences , ease tensions between us and come together and build our country . ' the famously easy-going people of ghana had been on edge awaiting thursday 's decision by the court . nine supreme court justices spent 48 days hearing the case , which had riveted the nation . the proceedings were broadcast live on ghanian television and radio , the first time the court has allowed such broadcasts . they have been immensely popular . ghana is one of africa 's fastest-growing economies . it is the world 's second-largest cocoa producer , after ivory coast , and the continent 's second biggest gold miner , after south africa , according to the united nations . but critics say that despite the rich resources that bring billions of dollars annually , the wealth is not trickling down to the rural poor who live on the land where the gold is mined . in march 1957 , ghana became the first sub-saharan european colony to declare independence from a colonial ruler , in its case , britain . it endured four military coups in the first 14 years , after one of which , three former presidents were executed . then , in the election of 2000 , it had its first peaceful transfer of power between civilian presidents . the incumbent won a second term in 2004 , but term limits prohibited him from seeking a third term in 2008 . in that election , john atta mills of the national democratic congress narrowly defeated akufo-addo . but mills died in office last year , elevating his vice president , mahama to the presidency . last december , mahama ran for a full term against akufo-addo , setting off the supreme court battle .
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his challenger , nana addo dankwa akufo-addo , was among those alleging voter fraud
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india <tsp> ( cnn ) -- while all eyes seem to be on slumdog millionaire ' for the oscars , one very courageous little girl will be focused on another india-based film at the ceremony . pinki , like millions in developing countries , had to live with her deformity and suffer the social consequences . it 's called smile pinki , ' and it 's up for an oscar , too -- nominated for best short documentary , which it won on sunday . the little girl watching it from inside the oscar ceremony has traveled all the way to los angeles , california , from her small indian village with her dad -- and it has been an incredible journey for pinki sonkar . smile pinki ' tells the story of her transformation from a sad outcast to a vibrant 8-year-old with plenty of spunk . pinki was born with a cleft lip , and her impoverished family did not have the money for corrective surgery . like millions of other children born with the lip deformity in developing countries , pinki simply had to live with it and suffer the social consequences . her father rajendra sonkar says : she used to go to school and the kids would not befriend her . she would say ,'i do n't want to go to school .'' watch how pinki was transformed by the operation » ' pinki was a depressed , sad , lonely , shy , young little girl , growing up on the periphery of the society in a little village , ' said satish kalra , director of smile train 's south asian region , after meeting with pinki . the little girl 's own family was ashamed of her , kalra says . but all of that has changed . pinki is now a real pistol , full of energy and confidence , and she has a fantastic smile too -- thanks to the smile train charity . smile train teaches doctors in their own countries to operate on cleft lips , a deformity afflicting up to four million children across the world . ireport : share your oscar predictions pinki just happened to be one of the chosen candidates for surgery and was also chosen to be the subject of the documentary . the film chronicles her transformation , following her from her village to the hospital and home again . she has absolutely and totally changed , ' said pinki 's surgeon , dr. subodh kumar . the film 's director is megan mylan . she has won several awards but not an oscar -- until now . for pinki and her dad , being able to see the film 's director win an oscar would be a thrill . but they know they already have the greatest prize : pinki 's new smile . i am so happy that my daughter 's lips have been repaired , ' her dad rajendra said with a smile , expressing hope that the movie will inspire people to help children whose families ca n't afford the surgery .
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pinki sonkar was born with cleft lip ; her family in india could n't afford surgery
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ghomeshi <tsp> canadian radio host jian ghomeshi has interviewed some of pop culture 's biggest names , from barbra streisand , joni mitchell and dan rather to lena dunham and zach galifianakis , and that 's just in the past few months . his cbc radio show , q with jian ghomeshi , ' is one of the most popular in the network 's history , making him a bona fide celebrity in a country that takes pride in its public radio . it aired on more than 180 public radio stations in the united states , prompting the washington post to call it the most popular new arts and culture radio show in america ' in 2013 . still , the 47-year-old was far from a household name in the united states when he posted a lengthy screed on his facebook page sunday accusing the cbc of firing him for his private sex life . ' he said the dismissal came after he shared details of his sex life with his former employers to head off a smear campaign by jilted ' exes accusing him of nonconsensual kinky activity . the combination of canadian celebrity , an iconic canadian institution and allegations from anonymous women produced what one columnist called a canadian sex scandal the likes of which we have n't seen in decades . ' the size of ghomeshi 's star and the seriousness of the allegations makes this bigger than your run of the mill celebrity sex scandal , with implications beyond canada . two major issues reside at the heart of the scandal : a $ 55 million lawsuit against the cbc in which ghomeshi alleges that he was fired for his sexual proclivities , and anonymous allegations reported by the toronto star from three women accusing ghomeshi of sexual violence and nonconsensual bdsm activity . the cbc released a statement saying the decision was not made without serious deliberation and careful consideration ' and declined to comment further . ghomeshi denies the allegations and says any sexual activity between him and the women , kinky or not , was consensual . let me be the first to say that my tastes in the bedroom may not be palatable to some folks . they may be strange , enticing , weird , normal , or outright offensive to others , ' he said in his facebook post . but that is my private life . that is my personal life . and no one , and certainly no employer , should have dominion over what people do consensually in their private life . ' by bringing bdsm into the mix through his facebook post , ghomeshi ignited conversation in legal circles and the kink community over whether the kinky defense ' will prevail in his lawsuit and the court of public opinion . the scandal is of particular interest to the kink community , who say it raises two common topics of concern in their world : discrimination over sexual activity , and the gray area between consensual activity and assault in bdsm . others worry about the potential for the kinky defense ' to be misappropriated and used as a shield for rape and assault . it hits on a lot of important aspects that bdsm faces , ' said susan wright , spokeswoman for national coalition for sexual freedom , an advocacy group that promotes tolerance of sexual minorities . rarely do you have an instance where so many things come together .'do n't hate me for being kinky' in his facebook post , ghomeshi says he has always been interested in a variety of sexual activities but only those that are mutually agreed upon , consensual , and exciting for both partners . ' he suggested that the coming days would bring allegations of unsavory aggressive acts in the bedroom ' with the implication that they happened nonconsensually . ' and it will be based in lies but damage will be done , ' ghomeshi said . his publicist declined to comment further , referring cnn to his facebook post . scores of fans have called for his reinstatement through online petitions to get him back on air . the kink community also has rallied to support ghomeshi as one of their own , saying his plight drew attention to some of the more serious consequences the bdsm community faces for its lifestyle , particularly when it comes to job security , divorce proceedings and custody disputes . polyamory : when three is n't a crowd for others , it brought mainstream attention to ongoing difficult ' conversations within the kink community about how to deal with breaches of consent , canadian writer and sex educator andrea zanin said . it 's a twofold concern ; it 's important that we have conversations within the kink community about consent and negotiations and the reality that does happen within the kink community ' she said . at the same time we also need to constantly battle public perception of kink as being inherently abusive . ' in a blog post that spread as the scandal unfolded , poor persecuted perv , ' zanin cautioned against rallying around ghomeshi or anyone who uses the kinky defense ' until all the facts are in . a danger inherent in this kind of media-message success is that the'do n't hate me for being kinky'defense will be used by people who perpetrate nonconsensual violence , and that we , as a community , will stand by uncritically -- or worse , cry out in support -- as victims of violence are once again silenced . ' zanin called it a major triumph ' for the kink community that ghomeshi took a gamble on the consensual kink ' argument outweighing the you 're a filthy pervert ' reaction in the court of public opinion . regardless of the outcome , she hopes the mainstream remembers that it 's not what people do behind closed doors that matters , but how they do it . is everyone having fun and enjoying themselves ? is something in place to help catch them if they fall ? ' she said . bdsm : a culture of consent responsible bdsm practitioners participate in what 's called consent culture , ' where verbal discussion of boundaries and expectations are carefully negotiated ahead of time , said noel robertson , an atlanta sex educator who leads talks about responsible bdsm . the conversation between the dominant and the submissive generally goes something like : what are you looking for out of this scene ? what do you think i can supply you with ? is there anywhere i 'm not allowed to touch you ? is there any level of nudity you are not comfortable with ? safe words are agreed upon to let the person know when to stop , whether they 're stoplight colors or actual words . the bottom line : the person in the submissive position always has the right to use the safe word , ' she said . they can stop the scenario , no questions asked . if i have you bound and gagged and you ca n't use the safe word , i still have 100 % responsibly to give you some way to say that 's not ok , ' robertson said . if i fail to do that and you ca n't tell me or if i ca n't understand , it is my failure , not yours . ' as with any community , there are unscrupulous members who seek to exploit others , and survivors are not always treated with respect , she said . case law in the united states says that consent is not a defense to assault where great bodily harm has occurred , said wright , whose organization works with the bdsm community to report assault to police when it crosses the line . that 's why breath-play ( covering mouths , choking ) and hitting with a closed fist can be risky , especially for people starting out , she said . some educators recommend against those activities altogether . but consent to rough sexual activity that does not cause serious bodily harm is not assault , she said . people like intense physical sensations , they like extreme sports , and they like extreme sex , ' she said . they can play with each other and give each other intense sensations , but they ca n't seriously harm each other . '
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the cbc has ended its relationship with popular radio host jian ghomeshi
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ghomeshi <tsp> canadian radio host jian ghomeshi has interviewed some of pop culture 's biggest names , from barbra streisand , joni mitchell and dan rather to lena dunham and zach galifianakis , and that 's just in the past few months . his cbc radio show , q with jian ghomeshi , ' is one of the most popular in the network 's history , making him a bona fide celebrity in a country that takes pride in its public radio . it aired on more than 180 public radio stations in the united states , prompting the washington post to call it the most popular new arts and culture radio show in america ' in 2013 . still , the 47-year-old was far from a household name in the united states when he posted a lengthy screed on his facebook page sunday accusing the cbc of firing him for his private sex life . ' he said the dismissal came after he shared details of his sex life with his former employers to head off a smear campaign by jilted ' exes accusing him of nonconsensual kinky activity . the combination of canadian celebrity , an iconic canadian institution and allegations from anonymous women produced what one columnist called a canadian sex scandal the likes of which we have n't seen in decades . ' the size of ghomeshi 's star and the seriousness of the allegations makes this bigger than your run of the mill celebrity sex scandal , with implications beyond canada . two major issues reside at the heart of the scandal : a $ 55 million lawsuit against the cbc in which ghomeshi alleges that he was fired for his sexual proclivities , and anonymous allegations reported by the toronto star from three women accusing ghomeshi of sexual violence and nonconsensual bdsm activity . the cbc released a statement saying the decision was not made without serious deliberation and careful consideration ' and declined to comment further . ghomeshi denies the allegations and says any sexual activity between him and the women , kinky or not , was consensual . let me be the first to say that my tastes in the bedroom may not be palatable to some folks . they may be strange , enticing , weird , normal , or outright offensive to others , ' he said in his facebook post . but that is my private life . that is my personal life . and no one , and certainly no employer , should have dominion over what people do consensually in their private life . ' by bringing bdsm into the mix through his facebook post , ghomeshi ignited conversation in legal circles and the kink community over whether the kinky defense ' will prevail in his lawsuit and the court of public opinion . the scandal is of particular interest to the kink community , who say it raises two common topics of concern in their world : discrimination over sexual activity , and the gray area between consensual activity and assault in bdsm . others worry about the potential for the kinky defense ' to be misappropriated and used as a shield for rape and assault . it hits on a lot of important aspects that bdsm faces , ' said susan wright , spokeswoman for national coalition for sexual freedom , an advocacy group that promotes tolerance of sexual minorities . rarely do you have an instance where so many things come together .'do n't hate me for being kinky' in his facebook post , ghomeshi says he has always been interested in a variety of sexual activities but only those that are mutually agreed upon , consensual , and exciting for both partners . ' he suggested that the coming days would bring allegations of unsavory aggressive acts in the bedroom ' with the implication that they happened nonconsensually . ' and it will be based in lies but damage will be done , ' ghomeshi said . his publicist declined to comment further , referring cnn to his facebook post . scores of fans have called for his reinstatement through online petitions to get him back on air . the kink community also has rallied to support ghomeshi as one of their own , saying his plight drew attention to some of the more serious consequences the bdsm community faces for its lifestyle , particularly when it comes to job security , divorce proceedings and custody disputes . polyamory : when three is n't a crowd for others , it brought mainstream attention to ongoing difficult ' conversations within the kink community about how to deal with breaches of consent , canadian writer and sex educator andrea zanin said . it 's a twofold concern ; it 's important that we have conversations within the kink community about consent and negotiations and the reality that does happen within the kink community ' she said . at the same time we also need to constantly battle public perception of kink as being inherently abusive . ' in a blog post that spread as the scandal unfolded , poor persecuted perv , ' zanin cautioned against rallying around ghomeshi or anyone who uses the kinky defense ' until all the facts are in . a danger inherent in this kind of media-message success is that the'do n't hate me for being kinky'defense will be used by people who perpetrate nonconsensual violence , and that we , as a community , will stand by uncritically -- or worse , cry out in support -- as victims of violence are once again silenced . ' zanin called it a major triumph ' for the kink community that ghomeshi took a gamble on the consensual kink ' argument outweighing the you 're a filthy pervert ' reaction in the court of public opinion . regardless of the outcome , she hopes the mainstream remembers that it 's not what people do behind closed doors that matters , but how they do it . is everyone having fun and enjoying themselves ? is something in place to help catch them if they fall ? ' she said . bdsm : a culture of consent responsible bdsm practitioners participate in what 's called consent culture , ' where verbal discussion of boundaries and expectations are carefully negotiated ahead of time , said noel robertson , an atlanta sex educator who leads talks about responsible bdsm . the conversation between the dominant and the submissive generally goes something like : what are you looking for out of this scene ? what do you think i can supply you with ? is there anywhere i 'm not allowed to touch you ? is there any level of nudity you are not comfortable with ? safe words are agreed upon to let the person know when to stop , whether they 're stoplight colors or actual words . the bottom line : the person in the submissive position always has the right to use the safe word , ' she said . they can stop the scenario , no questions asked . if i have you bound and gagged and you ca n't use the safe word , i still have 100 % responsibly to give you some way to say that 's not ok , ' robertson said . if i fail to do that and you ca n't tell me or if i ca n't understand , it is my failure , not yours . ' as with any community , there are unscrupulous members who seek to exploit others , and survivors are not always treated with respect , she said . case law in the united states says that consent is not a defense to assault where great bodily harm has occurred , said wright , whose organization works with the bdsm community to report assault to police when it crosses the line . that 's why breath-play ( covering mouths , choking ) and hitting with a closed fist can be risky , especially for people starting out , she said . some educators recommend against those activities altogether . but consent to rough sexual activity that does not cause serious bodily harm is not assault , she said . people like intense physical sensations , they like extreme sports , and they like extreme sex , ' she said . they can play with each other and give each other intense sensations , but they ca n't seriously harm each other . '
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3 women anonymously accused ghomeshi of abusive sexual practices in the toronto star
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ghomeshi <tsp> canadian radio host jian ghomeshi has interviewed some of pop culture 's biggest names , from barbra streisand , joni mitchell and dan rather to lena dunham and zach galifianakis , and that 's just in the past few months . his cbc radio show , q with jian ghomeshi , ' is one of the most popular in the network 's history , making him a bona fide celebrity in a country that takes pride in its public radio . it aired on more than 180 public radio stations in the united states , prompting the washington post to call it the most popular new arts and culture radio show in america ' in 2013 . still , the 47-year-old was far from a household name in the united states when he posted a lengthy screed on his facebook page sunday accusing the cbc of firing him for his private sex life . ' he said the dismissal came after he shared details of his sex life with his former employers to head off a smear campaign by jilted ' exes accusing him of nonconsensual kinky activity . the combination of canadian celebrity , an iconic canadian institution and allegations from anonymous women produced what one columnist called a canadian sex scandal the likes of which we have n't seen in decades . ' the size of ghomeshi 's star and the seriousness of the allegations makes this bigger than your run of the mill celebrity sex scandal , with implications beyond canada . two major issues reside at the heart of the scandal : a $ 55 million lawsuit against the cbc in which ghomeshi alleges that he was fired for his sexual proclivities , and anonymous allegations reported by the toronto star from three women accusing ghomeshi of sexual violence and nonconsensual bdsm activity . the cbc released a statement saying the decision was not made without serious deliberation and careful consideration ' and declined to comment further . ghomeshi denies the allegations and says any sexual activity between him and the women , kinky or not , was consensual . let me be the first to say that my tastes in the bedroom may not be palatable to some folks . they may be strange , enticing , weird , normal , or outright offensive to others , ' he said in his facebook post . but that is my private life . that is my personal life . and no one , and certainly no employer , should have dominion over what people do consensually in their private life . ' by bringing bdsm into the mix through his facebook post , ghomeshi ignited conversation in legal circles and the kink community over whether the kinky defense ' will prevail in his lawsuit and the court of public opinion . the scandal is of particular interest to the kink community , who say it raises two common topics of concern in their world : discrimination over sexual activity , and the gray area between consensual activity and assault in bdsm . others worry about the potential for the kinky defense ' to be misappropriated and used as a shield for rape and assault . it hits on a lot of important aspects that bdsm faces , ' said susan wright , spokeswoman for national coalition for sexual freedom , an advocacy group that promotes tolerance of sexual minorities . rarely do you have an instance where so many things come together .'do n't hate me for being kinky' in his facebook post , ghomeshi says he has always been interested in a variety of sexual activities but only those that are mutually agreed upon , consensual , and exciting for both partners . ' he suggested that the coming days would bring allegations of unsavory aggressive acts in the bedroom ' with the implication that they happened nonconsensually . ' and it will be based in lies but damage will be done , ' ghomeshi said . his publicist declined to comment further , referring cnn to his facebook post . scores of fans have called for his reinstatement through online petitions to get him back on air . the kink community also has rallied to support ghomeshi as one of their own , saying his plight drew attention to some of the more serious consequences the bdsm community faces for its lifestyle , particularly when it comes to job security , divorce proceedings and custody disputes . polyamory : when three is n't a crowd for others , it brought mainstream attention to ongoing difficult ' conversations within the kink community about how to deal with breaches of consent , canadian writer and sex educator andrea zanin said . it 's a twofold concern ; it 's important that we have conversations within the kink community about consent and negotiations and the reality that does happen within the kink community ' she said . at the same time we also need to constantly battle public perception of kink as being inherently abusive . ' in a blog post that spread as the scandal unfolded , poor persecuted perv , ' zanin cautioned against rallying around ghomeshi or anyone who uses the kinky defense ' until all the facts are in . a danger inherent in this kind of media-message success is that the'do n't hate me for being kinky'defense will be used by people who perpetrate nonconsensual violence , and that we , as a community , will stand by uncritically -- or worse , cry out in support -- as victims of violence are once again silenced . ' zanin called it a major triumph ' for the kink community that ghomeshi took a gamble on the consensual kink ' argument outweighing the you 're a filthy pervert ' reaction in the court of public opinion . regardless of the outcome , she hopes the mainstream remembers that it 's not what people do behind closed doors that matters , but how they do it . is everyone having fun and enjoying themselves ? is something in place to help catch them if they fall ? ' she said . bdsm : a culture of consent responsible bdsm practitioners participate in what 's called consent culture , ' where verbal discussion of boundaries and expectations are carefully negotiated ahead of time , said noel robertson , an atlanta sex educator who leads talks about responsible bdsm . the conversation between the dominant and the submissive generally goes something like : what are you looking for out of this scene ? what do you think i can supply you with ? is there anywhere i 'm not allowed to touch you ? is there any level of nudity you are not comfortable with ? safe words are agreed upon to let the person know when to stop , whether they 're stoplight colors or actual words . the bottom line : the person in the submissive position always has the right to use the safe word , ' she said . they can stop the scenario , no questions asked . if i have you bound and gagged and you ca n't use the safe word , i still have 100 % responsibly to give you some way to say that 's not ok , ' robertson said . if i fail to do that and you ca n't tell me or if i ca n't understand , it is my failure , not yours . ' as with any community , there are unscrupulous members who seek to exploit others , and survivors are not always treated with respect , she said . case law in the united states says that consent is not a defense to assault where great bodily harm has occurred , said wright , whose organization works with the bdsm community to report assault to police when it crosses the line . that 's why breath-play ( covering mouths , choking ) and hitting with a closed fist can be risky , especially for people starting out , she said . some educators recommend against those activities altogether . but consent to rough sexual activity that does not cause serious bodily harm is not assault , she said . people like intense physical sensations , they like extreme sports , and they like extreme sex , ' she said . they can play with each other and give each other intense sensations , but they ca n't seriously harm each other . '
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ghomeshi claims he was fired for disclosing that he participates in rough sex and role-playing
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texas a & m <tsp> two days after a deadly explosion ripped through the small texas town of west , sgt . w. patrick swanton found himself carefully picking through the debris of damaged homes looking for lost pets . swanton , a public information officer with the waco police department , rushed to the town soon after the explosion , helping staff at the command post . the april 17 blast at the west fertilizer co. killed 14 people and injured more than 200 . hundreds were rescued or evacuated throughout the night . then last friday , he and a small team of animal control officers were helping rescue animals left behind in the chaos . some were found wandering among the crumbled ruins . others remained in their pens and cages , hungry and thirsty . at one point , swanton walked up to the burned-out shell of what had once been a home . barely recognizable was the wreckage that had once been a washing machine and dryer . bricks were still falling . as he approached the foundation , he became aware of a white dove settled in the ruins . she let me get within 2-3 feet of her , ' swanton said . it was so peaceful . to me it was a symbol of hope . ' swanton snapped several photos of the dove and posted them to the facebook page he runs for the waco police department . before and after : texas plant explosion ' she brought an absolute peace to a place of sheer destruction , ' he wrote on the page . keep the faith . ' the images were shared more than 2,000 times . with a population of 2,800 , west is a small town . when people face such destruction , the animal side of the story takes on a whole new meaning , said angela clendenin , spokeswoman for the veterinary emergency team at texas a & m university . she and 17 others staffed two mobile veterinary clinics , including a surgical suite and a field services truck to assist in the rescue efforts led by swanson and other first-responders . they treated animals of all kinds , she said , including a bearded dragon lizard , chickens and pigs . some were treated and released to the humane society of central texas . three with more serious injuries were sent to area veterinarians . she described one situation where an officer on patrol in the blast zone spotted a cat in the attic window of an evacuated home . he rescued it and brought it to the clinic at 4 a.m. ' it spoke volumes to the commitment of the officers , ' clendenin said . one pet owner sought out the rescuers to thank them for their efforts . swanton said two animal control officers , joel sanchez and louis leyva , had sat down at the end of the day , trying to collect their thoughts . suddenly a mountain of a man ' appeared and demanded to know which one of them was louis , swanton said . leyva tentatively looked up and identified himself . i just want you to know you found my boxer , ' the man bellowed , describing how he 'd believed there was little hope of the dog 's rescue because of its aggressive nature . louis then described how he had gently spoken to the boxer and easily gotten a leash on the dog . the man grabbed the officer in a big hug , while his wife tearfully thanked the group , swanton said . some of the 75 animals sent to the humane society have been reunited with their owners , but swanton noted : it 's a long road to hope . it 's a long road to recovery . but this town is going to come back stronger and better . '
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pets were treated at mobile clinics from texas a & m
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whitney <tsp> ( ew.com ) -- the upcoming fourth season of community ' may have a short order ( 13 episodes ) , may be on fridays ( with a whitney ' lead in ) and may have seen the exit of creator dan harmon . but that does n't mean it 's the final season , nbc brass says . we 're in a transition with our comedy programming and trying to broaden the audience and broaden what network does , ' nbc entertainment chairman robert greenblatt told critics at the television critics association 's press tour in beverly hills on tuesday . those thursday comedies , which the critics love and we love , tend to be a bit more narrow than we 'd ultimately like as we go forward . ' 'community'has been a show that 's always on the bubble [ to return ] and we decided to bring it back again and see what a fourth season would do for us , ' greenblatt continued . the reason we did 13 episodes [ of community and other shows ] is we wanted to get more comedies on the schedule ... which is n't to say we could n't decide at some point to extend those seasons longer . ''looper ,' cloud atlas'at toronto film fest as for harmon 's exit , greenblatt said : ' i think fans of'community'are going to get the same show they have loved from the beginning , ' he said . every so often it 's time to make a change with a showrunner ... you evaluate the creative ... sometimes you want to freshen a show and we decided to do that with'community'-- no disrespect to anyone . ' asked if he would categorically rule out a fifth season , greenblatt said : i would love nothing more than'community'to have a following on friday and be able to continue [ beyond season 4 ] . ' nbc is premiering several new comedies this fall , including broad and wacky titles like animal practice ' and guys with kids , ' as well as potentially more risky shows like the matthew perry therapy sitcom go on ' and ryan murphy 's unconventional family comedy the new normal . ' mtv bringing back'house of style' ' we 're in this awkward stage , ' said nbc 's entertainment president jennifer salke . some of our new comedies might seem more commercial to you ... it 's kind of an evolving comedy brand . ' shows like'whitney'and'up all night'were steps in the right direction and that 's why they 're back , ' greenblatt said . it [ can ] take more than a couple seasons for a show to creatively find itself . ' see the full article at ew.com . click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly © 2011 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved .
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the upcoming fourth season of community ' will air on fridays with a whitney ' lead in
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queen <tsp> london ( cnn ) time 's running out for britons to decide who they 'll back , as polling booths prepare to open across the country in an election that could change the political landscape . it 's been a blink-and-you-miss-it campaign , especially by u.s. standards , where candidates can take years to finesse their messages . the election could result in the handing of power from david cameron 's conservative government to the labour party , led by ed miliband -- or a frenzy of wrangling from leaders as they attempt to forge alliances with smaller parties . but that 's all to come when polls close late thursday evening , local time . very strict rules govern the reporting of uk elections , but until they kick in , here are some things you should know -- who are the candidates , what are the issues , who 's likely to win , why bacon sandwiches matter , what is ukip ' and , if the queen is n't in charge , what does she do ? the queen does n't run britain before we get on to the candidates , let 's dispel one common misconception . queen elizabeth ii is officially britain 's head of state , but she 's only nominally in charge . she signs off on legislation and appoints new prime ministers but has no real power , so no beheadings but maybe a few disapproving stares . officially , she 's politically neutral . the closest she apparently comes to expressing opinion is -- savor this image -- purring ' like a cat . visit : windsor castle , the queen 's country residence ( windsor and maidenhead ; +44 20 7766 7304 ) , royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle so who are they voting for ? duh , they 're voting for a new prime minister . well , actually no . in presidential elections americans vote in each state for electors , ' who support the candidate they want to lead the country . but in a uk parliamentary the vote is more indirectly aimed at appointing a new government . voters put their x ' next to the local stooge/aspiring public servant from whichever political party they support . votes are tallied by constituencies -- political fiefdoms , really -- some of which date back centuries to when britain was run by barons , or maybe even elves -- each with a seat in parliament . the party that wins most seats then gets to say who becomes prime minister , pending the final thumbs up from her majesty . of course , in reality , people may be swayed by party figureheads and see voting as a direct endorsement of their leadership , personality or -- true things -- their ability to eat bacon sandwiches and point at fish . visit : hampstead heath -- a beautiful north london green space that lies partly within the hampstead and kilburn constituency , likely to be one of the most hotly contested of the election . ( south hill park gardens , london ; +44 20 7332 3322 ) . is that a fair system ? kinda . but also kinda not , since it means a party can easily win power without winning the most votes . that 's because britain 's elections are run on a first-past-the-post ' basis . it 's an analogy that highlights how similar british politics is to horse racing , just with fewer doping scandals . here 's how it works : the elected parliament consists of 650 seats , each representing a different number of constituents -- anywhere between 21,000 and 110,000 . only the candidate who wins most votes in each constituency gets a seat . no prizes for second place . of course there have been reform demands from smaller parties stiffed by the system , but since they never win against the two main parties , they 're powerless to change anything . the centrist liberal democrats , for instance , had 6.8 million votes ( 23 % of the total ) at the last election , but won just 57 seats . the conservatives claimed 307 with just 10.7 million votes . visit : luskentyre beach , isle of harris . the stunning islands of the outer hebrides , off the western coast of mainland scotland , are part of the uk 's smallest constituency by voter numbers . visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/luskentyre-sands so who 's going to win ? british elections are typically viewed as a two-horse race -- an analogy that highlights how similar they are to races involving two horses , only with fewer horses . the prime candidates are incumbent david cameron , head of the center-right conservatives , and ed miliband , leader of the center-left labour party . opinion polls say there 's no clear favorite . that 'll mean -- as it did in 2010 -- that the spoils of victory could be claimed by whoever can successfully horse ( yes , horse ) trade to build a majority coalition alongside smaller parties . if that happens , eyes will be on the smaller parties including the scottish national party , the liberal democrats and the upstart uk independence party . ukip 's leader nigel farage is a political outsider who 's won support for being anti-immigration , anti-europe and pro-beer . his party is n't expected to win many seats , but it could result in some unlikely romancing -- as the last vote did when the libdems hopped into bed with the conservatives , much to the anger of some supporters . visit : ascot racecourse . enough with the horse analogies already . check out the real thing at the queen 's favorite track . high street , ascot , west berkshire , ascot.co.uk what are the issues ? there 's the future of britain 's cherished yet financially challenged national health service -- the free medicare system that 's undergone so many botched political procedures in recent years , it can barely bring itself to take off the bandages . ukip 's rise has spurred uncomfortable cross-party pledges to beef up controls to end decades of population-swelling immigration , a concern , apparently , among britain 's descendants of viking , norman , roman and anglo-saxon invaders . there 's the economy -- how to tackle britain 's budget deficit and foster financial recovery ( without relying on the cheap immigrant labor that the politicians want to stop entering . ) and there 's europe -- another ukip-generated issue that has forced the main parties into posturing against the european union , even though many supporters suspect withdrawing would be disastrous , not just for the economy , but for future fish-pointing opportunities . visit : the white cliffs of dover , a potent symbol that marks britain 's frontier with the rest of the world . dover , kent ; +44 1304 207326 , whitecliffsofdover.co.uk think this all sounds too boring for words ? you 're not the only one , which is a major problem for the politicians seeking election . political apathy is on the rise in the uk , with many younger voters expressing disillusionment with party leaders they say are out of touch and barely distinguishable from one another , even if one looks like a panda ' and the other a pink condom . ' it does n't help the politicians'cause when popular comedians such as russell brand denounce voting in favor of an as-yet unspecified revolution . ' however , he later changed his mind after meeting miliband , and urged people to vote labour . still , uk elections are n't without their entertainment -- most notably provided by fringe candidates . from 1963 until 1995 , a feature of every vote count was screaming lord sutch , an odd-looking pop star whose official monster raving loony party campaigned for many lost causes that later became reality , such as commercial radio and the scrapping of dog licenses . in the 2010 election other eccentric candidates included lord biro , who campaigned on policies that included the appointment of bono as pope . mad cap'n tom also pledged to train schoolchildren in swordsmanship and gunnery ' by imposing a 50 % tax on downloads of cheryl cole songs because i hate cheryl cole . ' whatever their motivation , come election night when they get their moment on stage with serious political rivals , they often get better laughs than brand . visit : margate . this charming english seaside town is where farage will be standing for election . among his opponents is al murray -- a comedian whose boorish stage character , pub landlord , ' shares many of the ukip leader 's views . ( +44 1843 577577 ) , visitthanet.co.uk/destinations/margate
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plus , if the queen is n't in charge , what does she do ?
