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cnn <tsp> ( cnn ) -- should the government keep its hands off online shopping ? according to the massive response to our stories on a proposed internet sales tax , many of you think so . on monday , the u.s. senate approved the marketplace fairness act . it would allow governments to collect taxes on sales that internet retailers , from titans such as amazon and ebay to independent app developers , make in their state . the point , supporters say , is to put traditional brick-and-mortar retailers on equal footing with digital storefronts that , in many cases , have n't been required to add tax to their prices . but in an age when many of us have gotten used to one-click , 24-hour shopping on our laptops , tablets and phones , not many of the readers of our story monday explaining the bill seemed overly excited at the prospect . i will never set foot in another brick and mortar store again , ' wrote a commenter using the screen name riynko ( who was perhaps exaggerating to make a point ) . their whining just cost us all a lot of money . let this be the nail in their coffin . ' a lot of the objections reflected traditional political arguments . conservative-minded commenters looked at the bill not as a bid for fairness but as government digging into our wallets once again . its criminal how they tax every dollar you make several times over , ' wrote cnn commenter diraphe . they tax your earnings , tax your spending , tax your property , special taxes , tax your utilities , tax your gas . ... they even tax you when you die ! ' added reader cactusthorn : politicians never saw a source of income they did n't want to tap . then they waste the money on useless projects and regulations . ' but anti-tax arguments sometimes transcended the usual left-right battles . some comments reflected the keep your hands off our internet ' mindset that has grown among online users who fear the impact both government and big business could have on a free and open web . reddit co-founder : i 'm not mayor of the internet the personal philosophies of billions of web users obviously run the gamut . but the internet has always had a sort of wild west feel to it , and some commenters argue that is why it 's grown into the unprecedented force its become . watching congress debate the marketplace fairness act , i 'm reminded of the aesop 's fable where a man and his wife had a goose that laid golden eggs , ' commenter nutemanlll wrote . thinking there may be more value to what 's inside the goose than the golden eggs it laid , they killed it , only to realize the value was the golden eggs . ' on twitter , cynthia schames said that 's what she 's worried about . schames runs abbey post , an online marketplace where users buy and sell plus-sized fashions . oh goody , more taxes ! ' was her immediate , sarcastic reaction to a post from the cnn tech twitter account . abbey post is a 2-way marketplace . individuals buy and sell . only physical retailers and government wastrels want this new tax . ' in fairness , the bill as written would only tax sales by online businesses that do more than $ 1 million in sales annually outside states where they have physical operations . that would , at least in theory , exempt digital mom-and-pop shops and the random etsy crafter . but corporations with tax attorneys on speed-dial have a way of negotiating such things , as one reader pointed out . all it will do is rearrange the internet businesses , ' commenter 412ctruth wrote . if an ebay business does more than 1 million in business they just have to divide their company into segments . say it is women 's clothing store , they just create a women 's shoe store , a women 's coat and jacket store , and a women 's clothing store , all doing less than 1 million dollars each and no taxes . ' it pro and photographer christopher souser replied to us on twitter : it wont help small businesses , it will only help large retailers . online and offline ; choking out small online retailers . ' of course , even among engaged web users , disdain for the plan was n't unanimous . some people said that with e-commerce as prominent as it 's become , it 's only fair that states should get a cut . others worried about a future in which web-based sales destroy hometown operations . as a small business owner ( and right-leaning individual ) i applaud this tax , ' commenter imo wrote . as a consumer it is not welcomed , but as a small business trying to compete with large corporations it absolutely levels the playing field . ' owning a company with stores in 16 states means having to collect sales taxes in all of them , while major web players with operations in just one or two do n't , the commenter wrote . there are many taxes that i disagree with , but this is not one of them . ' for it to become a reality , the bill must now clear the republican-controlled house and be signed by president barack obama . it got overwhelming support from democrats and republicans in the senate , but the house , much like the internet , has been known to dance to its own tune on such matters .
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cnn commenters mostly dislike the idea of an internet sales tax
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iraqi <tsp> camp pendleton , california ( cnn ) -- a u.s. military judge sentenced a marine squad leader charged with alleged war crimes in iraq to a maximum of 90 days in prison and a reduction in pay and rank . but because of a plea deal with prosecutors , staff sgt . frank g. wuterich wo n't serve any time in the brig . the military judge was obligated to abide by the plea arrangement between prosecutors and the defense . in the end , wuterich 's sentence amounts to a reduction in rank -- to private -- and a pay cut . a final adjudication will be made by lt. gen. thomas waldhauser , commander of marine corps forces central command , but he can not increase tuesday 's sentence , a marine spokesman said . the commander can reduce it , though , the spokesman said . meanwhile , iraqi officials condemned the plea deal for wuterich , who was facing several manslaughter and other charges . also , a military law expert said the u.s. military needs to justify the ruling . the trial of wuterich , who pleaded guilty to one count of negligent dereliction of duty , ends a six-year investigation into one of the iraq war 's worst attacks on civilians by u.s. troops . twenty-four iraqis died . in the sentencing , the military judge , lt. col. david jones , cited how wuterich ordered his troops to shoot first , ask questions later . ' wuterich , a divorced father of three young daughters , was the last of eight marines charged . charges were dropped against six of the other marines charged in the case , and one was acquitted . one u.s. congressman compared the haditha killings to the 1968 vietnam massacre at my lai . wuterich , 31 , of meriden , connecticut , originally faced 152 years in prison on nine counts of involuntary manslaughter , two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and three counts of dereliction of duty in the november 19 , 2005 , killings -- charges he has vehemently denied . in exchange for his guilty plea , the most serious charges of manslaughter and assault charges were dropped . facing the judge in a marine base courtroom tuesday , wuterich , dressed in uniform , expressed no emotion . in the sentencing hearing , prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence . today , staff sgt . wuterich stands vindicated by the very same system that has held him captive for over six years , ' said wuterich attorney neal puckett in a statement . we believe justice prevailed for staff sgt . wuterich , and in turn , he wishes it was within his power to impart that same measure of justice to the families of the victims of haditha , ' puckett said in the statement . earlier in the day , wuterich told the judge that he was not a monster ' or cold-blooded baby killer . ' for six years , i have had to accept that my name will always be associated with a massacre , being a cold-blooded baby killer , an'out of control'monster , and a conspiring liar , ' wuterich told the court . there 's nothing i can do about whoever believes these things . ' i never fired my weapon at any women or children that day ' in 2005 , wuterich said . when i told my team to shoot first and ask questions later , the intent was n't that they would shoot civilians , it was that they would not hesitate in the face of the enemy , ' he said . wuterich 's case signals the end of a handful of alleged war crimes cases that came to light during the height of the war in iraq . wuterich pleaded guilty monday to one count of negligent dereliction of duty , a charge that could have brought a brig confinement of up to three months , two-thirds forfeiture of pay for three months and reduction in rank to private , authorities said . words can not express my sorrow for the loss of your loved ones , ' wuterich said to the families in his statement . wuterich said he was absolutely devastated ' when his commanders were relieved of duty because of my words or actions . ' he said he 's been unable to advance his military career or pursue a secure life for my family outside of the military . ' many of the marines who were there that day , along with everyone who has stood by me and supported me , may be disappointed that i pled guilty . it might suggest that i believe we behaved badly or dishonorably . the truth is , i do n't believe anyone in my squad , nor any member of of kilo co , 3/1/ behaved in any way that was dishonorable or contrary to the highest ideals that we all live by as marines , ' wuterich said . regardless of the outcome , i am here to take responsibility for my actions , and to accept the consequences , ' wuterich said . wuterich 's plea came nearly two weeks into his court-martial at camp pendleton near san diego . the killings enraged iraqis , put a spotlight on the conduct of the u.s. military and saw a congressman compare it to vietnam 's my lai massacre . the fallout from the incidents continued more than six years later , with reports that iraqi-u.s. negotiations to extend a withdrawal deadline broke down over iraq 's refusal to grant american troops immunity from prosecution in iraq . on tuesday , iraqi officials excoriated the plea deal in the court-martial . khalid salman , head of the haditha local council , told cnn that we have been following this case since 2006 and we were hoping that those soldiers , who killed 24 innocent people , will receive fair punishment . but now we are convinced that the judicial system in america is unjust , ' salman said . this is not the end , and we will continue pursuing those soldiers legally through the international courts . ' taleb al-essawi , the political adviser to the governor of the anbar province , told cnn that the local government is very disappointed with the court-martial decision . big disappointment , ' al-essawi said . i ca n't believe that the court decided to drop all the charges except one charge , which is negligent dereliction of duty . this is a joke because according to the iraqi law , all those soldiers should be executed , ' al-essawi said . we demand from the american administration to reconsider the court decision , ' al-essawi told cnn . the u.s. government should compensate the families of the victims , he added . mahmoud othman , a kurdish lawmaker , said the marines committed mass killings in haditha ' and the plea arrangement was unjust . ' we ask the human rights organizations and ( nongovernmental organizations ) in america and all over the world to strongly condemn this verdict . iraqi blood is n't so cheap , ' othman said in his facebook posting . a u.s. military law expert said a public explanation was needed . the trial counsel and convening authority has a duty to explain this pretrial agreement in order to safeguard public confidence in the administration of justice , ' said eugene r. fidell , senior research scholar and a visiting lecturer at yale law school . the way our military justice system works , ' fidell told cnn , is that the convening authority , a commander of the unit , makes the central decision . it 's a command-centric system that we inherited from ( king ) george iii . pretrial agreements are contracts between the accused and the convening authority . the prosecution and staff judge advocate play an advisory role . at the end of the day , it 's the commander 's decision to accept or reject a proposed pretrial agreement , ' fidell said . about the investigation into the haditha massacre , fidell said : it does seem that a set of cases that began with some pretty terrible allegations has basically fizzled . the public ought to have confidence in the administration of justice . ' fidell said he was concerned about the overall trend of justice emerging out of the afghanistan and iraq wars . for some time , i 've wondered whether the system was producing the kind of results it should have . what has struck me is that it has been difficult for the government to get convictions in a number of cases , and where it has gotten convictions , whether it has gotten significant penalties , ' fidell said . in court tuesday , wuterich 's attorney , puckett , told the judge that wuterich has been exonerated , his integrity is unfaltering . ' he knows his marine career has come to an end , but his only intention was to protect his troops , ' puckett said . according to previous testimony and court records , wuterich , who was assigned to 3rd battalion , 1st marine regiment , 1st marine division , was the squad leader on november 19 , 2005 , when members of his patrol unit were moving a supply convoy moving through haditha , an insurgent stronghold where armed resistance fighters hid along civilian populations . an improvised explosive device exploded under a vehicle , killing lance cpl . miguel terrazas , 20 , and injuring two other marines . during the more than two-week trial , prosecutors argued wuterich lost control after seeing the body of his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a angry rage ordering his squad to shoot first and ask questions later . ' wuterich 's team stormed two nearby homes , blasting their way in with grenades and m-16 rifle fire . among the dead was an elderly man in a wheelchair . when the 45-minute incident was over , 24 men , women and children were killed . wuterich was accused of ordering his men to storm the homes , part of what his attorney has said was a search for those believed responsible for planting the bomb , and later shooting at the men . the prosecution contends the marines were out for revenge . the case did n't come to light until january 2006 when time magazine broke the story . two months later , the military launched an investigation . the incident provoked the condemnation of rep. john murtha , d-pennsylvania , who compared it to the 1968 massacre at my lai , and president george w. bush vowed then that if an investigation found marines killed unarmed civilians , there will be a punishment . ' the case has been delayed a number of times , most notably over a government subpoena for outtakes of a 2008 interview wuterich gave to cbs' 60 minutes . ' cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq in baghdad and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . stan wilson reported from camp pendleton and michael martinez from los angeles .
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iraqi officials are angry over court-martial 's plea deal
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iraqi <tsp> camp pendleton , california ( cnn ) -- a u.s. military judge sentenced a marine squad leader charged with alleged war crimes in iraq to a maximum of 90 days in prison and a reduction in pay and rank . but because of a plea deal with prosecutors , staff sgt . frank g. wuterich wo n't serve any time in the brig . the military judge was obligated to abide by the plea arrangement between prosecutors and the defense . in the end , wuterich 's sentence amounts to a reduction in rank -- to private -- and a pay cut . a final adjudication will be made by lt. gen. thomas waldhauser , commander of marine corps forces central command , but he can not increase tuesday 's sentence , a marine spokesman said . the commander can reduce it , though , the spokesman said . meanwhile , iraqi officials condemned the plea deal for wuterich , who was facing several manslaughter and other charges . also , a military law expert said the u.s. military needs to justify the ruling . the trial of wuterich , who pleaded guilty to one count of negligent dereliction of duty , ends a six-year investigation into one of the iraq war 's worst attacks on civilians by u.s. troops . twenty-four iraqis died . in the sentencing , the military judge , lt. col. david jones , cited how wuterich ordered his troops to shoot first , ask questions later . ' wuterich , a divorced father of three young daughters , was the last of eight marines charged . charges were dropped against six of the other marines charged in the case , and one was acquitted . one u.s. congressman compared the haditha killings to the 1968 vietnam massacre at my lai . wuterich , 31 , of meriden , connecticut , originally faced 152 years in prison on nine counts of involuntary manslaughter , two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and three counts of dereliction of duty in the november 19 , 2005 , killings -- charges he has vehemently denied . in exchange for his guilty plea , the most serious charges of manslaughter and assault charges were dropped . facing the judge in a marine base courtroom tuesday , wuterich , dressed in uniform , expressed no emotion . in the sentencing hearing , prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence . today , staff sgt . wuterich stands vindicated by the very same system that has held him captive for over six years , ' said wuterich attorney neal puckett in a statement . we believe justice prevailed for staff sgt . wuterich , and in turn , he wishes it was within his power to impart that same measure of justice to the families of the victims of haditha , ' puckett said in the statement . earlier in the day , wuterich told the judge that he was not a monster ' or cold-blooded baby killer . ' for six years , i have had to accept that my name will always be associated with a massacre , being a cold-blooded baby killer , an'out of control'monster , and a conspiring liar , ' wuterich told the court . there 's nothing i can do about whoever believes these things . ' i never fired my weapon at any women or children that day ' in 2005 , wuterich said . when i told my team to shoot first and ask questions later , the intent was n't that they would shoot civilians , it was that they would not hesitate in the face of the enemy , ' he said . wuterich 's case signals the end of a handful of alleged war crimes cases that came to light during the height of the war in iraq . wuterich pleaded guilty monday to one count of negligent dereliction of duty , a charge that could have brought a brig confinement of up to three months , two-thirds forfeiture of pay for three months and reduction in rank to private , authorities said . words can not express my sorrow for the loss of your loved ones , ' wuterich said to the families in his statement . wuterich said he was absolutely devastated ' when his commanders were relieved of duty because of my words or actions . ' he said he 's been unable to advance his military career or pursue a secure life for my family outside of the military . ' many of the marines who were there that day , along with everyone who has stood by me and supported me , may be disappointed that i pled guilty . it might suggest that i believe we behaved badly or dishonorably . the truth is , i do n't believe anyone in my squad , nor any member of of kilo co , 3/1/ behaved in any way that was dishonorable or contrary to the highest ideals that we all live by as marines , ' wuterich said . regardless of the outcome , i am here to take responsibility for my actions , and to accept the consequences , ' wuterich said . wuterich 's plea came nearly two weeks into his court-martial at camp pendleton near san diego . the killings enraged iraqis , put a spotlight on the conduct of the u.s. military and saw a congressman compare it to vietnam 's my lai massacre . the fallout from the incidents continued more than six years later , with reports that iraqi-u.s. negotiations to extend a withdrawal deadline broke down over iraq 's refusal to grant american troops immunity from prosecution in iraq . on tuesday , iraqi officials excoriated the plea deal in the court-martial . khalid salman , head of the haditha local council , told cnn that we have been following this case since 2006 and we were hoping that those soldiers , who killed 24 innocent people , will receive fair punishment . but now we are convinced that the judicial system in america is unjust , ' salman said . this is not the end , and we will continue pursuing those soldiers legally through the international courts . ' taleb al-essawi , the political adviser to the governor of the anbar province , told cnn that the local government is very disappointed with the court-martial decision . big disappointment , ' al-essawi said . i ca n't believe that the court decided to drop all the charges except one charge , which is negligent dereliction of duty . this is a joke because according to the iraqi law , all those soldiers should be executed , ' al-essawi said . we demand from the american administration to reconsider the court decision , ' al-essawi told cnn . the u.s. government should compensate the families of the victims , he added . mahmoud othman , a kurdish lawmaker , said the marines committed mass killings in haditha ' and the plea arrangement was unjust . ' we ask the human rights organizations and ( nongovernmental organizations ) in america and all over the world to strongly condemn this verdict . iraqi blood is n't so cheap , ' othman said in his facebook posting . a u.s. military law expert said a public explanation was needed . the trial counsel and convening authority has a duty to explain this pretrial agreement in order to safeguard public confidence in the administration of justice , ' said eugene r. fidell , senior research scholar and a visiting lecturer at yale law school . the way our military justice system works , ' fidell told cnn , is that the convening authority , a commander of the unit , makes the central decision . it 's a command-centric system that we inherited from ( king ) george iii . pretrial agreements are contracts between the accused and the convening authority . the prosecution and staff judge advocate play an advisory role . at the end of the day , it 's the commander 's decision to accept or reject a proposed pretrial agreement , ' fidell said . about the investigation into the haditha massacre , fidell said : it does seem that a set of cases that began with some pretty terrible allegations has basically fizzled . the public ought to have confidence in the administration of justice . ' fidell said he was concerned about the overall trend of justice emerging out of the afghanistan and iraq wars . for some time , i 've wondered whether the system was producing the kind of results it should have . what has struck me is that it has been difficult for the government to get convictions in a number of cases , and where it has gotten convictions , whether it has gotten significant penalties , ' fidell said . in court tuesday , wuterich 's attorney , puckett , told the judge that wuterich has been exonerated , his integrity is unfaltering . ' he knows his marine career has come to an end , but his only intention was to protect his troops , ' puckett said . according to previous testimony and court records , wuterich , who was assigned to 3rd battalion , 1st marine regiment , 1st marine division , was the squad leader on november 19 , 2005 , when members of his patrol unit were moving a supply convoy moving through haditha , an insurgent stronghold where armed resistance fighters hid along civilian populations . an improvised explosive device exploded under a vehicle , killing lance cpl . miguel terrazas , 20 , and injuring two other marines . during the more than two-week trial , prosecutors argued wuterich lost control after seeing the body of his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a angry rage ordering his squad to shoot first and ask questions later . ' wuterich 's team stormed two nearby homes , blasting their way in with grenades and m-16 rifle fire . among the dead was an elderly man in a wheelchair . when the 45-minute incident was over , 24 men , women and children were killed . wuterich was accused of ordering his men to storm the homes , part of what his attorney has said was a search for those believed responsible for planting the bomb , and later shooting at the men . the prosecution contends the marines were out for revenge . the case did n't come to light until january 2006 when time magazine broke the story . two months later , the military launched an investigation . the incident provoked the condemnation of rep. john murtha , d-pennsylvania , who compared it to the 1968 massacre at my lai , and president george w. bush vowed then that if an investigation found marines killed unarmed civilians , there will be a punishment . ' the case has been delayed a number of times , most notably over a government subpoena for outtakes of a 2008 interview wuterich gave to cbs' 60 minutes . ' cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq in baghdad and chelsea j. carter contributed to this report . stan wilson reported from camp pendleton and michael martinez from los angeles .
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iraqi blood is n't so cheap , ' one iraqi lawmaker says
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syrian <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- israel and the united states on monday blamed syria for violent protests on the country 's border with the occupied golan heights . the demonstrations were a provocation designed to draw international attention away from harsh reprisals against protesters in hama and other syrian cities , the countries said . israeli officials said 10 people died sunday when fire bombs thrown by protesters detonated landmines , said lt. col. avital leibovich , an israeli military spokeswoman . syrian state media reported 23 protesters were killed when israeli soldiers opened fire on demonstrators . there is an attempt here to incite the international community and to draw attention away from the harsh events ' in hama , syria , israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said at the knesset , israel 's parliament . more than 1,000 people have died since the syrian government began a crackdown on demonstrators seeking government reforms , according to the united nations . human rights groups say 80 people died when security forces sprayed a crowd of protesters in hama on friday . in sunday 's demonstrations , israeli troops used tear gas and live ammunition on members of the demonstrators only after using up all other means , ' netanyahu said . the soldiers followed international law , he said . we stand by our rights to defend our borders , our cities and our citizens , ' he said . we will do it with restraint and great responsibility . ' the united states defended israel 's response , said state department spokesman mark toner . as we did previously , we condemn what appears to be an effort by the syrian government to incite events and draw attention away from its own internal issues , ' toner said . and it 's clear that such behavior will not distract international attention on syria 's , syrian government 's condemnable behavior on its own citizens . ' the protests came on the anniversary of the 1967 middle east war , when israel captured the golan heights from syria . the israel defense forces said that israeli troops used tear gas and live ammunition on members of an angered mob . ' as many as 500 people took part in the demonstration , holding mid-day prayers on the syrian side of the border , then crouching down behind ramparts that israel constructed in response to similar demonstrations three weeks ago . the number later dropped to about 50 , with protesters waving palestinian and syrian flags . cnn 's kevin flower contributed to this report .
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new : israel pm : sunday protests were an effort to distract from harsh syrian crackdown
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diamond jubilee <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- queen elizabeth ii pledged to rededicate herself to the service of her people tuesday , as she addressed both houses of parliament as part of celebrations of her diamond jubilee , or 60 years on the throne . dignitaries including present and former government leaders gathered for the speech in westminster hall , in london , in which the queen reflected on the landmark . we are reminded here of our past , of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience , ingenuity and tolerance which created it , ' she said . i have been privileged to witness some of that history and , with the support of my family , rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come . ' she was presented with a stained-glass window specially commissioned by members of the house of lords and house of commons to commemorate the occasion . made up of 1,500 pieces of glass , it was paid for by personal contributions from the lawmakers and peers and will be on permanent display in the grand environs of westminster hall . queen elizabeth commented that she is the second british monarch to mark 60 years on the throne , with queen victoria the first to do so in 1897 . so , in an era when the regular , worthy rhythm of life is less eye-catching than doing something extraordinary , i am reassured that i am merely the second sovereign to celebrate a diamond jubilee , ' she said . queen elizabeth previously addressed both houses of parliament when she celebrated her silver and golden jubilees , in 1977 and 2002 respectively . she also opens the new session of parliament each year . addressing the packed hall , the british monarch recognized the remarkable courage and sacrifice ' of the armed forces , and the many people who serve the public good by volunteering . during her many years on the throne , the support of her own family had been beyond measure , ' she said . she paid special tribute to the contribution of her husband , prince philip , who accompanies her on many of her official visits and suffered a health scare at the end of last year . prince philip is , i believe , well-known for declining compliments of any kind . but throughout he has been a constant strength and guide , ' she said . she also praised the efforts of the younger generations of royals and commented on the family 's close affinity ' with the commonwealth nations , which together encompass about a third of the world 's population . my own association with the commonwealth has taught me that the most important contact between nations is usually contact between its peoples , ' she said . prince harry , the 27-year-old son of prince charles and the late princess diana , traveled through the caribbean and brazil earlier this month on a 10-day tour to mark his grandmother 's diamond jubilee . celebrations marking six decades on the throne for queen elizabeth ii officially began last month and continue through june , when london will mark the anniversary of her coronation with festivities including up to 1,000 boats sailing up the river thames . though the 85-year-old monarch has no real political power , she is officially the head of state for the commonwealth of nations , an association of 16 countries that used to be part of the british empire . cnn 's max foster contributed to this report .
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the diamond jubilee celebrations will culminate in june
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lashkar-e-tayyiba <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's hard to believe it 's been five years since mumbai was rocked by terror attacks . life goes on , the city continues its chaotic beat . the next news story replaces the last one , the cycle of life goes on . the date 26/11 is now a somber anniversary the city marks . but for many , it 's something much more personal . the newspapers here today are full of pictures of smiling couples and entire families who lost their lives during the attacks . they accompany messages of remembrance in ads placed their by surviving family members who miss them and grieve for them . ten pakistani men associated with the terror group lashkar-e-tayyiba stormed buildings and killed 164 people . nine of the gunmen were killed during the attacks , one survived . mohammed ajmal kasab , the lone surviving gunman , was executed in india last year one of the pictures i saw in a newspaper today that froze me was of a broken blue wall inside chabad house , the building where rabbi gavriel holtzberg and his wife rivka were killed . their baby son , moshe survived . my colleague , sanjiv talreja and i were the first journalists allowed inside chabad house a few weeks after the carnage . it was the hardest assignment i have ever had . the place had n't been cleaned . walls and windows were blown out , only half of the floors and ceilings remained . blood stains splashed across the wall , grenade shells and bullets littered the crumbling floor . one thing that stopped me in my tracks though was a broken blue wall . it was in the room that baby moshe occupied . his mother rivka had marked his height on the wall , with the enthusiasm of any young mother watching her baby grow . several little pencil lines marked every inch or two this young boy grew . i remember standing by this blue wall in 2008 , overcome with emotion , unable to get the cries of moshe wailing for his mother out of my head . i had seen and heard him at a service at a synagogue a few days earlier . moshe was saved by his indian nanny , sandra samuel , who carried the boy through the gunfire and smoke to safety . nanny credited with tot 's daring rescue moshe is with his grandparents and his nanny in israel . i think of this young boy often and i think of the families who lost loved ones during the attacks . my thoughts are with those who suffered bullet wounds , burns , trauma and injuries during the siege . nanny who saved israeli boy during mumbai attack honored in israel mumbai continues to throb . but every year , on 26/11 , the city slows down a touch -- in remembrance and in solidarity . mumbai attack survivor :'it 's like a dead man living '
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10 pakistani men with the terror group lashkar-e-tayyiba led the attack
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el arish <tsp> i wanted to build a good future for my family , but i failed , ' a weak issam abdallah mohammed said in a videotaped statement . the refugee from the darfur region of sudan was trying to illegally cross the border from egypt to israel when he was discovered and shot by egyptian border guards . less than an hour after taping the statement , issam was dead , succumbing to the wounds inflicted by the gunshots . every year , thousands of refugees , mostly from eritrea , ethiopia and sudan , attempt the dangerous journey from their war-torn countries to israel in search of economic prosperity and stability . very few make it , and the results of the failed migration can be seen in the morgue of the central hospital in the egyptian port town of el arish . when a cnn crew visited there recently , all the refrigeration units were broken , leaving a biting stench of decaying corpses in the air , which staff members attempted in vain to cover up with chlorine-based cleaner and incense . on any given day , the morgue will be packed with the bodies of african refugees who died trying to make it to israel . hamdy al-azazy spends a lot of time here as head of the new generation foundation for human rights , which tries to help african refugees in egypt . every week , al-azazy combs the desert , searching for corpses , ensuring that they get a dignified burial . he has spent the past seven years helping the refugees . many are enslaved and tortured and the women raped by the bedouin tribes of the sinai if they are unable to come up with large sums of money the bedouin try to extort from them and their families , to smuggle the refugees across the border into israel . as a result , many remain imprisoned in camps on the sinai peninsula . they are chained and kept in camps in the open with no bathrooms and little water and food and treated worse than animals , ' al-azazy said . some of them are taken to libya , but 80 % of them are smuggled to israel . those who escape are shot by the bedouins , and others who make it to the border are sometimes shot by the egyptian authorities and transferred to hospitals before spending a year in different prisons in sinai and deported back home . ' the cnn crew found two victims in the hospital in el arish , handcuffed to their beds and awaiting their transfer to an egyptian detention center and eventual deportation . one of them , mahary taklay abraham of eritrea , says he hit his head falling off a rock while trying to cross the border and was caught by egyptian border guards . but before making it to the border , mahary says , he spent about two months with the bedouins . they beat and tortured me continuously and demanded money from my family , ' mahary said . al-azazy says this is a common scheme . the refugees will pay bedouin tribes in the border area between sudan and egypt around $ 2,000 to be smuggled out . the smugglers then sell the refugees to the sinai bedouin , who blackmail the refugees and their families back home . ibrahim yehia of eritrea says he fell prey to the bedouin . when we arrived to sinai , the bedouins tied me up with metal chains in the desert . they tortured us . many of us died , ' he said , displaying his wounds , including scars that he says came from electroshock torture . they wanted me to pay $ 12,000 and forced us to call our families to transfer the money . my family sold all their lands and even their donkey to collect the money . they transferred $ 6,000 to the bedouins . ' after his family paid , yehia says , the bedouin finally let him go . i spent three months tied up in the camp close to the israeli border . after i paid , the bedouins drove me to the border crossing and set me free . i was then shot by plainclothes men close to the wired fence at the israeli-egyptian border . the military took me to the hospital . ' some of the refugees are forced into slave labor , often working marijuana fields that flourish all over northern sinai , hamdy al-azazy says . refugees who made it across the border into israel have told harrowing accounts of rape , torture and slave labor . women are especially vulnerable . cnn spoke to one victim who made it to israel and spoke on condition of anonymity . she said she was raped almost daily on a journey that took several months to get to tel aviv . every night , they took me separately , and they did whatever they wanted to my body , ' the eritrean said . al-azazy hears stories like this all the time . the women and men are kept in open areas . these bedouins do n't have any morals or conscience . one girl told me that three bedouins had raped 14 girls in one night , ' he said . when cnn confronted a leader of the sawarka bedouin tribe , one of the largest in sinai , the chief said he was aware that people trafficking is going on in sinai and that in some cases african refugees are held in bonded labor , tortured and women raped . the sawarka chief , who did not want to be named for this report , said that only rogue elements of the tribe are involved in people trafficking . this same chief took cnn to a secret location and allowed them to speak to five african refugees who were hoping to make it to israel , in an apparent bid to show us that the refugees were being well treated . but interviews with refugees who have escaped the camps or been released suggest that mistreatment and even murder are commonplace in the bedouin camps . one bedouin leader willing to go on record is called salem , a powerful chief of the tarabine tribe . he acknowledges that people trafficking exists among members of the tarabine and sawarka tribes , but he says that it is only a fraction of the members who are involved in the trade and that they are ruthless . you ca n't label the whole tribe or implicate it in this trade . the bedouins in sinai are over 150,000 . those working in this business will not exceed more than 50 people . ' during an interview by the red sea , salem said he loathes those involved in people trafficking , torture , rape and murder . but he acknowledges that bedouin leaders are doing little to stop the illicit business out of fear of stoking tribal infighting . these guys are evil . they do not care where to get money . they deal with a middleman in africa to get those men . these africans spend months here , sometimes up to six months in sinai , before crossing -- if they cross . ' egypt 's government and armed forces seem powerless to stop the bedouin smugglers . police units have been forced out of most areas in north sinai after the revolution that swept longtime leader hosni mubarak from power . a military operation aimed at combating islamist extremists in the area has done little to stop people trafficking in this lawless region that runs mostly on criminal activity , such as smuggling of goods into gaza and drug trafficking . meanwhile , more bodies turn up in the sinai desert . in a matter of weeks , several more were buried by hamdy al-azazy close to the grave of issam abdallah mohammed , the refugee from darfur who recorded a video shortly before his death . while the bodies of those who can be identified are buried in cemeteries in el arish , the many corpses that remain nameless -- because they carry no identity cards or have decomposed beyond recognition -- are laid to rest outside the cemetery walls in an anonymous mass grave under heaps of trash from an adjacent slum .
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few make it ; many bodies of unsuccessful refugees lie in morgue in el arish , egypt
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egypt <tsp> i wanted to build a good future for my family , but i failed , ' a weak issam abdallah mohammed said in a videotaped statement . the refugee from the darfur region of sudan was trying to illegally cross the border from egypt to israel when he was discovered and shot by egyptian border guards . less than an hour after taping the statement , issam was dead , succumbing to the wounds inflicted by the gunshots . every year , thousands of refugees , mostly from eritrea , ethiopia and sudan , attempt the dangerous journey from their war-torn countries to israel in search of economic prosperity and stability . very few make it , and the results of the failed migration can be seen in the morgue of the central hospital in the egyptian port town of el arish . when a cnn crew visited there recently , all the refrigeration units were broken , leaving a biting stench of decaying corpses in the air , which staff members attempted in vain to cover up with chlorine-based cleaner and incense . on any given day , the morgue will be packed with the bodies of african refugees who died trying to make it to israel . hamdy al-azazy spends a lot of time here as head of the new generation foundation for human rights , which tries to help african refugees in egypt . every week , al-azazy combs the desert , searching for corpses , ensuring that they get a dignified burial . he has spent the past seven years helping the refugees . many are enslaved and tortured and the women raped by the bedouin tribes of the sinai if they are unable to come up with large sums of money the bedouin try to extort from them and their families , to smuggle the refugees across the border into israel . as a result , many remain imprisoned in camps on the sinai peninsula . they are chained and kept in camps in the open with no bathrooms and little water and food and treated worse than animals , ' al-azazy said . some of them are taken to libya , but 80 % of them are smuggled to israel . those who escape are shot by the bedouins , and others who make it to the border are sometimes shot by the egyptian authorities and transferred to hospitals before spending a year in different prisons in sinai and deported back home . ' the cnn crew found two victims in the hospital in el arish , handcuffed to their beds and awaiting their transfer to an egyptian detention center and eventual deportation . one of them , mahary taklay abraham of eritrea , says he hit his head falling off a rock while trying to cross the border and was caught by egyptian border guards . but before making it to the border , mahary says , he spent about two months with the bedouins . they beat and tortured me continuously and demanded money from my family , ' mahary said . al-azazy says this is a common scheme . the refugees will pay bedouin tribes in the border area between sudan and egypt around $ 2,000 to be smuggled out . the smugglers then sell the refugees to the sinai bedouin , who blackmail the refugees and their families back home . ibrahim yehia of eritrea says he fell prey to the bedouin . when we arrived to sinai , the bedouins tied me up with metal chains in the desert . they tortured us . many of us died , ' he said , displaying his wounds , including scars that he says came from electroshock torture . they wanted me to pay $ 12,000 and forced us to call our families to transfer the money . my family sold all their lands and even their donkey to collect the money . they transferred $ 6,000 to the bedouins . ' after his family paid , yehia says , the bedouin finally let him go . i spent three months tied up in the camp close to the israeli border . after i paid , the bedouins drove me to the border crossing and set me free . i was then shot by plainclothes men close to the wired fence at the israeli-egyptian border . the military took me to the hospital . ' some of the refugees are forced into slave labor , often working marijuana fields that flourish all over northern sinai , hamdy al-azazy says . refugees who made it across the border into israel have told harrowing accounts of rape , torture and slave labor . women are especially vulnerable . cnn spoke to one victim who made it to israel and spoke on condition of anonymity . she said she was raped almost daily on a journey that took several months to get to tel aviv . every night , they took me separately , and they did whatever they wanted to my body , ' the eritrean said . al-azazy hears stories like this all the time . the women and men are kept in open areas . these bedouins do n't have any morals or conscience . one girl told me that three bedouins had raped 14 girls in one night , ' he said . when cnn confronted a leader of the sawarka bedouin tribe , one of the largest in sinai , the chief said he was aware that people trafficking is going on in sinai and that in some cases african refugees are held in bonded labor , tortured and women raped . the sawarka chief , who did not want to be named for this report , said that only rogue elements of the tribe are involved in people trafficking . this same chief took cnn to a secret location and allowed them to speak to five african refugees who were hoping to make it to israel , in an apparent bid to show us that the refugees were being well treated . but interviews with refugees who have escaped the camps or been released suggest that mistreatment and even murder are commonplace in the bedouin camps . one bedouin leader willing to go on record is called salem , a powerful chief of the tarabine tribe . he acknowledges that people trafficking exists among members of the tarabine and sawarka tribes , but he says that it is only a fraction of the members who are involved in the trade and that they are ruthless . you ca n't label the whole tribe or implicate it in this trade . the bedouins in sinai are over 150,000 . those working in this business will not exceed more than 50 people . ' during an interview by the red sea , salem said he loathes those involved in people trafficking , torture , rape and murder . but he acknowledges that bedouin leaders are doing little to stop the illicit business out of fear of stoking tribal infighting . these guys are evil . they do not care where to get money . they deal with a middleman in africa to get those men . these africans spend months here , sometimes up to six months in sinai , before crossing -- if they cross . ' egypt 's government and armed forces seem powerless to stop the bedouin smugglers . police units have been forced out of most areas in north sinai after the revolution that swept longtime leader hosni mubarak from power . a military operation aimed at combating islamist extremists in the area has done little to stop people trafficking in this lawless region that runs mostly on criminal activity , such as smuggling of goods into gaza and drug trafficking . meanwhile , more bodies turn up in the sinai desert . in a matter of weeks , several more were buried by hamdy al-azazy close to the grave of issam abdallah mohammed , the refugee from darfur who recorded a video shortly before his death . while the bodies of those who can be identified are buried in cemeteries in el arish , the many corpses that remain nameless -- because they carry no identity cards or have decomposed beyond recognition -- are laid to rest outside the cemetery walls in an anonymous mass grave under heaps of trash from an adjacent slum .
