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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry called on the Obama administration Monday to deploy more resources to the United States ' border with Mexico , two days after a bullet -- likely from a gun battle between drug traffickers and Mexican police -- struck an El Paso building . It 's the second time in two months that bullets from shootouts across the border have strayed into Texas , Perry said . `` By the grace of God , the stray bullets from these incidents have yet to injure or kill a Texan , '' he said . `` It is unconscionable that the Obama administration is gambling with American lives , betting that escalating violence from these cartels wo n't eventually shed the blood of innocent people on U.S. soil . '' In Saturday 's incident , a bullet struck a building on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso , the university 's President Diana Natalicio said . No injuries were reported at the school . That same evening , a `` major gun battle '' between drug traffickers and Mexican authorities broke out in Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , just 30 yards from the U.S. border at El Paso , a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman said . Three police officers were injured and one armed suspect was killed in the clash , Mexican federal police spokesman Ramon Salinas said . The bullet found at the university likely came from the shootout , border patrol spokesman Ramiro Cordero said . `` We must ensure El Paso and other border communities remain a safe place for people to live , work and raise a family , '' Perry said . `` It 's time for Washington to stop the rhetoric and immediately deploy a -LSB- significant -RSB- force of personnel and resources to the border to protect our homeland . '' During Saturday 's clash , U.S. authorities blocked off a four-mile section of Paisano Street , which runs parallel to the Rio Grande , the international border . Cordero said the closing was the first time authorities have been forced to take such action due to activity across the border . Natalicio said the university will consult with law enforcement and government officials about possible further security precautions . Cordero said his agency does n't plan to change its security methods , saying border patrol agents are still maintaining the integrity of the border and operating as usual . The shootout took place less than two months after shots fired from a gun battle originating in Juarez crossed into El Paso and hit City Hall , damaging the building . CNN 's Nick Valencia and Rick Martin contributed to this report .
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NEW : Gov. Rick Perry wants the White House to deploy more resources to the border . A bullet lodged in a Texas university 's building may be linked to a Mexico gunfight . No injuries were reported on the El Paso campus . The gun battle took place 30 yards from El Paso , police say .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A property dispute between family members apparently led to a shooting in which a man killed two people in the central Virginia town of Louisa before he was shot by police , authorities said . Four others were wounded when the man began shooting outside a home Sunday afternoon , police said . `` This was part of a property dispute , '' Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Monday . `` Due to a death in the family , there was a dispute over who owns the property , and who has rights to it . '' The shooter , Charles `` Zeke '' Sponaugle Sr. , had been living at the property recently , Geller said . The incident began when deputies responded to a report of an argument at the home , police said . Believing the situation had been resolved , the deputies left the home . But shortly before 5 p.m. , authorities received another call about an active shooting at the residence , said Maj. Donnie Lowe of the Louisa County Sheriff 's Office . When officers arrived , a man was shooting at people in the front yard . Two people were killed and four were wounded , said Sgt. Thomas Molnar of the Virginia State Police . The man then directed his gunfire at police and released a pit bull terrier on them , authorities said . `` Based on evidence at the scene , as soon as deputies arrived they were in an active shooting situation , '' Geller said . She said authorities believe that return fire from deputies killed both the suspect and the dog . No deputies were wounded . `` Since 2000 , deputies have been to this property 23 times , '' Lowe said . `` The calls were pretty much all the same -- family arguments , people not getting along -- nothing really violent , mostly verbal . '' He added , `` You ca n't predict something like this . '' The four wounded people were taken to the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville , Molnar said . CNN 's Chuck Johnston and Leslie Tripp contributed to this report .
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NEW : Shooting was result of a property dispute , police said . Police : The man was killed by sheriff 's deputies after turning his gun and a dog on them . No deputies were wounded in the shooting Sunday afternoon in Louisa , Virginia .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A young baseball phenom has received one of the sport 's highest honors -- recognition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for pitching not one , but two perfect games . And while a perfect game -- defined as one in which the pitcher allows no hits and no walks -- is a rare occurrence for the sport , what makes this 13-year-old pitcher 's feat even more impressive is that she did it against the boys . Yes , she . Chelsea Baker , once a student of former major league pitcher Joe Niekro , last week donated the jersey she wore to pitch one of those special games to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown , New York . The jersey will be part of an exhibit dedicated to the importance of women in the sport , according to the museum . Chelsea , who until recently honed her pitching arm in Plant City , Florida 's Little League program , told CNN Sunday that she feels `` really honored and blessed '' to be recognized on a national level at such an early age . In addition to her Hall of Fame achievement , Chelsea was also recently featured on ESPN 's `` E :60 '' series . Chelsea , who says she has been pitching since she was 7 years old , boasts a fastball in the mid-60s -LRB- miles per hour -RRB- and a baffling knuckleball that has been known to make her male opponents shed a tear . `` Yeah , when I strike them out with the knuckleball , sometimes they 'll throw their helmets and start crying , '' she laughs . `` It 's just really funny to watch . '' It 's a pitch that was perfected with help from Niekro , who was her team 's batting pitcher before his death in 2006 . `` He would always throw it to us and I could never hit it , and so I 'd always beg him to teach it to me and finally one day he just taught it to me , '' she says . The knuckleball has helped propel Chelsea through four seasons without a loss with her Brandon Farms team -- and her batting average is n't bad either , hitting over .600 this season , though she notes `` I like pitching more than batting . '' Chelsea is now participating in Baseball for All -- an organization that advocates for women in the sport -- playing on a touring all-girls team made up of players from around the country . And Chelsea says her career is only getting started . `` I want to play baseball for as long as I can , '' she says . `` I want to play high school baseball and then I also want to play on the USA girls ' travel baseball team . '' Watch out , boys . CNN 's Don Lemon contributed to this report .
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13-year-old Chelsea Baker has been recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame . She boasts two perfect games to her record . Her knuckleball is known to make her male opponents cry .
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New Orleans , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I 'm standing in a land of culinary legends with steaming bowls of turtle soup , plates of deliciously seasoned Louisiana blue crabs , Creole cochon de lait , and too many delectable desserts to imagine swirling past on the raised trays of waiters . The smell of some of the world 's finest cooking fills the air , along with the steady hum of expertise as each piece of beef is seared , each shrimp broiled , each crusty baguette done to perfection . This is the kitchen at the New Orleans landmark , Commander 's Palace , where Paul Prudhomme , Emeril Lagasse and so many others have sharpened their knives and palates . And in the cherished seat of executive chef these days , Tory McPhail knows he is not merely presiding over a history of gastronomic excellence , but also building up a cornerstone of this city 's comeback from Katrina . Almost unbelievably , there are 300 more restaurants here than before the big storm . Sure , that is more competition , but chef McPhail says , `` I embrace it ! All these guys are opening up these little , tiny neighborhood funky spots , and I tell you this is really , really an exciting time to live here in the city . And the food is fantastic . '' The restaurants , in this city so renowned for food , are leading the way in what has turned into a massively successful charge to reclaim the tourist trade wiped out by Katrina . Aggressive spending and marketing campaigns have seen attractions refurbished and facilities upgraded in almost every spot that tourists would normally go . For the Superdome , a $ 250 million makeover ; for the Convention Center , $ 93 million in improvements ; and $ 400 million has been spent refurbishing and building up hotels . The result ? Conventions that were feared lost forever are coming back in droves . Tourists are rediscovering the Crescent City in all its charms and debauchery -LRB- because face it , a late-night walk down the blaring carnival of Bourbon Street is still one of the highlights for many visitors -RRB- , and all the numbers that city and state leaders count on are trending up . Tax revenues are up . Overall tourist spending is up . And perhaps most importantly in this beleaguered town , of the 85,000 jobs in the tourism industry before the storm , 70,000 have been recovered despite the recession . Down at Jackson Square , with the iconic cathedral rising beside us , I hop onto a buggy with Willie Pickett , and his mule , Pierre , pulls us into the steady stream of tourists he relies on for fares all day . I ask him what he wants them to know about the city he grew up in . `` I want them to know that we love them and we want them to keep coming back . And everything they like and love about New Orleans is just like it was before Katrina . '' Beyond the tourist attractions , in some neighborhoods , problems persist . In the 9th Ward , the return has been much slower ; sometimes plagued by problems in housing , insurance , bad contractors , and on the hottest , bleakest days , a prevailing sense of despair . But everyone here knew that the No. 1 job-producing industry had to come back if anything was to get better , and that business , tourism , is rocketing forward . The year before Katrina was a record-breaker , with 10 million visitors and almost $ 5 billion coming to town . New Orleans is not back to that level yet , but it is are much closer than many had hoped . At the Convention and Visitors Bureau , Kelly Schulz is paid to be upbeat , but she insists it 's not just a sales pitch when she says , `` Everything in New Orleans that was broken during Katrina is being fixed now ; not only back to where it was before , but even better . '' She tells me that convention planners from other states who swore they would never come back are now calling her for help with reservations . As a former resident , I have some reference points . I know how incomparably lovely a streetcar ride to Uptown can be , followed by a long , lingering seafood dinner amid friends . I have walked all night in the Quarter , and enjoyed beignets nestled in mounds of powdered sugar as thick waves of fog rolled off of the river like something from a movie . I have danced until dawn in a steamy music club and walked out to the singing of mockingbirds and sunrise lighting up the live oak trees . In short , I have loved this town like no other for a lifetime . So as I leave Commander 's Palace , I walk across the street to a little art galley . Inside , it is cool . The owner and some friends are chatting amid bright images of the bayous , wildlife and the town itself . I stroll around looking at the art , and through the windows at the neighborhood outside , and it is easy to see the beguiling charm coming through once again , the beauty and uniqueness that have drawn visitors here for 300 years , and five years after the disaster , is calling them down to the river again .
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New Orleans has 300 more restaurants than it did before Hurricane Katrina . City has been aggressively rebuilding its tourism business . Superdome has had a $ 250 million makeover . 70,000 of 85,000 tourism industry jobs have been recovered since '05 storm .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More U.S. soldiers killed themselves last month than in recent Army history , according to Army statistics released Thursday , confounding officials trying to reverse the grim trend . The statistics show that 32 soldiers killed themselves in June , the highest number in a single month since the Vietnam era . Twenty-one of them were on active duty , while 11 were in the National Guard or Army Reserve in an inactive status . Seven of those soldiers killed themselves while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan , according to the Army numbers . The spike comes after the monthly suicide numbers had dropped following a January high of 28 , and Army officials admit they still have n't answered the question of why troops are committing suicide at a record rate . `` There were no trends to any one unit , camp , post or station , '' said Col. Chris Philbrick , head of the Army 's suicide prevention task force . `` I have no silver bullet to answer the question why . '' He said he could offer only what he has said before : `` Continued stress on the force and the opportunities we have been facing in terms of the challenges in the Army continue to cause these events to take place . '' Including the June numbers , 145 soldiers have killed themselves this year , more than half of the total number for all of 2009 , according to Army statistics . In 2009 , a record-breaking year for suicides in the service , 245 soldiers killed themselves . In another attempt to put a halt to the trend , the Army released a suicide prevention video , a follow-up to one released last year . The updated video is designed to `` hit home '' with soldiers and instill the importance of getting help , Philbrick said . The video , titled `` Shoulder to Shoulder : I Will Never Quit , '' begins with the compelling story of a soldier whose wife said she was divorcing him . The soldier , Spc. Joseph Sanders , says his wife was his whole world . `` I grabbed my rifle , put it under my chin and pulled the trigger , '' Sanders says . The gun did not fire , he says , and when he took the rifle apart he discovered that a key part was missing . His Army buddy then tells viewers he removed the part because Sanders was showing signs that he could kill himself . Asked why the Army thinks this video will be more effective than the first one , Philbrick said the soldiers will relate to it better . Watch the video on the Army 's Suicide Prevention website . The first video , made up of a mix of actors and real soldiers , `` sucked , '' he said . It was rushed out , and troops did not believe in it . He said some even openly laughed at it . `` This video has all real soldiers with real stories , '' Philbrick said . The video is part of a series of efforts to cut the suicide rate . Last year , the Army required all soldiers around the world to stop working and spend a day watching the first video and receiving suicide prevention training . Philbrick said the alarming June numbers will not bring another Army-wide training day , called a stand-down . He said the new video will be incorporated immediately into the standard suicide prevention training for new troops and the yearly training all soldiers go through .
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The 32 Army suicides in June marked the highest number since the Vietnam era . Monthly numbers had been dropping from 28 in January . The Army has created a more compelling suicide-prevention video . The video `` has all real soldiers with real stories , '' officer says .
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Chicago , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Severe overnight storms in the Chicago area caused power outages , flight cancellations and flooded homes and roadways . About 50,000 ComEd customers were without electricity Saturday morning after lightning and heavy downpours pummeled the city overnight , said Laura Micheli , a spokeswoman for the utility . It was unclear when power would be restored to those households because storms were still rolling through the area , she said . The outages started at about 6 p.m. -LRB- 7 p.m. ET -RRB- Friday night . CNN iReporter Nancy Holst of Lombard said her husband , who is a firefighter , responded to several calls overnight where he was working in waist-deep floodwaters . She said he took one look at her once-blooming garden now sitting under 6 inches of water and said , `` That 's nothing . '' The storms caused damage through Chicago suburbs before moving into downtown in the morning , she said . The bad weather also forced the cancellation of 200 flights at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport Saturday morning , according to Karen Pride of the Chicago Department of Aviation . There were delays of up to one hour at the airport at midday , she said , but no delays were reported at Midway International Airport . Pride said there was some airfield flooding at O'Hare Friday night , but flight operations were not affected . The National Weather Service in Illinois reported that at least 6.3 inches of rain fell at O'Hare and 6.2 inches at Midway . CNN affiliate WGN reported more than 5 inches of rain were dumped over some parts of the Chicago area Saturday morning . There were also reports of flooded basements and expressway closures . A flood warning remained in effect for parts of the region until 7 p.m. -LRB- 8 p.m. ET -RRB- . CNN 's John Branch contributed to this report .
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NEW : A flood warning remains in effect until 7 p.m. Severe storms have caused thousands to lose power in Chicago . The storms have moved into downtown . Flooding has forced officials to close some roadways .
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Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan is used to political lashings . But the latest one is not from an opposition party -- it 's from his own wife . In a book released this week titled , `` What On Earth Will Change in Japan After You Become Prime Minister , '' first lady Nobuko Kan writes bluntly about her husband 's shortcomings . The book says the prime minister is unable to cook a simple meal and has no fashion sense . But it 's the blunt review of her husband 's ability to govern that will raise eyebrows . She writes that her husband -- a grassroots politician -- is a good off the cuff speaker and is suited to working in supporting political roles . But as the world 's second-largest economy 's prime minister , she questions , `` Is it okay that this man is prime minister ? Because I know him well . '' Nobuko Kan says that her husband has trouble reading prepared scripts . Of his policy speech as prime minister , she writes that she could n't give him a passing grade for his delivery . The marriage between the Kans spans four decades , and is widely regarded by the public as a pairing of equal minds . The prime minister speaks publicly about his sharp-tongued wife and how she is his toughest critic . In her book , she notes that most of their conversations are about politics . They disagree and debate the issues , she writes , from capital punishment to tax reform . The book is selling fast at a bookstore in downtown Tokyo . Yuko Soma , editor of Gentosha Inc. publishing company , says it issued 15,000 books for its first edition that went on sale Thursday . Sales have been so brisk , the company was publishing a second edition of 30,000 books , Soma said Friday morning . By Friday afternoon , Soma called CNN to say the publisher was boosting the second edition print to 60,000 . Soma said the initial idea for the book came from Yusuke Nakagawa , an author and lifelong friend of the Kans. . Nakagawa helped Kan come up with the idea of a `` spicy tell-all , '' Soma said . Japanese voters may not react badly to this unconventional turn by a first lady . The last prime minister 's wife , Miyuki Hatoyama , was embraced by the public for her quirks . Hatoyama wrote that her soul rode on a triangular-shaped UFO and went to Venus , which was very beautiful and green . On a Japanese talk show , Hatoyama also claimed actor Tom Cruise was Japanese in a previous life and Cruise would know her if they met . On the same talk show , Hatoyama said she and her husband get energy by `` eating the sun . '' Japanese voters took the eccentricities in stride , disapproving of then-prime minister Yukio Hatoyama for his policies , not his wife 's quirks . Prime Minister Naoto Kan appears to have been left out of the writing of his wife 's book . Talking to reporters , the prime minister joked , `` I 'm afraid to read it . ''
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Prime Minister Naoto Kan ca n't cook or dress well , wife says . She also questions his ability to govern . Nobuko Kan says she ca n't give the leader a passing grade for speech delivery . The marriage between the Kans spans four decades .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New rules designed to protect credit card users from `` unreasonable late payment and other penalty fees '' went into effect Sunday as a result of the Credit Card Act of 2009 . The rules block credit card companies from charging more than $ 25 for late payments except in extreme circumstances , prevent them from charging customers for not using their cards , and requires them to reconsider rate increases imposed since January 1 , 2009 , according to the Federal Reserve , which approved the regulations . They are the final provisions of federal legislation that placed new restrictions on credit card interest rates and fees , completing the most comprehensive overhaul of the credit card industry in history . The banking industry has already made changes in response to the Credit Card Accountability , Responsibility , and Disclosure -LRB- CARD -RRB- Act of 2009 , a spokesman said Sunday . `` The industry has moved swiftly to implement all of these changes and the final piece of the puzzle is now in place , '' said Kenneth Clayton of the American Bankers Association . `` It will still take some time before we can really see how the landscape has changed , but it is clear that consumer choice and control will ultimately drive further changes in the marketplace , '' he said in a statement . The Fed 's rules could result in lower interest rates for consumers . Banks will have to reduce rates if the reasons for increases imposed in the last 20 months no longer exist , and regulators will review and enforce such cuts . Consumers will most immediately notice the new penalty fee limit of $ 25 . Reducing penalty fees was a central provision of the credit card law , but Congress left it to the Fed to determine how to do it . The Fed leaves room for larger penalty fees to be charged if a consumer has shown a pattern of `` repeated '' violations or if a card issuer can show that a higher fee reasonably offsets its own costs in dealing with the violation that spurred the penalty . Among other new rules , penalty fees ca n't exceed the dollar amount incurred by the consumer 's violation that spurred the fee . For example , if a customer is late making a $ 20 minimum payment , the fee ca n't exceed $ 20 . A consumer who exceeds her credit limit by $ 5 can not be charged an over-the-limit fee of more than $ 5 . Consumers will no longer face multiple penalty fees if the violation was based on a single late payment . The provisions , which were announced in June , complement previous rules of the 2009 credit card law that are already in effect . Starting in February , issuers were prohibited from hiking interest rates on existing balances as long as customers paid their bills on time . They also have to notify customers at least 45 days in advance of interest rate increases and most fee changes . The Fed was tasked with figuring out a way to set penalty fees in a way that 's `` reasonable and proportional '' to the violation that caused the fee . Consumers scored a win , since these fee caps go beyond what the Fed had suggested earlier this year in a draft . The $ 25 limit will mean significant savings for consumers who face median penalty fees of $ 39 , according to data collected by the Pew Safe Credit Cards Project . However , if a cardholder is late or over his credit limit two times within six months , issuers could hike the second penalty fee to $ 35 , or possibly more if the issuer can justify the fee to regulators , according to the Fed rules . Although the Fed is cracking down on penalty fees , it has n't addressed the interest rate hikes that are also imposed on consumers who violate the terms of their credit card agreements . So a consumer who spends more than his credit card limit by $ 15 may only face a $ 15 fee . But that consumer could still face a permanent penalty hike on his interest rate , which would apply to any future purchases . Still , some banking groups have concerns . Financial Services Roundtable 's senior lobbyist Scott Talbott warned that the Fed 's cap on penalty fees will limit the industry 's ability to offset the risk that credit cardholders do n't pay their bills . `` The restrictions in the rules the Fed issued will decrease the ability of the credit card industry to price for risk and the net effect will be a decrease in -LSB- credit -RSB- availability , '' Talbott said . CNN 's Scott Spoerry and CNNMoney 's Jennifer Liberto contributed to this report .
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The rules block companies from charging more than $ 25 for late payments in most cases . They also ban charges for not using cards . The Federal Reserve announced the changes resulting from the Credit Card Act of 2009 .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It all started with an acoustic guitar and a MySpace page . John Vesely , better known as Secondhand Serenade , began as a one-man acoustic act . Making a name for himself with his honest tales of love and loss , Vesely utilized the then-budding social networking empire to make his music known . Vesely 's songs are an emotional roller coaster that propelled the singer through his self-produced acoustic debut `` Awake '' to his 2008 sophomore release `` A Twist in My Story , '' which included a full band and production team . His third studio album , `` Hear Me Now , '' hits stores Tuesday and will include a more upbeat , electronic feel . Returning to his roots , Vesely self-produced and recorded three new tracks for this latest album in his bedroom with his drummer Tom Breyfogle . Vesely 's West Hollywood location is more than just a home . Vesely 's band mates use it as a crash pad , the singer 's bedroom doubles as a recording studio and his garage/laundry room was converted into the band 's rehearsal space . Vesely talked with CNN from his bedroom studio about the production of his new album , the evolution of his music and maintaining his personal relationship with his fans through Twitter and Facebook . CNN : When did you begin writing material for your third album ? Vesely : This writing process actually started a lot earlier than you would think . One of the songs on the album was one of the first songs I 've ever written . There were a few songs -- like , for instance , a song called Nightmares , on the album ... was a song that I had written for `` Awake , '' which was years ago , like four years ago I think . And there 's a song called `` Only Hope in South by Southwest , '' when I went right after I signed with the label , so it was well before I recorded `` Twist in My Story . '' And some of the songs I wrote literally in the studio . ... I mean , as far as `` Something More '' and `` You and I '' and all those songs , like literally , `` You and I '' I wrote in February and recorded in February . That was like one of the last things we did . CNN : Your second album had a bit of a darker tone , but you 've said your new album is more upbeat and reflective . Did that just come about with the writing of it ? Vesely : The new album 's upbeat feel definitely came along with the writing of it . All the albums have kind of spread out and become a different chapter of my personal story . ... This album is more about me personally rather than telling stories about a relationship . A lot of it is self-reflection and , you know , owning up to the fact that I was n't a great person at some points and I 'm not proud of some things I 've done or some ways I 've acted , and it 's hard when you make mistakes and kind of brush them under the carpet , and leave them for later , and I finally wanted to deal with that in this album . It was a lot about telling people what 's happened and being able to free yourself after that . Once you get that out , you can move on and be happy . I 'm in a really happy place right now because I 'm so focused on music , surrounded by great people and really talented musicians , and I 'm kind of given a second chance now , and I want to really take that and cherish it . CNN : When you first started working with music producers on your second album , did you find you liked that better ? And why did you choose to self-produce some tracks on your new album ? Vesely : I definitely have always liked to do things by myself , just because I like to be a part of it . The more I do , the more it 's my music , personally . Of course , working with a producer is a necessary thing when you 're making music , because they 're trying to put your creative thoughts together , and make it as effective as possible in a song form . ... Being able to do the three tracks on this new album on my own with my drummer Tom -LSB- Breyfogle -RSB- was a great experience because it was the first time that I 'd gotten to produce something except my first album `` Awake , '' but that was pretty much just acoustic guitar and vocals , so there 's not much production going on , so to speak . CNN : `` Awake '' was just you and your acoustic guitar . Now you 've added a full band and more production . How have your fans reacted to more production and a bigger sound ? Vesely : `` Something More , '' it 's the new single , it 's been out on iTunes for little bit now , and we 've gotten a lot of really , really good feedback . And it makes me happy to see -- going from an acoustic background to this more electronic , rhythmic feel -- they still find the beauty and the honesty in the music , and they can appreciate it , and that 's really important . But there 's always people that are n't into it . For instance , some people will -LSB- give it a bad review -RSB- and say , `` What 's going on , what is this ? '' Then they 'll continue , `` It 's not a bad song , but it 's totally not Secondhand Serenade . '' So it 's not necessarily a bad review they 're giving , it 's just that they ca n't get past the fact that I 'm evolving as an artist and I 'm trying to break out creatively . And that 's OK ; you ca n't please everyone because if I 'd still be playing acoustic right now , everyone would be like , `` OK , we get it , you 're acoustic , what now ? '' I think the evolution 's necessary , and it 's natural , and I hope people can appreciate it . CNN : You 've responded to feedback and sometimes criticism from your fans that you 've received online . Why do you think it 's important to address that ? Vesely : I 'm very , very personal with my fans . I Twitter like crazy and I Facebook like crazy , and I respond to them all the time , and it 's something that 's been important to me since the beginning cause that 's pretty much how I got started . They 're like part of my army , they work with me , and I ca n't do any of this without them . I feel it 's important , rather than ignore them and be like , `` Whatever , I 'm still selling the album and still selling the song , and one person 's opinion does n't matter . '' You know one person 's opinion , two people 's opinions , or five people 's opinions , even if it 's among thousands or hundreds of thousands of opinions , it still matters .