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uk <tsp> london ( cnn ) time 's running out for britons to decide who they 'll back , as polling booths prepare to open across the country in an election that could change the political landscape . it 's been a blink-and-you-miss-it campaign , especially by u.s. standards , where candidates can take years to finesse their messages . the election could result in the handing of power from david cameron 's conservative government to the labour party , led by ed miliband -- or a frenzy of wrangling from leaders as they attempt to forge alliances with smaller parties . but that 's all to come when polls close late thursday evening , local time . very strict rules govern the reporting of uk elections , but until they kick in , here are some things you should know -- who are the candidates , what are the issues , who 's likely to win , why bacon sandwiches matter , what is ukip ' and , if the queen is n't in charge , what does she do ? the queen does n't run britain before we get on to the candidates , let 's dispel one common misconception . queen elizabeth ii is officially britain 's head of state , but she 's only nominally in charge . she signs off on legislation and appoints new prime ministers but has no real power , so no beheadings but maybe a few disapproving stares . officially , she 's politically neutral . the closest she apparently comes to expressing opinion is -- savor this image -- purring ' like a cat . visit : windsor castle , the queen 's country residence ( windsor and maidenhead ; +44 20 7766 7304 ) , royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle so who are they voting for ? duh , they 're voting for a new prime minister . well , actually no . in presidential elections americans vote in each state for electors , ' who support the candidate they want to lead the country . but in a uk parliamentary the vote is more indirectly aimed at appointing a new government . voters put their x ' next to the local stooge/aspiring public servant from whichever political party they support . votes are tallied by constituencies -- political fiefdoms , really -- some of which date back centuries to when britain was run by barons , or maybe even elves -- each with a seat in parliament . the party that wins most seats then gets to say who becomes prime minister , pending the final thumbs up from her majesty . of course , in reality , people may be swayed by party figureheads and see voting as a direct endorsement of their leadership , personality or -- true things -- their ability to eat bacon sandwiches and point at fish . visit : hampstead heath -- a beautiful north london green space that lies partly within the hampstead and kilburn constituency , likely to be one of the most hotly contested of the election . ( south hill park gardens , london ; +44 20 7332 3322 ) . is that a fair system ? kinda . but also kinda not , since it means a party can easily win power without winning the most votes . that 's because britain 's elections are run on a first-past-the-post ' basis . it 's an analogy that highlights how similar british politics is to horse racing , just with fewer doping scandals . here 's how it works : the elected parliament consists of 650 seats , each representing a different number of constituents -- anywhere between 21,000 and 110,000 . only the candidate who wins most votes in each constituency gets a seat . no prizes for second place . of course there have been reform demands from smaller parties stiffed by the system , but since they never win against the two main parties , they 're powerless to change anything . the centrist liberal democrats , for instance , had 6.8 million votes ( 23 % of the total ) at the last election , but won just 57 seats . the conservatives claimed 307 with just 10.7 million votes . visit : luskentyre beach , isle of harris . the stunning islands of the outer hebrides , off the western coast of mainland scotland , are part of the uk 's smallest constituency by voter numbers . visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/luskentyre-sands so who 's going to win ? british elections are typically viewed as a two-horse race -- an analogy that highlights how similar they are to races involving two horses , only with fewer horses . the prime candidates are incumbent david cameron , head of the center-right conservatives , and ed miliband , leader of the center-left labour party . opinion polls say there 's no clear favorite . that 'll mean -- as it did in 2010 -- that the spoils of victory could be claimed by whoever can successfully horse ( yes , horse ) trade to build a majority coalition alongside smaller parties . if that happens , eyes will be on the smaller parties including the scottish national party , the liberal democrats and the upstart uk independence party . ukip 's leader nigel farage is a political outsider who 's won support for being anti-immigration , anti-europe and pro-beer . his party is n't expected to win many seats , but it could result in some unlikely romancing -- as the last vote did when the libdems hopped into bed with the conservatives , much to the anger of some supporters . visit : ascot racecourse . enough with the horse analogies already . check out the real thing at the queen 's favorite track . high street , ascot , west berkshire , ascot.co.uk what are the issues ? there 's the future of britain 's cherished yet financially challenged national health service -- the free medicare system that 's undergone so many botched political procedures in recent years , it can barely bring itself to take off the bandages . ukip 's rise has spurred uncomfortable cross-party pledges to beef up controls to end decades of population-swelling immigration , a concern , apparently , among britain 's descendants of viking , norman , roman and anglo-saxon invaders . there 's the economy -- how to tackle britain 's budget deficit and foster financial recovery ( without relying on the cheap immigrant labor that the politicians want to stop entering . ) and there 's europe -- another ukip-generated issue that has forced the main parties into posturing against the european union , even though many supporters suspect withdrawing would be disastrous , not just for the economy , but for future fish-pointing opportunities . visit : the white cliffs of dover , a potent symbol that marks britain 's frontier with the rest of the world . dover , kent ; +44 1304 207326 , whitecliffsofdover.co.uk think this all sounds too boring for words ? you 're not the only one , which is a major problem for the politicians seeking election . political apathy is on the rise in the uk , with many younger voters expressing disillusionment with party leaders they say are out of touch and barely distinguishable from one another , even if one looks like a panda ' and the other a pink condom . ' it does n't help the politicians'cause when popular comedians such as russell brand denounce voting in favor of an as-yet unspecified revolution . ' however , he later changed his mind after meeting miliband , and urged people to vote labour . still , uk elections are n't without their entertainment -- most notably provided by fringe candidates . from 1963 until 1995 , a feature of every vote count was screaming lord sutch , an odd-looking pop star whose official monster raving loony party campaigned for many lost causes that later became reality , such as commercial radio and the scrapping of dog licenses . in the 2010 election other eccentric candidates included lord biro , who campaigned on policies that included the appointment of bono as pope . mad cap'n tom also pledged to train schoolchildren in swordsmanship and gunnery ' by imposing a 50 % tax on downloads of cheryl cole songs because i hate cheryl cole . ' whatever their motivation , come election night when they get their moment on stage with serious political rivals , they often get better laughs than brand . visit : margate . this charming english seaside town is where farage will be standing for election . among his opponents is al murray -- a comedian whose boorish stage character , pub landlord , ' shares many of the ukip leader 's views . ( +44 1843 577577 ) , visitthanet.co.uk/destinations/margate
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everything you need to know about how the uk election really works
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facebook <tsp> ( financial times ) -- nasdaq omx 's chief executive admitted he was embarrassed ' by the delay in the opening trade of facebook 's initial public offering and revealed that the exchange was in talks with regulators over potentially millions of dollars of customer claims . bob greifeld said on sunday that the 20-minute delay in trading of facebook 's $ 16bn offering on friday had been caused by a millisecond systems blip due to the largest ipo auction in the history of mankind ' . the exchange has found itself in the spotlight after facebook failed to deliver a first-day pop ' to investors , instead almost falling below its issuing price of $ 38 . the shares , having risen briefly , quickly fell away to close the day with a gain of just 0.6 per cent , at $ 38.23 . as a result of the trading delay , nasdaq was left with a position in facebook shares that it had to liquidate , according to its own rules , generating $ 10m for the group . it plans to use that money to resolve disputes related to 30m shares that may have been the subject of improper trades , and has requested approval from the us securities and exchange commission to do so , said mr greifeld . the sec said on friday it would review ' the incident . the glitch , coming just weeks after bats global markets was forced to withdraw its ipo after technical problems , highlighted the fragile nature of modern equity markets , in which exchanges must handle many thousands of messages a second transmitted by high-frequency traders . mr greifeld defended nasdaq 's performance , citing its role in facebook 's trading over the whole of the session , which saw more than 580m shares change hands , the largest ever number for an ipo . these problems are real and we have to improve from the performance we had on friday , ' mr greifeld said . we stand humbly embarrassed by that . but the rest of the day ... the system performed well . ' nasdaq has now laid out the details of the glitch . in spite of testing 1bn in trading volumes under 100 scenarios , the exchange was caught by surprise when cancellations of trades kept interrupting the computer system 's attempt to complete the auction and produce an initial price for facebook 's opening . nasdaq says it designed its ipo cross ' , the process of calculating the opening price , in such a way that would allow continuous trading through an auction at the behest of its customers and has used the system in previous ipos . but in processing the huge volume of facebook trades , it added two milliseconds to the time it took to produce an opening price . in that extra two milliseconds , orders to cancel the trades kept interrupting the auction process , or as mr greifeld put it , fitting in between the raindrops ' . mr greifeld said : on a real time basis with the pressure of the world upon us ... we intercepted this cross in a loop . ' he said there was no discussion at any point of cancelling the ipo . facebook and morgan stanley declined to comment on nasdaq 's description of the events of the day . as a result of the glitch the exchange decided to print the opening trade manually but was then forced to delay the process of confirming individual trades . the mechanism has now been altered to prevent continuous quoting during ipo auctions , mr greifeld said . we had a poor design for the facebook opening cross ipo . we recognise the design has relative merit for investors where we give them maximum optionality , but it did n't'work in this scenario . ' nasdaq has identified trading orders for some 30m shares that came in between 11.11am and 11.30am , when trading actually began . it estimates that 50 per cent of those may have been orders not executed at the ipo price , as traders may have expected them to be . but it is still investigating to determine how many grievances are legitimate . mr greifeld said nasdaq was working very hard with customers to make sure about the accommodations we give to respective customers ' . eric noll , executive vice-president at nasdaq , said there were no other systematic ' technical problems . nasdaq 's board of directors had been informed over the weekend of friday 's events , mr greifeld said . when asked if he thought his job was safe , he said : i certainly hope so . i obviously serve at the pleasure of the board . ' the exchange group had pushed hard to win the facebook ipo from its rival new york stock exchange , as it seeks supremacy in listings for internet companies that make up one of the few vibrant sectors of the new issue market . mr greifeld responded directly to arguments that nasdaq 's delay played a role in facebook 's stock failing to pop ' . some market participants have said the delayed confirmations caused confusion and prevented some buyers stepping in to the market to support facebook 's stock price . you want to look at whether your position is moving up or down . without that , there was a lot of pressure to liquidate , ' said one trader at a market-making firm . however , mr greifeld said that the record did not support that theory , noting that after the delayed trades were made live at 1.50pm , traders did not buy at the $ 42.05 level that was the initial print . that would lead a reasonable person to conclude [ the opening cross print delay ] did n't have any impact on the stock price , ' he said . © the financial times limited 2012
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20-minute delay in facebook trading had been caused by a millisecond systems blip
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guy pelly <tsp> in memphis there 's only one person called the king : ' the late elvis presley . but this weekend , the city had two princes -- william and harry . the grandsons of the queen of england visited memphis to see their friend , guy pelly , tie the knot with native memphian elizabeth lizzy ' wilson , cnn affiliate wreg reported . she 's the granddaughter of the man who founded the holiday inn chain . her new husband is a london nightclub owner . on saturday , royal fans lined the road leading to the the memphis hunt and polo club , where the wedding was held , to catch a glimpse of the princes . i 'm a big prince harry fan ! ' darla chapman told wreg . i 'm single ! i heard he 's single ! ' alas , the princes came in through a different entrance , so chapman and the others never got a chance to see them . but the young princes got out a good bit in memphis . on thursday , they dined at the rendezvous , one of the city 's best-known barbecue restaurants . dressed casually in jeans , they dashed inside as security held back the commoners pressing for a look . on friday they paid a visit to presley 's home , graceland , the memphis version of buckingham palace . it was pretty awesome , ' local nicholas pegues said of the visit . a once in a lifetime event ! ' prince harry and cressida bonas call it quits after two years
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the princes'friend , guy pelly , married memphis resident elizabeth lizzy ' wilson
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nasa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nasa has postponed for one day the scheduled launch of a rocket carrying a solar probe . the space agency plans to launch an atlas v rocket carrying its solar dynamics observatory , which it says will study the sun in greater detail than ever before . ' after delaying the launch three times because of windy conditions wednesday at cape canaveral , florida , nasa said it will try again thursday , with a launch window of 10:23 a.m. to 11:23 a.m . et . the vehicle 's flight control system sensed wind loads exceeding the limit , prompting the abrupt end to the countdown , ' nasa said . the agency says the observatory will provide a better understanding of the sun and its role in space weather events such as solar flares , which can wreak havoc on earth . the observatory is designed to deliver solar images with resolution 10 times better than high-definition television , according to nasa . the five-year mission will determine how the sun 's magnetic field is generated , structured and converted into violent solar events like turbulent solar wind , solar flares and coronal mass ejections , ' according to the agency . the solar wind , a stream of electrically charged particles flowing out from the sun , fills the entire solar system with charged particles and magnetic fields , according to nasa . solar flares are actual explosions in the sun 's atmosphere , the largest of them equal to billions of one-megaton nuclear bombs . and coronal mass ejections , or cmes , are eruptions that launch solar material into space at a high rate of speed . such events can put astronauts at risk , as well as aircraft flying over earth 's north or south poles , and can also disrupt satellite communications , navigational systems and power grids , nasa said . in 1969 , for instance , a solar current knocked a power grid serving quebec , canada , off-line for nine hours . that 's a direct impact on life and society , ' said richard fisher , director of nasa 's heliophysics division . he is in charge of wednesday 's launch . in addition , changes in magnetic energy such as those around sunspots can change global positioning system signals , making them less accurate ' if you 're landing a great big jet airliner in a low-visibility situation and you have one of these events that causes a misinterpretation of location by 150 to 200 yards , that 's big stuff when you 're trying to hit a runway with these instruments , ' fisher said . there 's no way to predict space weather . officials hope the solar dynamics observatory can provide information to help change that . this is the most advanced spacecraft we 've ever designed to study the sun and its dynamic behavior , ' fisher said . the sun , he said , has this trick of converting magnetic energy into other kinds of energy that can affect the earth . ' i believe we 're up to the point now where we can probably predict when something like this is more or less likely and you can at least take precautions , ' fisher said about solar weather . a warning system , for example , could help power grid operators avoid an outage by taking some of the grid 's load off or finding alternative configurations . the sun 's effect was n't an issue for the earth until the technological advances in electronics over the last hundred years , he said . the observatory is going to give us good awareness of the dynamics of the sun , and we 're going to be able to make estimates on when we should take precautions with our satellites or with airline operations or with department of defense systems , ' fisher said . we have an increasing pressure on science to try and predict what 's going to happen on the sun , and that 's the scientific bent of this ( sdo ) satellite , is to try to get a handle on it . ' the observatory contains three major instruments that scientists believe will send data back to earth for at least five years . the helioseismic and magnetic imager and the atmospheric imaging assembly will allow scientists to see the sun in high resolution . the imaging assembly will also observe the outer layer of the sun 's atmosphere , and the extreme ultraviolet variability experiment will measure its ultraviolet spectrum every 10 seconds . space weather forecasting is in its infancy ... just like hurricane forecasting was years ago , ' according to an article on nasa 's web site by liz citrin , sdo project manager at nasa 's goddard space flight center in greenbelt , maryland , which developed and will manage the mission . we built up experience in collecting data , designed models , tested those models and now look what we can do . ' the observatory will snap an image of the sun in eight wavelengths every 10 seconds , nasa said . it will remain in continuous contact with a station at the white sands complex in southern new mexico . the biggest challenge of this mission was the data rate , ' citrin wrote in the article . sdo will blast back 1.5 terabytes of information every day . ... that 's equivalent to a half-million song downloads . it 's unprecedented . ' the observatory is the first mission of nasa 's living with a star program . the program is aimed at increasing understanding of the sun in order to address its effect on earth . the mission was supposed to launch in august 2008 , but scientists decided more testing was needed . cnn radio 's shelby erdman contributed to this report .
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nasa : observatory will snap image of sun in eight wavelengths every 10 seconds
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tomás jiménez <tsp> editor 's note : tomás r. jiménez is an assistant professor of sociology at stanford university and an irvine fellow at the new america foundation . he is also author of the forthcoming book , replenished ethnicity : mexican americans , immigration , and identity ' ( university of california press ) . tomás jiménez says many mexican-americans are the children of u.s.-born parents . ( cnn ) -- just about any celebration of hispanic heritage month ( september 15 - october 15 ) will highlight the diversity among hispanics . they come from different parts of the spanish-speaking world , have settled in various areas of the united states , have distinctive customs and come in all shapes and colors . but an often overlooked difference among hispanics relates to how many generations back they trace their roots in u.s. history . hispanics are not just immigrants or the u.s.-born children of immigrants . they are also americans with deep family histories in the united states . this is especially true of the mexican-origin population , the largest hispanic subgroup and one that has been continually replenished by immigrant newcomers for a century . truly knowing what it means to be a person of mexican origin requires understanding the experiences of the nearly 3 in 10 ( 8.5 million ) mexican-americans who were born in the united states to u.s.-born parents . these later-generation mexican-americans'experience in the united states , though rooted in a distant past , is nonetheless deeply affected by current and uninterrupted immigration from their ancestral homeland . in some ways , mexican-americans have lived what amounts to a classic tale of assimilation . they speak english ( and no spanish in the majority of cases ) , intermarry in large numbers , live in ethnically mixed neighborhoods , work in just about every imaginable profession , are honored on memorial day and veterans day , occupy important political positions and are highly patriotic . but ongoing mexican immigration puts a twist on this classic assimilation tale , making mexicanness ' relevant to later-generation mexican-americans in both problematic and enjoyable ways . it can be tough being a member of an ethnic group that is so synonymous with immigration . even if their immigrant ancestors came early in the 20th century , continuous immigration means that mexican-americans are never safe from erroneous assumptions that they are foreigners . surnames that end in ski ' or start with o'' are woven into the fabric of american ethnic surnames . but garcía , ' fernandez ' and martínez ' remain bright threads that , combined with dark skin color , can make mexican-americans and other hispanics seem foreign in the eyes of others . ask the later-generation descendants of earlier waves of mexican immigrants , and they 'll tell you that where are you from ... no , where are you really from ? ' are questions that they have to field all too often . and even if it 's clear that they are mexican-americans , they still get quizzed about how well they speak spanish . assumptions about them being foreign turn from annoying to downright scary when law enforcement personnel suspect them of being illegal immigrants . but continuous immigration also makes being mexican-american enjoyable in some ways . while there is no shortage of people who see the growing mexican-origin population with alarm , there are also plenty of people who see the growth as an opportunity . corporations , retailers , political parties and churches are all trying to grab a slice of the hispanic market , ' the overwhelming majority of which is mexican . retail marketing campaigns , sprinkles of the spanish language in political speeches and mexican-themed media are generally aimed at the immigrant audience . all of this attention adds cachet to mexican ancestry that even later-generation individuals enjoy . we live in a time when america often celebrates its ethnic vibrancy . people who are cut off from an immigrant population of the same ethnic origin have a hard time finding ways to celebrate their roots in any significant way , and they often lament being ethnically bland . mexican-americans , in contrast , do n't have to worry about ethnic blandness because the opportunities to celebrate their heritage are all around . ongoing mexican immigration means constant access to the food , language , traditions , popular culture and customs that makes being mexican-american enjoyable . as we celebrate hispanic heritage month and recognize all of the diversity among hispanics , it begs the question : how do we know what it means to be hispanic ? the answer can only be arrived at by appreciating the experiences of those hispanics whose families have called the united states home for several generations and those who more recently have come to call this land their home . no matter how deep or shallow their roots extend into american history , what almost all hispanics have in common is that immigration profoundly defines their experience . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tomás r. jiménez .
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tomás jiménez : mexican-americans often perceived only as immigrants
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petraeus <tsp> about four years ago , paula broadwell began her ph.d. dissertation on gen. david petraeus'innovative leadership skills . some of the interviews were done via e-mail . others were conducted as broadwell occasionally ran with the physically fit four-star , including one time with petraeus and his team along the potomac river in washington . broadwell decided to turn that research into a book and go to afghanistan after petraeus was tapped in june 2010 to replace gen. stanley mcchrystal as the top commander in the country . we had a relationship before i went there as far as this dissertation was concerned , so it just took it to another level , ' broadwell told cnn 's brooke baldwin in february . petraeus biographer 's e-mails led fbi to affair , official says the relationship between petraeus and his biographer has become the subject of speculation since he admitted to having an extramarital affair and resigned friday as cia director . the affair came to light during an fbi investigation into a complaint that broadwell was sending harassing e-mails to another woman close to petraeus , a u.s. official said saturday . during the investigation , other communications surfaced between petraeus and broadwell , a married mother of two , according to the official . the official did not identify the woman who made the initial complaint and did not know the nature of her relationship with petraeus . the fbi interviewed petraeus in the course of its inquiry , said the official , who stressed that the cia director was never the target of the investigation and his communications were never compromised . the official did not know whether broadwell was interviewed . cnn has not been able to reach broadwell for comment . her website was not operating saturday . broadwell moved with her husband , scott , to charlotte , north carolina , about three years ago , according to the charlotte observer . broadwell , who attended the u.s. military academy and served in the army reserves after active duty , quickly became a guest on tv news shows after her book , all in : the education of general david petraeus , ' was published earlier this year . in several appearances on cnn , broadwell -- with her background in intelligence and counterterrorism -- was asked about u.s. policy in afghanistan , the syrian civil war and iran 's use of nuclear technology . she serves as a research associate at harvard university 's center for public leadership . read the petraeus letter broadwell told baldwin that she embedded with petraeus'staff and troops in the field , sharing their hardships and risks . broadwell spent months in afghanistan interviewing petraeus and others for her book , which she wrote with vernon loeb . in january , broadwell told jon stewart of the daily show ' that petraeus is tenacious , has a will to win and wants to make a difference . he loves serving . he loves to be in the arena , ' she said . just last week , broadwell published on the daily beast a list of petraeus'12 rules for living . we all will make mistakes , ' read one rule . the key is to recognize and admit them , to learn from them , and to take off the rear-view mirrors -- drive on and avoid making them again . ' how petraeus changed the u.s. military broadwell met petraeus in spring 2006 when he spoke at harvard , where she was a graduate student , she wrote in the preface to all in . ' the author told the general about her research interests and he agreed to put her in touch with people studying the same issues . i later discovered that he was famous for this type of mentoring and networking , especially with aspiring soldier-scholars , ' broadwell wrote . in the preface , broadwell -- who earned varsity letters in cross-country and track -- said she wanted to see whether petraeus could match her stride when they ran . instead , it became a test for me . ' broadwell 's passion for physical fitness extended to her appearance earlier this year on the daily show . ' in an effort to raise money for wounded veterans , she and stewart engaged in a push-up contest . stewart and scott broadwell faced off against paula broadwell . a game , but grimacing , stewart made it to 38 push-ups . paula broadwell , apparently ready to do more , stopped at 60 . ticker : rep wants petraeus to testify
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cia director david petraeus resigned friday after admitting an affair
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petraeus <tsp> about four years ago , paula broadwell began her ph.d. dissertation on gen. david petraeus'innovative leadership skills . some of the interviews were done via e-mail . others were conducted as broadwell occasionally ran with the physically fit four-star , including one time with petraeus and his team along the potomac river in washington . broadwell decided to turn that research into a book and go to afghanistan after petraeus was tapped in june 2010 to replace gen. stanley mcchrystal as the top commander in the country . we had a relationship before i went there as far as this dissertation was concerned , so it just took it to another level , ' broadwell told cnn 's brooke baldwin in february . petraeus biographer 's e-mails led fbi to affair , official says the relationship between petraeus and his biographer has become the subject of speculation since he admitted to having an extramarital affair and resigned friday as cia director . the affair came to light during an fbi investigation into a complaint that broadwell was sending harassing e-mails to another woman close to petraeus , a u.s. official said saturday . during the investigation , other communications surfaced between petraeus and broadwell , a married mother of two , according to the official . the official did not identify the woman who made the initial complaint and did not know the nature of her relationship with petraeus . the fbi interviewed petraeus in the course of its inquiry , said the official , who stressed that the cia director was never the target of the investigation and his communications were never compromised . the official did not know whether broadwell was interviewed . cnn has not been able to reach broadwell for comment . her website was not operating saturday . broadwell moved with her husband , scott , to charlotte , north carolina , about three years ago , according to the charlotte observer . broadwell , who attended the u.s. military academy and served in the army reserves after active duty , quickly became a guest on tv news shows after her book , all in : the education of general david petraeus , ' was published earlier this year . in several appearances on cnn , broadwell -- with her background in intelligence and counterterrorism -- was asked about u.s. policy in afghanistan , the syrian civil war and iran 's use of nuclear technology . she serves as a research associate at harvard university 's center for public leadership . read the petraeus letter broadwell told baldwin that she embedded with petraeus'staff and troops in the field , sharing their hardships and risks . broadwell spent months in afghanistan interviewing petraeus and others for her book , which she wrote with vernon loeb . in january , broadwell told jon stewart of the daily show ' that petraeus is tenacious , has a will to win and wants to make a difference . he loves serving . he loves to be in the arena , ' she said . just last week , broadwell published on the daily beast a list of petraeus'12 rules for living . we all will make mistakes , ' read one rule . the key is to recognize and admit them , to learn from them , and to take off the rear-view mirrors -- drive on and avoid making them again . ' how petraeus changed the u.s. military broadwell met petraeus in spring 2006 when he spoke at harvard , where she was a graduate student , she wrote in the preface to all in . ' the author told the general about her research interests and he agreed to put her in touch with people studying the same issues . i later discovered that he was famous for this type of mentoring and networking , especially with aspiring soldier-scholars , ' broadwell wrote . in the preface , broadwell -- who earned varsity letters in cross-country and track -- said she wanted to see whether petraeus could match her stride when they ran . instead , it became a test for me . ' broadwell 's passion for physical fitness extended to her appearance earlier this year on the daily show . ' in an effort to raise money for wounded veterans , she and stewart engaged in a push-up contest . stewart and scott broadwell faced off against paula broadwell . a game , but grimacing , stewart made it to 38 push-ups . paula broadwell , apparently ready to do more , stopped at 60 . ticker : rep wants petraeus to testify
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she wrote a book about petraeus'leadership qualities
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myanmar <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the new era of openness in burma has spread hope and anxiety among the country 's journalists at home and abroad . this year , many exiled journalists have visited burma -- which became known as myanmar under the previous military junta -- while some publications and news organizations , previously based outside the once-reclusive state , have decided to open offices inside the country . this week , our publication the irrawaddy magazine will hit newsstands in the capital , yangon , for the first time since it was founded by burmese exiles two decades ago to provide an independent view of the situation in burma under the authoritarian regime . our staff , who secretly worked with us for many years inside the country at considerable risk to themselves , now report from our new offices there . does this mean the changes here are concrete and promising ? i am cautiously optimistic . therefore , our strategy now is to keep one foot in and one foot out -- we will maintain our headquarters in thailand . this is the first time we have received permission to print and distribute the magazine inside the country . it was n't too long ago that it was unthinkable to carry and read such a publication freely in public , let alone distribute it . in the past , we have sent our magazines to burma using clandestine channels , while our website was blocked inside the country until recently . since i returned to burma early this year for the first time in 24 years , i have met many opposition leaders and activists who spent several years in prisons or under house arrest , and they told me they somehow managed to get hold of copies of the irrawaddy . win tin , a leading member of opposition party the national league for democracy ( nld ) , spent 19 years in prison . he told me in february that he sometimes received the magazine while he was under detention in the infamous insein prison in the capital -- a facility known for its inhumane conditions and torture of inmates . tin oo , co-founder of the nld and former commander in chief of the armed forces during the 1970s , spoke highly of the irrawaddy . when i asked him how he knew of it , he replied : when i was under house arrest , i received it through a diplomatic channel . i read it again and again , and when military intelligence service came to see me at my house i had to hide it . they could double the prison sentence if they saw the magazine , ' he added with a chuckle . burmese officials and several senior leaders whom i met and interviewed in burma know the magazine -- i sensed mixed feelings as they have a deep-rooted fear as well as respect for the magazine and our website . i remembered general khin nyunt , a feared spy chief who ran a torture chamber and kept politicians and activists under lock and key , once publicly told a visiting delegation that they should not read the irrawaddy . today , i see the media landscape is changing as reporters enjoy more freedom to cover and report stories that would have been subjected to censorship in the past . i hope these changes are real and irreversible . since coming to power , president thein sein has taken major steps to open up the country . in his early speeches he mentioned the importance of the fourth pillar in society and revealed that both he and his office follow media reports from both inside and outside the country . in august , the ministry of information told editors of weekly journals that their outlets no longer need to pass the censorship board . ' tint swe , the head of the country 's press scrutiny and registration division ( psrd ) , added that the easing of restrictions was the result of a change of policy . journalists who faced pressure and imprisonment in burma have cautiously welcomed the announcement that they will no longer be required to submit articles to the country 's draconian censorship board . but they are very aware that big brother ' is still there to monitor and watch . the move is not enough to restore media freedom . however , it is safe to say that the government has made a concession after previously shutting down local journals and facing pressure and street protests from journalists . the government still continues to monitor news and bulletins , and the censorship board is still active and has not been abolished . burma 's 1962 printers and publishers registration act is still there -- the act was imposed shortly after former dictator general ne win seized power . in fact , ever more weekly journals have been facing defamation lawsuits from government officials and businessmen . it is still sensitive to write about corruption cases involving current and former officials , especially when looking at burma 's relations with north korea and china . the ministry of information still controls publishing licenses and any publication that harms the reputation of a government department can still be reprimanded under the printers and publishers registration act . publishers can also face heavy sentences under burma 's penal code if they are found guilty of inciting the public to participate in unlawful activity . meanwhile , state-owned newspapers still distribute the same propaganda , while a number of former generals in the previous regime own several leading weekly dailies . their mission appears not about promoting independent journalism and rational debate in this fragile transition period but about making money . meanwhile , all publications are required to follow guidelines designed to protect the three national causes : non-disintegration of the country , non-disintegration of national solidarity and the perpetuation of sovereignty . journalists say that the notorious 2004 electronics act also remains in place , with many activists , journalists , bloggers and social media commentators behind bars for sending prohibited information , messages or photos through the internet . many face between seven and 15 years in jail and may also be liable for a fine . in burma , most journalists exercise heavy self-censorship , and this will continue . during the wave of sectarian violence in rahkine state recently , local media appeared wary about reporting on the ongoing violence against muslim rohingya populations . sadly they take a racist and populist editorial stance against this oppressed population . in fact , the media seemed reluctant to criticize the government when police applied excessive force to crack down on peaceful demonstrators and monks during a recent protest at copper mine -- despite widespread condemnation from elsewhere , including democracy activist and lawmaker aung san suu kyi . there is still a long way to go until burmese reporters are able to freely write and publish sensitive stories , engage in proper investigative reporting and provide quality journalism in burma . we 've been waiting for this opportunity to enter burma , but we know that there are limits . we 're still testing the water . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of aung zaw .