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few make it ; many bodies of unsuccessful refugees lie in morgue in el arish , egypt
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nato <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a few months into the iraq war , david petraeus , then a three-star general and commander of the storied 101st airborne division , told cnn about what it would take to win . frankly , ' he said , the way ahead will require a lot of determination and just plain old ingenuity and stick-to-itiveness . ' it was january 2004 and the united states had lost 60 men and women . no one could have predicted accurately the course of the war then , but petraeus stuck to his playbook , eventually becoming the top u.s. commander in iraq , leading u.s. counterinsurgency operations and , in 2007 , a strategy to overcome a bloody insurgency that was fronted by a surge in troops . applauded for turning around what seemed a losing battle in iraq -- he was dubbed king david for his successes -- petraeus later went to afghanistan , commanding u.s. and nato forces there . he is arguably the most influential general of his generation . in fact , esquire magazine called him one of the most influential people of the 21st century . but after a career that began after graduation in 1974 from west point and as a second lieutenant in the infantry , petraeus is hanging up the uniform for a civilian suit , leaving the pentagon for halls of another hallowed washintgon institution : the cia . petraeus relinquishes his afghanistan post on monday . in an official ceremony , he will hand over command to marine lt. gen. john r. allen . petraeus plans to retire from the army at the end of august and assume the cia director 's job september 6 . some were stunned that a decorated military career was ending prematurely . petraeus is only 58 . i wanted this job , ' petraeus said at his senate confirmation hearing . i am taking off the uniform i have worn for 37 years to do this the right way . ' with that , the u.s. army is losing the architect of modern-day counterinsurgency operations . petraeus wrote his doctoral dissertation on the lessons america learned in vietnam . later , he devised the army/marine field manual , challenging the military to think differently in how it relates to the civilian population in dealing with an insurgency . this week , ahead of his departure , petraeus assessed the results of his strategy in afghanistan . what we have done is implement the so-called nato comprehensive approach , a civil-military campaign ... that does indeed embody many of the principles of the counterinsurgency field manual that we developed back in 2006 , and which we employed in iraq in the surge of 2007-2008 , ' he said in an interview with nato-tv . i think generally , it has borne fruit . ' he said it has been a difficult journey , rife with setbacks , but coalition forces have halted the momentum of the taliban in much of the country and reversed the insurgent hold in restive helmand province . petraeus 's experience in working with the cia on counterinsurgency efforts in the field was cited as a reason for his nomination as the spy agency 's director . petraeus told nato-tv that he never thought his military career would end in afghanistan . the top commander 's job came unexpectedly after a rolling stone magazine article prompted the resignation of gen. stanley mcchrystal . obama asked petraeus to leave the top post at u.s. central command . he took command in afghanistan on july 4 , 2010 . we 've jokingly said that i went to the white house for the monthly national security council meeting on afghanistan and pakistan with president obama , and came out with a new job , ' petraeus said . and that 's not far from the truth . '
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he was the top u.s. commander in iraq and later led nato forces in afghanistan
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american <tsp> ( cnn ) -- scoobers , hammers and laying out - it 's the ultimate ' flying saucer attack . and if mark poole is right , his sport could soon be coming to an olympics near you . poole is one of an estimated five million people who are taking to green spaces across the united states to play a game that is particularly booming at college level . but forget outdated notions of dogs scurrying after flying discs in the park , ultimate is a frenetic pursuit that blends aspects of football and rugby into a dynamic frisbee ' package . and poole firmly believes a movement that began with the idle toss of a cake pan lid on a santa monica beach some 76 years ago is destined for a slot at the greatest sporting show on earth . i think that ultimate will become an olympic sport , ' poole , who plays for atlanta-based team chain lightning , told cnn 's human to hero series . the sport has got better on the whole . there are more players that are picking it up in high school and in middle school , and the level of talent is continuing to get younger . so we have young kids who are coming out and being stars at the highest level because they 're starting so early . there 's a bunch of amateurs already doing it , and i think it 's an international sport , so we can easily play against other teams and we 're already doing it -- it 's just being part of the olympics . ' according to the usa ultimate website , membership of college clubs has doubled in the past 10 years , while participation internationally is also growing . more than 42 countries play the game , with teams from japan , sweden , great britain and australia also thriving . but how do you play it ? ultimate is contested between two teams , each consisting of seven players . the aim is to pass your way into the opposition 's end zone , just like in american football , but once in possession players are n't allowed to run with the disc . the concept was born in california back in the late 1930s when a teenage fred morrison and his girlfriend started throwing a popcorn lid back and forth on the beach . through various incarnations this led to morrison manufacturing his own plastic discs , which were then bought in the 1950s and patented as frisbees ' by the wham-o company . millions were sold worldwide and by the 1970s the origins of ultimate had been born . poole and his chain lightning gang are chief exponents of the sport , winning the usa national championships in 2009 . the 29-year-old was also selected in the u.s. ultimate beach team back in 2011 , his proudest achievement in the game to date . players are constantly harrying round the field of play creating space , executing a variety of throws -- including the hammer ' and the scoober ' -- and flinging themselves around attempting to catch the disc . poole says any budding players must be equipped with the three pillars of ultimate : to run hard , jump high and throw far . but while the game moves at a fast pace , respect is a key component , because ultimate is ultimately self-policed . competition is great , but you want to have good spirit , ' poole explained . i am a proponent of it . i think it 's great . we do n't have any referees in the game , and so people have to make calls against each other and they have to be respectful . we do have observers , though , and they 've been very helpful i think . they help speed up the game , they keep the clock between points , they keep discussions between two players to a minimum . they let you discuss what you saw , what the other player saw , but then they 'll try to come to an agreement or a decision quicker than if they were n't there . i think there are still bad calls made -- sometimes observers miss calls just like referees , and they 're human . i mean , we 're all human , we 're going to make the wrong call sometimes , but i think on the whole they have a very positive effect on the game . ' if the sport can be classified as quirky , so can some of the names of the teams who compete in the triple crown tour alongside poole 's lightning . furious george , neon yellow panda dragons ( nypd ) , seattle sockeye and revolver are just some of the clubs involved . poole has friends from various teams and says that even though they are spread far and wide , the overriding theme of the league is community . i love ultimate because of the players , the people that are involved with it -- they 're just very inviting , very welcoming , ' he said . i think that 's the best part of ultimate . it 's a situation where you can play competitively and then go out for a drink , go out for food afterwards , even though you 're playing against those players you can still be friends off the field . ' it might only be a small disc weighing just 175 grams but there are many ways to manipulate it around the playing field . as poole explains , the two most common throws are backhand and forehand , just like in tennis , and the best players complete pinpoint passes with a simple flick of the wrist . the more complicated maneuvers include the hammer , an overhead throw that travels far faster than either the forehand or backhand , used to quickly switch play from one side of the field to the other . then there 's the scoober , a short flick used to loop the disc over a defender , typically no more than 15 or 20 yards . but despite the variations of throw , poole 's favorite aspect of the game is attempting to catch . my favorite thing to do is lay out , ' he said . i dive for the disc , leave my feet and catch the disc as it 's going to the ground . it means that i ca n't run it out , i need to extend as far as possible to catch the disc . the disc is the most important thing in ultimate . you have to maintain possession , so laying out if you have to do it , you 've got to do it . ' ultimate now has two pro leagues in the united states and interest is growing , but for now the chain and their players are doing it purely for the love of the game . as poole says with a smile : i make zero dollars playing ultimate , but i spend way more than that . '
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american believes that ultimate should become an olympic sport in future
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thai <tsp> ( cnn ) a bar owner arrives to find his bartender still drunk , sleeping on a floor littered with empty beer bottles and cans . the band arrives , carrying a beaten-up car door . the intoxicated bartender , struggling to consciousness , is incapable of walking a straight line , yet he takes to a tightrope strung across the bar to do tricks to impress the cute female vocalist . this is n't a a scene from a wild cambodian bar . it 's the opening act of khmer metal , ' a show by the phare cambodian circus in siem reap , the departure point for exploring dazzling khmer archaeological sites such as angkor wat . after a day scrambling ruins in the sticky heat , most tourists spend their nights dining on khmer barbecue while downing cold one-dollar beers on pub street . but increasingly , visitors are opting for a taste of contemporary cambodian culture , everyday life and entertainment under the big top at the city 's new circus . cnngo in cambodia performing arts wiped out by the khmer rouge seeing a circus in siem reap is n't such a strange idea . carvings at temple ruins dating back as far as the 6th century vividly illustrate the country 's circus tradition , depicting circus artists performing for ceremonies and festivals . in the 1960s , king norodom sihanouk encouraged a revitalization of the circus , only to see it die in 1975 when pol pot 's brutal khmer rouge abolished all forms of art , culture and creative expression , and murdered artists . after the vietnamese occupation sent the khmer rouge fleeing into the jungle , eight young cambodians who 'd been in a refugee camp on the thai border decided to help rebuild their country by reviving the arts and culture scene . in 1994 , the group established phare ponleu selpak ( pps ) , a beacon for the arts , ' and opened a school for visual and performing arts , including circus skills , in a place that needed it most : poverty-stricken battambang . near the thailand border , the small city was a magnet for repatriating refugees , including orphans , most suffering post-traumatic stress . pps rescued disadvantaged children from the street , troubled homes and trafficking by providing free food , education , training and jobs . while the school is flourishing in battambang , where some 1,400 students are enrolled , pps decided to raise its shiny red big top tent and launch a program of shows starring students and graduates in siem reap . cambodia 's most popular tourist destination , siem reap had 1.24 million foreign tourists visit in the first seven months of 2013 , making pps 's mission to reap profits and become self-sustainable more achievable . mike 's burger house : phnom penh 's in-n-out-inspired fast food joint distinctly cambodian show phare is no ordinary circus , but an edgy , alternative , down-to-earth , all-singing-and-dancing cambodian circus in the tradition of cirque du soleil . a contemporary circus without animals , the cast of talented young cambodian performers are accomplished in acrobatics , contortion , aerial ballet , balancing , tightrope walking , fire dancing , vaulting , juggling , music , dance , drama , mime and comedy . their show , khmer metal , ' about love , life and rock 'n'roll , is set over the course of one night in a crazy bar and it 's edge-of-the-seat stuff . a cocktail-sipping customer in a miniskirt and high heels does an elbow stand on the table , folding her legs over her back and head with ease to shoot a bow and arrow at a balloon with her feet . a moneyed , muscle-bound customer in skinny white jeans , who has had his ipad stolen , takes to the bar , doing some impressive hand-balancing moves on beer taps to grab her attention . in between these daring feats and complex tricks , bar staff and customers break into choreographed dance numbers as the band performs cambodian rock songs , incorporating an array of samples , from heavy metal to hip hop , traditional khmer folk music to 1960s cambodian pop . 10 meals every visitor to cambodia should try show draws from folk traditions while khmer metal ' is thoroughly modern in its setting and storytelling , the group 's eclipse ' show is steeped in tradition , drawing from folk stories , religion and popular beliefs to tell the story of a bullied hunchback , rejected by villagers , who seeks divine intervention from an angel-like apsara , the celestial maiden who graces angkor temple walls . wearing the simple black garb of rural peasants and using few props , the artists perform elaborate acrobatics and audacious stunts , forming human towers to strike apsara poses , doing somersaults in flight and executing an impressive aerial strap routine . in between acts , they do a spirited , high-energy dance to the upbeat rhythms of the traditional xylophone , guitar and drums . as clever as it is , it 's ultimately uplifting fun , the energy and enthusiasm of the artists contagious . what also makes phare special is that it 's distinctly cambodian -- the music , dance , settings , themes and stories provide an insight into cambodian culture and everyday life difficult to experience scrambling about ruins -- or drinking beers on pub street . phare cambodian circus tickets ( adults/kids $ 15/ $ 8 ) available for daily 7:30 p.m. shows from 7p.m . at phare cambodian circus , komay road , siem reap and from local travel agents . backyard travel offers a two-day , behind-the-scenes phare circus experience for $ 482 including rehearsals , dinner at phare café , the show , meeting performers afterward , a cruise to battambang to visit the pps school , meals , hotels and transfers . photographs by terence carter
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some 1,400 students are enrolled at the school in battambang , a small rural city near the thai border
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pomrenze <tsp> was col. seymour pomrenze , my grandfather , more of a clooney or a damon ? it 's not a question i ever thought my family would be discussing . but with the release of the monuments men ' movie , it was one we jokingly started talking about . the movie tells the story of an unlikely world war ii platoon , tasked by fdr with going into germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners . ' it 's touted as ocean 's eleven ' meets world war ii . in the film , a motley crew of architects and art experts risk shootouts with nazis as they try to protect and save cultural artifacts . the movie is n't bad . for me , though , it 's special because without it and the book it was based on , i may never have known that my grandfather was one of the real-life monuments men . as a kid , i knew my grandfather had been a colonel in the u.s. army , which i thought was pretty cool . i also knew he had been an archivist , which was decidedly a bit less cool . to me , he was the kind , quiet and slightly reserved grandfather who came with my attention-grabbing , larger-than-life grandmother . the family joke was always that he was the colonel , but she was the general . we never really talked about what he did , so i figured it involved boring record keeping . still , with a distinctive last name , i got a kick out of being the colonel 's grandson . ' before the movie , there was the book of the same name written by robert edsel and the foundation he started . edsel 's passion for the subject and his belief that the monuments men ( almost 350 men and women from 13 countries ) had n't received proper recognition led him to interview my grandfather and others for his book . that 's when we first learned his story -- not only what my grandfather had done , but also the scope and significance of what he achieved . near the end of world war ii , my grandfather volunteered for the oss ( the intelligence agency that was the precursor to the cia ) , hoping to go overseas . he was assigned to its research and analysis division and spent the last months of the war in india , burma and china . but it was his post-war assignment that would make him a monuments man . in early 1946 , he was assigned to offenbach , germany . because of his previous work in the national archives , he became a 29-year old army captain tasked with overseeing a depot filled with whole libraries , documents and cultural artifacts that had been looted by the nazis . when he first walked into the depot , you feel like crying , ' he said in a 1989 interview . here was the horrible , tragic evidence of what happened , ' he said , calling it the cultural holocaust . ' his job was to make sense of the millions of volumes , a thousand torah scrolls and other objects and to figure out a way to get them back to the countries and institutions they belonged to . it does n't sound like an exciting or adventurous job -- not surprisingly , you do n't see a character like my grandfather in the movie . but for a quiet , methodical and analytical archivist and the gargantuan task he was up against , it was the perfect match . the offenbach archival depot , first under my grandfather and then his successors , managed to restitute more than 3 million objects . some of the more prominent collections that he helped to return , both at offenbach and in later assignments , included the rothschild family archives to france , the rosenthaliana and spinoza libraries to the netherlands , and the yivo institute for jewish research collection , which ended up in new york . in the grand scope of world war ii , it 's a tiny story line . just a small measure of justice . according to my father , my grandfather really felt he was doing his job . he did n't feel like he was n't recognized , did n't think he was a hero . ' he enjoyed and appreciated being part of a group of monuments men awarded the national humanities medal by president george w. bush in 2007 , but did n't feel like he needed it . he passed away in 2011 , but if he were alive today , i think his reaction to the movie would have been the same -- he would have gotten a kick out of it , but probably would have waited to see it on dvd rather than go to the red carpet premiere . the way he described it , here i was , a little captain , and i got thrown into this historical jewish episode . ' as someone who loved him but never felt like i knew him the way i wish i could , it 's a big deal to recast the way you see your grandfather when he 's 90 years old . it helps me understand why the archivist was just as cool as the colonel ( as proved by a fellow archivist geeking out over finding a marker he once used ) , and makes it that much more special when i meet someone who still calls me the colonel 's grandson . '
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in 1946 , seymour pomrenze oversaw a depot of cultural artifacts looted by nazis
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pomrenze <tsp> was col. seymour pomrenze , my grandfather , more of a clooney or a damon ? it 's not a question i ever thought my family would be discussing . but with the release of the monuments men ' movie , it was one we jokingly started talking about . the movie tells the story of an unlikely world war ii platoon , tasked by fdr with going into germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners . ' it 's touted as ocean 's eleven ' meets world war ii . in the film , a motley crew of architects and art experts risk shootouts with nazis as they try to protect and save cultural artifacts . the movie is n't bad . for me , though , it 's special because without it and the book it was based on , i may never have known that my grandfather was one of the real-life monuments men . as a kid , i knew my grandfather had been a colonel in the u.s. army , which i thought was pretty cool . i also knew he had been an archivist , which was decidedly a bit less cool . to me , he was the kind , quiet and slightly reserved grandfather who came with my attention-grabbing , larger-than-life grandmother . the family joke was always that he was the colonel , but she was the general . we never really talked about what he did , so i figured it involved boring record keeping . still , with a distinctive last name , i got a kick out of being the colonel 's grandson . ' before the movie , there was the book of the same name written by robert edsel and the foundation he started . edsel 's passion for the subject and his belief that the monuments men ( almost 350 men and women from 13 countries ) had n't received proper recognition led him to interview my grandfather and others for his book . that 's when we first learned his story -- not only what my grandfather had done , but also the scope and significance of what he achieved . near the end of world war ii , my grandfather volunteered for the oss ( the intelligence agency that was the precursor to the cia ) , hoping to go overseas . he was assigned to its research and analysis division and spent the last months of the war in india , burma and china . but it was his post-war assignment that would make him a monuments man . in early 1946 , he was assigned to offenbach , germany . because of his previous work in the national archives , he became a 29-year old army captain tasked with overseeing a depot filled with whole libraries , documents and cultural artifacts that had been looted by the nazis . when he first walked into the depot , you feel like crying , ' he said in a 1989 interview . here was the horrible , tragic evidence of what happened , ' he said , calling it the cultural holocaust . ' his job was to make sense of the millions of volumes , a thousand torah scrolls and other objects and to figure out a way to get them back to the countries and institutions they belonged to . it does n't sound like an exciting or adventurous job -- not surprisingly , you do n't see a character like my grandfather in the movie . but for a quiet , methodical and analytical archivist and the gargantuan task he was up against , it was the perfect match . the offenbach archival depot , first under my grandfather and then his successors , managed to restitute more than 3 million objects . some of the more prominent collections that he helped to return , both at offenbach and in later assignments , included the rothschild family archives to france , the rosenthaliana and spinoza libraries to the netherlands , and the yivo institute for jewish research collection , which ended up in new york . in the grand scope of world war ii , it 's a tiny story line . just a small measure of justice . according to my father , my grandfather really felt he was doing his job . he did n't feel like he was n't recognized , did n't think he was a hero . ' he enjoyed and appreciated being part of a group of monuments men awarded the national humanities medal by president george w. bush in 2007 , but did n't feel like he needed it . he passed away in 2011 , but if he were alive today , i think his reaction to the movie would have been the same -- he would have gotten a kick out of it , but probably would have waited to see it on dvd rather than go to the red carpet premiere . the way he described it , here i was , a little captain , and i got thrown into this historical jewish episode . ' as someone who loved him but never felt like i knew him the way i wish i could , it 's a big deal to recast the way you see your grandfather when he 's 90 years old . it helps me understand why the archivist was just as cool as the colonel ( as proved by a fellow archivist geeking out over finding a marker he once used ) , and makes it that much more special when i meet someone who still calls me the colonel 's grandson . '
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pomrenze 's job was to get them back to the countries and institutions they belonged to
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national park service <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a man died after his car plunged 600 feet off the edge of the grand canyon 's south rim , authorities said tuesday . about 5 million people visit the grand canyon in arizona each year . the arizona park 's regional communications center received several reports of a car driving off the edge about 6 a.m. monday , according to a written statement . upon arriving at the scene , investigators found tire tracks leading to the edge behind the thunderbird lodge and received reports of a single occupant in a blue passenger car driving over the edge , ' the statement said . rescue personnel descended on ropes and found the vehicle about 600 feet into the canyon . the man 's body was recovered shortly afterward , the statement said . the incident occurred near the el tovar hotel in a village on the canyon 's south rim , park spokeswoman shannan marcak said . authorities have not ruled the death a suicide , she said . it has not been ruled anything at this time . ' the statement said the national park service is investigating . typically , marcak said , such investigations take at least a few days . the man has not been identified , she said . marcak said that within the past five years , she knows of only one other time a car was driven off the edge of the canyon . the monday statement said plans were being made to retrieve the vehicle and the body . the grand canyon , a world famous landmark , receives close to 5 million visitors yearly , according to the national park service web site .
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national park service is investigating
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iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- another round of nuclear talks ended late thursday in vienna . nothing good , bad or even surprising has publicly emerged from the two-day talks between iran and the p5+1 countries . given the overall trajectory of the nuclear talks in recent months -- to external viewers a dreary process of back and forth , bluster and stalling despite a shared desire to continue talking -- two outcomes appear more or less certain . first , the much-anticipated november 24 deadline for a permanent deal will not be met . second , the talks will continue and the negotiating teams need to decide whether they need three months , six months -- or any other length of time -- to try to reach a final deal . given the high stakes , and the reality that there are no alternative means of moving forward other than continuing talks , all sides are apparently buckling down . the head of the iranian negotiating team called the vienna talks serious ' and helpful . ' that was a more uplifting assessment than those that followed the october 15 vienna meeting between u.s. secretary of state john kerry and iranian foreign minister javad zarif . earlier in the week , an iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said that while 90 % ' of the work toward a permanent deal had been completed , important , sensitive and hard ' steps still needed to be tackled . in other words , there is still no agreement on two key issues : the scope of iran 's enrichment program and how and when to end sanctions on iran as part of a deal . on these two key issues , each side has been trying to outmaneuver the other as part of an increasingly public war of words . the iranians have been particularly quick to react to some reports in the west that tehran can compromise on the scale and timing of the removal of the sanctions . earlier , reuters news agency claimed that iranian officials had informed them that the leadership in tehran would be satisfied with removing crippling u.s. and european union energy and banking sanctions imposed in 2012 , ' which have been the most damaging tehran has dismissed that claim , insisting it wants a compromise that would see all sanctions imposed on it lifted -- not just a suspension or partial removal . to western negotiators , this iranian stance is a non-starter unless tehran is willing to make more compromises on the scale of its enrichment program . iran presently has about 19,000 centrifuges , of which 10,000 are estimated to be in operation . the west would like to see the number of operating centrifuges substantially reduced although there is uncertainty about its specific bottom-line on this question . by all accounts , the p5+1 states themselves do not appear to have agreed on a target for iran to meet , which means tehran has been able to continue maneuvering around the issue . the russians and the chinese -- the two non-western states in the p5+1 grouping -- are presumably more flexible on that front . tehran 's counter-offer has been to suggest swapping iran 's older-generation centrifuges for more advanced ones that produce more enriched uranium at a faster rate . however , this is not considered by the west to amount to a concession by iran , as it ultimately does not reduce the amount of enriched uranium tehran will continue to have at its disposal . iran 's access to enriched uranium has always been at the heart of concerns about its nuclear program . in other words , seeking to navigate around these two key stumbling blocks -- the question about the size of iran 's enrichment program and a timetable for removal of sanctions -- continues to keep the negotiating parties apart . what is also very evident is that neither side wants to walk away from the talks . there is no good alternative and not extending the talks beyond november 24 would essentially mean the collapse of a diplomatic formula . it is a formula in which both the obama administration in the united states and the government of president hassan rouhani in iran have invested massively , hoping for a major groundbreaking return . as u.s . undersecretary of state wendy sherman put it this week , the ongoing negotiation is a puzzle with many interlocking pieces . ' but after a year of negotiations and eight rounds of meetings , it has become very clear that there are two critical pieces to this puzzle . perhaps with more focus and determination , a solution can be reached . that is why an extension of the talks beyond november 24 seems to make sense to all parties involved .
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the latest nuclear talks between iran and the 5+1 countries failed to reach a deal
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iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- another round of nuclear talks ended late thursday in vienna . nothing good , bad or even surprising has publicly emerged from the two-day talks between iran and the p5+1 countries . given the overall trajectory of the nuclear talks in recent months -- to external viewers a dreary process of back and forth , bluster and stalling despite a shared desire to continue talking -- two outcomes appear more or less certain . first , the much-anticipated november 24 deadline for a permanent deal will not be met . second , the talks will continue and the negotiating teams need to decide whether they need three months , six months -- or any other length of time -- to try to reach a final deal . given the high stakes , and the reality that there are no alternative means of moving forward other than continuing talks , all sides are apparently buckling down . the head of the iranian negotiating team called the vienna talks serious ' and helpful . ' that was a more uplifting assessment than those that followed the october 15 vienna meeting between u.s. secretary of state john kerry and iranian foreign minister javad zarif . earlier in the week , an iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said that while 90 % ' of the work toward a permanent deal had been completed , important , sensitive and hard ' steps still needed to be tackled . in other words , there is still no agreement on two key issues : the scope of iran 's enrichment program and how and when to end sanctions on iran as part of a deal . on these two key issues , each side has been trying to outmaneuver the other as part of an increasingly public war of words . the iranians have been particularly quick to react to some reports in the west that tehran can compromise on the scale and timing of the removal of the sanctions . earlier , reuters news agency claimed that iranian officials had informed them that the leadership in tehran would be satisfied with removing crippling u.s. and european union energy and banking sanctions imposed in 2012 , ' which have been the most damaging tehran has dismissed that claim , insisting it wants a compromise that would see all sanctions imposed on it lifted -- not just a suspension or partial removal . to western negotiators , this iranian stance is a non-starter unless tehran is willing to make more compromises on the scale of its enrichment program . iran presently has about 19,000 centrifuges , of which 10,000 are estimated to be in operation . the west would like to see the number of operating centrifuges substantially reduced although there is uncertainty about its specific bottom-line on this question . by all accounts , the p5+1 states themselves do not appear to have agreed on a target for iran to meet , which means tehran has been able to continue maneuvering around the issue . the russians and the chinese -- the two non-western states in the p5+1 grouping -- are presumably more flexible on that front . tehran 's counter-offer has been to suggest swapping iran 's older-generation centrifuges for more advanced ones that produce more enriched uranium at a faster rate . however , this is not considered by the west to amount to a concession by iran , as it ultimately does not reduce the amount of enriched uranium tehran will continue to have at its disposal . iran 's access to enriched uranium has always been at the heart of concerns about its nuclear program . in other words , seeking to navigate around these two key stumbling blocks -- the question about the size of iran 's enrichment program and a timetable for removal of sanctions -- continues to keep the negotiating parties apart . what is also very evident is that neither side wants to walk away from the talks . there is no good alternative and not extending the talks beyond november 24 would essentially mean the collapse of a diplomatic formula . it is a formula in which both the obama administration in the united states and the government of president hassan rouhani in iran have invested massively , hoping for a major groundbreaking return . as u.s . undersecretary of state wendy sherman put it this week , the ongoing negotiation is a puzzle with many interlocking pieces . ' but after a year of negotiations and eight rounds of meetings , it has become very clear that there are two critical pieces to this puzzle . perhaps with more focus and determination , a solution can be reached . that is why an extension of the talks beyond november 24 seems to make sense to all parties involved .
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issues are the size of iran 's nuclear program , timetable for sanctions removals , he says
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megan lynn touma <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a north carolina man has been charged with murdering a pregnant fort bragg soldier , police said tuesday . fayetteville detectives arrested edgar patino , a fellow soldier , at his home in hope mills , north carolina , about 15 miles south of fort bragg , north carolina . he is accused of killing spc . megan lynn touma , 23 , found dead on june 21 in a hotel near fort bragg . she was seven-months pregnant at the time of her death , authorities said . touma , a five-year veteran of the army , had served with the u.s. army dental activity clinic in bamberg , germany , and in fort drum , new york , before her stint at fort bragg . two of touma 's friends told cnn that touma and patino had been stationed together in germany and dated in the past . touma 's friends said patino proposed to her in germany before touma learned , on her return to north carolina , that patino was still married . the two friends , female soldiers who said they were stationed with touma in germany , asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case . touma is is the second female soldier from fort bragg to die under suspicious circumstances since june . army 2nd lt. holley wimunc was killed in early july . her fayetteville , north carolina , apartment was torched july 10 and her charred body was found nearby a few days later . her husband , marine cpl . john wimunc was charged with arson and first degree murder in connection with the death . another marine , lance cpl . kyle alden , was charged with arson and felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder . cnn 's marylynn ryan contributed to this report .
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he is accused of killing megan lynn touma , 23
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star wars <tsp> los angeles ( cnn ) -- the release of 3-d versions of star wars ' episodes ii and iii , previously planned for next fall , have been postponed while lucasfilm focuses on new episodes , the company said monday . given the recent development that we are moving forward with a new star wars trilogy , we will now focus 100 % of our efforts on star wars : episode vii ' in order to ensure the best possible experience for our fans , ' lucasfilm said . the revised 3-d release plans will be announced at a later date , ' it said . the announcement comes three months after disney bought lucasfilm for $ 4 billion and just days after it revealed that j.j. abrams has been signed to direct the next star wars episode . star wars : episode vii ' is set for release in 2015 . a good week to be j.j. abrams
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star wars : episode vii ' is set for release in 2015
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internal revenue service <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nearly three-quarters of americans say that the government wastes their tax dollars , according to a new national poll . a cnn/opinion research corp. survey released thursday also indicates that roughly half the public believes the tax system is unfair , and as a result , four in 10 say they 're angry about the amount of taxes that they pay . seventy-four percent of people questioned say that a lot of their tax dollars are wasted by the government ; 23 percent say that some of their tax dollars are misspent and three percent say that not much of their tax dollars are wasted . americans are split on their overall opinion of the country 's tax system : 49 percent say it 's fair and 50 percent say it 's unfair , according to the poll . six in 10 democrats say that the tax system is fair , ' said cnn polling director keating holland . republicans are split down the middle , with 49 percent calling it fair and 51 percent thinking it is unfair . ' four in 10 questioned say that they are angry about the amount of taxes they pay ; 36 percent say they 're satisfied and just under one in four say they do n't have particular feelings on the issue . nearly half of republicans questioned say they 're angry , but that figure drops to 44 percent among independents and 29 percent among democrats . the poll indicates growing public frustration with taxes over the past couple of decades . this is a significantly higher level of anger than existed during the 1980s , ' holland added . in 1985 , only 27 percent were angry about the amount of taxes they had to pay , possibly a reflection of the tax cuts that ronald reagan instituted in his first year in office . ' however , it appears that americans are n't taking their anger out on the internal revenue service . only a quarter of all americans think that the internal revenue service should be abolished , ' holland said . six in 10 say that the tax cuts passed in 2001 under george w. bush that are set to expire this year should be made permanent , according to the survey . the poll was conducted april 9-11 , with 1,008 adult americans questioned by telephone . the survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points . cnn deputy political director paul steinhauser contributed to this report .
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quarter of all americans think internal revenue service should be abolished , poll finds
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fukushima <tsp> i enjoyed having tea with teru yamada one sunday afternoon recently . it felt like visiting an elderly relative in my native london , except that the 78-year-old widow lives in a cramped prefabricated housing complex about 37 miles ( 60 kilometers ) from the crippled fukushima daiichi nuclear plant in north-eastern japan . she was one of thousands of people displaced by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck the region last march . like other survivors , her family moved in to temporary housing , where the red cross helped them to settle in with a package of household electrical appliances including a rice cooker , tv and refrigerator . i had visited her twice before during my work with the red cross , which had taken me to japan five times since the disaster . in the week that followed the massive earthquake , i was based in the busy japanese red cross office in tokyo dealing with the huge number of requests for information from the international media . the questions followed a familiar pattern : what were the main needs ? was the situation improving ? how were people coping with the nuclear danger ? each day i relayed reports from japanese red cross president tadateru konoe , who was out in the worst affected areas assessing the situation . he described what he was seeing as comparable to the flattened ruins of osaka and tokyo during world war ii . but amid the chaos , i recognized that the elderly were perhaps the most vulnerable and needed constant support to prevent them from being isolated and neglected in the aftermath . it was during my third trip to japan that i first met teru at her temporary housing complex . she had recently visited the home she had been evacuated from , which was inside the mandatory 12-mile ( 20-kilometer ) exclusion zone that surrounds the quake-damaged fukushima nuclear plant . journey inside japan 's nuclear exclusion zone she told me how she managed to retrieve a photograph of her husband , who died just months before the tsunami , ad well as his spirit tablet -- common sight in homes in many asian countries as a place where the spirits of ancestors reside . it was a moving sight as she lit a stick of incense and bowed before his portrait . when i visited her again in january it was heartening to see her in more cheerful spirits . she had been keeping herself busy making elephants out of toweling , part of a community project set up by a local non-profit organization . yet it soon became clear that life for her remained full of ups and downs . in october , she , her daughter and grandson were allowed another visit to their old home . living with the aftermath of japan 's tsunami nightmare ' i felt very disappointed , ' she recalled . the grass had grown so long around the family home , a herd of cows nearby was running wild and it was very sad to see them . ' despite teru 's initial cheerfulness , the emotional strain began to show and she broke down in tears . she said she missed life in her village . i was born there and married someone from only four kilometers away and spent my whole life there , ' she said . however her daughter remains stoical . sometimes i tell myself that i must stop thinking of myself as a disaster survivor or victim , ' she said . witness to disaster : japan 's tsunami further north , in the coastal town of otsuchi , tomokazu sato paced over the concrete foundations that are all that remain of the house where he grew up until the age of 18 . it still does n't seem real ; i can hardly believe this has happened , ' he said . his grandmother lost her life when the tsunami swept in . she was in the house by herself , because my mother had just gone up the hill to renew her driving license , ' he recalled . as sato stood in the road in front of the empty space where his house once stood , he showed me a photograph of himself age 20 , together with three of his best friends , all dark suited , at their coming of age day celebration to mark the legal passage into adulthood -- when young adults can do things like vote and purchase alcohol . the guy on the right lost his mother and sister , the guy on the left 's father and elder brother are still missing , ' he said . sato explained that the fourth member of the group died in a car accident eight years ago . his grave has been washed away . ' in the nearby town of yamada , where the japanese red cross is handing over six school buses to local schools , we sit down with a couple of students from a local school . the two 13-year olds radiate a calmness and cheerfulness that 's reassuring in kids so young . a local education department official told me that parents here are still suffering from stress as a result of the disaster , and are passing on this unease to their children . when i asked kaito and nao about their parents , kaito said his father has a job provided by the local government in an oyster fishing cooperative . but he said his father remains anxious about when the authorities will make a decision on the location of new permanent homes . nobody seems to have a clear idea how long they will have to spend in the temporary housing and many of the decisions on reconstruction have yet to be taken . nao said it is difficult getting a proper night 's sleep in the temporary housing . you can hear people snoring and shutting doors in the nearby houses , ' he said . but what are the two youngsters'hopes for 2012 ? i just hope there will be no more earthquakes , ' said nao . i hope that more shops will open in our town so it will gradually be a bit brighter , ' added kaito .
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many had been evacuated from area around quake-damaged fukushima nuclear plant
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new zealand <tsp> ( cnn ) -- new zealand turned on the style to beat england 26-7 in sunday 's final of the hong kong sevens as they ran in four tries in a comprehensive victory . the new zealand triumph -- their fifth since 2000 in the prestigious event -- took them back to the top of the hsbc sevens world series -- with two rounds of the nine remaining . england , who beat two-time holders fiji in the semifinal , were always on the back foot in the finale of the three-day tournament and scored a lone try through tom powell . blog : olympic fever grips hk rugby sevens but new zealand breached their defense regularly as ben lam , tim mikkelson , captain dj forbes and sam dickson crossed in a dominant display . it is a great feeling , ' coach gordon tietjen told the official tournament website . my captain leads so well from the front , he was simply amazing . and also the other players linked in with him , we played a good final . this will certainly help in going towards winning that title . ' in the earlier playoff for third place , fiji gained some consolation for their semifinal setback by beating australia 21-12 . south africa beat wales 19-14 in the plate final and are the nearest challengers to new zealand in the battle for overall honors , trailing by seven points in the standings , with fiji in third . tournaments in scotland and england in may will complete the world series .
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new zealand win hong kong rugby sevens title
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new zealand <tsp> ( cnn ) -- new zealand turned on the style to beat england 26-7 in sunday 's final of the hong kong sevens as they ran in four tries in a comprehensive victory . the new zealand triumph -- their fifth since 2000 in the prestigious event -- took them back to the top of the hsbc sevens world series -- with two rounds of the nine remaining . england , who beat two-time holders fiji in the semifinal , were always on the back foot in the finale of the three-day tournament and scored a lone try through tom powell . blog : olympic fever grips hk rugby sevens but new zealand breached their defense regularly as ben lam , tim mikkelson , captain dj forbes and sam dickson crossed in a dominant display . it is a great feeling , ' coach gordon tietjen told the official tournament website . my captain leads so well from the front , he was simply amazing . and also the other players linked in with him , we played a good final . this will certainly help in going towards winning that title . ' in the earlier playoff for third place , fiji gained some consolation for their semifinal setback by beating australia 21-12 . south africa beat wales 19-14 in the plate final and are the nearest challengers to new zealand in the battle for overall honors , trailing by seven points in the standings , with fiji in third . tournaments in scotland and england in may will complete the world series .
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new zealand back to top of hsbc sevens world series
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fiona apple <tsp> ( cnn ) -- singer fiona apple 's recent decision to cancel a tour to care for her dying dog , janet , brought an outpouring of support from dog owners who could relate all too well to the need to honor their beloved companions until the very end . as cnn 's kat kinsman recently wrote in a tribute to her late irish wolfhound , mordred : dogs express their love and trust in many ways -- some lap at your face , knock you down with kisses as you come home , leave a half-dead animal on your pillow , or sit on your lap and sigh with contentment . the large and stoic ones tend to lean . it 's a hug . it 's the best feeling in the universe . ' we saw a well of sympathy in response to kinsman 's story , like from the commenter who said , my doggies never hold grudges , shun me , argue with me , they give love , laughter , constancy and protection . how can one not love and honor such behavior ? that means returning the favor no matter what that takes . ' after reading the comments on kinsman 's essay , cnn ireport decided to invite dog owners to share their stories about the animals they loved and lost . the assignment turned into a wake of sorts for owners -- many for whom the loss was still fresh -- to share their best times with their furry pals and their last moments together . the love of an animal is something you ca n't define or even describe . no judgement , no questions , no pity ; just love and cuddles and slobbery kisses , and the occasional'woo'with a fire siren at 3 a.m , ' kelly robinson said in her tribute to her golden retriever , daisy , who died in april . scroll through the gallery to read some of the tributes , and visit ireport.com to read the stories in full and share your own . a warning : keep the tissues handy !
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singer fiona apple recently canceled a tour to stay home with her dying dog
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centers for disease control and prevention <tsp> cap haitien , haiti ( cnn ) -- haiti 's government appeared tuesday to have lost control of cap haitien , where demonstrators angry over what they see as the united nations'role in starting the ongoing cholera epidemic controlled many of the streets for a second consecutive day . at the airport in the country 's second-largest city , commercial flights were suspended tuesday . police were not wearing uniforms in an apparent attempt to elude the wrath of haitians , who had torched at least one police station on monday . the only way to get from the airport into town was by motorcycle . barricades composed of burning tires and vehicles blocked cars from traveling on many of the roads . as the sun set , smoke from the many fires mixed with tear gas fired by peacekeepers , and hovered over the city . the office of prime minister jean-max bellerive had said early in the day that it was sending a delegation of government ministers by helicopter from the capital city of port-au-prince to cap haitien in an attempt to orchestrate a return to order , but by nightfall they were not visible . in cap haitien , at least one demonstrator was killed in riots monday by a u.n. peacekeeper . at a hotel , guests were hunkered down , unwilling to brave the chaos of the streets . the focus of the the haitians'ire centers on their contention that the cholera outbreak blamed for more than 1,000 deaths was started when untreated sewage from a nepalese contingent of peacekeepers entered the water supply . that assertion has been denied by the united nations . protesters have demanded that the u.n. forces pull out of haiti . cap haitien is in haiti 's north department , which has had the nation 's highest rate of cholera deaths . of the 1,578 people hospitalized in the department from cholera , 119 have died . the 7.5 percent death rate is the nation 's highest , according to figures released tuesday by the ministry of public health . the u.n. stabilization mission in haiti charged that the riots may be politically motivated in advance of elections set for november 28 . the way in which the events unfolded leads to the belief that the incidents had a political motivation , aimed at creating a climate of insecurity on the eve of the elections , ' the u.n. mission , known by the acronym minustah , said in a statement tuesday . minustah calls on the population to remain vigilant and not let itself be manipulated by the enemies of stability and democracy in the country , ' the statement said . imogen wall , a spokeswoman for the united nations , said at least one u.n. warehouse has been looted and that a flight that was to have carried cholera supplies intended for cap haitien was suspended . cap haitien is very serious for cholera right now , ' she said . you ca n't run cholera response in this atmosphere . ' in the town of hinche , northeast of the capital , about 400 demonstrators protested the peacekeepers , six of whom were injured , said vincenzo pugliese , a spokesman for minustah . this is a situation that began with a child who was in agony with cholera , ' said lesley voltaire , a former minister of education and presidential candidate who was campaigning for the upcoming elections . they were calling ambulances and minustah but nobody came . the kid died in front of many people and made the people furious . ' voltaire insisted the protests were spontaneous . the nepalese [ peacekeepers ] are their target , ' added voltaire , who said he was stranded at a local hotel overnight after the riots erupted on monday and the airport shut . people believe the cholera came from nepal . ' in quartier morin , a municipality in the cap haitien arrondissement , a protester was killed after he was hit by a peacekeeper who fired in self defense , the u.n. said . an investigation is underway . the cholera outbreak , which was confirmed last month in northwest haiti , has killed 1,034 of the 16,799 people who had been hospitalized with the disease , the ministry of public health reported . it has been confirmed in seven of the country 's 10 departments . so far , the government has been keeping track of the outcome only for those patients who have sought treatment in hospitals . we are now trying to ramp up the collection of data from the communities so that we can get a more realistic figure , ' deputy special representative and humanitarian coordinator nigel fisher told reporters monday at the united nations in a teleconference call from port-au-prince . we expect to have , once that data comes in , a significant increase in recorded cases . ' but counting the deaths that occur in the community will be difficult , said pan american health organization spokesman dan epstein . he noted that care is being provided by tons of ngos , ' each with their own hospitals and health centers . we 're trying to integrate everything so we have one main source of information for haiti , and that 's a real challenge . ' the government was trying to halt the spread of rumors and to educate the populace via radio and television programs about how to stem the spread of the disease , which experts say is relatively easy to treat through oral-rehydration therapy , and to prevent , through good hygiene . both are often in short supply in much of haiti , the hemisphere 's poorest country . its already fragile infrastructure was worsened during last january 's earthquake , which killed more than 200,000 people . since then , more than 1 million people have been living in makeshift camps in and around the capital . still , many of the camps are equipped with latrines and most people in the camps are getting clean , chlorinated water , fisher said . our concern has been , i must say , less for the camps than it has been for the slums , ' he added , citing the cite soleil slum in the capital as an example . it has neither latrines nor access to clean water , ripe conditions for the spread of the disease . it is moving more rapidly in the slums than in the camps , ' he said . despite the dire conditions and the mounting death count , he said , the government strategy , which we support at the moment , is to look at ways in which the ( november 28 ) elections can go ahead -- even with the situation of cholera . ' planning has begun on how to disinfect polling booths between voters , he said . the situation has gone far beyond one of health or sanitation , he said . it 's an issue , obviously , of national security . ' efforts are under way to get 10,000 to 12,000 more cholera beds ' in place , and plans are being put in place to transport the sickest people to treatment centers , which some residents do n't want , he said . one of the demonstrations in port-au-prince was against the transport of sick people from a triage center to a cholera treatment center , ' he said . the government has asked haiti 's mayors to handle the disposition of bodies , but city authorities need help on how to do that , he said . the team leader in haiti for the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention 's anti-cholera effort said the agency determined that the strain of the bacteria is found not only in south asia but elsewhere . this is not an uncommon strain , ' dr. jordan tappero told cnn in a telephone interview from port-au-prince . it 's around the world . ' he described the bacteria , orginally found in the artibonite river in the country 's northern region , as like a hitchhiker , ' having arrived in haiti through contaminated food , water , or in an infected individual who may have had no symptoms . trying to figure out who did it and what country they came from , i think , is extremely challenging to do , probably not possible , ' tappero said . what we should focus on , as we have been , is preventing deaths . ' those prevention efforts include training health care workers , few of whom have experience treating patients who may be losing up to a liter of water per hour . it requires some training ' to manage them well , he said . the goal , he added , is to get mortality to less than 1 percent , and we 're not there yet . ' indeed , as of tuesday , the death rate among hospitalized patients with cholera was 3.9 percent nationwide , according to the ministry of public health . the united nations , which has appealed to international donors for $ 164 million in aid , said it anticipates as many as 200,000 haitians will be sickened with cholera over the next six to 12 months . symptoms of the acute , bacterial illness , which is caused by drinking tainted water , can be mild or even nonexistent . but sometimes they can be severe : leg cramps , profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting , which can cause rapid loss of body fluids and lead to dehydration , shock and death . cnn 's tom watkins contributed to this story .