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John Vesely , better known as Secondhand Serenade , started as a one-man acoustic act . He self-produced and recorded three new tracks for this latest album in his bedroom . Vesely says he maintains his connection with fans via social networking .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods was forced to apologize to three members of the public gallery at the Muirfield Village course after hitting them with errant shots . The world number one handed each person a signed glove by way of apology as he battles to recapture his best form . Woods finished on six-under in the Memorial Tournament , 12 shots behind winner Justin Rose , from England , who shot a final round 66 bagged his first ever win in the United States . After his final round Woods was asked in a press conference if he was running low on gloves . He replied : `` No kidding , huh . I kept getting everybody out there today . No , but thank God I get them -LSB- gloves -RSB- for free . '' He admitted his form is still patchy but that he was heading in the right direction : `` I have to take it step by step . It 's a process . I hit shots this week I had n't hit in a long time and got four rounds in . `` Short game , chipping was streaky , I 'd have to say . I hit some really sweet shots and hit some really bad ones . Just needs a little bit of work . But I really putted well this week , which is good . I had good speed . '' Woods comfirmed he would n't be participating in next week 's St Jude Classic in Memphis , as he focuses his preparation on the U.S. Open which starts at Pebble Beach in California on June 17 . `` It 's a shot-making golf course , '' he said . `` You have to hit the ball well there because the greens are so small . People do n't realize some of these putts you have to hit the ball in correct spots . '' Woods finished tied for 19th place -- some way off 29-year-old Rose who was ecstatic after securing his first win in the U.S after years of trying . `` I 've had a few close calls over time , and you start to sometimes wonder why you ca n't get it done , '' Rose said . `` To win here at the Memorial , at Jack 's tournament , I could n't think of a better place to win my first tournament . ''
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Tiger Woods struck three members in the crowd with wayward shots at the Memorial Tournament . Woods gave all three people a signed glove by way of apology . Justin Rose shot a final round of 66 to register his first win on U.S. soil .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lawyers for Mel Gibson and his ex-girlfriend attended a closed hearing with a Los Angeles family court judge for two hours Thursday morning , but neither Gibson nor Oksana Grigorieva were there . Court proceedings in the custody dispute over their 8-month-old daughter are conducted `` under seal '' with reporters kept waiting in the courthouse hallway . The lawyers for each side refused to address reporters ' questions as they left the hearing . Grigorieva has accused Gibson of striking her in the face , while he alleges that she attempted to extort him to keep controversial recordings of their arguments a secret . Several explosive audio recordings , purportedly between Grigorieva and Gibson , have been released online in recent days . RadarOnline released another recording Tuesday of a vicious argument said to be between Gibson and Grigorieva , in which the man is accused of striking the woman and the couple 's child -- an accusation the man does not deny . Police in Malibu Hills , California , opened an investigation earlier this month into an alleged domestic violence incident between Gibson and Grigorieva . Los Angeles County Sheriff 's spokesman Steve Whitmore said last week that the recordings `` will be part of the investigation '' into the alleged domestic violence . `` In Session '' correspondents have made several unsuccessful attempts to reach out to Gibson for comment and to verify whether the voice on the tapes is his . Grigorieva has filed a restraining order against Gibson , said her spokesman , Stephen Jaffe . Meanwhile , investigators are looking into the extortion allegations against Grigorieva . `` Allegations of extortion have been brought to our attention and we are certainly going to look into it , '' Whitmore said Wednesday . Grigorieva 's spokesman told CNN Wednesday that she stands by an earlier statement that there is `` no credible evidence '' of extortion . A source close to the investigation told CNN that Gibson 's lawyer met with Los Angeles County Sheriff 's investigators Tuesday to present evidence that Grigorieva , 40 , attempted to extort money from Gibson to keep audio recordings secret . `` To specifically address the allegations , my client , Ms. Grigorieva , has repeatedly stated that there is no credible evidence whatsoever of extortion by her , and she stands steadfastly by that statement , '' Jaffe said . CNN 's Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report .
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NEW : Lawyers would not reveal what happened in the closed hearing . Mel Gibson and his ex-girlfriend are in a bitter child custody fight . Explosive audio recordings , purportedly between the couple , surfaced this month . In one , the man does not deny an accusation that he struck the woman .
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-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- So what did you do this weekend ? Chances are , nothing as cool as the folks who traveled to Astoria , Oregon , to commemorate 25 years of `` The Goonies '' at the Never Say Die Anniversary Celebration . A quarter century ago , to the day , on June 7th , `` The Goonies '' opened in movie theaters across the country . And while it came in behind `` Rambo II , '' released on the same opening weekend , the tale of a group of teens who embark on a treasure hunt to raise the money to save their homes -- all while being chased by a crazed crime family -- went on to become a cult classic . To celebrate the movie , fans at the festival ran a 5K race called the `` Truffle Shuffle . '' They chatted with cast members -- including Sean Astin and director Richard Donner -- at a dinner where the main dish was Fratelli meatballs . And they were treated to a `` Goonies '' - themed concert starring none other than Truth Movement , the band of `` Goonie '' actor Corey Feldman . The Frisky : Madonna 's 13-year-old daughter becomes a fashion model . Wish you had gone ? Me too . And here are 10 reasons why we still love `` The Goonies , '' even after a quarter of a century : . 1 . `` The Goonies '' is a movie about outcasts . -LRB- Well , with the exception of cheerleader Andy who becomes an honorary member of the crew . -RRB- And you know how much we love nerd movies and TV shows . 2 . One word : Chunk . Played by Jeff Cohen , Chunk was hilarious as the flick 's comic relief . When the Fratellis demand that he tell them everything , he begins one of the best monologues in 80s movie history . `` In third grade , I cheated on my history exam . In fourth grade , I stole my uncle Max 's toupee and I glued it on my face when I was Moses in my Hebrew School play . In fifth grade , I knocked my sister Edie down the stairs and blamed it on the dog . '' You 'll be happy to know that Jeff is no longer chunky and is now a hot , well-renowned entertainment lawyer in Beverly Hills . The Frisky : 6 celeb couples tell where they went on their first date . 3 . `` The Goonies '' was the brainchild of Steven Spielberg . It was conceived during what I like to think of as his golden era -- nestled in between `` E.T. '' and `` Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom . '' 4 . It 's hard to believe but true -- Corey Haim and Corey Feldman first met because of `` The Goonies . '' `` It was in the waiting room -- we were auditioning for the same role , '' says Corey Feldman , who got the part of Mouth in the flick . Though Corey Haim was frozen out of this one , they 'd become one of the iconic duos of the 80s . The Frisky : A `` Real Housewife of NJ '' is $ 11 million in debt -- how ? 5 . `` The Goonies '' had an awesome soundtrack , with tracks from 80s greats like The Bangles and REO Speedwagon . But the classic track of the movie was Cyndi Lauper 's `` Good Enough '' -- the 12-minute , two-part video starred not only the cast but 80s wrestling favorites like Andre the Giant . 6 . We know Josh Brolin as the hottie from `` No Country For Old Men '' and the tragic bad guy in `` Milk . '' But his first role ? Brandon `` Brand '' Walsh -- the Goonie who 's able to win the heart of cool girl Andy . The Frisky : The MTV Movie Awards was one big shillfest . 7 . I saw `` The Goonies '' in the movie theater , and will never forget the scene where the group makes it through the maze of caverns and puzzles and ends in the cave where they first see One-Eyed Willie 's ship . It was breathtaking . Apparently , for the stars of the movie , too . Director Richard Donner did n't let them see the fully re-created ship because he wanted the authentic emotion of awe on film . And he got it . 8 . `` The Goonies '' had a good message -- mainly that kids could take action and make real change in their community . Sure , they most likely would n't do it by finding a buried treasure from the 17th century , but still . The Frisky : The 10 lamest celebrity publicity stunts . 9 . Oh , and I almost forgot about Data . How do you not love a pre-teen who creates his own inventions like the `` Wings of Flight , '' the `` Pincers of Peril , '' and the `` Bully Blinder '' ? I always wanted him and MacGyver to have a showdown . 10 . `` The Goonies '' was thrilling the first time you saw it . But thanks to TBS playing it , oh , every weekend , we 've gotten to see it 90,000 times and get all the nuances . While rumors have circulated for years that `` Goonies 2 '' is in the works , it just does n't look like it 's going to happen . Luckily , though , Donner is currently working on a Broadway version of the story . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
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`` The Goonies '' is a movie about outcasts . The film was the brainchild of Steven Spielberg . Corey Haim and Corey Feldman first met because of `` The Goonies ''
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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The town of Bedford , New York , is not happy with a tent set up as part of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi 's visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly , a town attorney said Tuesday . The tent is on property that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is renting in New York , WABC reported . `` I discussed this matter with town officials , and the town building inspector believes that this would constitute a violation of several town zoning and land use laws , '' Bedford town attorney Joel Sachs said . `` I directed the town building inspector to immediately go to the property and issue a stop work order , which would the individuals to cease erecting the tent . '' Sachs said if he had to he would take the issue to a higher court to get the tent taken down . New York state Sen. Vincent Liebell confirmed to CNN affiliate WABC that Gadhafi had rented the property . `` He 's not going to have many fans in Bedford or Westchester County , certainly not me , '' the senator said . `` There 's not going to be any welcome mat for him in Bedford . '' The property is owned by the Trump Organization , which said in a statement : `` We have business partners and associates all over the world . The property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners , who may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gadhafi . We are looking into the matter . '' Watch CNN crew look for Gadhafi 's tent '' County Executive Andy Spano said earlier Tuesday he had heard unconfirmed reports that Gadhafi may be staying there . `` There is no legal way to prevent this , as he is a head of state , despite the fact that he has a long history as a terrorist , '' Spano said in a statement . `` However , from my point of view , he is not welcome in Westchester . '' State Department officials said there are no limitations on Gadhafi 's visa that would prevent him from traveling to the area . They said their understanding was that Gadhafi was not staying at the tent , but was visiting and having meetings there . He is staying in New York , the officials said . The U.N. General Assembly begins Wednesday . Under the Foreign Mission Act , the United States does have the right to restrict travel by diplomats to within a certain distance of U.N. headquarters , but the officials said Westchester County is within that radius . Gadhafi travels with a trademark Bedouin tent . Last month , Gadhafi stirred up anger when he permitted a large welcome for Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi , the Libyan convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 , which exploded over Lockerbie , Scotland , in December 1988 . Al Megrahi was released by Scottish authorities on compassionate medical grounds , and the celebration of his homecoming infuriated some families of the Pan Am 103 victims . CNN 's Ekin Middleton , Elise Labott and Jen Haley contributed to this report .
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Town attorney for Bedford says tent violates zoning and land use restrictions . Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is in United States for visit to United Nations . Tent erected on rented property in Bedford , Westchester County . Gadhafi stirred anger with large welcome for man convicted in plane bombing .
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-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- We were worried that Sandra Bullock was going to disappear out there in the Texas flatlands and take a Hollywood hiatus for good . Thank goodness we were wrong . The word is that she may be coming out of hiding to reunite with her costar from `` The Proposal , '' Ryan Reynolds , for a new action comedy called `` Most Wanted . '' Welcome back , rom-com queen ! Inspired by this quirky , funny re-coupling , here are nine more classic and endearing onscreen couples that we want to see get back together on the big screen . The Frisky : 8 celebrity dudes describe their dream women . 1 . There is no magic like the magic of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in `` The Notebook . '' We need them back together ASAP ... on and off screen . 2 . Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio have done a couple of brilliant collaborations , but what about Kate 's chemistry with Jim Carrey in `` Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ? '' We ca n't forget it . The Frisky : 6 celeb couples dish on their -LRB- cheap ! -RRB- first dates . 3 . We wish that Johnny Depp and Winona Rider could put all the broken engagement and shoplifting drama behind them and give us another taste of that Burton-style bad romance , à la `` Edward Scissorhands . '' 4 . It 's been way too long since Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau were so `` money '' together in `` Swingers . '' The Frisky : Is Julia Roberts ' `` Eat , Pray , Love '' the most boring movie poster ever ? 5 . I do n't think it 's too late for Diane Keaton and Woody Allen to bring back some of their neurotic , onscreen charm from `` Annie Hall '' and `` Manhattan . '' 6 . Do Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in `` Good Will Hunting '' count as a couple ? If so , let 's try it again , shall we ? The Frisky : Team Bella ? What the `` Twilight '' credit cards looks like . 7 . We 're hoping for another movie starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt , only this time they end up together , unlike in `` 500 Days of Summer . '' 8 . Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray 's chemistry was never `` Lost in Translation '' for us . Let 's do part deux ! 9 . We need to see Lloyd Dobbler -LRB- aka John Cusack -RRB- and Diane Court -LRB- aka Ione Skye -RRB- from `` Say Anything '' all grown-up and back onscreen . The Frisky : Is `` Bachelorette '' Ali really single ? TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
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There is no magic like the magic of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in `` The Notebook '' It 's not too late for Keaton and Allen to bring back some neurotic , onscreen charm . Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray 's chemistry was never `` Lost in Translation '' for us .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police have added a second charge of capital murder against an Irving , Texas , woman who allegedly told a 911 operator that she strangled her two young children because they were autistic , a spokeswoman for the district attorney said Friday . Saiqa Akhter , 30 , now faces two charges of capital murder of a child under 5 in the deaths of her 2-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son , Dallas County district attorney spokeswoman Jamille Bradfield said . A woman who identified herself as Akhter called police Monday evening and said she first tried to kill her children with bathroom cleaner , but they would not drink it . She told the 911 operator that she then strangled them with a wire and that they were on her bed . Police and paramedics tried to resuscitate the children , but Zain Akhter died at the hospital Monday , and his younger sister , Faryaal Akhter , died at the hospital Tuesday evening , according to authorities . On the tape , the woman tells the operator , `` I killed them . I killed both of them . I killed my both kids . ... They are not doing anything . They are just blue . They are not taking any breaths . Their heart is not beating . '' The operator asks her what happened . `` First , I tried to give them bathroom cleaner . I put in their mouth , but they do n't drink it . I want them to drink it . They do n't drink it . ... I grabbed their neck ... and they are no more , '' she says on the tape . The operator continues to talk to the woman to keep her on the phone until officers arrive . She asks why she killed her children , and the woman says she wanted normal children . `` They are autistic . I do n't want my kids to be autistic , '' she is heard saying in an even tone . The operator then asks her what she is feeling , and she says `` nothing . '' Akhter is being held in the Dallas County jail in lieu of $ 1 million bail . According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services , the Akhter family had a referral in 2009 for `` neglectful supervision . ''
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Saiqa Akhter , 30 , of Irving , Texas , is charged with capital murder . She told the 911 operator she wanted `` normal '' children . Child services worked with the family in 2009 to find resources for their situation .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sudan 's first multiparty elections in 24 years , which wrapped up earlier this week , fell short of international standards but should be recognized as an important step forward for the nation , observers said Saturday . `` While it is too early to offer a final overall assessment , it is apparent that the elections will fall sort of meeting international standards and Sudan 's obligations for genuine elections in many respects , '' said a statement from the Carter Center , one of several groups observing the balloting . `` Nonetheless , the elections are important as a key benchmark in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and because of the increased political and civic participation that has occurred over the last several months . Ultimately , the success of the elections will depend on whether Sudanese leaders take action to promote lasting democratic transformation . '' The European Union Election Observation Mission criticized the election for showing `` significant deficiencies against international standards '' but said the vote paves the way for democratic progress . Counting of ballots began Friday in Sudan , nearly a week after voting began . Sudan 's election commission extended the vote for two days past the original Tuesday deadline after observers complained of technical problems , including ballots being sent to the wrong polling stations and registers that were missing voters ' names . The voting -- for president , parliament and other local positions -- was scrutinized by about 750 international and 18,000 domestic observers . Opposition parties accused the ruling National Congress Party of fraud , prompting some parties to partially or fully withdraw from the vote . One of those parties was the SPLM , or Sudanese People 's Liberation Movement . In a statement Saturday , the party said that despite his withdrawal , SPLM presidential candidate Yasir Saeed Arman held a healthy lead in southern Sudan . Arman withdrew from the presidential race last month , and the party decided to boycott elections in northern Sudan . In the north of the county , Arman `` predictably did not do well in a race he was never part of , '' the SPLM said in the statement . `` The election days were mostly calm , orderly and peaceful , within a well-maintained security environment , '' the EU observation mission said in a Saturday statement . `` The Sudanese people are to be congratulated on the patience and forbearance shown by their considerable voter turnout despite the challenges encountered during the polling days . '' The U.S.-based Carter Center echoed those comments , but noted , `` notwithstanding these generally positive features , Carter Center observers noted important flaws . '' The voter registration process faced `` critical shortcomings , '' the center said , and resulted in `` broad but uneven '' participation across the country . It noted that preliminary lists were not posted for public review , especially in southern Sudan , and `` the status of the final voter registry and list of polling stations remained uncertain . '' In addition , `` on election day , voters faced a range of operational and logistical problems : late delivery of and/or inadequate materials , incomplete or inaccurate voters ' lists , incorrect or insufficient ballots , ballots with inappropriate languages and a lack of consistency in procedures , '' the Carter Center said . The two-day extension in voting helped partially alleviate some of those concerns , it said . The balloting was absent safeguards and transparency necessary to `` verify key steps and build confidence and trust in the process , '' according to the statement . `` Our observers reported problems with ink , ballot box seals , and the process of identifying voters . '' There were also reports of underage voters casting ballots , the center said . The election was a key part of a 2005 peace deal , the Comprehensive Peace Agreement , that helped end decades of civil war between the country 's north and south . The conflict pitted Christian and Animist southerners against Muslim northerners , leaving more than 2 million people dead . The peace deal also called for a referendum next year to determine whether the south should become an independent nation . `` The elections in the South experienced a high incidence of intimidation and the threat or use of force , '' the Carter Center said . `` There were numerous instances of the Sudan Peoples ' Liberation Army intimidating voters and being stationed too close to polling stations . State interference in the campaigns of opposition candidates was widespread in the South . '' However , the EU mission said , the elections showed progress on gender equality , `` as a minimum of 25 percent of all legislative seats will be occupied by women . '' `` This election saw the development of the capacity of civil society : hundreds of groups , encompassing thousands of individual citizens , displayed high levels of commitment and engaged in election observation for many days , '' the EU statement said . `` This extensive involvement by Sudanese civil society who showed great commitment , particularly in domestic observation , contributed to the transparency of the electoral process . '' Election results are expected next week , observers have said .
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Carter Center : `` It is apparent that the elections will fall sort of meeting international standards '' EU agency monitoring elections said vote paves way for democratic progress . Counting of ballots began Friday in Sudan , nearly a week after voting began . Opposition parties accused the ruling National Congress Party of fraud .