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previously outlawed magazines , newspapers now operating inside myanmar
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myanmar <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the new era of openness in burma has spread hope and anxiety among the country 's journalists at home and abroad . this year , many exiled journalists have visited burma -- which became known as myanmar under the previous military junta -- while some publications and news organizations , previously based outside the once-reclusive state , have decided to open offices inside the country . this week , our publication the irrawaddy magazine will hit newsstands in the capital , yangon , for the first time since it was founded by burmese exiles two decades ago to provide an independent view of the situation in burma under the authoritarian regime . our staff , who secretly worked with us for many years inside the country at considerable risk to themselves , now report from our new offices there . does this mean the changes here are concrete and promising ? i am cautiously optimistic . therefore , our strategy now is to keep one foot in and one foot out -- we will maintain our headquarters in thailand . this is the first time we have received permission to print and distribute the magazine inside the country . it was n't too long ago that it was unthinkable to carry and read such a publication freely in public , let alone distribute it . in the past , we have sent our magazines to burma using clandestine channels , while our website was blocked inside the country until recently . since i returned to burma early this year for the first time in 24 years , i have met many opposition leaders and activists who spent several years in prisons or under house arrest , and they told me they somehow managed to get hold of copies of the irrawaddy . win tin , a leading member of opposition party the national league for democracy ( nld ) , spent 19 years in prison . he told me in february that he sometimes received the magazine while he was under detention in the infamous insein prison in the capital -- a facility known for its inhumane conditions and torture of inmates . tin oo , co-founder of the nld and former commander in chief of the armed forces during the 1970s , spoke highly of the irrawaddy . when i asked him how he knew of it , he replied : when i was under house arrest , i received it through a diplomatic channel . i read it again and again , and when military intelligence service came to see me at my house i had to hide it . they could double the prison sentence if they saw the magazine , ' he added with a chuckle . burmese officials and several senior leaders whom i met and interviewed in burma know the magazine -- i sensed mixed feelings as they have a deep-rooted fear as well as respect for the magazine and our website . i remembered general khin nyunt , a feared spy chief who ran a torture chamber and kept politicians and activists under lock and key , once publicly told a visiting delegation that they should not read the irrawaddy . today , i see the media landscape is changing as reporters enjoy more freedom to cover and report stories that would have been subjected to censorship in the past . i hope these changes are real and irreversible . since coming to power , president thein sein has taken major steps to open up the country . in his early speeches he mentioned the importance of the fourth pillar in society and revealed that both he and his office follow media reports from both inside and outside the country . in august , the ministry of information told editors of weekly journals that their outlets no longer need to pass the censorship board . ' tint swe , the head of the country 's press scrutiny and registration division ( psrd ) , added that the easing of restrictions was the result of a change of policy . journalists who faced pressure and imprisonment in burma have cautiously welcomed the announcement that they will no longer be required to submit articles to the country 's draconian censorship board . but they are very aware that big brother ' is still there to monitor and watch . the move is not enough to restore media freedom . however , it is safe to say that the government has made a concession after previously shutting down local journals and facing pressure and street protests from journalists . the government still continues to monitor news and bulletins , and the censorship board is still active and has not been abolished . burma 's 1962 printers and publishers registration act is still there -- the act was imposed shortly after former dictator general ne win seized power . in fact , ever more weekly journals have been facing defamation lawsuits from government officials and businessmen . it is still sensitive to write about corruption cases involving current and former officials , especially when looking at burma 's relations with north korea and china . the ministry of information still controls publishing licenses and any publication that harms the reputation of a government department can still be reprimanded under the printers and publishers registration act . publishers can also face heavy sentences under burma 's penal code if they are found guilty of inciting the public to participate in unlawful activity . meanwhile , state-owned newspapers still distribute the same propaganda , while a number of former generals in the previous regime own several leading weekly dailies . their mission appears not about promoting independent journalism and rational debate in this fragile transition period but about making money . meanwhile , all publications are required to follow guidelines designed to protect the three national causes : non-disintegration of the country , non-disintegration of national solidarity and the perpetuation of sovereignty . journalists say that the notorious 2004 electronics act also remains in place , with many activists , journalists , bloggers and social media commentators behind bars for sending prohibited information , messages or photos through the internet . many face between seven and 15 years in jail and may also be liable for a fine . in burma , most journalists exercise heavy self-censorship , and this will continue . during the wave of sectarian violence in rahkine state recently , local media appeared wary about reporting on the ongoing violence against muslim rohingya populations . sadly they take a racist and populist editorial stance against this oppressed population . in fact , the media seemed reluctant to criticize the government when police applied excessive force to crack down on peaceful demonstrators and monks during a recent protest at copper mine -- despite widespread condemnation from elsewhere , including democracy activist and lawmaker aung san suu kyi . there is still a long way to go until burmese reporters are able to freely write and publish sensitive stories , engage in proper investigative reporting and provide quality journalism in burma . we 've been waiting for this opportunity to enter burma , but we know that there are limits . we 're still testing the water . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of aung zaw .
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but myanmar authorities remain in control of most newspapers , tv and radio
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jenson button <tsp> ( cnn ) -- mclaren 's jenson button has been hit with a five-place grid penalty ahead of this weekend 's japanese grand prix after a new gearbox was fitted to his car . post-race checks on the 2009 world champion 's mp4-27 car revealed a transmission issue which could not be repaired . button 's teammate and fellow briton lewis hamilton was forced to retire from the singapore grand prix earlier this month with an identical problem . formula one rules state a driver must use the same gearbox for five races in a row or face a grid penalty . hamilton has avoided any punishment as he did not finish the grand prix . schumacher coy on sauber switch the 32-year-old button has won two races this year , in australia and belgium , and sits sixth in the drivers'standings with 119 points . the briton will be paired with a new driver next season , with mexico 's sergio perez drafted in from sauber as a replacement for the departing hamilton . it was announced last week hamilton would be joining german manufacturer mercedes on a three-year deal , ending his career-long association with mclaren . ferrari 's fernando alonso is the current championship leader , 29 points clear of two-time title winner sebastian vettel with just six races remaining . button will be hoping for a repeat of last year 's victory at the suzuka circuit when racing gets underway on sunday .
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jenson button to serve five-place grid penalty at the japanese grand prix
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gulf <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the federal government has reopened 4,281 square miles of federal waters off the coast of western louisiana to commercial and recreational fishing , according to jane lubchenco , head of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration . the region being reopened represents 7.4 percent of the total area in the gulf of mexico that had been closed off prior to friday . more than 48,000 square miles of federal waters -- roughly 20 percent of the total federal waters in the gulf -- remain closed to fishermen . at its height , the fishing ban resulting from the april 20 bp oil rig explosion stretched over 88,000 square miles , or 37 percent of federal gulf waters , lubchenco noted . the western louisiana waters represent the third area in the gulf to be reopened to fishing . a region off the florida peninsula was reopened on july 22 , and another area off the florida panhandle was reopened on august 10 , according to lubchenco . officials are nibbling at the edges ' in terms of reopening the gulf waters after extensive testing , lubchenco said , starting with areas that were the least contaminated . we feel completely confident that the ( gulf ) seafood that is in the market now is safe for human consumption , ' she told reporters . but we will continue to investigate the longer-term impacts this spill may have had . ' lubchenco said that in order for an area of the gulf to be reopened , no oil can be present or expected to be present in the forseeable future . water samples taken from the area must pass both a sensory and chemical analysis . she also stated that the noaa -- in conjunction with the environmental protection agency -- will continue to test seafood from reopened areas of the gulf . in a separate announcement , louisiana officials stated that a project to monitor shrimp trawling vessels in st. bernard parish waters would conclude on friday . the project began on august 12 . we 've encountered dozens of shrimp vessels at work in st. bernard parish , ' said jeff dauzat , an environmental scientist with the louisiana department of environmental quality . all vessels encountered ... have been inspected and no indications of oil have been noted on nets or in the catch . ' the federal and state announcements came roughly three weeks after bp plugged its crippled macondo oil well in the gulf with cement and mud from above . crews are currently fishing ' for pieces of drill pipe that need to be removed from inside the well 's blowout preventer before crews can move on to the bottom kill ' -- the permanent fix for the well . thad allen , the man in charge of the government response to the gulf oil crisis , said wednesday that the fishing ' operations had been delayed by a buildup of hydrates -- chemicals that form at low temperatures and high pressures toward the sea floor -- that temporarily jammed the cap that trapped oil in the well starting on july 15 . crews , however , have now flushed the system to loosen the cap , thereby allowing them to begin fishing ' through the top of the well again .
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the federal government is engaged in extensive testing of the gulf , according to the noaa
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gulf <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the federal government has reopened 4,281 square miles of federal waters off the coast of western louisiana to commercial and recreational fishing , according to jane lubchenco , head of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration . the region being reopened represents 7.4 percent of the total area in the gulf of mexico that had been closed off prior to friday . more than 48,000 square miles of federal waters -- roughly 20 percent of the total federal waters in the gulf -- remain closed to fishermen . at its height , the fishing ban resulting from the april 20 bp oil rig explosion stretched over 88,000 square miles , or 37 percent of federal gulf waters , lubchenco noted . the western louisiana waters represent the third area in the gulf to be reopened to fishing . a region off the florida peninsula was reopened on july 22 , and another area off the florida panhandle was reopened on august 10 , according to lubchenco . officials are nibbling at the edges ' in terms of reopening the gulf waters after extensive testing , lubchenco said , starting with areas that were the least contaminated . we feel completely confident that the ( gulf ) seafood that is in the market now is safe for human consumption , ' she told reporters . but we will continue to investigate the longer-term impacts this spill may have had . ' lubchenco said that in order for an area of the gulf to be reopened , no oil can be present or expected to be present in the forseeable future . water samples taken from the area must pass both a sensory and chemical analysis . she also stated that the noaa -- in conjunction with the environmental protection agency -- will continue to test seafood from reopened areas of the gulf . in a separate announcement , louisiana officials stated that a project to monitor shrimp trawling vessels in st. bernard parish waters would conclude on friday . the project began on august 12 . we 've encountered dozens of shrimp vessels at work in st. bernard parish , ' said jeff dauzat , an environmental scientist with the louisiana department of environmental quality . all vessels encountered ... have been inspected and no indications of oil have been noted on nets or in the catch . ' the federal and state announcements came roughly three weeks after bp plugged its crippled macondo oil well in the gulf with cement and mud from above . crews are currently fishing ' for pieces of drill pipe that need to be removed from inside the well 's blowout preventer before crews can move on to the bottom kill ' -- the permanent fix for the well . thad allen , the man in charge of the government response to the gulf oil crisis , said wednesday that the fishing ' operations had been delayed by a buildup of hydrates -- chemicals that form at low temperatures and high pressures toward the sea floor -- that temporarily jammed the cap that trapped oil in the well starting on july 15 . crews , however , have now flushed the system to loosen the cap , thereby allowing them to begin fishing ' through the top of the well again .
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over 48,000 square miles of the gulf of mexico remain closed to fishermen
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change square <tsp> ( cnn ) -- for the second time in two days , security forces fired live ammunition and lobbed tear gas during protests in change square outside sanaa university on sunday , ala'a al-khowlani , a witness at the scene , said . other witnesses told cnn that at least 10 people were injured . the clashes began after pro-government demonstrators and security forces set up a road block preventing anti-government protesters from entering change square , witnesses said . while protesters were allowed to leave , they were not allowed to re-enter . anti-government protesters demanded they be allowed in , and tensions heightened when they forced themselves through the road block , witnesses said . after the protesters made their way in , the shooting started and tear gas was used , they reported . according to al-khowlani , some believe that security forces and police dressed as civilians were shooting into the crowd from nearby rooftops . in aden city on sunday , four protesters were injured by security forces gunfire , witnesses there said . one day earlier , three people in aden city died from gunshot wounds when security forces tried to disperse an anti-government rally , a medical official with the group youth for change said . a fourth person was killed in dar saad , in aden province , when a group of anti-government protesters stormed a government complex and set a police station on fire , the medical official said . a yemeni interior ministry official acknowledged that one person was killed by security forces , but said those who raided the complex were gang members and not protesters . regarding the killings in aden city , a security official called the demonstrators separatists ' rather than protesters , and would not comment on the alleged shootings by security forces . the government is trying to keep people as safe as possible , ' the official said . across yemen , high unemployment fuels much of the anger among a growing young population steeped in poverty . the protesters also cite government corruption and a lack of political freedom . on thursday , president ali abdullah saleh -- who has promised not to run for president in the next round of elections -- pledged to bring a new constitution to a vote by the end of the year and transfer government power to an elected parliamentary system . human rights watch released a statement saturday , calling on countries that support saleh to make aid contingent on the government stopping its attacks on demonstrators . president saleh has once again broken his promise to end attacks on peaceful protesters , and those who supply his government with weapons risk complicity in this bloodshed , ' said joe stork , deputy middle east and north africa director at the rights organization .
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anti-government protesters wanted to enter change square
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mogadishu <tsp> ( cnn ) -- roars , growls and galloping hooves replaced music tuesday on some of mogadishu 's radio stations in a protest of a ban on music imposed by islamic extremists . radio shabelle , along with the stations tusmo and hornafrik , were responding to threats from muslim militant groups that believe music is un-islamic and want it prohibited . mogadishu 's 14 private radio stations stopped playing music tuesday after hizbul al-islam , an islamic extremist group , issued a 10-day ultimatum . the threat was backed by the main militant group al-shabaab , which has been linked to al qaeda . a statement from the national union of somali journalists said several stations received calls , warning them that there would be consequences if they failed to comply with the ban within 10 days . but the three stations decided to broadcast the noises instead of music . radio shabelle announcers could be heard speaking on air , backed by the sounds of hooves , ocean waves , gunfire -- even the roars and growls of big cats . a radio station director , who could not be identified because of safety concerns , said the stations were unhappy about the ban but were forced to comply because of fear for our lives . ' a somali journalist , who also asked not to be identified , said there is widespread fear that this marks the beginning of a wider plot by extremists to silence independent media . he fears that female journalists may become the the next target . hizbul al-islam is one of many rebel groups operating in the country . the group has a complicated relationship with al-shabaab ; between them , the two groups control much of mogadishu , and several radio stations are in neighborhoods under their control . somalia has not had a stable government since 1991 . islamic militant groups are fighting the government in an effort to implement a stricter form of islamic law , or sharia . journalist mohamed amiin adow contributed to this report .
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mogadishu 's 14 private radio stations stop playing music after threat from islamic extremists
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progressive party <tsp> one hundred years ago monday , theodore roosevelt launched the most successful third party presidential bid in american history , declaring , we stand at armageddon , and we battle for the lord ! ' it was the culmination of the progressive party convention in chicago on august 6 , 1912 . and its influence still echoes through our politics today . roosevelt , the former president , had tried and failed to wrest the gop nomination from his successor , william howard taft . his supporters believed that the nomination had been stolen by the conservative power brokers and declared their independence . and so the progressive party was briefly born . known as the bull moose ' party , after roosevelt 's declaration that he felt as strong as a bull moose , ' supporters saw it as defending the legacy of abraham lincoln against the big business establishment that had taken over the republican party after the civil war . the democrats -- the populist party whose base was in corrupt , big-city bosses and the states of the former confederacy -- were also an unappealing alternative . the old parties are husks , with no real soul within either , divided on artificial lines , boss-ridden and privilege-controlled , ' roosevelt declared , each a jumble of incongruous elements , and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly what should be said on the vital issues of the day . ' roosevelt 's progressive party definitely did not shy away from taking fearless stands on the vital issues of the day . the party 's platform backed giving women the right to vote , the abolition of child labor , minimum wages , social security , public health standards , wildlife conservation , workman 's compensation , insurance against sickness and unemployment , lobbying reform , campaign finance reform and election reform . with socialist , communist and anarchist forces gaining momentum across the atlantic , this was a platform dedicated to roosevelt 's wise belief that reform is the antidote to revolution . ' the assembled crowd was not radical , described by the famed kansas newspaper editor william allen white as successful , middle class country town citizens , the farmer whose barn was painted , the well-paid railroad engineer and the country editor ... women doctors , women lawyers , women teachers . .. proletarian and plutocrat were absent . ' in other words , this was a main street , middle-class revolt against special interests on the far left and far right . among the bull moosers in the crowd were former democrats and republicans , including future supreme court justice felix frankfurter , columnist walter lippman , wise-use conservationist ' gifford pinchot , judge learned hand and settlement house pioneer jane addams , who became the first woman to give a nominating speech at an american political convention . the energy of the occasion left an indelible impression on a generation . the best recent recounting of the convention comes in edmund morris' colonel roosevelt , ' the third volume of his essential work of american biography . in the moment , white described roosevelt charging down the hotel corridors , stalking down an aisle of the coliseum while the crowds roared , walking like a gladiator to the lions . ' in contrast to the upcoming conventions in tampa , florida , and charlotte , north carolina , the atmosphere was one of real , not canned , drama -- electric and unexpected . can we imagine a convention today erupting in'onward christian soldiers'just impromptu ? ' asks terrence brown , the theodore roosevelt association 's executive director . we 've come to a place where putting out fresh ideas is dangerous in politics . candidates do n't want to give an agenda . that 's the difference . tr campaigned with an agenda . he told the convention ,'use me up and cast me aside .'take all of these ideas and run with them . ... the goal was moving along the progressive party 's vision for what the new america in the 20th century should be . ' roosevelt and the progressive party were not successful in their effort to win the white house in 1912 . but they won 27 % of the popular vote -- an all-time high for third parties in presidential elections -- and roosevelt won 88 electoral votes to taft 's eight . the democrats cannily nominated their own progressive candidate , woodrow wilson , and he won the election in a landslide against the divided republicans . but the ideas roosevelt and the progressives fought for did succeed in time . some , such as expanding the right to vote , enacting social security and ending child labor , seem obvious to modern eyes . others , such as the fight for expanded health insurance , remain contentious civic debates . and concerns about the disproportionate influence of big business and other special interests on american elections and policy seem ripped from modern headlines . the political fault lines of the 1912 elections endure to this day as well . president barack obama has explicitly tried to cast himself as the inheritor of roosevelt 's progressive party fight in a kansas speech earlier this year . the republican party still contains competing establishment and reform factions , most recently seen in the factional split between george w. bush and john mccain in 2000 . and certainly there remain many independent-minded americans who feel frustrated and politically homeless when faced with the two parties today . they are reformers in a world of radicals and reactionaries . politics is history in the present tense , and the study of history can inspire us to aim high in our own lives . in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 1912 election , the theodore roosevelt birthplace in manhattan has mounted an exhibit focused on his bull moose campaign . enclosed are speeches , campaign cartoons and political posters . ( full disclosure , i 'm on the advisory board of the theodore roosevelt association ) . perhaps most striking is the sight of roosevelt 's still-faintly bloodstained shirt , where bullet holes mark the october 1912 assassination attempt , alongside the gun the would-be killer fired . the bullet 's velocity was stopped by an eyeglass case and a thick manuscript , for a speech which roosevelt characteristically insisted on giving before going to the hospital . i have altogether too important things to think of to feel any concern over my own death , ' roosevelt declared . i am ahead of the game anyway . no man has had a happier life than i have led . ' one hundred years later , roosevelt 's vigorous citizenship and heroic sense of politics still inspire . if we understand the lessons of his life correctly , it can still instruct . follow @ cnnopinion on twitter
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teddy roosevelt addressed progressive party 100 years ago as their candidate
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roosevelt <tsp> one hundred years ago monday , theodore roosevelt launched the most successful third party presidential bid in american history , declaring , we stand at armageddon , and we battle for the lord ! ' it was the culmination of the progressive party convention in chicago on august 6 , 1912 . and its influence still echoes through our politics today . roosevelt , the former president , had tried and failed to wrest the gop nomination from his successor , william howard taft . his supporters believed that the nomination had been stolen by the conservative power brokers and declared their independence . and so the progressive party was briefly born . known as the bull moose ' party , after roosevelt 's declaration that he felt as strong as a bull moose , ' supporters saw it as defending the legacy of abraham lincoln against the big business establishment that had taken over the republican party after the civil war . the democrats -- the populist party whose base was in corrupt , big-city bosses and the states of the former confederacy -- were also an unappealing alternative . the old parties are husks , with no real soul within either , divided on artificial lines , boss-ridden and privilege-controlled , ' roosevelt declared , each a jumble of incongruous elements , and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly what should be said on the vital issues of the day . ' roosevelt 's progressive party definitely did not shy away from taking fearless stands on the vital issues of the day . the party 's platform backed giving women the right to vote , the abolition of child labor , minimum wages , social security , public health standards , wildlife conservation , workman 's compensation , insurance against sickness and unemployment , lobbying reform , campaign finance reform and election reform . with socialist , communist and anarchist forces gaining momentum across the atlantic , this was a platform dedicated to roosevelt 's wise belief that reform is the antidote to revolution . ' the assembled crowd was not radical , described by the famed kansas newspaper editor william allen white as successful , middle class country town citizens , the farmer whose barn was painted , the well-paid railroad engineer and the country editor ... women doctors , women lawyers , women teachers . .. proletarian and plutocrat were absent . ' in other words , this was a main street , middle-class revolt against special interests on the far left and far right . among the bull moosers in the crowd were former democrats and republicans , including future supreme court justice felix frankfurter , columnist walter lippman , wise-use conservationist ' gifford pinchot , judge learned hand and settlement house pioneer jane addams , who became the first woman to give a nominating speech at an american political convention . the energy of the occasion left an indelible impression on a generation . the best recent recounting of the convention comes in edmund morris' colonel roosevelt , ' the third volume of his essential work of american biography . in the moment , white described roosevelt charging down the hotel corridors , stalking down an aisle of the coliseum while the crowds roared , walking like a gladiator to the lions . ' in contrast to the upcoming conventions in tampa , florida , and charlotte , north carolina , the atmosphere was one of real , not canned , drama -- electric and unexpected . can we imagine a convention today erupting in'onward christian soldiers'just impromptu ? ' asks terrence brown , the theodore roosevelt association 's executive director . we 've come to a place where putting out fresh ideas is dangerous in politics . candidates do n't want to give an agenda . that 's the difference . tr campaigned with an agenda . he told the convention ,'use me up and cast me aside .'take all of these ideas and run with them . ... the goal was moving along the progressive party 's vision for what the new america in the 20th century should be . ' roosevelt and the progressive party were not successful in their effort to win the white house in 1912 . but they won 27 % of the popular vote -- an all-time high for third parties in presidential elections -- and roosevelt won 88 electoral votes to taft 's eight . the democrats cannily nominated their own progressive candidate , woodrow wilson , and he won the election in a landslide against the divided republicans . but the ideas roosevelt and the progressives fought for did succeed in time . some , such as expanding the right to vote , enacting social security and ending child labor , seem obvious to modern eyes . others , such as the fight for expanded health insurance , remain contentious civic debates . and concerns about the disproportionate influence of big business and other special interests on american elections and policy seem ripped from modern headlines . the political fault lines of the 1912 elections endure to this day as well . president barack obama has explicitly tried to cast himself as the inheritor of roosevelt 's progressive party fight in a kansas speech earlier this year . the republican party still contains competing establishment and reform factions , most recently seen in the factional split between george w. bush and john mccain in 2000 . and certainly there remain many independent-minded americans who feel frustrated and politically homeless when faced with the two parties today . they are reformers in a world of radicals and reactionaries . politics is history in the present tense , and the study of history can inspire us to aim high in our own lives . in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 1912 election , the theodore roosevelt birthplace in manhattan has mounted an exhibit focused on his bull moose campaign . enclosed are speeches , campaign cartoons and political posters . ( full disclosure , i 'm on the advisory board of the theodore roosevelt association ) . perhaps most striking is the sight of roosevelt 's still-faintly bloodstained shirt , where bullet holes mark the october 1912 assassination attempt , alongside the gun the would-be killer fired . the bullet 's velocity was stopped by an eyeglass case and a thick manuscript , for a speech which roosevelt characteristically insisted on giving before going to the hospital . i have altogether too important things to think of to feel any concern over my own death , ' roosevelt declared . i am ahead of the game anyway . no man has had a happier life than i have led . ' one hundred years later , roosevelt 's vigorous citizenship and heroic sense of politics still inspire . if we understand the lessons of his life correctly , it can still instruct . follow @ cnnopinion on twitter
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roosevelt lost the election but gained the highest third-party vote in u.s. history
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roosevelt <tsp> one hundred years ago monday , theodore roosevelt launched the most successful third party presidential bid in american history , declaring , we stand at armageddon , and we battle for the lord ! ' it was the culmination of the progressive party convention in chicago on august 6 , 1912 . and its influence still echoes through our politics today . roosevelt , the former president , had tried and failed to wrest the gop nomination from his successor , william howard taft . his supporters believed that the nomination had been stolen by the conservative power brokers and declared their independence . and so the progressive party was briefly born . known as the bull moose ' party , after roosevelt 's declaration that he felt as strong as a bull moose , ' supporters saw it as defending the legacy of abraham lincoln against the big business establishment that had taken over the republican party after the civil war . the democrats -- the populist party whose base was in corrupt , big-city bosses and the states of the former confederacy -- were also an unappealing alternative . the old parties are husks , with no real soul within either , divided on artificial lines , boss-ridden and privilege-controlled , ' roosevelt declared , each a jumble of incongruous elements , and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly what should be said on the vital issues of the day . ' roosevelt 's progressive party definitely did not shy away from taking fearless stands on the vital issues of the day . the party 's platform backed giving women the right to vote , the abolition of child labor , minimum wages , social security , public health standards , wildlife conservation , workman 's compensation , insurance against sickness and unemployment , lobbying reform , campaign finance reform and election reform . with socialist , communist and anarchist forces gaining momentum across the atlantic , this was a platform dedicated to roosevelt 's wise belief that reform is the antidote to revolution . ' the assembled crowd was not radical , described by the famed kansas newspaper editor william allen white as successful , middle class country town citizens , the farmer whose barn was painted , the well-paid railroad engineer and the country editor ... women doctors , women lawyers , women teachers . .. proletarian and plutocrat were absent . ' in other words , this was a main street , middle-class revolt against special interests on the far left and far right . among the bull moosers in the crowd were former democrats and republicans , including future supreme court justice felix frankfurter , columnist walter lippman , wise-use conservationist ' gifford pinchot , judge learned hand and settlement house pioneer jane addams , who became the first woman to give a nominating speech at an american political convention . the energy of the occasion left an indelible impression on a generation . the best recent recounting of the convention comes in edmund morris' colonel roosevelt , ' the third volume of his essential work of american biography . in the moment , white described roosevelt charging down the hotel corridors , stalking down an aisle of the coliseum while the crowds roared , walking like a gladiator to the lions . ' in contrast to the upcoming conventions in tampa , florida , and charlotte , north carolina , the atmosphere was one of real , not canned , drama -- electric and unexpected . can we imagine a convention today erupting in'onward christian soldiers'just impromptu ? ' asks terrence brown , the theodore roosevelt association 's executive director . we 've come to a place where putting out fresh ideas is dangerous in politics . candidates do n't want to give an agenda . that 's the difference . tr campaigned with an agenda . he told the convention ,'use me up and cast me aside .'take all of these ideas and run with them . ... the goal was moving along the progressive party 's vision for what the new america in the 20th century should be . ' roosevelt and the progressive party were not successful in their effort to win the white house in 1912 . but they won 27 % of the popular vote -- an all-time high for third parties in presidential elections -- and roosevelt won 88 electoral votes to taft 's eight . the democrats cannily nominated their own progressive candidate , woodrow wilson , and he won the election in a landslide against the divided republicans . but the ideas roosevelt and the progressives fought for did succeed in time . some , such as expanding the right to vote , enacting social security and ending child labor , seem obvious to modern eyes . others , such as the fight for expanded health insurance , remain contentious civic debates . and concerns about the disproportionate influence of big business and other special interests on american elections and policy seem ripped from modern headlines . the political fault lines of the 1912 elections endure to this day as well . president barack obama has explicitly tried to cast himself as the inheritor of roosevelt 's progressive party fight in a kansas speech earlier this year . the republican party still contains competing establishment and reform factions , most recently seen in the factional split between george w. bush and john mccain in 2000 . and certainly there remain many independent-minded americans who feel frustrated and politically homeless when faced with the two parties today . they are reformers in a world of radicals and reactionaries . politics is history in the present tense , and the study of history can inspire us to aim high in our own lives . in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 1912 election , the theodore roosevelt birthplace in manhattan has mounted an exhibit focused on his bull moose campaign . enclosed are speeches , campaign cartoons and political posters . ( full disclosure , i 'm on the advisory board of the theodore roosevelt association ) . perhaps most striking is the sight of roosevelt 's still-faintly bloodstained shirt , where bullet holes mark the october 1912 assassination attempt , alongside the gun the would-be killer fired . the bullet 's velocity was stopped by an eyeglass case and a thick manuscript , for a speech which roosevelt characteristically insisted on giving before going to the hospital . i have altogether too important things to think of to feel any concern over my own death , ' roosevelt declared . i am ahead of the game anyway . no man has had a happier life than i have led . ' one hundred years later , roosevelt 's vigorous citizenship and heroic sense of politics still inspire . if we understand the lessons of his life correctly , it can still instruct . follow @ cnnopinion on twitter
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avlon : roosevelt 's vigorous citizenship and heroic sense of politics still inspire '
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roosevelt <tsp> one hundred years ago monday , theodore roosevelt launched the most successful third party presidential bid in american history , declaring , we stand at armageddon , and we battle for the lord ! ' it was the culmination of the progressive party convention in chicago on august 6 , 1912 . and its influence still echoes through our politics today . roosevelt , the former president , had tried and failed to wrest the gop nomination from his successor , william howard taft . his supporters believed that the nomination had been stolen by the conservative power brokers and declared their independence . and so the progressive party was briefly born . known as the bull moose ' party , after roosevelt 's declaration that he felt as strong as a bull moose , ' supporters saw it as defending the legacy of abraham lincoln against the big business establishment that had taken over the republican party after the civil war . the democrats -- the populist party whose base was in corrupt , big-city bosses and the states of the former confederacy -- were also an unappealing alternative . the old parties are husks , with no real soul within either , divided on artificial lines , boss-ridden and privilege-controlled , ' roosevelt declared , each a jumble of incongruous elements , and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly what should be said on the vital issues of the day . ' roosevelt 's progressive party definitely did not shy away from taking fearless stands on the vital issues of the day . the party 's platform backed giving women the right to vote , the abolition of child labor , minimum wages , social security , public health standards , wildlife conservation , workman 's compensation , insurance against sickness and unemployment , lobbying reform , campaign finance reform and election reform . with socialist , communist and anarchist forces gaining momentum across the atlantic , this was a platform dedicated to roosevelt 's wise belief that reform is the antidote to revolution . ' the assembled crowd was not radical , described by the famed kansas newspaper editor william allen white as successful , middle class country town citizens , the farmer whose barn was painted , the well-paid railroad engineer and the country editor ... women doctors , women lawyers , women teachers . .. proletarian and plutocrat were absent . ' in other words , this was a main street , middle-class revolt against special interests on the far left and far right . among the bull moosers in the crowd were former democrats and republicans , including future supreme court justice felix frankfurter , columnist walter lippman , wise-use conservationist ' gifford pinchot , judge learned hand and settlement house pioneer jane addams , who became the first woman to give a nominating speech at an american political convention . the energy of the occasion left an indelible impression on a generation . the best recent recounting of the convention comes in edmund morris' colonel roosevelt , ' the third volume of his essential work of american biography . in the moment , white described roosevelt charging down the hotel corridors , stalking down an aisle of the coliseum while the crowds roared , walking like a gladiator to the lions . ' in contrast to the upcoming conventions in tampa , florida , and charlotte , north carolina , the atmosphere was one of real , not canned , drama -- electric and unexpected . can we imagine a convention today erupting in'onward christian soldiers'just impromptu ? ' asks terrence brown , the theodore roosevelt association 's executive director . we 've come to a place where putting out fresh ideas is dangerous in politics . candidates do n't want to give an agenda . that 's the difference . tr campaigned with an agenda . he told the convention ,'use me up and cast me aside .'take all of these ideas and run with them . ... the goal was moving along the progressive party 's vision for what the new america in the 20th century should be . ' roosevelt and the progressive party were not successful in their effort to win the white house in 1912 . but they won 27 % of the popular vote -- an all-time high for third parties in presidential elections -- and roosevelt won 88 electoral votes to taft 's eight . the democrats cannily nominated their own progressive candidate , woodrow wilson , and he won the election in a landslide against the divided republicans . but the ideas roosevelt and the progressives fought for did succeed in time . some , such as expanding the right to vote , enacting social security and ending child labor , seem obvious to modern eyes . others , such as the fight for expanded health insurance , remain contentious civic debates . and concerns about the disproportionate influence of big business and other special interests on american elections and policy seem ripped from modern headlines . the political fault lines of the 1912 elections endure to this day as well . president barack obama has explicitly tried to cast himself as the inheritor of roosevelt 's progressive party fight in a kansas speech earlier this year . the republican party still contains competing establishment and reform factions , most recently seen in the factional split between george w. bush and john mccain in 2000 . and certainly there remain many independent-minded americans who feel frustrated and politically homeless when faced with the two parties today . they are reformers in a world of radicals and reactionaries . politics is history in the present tense , and the study of history can inspire us to aim high in our own lives . in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 1912 election , the theodore roosevelt birthplace in manhattan has mounted an exhibit focused on his bull moose campaign . enclosed are speeches , campaign cartoons and political posters . ( full disclosure , i 'm on the advisory board of the theodore roosevelt association ) . perhaps most striking is the sight of roosevelt 's still-faintly bloodstained shirt , where bullet holes mark the october 1912 assassination attempt , alongside the gun the would-be killer fired . the bullet 's velocity was stopped by an eyeglass case and a thick manuscript , for a speech which roosevelt characteristically insisted on giving before going to the hospital . i have altogether too important things to think of to feel any concern over my own death , ' roosevelt declared . i am ahead of the game anyway . no man has had a happier life than i have led . ' one hundred years later , roosevelt 's vigorous citizenship and heroic sense of politics still inspire . if we understand the lessons of his life correctly , it can still instruct . follow @ cnnopinion on twitter
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teddy roosevelt addressed progressive party 100 years ago as their candidate
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chilean <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the maracana suffered its second fan'invasion'in the space of four days as chilean fans tried to storm the stadium ahead of their team 's key world cup group game against spain . fans without tickets tried to force entry into the stadium , breaking fences and overrunning security , while also damaging the media center . they did not make it to the seats , ' said a fifa statement wednesday . the situation was brought under control quickly and at least 85 intruders were detained by the military police of rio de janeiro . the organizers of the 2014 fifa world cup condemn these acts of violence . we 'll communicate further information and measures to be taken in due course . ' cnn anchor alex thomas posted pictures on instagram of a shattered glass door as well as damage to the media center . on sunday , argentina fans , both with and without tickets , invaded gate d of the maracana stadium ahead of their team 's 2-1 world cup win over bosnia-herzegovina in group f. an o globo video showed fans in argentina shirts climbing a wall and running through an open gate before stadium staff were able to close it . nine argentinian supporters were put into custody by the public authorities , ' fifa told cnn . chile won the group b game 2-0 dumping world champions spain out the finals . the maracana stadium will host the world cup final on july 13 .