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new : the centers for disease control and prevention says it 's likely impossible to pinpoint the source
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syria <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria 's opposition opened an embassy wednesday in doha , qatar , a day after arab league representatives meeting there allowed the rebels to take syria 's seat at the summit . the embassy is the first for the syrian national coalition , which has been recognized by more than 100 nations as the legitimate representative of the syrian people . other coalition ambassadors -- in paris , london , washington and the representative to the gulf cooperation council countries all operate without a formal embassy building , according to sarah karkour with the coalition 's media office . the coalition is taking over the embassy building that formerly housed the diplomatic representatives of syrian president bashar al-assad 's government , which lashed out wednesday at the arab league 's decision to seat rebel leaders at the summit . the government said the arab league was in violation of its own charter for its decision to seat an illegitimate party and raise a flag other than the syrian national flag , ' the state-run sana news agency reported . russia also objected to the syrian national coalition 's role at the summit , according to the state-run ria-novosti news service . cnn 's hamdi alkhshali contributed to this report
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that decision angered syria 's government
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ellis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they met on valentine 's day when they were in college and had been inseparable in the 12 years since -- until saturday morning . amy ellis said her husband , bardstown , kentucky , police officer jason ellis , just wanted to do his job and to do it good and to do it right and to clean up the streets . ' but he was shot to death around 2 a.m. saturday when he stopped his car on his way home to clear debris from a freeway exit ramp . officer ellis never had a chance , ' kentucky state police trooper norman chaffins told cnn . it was an obvious ambush , ' chaffins added . he never used his service weapon . it was holstered . ' the 33-year-old , seven-year police veteran was the victim of a trap , though it was not clear whether he was the intended target , police said tuesday . bardstown police chief rick mccubbin promised to avenge his officer 's death . it 's an eye for an eye . you kill one of my guys , i 'm not going to rest until i have you in cuffs or on the front side of a weapon . and i mean that , ' he said .'ambush'killings of lawmen part of increase in slain police chaffins said it was unclear whether ellis was the intended target or if the shooter planned to kill a different officer or even a random citizen . but he said he believes the killing was premeditated . someone planned this , and someone planned to shoot somebody at that spot , at that location , at that time , ' chaffins said . the brazen crime has sent a ripple of fear across nelson county , south of louisville . it scares everybody in the community . it could happen to anyone , ' resident martin rogers told cnn affiliate whas . if he was n't the intended victim , that means anyone could have been the victim . ' ellis'widow told reporters tuesday that she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love she has seen in honor of her late husband . she credited prayer and her two sons -- ages 6 and 7 -- for her strength . now i know i have to be strong for our kids , ' amy ellis told reporters . they know their daddy 's not coming back , and it 's going to be a long , hard road . ' cnn 's tom watkins and alina machado contributed to this report
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bardstown officer jason ellis was gunned down while coming home from work
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ellis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they met on valentine 's day when they were in college and had been inseparable in the 12 years since -- until saturday morning . amy ellis said her husband , bardstown , kentucky , police officer jason ellis , just wanted to do his job and to do it good and to do it right and to clean up the streets . ' but he was shot to death around 2 a.m. saturday when he stopped his car on his way home to clear debris from a freeway exit ramp . officer ellis never had a chance , ' kentucky state police trooper norman chaffins told cnn . it was an obvious ambush , ' chaffins added . he never used his service weapon . it was holstered . ' the 33-year-old , seven-year police veteran was the victim of a trap , though it was not clear whether he was the intended target , police said tuesday . bardstown police chief rick mccubbin promised to avenge his officer 's death . it 's an eye for an eye . you kill one of my guys , i 'm not going to rest until i have you in cuffs or on the front side of a weapon . and i mean that , ' he said .'ambush'killings of lawmen part of increase in slain police chaffins said it was unclear whether ellis was the intended target or if the shooter planned to kill a different officer or even a random citizen . but he said he believes the killing was premeditated . someone planned this , and someone planned to shoot somebody at that spot , at that location , at that time , ' chaffins said . the brazen crime has sent a ripple of fear across nelson county , south of louisville . it scares everybody in the community . it could happen to anyone , ' resident martin rogers told cnn affiliate whas . if he was n't the intended victim , that means anyone could have been the victim . ' ellis'widow told reporters tuesday that she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love she has seen in honor of her late husband . she credited prayer and her two sons -- ages 6 and 7 -- for her strength . now i know i have to be strong for our kids , ' amy ellis told reporters . they know their daddy 's not coming back , and it 's going to be a long , hard road . ' cnn 's tom watkins and alina machado contributed to this report
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new : he just wanted to do his job , ' ellis'widow says
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ellis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they met on valentine 's day when they were in college and had been inseparable in the 12 years since -- until saturday morning . amy ellis said her husband , bardstown , kentucky , police officer jason ellis , just wanted to do his job and to do it good and to do it right and to clean up the streets . ' but he was shot to death around 2 a.m. saturday when he stopped his car on his way home to clear debris from a freeway exit ramp . officer ellis never had a chance , ' kentucky state police trooper norman chaffins told cnn . it was an obvious ambush , ' chaffins added . he never used his service weapon . it was holstered . ' the 33-year-old , seven-year police veteran was the victim of a trap , though it was not clear whether he was the intended target , police said tuesday . bardstown police chief rick mccubbin promised to avenge his officer 's death . it 's an eye for an eye . you kill one of my guys , i 'm not going to rest until i have you in cuffs or on the front side of a weapon . and i mean that , ' he said .'ambush'killings of lawmen part of increase in slain police chaffins said it was unclear whether ellis was the intended target or if the shooter planned to kill a different officer or even a random citizen . but he said he believes the killing was premeditated . someone planned this , and someone planned to shoot somebody at that spot , at that location , at that time , ' chaffins said . the brazen crime has sent a ripple of fear across nelson county , south of louisville . it scares everybody in the community . it could happen to anyone , ' resident martin rogers told cnn affiliate whas . if he was n't the intended victim , that means anyone could have been the victim . ' ellis'widow told reporters tuesday that she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love she has seen in honor of her late husband . she credited prayer and her two sons -- ages 6 and 7 -- for her strength . now i know i have to be strong for our kids , ' amy ellis told reporters . they know their daddy 's not coming back , and it 's going to be a long , hard road . ' cnn 's tom watkins and alina machado contributed to this report
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it 's unclear whether ellis specifically was targeted or if the shooting was random
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ellis <tsp> ( cnn ) -- they met on valentine 's day when they were in college and had been inseparable in the 12 years since -- until saturday morning . amy ellis said her husband , bardstown , kentucky , police officer jason ellis , just wanted to do his job and to do it good and to do it right and to clean up the streets . ' but he was shot to death around 2 a.m. saturday when he stopped his car on his way home to clear debris from a freeway exit ramp . officer ellis never had a chance , ' kentucky state police trooper norman chaffins told cnn . it was an obvious ambush , ' chaffins added . he never used his service weapon . it was holstered . ' the 33-year-old , seven-year police veteran was the victim of a trap , though it was not clear whether he was the intended target , police said tuesday . bardstown police chief rick mccubbin promised to avenge his officer 's death . it 's an eye for an eye . you kill one of my guys , i 'm not going to rest until i have you in cuffs or on the front side of a weapon . and i mean that , ' he said .'ambush'killings of lawmen part of increase in slain police chaffins said it was unclear whether ellis was the intended target or if the shooter planned to kill a different officer or even a random citizen . but he said he believes the killing was premeditated . someone planned this , and someone planned to shoot somebody at that spot , at that location , at that time , ' chaffins said . the brazen crime has sent a ripple of fear across nelson county , south of louisville . it scares everybody in the community . it could happen to anyone , ' resident martin rogers told cnn affiliate whas . if he was n't the intended victim , that means anyone could have been the victim . ' ellis'widow told reporters tuesday that she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love she has seen in honor of her late husband . she credited prayer and her two sons -- ages 6 and 7 -- for her strength . now i know i have to be strong for our kids , ' amy ellis told reporters . they know their daddy 's not coming back , and it 's going to be a long , hard road . ' cnn 's tom watkins and alina machado contributed to this report
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state police : ellis was trying to remove debris from the road when he was ambushed
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somalia <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a u.s. navy crew rescued more than 100 men from a raft in rough water in the central mediterranean on wednesday , the service said . the news release said 128 men ranged in age from 20 to 30 and were taken aboard the uss san antonio , an amphibious transport dock ship . a patrol aircraft from malta spotted the raft being rocked by winds and waves . the san antonio , which was 60 nautical miles away , answered a call from the maltese government . the navy crew used two 11-person boats to rescue the men from the raft , which was about 75 nautical miles southwest of malta , according to maltese officials . the navy did n't say whether anyone was injured . the maltese military said the men were migrants from somalia . a maltese military statement said the men would be taken to maltese grand harbour and turned over to the maltese coast guard . the mediterranean has been the site of two deadly shipwrecks in recent weeks in which nearly 400 people have been killed . official : 31 dead , 200 rescued after ship capsizes near lampedusa lampedusa , not far from sicily and the closest italian island to africa , has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter european union countries -- and such fatal maritime accidents are all too common . the 684-foot long san antonio normally has a crew of 363 and is a part of the u.s. 6th fleet . migrants appear undeterred , even after deadly shipwrecks vessel capsizes off miami ; 4 dead , 11 rescued
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new : maltese authorities say the men were migrants from somalia
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maltese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a u.s. navy crew rescued more than 100 men from a raft in rough water in the central mediterranean on wednesday , the service said . the news release said 128 men ranged in age from 20 to 30 and were taken aboard the uss san antonio , an amphibious transport dock ship . a patrol aircraft from malta spotted the raft being rocked by winds and waves . the san antonio , which was 60 nautical miles away , answered a call from the maltese government . the navy crew used two 11-person boats to rescue the men from the raft , which was about 75 nautical miles southwest of malta , according to maltese officials . the navy did n't say whether anyone was injured . the maltese military said the men were migrants from somalia . a maltese military statement said the men would be taken to maltese grand harbour and turned over to the maltese coast guard . the mediterranean has been the site of two deadly shipwrecks in recent weeks in which nearly 400 people have been killed . official : 31 dead , 200 rescued after ship capsizes near lampedusa lampedusa , not far from sicily and the closest italian island to africa , has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter european union countries -- and such fatal maritime accidents are all too common . the 684-foot long san antonio normally has a crew of 363 and is a part of the u.s. 6th fleet . migrants appear undeterred , even after deadly shipwrecks vessel capsizes off miami ; 4 dead , 11 rescued
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new : maltese authorities say the men were migrants from somalia
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santorum <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the new hampshire primary will tell us a good deal more than the iowa caucuses did about where the republican candidates stand and how they might do in the general election against president barack obama . while the unpredictable nature of the iowa caucuses offered rick santorum an opportunity to shine , tuesday 's vote will tell us where the party is really headed , in what has been a wild west of a presidential selection process , one with more ups and downs than the colorado rockies . the new hampshire primary , established in 1916 , has a long and treasured history in american politics . it has often been the site where new voices have been able to upset the status quo and take on establishment figures . in 1952 , the military hero dwight eisenhower successfully challenged mr. republican ' robert taft , the senator from ohio , who was thought to be one of the strongest figures in the party . that same year , tennessee sen. estes kefauver shook up the democratic party by winning a stunning victory against president harry truman , fueling his decision not to run for re-election . in 1968 , minnesota sen. eugene mccarthy 's strong second-place showing similarly upset president lyndon johnson , forcing him to think twice about how strong his support was within the democratic party . the results , sen. ted kennedy recalled , demonstrated that overnight , johnson had become beatable . ' a few weeks later johnson told the nation that he would not run for re-election . in 1976 , the little-known jimmy carter built on his surprise victory in the iowa caucuses by winning in new hampshire and cementing his status as a front-runner . republican patrick buchanan revealed the soft support among conservatives in 1992 for president george h.w . bush , whom buchanan derided as king george , ' when he did better than expected against the president ( though bush won ) . to be sure , the outcome of the primary is not always a measure of who will win the party 's nomination . there is a substantial list of new hampshire losers -- including barack obama in 2008 , george w. bush in 2000 , bill clinton in 1992 , and walter mondale in 1984 -- who went on to receive party nominations . most important , new hampshire is a state where independents matter very much and turn out in large numbers . the primary allows unaffiliated voters to participate , thus boosting the number of participants from the middle of the political spectrum . with the base of each party relatively deflated about the choices in 2012 ( liberal democrats are disappointed in obama 's record , while conservatives are not overly enthused about any of the front-runners ) , the 2012 election will likely come down to the person who can capture the center . with obama 's approval ratings at a low ebb , republicans have a major opportunity if they can win the hearts and minds of independents and centrist democrats . one of mitt romney 's biggest selling points is that he offers the gop the only candidate who can run as a moderate who is not beholden to the party 's base . during one of the weekend debates he brushed back talk about making contraception illegal and tried to focus on his economic policy rather than social and cultural issues . he left the others to fight it out as to who was a big-government conservative ' and who was not . in new hampshire , romney will have the first chance to show that his appeal to centrists is a strength . republicans in new hampshire tend to fit the profile of the kind of conservative candidate who will have the greatest national appeal . while republican party activists are often attracted to the candidate who can speak the language of the religious right , the republican with the best chance of taking obama in this election will be the fiscal conservative who pushes for lowering the deficit , lowering spending , and containing taxes , while avoiding the cultural issues that turn off moderates . in 2008 , according to abc news , only 23 % of the new hampshire electorate said they were evangelicals , compared with 58 % in iowa this year . finally , new hampshire looks more like a national election than does iowa . while americans like to think our political process works by retail politics , with candidates shaking hands and enjoying a meal at the local diner , the reality is that elections are won or lost on major media -- television , radio and the internet . the candidate who has the best ability to mount a national campaign is the person who can master the media , handling reporters and the 24-hour news cycle , and can amass the kind of money that is needed to buy tv ads in new hampshire . it is simply not possible to win the state only by shaking hands . a candidate has to be able to do well on the screen . this is a year when new hampshire 's verdict will be key in evaluating the republican field . the test is not completely fair in that romney comes from this region and even has a home in this state . that said , being local is not a guarantee of victory . while a close victory in iowa was certainly something that romney can live with , he needs to have a very strong showing in new hampshire to demonstrate that he is as electable a candidate as he has promised to be . he has to answer the kind of challenge posed in sunday 's debate , when newt gingrich said romney would have a very hard time getting elected ' in a race against obama . at the same time , this is a major opportunity for romney 's opponents ( especially jon huntsman ) to show that they fit the bill as well , and that the prospect of romney winning the nomination is not inevitable . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .
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julian zelizer : iowa gave santorum prominence but n.h. vote is likely to be more revealing
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zero dark thirty <tsp> she has said it before . now she 's saying it again . zero dark thirty ' filmmaker kathryn bigelow has written at length in an essay published in the la times about the scenes of torture featured in the movie , insisting once more than depiction is not endorsement . ' the controversy has dogged the movie for weeks as politicians and pundits attacked the movie , which was based on screenwriter/producer mark boal 's interviews with intelligence and military sources , for showing cia agents beating and torturing suspects who later give up information that leads to osama bin laden . in the essay , bigelow declares herself to be a pacifist who abhors the so-called enhanced interrogation techniques ' the movie shows , but says she felt obliged to put on screen the gruesome details of what was done in the name of counter-terrorism . an excerpt : ' first of all : i support every american 's 1st amendment right to create works of art and speak their conscience without government interference or harassment . as a lifelong pacifist , i support all protests against the use of torture , and , quite simply , inhumane treatment of any kind . but i do wonder if some of the sentiments alternately expressed about the film might be more appropriately directed at those who instituted and ordered these u.s. policies , as opposed to a motion picture that brings the story to the screen . those of us who work in the arts know that depiction is not endorsement . if it was , no artist would be able to paint inhumane practices , no author could write about them , and no filmmaker could delve into the thorny subjects of our time . ' this comes at a critical time for the movie , which just opened nationally last weekend , coming in at first place with $ 24 million at the box office . it 's also a strong contender for several oscars , including best original screenplay for boal , best actress for star jessica chastain , and best picture — although bigelow was snubbed in the directing category . her essay in the la times expresses things she has already stated several times . i 'm not sure i have anything new to add , but i can try to be concise and clear , ' she wrote . can this help at the box office ? does it need to if it 's already faring well ? will this satisfy academy voters who may be troubled by the criticism ? we 'll see as it plays out . right now , the only certainty is that sometimes in an echo chamber , you have to repeat yourself . see the original article at ew.com .
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zero dark thirty ' filmmaker kathryn bigelow writes about the scenes of torture in the movie
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muslim brotherhood <tsp> ( cnn ) -- twenty years ago , edward djerejian , a former u.s. diplomat , famously worried that islamists would exploit democratic elections to come to power , after which they would pull the democratic ladder up behind them . instead of one man , one vote , he said , islamists wanted one man , one vote , one time . last week , egypt 's president mohamed morsy , a member of the muslim brotherhood , and his country 's first democratically elected president , seemed to fulfill djerejian 's grim prophecy . in a series of unilateral amendments to egypt 's interim constitution , morsy declared that his word is final and binding and can not be appealed by any way or to any entity , ' and that he is empowered to take the necessary actions and measures to protect the country and the goals of the revolution . ' but , as shocking as morsy 's actions are , they do not prove that islamists can not be democrats . morsy 's decision to grant himself unquestioned authority was not the final , spectacularly public phase in some hitherto clandestine muslim brotherhood plan to erect a holy autocracy . instead , the egyptian president simply did what egyptian presidents have been doing for more than 60 years — that is , loosening institutional restraints on their authority in order to more easily fulfill their agendas . news : is morsy egypt 's next strongman ? that morsy is an islamist is largely irrelevant . it 's likely that the autocratic temptation would have seized egypt 's president regardless of his party or ideological orientation . this is not only because egypt has had a distressingly long history of powerful executives , it 's also because , at this moment in egypt 's political history , there is no actor , institution or organization able to keep the presidency in check . under such circumstances , even the most earnest democrats would find themselves flirting with authoritarianism — first in the name of the greater good , and then later , when pretenses can be dropped , in the service of naked ambition . usually , presidential ambitions are tamed by legislatures , and this was to be the case under egypt 's interim constitution . a parliament was elected in january , but the egyptian supreme constitutional court dissolved the body once it became clear that morsy was on his way to being elected president . the ostensible reason for the dissolution was that the parliamentary election law ran afoul of some foggy constitutional provision , but the real reason was that islamists dominated parliament , and the court feared that this islamist legislature , coupled with a muslim brotherhood president , would lead egypt irretrievably down the road to theocracy . in the absence of an elected legislature , it was left to the supreme council of the armed forces -- the consortium of generals who ruled egypt for the 18 months following former leader hosni mubarak 's overthrow -- to counteract the presidency . but the egyptian people and the generals had grown weary of each other . word in cairo was that the septuagenarian minister of defense , muhammad hussein tantawi , wanted a way out , a safe exit ' in which he could live out his days free of the indignities visited upon his old boss , who bounced between prison and infirmary . a bargain was worked out . the president clawed back the council 's powers and sent the minister of defense and the armed forces chief of staff into cossetted retirement ( while naming them presidential advisers ) . the political landscape now lay prostrate before him . except for the judiciary , and particularly the scc . to morsy , the 17 men ( and one woman ) who make up that body constitute a defiant remnant of the mubarak order . that a clash was inevitable was apparent from morsy 's first moments in office , when his inauguration was delayed for several hours over his reluctance to be sworn in before the outgoing head of the court . business : morsy makes his power plays when the president decreed that the dissolved parliament should return to work , the judges shut him down . later , he tried to fire egypt 's attorney general , a mubarak appointee . again , he was told that this was outside his ken . rumors swirled that the scc was planning to dissolve the second constituent assembly ; others reported that a court was about to rule the muslim brotherhood itself illegal . morsy and his men point to these things and argue that he was forced to take action . but what 's remarkable is what the president did n't do . for all of his complaining about scc 's dissolution of parliament 's lower house , and for all the damage that the decision did to egypt 's democratic transition , the president has indicated that he will uphold it . essam el-erian , deputy chairman of the brotherhood 's political arm , the freedom and justice party , has publicly called on morsy to reinstate the parliament , but a presidential spokesman has said that there are no plans to do so . the president 's reluctance to bring back the parliament further reinforces the impression that his main aim is to expand the powers of his office , which he probably believes is better able to put egypt right than a raucous legislature packed with unreliable salafists and a fractious liberal ' wing . though the muslim brotherhood has generally fallen into line behind the president , there are signs that at least some of its members are deeply uncomfortable with what he has wrought . muslim brotherhood politician ahmed fahmi , the speaker of the upper house of parliament and a relative of morsy 's , was reported to have said , we wish that the president had conducted a popular referendum on the constitutional declaration , because what he has done has divided the country between the secular and islamic forces . ' ( fahmi has since denied making the statement . ) muhammad abd al-quddus , a muslim brotherhood member and a member of the board of egypt 's journalists union , reportedly said , despite my membership in the brotherhood , i am a son of the revolution for freedom . therefore , i reject unlimited powers for the president , regardless of the reasons and the duration . ' even some of the president 's defenders have betrayed hints of ambivalence over his radical decision . muhammad al-biltagi , secretary general of the freedom and justice party 's cairo branch , declared that many have a right to be worried ' about the president 's move to place his decisions above oversight , and he called for a national dialogue to arrive at a solution that would preserve the right of the president to perform his duties with full authority without political interference from mubarak 's constitutional court , as well as the right of the political and social forces to receive guarantees against even temporary presidential tyranny . ' today , the only check on morsy 's authority comes from the streets . and while the protests against the president 's decisions have been surprisingly robust , morsy has so far resisted making concessions . in a meeting with egyptian judges , he reassured them that he would limit his use of his new powers , but , as of this writing , his decree still stands . though large protests are scheduled , the president may believe that he can afford to wait them out . after all , a repeat of the january 25 scenario is unlikely . the opposition to the president , though significant , remains fractured and uncoordinated , and in any case is far narrower than it was in 2011 . the military , which proved essential in removing mubarak from power , has no appetite for a repeat engagement with the responsibilities of governance , and morsy has more legitimacy — at home and abroad — than mubarak did . and morsy may believe that the great , silent majority of egyptians are behind him . after all , egypt 's gdp is about an eighth of the united states', and a greater percentage of americans were literate during the civil war than egyptians are today . the vast countryside is likely untroubled by the president 's constitutional maneuverings . one might be tempted to ask what the united states , egypt 's greatest foreign patron , can do to set that country on the right course . some have suggested withholding aid , canceling loans and other means of pressuring morsy to step back from the authoritarian ledge on which he now finds himself . these measures may produce flurries of positive statements and signals in the near term , but they wo n't change the fundamental alchemy of egyptian politics . one only need examine the example of iraq , which , after almost a decade of american tutelage has nonetheless glided into a form of dominant party autocracy , to realize that genuinely democratic governance can not be imposed , especially on poor , underdeveloped countries . none of this — egypt 's tradition of executive dominance , its feeble institutions , its weak political organizations or its enervated society — is particularly the fault of the muslim brotherhood . in fact , if we are to take any lesson from the turmoil on the banks of the nile , it is not that islamists ca n't be trusted with egypt 's presidency , it is that no one can . morsy may yet reverse course , but odds are that this will not be the last time that an egyptian leader tries to convince his people that he must kill democracy in order to save it . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of tarek masoud .
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he says the power grab is n't a result of the muslim brotherhood , but of egypt 's power vacuum
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mexican <tsp> nogales , mexico ( cnn ) -- inside a mexican jail , yanira maldonado wept . a devout mormon , the arizona mother of seven said wednesday she 's been turning to scripture to survive ever since authorities falsely accused her of drug smuggling last week . reading the scriptures , reading the book of mormon , praying , fasting , ' maldonado told cnn . and all the support that i 've been getting from my family , my husband , my children , and everybody out there reaching out to help . ' a judge is weighing whether to set maldonado free after authorities accused her of drug smuggling and alleged they found 12 pounds of marijuana under her bus seat . maldonado maintained her innocence wednesday . i 'm a good mom . i love the gospel . i 'm lds . and we work hard to have what we have , ' she said . you know , we 're not rich , but we 're very honest and we always do our best to help other people . ' the mexican military officials who arrested maldonado have n't made their case yet in court . the soldiers were scheduled to appear wednesday , but did n't show , according to a defense attorney . hearings in the case are set to continue friday . maldonado 's family denies the charges and says they 're optimistic the case against her is crumbling . we have high hopes , ' anna soto , maldonado 's daughter , told cnn on wednesday . so i 'm just looking forward to that . hopefully , friday , i 'm praying that she will be home and be set free . ' it 's a situation maldonado said she never imagined when she boarded a bus last week to head back to the united states after attending her aunt 's funeral in mexico . i was at the checkpoint . they asked us to get off bus . and they were checking for drugs or i do n't know what else , ' she said . and they say they found something under my seat . but i never saw anything . they did n't show me anything . it was just amazing all that , what they did . ' fearing for her life earlier this week , maldonado 's cuffed hands gripped a metal bar as a truck carrying her to testify barreled down the street . one thought went through her mind , she told cnn , crying as she recalled her fear that the fast-moving mexican police convoy would crash . i 'm not a killer . i 'm not a criminal . i 'm just here by mistake because people are not doing their work , ' she said . this is not right . i need to be back with my family . i need to be out of here . i need help . ' since her arrest , maldonado said her views toward the country where she was born have changed drastically . asked before by friends about going south of the border , maldonado never thought twice when she gave advice . i used to tell people ,'come to mexico . it 's not true what they 're saying . i go every year to visit my family . ... i come , i drive myself , nothing happens .'... look what 's happening to me now . i can not say that anymore , ' maldonado told cnn . i do n't want anybody to go through this . ' if she 's released from prison , maldonado says she 's not sure whether she 'll ever return to mexico . from a bus seat to a jail cell mexican authorities arrested maldonado last wednesday as she and her husband , gary , were on their way back to arizona . gary maldonado said he believes mexican soldiers at the checkpoint wanted a bribe . a mexican state official also told cnn it appears that maldonado was framed . another daughter , brenda pedraza , called the arrest outrageous . ' her mother was recently by her side , she said , cradling her newborn granddaughter . she 's just a wonderful mom and a wonderful grandma and she would never jeopardize her life to lose this , to lose her family , ' she told cnn 's wolf blitzer on wednesday . the family relies on maldonado and misses her , pedraza said . i still need her , you know , being a new mom . i still need her advice , her guidance . we 've heard that the minimum is 10 years . ten years is a whole lifespan . we do n't have that time , 10 years , to be separated , ' pedraza said , choking back tears . please , to the officials in mexico , please do your part and really investigate , because i know my mom has nothing to do with those illegal drugs . ' after testifying in court on tuesday , gary maldonado told cnn affiliate ktvk that he was feeling optimistic . we 're hoping for the best outcome . ... we do n't think they have a case , ' he said . the mexican embassy in washington said in a statement that a preliminary decision from the judge was expected soon . questions about arrest a sonora state official with extensive knowledge of the case told cnn there are questions about the arrest . can you imagine ? ' asked the official , who was not authorized to speak to the media and did not want to be named . a passenger by himself or herself would have been unable to carry almost six kilos of marijuana onto a bus without being noticed . she must 've been framed . ' a regional office of mexico 's defense ministry said troops conducting a routine investigation stopped the bus maldonado was riding in and and found 12.5 pounds ( 5.7 kilograms ) of a substance that appeared to be marijuana under her seat . troops turned the case over to the mexican attorney general 's office , the defense ministry said . maldonado is being housed in a women 's prison in nogales while authorities decide her fate . the sonora state division of the attorney general 's office said the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide additional information . her husband was told by authorities that regardless of his wife 's guilt or innocence , he would have to pay $ 5,000 to secure her freedom , the family said . he was able to cobble together the money but then was told it was too late . his wife had been transferred to another jail . u.s. officials monitoring the case sen. jeff flake , r-arizona , is monitoring the case , his office said . the state department has also been in touch with the family . the u.s. consulate in nogales is monitoring the case closely , ' state department spokeswoman jennifer psaki told reporters on wednesday . they are in regular contact with ms. maldonado and her family , and her legal counsel , and they 're working to schedule another visit with her . the last time we were able to visit with her was may 24 . ' the state department estimates that several thousand u.s. citizens are arrested in mexico each year . but it 's unclear exactly how many u.s. citizens have been detained in mexico , the state department said . we do n't have the exact breakdown for mexico , and the embassy would not have that information either , ' said elizabeth a. finan , a spokeswoman for the state department 's bureau of consular affiairs . however , i can say millions of u.s. citizens travel to mexico each year , and most have uneventful trips . arrests happen every day , as you might expect with such a high volume of visitors . ' some arrests go unreported to u.s. officials , and sometimes arrested individuals do not request consular assistance , finan wrote in an e-mail to cnn . arrest cases are not uncommon in mexico , ' she said , and our consular officers work hard to assist all u.s. citizens who come to us for help . ''blind mules'unknowingly ferry drugs across the u.s.-mexico border former marine released from mexican prison cnn 's rafael romo reported from nogales , mexico . cnn 's catherine e. shoichet wrote the story in atlanta . cnn 's christine theodorou , mariano castillo , paul courson , lateef mungin and rene hernandez contributed to this report .
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a mexican judge is weighing the case against the mormon mother of seven
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mexican <tsp> nogales , mexico ( cnn ) -- inside a mexican jail , yanira maldonado wept . a devout mormon , the arizona mother of seven said wednesday she 's been turning to scripture to survive ever since authorities falsely accused her of drug smuggling last week . reading the scriptures , reading the book of mormon , praying , fasting , ' maldonado told cnn . and all the support that i 've been getting from my family , my husband , my children , and everybody out there reaching out to help . ' a judge is weighing whether to set maldonado free after authorities accused her of drug smuggling and alleged they found 12 pounds of marijuana under her bus seat . maldonado maintained her innocence wednesday . i 'm a good mom . i love the gospel . i 'm lds . and we work hard to have what we have , ' she said . you know , we 're not rich , but we 're very honest and we always do our best to help other people . ' the mexican military officials who arrested maldonado have n't made their case yet in court . the soldiers were scheduled to appear wednesday , but did n't show , according to a defense attorney . hearings in the case are set to continue friday . maldonado 's family denies the charges and says they 're optimistic the case against her is crumbling . we have high hopes , ' anna soto , maldonado 's daughter , told cnn on wednesday . so i 'm just looking forward to that . hopefully , friday , i 'm praying that she will be home and be set free . ' it 's a situation maldonado said she never imagined when she boarded a bus last week to head back to the united states after attending her aunt 's funeral in mexico . i was at the checkpoint . they asked us to get off bus . and they were checking for drugs or i do n't know what else , ' she said . and they say they found something under my seat . but i never saw anything . they did n't show me anything . it was just amazing all that , what they did . ' fearing for her life earlier this week , maldonado 's cuffed hands gripped a metal bar as a truck carrying her to testify barreled down the street . one thought went through her mind , she told cnn , crying as she recalled her fear that the fast-moving mexican police convoy would crash . i 'm not a killer . i 'm not a criminal . i 'm just here by mistake because people are not doing their work , ' she said . this is not right . i need to be back with my family . i need to be out of here . i need help . ' since her arrest , maldonado said her views toward the country where she was born have changed drastically . asked before by friends about going south of the border , maldonado never thought twice when she gave advice . i used to tell people ,'come to mexico . it 's not true what they 're saying . i go every year to visit my family . ... i come , i drive myself , nothing happens .'... look what 's happening to me now . i can not say that anymore , ' maldonado told cnn . i do n't want anybody to go through this . ' if she 's released from prison , maldonado says she 's not sure whether she 'll ever return to mexico . from a bus seat to a jail cell mexican authorities arrested maldonado last wednesday as she and her husband , gary , were on their way back to arizona . gary maldonado said he believes mexican soldiers at the checkpoint wanted a bribe . a mexican state official also told cnn it appears that maldonado was framed . another daughter , brenda pedraza , called the arrest outrageous . ' her mother was recently by her side , she said , cradling her newborn granddaughter . she 's just a wonderful mom and a wonderful grandma and she would never jeopardize her life to lose this , to lose her family , ' she told cnn 's wolf blitzer on wednesday . the family relies on maldonado and misses her , pedraza said . i still need her , you know , being a new mom . i still need her advice , her guidance . we 've heard that the minimum is 10 years . ten years is a whole lifespan . we do n't have that time , 10 years , to be separated , ' pedraza said , choking back tears . please , to the officials in mexico , please do your part and really investigate , because i know my mom has nothing to do with those illegal drugs . ' after testifying in court on tuesday , gary maldonado told cnn affiliate ktvk that he was feeling optimistic . we 're hoping for the best outcome . ... we do n't think they have a case , ' he said . the mexican embassy in washington said in a statement that a preliminary decision from the judge was expected soon . questions about arrest a sonora state official with extensive knowledge of the case told cnn there are questions about the arrest . can you imagine ? ' asked the official , who was not authorized to speak to the media and did not want to be named . a passenger by himself or herself would have been unable to carry almost six kilos of marijuana onto a bus without being noticed . she must 've been framed . ' a regional office of mexico 's defense ministry said troops conducting a routine investigation stopped the bus maldonado was riding in and and found 12.5 pounds ( 5.7 kilograms ) of a substance that appeared to be marijuana under her seat . troops turned the case over to the mexican attorney general 's office , the defense ministry said . maldonado is being housed in a women 's prison in nogales while authorities decide her fate . the sonora state division of the attorney general 's office said the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide additional information . her husband was told by authorities that regardless of his wife 's guilt or innocence , he would have to pay $ 5,000 to secure her freedom , the family said . he was able to cobble together the money but then was told it was too late . his wife had been transferred to another jail . u.s. officials monitoring the case sen. jeff flake , r-arizona , is monitoring the case , his office said . the state department has also been in touch with the family . the u.s. consulate in nogales is monitoring the case closely , ' state department spokeswoman jennifer psaki told reporters on wednesday . they are in regular contact with ms. maldonado and her family , and her legal counsel , and they 're working to schedule another visit with her . the last time we were able to visit with her was may 24 . ' the state department estimates that several thousand u.s. citizens are arrested in mexico each year . but it 's unclear exactly how many u.s. citizens have been detained in mexico , the state department said . we do n't have the exact breakdown for mexico , and the embassy would not have that information either , ' said elizabeth a. finan , a spokeswoman for the state department 's bureau of consular affiairs . however , i can say millions of u.s. citizens travel to mexico each year , and most have uneventful trips . arrests happen every day , as you might expect with such a high volume of visitors . ' some arrests go unreported to u.s. officials , and sometimes arrested individuals do not request consular assistance , finan wrote in an e-mail to cnn . arrest cases are not uncommon in mexico , ' she said , and our consular officers work hard to assist all u.s. citizens who come to us for help . ''blind mules'unknowingly ferry drugs across the u.s.-mexico border former marine released from mexican prison cnn 's rafael romo reported from nogales , mexico . cnn 's catherine e. shoichet wrote the story in atlanta . cnn 's christine theodorou , mariano castillo , paul courson , lateef mungin and rene hernandez contributed to this report .
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daughter to mexican officials : please do your part and really investigate '
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medicare <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- what a difference . barack obama assumed the presidency four years ago on a day full of history and hope . the second time around there is less hype , far lower expectations , and no illusions about the capital 's political climate . i just want things to work , ' then president-elect obama told cnn in an interview days before taking office in 2009 . to revisit that conversation is to be reminded that on many of the big issues on the original obama agenda , washington did anything but work -- or at least work together . obama 's address : full text his signature first-term achievement -- health care reform -- was accomplished despite near unanimous republican opposition . many other priorities he listed just before taking the oath of office four years ago are still waiting for serious attention - or progress -- as he begins term two . the deficit levels i 'm inheriting -- over $ 1 trillion coming out of last year -- that is unsustainable , ' the president-elect said in his final interview before the 2009 inauguration . yet deficits in each of his first four years topped $ 1 trillion . more of his first inaugural wish list : let 's get a handle on social security . let 's get a handle on medicare . ' four other priorities for obama 's next four years deficits , social security and medicare are now carrying over to the second-term agenda . so does immigration . new to the list is a promise to push an assault weapons ban and other gun controls . what do all of these have in common ? they are issues ripe for confrontations with republicans , especially at a time the gop 's conservative base is determined to reassert itself . yet that wish list also puts the president at odds , to varying degrees , with members of his own party . liberals , for example , vow to resist any major medicare changes . centrist and conservative democrats , especially those with tough re-election prospects in 2014 , are hardly rushing to embrace new gun controls . inaugural poet : my story is america's not to mention a varied and unpredictable portfolio of international challenges -- from a volatile middle east to evolving economic and security challenges in an asia increasingly defined by china . and then there is this : the ticking clock of any president 's second term . how long will it take before the lame duck debate begins in earnest ? second term priorities ' they wo n't have more than a year , 18 months tops , ' said the veteran republican strategist mary matalin , who in addition to her deep campaign experience served as a top adviser to president george w. bush and his vice president , dick cheney . her own experience in the second bush-cheney term shapes her early take on the political climate as obama begins his fifth year in office : with the six-year itch midterm and a 2016 open primary looming , it will be all positioning all the time . ' as in the first four years , the strength of the american economy will determine more than anything else how much room the president has to advance his top priorities . a unified voice rises from a divided place : mr. president , please fix america education . science and technology advances . critical infrastructure investments . top obama adviser david axelrod lists those as first-term priorities that , in his view , not only carry over to the next four but will shape whether the second obama term is a success . how do we position the american economy for the 21st century ? ' is axelrod 's one sentence take on the president 's second-term challenge . a tale of two terms obama 's preparations included a recent session with presidential historians to discuss not only the climate he faces , but the historical differences for past presidents given the opportunity to serve a second term . president obama is the fourth of the last five presidents to get a second term . the others - ronald reagan , bill clinton and george w. bush - all had major events that undermined their political standing . for reagan it was iran-contra . clinton had the gift of a booming economy , but any thought of making progress on major generational challenges , like medicare and social security , were sidetracked by the monica lewsinsky scandal and the impeachment saga . obama in select company bush began his second term with opposition to the iraq war on the rise , and was further damaged by the deeply held view that his administration failed to properly respond to hurricane katrina . to matalin , a fierce republican critic , a major early second-term challenge for obama will be to change what she sees as a political reflex that has undermined his ability to work with gop leaders in congress . second terms exacerbate both strengths and weaknesses , ' she said . if you are humility challenged , self-reverential and self-righteous like obama , you get even more hubris and demonize rather than debate your opponents . ' biden on obama at start of second term :'in simpatico' obama aides bristle at suggestions he is responsible for the trust deficit with the gop ; they say republicans made a decision very early on in the first term to oppose virtually every obama initiative . in their view , the burden is on the gop in term two to show a more cooperative tone and mindset . matalin also raised an operational challenge for second-term presidents : high turnover in senior positions , from the white house staff to key cabinet positions . anyone who has n't left is exhausted , ' she said . anyone who is new is not top drawer . ' obama 's second-term priorities
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deficits , social security and medicare are carrying over into his second-term agenda .