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-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- We know it 's serious news . But we 'll admit : The recent arrest of 11 members of a so-called Russian espionage ring -- coupled with coverage of their assumed identities , their old-school tactics -LRB- invisible ink ! -RRB- , and even , in the case of `` red-hot beauty '' Anna Chapman , their coquettish Facebook pictures -- got us thinking about some of our favorite stylish spies from film and television . Here 's a list of our top 10 . 1 . Anya Amasova in `` The Spy Who Loved Me '' KGB agent Major Anya Amasova -LRB- code name : Triple X -RRB- had a love/hate relationship with her British counterpart , James Bond , in the 1977 film . Together , they traveled through Egypt and battled Jaws , a steel-toothed , 7-foot-tall assassin . But when the mission ended , Amasova -- played by American model Barbara Bach -LRB- who looked almost as good in her uniform as she did in a bathing suit -RRB- -- fell far short of her stated goal of killing Bond ; instead , she bedded him -LRB- in a submarine escape pod , no less -RRB- . InStyle.com : The 21 most iconic swimsuits ever . 2 . Emma Peel in `` The Avengers '' British agent John Steed had several different partners over the course of the original 1960s series , but Emma Peel , played by Diana Rigg , was the best : A certified genius equally adept at fencing and martial arts , she fought mad scientists in mod black-and-white ensembles -LRB- many of which were designed by Pierre Cardin -RRB- . Uma Thurman stepped into the iconic leather catsuit for a big-screen version in 1998 . 3 . Sydney Bristow in `` Alias '' Jennifer Garner was nothing short of sensational as Sydney Bristow , a vulnerable-yet-deadly double-agent working with the CIA in the series that kicked off in 2001 . More to the point , she looked sensational , masquerading as everything from club kid to hotel maid to geisha with stylish aplomb . InStyle.com : Jennifer Garner 's transformation . 4 . Nikita in `` La Femme Nikita '' Anne Parillaud played the titular cocktail-dress-clad assassin in Luc Besson 's original 1990 film : She went from teenage drug addict to literal femme fatale at the behest of her French intelligence agency handlers . Bridget Fonda starred in Point of No Return , the 1993 Hollywood remake , and Peta Wilson found fame in a late 1990s TV version . This fall , the character will be resurrected yet again , as Maggie Q takes on the title role in the CW series `` Nikita . '' 5 . Vanessa Kensington , Felicity Shagwell , and Foxxy Cleopatra in the `` Austin Powers '' movies . They came from three different eras and worked for three different agencies , but Vanessa Kensington -LRB- Elizabeth Hurley -RRB- , Felicity Shagwell -LRB- Heather Graham -RRB- and Foxxy Cleopatra -LRB- Beyoncé Knowles -RRB- had more in common than their line of work and their improbable attraction to the snaggle-toothed spy Austin Powers . They also shared an affinity for truly over-the-top ensembles , as seen above ; we like Vanessa 's futuristic silver shift best . InStyle.com : Beyoncé 's Transformation . 6 . Agent 99 in `` Get Smart '' Eminently capable and devastatingly gorgeous , Anne Hathaway 's Agent 99 was the only CONTROL agent , aside from Maxwell Smart , whose identity had n't been compromised at the start of the 2008 film . -LRB- The character was updated from the version Barbara Feldon played in the original 1960s show . -RRB- The series of ever-more-fabulous couture getups she donned over the course of her and Maxwell 's mission was n't exactly believable , but it sure was impressive . 7 . Vesper Lynd in `` Casino Royale '' Eva Green played Vesper Lynd , a British Treasury agent brought in to bankroll James Bond during a game of high stakes poker in this 2006 `` reboot '' of the series . But she certainly did n't look like a boring bureaucrat : Instead , the terminally conflicted Vesper stunned in a series of dramatic evening gowns , including this sophisticated open-backed number . InStyle.com : Stars in bikinis . 8 . Claire Phelps in `` Mission : Impossible '' The pillow-lipped French film star Emmanuelle Béart played a member of the fancifully named Impossible Missions Force in this 1996 big-screen adaptation of the classic TV show . Tom Cruise , as Ethan Hunt , may have suspected that his fellow agent 's loyalties were divided , but given how beautiful she looked in her well-cut separates and chic little suits , we understand his inability to keep his guard up . 9 . Helen Tasker in `` True Lies '' Our favorite scene in 1995 's `` True Lies '' comes when the formerly bored wife of secret agent Harry Tasker -LRB- Arnold Schwarzenegger -RRB- converts her slightly frumpy high-necked , long-sleeved dress into a short , sexy cocktail mini with little more than her bare hands . After Helen -LRB- Jamie Lee Curtis -RRB- slicks her hair back with a bit of water from a vase of flowers , she 's ready for intrigue . InStyle.com : Stars ' most memorable dresses . 10 . Claire Stenwick in `` Duplicity '' Julia Roberts played a CIA-agent-turned-corporate-spy opposite Clive Owens in this 2009 romp . And , of course , she had all the usual accoutrements -- dark sunglasses , black trench , etc. -- but we loved this romantic V-necked printed dress she wore while shooting in Rome , Italy . Bonus : Evelyn Salt in `` Salt '' Okay , we have n't yet seen `` Salt , '' in which Angelina Jolie stars as a CIA officer accused of being a double agent , and it 's not in theaters until July 23rd . But if the action-packed trailer is any indication -LRB- and , judging by the numerous shots of Jolie looking chic on set -RRB- , it looks to be a very stylish entry into the cannon . Want more of the sexiest spies in pop culture ? Visit InStyle.com for the complete slideshow ! Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2010 Time Inc. . All rights reserved .
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Jennifer Garner was nothing short of sensational as Sydney Bristow in `` Alias '' Hurley , Graham and Knowles shined in the `` Austin Powers '' movies . Julia Roberts played a CIA-agent-turned-corporate-spy in `` Duplicity ''
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-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Soon after Betty White hosted `` Saturday Night Live , '' I remember asking my friend Nate , a fellow `` Golden Girls '' fanatic , what he thought of all the fuss around White 's meteoric comeback . He rolled his eyes , shrugged , and said , `` It 's just weird that everybody 's finally come around to realizing that Betty White is amazing . Where have they been ? '' He was right : the recent trend of people catching on to the fact that Betty White is terrific felt patronizing , and not just because most were astonished that an adorable old lady could land a joke better than most `` SNL '' hosts one-third her age -LRB- I 'm talking about you , January Jones -RRB- ; it was the belated appreciation of White 's fabulousness that made all of us look even sillier . The Frisky : Celeb twins - 10 famous females who come in pairs . And now , there 's Joan Rivers . Rivers , younger than White by over a decade , has been working steadily since the 1950s , and , after this week 's release of a great new documentary about her life , `` Joan Rivers : A Piece of Work , '' she is poised to become the Next Belated Big Thing -- for those who needed 60 years to catch on to the fact that she is wonderful . The Frisky : 6 celeb couples dish on their -LRB- cheap ! -RRB- first dates . Unlike Betty White , Rivers did n't have the benefit of starring in a series of beloved television shows , nor did she play characters as affable , matronly , or warmly dotty . Rivers honed her act as a stand-up in the 1960s , when few other women had the guts to talk about not being desired by men on stage or joke about women who were flying to Puerto Rico for illegal abortions on `` The Ed Sullivan Show . '' The Frisky : 10 stars who -LRB- maybe -RRB- have secret babies . Since then , she 's worked consistently -- if one seeks out her entry on Wikipedia , you ca n't find more than three years in a row where she has n't had a TV show . This is because Rivers , who defines happiness as a full appointment book , does n't have the luxury of turning down projects that are n't classy , or cushy , or critically celebrated ; she 'll sell her jewelry on QVC ; she 'll do commercials and perform on a cruise ship . She would wake up early , shoot an episode of her own TV show , or do a guest spot on another one , wrap for the day , then get downtown in time to do her weekly stand-up show at the Westbeth Theater . Joan Rivers loves to work , and she 'll stop only when she 's dead . The Frisky : 8 celebrity dudes describe their dream women . So why did it take so long for audiences to respect not just her work ethic , but to realize how talented she is ? Based on the reactions so far to her documentary film `` A Piece of Work , '' it seems that what people find most shocking is that she is actually one of the funniest -- and edgiest -- in the comedy biz . David Edelstein , in New York magazine , remarked how , after watching her stand-up in the film , he was `` ready to be her slave , '' and added , `` I never knew she worked this blue , that she had this much Lenny Bruce in her . '' The Frisky : Is `` Bachelorette '' Ali really single ? A lot of the delayed appreciation for Joan Rivers has to do with the contempt familiarity breeds . She 's never left our sights , and even appeared more and more on our TV screen -LRB- winning `` Celebrity Apprentice '' last year -RRB- over the years . And , why should she leave showbiz ? Her act is as resilient as her energy level , which , at 77 , is enviable . But , like anything else in comedy , Rivers ' comeback is also about timing . As Rivers ' agent says in the film , Joan knows that in order to get hit by lightning , you have to stand in the rain . And after 60 years of getting soaking wet , Rivers is about to get struck again where she stands -- feet planted firmly , and not going anywhere . The Frisky : 10 famous men stayed with their mistresses . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
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Joan Rivers has been working steadily since the 1950s . `` A Piece of Work '' shows she is actually one of the funniest people in the business . The delayed appreciation for her has to do with the contempt familiarity breeds .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former south Texas prosecutor has been indicted on a felony charge of misusing money from seized property to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses to himself and his staff , state prosecutors announced Wednesday . A grand jury in Alice , Texas , charged Joe Frank Garza with misapplication of fiduciary duty in connection with the payments . In a 2009 interview with CNN , Garza insisted the payments were legal , but the grand jury disagreed . An audit conducted after he left office found more than $ 1.2 million went to three secretaries Garza called `` my eyes and ears in the community . '' But the then-district attorney also paid himself more than $ 81,000 , which he said was for expenses . Attempts to reach Garza for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday evening . State law forbids officials from converting money from forfeiture cases to personal use or to supplement salaries without the approval of county commissioners , prosecutors said . Garza was allowed to post $ 10,000 bond after being served with the indictment , according to court papers . Garza served as the chief prosecutor for Jim Wells and Brooks counties in south Texas from 2003 to 2008 , when he lost his bid for re-election . Garza 's successor asked the state attorney general 's office to investigate once he left office . Property seizures are a common tactic in drug cases , but critics have argued the practice can lead to abuse by law enforcement agencies . Several motorists have sued authorities in another Texas county , accusing police there of systematically fleecing drivers passing through by seizing cash and other valuables during traffic stops and pressuring the owners to give up the property in exchange for promises not to prosecute . Authorities in the town of Tenaha , near the Louisiana state line , and surrounding Shelby County have denied any wrongdoing , and an effort to restrict the practice failed in the state legislature in 2009 .
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Audit found ex-prosecutor paid $ 1.2 million to three secretaries . Joe Frank Garza told CNN in 2009 that the payments were legal . South Texas district attorney lost his re-election bid in 2008 .
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-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Over the past year , Kate Gosselin has come full circle in the court of public opinion . Around this time last year , most people thought of her as the shrewish mother of eight who was constantly nagging and snapping at her laid-back husband , Jon . As soon as they divorced last summer and Jon started dating a string of questionable 20-somethings , Kate became the sane and stable one to Jon 's man-boy . Then , Kate appeared on `` Dancing with the Stars , '' and again she became the shrew , as rumors flew that she was nasty to her fellow cast members behind the scenes . Well , I 'm going to say something controversial . I like Kate Gosselin . I think she 's smart and appreciate her wry , barely-there sense of humor . I think she 's handled herself with restraint and class for the past year while dealing with the end of her marriage under the tabloid microscope . I appreciate how open she is about her emotions , and how hard it is to move on . And while millions will be watching when `` Kate Plus 8 '' premieres on Sunday , I 'm looking forward to having a second dose of Kate on television with her brand-new reality show , `` Twist of Kate , '' coming to TLC soon . Here are 10 reasons I 'll be watching . 1 . Kate has the best name ever . Not that I 'm biased . The Frisky : Kate Gosselin and 7 others rejected by Playboy . 2 . The concept of the show is a touch schmaltzy , but interesting . Kate takes a letter from a fan struggling through some challenge and visits them to essentially live their lives , meeting their family and doing their job . `` She will be in that person 's shoes . And more often than not , it 's not going to be terribly comfortable for her , '' TLC chief Eileen O'Neill told USA Today . 3 . Kate wrote in a blog post today , `` I look forward to being dropped into the lives of interesting and unique people and families . ... Kate on the back of a trash truck , anyone ? '' Is she really going to be a garbage collector for an episode ? Need . To . See . That . The Frisky : Stars who ended relationships to chase fame . 4 . OK , fine , I want to see what her hair will look like . Will she keep the extensions or go back to her signature porcupine reverse-mullet ? 5 . We also know that in one episode , according to local North Carolina press , she will be a waitress at Finch 's Restaurant . She was spotted filming in Raleigh , North Carolina , in December . Will she be able to deal with rude diners without sending them to time-out ? 6 . It 'll be nice to see Kate get a break from caring for eight kids . Perhaps we 'll get to see her real personality rather than the on-edge OCD mom ? 7 . Perhaps during one of the 12 episodes airing this summer , Kate will meet a guy . How nice it would be to see her out on a date . The Frisky : Clooney 's girlfriend says Jennifer Aniston looks like haggard rocker . 8 . That said , we 're thankful she 's not the next `` Bachelorette . '' We 're glad she decided to go this route instead of straight to a dating show . The Frisky : `` DWTS '' dream team - Oprah , Mr. T , and `` Sawyer '' are on our list . 9 . It 'll be fun to guess which life she test-drives next . Here 's hoping that she gets to be a circus performer . Or maybe she could put her `` Dancing with the Stars '' skills to use , and visit a struggling exotic dancer ? 10 . Hey , it 's better than a show about her ex Jon Gosselin . The Frisky : Heidi Klum to spill her love secrets on her new TV show . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
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According to local North Carolina press , she will be a waitress at one point . Kate was spotted filming in Raleigh , North Carolina , in December . It will be fun to guess which life she 'll test-drive next .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Football fans in Madrid are used to getting their way when it comes to attracting the world 's best talent . Last summer , Real Madrid , the world 's most successful club , splashed out more than $ 200 million to bring former world players of the year Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka to the city . Now the city 's aquarium has launched an audacious bid to bring the unlikely star of the recent World Cup to the Spanish capital with a `` name your price '' offer for Paul the octopus -- the psychic cephalopod who correctly predicted Spain 's triumph at the tournament . In an announcement on its blog Thursday , Madrid Zoo Aquarium said it had begun making the `` necessary arrangements '' for Paul 's transfer and had offered to beat any offer already on the table . Zookeepers said they were also ready to offer other animals in exchange for the octopus and said Paul could expect the `` best care '' befitting of a national hero . Paul , currently resident at the Sea Life Center in Oberhausen , Germany , not only predicted Spain 's win over the Netherlands in the final but also the team 's semifinal success against Germany . Prior to that it had correctly predicted all five of Germany 's earlier results , and picked Germany to beat Uruguay in the third-place playoff , ending the tournament with a remarkable eight-for-eight record . During each prediction , two mussel-filled acrylic boxes labeled with a team 's flag were lowered into his tank . Whichever box he chose conveyed the winning team . Sea Life staff in Oberhausen announced Paul 's retirement from the predictions game earlier this week but said they were considering a `` host of offers from around the globe . '' PR guru Max Clifford told CNN that Paul could become the world 's first multimillion-pound octopus should his handlers choose to cash in on his global fame . Paul : The world 's first millionaire octopus ?
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Madrid Zoo Aquarium says it will beat any offer for psychic octopus . Paul predicted eight results at World Cup , including Spain 's win in final . Octopus achieved global fame , became Spanish national hero . Zoo ready to offer other animals in exchange for Paul , promises best care .
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sister of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found this week two miles from her home in southern California said Friday she would not rest until the killer is apprehended . `` I will not have peace until this this person is found , '' Elizabeth Lopez , 18 , said about the killer of her younger sister Norma , who vanished last Thursday as she walked home from summer classes at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley , about 70 miles east of Los Angeles . Authorities believe that Norma , who had planned to meet a younger sister and a friend at home , took a short cut through a dirt field to reach the family 's residence . Her sister contacted the police when Lopez failed to return home . The girl 's body was discovered Tuesday two miles away and identified Wednesday through dental records , police said . `` I always thought it was something safe , '' Lopez said about the path her sister typically followed . `` I never suspected that my sister would get kidnapped in this empty lot of just dirt . '' Sgt. Joe Barja of the Riverside Valley Sheriff 's Department declined to reveal the cause of death or reveal any injuries Lopez may have sustained but said the department is treating the death as a homicide . The victim 's sister said the family was trying to stay strong and to find the killer . `` That 's what 's keeping us motivated -- to get that person in custody so no other family could actually go through what we are going through , '' Elizabeth Lopez told HLN 's `` Prime . '' `` There 's a family here that loved her very much , even though sometimes we did fight -- but it was something stupid , something dumb . But we love her and miss her and one day we will be together again . '' She expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support the family has received from the community , including a memorial service at the high school , which hundreds of students attended . `` I get a lot of strength from this , '' she said . `` I did not expect this many people to actually support us . I thought this was just going to be one of those kidnappings that people do n't really get involved with ... I did not really expect anyone to actually really listen to the story that we had . '' Lopez said her sister had hope to become a fashion designer , a makeup artist or a model . `` She had really big dreams in life , '' she said . She recalled the last time she saw her sister , the morning of her disappearance . `` She brought me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I opened up my sandwich and it had a happy face made with banana in it , '' Lopez said . The offering was intended to to persuade her sister to lend her a pair of shoes , she said . Police are looking for a green `` SUV-type vehicle '' that was seen driving from the area at the time of Lopez 's disappearance . The parents , who are originally from Guanajuato , Mexico , were being assisted by the Mexican Consulate , said Carolina Zaragoza , head of the consulate 's local office . The victim 's father , Martin Lopez , 44 , told CNN in a telephone interview that the neighborhood was generally a safe one and that Norma usually took precautions to stay safe . `` She never walked around without her mother , '' he said in Spanish . CNN 's Tom Watkins contributed to this report .
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Sister `` will not have peace until this person is found '' Norma Lopez 's body was discovered Tuesday . Norma dreamed of being a fashion designer , makeup artist or model . Authorities believe teen was taking a shortcut home when abducted .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Virginia police officers can question stopped motorists about their immigration status , the state 's attorney general has said , adding fuel to a contentious debate over states ' immigration policies in the wake of a controversial law enacted in Arizona . `` It is my opinion that Virginia law enforcement officers , including conservation officers , may , like Arizona police officers , inquire into the immigration status of persons stopped or arrested , '' Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli writes in the opinion . `` However , persons tasked with enforcing zoning laws lack the authority to investigate criminal violations of the law , including criminal violations of the immigration laws of the United States . '' In `` any legitimate police stop '' -- for criminal or traffic reasons -- `` law enforcement is allowed to ask about other subjects , '' Cuccinelli told CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Wednesday . `` And our opinion addressed the fact that they can ask about illegal immigration , immigration status , along with anything else . '' Cuccinelli issued the opinion Friday at the request of Virginia Delegate Robert `` Bob '' Marshall , a Republican . He said he is obligated to issue such opinions when they are requested by lawmakers . `` This is an outrage , and citizens rightly want officials to do something , '' Marshall told CNN affiliate WDBJ-TV in a report posted on his website . `` Since Congress has taken this as a primary responsibility , they are primarily delinquent on this . '' Parts of Arizona 's immigration law took effect last week after a federal judge blocked portions of it following a challenge from the Obama administration . U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton issued a preliminary injunction that blocked a provision that would have required police to `` make a reasonable attempt to determine the immigration status of a person stopped , detained or arrested '' if the officer has a reasonable suspicion the person is in the United States illegally . Arizona officials have said the law was enacted because the federal government has failed to adequately enforce immigration law . Cuccinelli said Wednesday the difference between the Arizona provision and his opinion -- which does not carry the weight of law -- is that while Virginia officers have the authority to inquire about immigration status , they are not required to do so . `` We 're very sensitive to now allowing for racial profiling , '' he said . '' ... The way we avoid it is , we apply the same rules to everybody . And law enforcement is expected to do that . '' Asked whether his opinion means that stopped motorists must present documentation , Cuccinelli said , `` Well , the first response is simply whether or not they have to answer the questions . There 's not a requirement because a police officer is asking that you have documentation . `` However , it is a requirement under our federal immigration law that those who are not citizens carry evidence , meaning their papers , indicating their legal status , '' he said . `` So if someone is not a citizen , they should have papers indicating their legal status . If they do not , they 're violating federal law , and that is a criminal violation . '' If a police officer can determine someone is in the country illegally at the time of the stop , it provides grounds for arrest , he said . But one advocacy organization said actions like the opinion only serve to muddy the waters on the issue . `` What we are seeing on the issue of immigration is a lot of political gamesmanship and very little in terms of solutions , '' said Clarissa Martinez , director of immigration and national campaigns for the National Council of La Raza , which describes itself as the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States . `` Given the situation in Arizona , for any state or locality to continue pushing in that direction without at least figuring out if this is going to be ruled unconstitutional or not ... I think it 's irresponsible , '' she said . While the issue should be addressed , `` these kinds of antics are just distractions , '' she said . Those who are frustrated and believe the federal government has n't done enough should pressure the government to take action `` as opposed to just adding more chaos , '' she said . While Virginia does not face the same situation as border states like Arizona , the attorney general said , undocumented immigrants pose a `` significant problem . '' Cuccinelli said the federal government presents a `` bottleneck . '' `` They are essentially in charge of whether someone is here legally or not . And if they refuse to undertake that , there 's nothing we can do as a state , '' he said . If the state determines someone is in the country illegally , its options are to hold the person until the federal government retrieves them -- which is very expensive -- or let them go , he said . He pointed to a fatal crash on Sunday , when a man believed to be under the influence of alcohol slammed head-on into a car carrying three nuns . Sister Denise Mosier was killed instantly and the other two were seriously injured . The three were a few miles from the Benedictine monastery in Bristow , Virginia , heading for their annual retreat . The suspect , Carlos Montano , had two previous convictions for driving under the influence , as well as reckless driving , speeding and public drunkenness , according to Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert . Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirmed Montano had twice been in their custody . Both times , he was released on his own recognizance pending deportation proceedings because he was not convicted of a violent felony . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered an immediate review of his deportation proceedings . Montano faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the crash . `` This is a serious problem , '' Cuccinelli said . `` It threatens the safety of Virginians , and I know the problem is similar across the country . We 're just taking gradual steps to address it as aggressively as we can . '' When CNN 's Kieran Chetry pointed out that those in the country legally or citizens also drive under the influence and cause fatal accidents , Cuccinelli replied , `` Unfortunately , ICE had this person in their custody and let them go . They knew he was deportable . '' Dana Schrad , executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police , said Cuccinelli 's opinion , while influential , likely wo n't change the way officers enforce the law , as they were never prohibited from asking about immigration status . The opinion is only an interpretation of the current law that police already operate under , she said . `` I think what this says is , ` OK , Virginia law enforcement , if you ask the question it 's not against the law , ' '' she said . `` We already knew that . '' However , she said officers in general tend to take a `` balanced approach '' to asking such questions , lest they lose the trust of immigrants -- who are also victims of and witnesses to crimes , and whose cooperation can be beneficial . Officers in some communities may ask the question less , while others may ask every time , she said . Ira Mehlman , spokesman for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform , said he does not believe the opinion will lead to racial profiling , because police officers use their own judgment when deciding what questions to ask and opinions to form . For instance , if a driver lacks a license , registration or insurance when pulled over , a police officer might have reasonable suspicion to ask about immigration status , he said . `` These are legitimate concerns . Police officers do have an obligation to look further when they find reasonable suspicion . '' `` Every law is subject to potential abuse , '' he said . `` There are always going to be cops that go over the line . '' Mechanisms should be in place to discipline officers who go too far , he said , but laws can not be thrown out because of that risk . Cuccinelli 's office pointed out in a statement that what an officer can and can not ask in an encounter remains the same , whether the concern is an immigration violation or a bank robbery . `` The law does not distinguish between criminal violations of immigration law versus violations of any other criminal law , '' the statement said . `` Crime is crime . '' But `` when a police officer has ` reasonable articulable suspicion , ' the officer can briefly detain a suspect and investigate whether a crime has occurred , '' the statement said . `` If the officer has probable cause to believe a crime has occurred , the officer can make an arrest . These scenarios are true whether the crime is bank robbery , murder , trespass or criminal violations of immigration laws . The legal framework does not change just because the crime happens to be an immigration-related crime . `` Although immigration is politically controversial , the legal principles discussed in the opinion are a matter of settled law and do not break any new legal ground . '' CNN 's Dugald McConnell and Brian Todd contributed to this report .
