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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon denied Thursday it has approved sending the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Yellow Sea off the Korean Peninsula , where North Korea allegedly sank a South Korean warship in March . Two U.S. military officials said U.S. Forces Korea was expected to make the announcement Thursday . The officials declined to speak on the record because the announcement had not been made . But Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told CNN , `` No carriers are going anywhere near there anytime soon . '' However , the military officials are planning for the deployment and said they expect it to be announced . Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he was not aware of a plan to send the carrier to waters off South Korea . The U.S. military is conducting exercises with the South Koreans , and some additional exercises are under discussion , Gates said , but no decisions have been made . The carrier deployment would come as the U.S. Navy and Republic of Korea warships are scheduled to conduct a joint naval exercise that the two nations vowed to undertake in response to the alleged North Korean attack on the South Korean ship . It 's not clear to what extent the aircraft carrier will be part of that exercise . The carrier is expected to be accompanied by a U.S. destroyer and submarine , the officials said . The U.S. ships plan to conduct exercises separate from those previously announced . But the move is considered to be sending a signal to North Korea about the U.S. commitment to defending South Korea . The Navy sent a carrier to the Yellow Sea last year for exercises , considered an unusual move because it had been several years since that had happened , one of the officials said . North Korea is blamed for a torpedo attack on a South Korean navy vessel , the Cheonan . Forty-six sailors were killed .
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Pentagon denies aircraft carrier being sent to Korean Peninsula . Sources : U.S. Forces Korea expected to announce carrier 's deployment . Response to alleged North Korean attack on South Korean warship in March .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A warden and a security official have resigned their posts at an Arizona state prison where three inmates escaped last month , a spokesman for the private company that runs the facility said Sunday . Unit Warden Lori Lieder and an unidentified unit security chief resigned last week from Arizona State Prison -- Kingman , according to Carl Stuart , a spokesman for Management & Training Corp. . The resignations come amid a nationwide search for the last of the three escaped inmates , John McCluskey , and his alleged accomplice , Casslyn Mae Welch . McCluskey , 45 , was serving a 15-year sentence for attempted second-degree murder and other charges when he and fellow convicts Tracy Province and Daniel Renwick broke out of the prison July 30 , allegedly with Welch 's help . Welch , who was on the visitation list for one of the inmates , threw cutting tools over a prison fence , according to Charles Ryan , director of Arizona 's Department of Corrections . Ryan has noted some `` operational security problems '' at the prison . `` Those are being evaluated and investigated as we speak , '' he said earlier this month . Renwick , 36 , was captured August 1 in a shootout with police in Rifle , Colorado . He was serving 22 years for second-degree murder when he escaped . Province , 42 , was rearrested Monday in Meeteetse , Wyoming , near Yellowstone National Park when authorities were notified by a local resident who sat and talked with Province a day earlier on the steps of a church in town . He was serving a life sentence for murder and armed robbery . Renwick remains in the Garfield County , Colorado , Jail on charges of attempted first-degree murder and eluding police , the U.S. Marshals Service said Sunday . Authorities are working to coordinate the transport of Province back to Arizona from Wyoming -- expected to occur within the next month , the marshals service said . Meanwhile , the hunt for McCluskey and Welch continued in western Montana and along the border with Canada , the marshals service said . The last credible sighting of the pair occurred August 6 in Billings , Montana , the marshals service said . A reward of up to $ 35,000 is being offered for information that leads to their arrests . McCluskey is believed to have dyed his hair dark and grown a beard and Welch may have blonde hair . `` All information indicates McCluskey and Welch are still traveling together and should be considered armed and extremely dangerous , '' the marshals service said in a news release . `` It is likely they are reacting , rather than taking deliberate action . As the manhunt protracts , it is highly possible they will become more desperate , creating increased danger to law enforcement and the general public . If they are encountered , call local law enforcement immediately . '' McCluskey and Welch are also suspected in the killings of a couple whose bodies were found in their burned out camper earlier this month in New Mexico , according to authorities . Authorities said they are likely driving a gray , gold or tan 1997 Nissan Sentra , though both are experienced semitruck drivers known to have frequented truck stops , rest areas and campgrounds .
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A warden and a security official resigned last week , a prison spokesman says . The resignations come amid a nationwide search for inmate and his alleged accomplice . Two other escapees from the prison have been arrested . Authorities are concentrating search efforts in Montana and along the Canadian border .
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Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A suicide car bomber killed at least 56 people and wounded more than 100 others Friday when his vehicle exploded in a market in Mohmand Agency in Pakistan 's tribal region , officials said . The intended target of the attack was a local government office in the town of Eakah . But the vehicle detonated in a market near the building , said Hayat Khan , a local administration official . About 20 shops , five houses and the local jail were damaged in the blast . In the confusion following the attack , various officials provided conflicting death tolls . Amjad Ali Khan , chief of Mohmand Agency , said four policemen were among the dead . Maqsood Mahed Khan , a local government official , said three children and two women were killed . Authorities also believe more victims may be trapped under the rubble of damaged buildings . Mohmand is one of seven semiautonomous tribal agencies along the 1,500-mile border porous border that Pakistan shares with Afghanistan . The Pakistani military has been battling insurgents in the area for some time .
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More victims may be trapped under rubble . Attack is carried out by a suicide car bomber . Target is a government building . Mohmand Agency is one of seven semiautonomous regions .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Boston police have seized almost a ton of marijuana in the city 's largest such haul in recent memory , according to Suffolk County , Massachusetts , District Attorney Daniel F. Conley . Edgar Gonzalez , 40 , was arraigned Thursday in Dorchester District Court , accused of trafficking in marijuana . He also is being held in connection with an immigration violation by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement , according to a news release from District Attorney Conley . Conviction on the drug charge is punishable by up to 15 years in state prison . Boston police were originally conducting a separate search Wednesday when they witnessed what they described as a suspicious man fleeing from a building , according to the release from the district attorney . Police intercepted the man , identified as Gonzalez , and noticed the door to his apartment was open . Because of an existing immigration detainment order by U.S. Customs and Immigrations Enforcement as well as his behavior in trying to flee , officers were able to conduct a `` protective sweep '' of his residence , authorities said . In the apartment police found 40 large bales of marijuana wrapped in plastic , according to the press release . After obtaining a search warrant for Gonzalez 's apartment , police seized the marijuana -- weighing about 2,000 pounds , or one ton -- as well as scales , a vacuum sealer and shrink wrap . Police also seized a Dominican Republic passport , authorities said . Gonzalez 's attorney , Holly Clarke , did not return calls from CNN . Gonzalez was being held with bail set at $ 1 million , authorities said . His trial date is set for June 30 in Dorchester District Court . Arrest leads to seizure of almost a ton of marijuana .
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Nearly 1-ton haul largest in recent memory , Boston authorities say . Police found 40 bales in apartment . Man charged also being held on immigration violation . Seizure stemmed from unrelated search .
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Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Desperation erupted into violence Tuesday in flood-ravaged Pakistan as survivors who have yet to receive aid scrambled to put food in their empty bellies . People in Sindh province blocked a highway to protest the slowness of aid delivery and clashed with police , the United Nations said . In a hard-hit district of Punjab , hungry mobs unloaded two aid trucks headed to a warehouse . Local aid agencies reported other incidents of looting . An aid agency worker said distributions were hampered because of the crowds stopping the convoys and because large numbers of people were living along the road . About 20 million people have been affected by the relentless monsoon rains that began falling three weeks ago , leading to massive flooding from the mountainous regions in the north to the river plains of the south . See high resoulution images of disaster . About one-fifth of Pakistan is submerged , and entire families waded through filthy water , pleading for help . More than 1,400 people have died . Health officials fear a second wave of fatalities from waterborne diseases , including cholera , which is endemic in Pakistan and now threatening to become a major outbreak . Up to 3.5 million children are at high risk of cholera and other deadly diseases like typhoid and dysentery , said Maurizio Giuliano of the United Nations ' humanitarian affairs office . About 900,000 homes have been damaged , and the monsoon season is only about halfway over . Water is the villain here but can also be a savior : The only recourses from waterborne illnesses are clean water and medical care , but both are in short supply . The United Nations has called for $ 166 million for clean water and medical care but has received only $ 25 million . The World Bank has committed about $ 900 million at the request of the Pakistani government . According to a statement , funding will come from the bank 's Fund for the Poorest through reprogramming of currently planned projects and reallocation of undisbursed funds from ongoing projects . The overall global response has not been nearly enough , according to an International Rescue Committee-chaired consortium called the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum . About $ 150 million had been received from nations around the world by Monday , the group said in a statement , but much more is needed . `` The international response to the disaster has been too small to even begin to effectively address the needs of survivors , '' said Tammy Hasselfeldt , the country director of the International Rescue Committee . `` The most urgent priority is to ensure that safe water as well as medicines are available , food supplies are restored and transportation networks fixed to accelerate the delivery of desperately needed aid . '' The UN says $ 150 million is needed to feed up to 6 million Pakistanis , and $ 105 million is needed to help shelter about 2 million people left homeless . The United States has committed about $ 76 million for emergency flood relief assistance . But delivering the goods to flood victims is a nightmare in itself . With many roads and bridges reduced to rubble , travel by vehicles and foot is often impossible . The country is relying heavily on helicopters and boats to bring aid . `` We 're putting the final pieces in place on a distribution system which can reach the huge number of people in need in the shortest possible time , '' said Wolfgang Herbinger , director of the United Nations ' World Food Programme in Pakistan . `` It 's a huge challenge , particularly in Sindh , where the delivery infrastructure is most constrained . '' U.S. military helicopters delivered 2,500 pounds of relief supplies Tuesday and rescued 375 people . There are now 11 helicopters on the ground in Pakistan , but the Pentagon has ordered a total of 19 for flood relief efforts . Those efforts are costing the United States $ 300,000 a day , the Pentagon said . So far , $ 2.5 million has been spent . `` It 's a dynamic situation , '' Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said . `` But the U.S. is a good ally and a friend , and we want to be supportive . '' Families continue to stomp through mud carrying whatever belongings they can salvage , passing dead livestock , with nowhere to go . Despite their suffering , many flood victims are reluctant to leave the ruins of their homes because they fear having their land stolen . Amid the devastation , a bit of good news surfaced : The head engineer of the Sukkur barrage -- a dam whose strength was questioned as flood waters rose in the Indus River -- said the dam is considered safe . The river crested August 10 , and the dam withstood the pressure . CNN 's Reza Sayah , Samson Desta and Sara Sidner contributed to this report .
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Millions of children are at high risk of deadly diseases , United Nations says . About a fifth of Pakistan is under water amid monsoon rains . The UN urges more assistance for clean water , medical care . The United States has committed about $ 76 million for aid .
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Panama City , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama told CNN Saturday that in defending the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque near ground zero in a speech on Friday night , he was `` not commenting on the wisdom '' of the project . Instead , Obama said he was trying to uphold the broader principle that the government should treat `` everyone equal , regardless '' of religion . His comments were seen as step back from the support he appeared to give the controversial project during a White House dinner on Friday , though a spokesman for the administration quickly moved to clarify the president 's remarks . `` Just to be clear , the President is not backing off in any way from the comments he made last night , '' White House spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement Saturday afternoon . `` It is not his role as President to pass judgment on every local project . But it is his responsibility to stand up for the Constitutional principle of religious freedom and equal treatment for all Americans , '' Burton added . Obama , speaking on Saturday after giving a speech on the Gulf Coast oil disaster in Panama City , Florida , told CNN he `` was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there , '' referring to the area near ground zero . `` I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding , '' the president added . `` In this country , we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law , regardless of race , regardless of religion . '' At a White House dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan , Obama seemed to throw his support behind a controversial proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque near New York 's ground zero , saying Friday that `` Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country . '' `` That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan , in accordance with local laws and ordinances , '' Obama said . The president 's remarks drew praise from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who announced his support for the Islamic center last week . Bloomberg compared Obama 's speech to a letter former President George Washington wrote in support of a Jewish congregation in Newport , Rhode Island . Rep. Jerrold Nadler -LRB- D-New York -RRB- , whose district includes ground zero , praised Obama 's remarks on Saturday . `` The United States was founded on the principle of religious liberty and tolerance , and it is equally important 234 years later that we uphold this principal . Hate should have no place in America , '' Nadler said in a statement . Still , critics of the proposed Islamic center -- including Sarah Palin and Rep. Peter King -LRB- R-New York -RRB- -- quickly denounced Obama 's comments . `` President Obama is wrong , '' King said in a statement Friday night . `` It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero . Unfortunately , the President caved into political correctness . '' Sarah Palin , the former Republican candidate for vice president , also weighed in . `` We all know that they have the right to do it , but should they ? '' she tweeted on Saturday . Obama , who on Friday said he was speaking both as a citizen and as president , invoked the attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 , which critics of the Islamic center cite as the main reason for blocking its construction . `` We must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan , '' he said . `` The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country . '' `` The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable , '' Obama continued . `` So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders . Ground zero is , indeed , hallowed ground . '' The proposed Islamic center has provoked vocal opposition from some families of 9/11 victims and other groups . Nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose the plan , according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll released Wednesday . `` In a breathtakingly inappropriate setting , the president has chosen to declare our memories of 9/11 obsolete and the sanctity of Ground Zero finished , '' Debra Burlingame , co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America , said in a statement . The Islamic center 's leaders say they plan to build the $ 100 million , 13-story facility called Cordoba House three blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks . The developer , Sharif El-Gamal , describes the project as an `` Islamic community center '' that would include a 500-seat performing arts center , a lecture hall , a swimming pool , a gym , a culinary school , a restaurant and a prayer space for Muslims . Other families of 9/11 victims said they support the proposed Islamic center , and the president 's position . `` America , the concept and the people and the land thrive when we chose to trust in our principles rather than cave to our basest fears , '' Donna Marsh O'Connor , spokeswoman for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows , said in a statement . `` What better place for healing , reconciliation and understanding than Ground Zero ? '' she added . On Wednesday , the project 's developers declined an offer by New York Gov. David Paterson to relocate the project to a state-owned site . Earlier this month , the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously denied landmark status for the building where the proposed Islamic center would stand , allowing the project to move forward . CNN 's Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry contributed to this report .
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NEW : The president is not `` backing off '' comments he made supporting the proposal , says spokesman . NEW : Spokesman responds after Obama tells CNN he will not comment `` on the wisdom '' of the project . Obama : Muslims have the right to build community center near ground zero . The president threw his support behind the project during a White House dinner on Friday .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While the first lady and daughters Malia and Sasha were away for part of the weekend , President Barack Obama enjoyed what some have jokingly referred to as a bachelor 's weekend with friends -- golfing , playing basketball and grilling out on the South Lawn . The festivities were all part of a belated birthday celebration of sorts for the president , who turned 49 on Wednesday . First lady Michelle Obama and youngest daughter Sasha , 9 , returned from a vacation in Spain on Sunday in time to join the president for a seafood barbecue on the South Lawn . The Obamas ' 12-year-old daughter , Malia , has been attending camp . Tables set up with white and yellow linens and adorned with centerpieces of lemons and limes dotted the lawn . The menu included shrimp from the Gulf Coast , where the seafood industry has been hard-hit by the BP oil disaster , according to White House aide Katie Hogan . Friends from Hawaii , Chicago , Illinois , and college joined the president on Saturday at Andrews Air Force Base for a round of golf . The sports outings continued Sunday with a basketball game at Fort McNair where Obama -- along with such NBA stars as LeBron James , Dwayne Wade , Grant Hill and Earvin `` Magic '' Johnson -- played in front of an audience of wounded servicemen and participants in the White House mentoring program . CNN 's Jonathan Helman contributed to this report .
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The president turned 49 on Wednesday . Obama played golf on Saturday and basketball on Sunday . The first lady and 9-year-old Sasha Obama came home from Spain Sunday .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Casey Johnson The 30-year-old heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune was found dead at a house in Los Angeles on Monday , People magazine reported . Johnson 's death was announced via Twitter by reality star Tila Tequila and confirmed by police , who said she apparently died of natural causes . As an openly gay socialite , Johnson was a favorite of tabloids and paparazzi , People reported . Her purported engagement to Tequila put her on tabloid front pages , as did an alleged fight with an ex-girlfriend that reportedly ended with Johnson 's hair on fire . In November , she was arrested for allegedly breaking into another former girlfriend 's house . Police said the coroner 's office will investigate Johnson 's death and issue a toxicology report . She leaves a toddler daughter , Ava . People : Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson dies . Jordanian double agent The suicide bomber who killed seven CIA officials and a Jordanian military officer last week in Afghanistan was a trusted Jordanian double agent , a former U.S. intelligence official told CNN . The man had been used by both U.S. and Jordanian intelligence services in the past , and had provided information about high-value targets , the senior U.S. official said . The security breach occurred because the bomber was met off-base by U.S. intelligence officials , who failed to search him before they put him in a car and drove him onto Forward Operating Base Chapman , the former intelligence official said . Both the Jordanian and U.S. intelligence services believed the man was loyal , according to the former intelligence official . The New York Times reports that the Pakistani Taliban identified the bomber as Humam Khalil Mohammed and that he was a Jordanian doctor . The Washington Post reports his name as Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi . CNN : Suicide bomber was Jordanian double agent . New York Times : Behind bombing , an agent with many loyalties . Washington Post : Suicide bomber was trusted informant . Carlos Allen Remember that White House state dinner that a Virginia couple , Tareq and Michaele Salahi , allegedly crashed ? Apparently they were n't the only unauthorized guests there . The Secret Service announced Monday that a third person who was n't on the official guest list made it into the dinner by entering with the delegation of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The Secret Service did n't name the person , but The Washington Post quoted an anonymous congressional source as saying he was Carlos Allen , a Washington party promoter . Allen , the CEO of HUSH Society magazine , has denied he was at the state dinner , but Politico.com reports that Nicole Almodovar , the 2009 Miss Maryland Galaxy , says Allen told her he was there and had a good time . The State Department says this incident is now under investigation . CNN : Secret Service reports third White House party crasher . Washington Post : Secret Service confirms third crasher at dinner . Politico : Alleged third crasher denies report . Amanda Simpson The aerospace and defense industry expert begins a new job today in Washington as senior technical adviser with the Department of Commerce . The Arizona Daily Star reports that Simpson is among the first transgendered people appointed to a position in the Obama administration . Simpson grew up in Chicago as a boy named Mitch and faced taunts while transitioning to female . She has worked for Raytheon Missile Systems and , in 2004 , was honored by the YWCA for her professional accomplishments . A Democrat , she also ran for the Arizona state legislature , but lost the general election . Arizona Daily Star : Equality key for transgender woman . Eunice W. Johnson The philanthropist and widow of John H. Johnson , the influential founder of the Johnson Publishing Company , died Sunday at the age of 93 . According to the Chicago Tribune , she not only named Ebony magazine , which her husband published beginning in 1945 , but also created a fashion show -- the Ebony Fashion Fair -- that traveled across the country and internationally for five decades , bringing the creations of top designers to black audiences . Chicago Tribune : Widow of Johnson publishing founder dead at 93 . What makes a person intriguing ? There are people who enter the news cycle every day because their actions or decisions are new , important or different . Others are in the news because they are the ones those decisions affect . And there are a number of people who are so famous or controversial that anything they say or do becomes news . Some of these people do what we expect of them : They run for office , pass legislation , start a business , get hired or fired , commit a crime , make an arrest , get in accidents , hit a home run , overthrow a government , fight wars , sue an opponent , put out fires , prepare for hurricanes and cavort with people other than their spouses . They do make news , but the action is usually more important than who is involved in the story . But every day , there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character , how they reached their decision , how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in . They arouse our curiosity . We hear about them and want to know more . What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country . At times , there is even a mystery about them . What they have done may be unique , heroic , cowardly or ghastly , but they capture our imaginations . We want to know what makes them tick , why they believe what they do , and why they did what they did . They intrigue us .
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Johnson & Johnson heiress found dead at 30 . Suicide bomber was Jordanian double agent , former U.S. official says . Philanthropist who named Ebony magazine dead at 93 .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two doctors who treated Anna Nicole Smith in the months before her death and her lawyer-boyfriend go on trial Wednesday on charges they illegally conspired to provide the actress with drugs . Steven Sadow , the lead lawyer for Howard K. Stern , said the defense team was `` very pleased '' with the jury of six men and six women who were sworn in Tuesday afternoon . Opening statements were scheduled for Wednesday morning . Lawyers predicted the trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court could last up to three months . Potential jurors were asked more than 100 questions , including personal questions about their prescription drug use . Smith 's boyfriend Stern , along with Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor , face 23 felony charges , including three counts of conspiracy to dispense and administer controlled substances to a known addict . The three also are accused of conspiring to use false names to obtain drugs for Smith , a practice defense attorneys have argued was intended to protect the celebrity 's privacy . Smith died February 8 , 2007 , from what a Florida medical examiner ruled was `` acute combined drug intoxication . '' Judge Robert Perry dismissed several jurors because of what he called `` language problems '' or because they expressed opinions suggesting they had already concluded guilt in the case . The judge described one juror as `` dull '' and predicted she would become a problem if allowed on the jury . Judge Perry ruled at the end of a 13-day preliminary hearing last fall that there was probable cause to try Stern and the two doctors for involvement in an alleged conspiracy to provide drugs to a known addict . `` Evidence in the record strongly suggests she was an addict , '' he said . Perry said `` there was a widespread and ongoing effort '' to obtain drugs for Smith , whom he characterized as a `` strong-willed person '' intent on getting drugs . The doctors may have been `` blinded by the celebrity of their patient , '' Perry said . A defense lawyer said the case could have a chilling effect on doctors who treat patients for pain , since the doctors could be held criminally liable if their prescriptions are deemed excessive . Witnesses described Smith as weak and `` zombie-like '' much of the time in the months after September 11 , 2006 , when her 20-year-old son died in the Bahamas hospital room where she was recovering from the birth of her daughter . Sadow argued that Stern should not be charged because he did not know his companion was an addict or that it was illegal to obtain medication with a prescription written out to a false name . `` He 's being charged here with doctor-related activities , which doctors have specific knowledge of and he 's just a layperson , '' Sadow told the judge . Prosecution witnesses outlined evidence that the doctors wrote many prescriptions using several names , including Stern 's , for drugs intended for Smith . `` One of their theories is that the mere prescribing of medications using a pseudonym is a crime and it 's rebutted by the fact that some of the most respected hospitals in this city use this practice to protect the privacy of some of their celebrity patients , '' Eroshevich defense lawyer Adam Braun said . Prosecutors argued that Stern used the false names to get double doses of dangerous drugs to feed the addiction of the former Playboy model and reality TV star . Kapoor 's lawyer said prosecutors could make it difficult for California doctors to treat their patients for pain . `` If this prosecution is successful , you can all plan to call the D.A. office every time you ask your doctor for a prescription for pain , because that 's going to be the standard , '' attorney Ellyn Garafalo said . Perry agreed with Braun 's argument that Eroshevich , a psychiatrist , `` deeply cared for Anna Nicole Smith and was well intentioned '' with her treatment . `` I made that observation , '' the judge said .
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Two doctors and Smith 's boyfriend are charged . The trial could last 3 months . Anna Nicole Smith died in 2007 of `` drug intoxication ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The lawyer and companion for former Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith has filed a $ 60 million libel suit against the author and publisher of a new book on Smith 's life and death . Howard K. Stern , shown in February , claims the book falsely accuses him of homosexual acts and cocaine use . Howard K. Stern 's suit claims the book falsely accuses him of behavior including homosexual acts , illegal possession and use of cocaine and criminal involvement in the deaths of Smith and her son , Daniel . Stern claims in the suit against Rita Cosby and her publisher , Hachette Book Group USA , that Cosby `` intentionally published false and defamatory statements about Stern related to Ms. Smith 's death in a calculated effort to increase sales and increase profits '' in her book , `` Blonde Ambition : The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith 's Death . '' Stern 's attorney , Lin Wood , told CNN the suit seeks $ 10 million for compensatory damages and $ 50 million for punitive damages . Wood said Cosby and her publisher `` made a conscious decision to smear the personal and professional reputation of my client , Howard K. Stern , by publishing vicious lies about him . Blonde Ambition is filled with false accusations about Mr. Stern unsupported by any credible or reliable sources . `` Blonde Ambition purports to be a ` tell-all ' book , but it can only be accurately described as a ` tell-all-lies ' book , '' Wood said in a statement . Attempts by CNN to reach Cosby , a former MSNBC anchor , and Hachette Book Group USA on Tuesday night were not immediately successful . Smith , 39 , died February 8 in a Florida hotel room of an accidental drug overdose . Her death sparked a legal battle between Stern and photographer Larry Birkhead over paternity and custody of her infant daughter , Dannielynn . In addition , the two , along with Smith 's estranged mother , Virgie Arthur , fought a legal battle over custody of Smith 's body that delayed the former model 's burial . After DNA testing , a Bahamian court declared Birkhead the father of Dannielynn in April . At that point , Stern , who was listed as the girl 's father on her birth certificate , said he would not fight for custody . On CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' September 4 , Birkhead also denied the allegations in Cosby 's book , which include that he and Stern had an affair -- and that an intimate moment between the two was caught on videotape . Birkhead said he had instructed his attorney to sue Cosby , the publisher and `` any source that spits out some of that false , defamatory information that 's in there . If I were Rita Cosby , I 'd be very concerned . '' He also denied another claim in the book , that he and Stern were working together behind the scenes during the custody battle for Dannielynn or to make money off Smith 's death . Stern claims in the lawsuit , filed in federal court in New York , that `` defendants have exploited Ms. Smith 's life and death by publishing false and defamatory accusations against Howard K. Stern , who was Ms. Smith 's longtime lawyer , friend and companion . '' The suit claims that Cosby and her publisher had notice that statements in the book were not true before its publication , and that they were warned not to publish those statements by Stern 's attorneys . Cosby made no attempt to contact Stern to verify the allegations , the suit says . Birkhead also said that Cosby never contacted him regarding the allegations . E-mail to a friend .
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Howard K. Stern 's lawsuit seeks $ 60 million in damages . Suit : Book falsely accuses Stern of involvement in deaths of Smith and her son . Attempts by CNN to reach the book 's author and publisher were unsuccessful .
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LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Photographer Larry Birkhead , who was proved in April to be the biological father of former Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith 's daughter , said Tuesday he will sue the author and publisher of a new book on Smith 's death that contains allegations he called `` pure fiction . '' Larry Birkhead questions the reliability of sources used in a new book about Anna Nicole Smith . `` I 've instructed my attorney to sue Rita Cosby , the publisher and any source that spits out some of that false , defamatory information that 's in there , '' Birkhead said Tuesday on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' `` If I were Rita Cosby , I 'd be very concerned . '' Among the allegations in Cosby 's `` Blond Ambition : The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith 's Death , '' are that Birkhead and Howard K. Stern , Smith 's attorney and companion , had an affair -- and that an intimate moment between the two was caught on videotape . `` That 's totally false and it 's defamatory , '' Birkhead said . `` I 've heard the sources from that , and those sources are people that do n't -- that have n't been in Anna 's life and have n't even met me . '' Watch Birkhead describe why he plans to sue '' Cosby , a former MSNBC anchor , and her publisher , Grand Central Publishing , did not provide statements to CNN on the matter despite requests to do so . Birkhead said Cosby 's sources on the Stern allegations were two maids , whose reliability is questionable , and Jackie Hatten , a woman who claims to be a friend of Smith 's -- and who , according to the book , says she is the one who walked in on Stern and Birkhead . `` Jackie Hatten has never met me , '' Birkhead said . `` There was nothing to walk in on because , you know , nothing like that 's ever happened , and there 's definitely no video of it . '' And by the end of her life , Smith was no longer in touch with Hatten , he said . In a statement issued to TMZ.com , Hatten said she has not read the book , but `` Rita Cosby is such a reputable reporter and person , I can only assume it is true and credible . I am happy the American public will finally know the truth . '' Smith , 39 , died February 8 in a Florida hotel room of an accidental drug overdose . Her death sparked a legal battle between Stern and Birkhead over the paternity and custody of her infant daughter , Dannielynn . A Bahamian court , citing DNA tests , declared Birkhead the father of Dannielynn in April . At that point , Stern , who was listed as the girl 's father on the birth certificate , said he would not fight for custody . Ron Rale , a former Smith attorney and a friend of Stern 's , told `` Larry King Live '' Stern would `` absolutely '' join in the suit against Cosby . Stern 's attorney , Lin Wood , `` is a monster , '' Rale said , `` and this guy is going to go after Rita Cosby and the publisher . '' Asked by TMZ.com about the video earlier Tuesday , Cosby said , `` I have not seen the videotape , but I will say that we have enough corroborating people who say that they have . We know people who clearly have been told there is a videotape that exists and have talked to people who have seen the videotape . '' Stern and Birkhead , she said , were previously engaged in a legal struggle against each other and appeared to be enemies , but `` now they 're friends ... and it begs the question why . I think the American public should be concerned about the state this little girl is in . If you read the book and they believe these guys are in cahoots and are in it for fame and money and not this little girl 's interests at heart . '' Birkhead said Cosby 's comments are `` crazy ... she says she 's never seen the video that she reports in her book that exists , and now she 's backpedaling , saying , ` How else could you explain two guys that are enemies now get along ? ' and trying to make sense out of something that she never verified in the first place . '' Birkhead told CNN Cosby never called him to verify the allegations or told him she was writing a book . Birkhead also noted that he has only temporary custody of Dannielynn and that he is still seeking permanent custody in a Bahamian court . He also angrily denied other allegations in the book . E-mail to a friend .
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Book alleges Larry Birkhead , Howard K. Stern had affair . `` That 's totally false and it 's defamatory , '' Birkhead says . Stern was Smith 's boyfriend at time of her death ; Birkhead fathered her child .
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LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Howard K. Stern and two doctors entered `` not guilty '' pleas to charges of conspiring to provide drugs to Anna Nicole Smith before her fatal overdose in 2007 . Howard K. Stern , Anna Nicole Smith 's longtime confidant , arrives at Los Angeles Criminal Courts on Wednesday . Stern -- Smith 's longtime partner and attorney -- appeared before a Los Angeles judge Wednesday morning for formal arraignment , along with co-defendants Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor . The three are charged in California with several felonies , including conspiring to furnish controlled substances , unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 through January 2007 -- only weeks before Smith 's death . California Attorney General Jerry Brown , when he announced the case in March , said the doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed `` thousands of pills . '' Smith , the former Playboy playmate and reality TV star , was drugged `` almost to the point of stupefaction , '' Brown said . Stern defense lawyer Steve Sadow has called the charges baseless and accused Brown of using Smith 's death for his own political purposes . `` Bottom line is that Howard K. Stern did not commit a criminal act , period , and you can ask me that all day long and I 'll still tell you he did not commit a criminal act , '' Sadow said after Wednesday 's hearing . Smith , 39 , was pronounced dead February 8 , 2007 , after being discovered unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood , Florida . A coroner said she died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs . Florida prosecutors said in March they were taking a new look at Smith 's death to see if evidence California investigators had gathered recently might cause them to open an inquiry . The Broward County , Florida , state attorney 's office never opened a probe into Smith 's death but did assist the Seminole police department in its investigation in the days afterward .
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Smith 's boyfriend Howard Stern , two doctors charged with providing drugs . Smith died from accidental overdose of prescription drugs in 2007 . The three face felony charges relating to furnishing drugs , faking presciptions . Stern defense lawyer calls charges baseless .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bayern Munich smashed seven goals past struggling Hannover to re-establish the German giants ' two-point lead in the Bundesliga on Saturday night . In-form Dutch forward Arjen Robben scored a hat-trick while Croatia striker Ivica Olic and young German Thomas Muller both netted twice each to keep Bayern clear of second-placed Schalke , who earlier won 3-1 at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach . Bayern go into Wednesday 's Champions League semifinal first leg against French side Lyon full of confidence , though the match is in doubt due to the volcanic explosion in Iceland which has halted European air travel . Robben scored the goal that put Bayern into the last four of Europe 's premier club competition with an away goals win over Manchester United , and is in hot domestic scoring form after also finding the net in last weekend 's 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen . The recalled Olic opened the floodgates in the 22nd minute from close range after a cross by fullback Diego Contento , and Robben doubled the lead on the half-hour with a superb solo effort . Robben was also involved as Muller made it 3-0 just before halftime , and Olic followed up four minutes after the break when the 20-year-old midfielder 's shot was only parried by goalkeeper Florian Fromlowitz . Robben struck again a minute later , while Olic 's backheel teed up Muller on 62 . Robben , a big hit at Bayern since signing from Real Madrid in August , wrapped up the romp in the final minute as he again tormented the visiting side , who were left second from bottom of the table . Schalke moved onto 61 points with three games to play after a routine win over 12th-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach . Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic put the hosts ahead in the eighth minute with the first of his two goals , a fierce effort from just inside the penalty area , but Raul Bobadilla waltzed past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to level on 16 . Jefferson Farfan gave Schalke the lead again from close range just before halftime after striker Kevin Kuranyi 's header was parried by goalkeeper Logan Bailly . Rakitic made it 3-1 soon after the break with a penalty after Mario Gavranovic was fouled by Dante , while top scorer Kuranyi had an effort ruled out in the 70th minute . Werder Bremen moved up to third place on goal difference with a 4-2 win at Wolfsburg , whose title defense has long been over . Eighth-placed Wolfsburg twice led through strikers Edin Dzeko and Grafite , but Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro made it 2-2 four minutes after halftime , and midfielder Torsten Frings put Bremen ahead with his second goal on 61 . Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida wrapped it up with 15 minutes to play to end Wolfsburg 's three-match winning run and leave Bremen with just one defeat in 11 outings . Bayer Leverkusen also have 54 points after losing 2-1 at Stuttgart , who climbed to sixth thanks to a double from Cacau . Leverkusen led in the 13th minute when Stefan Reinartz set up striker Stefan Kiessling for his 19th goal this season , but had Tranquillo Barnetta sent off six minutes later for a second booking . Cacau leveled just before half an hour , and the Brazilian striker -- who plans to leave Stuttgart at the end of the season -- pounced to score the winner with just five minutes left from Pavel Pogrebnyak 's deflected pass . Stuttgart moved above Hamburg , who suffered a 1-0 defeat at 10th-placed Mainz following a 20th-minute winner from Aristide Bance . Hamburg have won just once in the last seven Bundesliga matches , and their hopes of European football next season may depend on winning the Europa League -- starting with Thursday 's semifinal first leg at home to English club Fulham . Third-bottom Freiburg boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Nuremberg , who also have 28 points along with 15th-placed Bochum . Bochum lost 2-0 at Cologne on Friday night as on-loan Manchester United winger Zoran Tosic scored in each half .