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mount everest <tsp> another sherpa guide has died in friday 's mount everest avalanche , bringing the death toll to 13 , a nepalese government official said saturday . it is the single deadliest accident on mount everest , officials said . three others are missing , said madhu sudan burlakoti of nepal 's tourism ministry , and at least half a dozen are injured . a group of about 50 people , mostly nepali sherpas , were hit by the avalanche at more than 20,000 feet , said tilak ram pandey of the ministry 's mountaineering department . the avalanche took place just above base camp in the khumbu ice fall . climbers and guides had been setting the ropes for the route , acclimating and preparing the camps along the route when the avalanche hit friday , said gordon janow with alpine ascents international in seattle . all 50 to 60 climbers were nepalese locals and sherpas who were taking food and supplies to the camps , pandey said . the climbers are all now accounted for , pandey said . rescue teams have gone ... to look for the missing . ''i did not think i would survive' one of those who survived is wangdi sherpa , 26 , who was working with trekking firm summit treks to take 13 britons to climb everest . he recounted how he and others were going to set up camp ii , above base camp , when disaster struck -- and it was only by chance that he was not among the victims . a big piece of ice suddenly came off the mountain . i did not think i would survive . i am very happy to have survived , ' said wangdi , who has reached the mountain 's summit three times before . he and an assistant , who were attached to a safety rope , hid behind a piece of ice as the avalanche came tumbling down , he said . we could do that because we were in the front , ' he said . up to 12 of those behind us survived , but the ones after them died . those who had already crossed ahead when the ice came off also survived . we stayed behind the ice for five minutes . by the time we reached base camp it was around 11 a.m . when the ice fell we saw nothing because of the dust , ' wangdi said .'there is always a risk of death' this latest accident occurred during the spring climbing season , the busiest of the year . climbers arrive in april to acclimate to the altitude before heading toward the summit of the world 's highest mountain . ethnic sherpas act as guides for the mostly foreign clients . now the question is whether the planned expedition will go ahead in the wake of friday 's tragedy . the sherpas and the clients are not in a condition to talk to each other at the moment , ' said jeewan ghimire , of shangri la treks . four of his sherpas are dead after the avalanche and one is missing . it could take a week more before a decision on whether the climb will go ahead will be taken , ' he said . according to ghimire , a distance is being maintained between the two sides . the clients will have to accept the decision of the sherpas . ' our friends and brothers have died . there will be no question of doing anything without a discussion with everyone involved , ' said pasang sherpa , who also has been to everest before . this is our job , so there is always a risk of death . we can not say that there has been exploitation . ' about 334 foreign climbers have been given permission to climb everest over the next couple of months , with an estimated 400 sherpas helping them , mountaineering official dipendra poudel said friday . from may 15 to 30 is usually the best window for reaching the 29,028-foot peak . lakpa sherpa , who has twice reached the summit of everest , lost his cousin ang kaji sherpa on the mountain on friday . despite that loss , he said safety standards have improved by 80 % on what they were 10 years ago , because the sherpas are better trained . he added , there is always a risk in this job . ' the deadliest year was in 1996 before friday , the deadliest single-day toll was from an accident in may 1996 , when eight climbers disappeared when a huge storm hit . their tragic story was chronicled in jon krakauer 's bestselling book into thin air . ' the deadliest year on everest was 1996 , when 15 people died . another 12 climbers were killed in 2006 . until the late 1970s , only a handful of climbers reached the top each year . the number topped 100 for the first time in 1993 . by 2004 , it was more than 300 . in 2012 , the number was more than 500 . climbers , widow recount deadly traffic jam on everest on top of the world in 1963 everest by the numbers
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this is the single deadliest accident on mount everest ; the deadliest year was 1996
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latina <tsp> after unveiling its first latina ' princess last week , disney now says jamie mitchell , the producer of the tv show sofia the first , ' misspoke ' during a press tour and that the title character is not a latina . the word comes after questions arose about what made sofia the first ' culturally relevant and why the media was n't informed when the show was first announced in 2011 . backlash for disney 's first latina princess the national hispanic media coalition , a latino media advocacy organization , met with nancy kanter , disney junior worldwide 's senior vice president of original programming and general manager , to discuss the impact of sofia the first ' in the latino community . she shared that sofia the first is in fact not a latina character and that the producer of the television program misspoke , ' nhmc president and ceo alex nogales said in a statement . we accept the clarification and celebrate the good news that disney junior has an exciting project in early development that does have a latina as the heroine of the show . ' just days before meeting with the media group , kanter tried to clarify the princess'ethnicity on their disney junior worldwide facebook page : ' some of you may have seen the recent news stories on whether sofia is or is n't a latina princess . ' what 's important to know is that sofia is a fairytale girl who lives in a fairytale world . all our characters come from fantasy lands that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are meant to specifically represent those real world cultures . the writers have wisely chosen to write stories that include elements that will be familiar and relatable to kids from many different backgrounds including spain and latin america . for example , sofia 's mom comes from a fictitious land , galdiz , which was inspired by spain . ' there has been no confirmation from disney on whether a project with a latina heroine was already in the works , but the nhmc has agreed to share an alumni list from its writers program to help create authentic , three-dimensional latino characters . nogales said he appreciated disney/abc 's commitment to diversity and that he looks forward to seeing more latino lead characters as the stars of their shows . what you do n't know about latinos in america
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disney junior has new project under way with latina as the heroine of the show
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latina <tsp> after unveiling its first latina ' princess last week , disney now says jamie mitchell , the producer of the tv show sofia the first , ' misspoke ' during a press tour and that the title character is not a latina . the word comes after questions arose about what made sofia the first ' culturally relevant and why the media was n't informed when the show was first announced in 2011 . backlash for disney 's first latina princess the national hispanic media coalition , a latino media advocacy organization , met with nancy kanter , disney junior worldwide 's senior vice president of original programming and general manager , to discuss the impact of sofia the first ' in the latino community . she shared that sofia the first is in fact not a latina character and that the producer of the television program misspoke , ' nhmc president and ceo alex nogales said in a statement . we accept the clarification and celebrate the good news that disney junior has an exciting project in early development that does have a latina as the heroine of the show . ' just days before meeting with the media group , kanter tried to clarify the princess'ethnicity on their disney junior worldwide facebook page : ' some of you may have seen the recent news stories on whether sofia is or is n't a latina princess . ' what 's important to know is that sofia is a fairytale girl who lives in a fairytale world . all our characters come from fantasy lands that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are meant to specifically represent those real world cultures . the writers have wisely chosen to write stories that include elements that will be familiar and relatable to kids from many different backgrounds including spain and latin america . for example , sofia 's mom comes from a fictitious land , galdiz , which was inspired by spain . ' there has been no confirmation from disney on whether a project with a latina heroine was already in the works , but the nhmc has agreed to share an alumni list from its writers program to help create authentic , three-dimensional latino characters . nogales said he appreciated disney/abc 's commitment to diversity and that he looks forward to seeing more latino lead characters as the stars of their shows . what you do n't know about latinos in america
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disney 's sofia the first is not a latina character
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disney junior <tsp> after unveiling its first latina ' princess last week , disney now says jamie mitchell , the producer of the tv show sofia the first , ' misspoke ' during a press tour and that the title character is not a latina . the word comes after questions arose about what made sofia the first ' culturally relevant and why the media was n't informed when the show was first announced in 2011 . backlash for disney 's first latina princess the national hispanic media coalition , a latino media advocacy organization , met with nancy kanter , disney junior worldwide 's senior vice president of original programming and general manager , to discuss the impact of sofia the first ' in the latino community . she shared that sofia the first is in fact not a latina character and that the producer of the television program misspoke , ' nhmc president and ceo alex nogales said in a statement . we accept the clarification and celebrate the good news that disney junior has an exciting project in early development that does have a latina as the heroine of the show . ' just days before meeting with the media group , kanter tried to clarify the princess'ethnicity on their disney junior worldwide facebook page : ' some of you may have seen the recent news stories on whether sofia is or is n't a latina princess . ' what 's important to know is that sofia is a fairytale girl who lives in a fairytale world . all our characters come from fantasy lands that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are meant to specifically represent those real world cultures . the writers have wisely chosen to write stories that include elements that will be familiar and relatable to kids from many different backgrounds including spain and latin america . for example , sofia 's mom comes from a fictitious land , galdiz , which was inspired by spain . ' there has been no confirmation from disney on whether a project with a latina heroine was already in the works , but the nhmc has agreed to share an alumni list from its writers program to help create authentic , three-dimensional latino characters . nogales said he appreciated disney/abc 's commitment to diversity and that he looks forward to seeing more latino lead characters as the stars of their shows . what you do n't know about latinos in america
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disney junior has new project under way with latina as the heroine of the show
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pakistani <tsp> ( cnn ) -- pakistani troops launched a ground offensive against militants in the capital of the country 's north waziristan area monday , starting a new phase of a 16-day fight that has seen more than 450,000 people flee the area . troops killed at least 15 militants as the army raided homes in the area 's capital , miranshah , the country 's military said . this is the first major ground offensive in miranshah since pakistan began what was primarily an airstrike campaign against anti-government fighters in north waziristan and other restive parts of pakistan 's loosely governed tribal areas . the offensive , which started on june 15 , is meant to finish off ' militants in the area near the afghanistan border once and for all , ' defense minister khawaja asif told cnn this month . the pakistani taliban are among the targets . the tribal areas in northwestern pakistan are a base for anti-government militants , including those with the islamist haqqani movement . more than 376 militants have been killed and 61 suspected militant hideouts have been destroyed in the campaign , the army said . three pakistani troops were injured in monday 's raids in miranshah , the army said . hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes to camps in pakistan 's nearby khyber-pakhtunkhwa province since the campaign began , the country 's national disaster management authority said . about 466,000 people , including 197,013 children , have registered at checkpoints , the agency said . rations , including food and cooking oil , are being given to the civilians at the camps , the army said . opinion : exodus from pakistan 's troubled north presents risks , opportunities
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the pakistani taliban are among the targets
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abramoff <tsp> ( cnn ) -- disgraced former lobbyist jack abramoff was transferred tuesday from prison to a maryland halfway house to serve out the remainder of his sentence , a spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons told cnn . abramoff , who has been in prison in cumberland , maryland , has a scheduled release date of december 4 , according to the agency web site . abramoff , once a high-rolling republican lobbyist , pleaded guilty to a raft of federal corruption charges in 2006 . he admitted illegally showering gifts on officials who provided favors for his clients and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors . among other things , the inquiry led to prison time for a former congressman , ohio republican bob ney ; for stephen griles , once the bush administration 's deputy interior secretary ; and for several former congressional staffers . abramoff said at a 2008 sentencing hearing that he was a broken man . ' i 've fallen into an abyss , ' he said . my name is the butt of a joke , the source of a laugh and the title of a scandal . ... i hope this horrible nightmare ends at some point . ' cnn 's carol cratty contributed to this report .
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abramoff pleaded guilty to a series of corruption charges in 2006
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abramoff <tsp> ( cnn ) -- disgraced former lobbyist jack abramoff was transferred tuesday from prison to a maryland halfway house to serve out the remainder of his sentence , a spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons told cnn . abramoff , who has been in prison in cumberland , maryland , has a scheduled release date of december 4 , according to the agency web site . abramoff , once a high-rolling republican lobbyist , pleaded guilty to a raft of federal corruption charges in 2006 . he admitted illegally showering gifts on officials who provided favors for his clients and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors . among other things , the inquiry led to prison time for a former congressman , ohio republican bob ney ; for stephen griles , once the bush administration 's deputy interior secretary ; and for several former congressional staffers . abramoff said at a 2008 sentencing hearing that he was a broken man . ' i 've fallen into an abyss , ' he said . my name is the butt of a joke , the source of a laugh and the title of a scandal . ... i hope this horrible nightmare ends at some point . ' cnn 's carol cratty contributed to this report .
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abramoff scheduled to be released december 4
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abramoff <tsp> ( cnn ) -- disgraced former lobbyist jack abramoff was transferred tuesday from prison to a maryland halfway house to serve out the remainder of his sentence , a spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons told cnn . abramoff , who has been in prison in cumberland , maryland , has a scheduled release date of december 4 , according to the agency web site . abramoff , once a high-rolling republican lobbyist , pleaded guilty to a raft of federal corruption charges in 2006 . he admitted illegally showering gifts on officials who provided favors for his clients and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors . among other things , the inquiry led to prison time for a former congressman , ohio republican bob ney ; for stephen griles , once the bush administration 's deputy interior secretary ; and for several former congressional staffers . abramoff said at a 2008 sentencing hearing that he was a broken man . ' i 've fallen into an abyss , ' he said . my name is the butt of a joke , the source of a laugh and the title of a scandal . ... i hope this horrible nightmare ends at some point . ' cnn 's carol cratty contributed to this report .
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disgraced former lobbyist jack abramoff released to halfway house
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libyan <tsp> a car bomb exploded just outside the french embassy in tripoli early tuesday morning , injuring two french security guards and a libyan girl , officials said . the blast was so powerful it blew the front wall off the embassy . homes can cars adjacent to the embassy sustained heavy damage , and the windows of nearby buildings in this upscale , largely residential neighborhood were also blown out . during a visit to the area , deputy prime minister awad barasi said a 13-year-old girl in a nearby house was injured in the attack and will be taken to tunisia for treatment . barasi , who condemned the attack , said he had spoken with the french ambassador to libya , who assured him he will not leave tripoli . the french foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack . in conjunction with the libyan authorities , our government departments will make every effort to ensure that all light be shed on the circumstances of this heinous act and its perpetrators quickly identified , ' the foreign ministry said . barasi told cnn it was too early to jump into conclusions ' about who might have carried out the attack . a criminal investigation is under way to try to determine who was behind the attack and why . at least four french investigators were at the scene with what appeared to be forensic equipment gathering evidence . they seemed to be leading the investigation and working with libyan officials from the criminal investigations division . libya 's interior minister ashour shuail , who visited the site along with the country 's justice minister , said one of the two french security guards had undergone a surgery in tripoli and was now in stable condition . he would not say who the government believes is behind the attack and said the investigation would reveal that . the minister said security will be increased around diplomatic missions in the capital . responding to questions about lax security , shuail said no country is immune to this sort of security breach , not even the united states , referencing last week 's boston marathon bombings . residents in the area complained about lax security at the french embassy . while there has been no claim of responsibility , libyans at the scene blamed extremist groups . we have to admit they exist here in libya , ' said mustafa , who was in a nearby house . they are small groups , no one likes them or supports them . ' western intelligence officials have said militants linked to al qaeda had training camps in libya . after the french military intervention in mali in january , there were fears militants could strike french interests in the region , including libya , which has been struggling to impose security across the country since the 2011 revolution that ousted moammar gadhafi . at a news conference , shuail said he could not link the attack to mali . he said libya has to first deal with the widespread weapons in the country . rami el obeidi , former intelligence chief during the libyan revolution , blamed the attack on al qaeda-linked groups . without a doubt , extremist jihadi movements aligned to al qaeda in the islamic maghreb ( are responsible ) . same alliance that 's responsible for the attacks on the british , american , and italian missions in benghazi , their proven involvement in the algeria attack , and the logistical support that was given to aqim elements in mali , ' el obeidi said . the french embassy bombing follows a series of attacks last year that targeted foreign diplomatic missions and the international committee of the red cross in the eastern city of benghazi . the attacks are believed to be the work of islamist extremist groups with ties to al qaeda . last september , u.s . ambassador to libya chris stevens and three other americans were killed in a militant attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi . according to el obeidi , tuesday 's early morning blast was a message to the french government about the capabilities of these groups , rather than a blast that aimed to kill . residents and embassy staff said the bomb detonated an hour before the area is busy with dozens of libyans who line up daily to apply for visas . this was a political message because the attack was not designed to kill anyone , especially not libyans , as this would have caused fractures within the extremist movements currently operating inside libya ' el obeidi added .
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libyan deputy prime minister : the french ambassador said he will not leave tripoli
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lightning stakes <tsp> ( cnn ) -- unbeaten in 18 races , black caviar has already entered horse racing 's history books and become a sprinting superstar in her native australia . but will the mare be able to translate that to international success this year ? black caviar 's annihilation of the rest of the field in saturday 's orr stakes in melbourne matched the feats of legendary 18th century racehorse eclipse , putting them joint third in the all-time list of undefeated thoroughbreds . her trainer peter moody will now be hoping that history repeats when she defends her lightning stakes crown at flemington this saturday . but the bigger tests , and larger plaudits , will rest in overseas challenges . her 18th successive win , at the caulfield course , was a step up in distance to seven furlongs , or 1,400 meters , but it proved no obstacle for luke nolen 's mount as she pulled away from the field in the closing stages of the race . foaled in 2006 , the five-year-old bay had only been lightly-raced in her two , three and four-year-old seasons , but she has been busier this campaign with connections now aiming for the glamor diamond jubilee stakes at royal ascot for her first foray on english soil . although a specialist over the shorter distances of 1,000 and 1,200 meters , the step up for the orr stakes was thought to be an attempt to prepare her for the undulating ascot turf , although the diamond jubilee stakes will be contested over six -- not seven -- furlongs . the presence of the world 's top-rated sprinter at royal ascot 's showpiece event -- renamed , in 2012 , in honor of the queen elizabeth 's landmark jubilee -- is a mouth-watering prospect for england 's most prestigious race course . running the race with the world 's top-rated sprinter , black caviar , representing australia in what is historically europe 's most international race would be a wonderful way to begin a new era for the diamond jubilee stakes , ' said an ascot spokesman . black caviar is something of a celebrity in her native australia , where thousands of punters regularly pack the stands to see her race , many wearing her traditional salmon and black colors in tribute . her success has sparked a media frenzy in the sports-mad nation , with the country regularly grinding to a halt when her races are shown on tv -- local networks even broke into coverage of last month 's australian open tennis championships to broadcast her 17th race . the trip to britain raises the prospect of a future showdown with top-rated colt frankel , also unbeaten in all nine of his starts . the four-year-old is the only horse in the world with a higher official rating than black caviar . the sir henry cecil-trained powerhouse out of champion sire galileo is almost as big a star in england as black caviar is down under . however , connections for both horses remain tight-tipped about the possibility of a match race . frankel aside , all eyes in the black caviar camp are surely trained on the ultimate prize of royal ascot , with a possible stopover in the middle east en route for the dubai world cup also thought to be on the cards . but first black caviar must overcome her next immediate challenge : saturday 's meet could pit her once again against her principal rival , hay list -- the only horse who has given her a run for her money so far in australia , and a top sprinter in his own right . in addition to hay list , a clutch of exciting three-year-olds entered for the lightning stakes will also be looking to stop the black caviar juggernaut in its tracks . just do n't bet against lightning striking twice . with black caviar proving herself over seven furlongs , do you think a clash with frankel could be on the cards ? who would win ?
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this weekend she will try to make it 19 wins in the lightning stakes
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saab <tsp> singapore ( cnn ) -- how do you sell a missile ? giving it a name that conjures up images of destruction or protection is a good start ; weapons called iron dome defense system ' or predator ' are unequivocal . however , a fearsome title alone wo n't clinch a multi-million dollar sale , so military trade events like air shows give weapons manufacturers a chance to show off their products -- even if the hard sell has been done over months and years of networking and negotiations . there 's no new business here , but new sales prospects , ' says mikael olsson of saab technologies . the swedish arms maker 's stall at the singapore airshow has a full size simulator of their anti-aircraft defense system , the prosaically named rbs70 ng . like similar demo models in the voluminous hall , it attracted the attention of passing visitors , and some potential new customers , commonly referred to as pop-ups . ' doing military 's dangerous , dull and dirty work demonstrated by olsson 's colleague hakan bystrom , it seems more like playing a video game with a cool piece of kit than a weapon capable of blasting an enemy jet out of the sky . systems are getting more technical , so making them easy to operate is a strong selling point , ' says bystrom . over the years the rbs70 has been sold in 18 countries , though bystrom says he does n't think it 's ever been used in a combat situation . while plenty of technical detail and test footage can be used in support of any demo , being able to say a weapon has been used in combat situations gives it far more kudos . most of our products are combat proven , ' says amit zimmer of israel 's rafael advanced defense systems , standing next to full-size models of missiles . we live in a test range , unfortunately it 's one of our advantages . there is a big difference between a powerpoint presentation and combat-proven systems . ' some manufacturers are less keen to talk to people outside the industry about what their weapons do , but zimmer is happy to describe the capability of some of rafael 's munitions , including a new short-range spike ' -- the baby of the group ' -- that he claims can be directed from kilometers away through any window of your choice . you have to know how to fit yourself to the customers needs ... sometimes you have to make tailor-made things , ' he says . people come to us and say ,'look we have a problem with our border , what solutions can you give us ?'' most of the military products on display are marketed as defensive rather than offensive , with protecting assets ' and commanding combat zones ' being common terms . missiles are increasingly promoted for their accuracy and ability to minimize collateral damage -- confirming a trend that so much modern warfare takes place in urban or civilian areas . some are surrounded in obfuscating terms and industry jargon , like blast patterns , cp -- that refers to a weapon 's accuracy -- or j-effect , when a bomb bounces and does n't explode . others are more upfront about what their munitions actually do . mbda missile systems , europe 's largest missile manufacturer and owned by the continents big aerospace companies , has a promotional video playing on its stand showing weapons destroying moving cars and other real targets in combat in afghanistan and libya . i would say that our customers have been over satisfied with how our systems have worked , ' says mbda 's daniel petit , in reference to their use by the british and french air force in the recent conflict in libya . but regardless of how a weapon is marketed it 's getting harder to sell , as more countries are trying to become manufacturers and not just purchasers . the whole industry is currently changing . it 's harder to sell ( in the asia region ) , mainly because of stricter rules and anti-corruption measures , ' says olsson . now it 's a lot more about transfer of technology ( between countries ) and partnerships . in the end to sell your products you simply need to be the best at the cheapest price . '
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saab : systems are getting more technical , so making them easy to operate is a strong selling point '
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saab <tsp> singapore ( cnn ) -- how do you sell a missile ? giving it a name that conjures up images of destruction or protection is a good start ; weapons called iron dome defense system ' or predator ' are unequivocal . however , a fearsome title alone wo n't clinch a multi-million dollar sale , so military trade events like air shows give weapons manufacturers a chance to show off their products -- even if the hard sell has been done over months and years of networking and negotiations . there 's no new business here , but new sales prospects , ' says mikael olsson of saab technologies . the swedish arms maker 's stall at the singapore airshow has a full size simulator of their anti-aircraft defense system , the prosaically named rbs70 ng . like similar demo models in the voluminous hall , it attracted the attention of passing visitors , and some potential new customers , commonly referred to as pop-ups . ' doing military 's dangerous , dull and dirty work demonstrated by olsson 's colleague hakan bystrom , it seems more like playing a video game with a cool piece of kit than a weapon capable of blasting an enemy jet out of the sky . systems are getting more technical , so making them easy to operate is a strong selling point , ' says bystrom . over the years the rbs70 has been sold in 18 countries , though bystrom says he does n't think it 's ever been used in a combat situation . while plenty of technical detail and test footage can be used in support of any demo , being able to say a weapon has been used in combat situations gives it far more kudos . most of our products are combat proven , ' says amit zimmer of israel 's rafael advanced defense systems , standing next to full-size models of missiles . we live in a test range , unfortunately it 's one of our advantages . there is a big difference between a powerpoint presentation and combat-proven systems . ' some manufacturers are less keen to talk to people outside the industry about what their weapons do , but zimmer is happy to describe the capability of some of rafael 's munitions , including a new short-range spike ' -- the baby of the group ' -- that he claims can be directed from kilometers away through any window of your choice . you have to know how to fit yourself to the customers needs ... sometimes you have to make tailor-made things , ' he says . people come to us and say ,'look we have a problem with our border , what solutions can you give us ?'' most of the military products on display are marketed as defensive rather than offensive , with protecting assets ' and commanding combat zones ' being common terms . missiles are increasingly promoted for their accuracy and ability to minimize collateral damage -- confirming a trend that so much modern warfare takes place in urban or civilian areas . some are surrounded in obfuscating terms and industry jargon , like blast patterns , cp -- that refers to a weapon 's accuracy -- or j-effect , when a bomb bounces and does n't explode . others are more upfront about what their munitions actually do . mbda missile systems , europe 's largest missile manufacturer and owned by the continents big aerospace companies , has a promotional video playing on its stand showing weapons destroying moving cars and other real targets in combat in afghanistan and libya . i would say that our customers have been over satisfied with how our systems have worked , ' says mbda 's daniel petit , in reference to their use by the british and french air force in the recent conflict in libya . but regardless of how a weapon is marketed it 's getting harder to sell , as more countries are trying to become manufacturers and not just purchasers . the whole industry is currently changing . it 's harder to sell ( in the asia region ) , mainly because of stricter rules and anti-corruption measures , ' says olsson . now it 's a lot more about transfer of technology ( between countries ) and partnerships . in the end to sell your products you simply need to be the best at the cheapest price . '
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swedish arms maker'saab has full size simulator of their anti-aircraft defense system
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forest lawn memorial park <tsp> ( cnn ) -- elvis presley . marilyn monroe . jim morrison . officials wo n't say where michael jackson was buried , but family gathered at forest lawn memorial park . their graves are public shrines for fans and followers . countless people from all over the world make pilgrimages to their burial sites , hoping to draw close to those they adored from afar . now michael jackson 's gravesite will become the next holy grail . a private gathering for the pop icon was held tuesday at forest lawn memorial park in hollywood hills , california . afterward , his casket was taken to the public memorial service at the staples center in los angeles . but it remains unclear whether his body has been interred -- or where . officials at forest lawn wo n't disclose where jackson 's body is being buried . if his final resting place is at forest lawn , fans who wish to visit will have to overcome the funeral company 's stringent security patrols . a los angeles police department official told cnn that the force hoped jackson would be buried outside of its jurisdiction for fear officers might be assigned to protect the grave for months . there has been some speculation that jackson 's body will eventually be moved to neverland ranch in santa barbara county , california . but that would require the family to obtain zoning exemptions and settle legal disputes , which could take years . jackson retained only a small share of ownership in the ranch . if a public memorial were created at neverland -- or anywhere -- it might easily surpass the tombs of marilyn monroe and elvis presley as the most-visited gravesite . if it gets moved somewhere more public , i think a lot of people will come visit , ' said steve goldstein , author of l.a. 's gravesite companion : where the vip 's rip . he 'll probably take over as the most visited grave site over marilyn . ' fame follows celebrities in life and in death . there 's always a fascination with celebrities , but it 's rude to stalk people and sit outside their houses , ' says jim tipton , founder of findagrave.com , a site that lists the grave records of more than 34 million celebrities and ordinary citizens . but once they are interred into the ground , anyone who wants to go can go . ' tipton 's fascination with locating earthly remains began 15 years ago , when he saw mobster al capone 's grave in mount carmel cemetery in hillside , illinois . he and many others who are avid about visiting celebrity and historical graves dub themselves grave hunters . ' they seek the dead for various reasons . some go out of simple curiosity . others are history lovers . many are fans who deeply admired the stars . some say they feel a connection to the celebrities by standing beside their graves . at elvis presley 's graceland in memphis , tennessee , guests visiting the grave can stay at the retro heartbreak hotel and visit the museum to learn more about the king of rock and roll . westwood memorial park and cemetery in los angeles houses hollywood notables including sex symbol marilyn monroe and comic rodney dangerfield . the most recent celebrity to be buried there is actress farrah fawcett , who died of cancer last month . visitors can access the cemetery easily , and even tour buses drop by . i 'm a product of that era , of charlie 's angels , ' said jayne osborne , a self-proclaimed grave hunter who visited fawcett 's grave a week ago . the 48-year-old education administrator began searching for celebrity graves in the early 1970s . since then , she 's visited hundreds of celebrity resting places in southern california . i wanted to pay my respect . ' at westwood , the most popular grave site remains monroe 's . fans often decorate her grave with flowers and cards . her headstone is slightly darker than the others from so many fans touching it , grave hunters say . in père-lachaise , the largest cemetery in paris , france , american singer jim morrison 's grave is tattooed with graffiti and artwork . morrison fans like to leave candles , poems and gifts as tokens of appreciation . at one point , fans were so rowdy that a stone block was put in place in an attempt to seal the grave from fans trying to unearth it . after unsuccessful attempts by french authorities to move the tomb to another site , security officers were placed at the grave . similar trouble plagued rose hill cemetery in macon , georgia , where members of the allman brothers band were buried in the early 1970s . thousands of fans journeyed to visit the graves and party there , leaving behind cigarette butts and empty alcohol bottles . relatives fought to have an iron fence erected around the graves . some celebrity graves prove tempting to visitors , like that of heartthrob actor james dean . his headstone in a public cemetery in fairmount , indiana , has been stolen twice . forest lawn memorial park remains one of the most exclusive hollywood burial sites . the staff is tight lipped , refusing to release the whereabouts of anyone buried there , except to family members . security cars constantly patrol the grounds . we do n't advocate or promote any visitation out of respect for the privacy of the family , ' said william martin , a spokesman for company . company officials would n't say whether jackson 's body was , or could be , tucked into one of the cemetery 's locked gardens where celebrities like humphrey bogart , jean harlow and sammy davis jr. are laid to rest . if jackson is buried in forest lawn , that wo n't stop fans and grave hunters from trying to sneak in , says karen fogarty , a paralegal from the san fernando valley area in california and an occasional celebrity grave hunter . it 's going to keep forest lawn on their toes , ' she said .
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forest lawn memorial park employees wo n't say whether jackson 's body is there
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halo 4 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- after announcing that 343 industries was taking over the blockbuster halo ' franchise , microsoft has faced plenty of speculation about what the new developer would do with one of the most popular video games . early reviews of halo 4 , ' due tuesday , have been positive ( with some critics saying it 's the best one yet ) . but in the meantime , a live-action web series has been drawing the sci-fi franchise 's many fans to youtube . the five-part series , halo : forward onto dawn , ' recounts an alien attack on a planet hosting a united nations space command military school . the ambush decimates the unprepared planet , leaving the survival of a handful of recruits in the balance . it 's a way to bring a new slice of the halo ' narrative to life and whet appetites for the latest game . digital filmmakers and executive producers lydia antonini and josh feldman came up with the idea for the web series to tell the story of a group of recruits and their connection to the games'iconic master chief character . feldman said 343 industries wanted to make a big splash with their game and had been impressed by web videos that had been produced for other gaming titles . antonini , who was involved in the mortal kombat ' digital series , was approached by microsoft and 343 about transforming an interactive story into a linear one . the team had to finish the project on what was a pretty nutty schedule , ' antonini said . we wrote , managed , produced the whole life cycle ... in a little less than a calendar year . ' antonini and feldman brought in people who could stay true to both the halo ' feel and 343 's vision of the franchise . the five parts were shot as a movie over 24 days and will be released on blu-ray disc , but feldman said they knew they needed break points to fit the series format . we had to think about how it would work episodically because that 's how the consumers would be viewing it on youtube , ' feldman said . we did n't want one delivery to come at the expense of others . that 's really tough because there is a huge difference between what is episodic , call it television if you will , and the structure of a feature . ' that work required a balance of action and narrative for each part of the web series , yet the entire story still needed to all flow together . the producers said they were also very cognizant of fans'knowledge of the franchise and did not want to stray outside the narrative boundaries already established . the video story fits in to the overall storylines featured in halo 4 ' and is a literal bridge between halo 3 ' and the new video game . it also introduces a new character , thomas laskey , who will play a role in the upcoming game . for the hardcore fans that have played the games , read the books , read the comics , have the consumer products , and are fully intending to dive into'halo 4 ,'this is very much an additive experience , ' feldman said . antonini said they also wanted to make sure the casual or new fan could appreciate the web shows and not get lost in the vast history of the franchise . she said developing a story for the web needed to have its own hook but not one that was outside the overall plot line they wanted to explore . it was one of the toughest things about this show . it 's like working in a world war ii museum , ' she said . there is a whole lot of history that people care about and you 've got to be really true to , but then it is also wonderful to be able to create something new within that world . ' the halo ' series chronicles an interstellar war between humans and aliens known as the covenant . the protagonist of the games'fictional universe is master chief , a cybernetically enhanced human soldier encased in green armor . antonini and feldman knew the one thing they had to get right from a fan 's perspective was their portrayal of the iconic master chief . antonini said a representative from 343 was with them throughout the shooting process and was able to answer questions and point out details to keep them on the right track . what we try to do with our extended fiction is create a kind of'history'for the universe , from which we can draw ideas , scenarios , characters and events , and connect those to the game in meaningful ways , ' said frank o'connor , franchise development director at 343 industries . the beauty of this approach , when we get it right , is that for fans of that extended fiction , both the game and the related stories end up having more resonance and meaning . but for folks who simply play the games , the story of the game feels like it comes from a richer , deeper foundation . ' antonini said they had access to the developer 's art department to represent the imposing master chief with an accuracy that fans would appreciate . this was an area we knew we could n't veer in any way shape or form , and we 'd be crazy to , ' feldman said . we had to make the best , most authentic master chief gear that you could make . ' daniel cudmore , the actor selected for the beloved role , is an imposing presence on the screen . cudmore also does all the stunts and action scenes in the web series . one of the bridges between halo 3 ' and halo 4 ' is a series of flashbacks to master chief 's artificial-intelligence sidekick , cortana , and what happens to her after the spaceship , forward unto dawn , ' is ripped in half at the end of halo 3 . ' feldman said he thinks casual and hardcore fans will appreciate some new insight as they get ready to play halo 4 . ' part 1 of the live-action web series was released in october , and the final episode was revealed just days before tuesday 's official halo 4 ' release . more than 8 million people watched the first episode on youtube . it will be interesting to see how many continue the story in the video game .