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Virginia 's AG says motorists can be asked about immigration status . Ken Cuccinelli says officers are not required to ask . An advocacy group says such `` antics '' are `` distractions '' A police official says officers tend to be balanced in such inquiries .
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Hanoi , Vietnam -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea on Saturday heightened its threats against upcoming U.S.-supported military exercises after talks over the sinking of a South Korean warship . North Korea `` will legitimately counter with -LSB- its -RSB- powerful nuclear deterrence the largest-ever nuclear war exercises to be staged by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces , '' the state-run KCNA news agency said . Earlier , the isolated communist nation vowed a `` physical response '' to massive U.S.-South Korean military drills set to begin Sunday . The U.S. Defense Department said the drills are in response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and are intended to send a strong message to Pyongyang to stop `` provocative and warlike acts . '' At a regional security conference Friday , North Korea lashed out at the impending exercise . `` There will be a physical response against the threat imposed by the United States militarily , '' North Korea spokesman Ri Tong Il said outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Hanoi , Vietnam . Two U.S. military officials told there was no sign of significant troop movement in North Korea . Why are the two Koreas so hostile ? About 8,000 military personnel from the United States and South Korea are scheduled to participate in the joint military exercises . Meanwhile Friday , in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas , officers from the North sat down for talks about the Cheonan incident with their counterparts in the U.S.-led United Nations Command . During the almost two-hour meeting in the international truce town of Panmunjom , the U.N. Command reminded the North Koreans of the Security Council 's condemnation this month of the Cheonan attack . The Security Council did not mention North Korea by name but condemned the attack strongly , called for `` full adherence '' to the armistice agreement that halted fighting in the Korean War in 1953 and encouraged `` the settlement of outstanding issues on the Korean peninsula by peaceful means . '' An international inquiry found North Korea culpable for the March attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors . But North Korea denies a role in the incident , which elevated tension between the two enemies . North Korea demanded again Friday that it be allowed to conduct its own investigation of the Cheonan 's sinking and said the upcoming war games are being conducted under false pretext . `` The U.S. forces side would be seriously mistaken if it calculates it can browbeat -LSB- North Korea -RSB- through large-scale war exercises , '' the state-run KCNA news agency said . `` It should immediately stop the -LSB- anti-North Korean -RSB- nuclear war racket . '' '' -LSB- This -RSB- double-dealing attitude is a dangerous one of driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to a war phase , '' KCNA said . At the ASEAN meeting , nation after nation expressed deep regrets and offered condolences to the South Koreans . The United States has accused North Korea of aggressive behavior and imposed new sanctions Wednesday . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated U.S. support for South Korea on Friday . `` Here in Asia , an isolated and belligerent North Korea has embarked on a campaign of provocative , dangerous behavior , '' she said in Hanoi , Vietnam . Later , after a repatriation ceremony for the remains of three soldiers who died in the Vietnam War , Clinton said the door remains open for dialogue if North Korea commits to abandoning its nuclear weapons program . `` We would love for them to have the same opportunities that the people of South Korea have been able to enjoy for the last 60 years , '' Clinton said . `` So , it is distressing when North Korea continues its threats and causes so much anxiety among its neighbors and the larger region . '' Ri described the planned U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise as `` another example of a hostile policy '' against North Korea . `` It is a grave threat to the Korean peninsula and also to the region of Asia as a whole , '' he said . He said the exercise is a threat to North Korea 's sovereignty and security . The military exercise , dubbed Invincible Spirit , is scheduled to run from Sunday through Wednesday . In addition to the 8,000 personnel involved , military officials say , it will include 20 ships and submarines and about 200 aircraft . The exercises are to take place in the Sea of Japan on South Korea 's east coast and the Yellow Sea on the west coast , according to a joint U.S. and South Korean statement . China has objected to war games in the Yellow Sea , so close to its coastline . And that is what bothers North Korea as well , said a University of Georgia professor who returned two weeks ago from his 52nd trip to Pyongyang . `` I think it 's a bad idea , '' said Han Park , who helped arrange former President Carter 's visit to North Korea in 1994 and is the only American to have visited the rogue nation since the Cheonan incident . Park said the United States should never underestimate the resolve of the North Korean military , one that is further emboldened now by Chinese opposition to the military drills . `` I will hold my breath if this takes place anywhere near the west coast , '' he said . CNN 's Elise Labott , Barbara Starr and Moni Basu contributed to this report .
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NEW : North Korea says it will counter joint exercise with its `` nuclear deterrence '' The military exercise is scheduled to begin Sunday on both South Korean coasts . Clinton : A peaceful resolution is possible only if North Korea changes its behavior . Expert Han Park says North Korean military should not be underestimated .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Department of Justice served the state of West Virginia two subpoenas this week , the governor 's office said late Friday , adding that they had `` not been informed that Governor -LSB- Joe -RSB- Manchin or any other state employee is under investigation . '' The statement came after West Virginia Watchdog , a state chapter of the nonprofit Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity , reported the subpoenas are part of a federal grand jury investigation into work done at the Governor 's Mansion in Charleston . West Virginia Watchdog asked for contracts and records for businesses that have done work at the mansion . The Justice Department had no comment . Manchin 's office said in a written statement that neither of the two subpoenas `` was directed to Governor Manchin or the Governor 's Office '' and that `` no individual '' in his office was served . `` The Governor has directed State officials to fully cooperate and comply expeditiously , '' the statement said . `` Governor Manchin wants to get to the bottom of the issue as soon as possible . '' Steven Allen Adams , the West Virginia Watchdog managing editor who also works for the conservative-leaning Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia , cited an unnamed source who said Manchin was the target of the probe . Manchin , a Democrat , has been in office since 2005 . He announced in July he would seek to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Robert Byrd .
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West Virginia gets federal subpoenas . Governor 's office says governor , staff were not served . Governor is seeking the late Robert Byrd 's Senate seat . Watchdog organization says governor is target of probe .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A bus crashed into the side of a mountain Tuesday in western Bolivia , killing at least 13 people and injuring another 26 , the government news agency reported . The driver lost control of the bus , which gained speed and smashed into rocks on the side of the road , said police official Victor Hugo Ona . The bus left the city of La Paz with 28 passengers but was later found to have 41 passengers and excess baggage , Ona told the state-run Agencia Boliviana de Informacion . Among the dead were seven men , four women and two minors , said Jose Villarroel , another police official . At least 19 of the injured were hospitalized . Bus driver Pedro Limachi , 45 , was listed among the injured being treated at the Hospital Arco Iris in La Paz . The bus was operated by the Flota Yunguena transit company . Bolivia 's mountainous roads often prove fatal . A bus crash in central Bolivia in June left 28 dead and 44 injured after an apparent brake failure , police said at the time . That bus , which plunged into a ravine , was owned by the El Dorado company . A January bus accident killed 22 people . And 19 people died and 26 were injured in August 2009 when a bus plunged off a mountain road .
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Police : Driver lost control of the bus , which crashed into roadside boulders . At least 26 people were injured . Bus driver and 18 others were being treated at a hospital , the government says . Fatal bus wrecks are not rare in mountainous Bolivia .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombian Vice President Angelino Garzon was undergoing surgery for a heart attack Monday , two days after taking office , a hospital director said at a news conference . Garzon underwent a cardiac catheterization procedure early Monday that showed he had several blocked arteries and needed heart surgery , said Carlos Alberto Cardona , scientific director at the Clinica Shaio cardiac center . The new vice president arrived at the clinic between 6 and 6:30 a.m. -LRB- 7 to 7:30 a.m. ET -RRB- , said hospital spokesman Diego Cruz . Clinica Shaio is located in Bogota , the nation 's capital . Garzon , 63 , was sworn into office Saturday as vice president for new President Juan Manuel Santos . He is a former governor , member of the Colombian congress , ambassador and Cabinet secretary . He is also a former member of the Colombian Communist Party Executive Committee , his official biography says . The vice president 's heart attack and surgery was not expected to disrupt a meeting between Santos and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez scheduled for Tuesday . The two heads of state will meet in Santa Marta , Colombia , to discuss how to repair ruptured relations between the two countries . Chavez broke off diplomatic relations with Colombia last month over accusations that Venezuela is harboring Marxist guerrillas who want to overthrow the Colombian government .
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Heart surgery was being performed Monday morning . An exam revealed several blocked arteries , a hospital director said . The surgery was not expected to disrupt a high-level Colombia-Venezuela meeting Tuesday . Angelino Garzon was sworn into office on Saturday .
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Fort Walton Beach , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's sort of like they 're all dressed up with no place to go . But preparing for oil on your shore is not exactly a night out on the town . Florida Gulf Coast counties say they 're frustrated beyond belief , after putting in elaborate , exhaustive plans to stop the oil , only to find that BP 's check is n't even in the mail . `` We 've got our permits . We 've got everything signed off and ready to go , '' said Dino Villani , director of public safety in Okaloosa County . `` The holdup now is BP . We have no money to do the protective measures . '' Okaloosa County has created a multi-layered plan to try to stop the oil from coming onto its beaches and to protect the Destin Pass waterway , an area enjoyed by boaters and beachgoers . County officials plan on using barges , containment boom and an air net to stop the flow of crude , but they need all of these things in place for their plan to work . And the thing they need most is $ 2.8 million up front and $ 2.5 million a month to stay operational -- money they 've filed for with BP . Are you there ? Send us your images . `` We 're virtually operating on a credit card . This is a county that 's reserves are low . We 're impacted by a reduction in ad valorem taxes , '' said Villani . Florida Sen. Bill Nelson says he 's seen the same thing happen all throughout this process . `` You had the Coast Guard doing one thing and you had BP doing another thing and this is why I 've been raising cane for weeks , '' said Nelson . Nelson met with Okaloosa County officials who asked for his help in getting their check . `` This county and a lot of these other little counties that simply do n't have the financial wherewithall to be paying all of these bills , and they 've got to have some relief . So , yes . they will get their money . '' After the meeting , CNN questioned BP 's community cupport coordinator assigned to Okaloosa County , Jay Prothro . Asked if checks were coming and how soon , Prothro responded , `` I ca n't speak to how soon they will get it , but I can tell you , there is a process in place and we 're working to get those refunds . '' `` This whole process is new and everybody is learning as they go and trying to figure out what makes the most sense , and that 's what they 're working on . '' Pressed on the delay in the counties receiving funds , Prothro responded , `` Like I say , they 've set out some guidelines on how to get the reimbursement and the county has filed , is my understanding , and I have to run some traps to figure out where it is in the process and see what the answer is to that . I just ca n't tell you right now . '' But the counties say there is no real process , and what does exist has been painful for everyone staring at the same problem . `` I kind of make a joke . We 're on plan F. We 've already gone through plans A through E , '' says Amy Lovoy , bureau chief for management and budget services in Escambia County . `` A check or money order , or a wire . Anything they want to give us is fine . '' Escambia County has a $ 9.1 million claim with BP for its oil protection including booms , reconnaissance flights , and operations . The county says it also needs $ 4.8 million a month to maintain the plan , for as long as the oil remains a problem . Lovoy says the good news is that BP is returning her phone calls , but the bad news is what she 's hearing is n't helping . `` We 're definitely hearing back from them , but they keep saying that the process has changed . They say , ` We know you 've submitted a claim , ' but they say , ` The process has changed and you have to re-submit the claim and paperwork . ' '' And in the eastern Panhandle , Bay County , which includes Panama City , has had the same problem . County officials say they need $ 3 million to build a more robust boom system , and about $ 8,300 per day to maintain it . Other costs , like workers ' overtime pay , are estimated at $ 10,000 per day . Officials of the Florida Association of Counties and emergency managers are scheduled to meet on Wednesday with U.S. Coast Guard representatives and BP officials because , they say , they need the claims process to be fixed right now . The chairman of the Okaloosa County Commission , Wayne Harris , went right to the point . `` We just need them to show me the money , '' he said . `` If they give us an American Express diamond or black -LRB- card -RRB- , I 'm happy with it . ''
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Florida Panhandle counties waiting on checks from BP . Counties have elaborate plans to block oil but need BP money to make plans reality . Officials say reimbursement system keeps changing . `` We just need them to show me the money , '' says one official .
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Seoul , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States and South Korea began their annual joint military exercise Monday , kicking off an 11-day drill designed to ensure the countries ' alliance is `` fully prepared to respond to any potential provocations , '' according to a statement from U.S. forces in South Korea . On Monday , South Korean president Lee Myung-bak ordered his military to `` thoroughly '' prepare with the United States to counter threats from North Korea , the Yonhap news agency reported . The timing of the joint training comes during a time of increased military tensions . South Korea blamed North Korea for sinking a 1,200-ton warship in March , killing 46 sailors . North Korea denied it sunk the ship . North Korea said Sunday that it will `` deal a merciless counterblow to the U.S. imperialists '' and to South Korean `` traitors , '' in response to the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise . `` The military counteraction of the DPRK -LSB- Democratic People 's Republic of Korea -RSB- will be the severest punishment no one has ever met in the world , '' a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People 's Army said in a statement carried by North Korea 's official news agency . North Korea 's statement Sunday took direct aim at U.S. President Barack Obama . `` The Obama Administration would be well advised to cool its head heated with the moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK , '' the spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People 's Army said , `` and deeply ponder over what the DPRK meant when it clarified its resolute determination and solemn declaration to defend the country and the nation . '' In response , Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman said , `` These are annual exercises that reflect the U.S. commitment to the stability and security of the peninsula . '' On Sunday , Yonhap reported the South Korean president proposed a plan to reunite his country with North Korea and suggested a tax to prepare for the costs expected if the two countries come together . `` Inter-Korean relations demand a new paradigm , '' Lee said in a speech to mark the 65th anniversary of Korea 's independence from Japanese colonial rule , Yonhap reported . Lee said the two countries should form a `` peace community , '' and stressed the importance of the denuclearization of North Korea , Yonhap reported . He added that inter-Korean exchanges are needed to help build North Korea 's economy , according to Yonhap . `` It is imperative that the two sides choose coexistence instead of confrontation , progress instead of stagnation . The two of us need to overcome the current state of division and proceed with the goal of peaceful reunification , '' Lee said , according to Yonhap .
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The countries are engaging in an 11-day military drill . The exercise is meant to prepare for any `` potential provocations '' South Korea : Prepare to counter threats from North Korea . North Korea says it will deal a `` merciless counterblow '' to the U.S. and South Korea .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A South Korean fishing boat in the Sea of Japan and its seven crew members are being held by North Korea , according to reports in South Korea . North Korean state media is reporting that the crew was `` detained . '' There are few details which have emerged from the incident ; but it comes amid mounting tensions following the March sinking of a South Korean warship . Forty-six sailors died , and South Korea blamed it on a North Korean submarine attack . The North calls the accusation `` a fabrication . '' The incident comes after South Korea 's military carried out five days of military exercises in the Yellow Sea . The South Korean navy , army , air force and marines are practicing techniques for detecting and evading North Korean submarines and guided missiles , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency reported Saturday . The exercise involved 20 ships and 4,500 troops , according to Yonhap . North Korea said Friday it would `` react with strong physical retaliation to the anti-submarine drill to be staged by the group of traitors in the West Sea , '' according to the official Korean Central News Agency . `` Our warnings are not empty rhetoric , '' said Rodong Sinmun , the newspaper of the North 's ruling Workers ' Party , according to Yonhap .
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Reports : North Korea has taken a South Korean fishing boat in Sea of Japan . North Korea has `` detained '' the ship with 7 crew members , state media reports . The incident comes amid tensions over a South Korean warship sunk in March .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Vito Maggiolo , an assignment editor in Washington who has been with CNN since the network started in 1980 , was sent to Beijing in the spring of 1989 to help cover the historic visit of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to China -- like everyone else who was sent to Beijing . Vito Maggiolo -LRB- right -RRB- argued that a letter requiring CNN to stop broadcasting did not have the correct seal , or `` chop . '' `` All of us went to China prepared for and expecting to cover what for us was a fairly routine , scheduled , structured event , '' said Maggiolo . `` Then we had this whole event in the square materialize and suddenly ... we found ourselves covering a mini-revolution . '' Maggiolo missed the actual crackdown -- his visa had expired so he was pulled out a few days before June 4 -- but what he 'll always be remembered for , he says , is his last-ditch role in the confrontation between CNN and the Chinese authorities that ended with the Chinese halting CNN 's live transmission on the morning of May 20 . Alec Miran , the special events producer for the Gorbachev visit , had been negotiating with the Chinese to try to stay on the air . The entire debate between Miran and the Chinese officials in CNN 's control room , filmed by a CNN production person with a handycam , was broadcast live on the network . `` It was riveting television , '' Maggiolo said . Watch the debate between Marin and the Chinese officials in CNN 's control room . '' `` Miran was telling them that we had a document that said we could transmit until such and such a time , '' Maggiolo recalls . `` He was saying that if that had changed , we needed a new document saying that . The Chinese officials then handwrote the notice on a yellow legal pad . '' Then an ABC producer came in , Maggiolo recalls , and read and translated the document . `` He read this document and then there was this moment of silence , '' Maggiolo said . `` It was then that I chimed in . ` Excuse me , I said , but this does n't have an official chop on it . China was extremely bureaucratic then . They lived and died by the chop . I was just trying to use their own bureaucracy against them to try and slow things down . '' Maggiolo 's so-called `` chop challenge '' brought another brief moment of silence before one of the Chinese officials said the document did n't need a chop because it had his signature on it . Watch Maggiolo 's `` chop challenge '' to the Chinese authorities '' `` It turned out to be a futile effort , '' says Maggiolo , `` but I gave it the old college try . '' `` That was my 15 seconds of fame , '' he says . `` A lot of people who know me remember that -- that I challenged the Chinese . '' -LRB- Watch the so-called `` chop challenge '' to Chinese officials . -RRB- See photos of the CNN team in Tiananmen Square in 1989 '' Just a few days later , on June 4 , Maggiolo was back in Washington at a D.C. firehouse , where he volunteered , shooting video for the fire and emergency service there . `` We were watching events on television , '' he said . `` My heart was just pounding . I knew we had people in the square . '' `` I was anguished , '' Maggiolo said . `` I just wanted very much to have still been there . '' Vito Maggiolo still works as an assignment editor in CNN 's Washington bureau . Daniela Deane was a chief sub-editor at the Reuters news agency in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen crisis .
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Vito Maggiolo was sent to Beijing to help cover Mikhail Gorbachev 's visit to China . `` We found ourselves covering a mini-revolution , '' he said . When Chinese officials tried to stop CNN broadcasting , he challenged them . He argued , without success , that the letter did not have the correct `` chop '' or seal .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For all the discord the Bush administration sowed on the world stage -- withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol and various arms agreements , holding foreign nationals indefinitely at Guantanamo with restricted rights , generally disdaining multilateralism -- the previous president was rightfully celebrated for his commitment to fighting the global AIDS epidemic . In the four years following the unprecedented creation in 2004 of the funding mechanism known as PEPFAR -LRB- President 's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -RRB- , Bush sent some $ 19 billion to Africa and other hard-hit parts of the world . How much has the Obama administration added this year ? Only $ 366 million beyond the prior year 's level . It does n't come close to the $ 1 billion a year the current president promised to add as a candidate . That Republican president Bush was a bigger advocate on AIDS than `` liberal '' Obama may come as a surprise , but many people around the world are starting to notice the discrepancy . That includes Desmond Tutu , the former archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel laureate . On Wednesday , Tutu took the president to task in a sharply worded New York Times op-ed that noted substantially fewer additional African HIV patients will receive treatment than did under Bush if the funding slack persists . Indeed , according to two Harvard researchers , if aid is n't substantially increased over Bush-era levels , an estimated 1.2 million avoidable deaths could occur just in South Africa over the next five years . That would happen on Obama 's watch . Domestically , the news is n't much better . When Obama rolled out his ballyhooed national HIV/AIDS strategy last week , there was no new funding attached , just a mandate to re-allocate existing funds to the communities most in need and the tactics that work best . -LRB- For all his global generosity , Bush was rightly knocked stateside for prioritizing abstinence-based prevention approaches over condom-based ones . The needs of gay men , one of the most affected groups of Americans , were largely left out of the playbook altogether because of pressure from the Christian right . -RRB- . Read about men who have survived 30 years with HIV . But for all the innovative ideas in the strategy document , such as using social media to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS , what we really need is money . The federal/state AIDS Drug Assistance Program , which provides HIV drugs to more than 200,000 uninsured and underinsured people , has a wait list of some 2,300 people . And it 's growing monthly . That 's too many Americans going without medicines that can save their lives . Meanwhile , the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. -- more than 1 million -- continues to rise . In some cities , the situation is as bad as parts of Africa . In Washington , 3 percent of residents have HIV/AIDS . Of course , in many parts of Africa , the statistics are much more dire . In South Africa , some 5.7 million people are HIV-positive . That 's 11 percent of the population . But you would n't believe how few federal dollars go to finding a cure : just $ 40 million in 2009 , according to the AIDS Policy Project . I know the country is lurching back from recession and funds across the board are tight . But if the administration can approve hundreds of billions of dollars for stimulus spending or health care reform -- let alone the countless billions of dollars wasted by a bloated intelligence infrastructure -- then the White House can certainly commit a fraction of these amounts to help out an even worthier cause : people 's well-being . It takes vigilance to beat back the HIV/AIDS scourge , to make sure people with HIV get the treatment they need to survive , and that people without the virus stay free of it . We 've made important strides in recent years . Just this week , the promising results of a South African microbicide trial were announced , meaning that down the road women may be able to protect themselves from the virus without a vaccine . But there 's still a lot to do . If America cuts back on aid , other countries will , too , because we 're the pacesetter . The Obama administration defends itself by saying the U.S. is the world 's biggest financial contributor to the fight against HIV/AIDS . As important as that is , we need to keep up with the epidemic , which requires more resources every year . Obama should listen to his fellow Nobel laureate Tutu , who helped lead his country out of apartheid , and lead the way on ending this scourge , both globally and here at home . After all , he wants posterity to judge him more favorably than Bush , right ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sean Kennedy .