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chilean fans try to storm maracana stadium ahead of game against spain
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maracana <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the maracana suffered its second fan'invasion'in the space of four days as chilean fans tried to storm the stadium ahead of their team 's key world cup group game against spain . fans without tickets tried to force entry into the stadium , breaking fences and overrunning security , while also damaging the media center . they did not make it to the seats , ' said a fifa statement wednesday . the situation was brought under control quickly and at least 85 intruders were detained by the military police of rio de janeiro . the organizers of the 2014 fifa world cup condemn these acts of violence . we 'll communicate further information and measures to be taken in due course . ' cnn anchor alex thomas posted pictures on instagram of a shattered glass door as well as damage to the media center . on sunday , argentina fans , both with and without tickets , invaded gate d of the maracana stadium ahead of their team 's 2-1 world cup win over bosnia-herzegovina in group f. an o globo video showed fans in argentina shirts climbing a wall and running through an open gate before stadium staff were able to close it . nine argentinian supporters were put into custody by the public authorities , ' fifa told cnn . chile won the group b game 2-0 dumping world champions spain out the finals . the maracana stadium will host the world cup final on july 13 .
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maracana stadium will host the world cup final on july 13
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maracana <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the maracana suffered its second fan'invasion'in the space of four days as chilean fans tried to storm the stadium ahead of their team 's key world cup group game against spain . fans without tickets tried to force entry into the stadium , breaking fences and overrunning security , while also damaging the media center . they did not make it to the seats , ' said a fifa statement wednesday . the situation was brought under control quickly and at least 85 intruders were detained by the military police of rio de janeiro . the organizers of the 2014 fifa world cup condemn these acts of violence . we 'll communicate further information and measures to be taken in due course . ' cnn anchor alex thomas posted pictures on instagram of a shattered glass door as well as damage to the media center . on sunday , argentina fans , both with and without tickets , invaded gate d of the maracana stadium ahead of their team 's 2-1 world cup win over bosnia-herzegovina in group f. an o globo video showed fans in argentina shirts climbing a wall and running through an open gate before stadium staff were able to close it . nine argentinian supporters were put into custody by the public authorities , ' fifa told cnn . chile won the group b game 2-0 dumping world champions spain out the finals . the maracana stadium will host the world cup final on july 13 .
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argentina fans invaded maracana on sunday
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maracana <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the maracana suffered its second fan'invasion'in the space of four days as chilean fans tried to storm the stadium ahead of their team 's key world cup group game against spain . fans without tickets tried to force entry into the stadium , breaking fences and overrunning security , while also damaging the media center . they did not make it to the seats , ' said a fifa statement wednesday . the situation was brought under control quickly and at least 85 intruders were detained by the military police of rio de janeiro . the organizers of the 2014 fifa world cup condemn these acts of violence . we 'll communicate further information and measures to be taken in due course . ' cnn anchor alex thomas posted pictures on instagram of a shattered glass door as well as damage to the media center . on sunday , argentina fans , both with and without tickets , invaded gate d of the maracana stadium ahead of their team 's 2-1 world cup win over bosnia-herzegovina in group f. an o globo video showed fans in argentina shirts climbing a wall and running through an open gate before stadium staff were able to close it . nine argentinian supporters were put into custody by the public authorities , ' fifa told cnn . chile won the group b game 2-0 dumping world champions spain out the finals . the maracana stadium will host the world cup final on july 13 .
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chilean fans try to storm maracana stadium ahead of game against spain
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ciudad juarez <tsp> ciudad juarez , mexico ( cnn ) -- an explosion rocked a candy factory in the mexican border city of juarez on thursday , injuring dozens and killing at least one person , officials said . search crews were still combing through the rubble hours after the blast , the city 's top civil protection official told cnn affiliate forotv . at least one person was confirmed dead , civil protection chief fernando motta allen said . at least 42 employees were injured , 11 seriously , according to efren matamoros , another civil protection official . the explosion caused part of the roof to collapse at the blueberry candy factory . preliminary reports indicate that an oven installed several months ago exploded , matamoros said . ciudad juarez is across the border from el paso , texas . cnn 's eduardo aragon , elwyn lopez and catherine e. shoichet contributed to this report .
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at least 42 people are injured after a factory explosion in ciudad juarez , an official says
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heisman trophy <tsp> ( cnn ) -- auburn quarterback cam newton won the 2010 heisman trophy on saturday night , his on-field heroics enough to overcome off-the-field questions about his role in a purported pay-for-play scheme . newton bested a field that included oregon running back lamichael james , stanford quarterback andrew luck , and boise state quarterback kellen moore . the award , given in new york city , is voted on by hundreds of media members and past winners . the junior from college park , georgia , leads auburn , the nation 's top-ranked team . the tigers will play likewise undefeated oregon on jan. 10 in the bowl championship series title game for what amounts to a national championship . newton has thrown for 28 touchdowns and run for another 20 scores this season , helping the tigers win the southeastern conference championship . his performance came despite his being dogged all fall by allegations that his services were being shopped around before he landed at auburn . on november 30 , the ncaa cleared him to play -- one day after auburn declared him ineligible because the interscholastic sports body had determined there had been a violation of amateurism rules . the ncaa changed course , it said , after concluding that newton was n't aware that his father , the rev . cecil newton , and an unnamed owner of a scouting service tried to market the star quarterback as a part of a pay-for-play scenario in return for newton 's commitment to attend college and play football . ' it has been widely reported that the school involved in the attempt was mississippi state . the ncaa said that , given the information it had at the time , it did not have sufficient evidence that cam newton or anyone from auburn was aware of this activity . ' auburn did limit newton 's father 's access to its athletic program and mississippi state has cut off relations with the other person , the ncaa said . the rev . newton did not attend saturday 's heisman presentation , though cam 's mother , jackie newton , was in the audience .
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auburn 's cam newton wins the heisman trophy as college football 's best player
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republican <tsp> a small but growing group of house republicans is increasingly worried about the fallout from the government shutdown and say it 's time for speaker john boehner to allow a simple vote on a spending bill . defunding obamacare can wait for now , they say . i 'm trying to be optimistic but at the same time i have a really , really tough time when people are out of work and they ca n't pay their bills , ' rep. michael grimm of new york told reporters wednesday . though it might be a political loss for us ... this is an untenable situation . ' rep. scott rigell , whose virginia district is home to a significant number of military members and civilian contractors , was one of the first to publicly break away . we fought the good fight , ' he said in a tweet on tuesday , but acknowledged it was time to move on . boehner hosted small groups of concerned members on wednesday . a spokesman for boehner declined to talk about the sessions . a republican source familiar with one of wednesday 's meetings said boehner listened , but did n't signal he was willing to allow a vote on a clean bill . they were n't strong-armed , and they were n't asked to step back , ' the source said of the moderates in the meeting . it was taken as a positive sign that boehner was n't trying to muzzle the effort . another house republican source acknowledged that the group does n't yet have the numbers , muscle or will to force boehner 's hand . to do so , they would need to stick together and vote with democrats to block any piecemeal spending bills from coming up . the only republican to do that so far is rep. peter king of new york . one of the republicans who met with boehner wednesday told cnn they are giving him a bit more time to let things play out , but could decide to rebel by the end of the week . the shutdown : americans on the edge white house meeting there were no apparent breakthroughs during a midweek meeting at the white house between congressional leaders and president barack obama . descriptions of the meeting ran the gamut . obama called the session useful ; ' house minority leader nancy pelosi said it was worthwhile ' and boehner cast it as a polite conversation . ' senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , however , called it unproductive . ' but the major players were all in the same room at the same time , talking to each other -- something that has n't happened much in recent weeks . following cruz 's playbook as the shutdown lingers , some republican moderates are openly frustrated that tea party darling sen. ted cruz of texas appears to be calling the shots on what house republicans do next . cruz was one of the first to suggest passing narrow bills that fund those government agencies or functions that generate any public backlash . i think the leadership is committed to play the cruz strategy all the way out , ' california rep. devin nunes told reporters , before adding if you can call it a strategy . ' for two days , gop leaders have pushed through a series of piecemeal spending bills for floor votes that would fund things like veterans affairs , national parks and medical research . house majority leader eric cantor said wednesday they plan to continue doing this . we 've got ways to ease the pain on people , ' cantor said . we agree on a lot around here . we ought to fund that , and then we ought to sit down and talk about that which we do n't . ' still , the spending measures have no hope of passing , because the democratic-led senate wo n't approve the bills and , even if they did , the white house has promised a veto . shutdown : navy-air force football game on ; others in limbo moderates meet king hosted a group of mostly moderate gop members in his office early wednesday that want boehner to allow a vote on a clean spending bill . he told reporters about 10 members attended , but said he believes there are about two dozen who would publicly back a clean spending plan -- one that does n't try to strip the funding from president barack obama 's signature healthcare program . i could be wrong , but i think if you had a secret ballot , 180 would vote for a clean cr , ' king said . but it 's more likely that a shift in house gop strategy wo n't come in public defiance on the house floor , king said , but in quiet talks behind closed doors . maybe it 's because i come from new york . i rely on back room meetings to get things done , ' he said . i 'm hoping someone 's going to meet behind the scenes somewhere and we 're going to make a deal . ' one senior republican familiar with the talks argued that the effort may be small now , but it is expanding , and will grow as more republicans hear from constituents back home that are hurting from the shutdown . it 's day 2 of the shutdown -- we went from six or seven ( members ) to over 20 today , ' the senior republican told cnn . another gop member familiar with the discussions told cnn they would only get serious if they stood together as a group to block a vote . the only way we 're going to get boehner and cantor to change course is if we can bring things to a halt , ' said the source , who asked to speak anonymously while talks continue . a perilous strategy but it could be risky for these house republicans to take a stand against the tea party faction of the gop . at the weekly lunch of the republican study committee , a group of fiscal conservatives , the rumblings of the moderate gop members came up . some in the room said they should go after ' those fellow republicans and put pressure on them to fall in line , according to a gop source familiar with the discussions . but another republican congressional source in the meeting said the message was softer . members of the committee were encouraged to have one-one-one converstations ' with moderates to convince them to stick with the current gop leadership strategy . nunes told reporters he expected the shutdown to go through the weekend and possibly through mid-october when congress needs to raise the debt ceiling . he does n't think the current house republican plan , which he repeatedly said is being dictated by cruz , is helping the gop cause of defunding or delaying obamacare . but he said he will vote for the smaller spending bills out of loyalty to boehner , even as he criticized the group behind cruz as lemmings . ' i 'm going to continue to support our leadership . even if we have entered the valley of death , when you enter the valley of death you have to keep running and the whole team has to stick together , ' a frustrated nunes told reporters outside the house floor . king acknowledged the effort to get more republicans to push for a clean spending bill could take some time and probably would n't result in a new strategy until the tea party has had enough . ' u.s. shutdown threatens launch of nasa 's next mission to mars
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republican moderates could side with democrats to end the government shutdown
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sergey bubka <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ukraine has suspended one of their top olympic officials after an investigation alleged he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets for the london games on the black market . a probe by the bbc , a british broadcaster , made the claims about volodymyr gerashchenko , a senior member of the ukraine national olympic committee ( unoc ) . gerashchenko , who has been part of the unoc since 1997 , was told of his suspension wednesday by president sergey bubka , the former pole vaulting legend . a statement on unoc 's website quoyed bubka as saying : as president of the ukraine noc , i am committed to maintaining the highest standards and ethics within the olympic movement . i am deeply concerned about these allegations and i have ordered an immediate investigation in ukraine . i have briefly spoken with general secretary gerashchenko and informed him that he is suspended pending this investigation . i have also spoken to ( london organising committee of the olympic games ) chairman sebastian coe since i learnt of this news and informed him that i will ensure that we fully co-operate with any subsequent investigation that takes place in london . there has never been a situation where we have had a surplus number of tickets and those that we have received will all be distributed using official channels . london 2012 is going to be a spectacular celebration of sport and it is imperative that tickets are distributed to deserving recipients . ' however , afp reported that bubka 's deputy , viktor korzh , was dubious about the veracity of the bbc 's claims . i still have great doubts about this and think that the whole story could come to nothing , ' he is said to have told reporters . in their undercover operation , the bbc alleged gerashchenko told a reporter he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets . he said : i understand you 're a dealer -- that 's why for me , you are priority number one , the top , the person , in case we have extra tickets to contact you , we contact you . ' when the charges were put to him , he is said to have responded that he never planned to sell tickets in the uk , ' and had been making diplomatic talk to satisfy the persistent interest of the ticket dealer . '
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gerashchenko suspended by unoc president sergey bubka wednesday
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unoc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ukraine has suspended one of their top olympic officials after an investigation alleged he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets for the london games on the black market . a probe by the bbc , a british broadcaster , made the claims about volodymyr gerashchenko , a senior member of the ukraine national olympic committee ( unoc ) . gerashchenko , who has been part of the unoc since 1997 , was told of his suspension wednesday by president sergey bubka , the former pole vaulting legend . a statement on unoc 's website quoyed bubka as saying : as president of the ukraine noc , i am committed to maintaining the highest standards and ethics within the olympic movement . i am deeply concerned about these allegations and i have ordered an immediate investigation in ukraine . i have briefly spoken with general secretary gerashchenko and informed him that he is suspended pending this investigation . i have also spoken to ( london organising committee of the olympic games ) chairman sebastian coe since i learnt of this news and informed him that i will ensure that we fully co-operate with any subsequent investigation that takes place in london . there has never been a situation where we have had a surplus number of tickets and those that we have received will all be distributed using official channels . london 2012 is going to be a spectacular celebration of sport and it is imperative that tickets are distributed to deserving recipients . ' however , afp reported that bubka 's deputy , viktor korzh , was dubious about the veracity of the bbc 's claims . i still have great doubts about this and think that the whole story could come to nothing , ' he is said to have told reporters . in their undercover operation , the bbc alleged gerashchenko told a reporter he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets . he said : i understand you 're a dealer -- that 's why for me , you are priority number one , the top , the person , in case we have extra tickets to contact you , we contact you . ' when the charges were put to him , he is said to have responded that he never planned to sell tickets in the uk , ' and had been making diplomatic talk to satisfy the persistent interest of the ticket dealer . '
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senior member of ukraine national olympic committee ( unoc ) suspended
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unoc <tsp> ( cnn ) -- ukraine has suspended one of their top olympic officials after an investigation alleged he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets for the london games on the black market . a probe by the bbc , a british broadcaster , made the claims about volodymyr gerashchenko , a senior member of the ukraine national olympic committee ( unoc ) . gerashchenko , who has been part of the unoc since 1997 , was told of his suspension wednesday by president sergey bubka , the former pole vaulting legend . a statement on unoc 's website quoyed bubka as saying : as president of the ukraine noc , i am committed to maintaining the highest standards and ethics within the olympic movement . i am deeply concerned about these allegations and i have ordered an immediate investigation in ukraine . i have briefly spoken with general secretary gerashchenko and informed him that he is suspended pending this investigation . i have also spoken to ( london organising committee of the olympic games ) chairman sebastian coe since i learnt of this news and informed him that i will ensure that we fully co-operate with any subsequent investigation that takes place in london . there has never been a situation where we have had a surplus number of tickets and those that we have received will all be distributed using official channels . london 2012 is going to be a spectacular celebration of sport and it is imperative that tickets are distributed to deserving recipients . ' however , afp reported that bubka 's deputy , viktor korzh , was dubious about the veracity of the bbc 's claims . i still have great doubts about this and think that the whole story could come to nothing , ' he is said to have told reporters . in their undercover operation , the bbc alleged gerashchenko told a reporter he was willing to sell up to 100 tickets . he said : i understand you 're a dealer -- that 's why for me , you are priority number one , the top , the person , in case we have extra tickets to contact you , we contact you . ' when the charges were put to him , he is said to have responded that he never planned to sell tickets in the uk , ' and had been making diplomatic talk to satisfy the persistent interest of the ticket dealer . '
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gerashchenko suspended by unoc president sergey bubka wednesday
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bubba watson <tsp> ( cnn ) -- another day , another big name crashes out of the world golf championship event at dove mountain . the world 's top two players , rory mcilroy and tiger woods departed after the first round of the accenture match play in arizona , former no . 1 luke donald exited on friday along with sergio garcia and justin rose , and now bubba watson and martin kaymer are out of the running as well . masters champion watson was beaten by australian jason day in saturday 's early tee-offs , with the tournament schedule crammed due to snow at the desert course which wiped out the first day in midweek . the american went down 4 and 3 as day cruised into the afternoon quarterfinals , where he was to face former u.s. open champion graeme mcdowell . jason day just played better , ' watson , who went to four extra holes before beating jim furyk on friday , wrote on twitter . but my ball striking is better and excited about the rest of the year ! ' mcdowell ended the dream run of shane lowry , who had beaten his fellow northern irishman mcilroy . lowry , who is from the republic of ireland , was the lowest-ranked player in the 64-man field but edged past mcilroy 1-up before defeating sweden 's world no . 35 carl petterson . mcdowell , ranked 19th , triumphed 3 and 2 on saturday as he followed up his wins against ireland 's three-time major champion padraig harrington and world no . 51 alexander noren of sweden . day , ranked 43rd , beat 2007 masters winner zach johnson in his opening match and then disposed of american pga tour rookie russell henley -- who won the sony open in hawaii last month . it was just really steady golf , ' day said . bubba gave me a couple early on and i just tried to hold that lead , and i tried to extend it . i think i was four under through 14 holes , so overall very , very happy with how i played . ' former world no . 1 kaymer was thrashed 5 and 4 by 25th-ranked defending champion hunter mahan , who earned a quarterfinal against u.s. open champion webb simpson . mahan has now been ahead in every match he has played at the tournament since the sixth hole of last year 's opening match -- a run of 133 holes . if you hit fairways and greens , you know you 're going to put pressure on your guy , ' the american said after his win over the 2011 runner-up , which avenged that year 's third-round defeat to the german . it 's definitely nice to get a lead and that 's the goal for everybody , but to do it , it 's a good feeling for sure . ' simpson , ranked 17th , won 2-up against spain 's no . 33 gonzalo fernandez-castano . england 's ian poulter , the 2010 match play winner , set up a clash with 2001 champion steve stricker . poulter thrashed south africa 's tim clark 5 and 3 while veteran american stricker beat donald 's conqueror scott piercy . quick bite for lunch and then another match this afternoon , ' poulter , playing in his first tournament for six weeks , wrote on twitter . keep plugging away and stay out of trouble . ' the other quarterfinal was between americans matt kuchar , who last year reached fifth in the world rankings before dropping to 23rd now , and big-hitting arizona-based no . 38 robert garrigus .
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masters champion bubba watson beaten in third round of accenture world match play
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china <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- president xi jinping promised citizens his government will pursue the chinese dream , ' in a keynote speech as the national people 's congress came to a close on sunday . we must make persistent efforts , press ahead with indomitable will , continue to push forward the great cause of socialism with chinese characteristics , and strive to achieve the chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the chinese nation , ' xi said , according to state news agency xinhua . xi spoke in crisp , clear mandarin , in relatively plain language , in keeping with his desire to drop the jargon traditionally sprinkled through official speeches and text . in his speech , xi paid tribute to his predecessor , hu jintao , 70 , who is retiring , commending his outstanding contributions ' over the years . xi paused to allow a long applause from the 3,000 delegates in the great hall of the people as hu stood up and took a bow . xi 's speech was followed by the first news conference by premier li keqiang who , like xi , was confirmed as one of the nation 's new leaders during the meeting . they are replacing hu and wen jiabao , who led the country for 10 years . during the question and answer session broadcast to millions nationwide , li addressed china 's relationship with the united states and recent friction over allegations that chinese hackers had targeted u.s. networks . common interests between the u.s and china far outweigh the differences , he said , and stressed the need to maintain friendly ties . on the issue of hacking , li took exception to a reporter 's question , saying it presumed guilt . this is a worldwide problem and in fact china itself a main target . we are opposed to such activities , ' he said . i think we should not make groundless accusations against each other and spend more time doing practical things that contribute to cyber security . ' in front of hundreds of local and foreign journalists in beijing 's great hall of the people , li said the new government was seeking to curb its own power . this is demanded by the government and wanted by the people . we are determined to make that sacrifice ... we will keep our promise . ' li acknowledged that shaking up the system would be difficult -- sometimes stirring vested interests may be more difficult than stirring the soul ' -- but that the government had no choice but to act . he said the aim was to create a fairer country . whatever kind of wealth creator you are -- as long as you compete on a level playing field and conduct your business in a clear and honest way then you will be able to taste success , ' he said . during visits to communities , he said , locals complained that they had to seek approval from several departments to get something done . about 1,700 items still require the approval of state council departments , he said , and his government plans to cut that by a third . echoing recent comments from the president , li said the government would lead by example , reducing spending on government offices , buildings , travel and hospitality . instead , money would be redirected toward social spending . we need to win the trust of the people by promoting frugality , ' li said . he said the government would strive to be the guardian of social fairness , ' and work to narrow what he called the two biggest gaps ' between the people ; urban and rural dwellers , and people from different regions . we need to raise the level at which social security funds are managed . and in the area of medical and old age insurance , we need to make sure that people can reimburse their expenses and transfer their accounts to where they currently reside . ' achieving economic stability remained the government 's priority , the premier said , while repeating economic targets this year of 7.5 % annual growth . our trade will continue to grow and even at a high speed in the years ahead , ' li said. that will create enormous opportunities for the world . ' however , economic growth will not come at the cost of the environment , he said , adding that complaints about pollution and tainted food supplies had been heard . cnn 's jaime florcruz contributed to this report
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premier li says common interests between the u.s. and china outweigh differences
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china <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- president xi jinping promised citizens his government will pursue the chinese dream , ' in a keynote speech as the national people 's congress came to a close on sunday . we must make persistent efforts , press ahead with indomitable will , continue to push forward the great cause of socialism with chinese characteristics , and strive to achieve the chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the chinese nation , ' xi said , according to state news agency xinhua . xi spoke in crisp , clear mandarin , in relatively plain language , in keeping with his desire to drop the jargon traditionally sprinkled through official speeches and text . in his speech , xi paid tribute to his predecessor , hu jintao , 70 , who is retiring , commending his outstanding contributions ' over the years . xi paused to allow a long applause from the 3,000 delegates in the great hall of the people as hu stood up and took a bow . xi 's speech was followed by the first news conference by premier li keqiang who , like xi , was confirmed as one of the nation 's new leaders during the meeting . they are replacing hu and wen jiabao , who led the country for 10 years . during the question and answer session broadcast to millions nationwide , li addressed china 's relationship with the united states and recent friction over allegations that chinese hackers had targeted u.s. networks . common interests between the u.s and china far outweigh the differences , he said , and stressed the need to maintain friendly ties . on the issue of hacking , li took exception to a reporter 's question , saying it presumed guilt . this is a worldwide problem and in fact china itself a main target . we are opposed to such activities , ' he said . i think we should not make groundless accusations against each other and spend more time doing practical things that contribute to cyber security . ' in front of hundreds of local and foreign journalists in beijing 's great hall of the people , li said the new government was seeking to curb its own power . this is demanded by the government and wanted by the people . we are determined to make that sacrifice ... we will keep our promise . ' li acknowledged that shaking up the system would be difficult -- sometimes stirring vested interests may be more difficult than stirring the soul ' -- but that the government had no choice but to act . he said the aim was to create a fairer country . whatever kind of wealth creator you are -- as long as you compete on a level playing field and conduct your business in a clear and honest way then you will be able to taste success , ' he said . during visits to communities , he said , locals complained that they had to seek approval from several departments to get something done . about 1,700 items still require the approval of state council departments , he said , and his government plans to cut that by a third . echoing recent comments from the president , li said the government would lead by example , reducing spending on government offices , buildings , travel and hospitality . instead , money would be redirected toward social spending . we need to win the trust of the people by promoting frugality , ' li said . he said the government would strive to be the guardian of social fairness , ' and work to narrow what he called the two biggest gaps ' between the people ; urban and rural dwellers , and people from different regions . we need to raise the level at which social security funds are managed . and in the area of medical and old age insurance , we need to make sure that people can reimburse their expenses and transfer their accounts to where they currently reside . ' achieving economic stability remained the government 's priority , the premier said , while repeating economic targets this year of 7.5 % annual growth . our trade will continue to grow and even at a high speed in the years ahead , ' li said. that will create enormous opportunities for the world . ' however , economic growth will not come at the cost of the environment , he said , adding that complaints about pollution and tainted food supplies had been heard . cnn 's jaime florcruz contributed to this report
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he describes hacking as a worldwide problem , saying china is a main target
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ann furedi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- to date , britain has avoided the politicized and polarized abortion debate that is so prevalent in the u.s . traditionally , our political parties have seen abortion as a'private'matter of personal and public'health'and not a matter of rights . the law gives women no'right'to abortion as in most western democracies -- but , if two doctors certify that it 's best for her health and well-being and the pregnancy is less than 24 weeks gestation , abortion is a legal option . most people support this . we want people to be able to plan their families and to support and be responsible for their children , yet we know contraception sometimes fails and people fail to use it . abortion , as a back up to birth control , is generally seen as regrettable , but a fact of life . even in northern ireland , where abortion remains illegal , it 's accepted that women travel to the mainland . i am stunned when i talk with american colleagues about the violence and intimidation that their abortion doctors face . for them , a typical protest is several hundred strong -- for us a large protest is sometimes several dozen protesters , but more typically it is just several individuals . but , small as our protests are , they upset and disrupt women seeking safe and legal care from legitimate pregnancy advisory services . in recent weeks the bedford square clinic of the british pregnancy advisory service ( bpas ) , close to london 's oxford street , has been the focus of a lent-long 40 days for life vigil . it is a'mini-me'version of u.s. campaigns . women attending the clinic face a gathering of people praying for them to reject abortion . they are handed leaflets with fanciful claims about how abortion will raise their risk of cancer and mental illness . they are shown'life-size'models of their unborn baby and subjected to'pavement counselling'to encourage them to'choose life .'for the present at least , women are no longer tormented with'gifts'of little knitted baby bootees , a feature of some previous vigils . the problem with the protests is this : the protesters oppose abortion in principle -- but their actions are against women who want to consider abortion -- not in principle -- but as a private medical solution to a personal , individual problem . women attend our clinics for care or counseling because they need help . they do not come to demonstrate support for abortion . the protesters should leave them alone , to deal with their problems privately with those they have chosen to seek help from . as the main abortion provider in britain , bpas is not shy of debate . public education is part of our job and seeing more than 60,000 women with problem pregnancies each year puts us in a good position to explain what these women want and need . of course , society should debate the rights and wrongs of abortion . there are places for that and persons who are ready and willing to engage with the issues . outside a clinic is the wrong place , and women in immediate need of care are the wrong audience . the protesters have allies in the uk parliament to voice their concerns . they have no need spend 40 days in the cold plaguing women . it is my job to answer for what bpas does , and i could not be more proud of the charity , its staff and its work . bpas really is'genuinely'pro-choice . part of our charitable mission is to alleviate distress in relation to fertility by providing advice , treatment and assistance . in the past we have provided infertility care as well as abortion -- and we hope to do so in the future . one marvelous response to the protests was that some complete stranger to bpas set up a website encouraging support for us . the comments posted speak volumes . those who accuse us of running'abortion mills'should ponder this comment by 's'on march 17 , 2012 : your advice and support helped me decide the right thing to do was keep my baby . being able to talk through my choices without judgment was undoubtedly the most important part of that process . long may you be able to support other women like me . ' when a woman comes to us with a'problem pregnancy ,'if she is undecided , our first aim is to help her to make the decision that she feels is right for her . we may not be able to make her feel'happy'about her decision ; she may choose what seems the'least worst'option -- but the decision will have been hers . this is what the protesters , who stand with their banners or lurk around our clinic entrances soliciting the attention of women approaching our doors , refuse to understand . they boast of the occasional woman they'turn away'-- but refuse to accept that thousands of'bpas clients'decide against abortion in any case . and we are glad when they are satisfied with that decision just as we are glad when a woman is satisfied with her abortion decision . that is what it means to be pro-choice . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ann furedi
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ann furedi argues that protesters refuse to accept that thousands of'bpas clients'decide against abortion
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ann furedi <tsp> ( cnn ) -- to date , britain has avoided the politicized and polarized abortion debate that is so prevalent in the u.s . traditionally , our political parties have seen abortion as a'private'matter of personal and public'health'and not a matter of rights . the law gives women no'right'to abortion as in most western democracies -- but , if two doctors certify that it 's best for her health and well-being and the pregnancy is less than 24 weeks gestation , abortion is a legal option . most people support this . we want people to be able to plan their families and to support and be responsible for their children , yet we know contraception sometimes fails and people fail to use it . abortion , as a back up to birth control , is generally seen as regrettable , but a fact of life . even in northern ireland , where abortion remains illegal , it 's accepted that women travel to the mainland . i am stunned when i talk with american colleagues about the violence and intimidation that their abortion doctors face . for them , a typical protest is several hundred strong -- for us a large protest is sometimes several dozen protesters , but more typically it is just several individuals . but , small as our protests are , they upset and disrupt women seeking safe and legal care from legitimate pregnancy advisory services . in recent weeks the bedford square clinic of the british pregnancy advisory service ( bpas ) , close to london 's oxford street , has been the focus of a lent-long 40 days for life vigil . it is a'mini-me'version of u.s. campaigns . women attending the clinic face a gathering of people praying for them to reject abortion . they are handed leaflets with fanciful claims about how abortion will raise their risk of cancer and mental illness . they are shown'life-size'models of their unborn baby and subjected to'pavement counselling'to encourage them to'choose life .'for the present at least , women are no longer tormented with'gifts'of little knitted baby bootees , a feature of some previous vigils . the problem with the protests is this : the protesters oppose abortion in principle -- but their actions are against women who want to consider abortion -- not in principle -- but as a private medical solution to a personal , individual problem . women attend our clinics for care or counseling because they need help . they do not come to demonstrate support for abortion . the protesters should leave them alone , to deal with their problems privately with those they have chosen to seek help from . as the main abortion provider in britain , bpas is not shy of debate . public education is part of our job and seeing more than 60,000 women with problem pregnancies each year puts us in a good position to explain what these women want and need . of course , society should debate the rights and wrongs of abortion . there are places for that and persons who are ready and willing to engage with the issues . outside a clinic is the wrong place , and women in immediate need of care are the wrong audience . the protesters have allies in the uk parliament to voice their concerns . they have no need spend 40 days in the cold plaguing women . it is my job to answer for what bpas does , and i could not be more proud of the charity , its staff and its work . bpas really is'genuinely'pro-choice . part of our charitable mission is to alleviate distress in relation to fertility by providing advice , treatment and assistance . in the past we have provided infertility care as well as abortion -- and we hope to do so in the future . one marvelous response to the protests was that some complete stranger to bpas set up a website encouraging support for us . the comments posted speak volumes . those who accuse us of running'abortion mills'should ponder this comment by 's'on march 17 , 2012 : your advice and support helped me decide the right thing to do was keep my baby . being able to talk through my choices without judgment was undoubtedly the most important part of that process . long may you be able to support other women like me . ' when a woman comes to us with a'problem pregnancy ,'if she is undecided , our first aim is to help her to make the decision that she feels is right for her . we may not be able to make her feel'happy'about her decision ; she may choose what seems the'least worst'option -- but the decision will have been hers . this is what the protesters , who stand with their banners or lurk around our clinic entrances soliciting the attention of women approaching our doors , refuse to understand . they boast of the occasional woman they'turn away'-- but refuse to accept that thousands of'bpas clients'decide against abortion in any case . and we are glad when they are satisfied with that decision just as we are glad when a woman is satisfied with her abortion decision . that is what it means to be pro-choice . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ann furedi
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ann furedi says she is stunned by the intimidation that abortion doctors face in the u.s .