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halo 4 , ' the latest installment in the sci-fi video game franchise , is released tuesday
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gritti <tsp> ( cnn ) -- throughout the world , but mainly in europe and parts of asia , numerous palaces , castles and chateaus have been carefully converted into deluxe lodgings -- rich in history and , understandably , often in cost . some of the finest include the newly opened four seasons lion palace in st. petersburg and the recently renovated gritti palace in venice -- both among the selection featured below . excluded in this list are the well-known palace hotels of india in order to highlight similar-ish accommodations available in other countries . please let us know other great stays you 've experienced . la posta vecchia , rome located 30 minutes outside of the italian capital , la posta vecchia was built in the mid-17th century by the renaissance prince orsini . in the 1960s , oil tycoon j.p. getty bought and restored it , salvaging many original artifacts while simultaneously reinvigorating the palace with pieces from his own art collection . today , the hotel balances ancient and contemporary themes , with priceless antiques alongside modern features such as an indoor pool and a helipad . highlight : the hotel 's private museum , housing ruins dating back to the second century b.c . la posta vecchia , strada ciclabile palo laziale , 00055 ladispoli , rome , italy ; + 39 06 994 9501 ; standard rooms from us $ 350 a night hotel vestibul palace , split , croatia part of diocletian 's palace , an immense bastion built by the roman emperor in the fourth century a.d. , the hotel vestibul palace is located within the peristile square , a place once reserved for the gods . the hotel teems with history outside but inside things are mostly modern and the contrast of contemporary furnishings sitting next to 1,500-year-old walls allows one to appreciate the surroundings all the more . highlight : figuring out which era parts of the palace are from , with the hotel merging romanic , gothic and renaissance periods . hotel vestibul palace , ulica iza vestibula 4 21000 , split , croatia ; +385 21 329 329 ; standard rooms from us $ 150 a night aman at summer palace , beijing beijing 's grand summer palace is one of the most popular sights of the chinese capital and only a group like aman resorts would dare try match it , let alone exceed it , with a hotel . the aman at summer palace is near the east gate of the palace and comprises a series of 100-year old pavilions that were previously reserved for guests of the empress dowager . imperial chinese intricacies are abundant , including ming dynasty-style furniture and a number of private pavilions in the suites . highlight : the reflection pavilion , a peaceful setting with a lotus pond where guests can enjoy drinks and cigars . aman at summer palace , 1 gongmenqian street , summer palace , beijing , prc 100091 ; +86 10 5987 9999 ; standard rooms from us $ 1,050 a night mamaison suite hotel pachtuv palace , prague , czech republic once mozart 's temporary home in the czech capital , the pachtuv palace was the residence of earl hubert karel pachta , who purportedly locked the composer in a room until he finished don giovanni . to be fair , there are worse places you can be imprisoned , with each of the hotel 's 50 suites restored : frescoes line the ceilings , fireplaces roar in the corner , four-poster beds offer a noble sleep . highlight : the two gorgeous baroque-style courtyards , which allow you to escape the city . mamaison suite hotel pachtuv palace , karoliny světlé 34 , 110 00 praha , czech republic ; +420 234 705 111 ; standard rooms from us $ 180 a night hotel imperial , vienna , austria built as the vienna home of philip of württemberg , the hotel imperial originally housed the prince from 1863 to 1865 , until a city planning problem saw him move on . in 1873 , an investor bought the property in time for that year 's vienna expo , converting the numerous halls into individual hotels rooms while retaining many regal touches . little has changed since , with the palace 's 150-year history available to all who stay at the hotel : ornate 19th-century chandeliers , crest-embossed drapes and endless relics . highlight : the traditional personal butler service , which comes with every suite . hotel imperial , kärntner ring 16 , 1015 vienna , austria ; +43 1 50 1100 ; standard rooms from us $ 630 a night hotel gritti palace , venice , italy venice has an endless number of palaces ' converted into hotels , but few match up to the opulence of the gritti . constructed in the 16th century for the city 's doge ' ( duke ) , it was later used to welcome vatican ambassadors , before finally being turned into a hotel in the late 1800s . following a 15-month renovation , the hotel re-opened this spring , with each of its 82 rooms restored with the renaissance in mind . highlight : the explorer 's library , paying homage to the hotel 's many literary guests , including ernest hemingway and w. somerset maugham . hotel gritti palace , campo santa maria del giglio , 2467 30124 venice , italy ; +39 041 296 1222 ; standard rooms from us $ 1,300 a night chateau de saint-loup , loire valley , france the year is 1356 and the hundred years'war ravages on -- the battle of poitiers has just taken place and edward the black prince has captured the king of france , jean le bon , imprisoning him in a castle keep in the loire valley . jump forward nearly 700 years and that keep still stands as part of the privately owned chateau de saint-loup hotel . guests are treated to a truly medieval experience , with accommodation choices in the gorgeous 17th-century chateau , in the 12th-century tower square or within the keep itself . highlight : the appropriately named black prince suite , with such medieval touches as his-and-her baths and a granite fireplace . chateau de saint-loup , 79600 saint-loup-lamairé france ; +33 5 49 64 81 73 ; standard rooms from us $ 150 a night amberley castle , sussex , england dating back more than 900 years , amberley castle was once owned by queen elizabeth i . today , the castle incorporates 19 spacious yet traditional suites , a tennis court and a golf course . battlement towers previously used to keep watch on the numerous conflicts in the area still keep watch , and an 18-meter high wall still stands . highlight : the still-working portcullis , which is closed every night just past the stroke of midnight . amberley castle , amberley , arundel , west sussex bn18 9lt ; +44 017 9883 1992 ; standard rooms from us $ 830 a night ciragan palace kempinski , istanbul considering istanbul 's strife-torn history , it 's almost a miracle the ciragan palace has survived . it housed two separate sultans during its lifetime , before a great fire destroyed much of the site in the early 1900s . a 1989 effort restored its original architecture as a hotel complex . it 's now run by the kempinski hotels group and a recent 2007 renovation has seen even more palatial features reinstated . highlight : the sultan suite -- at more than us $ 41,400 ( plus 8 % vat ) a night -- is one of the most expensive suites in the world . ciragan palace kempinski , yıldız mh. , çırağan cd , beşiktaş , turkey ; +90 212 326 46 46 ; standard rooms from us $ 540 a night tivoli palacio de seteais , lisbon , portugal built in the late 1700s exclusively for a powerful dutch consul , before being sold to the marquis of marialva , lisbon 's palace de seteais is a grand escape located in the unesco world heritage town of sintra . considered a national monument , the entire first floor of the palace is open to the public , with reception halls , salons and other areas containing a number of frescoes and tapestries . the second floor holds the 30 guest rooms , each retaining the palace 's 18th-century style through antique furnishings and immense space . highlight : the classic suite is a huge room designed in a number of styles , including louis xvi , imperial and neo-classical . tivoli palacio de seteais , rua barbosa du bocage 8 , 2710-517 sintra , portugal ; +351 21 923 3200 ; standard rooms from us $ 310 a night four seasons hotel lion palace , st. petersburg , russia a true sign of russia 's luxurious dreams , the lion palace is the four seasons'first hotel in russia . originally built in the 19th century for the exquisitely named princess cleopatra lobonova-rostovskaya , it spent much of its life as upscale apartments for her royal friends and family , before falling into a state of disrepair in the 1900s . re-opened just last month , the hotel has regained its palatial status , with its central location and majestic rooms transporting guests back to tsarist russia . highlight : the granite grand staircase , which leads to the presidential suite and has been recreated with the nearby hermitage and winter palace in mind . four seasons hotel lion palace , voznesensky ave , 1 , st petersburg , russia , 190000 ; +7 812 339 8055 ; standard rooms from us $ 300 a night xara palace , mdina , malta the maltese city of mdina is itself a historic wonder : a unesco world heritage site whose history was influenced by the knights of st. john . built by the knights in the 17th century as a residence for the royal moscati parisio family , the xara palace was reopened in 1999 as an exclusive 17-room relais & chateaux hotel . rooms are simple yet refined , paying tribute to the order through numerous antique paintings . highlight : the award-winning de mondion restaurant , offering traditional dishes with 180-degree views of the city . xara palace , misrah il-kunsill , mdina mdn 1050 , malta ; +356 2145 0560 ; standard rooms from us $ 410 a night
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venice has many palaces ' converted into hotels . few match the opulence of the gritti
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brazile <tsp> ( cnn ) -- even from the moment they were set down in the declaration of independence , thomas jefferson 's immortal words all men are created equal ' have always been awkward and challenging . they 're not awkward and challenging because they 're incorrect . on the contrary , they 're some of the truest words ever put to paper . instead , they 're awkward and challenging because -- for a nation built by slaves , where only a fraction of the population owned land and even fewer could vote , where an entire gender was held at bay for centuries -- these words were the sand in our collective eye that urged us , always , to be better , fairer and more decent to one another . stephen douglas , abraham lincoln 's opponent in the historic debates of 1858 , asserted that the declaration was a contract between englishmen only . that excluded not only african-americans and hispanics but also the italians , the swiss , the asians -- almost anyone but douglas and a few select friends . lincoln retorted , why , according to this , not only negroes but white people outside of great britain and america are not spoken of in ( the declaration ) . ... the french , germans and other white people of the world are all gone to pot along with the judge 's inferior races . i had thought the declaration promised something better . ' though he lost that race to douglas , a greater triumph awaited lincoln . on his way to his presidential inaugural , lincoln stopped in philadelphia 's independence hall and said , i have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the declaration of independence . ' we are now 237 years into the history of the document that lincoln so cherished , and even today , jefferson 's words are still awkward and challenging . we are still realizing the potential of all men are created equal . ' equality has come slowly . less than a hundred years ago , women were finally constitutionally guaranteed the right to vote . just five years ago , hillary clinton became the first woman to make a serious run at the presidency . this march , the violence against women reauthorization act was approved . some opposed it or obstructed it because of a provision that would give indian tribes authority by their own people to bring to justice a perpetrator of violence against a woman . there was also opposition to extending the law to apply to lgbt people and immigrants . yet despite that opposition , the law finally passed . this week , the u.s. senate at long last approved a law that has been before congress in one form or another for decades . the employment non-discrimination act is a simple bill that would outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity , protections that are extended to all americans on the basis of race , age , religion and other categories . the fact that this law does not already exist for the lgbt community will come as a surprise to many americans . eighty percent of the public believes that it is already against the law to fire , or refuse to hire , someone because of their gender orientation or identification . as americans , we trust that jefferson 's words already apply to everyone , but that dream is not realized . now , the senate has brought us one step closer to that goal , offering sweeping bipartisan endorsement to this bill that is supported by broad majorities of democratic , independent and republican voters alike . but once again , it appears that the house of representatives is prepared to stand in the way of progress . speaker john boehner said he will probably kill the bill by refusing to bring it to a vote . boehner 's office is offering three key arguments for stopping this civil rights legislation dead , and each one is more phony than the last . he 's called it a job killer . ( why , then , have more than 100 major corporations -- many in the fortune 500 -- endorsed it ? and why is the chamber of commerce neutral ? ) he 's said it will increase frivolous lawsuits . ( only if you believe that being able to challenge your boss if he or she fires you strictly because you 're gay is frivolous . ' ) and his staff has said this problem is already addressed by existing law . ( this one 's just flat-out phony , and they know it . more than half the states in the country lack these protections . ) contrast boehner to another republican , illinois sen. mark kirk , who used his first floor speech since suffering a stroke in 2012 to address the issue of workplace discrimination . his speech was halting , but he felt compelled to speak because he so passionately ' believes in equal rights for all . i think it 's particularly appropriate for an illinois republican to speak on behalf of this measure , ' kirk said . in the true tradition of everett mckinley dirksen and abraham lincoln , men who gave us the 1964 civil rights act and the 13th amendment to the constitution . ' even now , in 2013 , there are those in our society who , like douglas more than a century and a half ago , cling to a narrow and incomplete view of jefferson 's immortal words and would prefer for only some of us to be granted the full light of equality . but today i still have hope that folks like kirk on both sides of the aisle , as well as the broad majority of americans who support this bill , will stand up , like lincoln before them , and once again expand the circle of liberty to include everyone . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of donna brazile .
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donna brazile says the gop might thwart the bill in the house
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brazile <tsp> ( cnn ) -- even from the moment they were set down in the declaration of independence , thomas jefferson 's immortal words all men are created equal ' have always been awkward and challenging . they 're not awkward and challenging because they 're incorrect . on the contrary , they 're some of the truest words ever put to paper . instead , they 're awkward and challenging because -- for a nation built by slaves , where only a fraction of the population owned land and even fewer could vote , where an entire gender was held at bay for centuries -- these words were the sand in our collective eye that urged us , always , to be better , fairer and more decent to one another . stephen douglas , abraham lincoln 's opponent in the historic debates of 1858 , asserted that the declaration was a contract between englishmen only . that excluded not only african-americans and hispanics but also the italians , the swiss , the asians -- almost anyone but douglas and a few select friends . lincoln retorted , why , according to this , not only negroes but white people outside of great britain and america are not spoken of in ( the declaration ) . ... the french , germans and other white people of the world are all gone to pot along with the judge 's inferior races . i had thought the declaration promised something better . ' though he lost that race to douglas , a greater triumph awaited lincoln . on his way to his presidential inaugural , lincoln stopped in philadelphia 's independence hall and said , i have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the declaration of independence . ' we are now 237 years into the history of the document that lincoln so cherished , and even today , jefferson 's words are still awkward and challenging . we are still realizing the potential of all men are created equal . ' equality has come slowly . less than a hundred years ago , women were finally constitutionally guaranteed the right to vote . just five years ago , hillary clinton became the first woman to make a serious run at the presidency . this march , the violence against women reauthorization act was approved . some opposed it or obstructed it because of a provision that would give indian tribes authority by their own people to bring to justice a perpetrator of violence against a woman . there was also opposition to extending the law to apply to lgbt people and immigrants . yet despite that opposition , the law finally passed . this week , the u.s. senate at long last approved a law that has been before congress in one form or another for decades . the employment non-discrimination act is a simple bill that would outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity , protections that are extended to all americans on the basis of race , age , religion and other categories . the fact that this law does not already exist for the lgbt community will come as a surprise to many americans . eighty percent of the public believes that it is already against the law to fire , or refuse to hire , someone because of their gender orientation or identification . as americans , we trust that jefferson 's words already apply to everyone , but that dream is not realized . now , the senate has brought us one step closer to that goal , offering sweeping bipartisan endorsement to this bill that is supported by broad majorities of democratic , independent and republican voters alike . but once again , it appears that the house of representatives is prepared to stand in the way of progress . speaker john boehner said he will probably kill the bill by refusing to bring it to a vote . boehner 's office is offering three key arguments for stopping this civil rights legislation dead , and each one is more phony than the last . he 's called it a job killer . ( why , then , have more than 100 major corporations -- many in the fortune 500 -- endorsed it ? and why is the chamber of commerce neutral ? ) he 's said it will increase frivolous lawsuits . ( only if you believe that being able to challenge your boss if he or she fires you strictly because you 're gay is frivolous . ' ) and his staff has said this problem is already addressed by existing law . ( this one 's just flat-out phony , and they know it . more than half the states in the country lack these protections . ) contrast boehner to another republican , illinois sen. mark kirk , who used his first floor speech since suffering a stroke in 2012 to address the issue of workplace discrimination . his speech was halting , but he felt compelled to speak because he so passionately ' believes in equal rights for all . i think it 's particularly appropriate for an illinois republican to speak on behalf of this measure , ' kirk said . in the true tradition of everett mckinley dirksen and abraham lincoln , men who gave us the 1964 civil rights act and the 13th amendment to the constitution . ' even now , in 2013 , there are those in our society who , like douglas more than a century and a half ago , cling to a narrow and incomplete view of jefferson 's immortal words and would prefer for only some of us to be granted the full light of equality . but today i still have hope that folks like kirk on both sides of the aisle , as well as the broad majority of americans who support this bill , will stand up , like lincoln before them , and once again expand the circle of liberty to include everyone . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of donna brazile .
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brazile : congressional republicans should extend equality to all people
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nanjing <tsp> ( cnn ) -- with more than 6,000 years of history , china 's ancient capital of nanjing has been the birthplace of many of the country 's most intriguing traditional arts . today , a handful of skilled artisans are keeping these endangered practices alive . sophisticated and elegant yet not exclusive to the wealthy , these six nanjing art forms offer insight into china 's diverse yet dwindling collection of intangible attractions that , for the most part , remain hidden behind studio doors . cnn sent sun chen , a nanjing-based photographer , to visit six studios in the city and talk with the artisans . engraved buddhist scrolls sitting in a traditional chinese building with a scenic garden , nanjing 's jinling buddhism publishing house was founded in 1866 by a buddhist scholar . today , the building also serves as his resting place . the printing house specializes in engraved buddhist scrolls utilizing a technique that can be traced to the tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) -- the technique was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by unesco in 2009 . first , engravers carve buddhist sutras onto wooden blocks , which are then printed onto paper . the scrolls are then sorted and bound by hand . it takes half a month to complete a wooden plate of 800 words , ' says nationally recognized senior engraver ma meng-qing , who has worked at jinling for 33 years . some of the more famous sutras , like the diamond sutra and the heart sutra , each consist of 16 wooden plates . ' the house stocks more than 130,000 plates carved with buddhist sutras and images . called the jinling version , ' products from nanjing are highly regarded among chinese temples for their accuracy and clear layouts . jinling buddhism publishing house , 35 huaihai road , bai xia district , nanjing ; open only by appointment paper cuts drawing a chinese language character with a single brush stroke is difficult enough -- try swapping the paint brush for scissors . added to the unesco intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 , paper cutting is a folk art practiced by various ethnic groups in china . but zhang fang-lin , aka jinling holy scissorhands , ' says nanjing 's creations are unique . flower within flower , theme within theme ; roughness with delicacy , rawness with spirit , ' says zhang . this means smaller patterns and stories are hidden within the larger framework of the artwork . nanjing 's paper-cut artwork is known for its curves and complicated lines , a technique that 's been refined by zhang 's family . zhang is the fourth generation of his family in the business . after china 's state television cctv showcased his work in 2013 , pirated versions of his chinese zodiac designs started appearing all over the country . legend has it that his skill was challenged only once . he responded by cutting out two circles separately from two pieces of paper . amazingly , the two circles overlapped seamlessly . in the past , paper-cutting artists were hired to craft art to be placed on wedding dowries as a blessing . today , paper cuttings are placed on walls and doors during celebrations . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing velvet flowers zhao shu-xian is the only acclaimed velvet flower artist in china . during sun chen 's recent visit to his nanjing studio , he was found cutting tiny pieces from a long black stick of velvet , and using them as the noses and eyes of the mini-velvet pandas he was making . master zhao does n't like talking about his background , he would rather stick to art , ' says chen of his visit with the artist . sharing a similar pronunciation as the word for prosperity ' in chinese , rong-hua ( velvet flower ) is seen as a lucky charm in china , especially during weddings and festivals . the chinese word for velvet flowers actually refers to all figures made from thin copper sticks covered with silk velvet . with their delicate and elegant features , they became especially popular as accessories among royal and noble families in ancient china . the folk craft prospers in nanjing thanks to the generous supply of silk scraps left from making brocade -- another well established handicraft in nanjing . to make silk velvet flowers , the silk is boiled to soften its texture before being dyed . then , it 's rolled evenly onto thin copper wires . the velvet sticks are twisted into different shapes . zhao has been making velvet flowers for more than 40 years and is keen to modernize the art 's image . so far so good -- chinese actress yao xing-tong wore one of his pieces on her red carpet dress at cannes in 2012 . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing yunjin ( brocade ) nanjing 's silk brocade is known as yunjin ' in chinese , meaning beautiful as clouds at sunset . ' it 's extremely difficult to make . a craft dating back more than 1,500 years , silk brocade is still produced with an old-fashioned wooden weaving machine . the four-meter-high machine is operated by two craftsmen at the same time -- one sits on top of the machine sorting threads while another sits at the other end and weaves . a team can produce only five centimeters of yunjin per day . the handicraft is another named to unesco 's intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 . nanjing brocade museum , 240 chating dong st. , jianye district , nanjing lantern-making in the first lunar month of every year , master cao zhen-rong and his studio are responsible for creating some 10,000 lanterns for nanjing 's lunar new year celebration . cao started making lanterns when he was 12 , under the guidance of his father . from sourcing the materials to gluing the lanterns , around 30 procedures are involved in making each lantern , ' says cao . since the southern dynasty ( 420-589 ) , the area in front of the confucius temple along qinhuai river has been famous for putting on the most festive lantern show in the country . as a chinese folk belief goes -- one that nanjingers proudly recite -- qinhuai 's lanterns triumph the world . ' lantern viewing is still one of the most popular things to do during the festival . each year , cao and his studio begin working on next year 's lanterns on the 18th day of the first lunar month . the staff were in the midst of preparing lanterns for 2015 , the year of the sheep , during photographer sun chen 's visit , but he says they were kept under wraps . no sneak peeks allowed . lanterns are sold in the market around confucius temple and can be seen in the area during the lunar new year festival . gold leaf ' there were gold leaves everywhere in the studio , ' says sun of his visit to one of nanjing 's gold leaf workshops . i have never seen that much gold in my life . ' the jiangning district of nanjing , where gold leaf is produced , has officially been dubbed china 's gold leaf city . ' nanjing reportedly produces 70 % of china 's and 60 % of the world 's gold leaf . to make the leaves , a gold cube has to go through a dozen processes to reach its 0.12-millimeter thinness . a gram of gold can be hammered into a 0.47 square-meter gold leaf . finished gold leaves are used to plaster the surfaces of buddhist sculptures in temples . they also have various uses from architecture to even food . sun chen is a photographer based in nanjing . cnn travel 's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile . however , cnn retains full editorial control over all of its reports .
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china 's ancient capital , nanjing is home to many endangered folk crafts
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nanjing <tsp> ( cnn ) -- with more than 6,000 years of history , china 's ancient capital of nanjing has been the birthplace of many of the country 's most intriguing traditional arts . today , a handful of skilled artisans are keeping these endangered practices alive . sophisticated and elegant yet not exclusive to the wealthy , these six nanjing art forms offer insight into china 's diverse yet dwindling collection of intangible attractions that , for the most part , remain hidden behind studio doors . cnn sent sun chen , a nanjing-based photographer , to visit six studios in the city and talk with the artisans . engraved buddhist scrolls sitting in a traditional chinese building with a scenic garden , nanjing 's jinling buddhism publishing house was founded in 1866 by a buddhist scholar . today , the building also serves as his resting place . the printing house specializes in engraved buddhist scrolls utilizing a technique that can be traced to the tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) -- the technique was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by unesco in 2009 . first , engravers carve buddhist sutras onto wooden blocks , which are then printed onto paper . the scrolls are then sorted and bound by hand . it takes half a month to complete a wooden plate of 800 words , ' says nationally recognized senior engraver ma meng-qing , who has worked at jinling for 33 years . some of the more famous sutras , like the diamond sutra and the heart sutra , each consist of 16 wooden plates . ' the house stocks more than 130,000 plates carved with buddhist sutras and images . called the jinling version , ' products from nanjing are highly regarded among chinese temples for their accuracy and clear layouts . jinling buddhism publishing house , 35 huaihai road , bai xia district , nanjing ; open only by appointment paper cuts drawing a chinese language character with a single brush stroke is difficult enough -- try swapping the paint brush for scissors . added to the unesco intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 , paper cutting is a folk art practiced by various ethnic groups in china . but zhang fang-lin , aka jinling holy scissorhands , ' says nanjing 's creations are unique . flower within flower , theme within theme ; roughness with delicacy , rawness with spirit , ' says zhang . this means smaller patterns and stories are hidden within the larger framework of the artwork . nanjing 's paper-cut artwork is known for its curves and complicated lines , a technique that 's been refined by zhang 's family . zhang is the fourth generation of his family in the business . after china 's state television cctv showcased his work in 2013 , pirated versions of his chinese zodiac designs started appearing all over the country . legend has it that his skill was challenged only once . he responded by cutting out two circles separately from two pieces of paper . amazingly , the two circles overlapped seamlessly . in the past , paper-cutting artists were hired to craft art to be placed on wedding dowries as a blessing . today , paper cuttings are placed on walls and doors during celebrations . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing velvet flowers zhao shu-xian is the only acclaimed velvet flower artist in china . during sun chen 's recent visit to his nanjing studio , he was found cutting tiny pieces from a long black stick of velvet , and using them as the noses and eyes of the mini-velvet pandas he was making . master zhao does n't like talking about his background , he would rather stick to art , ' says chen of his visit with the artist . sharing a similar pronunciation as the word for prosperity ' in chinese , rong-hua ( velvet flower ) is seen as a lucky charm in china , especially during weddings and festivals . the chinese word for velvet flowers actually refers to all figures made from thin copper sticks covered with silk velvet . with their delicate and elegant features , they became especially popular as accessories among royal and noble families in ancient china . the folk craft prospers in nanjing thanks to the generous supply of silk scraps left from making brocade -- another well established handicraft in nanjing . to make silk velvet flowers , the silk is boiled to soften its texture before being dyed . then , it 's rolled evenly onto thin copper wires . the velvet sticks are twisted into different shapes . zhao has been making velvet flowers for more than 40 years and is keen to modernize the art 's image . so far so good -- chinese actress yao xing-tong wore one of his pieces on her red carpet dress at cannes in 2012 . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing yunjin ( brocade ) nanjing 's silk brocade is known as yunjin ' in chinese , meaning beautiful as clouds at sunset . ' it 's extremely difficult to make . a craft dating back more than 1,500 years , silk brocade is still produced with an old-fashioned wooden weaving machine . the four-meter-high machine is operated by two craftsmen at the same time -- one sits on top of the machine sorting threads while another sits at the other end and weaves . a team can produce only five centimeters of yunjin per day . the handicraft is another named to unesco 's intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 . nanjing brocade museum , 240 chating dong st. , jianye district , nanjing lantern-making in the first lunar month of every year , master cao zhen-rong and his studio are responsible for creating some 10,000 lanterns for nanjing 's lunar new year celebration . cao started making lanterns when he was 12 , under the guidance of his father . from sourcing the materials to gluing the lanterns , around 30 procedures are involved in making each lantern , ' says cao . since the southern dynasty ( 420-589 ) , the area in front of the confucius temple along qinhuai river has been famous for putting on the most festive lantern show in the country . as a chinese folk belief goes -- one that nanjingers proudly recite -- qinhuai 's lanterns triumph the world . ' lantern viewing is still one of the most popular things to do during the festival . each year , cao and his studio begin working on next year 's lanterns on the 18th day of the first lunar month . the staff were in the midst of preparing lanterns for 2015 , the year of the sheep , during photographer sun chen 's visit , but he says they were kept under wraps . no sneak peeks allowed . lanterns are sold in the market around confucius temple and can be seen in the area during the lunar new year festival . gold leaf ' there were gold leaves everywhere in the studio , ' says sun of his visit to one of nanjing 's gold leaf workshops . i have never seen that much gold in my life . ' the jiangning district of nanjing , where gold leaf is produced , has officially been dubbed china 's gold leaf city . ' nanjing reportedly produces 70 % of china 's and 60 % of the world 's gold leaf . to make the leaves , a gold cube has to go through a dozen processes to reach its 0.12-millimeter thinness . a gram of gold can be hammered into a 0.47 square-meter gold leaf . finished gold leaves are used to plaster the surfaces of buddhist sculptures in temples . they also have various uses from architecture to even food . sun chen is a photographer based in nanjing . cnn travel 's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile . however , cnn retains full editorial control over all of its reports .
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nanjing 's silk brocade is called yunjin ' in chinese -- which means beautiful as clouds at sunset '
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chinese <tsp> ( cnn ) -- with more than 6,000 years of history , china 's ancient capital of nanjing has been the birthplace of many of the country 's most intriguing traditional arts . today , a handful of skilled artisans are keeping these endangered practices alive . sophisticated and elegant yet not exclusive to the wealthy , these six nanjing art forms offer insight into china 's diverse yet dwindling collection of intangible attractions that , for the most part , remain hidden behind studio doors . cnn sent sun chen , a nanjing-based photographer , to visit six studios in the city and talk with the artisans . engraved buddhist scrolls sitting in a traditional chinese building with a scenic garden , nanjing 's jinling buddhism publishing house was founded in 1866 by a buddhist scholar . today , the building also serves as his resting place . the printing house specializes in engraved buddhist scrolls utilizing a technique that can be traced to the tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) -- the technique was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by unesco in 2009 . first , engravers carve buddhist sutras onto wooden blocks , which are then printed onto paper . the scrolls are then sorted and bound by hand . it takes half a month to complete a wooden plate of 800 words , ' says nationally recognized senior engraver ma meng-qing , who has worked at jinling for 33 years . some of the more famous sutras , like the diamond sutra and the heart sutra , each consist of 16 wooden plates . ' the house stocks more than 130,000 plates carved with buddhist sutras and images . called the jinling version , ' products from nanjing are highly regarded among chinese temples for their accuracy and clear layouts . jinling buddhism publishing house , 35 huaihai road , bai xia district , nanjing ; open only by appointment paper cuts drawing a chinese language character with a single brush stroke is difficult enough -- try swapping the paint brush for scissors . added to the unesco intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 , paper cutting is a folk art practiced by various ethnic groups in china . but zhang fang-lin , aka jinling holy scissorhands , ' says nanjing 's creations are unique . flower within flower , theme within theme ; roughness with delicacy , rawness with spirit , ' says zhang . this means smaller patterns and stories are hidden within the larger framework of the artwork . nanjing 's paper-cut artwork is known for its curves and complicated lines , a technique that 's been refined by zhang 's family . zhang is the fourth generation of his family in the business . after china 's state television cctv showcased his work in 2013 , pirated versions of his chinese zodiac designs started appearing all over the country . legend has it that his skill was challenged only once . he responded by cutting out two circles separately from two pieces of paper . amazingly , the two circles overlapped seamlessly . in the past , paper-cutting artists were hired to craft art to be placed on wedding dowries as a blessing . today , paper cuttings are placed on walls and doors during celebrations . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing velvet flowers zhao shu-xian is the only acclaimed velvet flower artist in china . during sun chen 's recent visit to his nanjing studio , he was found cutting tiny pieces from a long black stick of velvet , and using them as the noses and eyes of the mini-velvet pandas he was making . master zhao does n't like talking about his background , he would rather stick to art , ' says chen of his visit with the artist . sharing a similar pronunciation as the word for prosperity ' in chinese , rong-hua ( velvet flower ) is seen as a lucky charm in china , especially during weddings and festivals . the chinese word for velvet flowers actually refers to all figures made from thin copper sticks covered with silk velvet . with their delicate and elegant features , they became especially popular as accessories among royal and noble families in ancient china . the folk craft prospers in nanjing thanks to the generous supply of silk scraps left from making brocade -- another well established handicraft in nanjing . to make silk velvet flowers , the silk is boiled to soften its texture before being dyed . then , it 's rolled evenly onto thin copper wires . the velvet sticks are twisted into different shapes . zhao has been making velvet flowers for more than 40 years and is keen to modernize the art 's image . so far so good -- chinese actress yao xing-tong wore one of his pieces on her red carpet dress at cannes in 2012 . nanjing folk custom museum ( gan 's grand courtyard ) , zhongshan south road , bai xia district , nanjing yunjin ( brocade ) nanjing 's silk brocade is known as yunjin ' in chinese , meaning beautiful as clouds at sunset . ' it 's extremely difficult to make . a craft dating back more than 1,500 years , silk brocade is still produced with an old-fashioned wooden weaving machine . the four-meter-high machine is operated by two craftsmen at the same time -- one sits on top of the machine sorting threads while another sits at the other end and weaves . a team can produce only five centimeters of yunjin per day . the handicraft is another named to unesco 's intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009 . nanjing brocade museum , 240 chating dong st. , jianye district , nanjing lantern-making in the first lunar month of every year , master cao zhen-rong and his studio are responsible for creating some 10,000 lanterns for nanjing 's lunar new year celebration . cao started making lanterns when he was 12 , under the guidance of his father . from sourcing the materials to gluing the lanterns , around 30 procedures are involved in making each lantern , ' says cao . since the southern dynasty ( 420-589 ) , the area in front of the confucius temple along qinhuai river has been famous for putting on the most festive lantern show in the country . as a chinese folk belief goes -- one that nanjingers proudly recite -- qinhuai 's lanterns triumph the world . ' lantern viewing is still one of the most popular things to do during the festival . each year , cao and his studio begin working on next year 's lanterns on the 18th day of the first lunar month . the staff were in the midst of preparing lanterns for 2015 , the year of the sheep , during photographer sun chen 's visit , but he says they were kept under wraps . no sneak peeks allowed . lanterns are sold in the market around confucius temple and can be seen in the area during the lunar new year festival . gold leaf ' there were gold leaves everywhere in the studio , ' says sun of his visit to one of nanjing 's gold leaf workshops . i have never seen that much gold in my life . ' the jiangning district of nanjing , where gold leaf is produced , has officially been dubbed china 's gold leaf city . ' nanjing reportedly produces 70 % of china 's and 60 % of the world 's gold leaf . to make the leaves , a gold cube has to go through a dozen processes to reach its 0.12-millimeter thinness . a gram of gold can be hammered into a 0.47 square-meter gold leaf . finished gold leaves are used to plaster the surfaces of buddhist sculptures in temples . they also have various uses from architecture to even food . sun chen is a photographer based in nanjing . cnn travel 's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile . however , cnn retains full editorial control over all of its reports .
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nanjing 's silk brocade is called yunjin ' in chinese -- which means beautiful as clouds at sunset '
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eureka <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a 25-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries tuesday when a shark attacked him while he was surfing in eureka , california , local authorities said . other surfers pulled the injured man from the water , loaded him into a pickup truck and rushed him to a hospital before the local beach patrol could respond , the humboldt county sheriff 's office said . a deputy who spoke with the victim as he was being taken to surgery said the man suffered a 14-inch bite wound and other , smaller wounds . the deputy did not specify what parts of the body were injured . the attack occurred shortly after noon off the north jetty at eureka 's bunker surf spot . officials did not release the victim 's name . were you there ? surfer dies after shark attack off california air force base great white shark killed california surfer , officials say
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other surfers off eureka shore rescue victim , take him to hospital
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serbia <tsp> ( cnn ) serbian forces committed egregious violent acts against ethnic croatians in the early 1990s , but they do n't equate to genocide , a u.n. court ruled tuesday . the 153-page ruling from the international court of justice means that modern-day serbia will not have to pay restitution to croatia , which in 1991 split from what was then yugoslavia . the decision relates only to the two national governments'responsibility to one another , not the culpability of any individuals for targeting members of an ethnic group . such individual cases are handled by the international criminal tribunal for the former yugoslavia ( icty ) , another u.n. court . croatia has not established that the only reasonable inference that can be drawn from the ( serbians') pattern of conduct ... was the intent to destroy , in whole or in part , the croat group , ' the international court of justice ( or icj ) ruled . ... it follows ... croatia has failed to substantiate its allegation that genocide was committed . ' in addition to dismissing croatia 's case that its citizens had been victims of genocide , the icj also rebuffed serbia 's counterclaim that croatian forces had committed genocide against its own citizens . this all relates to what happened in the 1990s , in the bloody aftermath of yugoslavia splintering into separate nations . many of the most horrific allegations have been levied against those aligned with the yugoslavia government -- the closest equivalent to what is now the republic of serbia -- for its actions in kosovo and bosnia . in fact , several serbians have been charged with genocide , though none yet specifically tied to actions inside croatia . they include radislav krstic , sentenced to 46 years after the icty convicted him in relation to a five-day slaughter of up to 8,000 muslims in the town of srebrenica in what 's been called the worst atrocity in europe since world war ii . former yugoslav president slobodan milosevic became the first sitting head of state to be indicted by a u.n. tribunal when he was charged with 66 counts for crimes against humanity , genocide , and war crimes , though he was found dead in his cell before his years-long trial in front of the icty finished . ex-bosnian serb leader radovan karadzic is still on trial for two genocide charges and nine others related to ethnic violence during the breakup of yugoslavia in the 1990s . when ratko mladic 's own trial on 11 counts of genocide , war crimes and crimes against humanity opened in 2012 , the former general -- who is accused of orchestrating a horrific campaign of ethnic cleansing -- showed no remorse , even appearing to threaten victims in court . yet even as such individual cases push forward , courts have been reluctant to hold governments involved in the conflict directly responsible for genocide . in 2007 , for instance , the international court of justice acquitted serbia of committing genocide in bosnia and herzegovina . but , in the same ruling , the u.n. court did find serbia guilty of failing to prevent genocide in srebrenica . tuesday 's icj ruling relates specifically to what serbian forces did in croatia between 1991 and 1995 . the violence began when serbian troops went into croatia ostensibly to aid armed ethnic serbians trying to create their own autonomous states there . the u.n. court considered reams of evidence , from both sides , about what happened in the years that followed . and some of what happened , the u.n. court ruled , was consistent with genocide . for example , the icj found serbian and allied forces responsible for a large number of killings ' that disproportionately affected croats , which suggests that they may have been systematically targeted . ' the forces also injured ( ethnic croatians ) and perpetrated acts of ill-treatment , torture , sexual violence and rape ( that contributed ) to the physical or biological destruction of the protected group , ' according to the court . croats were singled out in other less lethal ways , like restricting their movement to create a climate of coercion and terror ' and spur them to leave , the icj said . the court did n't find sufficient evidence , however , to implicate serbian forces on other grounds , like depriving croatians of food and medical care . but even if some of the acts could fall under the umbrella of genocide , there must be evidence of intent -- that the forces went in aiming to destroy a group of people -- in order for these actions to be labeled genocide under the so-called genocide convention , which dates to 1948 . that was not proven , in the eyes of the international court of justice . in view of the fact that dolus specialis has been established by croatia , ' the court said , using the legal term for a specific intent , its claims of conspiracy to commit genocide , direct and public incitement to commit genocide and attempt to commit genocide also necessarily fail . accordingly , croatia 's claim must be dismissed in its entirety . '
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the same court dismisses serbia 's counterclaim that croatia committed genocide
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alaskan <tsp> ( travel + leisure ) -- no matter how many times he steers the 450-passenger seabourn sojourn through norway 's lofoten islands , captain hamish elliott eagerly anticipates his favorite point : the entrance to trollfjord , a fairytale-like landscape with towering cliffs on either side . scenic views are the most priceless part of an amenity-packed cruise experience . and , as savvy travelers seek more adventure opportunities , cruise lines are responding by charting a course to ever more beautiful-and remote-corners of the map . the world 's most scenic cruises include the kimberley , a gorgeous coastline of rugged red cliffs and white sands in northwestern australia . in this outback , where the indian ocean meets the timor sea , remote islands proliferate , and rivers and inlets-accessible only by small ships-lead to isolated gorges , towering rock faces , and waterfalls . but big ship lines , too , are bringing passengers to ocean-accessible scenic wonders like alaska 's inside passage , where the roar of calving glaciers is best experienced from the vantage point of a ship 's deck . it list : best new hotels 2011 beauty may be in the eye of the beholder , but on the world 's most scenic cruises , mother nature serves up views that will please even the most jaded traveler . antarctica and the south shetland islands the captain charts a course south from argentina 's tip to the great white continent , ' where wild beauty comes in the form of spectacular glaciers , giant white and blue icebergs , and snowcapped mountains . in this stark setting , you can spot orca and sperm whales from the deck and observe penguins and elephant seals up-close on island stops . what you wo n't find is any sign of humans ( beyond a smattering of scientific research stations ) . season : november -- february . sample itinerary : 11-day antarctic explorer , round-trip from ushuaia , argentina , on the 122-passenger clipper adventurer . from $ 4,890 per person , based on double occupancy . travel + leisure : america 's best beach hotels galapagos islands located some 600 miles off the coast of ecuador , and virtually untouched by man , these islands have fostered hundreds of species found nowhere else on earth . giant tortoises , curious iguanas , blue-footed boobies , and charles darwin 's famous finches are the main attractions . you 'll cruise past volcanic peaks and beaches , with opportunities to schmooze with land critters , snorkel with sharks , or watch the birds and contemplate the ongoing evolution in this wild spot . season : year-round . sample itinerary : 7-day on the 92-passenger celebrity xpedition , from baltra , ecuador . from $ 3,499 per person , based on double occupancy . baja california/sea of cortez ' the world 's aquarium ' is what jacques cousteau called the protected azure waters of the sea of cortez . cruisers who venture here get to mingle with marine life like the california gray whales that come to baja to breed . but the dramatic desert-meets-sea scenery is its own calling card , with views ranging from giant cacti and craggy lava-shaped cliffs to mangroves and pristine beaches . season : december -- march . sample itinerary : 7-day among the great whales on the 62-passenger national geographic sea bird , from la paz/san carlos . from $ 5,240 per person , based on double occupancy . alaska cruising the calm waters of alaska 's inside passage delivers high-drama views , namely , the awesome sight of immense glaciers thunderously calving into the sea . but what may linger in your memory is the sheer vastness of the wilderness , icy and forested . keep your binoculars handy to catch glimpses of whales , eagles , and , if you 're lucky , a grizzly . season : may -- september . sample itinerary : weeklong eastern coves on the 68-passenger wilderness discoverer or 57-passenger wilderness adventurer , between juneau and ketchikan . from $ 1,795 per person , based on double occupancy . the kimberley the rugged red cliffs and white sands of northwestern australia make for one of the wildest , most beautiful coastlines in the world -- and the best parts are accessible only by ship . in this outback territory , where the indian ocean meets the timor sea , remote islands proliferate , and rivers and inlets lead to isolated gorges , towering rock faces , majestic waterfalls ( as high as 328 feet ) , and roving saltwater crocodiles . season : april -- october . sample itinerary : 10-day , from the frontier cities of darwin or broome , on the 50-passenger coral princess . from $ 7,337 per person , based on double occupancy . borneo in the heart of the malay archipelago awaits the third largest island in the world , where ancient tropical rainforests support a zoological wonderland . there are interesting plants and animal- and bird-life galore , and offshore , the reefs are full of colorful coral and marine life . do n't miss the monkeys in the wild , particularly orangutans . season : september -- january . sample itinerary : 10-day camp leaky on the 100-passenger orion ii ( includes a stop at the orangutan rehab center featured in the imax film born to be wild ) . from $ 6,930 per person , based on double occupancy . french polynesia when you picture paradise , chances are it looks a lot like french polynesia , an ethereal collection of islands where dark volcanic peaks loom above the greenest of green foliage and turquoise sea . admire the vivid hues from a deck chair , then don snorkels to get an underwater look at bright corals and tropical fish in every color of the rainbow . season : year-round . sample itinerary : 7-day tahiti & society islands on the 332-passenger paul gauguin . from $ 4,397 per person , based on double occupancy . hebridean islands there 's an eerie beauty and otherworldly quality to the scottish hebrides , hundreds of sparsely populated islands with rocky cliffs and barren seashores . rolling moorland leads to striking rock pillars and pinnacles on skye 's trotternish peninsula , while a volcanic peak dominates eigg , and whales and dolphins frolic off ulva and mull . you 'll also be taken in by views of spectacular lochs , bird reserves , and the occasional castle or mysterious stone circle . season : march -- november . sample itinerary : 7-day footloose to the western islands on the 50-passenger hebridean princess . from $ 5,060 per person , based on double occupancy . travel + leisure : world 's coolest hotel bathrooms the arctic/spitsbergen around the north pole the polar bear is king . these huge carnivores live among the pristine beauty of glistening glaciers and enormous icebergs that will take your breath away -- no matter how many photos you 've seen . encouraged by the midnight sun , arctic wildflowers bloom , and thousands of rare seabirds , walruses , reindeer , beluga whales , and other creatures also make appearances . season : june -- august . sample itinerary : 6-day polar encounters on the 100-passenger m/s fram , from longyearbyen , norway . from $ 3,230 per person , based on double occupancy . travel + leisure : best barbecue restaurants in the world madagascar as you island-hop across the indian ocean , passing mauritius , reunion , and the comoros , you 'll be wowed by such sights as volcanoes ( both extinct and active ) , dense forests , and some of the most pristine beaches and teeming coral reefs in the world . the east african cruise experience peaks at madagascar , so big it 's been dubbed the eighth continent , ' which presents the added allure of lemurs -- those spooky primates whose eyes make them look perpetually startled . season : december -- march . sample itinerary : 15-day east africa , from mauritius to zanzibar on zegrahm expeditions'110-passenger clipper odyssey , one of the only ships that devotes more than a day to the remarkable island of madagascar . from $ 12,480 per person , based on double occupancy . new england the colorful leaves that light up the eastern seaboard each fall are recognized worldwide as one of nature 's best shows . seeing the red and gold display from the sea is a refreshing alternative to traffic-clogged roadways . plus there 's the added delight of rugged coastline and sightings of humpback and minke whales . cruises typically head up to canada , and some seek out a route that includes the tree-lined fjord of the saguenay , which cuts through what may be the oldest rocks on earth . season : september -- october . sample itinerary : 10-day canada/new england , including saguenay , on holland america 's 2,100-passenger eurodam from new york or quebec city , from $ 1,499 per person , based on double occupancy . norwegian fjords the crystal-clear norwegian fjords serve up an embarrassment of natural riches . these stunning waterways cut right through 1,000-foot cliffs , revealing snowcapped mountains , glacier-fed waterfalls , and rolling lowlands . the spectacular views just keep on coming and continue well past dinnertime as you cruise with the midnight sun . season : may -- august . sample itinerary : 9-day norwegian fjords , round-trip from copenhagen on the seabourn sojourn . from $ 3,995 per person , based on double occupancy . planning a romantic getaway ? do n't miss travel + leisure 's guide to the world 's most romantic hotels . copyright 2010 american express publishing corporation . all rights reserved .