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George W. Bush set standard for increasing U.S. aid to fight AIDS , says Sean Kennedy . He says President Obama has not lived up to his promise to add $ 1 billion more to the fight . Kennedy says national commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS needs strengthening . He says Obama should respond to Desmond Tutu 's call for spending more on HIV/AIDS .
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[[4428, 4481]]
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Milwaukee , Wisconsin , motorist whose SUV fell into a large sinkhole thanked the passer-by who brought an end to the brief but terrifying ordeal . `` The road just went out from under me , '' Lance Treankler , the Cadillac Escalade driver , said Friday . `` When I landed , my head snapped back . I went unconscious for a few seconds . When I looked up , I saw water run over me . '' That 's when Mark Pawlik , 46 , who was walking Thursday evening near Oakland and North avenues on Milwaukee 's east side , came to the rescue . Pawlik told CNN affiliate WTMJ that he saw a nearby traffic light in the sinkhole and spotted the SUV heading right toward it . The vehicle disappeared and a traffic light landed on its roof . Pawlik saw the driver standing on the SUV 's hood . `` I grabbed your hand . You looked at me and said , ` Get me out of here , ' '' Pawlik told Treankler during their reunion , filmed by WTMJ . Treankler suffered only minor cuts and bruises in the incident , which occurred during a storm that brought heavy flooding to the city . It was not clear what part weather played in the sinkhole 's formation . Crews will be able to retrieve the SUV from the 20-foot sinkhole Friday evening , said Barry McNulty , spokesman for We Energies . The sinkhole cut off power to the area , but about 200 businesses and homes should regain electricity Friday night , he said . Crews were building a temporary power line . Peter Panos , who owns the nearby Ma Fischer 's Family Restaurant , said power was restored to his establishment about 3 p.m. CT. . The SUV 's engine remained running into Friday as police and fire officers decided how to proceed . `` I am very grateful for you helping me out , '' Treankler told Pawlik .
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`` The road just went out from under me , '' driver says . Mark Pawlik was walking past Thursday evening when he saw SUV disappear . Lance Treankler suffered only cuts and bruises .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Taliban fight against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan `` is forging ahead like a powerful flood , '' according to a purported online message posted Saturday by the Taliban 's elusive leader , Mullah Mohammed Omar . A message from Mullah Mohammed Omar , seen here in 1996 , appears on a Web site the Taliban frequently uses . `` Anyone who opts to resist it will himself be washed away . Atrocity , torture , brutality , conspiracies , coalitions , the foreign forces and mercenaries could not hurl stumbling blocks in the way of this robust Jihadic movement , '' Omar adds in the written message . The fight against foreign forces `` is approaching the edge of victory , '' according to Omar . `` Our goal is to gain independence of the country and establish a just Islamic system there on the basis of the aspirations of the Muslim nation . We can consider any option that could lead to the achievement of this goal . '' Omar also released a statement in December last year . CNN was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the report , which appears in English and Pashtun on a Web site frequently used by the Taliban . However , a Taliban spokesman said the message is authentic . Watch a report on the message from Kabul , Afghanistan '' When contacted by CNN , the U.S. State Department said it had no direct response to Omar 's comments , which take a swipe at President Obama . `` We would like to say , we are victims of the black propaganda of the enemy media . This has created doubts between us and a number of countries of the world . They have wrongly depicted us as a force being against education and women 's rights . They also accuse us of our being a threat to the countries of the world , '' Omar wrote . `` The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls on the public of the West not to be deceived by the assertions of Obama , who says the war in Afghanistan is a war of necessity . The West does not have to wage this war . This war , in fact , started for clandestine motives under baseless reasons . `` The humanity , as a whole , suffers from its negative consequences . The global economic meltdown , instability , lack of trust and violation of international norms is the outcome of the baseless policies -LSB- of this war -RSB- . '' With 48 deaths , August was the deadliest month for U.S. service members in Afghanistan since the mission began in late 2001 . The United States now has about 62,000 U.S. troops there , and NATO allies have another 35,000 . The Pentagon plans to add 6,000 troops by the end of the year . `` We would like to point out that we fought against the British invaders for 80 years , from 1839 to 1919 , and ultimately got independence by defeating Britain , '' Omar says . He advises Western nations to go back even further in Afghanistan 's history to study the period of Alexander the Great , who suffered severe losses when his army invaded the country in the fourth century . `` Today we have strong determination , military training and effective weapons . Still more , we have preparedness for a long war , and the regional situation is in our favor . Therefore , we will continue to wage Jihad until we gain independence and force the invaders to pull out , '' the leader says . He urges the mujahedeen fighting the foreign forces to focus on the `` Islamic education of the masses , so that they would voluntarily participate in Jihad in person and by wealth . '' In July , CNN obtained a new Taliban military `` code of conduct '' document , which called for restrictions on suicide attacks as well as avoiding the killing of civilians . `` Suicide attacks should be at high-value and important targets , because a brave son of Islam should not be used for low-value and useless targets , '' the code of conduct said . `` In suicide attacks , the killing of innocent people and damage to their property should be minimized , '' it said . `` All mujahedeen must do their best to avoid civilian deaths and injuries and damage to civilian property . '' And it says that mujahedeen `` should refrain '' from disfiguring people , such as the severing of ears , nose and lips . U.S. and Afghan military officials characterized the document as propaganda , and called it hypocritical . Omar 's message comes as Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr , which ends the fasting month of Ramadan , and less than a month before the eighth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan , which took place after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . Omar criticizes the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and `` the rampant corruption in the surrogate Kabul administration -- the embezzlement , drug trafficking , the existence of mafia networks , the tyranny and high-handedness of the warlords , and spread and increase of the centers of obscenity . '' In a recent talk at the Brookings Institution , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted , `` Corruption is as big a national security threat as I can imagine '' in Afghanistan . The United States has `` to take some of the responsibility '' for it , she said . `` We aided and abetted it in implicit ways by not demanding more earlier . ''
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Fight against foreign forces to gain independence nearing `` edge of victory , '' he says . Omar takes swipe at President Obama for saying war is a necessity . August was deadliest month for U.S. service members since mission began .
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KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has been nearly eight years since U.S. forces overthrew the Taliban leaders of Afghanistan , but the war against the Taliban insurgency is bloodier than ever . A U.S. soldier takes his position near a building attacked by the Taliban south of Kabul , Afghanistan , on Monday . The number of Afghan civilians killed in the wake of the war has increased 24 percent in the first six months of this year compared with the same time period last year , according to the United Nations . And NATO and American forces suffered record losses this summer , with 75 troops killed in the month of July , making it the deadliest month for Western troops in the country since American warplanes first began bombing the Taliban in October 2001 . The U.S. death toll will remain high for some time as the Taliban has gained the upper hand , Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan , told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Monday . `` It 's a very aggressive enemy right now , '' McChrystal told the newspaper in the interview Saturday at his office in Kabul , Afghanistan . `` We 've got to stop their momentum , stop their initiative . It 's hard work . '' The Taliban insurgency has blossomed in northern Afghan provinces such as Kunduz and Baghlan , long considered some of the safest territory in the country . And just 20 miles east of Kabul , Taliban `` judges '' operate openly in the back of pickup trucks , settling legal disputes between villagers in makeshift `` mobile courts . '' The insurgents are filling a vacuum left by Afghanistan 's Western-backed government , which foreign diplomats and military commanders concede suffers from nepotism , corruption and predatory practices . Challenge to the Afghan government . Afghans will go to the polls on August 20 to vote in the nation 's second presidential election since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 . Opposition candidates have blamed the Taliban insurgency 's continued growth on Hamid Karzai , the man who has occupied the presidential palace in Kabul for the past seven years . `` Because of the failure of the current administration , in losing the support of its own people , there is a vacuum , and that vacuum has led to a deterioration of security as well as in all parts of life , '' said Karzai 's top challenger , former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah . McChrystal , a former U.S. joint special operations commander who recently took command of the U.S.-NATO operation in Afghanistan , said the Taliban are challenging the very legitimacy of his partners in the Afghan government . `` The fundamental conflict in any insurgency is fighting for legitimacy with the people and the support of the population , '' he explained in a recent interview with CNN . `` Who do they look to as their legitimate government ? Who do they pay taxes to ? Who do they look to for rule of law ? Who do they look to as protection ? In the case of this insurgency , what we have is an Afghan government that is trying to establish itself around the country . It has problems with corruption . It has problems in some cases with predatory behavior . '' Along the traffic-choked streets of Kabul , residents rarely complain about the Taliban . Instead , they often rail against the Western-backed Afghan state . `` What service has this government provided us ? '' asked Fawad , a young street vendor who sells watermelons for 20 cents apiece . He said that at least once a week , Afghan police show up and demand bribes of up to $ 100 from vendors , who must pay if they want to continue selling their goods . `` We do n't want a tyrant who oppresses the people , '' Fawad said when asked who he would vote for in the elections . `` What we want is security . '' Earlier this month , an Afghan employee for CNN , who prefers not to be named for security reasons , witnessed how locals turn to the Taliban to resolve their disputes , in a village barely 20 miles east of the Afghan capital . He said openly armed insurgents rolled up in a pickup truck , and a Taliban judge began mediating local disputes . In one case , the Taliban official resolved a disagreement between two shepherds whose flocks of sheep had gotten intermixed while grazing . `` I was shocked , '' said the Afghan eyewitness , who was visiting the village to attend a funeral . `` The villagers were lining up asking for help from the Taliban . '' NATO commanders say they have had reports of Taliban `` mobile courts '' operating in similar fashion just outside the southern city of Kandahar . `` There are cases of rule of law being taken care of by the Taliban instead of the Afghan government , '' said Col. Paul Kolken , a Dutch military spokesman at Kandahar Air Base . He said the Taliban are operating mobile courts as close as possible to the city of Kandahar . Afghan corruption at the highest levels ? Human rights activists accuse the Karzai government of making deals with some of the country 's most notorious warlords ahead of the August 20 presidential elections . `` A lot of Afghans are telling us they 're quite disappointed that Karzai 's not even running on a platform of promises or performance , but just an old fashioned Afghan cutting of deals , '' said Sam Zarifi of Amnesty International . He pointed to a recent article by Elizabeth Rubin , in the New York Times Magazine , that describes Karzai 's choice of Mohammed Fahim , a former Northern Alliance militia commander , as vice presidential running mate . Fahim has long been accused of committing human rights abuses . `` Starting on the top and bringing Fahim back , this is horrific , '' Zarifi said . He lamented that Afghan politicians are rarely prosecuted for crimes , and if they are , they are often pardoned . `` Karzai has really regressed over the past seven or eight years , '' Zarifi said . Many Afghan observers argue this culture of impunity runs directly to the presidential palace . For years , Karzai 's brother , Ahmed Wali , has been dogged by accusations that he is a major player in the booming drug trade in southern Afghanistan . One high-ranking Western diplomat stationed in Kabul described discussing the allegations with Karzai in a one-on-one meeting . Karzai asked for advice on how best to address his brother 's alleged illicit business dealings , the diplomat said . At one point , the diplomat said , Karzai looked up helplessly , asking , `` He 's my brother . What can I do ? '' Both Karzai and his brother have repeatedly dismissed the allegations as politically motivated . This month , Karzai made a rare trip outside his presidential palace to woo voters in Baghlan province . He conceded that Afghanistan is still far from stable , but promised that if re-elected he would redouble his efforts to rebuild the country . `` Terrorism is still harassing us . It is still killing us . It is still destroying this land , '' he told a crowd of several thousand supporters . `` The moment I become the president of Afghanistan -- again -- through your vote , through your able hands , my first attempt will be to ensure perpetual peace . '' Several days later , at a press conference with Karzai , the newly appointed secretary general of the NATO military alliance , Anders Fogh Rasmussen , called for NATO countries to contribute more troops to support the Afghan government . `` NATO-ISAF is here to protect your elections , '' the former Danish prime minister said at Kabul 's presidential palace . `` What we need are credible elections that reflect the will of the people . '' ISAF -- the International Security Assistance Force -- is the United Nations-mandated U.S.-NATO presence in Afghanistan . U.S. needs a strong Afghan partner . President Obama 's administration has committed more resources and troops to battling the insurgency and training Afghan security forces , while also sending additional diplomats and civilian aid workers to focus on reconstruction and development . When Obama took office , he vowed to redirect military resources from the war in Iraq to Afghanistan , which he described as being -- along with neighboring Pakistan -- the `` central front in our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism . '' McChrystal told The Wall Street Journal that he is still considering a request to send 10,000 more troops to Afghanistan in addition to the planned 68,000 troops that are expected to be in place by the end of the year . The information is a preview of a strategic assessment he plans to deliver to Washington later this month . The military initiative is an effort to bolster Afghanistan 's weak government , which many Afghan observers argue has been , more than anything , a source of frustration and popular disappointment . `` If the same trend continues , if the same failing of the administration continues , more troops , more resources , more civilian advisors will not be a substitute , '' argued presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah . Security will be on the minds of most Afghan voters as they head to the polls , according to Jahid Mohseni , the Australian-Afghan head of Tolo TV , Afghanistan 's most influential TV channel . `` People are frustrated with things not happening , '' Mohseni said . `` In terms of day-to-day life , the development that they wanted in government has not been happening . '' `` They are looking at being able to walk down the street at night without ... risking getting attacked , et cetera . They want to make sure that their kids do n't get kidnapped . ''
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Eight years since U.S. forces overthrew the Taliban leaders of Afghanistan . But the war against the Taliban insurgency is bloodier than ever . Kabul residents rarely complain about the Taliban , often rail against Afghan state . Security will be on minds of voters at polls August 20 , Afghan journalist says .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As more U.S. troops head to Afghanistan , more families back home long to hear from their loved ones in uniform . Gia Ellis , wife of Marine Lt. Jason Ellis , holds her daughter Ava while watching a video . But the nature of the battle in Afghanistan makes that much harder now than it has been for troops serving in Iraq . Instead of near instant contact through e-mail , texts or even video conference calls , families back home often have to rely on something that once was rare : hand-written letters . `` Can you imagine we 're going back to paper and pen . It 's so weird to write an actual letter but that 's what we have to do , '' Gia Ellis told CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence during a visit to Camp Lejeune Marine Base in North Carolina last week . The problem is two-fold : tactics and infrastructure , according to Marine spokesman Capt. Bill Pelletier , who is currently serving in Southern Afghanistan . The new commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan is sending units out into remote villages to defend the locals from Taliban attacks . Rarely do those villages have modern communications systems . Some units have a satellite phones but the demand on the phones makes it hard for troops to use them to call home . Watch reporter on move with U.S. troops '' `` Personally I was spoiled last year , '' said Ellis , whose husband Jason served last year in Iraq and is currently in Afghanistan . `` We could talk and see each other on webcam and e-mail almost every day . And this year with the initial push into Afghanistan it 's completely different . '' Some wives become news junkies , combing through news reports from the field hoping to learn more about their husbands or at least his unit . `` Because we 're not getting the e-mails , it means a lot just to even try to find a picture , get a glimpse of them , '' said Melissa Pullen , the wife of a deployed Marine . For older soldiers , previous deployments put the convenience of modern communication in perspective . Capt. David Luber remembers waiting to talk to his wife during a nine-month tour during Operation Desert Storm . With limited phone access and no e-mail , Luber recalls the angst he felt during his deployment . `` It was worse than I imagine prison in some respects . Men in prison know that they deserve to lose their freedom . They have telephones , television and green grass outside that they can be with for a time each day , '' Luber said . Unable to reveal when or where his trips would end , Luber would go weeks without hearing his wife 's voice . To make matters worse , Marines only received mail once their ship arrived at port . Sleepless nights and the torment of reckless seas were forgotten when he 'd receive a bundle of letters , one for each consecutive day his wife , Belinda , wrote . One by one Luber would put the letters in chronological order and read each one until he read the last . `` There are things that we say on paper that we are not so quick to speak , if at all , '' he says . `` There 's the handwriting and the perfume that you ca n't get through the phone or e-mail , so the letters were precious . '' For younger troops and their families , the technological comforts of Iraq can make the new mission in Afghanistan difficult to adapt to . `` Our Marines have been told from day one that Afghanistan is not Iraq , '' Pelletier wrote in an e-mail to CNN . Troops are provided first and foremost with the `` must haves '' to help complete the mission , he wrote . This includes water , food , ammunition and an age old treasure for military personnel , mail . There 's already help on the way for those who prefer 21st century communications . Pelletier says an Internet café has been established at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan 's Helmand Province , the remote area along Afghanistan 's southern border with Pakistan where the Marines are involved in a long-term offensive . Pelletier said that the Marine Corps plan to extend Internet service as the mission evolves . Until then , Ellis and Pullen will have to rely on hand-written letters to communicate with their husbands . And that might not be all bad . Luber is now a deputy program manager at the Office of Naval Research . It 's been 18 years since his Desert Storm deployment , but the comfort and fragrance of his wife 's letters linger . `` I still have them all and she has all mine , '' he said .
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U.S. troops warned Afghanistan is not Iraq -- where communication is easier . Troops in Afghan outposts communicate with loved ones by snail mail . `` Handwriting and perfume -- you ca n't get through the phone or e-mail '' Wives comb news reports to find news or glimpse of husbands .
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Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two foreign troops who went missing Friday in Afghanistan are Americans who have been abducted , an Afghan intelligence source told CNN Saturday . NATO 's International Security Assistance Force and two U.S. military officials confirmed that the two missing service members are American . NATO said they went missing after leaving their compound in Kabul city Friday afternoon and did not return . Forces have launched a search for the service members and the military vehicle they were in , ISAF said . Their duty status is `` whereabouts unknown , '' the U.S. officials said . The intelligence source told CNN that the two were abducted in Logar province , south of Kabul -- Afghanistan 's capital . The development comes as five U.S. soldiers were killed in bombings in southern Afghanistan on Saturday . CNN 's Atia Abawi and Barbara Starr contributed to this report .
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NEW : ISAF , U.S. military officials confirm the two missing troops are Americans . An Afghan intelligence source says two Americans have been seized in Logar province . NATO 's command said the two troops went missing after they left a Kabul compound . A search is on for the service members .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fifteen years ago , representatives from every nation came together to voice one common goal : to advance the global status of women in the spirit of equality . We were there in Beijing , China , when women broke their silence and a resounding message burst forth from the walls of the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women : No longer would it be acceptable to separate women 's rights from human rights . Today , we are seeing a powerful momentum materialize as women in diverse regions raise their voices to claim their rights and inspire change while leading neighborhoods , villages , parliaments and nations forward . As the world navigates through an unprecedented financial crisis , economists and leaders are increasingly turning their attention to the greatest untapped reserve of innovation and resilience -- women . Progress on women 's equality is reaching different regions at different paces , but we can see improvement in girls ' education , workforce participation and political representation . The global net rate of primary school enrollment for girls is up to 89 percent ; the number of women holding nonagricultural , paid jobs continues to increase worldwide ; and women 's global share of parliamentary seats is rising , now at 18.4 percent . Something much harder to measure , but maybe the most significant of all indicators , is a widespread shift over the past 15 years in the global conversation about women . Our campaign for equality has come out from the darkness of the periphery . We are moving into an age that enables progress and an environment that sustains it . For Rebecca Lolosoli , the light of change is an unsteady flicker . In her home in rural Samburu , Kenya , women who are abused or raped are cast out of their homes ; the concept of women 's rights is as novel as it is dangerous . She was beaten for raising her voice in dissent , kicked to the ground for promoting a woman 's right to live free of violence . Out of injustice that sought to tear her down , she emerged as a courageous voice of change . Rebecca formed Umoja Uaso Women 's Village , a cooperative where once-forsaken survivors of violence find healing and independence as artisans who produce vibrant jewelry . Hers is one voice among the millions threatened by a global increase in violence against women -- one in three women will experience violence in her lifetime . We are confronted with a pandemic of violence , and must address it with commensurate force and urgency . Rebecca carries the weight of unrealized human rights on her shoulders . It is our duty to help lessen her load . We must support women like her as equal partners in economic , social and political development , and recognize their ability to practice collaborative leadership and carry their communities forward with each step they take . Recently we honored Rebecca at the 2010 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards , recognizing her strength and vision as she empowers women and shapes a future free of violence against women . If we want to promote peace and prosperity , we must begin with women . We have seen that in societies where women 's rights are respected , economies are stronger , civil societies thrive and political institutions are more open and free . Our progress in the past 15 years is tenuous if it 's not shared , reinforced and expanded in all spheres . We must recommit ourselves to women 's equality worldwide . Now is the time to build on the momentum and advance positive change . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sally Field and Alyse Nelson .