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Dutch forward Arjen Robben scores hat-trick in Bayern Munich 's 7-0 win over Hannover . Ivica Olic and Thomas Muller also score twice as Bayern stay two points clear at top . Schalke had taken league lead with earlier 3-1 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach . Werder Bremen claim third place on goal difference with 4-2 win at champions Wolfsburg .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of about every 12 babies born in the United States in 2008 was the offspring of unauthorized immigrants , a Pew Hispanic Center study released Wednesday concluded . According to the study , an estimated 340,000 of the 4.3 million babies born in this country that year had parents who were in the United States without legal documentation . The 14th Amendment to the Constitution stipulates that those children automatically become U.S. citizens , but some members of Congress are pushing to change that provision . That effort -- rooted in the debate over illegal immigration , particularly of people from Mexico -- has created some controversy . `` This has got a lot of attention in the past weeks , '' said Jeffrey S. Passel , the study 's author . `` The idea was just to put a number on it . '' According to the study , 79 percent of the 5.1 million children of unauthorized immigrants in the United States were born in this country , making them U.S. citizens . Nearly one of four children born in the United States in 2008 had parents who were immigrants , the Pew study found . Of those , 16 percent of the parents were legal immigrants and 8 percent were in the United States without proper documentation . Many of those children are Latino , Passel said . More than three-fourths of all unauthorized immigrants in the United States in March 2009 were Latinos , the researcher said . And nearly one of every four children under age 18 in the nation was a Hispanic . That trend is likely to continue , the study concludes . `` Overall , Hispanics who live in the U.S. have higher rates of fertility than do whites , blacks or Asians , '' the report states . `` And among Hispanics , the foreign born have higher rates of fertility than the native born . '' Immigration reform has become a hot-button issue this political season . Arizona passed a law in April that required all immigrants to carry documentation of legal status and other states are considering similar measure even though major parts of the Arizona law were struck down last month in federal court . `` The country is really emotionally torn over this , '' U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham , R-South Carolina , said recently on CNN . The government estimates there are more than 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States . Proponents of stricter immigration enforcement and control point to the large number of Latinos having babies in the United States as reason to change the 14th Amendment . The proponents say these children , which they often call `` anchor babies , '' qualify for welfare and other programs and make it harder to deport their parents . `` Babies born to illegal alien mothers within U.S. borders are called anchor babies because under the 1965 immigration Act , they act as an anchor that pulls the illegal alien mother and eventually a host of other relatives into permanent U.S. residency , '' says an organization called The American Resistance , which has described itself as `` a coalition of immigration crime fighters opposing illegal and undocumented immigration . '' Under the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act , the child may sponsor other family members for entry into the United States when he or she reaches the age of 21 . The group notes that `` the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 to protect the rights of native-born Black Americans , whose rights were being denied as recently freed slaves . '' The intent of the amendment `` was clearly not to facilitate illegal aliens defying U.S. law at taxpayer expense , '' The American Resistance says on its website . Having a child become an automatic U.S. citizen can provide immigrants with another reason to come to this nation illegally , some critics say . `` I think we need to look at that in the future as to whether or not we want to change that because I think it 's an incentive to break the law , '' said Graham , the U.S. senator . Texas state Rep. Debbie Riddle , a Republican , pointed out another concern on CNN 's `` AC 360 '' program Tuesday night . Some pregnant women from other countries are traveling to the United States to give birth and then taking their babies back home to raise them as terrorists that would return to attack America , she said . Information for that `` sinister issue , '' Riddle said , is coming from from former FBI officials she declined to name . `` This is something that is being talked about by various members of Congress , '' she said . State Rep. Rafael Anchia , a Democrat , disputed the claim , calling it `` the myth of anchor babies . '' `` For that to rise to some sort of national security concern is really unsubstantiated , '' Anchia said . `` The 9/11 bombers were all here legally . The Times Square bomber was a naturalized citizen . He was not an anchor baby . '' Anchia also disputed the contention that having a baby in the United States hinders the deportation process . `` The law does not bear that out , '' he said . `` Just because you have a child here does n't mean you ca n't be deported tomorrow . '' Despite all the heat , a majority of Americans seem to oppose changing the 14th Amendment . A nationwide poll conducted in June by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that 56 percent of Americans are against changing the citizenship provision while 41 percent favor amending it . The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization that does not take positions on policy issues .
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The study was conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center , a nonpartisan research group . The results come amid a national debate over changing the 14th Amendment . The 14th Amendment grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the United States . Nearly 80 percent of illegal immigrants ' children were born in the United States .
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London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways passengers face the prospect of holiday season chaos after cabin crew voted to strike for almost two weeks over Christmas and New Year in protest over cost-cutting measures introduced by the airline . More than 12,500 BA employees , balloted by trade union Unite in November , voted by a 92.5 percent majority to walk out from December 22 for 12 days , Unite Deputy General Secretary Len McCluskey announced Monday . In a statement to customers on its Web site , BA said it was reworking its flight schedules for the strike period and would announce them as quickly as possible . It said it would inform affected customers by e-mail or text message . The strike ballot came after the airline introduced cost-cutting measures including a two-year pay freeze and reducing the numbers of cabin crew members on long-haul flights . BA says the changes , introduced in the wake of a record pre-tax loss of more than $ 485 million for the six months from April to September , will save the airline $ 665 million . McCluskey warned that the strike would inflict `` catastrophic damage '' to the airline if it went ahead and urged British Airways bosses to return to the negotiating table . He said union members had been pushed into a corner by BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh . `` We 've been saying to Mr. Walsh this seems crazy at a time when British Airways is suffering badly through an economic downturn that he should force us into a dispute that would have catastrophic effects on the economy of the company , '' McCluskey told CNN following a news conference at Sandown Racecourse , southern England . `` That 's why we 're hoping that even at this late hour the strength of feeling of our members will get through to the company . We are available 24 hours a day to meet the company . If they are up for getting an agreement I 'm confident we can get one . '' McCluskey said passengers , upset at having their holiday plans disrupted , should take their anger out on the airline . McCluskey said his members were not `` mindless militants '' but decent men and women who had been forced into a corner by British Airlines . But Walsh said strike action was `` completely unjustified '' and called on union chiefs to resume negotiations . He said the airline had agreed pay cuts with pilots and more efficient ways of working with engineers , while a third of managers had taken voluntary redundancy . BA cut 1,900 jobs over the summer through reduced overtime , increased part-time working , and voluntary redundancies . But it plans to eliminate 3,000 more jobs by March 2010 , Walsh said last month . `` My admiration for the professionalism and skills of British Airways cabin crew is second to none . They are an absolutely vital part of our airline , and a great asset , '' Walsh said . `` But they have been disgracefully misled by Unite as to how our company-wide cost reduction program would affect them . '' CNN 's Richard Quest said the impact of the potential strike would be devastating for BA and said the consequences would be disruption for BA passengers and higher prices for travelers booking on other airlines . `` Their planes are heaving and they are now about to face a strike , '' Quest said . `` They are going to have tens of thousands of passengers who are concerned , who are worried . I imagine anyone who is going away for Christmas is now thinking about shifting their booking if they can . '' A spokesperson for ABTA , which represents travel agencies and tour operators in the UK , said passengers booked onto BA flights should wait and see what contingency plans the airline puts in place and whether the strike goes ahead . `` Hopefully the strike could be called off and if you cancel your flight now then you may not be able to claim a refund , '' she said . Unite has called on the High Court to rule on whether BA 's cutbacks have breached its member 's contracts but the case is not scheduled to be heard until February 2010 .
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BA cabin crew vote overwhelming for strike action over proposed cutbacks . Union plans to begin action from December 22 for 12 days . Union opposes cost-cutting measures including reduced crews on long-haul flights . Union boss urges BA to return to negotiating table to avoid `` catastrophic damage ''
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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Somali suspect in the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama last month pleaded not guilty to 10 counts including piracy , hostage-taking , and firearms charges in U.S. District Court in New York on Thursday . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse arrived in the United States on April 21 . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse faces life in prison if convicted in any of eight of the 10 counts , according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York . The U.S. Navy took Muse into custody April 12 after the hijacking in the Indian Ocean . He arrived in the United States April 21 . At his arraignment Thursday , Muse stood before Judge Loretta Preska wearing navy-blue prison garb and a bright orange undershirt . The defendant appeared dejected as he listened to the proceedings through the voice of an interpreter , looking downwards at his lap and feet most of the time . The indictment charges Muse with eight counts that each could carry a maximum sentence of life in prison : piracy , possession of a machine gun while seizing a ship by force , hostage-taking , conspiracy to commit hostage-taking , possession of a machine gun during hostage-taking , kidnapping , conspiracy to commit kidnapping , and possession of a machine gun during kidnapping . The remaining two charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars : seizing a ship by force and conspiracy to seize a ship by force . Defense attorney Phil Weinstein asked the court for time for the defense to conduct its own investigation into the case , and the judge agreed , setting the next hearing date for September 17 . Weinstein then expressed concern over Muse 's treatment under incarceration , alleging that prison officials were administering medication to him without proper consent and were denying him phone calls to his family in Somalia . Weinstein also expressed concern about Muse 's detention conditions . `` He 's been held in administrative segregation since his arrest , which means he 's detained alone for 23 out of 24 hours a day , '' Weinstein told reporters gathered outside the courthouse . `` He 's unable to communicate with anyone except for us . '' Muse 's defense team was joined outside the courthouse by Idd Beddel Mohamed , deputy permanent representative to Somalia 's mission to the United Nations in New York . He told reporters his government is monitoring the proceedings and working with the federal public defenders to ensure proper legal protection for Muse . `` We have full confidence in the U.S. legal system and we believe justice will be served , '' Mohamed told reporters . See timeline of events that led to piracy case '' There had been questions about Muse 's age , with his father in Somalia telling defense attorneys his son was only 15 . But , a U.S. magistrate judge ruled that Muse is in fact older than 18 and can be tried as an adult . Still , the defense team continues to raise questions about Muse 's exact age . They say they are working with Mohamed and other Somali officials to try to secure proper documentation of Muse 's birth date . Pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama , a cargo ship , April 8 about 350 miles off the Somali coast , according to the criminal complaint . They boarded the ship after firing gunshots , according to crew members quoted in the complaint . Muse was carrying a gun and was the first alleged pirate on the ship , the complaint said . According to the complaint , Muse fired his gun at the Maersk 's captain , Richard Phillips , and then took $ 30,000 from the ship 's safe after he forced Phillips to open it . A Maersk crew member managed to tackle Muse and tie his hands , leading to a deal with the pirates : They would leave the ship if Muse was returned to them and if they got a life boat , the complaint said . Phillips boarded the life boat with them and the ship 's crew freed Muse , who then boarded the life boat , according to the criminal complaint . Over the next three days , the life boat floated near the Maersk with the U.S. Navy 's USS Bainbridge nearby . On April 12 , Muse boarded the USS Bainbridge and demanded safe passage for himself and the other pirates in exchange for Phillips ' release . But while he was aboard , Navy SEALs , or special forces , shot and killed the three remaining pirates and freed Phillips . The criminal complaint said Muse `` conducted himself as the leader '' of the pirates who allegedly took over the Maersk Alabama . Still , defense attorneys said they believe Muse will be exonerated in the end . `` The complaint says that -LSB- Muse -RSB- requested ... from the Americans to come aboard the Navy ship , and they granted him that permission , '' defense attorney Fiona Doherty told reporters Thursday . `` And from there , that 's where he was trying to negotiate for the safe release of Captain Phillips . ''
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Indictment alleges eight counts that carry life sentence . Defense granted time to conduct its own investigation . Judge ruled earlier that piracy suspect will be tried as an adult . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has been identified as leader of ship hijacking .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lyon coach Claude Puel is confident that his team can cause an upset in their European Champions League semifinal first leg against German giants Bayern Munich . The French side , appearing in the last four of the competition for the first time , are the underdogs as they take on the four-time champions in Munich on Wednesday night . But having beaten Real Madrid and French champions Bordeaux en route to the semifinal , Puel believes the club have the momentum to make it all the way to the final . Blog : Will Mourinho the master defeat Guardiola the great ? `` It is fantastic for our club to be in the semi-finals , '' Puel told reporters at a press conference . `` But we said it before the -LRB- quarter-final -RRB- against Bordeaux : why should it end here ? `` Bayern are confident , they had a huge win on the weekend -LRB- 7-0 against Hannover -RRB- , they are playing well but I still think we have what it takes to trouble them . '' Puel said his players had not suffered as an effect of having to travel the 750 kilometers to Munich by road after volcanic ash led to a flying ban . `` You need to be able to adapt , '' he said . `` A bit more massage , a bit more walking and stretching . But I feel we have adapted . '' Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery , who faced Lyon many times during his career in the French league , said his current club would be foolish to underestimate Puel 's side . `` It will be very difficult against Lyon because they have a very good team , '' he said . `` We should n't allow ourselves to think about the final . '' Bayern will be without captain Mark van Bommel and defender Holger Badstuber , who are both suspended after picking up yellow cards in the quarterfinal victory over Manchester United . But Ribery has shaken off a muscular problem to play , along with Dutchman Arjen Robben , who clinched the victory over United with a stunning late volley at Old Trafford and claimed a hat-trick in the rout of Hannover . `` The Germans are always dangerous in big matches and Bayern just knocked out Manchester United , '' said Puel . `` They have Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery hitting for them again . We know what to expect . ''
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Lyon coach Claude Puel believes his side can upset Bayern in the Champions League semifinals . French side have never reached last four of Europe 's premier competition . Puel wary of threat posed by Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last week , nearly 40 billionaires announced their intention to give half their wealth to charity at the encouragement of bridge-playing buddies Warren Buffett and Bill Gates . This unprecedented action brought to mind Winston Churchill 's famous line about the Lend-Lease plan as `` the most unsordid act in the whole of human history . '' There has lately been dark talk of the American Dream and American exceptionalism slipping away , but I believe this billionaire compact shows both are alive and well . The majority of individuals on this self-selecting list are self-made men and women who built their fortunes in their own lifetime . Among them are New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison . Separately , it was announced earlier this week that the estate of the late Johnny Carson was also donating more than $ 150 million to a charitable foundation . It 's difficult to imagine any other nation in history whose wealthiest individuals would voluntarily decide to give half their wealth to charity , not only at home , but around the world . And whether the money goes to cure river blindness in Africa or help finance charter schools in this country , it is something that reflects well upon the United States . Those who pledge do us proud . There is another issue raised by the billionaires ' compact , beyond the increasing gap between rich and poor in the United States . It is the gap between the `` super rich '' -- who really do have more money than they know what to do with -- and what might be called the `` working wealthy , '' who are taxed as though they 're rich enough to able to give away half their money . These are individuals whose household income might bring them into the top tax bracket of $ 250,000 a year but who , with two parents working , might still find themselves struggling to stay in the stability of the upper-middle class in the expensive urban areas where they often work . Much of the anger about the scheduled sunset of the Bush tax cuts for the increase in top-bracket taxes comes from this productive group of Americans . The super rich are looking for charitable donations to deduct from their taxes each year , while the working wealthy are still trying to pay all their bills . But they are taxed at the same rate as the private jet set -LRB- what a few years ago might been called the Bernie Madoff crowd -RRB- . The super-rich rule high finance or might have started a high-tech company before the bubble . In contrast , the working wealthy might include someone who owns a small business or works as a mid-level executive in a top-line traditional corporation . But they are the ones most feeling the squeeze of expectations in the Great Recession , while getting lumped in with the super rich . Let 's be clear : The working wealthy are n't suffering in any objective sense , but they feel they are paying most of the taxes and getting few of the benefits . Small-business owners create almost 70 percent of the new jobs in America , and they are the ones who feel most left out of the current economic recovery . At the same time , the Metro Wealth Index shows that the number of millionaires is increasing in cities across the country . And the bankers who triggered the economic collapse got billions in bailout money and even got to keep some of their taxpayer-subsidized bonuses . The forgotten American middle class saw no real gains in income over the past decade despite the tax cuts because of rising health care and energy costs . Big business and big government seem indifferent to the struggles of small businesses , and it 's got small-business owners feeling angry and alienated , like forgotten American citizens . Meanwhile , politicians slobber over the super rich for campaign donations while they pander to voters with class-warfare populism . The billionaires ' compact is worth viewing with uncynical eyes . It is an historic and selfless attempt to leave the world a better place . And if the charitable contributions are directed carefully , funding innovation and fostering independence -LRB- like Andrew Carnegie 's public libraries did a century ago -RRB- , rather than dependence , then they can help more people to achieve their own American dreams . But the stark fact is that such largess in a time of recession also highlights the growing gaps in our society , not just between the rich and poor , but between the super rich , the working wealthy and the forgotten middle class . America remains a meritocracy with long odds and high-payouts -- and is infinitely better than any alternative . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon .
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John Avlon says 40 billionaires ' pledge of fortune is inspiring act of U.S. exceptionalism . But he says it points up gap between the `` super rich '' and `` working wealthy '' couples . These $ 250k couples may be in Buffett tax bracket , but struggle to stay in upper-middle class . Avlon : Working wealthy are n't suffering , but they pay high taxes , get few benefits .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brazil has formalized its offer of asylum to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani , an Iranian woman convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning , Brazilian state-run media said Tuesday . Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had made a previous offer for asylum , raising Ashtiani 's hopes for survival . Brazil 's ambassador in Tehran has now officially made the offer at Iran 's foreign ministry , according to the state-run news service Agencia Brasil . Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations Celso Amorim told reporters Tuesday that he spoke last month with his Iranian counterpart , Manouchehr Mottaki , about Ashtiani 's sentence . `` I called my Iranian colleague ... to say that the action hurt the sensibility of the Brazilian people and that therefore I was making an appeal , I was asking to reconsider the hypothesis . In that moment , actually , the news we had was more about the stoning , which was based on a highly debatable crime in our view of the world . '' Amorim described Ashtiani 's threatened punishment as `` something that is really baffling to our culture and to the way we see the world . '' On Saturday , Lula addressed the matter in Bogota , Colombia , where he said he had asked Amorim to ask the Brazilian ambassador in Tehran to talk to Iranian authorities about it . `` I ca n't imagine someone being stoned , '' Lula said . `` I ca n't imagine . That 's why I made the request . If there was condition to send her to Brazil , we would receive her with arms wide open . '' Lula added that he opposes the death penalty under any circumstances . `` I do n't think the state has the right to kill a person , '' he said . Iran rejected a previous , informal offer , saying Lula lacked sufficient information about the case . Last month , Malek Ajdar Sharifi , who is the head of the judiciary of East Azerbaijan province , said Ashtiani 's crimes were `` numerous '' and said she was `` convicted of adultery and murder and was sentenced to death , '' according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency . Ashtiani 's lawyers said Iranian authorities are mischaracterizing the status of the adultery and murder charges against her . Attorney Hootan Kian said that , though Ashtiani was cleared of her husband 's murder five years ago , Iran continues to insist she was found guilty . Ashtiani has said she was `` grateful '' for Brazil 's offer and would `` graciously '' accept , according to a statement from her son , Sajjad Ashtiani , who has visited his mother in a Tabriz prison . Ashtiani , 43 , was convicted of adultery in 2006 and was originally sentenced to death by stoning . But after international pressure , Iranian authorities said the sentence has been put on hold . A decision could come any day on whether the courts will reinstate Ashtiani 's sentence of death by stoning , execute her by other means or possibly even grant her a reprieve , according to human rights groups . Mina Ahadi , spokeswoman for the International Committee against Stoning , said if Ashtiani is executed , `` it is entirely political . It has nothing to do with the case itself . '' Ahadi wrote a letter to Lula last week , saying that his offer was an `` important step '' in saving Ashtiani from undue punishment . Brazil 's relations with Iran have improved in recent years and it recently participated in talks with Tehran aimed at restarting negotiations about Iran 's nuclear program . In May , Brazil helped broker a deal with Iran that would provide the government with enriched uranium for medical research . It also abstained from a United Nations Security Council vote on tougher sanctions for the Islamic republic . One of Ashtiani 's attorneys , Mohammad Mostafaei , is seeking asylum for himself in Norway . Mostafaei 's wife and brother-in-law were arrested and imprisoned in Iran but have since been released . In Washington , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was `` troubled '' by Ashtiani 's case . `` The United States is deeply concerned that Iran continues to deny its citizens their civil rights and intimidate and detain those Iranians who seek to hold their government accountable and stand up for the rights of their fellow citizens , '' she said in a statement . Clinton also expressed concern about the fate of protesters who were arrested in anti-government demonstrations after the June 2009 elections and about Ebrahim Hamidi , an 18-year-old man charged with homosexuality and facing `` imminent execution despite the fact that he is currently without legal representation . '' She urged Tehran `` to halt these executions in accordance with its obligations to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights '' and called for the release of political prisoners and human-rights defenders . Journalist Luciani Gomes contributed to this story .
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NEW : `` I was asking to reconsider the hypothesis , '' says Brazil 's foreign minister . `` The United States is deeply concerned '' about the case , Clinton says . Iran says Lula lacks enough information about the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani . Brazilian President Lula : `` We would receive her with arms wide open ''
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San Francisco , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As all people of conscience will agree , human trafficking and child exploitation are utterly despicable and horrendous crimes . In contrast with the epidemic numbers often cited for the nation as a whole , the incidence of such crimes is low and getting lower on Craigslist because of the comprehensive preventive measures we have taken . Some experts now liken the relative rarity on Craigslist to `` looking for a needle in a haystack . '' Nevertheless , any misuse of our site whatsoever in facilitating such unspeakable crimes is unacceptable , and we will continue to work tirelessly , in tandem with law enforcement and key nonprofits , to ensure that any victims receive the assistance they desperately need and deserve , and that those responsible are imprisoned . We believe Craigslist is one of the few bright spots and success stories in the fight against these terrible scourges . We 've been told as much by experts on the front lines of this fight , many of whom we have met with , and many of whom have shared helpful suggestions that we have incorporated in our approach . Even politicians looking to advance their careers at the expense of Craigslist 's good name grudgingly admit , when pressed , that we have made huge strides , and that Craigslist is virtually alone among advertising venues in vigorously combating these problems . Indeed , to our knowledge , only Craigslist , out of countless venues , takes any of the following measures , let alone all of them : . • Educating and encouraging users to report trafficking and exploitation . • Prominently featuring anti-trafficking and exploitation resources . • Creating specialized search interfaces for law enforcement . • Providing support for law enforcement anti-crime sweeps and stings . • Actively participating in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 's cyber-tipline program . • Leading all awareness efforts for the National Trafficking Hotline . • Meeting regularly with experts at nonprofits and in law enforcement . • Manually reviewing every adult service ad before posting . • Requiring phone verification for every adult service ad . • Implementing the PICS content labeling system . Last year , we began manual screening of each adult services ad before its posting , and those unwilling to conform to Craigslist 's standards left in droves for the many venues that do not screen ads . This migration is a matter of public record . You do not hear about arrests connected to the vast majority of adult services advertising because the venues hosting those ads do not cooperate with law enforcement , do not urge their users to be on the lookout for and report suspected trafficking and exploitation , do not participate in reporting programs , do not consult regularly with experts and advocacy groups , and in fact do not take any of the preventive measures we have taken . Looking on the bright side , the potential for progress would be enormous if all such venues would adopt the practices that Craigslist has established . We are aware that some have called for `` shutting down '' the adult services section of Craigslist . Fortunately , most concerned parties seem to realize that declassifying adult services ads back into Craigslist personals , services , and other categories , and offsite to venues that have no interest in combating trafficking and exploitation or in assisting law enforcement , would simply undo all the progress we have made , undermine our primary mission of evolving Craigslist community sites according to user feedback , set back the efforts of our partners in law enforcement and exacerbate the very societal epidemic we all seek to end . Read an alternate view accusing Craigslist of publishing such ads . In serving our users and the general public as best we can , Craigslist has to balance an immense amount of passionate and often conflicting feedback , and at the end of the day do what our consciences tell us is right . Certainly the adult services arena has exemplified this . Passionately held opinions on the part of respected experts and well-intentioned citizens range from insistence that all aspects of the `` adult industry '' must be legalized and regulated in order to make further progress against trafficking and child exploitation , to those equally insistent that the entire industry must be further criminalized and marginalized for such progress to be made . Fortunately , there is a lot of common ground among all concerned parties , regardless of ideology , and we are focused on making further progress by continuing to seek and incorporate the collective wisdom of the many who have generously shared their ideas and advice about these complex issues . As a community site facilitating billions of human interactions among more than 50 million Americans each month , we face many of the same difficult social problems that have faced communities throughout the ages , and all the support , advice and encouragement we have received from so many is sincerely appreciated . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jim Buckmaster .
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Craigslist CEO says site uses comprehensive preventive measures to bar child sex ads . Jim Buckmaster : Site works with nonprofits , law enforcement to make sure victims get aid . Buckmaster says his site is virtually the only ad venue that vigorously combats this crime . He writes that measures have driven criminals away from Craigslist to permissive sites .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man police believe is a member of the '' Pink Panther '' ring of thieves was transported from Spain to Japan on Saturday to face charges in a major heist at a jewelry shop , a Japanese state news agency reported . Rifat Hadziahmetovic , 42 , of Montenegro , is suspected of stealing a diamond tiara worth 200 million yen -LRB- $ 2.3 million USD -RRB- and other jewelry from a Tokyo shop in 2007 , according to the Metropolitan Police Department in Tokyo . Spain agreed to hand Hadziahmetovic , who was in custody for a separate robbery , over to Japan , Kyodo news agency said . The `` Pink Panther '' ring , which is believed to have about 200 members , is linked to more than 90 robberies in Europe , the Middle East and Asia since 1999 , Kyodo said . Hadziahmetovic is suspected of participating in other armed robberies in Bahrain , Japan and the United Arab Emirates , according to the Associated Press . The ring is named after the 1963 movie starring Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau . Members are believed to be mainly from countries in the Balkans , the AP said .
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Suspect in jewelry store heist flown to Japan . Diamond tiara worth $ 2.3 million stolen in 2007 . Robbery ring is named for 1963 Peter Sellers movie .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 4-year-old Arizona boy reported missing was found by horseback riders in a steep canyon Monday morning after an 18-hour search , police said . Travis Mitchell appeared in `` good spirits '' and had no signs of injury , Payson , Arizona , police said in a statement . He was taken to a local hospital and reunited with his volunteers . Travis was playing with several other children about 5 p.m. Sunday in a wooded area of a neighborhood west of the Payson airport , authorities said . When the children returned home , Travis was not with them , Payson police said in a statement . The boy 's parents and friends began searching and called police when they could not find him . Several agencies were participating in the search Monday , along with `` numerous friends , family and citizens of Payson , '' police said . `` There is no indication of foul play at this time . '' Travis was the third Arizona toddler to be reported missing recently . The body of 2-year-old Emmett Trapp was found earlier this month about a mile from his home in Yavapai County , lying in a muddy pit once used to collect waste products from a former mining site . He had been missing for two days . Police said at the time there were no indications of foul play and that the cause of the child 's death appeared to be exposure . Sylar Newton , also 2 , went missing July 25 from a camping site in Rimrock , Arizona , and is presumed dead , police have said . CNN 's Melanie Whitley and HLN 's Natisha Lance contributed to this report .
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NEW : 4-year-old Travis Mitchell has been found . Travis was last seen about 5 p.m. Sunday . He had been playing with friends in a wooded area . He was the third Arizona toddler reported missing recently .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An autopsy was conducted Monday in the death of a onetime medical student who died of an apparent suicide while facing charges in a killing tied to the Craigslist website . However , the medical examiner is withholding the official cause of death for Philip Markoff pending further tests , prosecutors said . `` Markoff was alone in his cell and all evidence collected thus far indicates that he took his own life , '' Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement released earlier . `` Nonetheless , as with all such cases , a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding his death . '' Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral told CNN that Markoff had not demonstrated any notable behavior while in custody and did not pose a disciplinary problem before his death . While Markoff had been on suicide watch from April 23 to May 14 , he was not on watch around the time he died , she said . Suicide watch for jail inmates is determined by a psychiatrist , she said . In her eight years as sheriff , there have been four confirmed suicides ; Markoff would be the fifth . There 's an average of 57 serious suicide attempts a year , Cabral added . Markoff was found unresponsive in his Boston , Massachusetts , jail cell at 10:17 a.m. Sunday and pronounced dead by medics , according to officials . He was found with wounds to his neck and ankles , EMS spokeswoman Jennifer Mehigan said . Markoff , 24 , was charged with the April 14 , 2009 , fatal shooting and attempted robbery of Julissa Brisman , 25 , at Boston 's Copley Marriott Hotel . Police said that Brisman , a model , advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist , a popular online classifieds service , and said Markoff might have met her through the site . In a statement Sunday , the family of Brisman said it was `` shocked and dismayed '' at the news of Markoff 's apparent suicide . `` Their grief for Julissa is as fresh today as the day over a year ago when Markoff took Julissa away from them , '' said the statement issued by a representative for the family . `` The long-awaited criminal prosecution was their only opportunity to confront him , and now he has taken that away as well . '' The family promised to pursue `` other avenues to seek justice for Julissa and help ensure that others do not suffer from such devastating , unnecessary violence , '' according to the statement . Markoff was also charged with the April 10 , 2009 , robbery of Trisha Leffler at a Westin Hotel in Boston . Police reports said Leffler was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards and was held at gunpoint and bound . At his arraignment in June 2009 , Markoff pleaded not guilty to the Massachusetts charges . He also was facing charges in an April 16 , 2009 , incident at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick , Rhode Island . In that incident , police said , Markoff tied up and demanded money from a 26-year-old dancer who had posted a Craigslist advertisement . The robbery was interrupted when the woman 's husband entered the room , and the suspect fled after pointing his gun at the husband , according to Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen McCartney . At the time of his April 2009 arrest , Markoff was a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine and was engaged to be married . His friends and acquaintances expressed shock , describing him as a model student and the `` all-American '' guy . A woman identifying herself as Megan McAllister , his fiancee , maintained his innocence in an April 2009 e-mail sent to ABC News , saying Markoff `` is the wrong man '' and `` was set up . '' `` Unfortunately , you were given the wrong information as was the public , '' she said . `` All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly ! '' Markoff 's attorney had also proclaimed his innocence . Conley , the district attorney , told reporters last year that Brisman 's death was `` a brutal , vicious crime -- savage . And it shows that Philip Markoff is a man who 's willing to take advantage of women -- to hurt them , to beat them , to rob them . '' Brisman sustained blunt head trauma and was shot three times at close range , prosecutors said . Conley said they believed the motive for her death was robbery . In executing a search warrant at Markoff 's home , police found a firearm , along with restraints and duct tape , he said . Police traced internet communications with Brisman to an e-mail account that had been opened the day before her death , Conley said . Using internet provider information , they found the computer was at Markoff 's residence in the Boston suburb of Quincy , he said . CNN 's John Branch and Logan Burruss and In Session 's Beth Karas contributed to this report .
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NEW : Sheriff says Philip Markoff did not behave differently before death . Medical examiner withholding official cause of death for Markoff . He was accused of killing one woman and robbing two others . Authorities believe he met his victims on Craigslist .
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Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An accident on a ride at a Chinese amusement park has left six dead , and several more injured , Chinese media agencies reported Tuesday . The passengers on a simulated rocket ride said that the smell of burning electronics and a sudden loss of power preceded the deadly incident at the Overseas Chinese Town East facility in Shenzhen , witnesses told Xinhua news agency . The Hong Kong-based Ming Pao newspaper reported that one of the 11 capsules on the `` Space Journey '' ride came detached , slamming into others and leading to the deaths and at least 10 others being injured . Government officials said only that the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation , while the area surrounding the ride will be closed Wednesday . The park is popular with Hong Kong residents traveling to the mainland .
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Amusement park accident leaves six dead in China . Passengers said they smelled burning before accident . The incident is being investigated .
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-LRB- RealSimple.com -RRB- -- My father spent his youth as a crossing guard , a Boy Scout , and a designated driver . I , on the other hand , squandered mine cutting gym class and hanging out at the mall . Back then , my father would deliver themed , Mike Brady -- style lectures -LRB- one recurring favorite was the Importance of Being Honest -RRB- , which I grudgingly tolerated and later dismissed . But as I 've gotten older , a funny thing has come to pass : I 've often found myself doing exactly what he told me to do , following even his most questionable advice -- like renting the movie `` Pink Cadillac . '' Herewith , his greatest hits . -LRB- Caution : Some of these lessons may trigger flashbacks to your own father 's finest moments . -RRB- . RealSimple.com : Making positive changes in your life . 1 . Hold hands while you hash it out . My folks have been married for 47 years . One of my father 's rules for a happy marriage is that if a nasty argument erupts , hold hands as you fight . You 'll feel goofy doing this , but here 's the thing : It works . Recently my husband , Tom , forgot to pay a few bills that were buried under a pile of clutter . I was incandescent with rage . So we interlaced our fingers while we talked it out , and I felt my blood pressure plummet and my endorphins flow in spite of myself . It 's impossible to scream at someone who is giving your hand a gentle squeeze . It just is . RealSimple.com : Secrets of staying -LRB- happily -RRB- married . 2 . Pay attention to anyone who wears a tool belt ... My father is practical , thrifty -LRB- or , put more accurately , cheap -RRB- , and savvy about home improvements . He calls a repairman only as a last resort -- and when he does , he hovers around the guy and asks tons of questions . '' Carefully observe anyone with a skill that you do n't have , '' my father often said , `` and then you can take care of the fill-in-the-blank yourself . '' He was right : After shadowing a handyman for an hour , I later fixed my own dishwasher , to the perpetual amazement of friends who call their super to change a lightbulb . RealSimple.com : Small , helpful gestures with big impact . 3 . ... Or a uniform . It has always annoyed my dad that a waiter gets a 20 percent tip for serving a crème brûlée , while a hotel maid who disposes of used dental floss often winds up with bubkes . My father routinely told our sanitation men and the crew who cleaned his office that they were doing a good job and made sure to compensate them at holidays . As a child , I used to writhe with embarrassment when he did this . Now I do the same for the sanitation workers in my neighborhood . One guy once told me , with a catch in his voice , that in 10 years , it was the first time he had ever been thanked . 4 . You can never have enough baggies . Anything can be stored in a resealable plastic bag , according to my father . Shoelaces , maps , socks , meat . I used to mock his habit of bagging everything , but since then I 've seen the light . They 're miracle workers -- easy to stash , and you can spot their contents at a glance . RealSimple.com : Live your life on less . Now , just like Dad , I have a special drawer just for these bags , which range from giant -LRB- for sweaters -RRB- to tiny -LRB- to squirrel away nuts in my purse -RRB- . When I 'm missing a size in my lineup , I get tense . 5 . You ca n't go wrong with Clint . Dad says if you are at Blockbuster and are unable to decide what to rent , get a Clint Eastwood movie . Even the bad ones , he contends , are superior to most other films . Even `` Every Which Way but Loose . '' Even `` The Gauntlet '' -LRB- look it up -RRB- . Now , when I 'm overwhelmed by racks of DVDs , I simply look for Clint 's scowling face . RealSimple.com : Keep mind and body in top condition . 6 . Do n't belittle the annual sack race . When my sisters and I hit adolescence , my father doggedly upheld our many family traditions , despite a tsunami of scorn . `` They do n't mean anything to you kids now , '' he 'd tell us , `` but one day you 'll invest in them yourselves . '' Have we ever . Every Fourth of July , we have a sack race , and I just introduced a new tradition last Christmas . After dinner , I passed out lottery tickets and coins . Soon , all you could hear was an industrious scritch-scratch . And my father was beaming . 7 . For Pete 's sake , stop worrying . Dad , like many guys of his generation , is a doer , not a talker . Just `` fix it , '' he tells himself , no matter how intractable the problem seems . His swift and decisive action used to strike me , a champion ditherer , as impulsive , but I 've come to realize that consulting your gut leads to better decisions than exhaustive -LRB- and exhausting -RRB- deliberation . Now when I 'm stymied , I say this phrase , and the answer comes . 8 . Carry a hankie . Years ago , my parents and I were visiting a museum . I had a cold . My father handed me a fresh hankie and told me to keep it in my purse . And so I have . Tissues disintegrate , but not this sturdy cloth . Restroom dryer on the fritz ? Handkerchief ! Want to wrap a cookie to go ? Handkerchief ! 9 . No one 's smarter than you . Long ago , if I was in a group and the conversation strayed to an unfamiliar topic , I 'd keep silent . Dad urged me to say , `` I do n't understand . Can you explain what you 're talking about ? '' Asking questions makes you sound smart , he said , and confident to boot . RealSimple.com : 10 biz strategies to organize family life . At a recent gathering , somebody mentioned the Mauritius Continental Shelf . Silence . Then I asked , `` What 's that ? '' And all the former Ivy Leaguers around me exhaled and admitted they did n't know what the hell it was , either . 10 . You will want kids . My father always encouraged me to have a baby . I used to tell him that it was n't for everyone , but he shot back , `` I know you , and you would love it . '' True enough : Tom and I became parents recently , and that little girl is the joy of my life . I can not wait to impart my own pearls of wisdom to her , such as the infinite uses for twist ties or the Importance of Being Honest -LRB- sound familiar ? -RRB- . And since she 's a lot like me , she 'll probably roll her eyes and grumble -- and listen to every word . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2010 Time Inc. . All rights reserved .