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alaskan , nordic and arctic cruises are a nice contrast to traditional island spots
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o'connor <tsp> ( cnn ) -- police have arrested scotland international striker garry o'connor on suspicion of possessing cocaine , according to the uk press association . the striker , who is currently without a club , has recently been training with glasgow side celtic and has played for birmingham city in the english premier league and lokomotiv moscow in russia . he was allegedly caught with the class a drug in the early hours of saturday morning in the scottish capital edinburgh . o'connor , who is from edinburgh , was reportedly detained by police but released without charge pending further enquiries . after being released by barnsley , who play in the second tier of english football , o'connor has been training with neil lennon 's celtic , who narrowly missed out on the scottish title to city rivals rangers on sunday . he has 16 scotland caps . the uk press association also reported that two players from edinburgh club hearts were allegedly caught with an illegal substance . it said ian black , 26 , and robert ogleby , 19 , had been detained on suspicion of possessing a class a drug and later released . a spokeswoman for lothian and borders police said : we had two people detained , both were cautioned and charged . '
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o'connor detained by police but released without charge pending further enquiries
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o'connor <tsp> ( cnn ) -- police have arrested scotland international striker garry o'connor on suspicion of possessing cocaine , according to the uk press association . the striker , who is currently without a club , has recently been training with glasgow side celtic and has played for birmingham city in the english premier league and lokomotiv moscow in russia . he was allegedly caught with the class a drug in the early hours of saturday morning in the scottish capital edinburgh . o'connor , who is from edinburgh , was reportedly detained by police but released without charge pending further enquiries . after being released by barnsley , who play in the second tier of english football , o'connor has been training with neil lennon 's celtic , who narrowly missed out on the scottish title to city rivals rangers on sunday . he has 16 scotland caps . the uk press association also reported that two players from edinburgh club hearts were allegedly caught with an illegal substance . it said ian black , 26 , and robert ogleby , 19 , had been detained on suspicion of possessing a class a drug and later released . a spokeswoman for lothian and borders police said : we had two people detained , both were cautioned and charged . '
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scotland international garry o'connor arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine
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tsa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the sign at the airport was so ridiculous , i thought it was a joke . please be advised , snow globes are not allowed through the security checkpoint , ' it read . that was followed by an image of a snow globe with a christmas tree on the inside and one of those big red not allowed ' lines going through the middle . underneath the picture read : your safety is our priority . ' apparently , this ban has been around for a while , but i guess i was too busy taking my shoes and belt off to notice . over the years , transportation security administration officials have taken away my deodorant , my toothpaste , even my nose hair trimmer in the name of safety . now it seems as if they are going after christmas -- one snow globe at a time . to be fair , i can see some reason for their caution . after all , the liquid in a normal snow globe could be replaced with something dangerous . and at a time in which an al qaeda operative is on trial for trying to blow up a plane by igniting explosives sewn inside his underwear , there does n't appear to be a limit as to how far our enemies will go to harm us . but on the other , we 're so wildly inconsistent with airport safety protocol , how could someone look at a no snow globe ' sign and not laugh ? a couple of weeks ago , i had an agent ask to frisk my dreadlocks because the scanner read it as an anomaly . ' i argued , and the eventual compromise was having me whip my hair around like a vegas showgirl until the guy with the rubber gloves was convinced i was n't carrying a bomb in my hair . then he groped me ... just in case i had any dignity left . my encounter was similar to the one experienced by a dallas woman who last month had her afro frisked by airport security in atlanta . billions of taxpayer dollars invested to make us safe , and the tsa is on the lookout for big hair . if this were the '80s , everybody would miss their flight . meanwhile , i see pilots and flight attendants walking through the metal detector , untouched , with their shoes on . why bother making them walk through metal detectors at all if they 're not going to be fondled or checked for shoe bombs like the rest of us ? and if you can answer that , maybe you can explain why we are given plastic knives and forks to eat with in airport restaurants , but metal knives and forks are handed to us in first class ? are terrorists only flying coach ? are policy makers incapable of connecting the dots ? or are these mindless exercises in place to mask the reality that we are not only incapable of completely safeguarding ourselves against another terrorist attack but that our government is too dysfunctional to even approve what can be done ? did you know that one of the factors that led to more deaths on the morning of september 11 is that new york police and fire departments did not have a way to communicate with each other ? ten years later , there still is n't a nationwide first responder network in place because of the bureaucracy in washington . face it : the question is n't whether we 'll be attacked again but when and how . afro-frisking and snow globe-grabbing are just placebos given to an incurable patient . but they do make us laugh . and laughter 's a pretty good medicine in its own right . like the glass case in the atlanta airport that displays items you ca n't bring aboard , one of them a chainsaw , in case you were packing a chainsaw as your carry-on . and i ca n't tell you how many times i 've glanced over at the emergency exit row and thought : if we 're forced to have a water landing , we 're all as good as dead . that 's because i 've seen skinny models who need help getting their carry-on into the overhead compartment manning the exit nearest to me . i 've seen the barely mobile elderly sitting in the exit row . last week , the nation openly asked whether new jersey gov . chris christie was too fat to be president . i 'm ok with him being president . i wonder if people his size are normally fit enough to be sitting in the freaking exit row . given the physical requirements and inherent importance of an exit row seat , i would feel more comfortable if i knew the person sitting there could at least do a pushup and not just be collecting a reward for being a repeat customer . these are the kind of systematic disconnects that just crack me up . flight attendants tell us to turn off all electronic devices under the guise they could interfere with the plane 's navigation system , meaning that if the terrorists really wanted to cause some damage , all they had to do was read their kindle during takeoff . but hey , at least we 're getting a handle on snow globes . after i got done staring at the sign , i took a picture of it and posted it on my facebook wall so my friends could also enjoy the laugh . and as the cynical comments came pouring in , i smiled , temporarily forgetting that i live in a world where shoes are a threat , afros can be dangerous , and someone tried to blow up a plane with their underwear . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of lz granderson .
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lz granderson thought the tsa ban on carrying snow globes was a joke
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bradley wiggins <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the apprentice became the master as the wheels stopped turning in the 100th tour de france on a balmy paris evening . the man they called super domestique ' for his selfless service in helping sir bradley wiggins to the 2012 crown is now top dog . chris froome won the world 's greatest cycling road race sunday to become the second successive briton to win the tour . the 28-year-old , runner-up in 2012 , had pulled on the yellow jersey for the first time after the eighth stage of the 21-leg epic and from then on was never really challenged . froome , who won three stages , finished four minutes and 20 seconds ahead of the field . fellow climber colombian nairo quintana -- a future prospect at just 23 years old -- finished as king of the mountains and second overall . spain 's joaquim rodriguez took the final place on the podium , finishing third ahead of spanish stalwart alberto contador . for the second year running , slovakian peter sagan claimed the green jersey . the 23-year-old led the sprint category for 38 out of the 41 days he has raced in the tour . a twilight finale saw the peloton parade past some famous parisian landmarks , including the royal palace of versailles and the louvre museum , before a 10-lap loop of the champs-elysees came down to an intense sprint that was won by german marcel kittel ahead of andre greipel and mark cavendish . froome finished the day-night stage in 114th place but after the glitzy centennial celebrations fizzled out he stood alone , shaking his head in disbelief , under the arc de triomphe as the tour champion . i 'd like to dedicate this win to my late mother who without her encouragement to follow my dream i 'd probably be watching this event on the television , ' froome said on the podium . to win the 100th edition is an honor beyond any dream . this is one yellow jersey that will stand the test of time . ' froome certainly learned valuable lessons supporting wiggins in last year 's tour but his raw talent was forged cycling in the rural highlands of kenya , where he was born . kenyan cycling champion david kinjah was froome 's first mentor -- long before team sky maestro sir david brailsford began to shape his career . he was just funny and happy , a white boy who accepted our village and ate our food , ' kinjah recalled on bbc radio station 5 live . he would want to complete each and every training ride and he would n't stop . if he decided he wanted to complete the whole 100km he would do exactly that . no matter how much pain or how many hours he went through he would keep riding to the end . ' brailsford has also credited froome 's steely ambition to his battle with bilharzia -- a parasitic disease which he contracted during his childhood in africa . froome himself struggled to describe his feelings as he reflected on his route to success . for me , what this represents -- the journey i 've taken to get here from where i started , riding on a little mountain bike back on dirt roads in kenya , ' he told reporters in france . to be right here , the yellow jersey at the tour de france , the biggest event on our cycling calendar ... it 's difficult for me to put into words . ' the tour may have finished in glory and glitter under parisian lights but the world 's most famous cycle race is still ridden in the shadow of lance armstrong 's dubious legacy . the american was stripped of his seven tour de france titles after admitting earlier this year to persistent use of banned substances during his halcyon days of domination . it was almost inevitable that some of froome 's performances raised eyebrows during his ride to victory . in this year 's first mountain stage , the briton won the energy-sapping 195-kilometer ( 121-mile ) ride from castres to ax 3 domaines 51 seconds ahead of his closest rival . there was another dominant performance from the 28-year-old as he conquered the gruelling mont ventoux -- at 150 miles the longest stage of the tour -- just days later . froome had to be given oxygen after his arduous efforts but his obvious fatigue did not stop questions being asked . in an attempt to end the finger-pointing surrounding froome , team sky gave french newspaper l'equipe data of 18 of his climbs since he made his major breakthrough in 2011 . the french newspaper 's sports science expert , fred grappe , was satisfied the results were consistent with doping-free riding . commenting on the spectre of doping on broadcaster eurosport 2 froome said : on the back of the history of the sport and recent revelations whoever was wearing the yellow jersey was going to come under a lot of scrutiny . i hope i 've shown the sport has changed and we as the peloton wo n't stand for it any longer . ' wiggins , who pulled out of this year 's tour because of a knee condition , told cnn that cycling 's troubled history is now most useful when it is used in a light and shade comparison to where the sport was -- and where it is heading . it 's had a tainted history but i think all that is a reminder of where the sport was and where it is now , ' he said . and it 's in a great position . ' and after emerging from shadows of his own , froome will agree the future is bright .
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froome - second to bradley wiggins in 2012 - began his cycling career growing up in africa
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bush <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on thursday , president obama and former presidents jimmy carter , george h.w . bush and bill clinton are due to attend the grand opening of president george w. bush 's presidential library and archive in dallas , texas . the opening of the library offers an opportunity to think again about the legacy of the bush presidency . as obama and the former presidents look around the museum , they will see many exhibits that symbolize how the jury is still out on most of the major issues . events in the coming years will play a huge role in how history is likely to remember bush 's white house . there are four big questions about his presidency . bush 43 :'history will ultimately judge' 1 . how effective and how just were bush 's counterterrorism policies ? bush came into office much more concerned about domestic issues like education and taxation , but after the 9/11 terror attacks , he invested a great deal of his power in the counterterrorism program . he and his supporters have felt that the absence of major attacks until last week and that the re-establishment of calm in the united states was a defining achievement . it is not surprising that one of the artifacts that obama will see during his visit is the bullhorn bush used in his famous address to first responders who were working at ground zero . but our continued vulnerability became clear when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the boston marathon last week , killing three people and injuring many others . the attacks immediately raise the question as to what kinds of risks were not addressed and what holes exist in our security program . there are already questions facing the obama administration about the handling of a tip about tamerlan tsarnaev received by the fbi from the russian government in 2011 . there are also questions about how boston responded , as authorities virtually shut down the entire city during the hunt for the suspects and , some argue , unnecessarily gave potential copy cats the impression that they could cause even greater turmoil through similar acts . in addition , the hunger strike in which guantanamo prisoners have been protesting their treatment and the infringement of basic civil liberties raises the question about the costs of bush 's programs . the violation of civil liberties through the use of torture proved to be a huge blow to america 's international standing . many critics argue that these practices , many of which obama has allowed to stay in place , actually has fueled support for terrorist networks overseas . brazile : bush came through on katrina 2 . what is the long-term impact of bush 's fiscal policies ? when bush started his term , the country enjoyed a sizable budgetary surplus for the first time in decades . once in office , however , bush chose a series of policies that turned the surplus into a deficit . the president argued that tax cuts offered the best path to stimulating economic growth , adhering to the supply side economics of the reagan era . bush and his advisers argued that reducing the tax burdens of americans , especially wealthier americans who had money to invest , would grow the economy for all . the tax cuts , combined with spending for defense after 9/11 and new domestic programs such as the medicare prescription drug benefit , generated massive federal deficits . the problem for bush is that the economic record since 2001 has been checkered , with the huge financial collapse in 2008 , a recession and an extremely sluggish recovery . economic inequality has worsened . thus far , the record remains poor . 3 . did federal education standards improve the nation 's schools ? the no child left behind act ( 2001 ) was a major achievement and fulfilled a central objective of the bush presidency , to impose stringent standards to improve the quality of education . the law extended the reach of the federal government by setting up a strong set of standardized measures to judge school performance . but the law has been hugely controversial . many teachers complain that the standards have had a detrimental effect on education , forcing them and students to focus their energy on tests to meet the standards rather than the kind of substance important to the development of a child . as bush 's secretary of education margaret spellings said , what gets tested gets taught . ' right now the debate continues , and there are many advocates on different parts of the political spectrum who argue that the law needs substantial reform . whether there is a demonstrable improvement in education outcomes as a result of the standards will be a very important factor in determining his legacy . 4 . what was the result of engaging in pre-emptive wars ? bush made a strong argument that pre-emptive war was essential to preventing terrorism . the results of this strategic outlook were wars in afghanistan and iraq . though the operations were initially successful and knocked out the leadership of both countries , the post-war reconstruction had tremendous human and economic costs . while each situation was eventually stabilized , new democratic processes established , and u.s. troops drawn down , the wars remain hugely controversial with the american public . one of the most ambitious promises from administration officials was that these kinds of wars would not only diminish the chances for terrorism to find state sponsors but also would also change the dynamics of the region and create pressure for dismantling the autocracies that have dominated the middle east . but the region remains in turmoil and in transition . while some of bush 's supporters initially hailed the fall of the governments in countries like egypt as proof that his strategy worked , the election of an islamist government created new fears . the ongoing battle in syria between the government and rebels is a reminder that the region remains a tinderbox . the way in which these stories unfold will play a big role in shaping how we evaluate bush . these are just some of the open questions that historians , journalists and the public will be looking to answer . the bush library offers one approach , mostly reflecting the views of his supporters , but americans will debate the impact of those controversial eight years for a long time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .
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zelizer : how will history view the long-term impact of bush 's pre-emptive wars
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bush <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on thursday , president obama and former presidents jimmy carter , george h.w . bush and bill clinton are due to attend the grand opening of president george w. bush 's presidential library and archive in dallas , texas . the opening of the library offers an opportunity to think again about the legacy of the bush presidency . as obama and the former presidents look around the museum , they will see many exhibits that symbolize how the jury is still out on most of the major issues . events in the coming years will play a huge role in how history is likely to remember bush 's white house . there are four big questions about his presidency . bush 43 :'history will ultimately judge' 1 . how effective and how just were bush 's counterterrorism policies ? bush came into office much more concerned about domestic issues like education and taxation , but after the 9/11 terror attacks , he invested a great deal of his power in the counterterrorism program . he and his supporters have felt that the absence of major attacks until last week and that the re-establishment of calm in the united states was a defining achievement . it is not surprising that one of the artifacts that obama will see during his visit is the bullhorn bush used in his famous address to first responders who were working at ground zero . but our continued vulnerability became clear when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the boston marathon last week , killing three people and injuring many others . the attacks immediately raise the question as to what kinds of risks were not addressed and what holes exist in our security program . there are already questions facing the obama administration about the handling of a tip about tamerlan tsarnaev received by the fbi from the russian government in 2011 . there are also questions about how boston responded , as authorities virtually shut down the entire city during the hunt for the suspects and , some argue , unnecessarily gave potential copy cats the impression that they could cause even greater turmoil through similar acts . in addition , the hunger strike in which guantanamo prisoners have been protesting their treatment and the infringement of basic civil liberties raises the question about the costs of bush 's programs . the violation of civil liberties through the use of torture proved to be a huge blow to america 's international standing . many critics argue that these practices , many of which obama has allowed to stay in place , actually has fueled support for terrorist networks overseas . brazile : bush came through on katrina 2 . what is the long-term impact of bush 's fiscal policies ? when bush started his term , the country enjoyed a sizable budgetary surplus for the first time in decades . once in office , however , bush chose a series of policies that turned the surplus into a deficit . the president argued that tax cuts offered the best path to stimulating economic growth , adhering to the supply side economics of the reagan era . bush and his advisers argued that reducing the tax burdens of americans , especially wealthier americans who had money to invest , would grow the economy for all . the tax cuts , combined with spending for defense after 9/11 and new domestic programs such as the medicare prescription drug benefit , generated massive federal deficits . the problem for bush is that the economic record since 2001 has been checkered , with the huge financial collapse in 2008 , a recession and an extremely sluggish recovery . economic inequality has worsened . thus far , the record remains poor . 3 . did federal education standards improve the nation 's schools ? the no child left behind act ( 2001 ) was a major achievement and fulfilled a central objective of the bush presidency , to impose stringent standards to improve the quality of education . the law extended the reach of the federal government by setting up a strong set of standardized measures to judge school performance . but the law has been hugely controversial . many teachers complain that the standards have had a detrimental effect on education , forcing them and students to focus their energy on tests to meet the standards rather than the kind of substance important to the development of a child . as bush 's secretary of education margaret spellings said , what gets tested gets taught . ' right now the debate continues , and there are many advocates on different parts of the political spectrum who argue that the law needs substantial reform . whether there is a demonstrable improvement in education outcomes as a result of the standards will be a very important factor in determining his legacy . 4 . what was the result of engaging in pre-emptive wars ? bush made a strong argument that pre-emptive war was essential to preventing terrorism . the results of this strategic outlook were wars in afghanistan and iraq . though the operations were initially successful and knocked out the leadership of both countries , the post-war reconstruction had tremendous human and economic costs . while each situation was eventually stabilized , new democratic processes established , and u.s. troops drawn down , the wars remain hugely controversial with the american public . one of the most ambitious promises from administration officials was that these kinds of wars would not only diminish the chances for terrorism to find state sponsors but also would also change the dynamics of the region and create pressure for dismantling the autocracies that have dominated the middle east . but the region remains in turmoil and in transition . while some of bush 's supporters initially hailed the fall of the governments in countries like egypt as proof that his strategy worked , the election of an islamist government created new fears . the ongoing battle in syria between the government and rebels is a reminder that the region remains a tinderbox . the way in which these stories unfold will play a big role in shaping how we evaluate bush . these are just some of the open questions that historians , journalists and the public will be looking to answer . the bush library offers one approach , mostly reflecting the views of his supporters , but americans will debate the impact of those controversial eight years for a long time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .
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julian zelizer says opening of bush library rekindles debate over 43rd president
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bush <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on thursday , president obama and former presidents jimmy carter , george h.w . bush and bill clinton are due to attend the grand opening of president george w. bush 's presidential library and archive in dallas , texas . the opening of the library offers an opportunity to think again about the legacy of the bush presidency . as obama and the former presidents look around the museum , they will see many exhibits that symbolize how the jury is still out on most of the major issues . events in the coming years will play a huge role in how history is likely to remember bush 's white house . there are four big questions about his presidency . bush 43 :'history will ultimately judge' 1 . how effective and how just were bush 's counterterrorism policies ? bush came into office much more concerned about domestic issues like education and taxation , but after the 9/11 terror attacks , he invested a great deal of his power in the counterterrorism program . he and his supporters have felt that the absence of major attacks until last week and that the re-establishment of calm in the united states was a defining achievement . it is not surprising that one of the artifacts that obama will see during his visit is the bullhorn bush used in his famous address to first responders who were working at ground zero . but our continued vulnerability became clear when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the boston marathon last week , killing three people and injuring many others . the attacks immediately raise the question as to what kinds of risks were not addressed and what holes exist in our security program . there are already questions facing the obama administration about the handling of a tip about tamerlan tsarnaev received by the fbi from the russian government in 2011 . there are also questions about how boston responded , as authorities virtually shut down the entire city during the hunt for the suspects and , some argue , unnecessarily gave potential copy cats the impression that they could cause even greater turmoil through similar acts . in addition , the hunger strike in which guantanamo prisoners have been protesting their treatment and the infringement of basic civil liberties raises the question about the costs of bush 's programs . the violation of civil liberties through the use of torture proved to be a huge blow to america 's international standing . many critics argue that these practices , many of which obama has allowed to stay in place , actually has fueled support for terrorist networks overseas . brazile : bush came through on katrina 2 . what is the long-term impact of bush 's fiscal policies ? when bush started his term , the country enjoyed a sizable budgetary surplus for the first time in decades . once in office , however , bush chose a series of policies that turned the surplus into a deficit . the president argued that tax cuts offered the best path to stimulating economic growth , adhering to the supply side economics of the reagan era . bush and his advisers argued that reducing the tax burdens of americans , especially wealthier americans who had money to invest , would grow the economy for all . the tax cuts , combined with spending for defense after 9/11 and new domestic programs such as the medicare prescription drug benefit , generated massive federal deficits . the problem for bush is that the economic record since 2001 has been checkered , with the huge financial collapse in 2008 , a recession and an extremely sluggish recovery . economic inequality has worsened . thus far , the record remains poor . 3 . did federal education standards improve the nation 's schools ? the no child left behind act ( 2001 ) was a major achievement and fulfilled a central objective of the bush presidency , to impose stringent standards to improve the quality of education . the law extended the reach of the federal government by setting up a strong set of standardized measures to judge school performance . but the law has been hugely controversial . many teachers complain that the standards have had a detrimental effect on education , forcing them and students to focus their energy on tests to meet the standards rather than the kind of substance important to the development of a child . as bush 's secretary of education margaret spellings said , what gets tested gets taught . ' right now the debate continues , and there are many advocates on different parts of the political spectrum who argue that the law needs substantial reform . whether there is a demonstrable improvement in education outcomes as a result of the standards will be a very important factor in determining his legacy . 4 . what was the result of engaging in pre-emptive wars ? bush made a strong argument that pre-emptive war was essential to preventing terrorism . the results of this strategic outlook were wars in afghanistan and iraq . though the operations were initially successful and knocked out the leadership of both countries , the post-war reconstruction had tremendous human and economic costs . while each situation was eventually stabilized , new democratic processes established , and u.s. troops drawn down , the wars remain hugely controversial with the american public . one of the most ambitious promises from administration officials was that these kinds of wars would not only diminish the chances for terrorism to find state sponsors but also would also change the dynamics of the region and create pressure for dismantling the autocracies that have dominated the middle east . but the region remains in turmoil and in transition . while some of bush 's supporters initially hailed the fall of the governments in countries like egypt as proof that his strategy worked , the election of an islamist government created new fears . the ongoing battle in syria between the government and rebels is a reminder that the region remains a tinderbox . the way in which these stories unfold will play a big role in shaping how we evaluate bush . these are just some of the open questions that historians , journalists and the public will be looking to answer . the bush library offers one approach , mostly reflecting the views of his supporters , but americans will debate the impact of those controversial eight years for a long time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .
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bush will also be judged on his economic policies and deficit spending , he says
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bush <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on thursday , president obama and former presidents jimmy carter , george h.w . bush and bill clinton are due to attend the grand opening of president george w. bush 's presidential library and archive in dallas , texas . the opening of the library offers an opportunity to think again about the legacy of the bush presidency . as obama and the former presidents look around the museum , they will see many exhibits that symbolize how the jury is still out on most of the major issues . events in the coming years will play a huge role in how history is likely to remember bush 's white house . there are four big questions about his presidency . bush 43 :'history will ultimately judge' 1 . how effective and how just were bush 's counterterrorism policies ? bush came into office much more concerned about domestic issues like education and taxation , but after the 9/11 terror attacks , he invested a great deal of his power in the counterterrorism program . he and his supporters have felt that the absence of major attacks until last week and that the re-establishment of calm in the united states was a defining achievement . it is not surprising that one of the artifacts that obama will see during his visit is the bullhorn bush used in his famous address to first responders who were working at ground zero . but our continued vulnerability became clear when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the boston marathon last week , killing three people and injuring many others . the attacks immediately raise the question as to what kinds of risks were not addressed and what holes exist in our security program . there are already questions facing the obama administration about the handling of a tip about tamerlan tsarnaev received by the fbi from the russian government in 2011 . there are also questions about how boston responded , as authorities virtually shut down the entire city during the hunt for the suspects and , some argue , unnecessarily gave potential copy cats the impression that they could cause even greater turmoil through similar acts . in addition , the hunger strike in which guantanamo prisoners have been protesting their treatment and the infringement of basic civil liberties raises the question about the costs of bush 's programs . the violation of civil liberties through the use of torture proved to be a huge blow to america 's international standing . many critics argue that these practices , many of which obama has allowed to stay in place , actually has fueled support for terrorist networks overseas . brazile : bush came through on katrina 2 . what is the long-term impact of bush 's fiscal policies ? when bush started his term , the country enjoyed a sizable budgetary surplus for the first time in decades . once in office , however , bush chose a series of policies that turned the surplus into a deficit . the president argued that tax cuts offered the best path to stimulating economic growth , adhering to the supply side economics of the reagan era . bush and his advisers argued that reducing the tax burdens of americans , especially wealthier americans who had money to invest , would grow the economy for all . the tax cuts , combined with spending for defense after 9/11 and new domestic programs such as the medicare prescription drug benefit , generated massive federal deficits . the problem for bush is that the economic record since 2001 has been checkered , with the huge financial collapse in 2008 , a recession and an extremely sluggish recovery . economic inequality has worsened . thus far , the record remains poor . 3 . did federal education standards improve the nation 's schools ? the no child left behind act ( 2001 ) was a major achievement and fulfilled a central objective of the bush presidency , to impose stringent standards to improve the quality of education . the law extended the reach of the federal government by setting up a strong set of standardized measures to judge school performance . but the law has been hugely controversial . many teachers complain that the standards have had a detrimental effect on education , forcing them and students to focus their energy on tests to meet the standards rather than the kind of substance important to the development of a child . as bush 's secretary of education margaret spellings said , what gets tested gets taught . ' right now the debate continues , and there are many advocates on different parts of the political spectrum who argue that the law needs substantial reform . whether there is a demonstrable improvement in education outcomes as a result of the standards will be a very important factor in determining his legacy . 4 . what was the result of engaging in pre-emptive wars ? bush made a strong argument that pre-emptive war was essential to preventing terrorism . the results of this strategic outlook were wars in afghanistan and iraq . though the operations were initially successful and knocked out the leadership of both countries , the post-war reconstruction had tremendous human and economic costs . while each situation was eventually stabilized , new democratic processes established , and u.s. troops drawn down , the wars remain hugely controversial with the american public . one of the most ambitious promises from administration officials was that these kinds of wars would not only diminish the chances for terrorism to find state sponsors but also would also change the dynamics of the region and create pressure for dismantling the autocracies that have dominated the middle east . but the region remains in turmoil and in transition . while some of bush 's supporters initially hailed the fall of the governments in countries like egypt as proof that his strategy worked , the election of an islamist government created new fears . the ongoing battle in syria between the government and rebels is a reminder that the region remains a tinderbox . the way in which these stories unfold will play a big role in shaping how we evaluate bush . these are just some of the open questions that historians , journalists and the public will be looking to answer . the bush library offers one approach , mostly reflecting the views of his supporters , but americans will debate the impact of those controversial eight years for a long time . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .
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he says many of bush 's counterterrorism policies remain and are still being questioned
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spaniard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jose maria olazabal has confirmed he will not continue in his role as europe 's ryder cup captain after the weekend 's memorable win over the united states . europe retained the prestigious trophy by beating davis love iii 's team 14½ - 13½ at the medinah country club , despite having trailed by four points heading into sunday 's singles matches . but after helping europe keep hold of the cup it won in 2010 , spain 's olazabal believes it is time to for another captain to take charge . first of all it is a lot of work , ' the two-time major winner told a news conference . it takes a lot from you you during the stretch of time from when you are named captain to the actual playing of the ryder cup . u.s. stunned by european fightback ' on top of that there are a lot of players who should have the opportunity to be in my spot ... clearly i wo n't do it again . ' olazabal would be happy to offer advice to his successor , although he says he will also not force himself on the next incumbent -- with irishman paul mcginley , a vice-captain in illinois , the early favorite to replace the spaniard . the captain has to decide what he wants , ' added the 46-year-old olazabal . if he wants to reach out to me , fine . but i 'm not going to be in there , i 'm going to be just on the side . i think this is a one-time chance . i had my chance and now i will step back , try to concentrate on my game and leave the next captain to do his job . ' did the u.s. throw away the ryder cup ? olazabal also revealed how europe 's triumph -- dubbed the miracle of medinah ' -- has prompted congratulatory messages from spanish royalty and the nation 's top sports stars . the king of spain called me a few minutes ago and was pretty much over the moon , like me , ' he said . there have been messages from sports guys like [ tennis player rafael ] nadal and lots from friends and family . ' europe 's challenge could have been derailed before it got off the ground when world no . 1 rory mcilroy arrived at the golf course late on sunday . the two-time major winner was confused over which time zone he was in . luckily for olazabal , the northern irishman was driven to medinah by a state trooper and was able to win his match with u.s. rookie keegan bradley . obviously , we were a little concerned but we knew at 11:05 he was going to make it to the tee with no problems . that 's why i was not all that tense , ' said olazabal . luckily enough a police car was there and he made it on time . it was no surprise at all he managed to win his point . ' olazabal was also asked to select his highlight of the weekend , opting for ian poulter 's fifth consecutive birdie on the 18th hole of saturday 's fourballs to give europe a vital point . it 's hard to just pick one but i think the putt poulter made on 18 on saturday afternoon was huge . we all knew how important that was . if that did n't happen i do n't think we 'd have had a chance to win . it was crucial . '
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the spaniard led europe to a 14½ - 13½ victory over the u.s. in illinois
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washington <tsp> accidentally brought your marijuana to the aspen/pitkin county airport ? do n't worry . pitkin county sheriff joe disalvo plans to install amnesty boxes at the airport , possibly as soon as next week , for people traveling out of state . we 'll have signs around the airport saying that although marijuana is legal in this state , it may be illegal in your final destination , ' disalvo told cnn . this is an opportunity to dispose of your marijuana with no legal consequences . ' but do n't try to fly with that marijuana , not even departing from the pot-happy states of colorado and washington . both states allow adults 21 and older to have up to an ounce of marijuana , but those policies are at odds with federal law . leave the brownies at home , too -- even in states where it 's legal , it 's not yet clear how marijuana-laced food is evaluated under those limits . the transportation security administration seized 36 ounces of marijuana-laced food in a passenger 's checked luggage at the aspen airport earlier this month , and the federal agency referred the case to the pitkin county sheriff 's office , disalvo confirmed . ( the edibles'amount of thc , the active ingredient in cannabis , was much less than the weight of the food . the sheriff 's office declined to press charges . ) the story was first reported in the aspen daily news . colorado 's recreational marijuana stores make history in fact , the tsa has called the sheriff several times over the past six months to report passengers carrying marijuana and related products , disalvo said . his office offers to dispose of the product before passengers depart the state . most everybody heeds our warnings , ' he said . the larger conflict is between state and federal law . while colorado and washington allow some marijuana use , federal law has n't changed . and it 's probably not a good idea to test the tsa or other federal agencies at the nation 's airports . if they find a substance that violates federal law , they can refer possible violations to federal , state or local law enforcement in any state . still , pot is n't exactly the tsa 's top priority . denver international airport bans pot despite colorado 's new marijuana law ' tsa 's focus is on terrorism and security threats to the aircraft and its passengers , ' tsa spokesman ross feinstein wrote in a statement . tsa 's screening procedures , which are governed by federal law , are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers . as has always been the case , if during the security screening procedures an officer discovers an item that may violate the law , tsa refers the matter to law enforcement . law enforcement officials will determine whether to initiate a criminal investigation . ' it can be hard to sort out the competing state and federal regulations , especially for the dazed and confused passenger . the colorado springs airport has already placed amnesty boxes for people to get rid of their marijuana before clearing security or getting on an airplane . the denver international airport decided not to play with pot , banning the substance entirely at the airport , a spokeswoman confirmed . seattle-tacoma international airport does n't ban legal amounts of marijuana at the airport . that 's because washington state law does n't allow facilities to add any additional regulation , airport spokesperson perry cooper said . a word of caution to super bowl fans from colorado and washington : do n't try to take your marijuana to less pot-friendly states . we know your ( possible ) cannabis consumption wo n't get in the way of the game , but consider where the super bowl is being played . if your pot makes it to your destination , you could be dealing with the port authority of new york and police guarding kennedy and laguardia airports in new york and newark airport in new jersey . how do you think will they react if your goods are discovered ? if they 're possessing contraband in new york or new jersey , ' port authority spokesman joe pentangelo said , the prevailing laws would apply . ' recreational pot sales : where the grass is much greener
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colorado and washington state airports are seeing passengers try to depart with pot
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colorado <tsp> accidentally brought your marijuana to the aspen/pitkin county airport ? do n't worry . pitkin county sheriff joe disalvo plans to install amnesty boxes at the airport , possibly as soon as next week , for people traveling out of state . we 'll have signs around the airport saying that although marijuana is legal in this state , it may be illegal in your final destination , ' disalvo told cnn . this is an opportunity to dispose of your marijuana with no legal consequences . ' but do n't try to fly with that marijuana , not even departing from the pot-happy states of colorado and washington . both states allow adults 21 and older to have up to an ounce of marijuana , but those policies are at odds with federal law . leave the brownies at home , too -- even in states where it 's legal , it 's not yet clear how marijuana-laced food is evaluated under those limits . the transportation security administration seized 36 ounces of marijuana-laced food in a passenger 's checked luggage at the aspen airport earlier this month , and the federal agency referred the case to the pitkin county sheriff 's office , disalvo confirmed . ( the edibles'amount of thc , the active ingredient in cannabis , was much less than the weight of the food . the sheriff 's office declined to press charges . ) the story was first reported in the aspen daily news . colorado 's recreational marijuana stores make history in fact , the tsa has called the sheriff several times over the past six months to report passengers carrying marijuana and related products , disalvo said . his office offers to dispose of the product before passengers depart the state . most everybody heeds our warnings , ' he said . the larger conflict is between state and federal law . while colorado and washington allow some marijuana use , federal law has n't changed . and it 's probably not a good idea to test the tsa or other federal agencies at the nation 's airports . if they find a substance that violates federal law , they can refer possible violations to federal , state or local law enforcement in any state . still , pot is n't exactly the tsa 's top priority . denver international airport bans pot despite colorado 's new marijuana law ' tsa 's focus is on terrorism and security threats to the aircraft and its passengers , ' tsa spokesman ross feinstein wrote in a statement . tsa 's screening procedures , which are governed by federal law , are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers . as has always been the case , if during the security screening procedures an officer discovers an item that may violate the law , tsa refers the matter to law enforcement . law enforcement officials will determine whether to initiate a criminal investigation . ' it can be hard to sort out the competing state and federal regulations , especially for the dazed and confused passenger . the colorado springs airport has already placed amnesty boxes for people to get rid of their marijuana before clearing security or getting on an airplane . the denver international airport decided not to play with pot , banning the substance entirely at the airport , a spokeswoman confirmed . seattle-tacoma international airport does n't ban legal amounts of marijuana at the airport . that 's because washington state law does n't allow facilities to add any additional regulation , airport spokesperson perry cooper said . a word of caution to super bowl fans from colorado and washington : do n't try to take your marijuana to less pot-friendly states . we know your ( possible ) cannabis consumption wo n't get in the way of the game , but consider where the super bowl is being played . if your pot makes it to your destination , you could be dealing with the port authority of new york and police guarding kennedy and laguardia airports in new york and newark airport in new jersey . how do you think will they react if your goods are discovered ? if they 're possessing contraband in new york or new jersey , ' port authority spokesman joe pentangelo said , the prevailing laws would apply . ' recreational pot sales : where the grass is much greener
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colorado and washington state airports are seeing passengers try to depart with pot
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colorado <tsp> accidentally brought your marijuana to the aspen/pitkin county airport ? do n't worry . pitkin county sheriff joe disalvo plans to install amnesty boxes at the airport , possibly as soon as next week , for people traveling out of state . we 'll have signs around the airport saying that although marijuana is legal in this state , it may be illegal in your final destination , ' disalvo told cnn . this is an opportunity to dispose of your marijuana with no legal consequences . ' but do n't try to fly with that marijuana , not even departing from the pot-happy states of colorado and washington . both states allow adults 21 and older to have up to an ounce of marijuana , but those policies are at odds with federal law . leave the brownies at home , too -- even in states where it 's legal , it 's not yet clear how marijuana-laced food is evaluated under those limits . the transportation security administration seized 36 ounces of marijuana-laced food in a passenger 's checked luggage at the aspen airport earlier this month , and the federal agency referred the case to the pitkin county sheriff 's office , disalvo confirmed . ( the edibles'amount of thc , the active ingredient in cannabis , was much less than the weight of the food . the sheriff 's office declined to press charges . ) the story was first reported in the aspen daily news . colorado 's recreational marijuana stores make history in fact , the tsa has called the sheriff several times over the past six months to report passengers carrying marijuana and related products , disalvo said . his office offers to dispose of the product before passengers depart the state . most everybody heeds our warnings , ' he said . the larger conflict is between state and federal law . while colorado and washington allow some marijuana use , federal law has n't changed . and it 's probably not a good idea to test the tsa or other federal agencies at the nation 's airports . if they find a substance that violates federal law , they can refer possible violations to federal , state or local law enforcement in any state . still , pot is n't exactly the tsa 's top priority . denver international airport bans pot despite colorado 's new marijuana law ' tsa 's focus is on terrorism and security threats to the aircraft and its passengers , ' tsa spokesman ross feinstein wrote in a statement . tsa 's screening procedures , which are governed by federal law , are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers . as has always been the case , if during the security screening procedures an officer discovers an item that may violate the law , tsa refers the matter to law enforcement . law enforcement officials will determine whether to initiate a criminal investigation . ' it can be hard to sort out the competing state and federal regulations , especially for the dazed and confused passenger . the colorado springs airport has already placed amnesty boxes for people to get rid of their marijuana before clearing security or getting on an airplane . the denver international airport decided not to play with pot , banning the substance entirely at the airport , a spokeswoman confirmed . seattle-tacoma international airport does n't ban legal amounts of marijuana at the airport . that 's because washington state law does n't allow facilities to add any additional regulation , airport spokesperson perry cooper said . a word of caution to super bowl fans from colorado and washington : do n't try to take your marijuana to less pot-friendly states . we know your ( possible ) cannabis consumption wo n't get in the way of the game , but consider where the super bowl is being played . if your pot makes it to your destination , you could be dealing with the port authority of new york and police guarding kennedy and laguardia airports in new york and newark airport in new jersey . how do you think will they react if your goods are discovered ? if they 're possessing contraband in new york or new jersey , ' port authority spokesman joe pentangelo said , the prevailing laws would apply . ' recreational pot sales : where the grass is much greener
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the denver airport banned pot on its premises , but other colorado airports have not
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lionsgate <tsp> ( cnn ) -- get ready to bow to the capitol . the hunger games : mockingjay -- part 1 ' is set to hit theaters in november , and on wednesday , the immense fandom got a taste of what 's to come . lionsgate has released propaganda ' posters from the forthcoming film , which salute the hero citizens of panem . each poster contains a representative from each of the districts dressed to represent their region , along with slogans such as panem today , panem tomorrow , panem forever . ' the studio also released a video of president snow 's panem address , ' which sees donald sutherland as the villainous president snow delivering a not-so-veiled threat to his nation . even the youtube description for the teaser indicates the kind of place panem is . citizens , ' the description begins , the capitol requires your viewing of president snow 's official panem address ,'together as one ,'brought to you by capitol tv in stunning 4k . your districts are the body , ' sutherland 's snow says . the capital is the beating heart . your hard work feeds us , and in return , we feed and protect you . ' he 's joined by josh hutcherson as peeta mellark , whom fans know is n't being himself at this point in the story . the films are based on the wildly successful hunger games ' trilogy of young adult novels written by suzanne collins . the third and final book , mockingjay , ' has been split into two films . part 1 is set to be released on november 21 .