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unfathomable ruination <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the other day i saw a death metal band hanging out by their tour van in the parking lot behind a club . they were all dressed in black , and may or may not have been working on lyrics to a new song about fire and lamb meat . what rhymes with'charred remains ?'' now , i ca n't say for certain that they were actually death metal . but that 's what i 'm going with . admittedly , i 'm not very up to date on the various sub-genres of growling into a microphone . thus , when i do n't know any better , i find it 's always best to make assumptions . for instance , this morning i assumed i wore pants to work . the people in line at starbucks assumed differently . but there they were , this supposed death metal band , all dressed in black , minding their own business on a lovely sunny afternoon in atlanta . and i just stared at them with intrigue until i uttered the most old-man thing i 've ever uttered : ' they 'd be so much happier if they just wore a little color . ' which is a completely insane thing to think . they were probably loads of happy . and they seemed perfectly reasonable . in fact , maybe they were discussing how , if they pooled all their collective happiness and reason , they could open up a combination orphanage and puppy day care center called unicorn land . shame on me for judging . just because they wear all black and their music probably sounds like a horse choking on a watermelon does n't mean they 're angry people who eat children and worship satan . besides , that 's so simon and garfunkel . the point is , they have their thing . and i have mine . and just because i do n't understand or particularly enjoy death metal , does n't mean it 's not good music and , dare i say ... art . because art is exactly what was being celebrated recently in london when a local death metal band called unfathomable ruination decided to lock themselves in an airtight , soundproof cube and play until they ran out of oxygen . the plan is to do it three nights a week , wednesday through friday , at 6 p.m. throughout the month of july . or at least until they all forget the safe word and suffocate . i ... should 've ... gone ... to law school . ' the actual cube was designed by a portuguese artist named joã£o onofre , and he calls it box sized die . ' but what does it all mean ? interestingly , the death metal art cube sits right outside the famous london office building known as the gherken . ' that 's the one that looks like a giant suppository in the heart of the insurance district . and the cube is supposed to represent the cold , dark working spaces within the surrounding office buildings . onofre says , in this corporate architecture you do n't really see what 's going on inside . the same happens here in the work . you see it but , then again , you do n't see it when the performance starts . ' look , i only barely get this . i now have five functioning brain cells , and i 'm not prepared to burn four of them trying to digest all the deep meaning from a weird public art display . so , i trust that whatever onofre says makes sense . i 'm more interested in the music . or , i suppose , the lack thereof . being that the box is airtight and soundproof , all the music is completely inaudible to the public . they can only feel it . which is actually kind of cool . presumably , though , inside the box it sounds like your grandfather passing a kidney stone the size of a chicken mcnugget . but only for a short while . ben wright , the band 's lead vocalist , explained , we did 14 minutes the first time on the run through . and then we did 19 minutes today . ' so , it 's kind of like musical crossfit , except this box is actually ... a box . and you do n't have to tell your facebook friends about the sand bag you just lifted over your head . but , hopefully , as the month carries on , unfathomable ruination will keep playing for longer and longer . this , despite the fact that it does n't look very pleasurable . really , they 'd be so much happier if they just wore a little color . follow @ jarrettbellini on twitter . see more content with questionable news value at cnn comedy .
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the band , unfathomable ruination , plays until they run out of air
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panetta <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the u.s. secretary of defense said monday that he doubts iran has been able to reverse-engineer a u.s. spy drone that crashed last year in the iranian desert to learn its secrets . i would seriously question their ability to do what they say they have done , ' leon panetta told reporters traveling with him to colombia . his comments came a day after iran said it had cracked the codes ' of the intelligence-gathering system in the drone it captured last year for violating its airspace , the nation 's semiofficial media reported . tehran bragged that it had seized the aircraft in december and displayed it on national television as a victory for iran . on sunday , an iranian senior military official said the country 's military had extracted data from the aircraft in order to prove to the pentagon that it had been able to decode it . this plane is seen as a national capital for us , and our words should not disclose all the information that we have very easily , ' brig . gen. amir ali hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the semiofficial fars news agency . yet , i provide four cues in here to let the americans know how deep we could penetrate into ( the intelligence systems and devices of ) this drone . ' data from the drone 's memory revealed it had flown over the pakistani hideout of al qaeda leader osama bin laden two weeks before his death in may , according to hajizadeh . had we not accessed the plane 's softwares and hard discs , we would n't have been able to achieve these facts , ' he said . iran has also decoded information including protocols , repairs and flight sorties , said the military leader , who commands the islamic revolution guards corps'aerospace forces . the drone was in california in october 2010 for repairs and was moved to afghanistan the following month , but it had problems that u.s. experts could not solve , he said . retired gen. james spider ' marks , a cnn contributor , said the u.s. military should be concerned about this report . we have to assume the compromise of the drone is complete , ' he said monday on cnn 's early start . ' they can pick apart different pieces of this drone . ' marks said u.s. officials need to be concerned about how iran can use this information to counter american technology . in december , president barack obama said the united states had asked iran to return the drone it said it had . at the time , two u.s. officials said the missing drone was part of a cia reconnaissance mission that involved both the intelligence community and military personnel stationed in afghanistan . we 've asked for it back . we 'll see how the iranians respond , ' obama said . iranian military officials have vowed not to return the plane .
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new : i would seriously question their ability to do what they say they have done , ' panetta says
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bin laden <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the u.s. secretary of defense said monday that he doubts iran has been able to reverse-engineer a u.s. spy drone that crashed last year in the iranian desert to learn its secrets . i would seriously question their ability to do what they say they have done , ' leon panetta told reporters traveling with him to colombia . his comments came a day after iran said it had cracked the codes ' of the intelligence-gathering system in the drone it captured last year for violating its airspace , the nation 's semiofficial media reported . tehran bragged that it had seized the aircraft in december and displayed it on national television as a victory for iran . on sunday , an iranian senior military official said the country 's military had extracted data from the aircraft in order to prove to the pentagon that it had been able to decode it . this plane is seen as a national capital for us , and our words should not disclose all the information that we have very easily , ' brig . gen. amir ali hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the semiofficial fars news agency . yet , i provide four cues in here to let the americans know how deep we could penetrate into ( the intelligence systems and devices of ) this drone . ' data from the drone 's memory revealed it had flown over the pakistani hideout of al qaeda leader osama bin laden two weeks before his death in may , according to hajizadeh . had we not accessed the plane 's softwares and hard discs , we would n't have been able to achieve these facts , ' he said . iran has also decoded information including protocols , repairs and flight sorties , said the military leader , who commands the islamic revolution guards corps'aerospace forces . the drone was in california in october 2010 for repairs and was moved to afghanistan the following month , but it had problems that u.s. experts could not solve , he said . retired gen. james spider ' marks , a cnn contributor , said the u.s. military should be concerned about this report . we have to assume the compromise of the drone is complete , ' he said monday on cnn 's early start . ' they can pick apart different pieces of this drone . ' marks said u.s. officials need to be concerned about how iran can use this information to counter american technology . in december , president barack obama said the united states had asked iran to return the drone it said it had . at the time , two u.s. officials said the missing drone was part of a cia reconnaissance mission that involved both the intelligence community and military personnel stationed in afghanistan . we 've asked for it back . we 'll see how the iranians respond , ' obama said . iranian military officials have vowed not to return the plane .
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the drone 's data reveal that it flew over bin laden 's hideout , a military official says
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hitler <tsp> ( cnn ) -- espn says it has severed its relationship with singer hank williams jr. ' we have decided to part ways with hank williams jr. we appreciate his contributions over the past years , ' the network said in a statement released thursday . the success of'monday night football'has always been about the games and that will continue . ' williams , the 62-year-old son of the legendary country singer hank williams and a widely popular entertainer himself , compared president barack obama to adolf hitler , a remark that prompted controversy and resulted in monday night football ' pulling his popular musical introduction from this week 's game . the song all my rowdy friends ' had been the monday night football ' theme on both abc and espn since 1991 . williams issued a statement giving a very different version : after reading hundreds of e-mails , i have made my decision . by pulling my opening oct 3rd , you ( espn ) stepped on the toes of the first amendment freedom of speech , so therefore me , my song , and all my rowdy friends are out of here . it 's been a great run . ' in an appearance on fox news' fox and friends ' on monday morning , williams referred to a june golf game in which obama and house speaker john boehner were on the same team , against vice president joe biden and ohio gov . john kasich , as one of the biggest political mistakes ever . ' asked what he did n't like about it , williams said , come on , come on . that 'd be like hitler playing golf with ( israeli prime minister benjamin ) netanyahu . ok. not hardly . ' when one of the fox news interviewers later pointed out that williams invoked one of the most hated people in all of the world to describe ... the president , ' williams responded : that is true , but i 'm telling you like it is , you know . that just was n't a good thing . it just did n't fly . so anyway , like fred thompson said , you do n't want to ask me a question because i 'm going to give you too straight of an answer . so talk about something else . ' the singer apologized on tuesday , saying , my analogy was extreme -- but it was to make a point . i have always been very passionate about politics and sports and this time it got the best or worst of me . the thought of the leaders of both parties jukin'and high fiven'on a golf course , while so many families are struggling to get by , simply made me boil over and make a dumb statement , and i am very sorry if it offended anyone . i would like to thank all my supporters . this was not written by some publicist , ' williams wrote . the anti-defamation league condemned williams'comments on tuesday and praised espn for pulling his are you ready for some football ? ' musical recording that has opened monday night football ' for years . the holocaust was a singular event in human history , and it is an insult to the memory of the millions who died as a result of hitler 's plan of mass extermination to compare the nazi dictator to any american president , ' said abraham h. foxman , the league 's national director and a holocaust survivor . hank williams jr. should know better . he owes an apology to holocaust survivors , their families , and the brave american soldiers who gave of themselves to fight the nazi menace during world war ii . the last thing we need is to enter another election cycle on a sour note tainted with inappropriate , tired and over-the-top analogies to the nazis , ' he said . williams has criticized obama in the past , when the democrat was running for the presidency . in 2008 , williams was even mentioned in some media outlets as saying he was considering running for the u.s. senate as a republican in the next election cycle , but those plans never materialized . williams , who supported the republican ticket in 2008 and even penned a song called mccain-palin tradition , ' said during that campaign that candidate obama did n't like the national anthem . the mccain-palin tradition ' song , which is a riff on the williams tune family tradition , ' included a line suggesting that obama has terrorist friends. ' . williams was born may 26 , 1949 , and his iconic father nicknamed him bocephus ' after a ventriloquist dummy used by rod brasfield , a country comedian , williams'website says . he debuted on the grand ole opry in nashville , tennessee , at age 11 . in addition to all my rowdy friends , ' his other hits include long gone lonesome blues , ' whiskey bent and hell bound , ' old habits , ' born to boogie , ' and a country boy can survive . ' the bearded williams , who wears a hat and sunglasses during performances , suffered facial and head injuries in a 1975 mountain climbing accident . those familiar with hank jr. 's legend know it has n't been an easy road . every life and career has its peaks and valleys , but williams has had more than his share . when he sings a country boy can survive , ' there 's an authority in his voice , because he 's done just that . he literally fell from a mountain top , yet lived to tell the tale . he 's battled his own demons and now on the other side of 50 , it 's obvious he has been the victor , ' his website bio says .
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williams slammed the obama-boehner golf outing with a comment referring to hitler
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grand prix <tsp> ( cnn ) -- seven-time champion michael schumacher will reach the 300-race milestone when he competes in this weekend 's belgian grand prix at spa francorchamps . the 43-year-old german is the second driver in f1 history , after brazil 's rubens barrichello , to achieve the feat and will be hoping for an upturn in his fortunes in his mercedes . a superb podium finish at the european grand prix has been mixed with retirements in six of 10 races this season and schumacher is confident he can turn it around on his favorite circuit . spa is like my living room ; for me , it 's clearly the number one race track in the world , ' schumacher told the official f1 website . it 's uncanny how i always seem to have special moments there -- my debut , my first win , a world championship victory and many great races . we delivered a good performance in spa last year ; i 'll be doing everything possible to drive a strong race , ' he added . schumacher 's first appearance in f1 came at spa in 1991 for jordan before he moved to benetton to win successive titles in 1994 and 1995 . he switched to ferrari the next year and won five further titles with the famous marque before retiring in 2006 . his return in 2010 with mercedes has not seen him add to his 91 gp wins , but he remains determined to carry on competing . i 'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone , ' he said . barrichello made 326 grand prix appearances before retiring at the end of 2011 . the belgian grand prix sees the main contenders for the title lock horns again after the mid season break with ferrari 's fernando alonso leading the way with nine races remaining .
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michael schumacher racing in his 300th grand prix this weekend
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grand prix <tsp> ( cnn ) -- seven-time champion michael schumacher will reach the 300-race milestone when he competes in this weekend 's belgian grand prix at spa francorchamps . the 43-year-old german is the second driver in f1 history , after brazil 's rubens barrichello , to achieve the feat and will be hoping for an upturn in his fortunes in his mercedes . a superb podium finish at the european grand prix has been mixed with retirements in six of 10 races this season and schumacher is confident he can turn it around on his favorite circuit . spa is like my living room ; for me , it 's clearly the number one race track in the world , ' schumacher told the official f1 website . it 's uncanny how i always seem to have special moments there -- my debut , my first win , a world championship victory and many great races . we delivered a good performance in spa last year ; i 'll be doing everything possible to drive a strong race , ' he added . schumacher 's first appearance in f1 came at spa in 1991 for jordan before he moved to benetton to win successive titles in 1994 and 1995 . he switched to ferrari the next year and won five further titles with the famous marque before retiring in 2006 . his return in 2010 with mercedes has not seen him add to his 91 gp wins , but he remains determined to carry on competing . i 'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone , ' he said . barrichello made 326 grand prix appearances before retiring at the end of 2011 . the belgian grand prix sees the main contenders for the title lock horns again after the mid season break with ferrari 's fernando alonso leading the way with nine races remaining .
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he made the podium for mercedes at this year 's european grand prix
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ireland <tsp> moscow ( cnn ) -- ireland 's expulsion of a russian diplomat over spying allegations is clearly an unfriendly step that will not go unanswered , ' russia 's deputy foreign minister said wednesday , according to a report . vladimir titov 's remarks were reported by the state-run ria-novosti news agency . the ministry press office told cnn it was not aware of the comment and could not elaborate . ireland on tuesday rebuked russia for completely unacceptable ' behavior and expelled a diplomat after an investigation found that the russian intelligence services had forged irish passports , the government said . an investigation by the garda siochana police force found the russian intelligence services made false documents based on the acquisition of details of six genuine passports belonging to irish citizens , ' and effectively stole the identities of six irish people , the department of foreign affairs said in a statement . the probe -- launched after last year 's discovery of a russian espionage operation in the united states -- found an entirely persuasive picture ' of such activities , the statement said . the department 's secretary general met with the russian ambassador and informed him that it is not the behavior the government would expect from a country with which we have friendly relations , ' the statement said . the ambassador was also told that the accreditation of a named member of his staff with diplomatic status is to be terminated . ... the individual in question has been asked to leave this jurisdiction by a specified date . ' the statement added , it is hoped that it will be possible to move on from this disturbing incident and to develop further the relationship between ireland and the russian federation which is fundamentally strong and which has significant potential . ' cnn 's maxim tkachenko contributed to this report .
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ireland calls the incident disturbing '
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ireland <tsp> moscow ( cnn ) -- ireland 's expulsion of a russian diplomat over spying allegations is clearly an unfriendly step that will not go unanswered , ' russia 's deputy foreign minister said wednesday , according to a report . vladimir titov 's remarks were reported by the state-run ria-novosti news agency . the ministry press office told cnn it was not aware of the comment and could not elaborate . ireland on tuesday rebuked russia for completely unacceptable ' behavior and expelled a diplomat after an investigation found that the russian intelligence services had forged irish passports , the government said . an investigation by the garda siochana police force found the russian intelligence services made false documents based on the acquisition of details of six genuine passports belonging to irish citizens , ' and effectively stole the identities of six irish people , the department of foreign affairs said in a statement . the probe -- launched after last year 's discovery of a russian espionage operation in the united states -- found an entirely persuasive picture ' of such activities , the statement said . the department 's secretary general met with the russian ambassador and informed him that it is not the behavior the government would expect from a country with which we have friendly relations , ' the statement said . the ambassador was also told that the accreditation of a named member of his staff with diplomatic status is to be terminated . ... the individual in question has been asked to leave this jurisdiction by a specified date . ' the statement added , it is hoped that it will be possible to move on from this disturbing incident and to develop further the relationship between ireland and the russian federation which is fundamentally strong and which has significant potential . ' cnn 's maxim tkachenko contributed to this report .
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ireland 's unfriendly step ' will not go unanswered , ' a deputy minister says
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ireland <tsp> moscow ( cnn ) -- ireland 's expulsion of a russian diplomat over spying allegations is clearly an unfriendly step that will not go unanswered , ' russia 's deputy foreign minister said wednesday , according to a report . vladimir titov 's remarks were reported by the state-run ria-novosti news agency . the ministry press office told cnn it was not aware of the comment and could not elaborate . ireland on tuesday rebuked russia for completely unacceptable ' behavior and expelled a diplomat after an investigation found that the russian intelligence services had forged irish passports , the government said . an investigation by the garda siochana police force found the russian intelligence services made false documents based on the acquisition of details of six genuine passports belonging to irish citizens , ' and effectively stole the identities of six irish people , the department of foreign affairs said in a statement . the probe -- launched after last year 's discovery of a russian espionage operation in the united states -- found an entirely persuasive picture ' of such activities , the statement said . the department 's secretary general met with the russian ambassador and informed him that it is not the behavior the government would expect from a country with which we have friendly relations , ' the statement said . the ambassador was also told that the accreditation of a named member of his staff with diplomatic status is to be terminated . ... the individual in question has been asked to leave this jurisdiction by a specified date . ' the statement added , it is hoped that it will be possible to move on from this disturbing incident and to develop further the relationship between ireland and the russian federation which is fundamentally strong and which has significant potential . ' cnn 's maxim tkachenko contributed to this report .