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Her dad 's advice annoyed daugher when she was growing up . Pay attention to anyone wearing a toolbelt -- what you learn can save you money . During heated arguments with spouse , hold hands to help keep screaming under control . When in doubt about a movie to rent , you ca n't go wrong with Clint Eastwood .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Marilyn Monroe 's sultry rendition of `` Happy Birthday '' sung for President John F. Kennedy 's 45th birthday celebration marked the actress ' last major public appearance before her mysterious death in August 1962 . Tuesday , which would have been Monroe 's 84th birthday , marked the public debut of a rare image of Monroe with Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy together after the May 19 , 1962 , party . The black-and-white photo , taken by White House photographer Cecil Stoughton , showed Monroe still wearing the infamously tight-fighting , sheer rhinestone-studded dress she wore when singing earlier at Madison Square Garden . President Kennedy appears to be turning away from the camera , something he rarely did , while his brother , the U.S. attorney general , looks toward them . `` There is no other known photo of Bobby -LSB- Kennedy -RSB- with Marilyn or JFK with Marilyn , and it 's not because they were never photographed together , '' said filmmaker Keya Morgan , who now owns the only original prints of it . `` In fact , they were photographed together many times , but the Secret Service and the FBI confiscated every single photograph . '' Stoughton , who sold the prints to Morgan a year before his death in 2008 , told him agents missed one negative in their search , he said . `` The Secret Service came in when he was developing the negatives and basically confiscated all the ones of Jack , Bobby with Marilyn , '' Morgan said . `` The only one that survived is the one that was in the dryer . '' Historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. , who was an aide to President Kennedy , appears in the photo holding a drink and cigar and wearing a broad smile . Schlesinger 's personal journal , published in 2007 , included his impression of Monroe at the private gathering . `` The image of this exquisite , beguiling and desperate girl will always stay with me , '' Schlesinger wrote . `` I do not think I have seen anyone so beautiful ; I was enchanted by her manner and her wit , at once so masked , so ingenuous and so penetrating . '' He wrote that Robert Kennedy was paying great attention to Monroe at the gathering , which was at the Manhattan home of Arthur and Matilda Krim . `` Bobby and I engaged in mock competition for her ; she was most agreeable to him and pleasant to me , but one never felt her to be wholly engaged , '' Schlesinger wrote in a passage included in his book `` Journals : 1952-2000 . '' While the relationship between the Kennedy brothers and Monroe has become a documented part of history , photographer Stoughton was reluctant to allow the image to become public until after former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy 's death in 1994 . Morgan said he bought access to the negative while working on an upcoming documentary about the actress 's death , `` Marilyn Monroe : Murder on Fifth Helena Drive . '' Stoughton , in interviews for the film , told Morgan the story behind the first lady 's refusal to attend her husband 's birthday gala . `` He 's the one who told Jackie that Marilyn was going to be at the celebration , and her exact words were ` Screw Jack , ' and she left the room and she did not go to the famous celebration , '' Morgan said . Morgan 's prints show details not clear in low-resolution , cropped copies that made their way onto the internet after the photo was licensed for a book about Monroe in 2004 . Singer Harry Belafonte is seen in the background with his wife , talking to a man that Stoughton told Morgan was comedian Jack Benny . Beverly Hills art appraiser David W. Streets , who reviewed the prints and their history for CNN , called them `` the real McCoy . '' `` This is a very significant piece of American and celebrity history , of fine art photography , '' Streets said . Since Stoughton was a U.S. Army captain and was using a government-owned camera and film , the images themselves are in the public domain . But access to the negative , which Stoughton secretly kept , was valuable , Streets said . Stoughton made and signed 10 prints for Morgan , 30 inches by 30 inches . Nine of them go on sale Tuesday at the Art & Artifact Gallery in West Hollywood , California . The 10th print was given to singer Michael Jackson two years ago , Morgan said . Morgan was a friend of the pop star 's , who was a big Monroe fan .
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Rare photo taken after Marilyn Monroe sang for JFK 's birthday . Photographer said Secret Service seized all other JFK-Monroe photos . White House photographer kept photo secret for decades . Tuesday would have been Marilyn Monroe 's 84th birthday .
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-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Say hello to your latest personal navigation device : a netbook . Dell plans to introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company 's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom . Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks to offer turn-by-turn direction . `` Smartphones already have GPS capabilities , '' says Alan Sicher , senior wireless product manager at Dell . `` We are now bringing it to netbooks so the devices know where you are and can help you where you want to go . '' Customers will have the option to buy the $ 69 card called the Wireless 700 when ordering their Dell Mini 10 netbook . Dell 's move comes at a time when navigation devices makers are looking beyond the traditional standalone GPS gadget and are offering their software on other devices . Last month , TomTom announced that its turn-by-turn directions app would be available on the iPhone . TomTom will also offer accessories such as a car mounting dock and power charger . Meanwhile , Dell is hoping to capitalize on the explosive sales of netbooks . Dell netbooks with the integrated GPS cards will allow consumers to pop open a netbook and get directions and also also make their netbook location aware . For instance , buyers can geo-tag photos on Flickr or check weather information customized to their current location . The Wireless 700 card combines Broadcom 's GPS technology and Skyhook Wireless ' Wi-Fi positioning solutions . As for the navigation software , it offers 2D and 3D map views , save addresses for a trip and route optimization -- pretty much all the things that a standard GPS devices does . Netbooks are petite devices . Still , it is difficult to imagine consumers carrying it around as a GPS navigation device or using it their car to find their way around -- especially when smaller-sized cellphones could do the job . Sicher says Dell 's GPS-capable netbooks will come in handy for international travelers . `` If you are traveling to Europe roaming costs can be pretty pricey for your cellphone , '' he says . The GPS netbooks could also be handy in areas where cellphone coverage is weak , says Sicher . But there 's fine print to the turn-by-turn directions navigation software on the netbook . Though it will be free for buyers of the card and the netbook , the maps will be updated yearly and customers could be charged for the updates . Dell plans to offer accessories such as car charger and a dock for the netbooks , but they wo n't be available until later this month . The GPS cards will be available starting July 7 . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com .
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Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks . The company 's netbooks will be able to offer turn-by-turn directions . Makers are looking beyond traditional GPS gadgets to offer software on other devices . Users will be able to geo-tag photos on Flickr or check customized weather info .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Pentagon estimate that Afghanistan is home to nearly a trillion dollars in sought-after minerals is good news , but it provides no assurance that the nation is on its way to peace and productivity , says analyst Fareed Zakaria . Zakaria told CNN he is skeptical of the idea that you could `` divide $ 1 trillion by the population of Afghanistan to reach the conclusion that every Afghan will be rich ... the history of natural resources and mineral wealth is that it produces enormous corruption and mismanagement , and very often the money does not go down to the average person . '' U.S. geologists reported Monday that Afghanistan has large supplies of iron , copper and gold , along with other valuable minerals but cautioned that quick riches were not in store . `` Turning the potential of Afghanistan 's mineral wealth into actual revenue will take years , '' said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley . Zakaria said , `` It can be made more effective . Australia has lots of natural resources , Canada has lots of natural resources , but you really have to create an honest and efficient government , which gets us back to the central problem in Afghanistan . '' The author and host of CNN 's `` Fareed Zakaria GPS '' spoke to CNN on Wednesday . Here is an edited transcript : . CNN : The New York Times reported this week that Pentagon geologists had discovered what amounts to a potential trillion-dollar lode of minerals in Afghanistan ? What 's the significance of that finding ? Fareed Zakaria : Well I think it 's great work on the part of the Pentagon . I know the assistant secretary of Defense , Paul Brinkley , has been working on this . He 's done some amazing work in Iraq in getting their economy started . I think that it 's very important to find some viable economic model for Afghanistan . I have to say , however , that finding the minerals is the easy part . Creating a real economy that distributes the wealth that this produces in an effective and efficient and honest way is the much , much larger challenge . Think about the countries around the world that have great mineral wealth -- Nigeria , Russia , Zimbabwe . These are not places where the average person is doing well . Nigeria is the sixth-largest oil exporter in the world and its per capita GDP -LSB- Gross Domestic Product -RSB- is abysmal . CNN : The government in the hands of Hamid Karzai has been criticized for not being transparent and for not tackling corruption . Has there been any progress on that ? Zakaria : I think there has been some progress . Karzai has been willing to speak out and act in ways that he has n't before . His attorney general has brought charges and prosecuted people . Clearly not enough -- the government is riddled with corruption at every level -- but there is some movement . But I would say the first great challenge that Karzai faces is to make his government seem legitimate in the eyes of the people . And some part of that is about the government not being seen as corrupt , but some part of it is also about him creating a broad-based coalition -- and that means making sure that he 's not excluding from government , from patronage , from local councils , those people who have credibility and political support in their areas . The key to this government 's success or failure is if the Pashtun community -- which makes up 50 percent of Afghanistan and 100 percent of the insurgency -- sees the government of Hamid Karzai as their government as opposed to an alien force . That 's where the bulk of the work has to take place . For more on the region , read the `` Afghanistan Crossroads '' blog . CNN : It 's been reported that Karzai does n't believe that the war against the Taliban can be won on the battlefield ? Zakaria : I think that 's a fair statement , and I think he 's right . If the Taliban is to some extent an expression of Pashtun resistance to this government ... this is not an alien force coming from outside that you can defeat and they will go home to Saudi Arabia or wherever it is . Most of them , the vast majority , are Afghans , so you 're going to have to live with them . And that means while of course you have to defeat militarily the most radical , the most intransigent elements of the Taliban , you also have to make deals to include some of them , particularly in mid - and low levels in some kind of new consensual framework . So if what Karzai means is you 're going to have to share power with some Pashtuns who have been identified with the Taliban , I think he 's absolutely right . If you look at the end of civil wars , they almost always end in some form of negotiation . There 's very rarely complete annihilation or outright defeat of the opponent . Unlike wars between two states , in a civil war the people you 're fighting are people you 're going to have to live with the next day . The United States should not be allergic to the idea of political solutions to Afghanistan , because that is the only viable way we are going to get peace and stability . CNN : Is it your sense that there is conflict on this issue between Karzai and the U.S. ? Zakaria : Well the United States was opposed for a long time to the idea of any kind of deal making with the Taliban . Through most of the Bush administration , the was regarded as completely impermissible . ... I think there has been a change in recent months , and it should be encouraged . CNN : So you think the Obama administration is not wary of making concessions to the Taliban ? Zakaria : Well , it does n't seem to have same allergy to negotiations , but they 're not moving wholeheartedly on that front . For example , the crucial issue for many members of the Taliban is that they be taken off the U.N. blacklist , where they 're described as terrorists . Their view is that this is a national resistance movement . They 're not al Qaeda , and they were never part of al Qaeda , and we have been very reluctant to take them off the blacklist . We should be looking at that list very carefully , trying to figure out if there are people there we do want to try to negotiate with . If you do want to negotiate with them , one great prize you can offer them is to take them off the U.N. list . So we 've got to remember that there are real concerns that these people have about their own physical safety and security that need to be addressed . If we want to see them take some significant moves , we will have to take some significant moves as well and taking them off the U.N. blacklist is probably the most important . CNN : Is that the major obstacle to political stability in Afghanistan right now ? Zakaria : The ultimate obstacle to stability is that Pakistan remains a safe haven for some of the most violent and extremist groups in Afghanistan , including the Afghan Taliban and other terrorist organizations . ... What is worrying is the fact that there is renewed activity from these groups , and the working together of various terrorist groups . There are new reports that Lashkar-e-Taiba , which is the Pakistani terrorist organization that has operated mainly against India and was implicated in the Mumbai terror attacks , is now operating against Afghanistan and is responsible for some of the terrorist attacks there . ... There 's a report out from the London School of Economics this week that finds that there continue to be strong ties between the Pakistani military and these terrorist groups . That problem of the Pakistani connection remains at the heart of the Afghan situation . It 's very difficult to see how you can have a stable Afghanistan when you have safe havens in the neighboring country and the possible complicity of the military in that country . The Pakistani military still believes at some level that maintaining ties to these militants is what gives them leverage in Afghanistan . CNN : As you say , the Taliban would argue that they should n't be on the U.N. blacklist because they 're a national resistance movement , but are they sheltering al Qaeda ? Zakaria : Those elements that are sheltering al Qaeda should not be taken off the blacklist . But all the evidence I 've seen suggests that what remains of al Qaeda is entirely in Pakistan at this point and is being sheltered by groups in Pakistan , not in Afghanistan . ... There 's a lot of the insurgency that 's a local Afghan insurgency . Those are the people we should be trying to get to switch sides , not the ones who have deep connections with the radical groups in Pakistan or certainly not with al Qaeda . The key to the victory in Iraq was that you won over people in the middle , and you isolated the very extreme parts of the insurgency . We should making somewhat similar efforts in Afghanistan .
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Pentagon estimates Afghanistan has nearly a trillion dollars worth of minerals . Fareed Zakaria says such wealth often does not trickle down to most people . He says key to success is a political settlement that legitimizes Afghan government . Zakaria : U.S. , Karzai should woo away moderate elements of Taliban .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- JetBlue on Wednesday dispensed vouchers to passengers and some levity to the public , two days after one of its flight attendants famously quit following a luggage-bin altercation . Perhaps realizing that the best answer to the public support of Steven Slater might be humor , the company 's blog had a posting entitled , `` Sometimes the weird news is about us . '' The blog read , `` It would n't be fair for us to point out absurdities in other corners of the industry without acknowledging when it 's about us . Well this week 's news certainly falls into that category . Perhaps you heard a little story about one of our flight attendants ? '' `` While we ca n't discuss the details of what is an ongoing investigation , plenty of others have already formed opinions on the matter . Like , the entire Internet . '' The blog also praises 2,300 `` fantastic , awesome and professional Inflight Crewmembers . '' The case of Slater has been a web sensation , and some consider him a folk hero . According to blogs and accounts , Slater received a small gash on his head during an altercation with a passenger . In a blaze of `` take this job and shove it , '' he reportedly used some profanity on the plane 's intercom , said he was quitting , grabbed some beers and deployed the plane 's chute before sliding down and running away . Meanwhile , each person on the Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , to New York flight Monday will receive a $ 100 voucher , JetBlue said . `` This is consistent with our long-standing policies , '' spokesman Steve Stampley told CNN . `` JetBlue often provides vouchers to our customers when they experience a disruption or otherwise abnormal circumstance . This event falls into that category . '' Slater , who faces criminal charges in the incident , told CNN affiliate WABC Wednesday that support from the public has been `` so encouraging and so special . '' `` There 's some really great people out there , and I 'm getting a glimpse of that , '' he said . `` It 's a surprise because , obviously , I have been away for a little while . '' Slater left a Bronx detention center Tuesday night . Slater had a scratch on his forehead . He said , it was `` more than likely '' he will lose his job . Slater 's mother , Diane Slater , defended him in an interview with CNN affiliate KABC . `` I do n't think he 's going to be in trouble very long . I think he just had a very small meltdown , and I think he deserves to be able to have that meltdown if you saw the egg on his head where he got smacked , '' she said . Slater was arrested at his home after the incident at New York 's John F. Kennedy International Airport after the flight landed . He was charged with criminal mischief , reckless endangerment and criminal trespass , according to the Queens District Attorney 's Office . The tension between Slater and the passenger apparently began in Pittsburgh , where the flight originated . A female passenger `` was struggling to shove her carry-on luggage -LRB- into the overhead bin -RRB- and she was competing with another passenger for the slot . They were shoving luggage around , '' said Slater 's attorney , Howard Turman . `` He -LRB- Slater -RRB- came over to assist , she started cursing and -- based on the information -- slammed the overhead luggage bin on his -LRB- Slater 's -RRB- head , '' Turman said . Turman said the female passenger said `` F -- you '' to Slater . After the flight landed at JFK , Slater approached the female passenger who was retrieving her bag from the bin while the plane was still taxiing to the gate , according to a source familiar with the incident . Passengers are required to stay in their seats with their seat belts fastened until the pilot has reached the gate and gives the all-clear sign . The passenger cursed Slater again , Turman said . Her fury grew upon learning she would have to wait at baggage claim to retrieve luggage she was forced to check at the gate . At that point , Slater got on the plane 's public address system . Passenger Phil Catelinet wrote on his blog that Slater said , `` To the passenger who just called me a motherf ----- : f -- you . I 've been in this business 20 years , and I 've had it . '' When the plane stopped at the gate , Slater grabbed some beer from the beverage cart before deploying the emergency slide and leaving . JetBlue announced Tuesday that Slater has been suspended pending an investigation . The airline declined to specify whether the suspension is a paid leave of absence . Slater smiled as he entered a courtroom Tuesday for his arraignment . He was ordered held on $ 2,500 bond and not to have contact with two specific JetBlue employees . Turman described his client as `` a dedicated son '' who has been flying to California regularly to attend to his mother , who is suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer . The second-degree criminal mischief and the first-degree reckless endangerment charges are felonies that could land Slater in jail for seven years if convicted , authorities said . The JetBlue blog had a host of comments after the posting . `` Everyone on the web is supporting Steven , but not his company , '' one comment read . `` That 's a pity ... That 's a bad ad for you . Support your workers as all your customers are doing . '' CNN 's Richard Davis , Allan Chernoff , Julian Cummings , Susan Candiotti , Laura Batchelor and Jesse Solomon contributed to this report .
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JetBlue posts blog item about its flight attendant . Support has been `` so encouraging and so special , '' Steven Slater says . JetBlue will give vouchers to passengers on the flight . Slater was arrested Monday after using the plane 's emergency chute to leave .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A onetime medical student who was facing charges including first-degree murder in a killing tied to the Craigslist website died Sunday of an apparent suicide , police said . Philip Markoff was found unresponsive in his Boston , Massachusetts , jail cell at 10:17 a.m. Sunday and pronounced dead by medics , according to officials . The cause of death is under investigation , Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement . `` Markoff was alone in his cell and all evidence collected thus far indicates that he took his own life , '' the statement said . `` Nonetheless , as with all such cases , a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding his death . '' An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted Monday , according to Jake Wark , a spokesman for Conley . Markoff , 24 , was charged with the April 14 , 2009 , fatal shooting and attempted robbery of Julissa Brisman , 25 , at Boston 's Copley Marriott Hotel . Police said that Brisman , a model , advertised as a masseuse on Craiglist , a popular online classifieds service , and said Markoff may have met her through the site . In a statement Sunday , the family of Brisman said it was `` shocked and dismayed '' at the news of Markoff 's apparent suicide . `` Their grief for Jullissa is as fresh today as the day over a year ago when Markoff took Julissa away from them , '' said the statement issued by a representative for the family . `` The long-awaited criminal prosecution was their only opportunity to confront him , and now he has taken that away as well . '' The family promised to pursue `` other avenues to seek justice for Julissa and help ensure that others do not suffer from such devastating , unnecessary violence , '' according to the statement . Markoff was also charged with the April 10 , 2009 , robbery of Trisha Leffler at a Westin Hotel in Boston . Police reports said Leffler was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards and was held at gunpoint and bound . At his arraignment in June 2009 , Markoff pleaded not guilty to the Massachusetts charges . He also was facing charges in an April 16 , 2009 , incident at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick , Rhode Island . In that incident , police said Markoff tied up and demanded money from a 26-year-old dancer who had posted a Craigslist advertisement . The robbery was interrupted when the woman 's husband entered the room , and the suspect fled after pointing his gun at the husband , according to Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen McCartney . At the time of his April 2009 arrest , Markoff was a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine and was engaged to be married . His friends and acquaintances expressed shock , describing him as a model student and the `` all-American '' guy . A woman identifying herself as Megan McAllister , his fiancee , maintained his innocence in an April 2009 e-mail sent to ABC News , saying Markoff `` is the wrong man '' and `` was set up . '' `` Unfortunately , you were given the wrong information as was the public , '' she said . `` All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly ! '' Markoff 's attorney had also proclaimed his innocence . Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley told reporters last year that Brisman 's death was `` a brutal , vicious crime -- savage . And it shows that Philip Markoff is a man who 's willing to take advantage of women -- to hurt them , to beat them , to rob them . '' Brisman sustained blunt head trauma , and was shot three times at close range , prosecutors said . Conley said they believe the motive for her death was robbery . In executing a search warrant at Markoff 's home , police found a firearm , along with restraints and duct tape , he said . Surveillance videos from the hotel where Brisman was killed showed a tall , clean-cut young blond man in a black windbreaker leaving the property , according to Boston police , who had sought public assistance in identifying the man . Police traced the Internet communications with Brisman to an e-mail account that had been opened the day before her death , Conley said . Using Internet provider information , they found the computer was at Markoff 's residence in the Boston suburb of Quincy , he said . Authorities put the home under surveillance , Conley said , and `` the case just begins to build from there . '' CNN 's John Branch and In Session 's Beth Karas contributed to this report .
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NEW : Family of victim says it is `` shocked and dismayed '' at the news . Philip Markoff was pronounced dead in his jail cell . Markoff was accused of killing one woman and robbing two others . Authorities believed he met his victims on Craigslist .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Abbey Lincoln , a jazz singer , songwriter , actor and activist , died on Saturday at age 80 in New York City , a friend of hers told CNN . Carol Friedman , who has been working on a documentary about the singer for some 20 years , said Lincoln died of natural causes Saturday morning in Manhattan . She declined to provide further details . Lincoln started performing in the 1950s when she released her first album , `` Abbey Lincoln 's Affair ... A Story of a Girl in Love . '' Often said to have been heavily influenced by the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday , Lincoln continued to write and perform for six decades . She was also well-known as an actress . She co-starred with Sidney Poitier in the 1968 film , `` For Love of Ivy , '' for which she received a Golden Globe nomination . During the 1960s , Lincoln became active in the civil rights movement . She sang on the album , `` We Insist ! -- Max Roach 's Freedom Now Suite . '' She was married to the jazz musician Max Roach during the 1960s . They divorced in 1970 . Speaking to National Public Radio before her death , Lincoln reflected on her life and art . `` You know , when everything is finished in a world , the people go to look for what the artists leave , '' she said . `` It 's the only thing that we have really in this world -- is an ability to express ourselves and say I was here , '' she said .
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Lincoln was a prominent civil rights activist during the 1960s . She was said to have been influenced by legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday . Lincoln was also well known as an actress .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Satellite photographs on NASA 's website show hundreds of hot spots generated by wildfires across central and western Russia . State media reported that the images showed 368 hot spots across Russia on Saturday . RIA Novosti quoted a spokeswoman for ScanEx , which analyzes the images , as saying that central Russia 's Moscow , Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod regions are the most affected . Smoke clouds , which have become a serious health hazard , can clearly been seen on the satellite images , blanketing large swaths of the country . State media reported that carbon monoxide levels in Moscow were more than six times the maximum allowable concentration , and other toxic substances permeated the city air at nine times the normal level . The disaster has killed more than 50 people and left dozens hospitalized , according to Russia 's health and social development ministry . Meanwhile , Russia thanked the United States for coming to its aid . `` Russia is grateful to the United States over the assistance in tackling the wildfires raging across the country , '' said the Russian Foreign Ministry , according to news reports . The United States sent some $ 4.5 million in aid that included water tanks , pumps , hand tools , fire-protective clothing and medical kits , according to the U.S. State Department . RIA Novosti reported that thousands of Russian emergency workers and military personnel have been working around the clock for almost three weeks to fight the fires in 22 regions , which have so far left more than 3,500 homeless .
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Satellite images on NASA website show wildfire hot spots across Russia . State media report that photographs show 368 fires burning on Saturday . Russia 's foreign ministry says it is grateful to the U.S. for aid .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Talking trash has taken on a whole new meaning in Gary , Indiana -- where residents have taken their trash and their talk to the steps of City Council . Gary , Indiana , has not had garbage collection since July 12 . Pick-up is set to resume Wednesday . Residents in Gary have not had trash pick-up since July 12 , when Mayor Rudy Clay ordered garbage collections halted as part of an ongoing dispute between City Council and his attempts to outsource the job to sanitation giant Allied Waste . But the issue was solved Tuesday night when the council voted to continue their contract with Allied . Garbage that had piled up for nine days will be picked up Wednesday . `` The people will be happy when this garbage is picked up , '' the mayor said Tuesday night . `` We do n't deserve to have all this garbage on the streets . The saga came to a head on Monday morning when dozens of protesters , with full trash bags in hand , arrived at city hall to criticize the mayor . The group , Miller Citizens Corporation of Gary , is angry about a $ 12-a-month trash tax , a $ 5 million no-bid contract with Allied , and dozens of laid-off city garbage workers . The group filed suit against the city last November on two counts : it claimed the contract with Allied was not submitted for public bids , and the trash fee may not be levied without City Council approval . In February , Judge Thomas Webber of Lake County -- where Gary is located -- ruled the Allied contract null and void , and mandated the city to stop collecting the tax until it was approved by the council . However , Allied continued to be paid monthly . The City Council voted against the trash tax on July 7 . The mayor then ordered Allied to stop collecting garbage , saying the city could n't afford to pay the company . Defending his $ 5 million contract with Allied on the steps of city hall Monday morning , the mayor said , `` The old system cost the tax payers $ 9 million a year and received 40 to 50 complaints a day . '' He also said that maintenance costs were costing the city $ 600,000 a year . As Mayor Clay spoke , in front of the bags of trash , a scrolling sign on the City Hall property flashed `` Keep Gary Clean . Let 's Pick It UP ! '' CNN 's Kara Devlin contributed to this report .
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Residents in Gary , Indiana , have not had trash pick-up since July 12 . Mayor halted garbage collection during outsourcing dispute with City Council . Full trash bags in hand , dozens of protesters go to city hall to criticize mayor . Council relents on outsourcing contract ; pick-up to resume Wednesday .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama threw his support behind a controversial proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque near New York 's ground zero , saying Friday that `` Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country . '' `` That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan , in accordance with local laws and ordinances , '' Obama said at a White House Iftar dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan . The president 's remarks drew praise from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who announced his support for the Islamic center last week . Bloomberg compared Obama 's speech to a letter President George Washington wrote in support of a Jewish congregation in Newport , Rhode Island . `` President Obama 's words tonight evoked President Washington 's own august reminder that ` all possess alike liberty , ' '' Bloomberg said in a statement . `` I applaud President Obama 's clarion defense of the freedom of religion tonight , '' he said . To learn more about the `` ground zero '' mosque , see CNN 's Belief Blog . Critics of the proposed Islamic center quickly denounced Obama 's remarks . `` President Obama is wrong , '' said Rep. Peter King -LRB- R-N.Y. -RRB- . `` It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero . Unfortunately , the President caved into political correctness . '' `` While the Muslim community has the right to build the mosque , they are abusing that right by needlessly offending so many people who have suffered so much , '' King said in a statement . `` The right and moral thing for President Obama to have done was to urge Muslim leaders to respect the families of those who died and move their mosque away from Ground Zero . '' What do you think about this issue ? Tell us on video . Obama , who said he was speaking both as a citizen and as president , invoked the attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 , which critics of the Islamic center cite as the main reason for preventing its construction . `` We must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan , '' Obama said , according to his prepared remarks . `` The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country . '' `` The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable , '' he continued . `` So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders . Ground zero is , indeed , hallowed ground . '' But Obama said one `` reason that we will win this fight '' against terrorism is `` our capacity to show not merely tolerance , but respect to those who are different from us -- a way of life that stands in stark contrast to the nihilism of those who attacked us on that September morning , and who continue to plot against us today . '' Repeatedly invoking the nation 's founders and examples of religious tolerance from American history , the president argued that national ideals and the Constitution demanded that the project proceed . He noted that Thomas Jefferson hosted the the first Iftar dinner at the White House more than 200 years ago and said that the country had previously seen `` controversies about the construction of synagogues or Catholic churches . '' `` But time and again , '' he said , `` the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues . '' `` This is America , and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable , '' Obama said . `` The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country , and will not be treated differently by their government , is essential to who we are . The writ of our Founders must endure . '' The proposed Islamic center has provoked vocal opposition from some families of 9/11 victims and other groups . Nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose the plan , according to CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll released Wednesday . `` Obama came out for the Islamic supremacist mosque at the hallowed ground of 911 attack , '' Pamela Geller , a leading foe of the Islamic center , wrote on her blog Friday night . `` He has , in effect , sided with the Islamic jihadists . '' Muslim Americans , meanwhile , applauded the speech . `` It was pitch perfect and it was cut and dry , '' said Eboo Patel , executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core and a Muslim adviser to the White House on faith issues . `` He said that our Founding Fathers built a nation on religious freedom where people from different faiths can pray and thrive and that is that . '' Some Muslims said they were surprised to hear the president weigh in on the controversy . `` It 's such a hot potato and he 's already got so much on his plate and people jumping on him for any hint of an Islamic connection , '' said Akbar Ahmed , an American University professor who attended Friday 's White House dinner . `` But he plunged in and took a very bold position . '' The Islamic center 's leaders say they plan to build the $ 100 million , 13-story facility called Cordoba House three blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks . The developer , Sharif El-Gamal , describes the project as an `` Islamic community center '' that will include a 500-seat performing arts center , a lecture hall , a swimming pool , a gym , a culinary school , a restaurant and a prayer space for Muslims . On Wednesday , the project 's developers declined an offer by New York Gov. David Paterson to relocate the project to a state-owned site . Earlier this month , the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously denied landmark status for the building where the proposed Islamic center would stand , allowing the project to move forward .
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NEW : Republican congressman says Obama `` caved into political correctness . '' NEW : Muslim who attended White House event surprised Obama touched `` hot potato '' New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praises Obama 's remarks . Obama said that `` Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else ''
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-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- August 17 , 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • New York , New York • China • Korean Peninsula . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : A new beginning , but some things stay the same : 10 minutes , no commercials , the top news of the day , and me ! I 'm Carl Azuz . You 're tuned in to CNN Student News . Let 's get started ! First Up : Islamic Center Near Ground Zero . AZUZ : Controversy leads off today 's show . It 's about an Islamic center that includes a mosque , an Islamic place of worship , and about where it might be built : a few blocks away from Ground Zero , the spot in New York that was attacked on 9/11 . Some people argue that it is insensitive to build a mosque so close to Ground Zero . In a recent CNN poll , nearly 70 percent of Americans were against this plan . Others say having the Islamic center there could help promote understanding . Last week , President Obama weighed in . U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA : Muslims have the right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country . That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan . AZUZ : Okay , now some people took that statement to mean that the president is in favor of the Ground Zero mosque . A day later , he claimed he was talking about a larger issue . OBAMA : I was not commenting , and I will not comment , on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there . I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding . AZUZ : President Obama is taking some heat for how he 's handled this situation and for what he 's said . REP. PETER KING , -LRB- R -RRB- NEW YORK : If the president was going to get into this , he should have been much more clear , much more precise . And you ca n't be changing your position from day to day on an issue which does go to our Constitution , and it also goes to extreme sensitivity . So , that 's where I am critical of the president , for not being clear . AZUZ : Putting aside the political reaction , there 's a personal reaction to the proposed mosque . Listen to what a couple New Yorkers had to say about it . WOMAN ON THE STREET : I think it 's terrible . It does n't have anything to do with freedom of religion . It 's making a point . There 's plenty of realty all over Manhattan . There 's plenty of realty everywhere . It should n't be here . MAN ON THE STREET : I 'm glad he interjected because the Muslims have the right to prayer . It 's Ramadan . We have synagogues , we have churches everywhere . I 'm proud of him ; I 'm proud of the United States . Blog Promo . AZUZ : Definitely controversial , an issue that people have a lot of strong feelings about . We want to hear yours ! If you go to CNNStudentNews.com , you scroll down a bit and click on our blog , `` From A to Z With Carl Azuz , '' you can weigh in . What do you think about a mosque being built near Ground Zero ? Are you for it , against it ? And why ? Log on and share your thoughts today . Is This Legit ? TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Is this legit ? The United States has the world 's largest economy . It 's true ! The U.S. is the biggest . As far as the second largest goes , though ... Second Largest Economy ? AZUZ : And that 's where things get a little tricky . See , Japan has been the world 's second largest economy , but China is catching up . According to a new report , over the last quarter -- the last three months -- China passed Japan . That does n't necessarily mean China has taken over the number 2 spot . We have to wait until the end of the year to find out about that . But as Emily Chang explains , it might be a foregone conclusion . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . EMILY CHANG , CNN CORRESPONDENT , BEIJING : According to these new numbers , Japan 's economic output in the second quarter fell slightly short of China 's . Now , for a long time , it has not been a question of if , but when China 's economy would overtake Japan 's as the second largest economy in the world . But , and this is a big but , if you look at the numbers for the first half of this year so far , Japan 's economy is still bigger than China 's . So , analysts are saying we have to wait until after the end of this year , until we get the final numbers for 2010 , before we can make a judgment on this . There are a lot of factors at play here . In Japan , the economy is obviously slowing down , stimulus efforts are slowing down , exports are down and domestic demand is flat . The yen is also at a 15-year high against the dollar , so that makes Japanese exports more expensive for overseas customers . But here in China , the economy is also showing signs of slowing down . GDP growth in the first quarter fell from 11.9 percent to 10.3 percent in the second quarter , and stimulus efforts here are also on the verge of slowing down . And if indeed China does revalue its currency soon , that would make Chinese exports more expensive for overseas customers . So analysts , while most of them seem to agree that China will overtake Japan as the second largest economy in the world some time this year , we do have to wait for those annual numbers for 2010 to come out . Emily Chang , CNN , Beijing . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . So What ? AZUZ : Okay , China 's economy is getting bigger . So what ? Well , experts figure this stuff out by looking at the value of everything that a country makes . If your economy 's growing , that means you 're making and selling more products . So , China 's making a lot of stuff . And the U.S. -- remember , the U.S. has the largest economy -- it 's making a lot , too . And that could mean competition between the U.S. and China to sell all the products that they make . It could also mean opportunities for the countries to do more business with each other . Sound Check . -LRB- SOUNDS OF MILITARY EXERCISES -RRB- . Military Exercises . AZUZ : That military drill lasts for 11 days . It happens every year ; the U.S. and South Korea work together to make sure they 're prepared to defend South Korea , as the U.S. and that country are allies . South Korea 's president says the military exercises are specifically designed to prepare against any threat from North Korea . We mentioned yesterday there 's been a lot of tension between these two countries . North Korea offered its own response to the military drills . It threatened to `` deal a merciless counterblow to the U.S. imperialists '' and to South Korean `` traitors . '' Kids Sleeping . AZUZ : Well , I know a lot of you are dragging right now ; that switchover from sleeping late in summer to school hours can be a beast . Would it make any difference to you if the school bell rang a half-hour later ? I 'm working on a report about that , looking for your input ! Tell us when you think the bell should ring . Tell us on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com ! Football Heat . AZUZ : So , we have established that school is back ; so is football ! Some of you players have probably been hitting the practice field for a while now . No matter what team you 're on , this time of year , most everyone 's facing a common opponent : the heat . Reynolds Wolf shows us how a major college program beats the heat . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . REYNOLDS WOLF , CNN WEATHER ANCHOR : Each season , the Texas Longhorns face bitter rivals like the Sooners or Aggies . But an even tougher foe is the intense Texas heat . SHERROD HARRIS , QUARTERBACK , UNIV. . OF TEXAS : I do n't think I 've ever gotten used to this heat . The best way I 've been able to adjust to it is drink more Gatorades or waters . WOLF : Hydration : it is one method UT trainer Kenny Boyd stresses . But he also employs high-tech methods . KENNY BOYD , UNIV. . OF TEXAS : Try 100.23 . WOLF : Kenny will pull a player from the field when their body temperature reaches 103 . BOYD : That 's when you can start to exhibit some of the more significant signs or symptoms of someone in heat stress . When they get to 104 , that 's when we pull them from practice or the workout . WOLF : This is me after 20 minutes of light workout in the 105 degree heat . Longhorns , like most players in training , will undergo intense workouts in 45-minute intervals . While doing so , Kenny looks for danger signs . BOYD : Disorientation , any kind of decreased mental acuity , someone that 's beginning to labor a lot more in their drill . How about we go cool off ? WOLF : That sounds great . Wow . One method is this shirt , fitted with a stem that allows a blast of cool air to fill its chambers . Not quite as high tech , but more effective , is this , the rapid cooling tub . Whoa ! May be crude , but it works . And that 's the mission of trainers like Boyd to keep their players safe . BOYD : A lot of us in athletic training have been witness , or been a part , or know people that have had to deal with someone that 's suffered from heat stroke or from a heat crisis . And that has really shaped some of the passion and some of the concerns that we have as a staff today at the University of Texas . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : Finally today , when you hear about a police chase involving someone in black and white stripes , this probably is n't what you had in mind . The zebras did n't escape from the zoo . They were actually somebody 's pets ! They got scared by a dog , jumped the fence and took off , and scared local residents and led local authorities on a wild zebra chase around the neighborhood . When they were eventually caught , we can only assume how embarrassed the animals were by the whole incident . Goodbye . AZUZ : It probably left them black and white and red all over . Seriously though , zebras as pets ? That owner must have a wild life . Whoo ! CNN Student News returns tomorrow . We 're gon na look forward to seeing you then .