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lionsgate has released posters from the hunger games : mockingjay -- part 1 '
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belgium <tsp> ( cnn ) -- cristiano ronaldo won his 99th international cap for portugal -- but the real madrid superstar could not inspire his country as it slumped to a world cup qualifying defeat in russia . only luis figo ( 127 ) and fernando couto ( 110 ) have made more appearances for portugal than ronaldo , who will hope to reach his century against northern ireland on tuesday . ronaldo had scored eight goals in his previous three games for real madrid , including a classy double against barcelona in last sunday 's el clasico . messi and ronaldo ensure honors shared in 222nd el clasico but he was unable to prevent russia from claiming a third consecutive victory in group f to claim top spot as fabio capello 's men recorded a 1-0 win . alexander kerzhakov 's sixth minute strike was enough to secure russia its first ever win over portugal in the post-soviet era . playing on the synthetic surface at moscow 's luzhniki arena , portugal struggled to make a breakthrough against a stubborn russian defense . russian keeper igor akinfeyev made two impressive saves to deny ronaldo and bruno alves as the visitors pushed for an equalizer . but the home side held out and might have even extended their lead further had denos glushakov and roman shirokov made the most of their opportunities . i ca n't say that we looked bad tonight , ' portugal manager paulo bento told afp . in general we played a good match . we reacted well on the goal we conceded and we followed the plan which we worked out before the match . of course russia played a great match but i think the result was n't fair as i know my team is capable of playing top quality football . we came here to win and are really upset now . ' fifa asia chief : 2022 winter world cup would'make sense' germany underlined its credentials as potential world cup winners with a 6-1 thrashing of the republic of ireland in dublin . the defeat , ireland 's heaviest at home since 1931 , came with the hosts missing several key players including captain robbie keane . marco reus scored twice in eight minutes to give the germans a 2-0 lead at the break , before goals from mesut ozil , miroslav klose and two toni kroos strikes left ireland decimated . andy keogh grabbed a consolation for ireland but that failed to tarnish a germany performance which sees them top group c with maximum points . germany has not lost a world cup qualifier in its past 16 matches with its last defeat coming against england in september 2001 . world and european champions spain eased to a 4-0 win in belarus courtesy of a hat-trick from barcelona 's pedro . jordi alba gave the visitors a 12th minute lead before pedro stole the show with a classy treble to wrap up victory in the group i encounter . france warmed up for tuesday 's world cup clash with spain by losing its friendly match 1-0 to japan in paris . shinji kagawa 's 88th minute strike stunned the home crowd and left the french cursing an embarrassing defeat . vieira questions young players' lack of love'for england team wayne rooney moved up to fifth place in the list of england 's all-time leading goalscorers after netting twice in a 5-0 win against minnows san marino . rooney , who took his tally to 31 goals for his country , scored a goal in each half with his manchester united teammate danny welbeck also notching twice . there are some great players there and to be in the england top five is something to be proud of , ' he told itv1 . i am only 26 so hopefully i will score a lot more . we created some good chances and maybe there was a bit of poor finishing but it 's not that easy when they put 10 or 11 men behind the ball . it 's difficult to break them down and we had to create chances and we managed to do that , so obviously we 'll take the positives and it was n't a bad result . ' arsenal 's alex oxlade-chamberlain grabbed his first international goal to complete a routine win over a san marino side ranked 207th out of 207 in the world rankings . but there was bad news for arsenal 's theo walcott , who was taken to hospital for scans after being injured in a clash with san marino goalkeeper aldo simoncini early on . italy was made to fight all the way in yerevan before escaping with a 3-1 win over armenia in group b. juventus coach conte has ban reduced to four months henrikh mkhitaryan had canceled out andrea pirlo 's penalty kick to bring the hosts level , before second half strikes from daniele de rossi and pablo osvaldo secured victory for italy . sweden survived an embarrassing episode against the minnows of the faroe islands after recovering to sneak a 2-1 win in group c rogvi baldvinsson fired the faroes ahead after 57 minutes to leave sweden facing a monumental world cup qualifying defeat against a team ranked 131 places below . fulham midfielder alexander kacaniklic grabbed an equalizer before zlatan ibrahimovic bagged a 75th minute winner . netherlands recorded a third consecutive victory with a comfortable 3-0 win over andorra .'pitbull'davids joins barnet rafael van der vaart , klaas-jan huntelaar and ruben schaken were on target as the dutch made it nine points out of nine in group d they sit top of the group alongside romania , which also has maximum points from its three games following a 1-0 win in turkey . belgium recorded a superb win after inflicting serbia 's first competitive home defeat since april 2001 . the belgians cruised to a 3-0 victory in group a with goals from christian benteke , kevin de bruyne and kevin mirallas . croatia sits joint-top on seven points with belgium following a 2-1 win over macedonia . tottenham star gareth bale scored twice , including a stunning left-footed rocket , as wales came from behind to defeat scotland 2-1 in group a .
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belgium secures stunning 3-0 win in serbia
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index on censorship <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the internet has radically altered many things , not least the speed at which we all share and receive information , and the depth of the information available . before the internet , information about individuals ( that they did not choose to share with you themselves ) could only be found by finding others who knew the individual or by trawling through media archives . the internet changed all that . now , at the touch of a button , it is possible to call up a huge amount of information about individuals -- not just public figures , but ordinary ' people , all sorted by search engines in complicated , secretive ways over which we have no control . this , many argue , is a major flaw in the system that needs fixing . why should google , yahoo or any other search engine be the arbiter of what information others see about me when they run a search ? what if the information that is returned in that search is irrelevant ' or outdated ' and no longer reflects who i am -- or indeed causes people to treat me differently ? these worries are understandable . but the solution proposed by the european union court of justice earlier this month is not the answer . recognizing people 's concerns about their privacy , the european court ruled that individuals had the right to be forgotten ' -- that they should be allowed to request search engines to remove information considered irrelevant , outdated , or otherwise inappropriate ' and that the search engines would have to remove this material from search indices except in public interest cases . it is this gray area that is of concern to index on censorship . search engines are not public bodies -- and while there is a legitimate reason to worry about the way in which these organizations present search results , the way to fix that is certainly not through a vague and woolly ruling that leaves decisions about what is and is not in the public interest in the hands of a private body . there is no legal oversight or appeals process built in to the ruling -- the court simply leaves it up to google and others to decide ( independently of one another , a further recipe for chaos and confusion ) what is and is not in the public interest . much has been made of the fact that the ruling would exclude public figures -- but that misses the point . it is not so much current public figures wanting to whitewash their personal histories that should worry us , but the potential for those who may become important public figures -- or simply be relevant to us for other reasons ( because they want to sell us products or join us in business , say ) -- many years hence , to have links to information about them deleted now , making it almost impossible to find in future . index urges the court to put a stay on its ruling while it pursues a regulatory framework that will provide legal oversight , an appeals process and ensure that private corporations are not the arbiters of public information . while it is clearly understandable that individuals should want to be able to control their online presence , the court 's ruling fails to offer sufficient checks and balances to ensure that a desire to alter search requests so that they reflect a more accurate ' profile does not simply become a mechanism for censorship and whitewashing of history . read more : opinion : we have the right to be forgotten read more : something in your past you 'd rather forget ? the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the jodie ginsberg .
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index on censorship 's jodie ginsberg argues the right to be forgotten ' decision is too woolly
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fifa <tsp> ( cnn ) -- costa rica 's appeal against its recent 1-0 defeat by the united states played out in a snowstorm has been blown away by soccer 's global governing body fifa . the costa rican football federation complained to fifa following last week 's 2014 world cup qualifier in colorado , which was played in blizzard-like conditions . costa rica argued the markings on the pitch were not visible , while also suggesting the snow affected the physical integrity ' of the players and hampered the movement of the ball . but the protest has been dismissed by fifa on the grounds that costa rica failed to follow official regulations in its protest , meaning the u.s. team 's first win of the north and central american and caribbean qualification competition is secure . pedro 's point of view : juventus europe 's dark horses ? fifa received a letter via email from the costa rica fa on 24 march 2013 with regards to the 2014 fifa world cup qualifier played on 22 march between usa and costa rica , ' said a fifa statement . fifa has examined the content of the letter and , taking into consideration article 14 , paragraph 4 of the 2014 fifa world cup regulations , has confirmed that the conditions established in the regulations for an official protest have not been met by the costa rica fa . therefore , the result of the match played on 22 march stands and is considered as valid . ' the costa rican federation had also called for the officials at the match at dick 's sporting goods park in commerce city to be sanctioned . the win was vital for u.s. coach jurgen klinsmann , who had come in for criticism following a 2-1 defeat to honduras last month . the victory lifted the u.s. into second place , behind leaders honduras . the u.s. face another huge match on tuesday against southern neighbors mexico in mexico city . the americans first ever win in mexico came in a friendly match last august . the top three countries from the group will qualify directly for next year 's tournament in brazil , while the fourth-placed team will play off against the oceania group winners new zealand . costa rica are bottom of the north , central america and caribbean group with just one point .
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fifa rejects costa rica 's appeal over 1-0 defeat to united states
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ratzon <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- an israeli man accused of having 21 wives and fathering 49 children was charged sunday in a tel aviv court with multiple counts of sexual assault , rape , sodomy and enslavement . goel ratzon , 60 , was arrested last month . authorities charge that he lived in a compound with the 21 wives , having convinced them that he was omnipotent . all the wives tattooed ratzon 's name and picture on their arms and the children 's names are all derivatives of his name , according to the court papers . ratzon married his first wife in 1972 , added a second wife in the early 1980s , and from 1991 added another 19 wives , according to the indictment . he persuaded the women that he had the power to heal and curse , through which he gained complete control of their lives , desires , thoughts , emotions and actions , ' the court papers say . ratzon spoke in court for first time last week , saying he was innocent , that everything was done with consent , and that any women who wished to leave could do so , israeli media reported . the indictment charges that the defendant captured the women in a'pseudo-family'structure that revolved around the worship of his image , making the birth of his children a supreme goal that the women must aspire to , and all this was to glorify him while serving and fulfilling all his needs . ' ratzon demanded that his wives and children completely obey all of his orders and has stringent rules and had a penalty system if they disobeyed him , the indictment alleges . he also abused his wives by trampling their self-worth and cut them off from any outside social contact including their families , and by this enslaved them to him and his desires , ' the court papers say . the indictment includes allegations of rape and sodomy of two of his daughters , sexual assault of another daughter , and rape , assault and sodomy of four other girls . beyond the mental and physical control ratzon had over his wives , he effectively controlled all of their finances , the indictment says . the women deposited major chunks of their social security payments and salaries into the family 's account , paid for all of his living expenses and bought him all his property and anything he demanded , authorities charge . ratzon 's cult has been known to the authorities for about 10 years , they said , but it was only about six months ago they succeeded in convincing one of the women to file a complaint . that brought about his arrest last month . cnn 's shira medding contributed to this report .
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ratzon allegedly controlled women in a cult-like structure
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ratzon <tsp> jerusalem ( cnn ) -- an israeli man accused of having 21 wives and fathering 49 children was charged sunday in a tel aviv court with multiple counts of sexual assault , rape , sodomy and enslavement . goel ratzon , 60 , was arrested last month . authorities charge that he lived in a compound with the 21 wives , having convinced them that he was omnipotent . all the wives tattooed ratzon 's name and picture on their arms and the children 's names are all derivatives of his name , according to the court papers . ratzon married his first wife in 1972 , added a second wife in the early 1980s , and from 1991 added another 19 wives , according to the indictment . he persuaded the women that he had the power to heal and curse , through which he gained complete control of their lives , desires , thoughts , emotions and actions , ' the court papers say . ratzon spoke in court for first time last week , saying he was innocent , that everything was done with consent , and that any women who wished to leave could do so , israeli media reported . the indictment charges that the defendant captured the women in a'pseudo-family'structure that revolved around the worship of his image , making the birth of his children a supreme goal that the women must aspire to , and all this was to glorify him while serving and fulfilling all his needs . ' ratzon demanded that his wives and children completely obey all of his orders and has stringent rules and had a penalty system if they disobeyed him , the indictment alleges . he also abused his wives by trampling their self-worth and cut them off from any outside social contact including their families , and by this enslaved them to him and his desires , ' the court papers say . the indictment includes allegations of rape and sodomy of two of his daughters , sexual assault of another daughter , and rape , assault and sodomy of four other girls . beyond the mental and physical control ratzon had over his wives , he effectively controlled all of their finances , the indictment says . the women deposited major chunks of their social security payments and salaries into the family 's account , paid for all of his living expenses and bought him all his property and anything he demanded , authorities charge . ratzon 's cult has been known to the authorities for about 10 years , they said , but it was only about six months ago they succeeded in convincing one of the women to file a complaint . that brought about his arrest last month . cnn 's shira medding contributed to this report .
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goel ratzon , 60 accused of living with 21 wives
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coast guard <tsp> ( cnn ) -- rescued after spending eight days lost at sea , tressel hawkins was happy to be back in texas . three missing boaters were returned safely to port aransas , texas , after their rescue on saturday . actually , it feels great to be on solid ground , ' he told cnn on sunday . hawkins , 43 , and his fellow boaters , curtis hall , 28 , and james phillips , 30 , set out to catch swordfish and marlin when they set sail about 100 miles south of matagorda bay in texas . but one night early on during their trip in the gulf of mexico , hawkins was jolted by a rude awakening . ' the bean bag hawkins was sleeping on started to float beneath him , he said . there was a water extractor malfunction , causing so much water to get into the boat that the water was knee high , he said . watch cnn 's fredricka whitfield talk to hawkins » there were yells and screams and attempts to stop the flooding , but it was too late . the boat capsized . they jumped ship , wondering how it all happened so quickly . we 're just trying to get each other calm and try to get as much stuff as we could because we knew automatically it was going to be a survival test , ' he said . watch two other fishermen describe ordeal » the men were missing at sea since august 22 . the coast guard had searched a week for three men before calling off the search friday after it said it had looked more than 86,000 square miles . a day after the coast guard ended its search , the crew of a private vessel found the three sitting on top of their capsized 23-foot fishing vessel about 180 miles from port aransas , texas , the coast guard said in a news release . hawkins said that when they saw the boat they waved it down to catch the boaters'attention . they were all crying ' and celebrating . ' we had been through so much of an ordeal we were already celebrating before we got on his boat . ' after the rescue , hall went to a hospital in corpus christi , texas , but left after he waited too long in the emergency room , his mother told cnn . he returned to his home in palacio , texas , to rest and will see a doctor later on sunday for what he thinks are second-degree burns on his legs from sun exposure , she said . phillips was on his way home to reunite with his family , his wife , shane , told cnn . he did not seek medical attention , she said . hawkins suffered open sores on his legs after floating in the water for eight days . he plans to head to fort worth , texas , to reunite with his family , he said . cnn 's janet digiacomo and karen zuker contributed to this report .
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coast guard had called off search for men on friday
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jonathan <tsp> ( cnn ) -- nigerian president goodluck jonathan , a christian from the south , was sworn-in on sunday as his country tries to bounce back from violence unleashed last month by an islamist sect . boko haram , an islamic group that has challenged nigerian government , is believed to be behind a series of bombings in the wake of jonathan 's re-election . this will be jonathan 's first full term ; as vice president , he took over the presidency in may 2010 upon the death of then-president umaru yar'adua , who had suffered from a heart condition . in keeping with his name , he is regarded as one of the luckiest men in nigerian politics . jonathan , 53 , with a degree in zoology , worked as an environmental officer until he entered politics . he ran as deputy governor for bayelsa state in 2001 -- one of nigeria 's main oil-producing states in the oil-rich niger delta region . after the state governor -- diepreye alamieyeseigha -- was indicted by nigeria 's economic and financial crimes commission on corruption charges in 2006 , jonathan was promoted to governor of one of the richest regions in africa . he is widely regarded as having been hand-picked by then-president olusegun obasanjo to run as vice-president with yar'adua in the 2007 national elections . they won what was considered perhaps the most flawed election in nigerian history . this year 's win by jonathan , who is from the majority-christian southern part of the country , sparked violence in the muslim-dominated north . explosions in nigeria 's northeastern state of borno killed a few and wounded dozens in late april in the days leading up to national governorship elections in attacks that police described as attempts to intimidate voters who had picked jonathan . northern muslims in some areas charged that the presidential election was rigged . armed protesters in the region took to the streets chanting the name of former military ruler muhammadu buhari , the main opposition front-runner . the last election , four years ago , was widely condemned for rampant vote rigging , violence , theft of ballot boxes and intimidation . while this year 's presidential election was marred by violence , reports of underage voting and logistical problems , observers said they considered it an improvement . after he was declared the victor , jonathan warned that persistent post-election violence could threaten the stability of the country . these acts of mayhem are sad reminders of the events which plunged our country into 30 months of an unfortunate civil war , ' jonathan said last week . jonathan was referring to a period of unrest in the 1960s that spawned a civil war in nigeria . nigeria is africa 's largest oil producer and its most populous nation , with 150 million people . cnn 's christian purefoy contributed to this report .
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jonathan was re-elected in april to his first full term
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haitian <tsp> port-au-prince , haiti ( cnn ) -- ten americans accused of trying illegally to take 33 children from haiti had met with a haitian police officer and a dominican official the week before being stopped at the border , interpreters who worked with the group said wednesday . one interpreter said the officer offered to help the americans with the paperwork required take the children out of the country . the americans -- five men and five women , some of whom are members of central valley baptist church in meridian , idaho -- were arrested in haiti after being turned back from the dominican republic border on friday night . a haitian lawyer representing the americans told reporters wednesday that the arrests were illegal and that their clients had only been trying to help . the americans , who were interviewed wednesday by judge isai jean louis , are to appear thursday before the attorney general , who is handling the case , lawyer edwin coq said . around noon wednesday , haitian authorities took away for questioning a haitian police officer who works at the dominican embassy , officials said . they said he would be asked whether he provided illegal paperwork to the americans to facilitate their efforts to remove the children from the country . three interpreters who had translated for the americans told cnn that the americans met last week at least twice with the officer -- at the embassy and consulate . full coverage of haiti earthquake , aftermath the americans have said they had the permit they thought they needed from the dominican authorities , but the dominican consul general told cnn that that was not the case . carlos castillo said he met friday with laura silsby , the leader of the group . he said he told her the documentation was not in order and warned her that , if she were to attempt the trip , she could be accused of child trafficking . the haitian authorities contacted me , they called me , and they told me that she was telling them she had the authorization from the dominican authorities to cross the border , which was a lie , ' castillo said . cnn 's karl penhaul attempted to get comment from the jailed americans in haiti 's capital , but they would not discuss the matter , responding to his questions by singing amazing grace ' and praying . the group , new life children 's refuge , said it was rescuing ' abandoned children by moving them to the dominican republic , where it was building an orphanage . the group 's effort came after an earthquake last month killed tens of thousands in haiti . the u.s. embassy in port-au-prince said sunday that the americans had been detained for alleged violations of haitian laws related to immigration . ' sos children 's villages , where haitian authorities took the 33 children after the americans'arrests , said at least 20 of the kids are n't orphans and many others have relatives such as aunts and uncles . search for the missing , found several residents of the village of calebasse , more than an hour from port-au-prince , told cnn this week they had voluntarily handed over their children to silsby . the parents said silsby told them she would give their children a better life and promised that they could see them whenever they wanted . told monday that many of the children had living parents , silsby said during a jailhouse interview , i did not know that . ' she added , in our hearts , our intention was to help children that had been orphaned or abandoned by their parents . ' but the interpreters said they translated conversations between silsby and the parents in calebasse and that silsby must have been aware of the children 's status . jean sainvil , a pastor who helped find children from a camp in the delmas neighborhood of the capital , told cnn that the americans told him they were seeking orphans . sainvil said he rounded up 20 children and handed them to the americans on thursday , though the translators put the number he helped at 13 . some of those who were receptive to his call apparently included parents . one of them turned five children over , ' he said . mother came out with children , said'you can have them all ,'she does n't have a home , she is hopeless . ' he said no money changed hands . one interpreter said representatives of the group met with a haitian police officer on january 26 . the officer told silsby that her group could n't gather haitian children as they were doing , but then offered his help , the interpreter said . they met a police guy and he told them that he could help , and he was helping them with some paper , ' interpreter steve adrien said . we did not meet him in a police station , but in the street in a car . ' the americans met again with the man in port-au-prince on thursday , near the dominican embassy , the translator said . he was helping laura [ silsby ] to get in touch with the ambassador in the dominican embassy , ' said isaac adrien , steve 's brother and another of the interpreters . he said the group came away from the meeting with a document from the embassy that the americans took with them to the border friday . though the group said it planned to start an orphanage in the dominican republic , it has no experience running an orphanage , has not registered as an international adoption agency and has not filed with the u.s. government as a nonprofit . church pastor clint henry was unfazed . i believe that the kind of knowledge that it takes to begin an organization that works that way was in place , ' he told cnn . the kind of employees that it takes to successfully run an orphanage , those were going to be hired . ' on wednesday , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton called the matter unfortunate . ' we know how to do this in the right way and it was unfortunate that , whatever the motivation , that this group of americans took matters into their own hands , ' she said , adding that u.s. authorities were in discussions with the haitian government about the appropriate disposal of their cases . ' government approval is needed for any haitian child to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children have no passports . the number of haitian orphans taken to the united states after the earthquake -- those whose approval and paperwork had been in the bureaucratic pipeline at the time of the disaster -- is 578 , with 44 others awaiting transportation , u.s. state department spokesman p.j . crowley said . cnn 's dan simon in meridian , idaho ; karl penhaul in port-au-prince , haiti ; and jill dougherty in washington contributed to this report .
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haitian authorities say they 're interviewing police officer
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americans <tsp> port-au-prince , haiti ( cnn ) -- ten americans accused of trying illegally to take 33 children from haiti had met with a haitian police officer and a dominican official the week before being stopped at the border , interpreters who worked with the group said wednesday . one interpreter said the officer offered to help the americans with the paperwork required take the children out of the country . the americans -- five men and five women , some of whom are members of central valley baptist church in meridian , idaho -- were arrested in haiti after being turned back from the dominican republic border on friday night . a haitian lawyer representing the americans told reporters wednesday that the arrests were illegal and that their clients had only been trying to help . the americans , who were interviewed wednesday by judge isai jean louis , are to appear thursday before the attorney general , who is handling the case , lawyer edwin coq said . around noon wednesday , haitian authorities took away for questioning a haitian police officer who works at the dominican embassy , officials said . they said he would be asked whether he provided illegal paperwork to the americans to facilitate their efforts to remove the children from the country . three interpreters who had translated for the americans told cnn that the americans met last week at least twice with the officer -- at the embassy and consulate . full coverage of haiti earthquake , aftermath the americans have said they had the permit they thought they needed from the dominican authorities , but the dominican consul general told cnn that that was not the case . carlos castillo said he met friday with laura silsby , the leader of the group . he said he told her the documentation was not in order and warned her that , if she were to attempt the trip , she could be accused of child trafficking . the haitian authorities contacted me , they called me , and they told me that she was telling them she had the authorization from the dominican authorities to cross the border , which was a lie , ' castillo said . cnn 's karl penhaul attempted to get comment from the jailed americans in haiti 's capital , but they would not discuss the matter , responding to his questions by singing amazing grace ' and praying . the group , new life children 's refuge , said it was rescuing ' abandoned children by moving them to the dominican republic , where it was building an orphanage . the group 's effort came after an earthquake last month killed tens of thousands in haiti . the u.s. embassy in port-au-prince said sunday that the americans had been detained for alleged violations of haitian laws related to immigration . ' sos children 's villages , where haitian authorities took the 33 children after the americans'arrests , said at least 20 of the kids are n't orphans and many others have relatives such as aunts and uncles . search for the missing , found several residents of the village of calebasse , more than an hour from port-au-prince , told cnn this week they had voluntarily handed over their children to silsby . the parents said silsby told them she would give their children a better life and promised that they could see them whenever they wanted . told monday that many of the children had living parents , silsby said during a jailhouse interview , i did not know that . ' she added , in our hearts , our intention was to help children that had been orphaned or abandoned by their parents . ' but the interpreters said they translated conversations between silsby and the parents in calebasse and that silsby must have been aware of the children 's status . jean sainvil , a pastor who helped find children from a camp in the delmas neighborhood of the capital , told cnn that the americans told him they were seeking orphans . sainvil said he rounded up 20 children and handed them to the americans on thursday , though the translators put the number he helped at 13 . some of those who were receptive to his call apparently included parents . one of them turned five children over , ' he said . mother came out with children , said'you can have them all ,'she does n't have a home , she is hopeless . ' he said no money changed hands . one interpreter said representatives of the group met with a haitian police officer on january 26 . the officer told silsby that her group could n't gather haitian children as they were doing , but then offered his help , the interpreter said . they met a police guy and he told them that he could help , and he was helping them with some paper , ' interpreter steve adrien said . we did not meet him in a police station , but in the street in a car . ' the americans met again with the man in port-au-prince on thursday , near the dominican embassy , the translator said . he was helping laura [ silsby ] to get in touch with the ambassador in the dominican embassy , ' said isaac adrien , steve 's brother and another of the interpreters . he said the group came away from the meeting with a document from the embassy that the americans took with them to the border friday . though the group said it planned to start an orphanage in the dominican republic , it has no experience running an orphanage , has not registered as an international adoption agency and has not filed with the u.s. government as a nonprofit . church pastor clint henry was unfazed . i believe that the kind of knowledge that it takes to begin an organization that works that way was in place , ' he told cnn . the kind of employees that it takes to successfully run an orphanage , those were going to be hired . ' on wednesday , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton called the matter unfortunate . ' we know how to do this in the right way and it was unfortunate that , whatever the motivation , that this group of americans took matters into their own hands , ' she said , adding that u.s. authorities were in discussions with the haitian government about the appropriate disposal of their cases . ' government approval is needed for any haitian child to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children have no passports . the number of haitian orphans taken to the united states after the earthquake -- those whose approval and paperwork had been in the bureaucratic pipeline at the time of the disaster -- is 578 , with 44 others awaiting transportation , u.s. state department spokesman p.j . crowley said . cnn 's dan simon in meridian , idaho ; karl penhaul in port-au-prince , haiti ; and jill dougherty in washington contributed to this report .
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interpreter : policeman offered to help the americans take the children out of haiti
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americans <tsp> port-au-prince , haiti ( cnn ) -- ten americans accused of trying illegally to take 33 children from haiti had met with a haitian police officer and a dominican official the week before being stopped at the border , interpreters who worked with the group said wednesday . one interpreter said the officer offered to help the americans with the paperwork required take the children out of the country . the americans -- five men and five women , some of whom are members of central valley baptist church in meridian , idaho -- were arrested in haiti after being turned back from the dominican republic border on friday night . a haitian lawyer representing the americans told reporters wednesday that the arrests were illegal and that their clients had only been trying to help . the americans , who were interviewed wednesday by judge isai jean louis , are to appear thursday before the attorney general , who is handling the case , lawyer edwin coq said . around noon wednesday , haitian authorities took away for questioning a haitian police officer who works at the dominican embassy , officials said . they said he would be asked whether he provided illegal paperwork to the americans to facilitate their efforts to remove the children from the country . three interpreters who had translated for the americans told cnn that the americans met last week at least twice with the officer -- at the embassy and consulate . full coverage of haiti earthquake , aftermath the americans have said they had the permit they thought they needed from the dominican authorities , but the dominican consul general told cnn that that was not the case . carlos castillo said he met friday with laura silsby , the leader of the group . he said he told her the documentation was not in order and warned her that , if she were to attempt the trip , she could be accused of child trafficking . the haitian authorities contacted me , they called me , and they told me that she was telling them she had the authorization from the dominican authorities to cross the border , which was a lie , ' castillo said . cnn 's karl penhaul attempted to get comment from the jailed americans in haiti 's capital , but they would not discuss the matter , responding to his questions by singing amazing grace ' and praying . the group , new life children 's refuge , said it was rescuing ' abandoned children by moving them to the dominican republic , where it was building an orphanage . the group 's effort came after an earthquake last month killed tens of thousands in haiti . the u.s. embassy in port-au-prince said sunday that the americans had been detained for alleged violations of haitian laws related to immigration . ' sos children 's villages , where haitian authorities took the 33 children after the americans'arrests , said at least 20 of the kids are n't orphans and many others have relatives such as aunts and uncles . search for the missing , found several residents of the village of calebasse , more than an hour from port-au-prince , told cnn this week they had voluntarily handed over their children to silsby . the parents said silsby told them she would give their children a better life and promised that they could see them whenever they wanted . told monday that many of the children had living parents , silsby said during a jailhouse interview , i did not know that . ' she added , in our hearts , our intention was to help children that had been orphaned or abandoned by their parents . ' but the interpreters said they translated conversations between silsby and the parents in calebasse and that silsby must have been aware of the children 's status . jean sainvil , a pastor who helped find children from a camp in the delmas neighborhood of the capital , told cnn that the americans told him they were seeking orphans . sainvil said he rounded up 20 children and handed them to the americans on thursday , though the translators put the number he helped at 13 . some of those who were receptive to his call apparently included parents . one of them turned five children over , ' he said . mother came out with children , said'you can have them all ,'she does n't have a home , she is hopeless . ' he said no money changed hands . one interpreter said representatives of the group met with a haitian police officer on january 26 . the officer told silsby that her group could n't gather haitian children as they were doing , but then offered his help , the interpreter said . they met a police guy and he told them that he could help , and he was helping them with some paper , ' interpreter steve adrien said . we did not meet him in a police station , but in the street in a car . ' the americans met again with the man in port-au-prince on thursday , near the dominican embassy , the translator said . he was helping laura [ silsby ] to get in touch with the ambassador in the dominican embassy , ' said isaac adrien , steve 's brother and another of the interpreters . he said the group came away from the meeting with a document from the embassy that the americans took with them to the border friday . though the group said it planned to start an orphanage in the dominican republic , it has no experience running an orphanage , has not registered as an international adoption agency and has not filed with the u.s. government as a nonprofit . church pastor clint henry was unfazed . i believe that the kind of knowledge that it takes to begin an organization that works that way was in place , ' he told cnn . the kind of employees that it takes to successfully run an orphanage , those were going to be hired . ' on wednesday , u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton called the matter unfortunate . ' we know how to do this in the right way and it was unfortunate that , whatever the motivation , that this group of americans took matters into their own hands , ' she said , adding that u.s. authorities were in discussions with the haitian government about the appropriate disposal of their cases . ' government approval is needed for any haitian child to leave the country , and the group acknowledged that the children have no passports . the number of haitian orphans taken to the united states after the earthquake -- those whose approval and paperwork had been in the bureaucratic pipeline at the time of the disaster -- is 578 , with 44 others awaiting transportation , u.s. state department spokesman p.j . crowley said . cnn 's dan simon in meridian , idaho ; karl penhaul in port-au-prince , haiti ; and jill dougherty in washington contributed to this report .
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ten americans were arrested after trying to take children into dominican republic
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games.com <tsp> ( cnn ) -- these days , it 's impossible to overstate the popularity of games for social networks , with facebook titles like pet society , ' happy aquarium ' and zoo world ' all boasting massive followings . to cynics , popular games such as zygna 's new frontierville , ' which recently racked up 20 million users in just 36 days , may seem like simple carbon copies of earlier hits -- most obviously farmville , ' which once touted four times as many players . not so , argue industry insiders , who maintain that imitation is both the sincerest , and most sensible , form of flattery available to today 's game designers . zynga certainly uses a formula for its games , ' says libe goad , editor-in-chief of games.com . 'frontierville'takes elements of'farmville ,'including harvesting and helping neighbors , and then adds elements from more traditional strategy games to it . since [ the company ] is notoriously metrics-driven , i predict that they will stick to this formula ... it seems to be working well for them . ' it 's a sentiment clearly echoed by wade tinney , ceo of large animal games , makers of popular facebook , myspace and bebo outings like bumper stars ' and lucky strike lanes . ' certainly there are some play mechanics that reappear in'frontierville ,'but i 'd expect that from any game developer , ' he says . arguing that farmville ' was basically a rip-off ' of earlier title myfarm ' anyway , tinney counters that frontierville ' is a step in the right direction ' for the company because it offers a more original take on an existing formula . the idea of recycling core game mechanics is n't really a big deal -- witness the number of military-themed shooters on the market for pcs and consoles , tinney said . if something works well , why not keep using it ? ' games in general , including board games , sports , video games and more , tend to use successful mechanics over and over again , just like movies have formulaic plots , ' concurs brenda brathwaite , creative director at lolapps.com . it reduces risk and takes advantage of existing player knowledge . ' but brathwaite believes the practice of recycling game concepts , while appealing to profit-minded companies , also has the potential to backfire . in casual games , players not only want , but need to have some kind of idea how to play a game when they first [ try ] them , and these common paradigms provide context , ' she says . the key , however , is to innovate on them or introduce a completely new mechanic . the potential downside is that players can get tired of the same old patterns over and over again . ' in farmville , players manage a virtual farm by planting and harvesting virtual crops and raising livestock . frontierville transplants this concept to the wilderness , where players fell trees , clear brush , find arrowheads and build a western-themed homestead . some outspoken critics say that enough is enough already . there will always be some players who want more of the same , ' says joel brodie , founder of casual game reviews site gamezebo.com . i think the majority of game players online , however , have a short attention span and always want to be challenged . ' some companies are releasing very innovative games , ' he says . examples include'lucky train'( create and send trains between friends ) ,'office wars'( create an army of office workers and fight away ) and'growing diary'( a chance to relive your life as a 5- year-old ) . i think the bigger question is whether companies that take such risks are rewarded with success on facebook .'frontierville'in one hour is making more money and driving more game traffic than all the innovative games combined . ' for those seeking the next big thing , experts agree that social games are just scratching the surface when it comes to pushing creative boundaries . social game makers are just getting warmed up , ' says games.com 's goad , citing playfish and its swashbuckling title pirates ahoy ! ' as a prime example . nobody 's run out of ideas , ' agrees brathwaite . in fact , i think we 're seeing more diversity of topics in social games than we 're seeing in the traditional game market . because of [ social gaming 's ] nature and shorter development cycles , though , we 're also more able to see the'me too'clones way faster . '
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social game makers are just getting warmed up , ' says games.com 's goad
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u.s . <tsp> ( cnn ) from the buzzing message boards on local social networking site red social de cuba , to the hip campus of the university of havana , young residents of the island are riding a wave of optimism following the historic announcement of a new deal with the u.s. on december 17 . i hope for new investments in different areas of our economy , ' says pepe nieto , a young , privately-employed graphic designer in havana . that means more work , more advertising . everybody who is ready to work hard will benefit . ' across social media , mooted upgrades to internet infrastructure are causing as much excitement among young cubans as a new iphone launch would among their counterparts across the florida straits . a beleaguered workforce needs some good news . public sector wages are at around a quarter of 1989 levels at roughly $ 22 a month , national growth has slowed to 1.2 % , and traditional allies such as venezuela and russia have their own economic problems , limiting the value of their support . the agreement between presidents obama and castro offers a timely boost , although reforms are piecemeal . restrictions on business dealings and banking have been eased , while the remittance limit to cuba has quadrupled . but lifting the u.s. embargo -- in place since 1961 -- would still need congressional approval . cuba 's economy minister marino murillo has already revised growth estimates up for 2015 up to 4 % . part of this will come through traditional industries such as tobacco and rum , which should perform better as the new rules allow u.s. visitors to import limited amounts . but private business can yield greater dividends . even before the u.s. deal , the amount of privately employed people -- cuentapropistas -- had risen to around 500,000 , from just 150,000 in 2006 . this growth had been matched with lay-offs in the state sector . i think the cuban government concluded that outlawing small business was just pushing it underground , forcing people to buy goods and services illegally , ' says professor arch ritter , a specialist in the cuban economy at canada 's university of carleton . for the convenience of everyday life ( private business ) was necessary , and it has been remarkably dynamic . ' ritter expects tourism to offer major opportunities : ' when travel for americans becomes regular , there could be a tourism tsunami . in anticipation those in the hotel business are renovating old hotels , building new hotels and retirement homes , and low-cost apartments . this could see a big construction boom around tourism that spreads to areas like food and car rentals . ' to fully grasp these opportunities , the cuban government would likely be forced into greater commercial liberalization . with fewer restrictions and greater investment , agriculture could expand its capacity and serve international markets . through its favorable climate , cuba can become a winter garden for north america , ' ritter believes . the island also boasts an advanced biotech industry that is vital to the nation 's economic strategy , as well as its own high standards of healthcare . but to build its exports the government must consent to international testing and standardization . although president raul castro has shown greater flexibility on private business than his predecessor -- brother fidel -- a more fundamental shift in approach would help the new generation of entrepreneurs . the cuban government should provide a stronger legal basis for private businesses , giving them the same rights and duties as for the non-private companies ' , says graphic designer nieto . without that , i think there will not be any serious economic growth . ' evidence of such a fundamental shift can be seen in the port town of mariel , site of the cuban missile crisis . a special economic zone ' has been created , with the backing of brazil , allowing tax-free foreign investment in industries such as mining and manufacturing . there are major real estate projects that the government would like to see , there could be billions of dollars of investment , ' says johannes werner , editor of the cuba standard , the island 's only dedicated financial media . but there has been a lot of insecurity around foreign investment -- the greatest being the u.s . embargo . ' the obama announcement sends the signal to investors that it 's ok to move ahead , as well as telling them that u.s. investors may be here soon so be ready before their competition arrives . ' improved internet infrastructure is a deal-breaker for this new vision of the cuban economy . grand-scale projects will not be sustained by a connection on the strength of satellite signals and a single fiber-optic cable from venezuela . the u.s. has made a priority of co-operation on this issue , although these plans are viewed with skepticism , based on previous american efforts to subvert the government through social networks as well as open suggestions that the liberalization of the economy could help overthrow castro 's regime . the problem is that the obama proposal prioritizes private enterprise over the state economy with the idea being to strengthen capitalism on the island , ' says rosa miriam elizalde , editor of the loyalist cuba debate news site . this contradicts our society that has tried to defend and protect social access to our resources ... if american intentions is to impose capitalism here through seduction it will not be successful . ' while the leaders of both nations have declared a commitment to co-operation with respect for ideological differences , it remains to be seen whether the decades-old phoney war will continue by other means . an isolated pariah , or bread basket of north america ? cuba 's path is open .