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Sally Field , Alyse Nelson say it 's been 15 years since U.N. highlighted rights of women . They say women have made progress in education , employment and politics . Story of a woman in Kenya shows how victims of violence can strive for change , they say . Field , Nelson : `` If we want to promote peace and prosperity , we must begin with women . ''
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Editor 's note : A nationally syndicated columnist , Roland S. Martin is the author of `` Listening to the Spirit Within : 50 Perspectives on Faith '' and `` Speak , Brother ! A Black Man 's View of America . '' Visit his Web site for more information . Roland S. Martin says NY Post editors should have seen that the cartoon would be considered offensive . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama earned kudos from the media when he said he screwed up in nominating Tom Daschle as secretary of Health and Human Services despite his problem with paying taxes . Too bad the leadership of the New York Post did n't follow the lead of the president in admitting that an editorial cartoon they ran today by Sean Delonas was offensive , careless and racist . If you have n't seen the editorial in question , it should n't take you long to figure out that the subtle message was clear : comparing President Obama to a chimpanzee . In the cartoon , a cop is holding a smoking gun and , with another officer , looking at a bullet-riddled body of a chimpanzee . The caption reads : `` They 'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill . '' New York Post : See Sean Delonas cartoons . In a statement to The Associated Press , Col Allan , the Post 's editor-in-chief , said the cartoon was an obvious reference to the story of a chimp in Connecticut that viciously attacked a woman and was killed by police . `` The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event , to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut . It broadly mocks Washington 's efforts to revive the economy . Again , Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist , '' he said , referencing a news release the civil rights activist sent out blasting the paper and demanding an apology . Delonas , the cartoonist , said to CNN , `` It 's absolutely friggin ridiculous . Do you really think I 'm saying Obama should be shot ? I did n't see that in the cartoon . The chimpanzee was a major story in the Post . Every paper in New York , except The New York Times , covered the chimpanzee story . It 's just ridiculous . It 's about the economic stimulus bill . If you 're going to make that about anybody , it would be -LSB- House Speaker Nancy -RSB- Pelosi , which it 's not . '' Watch Roland Martin , other CNN panelists debate cartoon '' To the editors who approved the cartoon , as well as the cartoonist , the piece was clearly all fun and laughs . But anyone with half a brain , especially someone knowing the history of African-Americans being called monkeys and gorillas , would have said , `` We need to rethink this . '' First , mixing the two stories is ridiculous . Yes , the chimpanzee incident and the passage of the stimulus bill have a lot of folks talking , but to put them in the same element just does n't make sense . Watch civil rights groups criticize the cartoon '' Second , the cartoonist did n't hang a sign around the neck of the chimp , so he left it up to the reader to determine exactly who the cops were referring to . We all know that the stimulus bill was the first priority of the new president , so when reading the caption , it was easy to infer that the cartoonist was implying the president of the United States . You know , the black guy . And that 's where the problem comes in . What could be seen as silly humor if President George W. Bush were in the White House has to be seen through the lens of America 's racist past , as noted by the leaders of the New York Association of Black Journalists , who also are demanding an apology from the Post . iReport.com : iReporter very offended by cartoon . `` How do you think the Jewish community would feel about the use of rats in any depiction of them ? How do you think the Italian community would feel about being generalized with mobsters ? '' the organization said in a statement . `` Monkey slurs against Africans and African-Americans go back to the days of early colonialism , when Anglo Saxon , Spanish and Portuguese conquerors used these types of drawings and descriptions to dehumanize black people so that their mistreatment and enslavement would not be viewed as wrong or sinful . The practice also took on more sinister roles later in history including during the slave trade here in the U.S. and in Hitler 's Nazi Germany . '' Ignorant leaders of the New York Post and others may think everything is fair game , and certainly criticizing the president of the United States is just fine . Yet while everyone seems to be caught up in the delusion of a post-racial America , we can not forget the reality of the racial America , where African-Americans were treated and portrayed as inferior and less than others . And just as some members of the media brotherhood were taken to task for their obvious sexism during the Democratic primaries because of comments about then-Sen . Hillary Clinton , we had to be sensitive to the historical treatment of women . Oh yes , the Post will have its defenders , accusing African-Americans and others of being hypersensitive . The Post has already shown its hand by trying to make this all about Sharpton , since they know he 's the black bogeyman to white America . But they should understand that my e-mail box and Facebook page are filled with comments from folks of different backgrounds stunned by the callousness of the Post . iReport.com : Is the cartoon racist ? I guess it 's fitting the cartoon ran today , because the best statement to sum up the issue can be taken from a black history month speech given today by our first black attorney general , Eric Holder . `` Even as we fight a war against terrorism , deal with the reality of electing an African-American as our president for the first time and deal with the other significant issues of the day , the need to confront our racial past -- and our racial present , and to understand the history of African people in this country -- endures , '' he said . `` One can not truly understand America without understanding the historical experience of black people in this nation . Simply put , to get to the heart of this country , one must examine its racial soul . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland Martin .
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Roland Martin : NY Post cartoon combines stimulus with shooting of a chimp . He says the cartoon inevitably makes people think of backer of stimulus bill . Martin : Clearly the bill was the first priority for President Obama . He says anyone who knows history would know that the cartoon is offensive .
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Editor 's note : A nationally syndicated columnist , Roland S. Martin is the author of `` Listening to the Spirit Within : 50 Perspectives on Faith '' and `` Speak , Brother ! A Black Man 's View of America . '' Visit his Web site for more information . Roland S. Martin says he does n't buy all the hype associated with Valentine 's Day . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With retailers hurting and the U.S. president trying to encourage Americans to spend money to restore consumer confidence , what I 'm about to say may seem like treason . But here goes : Please boycott Valentine 's Day and all that is associated with this horrendous `` holiday . '' For several years I have ripped into Valentine 's Day . Not because I 'm against love and relationships , but mainly because the holiday is such a farce . First of all , Valentine 's Day is not built around a religious event like Christmas or Easter ; nor does it have any special meaning to the nation such as Memorial Day or Veterans Day . It is nothing more than a commercial holiday created by rabid retailers who needed a major shopping day between Christmas and Easter in order to give people a reason to spend money . Now folks , I love my wife . She is truly an awesome woman who is smart , talented , fine , and , did I say fine ? But do I really need a special day to show my affection for her ? I 've long maintained that if I sent my flowers at other times during the year , why do I have to fall victim to peer pressure and send her some roses that have quadrupled in price leading up to February 14 ? Why should I be inundated with mailings , e-mails and commercials to show her that I love her by buying jewelry or clothing ? If we went shopping in June or September or last month , can I get some kind of waiver or `` Get out of Valentine 's Day '' card ? As for this silly flower thing , it 's even got to the point that any flowers ca n't do . Some years ago I planned on sending a woman some flowers that were n't roses , and the -LRB- female -RRB- co-workers were aghast . They felt that nothing mattered except roses . First of all , I did n't have a lot of dough and felt a nice bouquet was sufficient , but they were appalled . So I told them to go to hell and I 'll do what I want . I guess for them , the thought really does n't matter . Then there are the women on the job who measure the love of their men based on those flowers . You know how some folks are . If there are flowers on the desk of 10 other women , and one woman does n't have anything , folks get to talking and whispering as if something is wrong in her relationship . I 've learned that even if you get the biggest-ever rose bouquet -- the relationship might be crumbling and you just refuse to admit it . And Valentine 's Day really is n't even a two-way street . Men are utterly irrelevant except to serve as pawns in this commercial game , emptying their wallets in order to satisfy their lovers or those around them . Oh yea , retailers know the con game . Most of these guys are hapless saps who have ignored their wives or girlfriends all year , so they buy the flowers and candy , and set a reservation at one of the city 's most expensive restaurants , all to say , `` Honey , I love you . '' Ladies , and men , stop it ! It 's time to say enough is enough with Valentine 's Day . What do I want ? How about men and women loving , caring and sharing the other 364 days a year ? February 14 is n't the only time to send flowers to your woman -LRB- ladies , we would n't mind getting a surprise delivery as well ! -RRB- . How about dropping her a flower arrangement on May 14 ? And on that card you need to write , `` Just because ... '' Instead of men and women spicing up their sex life on February 14 , make the effort to satisfy your mate the rest of the year . If last Valentine 's Day was the last time you took your significant other out to a really nice restaurant , you deserve to be in trouble . Are you planning to treat your man or woman to a wonderful day at the spa this Saturday ? Well , I 'm sure he or she would thoroughly enjoy the same in June or July . It 's time that we all take stock of our relationships and learn that we are to be loving and fulfilled 365 days a year , and not reduce our affection to flowers , candy , jewelry , clothes and a meal on one day a year . The people who plan their lives around Valentine 's are like those who spend more time planning their wedding day rather than planning their marriage . The day is nice and wonderful , but what makes it last is what you do on the `` non-special '' days . The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Roland Martin .
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Roland Martin : Valentine 's Day is good for retailers but it 's a bad idea overall . He says overpriced flowers and dinner at a fancy restaurant do n't cut it . Martin : Show your love for your mate all 365 days a year .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Join Roland Martin for his weekly sound-off segment on CNN.com Live at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday . If you 're passionate about politics , he wants to hear from you . Roland Martin says voting on Tuesday made sense when the day was set in 1845 , but a change is needed . Now that the political parties have informally settled on their nominees , the focus turns to November 4 , when the nation will go to the polls to choose a new president . But why is Election Day on a Tuesday ? Why in the world do we continue to insist on voting on a weekday when we are supposed to be encouraging as many people to vote as possible ? Most of the primaries and caucuses during the past four months took place on Tuesdays , but a number went to the polls on Saturdays . The Puerto Rico vote was on a Sunday . What 's better than going to church in the morning and then making your way to the voting booth ? Officially , Election Day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November -LRB- depending on the year , it could be November 2 through November 8 -RRB- . Since 1845 , this has been the standard practice in the United States . Congress wanted a set date to elect a president and members of Congress , and because we were an agricultural society , this was the best day for farmers in rural America to get to the polls . That made a ton of sense . Then . But a lot has changed in the past 163 years , and it 's time Congress changed this unnecessary law . The purists are likely to argue that everyone knows that a Tuesday in early November is set aside for Election Day . So with that in mind , just leave the election in November . Sure , it would make better sense to go with a month during which it 's warm in nearly all of the USA , but the consistency argument also makes sense . But why not the first Saturday in November ? If that date were chosen , the majority of voters would n't have to worry about trying to vote before going to work , hoping and praying the lines are n't too long so they can zip in and zip out . The same thing happens in the evening . Folks have to hurry up and finish their work , interrupt meetings , and shut down whatever else they are doing and head to the polls . They are likely to confront long lines , and that discourages some folks from voting . -LRB- Now , I do n't have much sympathy on this one . We 'll stand in line for a concert or movie ; and that surely is n't as important as electing a president ! -RRB- . Saturday is already a day of leisure , and there is no doubt that more Americans would head to the polls on a traditional day off from work . Because of the excitement generated by this year 's campaign , you can bet there will be long lines at the polls , and if there are not enough ballots , we can expect all kinds of delays . Folks will grow frustrated , be afraid to show up to work late , and likely will leave and not come back . That 's just not good for democracy . This is one of those simple decisions that does n't require a ton of debate . I ca n't imagine there being major opposition to moving the election date . In 2004 , 71 percent of all eligible voters were registered , according to a story by the Carnegie Reporter , `` Election Reform : Lessons From 2004 . '' But of that number , 60.7 percent voted . Someone is likely to say that with the number of people voting up in 2004 from the number in 2000 , that 's not bad . But when we see 90 percent of voters in Iraq voting -- and we are trying to instill democracy there ! -- it 's clear that impediments to voting in the United States are n't helpful . It would be nice to see the presidential nominees weigh in on this and pledge to change the election date . Let 's see a debate moderator ask this question . Instead of putting up barriers for people who want to vote , we should be the most open society when it comes to giving our citizens as many options as possible to vote , and moving Election Day from a weekday to a weekend makes a lot of sense . We ca n't speak of our cherished democracy around the world if we are n't willing to improve it every chance we get . Roland S. Martin is a nationally award-winning journalist and CNN contributor . Martin is studying to receive his master 's degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University . You can read more of his columns at http://www.rolandsmartin.com/ . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .
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Roland Martin says Election Day should be changed to the weekend . Weekday voting once made sense , but no longer , Martin says . Goal should be to make it easy for as many people to vote as possible , he says . Next president should work with Congress to make the switch , he says .
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Johannesburg , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Africa 's former national police chief , Jackie Selebi , was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of corruption charges last month . `` You are an embarrassment to the police force ... you are an embarrassment to the country , '' Judge Meyer Joffe said after the sentence was handed down . `` I am satisfied that a sentence of 15 years imprisonment is appropriate in the matter , '' the judge added , according to the South African Press Association . The charges stemmed from Selebi 's relationship with convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti -- a friendship that was no secret . Once asked about it at a news conference , Selebi famously said , `` He 's my friend . Finished and klaar '' -- an Afrikaans term meaning `` that 's the end of it . '' After a four-and-a-half-year trial , the court found Selebi gave favors to Agliotti in exchange for money and expensive clothes . Joffe rejected Selebi 's defense that there had been a conspiracy against him , although he acquitted the former police chief on a charge of defeating the ends of justice , according to SAPA . SAPA reported that Agliotti , who was appearing in a nearby courtroom on murder charges , had no comment on Selebi 's sentencing . Selebi 's attorney asked the judge to release his client on bail while he prepares an appeal in the case . South Africa 's ruling African National Congress party said the verdict last month clearly indicated `` that South Africa as a country is governed by laws that are applied without any fear or favor to anyone , regardless of their standing . '' Selebi was until recently one of the most powerful political figures in South Africa . He served as president of Interpol from 2004 to 2008 and was a close ally of former South African President Thabo Mbeki .
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Jackie Selebi , the country 's former national police chief , sentenced to 15 years ' jail . He did n't try to hide his friendship with a convicted drug trafficker . The trial lasted 4 1/2 years .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lawrence Anthony is an all-action conservationist . The 60-year-old South African grew up in small towns in Malawi , Zimbabwe and Zambia and developed an affinity with nature from an early age . `` I grew up in the African bush and I formed an early relationship with the African bush which has stayed with me , '' he told CNN . `` As I 've grown older I 've watched the deterioration -LSB- of the natural world -RSB- , and it really concerns me . '' He took action to become a conservationist and created his own game reserve in South Africa 's KwaZulu-Natal region , but he 's also taken his passion across borders . Hiring a car from Kuwait he drove into Iraq during the war there in 2003 to rescue animals from Baghdad zoo . He admits it was more naivete rather than bravery , but once he had managed to get the zoo under some sort of control -LRB- which had only around 30 animals left -RRB- , he ventured out to save even more animals . `` Uday Hussein had lions that were rumored to be man-eaters , that he 'd fed them love rivals and things like that . The whole of Baghdad was talking about it back then . It was very difficult . It was n't the lions ' fault ; they 're just lions . I refused to let anyone harm them , and thankfully they are still alive today , '' he said . Returning to South Africa in 2004 he set up The Earth Organization and expanded his international conservation efforts . He prepared a document that was presented to the United Nations as a draft resolution to make all wildlife parks and conservation areas protected in times of war and their abuse classified as a war crime . In 2006 he reportedly met with the Ugandan rebel organization the Lord 's Resistance Army -LRB- LRA -RRB- in 2006 while they were involved in the bitter civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Anthony reportedly persuaded them to protect endangered species such as the northern white rhinoceros . `` They were very hospitable , '' Lawrence said . `` I found out that the rhino was the spiritual totem of the tribes that they came from and they thought there were hundreds and hundreds of rhinos , and there were n't . '' Creating relationships with people has been just as important as cultivating refuges for animals . After years of negotiation with the local chief of the land next to Anthony 's reserve , he was able to persuade the local community to convert their own land into conservation areas , so they too could benefit from eco-tourism . `` I do n't think I have a mission in life , '' he said . `` I just want to hold together the values that are important to us as human beings . The name of the game is to survive and we ca n't survive without the plant and animal kingdoms . ''
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Conservationist has rescued animals from Iraq and negotiated with rebel armies . Owns and runs a game reserve in South Africa . Set up `` The Earth Organization '' in 2004 to promote conservation efforts .
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Editor 's note : Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a nationally syndicated columnist and a regular contributor to CNN.com . Read his column here . Ruben Navarrette Jr. says `` Latino in America '' tells the real story of his community , for better and for worse . SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Have you ever seen 47 million people hold their breath and hope for the best ? Take it from this Latino in America , when many of my compadres heard that CNN was putting together a documentary on being `` Latino in America , '' that 's pretty much what happened . For those of us in the Latino community who worry that those of us in the media are missing the best and most nuanced stories about America 's largest minority because we 're too busy harping on stereotypes and accentuating the negative -- `` I 'll take an order of high school dropouts , with a side of gangbangers and mix in some gardeners and housekeepers '' -- there was a concern that CNN would blow the assignment . At least the cable network had the courage to take it on . Many of its competitors -- ABC , NBC , CBS , etc. -- still broadcast in black-and-white and have n't grasped the absurdity of producing Sunday morning talk shows where journalists and pundits gather for roundtable discussions that touch on Latino issues without a single Latino at the table . Having watched the documentary , which airs October 21-22 , I can see that it 's time to exhale . This is good work . I can also see that the smartest decision network executives made was putting this project in the very capable hands of my Harvard classmate , María de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien -- more commonly known as Soledad O'Brien . The award-winning correspondent -- whose mother is black and Latino , and whose father is Australian with Irish roots -- appears to have understood instantly why many Latinos are leery of projects like this . In a recent essay on CNN.com , O'Brien wrote : . `` It was clear that the community felt starved for good solid coverage . No one asked me to do a snow job . Just please do n't reduce us to crime , immigration and racial conflicts , they asked . Folks just did n't want to see their community hurt anymore and were very blunt about it . One afternoon I had lunch with Lupe Ontiveros in Los Angeles , '' O'Brien wrote . `` She is a beloved Latina actor who has been reduced to the role of the maid or the nanny in scores of movies . I asked Lupe to be a major character in our documentary , and she offered an enormous amount of assistance . When I left the table she turned to my producer and said bluntly in Spanish , `` Please , just do n't f -- us . '' In the end , what you see is n't all cotton candy and lemonade -- or , in this case , churros and chocolate . There are negative images , peppered throughout stories about dropouts , teenage pregnancy , illegal immigration , crime , depression , etc. . But there is also plenty of the positive , and most of the clouds have silver linings . Along the way , we meet `` The Garcias '' -- not one family , but a series of different individuals from throughout the country , all of them named `` Garcia . '' There 's Isabel Garcia , a fourth-generation Mexican-American immigrants ' rights activist in Arizona , who organized a protest against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , a media hound who rounds up illegal immigrants and is being investigated by the Justice Department over allegations of racially profiling U.S.-born Hispanics in the process . The protest turns into a piñata party when someone hangs a papier-mâché caricature of Arpaio and protesters whack it with sticks . There 's also Lorena Garcia , a Spanish-language TV chef and businesswoman who some consider the `` Latina Martha Stewart , '' who was told to lose her accent and instead has found her language and culture to be assets that help make her unique and successful as she builds her brand . We also meet Bill and Betty Garcia , who moved from New York to North Carolina and now feel disconnected from their culture . He 's from Puerto Rico and she 's from the Dominican Republic , but their sons think of themselves as American . One of them even flunked Spanish in high school . To think that there are still Americans out there who think that Latinos are n't assimilating . In fact , conservative commentator Pat Buchanan insists that not only are Latinos not assimilating at present , but they also never have throughout history . Buchanan is loco . Following the script laid out by the Irish , Italians , Germans and Jews who came before them , Latinos are learning English , having smaller families , starting businesses , moving to the suburbs , joining the PTA and sending their kids to college . Many of them are just -- like the Irish , Germans and Jews who came before them -- trying to find ways to do all that while still preserving their culture and heritage . In the meantime , many of them are in a kind of holding pattern . They 're considered too Mexican or too Cuban or too Puerto Rican to be Americans . And yet at the same time , were they to visit their ancestral homelands , they 'd be considered too American to be Mexican or Cuban or Puerto Rican . For American Latinos , this is the Dickensian era , the best of times and the worst of times . They 're being pursued by Sheriff Joe and by Fortune 500 companies hungry for their slice of an estimated $ 800 billion in annual spending power . Latinos are being told to learn English when , for many , the real challenge is preserving their Spanish . They are in all 50 states , representing 15 percent of the population now and on track to make up as much as 25 percent by 2032 . Meanwhile , with all the issues out there , some Americans still get stuck on the basics of whether they should call us `` Latino '' or `` Hispanic '' -- or Mexican , Cuban , Puerto Rican . Who cares ? You can call us whatever you want . You just ca n't ignore us . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. .
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Ruben Navarrette Jr. : 47 million Americans are Latino . He says story of their community is told in detail in `` Latino in America '' He says Latinos are assimilating in America despite challenges . For Latino-Americans , these are the best and worst of times , he says .
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[[137, 224]]
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Editor 's Note : Ed Rollins , who served as political director for President Ronald Reagan , is a Republican strategist who was national chairman of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee 's 2008 presidential campaign . Ed Rollins says failing to find the WMDs in Iraq was far more than a disappointment . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One week from today , a historic presidency begins and a tarnished presidency ends . The inauguration of Barack Obama , the first African-American president , can not come quickly enough for the vast majority of Americans . This young man with the keen disciplined mind and the buffed body begins a presidency with high hopes , goodwill and a never-ending list of problems left on the Oval Office desk by George Walker Bush , the ever-confident occupant of that high office who seems like the dinner guest who will not leave . In all my years around Washington as an observer and as a member of several administrations , I have rarely witnessed an event as bizarre as President Bush 's farewell press conference yesterday . It reminded me of Richard Nixon 's November 17 , 1973 , question and answer session before 400 Associated Press managing editors at the height of the Watergate scandal , in which he declared : `` People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook . Well , I 'm not a crook . '' Well , to the best of my knowledge , Nixon was n't a crook -LRB- in the technical sense -RRB- . He was dishonest , he abused the office of the presidency , and telling the truth was n't his strong suit . And he resigned in disgrace and would have been impeached if he had n't . But there were also periods in his presidency that were very good for this country and the world . President Bush is not a crook either . And even more importantly , I do n't believe he is dishonest or an incompetent . The mistakes of his presidency were caused by overconfidence , bad information or a certain arrogance that was still fully on display yesterday . How can you reflect on going to war , a war of choice , and argue that `` not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment , '' as President Bush did yesterday ? And putting the `` not finding the weapons '' in the same breath as `` We should n't have hung the sign , ` Mission Accomplished ' '' ! A disappointment is when you 're a football fan and your team lost in the playoffs or in the national championship game . Eliminating weapons of mass destruction was the rationale for sending hundreds of thousands of men and women to Iraq to risk their lives and spending billions of dollars of American taxpayers ' money . Find out how some readers are angry over Bush 's legacy . The rationale for the war was n't that Saddam Hussein was a bad guy -- which he was -- and that he violated every sanction and agreement that the United Nations put on him . President Bush went on to say : `` One thing about the presidency is that you can only make decisions based on the information at hand . You do n't get to have information after you make the decision -- that 's not the way it works . '' That is correct and that may be the most important lesson our new president can learn from the failures of the last . Make sure you get the information to make the right decisions . President Bush , referring to the Abu Ghraib scandal and the missing weapons of mass destruction , said , `` I do n't know if you want to call those mistakes or not , but things did n't go as planned , let 's put it that way . '' The lesson for President-elect Obama is often things do n't go as planned . Last week four men who have been president had lunch in the White House with the newly elected president . As I looked at the picture of the five members of the most exclusive club in the world standing in the Oval Office , I felt sad . Two of the men , Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush , now in their 80s , had been overwhelmingly defeated in their bids for re-election . President Clinton and President Bush , both in their 60s , had periods of great failure . President Clinton was impeached . The present president leaves office with the lowest approval ratings in modern history . None of these were bad men -- just the opposite . Why did their presidencies not live up to those high expectations that we all have for our new leaders on Inauguration Day ? In some cases , they fought their natural allies . President Carter was particularly inept at dealing with Congress ; so was the current President Bush . Carter and the two Bushes failed at communicating with the public and were unable to articulate what their programs were and build support for them in Congress . Clinton , a good communicator , was terribly undisciplined . President Obama will need to set his priorities early . He ca n't do all he 's promised in the first term . He needs to build strong relationships with the Congress and let them play a big role in setting his agenda . He needs to use his tremendous communication skills and continually explain to the country what he wants to do and why . Then he needs to take his campaign machine and motivate the grassroots organization he built to get Congress to support his programs . He must be patient but persistent in making his case . As we hope for the change which is coming next week , I just want to pause and reflect and say to President Bush , `` Thank you , for serving your country . '' To our new president : Best of luck and you have our prayers . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Rollins .