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Consider a controversy surrounding a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero . Examine how China 's economy might soon become the second largest in the world . Take the field to learn how a college football program tries to beat the heat . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court is backing Ohio elections officials in an ongoing dispute over allegations of voter registration fraud . Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner filed the emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court . The justices in an unsigned opinion Friday blocked a lower court order directing the Ohio Secretary of State -- a Democrat -- to update the state 's voter registration database after information provided by some newly registered voters did not match up with Social Security and driver registration numbers . The state Republican party had asked for enforcement of a temporary restraining order , but the justices ultimately denied that request . The appeal , from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and other elections officials , follows a Tuesday ruling from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that sided with the state GOP . It ordered Brunner to create a system by Friday to provide a list of newly registered voters whose Social Security numbers or driver 's license numbers do not match their names . By reversing the lower courts decision , Brunner said in a statement that the Supreme Court 's had `` protected the voting rights of all Ohioans , allowing our bipartisan elections officials to continue preparing for a successful November election . `` We filed this appeal to protect all Ohio voters from illegal challenges and barriers that unfairly silence the votes of some to the advantage of others , '' she said . The state Republican Party contends that there is widespread voter fraud in Ohio -- a crucial battleground state for the 2008 presidential election -- and that Brunner `` turned off '' its process for verifying voter registrations while allowing Ohioans to cast ballots on the same day they registered . In reaction to the high court 's decision state GOP Chairman Bob Bennett said in a statement , `` This decision was made on a technicality , not on the merits of the case . '' `` We are again calling on the Secretary of State to comply with federal law by providing clear instructions to election administrators on how to handle questionable voter registration forms , '' Bennett said . Bennett had accused Brunner of concealing fraudulent voter registrations in hopes of swinging the state to Sen. Barack Obama , the Democratic presidential candidate . Brunner 's office has acknowledged that preliminary information provided by about 200,000 registered voters may not match up . Brunner said Tuesday she had prepared for the appeals court 's `` possible adverse decision '' ahead of time by announcing plans to `` further improve the statewide voter registration database . '' The appeals court opinion called Ohio 's current system `` virtually useless '' and said it does `` nothing to address the anti-fraud objective . ''
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NEW : Secretary of state says high court `` protected the voting rights of all Ohioans '' High court backs Ohio Secretary of State in voter registration dispute . Earlier ruling ordered list of newly registered Ohio voters with mismatched data . Republican Party contends voter fraud could help swing state towards Obama .
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KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A fighter jet crashed in southern Afghanistan on Monday , in the fourth wreck in three days , authorities said . A French Air Force Mirage 2000 sits under a shelter on the tarmac at an airbase in Kandahar on January 1 , 2009 . Authorities were looking into why the plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield Monday morning , but the role of insurgents had been ruled out , said Lt. Col. Paul Kolken , the spokesman at the airfield . The crew ejected safely , and was being treated , Kolken said . Five hours after the crash , the wreckage of the plane was still on fire . Military officials did not identify the type of jet that crashed , nor did they release the nationality of the crew . Weather conditions were fair at the time of the incident , Kolken said . On Saturday , a U.S. fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan , killing its crew of two . In addition , a civilian helicopter went down on takeoff from Kandahar airfield on Sunday , killing 16 people , NATO said . Watch details of the helicopter crash '' And a military helicopter made a hard landing elsewhere on Sunday , apparently injuring at least some of those on board , NATO said . None of the aircraft were shot down , said the International Security Assistance Force -- NATO 's mission in Afghanistan . It did not announce the cause of any of the crashes . There were at least two earlier crashes this month . Watch report on UK deaths in Afghanistan '' At least five people were killed when a helicopter went down in southern Afghanistan 's Helmand province Tuesday , a local government official said . And on July 6 , two Canadian air crew members and a British soldier were killed when a helicopter crashed during takeoff in Zabul province , the Canadian and British defense ministries said . CNN 's Ivan Watson contributed to this report .
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Authorities looking into why plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield . Crew ejected safely ; Role of insurgents has been ruled out of cause of crash . Military officials did not identify type of jet that crashed , nor the nationality of the crew . Crash is the fourth aircraft wreck in three days .
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SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A South Korean fishing boat and its four crew members were heading home Saturday after being held for a month in North Korea , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency reported . South Korean fishing boats anchored at Geojin port , Goseong , South Korea , August 1 . The Yeonan-ho and its crew were handed over to a South Korean patrol boat waiting at the sea border Saturday evening , Yonhap reported , citing South Korean maritime police . North Korean officials captured the vessel and its crew July 30 after the boat strayed deep into North Korean territorial waters , North 's Korean Central News Agency reported at the time . South Korea 's Defense and Unification Ministry said the 29-ton vessel had been returning from its fishing operations and mistakenly crossed seven miles into North Korean waters in the process , according to Yonhap . South and North Korea have remained in conflict since the conclusion of the Korean War in 1953 . The war ended in a truce but no formal peace treaty was ever signed . Rapprochement talks between the two sides hit a wall after conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008 . He had a tougher stance toward the North than his liberal predecessor , Roh Moo-Hyun . Tensions between the two were heightened in July when North Korea launched seven short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan . The launches came after North Korea conducted a nuclear test on May 25 and threatened the United States and South Korean ships near its territorial waters . Several steps in the past week have hinted at a thaw in relations , however . Last week , the two sides had the first high-level , cross-border contact in nearly two years . On Friday , the countries reached an agreement on future reunions for families separated for decades by the Korean War . The agreement on reunions came after three days of talks between the two sides , mediated by the Red Cross , in North Korea , Yonhap reported . Reunions will be held from September 26 to October 1 at Mt. Keumgang , Yonhap reported .
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Reunions for divided families to be held from September 26 to October 1 . Agreement comes after three days of talks mediated by Red Cross . Talks were first cross-border contact between North and South in two years .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An underground transformer fire about two blocks from the White House prompted evacuations of two hotels and disrupted a wedding , officials said Saturday night . Flames shot up through a sidewalk after 8 p.m. , said Pete Piringer , a spokesman for the District of Columbia Fire Department . The Willard Intercontinental and the W hotels were evacuated , and a couple of blocks were without power , Piringer said . As a precaution , a nearby wedding ceremony with hundreds of guests was relocated to the JW Marriott hotel as firefighters battled the blaze . The couple completed their ceremony at the hotel . The fire was extinguished by 9 p.m. , and power was restored by 10 p.m. No injuries were reported .
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Two hotels were evacuated in downtown Washington . The fire started roughly two blocks from the White House . An underground transformer apparently caught fire . Hundreds of wedding guests were relocated .
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Editor 's note : The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE , an independent media company and website based in Brooklyn , New York . VBS.TV is Vice 's broadband television network . The reports , which are produced solely by VICE , reflect a transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers . Bwindi Impenetrable Forest , Uganda -LRB- VBS.TV -RRB- -- Uganda has crept back into our consciousness lately with synchronized bomb attacks that took the lives of 76 people in the nation 's capital Kampala during the World Cup festivities . When we were last in Kampala , we set out to learn more about the desperate fight for the survival of mountain gorillas . With a dwindling population of 700 , they have been victims of poaching , disease , war , civil unrest , slaughter and displacement . Under pressure from rebel factions in Uganda and the DRC who massacred gorillas because the conservationists were `` getting on their nerves , '' our guide tracks the remaining apes -- by armpit stench and dung -- to keep tabs on their health . We traveled to the remote jungle area known as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the southwestern part of Uganda , bordering with Rwanda and the DRC , areas plagued with dictatorships , genocide and decades of civil and national wars . Ten years earlier , eight park visitors had been abducted and then murdered by a group of Rwandan armed rebels in an effort to destabilize the region . The drive from Kampala was harrowing . Our driver sped and swerved obsessively , overtaking anyone in his path despite on-coming traffic . We witnessed three traffic accidents , two fatalities and an adventurous couple having sex in the middle of a dark mountain road after midnight . With four guards armed with machetes and rifles , two advance gorilla trackers , and our guide Levi we ventured into the dense tropical rainforest that is home to roughly half of the 700 remaining mountain gorillas in the world . Here we encountered the gentle beasts and found out more about their plight . See more of this story at VBS.TV .
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Mountain gorillas victims of poaching , disease , war , slaughter , displacement . VBS.TV staff travels to Uganda to find out more of the plight of gorillas . VBS.TV says gorillas have dwindled down to about 700 in the world .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Nixon Presidential Library released 154 hours of tape recordings and 30,000 pages of documents from the Nixon White House on Tuesday , offering a revealing look at the state of mind of America 's 37th president at the start of what would prove to be his disastrous abbreviated second term . President Richard Nixon smiles and waves to a supporter in Washington in January 1973 . The recordings , encompassing almost 1,000 conversations in January and February of 1973 , cover a range of topics , including , among other things , the conclusion of the Vietnam Paris peace talks , the Supreme Court 's controversial Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling , the death of former President Lyndon Johnson , and a rapidly metastasizing Watergate scandal . They show President Richard Nixon at both his best -- delving into the intricacies of Cold War diplomacy -- and his worst , plotting against his perceived political enemies in the media and elsewhere . Still basking in the afterglow of a landslide 49-state reelection in 1972 , Nixon at one point tells aide Charles Colson that he wants nothing to do with those who would advise reaching out to critics in order to try and unify the country . `` Those people that wanted me to have -LSB- an -RSB- ` era of good feelings ' ... Somebody wrote me a memorandum about that and I told -LSB- White House Chief of Staff H.R. -RSB- Haldeman if anyone ever showed me that again I 'm gon na flush them down the goddamn john , '' Nixon says . `` You should , '' Colson replies . At another point , Nixon tells then-Republican National Committee Chairman George H.W. Bush that the GOP can further boost its electoral fortunes by recruiting `` attractive '' women to run for office . Recounting a recent visit to the South Carolina state legislature , Nixon tells Bush that he `` noticed a couple of very attractive women , both of them Republicans . ... I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people , God , let 's look for some . ... Understand , I do n't do it because I 'm for women , but I 'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not . ... So have you got that in mind ? '' Bush replies that he 'll `` certainly keep it in mind . '' Nixon also indicates a deep distrust of his senior Cabinet officers , telling Colson on January 5 , 1973 , to start keeping a detailed log of phone calls made by then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger . `` Incidentally , I want it on his private phone too , '' Nixon tells Colson . `` We can get that , ca n't we ? '' Colson then replies that he thinks it can be done . `` Sure , goddamn it . We can get it through the FBI , '' Nixon replies . `` The FBI is to get , to keep the log , on his phone . That 's all we want to know , who the hell he calls . '' The tapes often show Nixon with a penchant for fixating on even the smallest political disruptions . On January 20 , 1973 -- the day of his second inauguration -- Nixon calls a Secret Service agent to say he `` saw the incident where some kid tried to rush the car ... I want to be sure they file a charge against him -LSB- and do n't -RSB- just let him go . '' The agent assures Nixon that the protester has been put in custody and that a charge has been filed . The Nixon Presidential Library , in Yorba Linda , California , has been operated by the National Archives since 2007 . CNN 's Elaine Quijano and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report .
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Recordings cover some 1,000 conversations from January/February 1973 . Among the topics : Paris peace talks , Roe v. Wade , Watergate . In one tape , Nixon orders detailed logs be kept of Henry Kissinger 's phone calls .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Misty Croslin , the last person known to see a 5-year-old Florida girl before she was reported missing on February 9 , 2009 , faces a sentence of up to 210 years in prison after pleading no contest Monday to unrelated drug charges . Croslin entered no contest pleas to seven counts of trafficking prescription drugs before a Putnam County , Florida , judge , said Chris Kelly , a spokesman for the state attorney 's office . Each first-degree count carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison . Croslin has a St. John 's County court appearance Tuesday on a single trafficking charge . All the counts stem from a series of incidents between around January of this year , during which Croslin allegedly sold hydrocodone to undercover officers . Calls to Croslin 's attorney , Robert Fields , were not immediately returned Monday . Kelly said that in terms of sentencing , there 's no distinction between pleading no contest to a felony and pleading guilty . At the time Haleigh Cummings went missing , Croslin was 17 and lived in the family 's mobile home with her then-husband , Ronald Cummings , and the girl and her 4-year-old brother . Croslin and Ronald Cummings were both arrested in January along with three others after allegedly selling about $ 3,900 worth of drugs to undercover officers , authorities said . The two divorced after Haleigh 's disappearance . Croslin told police she tucked Haleigh and the brother into bed about 8 p.m. February 8 , 2009 , and went to sleep two hours later . She said she awoke at 3 a.m. to find Haleigh missing and a cinder block propping open a back door . Ronald Cummings reported Haleigh missing when he returned from work at dawn . Police have said Cummings and Crystal Sheffield , the girl 's mother , are not considered suspects . Authorities believe Haleigh is dead and are treating the case as a homicide investigation . Authorities have previously said physical evidence contradicts Croslin 's account of the events that night . However , police have stopped short of naming Croslin as a suspect . In televised interviews , Croslin has said she does not know what happened to Haleigh but believes `` the other side of the family '' knows where she is .
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Misty Croslin pleads no contest to seven counts of drug trafficking . She faces up to 210 years in prison , and possibly more . Croslin was the last person known to see 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were billed as a tennis `` Dream Team '' but they ended up suffering a nightmare . The top two players in the world rankings , forming a doubles pair for the first time , slumped to defeat in the first round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto . Nadal , the Spanish world number one , and Djokovic , the number two from Serbia , were beaten 5-7 , 6-3 , 10-8 by Canadian wildcards Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic . It was the first time in 34 years that the top two players in the men 's world rankings have joined forces in doubles . In 1976 , American duo Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe reached a quarterfinal and a final in their two outings together . But Nadal and Djokovic were less successful on their debut . After losing the first set to their more illustrious opponents , Pospisil and Raonic squared the match by winning the last three games of the second . They raced into a 4-0 lead in the Match Tie-Break and eventually won it 10-8 after Nadal and Djokovic had saved three match points . The defeat highlights the different skills required for success in doubles and singles . The Williams sisters , Serena and Venus , are a rare example of two top singles players who have enjoyed grand slam success as a doubles pair . Nadal and Djokovic will now turn their attention to the singles competition in Toronto as they step up their preparations for the U.S. Open , the fourth and final grand slam of the year , at the end of August .
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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal lose to Canadian wildcards on doubles debut . It is first time in 34 years that top two players in men 's rankings have formed a pair . Nadal and Djokovic will continue preparations for U.S. Open at end of August .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraqi kids find a musical escape . Nashat Majeed , an Iraqi music teacher passes on his love for the guitar to Iraqi children . They are among the lucky ones ; members of Baghdad 's dwindling elite -- well educated , straight-A students , looking for an outlet to have `` fun '' and feel `` normal . '' Arwa Damon meets the kids and their teacher , who says adults need to pass on the language of music , not the language of war . Eco-awareness . The UAE has one of the world 's highest per-capita ecological footprints . We talk to one environmental NGO trying to raise awareness through an innovative campaign that uses a stop-motion animation video . UAE dhow races . Dhows are the traditional Arab ships that have been plying the seas for centuries . Even though they no longer rule the waves of the Persian Gulf as they once did , these majestic vessels still play a vital role in contemporary culture as a bridge to the past . Tracey Holmes reports how dhow is making a comeback as a racing boat of choice for young Emiratis . `` The Jewel of Muscat '' update . One hundred and forty-one days after setting sail from the shores of Oman , the handmade vessel `` The Jewel of Muscat '' arrived at its final destination , Singapore . IME was there for the February launch of this dhow -- a reconstruction of the ninth-century wreck of a hand-sewn plank ship made without a single nail . We bring you an update on this story as captain and crew dock safely to a huge welcome . Campus forum . We hold a roundtable discussion with students at the Mohammed Bin Rashed School for Communication at the American University in Dubai . Studying journalism and digital production and storytelling , these youths share their concerns about the state of Arab media and tell us their hopes for their contributions to this field in the future .
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A group of young Iraqis is learning the language of music . An animated film is aimed at getting Emiratis to reduce their eco footprint . Traditional Arab sailing dhows are proving to be popular racing boats in the UAE . The handmade boat `` The Jewel of Muscat '' completes its voyage .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former Communist-era naval base in east Europe could soon become the most important new European superyacht hub in decades . Porto Montenegro marina is being developed in the Bay of Kotor in southern Montenegro , the tiny former-Yugoslav nation , a region with the lowest GDP in Europe . It is the brainchild of multi-millionaire gold miner Peter Munk who hopes his plans will turn this area into a glamorous and economically thriving hotspot to rival the likes of Monaco , Cannes and Portofino . To this end , the bay , with its picturesque mountains , is undergoing a transformation that will leave it decorated with luxury penthouses , upmarket shopping boulevards and the capacity to hold 600 yachts in its harbor . But despite the grandness of the development , it was not so long ago that 82-year-old Munk , thought the scheme an impossible dream . `` I never thought I 'd have the opportunity to put all this into practice , '' said Monk , who is CEO of Barrik Gold , the world 's largest gold mining company . `` Where would I get the chance to create the perfect port in Europe , somewhere that 's large and protected , where the water is deep and where the government is co-operating ? It would be a chance in a million , '' he said . So how did he get from notions of a `` fantasy port '' to the very real Porto Montenegro development ? It was some chance comments that piqued his interest back in 2000 , in his former role as chairman and CEO of the largest Canadian/US real-estate firm Trizec Properties , which had interests throughout Central Europe . Advisors recommended having a look at Montenegro , in those days part of the rump of former Yugoslavia . `` The Canadian ambassador in Belgrade also recommended it to me . He said I should have a look next time I 'm in Europe , '' he says . In 2003 , he was flown in a government helicopter over the Bay of Kotor . This huge , mountain-fringed harbor had been hidden from view for decades , during its time housing the Tivat naval base , home of the Yugoslav navy . Foreign charts were out of date and there had been a 30-mile no-fly zone over the bay . The location was for many years , quite literally , off the radar . When Monk saw the bay he was gobsmacked . `` I absolutely flipped . I dropped my knickers . I 'd never seen anywhere as beautiful in my life , '' he said . This was the virgin territory he had been waiting for and he met with Montenegrin Prime Minister , Milo Dukanovic , who told him that they were keen to privatize some military assets , including the base at Tivat . Next came the money : `` That was easy . I just got some friends involved . They are all yachtsmen . '' Today , Porto Montenegro is making strides , with phase one complete and over 85 boats of all sizes in place . `` Our investment is a transformational investment , not just of the base , but of the country , '' says Munk . The first fruits of this can be seen with a range of developments in the region -- hotels -- built to planning restrictions that mean this will hopefully not become yet another concrete jungle -- a golf course , and international flights to Tivat airport . `` People have seen that if we can attract hundreds of yachts it will open up the whole country . They see the wealth that comes from the big yachts , which provide the employment , the foreign currency , the purchasing power . '' He adds : `` We 're not taking a dollar out . We 're putting in an infrastructure , we 're educating , we 're attracting other investors . We 're creating roads , buildings , pure water , an image . `` We 're investing hundreds of millions of dollars . In the meantime 60 to 70 Montenegrins can work for us directly at an income level unknown under communism . '' Subscribe to SuperYachtWorld . COPYRIGHT © 2010 IPC MEDIA LTD. . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED .
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Is Porto Montenegro set to become the most glamorous yacht hub in decades ? Multi-millionaire behind the project believes it will strongly benefit local economy . Site of development is former Communist era naval-base and international `` no fly '' zone .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexico 's top security official says the Sinaloa drug cartel was likely behind the kidnapping of a group of four journalists , two of whom were freed in a police rescue . The kidnappers wanted to use the reporters , who were connected with some of Mexico 's largest news organizations , to force the media to transmit `` criminal messages , '' Mexican Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna told reporters Saturday . A federal police rescue freed two of the four journalists , who were kidnapped Monday while covering a riot at a prison in the northern state of Durango , Garcia Luna said . A third was released Thursday . But the whereabouts of the fourth reporter were unclear Sunday . The two rescued journalists sat beside Garcia Luna and described their captivity to reporters Saturday . `` It is a sad and bitter experience that nobody wants even the worst of their enemies to go through , '' Multimedios camerman Javier Canales said , noting that he suffered psychological abuse and threats . `` Since the moment they took us , we thought they were going to kill us , '' Televisa Laguna photojournalist Alejandro Hernandez said , according to state news agency Notimex . Their kidnapping was a high-profile reminder of an issue that has been increasingly common amid Mexico 's escalating drug war : violence against the journalists who cover it . The journalists were kidnapped Monday while reporting on a protest by inmates and relatives at a local prison , which made news after Mexico 's Attorney General 's office revealed guards there let free a squad of imprisoned hit men to carry out a massacre of 17 people in a nearby town . The journalists were abducted in the Laguna region , Mexico 's National Commission for Human Rights said -- an area which has been the scene of vicious fighting between the Zetas crime group and the Sinaloa cartel . It includes the state of Durango and parts of neighboring Coahuila . On Friday , the signal of one of Mexico 's largest television networks faded to black for almost an hour as a symbolic protest . `` We will not pretend that nothing is happening , '' said Denise Maerker , anchor of Televisa 's `` Punto de Partida '' as she opened the show . Critics have said the government does not do enough to hold criminals accountable . On Friday , Mexico City 's Milenio newspaper published an editorial calling on the government to step up its game to solve the hostage situation . In the editorial , journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva alluded to demands from the kidnappers for the media to publish certain images in return for the release of the journalists . `` That is not our duty . The media is not designed nor equipped to negotiate in a hostage situation , '' Gomez wrote . Garcia Luna said Saturday that investigations would continue to determine who was responsible . `` The Mexican state is above any criminal organization or group and is much stronger than these organizations , '' he said . The powerful Sinaloa cartel , which Garcia Luna said may have been behind the kidnapping , transports multi-ton quantities of drugs from Mexico to the U.S. , according to the Drug Enforcement Administration . Forbes magazine has estimated the fortune of its leader , Joaquín `` El Chapo '' Guzmán Loera , at $ 1 billion . He escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 . CNN 's Krupskaia Alis and Gustavo Valdes contributed to this report .
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Mexican official says Sinaloa cartel was likely behind the kidnapping . Police rescue two of the four kidnapped journalists . Another reporter was released last week . The journalists were kidnapped while covering a prison protest .
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Gaza City -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Take a soccer-crazy crowd and a traditional Palestinian opening ceremony . Add a splash of corporate sponsorship , and sprinkle in some black-clad , gun-toting security . What you 're left with is the World Cup of soccer -- Gaza style . The 16-team , two-week tournament culminated Saturday with the field narrowed down to France and Jordan . The idea for the contest was the brainchild of American aid worker Patrick McGrann and a Palestinian colleague . `` There were a lot of us who were offended that Gaza is not allowed to participate with the rest of the world -- whether it 's diplomacy , whether it 's schooling , whether it 's education or whether it 's sports , '' McGrann said . `` So we chose to try and come up with something special . And in this case , a Gaza World Cup . If the rest of the world gets a World Cup , we thought Gaza should get one too . '' While the teams wore the colors of France and Jordan , almost all of the players were Palestinian . Foreign nationals working for the United Nations and other aid organizations rounded out the teams to give it its international flavor . American player Corey Pattison played for the French team . He said they found a way to work past the language barrier . `` When I get out there , it 's more like , ` Corey , go forward , go forward , go forward . Do n't kick the ball out of bounds , ' '' he said . A crowd of several thousand men , along with a few women , watched the two teams battle in a game played down to the proverbial wire . After scoring a goal a piece , the match went into overtime -- with the French besting the Jordanians on penalty shots . The crowd , as expected , went wild . And the jubilation of the players could not be contained . One jumped up on the rail separating the field from the spectators , took off his jersey and led the crowd in a raucous chant . While organizers had hoped to keep politics out of the cup , the politicians could not stay away . Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh presided over the award ceremony . But this was a day for Gazans to put aside politics and their many problems , at least for a while , and bask in the glory of hosting -- and winning -- the World Cup .
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Palestinians stage 16-team soccer `` World Cup '' in Gaza . Teams made up of local players plus international aid workers . `` France '' beats `` Jordan '' on penalty kicks in the final .
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United Nations -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia is `` one of the world 's most complicated humanitarian crises , '' with 40 percent of the population relying on United Nations aid for survival , the U.N. 's envoy to the troubled African nation told the Security Council Wednesday . Somalia `` challenges the rules of statehood , '' Mark Bowden , U.N. humanitarian and resident coordinator for Somalia , said . The country 's central government is extremely weak and the drought-stricken nation is essentially lawless . What security does exist is provided by militias and rebel groups . And clashes between rebel groups and government forces have been especially fierce since 2009 , when the current moderate president came to power . Bowden emphasized the importance of continued U.N. funding to `` sustain assistance to this most acute humanitarian crisis . '' Civilians `` bear the main brunt of current conflict , '' Bowden reported to the Security Council . Numbers tell a story of misery . Some 1.2 million Somalis have been forced from their home villages or regions . About 200,000 were forced from the capital of Mogadishu this year alone . Since March , the country has suffered 3,000 conflict-related casualties . One in five Somali children is undernourished . Much of the country 's violence is fueled by the need for basic resources , Bowden said . Food riots have `` been the pattern of what 's happened in Mogadishu for the last 18 years , '' he told the 15-member Security Council . Bowden was pressed by council members on recent allegations that aid to Somalia has been siphoned off by Al-Shabaab , an al Qaeda-affiliated Somali group . Bowden said that allegations of misuse were taken very seriously and officials are addressing the problem . Bowden 's findings were not totally negative . Thanks to U.N. aid , 1.3 million Somalis now have access to clean water and vaccination campaigns are continuing even in areas occupied by insurgent groups , Bowden said . Somalia has been kept polio-free at a time when many other African nations are seeing a resurgence of the disease , Bowden said .
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U.N. coordinator details dire situation in Somalia . One in five Somali children are undernourished . African country still free of polio . International funding called critical for Somalia .
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Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The human cost of the Afghan conflict is escalating , with killings and attacks on children by the Taliban and other insurgent groups soaring , the United Nations said in a report released Tuesday . `` Afghan children and women are increasingly bearing the brunt of this conflict , '' says Staffan de Mistura , special representative of the U.N. secretary-general . `` They are being killed and injured in their homes and communities in greater numbers than ever before . '' According to the United Nations ' 2010 Mid-Year Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict , in the first six months of this year , 55 percent more children were killed or wounded by the Taliban and other anti-government groups than in the same period in 2009 . The number of women killed or wounded by the Taliban and other insurgents increased by six percent . The report says casualties caused by pro-government forces , including the International Security Assistance Force -LRB- ISAF -RRB- and Afghan security forces , fell 30 percent in the first six months of 2010 . From January 1 to June 30 , 2010 , the UNAMA Human Rights Unit documented a total of 3,268 civilian casualties , including 1,271 deaths and 1,997 injuries . Anti-government forces were responsible for 2,477 casualties . That is 76 percent of all casualties , up 53 percent from 2009 . Pro-government forces were responsible for 386 civilian casualties , 12 percent of all casualties , down from 30 percent in 2009 . The United Nations notes two lethal developments : Insurgents , it says , are using more improvised explosive devices -LRB- IEDs -RRB- throughout the country and are assassinating and executing more civilians . IEDs alone accounted for 29 percent of all civilian deaths in the period , including 74 children , a 155-percent surge from the same span last year . Assassinations and executions , meanwhile , soared by more than 95 percent and included the public executions of children . Aerial attacks are the most harmful tactic used by ISAF forces , causing 69 of the 223 civilian deaths attributed to pro-government forces in the first six months of 2010 -- a total of 31 percent -- and injuring 45 Afghan civilians . However , civilian deaths caused by aerial attacks decreased 64 percent from the same period in 2009 , according to the report . The United Nations says this reflects greater implementation of an ISAF tactical directive from July 2009 on regulating the use of airstrikes and other measures to reduce civilian casualties . ISAF , in a statement , said the new U.N. report is consistent with figures tracked by ISAF headquarters . It quoted Gen. David Petraeus 's new tactical directive , in which he says , `` We must continue our emphasis on reducing the loss of innocent civilian life to an absolute minimum . `` Every Afghan death diminishes our cause . While we have made progress in our efforts to reduce coalition-caused civilian casualties , we know the measure by which our mission will be judged is protecting the population from harm by either side . We will redouble our efforts to prevent insurgents from harming their neighbors . ''
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New U.N. report says killings and attacks in Afghanistan are soaring . Children and women are bearing the brunt of the attacks , the report says . The Taliban is responsible for the most attacks . Pro-government forces are also to blame , the report says .
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Duisburg , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Germany paused Saturday to honor those who died at a German music festival last week , the pastor leading a memorial service sought to comfort those who lost loved ones , telling them `` love is stronger than death . '' Pastor Nikolaus Schneider spoke at the memorial at the Salvator Church in Duisburg . The church was the center of observances in the northern German town . Thousands of people came for the service , which was intended to honor the 21 people who died and more than 500 people who were injured at the Love Parade music festival on July 24 . Schneider told mourners that they should not sacrifice their trust in God or their zest for life as even the `` the Love Parade became a dance of death . '' Hannelore Kraft , the prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia , cried audibly during the service . She spoke at length afterwards , promising a full investigation into the incident . She also had a message for those who lost loved ones , telling them to `` open your hearts to those who want to give you comfort '' and assuring them `` you are not alone . '' The service was broadcast at 14 other churches in town and at the local soccer arena , where about 1,000 people turned out to watch . German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff both cut short their holidays to be at the service . Duisburg Mayor Adolf Sauerland was not there , however , after reports he had received death threats for allowing the Love Parade festival to take place in the city . The day began with a candle procession from the scene of the tragedy to Salvator Church and the arena . The church can accommodate about 500 people , and the seats were reserved mainly for relatives of the victims . Joachim Mueller-Lange , the vicar responsible for emergency spiritual healing , said all the families of those killed had been invited , including some who live abroad . Some families did not attend because burials were being held Saturday , while others declined because they wished for something more private , he said . A remembrance ceremony was also held at the Duisburg synagogue . The fatal crush happened July 24 in an underpass between the main event site and an expansion area . Witnesses told CNN affiliate NTV that people pushed into the tunnel from both sides until it was dangerously overcrowded . People were crushed against the walls and one another , losing consciousness and creating panic . The Duisburg public prosecutor 's office said 511 were injured . Police cordoned off the underpass Saturday to prevent a similar scene among mourners who may go to pay their respects . Merkel has called for a thorough investigation into the incident and said she was `` horrified and saddened '' by the tragedy . Some 1.4 million people had shown up at the popular festival , which featured dozens of DJs spinning techno music for hours , Carsten Leub of NTV said . Organizers had expected only 700,000 to 800,000 attendees , so they opened an additional event site to accommodate more people . The numbers are disputed by police , who say the area can hold between 250,000 and 350,000 , and at no time was it filled to capacity . Witnesses told NTV that police were warned at least an hour before the incident that the underpass was becoming dangerously crowded . An additional entryway had been opened before the accident to relieve some of the pressure . Police are investigating the cause of the back-up in the underpass . CNN 's Diana Magnay contributed to this report .
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NEW : Festival became `` a dance of death , '' pastor says . Memorial service comes a week after a stampede at a German music festival . German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff attended the service . Others watched the service in churches and at a local soccer arena .