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cuba has new opportunities following historic deal with u.s .
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tony soprano <tsp> ( cnn ) -- now we 'll never know whether tony soprano got whacked or not . ' this , believe it or not , was how somebody on a social networking site greeted last night 's shocking news of james gandolfini 's death , at 51 , of a heart attack while vacationing in europe . the first thing you want to say to this is : really ? six years have passed since the last episode of the sopranos ' left the fate of its psychically damaged crime boss and suburban patriarch to speculation -- and you still want closure after all this time ? is that really the first thing you thought about after someone died so young , so unexpectedly ? on the one hand , this sounds at best shallow and at worst callous . it is true , of course , that tony soprano , one of the great characters in american television and folklore , was indeed the role of a lifetime , for which gandolfini was deservedly honored with multiple emmys , unanimous acclaim and the type of reverberating legacy that is rarer than awards or praise . ( it may be somewhat premature to call this immortality , but we 'll see in another 30 years or so . ) appreciation : james gandolfini , a pure actor it is also true that in what turns out to have been a painfully brief time , gandolfini had also distinguished himself in many roles on stage and screen in which his gruff , bearish demeanor proved adaptable enough to play everything from a well-heeled new york parent in the 2009 broadway production of god of carnage ' to the recalcitrant father of an aspiring rocker in not fade away , ' last year 's movie-directorial debut of sopranos ' creator david chase . he could also veer into the offbeat with surprising results , making a poignant impression while giving wounded , anxious voice to one of the beasts in spike jonze 's 2009 movie adaptation of where the wild things are , ' a film i liked better than most of my fellow film critics did at the time . in last year 's zero dark thirty ' he made a deeper impression playing cia director leon panetta than his relatively brief screen time would have suggested . it was the resume of the consummate character actor . and yet , it 's just possible that only an actor as versatile and magnetic as gandolfini could have rendered a character as complicated , forbidding and intimately familiar as tony soprano powerfully enough to have raised the bar for dramatic television . david chase set the table for his quirky crime series by giving his menacing main character a streak of emotional vulnerability so deep and wide that he needed psychotherapy to cope with the consequences of his actions -- and the often trauma-inducing behavior of his family members . galdolfini left his mark on new jersey and for all the tough talk , squalid activities and violent reprisals endemic to his profession , tony was also flummoxed by life as a well-heeled new jersey businessman trying to get his daughter into a decent college , his son into a better ( less illicit ) line of work and his wife to accept his peccadillos and keep the household together while he tried to keep his motley troops in line and the authorities at bay . one minute he could scare you ( and his shrink ) with his flashes of intense anger ; the next minute he made you empathize with his obsessive fascination with the wildlife ( ducks , bears , etc . ) wandering into his spacious backyard . he was both a dedicated thug and a lost soul , a philandering sociopath who lugged his own unwieldy , twisted sense of propriety and honor . it was this tension between tony 's warring selves that , as much as any of the show 's other virtues , kept millions of viewers riveted to the sopranos ' for six seasons . it also broadened the possibilities for new dramatic series featuring lead characters with similarly conflicted morals and sordid deeds . in other words : without tony soprano , there would be no don draper of mad men ' ( created by sopranos ' writer matthew weiner ) or walter white of breaking bad . ' from the mouth of tony soprano : best quotes and without james gandolfini bringing his own intelligence , charisma and intuitive graces to tony soprano 's portrayal , television might have been more resistant to the deeper , more complex drama that has catapulted the medium to being the main event in american popular culture . gandolfini , known among fellow actors and others for his generosity of spirit toward others , gave all of us a gift that will keep on giving for generations . the real regret , the awful , terrible knowledge that informed so many grief-stricken tributes online wednesday , is not that we 'll never know what happened to tony soprano at that last supper . it 's that we 'll never have a chance to see all the other wonderful gifts we would have received from the man who brought him to riveting , haunting life . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gene seymour .
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without an actor of his gifts , the character of tony soprano might not have worked , he says
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tony soprano <tsp> ( cnn ) -- now we 'll never know whether tony soprano got whacked or not . ' this , believe it or not , was how somebody on a social networking site greeted last night 's shocking news of james gandolfini 's death , at 51 , of a heart attack while vacationing in europe . the first thing you want to say to this is : really ? six years have passed since the last episode of the sopranos ' left the fate of its psychically damaged crime boss and suburban patriarch to speculation -- and you still want closure after all this time ? is that really the first thing you thought about after someone died so young , so unexpectedly ? on the one hand , this sounds at best shallow and at worst callous . it is true , of course , that tony soprano , one of the great characters in american television and folklore , was indeed the role of a lifetime , for which gandolfini was deservedly honored with multiple emmys , unanimous acclaim and the type of reverberating legacy that is rarer than awards or praise . ( it may be somewhat premature to call this immortality , but we 'll see in another 30 years or so . ) appreciation : james gandolfini , a pure actor it is also true that in what turns out to have been a painfully brief time , gandolfini had also distinguished himself in many roles on stage and screen in which his gruff , bearish demeanor proved adaptable enough to play everything from a well-heeled new york parent in the 2009 broadway production of god of carnage ' to the recalcitrant father of an aspiring rocker in not fade away , ' last year 's movie-directorial debut of sopranos ' creator david chase . he could also veer into the offbeat with surprising results , making a poignant impression while giving wounded , anxious voice to one of the beasts in spike jonze 's 2009 movie adaptation of where the wild things are , ' a film i liked better than most of my fellow film critics did at the time . in last year 's zero dark thirty ' he made a deeper impression playing cia director leon panetta than his relatively brief screen time would have suggested . it was the resume of the consummate character actor . and yet , it 's just possible that only an actor as versatile and magnetic as gandolfini could have rendered a character as complicated , forbidding and intimately familiar as tony soprano powerfully enough to have raised the bar for dramatic television . david chase set the table for his quirky crime series by giving his menacing main character a streak of emotional vulnerability so deep and wide that he needed psychotherapy to cope with the consequences of his actions -- and the often trauma-inducing behavior of his family members . galdolfini left his mark on new jersey and for all the tough talk , squalid activities and violent reprisals endemic to his profession , tony was also flummoxed by life as a well-heeled new jersey businessman trying to get his daughter into a decent college , his son into a better ( less illicit ) line of work and his wife to accept his peccadillos and keep the household together while he tried to keep his motley troops in line and the authorities at bay . one minute he could scare you ( and his shrink ) with his flashes of intense anger ; the next minute he made you empathize with his obsessive fascination with the wildlife ( ducks , bears , etc . ) wandering into his spacious backyard . he was both a dedicated thug and a lost soul , a philandering sociopath who lugged his own unwieldy , twisted sense of propriety and honor . it was this tension between tony 's warring selves that , as much as any of the show 's other virtues , kept millions of viewers riveted to the sopranos ' for six seasons . it also broadened the possibilities for new dramatic series featuring lead characters with similarly conflicted morals and sordid deeds . in other words : without tony soprano , there would be no don draper of mad men ' ( created by sopranos ' writer matthew weiner ) or walter white of breaking bad . ' from the mouth of tony soprano : best quotes and without james gandolfini bringing his own intelligence , charisma and intuitive graces to tony soprano 's portrayal , television might have been more resistant to the deeper , more complex drama that has catapulted the medium to being the main event in american popular culture . gandolfini , known among fellow actors and others for his generosity of spirit toward others , gave all of us a gift that will keep on giving for generations . the real regret , the awful , terrible knowledge that informed so many grief-stricken tributes online wednesday , is not that we 'll never know what happened to tony soprano at that last supper . it 's that we 'll never have a chance to see all the other wonderful gifts we would have received from the man who brought him to riveting , haunting life . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of gene seymour .
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seymour : complex , conflicted tony soprano paved the way for others such as don draper
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walkman <tsp> ( mashable ) -- after retiring the floppy disk in march , sony has halted the manufacture and distribution of another now-obsolete technology : the cassette walkman , the first low-cost , portable music player . the final batch was shipped to japanese retailers in april , according to it media . once these units are sold , new cassette walkmans will no longer be available through the manufacturer . the first generation walkman ( which was called the soundabout in the u.s. , and the stowaway in the uk ) was released on july 1 , 1979 in japan . although it later became a huge success , it only sold 3,000 units in its first month . sony managed to sell some 200 million iterations of the cassette walkman over the product line 's 30-year career . mashable.com : sony retires the floppy disk somewhat ironically , the announcement was delivered just one day ahead of the ipod 's ninth anniversary on october 23 , although the decline of the cassette walkman is attributed primarily to the explosive popularity of cd players in the '90s , not the ipod . © 2013 mashable.com . all rights reserved .
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first generation walkman was released on july 1 , 1979 in japan
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walkman <tsp> ( mashable ) -- after retiring the floppy disk in march , sony has halted the manufacture and distribution of another now-obsolete technology : the cassette walkman , the first low-cost , portable music player . the final batch was shipped to japanese retailers in april , according to it media . once these units are sold , new cassette walkmans will no longer be available through the manufacturer . the first generation walkman ( which was called the soundabout in the u.s. , and the stowaway in the uk ) was released on july 1 , 1979 in japan . although it later became a huge success , it only sold 3,000 units in its first month . sony managed to sell some 200 million iterations of the cassette walkman over the product line 's 30-year career . mashable.com : sony retires the floppy disk somewhat ironically , the announcement was delivered just one day ahead of the ipod 's ninth anniversary on october 23 , although the decline of the cassette walkman is attributed primarily to the explosive popularity of cd players in the '90s , not the ipod . © 2013 mashable.com . all rights reserved .
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the cassette walkman was the first low-cost , portable music player
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keystone xl <tsp> washington ( cnn ) losing the majority in the senate was bad news for most national democrats . but for a few of outspoken liberals -- especially those with higher ambitions -- the minority may be a bit more fun . for the next two years , liberals like sens . bernie sanders and elizabeth warren -- a pair oft-discussed during 2016 speculation -- will be able to use the republican control as a foil for their rhetoric and message . they will also be more unencumbered by difficult votes thrust upon them by the white house and democratic leadership . republicans are now in control , meaning most votes they take will give them opportunities to blast their opponents and rally their base . barbara boxer is retiring , not running for reelection in 2016 this was clear in the first meeting of the new senate energy committee on thursday , when warren -- who has repeatedly said she is n't running for president -- used her first speech to lambast republicans for kowtowing to foreign oil companies and business interests by pushing the keystone xl pipeline . i want to know why the pipeline is the very first , no . 1 item on the agenda in the new congress , ' warren said of the 1,179-mile-long project that would move oil from canada to refineries in the united states . after making the case that the pipeline was not about jobs or energy costs -- two points republicans regularly make -- warren upped her rhetoric . so it 's not about jobs ; it 's not about energy . why is this bill so urgent ? the answer is money , money and power , ' warren said . who does this new republican congress work for , foreign oil companies or the american people ? today , their first priority is to advance a pipeline that means a whole lot to lobbyists and a giant foreign oil company . ' sanders , too , will likely use his position caucusing with the minority party ( the senator is an independent who chooses to meet with democrats ) to needle both republicans and the obama administration . on free trade , for example , sanders has already staked out a position that is antithetical to the white house when he wrote a letter to the administration blasting the trans-pacific partnership , a free trade deal with 12 pacific rim countries . in particular , sanders -- who is openly considering a 2016 run -- has accused the white house of creating the agreement in secret . it is incomprehensible to me that the leaders of major corporate interests who stand to gain enormous financial benefits from this agreement are actively involved in the writing of the tpp while , at the same time , the elected officials of this country , representing the american people , have little or no knowledge as to what is in it , ' he wrote . in my view , this is simply unacceptable , ' he said . z. byron wolf contributed to this report .
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warren - who says she is n't running for president - showed this by attacking republicans on the keystone xl pipeline
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white house <tsp> washington ( cnn ) losing the majority in the senate was bad news for most national democrats . but for a few of outspoken liberals -- especially those with higher ambitions -- the minority may be a bit more fun . for the next two years , liberals like sens . bernie sanders and elizabeth warren -- a pair oft-discussed during 2016 speculation -- will be able to use the republican control as a foil for their rhetoric and message . they will also be more unencumbered by difficult votes thrust upon them by the white house and democratic leadership . republicans are now in control , meaning most votes they take will give them opportunities to blast their opponents and rally their base . barbara boxer is retiring , not running for reelection in 2016 this was clear in the first meeting of the new senate energy committee on thursday , when warren -- who has repeatedly said she is n't running for president -- used her first speech to lambast republicans for kowtowing to foreign oil companies and business interests by pushing the keystone xl pipeline . i want to know why the pipeline is the very first , no . 1 item on the agenda in the new congress , ' warren said of the 1,179-mile-long project that would move oil from canada to refineries in the united states . after making the case that the pipeline was not about jobs or energy costs -- two points republicans regularly make -- warren upped her rhetoric . so it 's not about jobs ; it 's not about energy . why is this bill so urgent ? the answer is money , money and power , ' warren said . who does this new republican congress work for , foreign oil companies or the american people ? today , their first priority is to advance a pipeline that means a whole lot to lobbyists and a giant foreign oil company . ' sanders , too , will likely use his position caucusing with the minority party ( the senator is an independent who chooses to meet with democrats ) to needle both republicans and the obama administration . on free trade , for example , sanders has already staked out a position that is antithetical to the white house when he wrote a letter to the administration blasting the trans-pacific partnership , a free trade deal with 12 pacific rim countries . in particular , sanders -- who is openly considering a 2016 run -- has accused the white house of creating the agreement in secret . it is incomprehensible to me that the leaders of major corporate interests who stand to gain enormous financial benefits from this agreement are actively involved in the writing of the tpp while , at the same time , the elected officials of this country , representing the american people , have little or no knowledge as to what is in it , ' he wrote . in my view , this is simply unacceptable , ' he said . z. byron wolf contributed to this report .
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this could help a number of liberal senators , especially anyone eying the white house
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strip <tsp> ( cnn ) -- you know it 's a recession when leggy las vegas showgirls ca n't sell enough tickets to stay in business . las vegas showgirls strut their stuff in les folies bergere , which is closing after 50 years . that 's what 's happening to les folies bergere , ' a revue modeled after its famous namesake in paris , that has run in vegas for nearly 50 years . the curtain will go down on the act for the last time on march 28 , according to the tropicana las vegas , where the show runs on the strip . the hotel 's web site trumpets that the timeless musical extravaganza embodies the very essence of sexy , classic las vegas entertainment . ' the classic show opened on christmas eve 1959 after being imported from paris , according to the hotel . scandalous when it opened , it was known for its leggy , topless dancers wearing huge feathered headdresses , high heels , and not much more . folies bergere enjoyed an amazing and unprecedented run on the las vegas strip , ' according to ron thacker , president of tropicana las vegas . we are extremely proud to have been part of such an iconic las vegas production and offer a sincere thank you to the cast , crew and support staff for their many years of excellence . ' the closing is an example of how the economic downturn has struck sin city . tourism and real estate -- two key industries in las vegas -- have plunged . hotels have slashed prices to keep bringing in visitors , but that has n't helped keep les folies bergere running .
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curtain at tropicana resort on the strip goes down for last time march 28
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muslims <tsp> ( cnn ) -- riots broke out in central myanmar on wednesday , authorities said , as police struggled to stop groups of buddhists from setting fire to mosques and muslims'homes . the violence comes after a state of emergency was declared last week in the area where clashes between the two communities first broke out , leaving at least 40 people dead . in natalin township , rioters destroyed eight houses , 12 shops and one mosque , police said . in nearby zigon township , 40 houses and one mosque were destroyed , they said . police said they fired rubber bullets at rioters there . some people were injured and admitted the hospital . the riots prompted new restrictions . officials put dusk-to-dawn curfews in place in natalin and zigon , state-run tv reported late wednesday , raising the total number of townships where a curfew is now imposed to nine . officials on tuesday put curfews in place in the townships of gyobingauk , okpo and minhla , the new light of myanmar , a state-run newspaper , said . police had reported arson attacks on muslim properties in those three townships in recent days . u.s. authorities have issued a warning to u.s. citizens in myanmar amid the unrest that began last week in the city of meiktila , in the central mandalay region , and spread to other towns . the situation has fueled fears in the commercial capital , yangon , prompting stores to close in a popular shopping district monday . the u.s. embassy told u.s. citizens to avoid the mingalar market and yuzana plaza part of yangon , the same area where the stores were shuttered . u.s. warns citizens in myanmar amid deadly sectarian unrest a state of emergency during the clashes in meiktila , which were reportedly set off by a dispute between a muslim gold shop owner and two buddhist sellers , rioters set fire to houses , schools and mosques , prompting thousands of residents to flee their homes . the government declared a state of emergency in the city friday , allowing the military to help reinstate order . but as the situation there appeared to calm , authorities reported arson attacks by groups of buddhists in other towns in the region over the weekend . the unrest highlights the fragility of ethnic relations in myanmar , also known as burma , as it emerges from decades of military repression . authorities have released thousands of political prisoners and pursued peace talks with rebel groups in the past two years . president thein sein , who has overseen the country 's initial moves toward democracy , vowed monday to take action against those who led the violence and got involved in it and to expose those who flamed the conflict under the pretext of religion , ' the new light of myanmar reported . the u.n. humanitarian agency says that the myanmar government estimates that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the unrest . they 're barricaded in schools and in a monastery , ' said ashok nigam , the u.n. resident coordinator in myanmar . they 're currently receiving humanitarian assistance provided by the government . ' a buddhist monk was reported to be among those killed when the violence initially erupted in meiktila last week . but win htein , an opposition lawmaker for the area , has said that he believes the majority of the victims were muslims . most of the muslims'houses were destroyed and burnt down , ' he said tuesday . very few are left . ' authorities have found dozens of bodies amid the wreckage left by the riots . police confiscated weapons such as swords and machetes from groups of buddhists -- some of them monks -- who were roaming the streets last week , officials said . win htein said tuesday that the situation was improving in meiktila , but that he was concerned that some young buddhists were organizing their own security ' despite government warnings not to carry weapons . tensions persist between buddhists and muslims growing insecurity unsubstantiated rumors of unrest in other parts of the country such as yangon are spreading via text messages and social media , stoking fears among residents . people are feeling totally insecure , totally not safe , ' said aye chan naing , the founder of democratic voice of burma , an independent news website based in chiang mai , thailand , less than 200 kilometers from the border with myanmar . in one example , si thu , a buddhist employee of the united nations who lives in a mainly muslim neighborhood of yangon , said tuesday he was moving his family to stay at a relative 's home elsewhere in the city . i ca n't think of any political or religious aspects now , ' he said . i only know about how to protect my family . ' the new light of myanmar suggested that such rumors are being circulated by those with ill will who want to harm peace and stability . ' the clashes in meiktila and elsewhere have drawn expressions of concern from u.n. and u.s. officials . the sudden boiling over of tensions between buddhists and muslims in central myanmar follows sectarian troubles that killed scores of people in the west of the country last year . those clashes , in rakhine state , took place between the buddhist majority and the rohingya , a stateless ethnic muslim group . most of the victims in that unrest were rohingya . tens of thousands more were left living in makeshift camps , and many of them have since joined those who attempt each year to flee to thailand and malaysia in flimsy boats . cnn 's kocha olarn , dana ford and elizabeth joseph contributed to this report . journalist pho wai lin also contributed .
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new : myanmar imposes more curfews to try to prevent attacks on muslims
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muslims <tsp> ( cnn ) -- riots broke out in central myanmar on wednesday , authorities said , as police struggled to stop groups of buddhists from setting fire to mosques and muslims'homes . the violence comes after a state of emergency was declared last week in the area where clashes between the two communities first broke out , leaving at least 40 people dead . in natalin township , rioters destroyed eight houses , 12 shops and one mosque , police said . in nearby zigon township , 40 houses and one mosque were destroyed , they said . police said they fired rubber bullets at rioters there . some people were injured and admitted the hospital . the riots prompted new restrictions . officials put dusk-to-dawn curfews in place in natalin and zigon , state-run tv reported late wednesday , raising the total number of townships where a curfew is now imposed to nine . officials on tuesday put curfews in place in the townships of gyobingauk , okpo and minhla , the new light of myanmar , a state-run newspaper , said . police had reported arson attacks on muslim properties in those three townships in recent days . u.s. authorities have issued a warning to u.s. citizens in myanmar amid the unrest that began last week in the city of meiktila , in the central mandalay region , and spread to other towns . the situation has fueled fears in the commercial capital , yangon , prompting stores to close in a popular shopping district monday . the u.s. embassy told u.s. citizens to avoid the mingalar market and yuzana plaza part of yangon , the same area where the stores were shuttered . u.s. warns citizens in myanmar amid deadly sectarian unrest a state of emergency during the clashes in meiktila , which were reportedly set off by a dispute between a muslim gold shop owner and two buddhist sellers , rioters set fire to houses , schools and mosques , prompting thousands of residents to flee their homes . the government declared a state of emergency in the city friday , allowing the military to help reinstate order . but as the situation there appeared to calm , authorities reported arson attacks by groups of buddhists in other towns in the region over the weekend . the unrest highlights the fragility of ethnic relations in myanmar , also known as burma , as it emerges from decades of military repression . authorities have released thousands of political prisoners and pursued peace talks with rebel groups in the past two years . president thein sein , who has overseen the country 's initial moves toward democracy , vowed monday to take action against those who led the violence and got involved in it and to expose those who flamed the conflict under the pretext of religion , ' the new light of myanmar reported . the u.n. humanitarian agency says that the myanmar government estimates that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the unrest . they 're barricaded in schools and in a monastery , ' said ashok nigam , the u.n. resident coordinator in myanmar . they 're currently receiving humanitarian assistance provided by the government . ' a buddhist monk was reported to be among those killed when the violence initially erupted in meiktila last week . but win htein , an opposition lawmaker for the area , has said that he believes the majority of the victims were muslims . most of the muslims'houses were destroyed and burnt down , ' he said tuesday . very few are left . ' authorities have found dozens of bodies amid the wreckage left by the riots . police confiscated weapons such as swords and machetes from groups of buddhists -- some of them monks -- who were roaming the streets last week , officials said . win htein said tuesday that the situation was improving in meiktila , but that he was concerned that some young buddhists were organizing their own security ' despite government warnings not to carry weapons . tensions persist between buddhists and muslims growing insecurity unsubstantiated rumors of unrest in other parts of the country such as yangon are spreading via text messages and social media , stoking fears among residents . people are feeling totally insecure , totally not safe , ' said aye chan naing , the founder of democratic voice of burma , an independent news website based in chiang mai , thailand , less than 200 kilometers from the border with myanmar . in one example , si thu , a buddhist employee of the united nations who lives in a mainly muslim neighborhood of yangon , said tuesday he was moving his family to stay at a relative 's home elsewhere in the city . i ca n't think of any political or religious aspects now , ' he said . i only know about how to protect my family . ' the new light of myanmar suggested that such rumors are being circulated by those with ill will who want to harm peace and stability . ' the clashes in meiktila and elsewhere have drawn expressions of concern from u.n. and u.s. officials . the sudden boiling over of tensions between buddhists and muslims in central myanmar follows sectarian troubles that killed scores of people in the west of the country last year . those clashes , in rakhine state , took place between the buddhist majority and the rohingya , a stateless ethnic muslim group . most of the victims in that unrest were rohingya . tens of thousands more were left living in makeshift camps , and many of them have since joined those who attempt each year to flee to thailand and malaysia in flimsy boats . cnn 's kocha olarn , dana ford and elizabeth joseph contributed to this report . journalist pho wai lin also contributed .
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at least 40 people have been killed in clashes between muslims and buddhists
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china <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president obama 's senior economic adviser said sunday the government was delaying a report to congress in order to provide more time to address china 's alleged currency manipulation . lawrence summers , director of the national economic council , told the cnn program state of the union ' that major international meetings coming up , including a g-20 economic gathering that will include china , provide the opportunity to resolve trade differences that could be exacerbated if the exchange-rate report were released on april 15 as scheduled . summers said the upcoming meetings offer opportunities to engage china and other countries that have large trade surpluses with the united states . u.s treasury secretary tim geithner announced the delay of the report to congress on saturday . many lawmakers had hoped the report would publicly admonish china for allegedly manipulating its currency to the detriment of the united states . geithner , explaining the delay , said the upcoming meetings are the best avenue for advancing u.s. interests at this time . ' on sunday , summers denied that the delayed report had any connection to the u.s. desire for china to support tougher sanctions against iran over the tehran government 's refusal to comply with international regulations regarding its nuclear energy program . his comment was in response to a question on the abc program this week . ' china has opposed more sanctions , but last week signaled a willingness to negotiate the issue within the u.n. security council , according to susan rice , the u.s. permanent representative to the united nations . lawmakers from both parties have called on the obama administration to speak out against china 's refusal to let its currency appreciate . china has kept its yuan at about 6.83 to the dollar for almost two years . many u.s. economists say the currency is undervalued by as much as 40 percent . keeping its currency low makes china 's goods cheaper on the world market and more likely to be purchased by other countries . but , analysts say , it hurts american businesses , which can not compete . some analysts have argued that this is costing the united states 1.5 million jobs and impeding the country 's economic recovery . everyone knows china is manipulating the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage in international trade , ' said iowa sen. chuck grassley , adding he was disappointed in the treasury secretary 's decision . if we want the chinese to take us seriously , we need to be willing to say so in public , ' said grassley , the ranking republican member of the senate finance committee . the past few years have proven that denying the problem does n't solve anything . ' chinese officials have insisted the united states is using beijing as a scapegoat for its own economic problems . the chinese government will not succumb to foreign pressure to adjust our exchange rates , ' said zhong shan , vice minister of commerce , late last month . premier wen jiabao has been equally stern in his response . we oppose the practice of finger-pointing among countries or strong-arm measures to force other countries to appreciate currencies , ' he told reporters last month . in his statement , geithner acknowledged china has maintained an inflexible exchange rate . ' a move by china to a more market-oriented exchange rate will make an essential contribution to global rebalancing , ' he said . rep. sander levin , chairman of the house ways and means committee , said the delay was meant to see if the international community can address the issue in the coming months . if the multilateral effort does not result in china 's making significant changes , the administration and congress will have no choice but to take appropriate action , ' said levin , a democratic lawmaker from michigan .
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geithner admits china has maintained an inflexible exchange rate '
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china <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president obama 's senior economic adviser said sunday the government was delaying a report to congress in order to provide more time to address china 's alleged currency manipulation . lawrence summers , director of the national economic council , told the cnn program state of the union ' that major international meetings coming up , including a g-20 economic gathering that will include china , provide the opportunity to resolve trade differences that could be exacerbated if the exchange-rate report were released on april 15 as scheduled . summers said the upcoming meetings offer opportunities to engage china and other countries that have large trade surpluses with the united states . u.s treasury secretary tim geithner announced the delay of the report to congress on saturday . many lawmakers had hoped the report would publicly admonish china for allegedly manipulating its currency to the detriment of the united states . geithner , explaining the delay , said the upcoming meetings are the best avenue for advancing u.s. interests at this time . ' on sunday , summers denied that the delayed report had any connection to the u.s. desire for china to support tougher sanctions against iran over the tehran government 's refusal to comply with international regulations regarding its nuclear energy program . his comment was in response to a question on the abc program this week . ' china has opposed more sanctions , but last week signaled a willingness to negotiate the issue within the u.n. security council , according to susan rice , the u.s. permanent representative to the united nations . lawmakers from both parties have called on the obama administration to speak out against china 's refusal to let its currency appreciate . china has kept its yuan at about 6.83 to the dollar for almost two years . many u.s. economists say the currency is undervalued by as much as 40 percent . keeping its currency low makes china 's goods cheaper on the world market and more likely to be purchased by other countries . but , analysts say , it hurts american businesses , which can not compete . some analysts have argued that this is costing the united states 1.5 million jobs and impeding the country 's economic recovery . everyone knows china is manipulating the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage in international trade , ' said iowa sen. chuck grassley , adding he was disappointed in the treasury secretary 's decision . if we want the chinese to take us seriously , we need to be willing to say so in public , ' said grassley , the ranking republican member of the senate finance committee . the past few years have proven that denying the problem does n't solve anything . ' chinese officials have insisted the united states is using beijing as a scapegoat for its own economic problems . the chinese government will not succumb to foreign pressure to adjust our exchange rates , ' said zhong shan , vice minister of commerce , late last month . premier wen jiabao has been equally stern in his response . we oppose the practice of finger-pointing among countries or strong-arm measures to force other countries to appreciate currencies , ' he told reporters last month . in his statement , geithner acknowledged china has maintained an inflexible exchange rate . ' a move by china to a more market-oriented exchange rate will make an essential contribution to global rebalancing , ' he said . rep. sander levin , chairman of the house ways and means committee , said the delay was meant to see if the international community can address the issue in the coming months . if the multilateral effort does not result in china 's making significant changes , the administration and congress will have no choice but to take appropriate action , ' said levin , a democratic lawmaker from michigan .
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economic adviser lawrence summers wants to give china more time
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china <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- president obama 's senior economic adviser said sunday the government was delaying a report to congress in order to provide more time to address china 's alleged currency manipulation . lawrence summers , director of the national economic council , told the cnn program state of the union ' that major international meetings coming up , including a g-20 economic gathering that will include china , provide the opportunity to resolve trade differences that could be exacerbated if the exchange-rate report were released on april 15 as scheduled . summers said the upcoming meetings offer opportunities to engage china and other countries that have large trade surpluses with the united states . u.s treasury secretary tim geithner announced the delay of the report to congress on saturday . many lawmakers had hoped the report would publicly admonish china for allegedly manipulating its currency to the detriment of the united states . geithner , explaining the delay , said the upcoming meetings are the best avenue for advancing u.s. interests at this time . ' on sunday , summers denied that the delayed report had any connection to the u.s. desire for china to support tougher sanctions against iran over the tehran government 's refusal to comply with international regulations regarding its nuclear energy program . his comment was in response to a question on the abc program this week . ' china has opposed more sanctions , but last week signaled a willingness to negotiate the issue within the u.n. security council , according to susan rice , the u.s. permanent representative to the united nations . lawmakers from both parties have called on the obama administration to speak out against china 's refusal to let its currency appreciate . china has kept its yuan at about 6.83 to the dollar for almost two years . many u.s. economists say the currency is undervalued by as much as 40 percent . keeping its currency low makes china 's goods cheaper on the world market and more likely to be purchased by other countries . but , analysts say , it hurts american businesses , which can not compete . some analysts have argued that this is costing the united states 1.5 million jobs and impeding the country 's economic recovery . everyone knows china is manipulating the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage in international trade , ' said iowa sen. chuck grassley , adding he was disappointed in the treasury secretary 's decision . if we want the chinese to take us seriously , we need to be willing to say so in public , ' said grassley , the ranking republican member of the senate finance committee . the past few years have proven that denying the problem does n't solve anything . ' chinese officials have insisted the united states is using beijing as a scapegoat for its own economic problems . the chinese government will not succumb to foreign pressure to adjust our exchange rates , ' said zhong shan , vice minister of commerce , late last month . premier wen jiabao has been equally stern in his response . we oppose the practice of finger-pointing among countries or strong-arm measures to force other countries to appreciate currencies , ' he told reporters last month . in his statement , geithner acknowledged china has maintained an inflexible exchange rate . ' a move by china to a more market-oriented exchange rate will make an essential contribution to global rebalancing , ' he said . rep. sander levin , chairman of the house ways and means committee , said the delay was meant to see if the international community can address the issue in the coming months . if the multilateral effort does not result in china 's making significant changes , the administration and congress will have no choice but to take appropriate action , ' said levin , a democratic lawmaker from michigan .
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critics argue china keeps currency low , hurting american businesses
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borneo <tsp> kuala lumpur , malaysia ( cnn ) -- armed men fatally shot a malaysian police officer and abducted another at a diving resort on the island of borneo , according to malaysian authorities . a group of eight gunmen dressed in army fatigues stormed the mabul water bungalow resort off the eastern coast of sabah on saturday evening and fired on marine police officers guarding the complex , said eastern sabah security command director abdul rashid harun . the masked attackers fled by boat with one of the police officers , 26-year-old constable zakiah aliep , after a gunfight that killed another , corporal abdul rajah jamuan , 32 . the two policemen were stationed at the resort following a series of kidnappings which began in sabah last year . harun said it was unclear who was responsible for the attack , but the vessel was seen traveling toward the southern philippines , which is a notorious safe haven for filipino separatists . with pristine diving spots that are considered some of the best in the world , sabah is a popular destination for tourists but the region remains vulnerable to attacks by insurgents from the southern philippines . this is the fourth incident involving suspected filipino gunmen on the island this year . in april , a chinese tourist and a filipina worker were kidnapped from a diving resort off semporna . a month later , a chinese fish farm company manager was abducted from batik island near lahad datu . all three have been released following negotiations with malaysian and filipino security forces . another chinese citizen and a malaysian worker , who were kidnapped from a fish farm near kunak on june 23 , remain missing . police believe the gunmen responsible for saturday 's incident avoided detection by rowing a boat to the resort before springing the surprise attack from the rear of the complex , a spokesperson for the malaysian police , asmawati ahmad , confirmed monday . malaysia 's prime minister najib razak has expressed his condolences to the family of the officer killed in the ambush , and promised authorities would try their best to look for and rescue ' the missing constable . the mabul water bungalow resort was operating as usual monday , a spokesperson for the hotel told cnn . police investigations into the attack are ongoing , harun from the eastern sabah security command said .
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one policeman is dead and another kidnapped in malaysian borneo
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europe <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fewer crowds and pleasant weather make autumn a great time to explore europe , but for many americans the destination has suddenly become fraught with worry and potential danger . a day after the united states issued a general travel alert for americans in europe amid concerns that al qaeda is planning attacks similar to the 2008 massacre in mumbai , india , many travelers may be trying to figure out what to do next . still , the alert should scare no one from going to europe , said current and former u.s. state department officials -- a sentiment echoed by some travel experts . i do n't think anyone should cancel a trip . the chances of something happening to a particular individual are very , very slim , ' said george hobica , president of airfarewatchdog.com , who just returned from london , england , on sunday . travel alert issued for u.s. citizens in europe travel agents said they 've seen limited impact from the alert so far . two people with trips booked to london and paris , france , have called altour in new york asking what they should do , said martin rapp , senior vice president of leisure sales at the travel agency . he was able to offer the worried clients few answers beyond letting them know how much money they might lose if they decide to cancel . that 's all we really can say since it 's a rather nebulous warning , ' rapp said . i expect more calls . nobody has canceled yet ; they 're just questioning , seeing what their options are . ' there may be few new bookings this week because of the alert , but most travelers with plans already in place likely will not cancel them , said jill jergel , a travel agent who specializes in france and works for frontiers international travel in wexford , pennsylvania . not only do most affluent travelers like to go in september and the first half of october because schools are back in session , but it is a particularly busy time in paris because of fashion week , she added . i 've had one client say ,'gee it 's a little intense right now ,'but i 've certainly have not seen any effect on bookings , ' jergel said . not intimidated american tourists already in europe are on alert , but many continue to flock to popular landmarks , refusing to be intimidated by the threat . susan smith , who arrived in london last week from texas to celebrate her birthday , went to see the changing of the guard at buckingham palace and said the place was packed . she 's also not changing her travel plans . the only thing we 've changed is we 've elected not to go downstairs [ at the hotel ] in the evening to have a drink in the very large lobby bar , ' smith said . i do n't believe in allowing terrorists to do what they do , which is to terrorize me . if we act terrorized , then they win . ' because the alert is so vague , travel agents said people should take the same kinds of precautions they always would when traveling : be cautious , stay alert and look for anything suspicious . how to protect yourself abroad watch out when you go to a large gathering , added marion harbison , a travel agent who specializes in germany and works for sterling brownell in birmingham , alabama . most of her clients avoid the big cities and go to southern germany , where she believes there is little or no threat . travelers should also look beyond their activities and sightseeing . just be aware of your surroundings , keep an ear on the international news -- people do n't always do that when they 're traveling , ' jergel said . meanwhile , travel agents are watching and waiting to see what kind of a long-term impact the alert will have . certainly , we 're always worried when something like this happens because it always affects travel . there are always going to be people who are going to say ,'i 'm going to put it off ,' rapp said .
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some american tourists already in europe refuse to be intimidated by the threat
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europe <tsp> ( cnn ) -- fewer crowds and pleasant weather make autumn a great time to explore europe , but for many americans the destination has suddenly become fraught with worry and potential danger . a day after the united states issued a general travel alert for americans in europe amid concerns that al qaeda is planning attacks similar to the 2008 massacre in mumbai , india , many travelers may be trying to figure out what to do next . still , the alert should scare no one from going to europe , said current and former u.s. state department officials -- a sentiment echoed by some travel experts . i do n't think anyone should cancel a trip . the chances of something happening to a particular individual are very , very slim , ' said george hobica , president of airfarewatchdog.com , who just returned from london , england , on sunday . travel alert issued for u.s. citizens in europe travel agents said they 've seen limited impact from the alert so far . two people with trips booked to london and paris , france , have called altour in new york asking what they should do , said martin rapp , senior vice president of leisure sales at the travel agency . he was able to offer the worried clients few answers beyond letting them know how much money they might lose if they decide to cancel . that 's all we really can say since it 's a rather nebulous warning , ' rapp said . i expect more calls . nobody has canceled yet ; they 're just questioning , seeing what their options are . ' there may be few new bookings this week because of the alert , but most travelers with plans already in place likely will not cancel them , said jill jergel , a travel agent who specializes in france and works for frontiers international travel in wexford , pennsylvania . not only do most affluent travelers like to go in september and the first half of october because schools are back in session , but it is a particularly busy time in paris because of fashion week , she added . i 've had one client say ,'gee it 's a little intense right now ,'but i 've certainly have not seen any effect on bookings , ' jergel said . not intimidated american tourists already in europe are on alert , but many continue to flock to popular landmarks , refusing to be intimidated by the threat . susan smith , who arrived in london last week from texas to celebrate her birthday , went to see the changing of the guard at buckingham palace and said the place was packed . she 's also not changing her travel plans . the only thing we 've changed is we 've elected not to go downstairs [ at the hotel ] in the evening to have a drink in the very large lobby bar , ' smith said . i do n't believe in allowing terrorists to do what they do , which is to terrorize me . if we act terrorized , then they win . ' because the alert is so vague , travel agents said people should take the same kinds of precautions they always would when traveling : be cautious , stay alert and look for anything suspicious . how to protect yourself abroad watch out when you go to a large gathering , added marion harbison , a travel agent who specializes in germany and works for sterling brownell in birmingham , alabama . most of her clients avoid the big cities and go to southern germany , where she believes there is little or no threat . travelers should also look beyond their activities and sightseeing . just be aware of your surroundings , keep an ear on the international news -- people do n't always do that when they 're traveling , ' jergel said . meanwhile , travel agents are watching and waiting to see what kind of a long-term impact the alert will have . certainly , we 're always worried when something like this happens because it always affects travel . there are always going to be people who are going to say ,'i 'm going to put it off ,' rapp said .
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alert should scare no one from going to europe , u.s. state department officials say
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