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ireland says a probe found russian intelligence services forged passports
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uk <tsp> ( cnn ) -- move over disney -- a nigerian animator has produced an educational cartoon to teach youngsters about african culture . tired of african children watching only imported cartoons that did n't reflect their lives , nigerian animator adamu waziri decided to do something about it . his creation is bino and fino , ' a cartoon aimed at three to five year olds , about a brother and sister who live with their grandparents in an unnamed african city . i want to create a brand that 's as good as dora the explorer , charlie and lola , quality wise , made in nigeria , that is educational , and also shows positive aspects of nigerian/african culture , not just to nigerian or african kids but to kids everywhere , ' says waziri . the pilot episode celebrated nigeria 's independence day and looked at the issue of colonialism . the cartoon has also had segments teaching the numbers one to 10 in the nigerian igbo and yoruba languages . he adds that he wants the program to teach kids and show that the stuff you see on tv of starving people is n't the only thing ( in africa ) -- you have a middle class here who have the same aspirations as everybody else . ' see also : meet the afropolitans bino and fino is n't the only children 's cartoon produced in africa . tinga tinga tales , ' for example , is made in kenya for the bbc , while jungle beat ' is produced in south africa and has been shown internationally . but both cartoons , like many set in africa , tell stories about the continent 's exotic animals . waziri was determined to do something different . i said i 'm not going do african folk tales , animals -- that 's what you get in ( animated movie )'madagascar'-- we do n't want to do that , ' he says . we want to show a couple of kids in a middle class life , which i know is n't the reality of all the kids in africa , but let 's show that reality -- the reality of people using laptops , phones , going to school , doing their daily business -- no talking ants , no dancing'jinga jinga'music -- just a cartoon of life . ' two full-length bino and fino ' episodes have been shown on a channel on sky tv in the uk , where waziri says it has been well received . the next step is to attract the funding and sponsors needed to get the cartoon aired in nigeria . it takes waziri and his core team of four a month and a half to produce a single episode of bino and fino , which is just eight minutes of animation . his says the slow turnaround is off-putting for sponsors in nigeria , where feature-length nollywood movies are often produced in a matter of weeks . see also : nigerian blockbusters for internet generation waziri adds that when it comes to entertainment , some nigerians have a mindset of west is best , ' but he is determined to change people 's minds by showing it 's possible to make a credible homegrown alternative to imported programs . he believes that it 's not enough for africans to complain of being underrepresented in foreign cartoons , or misrepresented by international media -- they must also do something about it . people complain that africa is not represented well in the media , ' says waziri . i understand that , but my point is nigeria and other parts of africa are n't poor , you have businessmen , the infrastructure , the ability to link up and make studios , finance it and sponsor it and make the market -- stop waiting for disney to do it , do it yourself . '
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it is currently being shown on sky tv in the uk
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gerges <tsp> ( cnn ) -- turkey and syria are locked in a fierce struggle that has escalated greatly following friday 's downing of a turkish phantom f-4 jet by the syrian authorities . the two heavily armed neighbors are inching gradually into a military confrontation , one that is unlikely to be isolated and that has the potential to turn into a region-wide conflict . consequently it could take just one spark -- an incident such as this -- to ignite a fire between ankara and damascus , the flames of which could enflame the entire region . at this particular juncture turkey is refraining from taking any military measures against syria . in tuesday 's speech to the turkish parliament , prime minister recep tayyip erdogan stressed that his country was adopting a common-sense ' attitude that should not be perceived as a weakness ' . turkey 's new approcah relies on active diplomacy , potent economic sanctions and pschological warfare , and the mobilization of both nato and the western powers , in an effort to isolate the assad regime further . security clearance : can turkey force u.s. , nato to attack syria ? it is worth noting that nato members and eu foreign ministers have called on turkey to show restraint and avoid action that could escalate into war . military intervention in syria is out of the question , ' said the dutch foreign miister uris rosenthal . however , erdogan stressed that the rules of engagement of the turkish armed forces have changed . ' he stated that any advance by syrian forces toward the turkish border would be seen as a threat and treated as a military target . ' what this really means is that turkey is establishing a de facto safe zone that hinders syria 's ability to move troops close to the border . this will allow the syrian rebels to gather strength in that the border area and advance toward the syrian heartlands . pm erdogan of course spoke carefully in his speech on tuesday : he stressed that his country talks softly but warned that turkey 's wrath is fierce and intense when it needs to be ' . there is no mistaking the implied threat : the de factor safe zone means turkey would not allow syrian forces near border , thus allowing the rebels a free movement there . so while turkey is not threatening to launch a pre-emptive attack on the assad regime it is certainly taking indirect steps to support the syrian rebels . recent reports claim that turkey , along with saudi arabia and qatar , is channeling arms to syrian rebels with america 's implicit consent , though ankara denies that it is doing so . turning to the actual attack on the turkish jet , much remains unclear . we do n't know how long it was in syrian territory for . and was it an innocent mistake on the part of the pilots , or was the plane on a surveillance mission to monitor developments inside syria ? the turkish authorities refute such claims , and say the jet was testing turkey 's own radar capabilities . on the other hand , syria acknowledges shooting down the jet , but says the downing of the unidentitifed object ' was not an attack . the syrian government is trying to de-escalate the crisis by saying it did not know it was turkish , and was merely defending its territory and not acting aggressively . we had to react immediately , even if the plane was syrian we would have shot it down , ' said foreign ministry spokesman jihad makdisi at a press conference in damascus . the syrian response was an act of defense of our sovereignty carried out by anti-aircraft machine gun which has a maximum range of 2.5 km . ' but in its letter to the united nations security council , turkey says that intercepted radio communication shows that syrian units were fully aware of the circumstances of the flight and that syria knew exactly who the plane belonged to . by downing the reconnaissance aircraft , syria is trying to send a message to turkey -- and the world beyond that is supporting the rebels : be wary : this is not libya and we have the military capability and the will to oppose and resist any foreign intervention . erdogan 's announcement signals a subtle and important shift in ankara 's response to the syrian crisis , in terms not only of political , economic and psychological pressure on president bashar al-assad , but also in creating this de facto safe zone that could in theory be enlarged into a base to provide strategic depth for rebels and allow more defectors to enter . syria is flexing its muscles , and even though turkey is not retaliating militarily , its actions could be a game-changer within syria , and between the two countries that were once close allies . the opinions expressed here are solely those of fawaz a. gerges
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turkey establishing safe zone ' that hinders syria 's ability to move troops , gerges says
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gerges <tsp> ( cnn ) -- turkey and syria are locked in a fierce struggle that has escalated greatly following friday 's downing of a turkish phantom f-4 jet by the syrian authorities . the two heavily armed neighbors are inching gradually into a military confrontation , one that is unlikely to be isolated and that has the potential to turn into a region-wide conflict . consequently it could take just one spark -- an incident such as this -- to ignite a fire between ankara and damascus , the flames of which could enflame the entire region . at this particular juncture turkey is refraining from taking any military measures against syria . in tuesday 's speech to the turkish parliament , prime minister recep tayyip erdogan stressed that his country was adopting a common-sense ' attitude that should not be perceived as a weakness ' . turkey 's new approcah relies on active diplomacy , potent economic sanctions and pschological warfare , and the mobilization of both nato and the western powers , in an effort to isolate the assad regime further . security clearance : can turkey force u.s. , nato to attack syria ? it is worth noting that nato members and eu foreign ministers have called on turkey to show restraint and avoid action that could escalate into war . military intervention in syria is out of the question , ' said the dutch foreign miister uris rosenthal . however , erdogan stressed that the rules of engagement of the turkish armed forces have changed . ' he stated that any advance by syrian forces toward the turkish border would be seen as a threat and treated as a military target . ' what this really means is that turkey is establishing a de facto safe zone that hinders syria 's ability to move troops close to the border . this will allow the syrian rebels to gather strength in that the border area and advance toward the syrian heartlands . pm erdogan of course spoke carefully in his speech on tuesday : he stressed that his country talks softly but warned that turkey 's wrath is fierce and intense when it needs to be ' . there is no mistaking the implied threat : the de factor safe zone means turkey would not allow syrian forces near border , thus allowing the rebels a free movement there . so while turkey is not threatening to launch a pre-emptive attack on the assad regime it is certainly taking indirect steps to support the syrian rebels . recent reports claim that turkey , along with saudi arabia and qatar , is channeling arms to syrian rebels with america 's implicit consent , though ankara denies that it is doing so . turning to the actual attack on the turkish jet , much remains unclear . we do n't know how long it was in syrian territory for . and was it an innocent mistake on the part of the pilots , or was the plane on a surveillance mission to monitor developments inside syria ? the turkish authorities refute such claims , and say the jet was testing turkey 's own radar capabilities . on the other hand , syria acknowledges shooting down the jet , but says the downing of the unidentitifed object ' was not an attack . the syrian government is trying to de-escalate the crisis by saying it did not know it was turkish , and was merely defending its territory and not acting aggressively . we had to react immediately , even if the plane was syrian we would have shot it down , ' said foreign ministry spokesman jihad makdisi at a press conference in damascus . the syrian response was an act of defense of our sovereignty carried out by anti-aircraft machine gun which has a maximum range of 2.5 km . ' but in its letter to the united nations security council , turkey says that intercepted radio communication shows that syrian units were fully aware of the circumstances of the flight and that syria knew exactly who the plane belonged to . by downing the reconnaissance aircraft , syria is trying to send a message to turkey -- and the world beyond that is supporting the rebels : be wary : this is not libya and we have the military capability and the will to oppose and resist any foreign intervention . erdogan 's announcement signals a subtle and important shift in ankara 's response to the syrian crisis , in terms not only of political , economic and psychological pressure on president bashar al-assad , but also in creating this de facto safe zone that could in theory be enlarged into a base to provide strategic depth for rebels and allow more defectors to enter . syria is flexing its muscles , and even though turkey is not retaliating militarily , its actions could be a game-changer within syria , and between the two countries that were once close allies . the opinions expressed here are solely those of fawaz a. gerges
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fawaz gerges says just one spark could ignite a fire between ankara and damascus
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gerges <tsp> ( cnn ) -- turkey and syria are locked in a fierce struggle that has escalated greatly following friday 's downing of a turkish phantom f-4 jet by the syrian authorities . the two heavily armed neighbors are inching gradually into a military confrontation , one that is unlikely to be isolated and that has the potential to turn into a region-wide conflict . consequently it could take just one spark -- an incident such as this -- to ignite a fire between ankara and damascus , the flames of which could enflame the entire region . at this particular juncture turkey is refraining from taking any military measures against syria . in tuesday 's speech to the turkish parliament , prime minister recep tayyip erdogan stressed that his country was adopting a common-sense ' attitude that should not be perceived as a weakness ' . turkey 's new approcah relies on active diplomacy , potent economic sanctions and pschological warfare , and the mobilization of both nato and the western powers , in an effort to isolate the assad regime further . security clearance : can turkey force u.s. , nato to attack syria ? it is worth noting that nato members and eu foreign ministers have called on turkey to show restraint and avoid action that could escalate into war . military intervention in syria is out of the question , ' said the dutch foreign miister uris rosenthal . however , erdogan stressed that the rules of engagement of the turkish armed forces have changed . ' he stated that any advance by syrian forces toward the turkish border would be seen as a threat and treated as a military target . ' what this really means is that turkey is establishing a de facto safe zone that hinders syria 's ability to move troops close to the border . this will allow the syrian rebels to gather strength in that the border area and advance toward the syrian heartlands . pm erdogan of course spoke carefully in his speech on tuesday : he stressed that his country talks softly but warned that turkey 's wrath is fierce and intense when it needs to be ' . there is no mistaking the implied threat : the de factor safe zone means turkey would not allow syrian forces near border , thus allowing the rebels a free movement there . so while turkey is not threatening to launch a pre-emptive attack on the assad regime it is certainly taking indirect steps to support the syrian rebels . recent reports claim that turkey , along with saudi arabia and qatar , is channeling arms to syrian rebels with america 's implicit consent , though ankara denies that it is doing so . turning to the actual attack on the turkish jet , much remains unclear . we do n't know how long it was in syrian territory for . and was it an innocent mistake on the part of the pilots , or was the plane on a surveillance mission to monitor developments inside syria ? the turkish authorities refute such claims , and say the jet was testing turkey 's own radar capabilities . on the other hand , syria acknowledges shooting down the jet , but says the downing of the unidentitifed object ' was not an attack . the syrian government is trying to de-escalate the crisis by saying it did not know it was turkish , and was merely defending its territory and not acting aggressively . we had to react immediately , even if the plane was syrian we would have shot it down , ' said foreign ministry spokesman jihad makdisi at a press conference in damascus . the syrian response was an act of defense of our sovereignty carried out by anti-aircraft machine gun which has a maximum range of 2.5 km . ' but in its letter to the united nations security council , turkey says that intercepted radio communication shows that syrian units were fully aware of the circumstances of the flight and that syria knew exactly who the plane belonged to . by downing the reconnaissance aircraft , syria is trying to send a message to turkey -- and the world beyond that is supporting the rebels : be wary : this is not libya and we have the military capability and the will to oppose and resist any foreign intervention . erdogan 's announcement signals a subtle and important shift in ankara 's response to the syrian crisis , in terms not only of political , economic and psychological pressure on president bashar al-assad , but also in creating this de facto safe zone that could in theory be enlarged into a base to provide strategic depth for rebels and allow more defectors to enter . syria is flexing its muscles , and even though turkey is not retaliating militarily , its actions could be a game-changer within syria , and between the two countries that were once close allies . the opinions expressed here are solely those of fawaz a. gerges
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gerges : syrian is sending message : we have capability and will to oppose intervention
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supreme court <tsp> ( cnn ) -- federal authorities have seen no change in the number of illegal immigration checks sought by local arizona police and allowed under a state law partly upheld by a recent u.s. supreme court decision , officials said wednesday . in the first week after the high court upheld a portion of the controversial law , eight calls were made by arizona law agencies inquiring into the immigration status of persons suspected of being in the united states illegally , said spokeswoman amber cargile of the u.s. immigration and customs enforcement in phoenix . those eight phone calls resulted in the arrest of 38 aliens on immigration violations ' between june 25 and july 2 , cargile said . texas uses license plate photos for enforcement comparison figures to the recent past or a year ago were n't immediately available , but our staff reports they continue to receive what they describe as a normal volume of calls from state and local law enforcement agencies , ' cargile said in an e-mail response to a cnn inquiry . on june 25 , the u.s. supreme court struck down key parts of the arizona law that sought to deter illegal immigration , but let stand the controversial provision allowing police to check a person 's immigration status while enforcing other laws if reasonable suspicion ' exists that the person is in the united states illegally . critics said that law opens the door to racial profiling . california senate passes'anti-arizona'bill the phoenix police department and at least two sheriffs in arizona told cnn that the law wo n't result in great change for their departments . but tucson police chief roberto villasenor expressed concern in an interview after the ruling about whether his 950-officer agency has been dealt an impossible mandate . ' the state law , sb 1070 , allows citizens to sue his department or others if they fail to enforce federal immigration laws , the chief said . just for my agency , it will be a huge workload , just making the calls and waiting for a response on what to do , ' the police chief of arizona 's second-largest city said . i 'm not sure the federal government is capable of handling all the requests that they will be receiving , ' villasenor added . i do n't know what effect it will have on my agency . ' arizona rolls out'show your papers'law at a time when the tucson police department is down 160 officers because of a weakened economy , the agency now must make up to 50,000 additional phone calls a year to federal officials to verify the immigration status of persons whom officers have stopped and have reason to believe are in the country illegally , villasenor said . just 70 miles from the mexican border , the tucson department may have to spend more than $ 10 million a year to book and jail up to 36,000 arrestees also suspected of being illegal immigrants , a more than 7 % increase to the agency 's $ 130 million budget , villasenor said .
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u.s. immigration officials receive eight calls in the week after u.s. supreme court ruling
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walmsley <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- when i tell people our cat takes an antidepressant , i usually get a funny look . i might as well add that i worship snoopy , am romantically involved with a carvel ice cream cake ( let 's call it cookiepuss ) , and drive a car that i knitted myself out of gnu fur . putting your pet on psychotropic medication tends to suggest to others that it is you , not your cat , who needs help . to be fair to those i told this to , who perhaps thought my husband and i were escaped mental patients , i would have thought the same thing a few years ago . before she lived with us , our cat minou resided in a garbage area . after we adopted her , every time we went away , minou would succumb to extreme urinary tract infections , at which point through no fault of her own our whole apartment morphed into one big litter box . antibiotics , and even surgery , failed to address this problem . finally , after a particularly aggressive infection that spread to the cat 's kidneys , our vet recommended the happy pills . she is internalizing her anxiety and it is affecting her bladder , ' he explained . she thinks when you leave the apartment , you 're leaving forever . she thinks she 's going back to the dump . ' by this time , i was several thousand dollars worse off , maxed out on pet insurance and had spent four disconcerting days watching minou refuse to eat or move . any remaining reservations i had about forcibly medicating an animal went out the window . so i fed minou happy pills . several months later , after the amitriptyline the vet had prescribed had truly taken hold , minou was a noticeably different beast . departure-related hysteria , puddle creation and the delightful nights of screeching all subsided . we felt guilty about forcing pills down her throat , which she often tried to hide and then spit out . but we were relieved that she was n't getting sick anymore , though she did seem floppier . apparently , our situation is not all that rare . dr. nicholas dodman , founder of the tufts animal behavior clinic , said many animal dysfunctions mimic human psychological issues . excessive grooming can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder , aggression and violence can indicate anxiety , and a refusal to eat can suggest depression in an animal . as with humans , these behaviors often can and should be first treated by adjusting the animal 's environment and behavior . but animals do n't speak , and they ca n't lie on a therapist 's sofa plumbing painful puppyhood/kittenhood memories for the roots of their neuroses , so there are limits to the scope of therapy for them . additionally , some issues are rarely treatable except with drugs -- for example , urine-marking ' in cats or thunderstorm phobia in dogs . dr. susan nelson , professor for primary care at kansas state university veterinary health center , said many pets'troubles can be traced to human owners . we trap them in our homes , expose them to fireworks or force them to live with other animals they may intensely dislike . to you they may be cuddles and hector ; to them it might be rush limbaugh and bill maher . the question of what kinds of feelings animals have and whether those feelings can , or should , be effectively treated with medication is , as you might imagine , controversial . dodman said that while it 's fairly evident that animals experience primary emotions such as fear , what has been more hotly debated is whether they have secondary emotions like jealousy and guilt . those require the animal to have a sense of its own existence . it 's easy to laugh at the idea of fido taking an antidepressant and to dismiss owners who medicate their pets as urban nut cases who probably also kit their pooch out in alexander mcqueen sweaters and tote them around in a birkin bag . but i think it 's a huge disservice to animals to discount a medicated approach . i do n't believe minou thinks like a person , that she feels self-conscious about her saggy undercarriage or remorseful about waking me up by meowing in my face . but i know she was unhappy . antidepressants may not be a cure-all for every ailment or behavioral issue , but they 're a step to discuss with your vet if you 're at the end of your leash . if you 're really stuck and on the point of surrender , ' dodman said , do n't give your animal up before you try a course of medication . ' i agree . if all else fails , you may have to put aside your inner skeptic , swallow your pride and have your pet swallow some happy pills . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie walmsley .
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walmsley : antidepressants were a last resort , after antibiotics and surgery did n't work
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walmsley <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- when i tell people our cat takes an antidepressant , i usually get a funny look . i might as well add that i worship snoopy , am romantically involved with a carvel ice cream cake ( let 's call it cookiepuss ) , and drive a car that i knitted myself out of gnu fur . putting your pet on psychotropic medication tends to suggest to others that it is you , not your cat , who needs help . to be fair to those i told this to , who perhaps thought my husband and i were escaped mental patients , i would have thought the same thing a few years ago . before she lived with us , our cat minou resided in a garbage area . after we adopted her , every time we went away , minou would succumb to extreme urinary tract infections , at which point through no fault of her own our whole apartment morphed into one big litter box . antibiotics , and even surgery , failed to address this problem . finally , after a particularly aggressive infection that spread to the cat 's kidneys , our vet recommended the happy pills . she is internalizing her anxiety and it is affecting her bladder , ' he explained . she thinks when you leave the apartment , you 're leaving forever . she thinks she 's going back to the dump . ' by this time , i was several thousand dollars worse off , maxed out on pet insurance and had spent four disconcerting days watching minou refuse to eat or move . any remaining reservations i had about forcibly medicating an animal went out the window . so i fed minou happy pills . several months later , after the amitriptyline the vet had prescribed had truly taken hold , minou was a noticeably different beast . departure-related hysteria , puddle creation and the delightful nights of screeching all subsided . we felt guilty about forcing pills down her throat , which she often tried to hide and then spit out . but we were relieved that she was n't getting sick anymore , though she did seem floppier . apparently , our situation is not all that rare . dr. nicholas dodman , founder of the tufts animal behavior clinic , said many animal dysfunctions mimic human psychological issues . excessive grooming can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder , aggression and violence can indicate anxiety , and a refusal to eat can suggest depression in an animal . as with humans , these behaviors often can and should be first treated by adjusting the animal 's environment and behavior . but animals do n't speak , and they ca n't lie on a therapist 's sofa plumbing painful puppyhood/kittenhood memories for the roots of their neuroses , so there are limits to the scope of therapy for them . additionally , some issues are rarely treatable except with drugs -- for example , urine-marking ' in cats or thunderstorm phobia in dogs . dr. susan nelson , professor for primary care at kansas state university veterinary health center , said many pets'troubles can be traced to human owners . we trap them in our homes , expose them to fireworks or force them to live with other animals they may intensely dislike . to you they may be cuddles and hector ; to them it might be rush limbaugh and bill maher . the question of what kinds of feelings animals have and whether those feelings can , or should , be effectively treated with medication is , as you might imagine , controversial . dodman said that while it 's fairly evident that animals experience primary emotions such as fear , what has been more hotly debated is whether they have secondary emotions like jealousy and guilt . those require the animal to have a sense of its own existence . it 's easy to laugh at the idea of fido taking an antidepressant and to dismiss owners who medicate their pets as urban nut cases who probably also kit their pooch out in alexander mcqueen sweaters and tote them around in a birkin bag . but i think it 's a huge disservice to animals to discount a medicated approach . i do n't believe minou thinks like a person , that she feels self-conscious about her saggy undercarriage or remorseful about waking me up by meowing in my face . but i know she was unhappy . antidepressants may not be a cure-all for every ailment or behavioral issue , but they 're a step to discuss with your vet if you 're at the end of your leash . if you 're really stuck and on the point of surrender , ' dodman said , do n't give your animal up before you try a course of medication . ' i agree . if all else fails , you may have to put aside your inner skeptic , swallow your pride and have your pet swallow some happy pills . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie walmsley .
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walmsley : people think giving pets psychotropic medication is a joke , but it has real benefits
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walmsley <tsp> new york ( cnn ) -- when i tell people our cat takes an antidepressant , i usually get a funny look . i might as well add that i worship snoopy , am romantically involved with a carvel ice cream cake ( let 's call it cookiepuss ) , and drive a car that i knitted myself out of gnu fur . putting your pet on psychotropic medication tends to suggest to others that it is you , not your cat , who needs help . to be fair to those i told this to , who perhaps thought my husband and i were escaped mental patients , i would have thought the same thing a few years ago . before she lived with us , our cat minou resided in a garbage area . after we adopted her , every time we went away , minou would succumb to extreme urinary tract infections , at which point through no fault of her own our whole apartment morphed into one big litter box . antibiotics , and even surgery , failed to address this problem . finally , after a particularly aggressive infection that spread to the cat 's kidneys , our vet recommended the happy pills . she is internalizing her anxiety and it is affecting her bladder , ' he explained . she thinks when you leave the apartment , you 're leaving forever . she thinks she 's going back to the dump . ' by this time , i was several thousand dollars worse off , maxed out on pet insurance and had spent four disconcerting days watching minou refuse to eat or move . any remaining reservations i had about forcibly medicating an animal went out the window . so i fed minou happy pills . several months later , after the amitriptyline the vet had prescribed had truly taken hold , minou was a noticeably different beast . departure-related hysteria , puddle creation and the delightful nights of screeching all subsided . we felt guilty about forcing pills down her throat , which she often tried to hide and then spit out . but we were relieved that she was n't getting sick anymore , though she did seem floppier . apparently , our situation is not all that rare . dr. nicholas dodman , founder of the tufts animal behavior clinic , said many animal dysfunctions mimic human psychological issues . excessive grooming can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder , aggression and violence can indicate anxiety , and a refusal to eat can suggest depression in an animal . as with humans , these behaviors often can and should be first treated by adjusting the animal 's environment and behavior . but animals do n't speak , and they ca n't lie on a therapist 's sofa plumbing painful puppyhood/kittenhood memories for the roots of their neuroses , so there are limits to the scope of therapy for them . additionally , some issues are rarely treatable except with drugs -- for example , urine-marking ' in cats or thunderstorm phobia in dogs . dr. susan nelson , professor for primary care at kansas state university veterinary health center , said many pets'troubles can be traced to human owners . we trap them in our homes , expose them to fireworks or force them to live with other animals they may intensely dislike . to you they may be cuddles and hector ; to them it might be rush limbaugh and bill maher . the question of what kinds of feelings animals have and whether those feelings can , or should , be effectively treated with medication is , as you might imagine , controversial . dodman said that while it 's fairly evident that animals experience primary emotions such as fear , what has been more hotly debated is whether they have secondary emotions like jealousy and guilt . those require the animal to have a sense of its own existence . it 's easy to laugh at the idea of fido taking an antidepressant and to dismiss owners who medicate their pets as urban nut cases who probably also kit their pooch out in alexander mcqueen sweaters and tote them around in a birkin bag . but i think it 's a huge disservice to animals to discount a medicated approach . i do n't believe minou thinks like a person , that she feels self-conscious about her saggy undercarriage or remorseful about waking me up by meowing in my face . but i know she was unhappy . antidepressants may not be a cure-all for every ailment or behavioral issue , but they 're a step to discuss with your vet if you 're at the end of your leash . if you 're really stuck and on the point of surrender , ' dodman said , do n't give your animal up before you try a course of medication . ' i agree . if all else fails , you may have to put aside your inner skeptic , swallow your pride and have your pet swallow some happy pills . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of katie walmsley .
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katie walmsley : i was advised to give my cat antidepressants after she had recurrent illnesses
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kanye west <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 ) -- the world has been exposed to the romantic escapades of eccentric rapper kanye west and tabloid darling/reality star kim kardashian , willingly or not , since they made their relationship public in april 2012 . yo , we 're gon na let you finish , but let 's take a look back at the long road that led these two crazy kids to one of the most talked-about hook-ups of all time . 2007 : kim and kanye are photographed together at the grand opening of the l.a. fashion boutique intermix . at the time , kim was dating then-new orleans saints running back reggie bush . we met almost a decade ago . i 've known him for a very long time . we 've been friends for six or seven years , ' kim revealed of her relationship with kanye in an exclusive interview with oprah in june 2012 . 2008 : kim and older sister kourtney publicly cross paths with kanye again at flaunt magazine 's 10th anniversary party in l.a . this time , kanye was dating model amber rose . amber and kanye would call it quits in 2010 after a two-year on-again , off-again relationship . 2009 : kanye west appears on keri hilson 's song knock you down ' with a guest verse that many cite as a direct reference to his infatuation with kim . the key line , according to hollywood gossip site tmz , comes towards the end of the song : ' you was always the cheerleader of my dreams / to seem to only date the head of football teams / and i was the class clown that always kept you laughing / we were never meant to be , baby we just happened . ' after a brief split and reconciliation in 2009 , kim and bush ( presumably the head of football teams ' west mentions ) ended their three-year relationship once and for all in 2010 . march 2012 : after not being spotted together publicly for a few years , kimye , as they are frequently called , show up together at paris fashion week . april 2012 : the couple is seen together in new york at the opening of ryu , the japanese restaurant owned by kourtney kardashian 's boyfriend , scott disick . ( this was the same night kanye was famously photographed pulling his pants up . ) april 2012 : that same month , kanye drops the song cold , ' featuring dj khaled , which references kim by name : ' i got respect for ... wiz / and i 'll admit , i had fell in love with kim / around the same time she had fell in love with him / well that 's cool , baby girl , do ya thang / lucky i ai n't had jay drop him from the team / la familia , roc nation . ' the lyric appears to be a direct reference to both amber rose 's relationship with fellow rapper wiz khalifa and kim 's short-lived relationship with kris humphries , who played for the new jersey nets at the time . kanye 's friend jay-z owns a minority stake in the team , now called the brooklyn nets . may 2012 : kim and kanye are photographed canoodling at a series of lakers games . july 2012 : they attend the bet awards together , sitting next to jay-z and beyoncã© . august 2012 : kim and kanye show up in comedian kevin hart 's promo for the mtv video music awards . the clip shows the couple lounging in a hotel room . hart suggests that he could be close friends with the couple and that they could even start wearing matching outfits and be the the new'it couple ' known as kevyekim . december 30 , 2012 : kim announces on her blog that she 's pregnant : ' it 's true ! ! kanye and i are expecting a baby . we feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families , his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us . looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family . happy new year ! ! ! xo ' december 2012 : that night , kanye confirms it during a concert in atlantic city , calling kim his baby mama . ' may 2013 : kim and kanye show up on the red carpet for the costume institute gala 's punk : chaos to couture ' exhibition at the metropolitan museum of art . which inspired a few unfortunate jokes online : june 2013 : in the eighth-season premiere of keeping up with the kardashians , ' kim and mom kris jenner learn that kim and kanye are having ... a girl ! the announcement came a day before kim and her husband of 72 days , humphries , jumped the last legal hurdle in their much lengthier divorce process , which began in 2011 .
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all eyes have been on kanye west and kim kardashian since they went public
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bahrain <tsp> on a political level , it was a powerful middle east nation playing host to a people whose cause it supports . as a sporting contest , it was a one-way procession as iran 's national football team warmed up for next week 's world cup qualifier with a 7-0 thrashing of an under-strength palestine side . iran 's rulers support palestine 's claims for statehood on the condition that israel is dissolved -- a cancer cell ' that needs to be removed , according to president mahmoud ahmadinejad -- and wednesday 's friendly match in tehran highlighted some of the difficulties the palestinians face . the team traveled to iran soon after tehran hosted a five-day international conference in support of palestine intifada -- or uprising -- attended by its arab and other islamic allies . they arrived at azadi stadium without any players who hold israeli documents -- a significant chunk of the squad -- and predictably struggled to hold off an iran side featuring some of asian football 's biggest names . having kept the match scoreless until first-half injury-time , a headed goal from mohammad ghazi opened the floodgates and six more followed after the interval . karim ansarifard , javad nekounam ( with a penalty ) , javad kazemian , pejman montazeri and pejman nouri made it 6-0 . kazemian completed the rout at the end with another penalty after palestine 's goalkeeper was sent off for a second booking . an american soccer star playing for palestine the match will not count in fifa 's world rankings , as iran coach carlos queiroz brought on a seventh substitute -- one more than is allowed for a ' internationals . but it was one more step for the palestinians , who hosted their first competitive home match in march . the team lost in the second round of asian qualifying matches for the 2012 olympics , and also in the second round of regional qualifiers for the 2014 world cup . iran , by contrast , is top of group e in the third round ahead of second-placed bahrain 's visit to tehran on tuesday . the palestinians have long used football to form an idea of a nation , ' middle east football expert james montague told cnn . fifa are one of the few organizations to have recognized an entity called palestine , and their mere existence is a chance to fly the flag abroad . the fact that the head of the fa is a man called jibril rajoub , yasser arafat 's national security adviser and one of the highest-ranked men in fatah , tells you that they take the team -- and the power that football has to invoke national unity and foreign propaganda -- very seriously indeed . ' montague , author of the book when friday comes : football in the war zone , ' said the friendly match gave ahmadinejad a chance to show his support for palestine 's cause . he has often used football for political ends , like before the 2006 world cup when he used the team 's popularity to boost his dwindling support , ' montague said . but it can backfire . the terraces in iran have also become a crucible for opposition to unpopular policies in a country with very few outlets for dissent . palestine are on the up . after years of a debilitating israeli occupation , they now have a pro league , a women 's team and a national squad that came close to qualifying for the group stage of asian qualification for the 2014 world cup . iran 's golden generation has passed , but under carlos queiroz they hope to return to the glory days when they made it to france'98 and famously put team usa to the sword . '
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match was a warm-up for iran 's upcoming world cup qualifier against bahrain
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world cup <tsp> on a political level , it was a powerful middle east nation playing host to a people whose cause it supports . as a sporting contest , it was a one-way procession as iran 's national football team warmed up for next week 's world cup qualifier with a 7-0 thrashing of an under-strength palestine side . iran 's rulers support palestine 's claims for statehood on the condition that israel is dissolved -- a cancer cell ' that needs to be removed , according to president mahmoud ahmadinejad -- and wednesday 's friendly match in tehran highlighted some of the difficulties the palestinians face . the team traveled to iran soon after tehran hosted a five-day international conference in support of palestine intifada -- or uprising -- attended by its arab and other islamic allies . they arrived at azadi stadium without any players who hold israeli documents -- a significant chunk of the squad -- and predictably struggled to hold off an iran side featuring some of asian football 's biggest names . having kept the match scoreless until first-half injury-time , a headed goal from mohammad ghazi opened the floodgates and six more followed after the interval . karim ansarifard , javad nekounam ( with a penalty ) , javad kazemian , pejman montazeri and pejman nouri made it 6-0 . kazemian completed the rout at the end with another penalty after palestine 's goalkeeper was sent off for a second booking . an american soccer star playing for palestine the match will not count in fifa 's world rankings , as iran coach carlos queiroz brought on a seventh substitute -- one more than is allowed for a ' internationals . but it was one more step for the palestinians , who hosted their first competitive home match in march . the team lost in the second round of asian qualifying matches for the 2012 olympics , and also in the second round of regional qualifiers for the 2014 world cup . iran , by contrast , is top of group e in the third round ahead of second-placed bahrain 's visit to tehran on tuesday . the palestinians have long used football to form an idea of a nation , ' middle east football expert james montague told cnn . fifa are one of the few organizations to have recognized an entity called palestine , and their mere existence is a chance to fly the flag abroad . the fact that the head of the fa is a man called jibril rajoub , yasser arafat 's national security adviser and one of the highest-ranked men in fatah , tells you that they take the team -- and the power that football has to invoke national unity and foreign propaganda -- very seriously indeed . ' montague , author of the book when friday comes : football in the war zone , ' said the friendly match gave ahmadinejad a chance to show his support for palestine 's cause . he has often used football for political ends , like before the 2006 world cup when he used the team 's popularity to boost his dwindling support , ' montague said . but it can backfire . the terraces in iran have also become a crucible for opposition to unpopular policies in a country with very few outlets for dissent . palestine are on the up . after years of a debilitating israeli occupation , they now have a pro league , a women 's team and a national squad that came close to qualifying for the group stage of asian qualification for the 2014 world cup . iran 's golden generation has passed , but under carlos queiroz they hope to return to the glory days when they made it to france'98 and famously put team usa to the sword . '
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match was a warm-up for iran 's upcoming world cup qualifier against bahrain
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pakistan <tsp> islamabad , pakistan ( cnn ) -- a taliban spokesman issued a series of threats and ultimatums against pakistani officials wednesday as the country 's military continued its offensive against the militant group in the swat valley . taliban spokesman muslim khan has courted local and international media in jovial telephone conversations . speaking on the telephone with cnn , muslim khan announced that all national and provincial parliament members from the malakand division , the northwestern region where the swat valley is located , must resign within three days . otherwise , we will arrest all their families , ' khan threatened , and we will destroy all their buildings . ' the taliban spokesman issued a separate directive aimed at prompting a public show of support for the militants from pakistan 's islamist political parties . all these parties must help the taliban , ' khan said . they must give a press conference to show the people that we need sharia [ islamic law ] in the malakand division . ' members of the islamist party jamaat-i-islami have spoken out against the military 's offensive in the swat valley , but they have stopped short of announcing support for the taliban . watch more about the victims of the war » throughout the fighting over the past three weeks , the gray-bearded khan has been the public face of the taliban , enthusiastically courting local and international media in jovial telephone conversations . in an earlier phone interview with cnn , he described how he had spent four years living in the united states , working as a painter in the boston , massachusetts , area . on wednesday , khan denied reports from many refugees emerging from the swat valley that taliban militants had carried out a campaign of violence and intimidation in the region for the past two years . several terrified swat residents , speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from the taliban , described how insurgents kidnapped and killed their critics , beheaded government informers and blew up girls'schools . khan denied the accusations . we are killing the people which are only no good for society , like thieves and people who are making problem for the poor people , like people who are working for army , ' he said . we are only killing these people . ' on tuesday , the pakistani army announced that it had dropped special forces soldiers by helicopter into the peochar area of swat , which is thought to be the headquarters for the region 's taliban 's leader , maulana fazliullah . local media report that the taliban have training camps in peochar . khan confirmed that pakistani troops had attacked peochar , which he described as a place for mujaheddin , ' or holy warriors . the taliban spokesman said militants and soldiers have been fighting in the mountains around peochar since tuesday , and that the clashes continue . he said two taliban fighters had been killed so far in the battle , along with five pakistani troops . meanwhile wednesday , taliban militants attacked nato supply terminals , torching at least 10 supply trucks in northern pakistan , local officials said . about 70 taliban fighters attacked the facility in peshawar , police said . a gunfight ensued between the insurgents and police . no casualties were reported . peshawar is the capital of the north west frontier province , which intelligence officials say is rife with islamic extremists and has been the site of recent clashes between pakistani security forces and militants . because afghanistan is landlocked , many supplies for nato-led troops fighting islamic militants there must be trucked in from pakistan . convoys carrying food and military supplies have regularly come under attack in the area . journalist janullah hashimzada contributed to this report .