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-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- `` And if you think you 're too busy to Twitter , you need to -- '' `` And if you think you 're too busy to Twi -- '' `` And if you th -- '' As Rob typed , the words disappeared in front of his eyes . He tried to continue his blog post , only to see the sentence disappear once more . Finally another message appeared : . `` Come to bed ! '' From downstairs in our bedroom , I 'd taken over the screen on my husband 's laptop . His amusement at my technical prowess in messing with him outweighed -- marginally -- his annoyance . He closed his computer and joined me in our bedroom . It 's rare for our marriage to go a day offline . The Internet is our shared playground , shared passion and shared livelihood . But what matters to our relationship is not that we both love the Web : It 's that we both use the Web to enjoy what we have in common . Tomorrow marks our 10th wedding anniversary , a major milestone . We 've not only outlasted my own parents ' marriage -LRB- eight years -RRB- , we 've outlasted CD-ROMS , dial-up modems and floppy drives . And while I like to think we 'd have made it to the big 10 with or without a high-speed Internet connection , the Web has definitely played a major role in finding and stoking the shared joys that sustain our relationship . Oprah.com : What makes a marriage last . Develop a creative connection . Before we had kids or blogs , we had Sisko , our black lab -- Rob described him as the snooze button on our biological clocks . Our obsession with Sisko was the subject of great amusement and mockery among our friends , not least because we trained him with `` Star Trek '' - themed commands . The Web gave us a place to indulge our shared obsession without -LRB- audible -RRB- derision : We posted online photos from every dog walk , and when Sisko 's ear was torn by a pit bull , we created an online monument to `` Siskogh , '' illustrated with photos we manipulated to look like the famous Van Gogh self-portrait . Whether your creative passions are sparked by dogs , doughnuts or Degas , a shared online project is a terrific way of developing or deepening a creative connection to your sweetie . Find new interests . Some couples are shaken by the divorce of close friends or the disappearance of their favorite restaurant . Our world was rocked by the cancellation of the last `` Star Trek '' series . After a few months of groping for new topics of conversation , I happened across an online announcement for a new pottery studio in our neighborhood . We popped by to check it out , and within a matter of weeks our `` Star Trek '' conversations were replaced by discussions of throwing and glazing techniques . Use the Web to search your community 's events calendar and try at least one new activity together each month . Oprah.com : 6 steps to bring our your inner adventurer . Play together . You may think of a Wii gaming system as the dream birthday gift for a 13-year-old boy , but it was also the dream gift for this 37-year-old girl . Rob got me a Wii for my birthday so I could play Dance Dance Revolution , a game I 'd loved during a few arcade visits over the years . Much to my surprise and delight , he took to DDR too . Instead of sitting on the sofa with our separate computers , we spent that summer 's evenings on our feet , dancing our guts out . The playfulness and physical energy of our dance nights were great for our connection , our health and our passion . Get perspective . When I go to a party with Rob , we tend to go in separate directions and talk with different people . The high point of the evening is always when I wander over to his elbow and intrude on his conversation -- seeing the way he connects with , listens to and amuses other people gives me fresh eyes on the qualities I love about him and makes me happier and prouder than ever . The same thing happens when I drop in on his Facebook page or Twitter feed -- there he is , entertaining people with his latest quip , offering a word of support to a great cause or cramming a wise and poignant note into 140 characters . Tracking your sweetie 's blog , photos or Facebook page is a great way to keep him in your heart and enjoy that renewed appreciation for his wonderful qualities . Build a community of supporters . It takes a village to sustain a marriage as surely as it takes a village to raise a kid . When you know folks are rooting for you , it helps you get through the inevitable hard times and gives you a community to share and amplify your joys . Your online community can be a great , encouraging fan section , especially if kids or work keep you from getting out much as a couple . Rob and I tweet back and forth so frequently that we get lots of affirmation : `` It 's hard to think of a cuter Twitter couple than @robcottingham and @awsamuel , '' one person tweeted recently . `` Even though I do n't know either of them ! '' Agree on limits . When Rob had surgery to fix his double hernias , I was in the recovery room as he woke from his anesthetic . We checked out his incisions together , and he suggested I snap some pictures with my iPhone . `` Want me to tweet the photo ? '' I asked , and he nodded . A few weeks later , a friend commented on the gory snaps , much to Rob 's surprise . The anesthetic had n't fully worn off by the time of our shoot , apparently , and Rob had no memory of the tweeting . In some relationships , tweeting bedside photos would be a major violation ; in ours , it was a cause for amusement . Agree on clear boundaries for what can go online and what needs to stay private , or at least offline . Whether you 're looking at your 10th wedding anniversary in the rear-view mirror , or wondering if that guy you just started dating could be the one you 'll be with 10 years from now , the Web can help nourish your relationship . Love is n't easy , but the Internet can make it a little easier . Oprah.com : The 5-point marriage checklist . Alexandra Samuel , Ph.D. , is the director of the Social + Interactive Media Centre at Emily Carr University and the principal of Social Signal , a social media agency that has launched more than 30 online communities . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2010 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved .
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Tracking your man 's blog or Facebook page is a great way to keep him in your heart . Some couples play video games together like Dance Dance , Revolution . Check online for community activities you and spouse can do together .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four days after an al Qaeda-linked group claimed responsibility for targeting an oil tanker , the United Arab Emirates government has acknowledged that it was indeed attacked , state media said Friday . The government had earlier said the tanker was passing through the Strait of Hormuz when it was exposed to a high wave as a result of an earthquake shock . However , the state news agency WAM reported , the tanker `` was the target of a terrorist attack while passing through international waters near the Strait of Hormuz . '' Workers fixed the damage to the vessel and the attack caused no human injuries or oil spills , the agency said . The militant Islamist group claimed responsibility for the explosion aboard the oil tanker on Monday . In a statement posted on various websites that regularly carry messages from al Qaeda leaders , the Abdullah Azzam Brigades included a picture of a man they claimed carried out a suicide attack on the tanker on July 28 . The group said the attack was intended to `` strike an economic blow to the infidels . '' It is believed to be behind several attacks in the Middle East , including the October 2004 attack on a hotel and nearby camp sites in Egypt that killed more than three dozen people . The statement from the Abdullah Azzam Brigades said the attack on the tanker was the `` conquest of Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman '' -- a reference to the imprisoned blind cleric who inspired the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York .
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State agency says attack was terror-related . At first , United Arab Emirates officials had denied terror link . Tanker was targeted while passing through Strait of Hormuz .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Iranian court may render the final verdict Thursday in the case of Sakineh Mohammedie Ashtiani , sentenced to death by stoning in Iran for allegedly committing adultery . That case was placed under review after her attorney , Mohammad Mostafaei , helped launch a worldwide campaign to clear her . Now , as Ashtiani 's two children wait to hear word of their mother 's fate , Mostafaei 's family must also await word of his . That 's because Mostafaei , a prominent human rights lawyer , was being held Wednesday at a detention center in Istanbul , Turkey , where he has requested asylum , said Metin Corabatir , a representative in Turkey for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . He allegedly entered the country with improper documentation , the agency said . Turkey does not require visas for citizens from neighboring Iran to enter the country . As a result , it is the first place hundreds of Iranians fled to after the Iranian government cracked down on opposition activists and critics over the past year . Human rights groups are urging officials to grant his asylum request because they say he could be in grave danger if he is forced to return to Iran . There is no word yet on whether any nation is willing to accept him . Mostafaei went into hiding July 24 , after facing a lengthy interrogation at Iran 's notorious Evin prison , the same day rallies were being held worldwide to draw attention to the Ashtiani case . His wife and brother-in-law were reportedly arrested that night at his office in Tehran as they tried to gather his belongings . The Iranian government has since released Mostafaei 's brother-in-law , but human rights groups said they are holding his wife as collateral until Mostafaei returns . In a now widely circulated open letter reportedly penned by Mostafaei and posted on the internet , the lawyer accused Iranian authorities of holding his wife `` hostage . '' He also explained why he made the painful choice of leaving his wife behind . `` Despite the arrest of the person I love most in my life , I decided not to ever set foot in a judicial office where the interrogators do not abide by any basic laws , '' he wrote . `` Hostage taking is never legal '' Mostafaei said . `` I decided not to appear unless the interrogator 's office tries hard enough to come and arrest me in my silo that I have built for myself . '' Mostafaei was asked by CNN in early July if he was worried about his safety after bringing so much attention to Ashtiani , who was convicted of adultery in 2006 and condemned to die by the brutal method of stoning . Mostafaei told CNN that he knew the risks -- he had been detained briefly after Iran 's post-election turmoil in June 2009 -- but that would not stop him fighting for human rights . But it was that very fight that forced him to flee the country he calls home . As part of that open letter , Mostafaei cried out to the Iranian government -- and to God -- for the strange twist in his fate . `` For the past few years all my thoughts have been towards saving people who did not deserve to die . '' he wrote . `` I was so occupied with saving these people that I hardly got to see my dear wife and daughter . ... And for someone who has always worked towards justice and the interests of the Islamic Republic , is this the way I am paid back for my God-loving and human-loving actions ? '' `` I leave you and your interrogator at the mercy of God , the creator , '' he continued . `` I hope that you wo n't let my child cry for her mother , not eating food and wanting her mother back . She needs to hug her mother . If through this separation from her mother she gets hurt , it 's a sin that you have committed . '' The Iranian government has not commented on the detention of Mostafaei 's wife . Meanwhile , human rights activists are urging the international community not to forget Ashtiani , who may soon die . Nor the man who tried to set her free . CNN 's Ivan Watson and Moni Basu contributed to this report .
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Prominent human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei is being held in Turkey . He helped bring attention to the case of the Iranian woman who was to be stoned . In an open letter , he appeals for the well-being of his family .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The son of an Iranian woman facing imprisonment and possible execution by stoning has been told that Iranian authorities will contact him about his mother 's case Thursday , a human rights activist said Sunday . Mina Ahadi , chairwoman of the International Committee Against Stoning and Execution , said authorities contacted the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani on Sunday . They did not specify the nature of the information he would receive on Thursday . Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted of adultery in 2006 , and was originally sentenced to death by stoning . Iranian authorities say the sentence has been put on hold , but there have been no reports as to whether a new sentence has been imposed . The 43-year-old mother of two is reportedly still being held held in Tabriz prison . Iran 's judiciary could reinstate her sentence of death by stoning , execute her by another means , or possibly even grant her a reprieve , according to human rights groups . Ashtiani 's attorney , Mohammad Mostafaei , told CNN earlier this month that his client confessed to the crime after being subjected to 99 lashes . He said she later recanted the confession and denied any wrongdoing . Mostafaei has gone into hiding since last weekend after being interrogated by Iranian authorities , human rights groups say . Advocates and Mostafaei say his wife and brother-in-law are being held by Iranian authorities . A letter believed to be written by Mostafaei was posted on the Internet on Saturday , calling for the release of his relatives . The lawyer says he has cooperated with interrogators , and says his wife and brother-in-law are victims of of `` hostage taking . '' Mostafaei said he and his family are innocent of any wrongdoing . CNN 's Gena Somra contributed to this report .
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Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted of adultery in 2006 . Iranian authorities say the sentence has been put on hold . There have been no reports on whether a new sentence has been imposed .
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Madrid , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of runners braved their luck Wednesday on the first day of the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona -- but just two men , an Australian and a Spaniard , were taken to hospital afterward with injuries , the Navarra regional government said . It was considered a thrilling but safe start to the annual tradition in Pamplona , which has tallied 14 deaths since record-keeping began in 1924 , including the fatal goring of a Spanish man last year , and thousands of injuries . The run in Pamplona started 400 years ago and became popular worldwide after author Ernest Hemingway wrote about it in the 1920s in his book `` The Sun Also Rises , '' also published under the title `` Fiesta . '' It is now broadcast live across Spain by state television TVE , which estimated there were more than a thousand runners . An 18-year-old Australian man from Melbourne was taken to hospital with various injuries sustained on the narrow street that descends into the bullring . And a Spanish man , 20 , from Zaragoza also went to hospital with an eye injury sustained on a street almost halfway through the run , the Navarra regional government said on its website . Both were initially listed in stable condition but under close observation , the website said . It took the six bulls and a pack of tame steers , which help guide the bulls , a full 17 seconds to emerge from the corrals after the opening rocket was fired to signal the start of the run . But the pack then moved swiftly through the cobblestone streets of old Pamplona along the 825-meter -LRB- 902-yard -RRB- course to the bullring , where the bulls will die later in the day in a bullfight . The run lasted just 2 minutes and 23 seconds and the bull and steer pack stayed mainly together , which long-time observers say usually means a safer run -- unlike when a bull or bulls get separated , frightened and may charge directly into the runners . Television images showed mostly men dressed in the traditional white outfits with red handkerchiefs , but also a small number of women , and even one man with a football helmet , which is prohibited but was apparently not noticed by the hundreds of police officers who eject , before the run , people carrying cameras or who are drunk . The aim is safety , so that runners can focus on the run . Television images showed numerous runners making hard falls to the pavement , tripping over other runners or colliding with the bulls . The daily run continues for eight days , through July 14 , at 8 a.m. -LRB- 2 a.m. ET -RRB- , and is the highlight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona that attracts hundreds of thousands to the non-stop fiesta .
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1 Austrialian , 1 Spaniard taken to hospital . Run lasts 2 minutes 23 seconds . TV images show many runners making hard falls . Daily run continues until July 14 .
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New Orleans , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When we started thinking about the contents of this piece , our first thought was to highlight all of the progress , accomplishments and successes that the St. Bernard Project has achieved since Katrina . We thought of numbers : 302 -- the number of homes that the St. Bernard Project has rebuilt ; 85 -- the number of residents who utilize our free evidenced-based clinical services at our Center for Wellness and Mental Health each week . We thought of all of those who have made it possible : 25,000 volunteers ; nearly 1,000 AmeriCorps members ; companies like Entergy , Patron Tequila , KPMG , GE and United Way , and citizens like Ari Mittleman , who has made 20 volunteer trips over the past four years , and the Solon family from Massachusetts , who has raised enough funds to move three families home and who spent the summer volunteering with the project . Then , we remembered Mr. Andre , an 82-year old St. Bernard Parish resident who was a World War II veteran and who , when we met him six months after Katrina was still sleeping each night in his Ford Ranger pickup while waiting for a FEMA trailer that he would not receive for another six weeks . As we were saying goodbye to Mr. Andre , he made a simple request : `` Do n't forget us . We want to come home . We all want to come home . '' When we thought about Mr. Andre , we realized a few things : First , the St. Bernard Project 's successes are dwarfed by the progress that the greater New Orleans area has made . Second , despite the progress , significant work is left . The New Orleans area is a wonderful place to live , and the city is , in many ways , thriving . Families are reuniting , neighborhoods are being restored , and there is a shared sense of pride in the region 's resilience . In Mayor Mitch Landrieu , we have a leader who is committed to uniting the city and bringing to government the true character of New Orleans ' residents : inclusion , hard work and problem solving . An entrepreneurial movement is surging through the city , led by GNO Inc. , Tulane University and Idea Village . Thanks to New Schools for New Orleans , there are dozens of highly effective charter schools , like Akili Academy , and because of a revitalized public school board , the chances are much better that children will receive the education that they deserve . Nearly five years after Katrina , we need to celebrate success , but we also need to honor Mr. Andre 's request . We can not forget the people who are not yet home . All of the above-mentioned successes are great , but they mean less to American families who are still waiting to move home . Today , nearly 900 families who own homes are still living in FEMA trailers . More than 6,000 families own homes that they can not afford to rebuild . Rental prices have risen so that 49 percent of the population can not afford the average cost of a home to rent . All too many family-centered neighborhoods now are pocked with blighted houses or vacant lots . As much as we would all like it to be , the recovery is not complete . That is where Saints quarterback Drew Breese and his war cry come in . To keep our pledge to Mr. Andre , all stakeholders -- Louisiana citizens , volunteers from around the world , corporations and local , state and federal government -- need to follow the command Breese made to his fellow Saints late last football season and `` finish strong . '' In football , finishing strong means playing hard through all four quarters and through every game of the season . In Louisiana 's recovery , finishing strong means : . • Governmental leadership that makes decisions that impact residents in ways that the leaders would want their own families to be impacted . • Creating schools so that our community members ' children are educated the way that we would want our children to be educated . • Americans and corporations not viewing community as being limited by proximity and instead , like the hundreds of thousands of volunteers , working hard to help American families rebuild their homes . • Understanding that the recovery is not complete until all residents are back in safe and humane homes . By following Breese 's command , the Saints won the Super Bowl . By remembering Mr. Andre 's words and by listening to Breese , we can win the recovery . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the co-authors .
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Liz McCartney was 2008 CNN Hero of the Year for her work in New Orleans . She and co-founder of her nonprofit say much has been accomplished in five years . Still , they say , many families lack acceptable housing . New Orleans needs to `` finish strong '' the way the Saints did in the NFL , co-authors say .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sweeping drug bust in Puerto Rico involving more than 500 U.S. drug agents and Puerto Rican police early Friday is being described by officials as the biggest drug trafficking arrest/operation ever conducted on the Caribbean island . `` This ... massive operation rid the west coast of Puerto Rico of the most hard-core and violent traffickers terrorizing this part of the Island , '' said Javier F. Pena , special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration 's Caribbean Division , in a joint statement released by that agency and the Department of Justice . In the statement , authorities announced that a federal grand jury indicted 158 people -- including drug ring leaders , suppliers , supervisors , runners and sellers -- as a result of the joint investigation . The defendants are charged in three different indictments with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin , crack , cocaine and marijuana , as well as conspiracy to possess firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime , the statement said . If convicted , the defendants would face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment , with fines of up to $ 4 million . Many of the arrests were made at a public housing complex near schools and sport facilities where officials expect some 300,000 visitors and 600 athletes from about 33 countries for the Central American and Caribbean Games , according to the statement . The games start July 17 in Mayaguez .
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Biggest drug trafficking arrest-operation ever conducted on Puerto Rico , officials say . More than 500 U.S. drug agents and Puerto Rican police were involved . 158 people are indicted on drug - and gun-related charges . If convicted , defendants would face up to life in prison , $ 4 million in fines .
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Lagos , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fifteen people , including a baby , were killed and 18 others were injured Sunday when a truck on its way to Lagos , Nigeria , crashed into several vehicles and caught fire , police said Monday . Lagos police spokesman Frank Mba said the truck 's brakes failed outside Lagos , and the driver lost control . The 18 people injured were being treated in a hospital , Mba said .
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A baby was among those killed in the multi-vehicle crash . The truck was headed to Lagos when its brakes failed .
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Columbus , Ohio -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama said Wednesday that he has `` no regrets '' about his comments last week supporting the rights of Muslims to build an Islamic center and mosque two blocks from the site of the September 11 terror attacks in New York . `` The answer is no regrets , '' Obama said when asked about bringing up the issue Friday at a White House dinner commemorating the start of Islamic holy month of Ramadan . At the dinner , Obama said that those wanting to build the Islamic center and mosque have the constitutional right to religious freedom . On Saturday , he clarified that he was talking only about the right to build the center and not the `` wisdom '' of doing so close to `` ground zero , '' where more than 2,700 people died when planes hijacked by terrorists slammed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center . The remarks sparked a national debate on the emotional issue , with many Republicans condemning the president as insensitive to families of victims and out of touch with the views of most Americans . Many Democrats responded that the right to religious freedom applies to all Americans , though some -- including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- said they oppose having the Islamic center so close to ground zero . A CNN poll showed that 70 percent of respondents opposed having an Islamic center near the site . A separate poll released Wednesday by the Siena Research Institute found that 63 percent opposed it , but 64 percent said the center 's developers have a constitutional right to build it .
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President Obama 's remarks last week became a political issue . Republicans criticized the comments as being out of touch with the public . Obama and Democrats say religious freedom is a constitutional right .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amtrak Northeast Corridor service between New York and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , continued to be affected by ongoing signal problems Wednesday in New Jersey , Amtrak said in a 10 a.m. statement . In addition , while New Jersey Transit 's Northeast Corridor service improved as the morning progressed , the line was still suffering delays into the afternoon , the railroad 's website said in a 12:24 p.m. update . The outage was caused by a downed tree that fell into the overhead wire system near Hamilton , New Jersey , Amtrak said . As a result , Amtrak trains were moving at greatly reduced speeds , with some trains canceled due to associated congestion . Amtrak said its personnel were working to repair the problem , but passengers should expect westbound/southbound delays of 90 to 120 minutes and 60 to 90 minute eastbound/northbound delays . No trains were stranded between stations , and passengers were being re-accommodated on other trains where available , Amtrak said . Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole could n't say how long trains would be traveling with reduced speed and frequency before service would be completely restored . New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor service between New Brunswick , New Jersey , and New York was back on schedule or close to on schedule in both directions , according to the transit website . However , 30 - to 45-minute delays plagued the Northeast Corridor line into the afternoon because of signal problems , the website said . Service was suspended most of the morning in both directions between Trenton , New Jersey , and New Brunswick , because of the signal problems . Passengers were advised to get on the 11:17 a.m. train departing from Trenton . Transit and suburban buses were accepting rail tickets and passes for fares Wednesday morning , the website said . CNN 's Mark Norman contributed to this report .
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NEW : New Jersey Transit started Trenton train service again in the late morning . Train signal problems continued throughout the morning , extending Northeast Corridor delays . A signal failure early Wednesday caused delays between New York and Philadelphia . The issues were affecting both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was an odd sight in Ethiopia 's capital this week : a standing ovation for Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , the man whom Ethiopian forces had removed from power in neighboring Somalia two years ago . Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , Somalia 's new president , answers questions at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa . He once led the Islamic Courts Union , which ruled much of Somalia in 2006 before it was routed by the Ethiopians . Now , Ahmed is the leader of Somalia 's U.N.-backed transitional government -- and two days after his election to the post of president , he was welcomed with open arms at an African Union summit in Ethiopia 's capital , Addis Ababa . Two years after the invasion and the guerrilla war it provoked , Somalia has in some ways come full circle . Islamist militias control the country 's capital and other key cities ; the transitional government is trying to establish a foothold from outside the country ; and Ahmed -- commonly known as `` Sheikh Sharif '' -- is in a position of power . But several analysts who have studied the region say the new government is in a much stronger position to establish itself inside Somalia and restore order to a country that has been mired in chaos for the past two decades . `` The ascendancy of Sheikh Sharif provides an opportunity to create an inclusive coalition governing from the center outwards , '' said John Prendergast , co-chairman of the Enough Project , who studies the Horn of Africa for the Center for American Progress think tank . The transitional government is currently stranded in Djibouti , unable to return to Somalia after its base in Baidoa was seized last week by Al-Shabaab , a radical Islamist militia with ties to al Qaeda . Ahmed now stands at a crossroads between quelling the militia , which once was aligned with the ICU , and including more moderates in his future government , Prendergast said . `` The fulcrum for change is in the hands of Sheikh Sharif 's government , '' he said . `` If he is able to put together an inclusive government -- even if it 's only on paper , even if it 's only in Djibouti -- I think it will quickly defuse any fervor of support for Shabaab . '' See a list of Somalia 's key players '' Rise of Al-Shabaab . Al-Shabaab fighters took control of Baidoa hours after the remaining Ethiopian forces withdrew under a June 2008 cease-fire deal . Rashid Abdi , a Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group , said the loss of Baidoa is `` a clear indication that the transitional federal government has lost any grip -- whatever grip it had -- in Somalia . '' But Prendergast said the radical Islamist militia will most likely lose support among Somalis now that its `` rallying cry '' of getting the Ethiopian forces out of Somalia is gone . `` What the Islamists did was , they wrapped themselves up in the mantle of Somali nationalism and , for the last two years , they have hitched their star to throwing the Ethiopians out , '' he said . Prendergast predicted that Al-Shabaab fighters `` will sustain themselves for awhile and temporarily expand , but I do n't envision it to be a long-term prospect at all . '' Last year , the United States put Al-Shabaab -- which means `` The Youth '' -- on its list of terrorist groups . Analysts say Al-Shabaab models itself after the Taliban 's puritanical Islamic rule . See a timeline of recent events in Somalia '' Stig Jarle Hansen , a Nairobi , Kenya-based expert on Somalia for the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research , said Al-Shabaab fighters have been trained in Afghanistan , and the group has `` clear connections '' to al Qaeda . There has been evidence that the group has extended its reach into the United States , as well . The FBI is investigating what appears to be a massive recruitment effort by Al-Shabaab in the United States ' Somali communities , particularly in Minneapolis , Minnesota , where more than a dozen young men of Somali descent have gone missing in recent months . One member of Minneapolis ' Somali community , Shirwa Ahmed , 27 , blew himself up in an apparent suicide bombing in northern Somalia in October . Also , hours before U.S. President Barack Obama took the oath of office in January , the FBI was warned of a possible terrorist attack by Al-Shabaab that was timed to coincide with his inauguration . Prendergast said he expects Al-Shabaab 's overseas ties to dry up now that its `` clarion call '' against Ethiopian forces is no longer valid . `` Now that that fight is over , I do n't see that money continuing , and I do n't see the recruitment from Somalis like places from Minneapolis to continue successfully , '' he said . And Ken Menkhaus , a Davidson College professor and former adviser to U.N. missions in Somalia in the 1990s , said the militia 's efforts to govern the territory it holds in southern Somalia has had mixed results , alienating many Somalis by imposing hardline Islamic law . Al-Shabaab now has to justify its continued presence `` on the basis of what it 's for -- and what it 's for is not very popular among Somalis , '' Menkhaus said . The group is fraught with internal divisions and has already clashed with other militias over control of key neighborhoods in Mogadishu , he said . But if Al-Shabaab did manage to establish a government , there would be a `` genuine fear '' that al Qaeda could try to gain a foothold there . `` It would guarantee proxy wars and conflicts between Somalis and non-Somalis that would just perpetuate this conflict , '' Menkhaus said . Military intervention in Somalia ? The United States has conducted periodic airstrikes against Islamist leaders since 2006 and has long viewed Somalia as a possible haven for al Qaeda . But military intervention would not only be unpopular , it would only empower Al-Shabaab by handing it back its `` raison d'etre , '' Prendergast said . `` You do n't immediately confront a group like this -- they are at their high point , '' he said . `` You fight it politically and draw support slowly and patiently ... for clans and organizations in Somalia that do n't really want them there . `` Area by area , they 'll kick them out , unless they make the mistake of sending U.N. troops . '' Susan Rice , the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , told U.S. senators during her confirmation hearing that the situation in Somalia `` has the potential to pose a serious and direct threat to our own national security . '' But she also expressed skepticism about the wisdom of sending in a U.N. peacekeeping mission to replace an existing African Union force , calling instead for more efforts by Somalia 's neighbors and the international community to promote national reconciliation . J. Anthony Holmes , director of the Africa program for the Council on Foreign Relations , said there is `` little appetite on the ground for sustained engagement '' in Somalia . But because of its clan-based society , it is unlikely the country would emerge as `` a breeding ground for terrorism , '' he said . Holmes said U.S. policy should focus more on longer-term issues -- such as addressing humanitarian and economic issues in the impoverished Horn of Africa country , where years of civil war and near-anarchy have left 1 million people displaced and 3 million needing food aid . The U.S. intervention in Somalia in the 1990s , in which Somali militiamen killed 18 American service members during a failed attempt to capture a Mogadishu warlord , had a chilling effect on U.S. policy toward Africa . Author and policy-maker Jared Cohen writes in his book , `` One Hundred Days of Silence : America and the Rwanda Genocide '' that the `` catastrophe in Somalia was the catalyst for this unspoken decision not to intervene in places like Rwanda . '' As the new Obama administration gets its Africa policy in place , Washington is in a good position to exert some leverage in Somalia , Prendergast said . Previous U.S. counterterrorism efforts worked `` at cross-purposes '' with efforts to promote long-term stability and provide humanitarian aid , according to Menkhaus . He recommended that Somali leaders be given room to either marginalize or co-opt the opposition on their own . `` I personally think that they will , if left to their own devices , '' Menkhaus said . `` But Somalis are never left to their own devices . '' CNN 's David McKenzie and Matt Smith contributed to this report .
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Moderate Islamist is new leader of war-torn Somalia . Moderate leader has chance to form inclusive government , analyst says . Radical Islamist group still controls parts of Somalia . With departure of Ethiopian troops , radical Islamists lose rallying cry .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Masters -- April 9-12 , 2009 . 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson puts the green jacket on 2008 winner Trevor Immelman . While The Open Championship at St Andrews , Scotland may rival it for history , few would argue that the U.S. Masters tournament is unrivalled in terms of beauty and exclusivity . Played at the prestigious Augusta National Golf club in the city of Augusta , Georgia , the first `` major '' of the golfing year is a strictly invitational event controlled by the club itself . The top 50 golfers in the official world rankings are all guaranteed an invite . The dramatic azalea-draped course -- the brainchild of golfing great Bobby Jones -- provides a tough test for the world 's elite golfers , particularly since it has been lengthened or `` Tiger-proofed '' in recent years . However the relatively short 12th hole , named Golden Bell , is arguably the most challenging . Jack Nicklaus once called it `` the hardest tournament hole in golf , '' due to the fact that its perilously narrow green is protected in front by Rae 's Creek , with two sand traps behind it . Misjudge the wind or get your club selection wrong and the ball will most likely end up in the water . Since Horton Smith won the inaugural Masters title in 1934 , the tournament has become as famous for its traditions as it has for the quality of golf on show . Winners are presented with a green jacket by the defending champion -- which they are obliged to return to the clubhouse the following year . Nicklaus , nicknamed the `` Golden Bear , '' became the first golfer to successfully defend his green jacket . He also holds the record for the most titles won at Augusta with six -- his last coming in 1986 at the age of 46 . American players currently dominate the competition , following a period in the 1980s and 1990s which saw European players , including Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo , win 10 titles in 17 years . Current world number one Tiger Woods has won four times at Augusta since 1997 , while compatriot and rival for top spot , Phil Mickelson , won in 2004 and 2006 . South Africa 's Trevor Immelman is the current owner of the coveted green jacket . 2008 season in pictures '' U.S. Open - June 15-21 , 2009 . Tiger Woods and his caddie walk up to the 18th green on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in 2002 . The second of the four major tournaments , the U.S. Open is hosted by the United States Golf Association -LRB- USGA -RRB- . Since its inaugural event in 1895 at the Newport Golf and Country Club , the event has been staged at a number of different courses . What 's your favorite tournament ? It was n't until 1913 that the U.S. Open championship really caught the imagination when a young American amateur , Francis Ouimet , stunned the golf world by defeating famous English professionals , Harry Vardon and Ted Ray , in a playoff . The format of the tournament has changed several times . The USGA extended the championship to 72 holes in 1898 , with 36 holes played on each of two days . In 1926 , the format was changed to 18 holes played each of two days , then 36 holes on the third day . In 1965 , the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds was implemented for the first time . Over the years , much has been made of the way U.S. Open courses have been set up , with incredibly tough pin positions and rough thick enough to require a compass to navigate through . `` Sometimes the players feel -LSB- the USGA -RSB- has gotten a little close to the edge on some holes , '' defending champion Retief Goosen told the BBC at Pinehurst , North Carolina in 2005 . Two years later , when Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania hosted the tournament , World Golf.com quoted Tiger Woods as saying `` a 10-handicapper did n't stand a chance at breaking 100 '' on a course that boasts over 200 deep bunkers . Bobby Jones , Jack Nicklaus , Ben Hogan , Willie Anderson and Hale Irwin have all triumphed at the U.S. Open on four occasions , while Woods , who won last year 's event at Torrey Pines following a dramatic playoff victory over Rocco Mediate , counts three so far among his haul of 14 major titles . The U.S. Open is the only major that requires participants to play-off over 18 holes . This year 's event at Bethpage State Park 's Black Course in Farmingdale , New York should be familiar to Woods , as he won here in 2002 . At 7,214-yards , the municipally-owned Bethpage was the longest U.S. Open course in history . The aptly-named Black Course even carries a warning sign about its difficulty on the first tee . In 2002 , American Hale Irwin missed the cut for only the sixth time in 33 Open starts after two torrid rounds of 82 and 81 . `` They can go out and write a new book and title it , ` Massacre at ... wherever the heck we are , '' U.S. Open.com quoted him as saying . It remains to be seen whether the recently-injured Tiger can tame the course once again . Watch more about Woods ' comeback '' The Open Championship -- July 16-19 , 2009 . Padraig Harrington -LRB- right -RRB- and Greg Norman line up putts during the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale . Organized by the R&A , which takes its name from Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews , Scotland , The -LRB- British -RRB- Open Championship is the oldest of the four major tournaments . It is also the only one held outside of the United States . First held in October , 1860 , The Open was mostly played in Scotland during its early years . Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire was the birthplace of the event , which saw just eight players compete in its inaugural year . A year later the tournament was declared open to the whole world and the event has been known simply as `` The Open '' ever since . Since the early days , the R&A has established a rota of British seaside `` links '' courses to host the event . The major difference between a links course and a parkland course -- such as Augusta -- is that it is far less manufactured . Links courses are constructed out of the sandy , windswept coastal terrain , with few `` man-made '' additions . Players are faced with thick rough , narrow undulating fairways that snake around dunes , and lightening quick greens . There are far fewer trees and water hazards . When the wind gusts these courses demand the highest level of skill and imagination . This year 's tournament will be held on the famous Ailsa course at Turnberry on the west coast of Scotland . With its dramatic views and elevated cliff-top holes , the 7,200 yard course previously hosted The Open in 1977 , 1986 , 1994 . The winning aggregate scores in 1977 and 1994 rank among the lowest recorded in Open history , largely because the wind was n't blowing as it can . Current Open champion Padraig Harrington will arrive at Turnberry looking to win the tournament for the third time in as many years . At Carnoustie in 2007 , Harrington became the first Irishman to win The Open since Fred Daly in 1947 . He defended his title the following year at Royal Birkdale , finishing four strokes ahead of England 's Ian Poulter . Harrington has a long way to go before matching the great Harry Vardon 's record of six Open victories between 1896 and 1914 . Surprisingly , U.S. golfers -- more used to parkland courses -- have enjoyed great success in the competition in recent years , with 10 wins in 12 years . Tiger Woods , who missed out through injury last year , lifted the Claret Jug in 2000 , 2005 and 2006 . U.S. PGA Championship -- August 10-16 , 2009 . Harrington pumps his fist as he sinks a putt to win the 2008 U.S. PGA Championship at Oakland Hills . The final major of the year , The PGA Championship is organized by the Professional Golfers Association of America -LRB- PGA of America -RRB- and is also held at a different course each year . The brainchild of New York salesman Rodman Wannamaker , the first PGA Championship was held at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville , New York in 1916 -- the same year the PGA of America was founded . The winners ' trophy is named after him . The competition , which was only switched from a matchplay to a strokeplay format in 1958 , does not allow amateurs to compete . It always attracts a world class field , in addition to a number of ordinary club professionals in the United States who can qualify through a national tournament . This year 's tournament will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska , Minnesota , the scene of Rich Beem 's defeat of a charging Tiger Woods in 2002 . Beem , an unknown club professional who also sold car stereos , held off Woods by recording birdies in his final four holes for a 68 that gave him victory by just one shot . The 7,149-yard course is ranked among the top courses in the United States , according to the PGA . Its signature 16th hole features a wide open fairway that narrows into a long peninsula featuring an elevated green protected by Lake Hazeltine . This year Padraig Harrington will attempt to defend the trophy , a year after he pulled off a dramatic victory over Spain 's Sergio Garcia at Oakland Hills . If he succeeds he will become only the second man -- after Tiger Woods -- to be back-to-back PGA Champion . However , both men lag behind Jack Nicklaus , who won a record-equaling fifth U.S.PGA title in 1980 at Oak Hill , Rochester -- the hometown of Walter Hagen , the player whose record Nicklaus tied .