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Ed Rollins : Bush ends his second term with a tarnished presidency . He says Bush was n't incompetent or dishonest but he showed arrogance . Rollins says the four former presidents who met with Obama all had great failures . He says lesson for Obama is that things often do n't go as planned .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The recently leaked memo from departing chief United Nations corruption investigator , Inga-Britt Ahlenius , to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will make it impossible for the White House to support the UN chief 's candidacy for a second four-year term next year . That is , unless the Obama administration itself was only joking when it promised to push for greater transparency and accountability at the United Nations . In a 50-page `` end-of-mission '' report , the widely respected former auditor of Sweden -- who was originally brought in to help the UN fix the spectacular accountability gap exposed during the excruciatingly painful `` oil-for-food '' scandal -- paints a detailed , well-documented tableau of Ban 's managerial incompetence . In a spectacular break from tradition , Ahlenius did what few senior diplomats ever dare to do : She spoke truth to power . In her report , Ahlenius documents Ban Ki-moon 's repeated efforts to undermine his own senior officials , including her own office of internal oversight , by stemming the flow of information , interfering in the appointment of staff , or worse , failing to appoint people to senior management positions altogether . Critical leadership posts were left vacant for as long as possible , thereby strengthening Ban 's power over the bureaucracy . The UN Secretariat , she concludes , is `` in a process of decay ... falling apart ... and drifting into irrelevance . '' It may be that many member states do not actually want the UN to get in the way of their realpolitik . But when it comes to standing for the principles of its charter in difficult , often dangerous mission areas , the UN can not succeed unless its staff are led and supported by a better-managed Secretariat in New York . As it happens , even their very physical security did not appear to be a priority for the Ban Ki-moon administration . It failed to appoint another Under Secretary-General for Safety and Security for a full 11 months after accepting the resignation of David Veness , in June 2008 , following the deadly bombing of the UN 's Algeria headquarters . Ban 's failures to perform his duties as the UN 's chief administrative officer in a timely manner -- the Ahlenius report describes these failures as widespread -- have repercussions all the way down the line on staff security and morale . Instead of being empowered to do their job , the staff , including Ahlenius herself , end up feeling undermined by their boss . Unless Hillary Clinton and her UN ambassador , Susan Rice , are prepared to contradict Ahlenius ' assessment , they will have no choice but to withdraw America 's support for Ban 's re-election -LRB- his term expires at the end of 2011 -RRB- . Unfortunately for Ban 's administration , few people were better placed than its own auditor to draw such conclusions . And she is not alone in her assessment . Ahlenius has managed the rather undiplomatic feat of saying out loud what a lot of UN officials , including some at the highest levels , have been murmuring for several years . While it is not altogether unheard of for former UN bureaucrats to blow their top after they leave office , it is without doubt the first time such a senior official has done so with as much competence , and credibility , as Ahlenius . As a former employee of the UN 's `` oil-for-food '' operation -- the organization 's fraud-ridden $ 64 billion humanitarian operation that saw billions of dollars diverted from needy Iraqi civilians into the pockets of Saddam Hussein and an international clique of corrupt politicians -- I have learned to recognize the elements that go into making large-scale diplomatic fiascos . After I had contributed to blowing the whistle on that program in 2004 , some UN officials spent more time trying to discredit my testimony than to fix the cracks in the system that led to the debacle in the first place . Not so Ms. Ahlenius . In fact , she invited me to spend an afternoon conducting a `` lessons learned '' discussion with her entire senior staff . Her approach was so markedly different from what I had experienced that I caught myself feeling hopeful , thereafter , about the chances of seeing real management reforms happen after all . Unfortunately , it would seem Ahlenius has become a whistleblower herself . If such a senior UN official ca n't seem to communicate her concerns to her boss and is forced into the very uncomfortable position of having to speak out with such force as she did in her latest report , it is difficult to conclude that all is well at the top echelons of the world body . If Ban Ki-moon were well advised , he would not seek a second term in office . If he were earnest about pushing for UN reform , he would free himself from the pressure the member states may try to exert upon his office , officially make public those parts of Ahlenius 's report that do not affect staff security , and dedicate himself to mending the cracks in the system identified by his departing auditor . Instead , Ban left it up to his chief of staff to issue a response which , both in form and substance , does a great job of confirming Ahlenius ' criticism . In a July 19 letter to Colum Lynch of the Washington Post , who broke the story , Vijay Nambiar says that his boss `` is also concerned '' that critical senior managerial positions -LRB- now including that of Ahlenius -RRB- remain unfilled . The problem is , Ban 's job is not just to `` be concerned . '' It is to actually make appointments -- or `` to put butts on seats , '' as one U.S. official once put it to me off the record . In this instance , Ban ignored the best advice of a 15-member independent panel and refused to appoint John Appleton , the former Connecticut attorney , to head Ahlenius 's investigation division . In the wake of the oil-for-food meltdown , Appleton had led an unprecedented exercise in accountability -LRB- so successfully , in fact , that his office was shut down in 2008 -RRB- . Perhaps Ban would prefer to appoint someone else who , like he , prefers to show `` concern '' about the challenges facing the world organization than to take them on -- with deeds , not just words . For the UN 's own sake , let 's hope the leaders of the world 's democracies can do better than that when it comes to electing a new leader for the United Nations in 2011 . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Soussan .
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Michael Soussan : Leaked report shows Ban Ki-moon not managing UN staff effectively . He says US , other democracies should push to replace Ban when his term is up . The UN Secretariat is in danger of becoming irrelevant , the report says .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- 2010 has , so far , been a great year for women in film . From Kathryn Bigelow 's record-breaking `` The Hurt Locker '' to Lone Sherfig 's BAFTA-winning `` An Education , '' women seem to be thriving behind the camera . But , these success stories are very much the exception in a male-dominated global industry . Amy Mole and Rachel Millward are two women trying to change that : They are , respectively , the managing director and founder of the Birds ' Eye View Film Festival which celebrates and promotes female filmmakers . Bird 's Eye View brings together female directors from Europe to Africa to participate in screenings and workshops . Mole hopes to inspire more young women to try their hand at directing and screenwriting -- long considered to be men 's work . Movies being screened include Drew Barrymore 's `` Whip It , '' Mia Hansen-Love 's Cannes winner `` The Father of My Children '' and `` Lourdes '' by Jessica Hausner , a 2009 Venice Golden Lion nominee . Here Mole talks to CNN 's The Screening Room about the particular challenges facing women looking for their big break and how the festival hopes to help . The Screening Room : What is the aim of the Bird 's Eye View Film Festival ? Amy Mole : The festival is there to promote and showcase the best of women across the world . We bring over women from lots of different countries ... this year we have film makers from Kenya and from Spain , and South Africa as well as lots of other places . TSR : What is the situation of women in the film industry and does this vary from country to country ? What are the specific challenges women face in , for example , East Africa ? AM : The interesting thing about the role of the director as a woman in film is that it does n't really change depending on which county you 're in . The restrictions that exist around that role and the problems for women in that role exist everywhere . TSR : What kinds of challenges do women in the film industry face ? AM : Knowing that the role of the director is erratic and the schedule is all over the place and very demanding , knowing that , it means that child rearing actually becomes a massive issue and being on location -- quite often for long periods of time -- makes it really , really limiting and makes it really , really hard to actually be a mom . TSR : What is the single biggest challenge for a woman who wants to enter the industry ? AM : I think that bringing up children whilst being in the role of director is the biggest challenge and I think it 's something that needs to be recognized , so ideally the industry will respond to that . I think it is a real challenge , and I think since early cinema it has become a very male dominated industry and we 've had , sadly , reports of sexism on set which is a real worry . Obviously , those reports are n't commonplace ... Everyone needs to know that that 's the case and we need to support the women in the industry . TSR : What is the festival doing to promote women in film ? AM : We 're launching two training labs , which are held at Bird 's Eye View throughout the year . One of them is a screenwriting program called `` She Writes , '' which is for screenwriters who are emerging in the industry . They follow a year long mentoring program , specifically on scripts that they 're working on . We 're also launching another lab , which is an animation lab called `` Reanimates , '' which is in partnership with WARP Films . Now , that project is about brining together screenwriters and animators . The process it follows is the same as `` She Writes , '' so it 's a mentoring program ... the result will be that two or three projects will be taken on the development slate of WARP Films . TSR : Do you have any statistics about women in the industry ? AM : We know that in 2007 only seven percent of directors in the UK were women . This spiked up slightly in 2008 to 12 percent , but since the recession hit , we 've had reports that it 's gone down as much as 20 percent . Screenwriters are n't much better off either . In 2007 , it was 12 percent , and it went up to 18 percent in 2008 . But again , that 's dipped as we 've gone into the recession . TSR : What are the most popular roles for women in the industry ? AM : ; There 's a lot of female editors and there 's a lot of producers . We had an interesting chat with someone the other day , about women editors in early cinema and how editing was likened to sewing , which is why it was more permissible in the female domain . So , there 's more female actresses and producers , but directors and screenwriters is where the real problem is .
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The Bird 's Eye View Film Festival promotes women in film . London-based fest brings together directors from Europe to Africa . UK premiere of actress Drew Barrymore 's directorial debut `` Whip It '' Festival director : '' ... We need to support the women in the industry ''
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London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Prime Minister David Cameron , the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will join hundreds of veterans Sunday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day , or VJ Day , which was Saturday . `` The service will remember the efforts of hundreds of thousands of veterans operating in the harshest of conditions , and pay tribute to nearly 30,000 British losses suffered during the Far East campaign , -LRB- including -RRB- some 12,500 who died while prisoners of war , '' Britain 's Ministry of Defence said in a statement . Cameron will lay a wreath on behalf of the British government , the statement said . On August 14 , 1945 , Japan surrendered to Allied forces , effectively ending World War II . `` We must never forget the sacrifices made and the dedication showed by those who served our country in the Second World War , '' Cameron said . `` They fought and suffered around the world in ferocious conditions . They witnessed incomprehensible horrors . They lost their lives -- and many were imprisoned . And they did all this for us -- to protect the freedoms we all enjoy today . VJ Day , the day the Second World War ended , is a time for this generation to reflect and show its gratitude to our veterans for their bravery , dedication and sacrifice . '' Chief of the General Staff , Gen. Sir David Richards , will lay a wreath on behalf of the British Army , the Ministry of Defence said . The ministry , along with the Burma Star Association , organized the service . The association , founded in 1951 , `` brings together veterans from all three services who experienced the bitter fighting in the jungles of Burma , '' which is modern-day Myanmar , the ministry said .
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Ceremony on Sunday remembers the day Japan surrendered in 1945 , ending WWII . PM David Cameron will lay a wreath on behalf of the government . Nearly 30,000 British troops died in the Far East campaign .
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Belfast , Northern Ireland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Security was tight in Northern Ireland on Saturday for a contentious annual march by a Protestant group . Saturday 's march by the Apprentice Boys through the mainly Catholic city of Londonderry is the largest of several they hold during the year , mainly in summer . The march commemorates the Siege of Derry in 1689 , when thousands of Protestants died . Before the Londonderry parade was due to begin at 12:30 p.m. -LRB- 7:30 a.m. ET -RRB- , local members were also holding smaller `` feeder '' parades in their own areas . A feeder parade in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast , a flashpoint for sectarian violence , happened peacefully Saturday morning . Trouble flared in Ardoyne and other areas of Belfast last month after a decision to allow another Protestant parade to pass through a mainly Catholic neighborhood on July 12 , a day when Protestants march to celebrate the victory of England 's King William III over his ousted Catholic predecessor , James II , in 1689 . Dozens of officers were hurt in days of violence surrounding the annual event , known as The Twelfth . Journalist Peter Taggart contributed to this report .
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The Protestant march passes through a mainly Catholic city . Saturday 's march is the largest by the Apprentice Boys group . Smaller marches are also taking place elsewhere Saturday .
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Moscow , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Moscow skyline of the Kremlin and St. Basil 's Cathedral vanished Friday as a blanket of thick , noxious smoke shrouded the metropolis , leaving many of the city 's 10 million residents with sore throats and burning eyes . On Friday , Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited a Moscow ambulance station , accompanied by top health officials . He was told that the number of emergency calls has increased by about 10 percent lately , related to the heat and smog . The acrid smoke , from thousands of square miles of wildfires , drove carbon monoxide levels in Moscow five times higher than what is considered safe , the Russian Health Ministry said . Residents were encouraged to stay indoors . Many who did not could be seen wearing masks as they walked outdoors . In interviews with the state-run RIA Novosti news agency , health officials likened the pollution levels to smoking several packs of cigarettes a day . Some flights to Moscow were diverted Friday because or poor visibility . The Russian Ministry for Health and Social Development reported Friday that 52 people have died as a result of the extensive fires in central Russia . Another 72 people needed treatment , 43 of whom remain hospitalized , it said . Fires were still burning Friday in 22 of the country 's 83 regions . Tens of thousands of firefighters have been deployed to extinguish nearly 600 raging wildfires covering 500,000 acres , among the worst ever . The record heat wave gripping the country showed no signs of abating Friday . Temperatures climbed to 37 degrees Celsius -LRB- 98 degrees Fahrenheit -RRB- in Moscow and hit 41 degrees Celsius -LRB- nearly 106 Fahrenheit -RRB- farther to the southeast in Tambov . By Sunday , Moscow could reach 40 degrees Celsius -LRB- 104 Fahrenheit -RRB- , a figure never before officially recorded in the city . Percy von Lipinski , who is visiting Russia , described the sun as a `` barely visible dot of orange trying to light the sky . '' Watch Percy 's walk through smokey Moscow . `` I dared venture outside today but can tell you that it was a difficult job , '' he said in a CNN iReport . `` Tomorrow I have decided to take my chances to see if things are any better in the country side . '' CNN 's Matthew Chance and Max Tkachenko contributed to this report .
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NEW : Russian president visits ambulance station . Carbon monoxide levels are dangerously high in Moscow . People are encouraged to stay indoors and wear masks . There are no signs of the heat wave abating , and wildfires are still raging in the countryside .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan 's President Asif Ali Zardari and the British Prime Minister David Cameron Friday pledged to increase cooperation between the two countries on economic development and security issues . Meeting at Cameron 's official country residence , Chequers , both leaders affirmed their commitment to further strengthen strategic ties , said Downing Street . Both leaders appeared to be making an effort to smooth relations between the two countries after the diplomatic spat prompted by comments made by Cameron about Pakistan promoting the export of terror . Zardari is also facing criticism for being away from home during devastating flooding in north-east Pakistan . `` It 's a friendship that will never break no matter what happens , '' Zardari said . `` Storms will come and storms will go and Pakistan and Britain will stand together and face all the difficulties with dignity and we will make sure that the world is a better place for our coming generations . '' Cameron expressed support for Pakistan 's democratic government and support for coping with the damage caused by recent floods , Downing Street said . Zardari thanked Cameron for the UK 's pledge of # 10 million of immediate relief for flood victims . The British PM , who had dinner with Zardari on Thursday evening , has not publicly apologized for his comments about Pakistan promoting the export of terror . Cameron said Friday he recognized the sacrifices made by Pakistan 's military and population in fighting violent extremism , Downing Street said . Speaking to the press after their Chequers meeting , which lasted about an hour , Cameron said : `` We want to work together to combat terrorism , that is a real priority for my government . '' Zardari invited the Prime Minister to make an early visit to Pakistan and Cameron accepted , Downing Street added .
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British PM and Pakistan President hold talks at Chequers . Both leaders pledge to increase economic and security cooperation . Meeting overshadowed by Cameron comments . Zardari facing criticism for being away while parts of Pakistan suffer flooding .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Northrop Grumman Corp. plans to close a New Orleans , Louisiana , shipbuilding operation in 2013 and consolidate its Gulf operations , affecting thousands of jobs , the company announced Tuesday . Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal , who has been meeting with company officials , said he will do everything possible to keep the Avondale yard open . `` This presents a tremendous economic challenge to the Avondale area , '' Jindal said in a statement . `` The roughly 5,000 direct jobs at the Avondale site support about 6,500 additional indirect jobs in the New Orleans region , meaning a total of roughly 11,500 jobs are at risk due to this change in the Navy 's procurement program . '' Northrop-Grumman said the decision was a necessity . `` The consolidation will reduce future costs , increase efficiency , and address shipbuilding overcapacity , '' Wes Bush , chief executive officer and president , said in a statement . `` This difficult , but necessary decision will ensure long-term improvement in Gulf Coast program performance , cost competitiveness and quality . '' As a result of the consolidation , Northrop Grumman , which has owned the Avondale operation since 2001 , said it will recognize an estimated pre-tax charge of $ 113 million in the second quarter . The company builds the LPD 17 San Antonio-class amphibious troop and cargo vessel for the U.S. military . Two other facilities that work on the LPD program also will be impacted , said Brandon R. `` Randy '' Belote III , vice president of strategic communications . The LPD vessels will be built only in Pascagoula , Mississippi , after the Avondale closure . Shipbuilding will continue in Gulfport , Mississippi . The company also said it is considering options for its the shipbuilding business . `` Recognizing our company 's long-term strategic priorities , we foresee little synergy between shipbuilding and our other businesses . It is now appropriate to explore separating shipbuilding from Northrop Grumman , '' said Bush . Options include spinning the division off to shareholders . Although the state already is considering options for new work at the New Orleans shipyard , Jindal said he is asking Secretary of Navy Ray Mabus and the federal government to prevent jobs at Avondale from being lost . Northrop Grumman will give details of the plans to investors Wednesday morning . Bush said the company will work with federal , state and local officials to `` explore alternate uses for Avondale as the last two ships under construction reach completion . '' Northrop Grumman said it anticipates some opportunities in Pascagoula for Avondale shipbuilders who wish to relocate . Belote did not specify how many jobs might be moved .
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Northrop Grumman will close New Orleans shipbuilding facility in 2013 . Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal trying to keep New Orleans yard open . Company 's Gulf operations will be consolidated in Pascagoula , Mississippi .
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-LRB- Gannett -RRB- -- Obsidian Entertainment 's `` Alpha Protocol '' looked promising in concept and presentation , especially with the slickly produced trailers posted to YouTube . But it fell short due to a subpar shooting and cover system , anything-but-intelligent artificial intelligence and outdated graphics . It 's too bad , really , because underneath it all is an interesting espionage , role-playing game -- one in which consequences are tied to your actions . But it 's difficult to get past the game 's shortcomings . `` Alpha Protocol '' is a suspense thriller in which you play as a young operative named Michael Thornton , part of a top secret U.S. agency known as Alpha Protocol . Thornton must traverse the globe and execute dangerous missions . But how you go about tackling a major conspiracy -- whose participants include fanatical terrorists , corrupt politicians and ruthless businessmen -- is up to you . For example , you can choose to be stealthy and hide in the shadows , enter each scene with guns blazing or use persuasion to achieve your goals . At the start of the game , you can choose what kind of an agent you want to be : Soldier -LRB- heavy weapon use -RRB- , Field Agent -LRB- stealthier spy -RRB- , Tech Specialist -LRB- good hacker -RRB- , Freelancer -LRB- customize your starting skills -RRB- or the challenging Recruit option , who has no starting skills and little equipment . Then , as you progress through the missions , you can upgrade your skills by applying XP -- or `` experience points '' -- in nine skill areas . These include martial arts , stealth , pistol use , sabotage or technical aptitude , just to name a few . Many of the situations in this third-person adventure have a time limit , too , which some players will love and others will loathe . Sure , it adds thrill to the task at hand , but it can be frustrating when you run out of time quickly , such as in some of the puzzle-based mini-games that require a lot of repetition to successfully complete . Conversations are often timed , too , so you 'll need to press a button on the controller to respond in a certain way . There are no bad choices , but choosing to be suave over aggressive , or vice versa , might help you get what you want easier , depending on whom you 're talking to . Problems with `` Alpha Protocol '' include inaccuracies in aiming -LRB- the enemy can be square in your crosshairs , yet you somehow miss when you fire -RRB- ; glitches when taking cover behind objects -LRB- Michael 's body gyrates when he gets too close to a corner -RRB- ; a camera system that proves more frustrating than helpful ; enemies who just stand there and wait to be shot ; and graphics that look a few years out of date -LRB- though some of the locations are well-designed , including memorable levels in Saudi Arabia , Russia and Taiwan -RRB- . With more time and polish , `` Alpha Protocol '' could have been one of the more interesting summer blockbusters , but its numerous flaws dampen the overall experience . That said , those looking forward to buying this single-player game might consider renting it for the weekend .
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Game has subpar shooting and outdated graphics . But at base , `` Alpha Protocol '' is interesting espionage role-playing game . Problems include inaccuracies in aiming , glitches when taking cover . Reviewer gives the game 2.5 of 4 stars .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The last U.S. combat brigade has pulled out of Iraq , but does that mean the more than 50,000 American troops who will remain there will never fire a shot or come under attack ? A total end to violence seems unlikely , retired Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt warns . But Kimmitt , a former assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs , says Iraq 's military forces are ready to handle their country 's security challenges and protect the American advisers . Kimmitt weighed in on the situation Thursday on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' CNN : How vulnerable are we leaving Iraq -- and our remaining troops -- as new spasms of violence occur ? Kimmitt : The question is not whether there will be a total elimination of security incidents or not . The fundamental question is : Can the Iraqi security forces manage the process without needing American assistance ? Yes , there will be low levels of violence even with a fully competent Iraqi security force . But even with 170,000 American forces , there were low levels of violence there as well . The Iraqis are saying , `` We can handle it now without American assistance , '' and I believe that to be the case . CNN : Are you concerned that the U.S. troops who remain in Iraq as trainers and adviser are at greater risk because of their smaller numbers ? Kimmitt : I 'm pretty comfortable on the combat capability of the Iraqi security forces . They have demonstrated , over the past couple of years , increasing levels of competence . And I believe the military commanders on the ground judge them to be ready to take over that responsibility in its entirety . So our remaining troops , who are in fact combat capable but in a support role , I think they 're in pretty good shape . And the situation 's in pretty good shape for the moment . CNN : How much of a change in their work will the remaining American forces see ? Kimmitt : Well , first , many people think that the U.S. forces have been engaged in tough combat over the last couple of years . In fact , the Iraqi forces have been in the lead . It has been a gradual process of just handing complete combat responsibility over to the Iraqis . While that 's been going on , there has been an advisory and an assistance mission , which the 50,000 troops that are remaining will -LSB- continue -RSB- . They 'll work inside of the Iraqi units , providing assistance , military mentoring , and that will continue for another year and a half . CNN : In 7 1/2 years of war in Iraq , we have seen more than 4,400 troops killed and more than $ 600 billion spent . Has it been worth it ? Have we achieved our goals ? Kimmitt : Well , we 'll never be able to simply tell the American people that the loss of any life is worthwhile . But what I would say is , let 's take a look at where Iraq is today . It 's a democratic state , a friend to its neighbors , no longer a threat to the United States . Those soldiers who have sacrificed for the last 7 1/2 years , some who have given their lives , I think they can look back and realize that they left Iraq in a much better position over the last 7 1/2 years by their presence than had they not been there . Home and Away : Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan . CNN : Were there missed opportunities ? Were there things that could have been done differently that would have left us with the same overall impact in Iraq but with less cost and less time ? Kimmitt : Look , I think as you look at any military campaign over history , looking back , yes , there are places and opportunities that were missed : Battle of the Bulge , significant intelligence miscalculations in the Korean War . Sure , we 'd like to do it over again . We 'd like to do it over better . But I think that that 's just the nature of warfare . And you 're going find that in any historical example , not just Iraq . CNN : What does the change in mission in Iraq mean for the ongoing operation in Afghanistan ? Kimmitt : Well , that 's still going to be a tough fight . But what reducing the force levels in Iraq does is , number one , it provides more dwell time for soldiers back with their families . We 've been looking at setting up a program where -LSB- troops will have -RSB- one year in combat , two years at home . By having less of a burden inside of Iraq , that may be achieved . Afghanistan Crossroads : Reports from the front . Second , it also frees up critical assets that have been used in Iraq that now can add to those that are already in Afghanistan . So I think overall the net effect will be a positive one for Afghanistan and for our mission there .