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taliban spokesman threaten pakistan 's ruling political class
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rand paul <tsp> the justice department will no longer pursue mandatory minimum sentences for certain low-level , nonviolent drug offenders , attorney general eric holder said monday , noting the nation is coldly efficient in jailing criminals , ' but that it can not prosecute or incarcerate ' its way to becoming safer . too many americans go to too many prisons for far too long , and for no truly good law enforcement reason , ' holder told the american bar association 's house of delegates in san francisco . he questioned some assumptions about the criminal justice system 's approach to the war on drugs , ' saying that excessive incarceration has been an ineffective and unsustainable ' part of it . although he said the united states should not abandon being tough on crime , holder embraced steps to address shameful ' racial disparities in sentencing , the budgetary strains of overpopulated prisons and policies for incarceration that punish and rehabilitate , not merely to warehouse and forget . ' holder invoked president barack obama , saying the two had been talking about the issues and agreed to try to strike a balance ' that clears the way for a pragmatic ' and commonsense ' solutions to enhance public safety and the public good . ' the centerpiece of holder 's plan is to scale back prosecution for certain drug offenders -- those with no ties to large-scale organizations , gangs or cartels . he said they would no longer be charged with offenses that impose draconian mandatory minimum sentences . ' they now will be charged with offenses for which the accompanying sentences are better suited to their individual conduct , rather than excessive prison terms more appropriate for violent criminals or drug kingpins . ' the changes are effective immediately . lessening the use of mandatory minimums -- sentences that require a one-size-fits-all ' punishment for those convicted of federal and state crimes -- could mark the end of the tough-on-crime era that began with strict anti-drug laws in the 1970s and accelerated with mandatory minimum prison sentences and so-called three-strikes laws . opinion : shame of mandatory minimums shows in marissa alexander case the attorney general linked the effort to rethink mandatory minimum sentencing for drug crimes to key issues . racial disparities holder said unwarranted disparities are far too common ' in the criminal justice system , reminding his audience that obama alluded to some of the issues in remarks he made after the acquittal of george zimmerman in the death of trayvon martin last month , giving voice to african-american concerns that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws -- everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws . ' holder said the nation must confront the reality ' that once people of color ' are in the criminal justice system , they often face harsher punishments than their peers . ' he called it unacceptable , ' shameful ' and unworthy ' of the u.s. legal tradition . prison overcrowding holder said the u.s. prison population has grown by almost 800 % since 1980 , and federal prisons are operating at nearly 40 % above capacity . even though this country comprises just 5 % of the world 's population , we incarcerate almost a quarter of the world 's prisoners . more than 219,000 federal inmates are currently behind bars , ' he said , noting that almost half are serving time for drug-related crimes and have substance abuse problems . moreover , he said 9 million to 10 million more people cycle through america 's local jails each year . and roughly 40 % of former federal prisoners -- and more than 60 % of former state prisoners -- are rearrested or have their supervision revoked within three years after their release . it was not immediately clear monday whether holder 's announcement would have any impact on people already in prison . economic , social burden holder said overcrowding at the federal , state and local levels is both ineffective and unsustainable . ' he said it imposes a significant economic burden -- totaling $ 80 billion in 2010 alone -- and it comes with human and moral costs that are impossible to calculate . ' legislation to lessen the use of mandatory minimums , holder said , would ultimately save the united states billions . holder going after texas voting law although obama administration officials say the changes they are pursuing will not require congressional approval , some unlikely pairs of lawmakers have united to push for criminal justice changes . democratic sen. patrick leahy of vermont and republican sen. rand paul of kentucky have worked together to allow judges to depart from mandatory minimum sentences when circumstances merit . democratic sen. richard durbin of illinois and republican sen. mike lee of utah have undertaken similar efforts . holder blasts'stand your ground' in recent years , there has been a rise in support among conservatives for reforms to the criminal justice system . while more flexible approaches to crimes have long held support among liberal democrats , the fear of being tarred as weak on crime by republican opponents has long caused moderate democrats , particularly those running for president , to avoid the issue . in addition to changes to mandatory minimums , holder called for expanding the use of compassionate release ' from jail for those who pose no threat to the public . ' he also said the justice department is taking steps to identify practices for enhancing the use of drug treatment and community service programs as alternatives to jail . holder also said he has asked federal prosecutors to develop new guidelines for determining when federal charges should be filed and when they should not . i 've also issued guidance to ensure that every case we bring serves a substantial federal interest and complements the work of our law enforcement partners , ' he said . holder additionally directed prosecutors to create comprehensive anti-violence strategies for badly afflicted areas . holder not afraid to take on race debate the american civil liberties union praised holder 's approach monday , calling it an important step toward ending federal prison overcrowding and creating a fairer criminal justice system . ' laura murphy , director of the aclu 's washington legislative office , said in a news release , however , that although holder 's announcement is an important first step , ' congress also must act to change laws that lock up hundreds of thousands of americans unfairly and unnecessarily . ' michael mukasey , a former judge and an attorney general under president george w. bush , said he is not a fan of mandatory minimums , but he does not support what holder is doing . i generally agree with the goal of getting rid of mandatory minimums , ' said mukasey . but the way to do that is to pass a law , ' he said in an interview on cnn 's the lead with jake tapper . '
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the effort has diverse support , including gop sen. rand paul , democratic sen. patrick leahy
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pennsylvania <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a pennsylvania court has ordered that the juvenile trial of jordan brown -- a boy accused of killing his father 's pregnant girlfriend three years ago -- be closed , despite a push by several newspapers to allow public access . brown was 11 in february 2009 when , authorities say , he shot kenzie marie houk , 26 , once at point-blank range in her western pennsylvania farmhouse . she was eight months pregnant at the time . he was initially charged as an adult , facing the prospect of life in prison without parole . but on august 23 , 2011 , lawrence county judge dominick motto reversed his earlier ruling so that brown would instead face a juvenile proceeding . a judge later ordered that these upcoming proceedings must be closed to the public . the pittsburgh post-gazette , pittsburgh tribune-review and new castle news newspapers subsequently filed an appeal , arguing that the public has a constitutional right to access the courts even when juveniles are involved . pennsylvania 's superior court issued a 33-page ruling on wednesday , that was obtained friday by insession from cnn 's sister network trutv , regarding the appeal . the opinion , written by judge jacqueline shogan , acknowledges that there has been some recent tendency to permit publicity ( of ) juvenile court proceedings on the theory that this will act as a curb to juvenile delinquency . ' but the court also expressed concerns that the harm caused by publicizing juvenile proceedings may be great . ' the order references an effort to maintain jordan 's privacy , finding that there is no alternative short of closure of the juvenile court proceedings ' that will do so . closure of the juvenile proceedings , under the constitutional analysis , serves a compelling government interest and ... there is no less restrictive means to serve that interest , ' shogan wrote in the opinion . given the high-profile nature of the case , cnn is identifying brown by name even though he is a juvenile . investigators say houk was killed with a bullet fired from a youth model 20-gauge shotgun that belonged to brown . the pregnant woman 's 4-year-old daughter found her in her bed , according to police . the girl alerted landscapers working near the home , who then called authorities . brown , who was living with his father at the time of the shooting , was subsequently charged with one count each of criminal homicide and homicide of an unborn child . the charges were initially filed in an adult court because , according to pennsylvania state law , anyone older than 10 who has committed a murder or homicide is automatically tried as an adult . the defense then must present a sufficient case to move a case to juvenile court . at the time , brown was thought to be the youngest person facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole , according to an amnesty international statement . insession 's jessica thill contributed to this report .
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initially charged as an adult , a pennsylvania judge then ruled he 'd be tried as a juvenile
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pennsylvania <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a pennsylvania court has ordered that the juvenile trial of jordan brown -- a boy accused of killing his father 's pregnant girlfriend three years ago -- be closed , despite a push by several newspapers to allow public access . brown was 11 in february 2009 when , authorities say , he shot kenzie marie houk , 26 , once at point-blank range in her western pennsylvania farmhouse . she was eight months pregnant at the time . he was initially charged as an adult , facing the prospect of life in prison without parole . but on august 23 , 2011 , lawrence county judge dominick motto reversed his earlier ruling so that brown would instead face a juvenile proceeding . a judge later ordered that these upcoming proceedings must be closed to the public . the pittsburgh post-gazette , pittsburgh tribune-review and new castle news newspapers subsequently filed an appeal , arguing that the public has a constitutional right to access the courts even when juveniles are involved . pennsylvania 's superior court issued a 33-page ruling on wednesday , that was obtained friday by insession from cnn 's sister network trutv , regarding the appeal . the opinion , written by judge jacqueline shogan , acknowledges that there has been some recent tendency to permit publicity ( of ) juvenile court proceedings on the theory that this will act as a curb to juvenile delinquency . ' but the court also expressed concerns that the harm caused by publicizing juvenile proceedings may be great . ' the order references an effort to maintain jordan 's privacy , finding that there is no alternative short of closure of the juvenile court proceedings ' that will do so . closure of the juvenile proceedings , under the constitutional analysis , serves a compelling government interest and ... there is no less restrictive means to serve that interest , ' shogan wrote in the opinion . given the high-profile nature of the case , cnn is identifying brown by name even though he is a juvenile . investigators say houk was killed with a bullet fired from a youth model 20-gauge shotgun that belonged to brown . the pregnant woman 's 4-year-old daughter found her in her bed , according to police . the girl alerted landscapers working near the home , who then called authorities . brown , who was living with his father at the time of the shooting , was subsequently charged with one count each of criminal homicide and homicide of an unborn child . the charges were initially filed in an adult court because , according to pennsylvania state law , anyone older than 10 who has committed a murder or homicide is automatically tried as an adult . the defense then must present a sufficient case to move a case to juvenile court . at the time , brown was thought to be the youngest person facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole , according to an amnesty international statement . insession 's jessica thill contributed to this report .
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3 pennsylvania newspapers argued brown 's proceedings should be open to the public
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beatles <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- for a certain kind of middle-aged male , friday 's double golden anniversary , marking the premiere of dr. no ' and the release of the beatles'debut single love me do ' , offers an unmissable opportunity to wallow in nostalgia . even from a distance of half a century , there are few totems of popular culture more revered and more marketable than james bond and the fab four . the beatles embodied the energy and youthful spirit of their era , yet their remarkable creativity , productivity and talent for reinvention means that much of their music still sounds fresh today , while contemporaries such as gerry and the pacemakers and the dave clark five remain trapped for ever in the beat scene of the early swinging sixties . ' never before seen beatles photos sell for more than â£350,000 abbey road crosswalk named historic landmark bond too , despite initial industry skepticism -- it simply wo n't work in america ... ( sean ) connery will never go over , ' one studio representative told producers cubby broccoli and harry saltzman at the premiere of dr. no ' -- was a perfect hero for the age of cold war paranoia and nuclear brinkmanship , the film 's caribbean setting even mirroring the unfolding cuban missile crisis . yet under broccoli 's long stewardship , bond remained a figure capable of reflecting our contemporary obsessions -- whereas a jet pack-wearing connery once propelled himself across the screens of the space age , now daniel craig 's taut , humorless 007 is more likely to be equipped with the latest smartphone gadgets . some , preposterously , have even claimed the existence of the beatles as evidence of a divine hand at work . commenting last week on the announcement that the band 's albums would be re-released later this year on audiophile quality vinyl ' , music producer rick rubin said of the band 's prolific output : truthfully , i think of it as proof of god , because it 's beyond man 's ability . ' predictably , both anniversaries are accompanied by a welter of other rehashed and recycled material cashing in on the occasion . beatles completists not content with the band 's already expansive canon of literature can now look forward to an anthology of john lennon 's letters and several exhaustive new reference books . meanwhile , the let it be ' musical has just opened in london and a remastered dvd edition of magical mystery tour ' is set to go on sale , accompanied by a serious-minded bbc documentary on the making of the critically derided comic caper that can easily be summed up in five letters : drugs . bond 's back catalogue also gets a 50th birthday facelift with the re-packaging of the 22 films as a blu-ray box set - though one wonders , even among hardcore fans of the series , whether there is much appetite for the sight of roger moore creaking and wheezing his way through a view to a kill ' in high-definition clarity -- a role for which even the eyebrow-raising englishman admits he was 400 years too old ' by 1985 . designing 007 : exhibition marks 50 years of james bond james bond car sells for $ 4 million none of these products are presumably aimed at a generation that can actually remember connery or the beatles in their heydays . the least likely upgraders to blu-ray would seem to be those old enough to have seen dr. no ' in a cinema , just as the beatles : rock band ' console game is unlikely to have held much appeal among those who first encountered the band -- then the uk 's eighth most popular small group , ' according to a poll at the time -- supporting helen shapiro in early 1963 . instead , they are targeted at what could be described as mojo man , ' intended to prod once again the pavlovian reflexes of compulsive consumer-collectors who , in an era when the concept of music and movies as something that we own in physical form looks increasingly redundant , remain one of the ailing entertainment industry 's more dependable customers . though not quite old enough to remember the sixties , mojo man grew up in a world in which the popular culture of the decade resonated long after the idealism , social change and upheaval of the era had passed into the history books , and in which the beatles'template of guitars , bass and drums and the bond staples of stunts , super villains and seducible women had laid the foundations for rock music and the modern action movie . yet the problem with this conservative world view is that nothing subsequent can ever live up to the mythologized past , while other influences on the culture of our own era are belittled and ignored . modern pop music , after all , arguably owes more to the traditions of hip hop and dance music than to sergeant pepper 's lonely hearts club band . ' its enduring influence is demonstrated by an outburst by noel gallagher in 2008 , in which the former oasis star , born in 1967 , listed the top five bands of all time as the beatles , the rolling stones , the who , the sex pistols and the kinks -- according to deeply reductive criteria that included no solo artists , no female artists , no collectives allowed ( public enemy etc. ) . ' such blinkered reverence is at odds with the world in which the beatles and bond came to stardom , when the spending power of neophyte teenagers dominated pop culture and a song or movie could be top of the pops or a box office hit one week and gone the next . no one involved in the creation of love me do ' or dr. no ' would have expected that either would be anything more than quick money spinners -- a throwaway two-minute pop song and a low-budget adaptation of a cheap paperback attempting to cash in on the cold war appetite for espionage thrillers . in their own words : journalists who covered lennon 's murder time : meeting the beatles john lennon and george harrison quickly became deeply disillusioned with life in the beatles , while even paul mccartney , now strip-mining his own back catalogue in stadiums around the world , spent years attempting to step out of the band 's shadow . similarly , connery in a 1965 interview with playboy magazine complained that being typecast as bond had become a bit of a bore . ' yet the beatles remain the band that we ca n't live and let die , doomed to be recycled as fading photocopies of the original with every incremental improvement in music technology and significant anniversary until one day we can all look forward to high-definition holograms of john , paul , george and ringo performing all you need is love ' in our living rooms . similarly with bond , while it 's easy to put out new editions of the old classics or to recycle familiar plots in updated settings , can anyone say they genuinely expect skyfall , ' the 23rd installment due to be released later this month , to bring anything new to the series ? fifty years is a long time , even by the standards of the rise and fall of nations , but in the ever changing world ( in which we live in ) of pop culture both bond and the beatles should long ago have been passed over to the custody of historians for safekeeping . with the release of their albums once again on vinyl , the beatles'music will have turned full circle , returning via tapes , compact discs , minidiscs and mp3s to the format where it all began . perhaps that 's an appropriate moment , finally , to let it be . opinion : james bond on her majesty 's secret service
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friday marks the anniversaries of first bond film premiere and release of beatles'debut single
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ew <tsp> ( entertainment weekly ) -- over the last decade , steven soderbergh has taken the one for them , one for me ' concept of film-director politics to an almost comically programmatic extreme . benicio del toro plays ernesto che ' guevara in steven soderbergh 's biopic . basically , he makes big-budget crowd-pleasers like the ocean 's ' films , stuffed with movie stars and candied gimcrack fun , and between them he makes whatever oddball labor-of-love doodle ( the enticing bubble , ' the dreadful solaris ' ) enters his head . what 's disorienting about che , ' his two-part , four-hour-and-17-minute , studiously eccentric drama about the revolutionary life and times of ernesto che ' guevara , is that it 's almost a knowing brainteaser on soderbergh 's part to force you to figure out which category the film belongs to . che cost a reported $ 65 million to make , it 's full of exacting panoramas of strategy and combat set in the mountainous jungles of cuba and bolivia , and its hero is a figure who -- 41 years after his violent death -- remains so loved , hated , and mythologized that he fits into an epic drama timed for awards season as perfectly as gandhi or ray charles ever did . following a one-week oscar-qualifying run , che ' is now rolling out to major american cities , where it is likely to draw generations of filmgoers who 've either worn che on their t-shirts or have the honest curiosity to wonder : who was this man before he became a warhol-worthy icon of radical chic ? in che , ' soderbergh stokes that curiosity , feeds it , and frustrates it , all at the same time . he 's made a film that embraces the romance of revolution only to shake it off , leaving very little in its place . the first half of che ' is a genuine achievement . it picks up guevara ( benicio del toro ) in 1955 , when he was a clean-cut argentine physician who dreamed of uniting latin america through armed struggle . at a dinner party in mexico city , he meets fidel castro -- played , with perfect domineering gesticulations , by demian bichir -- and the movie follows these two into the cuban countryside , where they assemble the nuts and bolts of a revolution . soderbergh exhibits a tinkerer 's fascination with how it all worked , embedding each scene with a docu-nugget of information . we see che taming his asthmatic coughing fits or reading books between battles , and learn how a battalion of rebels could defeat a platoon three times its size ( with surprise , daring , and molotov cocktails ) . che is by turns scholar , guidance counselor , drill sergeant , and comandante , and del toro makes him a warrior-saint who learns , against his will , to cultivate a gruff bruiser facade . he yearns to be a true revolutionary , the highest level of humanity , ' and it 's no insult to the film to say that soderbergh and del toro succeed in portraying che as a kind of t-shirt in three dimensions , a guerrilla for all seasons . but that 's when things get strange , if not monumentally perverse . at the end of part i -- the victory of the cuban rebels -- my appetite was whetted to learn even more about che , in particular how his humane ideals were tested , and compromised , by the castro regime as it edged toward dictatorship . instead , part ii leaps forward to 1966-67 , when che led the revolutionary war in bolivia , and here 's the thing : it turns out to be the same damn movie . only in this dispirited rerun , the revolution does n't take . the rebels , all squabbling ego , can barely summon the will to sacrifice and die , and the peasants have little belief that this ragtag crew is bringing a better world . even with the u.s. poking its nose into the region , the soviet union wo n't back an insurrection . soderbergh has built che ' conceptually , as two giant panels of war , and his message is about the doomed destiny of marxism . che , like marx , believed that the rise of the proletariat was inevitable -- the unstoppable tide of history -- but as the movie reveals , he was wrong . che did n't ride a wave of history ; instead , it crashed down on him . by remaining the same , he becomes , in part ii , a distant and deluded figure whose dream evaporates around him . as political theater , che ' moves from faith to impotence , which is certainly a valid reading of communism in the 20th century . yet as drama , that makes the second half of the film borderline deadly . che does n't grow richer , deeper , or reveal any contradictions ; he just gets more abstract -- a symbol of idealism too pure for this world . che is twice as long as it needs to be , but it is also only half the movie it should have been . ew grades : part i : b+ , part ii : c click here to try 2 risk free issues of entertainment weekly copyright 2009 entertainment weekly and time inc. all rights reserved .
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che ' has a brilliant first half , but second half is repetitious , says ew
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sauber <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when the new formula 1 season gets underway in march , for the first time there will be a woman running a team 's entire operations from track to boardroom . the team is sauber and the woman in charge is monisha kaltenborn , an indian-born lawyer who has risen to the top in this male-dominated sport . kaltenborn , 41 , has been ceo of sauber -- sixth in last year 's team championship -- since 2010 , but in october she also took over from peter sauber as team principal , putting her in charge of performance on the track as well as the business operation . as team principal you have a very exposed position at the track side , ' said kaltenborn . it 's really about the racing . ' kaltenborn has fought for recognition in a sport where another team boss -- whom she is too polite to name -- once mistook her for peter sauber 's interpreter . it was an elderly gentleman who has a different kind of thinking , ' she said . he soon realized and was highly embarrassed . ' others have been more subtle , but still betray a surprise to see a woman in her job . it 's the first moment when you are introduced with your title and you see a slight surprise , ' said kaltenborn . i hope that my record will encourage more women and girls to come into motorsport . ' kaltenborn is a member and ambassador for the women in motorsport commission set up by governing body , the fia . the commission promotes women drivers in the fia 's karting and rally championships and has a network of national coordinators encouraging girls and women in their countries . there 's a project in schools which looks at all the roles in the team from financial and technical to marketing , and 30 % of participants are girls , ' she said . for me it 's very important because we need to help women and young girls to be given the opportunity . ' however , those hoping to see a woman formula 1 driver reach a pole position anytime soon could be disappointed . i think it will take a while because it 's a tough world out there to reach formula 1 , ' said kaltenborn . there are just 22 drivers out of hundreds of thousands worldwide . it 's important we start at the roots and groom the girls in the same way the boys are groomed . ' for some , formula 1 's macho image and use of grid girls ' -- glamorous women who hold markers giving teams'grid position -- undermines its efforts to be taken seriously by women . not for kaltenborn , however . i do n't have a problem with that image , ' she said . i think girls are prettier to look at than if you had men in those roles . there 's nothing wrong with the image because nobody is being discriminated against . ' see also : f1 revolution ahead after'identikit'2013 season kaltenborn was born monisha narang in dehradun , india , and moved with her parents to austria at the age of eight . although her first ambition was to be an astronaut , she trained as a lawyer and had only a passing interest in formula 1 . i grew up in austria and when i was a child , there were famous austrian drivers like niki lauda and gerhard berger and a race in austria , so i had a basic knowledge of the sport , ' she said . she never imagined , however , that she would make a career out of it until she was approached to join the legal team of fritz kaiser group in 1998 . kaiser was a shareholder in what was then the red bull sauber formula 1 team . when i joined the company in lichtenstein i saw what happens behind the scenes and there 's so much more to it , ' she said . the first time i came to the factory and saw what it takes to make a formula 1 car , it became a passion . ' when kaiser sold off his shares in the team , kaltenborn moved to hinwil in switzerland to run sauber group 's legal department . so began her inexorable rise through the company , joining its board in 2001 , becoming ceo in 2010 and finally team principal in 2012 . she is unusual in being a team principal with a legal , rather than a technical background , but insists it does not put her at a disadvantage . see : the most ambitious women on earth ' with a legal background you learn to ask the right questions , ' said kaltenborn . most areas are so highly specialized that you hardly find a technical person who has detailed knowledge of all areas . people from different backgrounds enrich the sport . ' kaltenborn is married with two children , aged 10 and seven , and has to cope with a lot of time away from her family during the racing season . i 'm often away , which makes it very tough , but they take it well . i try to have a lot of contact with them when i 'm away , ' she said . it was not until 2011 , however , that she took her children to a formula 1 race , and they now go to the monaco grand prix once a year . however , there 's so much work and noise that it 's not a place for little kids , ' she said . kaltenborn 's first full season in charge begins with the australian grand prix on march 17 . there is a new car -- the sauber c32 ferrari -- and a new team of drivers , german niko hulkenberg , recently signed from sahara force india , and mexican esteban gutierrez , previously sauber 's reserve driver . for kaltenborn , it will be a first chance to take full control of the team she has made her own .
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trained as a lawyer , kaltenborn came to formula 1 by chance , after joining legal team of one of sauber 's shareholders
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sauber <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when the new formula 1 season gets underway in march , for the first time there will be a woman running a team 's entire operations from track to boardroom . the team is sauber and the woman in charge is monisha kaltenborn , an indian-born lawyer who has risen to the top in this male-dominated sport . kaltenborn , 41 , has been ceo of sauber -- sixth in last year 's team championship -- since 2010 , but in october she also took over from peter sauber as team principal , putting her in charge of performance on the track as well as the business operation . as team principal you have a very exposed position at the track side , ' said kaltenborn . it 's really about the racing . ' kaltenborn has fought for recognition in a sport where another team boss -- whom she is too polite to name -- once mistook her for peter sauber 's interpreter . it was an elderly gentleman who has a different kind of thinking , ' she said . he soon realized and was highly embarrassed . ' others have been more subtle , but still betray a surprise to see a woman in her job . it 's the first moment when you are introduced with your title and you see a slight surprise , ' said kaltenborn . i hope that my record will encourage more women and girls to come into motorsport . ' kaltenborn is a member and ambassador for the women in motorsport commission set up by governing body , the fia . the commission promotes women drivers in the fia 's karting and rally championships and has a network of national coordinators encouraging girls and women in their countries . there 's a project in schools which looks at all the roles in the team from financial and technical to marketing , and 30 % of participants are girls , ' she said . for me it 's very important because we need to help women and young girls to be given the opportunity . ' however , those hoping to see a woman formula 1 driver reach a pole position anytime soon could be disappointed . i think it will take a while because it 's a tough world out there to reach formula 1 , ' said kaltenborn . there are just 22 drivers out of hundreds of thousands worldwide . it 's important we start at the roots and groom the girls in the same way the boys are groomed . ' for some , formula 1 's macho image and use of grid girls ' -- glamorous women who hold markers giving teams'grid position -- undermines its efforts to be taken seriously by women . not for kaltenborn , however . i do n't have a problem with that image , ' she said . i think girls are prettier to look at than if you had men in those roles . there 's nothing wrong with the image because nobody is being discriminated against . ' see also : f1 revolution ahead after'identikit'2013 season kaltenborn was born monisha narang in dehradun , india , and moved with her parents to austria at the age of eight . although her first ambition was to be an astronaut , she trained as a lawyer and had only a passing interest in formula 1 . i grew up in austria and when i was a child , there were famous austrian drivers like niki lauda and gerhard berger and a race in austria , so i had a basic knowledge of the sport , ' she said . she never imagined , however , that she would make a career out of it until she was approached to join the legal team of fritz kaiser group in 1998 . kaiser was a shareholder in what was then the red bull sauber formula 1 team . when i joined the company in lichtenstein i saw what happens behind the scenes and there 's so much more to it , ' she said . the first time i came to the factory and saw what it takes to make a formula 1 car , it became a passion . ' when kaiser sold off his shares in the team , kaltenborn moved to hinwil in switzerland to run sauber group 's legal department . so began her inexorable rise through the company , joining its board in 2001 , becoming ceo in 2010 and finally team principal in 2012 . she is unusual in being a team principal with a legal , rather than a technical background , but insists it does not put her at a disadvantage . see : the most ambitious women on earth ' with a legal background you learn to ask the right questions , ' said kaltenborn . most areas are so highly specialized that you hardly find a technical person who has detailed knowledge of all areas . people from different backgrounds enrich the sport . ' kaltenborn is married with two children , aged 10 and seven , and has to cope with a lot of time away from her family during the racing season . i 'm often away , which makes it very tough , but they take it well . i try to have a lot of contact with them when i 'm away , ' she said . it was not until 2011 , however , that she took her children to a formula 1 race , and they now go to the monaco grand prix once a year . however , there 's so much work and noise that it 's not a place for little kids , ' she said . kaltenborn 's first full season in charge begins with the australian grand prix on march 17 . there is a new car -- the sauber c32 ferrari -- and a new team of drivers , german niko hulkenberg , recently signed from sahara force india , and mexican esteban gutierrez , previously sauber 's reserve driver . for kaltenborn , it will be a first chance to take full control of the team she has made her own .
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she is in charge of both business and on-the-track performance of sauber , sixth in last year 's team championship
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marriott <tsp> consumers today have more power than ever before . the large and diverse selection of media available on newsstands means that customers know what they should be getting , and if they are n't satisfied with the service there 's a host of web sites and forums on which they can let everyone know . marriott 's towneplace suite in response , organizations are seeking ever more innovative ways of understanding their customers'needs , and are even turning to anthropologists and sociologists to help them . whereas before a lot of services were designed from the inside out , now , because consumers are so much more empowered , they are having to think about designing from the outside in , ' says fran samalionis , global practice leader for service design and innovation at ideo . they have to think much more about the customer experience and then figure out how to make sense of that for the business . ' ideo , a global design firm , is already well-known for designing the first mouse , for apple , and the first notebook computer , for grid , but the company is also causing a stir with its innovative approach to design conception , where the wishes and observations of the consumer hold powerful sway . while it employs what one would call conventional ' designers , ideo also uses what it terms a human factor ' team -- people trained in anthropology , sociology and political sciences -- who shadow consumers , observe their everyday habits and relationship with a product , and even give them cameras to record photo journals , in a bid to understand what is really needed for a product to push through the barrier and provide true satisfaction for its customer base . a case in point is marriott 's towneplace suites . the hotel chain approached ideo for ideas about how to launch an extended-stay brand . ideo followed guests and employees around , monitoring their habits and probing them with questions about every aspect of their experience at marriott 's hotels . their conversations taught them that extended-stay guests were mainly on the road because of work commitments ; they were away from home through necessity rather than choice and therefore wanted an experience from a hotel that was closer to what they were accustomed to at home -- a home from home . ' ideo recommended that marriott install a map wall ' in the lobby , with recommendations from fellow guests , such as where to find the best coffee shop or restaurant and where to go jogging in the local area . but they also found that while guests were looking for familiar home comforts , they were also there to work . with that in mind , they drew up prototypes for guest rooms that more closely resemble live/work areas , with an office incorporated into the layout of the bedroom . market research is not a new concept . organizations have been bringing their potential customers together for decades to understand what they want from their services . but samalionis argues that it is by sending its cohorts into the field to observe customers in their natural environments that ideo gains the real insights and results . she says that while some customers might struggle to articulate their needs -- or even fully comprehend what they are looking for in the first place -- simply by looking at their daily routines ideo 's researchers can gain significant understanding of what can be done to improve customers'relationships with a particular product or service . such was the case when ideo worked with bank of america to develop a new credit card . the card was targeted at young mothers and ideo 's observation team set about following a selection of moms around as they went about their daily business : taking their children to school , shopping , even balancing their checkbooks . they discovered that many people round up their transactions to the nearest whole number for speed and convenience . at the same time , many of the moms were struggling with the discipline of saving , even though they wanted to . the solution ideo came up with was to introduce a credit card , keep the change , ' which would instantly transfer the amount customers would usually round up into a separate savings account . samalionis argues that this is an excellent example of where in-field research ultimately inspired an idea that could be transposed to a real-world scheme . just by being able to be with them , empathize with them and observe them you get to see the stuff they ca n't tell you , ' she explains . we saw all these habits about putting pennies in jars and rounding things up in checkbooks . if you had asked somebody , they would say they just wanted to save money . ' all this could be interpreted as just a glossy way of rehashing a construct that has already existed within marketing and design for years -- the market research questionnaire . but samalionis argues that the human-centered approach is just one cog in their approach to problem-solving ; trained designers , engineers , business heads and the client must also have their input . it 's not enough going out into the world and coming up with a point of view about that world , ' she says . you need to make those insights actionable . really , the magic dust in the process is in synthesizing all those perspectives into something that can help you generate amazing ideas . ' ultimately , the effectiveness of an approach can be best measured by its financial returns . bank of america 's keep the change ' credit card scheme generated 2.5 million new , and presumably happy , customers . this willingness by designers to open themselves up to public consultation is becoming increasingly popular . in england , bath 's theatre royal took opinions into consideration from a panel of local schoolchildren when designing their new children 's theatre , the egg . a panel of nine- to eighteen-year-olds even had a say in the choice of architect and the menu for the cafe . innovations derived from the consultation include knee-high glass panels on the doors so that smaller theater-goers can see where they are going and a sound-proofed room so that parents with crying babies can sit and watch the show without disturbing the rest of the audience . in italy , car maker fiat opened itself up for suggestions from the public during the design of its relaunched fiat 500 . under the project title 500 wants you , ' the hitherto inward-looking manufacturer invited ordinary people to submit ideas for designs on its web site . ideo , and other design firms like it , are changing the way large organizations interact with their customers . they are learning about new ways to keep consumers satisfied , and boosting their bank balances in the process . but in the end it 's the consumer who is profiting the most from this new approach .