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U.S. Masters is always held at prestigious Augusta National , Georgia , U.S. 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park 's Black Course in Farmingdale , NY . Open Championship is the only major held outside the United States . U.S. PGA Championship is only major not open to amateur golfers .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Unemployed , single and apparently fed up with criticism from her mother , a 29-year-old Orangeburg , South Carolina , woman suffocated her two toddlers with her bare hands before strapping them into car seats and submerging her car in a river , authorities said Tuesday . Shaquan Duley is facing two counts of murder in the deaths of her sons , ages 1 and 2 , said Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams . She is set to appear in court Wednesday . `` She was a mother that was unemployed . She had no means of taking care of her children , '' Williams told reporters . `` She lives with her mother and her mother was a very , I guess , firm individual . ... She often talked with her daughter about , I guess , maybe being more of a mother or being more reliable . '' Mother and daughter argued the night before the children 's bodies were found early Monday in Duley 's Chrysler sedan , submerged in the Edisto River , he said . `` We believe this is a direct response -LRB- to the argument -RRB- from Ms. Duley , '' he said . `` I believe she was just fed up with her mother telling her she could n't take care of the children and she was n't taking care of her children and she just wanted to be free . '' However , he said , `` this was n't a hardened criminal . This was a young lady in trouble , in trouble in more ways than she realized . '' Duley has no previous criminal history , he said . Duley 's third child , a 5-year-old daughter , was at the home of Duley 's mother . Police identified the dead children as Ja ` van T. Duley , age 1 , and Devean C. Duley , 2 . Under questioning , Duley told authorities she smothered the boys by putting her hand over their mouths at the Trumps Inn in Orangeburg , Williams said . She drove them to the river while `` trying to find a way to discard the bodies , '' he said . `` She just wanted to get rid of the children , as sad as it may be , '' Williams said . Authorities do not know how long the boys had been dead before they went into the water , he said . Duley initially reported that she had lost control of the car and it had rolled into the river . But authorities from the outset believed her story did n't add up , Williams said . Her clothes were dry , he said , and there were no skid marks or other indications of an accident at the scene . In addition , Duley reported she had walked a mile before flagging down a motorist to call for help , Williams said previously . The sheriff told CBS ' `` The Early Show '' that she could have run to residences nearby . Authorities responded to a report of a car accident near a boat landing on the river Monday , and divers found the children 's bodies . Williams said Monday he could n't confirm reports that the key was still in the car 's ignition , but he said the car apparently was in neutral . Ramona Milhouse told CNN she lives next to the boat landing , and her house and a neighbor 's house are clearly visible from the road . She said she was at home around the time Duley told authorities she lost control of her car . `` I do n't know why the young lady would walk that far when we are here , that 's easy to see , and we have phones so we could have called someone for her , '' Milhouse said . In addition , she said , the road near the landing is a busy one . `` It 's not a quiet country road , '' she said . `` There 's a lot of people driving up and down , all parts of the day and night . '' She said she did not see the car go into the water , but heard sirens as authorities responded . `` When I heard what happened , I just could n't go to sleep at all , thinking about those two little boys , '' she said . It was n't immediately known whether Duley had retained an attorney . Williams described Duley as distraught , but said she showed no signs of remorse . `` I do n't believe she woke up and said , ` I 'm going to the Shillings Bridge Road to get rid of my children , ' '' he said . `` Of course , that has n't been determined . I believe she was just angry , upset and for some reason found the boat ramp , but mind you the children were deceased ... so -LRB- she was -RRB- trying to find a way to discard the bodies . '' The father of the two children has not been found , Williams said . Duley `` was more or less being mother and father for the children , '' he said . `` The mom has basically been a good mom , '' he said , but was just unable to financially support the children . `` For whatever reason , this was her weakest moment , '' he said . The South Carolina Department of Social Services has no record of prior involvement with Duley , department spokeswoman Marilyn Matheus said . The incident has striking similarities to a 1994 case , also in South Carolina . The bodies of Michael Daniel Smith , 3 , and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith were found in their mother 's car , still strapped into their car seats , in John D. Long Lake in Union , South Carolina . Their mother , Susan Smith , was convicted on two counts of murder , but jurors opted to spare her the death penalty and she was sentenced to life in prison . The case inflamed racial tensions in Union , because Susan Smith claimed at first she had been carjacked by an African-American man . She stuck to that story for nine days , issuing tearful pleas for her sons ' return on national media outlets , before confessing to authorities . Prosecutors alleged she killed her children after being rejected by a man she was dating who did not want children . Duley spent two years as a cashier at a Dairy-O fast-food restaurant a couple of years ago , said assistant manager Grace Simpson . `` She was such a good-natured person , very friendly , but quiet , '' Simpson recalled . `` Never disciplined . Never in trouble with our boss . She left because she chose to . We do n't have health insurance here , and she wanted to just move on and up with her life maybe . '' At the time Duley worked for Dairy-O , she did not have children , Simpson believes . Simpson did not know if she was married at the time . `` Whatever compelled Shaquan to do what she did ... Lord please be with her , '' said Simpson . `` I can not judge Shaquan . I will not judge her . But God , be kind to her . '' HLN 's Natisha Lance and CNN 's Ashley Fantz contributed to this report .
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Authorities say the children were dead before they went into the water . Sheriff says a South Carolina mother admitted she suffocated two of her kids . Shaquan Duley , 29 , will be charged with murder , sheriff says . The bodies of Duley 's two children were found in South Carolina 's Edisto River .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Accused `` Craigslist killer '' Philip Markoff wrote his ex-fiancee 's name in what appeared to be blood on the wall of his jail cell before dying `` at his own hand , '' a Massachusetts prosecutor said Tuesday . Markoff was found dead in his jail cell in Boston on Sunday morning , Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said . The evidence collected so far indicates the onetime medical student killed himself by cutting himself multiple times with a makeshift scalpel crafted from a pen and a piece of metal , Conley told reporters . The words `` Megan '' and `` pocket '' were scrawled on the wall when he was found , Conley said . Megan appears to refer to Markoff 's former fiancee , Megan McAllister , but investigators had not divined the meaning of `` pocket , '' the prosecutor said . `` We 're still studying that , '' he said . Markoff , 24 , was a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine when arrested in April 2009 . He had pleaded not guilty . McAllister , his fiancee , maintained Markoff 's innocence , but the couple broke off their engagement shortly after his arrest . While toxicology reports are still out , `` At this point we can definitively say he 's responsible for taking his own life , '' Conley said . Surveillance video from the jail shows no one entered Markoff 's private cell between the time he shut off his light early Sunday morning and the time he was found dead about eight hours later , he said . `` He inflicted a series of puncture wounds and incisions on his body , including his neck , arms , wrist and ankles , '' Conley said . `` He hit several veins and the carotid artery in his neck . All of these wounds are consistent with suicide . '' A large , clear plastic bag of a type issued to inmates was fastened around his neck with a piece of gauze , and a second bag was fastened around his feet , Conley said . An autopsy found his death to be the result of a combination of blood loss and asphyxiation . Markoff was charged with the April 14 , 2009 , fatal shooting and attempted robbery of Julissa Brisman , 25 , at Boston 's Copley Marriott Hotel . Police said that Brisman , a model , advertised as a masseuse on the online classifieds service Craigslist , and Markoff might have met her through the site . He also faced charges in connection with robberies of women at hotels in Boston and in Warwick , Rhode Island . In the Rhode Island incident , police said , the robbery was interrupted when the woman 's husband entered the room . Conley said Markoff 's death deprives Brisman 's family of seeing justice pronounced , but said the evidence against the suspect was `` overwhelming in quantity and substance . '' `` This death should not divert attention from what really happened here , '' he said . `` It should not obscure the overwhelming evidence against Mr. Markoff by the brutality of his crime . It is in no small way the ultimate indicator of consciousness of guilt . ''
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Prosecutors say `` Megan '' and `` pocket '' were scrawled on Markoff 's cell wall . Markoff `` died at his own hand , '' the district attorney says . He faced charges in the 2009 killing of model-masseuse Julissa Brisman . Conley says the evidence against Markoff was `` overwhelming ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A police officer shut down an impromptu concert by Switchfoot front man Jon Foreman Sunday night , escorting him away from a group of fans outside a Tampa amphitheatre . `` Just got forcefully removed from my aftershow by the police ... Officer Fisher grabbed me by the arm and shut us down . Really ?!? , '' Foreman said in a post to his Twitter account . Switchfoot played a concert with the Goo Goo Dolls at the 1-800 Ask-Gary Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds Sunday . `` Over the years , I 've had a few policeman shut these after-shows down . Maybe they are nervous because these types of gatherings are unusual , '' Foreman said in an e-mail Monday . `` Many times on tour I play after our show when time allows . The after-shows are all about the love of the music -- all acoustic : no amps , no mics , no tickets , just a couple tunes and whoever wants to listen . I see it as a chance to connect with music in a different way . '' The crowd showed up when Foreman tweeted to fans , asking them to meet him after the show . `` Aftershow tonight directy -LSB- sic -RSB- behind the ampitheatre -LSB- sic -RSB- , be there in a 1/2 hour , '' said Foreman , who included links to a map showing the location and a picture of himself standing on a concrete barrier near the venue . Video of the incident posted on YouTube shows Foreman playing a couple of songs on an acoustic guitar with a collection of fans around him when the officer walks up and says , `` It 's over . It 's over . C'mon , let 's go . '' The officer identified himself as `` Fisher '' when Foreman asked who he was and offered to shake his hand . After the small crowd mildly protested , asking if one more song could be played , and Foreman hesitated to leave , the officer said , `` If I call somebody over here , we will be forcing you out . So what do you want to do ? '' The smiling Foreman offered his hand again , which the officer shook , and escorted the singer away . `` Thank you , Jon , '' several fans shouted as the crowd applauded . `` Thanks for singing along friends ! We 'll get the cops singing along next time ... , '' Foreman tweeted . CNN contacted Tampa police , but a spokesman said he was not aware of an incident . `` The officer last night would n't give me a reason for shutting it down , he only said that he had a family to go home to , '' Foreman told CNN . I respect the authorities , they have a difficult job . '' The San Diego , California-based Christian alternative rock group is best known for its mainstream hits `` Dare You to Move , '' from `` A Walk to Remember '' soundtrack and `` Meant to Live , '' which was featured on the U.K. version of the Spiderman 2 soundtrack . The band won a 1999 Dove Award for Song of the Year for `` New Way to Be Human , '' and earned a Grammy nomination for the album `` Learning to Breathe '' in the Best Rock Gospel Album category a year later . `` I love playing on the big stages in front of thousands of folks , it feels like a megaphone . It 's how I pay the bills and it 's the best job in the world . But I also love playing for just a few folks for free . It feels like a whisper . '' Foreman said of the intimate post-show gatherings he sometimes calls via Twitter . `` It 's the chance to dust off the Bob Dylan covers and play new tunes . It 's a gift : just to play for the love of the song . ''
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Switchfoot is an alternative rock group from San Diego , California . The band is on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls . YouTube video shows Foreman playing a couple of songs before police break things up .
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ROCHESTER , New Hampshire -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police took into custody a man they say walked into Sen. Hillary Clinton 's campaign office in Rochester , New Hampshire , and took several people hostage Friday . Police in New Hampshire take the hostage taker into custody Friday evening . The man , Lee Eisenberg , claimed to have a bomb strapped to his chest , but it turned out to be road flares held with duct tape , police said . `` He was someone who was not known to my campaign headquarters until he walked in the door today , '' Clinton said Friday evening in Portsmouth , New Hampshire , where she met with the hostages and their families . `` It appears he is someone who was in need of help and sought attention in absolutely the wrong way , '' she said . `` It was for me and my campaign an especially tense and difficult day . '' Flanked by local police , Clinton expressed her gratitude to the team that resolved the hostage situation . `` I want to thank them for their professionalism and their extraordinary work today , '' she said . `` We 're immensely relieved that this has ended peacefully . '' Clinton also praised her staffers for showing courage and handling the situation `` extraordinarily well . '' She said she does n't expect any changes to her schedule or her campaign in light of the incident . The situation began when Eisenberg walked into the office at about 1 p.m. , Maj. Michael Hambrook of the New Hampshire State Police told CNN affiliate WMUR-TV . Watch police take up positions '' On Friday afternoon , one of the hostages contacted the CNN Washington bureau and then put Eisenberg on the phone . The hostage and Eisenberg called CNN multiple times throughout the afternoon and talked to CNN staffers . Eisenberg said he had mental problems and could n't get anyone to help him . CNN assumed Eisenberg could be watching CNN 's broadcast and chose not to report his calls to avoid compromising the safety of the hostages . Several people were caught up at the start of the hostage situation . See the location of the office '' A woman with a baby was released by the hostage-taker early on , she told a witness , Lettie Tzizik , who spoke to WMUR . See photos of the hostage situation '' `` A young woman with a 6-month or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears , and she said , ` You need to call 911 . A man has just walked into the Clinton office , opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape , ' '' the Web site reported . Bill Shaheen , chairman of Clinton 's New Hampshire campaign , told WMUR the people held were volunteers . Clinton , a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination , was scheduled to speak at 3 p.m. at a Democratic National Committee event , but canceled the talk because of the situation , DNC Chairman Howard Dean said . Watch Dean break the news '' Buildings close to the storefront campaign office on Main Street were evacuated , including local campaign centers for Clinton 's Democratic presidential rivals , Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards . Cassandra Hamilton , who works in an office adjacent to the Clinton office , told WMUR : `` I walked out and I immediately started running , and I saw that the road was blocked off . They told me run and keep going . '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Kelly Marshall contributed to this report .
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NEW : Clinton says the incident wo n't change her schedule or campaign . NEW : Clinton : It appears the man sought attention in absolutely the wrong way . Police arrest man they say held Clinton campaign workers hostage . Hostages released from Clinton campaign office .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The campus of Hampton University in Hampton , Virginia , was locked down for several hours Sunday morning after a former student shot two people in a dormitory and then shot himself , university and police officials said . A former Hampton University student allegedly shot two people and himself , locking down the campus Sunday . The former student entered Harkness Hall shortly before 1 a.m. by following a pizza deliveryman , said the university 's president , Dr. William Harvey , at an afternoon news conference . The former student shot the deliveryman and the night manager of the dorm , who came into the hall after he heard shots , Harvey explained . The man then shot himself . No one was killed in the incident , which prompted the evacuation of the dorm and a lockdown of the campus , the president said . The three wounded were taken to area hospitals , Harvey said . The dormitory night manager was treated and released , he said . Hampton city police said they had the shooter in custody . The motive for the shootings is not clear , university and law enforcement officials said . Harvey praised the first-responders to the incident , saying their quick action likely averted further tragedy . He also lauded the school 's system of text messages , e-mails and phone messages that warned students about the situation and the campus lockdown . Hampton is about 70 miles southeast of Richmond , Virginia .
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Alleged shooter , a former student , entered Harkness Hall shortly before 1 a.m. Alleged shooter gained entry by following a pizza deliveryman . Alleged shooter shot deliveryman , dorm night manager and self . Hampton city police said they had the shooter in custody .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Miami Heat basketball player Udonis Haslem was charged with possession of marijuana on Sunday after a traffic stop , the Florida Highway Patrol said . A state trooper stopped Haslem Sunday afternoon for speeding and illegal window tint , the patrol said in a statement . During the stop , a trooper smelled marijuana , and a subsequent search turned up evidence of the drug , the patrol said . Haslem , who was driving a 2008 Mercedes , and his passenger , Antwain Fleming , were scheduled to be taken to the Miami-Dade County Jail . Both men were charged with possession of marijuana , according to the highway patrol . Haslem also was charged with speeding and illegal window tint .
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Udonis Haslem and his passenger were arrested after a traffic stop . Both were charged with possession of marijuana . Haslem also was charged with speeding and illegal window tint .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The bodies of two children trapped inside a car submerged in the Edisto River in South Carolina have been recovered , and their mother has been arrested , authorities said Monday . State troopers responded to a report of a car accident early Monday and found a Chrysler sedan in the water near a boat landing in Orangeburg County . Divers discovered the bodies of the two boys , ages 1 and 2 , which were taken from the car and sent to the county coroner for autopsies , authorities said . Their mother is 29-year-old Shaquan Duley , Sheriff Larry Williams told HLN 's Nancy Grace . She was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident . Williams said the boys ' mother walked almost a mile before calling for help . While the woman described the incident as an accident , Williams told CNN that `` it has a stench of foul play . '' It was n't immediately known whether Duley had retained an attorney . Williams said he could n't confirm reports that the key was still in the car 's ignition , but he said the car apparently was in neutral . He added Duley did n't appear wet , saying , `` She did n't have any evidence that she had been submerged in the water . '' The car went off a boat ramp that is about 10 yards off the roadway shoulder and sits at a 90-degree angle . `` She said she was going down road and lost control of vehicle and happened to be at juncture where boat ramp was , '' Williams told Grace . However , he added , `` There 's no evidence that she ran off the road at any time . '' The woman says she flagged a motorist down to use a cell phone to call in the incident , Williams said . Police are trying to track down that individual . Duley was questioned `` on and off '' Monday afternoon and expected to be booked at the jail sometime in the evening , the sheriff said earlier in the day . The boys ' father , who does n't live at the same residence as the children , has been interviewed by investigators , Williams said . The sheriff said he did n't know the father 's whereabouts at the time of the incident . Duley has a third child , a 5-year-old daughter , who was at the home of her maternal grandmother where they all lived , he said . HLN 's Natisha Lance contributed to this report .
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Sheriff identifies arrested woman as 29-year-old Shaquan Duley . Incident has `` stench of foul play , '' Orangeburg County sheriff says . Bodies of two children recovered from Edisto River in South Carolina . They were trapped in a submerged car ; their mother has been arrested .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- By wading into the issue of an Islamic center and mosque near ground zero , President Barack Obama provided Republicans with an emotion-ridden attack vehicle while diverting attention from campaign themes of fellow Democrats . A senior Republican strategist told CNN that GOP candidates are being encouraged to talk about the issue as much as possible . In Florida , Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott launched a statewide television ad Monday criticizing Obama for backing the right of Muslims to build an Islamic center and mosque two blocks from where the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks killed more than 2,700 people . `` Barack Obama says building a mosque at ground zero is about tolerance , '' Scott says in the ad , looking directly into the camera . `` He 's wrong . It 's about truth . '' The `` truth , '' Scott claims , is this : `` Muslim fanatics murdered thousands of innocent Americans on 9/11 , just yards from the proposed mosque . '' `` The fight against terrorism is n't over , '' Scott concludes . `` Mr. President , ground zero is the wrong place for a mosque . '' Meanwhile , a House Democratic leadership aide said the issue was dominating the political conversation when Democrats need to stress campaign themes such as economic recovery and saving social security . `` We understand why the president would want to talk about this issue , but the timing could n't have been any worse , '' the House Democratic leadership aide told CNN . Despite the concerns of Democrats , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada on Monday came out against building the Islamic center and mosque . `` The First Amendment protects freedom of religion . Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built some place else , '' said a statement issued by Reid 's spokesman , Jim Manley . Reid is involved in a tough re-election campaign against conservative Republican Sharron Angle . The statement on the ground zero issue also called for Republicans to back a Democratic bill that would provide health care aid and compensation for firefighters , police officers and other first responders to the 9/11 attacks . For its part , the White House sought to tamp down the discussion Monday . Speaking to reporters , White House spokesman Bill Burton sidestepped a question on Republican strategy and tried to declare the debate over . `` The president did n't do this because of the politics , '' Burton said , adding : `` I think that it 's a debate that was had and we 've weighed in . '' On Sunday , the topic dominated morning talk shows , with Republicans calling Obama insensitive for supporting the right of Muslims to build the Islamic center so close to ground zero . Some predicted political repercussions for Democrats in November 's congressional election , even though they agreed with Obama that freedom of religion is a vital part of American democracy . `` The Muslims have , as everyone else does , the right to practice their religion and they have the right to construct a mosque at ground zero if they wish , '' Rep. Peter King , R-New York , said on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' program . `` What I 'm saying , though , is they should listen to public opinion , they should listen to the deep wounds and anguish this is causing to so many good people . '' Republican strategist Ed Rollins , a senior political contributor to CNN , summed up the GOP perspective . `` Intellectually , the president may be right , but this is an emotional issue , and people who lost kids , brothers , sisters , fathers , what have you , do not want that mosque in New York , and it 's going to be a big , big issue for Democrats across this country , '' Rollins said on the CBS program `` Face the Nation . '' On the same program , Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine challenged the Republican logic . `` You know , we see an awful lot of Republicans going out and saying we 've got to respect the Constitution , and that means we have to respect it , '' Kaine said . `` We ca n't tarnish people 's First Amendment rights . '' Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania said on the CBS program that the Islamic center issue should n't have political resonance . `` I ca n't imagine that any American -- given the challenges facing this country -- is going to vote based on what he said about the mosque , '' Rendell said of the November election . `` The mosque is an unfortunate situation , but we do have a right to practice our religion freely wherever we choose . Rights are not subject to the popular vote or majority vote . '' In his speech at a White House dinner Friday marking the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan , Obama said Muslims `` have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country . '' `` That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan , in accordance with local laws and ordinances , '' the president added . The next day , Obama told CNN Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry that he was `` not commenting on the wisdom '' of the project , just the broader principle that the government should treat `` everyone equal , regardless '' of religion . His comments were considered by some to backtrack from what he said at the dinner , prompting a White House spokesman to further clarify the president 's remarks later Saturday . Both the topic and Obama ` sneed to clarify his initial remarks evoked criticism from Republicans . Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , told `` FOX News Sunday '' that Obama 's stance demonstrated how `` Washington , the White House , the administration , the president himself seems to be disconnected from the mainstream of America . '' `` This is sort of the dichotomy that people sense , that they 're being lectured to -- not listened to -- and I think that 's the reason why a lot of people are very upset with Washington , '' Cornyn said . On the CNN program , King said Obama 's lack of clarity further muddied the issue . `` If the president was going to get into this , he should have been much more clear , much more precise , and you ca n't be changing your position from day to day on an issue which does go to our Constitution , and it also goes to extreme sensitivity , '' King said . Democrats responded that critics fail to distinguish between the al Qaeda terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks and the Islam religion , which includes peaceful adherents all over the world , including the United States . `` It is only insensitive if you regard Islam as the culprit as opposed to al Qaeda as the culprit , '' Rep. Jerrold Nadler , D-New York , said on the CNN program . `` We were not attacked by all Muslims . ... . There were Muslims killed there . There were Muslims who ran in as first responders to help . '' The issue was one of personal rights , not political popularity , Nadler said , adding : `` We do not put the Bill of Rights , we do not put the religious freedom to a vote . '' The House Democratic leadership aide lamented that the topic was getting so much attention . `` We were supposed to be talking about Social Security in this coming week , '' the aide said , referring to Democratic criticism of Republican calls to privatize the government-run pension program . `` This is a really good issue for us . And instead , we 're talking about the mosque . '' Obama 's remarks Friday drew praise from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who announced his support for the Islamic center last week . Bloomberg compared Obama 's speech to a letter former President George Washington wrote more than two centuries ago in support of a Jewish congregation in Newport , Rhode Island . In the speech , Obama called the 9/11 attacks `` a deeply traumatic event for our country . '' `` The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable , '' Obama continued . `` So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders . Ground zero is , indeed , hallowed ground . '' The Islamic center 's leaders say they plan to build the $ 100 million , 13-story facility called Cordoba House two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks . The developer , Sharif el-Gamal , describes the project as an `` Islamic community center '' that would include a 500-seat performing arts center , a lecture hall , a swimming pool , a gym , a culinary school , a restaurant and a prayer space for Muslims . Nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose the plan , according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll released Wednesday . CNN 's Mark Preston contributed to this story .
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NEW : Top Democratic senator opposes a mosque near ground zero . NEW : Florida Republican runs a statewide ad on the issue . Keep talking about Obama 's stance on the issue , Republicans told . Democrats lament the matter is drowning out campaign themes .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Washington D.C. Metropolitan police car was incorrectly edited into a clip of `` The Real Housewives of D.C. , '' a publicist for the reality show 's production company said Sunday . The information came to light a day after District police announced they would investigate whether reality stars Tareq and Michaele Salahi got a police escort for their limousine to attend a party , as depicted on this week 's episode of the reality TV show . The Salahis grabbed headlines as `` White House crashers '' after attending President Barack Obama 's first state dinner without an invitation in November . The party shown in this week 's series took place the evening of October 13 at The Park at Fourteenth , six weeks before the White House event . `` Half Yard Productions reviewed all of the footage from the party in question and the police escort for the Salahi 's limo was a Park Police escort , '' said Bronagh Hanley , a publicist for Half Yard , in an email to CNN . `` The MPD -LSB- Metropolitan Police Department -RSB- car featured in the episode was not the escort car and was edited into the shot incorrectly . '' Lisa Bloom , the Salahis ' lawyer , concurred that Metropolitan police were not involved in escorting her clients , but did n't know if there was an escort provide by Park Police . Bloom said all reality show contracts say producers can manipulate the facts , manipulate the video and there 's nothing the talent can do about it . She said it really puts people in a bind . District police spokesman Lt. Nicholas Breul told CNN Saturday that they were alerted to the episode by a reporter who saw the reality show on TV . `` The chief has asked that an investigation be conducted into whether or not there was any type of an escort for the Salahis . We 're working to identify the car and the officer . '' Breul told CNN that the department typically provides escorts for the president of the United States and other dignitaries , but not for private citizens . `` Escorts are generally used for safety reasons to swiftly move people , and those are generally dignitaries , from one point or another , '' Breul told CNN . `` Generally speaking , there are no escorts for people going to parties or social functions . '' According to the Washington Post , the markings on the police cruiser identify it as belonging to the police department 's 3rd District . Capt. Juanita Mitchell , the watch commander for the 3rd District , did not know about the alleged escort . `` I have no knowledge of what you are referring to , '' Mitchell told CNN . CNN requested comment from Park Police , but has not heard back from the agency . CNN 's David Desola contributed to this report .
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Publicist says D.C. police car was incorrectly edited into TV show . D.C. police investigate incident depicted on `` Real Housewives '' episode . Authorities are trying to determine whether Salahis got a police escort to a party . Salahis are known as `` White House crashers '' after attending state dinner uninvited .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Zsa Zsa Gabor , who asked for a priest `` to read her the last rites '' Sunday , left the hospital Monday afternoon because she `` wants to spend her final days at her home , '' her publicist said . Gabor , 93 , is suffering complications from last month 's hip-replacement surgery , but she and her husband decided against additional surgery , publicist John Blanchette said . Doctors told her the chances of success from the procedure was 50-50 , so she chose to go home instead , Blanchette said . An ambulance carried the actress from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles to her Bel Air , California , home Monday afternoon , he said . `` The doctors did everything they could do , '' her husband , Prince Frederic Von Anhalt , said . `` The rest is up to her to whether she recovers or not . '' Gabor has been hospitalized for most of the past month since breaking her hip in a fall from bed on July 17 . Saturday marked Gabor 's 24th wedding anniversary with Von Anhalt , her eighth husband . She was rushed to the hospital from her Bel Air , California , home Friday night , Blanchette said . She underwent surgery for the removal of a blood clot that night , a complication relating to her recent hip replacement surgery , he said . Gabor had just returned home from the hospital on Wednesday , three weeks after undergoing surgery to replace the broken hip . She has been frail and `` pretty much confined to a wheelchair '' since a 2002 car accident , said Von Anhalt . The crash happened when the car in which she was riding with her hairdresser slammed into a light pole on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles . The glamorous Hungarian-born actress , the second of the three celebrated Gabor sisters , is most famous for her many marriages . Among her other husbands was Oscar-winning actor George Sanders . Her more prominent films include John Huston 's 1952 Toulouse-Lautrec biopic , `` Moulin Rouge , '' `` The Story of Three Loves '' in 1953 , `` The Girl in the Kremlin '' in 1957 and Orson Welles ' 1958 classic , `` Touch of Evil . ''
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NEW : Zsa Zsa Gabor was released from the hospital Monday . Husband Frederic Von Anhalt : `` Doctors did everything they could do '' for Gabor . The actress asked for last rites on Sunday ; Gabor , 93 , broke her hip in July . Glamorous Hungarian-born actress is most famous for her many marriages .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The youngest survivor of a plane crash that killed former Sen. Ted Stevens last week has been released from a hospital in Alaska , according to his family . Willy Phillips Jr. , 13 , was released from Children 's Hospital at Providence Alaska Medical Center and is traveling back to his home state of Maryland , his mother said in a statement Saturday . Willy 's father , former Stevens staffer Bill Phillips , was among the five people killed in the crash Monday night near Dillingham , Alaska . In the statement , Janet Phillips thanked first-responders and other medical personnel `` for their heroic efforts the night they spent on the mountain with Willy . Thank you for bringing Willy back . '' Phillips also extended her condolences to the other families who lost loved ones in the wreck . `` Bill and our boys shared many Alaska memories , '' Phillips said in the statement . `` They loved Alaska , and as we leave we know Alaska will remain imprinted on our hearts . '' In addition to Willy , the survivors of the crash are former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe and his 19-year-old son , Kevin , and Jim Moorhard of Alexandria , Virginia . Killed in the crash were Bill Phillips Sr. , Stevens , 86 ; pilot Terry Smith , 62 , of Eagle River , Alaska ; Dana Tindall , 48 , of Anchorage , Alaska ; and Corey Tindall , 16 , of Anchorage , Alaska . A memorial service for the elder Phillips will be held Friday in Potomac , Maryland , according to the statement . Meanwhile , federal investigators continue to probe what caused the plane to crash into a rugged mountainside in southwestern Alaska , according to the National Transportation Safety Board . Alaska Air National Guard rescuers were hampered by poor weather and terrain -- slogging for hours through rain , fog and wind to reach the site of the plane crash . Autopsies on the five victims found the deaths were the result of blunt force trauma , Greg Wilkinson , an official at the medical examiner 's office , said Friday . He said the state medical examiner , Dr. Katherine Raven , found the injuries to be consistent with this type of crash . Raven also found that the injuries were not survivable , he said . A funeral for Stevens , who served in the U.S. Senate for 40 years , will be held Wednesday at the Anchorage Baptist Temple in Anchorage .
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Willy Phillips Jr. was among four survivors of the crash . Former Sen. Ted Stevens died in the crash . Phillips ' father was among those killed . The investigation into the cause of the Monday crash continues .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Argentina 's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday it is unconstitutional to punish an adult for private use of marijuana as long as it does n't harm anyone else . A recent poll showed 29 percent of Americans believe the best way to deal with marijuana is to legalize it . The unanimous ruling makes Argentina the second Latin American country in the past four days to allow personal use of a formerly illegal drug . The case in question involved five young men who were arrested for having a few marijuana cigarettes in their pockets . Supreme Court Justice Carlos Fayt , who at one time supported laws that make personal use of marijuana illegal , told the state-run Telam news agency that `` reality '' changed his mind . Argentina 's action came amid growing momentum in Latin America toward decriminalization of possessing small amounts of certain drugs . Mexico enacted a law Friday that decriminalizes possessing low quantities of most drugs , including marijuana , heroin , cocaine and LSD . Earlier this year , a Brazilian appeals court ruled that possession of drugs for personal use is not illegal . Analysts see the shift in attitude as recognition that current methods in the war on drugs are not working . `` It seems quite clear that drug policy based primarily on interdiction and enforcement has failed , '' said Robert Pastor , a Latin America national security adviser for President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s . `` Therefore , it 's natural for people to stand back and ask , ` Is there a better way ? ' '' Pastor noted that some recent research has shown that handling drug use as a health challenge and focusing on treatment may be more efficient . `` What Argentina and Mexico are doing in many ways is blazing a new path , '' Pastor said . Peter Hakim , president of the Inter-American Dialogue policy institute in Washington , sees a trend at work . `` It 's all part of a harm-reduction approach , '' Hakim said , noting that policymakers are shifting away from getting rid of drugs and toward figuring out how to reduce harm to users and society . Mexico has been considering decriminalization for several years , particularly under the administration of former President Vicente Fox , who held office from 2000-2006 . But efforts by the Mexican congress toward decriminalization met with strong resistance from the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush . `` Mexico tried it under Fox and the U.S. got so snippety that they had to back down , '' Hakim said . President Obama 's inauguration in January may have changed the calculus , analysts said . The Mexican congress passed the measure in April and President Felipe Calderon quietly signed it into law . In a visit to the United States , Fox said in May a new approach is needed . `` I believe it 's time to open the debate over legalizing drugs , '' he told CNN . `` It must be done in conjunction with the United States , but it is time to open the debate . '' Earlier this year , Fox 's predecessor and two other former leaders of Latin American nations also called for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use and a change in strategy in the war on drugs . The three ex-presidents were members of the 17-nation Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy , which issued its recommendations in February after studying the issue for a year . `` The problem is that current policies are based on prejudices and fears and not on results , '' former Colombian President Cesar Gaviria said at a news conference in which the commission 's recommendations were presented . Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil said the group called for only the decriminalization of marijuana and not other illicit drugs because `` you have to start somewhere . '' Fox 's predecessor , Ernesto Zedillo , was president of Mexico from 1994 to 2000 . Gaviria was president of Colombia from 1990 to 1994 . And Cardoso led Brazil from 1995 to 2002 . In his swing through the United States , Fox said any change in drug laws must be accompanied by an education campaign in schools and homes . And because the United States is a large consumer of marijuana that comes from Latin America , any steps toward legalization must be supported in Washington , he said . Gaviria had said in February that the time was right to start a debate on the subject because of the new administration in Washington . `` In many states in the United States , as is the case in California , they have begun to change federal policies with regard to tolerating marijuana for therapeutic purposes . And in Washington there 's some consensus that the current policy is failing , '' Gaviria said . The Inter-American Dialogue 's Hakim said one recent poll showed that 29 percent of Americans think the best way to deal with marijuana is to legalize it . Pastor , the former Carter official , wondered whether anyone in Washington is paying attention . `` The question , '' he said Tuesday , `` is whether the United States will be open to this new path . ''
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NEW : Argentina court : It 's unconstitutional to punish adult for private use of marijuana . Justice tells state-run news agency `` reality '' changed his mind . Mexico enacted law that decriminalizes possessing low quantities of most drugs .
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JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israel 's two largest parties each claimed a mandate early Wednesday after exit polls showed a surprise first-place finish by the ruling Kadima party and dramatic gains by its conservative rivals . Kadima 's Tzipi Livni won more support than was predicted in the Israeli elections . Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni 's failure to assemble a ruling coalition for Kadima last year triggered Tuesday 's elections . But she told supporters after the vote that the narrow edge Kadima appears to have held over the conservative Likud shows her party is `` the common denominator of Israeli society . '' Livni called on Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu `` to respect the choice of Israel 's citizens ... and to join a unity government , led by us , that will be based on the large parties in Israel , left and right . '' But Netanyahu said the showing by Likud -- which appears to have more than doubled the number of seats it holds in the Knesset -- Israel 's parliament -- show voters have rejected Kadima 's leadership , and he said conservative parties could form a majority when the results are in . `` With God 's help , I shall head the coming government , '' he said . `` I am sure that I can manage to put together a good , broad-based and stable government that will be able to deal with the security crisis and the economic crisis . '' `` It 's a typical Israeli election in that you might have two winners , '' Israeli political analyst Chemi Shalev told CNN . `` The clear-cut winner , in the sense that she did much better than any expectations , is Tzipi Livni and Kadima . But we have to judge elections by the bottom line , and if it turns out that ... Benjamin Netanyahu will be the the prime minister , he will be judged to have been the winner . '' CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman and Israeli political analysts warned that exit polls had been wrong in past elections . The campaign was dominated by the recent war with Palestinian militants in Gaza , which was popular within Israel despite widespread international condemnation . Netanyahu was a harsh critic of Kadima founder Ariel Sharon 's 2005 withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from Gaza , and his supporters say he has been proven right . Unofficial results gave Kadima a narrow lead over Likud , with the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu in third place and Labor -- Israel 's founding party and Kadima 's current coalition partner -- in fourth . According to Israeli media , with all precincts reporting , Kadima was on track to win 28 seats in the 120-member Knesset , the same as it currently holds . Likud was forecast to win 27 -- a dramatic jump from its current 12 . Yisrael Beiteinu was on track to win 15 seats , up from 11 currently , while Labor appeared to have slid from 18 seats to 13 . A fourth-place finish would be an unprecedentedly weak showing for Labor , now led by Defense Minister and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak . With those numbers , Avigdor Lieberman 's Yisrael Beiteinu , a party even further right-wing than Likud , would be the third largest faction in the legislature . If the numbers hold up and Lieberman 's party surpasses Labor , the founding party of the Jewish state , it would be unprecedented . Lieberman , 50 , is a polarizing figure whose party has been accused of racism against Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel . But he said early Wednesday that his party `` is not only the key to the next coalition , it will also set the agenda for the next government . '' And Likud member Reuven Rivlin , a former Knesset speaker , said voters decided `` to change the ideas of the former government . '' `` We have to continue the negotiations with the Palestinians , but under mutuality and under the idea that it is a give and take -- that after the agreement , we will find ourselves at peace , '' Rivlin said . Shalev suggested a Kadima-Likud-Labor coalition is possible -- but it was not clear who would lead it . The next prime minister will have six weeks to form a coalition government . A government needs a controlling majority of 61 in the 120-seat Knesset . Neither Likud nor Kadima is expected to reach even half that figure . Livni took control of Kadima in September , when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped down as the party leader amid several corruption investigations . She has been careful not to cast herself as a dove in the election with advertising focused on the military assault in Gaza and tough statements against the Palestinian fundamentalist group Hamas . Netanyahu served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999 . He has supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and opposed further territorial concessions to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict . Kadima member Machman Shai told CNN that Livni `` was attacked from the right and the left . They said she was not capable for the job -- very chauvinistic . And I think it was all wrong . She is a leader and up to leading Israel in the years to come . '' Early joy at Kadima HQ '' `` The majority of the people want a windfall , '' Netanyahu said Tuesday while casting his ballot . `` They want a change of direction to security , honor and hope , and I think they will vote for this today . '' About 5.2 million people were eligible to vote , choosing from 33 parties , with polls closing at 10 p.m. -LRB- 3 p.m. ET -RRB- . According to the Central Election Committee , 62.5 percent of eligible voters cast ballots -- about 2 percentage points higher than the country 's last elections , in 2006 . Will a new leader make any difference ? '' This year , the election was expected to largely determine which Israeli parties should take credit for the recent war in Gaza . iReport.com : See photos of the scene as voters head to the polls . Despite international condemnation over the high number of Palestinian civilian casualties , it was a popular war in Israel . Domestic support was strong throughout , especially among residents within Palestinian militant rocket range , and it was perceived in Israel as a success . Polls showed that could bode well for Israel 's right-wing parties . Defense Minister Ehud Barak , head of the Labor Party , also hoped for a sizable boost from the three-week Gaza war . But it probably will not be enough to lead the government . Before the operation , Labor was tipped to win just eight seats . That doubled in some polls , albeit briefly . A small number of rockets are still falling in southern Israel , and that could play into the hands of Netanyahu . He was not in a position of power during the war , but he sought to capitalize on his opposition to Israel 's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza , telling voters he warned the move would result in Palestinian militant rockets hitting major cities . At the time he was ridiculed by his political rivals , but his supporters say he was proven right . CNN 's Michal Zippori , Paula Hancocks and Bill Schneider contributed to this report .
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NEW : Unofficial results show right-wing party overtaking founding party . Polls shows Kadima is `` common denominator of Israeli society , '' Livni says . Netanyahu 's Likud party doubles seats in Knesset , according to polls . Analysts warn that Israeli exits polls have been wrong before .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean says he has submitted the necessary paperwork to run for president of Haiti , a country he left when he was a child . Jean made the anticipated announcement Thursday on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' The singer traveled to Haiti to submit the paperwork . Jean was one of the first , and most visible , celebrities to offer aid after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in January . He has also been an outspoken proponent of the nation through his Yele Haiti Foundation , which has come under scrutiny for how it spends its money . `` Yes , it 's my first time announcing it live -- that today I went in , and I signed , and I am running to be the president of Haiti , '' said Jean , in his first television interview about his decision to run . Whoever is elected in November , the new president will face the monumental task of rebuilding the country that was ravaged by a January 12 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people , destroyed 60 percent of government infrastructure and left more than 180,000 homes uninhabitable . Whoever steps in will also oversee the billions of dollars in international aid promised to the country since the quake . `` Now that our country has toppled , it 's a chance to rebuild from the bottom on up , '' Jean said , adding he will be the voice of Haiti 's youth . Jean 's announcement quickly became a top topic on the internet , with many debating whether the music star best known for rapping , playing the guitar and dancing , could actually lead a country . One outspoken critic was actor Sean Penn , who has lived in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , for months to help manage 50,000 displaced Haitians living in a camp . Penn said he questioned Jean 's motives . `` What the Haitian people need now is a leader who is genuinely willing to sacrifice , '' Penn said . `` I have n't seen or heard anything of him in these last six months that I 've been in Haiti . I think he 's an important voice . I hope he does n't sacrifice that voice by taking the eye off the very devastating realities on the ground . '' Penn mentioned past allegations that Jean mishandled funds from his nonprofit organization Yele Haiti and used some of the money donated for Haitians . `` He claims he did n't do it . That has to be looked into it , '' Penn said . `` I 've been there . I know what $ 400,000 could do for these people 's lives . '' At the time , Jean tearfully denied the allegations that he misappropriated funds from his Yele Haiti charity and experts on nonprofits said they could n't find serious wrongdoing . iReporter : Jean made ` several key mistakes ' Jean shot to fame in the mid-1990s as a member of the Fugees , a U.S.-based hip-hop and reggae group . He now performs as a solo artist . Jean was born in Haiti , and moved to the United States as a young boy . He recently resigned as chairman of the Yele Haiti Foundation . Jean , dressed in a gray suit and a red - , black - and white-striped tie , stressed the need for Haiti to improve education , as well as its agriculture , security and health care . He also said job creation would be a central part of his campaign going forward .
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NEW : Sean Penn criticizes Jean 's decision . Jean stresses the need for education , jobs , agriculture , security and health care . Elections are scheduled for late November . Jean says he will represent the voice of the youth .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal judge has denied a request to move the trial of Brian David Mitchell , who is accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart in 2002 , but may revisit the issue depending on the results of potential juror questionnaires . Mitchell 's defense attorneys had argued that he should receive a trial outside the state of Utah because publicity in the case has prejudiced the pool of potential jurors against him and jeopardized his right to a fair trial . They cited Mitchell 's constitutional rights as well as a federal rule of criminal procedure . But U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball ruled Monday that `` this is not one of the extreme cases where a change of venue based on presumed prejudice is constitutionally required . '' And while he `` is not satisfied that so great a prejudice exists in this district that defendant can not receive a fair and impartial trial , '' the judge said concerns over seating an impartial jury could be valid . `` Due to the high-profile nature of this case ... the court undoubtedly has concerns regarding the appropriateness of holding -LRB- the -RRB- defendant 's trial in this district , '' Kimball wrote . `` But the court believes that its concerns may be effectively addressed and answered through the use of the juror questionnaire that the court and parties plan to employ prior to the actual voir dire -LRB- jury selection -RRB- . '' Kimball said he would reserve the ruling on that issue until after the questionnaire responses have been reviewed . Mitchell , 56 , is scheduled to stand trial November 1 on charges of kidnapping then-14-year-old Smart in June 2002 and transporting her across state lines for improper purposes . He is accused of snatching Smart at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family 's Salt Lake City , Utah , home . She was found nine months later , walking down a street in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy with Mitchell and his wife , Wanda Barzee . Mitchell , a drifter and self-described prophet who called himself `` Emmanuel , '' had done some handyman work at the Smarts ' home . Barzee , 64 , pleaded guilty in November to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor , and in May was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison . As part of a plea deal with prosecutors , she has agreed to cooperate in the state and federal cases against her husband . She also pleaded guilty but mentally ill in state court to conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping in an attempt to kidnap Smart 's cousin a month after Smart 's disappearance . Barzee was given a sentence of one to 15 years to be served concurrently with her federal sentence , and given credit for the seven years she has already spent in custody . Smart , now 22 , testified in October as part of Mitchell 's competency hearing that after kidnapping her , Mitchell took her to a wooded area behind her home and performed a mock marriage ceremony with her before sexually assaulting her . She testified she was repeatedly assaulted during her months in captivity . While the case garnered international attention , Kimball noted in his ruling that more than eight years have passed since the kidnapping and seven years since Mitchell 's arrest . While there was extensive media coverage at the time , the judge said the coverage has fallen off in recent years to stories about the criminal cases against Barzee and Mitchell , and that the coverage has been even-handed . `` The media has undoubtedly been interested in covering the proceedings in this case , but the court has not sensed any kind of ` carnival atmosphere , ' '' Kimball wrote . And he pointed out that the jury pool will not come only from Salt Lake City or Salt Lake County , but the entire state of Utah , which has a population of 2.8 million people . `` This is not a case where there is a heightened risk of prejudice in a small community , '' Kimball said . He dismissed defense concerns about the large number of volunteers who searched for Smart after her disappearance , saying such volunteers could be easily weeded out and a potential juror would not necessarily be influenced even if they knew someone who had participated . `` Even though defendant 's main defense at trial will be an insanity defense , defendant has not demonstrated any media prejudice in this regard , '' the judge wrote . `` In fact , reports referring to defendant 's homeless lifestyle , his grandiose religious beliefs and his disruptive singing in court are likely more favorable than unfavorable to his insanity defense . '' Defense attorneys presented an expert survey that showed 92 percent of Utah residents believed Mitchell to be probably or definitely guilty and that 77 percent said they had read , seen , or heard that Mitchell had been found competent to stand trial . But Kimball questioned those results , saying the queries to respondents were in some cases leading and failed to include `` meaningful details . ''
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Brian David Mitchell 's attorneys say the trial should be moved . Mitchell is set to stand trial November 1 . A judge ruled earlier this year that Mitchell is competent to stand trial . His wife is cooperating with authorities .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Clark Dever and Joe Dinardo have always taken things to the extreme . Joe Dinardo , left , and Clark Dever will be spending only 12 hours in each city before going to their next stop . So when JetBlue announced a monthlong all-you-can-jet pass for $ 599 , it was as if the airline had practically issued them a challenge . `` We decided to come up with the most extreme length you could take it and have the most fun without being crazy , '' Dinardo told CNN . `` We 've always pushed each other to be more outrageous , so this is just taking that to another level . '' Dever and Dinardo , friends since their freshman year of college at SUNY Buffalo , will be crisscrossing the country , spending only 12 hours in each city before heading back to the airport and jetting to their next destination . The deal allows passengers unlimited travel to all cities JetBlue services from September 8 to October 8 for $ 599 . Dever , who was recently saving up money to be a professional photographer , quit his job , and Dinardo decided to use all of his accumulated vacation time from his job to take the trip . They plan to make the most of the deal , hitting at least 29 cities in the 31 days by taking about 49 one-way flights . They 'll sleep during their flights , take showers in gyms , and have friends work as runners to swap out bags of clothes when they fly into New York 's JFK airport about every three days . They 've even worked with some companies to obtain sponsorships . They plan to interview fellow fliers to get the skinny on the best places to go in hopes of taking the `` local 's tour '' of a city as opposed to a generic tourist trip for their Web site twelvehoursinacity.com . `` What better way to get a snapshot of the United States , '' Dever said . `` To really capture the unique culture of each city , to meet all of the different people . '' And for them , the price is unbeatable . The way they see it , if each flight cost $ 200 , they 're taking a $ 10,000 trip for only $ 600 . Which is exactly why the promotion has received such a great deal of buzz , specifically among social networking platforms . JetBlue suspended the deal two days early , saying they were sold out , though the company declined to specify how many people bought them . Jennifer Milano , who is taking time off from freelance work to take advantage , grabbed a pass right away . She decided that with the buzz on Twitter , she could start organizing a group of fellow all-you-can-jet travelers , calling it the 599club . She created a site where people are sharing their itineraries in an attempt to either travel together , meet up with Twitter followers in their cities or try to couch surf at other people 's homes . Some may even meet in California to go skydiving together . Will and Cara Dearman had been planning to move to New York from Austin , Texas , when they heard about the deal . So they decided to pack up their home , bring in the movers and head off for vacation before their big move . Given JetBlue 's hub structure , many travelers found a slight hiccup : If they were in the Midwest , they might have to travel all the way back to New York to travel to the West Coast . The couple will be spending a large chunk of their trip in South America and the Caribbean and will be doing video interviews with entrepreneurs around the world for Will Dearman 's Web site , TheStrategyBlog.com . For Greg Krause , the pass is a chance to raise money for a charity close to his heart , - an elementary school in Zambia that his parents created for orphaned children in a small village two hours from a main road . Krause plans to go to 24 cities , using about 45 different flights , to have both an enjoyable vacation and hopefully meet people who will donate to the school . He also will be documenting his trip on his Web site , 30daysonjetblue . com . Though Dever and Dinardo may have the most exhausting schedule , they , like many others , think that if nothing else , the trip will be a true adventure . `` No matter what happens , there will certainly be a story that comes out of this trip , '' Dever said . `` For us , the biggest concern will be finding a place to shower . We certainly do n't want to be the stinky guys on the plane , especially for that many flights . But either way , its going to be an adventure , a tiring but exciting adventure . ''
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Deal allows passengers unlimited travel for a month on JetBlue for $ 599 . Clark Dever , Joe Dinardo going to cities for 12 hours , then getting on next flight . Some travelers taking around 40 one-way flights to make most of deal . Dever : `` It 's going to be an adventure , a tiring but exciting adventure ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor , activist and environmentalist , Ted Danson is n't afraid to tackle any number of roles . Perhaps best known for his part as likeable barman Sam Malone in `` Cheers '' for 12 years , he more recently recast himself as an unscrupulous billionaire in `` Damages . '' But away from his on-screen heroes and villains , Ted 's most enduring real-life role has been as a committed environmentalist working to conserve the oceans . Optimistic and engaging , Danson is a board member of Oceana , a group committed to ocean and marine-life protection , that he helped establish in 1987 . Last year he appeared before the U.S. Congress to urge the moratorium on offshore drilling for oil to be reinstated . His personal environmental epiphany came in the 1980s when had to explain to his daughter that she could not swim in the sea because the water was too polluted . It presented him with some tough questions on the state of the environment , which he responded to by taking action . Read Ted 's op-ed on how industrial fishing practices are killing our oceans . As well as spearheading campaigns for Oceana and lending his voice to narrate the 2009 documentary film `` The End of the Line , '' he 's in the process of co-authoring a book on ocean conservation . `` For over 20 years , I 've been watching this issue grow and build in the public consciousness and I am convinced that we 're now at a tipping point , '' he said . `` The rise in awareness of , and fight against , climate change has convinced me that people are ready for a book that brings to light the critical issues regarding the future of our oceans . '' From overfishing and acidification of the seas and being a big fish in Hollywood send in your questions for Ted and join the conversation . Use the `` Sound off '' box at the bottom of this page for your questions . We 'll use the best questions in the live broadcast here on CNN.com .
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Ted Danson will be live on CNN.com on April 1 at 10am ET in a 30-minute interview . Actor and environmental campaigner will answer your questions during the show . Send in your question using the Sound Off box at the bottom of the page .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Craigslist will replace its controversial online `` erotic services '' listings with a section where ads are individually checked by Craigslist employees before they are posted , according to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal . Craigslist will replace its `` erotic services '' listings with ads that are screened by the site 's employees . The popular classified-ad Web site , which Blumenthal called `` a blatant Internet brothel , '' has been accused by law enforcement officials across the United States of promoting prostitution through its erotic ads . `` Craigslist is heeding our clear call for conscience and common sense , sending a strong signal that Internet sites must police themselves to protect others , '' Blumenthal said . Craigslist representatives met in New York last week with Blumenthal and the attorneys general of Missouri and Illinois , all of whom asked the company to shut down its `` erotic services '' sections in their states . Cook County , Illinois , Sheriff Thomas Dart called Craigslist `` the single largest source of prostitution in the nation . '' `` As head of the multistate attorney general task force , '' Blumenthal said , `` I was informed by Craigslist late last night that it will eliminate the ` erotic services ' section within seven days , create a new section called ` adult services ' and manually review every ad posted there to bar flagrant prostitution and pornography . '' Listen to Blumenthal talk to CNN Radio about the change '' `` So far , it looks like we 've struck the right balance , and most of the feedback we 're getting right now is positive , '' Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster told CNN 's `` American Morning . '' He said his company does not view the law enforcement community 's involvement as pressure . `` We 're looking for constructive criticism , and certainly we 've been getting plenty of that , '' Buckmaster said . Craigslist executives released a statement Wednesday confirming the change , which it said will take place after current ads expire in seven days . New ads in the `` adult services '' section `` will be opened for postings by legal adult service providers , '' the company said . `` Each posting to this new category will be manually reviewed before appearing on the site , to ensure compliance with Craigslist posting guidelines and terms of use , '' it said . Advertisers will pay a $ 10 fee for each new ad , it said . Blumenthal said state agencies will keep a close eye on the Web site and others `` to make sure prostitution and pornography do not migrate and move elsewhere . '' `` We will be monitoring closely to make sure that this measure is more than a name change from ` erotic ' to ` adult ' and that the manual blocking is tough and effective to scrub prostitution and pornography , '' he said . `` Our continuing investigation will assure that these steps are substance , not just spin , and that Craigslist really shuts down its open online red-light district . '' Craigslist drew attention recently after a 23-year-old medical student was charged in the death of a masseuse in a Boston , Massachusetts , hotel room and in a hotel assault in Rhode Island . Police have said it appeared that the attacker in both cases had responded to the victims ' Craigslist ads . The Craigslist statement said ads on its site have been associated with `` far lower rates of violent crime than print classifieds , let alone rates of violent crime pertaining to American society as a whole . '' It suggested that the online ads are safer because of verification measures , community monitoring , the electronic trail left by those using the site and Craigslist 's cooperation with investigators . In November , Craigslist entered into an agreement with more than 40 attorneys general and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to add safeguards to combat unlawful activity and improve public safety . As part of the reforms , Craigslist agreed to implement credit card verification , assess a fee and require a phone number from people posting `` erotic services . ''
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NEW : CEO says company `` looking for constructive criticism '' Craigslist will replace its controversial `` erotic services '' listings with a new section . Sex-related ads will be checked by Craigslist employees before posting . Connecticut attorney general : Craigslist must shut down `` online red-light district ''
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-LRB- LifeWire -RRB- -- Misti Guertin was a publicist with a full roster of clients and a growing salary when her husband , Gary , 56 , was offered a job managing a luxury resort on a private island in the Caribbean . `` It takes some heartfelt conversations to begin balancing the career scales in a marriage , '' says an expert . `` My career was just beginning to bloom , '' says the Stuart , Florida , resident , `` but we both placed more emphasis on Gary 's career . '' Misti , 47 , was raised to believe that the man 's career comes first . So she went , taking a token title as co-manager of the resort . But less than a year after their arrival in 2005 , a fire ravaged the resort and Gary 's contract was terminated . `` The strain on our relationship was sizable , '' she says . The couple returned to Florida , where Misti went back to work as a publicist and Gary as the general manager of a yacht club and marina . Her income this year , she says , will exceed Gary 's . It 's common for couples to place more emphasis on the man 's career , according to a 2007 study of more than 9,000 married men and women ages 25-59 . The researchers , from the University of Iowa and the University of California-Davis , also found that when couples relocate , the husband tends to get a salary boost -- $ 3,000 on average . But the wife loses $ 750 . `` When couples migrate , they are -LSB- typically -RSB- doing it for the benefit of the husband 's career , and so the wife is what we call the ` trailing spouse , ' '' says study author Mary Noonan , associate professor of sociology at the University of Iowa . `` She may have to take a job in the new location that is a less-than-ideal match for her skills -LSB- or -RSB- qualifications . '' Expert : ` Things are moving slowly in the right direction ' Why do couples , even today , let the woman 's job take a back seat ? Blame it on socialization , says Noonan . While it may not be true for every relationship , more often than not , she says , `` men and women are taught to play very different roles within marriage . Women are socialized to play a homemaking role within the family , whereas men are encouraged to focus on their careers and breadwinning . '' See how one dad has taken on child-rearing duties '' Daniel Buccino , a psychotherapist and faculty member at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , agrees . `` Until more men are willing to say , ` You know , honey , you should n't have to change your name or sacrifice your career , and I 'll stay home with our kids and aging parents , ' progress will remain glacial , '' he says . `` But things are moving slowly in the right direction . '' After Dayna Steele , 48 , published her first book in March and began making the media rounds , she found herself dealing with subtle power plays at home . `` I have tried very hard to schedule around my husband 's full-time job and keep him posted on my schedule , confirming dates before I book them , '' says Steele , a former radio host living in Seabrook , Texas . `` Then , he started scheduling things over mine without telling me . `` It turned into a battle when I first tried to point out to him what he was doing -- trivializing my new career after promising to support it because he had a ` more important ' job . '' Steele knows her husband 's salary and benefits are important but says her career deserves respect , too . `` We 're not quite all the way there , but we 're making some progress , '' she says . Steele 's husband , Charles Justiz , 55 , a NASA research pilot , says he does his best to show he values his wife 's career , but it can be challenging , especially with two children . `` We 've had some collisions , '' he admits . `` I ca n't call NASA and say , ` Excuse me , I ca n't come in because my wife has a book signing . ' '' See how CNN journalists juggle careers with motherhood '' But they 're both working on being more flexible , he says . `` I love my wife , and the old saying is true : ` If Mama ai n't happy , ai n't nobody happy . ' '' ` Balancing career scales ' Experts have some tips for couples clashing over a career move : . Trade places . `` It takes some heartfelt conversations to begin balancing the career scales in a marriage , '' says Les Parrott , a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Seattle Pacific University . `` It requires both spouses to be honest with their feelings . '' Parrott asks clients to list what 's important to them about their careers , assigning each element a value from 1 to 10 . After each spouse makes a list , they try to guess how much their partner values each item . `` It 's almost always an eye-opener , '' says Parrott . `` It helps them empathize . It helps them trade places . And with that new perspective , they are ready for a more honest and grace-filled exploration of their options together . '' Try the `` package deal '' approach . When a couple is considering relocating , Buccino says , one spouse should see what the new company can do for the other . Switch off . Buccino says the fluidity of today 's job market gives couples `` opportunities to evaluate and re-evaluate and hopefully switch off between whose career takes priority at various phases along the marital life cycle . '' When neither is willing to budge , there 's always the long-distance marriage . `` I have seen two-career couples that live in two different cities , '' Buccino says , `` because neither is willing to pass up great career opportunities . '' While such an arrangement may be a good interim move , it can take a toll on the relationship . `` Some couples have not made it , '' Buccino says . `` If they 're committed to each other and the relationship , and otherwise so busy with work when apart , then it can work . But I 'm not sure I 'd recommend it as a first choice . '' LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers . Sarah Jio is a Seattle-based writer who has contributed to `` Cooking Light , '' `` SELF , '' `` Glamour '' and many other publications .
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Study : It 's common for couples to place more emphasis on the man 's career . Book author battles with NASA pilot over whose career is most important . Wife found herself dealing with subtle power plays at home . Possible fixes : Long-distance marriage , trading places , honest conversations .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prosecutors grilled Sen. Ted Stevens on Monday about whether he accepted gifts as a lawmaker . Sen. Ted Stevens and his daughter Beth Stevens arrive Monday at the federal courthouse . The defense rested its case after prosecutors sparred with the Republican senator , who is charged with breaking Senate ethics rules by failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and renovations on his home in Alaska . Stevens , the longest-serving Republican senator in history , battled with prosecutor Brenda Morris during his three days on the stand . They tangled over whether a massage chair in Stevens ' home was a gift or a loan , with Stevens asserting he had told his friend and neighbor , Bob Persons , he could not accept a gift under Senate rules . `` He said it was a gift , and I said I could not take it , '' Stevens insisted , recalling details of the purchase in 2001 . `` But you kept it ? '' Morris asked . `` It 's still there , '' Stevens replied , acknowledging the chair is at his townhouse in Washington . The prosecution has been trying to show that Stevens failed to disclose about $ 250,000 worth of goods and services provided for his Alaskan home over the course of about seven years . Senators are required to report gifts on forms that are filed annually . Prosecutors dueled with Stevens over specifics about the chair in an effort to show that he was crafty in his ability to find ways around reporting the gifts or providing full disclosure about them . In his second day on the stand , Stevens testified that he and his wife paid for all the improvements on their Alaska chalet , which was extensively remodeled about eight years ago . He also attempted to address a series of e-mails that prosecutors introduced earlier in the trial . During cross-examination , Stevens stood firm in his denials of wrongdoing through testy exchanges with Morris , who accused him of trying to `` cover your butt '' with a series of e-mails asking about invoices and billing . `` No , my bottom was n't bare , '' Stevens replied . His defense team responded that former Alaska businessman Bill Allen , who arranged much of the the work on Stevens ' home , quashed bills without Stevens ' knowledge . Allen has pleaded guilty to trying to bribe a number of Alaska state officials -- not including Stevens -- and was the prosecution 's star witness . Stevens is not charged with taking bribes . Stevens , 84 , hopes to clear his name by November , in time for voters to decide whether to elect him to a seventh term representing Alaska , as he has done for nearly 40 years . He was the last witness for the defense . Closing arguments are expected Tuesday , with jury deliberations expected to begin Wednesday . CNN 's Paul Courson contributed to this report .
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Defense rests case after prosecutors cross-examine Stevens . Sides argue whether massage chair in Stevens ' home was a gift or a loan . Stevens : `` He said it was a gift , and I said I could not take it '' Closing arguments expected to begin Tuesday .
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-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- After various Websites noted a curious surge in votes Tuesday for a contestant in Oprah Winfrey 's `` Your OWN Show '' contest , OWN , the television network Winfrey will launch in January , confirms to EW it is investigating . The online contest is really a search for contestants for an OWN reality series in which competitors will then vie for their own show on the network . Until yesterday , Zach Anner , a witty wheelchair-bound Texan who explains in his video that he has cerebral palsy -LRB- `` the sexiest of the palsies '' -RRB- and pitches `` a travel show for people who never thought they could travel , '' held a commanding lead . But in the afternoon , contestant Dr. Phyllis -- who proposes a reality show on teachers because the drama is in the classroom , rather convincingly -- took the top spot by amassing votes at a rate that spurred some techno-savvy readers into sleuth mode . Geekosystem has a detailed breakdown of the various claims -LRB- complete with graphs -RRB- among them that for at least a few hours , the source code for Phyllis ' `` Vote '' button differed from that of all the other contestants and that as quickly as her vote-per-minute average rose it dropped later that day -LRB- from 1,923 votes a minute to 3 -RRB- . Contacted by EW , a spokesperson for OWN issued the following statement : `` The online voting rules for the ` Your OWN Show ' video submission competition were carefully crafted to be fair to everyone . Any allegations of impropriety will be investigated and the appropriate actions taken to keep the process unbiased . '' -LRB- As of 5:15 p.m. ET Wednesday , Anner was back in the lead , by a margin of more than 400,000 votes ; Dr. Phyllis could not be reached for comment . -RRB- . While some conspiracy theorists have gone as far as to suggest that Winfrey could be rigging the competition against Anner , he has not jumped to that conclusion : `` I sincerely doubt that Oprah would do anything like that , '' he says in a statement to EW . `` She 's probably too busy building schools and helping children to even notice someone like me . I 'm grateful for everyone 's continued support and to Oprah for giving me this opportunity . Thanks again , happy travels , and keep being sexy ! '' See full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2010 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved .
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Websites noted a surge in votes Tuesday for an online contest for Oprah 's Network . Contestant Dr. Phyllis was recieving votes at a rate that made some suspicious . The contest is a search for contestants for an OWN reality series .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A judge has ordered an independent inquiry into whether war-crimes prosecutors at The Hague may have intimidated and/or pressured witnesses testifying in the continuing trial of a Serbian politician accused of war crimes . Presiding Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti announced he would appoint an amicus curiae -LRB- friend of the court -RRB- to look into the charges , according to documents posted on the website of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia . The U.N. court deals with war crimes that occurred during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s . Antonetti ordered the inquiry on June 29 , but it received scant attention until Wednesday , when a reporter asked about it at The Hague . The inquiry cites former Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte as well as prosecutors Hildegard Urtz-Retzlaff and Daniel Saxon . Del Ponte stepped down from the job at the end of 2007 and is now Switzerland 's ambassador to Argentina . `` She 's only mentioned because she 's the former head of the office , but the allegations are aimed at the investigators and lawyers who worked for her , '' said Frederick Swinnen , special assistant to the current prosecutor at The Hague , in a telephone interview Wednesday with CNN . A man who answered the telephone at the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires said Del Ponte was on vacation and not available . The allegations concern testimony in the continuing trial of Vojislav Seselj , a former political ally of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic , who died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague . Seselj first made similar complaints three years ago , Swinnen said . He noted that the defendant has himself been convicted for contempt of court . The friend of the court has not yet been appointed , he said Wednesday . `` There are several candidates ; it 's still at a preliminary stage , '' he said , adding that he did not expect the inquiry to find any malfeasance . `` Our view is our staff has acted in a professional way and within the rules , '' he said . `` Once an amicus curiae is appointed , we will work with him and assist him in his task . '' The inquiry was initiated after a number of witnesses complained `` that they had been allegedly intimidated or pressured '' by prosecutors , said Swinnen . `` The chamber obviously took these allegations very seriously and decided that it would be wrong to leave any space for doubt arising either on the protection of the rights of the accused or on the investigation techniques by members of OTP -LSB- Office of the Prosecutor -RSB- , '' said Christian Chartier , acting spokesman for registry and chambers , in a statement on the court 's website . The friend of the court is to report back to the chamber within six months whether there are sufficient grounds to start contempt proceedings against investigators for the prosecution , he said . One witness said he and his family `` were subjected to tremendous pressure by the prosecution , '' including 30 to 50 telephone calls per say from the prosecution , the judge wrote . Another said prosecutors told him that , `` if he testified , after that he could go to America , that he would get a good salary and would get money . '' Complaining statements also `` mention sleep deprivation during interviews , psychological pressuring , an instance of blackmail -LRB- the investigators offered relocation in exchange for the testimony they hoped to obtain -RRB- , threats -LRB- one , for example , about preparing an indictment against a witness if he refused to testify -RRB- , or even illegal payments of money , '' the judge wrote . The prosecution said it `` considers these allegations to be utterly devoid of factual basis . ''
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Judge has ordered a `` friend of the court '' to look into the accusations . Issue concerns the continuing trial of a Serbian politician accused of war crimes . Former Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte is among prosecutors named .
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Nairobi , Kenya -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- America 's top diplomat to Kenya has announced that the United States has suspended a $ 7 million `` capacity building '' program for the country 's Ministry of Education , citing corruption . `` The United States shares the deep concern of Kenya 's development partners and the Kenyan people regarding the continuous revelations of large-scale corruption , '' Ambassador Michael Ranneberger said in a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce in Nairobi , Kenya . The announcement comes after allegations of major corruption in the country 's much-praised free schooling campaign for primary education . `` Those culpable for the fraud should not merely be sacked , they should be prosecuted and put behind bars , '' said the U.S. ambassador . The United States , Britain and other major donor governments have recently become increasingly vocal in their criticism of corruption and the slow pace of reform in Kenya .
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United States has suspended a $ 7 million `` capacity building '' program , ambassador says . Announcement comes after allegations of corruption in free schooling campaign . U.S. , Britain , other donor governments criticize corruption , slow pace of reform in Kenya .
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Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rescue and recovery efforts of the Pakistan floods that have killed more than 800 could become more complicated as weather officials predict more monsoon rains starting Monday . The Pakistan Meteorological Department said Sindh , Punjab , Kashmir , eastern parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and eastern parts of Balochistan would receive monsoon rains . Areas along the Indus River would be badly affected due to extremely high flood conditions . The death toll from the flooding has risen to at least 800 , the information minister of a northern province said Saturday . The number reflects those killed only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province , previously known as the North West Frontier Province , said spokesman Mian Iftikhar Hussain . Flooding has also been reported in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir . Twenty-five deaths were recorded there Friday , Hussain said . The United Nations says the number of people affected by the floods has risen to nearly 1 million people , with infrastructure receiving major damage . Rushing water also has washed away thousands of acres of crops , government buildings , businesses , schools , bridges and homes , officials said . The United States will assist in relief efforts by bringing in 50,000 meals , rescue boats and helicopters , 12 pre-fabricated steel bridges and water filtration units , the embassy in Islamabad said . According to Geo TV , 150 people are missing in a northwestern province and 3,700 homes were swept away . Forty-seven bridges in Sawat have been destroyed or damaged . Geo TV also said 3,000 are in a camp in Nowshera and are without enough water and food . Displaced residents are unhappy with the government response , Geo TV said . Trains have also been delayed , frustrating commuters . `` They have made this a joke , '' a commuter told the network . `` There are young children here but there is no water , nor is there any seating , they have taken our ticket money yet after every few minutes they change the train timings . They are playing a game of lies and deceit . '' Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik visited Kyhber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday and found tourists and local residents trapped because of the heavy floods , the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported . President Asif Ali Zardari said all available resources would be used to help those stranded by the waters , the APP reported . Many of the victims died when floodwaters swept away hundreds of mud houses in parts of Swat Valley and the districts of Shangla and Tank , according to Bashir Ahmed Bilour , a provincial minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Hussain said flooding has cut off the Swat Valley and the districts of Shangla and Peshawar . There is no way to get to these areas by road , he said . The Pakistani Air Force has been helping with rescue efforts , spokesman Tariq Yazdanie said in an interview on Pakistani TV . The recent torrential rains have broken all previous records of rainfall in the country , he said . The United Nations said there is a need for help in providing emergency shelter , food , drinking water and sanitation facilities . Its agencies are geared to help with these issues . The European Commission is providing 30 million euros -LRB- $ 39 million -RRB- to help the people affected by the flooding . `` Pakistan has been hit by terrible floods and more rain is forecast . Our thoughts are with those affected by them , '' said Kristalina Georgieva , European commissioner for international Cooperation , Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response . `` I am pleased that our decision to provide new humanitarian funding for the most vulnerable people in Pakistan will also be able to benefit the people , who have suffered from this disaster . '' According to a Pentagon official with knowledge of the operations , the U.S. is assisting with the delivery of meals to the affected region . A C-130 carrying 12,000 Halal meals -LRB- MREs but tailored for people of Islamic faith -RRB- was on its way to Pakistan on Saturday . By Saturday afternoon another 45,000 meals were to be delivered . Officials promised further assistance efforts in the coming days . CNN 's Reza Sayah and Barbara Starr contributed to this report .