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hotel chain marriott devised home-from-home ' suites for extended-stay guests
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ideo <tsp> consumers today have more power than ever before . the large and diverse selection of media available on newsstands means that customers know what they should be getting , and if they are n't satisfied with the service there 's a host of web sites and forums on which they can let everyone know . marriott 's towneplace suite in response , organizations are seeking ever more innovative ways of understanding their customers'needs , and are even turning to anthropologists and sociologists to help them . whereas before a lot of services were designed from the inside out , now , because consumers are so much more empowered , they are having to think about designing from the outside in , ' says fran samalionis , global practice leader for service design and innovation at ideo . they have to think much more about the customer experience and then figure out how to make sense of that for the business . ' ideo , a global design firm , is already well-known for designing the first mouse , for apple , and the first notebook computer , for grid , but the company is also causing a stir with its innovative approach to design conception , where the wishes and observations of the consumer hold powerful sway . while it employs what one would call conventional ' designers , ideo also uses what it terms a human factor ' team -- people trained in anthropology , sociology and political sciences -- who shadow consumers , observe their everyday habits and relationship with a product , and even give them cameras to record photo journals , in a bid to understand what is really needed for a product to push through the barrier and provide true satisfaction for its customer base . a case in point is marriott 's towneplace suites . the hotel chain approached ideo for ideas about how to launch an extended-stay brand . ideo followed guests and employees around , monitoring their habits and probing them with questions about every aspect of their experience at marriott 's hotels . their conversations taught them that extended-stay guests were mainly on the road because of work commitments ; they were away from home through necessity rather than choice and therefore wanted an experience from a hotel that was closer to what they were accustomed to at home -- a home from home . ' ideo recommended that marriott install a map wall ' in the lobby , with recommendations from fellow guests , such as where to find the best coffee shop or restaurant and where to go jogging in the local area . but they also found that while guests were looking for familiar home comforts , they were also there to work . with that in mind , they drew up prototypes for guest rooms that more closely resemble live/work areas , with an office incorporated into the layout of the bedroom . market research is not a new concept . organizations have been bringing their potential customers together for decades to understand what they want from their services . but samalionis argues that it is by sending its cohorts into the field to observe customers in their natural environments that ideo gains the real insights and results . she says that while some customers might struggle to articulate their needs -- or even fully comprehend what they are looking for in the first place -- simply by looking at their daily routines ideo 's researchers can gain significant understanding of what can be done to improve customers'relationships with a particular product or service . such was the case when ideo worked with bank of america to develop a new credit card . the card was targeted at young mothers and ideo 's observation team set about following a selection of moms around as they went about their daily business : taking their children to school , shopping , even balancing their checkbooks . they discovered that many people round up their transactions to the nearest whole number for speed and convenience . at the same time , many of the moms were struggling with the discipline of saving , even though they wanted to . the solution ideo came up with was to introduce a credit card , keep the change , ' which would instantly transfer the amount customers would usually round up into a separate savings account . samalionis argues that this is an excellent example of where in-field research ultimately inspired an idea that could be transposed to a real-world scheme . just by being able to be with them , empathize with them and observe them you get to see the stuff they ca n't tell you , ' she explains . we saw all these habits about putting pennies in jars and rounding things up in checkbooks . if you had asked somebody , they would say they just wanted to save money . ' all this could be interpreted as just a glossy way of rehashing a construct that has already existed within marketing and design for years -- the market research questionnaire . but samalionis argues that the human-centered approach is just one cog in their approach to problem-solving ; trained designers , engineers , business heads and the client must also have their input . it 's not enough going out into the world and coming up with a point of view about that world , ' she says . you need to make those insights actionable . really , the magic dust in the process is in synthesizing all those perspectives into something that can help you generate amazing ideas . ' ultimately , the effectiveness of an approach can be best measured by its financial returns . bank of america 's keep the change ' credit card scheme generated 2.5 million new , and presumably happy , customers . this willingness by designers to open themselves up to public consultation is becoming increasingly popular . in england , bath 's theatre royal took opinions into consideration from a panel of local schoolchildren when designing their new children 's theatre , the egg . a panel of nine- to eighteen-year-olds even had a say in the choice of architect and the menu for the cafe . innovations derived from the consultation include knee-high glass panels on the doors so that smaller theater-goers can see where they are going and a sound-proofed room so that parents with crying babies can sit and watch the show without disturbing the rest of the audience . in italy , car maker fiat opened itself up for suggestions from the public during the design of its relaunched fiat 500 . under the project title 500 wants you , ' the hitherto inward-looking manufacturer invited ordinary people to submit ideas for designs on its web site . ideo , and other design firms like it , are changing the way large organizations interact with their customers . they are learning about new ways to keep consumers satisfied , and boosting their bank balances in the process . but in the end it 's the consumer who is profiting the most from this new approach .
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global firm ideo studies customer behavior to influence designs
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zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- his gps monitor has been cut off and george zimmerman is free -- but only legally . zimmerman fears for his life . he 's a reviled figure to millions , despite his acquittal saturday night in trayvon martin 's killing . and he could still be held criminally liable for martin 's death . george zimmerman found not guilty'they want revenge' zimmerman 's attorney describes him as a marked man . he has to be very cautious and protective of his safety because there is still a fringe element who have said ... that they will not listen to a verdict of not guilty , ' said mark o'mara . zimmerman , 29 , has kept his address under wraps for more than a year and worn a disguise whenever he left his four walls . he has often strapped on body armor , according to o'mara . and he may feel the need to be armed . when asked by cnn 's piers morgan whether zimmerman will keep the gun used in the killing , his brother , robert zimmerman jr. , said , i do n't see any reason why he should n't . i think he has more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him because they express they 're trying to kill him , all the time , every day , on my twitter feed , on the internet . ' catch up on the trial , verdict robert zimmerman gave more details sunday on cnn 's new day . ' the threats are vile , they 're vicious , they 're disgusting . and sometimes they 're in person . people wearing shirts with my brother 's face on it in crosshairs , encouraging others to act out violently against him . i know that you ca n't take every one one of those seriously , but you ca n't afford to be wrong either . because you can be dead wrong if somebody really were intent on harming you . ' he 's going to have to learn to move about in a very low-profile way and keep to himself , ' robert zimmerman said , although having the gps removed and no trial to occupy his days helps end george zimmerman 's feeling of being kind of caged in . ' zimmerman , married with no children , may leave florida and choose to lead a life in the shadows -- like casey anthony , the florida woman acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 . anger , sadness but little surprise zimmerman could face more criminal charges with the state criminal case over , george zimmerman could now face new criminal charges . the federal government could file a civil rights suit , accusing him of violating 17-year-old martin 's civil rights . the naacp has called on the justice department to file civil rights charges , and is asking the public to sign a petition . the most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night george zimmerman stalked and then took the life of trayvon martin , ' the group said . zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , acknowledged killing the unarmed teen , saying it was in self-defense . the justice department did not respond directly to the naacp demand . it has a separate federal investigation going on . an official told cnn the department continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation , as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial . ' meanwhile , the martin family could file a civil lawsuit against zimmerman , seeking damages . the suit would claim wrongful death -- which is easier to prove than murder or manslaughter . and the rev . al sharpton said the acquittal was only the first round in the pursuit of justice . ' naacp president ben jealous expects legal action will proceed on both fronts . there will be a civil phase almost assuredly , and then there will be a federal civil rights phase , ' he told cnn 's state of the union ' on sunday . and we are putting our faith in that system . ' robert zimmerman rejected jealous'call for charges against his brother . authorities have interviewed about three dozen of his closest friends and acquaintances . and there is not any inkling of racism , ' he said . in fact , there 's evidence to show the opposite . i would encourage them to cool their jets , give everyone some time to kind of process what 's going on . agitation does n't help us . it does n't do anybody any good right now . ' sports stars sound off on verdict'emotional and psychological hurdles' those who defend zimmerman say he will struggle for the rest of his life over what happened , despite his contention that it was in self-defense . in his religious beliefs , death by any definition is a tragedy , ' robert zimmerman told cnn 's piers morgan . so he has moral things that he 's going to have to deal with , and emotional and psychological hurdles he 's going to have to overcome . ' those who believe he should be in jail for murder are quick to point out that martin lost his life , and say there should be no tears shed for any struggles zimmerman may face . a young man 's post on facebook about zimmerman 's future quickly went viral sunday . for the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in america , ' alex fraser wrote . you will feel people stare at you . judging you for what you think are unfair reasons . you will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control . you will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that . ... ' i bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you 'd end up inheriting all of his struggles . ' fraser added , enjoy your'freedom .'' zimmerman could still be held responsible for martin 's death support for zimmerman zimmerman 's supporters have sent letters and e-mails to his lawyers , offering moral support and saying they sympathized with a man so concerned about neighborhood break-ins that he bought a gun and dog , and donned the mantle of neighborhood watchman . the letters often blame the media for his woes and offer encouragement for the road ahead . after the verdict , o'mara too assailed news outlets for their coverage . he was like a patient in an operating table where mad scientists were committing experiments on him and he had no anesthesia , ' he said . many supporters sent in money to a website he established to help with his mounting legal bills . but one crisis public relations manager said zimmerman must tread lightly when accepting further public money . he 's got to be careful about who he associates with afterward , even if they are offering financial support , ' said gene grabowski . despite what may lie ahead , on saturday night , as his legal team surrounded him and congratulated each other with handshakes and hugs , george zimmerman seemed to take a moment to soak in the relief -- aware that a long road lies ahead . analysis : the race factor cnn 's michael martinez contributed to this report .
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some threats are in person , zimmerman 's brother tells cnn
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zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- his gps monitor has been cut off and george zimmerman is free -- but only legally . zimmerman fears for his life . he 's a reviled figure to millions , despite his acquittal saturday night in trayvon martin 's killing . and he could still be held criminally liable for martin 's death . george zimmerman found not guilty'they want revenge' zimmerman 's attorney describes him as a marked man . he has to be very cautious and protective of his safety because there is still a fringe element who have said ... that they will not listen to a verdict of not guilty , ' said mark o'mara . zimmerman , 29 , has kept his address under wraps for more than a year and worn a disguise whenever he left his four walls . he has often strapped on body armor , according to o'mara . and he may feel the need to be armed . when asked by cnn 's piers morgan whether zimmerman will keep the gun used in the killing , his brother , robert zimmerman jr. , said , i do n't see any reason why he should n't . i think he has more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him because they express they 're trying to kill him , all the time , every day , on my twitter feed , on the internet . ' catch up on the trial , verdict robert zimmerman gave more details sunday on cnn 's new day . ' the threats are vile , they 're vicious , they 're disgusting . and sometimes they 're in person . people wearing shirts with my brother 's face on it in crosshairs , encouraging others to act out violently against him . i know that you ca n't take every one one of those seriously , but you ca n't afford to be wrong either . because you can be dead wrong if somebody really were intent on harming you . ' he 's going to have to learn to move about in a very low-profile way and keep to himself , ' robert zimmerman said , although having the gps removed and no trial to occupy his days helps end george zimmerman 's feeling of being kind of caged in . ' zimmerman , married with no children , may leave florida and choose to lead a life in the shadows -- like casey anthony , the florida woman acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 . anger , sadness but little surprise zimmerman could face more criminal charges with the state criminal case over , george zimmerman could now face new criminal charges . the federal government could file a civil rights suit , accusing him of violating 17-year-old martin 's civil rights . the naacp has called on the justice department to file civil rights charges , and is asking the public to sign a petition . the most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night george zimmerman stalked and then took the life of trayvon martin , ' the group said . zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , acknowledged killing the unarmed teen , saying it was in self-defense . the justice department did not respond directly to the naacp demand . it has a separate federal investigation going on . an official told cnn the department continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation , as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial . ' meanwhile , the martin family could file a civil lawsuit against zimmerman , seeking damages . the suit would claim wrongful death -- which is easier to prove than murder or manslaughter . and the rev . al sharpton said the acquittal was only the first round in the pursuit of justice . ' naacp president ben jealous expects legal action will proceed on both fronts . there will be a civil phase almost assuredly , and then there will be a federal civil rights phase , ' he told cnn 's state of the union ' on sunday . and we are putting our faith in that system . ' robert zimmerman rejected jealous'call for charges against his brother . authorities have interviewed about three dozen of his closest friends and acquaintances . and there is not any inkling of racism , ' he said . in fact , there 's evidence to show the opposite . i would encourage them to cool their jets , give everyone some time to kind of process what 's going on . agitation does n't help us . it does n't do anybody any good right now . ' sports stars sound off on verdict'emotional and psychological hurdles' those who defend zimmerman say he will struggle for the rest of his life over what happened , despite his contention that it was in self-defense . in his religious beliefs , death by any definition is a tragedy , ' robert zimmerman told cnn 's piers morgan . so he has moral things that he 's going to have to deal with , and emotional and psychological hurdles he 's going to have to overcome . ' those who believe he should be in jail for murder are quick to point out that martin lost his life , and say there should be no tears shed for any struggles zimmerman may face . a young man 's post on facebook about zimmerman 's future quickly went viral sunday . for the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in america , ' alex fraser wrote . you will feel people stare at you . judging you for what you think are unfair reasons . you will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control . you will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that . ... ' i bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you 'd end up inheriting all of his struggles . ' fraser added , enjoy your'freedom .'' zimmerman could still be held responsible for martin 's death support for zimmerman zimmerman 's supporters have sent letters and e-mails to his lawyers , offering moral support and saying they sympathized with a man so concerned about neighborhood break-ins that he bought a gun and dog , and donned the mantle of neighborhood watchman . the letters often blame the media for his woes and offer encouragement for the road ahead . after the verdict , o'mara too assailed news outlets for their coverage . he was like a patient in an operating table where mad scientists were committing experiments on him and he had no anesthesia , ' he said . many supporters sent in money to a website he established to help with his mounting legal bills . but one crisis public relations manager said zimmerman must tread lightly when accepting further public money . he 's got to be careful about who he associates with afterward , even if they are offering financial support , ' said gene grabowski . despite what may lie ahead , on saturday night , as his legal team surrounded him and congratulated each other with handshakes and hugs , george zimmerman seemed to take a moment to soak in the relief -- aware that a long road lies ahead . analysis : the race factor cnn 's michael martinez contributed to this report .
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george zimmerman could face federal criminal charges in trayvon martin 's death
|
zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- his gps monitor has been cut off and george zimmerman is free -- but only legally . zimmerman fears for his life . he 's a reviled figure to millions , despite his acquittal saturday night in trayvon martin 's killing . and he could still be held criminally liable for martin 's death . george zimmerman found not guilty'they want revenge' zimmerman 's attorney describes him as a marked man . he has to be very cautious and protective of his safety because there is still a fringe element who have said ... that they will not listen to a verdict of not guilty , ' said mark o'mara . zimmerman , 29 , has kept his address under wraps for more than a year and worn a disguise whenever he left his four walls . he has often strapped on body armor , according to o'mara . and he may feel the need to be armed . when asked by cnn 's piers morgan whether zimmerman will keep the gun used in the killing , his brother , robert zimmerman jr. , said , i do n't see any reason why he should n't . i think he has more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him because they express they 're trying to kill him , all the time , every day , on my twitter feed , on the internet . ' catch up on the trial , verdict robert zimmerman gave more details sunday on cnn 's new day . ' the threats are vile , they 're vicious , they 're disgusting . and sometimes they 're in person . people wearing shirts with my brother 's face on it in crosshairs , encouraging others to act out violently against him . i know that you ca n't take every one one of those seriously , but you ca n't afford to be wrong either . because you can be dead wrong if somebody really were intent on harming you . ' he 's going to have to learn to move about in a very low-profile way and keep to himself , ' robert zimmerman said , although having the gps removed and no trial to occupy his days helps end george zimmerman 's feeling of being kind of caged in . ' zimmerman , married with no children , may leave florida and choose to lead a life in the shadows -- like casey anthony , the florida woman acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 . anger , sadness but little surprise zimmerman could face more criminal charges with the state criminal case over , george zimmerman could now face new criminal charges . the federal government could file a civil rights suit , accusing him of violating 17-year-old martin 's civil rights . the naacp has called on the justice department to file civil rights charges , and is asking the public to sign a petition . the most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night george zimmerman stalked and then took the life of trayvon martin , ' the group said . zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , acknowledged killing the unarmed teen , saying it was in self-defense . the justice department did not respond directly to the naacp demand . it has a separate federal investigation going on . an official told cnn the department continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation , as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial . ' meanwhile , the martin family could file a civil lawsuit against zimmerman , seeking damages . the suit would claim wrongful death -- which is easier to prove than murder or manslaughter . and the rev . al sharpton said the acquittal was only the first round in the pursuit of justice . ' naacp president ben jealous expects legal action will proceed on both fronts . there will be a civil phase almost assuredly , and then there will be a federal civil rights phase , ' he told cnn 's state of the union ' on sunday . and we are putting our faith in that system . ' robert zimmerman rejected jealous'call for charges against his brother . authorities have interviewed about three dozen of his closest friends and acquaintances . and there is not any inkling of racism , ' he said . in fact , there 's evidence to show the opposite . i would encourage them to cool their jets , give everyone some time to kind of process what 's going on . agitation does n't help us . it does n't do anybody any good right now . ' sports stars sound off on verdict'emotional and psychological hurdles' those who defend zimmerman say he will struggle for the rest of his life over what happened , despite his contention that it was in self-defense . in his religious beliefs , death by any definition is a tragedy , ' robert zimmerman told cnn 's piers morgan . so he has moral things that he 's going to have to deal with , and emotional and psychological hurdles he 's going to have to overcome . ' those who believe he should be in jail for murder are quick to point out that martin lost his life , and say there should be no tears shed for any struggles zimmerman may face . a young man 's post on facebook about zimmerman 's future quickly went viral sunday . for the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in america , ' alex fraser wrote . you will feel people stare at you . judging you for what you think are unfair reasons . you will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control . you will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that . ... ' i bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you 'd end up inheriting all of his struggles . ' fraser added , enjoy your'freedom .'' zimmerman could still be held responsible for martin 's death support for zimmerman zimmerman 's supporters have sent letters and e-mails to his lawyers , offering moral support and saying they sympathized with a man so concerned about neighborhood break-ins that he bought a gun and dog , and donned the mantle of neighborhood watchman . the letters often blame the media for his woes and offer encouragement for the road ahead . after the verdict , o'mara too assailed news outlets for their coverage . he was like a patient in an operating table where mad scientists were committing experiments on him and he had no anesthesia , ' he said . many supporters sent in money to a website he established to help with his mounting legal bills . but one crisis public relations manager said zimmerman must tread lightly when accepting further public money . he 's got to be careful about who he associates with afterward , even if they are offering financial support , ' said gene grabowski . despite what may lie ahead , on saturday night , as his legal team surrounded him and congratulated each other with handshakes and hugs , george zimmerman seemed to take a moment to soak in the relief -- aware that a long road lies ahead . analysis : the race factor cnn 's michael martinez contributed to this report .
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new : facebook post says zimmerman will feel what it 's like to be a black man '
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zimmerman <tsp> ( cnn ) -- his gps monitor has been cut off and george zimmerman is free -- but only legally . zimmerman fears for his life . he 's a reviled figure to millions , despite his acquittal saturday night in trayvon martin 's killing . and he could still be held criminally liable for martin 's death . george zimmerman found not guilty'they want revenge' zimmerman 's attorney describes him as a marked man . he has to be very cautious and protective of his safety because there is still a fringe element who have said ... that they will not listen to a verdict of not guilty , ' said mark o'mara . zimmerman , 29 , has kept his address under wraps for more than a year and worn a disguise whenever he left his four walls . he has often strapped on body armor , according to o'mara . and he may feel the need to be armed . when asked by cnn 's piers morgan whether zimmerman will keep the gun used in the killing , his brother , robert zimmerman jr. , said , i do n't see any reason why he should n't . i think he has more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him because they express they 're trying to kill him , all the time , every day , on my twitter feed , on the internet . ' catch up on the trial , verdict robert zimmerman gave more details sunday on cnn 's new day . ' the threats are vile , they 're vicious , they 're disgusting . and sometimes they 're in person . people wearing shirts with my brother 's face on it in crosshairs , encouraging others to act out violently against him . i know that you ca n't take every one one of those seriously , but you ca n't afford to be wrong either . because you can be dead wrong if somebody really were intent on harming you . ' he 's going to have to learn to move about in a very low-profile way and keep to himself , ' robert zimmerman said , although having the gps removed and no trial to occupy his days helps end george zimmerman 's feeling of being kind of caged in . ' zimmerman , married with no children , may leave florida and choose to lead a life in the shadows -- like casey anthony , the florida woman acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 . anger , sadness but little surprise zimmerman could face more criminal charges with the state criminal case over , george zimmerman could now face new criminal charges . the federal government could file a civil rights suit , accusing him of violating 17-year-old martin 's civil rights . the naacp has called on the justice department to file civil rights charges , and is asking the public to sign a petition . the most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night george zimmerman stalked and then took the life of trayvon martin , ' the group said . zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , acknowledged killing the unarmed teen , saying it was in self-defense . the justice department did not respond directly to the naacp demand . it has a separate federal investigation going on . an official told cnn the department continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation , as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial . ' meanwhile , the martin family could file a civil lawsuit against zimmerman , seeking damages . the suit would claim wrongful death -- which is easier to prove than murder or manslaughter . and the rev . al sharpton said the acquittal was only the first round in the pursuit of justice . ' naacp president ben jealous expects legal action will proceed on both fronts . there will be a civil phase almost assuredly , and then there will be a federal civil rights phase , ' he told cnn 's state of the union ' on sunday . and we are putting our faith in that system . ' robert zimmerman rejected jealous'call for charges against his brother . authorities have interviewed about three dozen of his closest friends and acquaintances . and there is not any inkling of racism , ' he said . in fact , there 's evidence to show the opposite . i would encourage them to cool their jets , give everyone some time to kind of process what 's going on . agitation does n't help us . it does n't do anybody any good right now . ' sports stars sound off on verdict'emotional and psychological hurdles' those who defend zimmerman say he will struggle for the rest of his life over what happened , despite his contention that it was in self-defense . in his religious beliefs , death by any definition is a tragedy , ' robert zimmerman told cnn 's piers morgan . so he has moral things that he 's going to have to deal with , and emotional and psychological hurdles he 's going to have to overcome . ' those who believe he should be in jail for murder are quick to point out that martin lost his life , and say there should be no tears shed for any struggles zimmerman may face . a young man 's post on facebook about zimmerman 's future quickly went viral sunday . for the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in america , ' alex fraser wrote . you will feel people stare at you . judging you for what you think are unfair reasons . you will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control . you will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that . ... ' i bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you 'd end up inheriting all of his struggles . ' fraser added , enjoy your'freedom .'' zimmerman could still be held responsible for martin 's death support for zimmerman zimmerman 's supporters have sent letters and e-mails to his lawyers , offering moral support and saying they sympathized with a man so concerned about neighborhood break-ins that he bought a gun and dog , and donned the mantle of neighborhood watchman . the letters often blame the media for his woes and offer encouragement for the road ahead . after the verdict , o'mara too assailed news outlets for their coverage . he was like a patient in an operating table where mad scientists were committing experiments on him and he had no anesthesia , ' he said . many supporters sent in money to a website he established to help with his mounting legal bills . but one crisis public relations manager said zimmerman must tread lightly when accepting further public money . he 's got to be careful about who he associates with afterward , even if they are offering financial support , ' said gene grabowski . despite what may lie ahead , on saturday night , as his legal team surrounded him and congratulated each other with handshakes and hugs , george zimmerman seemed to take a moment to soak in the relief -- aware that a long road lies ahead . analysis : the race factor cnn 's michael martinez contributed to this report .
|
zimmerman has worn disguises and a bullet-proof vest
|
trayvon martin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- his gps monitor has been cut off and george zimmerman is free -- but only legally . zimmerman fears for his life . he 's a reviled figure to millions , despite his acquittal saturday night in trayvon martin 's killing . and he could still be held criminally liable for martin 's death . george zimmerman found not guilty'they want revenge' zimmerman 's attorney describes him as a marked man . he has to be very cautious and protective of his safety because there is still a fringe element who have said ... that they will not listen to a verdict of not guilty , ' said mark o'mara . zimmerman , 29 , has kept his address under wraps for more than a year and worn a disguise whenever he left his four walls . he has often strapped on body armor , according to o'mara . and he may feel the need to be armed . when asked by cnn 's piers morgan whether zimmerman will keep the gun used in the killing , his brother , robert zimmerman jr. , said , i do n't see any reason why he should n't . i think he has more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him because they express they 're trying to kill him , all the time , every day , on my twitter feed , on the internet . ' catch up on the trial , verdict robert zimmerman gave more details sunday on cnn 's new day . ' the threats are vile , they 're vicious , they 're disgusting . and sometimes they 're in person . people wearing shirts with my brother 's face on it in crosshairs , encouraging others to act out violently against him . i know that you ca n't take every one one of those seriously , but you ca n't afford to be wrong either . because you can be dead wrong if somebody really were intent on harming you . ' he 's going to have to learn to move about in a very low-profile way and keep to himself , ' robert zimmerman said , although having the gps removed and no trial to occupy his days helps end george zimmerman 's feeling of being kind of caged in . ' zimmerman , married with no children , may leave florida and choose to lead a life in the shadows -- like casey anthony , the florida woman acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 . anger , sadness but little surprise zimmerman could face more criminal charges with the state criminal case over , george zimmerman could now face new criminal charges . the federal government could file a civil rights suit , accusing him of violating 17-year-old martin 's civil rights . the naacp has called on the justice department to file civil rights charges , and is asking the public to sign a petition . the most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night george zimmerman stalked and then took the life of trayvon martin , ' the group said . zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer , acknowledged killing the unarmed teen , saying it was in self-defense . the justice department did not respond directly to the naacp demand . it has a separate federal investigation going on . an official told cnn the department continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation , as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial . ' meanwhile , the martin family could file a civil lawsuit against zimmerman , seeking damages . the suit would claim wrongful death -- which is easier to prove than murder or manslaughter . and the rev . al sharpton said the acquittal was only the first round in the pursuit of justice . ' naacp president ben jealous expects legal action will proceed on both fronts . there will be a civil phase almost assuredly , and then there will be a federal civil rights phase , ' he told cnn 's state of the union ' on sunday . and we are putting our faith in that system . ' robert zimmerman rejected jealous'call for charges against his brother . authorities have interviewed about three dozen of his closest friends and acquaintances . and there is not any inkling of racism , ' he said . in fact , there 's evidence to show the opposite . i would encourage them to cool their jets , give everyone some time to kind of process what 's going on . agitation does n't help us . it does n't do anybody any good right now . ' sports stars sound off on verdict'emotional and psychological hurdles' those who defend zimmerman say he will struggle for the rest of his life over what happened , despite his contention that it was in self-defense . in his religious beliefs , death by any definition is a tragedy , ' robert zimmerman told cnn 's piers morgan . so he has moral things that he 's going to have to deal with , and emotional and psychological hurdles he 's going to have to overcome . ' those who believe he should be in jail for murder are quick to point out that martin lost his life , and say there should be no tears shed for any struggles zimmerman may face . a young man 's post on facebook about zimmerman 's future quickly went viral sunday . for the rest of your life you are now going to feel what its like to be a black man in america , ' alex fraser wrote . you will feel people stare at you . judging you for what you think are unfair reasons . you will lose out on getting jobs for something you feel is outside of your control . you will believe yourself to be an upstanding citizen and wonder why people choose to not see that . ... ' i bet you never thought that by shooting a black male you 'd end up inheriting all of his struggles . ' fraser added , enjoy your'freedom .'' zimmerman could still be held responsible for martin 's death support for zimmerman zimmerman 's supporters have sent letters and e-mails to his lawyers , offering moral support and saying they sympathized with a man so concerned about neighborhood break-ins that he bought a gun and dog , and donned the mantle of neighborhood watchman . the letters often blame the media for his woes and offer encouragement for the road ahead . after the verdict , o'mara too assailed news outlets for their coverage . he was like a patient in an operating table where mad scientists were committing experiments on him and he had no anesthesia , ' he said . many supporters sent in money to a website he established to help with his mounting legal bills . but one crisis public relations manager said zimmerman must tread lightly when accepting further public money . he 's got to be careful about who he associates with afterward , even if they are offering financial support , ' said gene grabowski . despite what may lie ahead , on saturday night , as his legal team surrounded him and congratulated each other with handshakes and hugs , george zimmerman seemed to take a moment to soak in the relief -- aware that a long road lies ahead . analysis : the race factor cnn 's michael martinez contributed to this report .
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george zimmerman could face federal criminal charges in trayvon martin 's death
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