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NEW : Displaced residents are unhappy with government response . Monsoon rains predicted to start Monday . U.N. says nearly 1 million affected by flooding . The death toll in Pakistan 's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province hits 800 .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former porn star Jenna Jameson said she wants to get back with Tito Ortiz four days after things got `` tragically out of hand '' and he was arrested on a domestic violence charge . But the couple 's reconciliation `` is irrelevant '' to the prosecution of Ortiz since it is the state of California , not Jameson , who filed the charge against the mixed martial artist , a police spokesman said . A restraining order prevents Ortiz and Jameson from reuniting immediately . Ortiz , 35 , was arrested at his Huntington Beach , California , home Monday morning when Jameson 's father called police as the couple argued . `` By calling the police , my father was trying to defuse a private issue between two people , '' Jameson said in a written statement Friday . Ortiz and his lawyer told reporters later Monday that he was upset because he thought Jameson had relapsed in her rehabilitation from a prescription drug addiction . Jameson , 36 , was captured by cameras alternately saying Ortiz was `` the sweetest , most amazing man '' and later saying that he had beaten her . `` Unfortunately , what actually happened has now been dramatically distorted and misinterpreted and remarks that both Tito and I made after the police arrived reflect the state of shock that we were both in , '' Jameson said Friday . Now , she says she wants him back in her life . `` He 's a fantastic father and I 'm confident we can work through this challenge , '' she said . While Ortiz and his lawyer did not immediately respond to calls for comment , the former Ultimate Fighting champ made it clear Monday night that he wanted her back . Tears rolled down his cheeks as Ortiz listened to his lawyer talk to reporters . `` They have two children together , '' attorney Chip Matthews said . `` They have planned on spending their lives together and they want nothing more than to work together . ''
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She says things got `` tragically out of hand '' before Ortiz was charged with domestic violence . Restraining order prevents Ortiz and Jameson from reuniting immediately . Ortiz says problems began because he thought Jameson had relapsed with drugs .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators involved in the case of serial killing suspect Elias Abuelazam went to Louisville , Kentucky , on Monday to retrieve two of his bags , Michigan police said . Abuelazam is suspected of slashing 18 victims in Michigan , Virginia and Ohio , killing five . He was arrested at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta , Georgia , last week as he was attempting to board a flight to Israel . Abuelazam has agreed to be sent back to Michigan to face charges , but he remains in custody in Atlanta . Michigan authorities have some two weeks to pick him up . As of Monday afternoon , police said they do not know how , or when , Abuelazam will be transported . He traveled last week from Detroit , Michigan , to Louisville , before heading to Atlanta , police said . The airline company misplaced his luggage and the bags never made it to Atlanta , they added . Michigan authorities said they took the two bags back with them . Lt. Steven Sipes of the Michigan police declined to say what was in the luggage , but he added the bags are now part of the department 's investigation . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
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Elias Abuelazam remains in custody in Atlanta , Georgia . Authorities are working to transfer him to Michigan . He is linked to 18 stabbings in Michigan , Virginia and Ohio , police say .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal has signed on with Washington-based Leading Authorities to find paid speaking appearances for him , the lecture agency announced Tuesday . McChrystal , who also will be lecturing at Yale University this fall , will earn between $ 30,000 to $ 60,000 an event , according to one person knowledgeable with the deal . He already has booked `` multiple engagements , '' the source said , adding that there has been a `` significant amount of interest across industries '' to hear him speak . His first paid speech will be this fall at a private engagement . McChrystal commanded the U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan until he resigned from the military this year after controversial comments published in a magazine profile . The retired general will speak about leadership , management strategy and global affairs , according to a Leading Authorities press release . A spokeswoman for Yale said earlier that McChrystal has been appointed a senior fellow with the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at the university , beginning in the fall semester . McChrystal will teach a graduate-level seminar for students in the international relations master 's program , Yale spokeswoman Dorie Baker said . CNN 's Vaughn Sterling and Adam Levine contributed to this report .
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Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal has signed on with an agency for speaking appearances . A source says he will earn between $ 30,000 and $ 60,000 per event . McChrystal already has booked `` multiple engagement , '' the source says . McChrystal also will be lecturing at Yale University this fall .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The boy stood out because of the bright blue shirt he was wearing , not for his arms stretched toward the heavens or the look in his eyes that said : I am hungry . All the other boys were desperate , too . Photographer Paula Bronstein looked down at them from the Pakistani military helicopter about to drop food and water . She would never know their names but she would tell their story . Click . click . click . The boy in the blue shirt is one of 20 million Pakistanis suffering in a land washed away by massive monsoon flooding . Aid workers say that media coverage of a disaster helps bring in donations . Bronstein , working for Getty Images , and other photographers are attempting to unveil the unfathomable scope of Pakistan 's human misery . Three weeks into the crisis , thousands of homeless packed into makeshift , fly-infested camps . They endured the searing summer heat and the ache of their empty bellies . They wondered , with more rain on the way , when they might see home again . If ever . Some voiced frustration that aid had not reached them . Others were downright angry at their own government for perceived failure in a time of national need . Much of the criticism has been pointed at President Asif Ali Zardari , who was in Europe as the crisis unfolded and was late visiting flood zones . Zardari again left Pakistan Wednesday , arriving in the Russian town of Sochi to participate in a four-nation summit with Afghanistan , Tajikistan and Russia , according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan . Zardari 's office has defended the president 's travels as part of his job and called the criticism `` venomous propaganda of his opponents . '' But one thing is clear : Zardari , leader of a country already coping with poverty and violence , will have to deal with far-reaching consequences of the floods . The United Nations has received less than half of the $ 460 million it needs for relief efforts . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 's office said she would announce more aid Thursday on top of the roughly $ 70 million already pledged by Washington . No one knows exactly why the flow of aid money is failing to keep up with the need , though Bronstein , interviewed Wednesday on CNN , suspected one reason might be the death toll . At just over 1,400 , it is low given the scale of the disaster . `` What usually takes people 's breath away is the sheer number of people who die , '' she said . `` But this is a different kind of disaster . '' It has been evolving and people 's suffering increased incrementally along with the water that spread from the mountains in the north to the plains of the south . Aid workers have also said it has been hard to reach people because of continuing rain and damaged or flooded bridges and roads . In villages and towns where they were able to get through , people raced trucks carrying relief . Only the young boys , like the one with the blue shirt , had the energy to keep up , it seemed to Bronstein . From the back of an aid truck all she could see were a mess of tangled arms forced through open windows . Others grabbed onto chunks of ice distributed by a local charity . Another photo showed a woman in a black and pink dupatta -LRB- scarf -RRB- . Her left hand hugged her cheek in despair , her eyes failed to meet the camera 's lens . Bronstein snapped a perfect portrait of uncertainty . `` When you are here , you see how little people have , '' Bronstein said . `` The poorest people have been affected . '' Even when the rescue choppers land or the boats arrived , many Pakistanis were reluctant to leave home . They depended on the land and their animals to make a living . They already lost their crops . If they left their livestock behind , they would be leaving with nothing . How would they restart life ? But it was only from the air , said Bronstein , that she could see what it meant for one-fifth of the country to be underwater . A group of people stood on an island of dry , dusty ground with a handful of ramshackle shelters . They were surrounded by water , water and more water . The helicopter hovered before dropping bags of flour and 10-packs of bottled water . A man on a rooftop thrashed his arms about for attention . No one can afford to be forgotten , to be left behind or left without . Bronstein pointed her camera toward people who have nothing . The world , she felt , needed to see . CNN 's Sara Sidner and Reza Sayah in Pakistan , and Isha Sesay contributed to this report .
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NEW : Photographer Paula Bronstein has been documenting the flooding in Pakistan . NEW : ` People have nothing , ' she says . NEW : Thousands are enduring empty bellies . NEW : Desperate people rush aid trucks as they come through .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Apparently , reality star Snooki is not just too pretty for jail , she is too pretty for court . Nicole Polizzi , also known as Snooki on MTV 's reality show `` Jersey Shore , '' did not attend a court hearing in New Jersey on Wednesday . Her lawyer , Ray Raya , appeared on her behalf , to enter a `` not guilty '' plea on a disorderly conduct charge , according to a Seaside Heights Municipal Court spokesman . The 22-year-old was arrested in late July on the beaches of Seaside Heights , New Jersey . She will not serve jail time , but faces potential fines ranging from $ 250 to $ 1,000 . She is expected to attend her next hearing , set for September 8 , the court spokesman said . Polizzi told MTV News that jail is not the place for someone as attractive as she is . `` I 'm too pretty to be in jail . I 'm a good person . I 'm not a criminal and I will never go back there , '' the `` Jersey Shore '' star said . She said she realizes she may have had too many drinks , but that it 's nothing to get crazy over . `` I do n't know why people take it so seriously , '' Polizzi said . `` I had a couple cocktails , and they just put me in a drunk tank to sober me up . '' The arrest of the TV star even caught the attention of Arizona Sen. John McCain . McCain jokingly brought up the arrest during a recent visit to Phoenix radio station KMLE Country 108 . `` I have a question for you that I thought about on the way over : Should Snooki go to jail ? Or -- a question for our listeners -- is Snooki too good-looking to go to jail ? '' McCain asked . `` This has given a whole new meaning to our justice system , and I 'm kind of leaning towards Snooki being too good-looking . ''
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`` Jersey Shore '' star did not attend Wednesday 's hearing . A court official expects her to appear in court on September 8 . She says she is too pretty for jail .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tuesday was anything but a routine day for Deputy Brandon Jenkins , who spent three hours in his patrol car after nearly 50,000 honeybees decided to park on it . The Wake County Sheriff 's Office officer had responded around 9:40 a.m. to a call of a person possibly being attacked by bees . He found a disabled truck on U.S. 64 a few miles east of Raleigh , North Carolina . Behind it was a trailer holding 60 boxes of bees . The truck driver , who was headed for Rocky Mount , had been hauling the bees at night , when they are quiet and not apt to fly . He spent a couple hours after daybreak trying to get someone to tow the trailer and his truck . That 's when Jenkins , 31 , pulled up 50 yards behind in his Dodge Charger . By then , the day was beginning to warm . `` The bees were hot and bothered , '' said Charles Heatherly , one of two beekeepers who later swarmed to Jenkins ' assistance . It was not clear how the bees got away from the truck , but a lid from one box was seen on the side of the road . `` It was mind-boggling how many bees were out there , '' Jenkins told CNN . Eventually , the vehicles were towed off , leaving him still in his Dodge . `` I was told that usually when a truck starts moving , the bees will follow behind . '' Wrong . Jennifer Keller , who assisted Heatherly , said the leftover bees were likely drawn to the light color of the Dodge . The insects spent the next three hours crawling over the vehicle , especially on the trunk and side panels . `` At some point , it was hard to see out of the windows , '' said Jenkins . Heatherly , a hobbyist , and Keller , a honeybee technician at North Carolina State University , went to work . `` They got a little testy , '' said Heatherly who , like Keller , was not wearing a protective body suit . They used smoke on the bees , which Keller says `` masks their communication , '' and a spray bottle of sugar water . The sticky mix makes it harder for the bees to fly and they concentrate on grooming themselves rather than attacking humans . At some point , Jenkins was advised to drive his patrol car some distance to blow the bees off . But that did n't work . Eventually , the beekeepers brushed the bees onto a piece of plastic and then into a hive box . Keller and Heatherly between them were stung only three or four times . Jenkins said about six bees got in his patrol car . He dispatched a couple when `` they got too close to my personal space . '' Tuesday 's incident was an unusual demonstration of how bees stick together . `` They pull together as a unit , '' said Keller . `` As a whole , they are quite amazing . ''
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North Carolina deputy spent three hours in car because of bees . Two beekeepers came to his assistance , using smoke and sugar water . Wake County deputy : `` At some point , it was hard to see out of the windows '' Eventually , nearly 50,000 bees were driven into hive box .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was a Friday night in June 2007 when 22-year-old college student Kelly Nolan left her home to meet friends at a bar in Madison , Wisconsin . Kelly Nolan 's body was found two weeks after she disappeared after a night out with friends . Police say she and three girlfriends spent the evening at a bar in the State Street area of Madison . About 11:30 p.m. , Nolan and her friends separated , because her friends wanted to go home , and Nolan continued on to another bar . It is unclear exactly whom Nolan was with afterward . Two weeks after she went missing that night , her body was found in a wooded area on private property 11 miles from where she 'd last been seen . The coroner and police have characterized her death as a homicide but have not released a cause of death or details on the condition of her body . `` We have collected a lot of crime scene evidence and feel confident this case can be solved , '' said Joel De Spain , a spokesman for the Madison Police Department . According to police , Nolan 's last contact with anyone was a cell phone call in the early morning to her sister , April . Triangulation from pings on her cell phone led police to search the area where they found her body July 9 . Tom Paras , owner of Amy 's Cafe , a bar in the State Street area , said an employee met Nolan at another nearby watering hole called the Lava Lounge . Police wo n't confirm it , but the witness claims that he and Nolan walked out of the bar together because another male bar patron had been harassing Nolan , Paras said . `` The guy was giving her the creeps , '' Paras said . The two walked out , but then Nolan asked Paras ' employee to wait for her to use the bathroom . `` They were both very drunk , '' Paras said , `` And he admits he was stupid to have left her there when he saw her talking to that guy again outside , but he assumed they were friends . '' According to Paras , the real problem is that no one has an accurate description of this person of interest . Watch an update on the case '' Furthermore , police have not revealed any possible motive in Nolan 's murder , nor have they said whether she had been sexually assaulted . Investigators even reviewed surveillance video from the bar but found nothing that shows Nolan interacting with the individual last seen with her . There is a $ 12,000 reward being offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for Kelly Nolan 's murder . Anyone with a tip is asked to call the Madison Police Department at -LRB-608-RRB- 266-6014 .
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Kelly Nolan went missing in June 2007 ; her body was found two weeks later . She had been drinking at a bar when she split with friends . Witness says man in bar was `` giving her the creeps '' Know something ? Call -LRB-608-RRB- 266-6014 . A reward is offered .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mother of the man who gunned down eight of his colleagues at a beer distributor in Connecticut earlier this month says her son was `` no monster , '' but a `` gentle spirit '' who had reached his limit after being racially harassed at work . Omar Thornton , 34 , called his mother , Lille Holliday , before fatally shooting himself , putting an end to the terrifying shooting spree that left eight people dead at Hartford Distributors in Manchester , Connecticut , on August 3 . `` He said , ' I just killed the five most racist people , ' and I knew he was n't playing because he do n't talk like that , '' Holliday told CNN 's Soledad O'Brien in an interview that aired Tuesday . Holliday said when she looked at her caller ID and saw that the phone call was coming from her son 's place of employment , `` I just kind of lost it . '' Manchester police have said they have found no evidence of racial discrimination , and the president of Hartford Distributors said Thornton never filed a claim alleging racial discrimination . Instead , the company said it had asked him to resign after it found him stealing and selling alcoholic beverages . Holliday disputed that statement in the interview , saying , `` I know he reported the -LSB- racial -RSB- problems because he brought home the papers that they signed . '' Thornton 's girlfriend , Kristi Hannah , has said Thornton reported seeing drawings of a hangman with a noose around its neck as well as hearing the N-word directed toward him . Holliday said she had few clues as to what Thornton was planning , but noted , `` I could just kind of see slowly he was just getting frustrated and aggravated . '' `` He was getting more stressed out and he started to just kind of change , '' Holliday said . `` He started not being so relaxed but I never thought that it would be possible that something like this would happen . '' Asked about the how calm Thornton sounded when he placed a 911 call to police after the killings , Holliday said , `` I think that he was at his limit and the calmness is something that he 's always been . I 've never really seen him enraged . '' Instead , Holliday described her son as a `` gentle spirit '' who would buy his mother 's favorite ice cream and leave it in her freezer or leave a rose for her on her table . `` I wish he was still here with me , '' she said . `` I miss him so much . ''
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Omar Thornton killed eight people at a Connecticut beer distributor this month . His mother says he was being racially harassed and had reached his limit . Hartford Distributors says it caught Thornton stealing and selling alcoholic beverages . Thornton killed himself as police closed in on him .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shaquan Duley made a tearful first appearance Wednesday in a South Carolina courtroom to face murder charges in the deaths of her two toddler sons , her lawyer said . Handcuffed and dressed in orange jail coveralls , Duley sniffled and sobbed through her arraignment , which lasted less than three minutes . She entered no plea to the charges , and no date was set for her next appearance . Duley faces two counts of murder in the deaths of her two sons , 1-year-old Ja ` van Duley and 2-year-old Devean Duley . Investigators said Duley , 29 , was unemployed , single and apparently fed up with criticism from her mother when she smothered her children , strapped their lifeless bodies into car seats and submerged her car in the Edisto River . Her lawyer , Carl B. Grant , described her as `` distraught '' and said she was `` extremely sad and tearful '' during the proceedings . `` She had a solemn attitude and was crying before she entered court , '' Grant said . He said he has not yet seen the full case against Duley , but added , `` I can assure you there is more than has been said and reported by anyone . '' Before the appearance , Grant said that if his client was asked to enter a plea , it would be `` not guilty . '' Duley 's mother , other relatives and members of her church attended to show their support during the arraignment , Grant said . The boys ' bodies were discovered early Monday after witnesses reported Duley 's car had gone into the Edisto River outside Orangeburg , about 75 miles northwest of Charleston . Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams told reporters Duley had no means of taking care of her children . `` She lives with her mother , and her mother was a very , I guess , firm individual , '' Williams said . `` She often talked with her daughter about , I guess , maybe being more of a mother or being more reliable . '' Mother and daughter argued the night before the children 's bodies were found in Duley 's Chrysler sedan , Williams said . `` We believe this is a direct response -LRB- to the argument -RRB- from Ms. Duley , '' he said . `` I believe she was just fed up with her mother telling her she could n't take care of the children , and she was n't taking care of her children , and she just wanted to be free . '' However , he said , `` this was n't a hardened criminal . This was a young lady in trouble , in trouble in more ways than she realized . '' Duley has no previous criminal history , he said . Her third child , a 5-year-old daughter , was at the home of Duley 's mother at the time of the deaths and did not appear in court Wednesday . Duley told authorities she smothered the boys by putting her hand over their mouths at the Trumps Inn in Orangeburg , Williams said . Then she drove them to the river while `` trying to find a way to discard the bodies , '' he said . `` She just wanted to get rid of the children , as sad as it may be , '' Williams said . Authorities do not know how long the boys had been dead before they went into the water , he said . Duley first reported that she had lost control of the car , and it had rolled into the river . But authorities believed her story did n't add up from the beginning , Williams said . Her clothes were dry , he said , and there were no skid marks or other indications of an accident at the scene . Authorities responded to a report of a car accident near a boat landing on the river Monday , and divers found the children 's bodies . Williams described Duley as distraught , but said she showed no signs of remorse . `` I do n't believe she woke up and said , ` I 'm going to the Shillings Bridge Road to get rid of my children , ' '' he said . `` Of course , that has n't been determined . I believe she was just angry , upset and for some reason found the boat ramp , but mind you the children were deceased ... so -LRB- she was -RRB- trying to find a way to discard the bodies . '' The father of the two children has not been found , Williams said . Duley `` was more or less being mother and father for the children , '' he said . The S.C. Department of Social Services has no record of prior involvement with Duley , department spokeswoman Marilyn Matheus said . The incident has striking similarities to a 1994 case , also in South Carolina . The bodies of Michael Daniel Smith , 3 , and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith were found in their mother 's car , still strapped into their car seats , in a lake in the town of Union . Their mother , Susan Smith , was convicted on two counts of murder , but jurors spared her the death penalty and sentenced her to life in prison . In Session 's Beth Karas , HLN 's Natisha Lance and CNN 's Ashley Fantz contributed to this report .
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NEW : Shaquan Duley was `` extremely sad and tearful '' in court , lawyer says . Duley faces two counts of murder in the deaths of her two children . She is accused of smothering her toddler sons and submerging their bodies in a river . Sheriff Larry Williams : `` She just wanted to get rid of the children ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A vaccine to prevent HIV infection , the virus that leads to AIDS , has shown modest results for the first time , researchers have found , raising hopes that a disease that kills millions every year may someday be beaten . Researchers found those who received the vaccine combination were 31 percent less likely to contract HIV . In what is being called the world 's largest HIV vaccine trial ever -- involving more than 16,000 participants in Thailand -- researchers found that people who received a series of inoculations of a prime vaccine and booster vaccine were 31 percent less likely to get HIV , compared with those on a placebo . `` Before this study , it was thought vaccine for HIV is not possible , '' Colonel Jerome Kim , who is the HIV vaccines product manager for the U.S. Army , told CNN . HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus , which is the virus that causes AIDS -- acquired immune deficiency syndrome . Kim emphasized that the level of effectiveness of the latest vaccine was modest , but given the failures of previous HIV vaccine trials , `` yesterday we would have thought an HIV vaccine was n't possible . '' Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta discuss the excitement surrounding the vaccine '' He called the results from the trial an important first step that will help researchers work toward a more effective vaccine . Researchers have tried to prevent the spread of HIV since they discovered its cause in 1986 . Previous vaccine trials failed to prevent infection . And during one trial , the vaccine seemed to boost the chance of being infected , which ended testing early . The new study was conducted in Thailand , with more than 16,000 people between ages 18 and 30 participating . They were all HIV negative at the beginning of the trial . Nearly 8,200 received a placebo and a similar number received a combination of six vaccines over six months . All were followed for three years . Researchers found that those who received the vaccine combination were 31 percent less likely to contract HIV compared with those on a placebo . `` This shows a statistically significant effect , '' Kim said . He cautioned that a lot more research was necessary , because the vaccine did not prevent everyone from being infected . Fifty-one people in the vaccine group eventually contracted HIV , compared with 74 in the placebo group . `` These results show that development of a safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine is possible , '' said Colonel Nelson Michael , who is director of the U.S. military HIV research program . The combination of vaccines tested targeted strains circulating in Thailand . It was unclear how the vaccines would work elsewhere , Kim said . Researchers will announce details of their initial findings at the AIDS Vaccine Conference next month in Paris , France . The study was funded by the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command . According to Kim , the U.S. military was involved in the study because U.S. service members are at risk and `` there 's a national security threat from HIV . '' He said Congress set up a program to protect service members from HIV and the U.S. military has collaborated with health officials and researchers in Thailand for a long time . The vaccines are manufactured by Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases and Sanofi Pasteur . The Thai Ministry of Health carried out the clinical trial . According to estimates by WHO and UNAIDS , 33 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2007 . That same year , some 2.7 million people became newly infected , and 2 million died of AIDS , including 270,000 children . Two-thirds of HIV infections are in sub-Saharan Africa .
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New vaccine cut risk of HIV infection by 31 percent in world 's largest HIV trial . Combination of prime , booster vaccines prove effective , researchers say . Researchers tested strains in Thailand ; not known if vaccine would work elsewhere .
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Denver , Colorado -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The FBI said Tuesday it will look into an April 2009 beating of a man by Denver , Colorado , police , an incident that resulted in disciplinary action against two officers but no charges . Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper requested the investigation Tuesday , arguing that a federal probe would `` help ensure justice is appropriately served . '' Tuesday afternoon , the FBI said it would look into the matter , but said little else . `` As with any allegation that may fall within the FBI 's purview , the Denver office will conduct a review of those events to determine if there is a basis for a federal civil rights investigation , '' the bureau said . `` Per FBI policy , the Denver Division will not discuss ongoing investigative matters . '' One of the two police officers involved received a three-day suspension and the other was docked a day 's pay as a result of the incident , according to documents released by Denver officials Tuesday . In a statement released by his office , Hickenlooper said the video does n't look good `` when viewed in isolation , '' but that it `` tells only a portion of the story . '' The officers were disciplined for filing false reports after a review by the city 's manager of safety , Ron Perea . But Perea said in a letter released Tuesday that the statements in their reports stemmed from `` more of a misperception '' than a `` willful , intentional or knowing '' attempt to deceive their superiors . `` Viewing the video alone is inflammatory , '' Perea wrote . `` However , when the entirety of the situation is reviewed as it should be , I believe I made an appropriate disciplinary decision . '' Despite that finding , the city 's independent monitor is now calling for the officers to be fired . `` It was clear to me they were trying to cover up what actually happened and make it look better than it was , '' said Richard Rosenthal , who reviews police internal investigations , told CNN affilliate KMGH . And Michael DeHerrera , the 24-year-old man seen being taken down and struck in the video footage recorded by a police camera , said Monday that he also wants the officers to lose their jobs . `` I think they should be fired , and if not , prosecuted for assault , '' DeHerrera said . `` I think if any one of us had done these actions and assaulted someone , we would all be in jail . '' The scene was captured by a street surveillance camera located across the intersection from where the beating took place . On the video , DeHerrera is seen talking animatedly on a mobile phone while police officers kneel over a friend who was being arrested on charges of punching an off-duty officer working security at a bar . The friend was being thrown out of the bar when the altercation occurred , according to police reports . Another officer who responded the fight confronted DeHerrera , who was on the phone with his father , a veteran police officer . Soon afterward , the officer grabs DeHerrera by the head and shoves him to the pavement , and the camera pulls away seconds later . DeHerrera 's father , Anthony DeHerrera , told HLN 's `` Prime News '' that Denver police mishandled the situation . `` Officers have so many tools on their belts nowadays , there is no reason to take somebody down the way they did , '' said the elder DeHerrera , a veteran sheriff 's deputy in southern Colorado 's Pueblo County . He said he could hear sirens in the background while he was on the phone with his son , `` so I felt law enforcement was arriving and everything going to be OK , '' he said . `` And then I heard somebody in the background say ` Drop the phone , ' and some obscenities . The next thing I hear is a thud . Then Michael was not talking anymore , so I knew it was Michael that got hit . '' He said he yelled his son 's name into the phone for about seven minutes , but , `` All we could hear was cussing in the background and some thuds . '' The younger DeHerrera had a bloody nose and a cut above his left eye when a police sergeant questioned him after the incident , according to the sergeant 's report . He admitted to grabbing police officers he said were struggling with his friend , but denied attempting to punch anyone . `` I was already handcuffed , and every time I was trying to tell them what happened , they hit me , '' he told the sergeant , according to the report . And witness statements found both men shoved the police officer seen in the video while they were across the street and out of view of the camera , Perea wrote . `` While there can certainly be debate whether the force was excessive or inappropriate , looking at all available evidence I do not believe excessive or inappropriate force could be proven , '' Perea added . According to KMGH , charges against DeHerrera and a friend at the scene were dropped , and both men received a monetary settlement from the city . Hickenlooper , a Democrat now running for Colorado 's governor , said it was `` appropriate for the independent monitor to question the manager of safety 's decision '' in the case . `` Very few cities have this type of check-and-balance system that we have created in Denver , '' Hickenlooper 's statement said . `` Even still , we are asking for a federal review of the matter . '' CNN 's Jim Spellman contributed to this report .
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NEW : The FBI has agreed to review the incident . Officers received `` appropriate '' discipline , city official says . Mayor seeks to `` ensure justice is appropriately served '' Officers involved were disciplined for filing a false report .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I was out roaming the streets of east London with a group of friends back in 2007 when we stumbled across this sweaty hipster club tucked between an old church and a bank . It was n't a very large space , holding maybe a couple of hundred people , but what it lacked in size was more than made up in the energy coming from the predominantly white , eclectic crowd on the dance floor . The music was a continuous flow of everything from '80s house music to current hip hop and I had just enough beers in me to join the raucous crowd in singing the words of each song at the top of my lungs . From Inner City 's `` Big Fun '' to House of Pain 's `` Jump Around , '' it seemed with each track , the crowd grew louder and louder . Then Kanye West 's `` Gold Digger '' came on . For those of you who do n't remember the chorus , allow me to refresh your memory : . `` Now I ai n't sayin ' she 's a gold digger . But she ai n't messin ' with no broke niggas '' I 've never sobered up so quickly before in my life . There I was , one of maybe a handful of black people in a crowded , dark room with hundreds of drunk white people yelling the N-word . Now obviously I never felt I was in any real danger . And even as the crowd repeated the word over and over and over again , not once did I think anyone around me meant anything malicious by it . Still , I became angry ... I just was n't sure at whom . I thought , `` What is it with white people and that word ? '' But then I also had to ask myself , `` What is it with black people and that word ? '' After all , at least on that night , Kanye was the one who brought it up . Last week Dr. Laura Schlessinger used the word repeatedly on her radio show in a discussion with a caller . The knee jerk reaction to her rant is to demand she be fired . That was also the response to Don Imus ' on-air racial slur back in 2007 , and Rush Limbaugh 's racially charged comment in 2003 , and of course who can forget Jimmy The Greek for sort of getting the ball rolling in 1988 . I believe Schlessinger and the others deserve the repercussions their actions have drawn , but I am frustrated that as a nation we continue to interpret the censure of such people as progress while ignoring some of the uncomfortable truths nestled inside their racist diatribes . It is in dissecting these uncomfortable truths that we get to the actual social progress , not with the cosmetic firings that make us all feel better for a moment . For example , I know there is a contingent of black people who claim our usage of the N-word is done so affectionately that 's why it 's OK for us to use it and not whites . I do n't believe it 's OK for anyone to use the word because of its undeniable link to one of the country 's most brutal and disgusting periods . It was a word used to intimidate and belittle . Any attempt to alter its meaning through some warped sense of exclusivity is not only misguided , but disrespectful to the blood of both blacks and whites that was spilled in the name of racial equality . Yes , between friends it could hold a different connotation . But I would argue there is very little affection in Kanye using the word in a song , and that our continual injection of the word into pop culture is not only hypocritical but unintentionally gives white hipsters in London , Sydney , New York or any other city where a song like `` Gold Digger '' can be heard , permission to say it . The substantive question , the one that could lead to a better understanding , is n't who is saying the N-word , but why . Now , if a white person said something like that , they could be labeled a racist . Me ? Someone out there is calling me an Uncle Tom right now . And it 's this sophomoric labeling that keeps us locked in a hamster wheel . It 's hard for me to believe that Schlessinger 's remarks were rooted in a genuine yearning to promote honest dialogue about race -- more like a belligerent attempt to shock , likely out of her own frustrations . How could a white person who has been in media as long as she has be ignorant of the ramifications of uttering the N-word on air ? But she was right about one thing : Culturally neither blacks nor whites have the courage to talk honestly across color lines . We still act as if `` colorblindness '' can be achieved without addressing the nuances of race in a country with a complicated history such as ours . So , politically we coin euphemisms like `` inner city '' and `` real Americans '' as if no one knows what 's really being said . We draw lines in the sand on topics such as the N-word and we 're quick to assign harsh names to anyone who tries to cross that line , because bullying is much easier than listening . I know , I know , we have a black president , that 's got to mean something , right ? Yes , it does . But also keep in mind the nation has also seen a dramatic increase in hate group membership and we have a new political movement with racist organizers woven into the early stages of its fabric since the election of that black president . This language is n't helping . There is still a lot of work to be done and quite frankly the rebuke of Schlessinger does very little in addressing that work . Just as dismissing Imus , Limbaugh et al has done little . Public gaffes like these need to move beyond reactionary name-calling and firings and toward the kind of conversations that can only happen when we remove the muzzle of fear . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson .
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LZ Granderson says he was at a club of mainly white people singing along to hip hop music . He was shocked when they all began shouting the n-word along with Kanye West song . `` What is it with white people and that word ? '' he asks , but then notes that Kanye brought it up . Writer : Word too freighted and hurtful to be tossed around by Dr. Laura or anyone else .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who remade Heidi Montag died when his Jeep plunged off a Malibu highway into the ocean Monday , a California Highway Patrol spokesman said . Dr. Frank Ryan , 50 , had just finished hiking with his border collie on a giant sand dune along the Pacific Coast Highway when the crash happened , according to his own Twitter message posted minutes earlier . `` The Jeep veered to the right and ran off the roadway , '' Officer Steven Reid said . `` The Jeep overturned down a rocky embankment towards the ocean and eventually came to rest on its roof . '' The dog was seriously injured , Reid said . It was taken to a veterinary hospital for treatment . `` He was the most amazing person I have ever known , '' reality TV star Montag said in tweets posted Tuesday morning . `` He was an angel and changed my life and the lives of everyone he met . '' Ryan defended the 10 cosmetic surgery procedures he performed on Montag as a `` very well-thought out , calculated career move . '' `` Celebrities in the public eye need to look good , '' Ryan told HLN 's `` Showbiz Tonight . '' `` That 's all there is to it . '' The list of procedures Ryan did on Montag , a star of MTV 's `` The Hills , '' included breast implants , a nose job , Botox in her forehead , a brow lift , fat injections in her cheeks , a chin reduction and liposuction . `` No one needs elective cosmetic surgery ; that is something that they desire , '' Ryan said . `` That is what Heidi desired . ''
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Highway patrol says surgeon died when his Jeep plunged down embankment . He performed a number of procedures on reality TV actress Montag . Ryan defended Montag 's 10 procedures as a `` calculated career move ''
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Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The discovery of the exact location of a stockade and dozens of personal artifacts belonging to its Union prisoners is one of the biggest archaeological Civil War finds in decades , federal and Georgia officials said Monday . Outside of scholars and Civil War buffs , few people have heard of the Confederacy 's Camp Lawton , which replaced the infamous and overcrowded Andersonville prison in fall 1864 . For nearly 150 years , its exact location was not known , the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Georgia Southern University said . Georgia Southern students earlier this year began their search at a state park and federal fish hatchery for evidence of the wall timbers and interior buildings . `` Archaeologists call it one of the most significant Civil War discoveries in decades , '' a joint statement read . Officials would provide no details until the formal announcement Wednesday morning at Magnolia Springs State Park , five miles north of Millen in southeast Georgia . An open house for the public will follow from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Life at Lawton , described as `` foul and fetid , '' was n't much better than at Andersonville , with the exception of plentiful water from Magnolia Springs . In its six weeks ' existence , between 725 and 1,330 men died at the prison camp . The 42-acre stockade held about 10,000 men before it was hastily closed when Union forces approached . Monday 's announcement follows weeks of speculation that began after a locked chain-linked fence went up around the hatchery adjoining the state park . Townspeople in nearby Millen made the secrecy part of their water cooler discussions . `` It 's created a lot of buzz , what 's going on out there , '' said Connie Lee , owner of Cindy 's Cafe , a popular meeting place in the town of about 3,500 . Rumors have included the discovery of a chest with important papers , gold , a burial trench and , yes , even Union Gen. William Sherman 's horse . There are no photos of Lawton and few visual stockade details , although a Union mapmaker painted some important watercolors of the prison . He also kept a 5,000-page journal that detailed the misery at Camp Lawton , which was built to hold up to 40,000 prisoners . `` The weather has been rainy and cold at nights , '' Pvt. Robert Knox Sneden , who was previously imprisoned at Andersonville , wrote in his diary on Nov. 1 , 1864 . `` Many prisoners have died from exposure , as not more than half of us have any shelter but a blanket propped upon sticks ... . Our rations have grown smaller in bulk too , and we have the same hunger as of old . '' The impending arrival of Federal forces during Sherman 's March to the Sea soon forced the Confederates to move the prisoners elsewhere , including Florence , South Carolina , and Savannah , Georgia . In early December 1864 , Union cavalry found the empty prison , a freshly dug area and a board reading `` 650 buried here . '' Outraged , troops apparently burned much of the stockade and the camp buildings , and a depot and a hotel in Millen , which was a transportation hub . Many of the state park facilities -- including a pool , houses and the main office -- sit atop the prison site . Some earthworks , long known to visitors and historians , survived . The artifacts will deepen the knowledge of the tough daily life of prisoners and guards alike , said a historian who has completed a manuscript on the camp . '' -LSB- Lawton -RSB- illustrates almost every Civil War POW issue , '' said John K. Derden , professor emeritus at East Georgia College which has campuses in nearby Statesboro and Swainsboro . Derden cited health conditions , death rates , prisoner exchanges and the South 's dwindling ability to manage a population where disease and poor sanitation were in abundance . Until now , Andersonville was the sole POW camp in the South to capture the public 's attention and imagination . Besides the camp 's own horrors , Clara Barton made Andersonville famous through her extensive campaign to have POW graves found and soldiers reinterred at a national cemetery . The prison 's commandant , Henry H. Wirz , was hanged in 1865 , the only man to be hanged for war crimes during the Civil War . Monuments dot Andersonville National Historic Site , which drew 136,000 visitors last year . A 1996 movie tells its story . None of that happened at Camp Lawton , where time and its remote location put it on the road to obscurity , fortunately for archaeologists . That promises to change beginning Wednesday , when the public will get its first glimpse of what life might have been like for prisoners , many of whom had been moved to Lawton from Andersonville . Lee and Walter Bragg , owner of Millen Auto Parts , hope anything associated with the discovery will boost the depressed area , where a 10.7 percent unemployment rate exceeds the state average . `` Our county -LSB- Jenkins -RSB- needs something to revitalize Millen , '' Lee said .
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NEW : Research will expand knowledge of prisoners ' daily life . Open house will follow Wednesday 's formal announcement . Major archaeological find at site of Civil War prison camp . Learn more from the Virginia Historical Society .
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[[1067, 1129]]
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