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All fighting unlikely to stop , retired Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt says . Iraqi forces have been taking the lead for two years , he says . Sacrifices of blood and resources were worthwhile , Kimmitt says . Change of mission in Iraq should improve capabilities in Afghanistan , he says .
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Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 48 people were killed and scores were wounded Tuesday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vest in central Baghdad as men were queuing up outside an Iraqi army recruitment center , the Interior Ministry said . At least 129 people were wounded in the blast , which took place in the morning in the Bab al-Moudham commercial area . The spokesman for the Iraqi military command in the capital , Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta , said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a number of officers who were near the attacker to be detained for questioning . Atta told Al-Iraqiya state television that Tuesday had been the final day of a weeklong recruitment drive and that a large number of recruits had been waiting to sign up when the attack occurred . Atta said the bomber 's vest was stuffed with 30 kilograms -LRB- 66 pounds -RRB- of the plastic explosive C4 , TNT and ball bearings . The attack came amid the country 's failure to form a government and the United States ' troop drawdown ahead of President Barack Obama 's August 31 deadline for ending all combat operations . The U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq , or UNAMI , condemned the act and expressed concern over continued acts of violence in the country , `` including those perpetrated during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan that symbolizes the values of peace , tolerance , generosity and solidarity . '' `` UNAMI reiterates that agreement on the formation of the government will greatly contribute to strengthening Iraq 's ability to protect its citizens and respond effectively to those who aim at perpetuating instability and insecurity in the country and reversing its path towards peace and prosperity . '' The Iraqi government has been pushing to increase security ahead of the drawdown , which would leave a residual U.S. force of 50,000 troops focused on stability operations as well as advising and assisting Iraqi security forces . Recruitment centers for Iraqi security forces have frequently been targeted by suicide bombers . A recent campaign of bombings and shootings has targeted Iraqi forces , especially in the capital , where gunmen have attacked traffic police and attacked checkpoints , killing Iraqi troops . Many Iraqis have blamed the recent wave of violence on the current political paralysis , in which quarreling parties have failed to form a government nearly six months after parliamentary elections . The attack has increased concerns among Iraqis about the ability of security forces to protect them when they can not protect a government office . An Interior Ministry official said two roadside bombs detonated last week outside the same center , wounding three people . Extremist groups , such as al Qaeda in Iraq , are known to take advantage of political fissures to carry out more attacks to create further turmoil . A spate of other incidents occurred Tuesday , said an Interior Ministry official , who cited : . -- A generator caught fire in eastern Baghdad that killed two people and injured 25 others . -- A string of drive-by shootings and bombings in Baghdad and Diyala province that killed three people and wounded five . -- A roadside bomb in the capital that seriously wounded the judge who heads Baghdad 's appeals . -- A car bomb that detonated in the town of Balad Ruz northeast of the capital , killing two other judges . -- A drive-by shooting in western Baghdad 's Ameriya neighborhood that killed a senior Trade Ministry official . -- A drive-by shooting in eastern Baghdad that wounded three occupants of a car . -- A hand grenade thrown at a police patrol in western Baghdad that wounded a policeman and a civilian . The website iraqbodycount.org estimated that nearly 2,000 Iraqi civilians had been killed this year through June . `` We continue to bleed as a nation , '' Iraq 's ambassador to the United States , Samir Sumaidaie , told CNNI . He called the attacks `` despicable , '' but said , `` We do not believe there is any chance that they will derail the political process or destabilize the country . People are fed up with them and I do n't believe they will achieve any political purpose . '' In Washington , Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton said President Barack Obama condemned the attacks . `` There are obviously still people who want to derail the advances that the Iraqi people have made towards democracy , but they are firmly on track and we 're confident that we 're moving towards the end of our combat mission there , '' he said . The political crisis worsened on Monday when former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi 's al-Iraqiya party announced that it was suspending talks with al-Maliki 's coalition in response to comments he made in a television interview . Maysoon al-Damalouji , a spokeswoman for al-Iraqiya , told CNN the group decided to suspend negotiations after al-Maliki described Allawi 's candidate list as a `` Sunni list '' in an interview aired Monday by the U.S.-funded network Alhurra . Al-Damalouji said they were demanding an apology to the supporters of al-Iraqiya . Allawi , a secular Shiite , heads the cross-sectarian al-Iraqiya list , which won the largest number of seats in the March 7 national elections . Al-Iraqiya garnered most of the Sunni Arab vote . The four top blocs are involved in weekslong negotiations to try to build a coalition with enough seats to form a government . A fragile mega-Shiite coalition was formed in May between al-Maliki 's State of Law and the Iranian-backed Iranian National Alliance , which includes the followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr , but the coalition collapsed this month after the INA rejected al-Maliki 's nomination for a second term . Allawi and al-Maliki both claim the right to lead the next government . The two blocs have been holding talks . To form a government , a 163-seat majority of 325 seats in parliament is needed . Allawi 's bloc had a narrow victory with 91 seats , while al-Maliki won 89 . Western and Iraqi officials , including Allawi , have said Iraq 's next government must be inclusive and representative , or violence could result . Sunnis largely boycotted the 2005 elections , leading to the emergence of a Shiite-led government . The move left the once-ruling minority disaffected and that contributed to the a bloody insurgency and sectarian warfare that gripped Iraq for years . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this story .
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Suicide bomber detonates vest as men line up at army recruitment center . Bomber 's vest was stuffed with 30 kilos of explosives , ball bearings . Deadly attack occurs on day with a string of violent incidents in Iraq . Iraq has been pushing to increase security as U.S. troop drawdown nears .
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-LRB- Gannett -RRB- -- In need of a spring fling ? Two new but very different video game releases this week should help . Shown for the first time back in 2005 , Microsoft Game Studios ' oft-delayed `` Alan Wake '' has finally been released . This supernatural adventure is worth the wait , though , and offers plenty of action , atmosphere and creative story-telling . `` Skate 3 , '' on the other hand , challenges you to pull off slick tricks , take on team-based challenges and run your own skateboarding business . `` Skate 3 '' is arguably the best in the series yet , though it 's more evolutionary than revolutionary . Here 's a closer look . `` Alan Wake '' 3 1/2 stars out of 4 -LRB- Xbox 360 ; rated Teen ; $ 59.99 ; alanwake.com -RRB- . `` Alan Wake '' is a strange single-player adventure about a bestselling author in the middle of a dry spell . To overcome his writer 's block , Alan 's wife , Alice , brings him to a small northwestern town called Bright Falls , but Alice soon disappears . After awakening from a blackout , Wake discovers an account of what happened that he ca n't remember writing -- until he starts finding sheets strewn throughout the town that fill in some blanks but foreshadow impending danger . In this game played from a third-person perspective , Wake talks with many residents to gather clues , explores this once-idyllic town and battles supernatural foes -LRB- collectively called `` The Taken '' -RRB- using light as a common element in all the weapons and tools to help ward off what lurks in the darkness . There is some puzzle-solving , too , but most of the game focuses on character interaction , exploration and combat . Gamers who prefer story-driven adventures , such as Sony 's `` Heavy Rain '' or EA 's `` Mass Effect 2 '' should appreciate `` Alan Wake '' as an interactive suspense novel with supernatural undertones . `` Skate 3 '' 3 stars out of 4 -LRB- PlayStation 3 ; Xbox 360 ; rated Teen ; $ 59.99 ; skate.ea.com -RRB- . It 's only been a year since Electronic Arts rolled out `` Skate 2 , '' a game that proved the publisher was serious about competing against Activision 's `` Tony Hawk '' series . `` Skate 3 '' improves on 2009 's offering with a new city , extra tricks and deeper online play , but it 's not radically different than its predecessor . Therefore , those who own `` Skate 2 '' might want to test out the new game first to decide whether it 's worth the $ 60 price tag . `` Skate 3 '' focuses heavily on cooperative play , including team-based challenges in the fictitious city of Port Carverton . The goal of the meaty career mode is to start your own business and become the hottest skateboarding brand around . Your online buddies can join your crew to help take on various challenges , which include amassing a high score by pulling off midair tricks , achieving the longest jump , racing against others or taking part in photo shoots . Also , back again is the fun Hall of Meat mode that rewards you for over-the-top spills . If you need more people for team-based events , and your friends are n't online , computer-controlled skaters can fill in . Improved `` Flickit '' controls place a heavy emphasis on the controller 's dual analog sticks -LRB- to control your skater and board -RRB- and trigger buttons -LRB- for grabs and grinds -RRB- . The new park creator is easier to use compared with last year 's tool , and again allows you to create the ultimate skate park from scratch .
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`` Skate 3 '' is arguably the best in the series with extra tricks and deeper online play . `` Alan Wake '' is a strange single-player adventure about a bestselling author . Gamers who prefer story-driven adventures will appreciate it as an interactive suspense novel .
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-LRB- Ars Technica -RRB- -- Information about a keyboard being included in the `` Rock Band 3 '' package was teased in the `` Green Day : Rock Band '' demo . We have now been given some exclusive information by our now-famous Mole about what we can expect from `` Rock Band 3 . '' Read on to find out what to expect from the instruments in the latest version of the game . It 's the '80s ! There wo n't actually be a keyboard peripheral sold with the game ; instead there will be a keytar-like instrument supported . For those who did n't listen to much '80s music , a keytar is a sort of keyboard with a strap , held like a guitar . The keytar will be the only new instrument for the game . We were surprised that new instruments were being released at all , since Activision had noted that they were focusing on software and not hardware in order to cut costs . We figured Harmonix would follow what seemed to be a savvy strategy in a world already choked with peripherals . Harmonix will actually be doing something similar , and the peripherals will be created by an outside company . Mad Catz is bringing the instruments . Mad Catz will be creating all the `` Rock Band 3 '' instruments and bundles ; EA will only be distributing the software . Mad Catz will be offering many different bundles with different combinations of instruments available , and there will be bundles that are exclusive to certain retailers . If you have guitars , you 'll be able to find a bundle for drums . If you need everything , that will be available as well . If a store does n't want to be saddled with huge boxes , they can simply stock the game . This will allow the focus of the launch to be kept on the software , and we 're told that there will be a `` pro '' mode included in the game that will require proper technique , and may lead to actual skills on guitars and bass . How this will work is n't known , but it 's possible Mad Catz may create a product that more closely mimics an actual guitar . All this information is firmly in the rumor pile , excluding the Mad Catz connection , but our Mole has successfully broken more stories in gaming news and peripherals than anyone else in this business , so we 're confident in this data . It also makes sense : Mad Catz has long had the license to release Rock Band peripherals , and large bundles suffer from thin margins and can be expensive to stock . Giving control of the hardware to a company who knows how to release and ship peripherals makes sense for everyone , and more bundles give retailers a new layer of granularity to stock items based on their needs . As for the keytar ? We have no clue . Expect this information to be confirmed at E3 . COPYRIGHT 2010 ARSTECHNICA.COM .
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Ars Technica 's `` Mole '' reports that a keytar-like instrument will be supported . The keyboard/guitar combination will be the only new instrument . Instruments and game will be available in several bundles .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Olympic and world 100 meters champion Shelly-Ann Fraser has been suspended after testing positive for the recreational drug oxycodone . Bruce James , the president of MVP track and field club in Jamaica , broke the news on Twitter , the UK 's Press Association reported . The 23-year-old was due to run in Lausanne on Thursday night , but withdrew for the start of her event . The cause of her problems date back to a previous Diamond League meeting in Shanghai on May 23 where she tested positive after apparently taking medication for a toothache . `` We are withdrawing her from all competitions until we are able to have a hearing to determine what sanction will apply , or if she will be exonerated . `` Coach -LRB- Stephen -RRB- Francis is not upset with Shelly-Ann at all . He is actually proud of her for being brave enough to race in Shanghai . `` The IAAF have advised us that the offending substance is oxycodone . Google it . It is not a performance-enhancing drug . '' Six Jamaican athletes have tested positive for banned substances over the last year , with all but one resulting in light bans . A defiant Fraser told Reuters.com Friday that she would be proved innocent . `` I have nothing to hide , '' she said . `` I will go home and have a hearing before my federation in Jamaica . `` I hope they will accept my explanation . '' The sprinter shot to fame when she won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics , racing to an impressive 10.78 seconds in the final . She doubled up as world champion in Berlin the following year . Men 's sprint star Asafa Powell , who is a member of the same MVP club and is also coached by Francis , claimed it was `` not a big deal '' as he spoke to reporters ahead of a track meet in Gateshead , England on Friday . `` So I have n't heard much , I do n't know what exactly it is . I have heard it is not a big deal . He added : `` Everyone has to be careful in this sport , no matter who you are . Any little thing can turn out to be a big thing . ''
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Olympic champion Fraser has tested positive for the painkilling drug oxycodone . She says she took the drug to tackle toothache ahead of a race in Shanghai in May . Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell claims it is `` no big deal '' Fraser will have her case heard by her Jamaican federation .
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-LRB- CareerBuilder -RRB- -- I 'm probably as sick of writing about job loss as you are reading about it . But I have some good news to report . The Brookings Institute released the Q3 edition of its MetroMonitor , a `` quarterly , interactive barometer of the health of America 's 100 largest metropolitan economies . '' The MetroMonitor analyzes trends in U.S. metro employment , unemployment , economic performance , housing prices and real estate-owned properties to determine the rate of the country 's recession and recovery . So what did they find with regards to jobs ? Looking at Q2 2009 to Q3 2009 , the overall percent change in employment change in the top 100 largest metro areas was -0.5 percent and also -0.5 percent for the entire U.S. Eleven metros that saw increases in employment in the last quarter and another six saw no change at all . Here are the 11 metros that saw positive job growth : . McAllen-Edinburg-Mission , Texas Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 1.3 . New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner , Louisiana Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.6 . New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island , New York , Pennsylvania Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.5 . Omaha-Council Bluffs , Nebraska-Iowa Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.5 . Columbia , South Carolina Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.3 . Worcester , Massachusetts Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.2 . Jackson , Mississippi Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.2 . Raleigh-Cary , North Carolina Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.1 . Washington-Arlington-Alexandria , DC-Virginia-Maryland-W . Virginia Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.1 . Madison , Wisconsin Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.1 . Syracuse , New York Change in employment Q2 2009-Q3 2009 : 0.1 . The MetroMonitor also compared the largest 100 metros ' peak employment quarter to the most recent quarter -LRB- Q3 2009 -RRB- , measuring the extent to which employment has recovered from the recession 's full impact . In that respect , only one metro area has seen employment growth from its peak until Q3 : McAllen-Edinburg-Mission , Texas , whose employment has risen 1.4 percent . When you consider that the percent change in employment for the 100 largest metro areas was down -4.3 percent since the peak and down -4.6 percent for the entire U.S. , there seems to be a lot more healing to go ... but at least we seem to be on the right track . & copy CareerBuilder.com 2010 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority .
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The Brookings Institute says employment growing in some areas , according to CareerBuilder . MetroMonitor , a barometer of health of 100 largest U.S. metropolitan economies . Says largest employment growth in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission , Texas . In second place was New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner , Louisiana .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Wednesday , January 20 . 10:13 p.m. -- Thousands of people went to a wharf in devastated Port-auPrince today , hoping to board a ferry -- paid for by the Haitian government -- bound for another part of Haiti . The ferry 's owner told CNN the craft is licensed to carry 600 people , but on the last trip , more than were 3,000 onboard , CNN 's Ivan Watson and Rich Phillips reported . 7:52 p.m. -- The head of the International Monetary Fund has called for for a modern-day Marshall Plan to rebuild Haiti . `` My belief is that Haiti ... needs something which is big , not only a piecemeal approach , but something which will be much bigger to deal with the reconstruction of the country , some kind of a Marshall Plan , '' Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on CNN 's `` Amanpour . '' Strauss-Kahn did not offer specifics of what he envisions for a Haiti rebuilding effort , nor did he outline a timeframe . 7:36 p.m. -- President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have given $ 15,000 to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund , which was set up to help Haiti after last week 's earthquake . Obama had asked his two immediate predecessors -- former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton -- to set up the fund for relief and recovery efforts in Haiti . 7:31 p.m. -- Trained dogs have indicated at least one person may be alive under the rubble of an auto parts store in Port-au-Prince . A Los Angeles , California-based search and rescue team is checking the rubble for survivors . 7:25 p.m. -- Seven search and rescue teams are searching the rubble of he Hotel Montana in Petionville , Haiti , a senior Obama administration official says . Rescuers heard some faint knocking early this morning , but the knocking stopped after the morning 's aftershock , rescuers on the scene said . The hotel was popular with tourists and visiting officials . Americans are believed to be among the trapped . 6:49 p.m. -- People trapped because of the January 12 earthquake still could be alive if they were well hydrated when the quake happened , said Dr. Michael Gerardi , a pediatric emergency specialist in Morristown , New Jersey . `` It 's conceivable , and not unheard of , for people to live seven to 10 days with no water or food -- if they have not been exposed to the elements , '' he told CNN 's Tom Watson . Gerardi 's comments come on a day when a 5-year-old boy was rescued from rubble in Haiti , eight days after the earthquake . 5:38 p.m. -- CNN 's Karl Penhaul reports on a mixed welcome for U.S. soldiers in Port-au-Prince . 5:15 p.m. -- Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré , who led relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 , has expanded on comments he made to CNN yesterday about his belief that the most vulnerable in the earthquake zone should be evacuated . `` I do n't know if the flow of supplies can keep up with demand , unless we evacuate the injured , elderly , pregnant women , babies , and the disabled , '' he said Wednesday . `` It is wishful thinking to add more hospitals . We need to think how these airplanes can leave with patients to the U.S. and other countries to be distributed to hospitals to stabilize them . '' Read . 4:55 p.m. -- A 5-year-old boy named Monley was pulled alive from a collapsed Haitian home on Wednesday , eight days after the earthquake . His mother was killed and his father is missing . It was unclear whether the boy had access to food and water , but doctors attributed his survival to resilience and the strength of his young body . He was taken to a hospital -- doctors said he had no broken bones but was suffering from severe dehydration . Read | Watch . 4:52 p.m. -- The magnitude of Wednesday morning 's aftershock was 5.9 , the the United States Geological Survey now says . The USGS initially said the magnitude was 6.1 . The 7.0-magnitude earthquake on January 12 was more than 40 times stronger than Wednesday 's aftershock . 4:48 p.m. -- The Canadian military also is opening other aid routes -LRB- see U.S. military efforts in previous entry -RRB- . Canadian troops are working to open an airfield in the southern city of Jacmel by Thursday , Canadian Defense Minster Peter Mackay said . Two warships also are landing supplies by sea , and Canada has reached an agreement with Jamaica to fly supplies into southern Haiti from there . The moves come amid complaints from relief agency Doctors Without Borders that air traffic congestion in Port-au-Prince was delaying aid and costing lives . 4:45 p.m. -- The U.S. military , trying to open other aid routes into Haiti , says it has obtained landing rights at the Dominican Republic 's air base at San Isidro , about 150 miles east of Haiti 's capital , Port-au-Prince . In addition , the Pentagon is dispatching a ship equipped with cranes that could get the port of Port-au-Prince back into operation `` within a week or two , perhaps , '' Defense Secretary Robert Gates says . 4:39 p.m. -- David Gazashvili did n't have much time to settle into his new role as acting emergency director of Atlanta , Georgia-based humanitarian group CARE -- the job started January 12 , the day the earthquake hit Haiti . Now he 's in that country , directing CARE workers as they try to get aid to tens of thousands of Haitians in need . `` We did have a preparedness plan in place in Haiti , but the magnitude of this emergency was way above our plans , '' he told CNN 's Wayne Drash . `` We escalated our plan and we 're implementing it as we go . '' 3:43 p.m. -- Fears that Haitian earthquake survivors would engage in a massive and deadly ocean migration to South Florida have thus far been unfounded , according to U.S. federal and local government officials . Read . 2:25 p.m. -- `` We will not let red tape stand in the way of helping those -LSB- orphans -RSB- in need but we will ensure that international adoption procedures to protect children and families are followed , '' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday during at appearance in the Washington area . 2:05 p.m. -- Oxfam said it expected to send a water truck into Port-au-Prince 's Delmas 48 district for a mass distribution at 3 p.m. 1:11 p.m. -- Followers mourn as Myriam Merlet , Magalie Marcelin and Anne Marie Coriolan , founders of three of Haiti 's most important advocacy organizations working on behalf of women and girls , are confirmed dead . Story . 1:03 p.m. -- At least 11,000 U.S. military service members are now in Haiti or on ships nearby , and the military said Wednesday that it plans to send an additional 4,000 sailors and Marines . 12:46 p.m. -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation that would allow individuals who make charitable contributions to victims of the earthquake in Haiti to claim an itemized charitable deduction on their 2009 tax return instead of having to wait until next year to claim these deductions on their 2010 tax return . The legislation will not become law until it is passed by the Senate and signed by the president . Read . 12:35 p.m. -- The state of Florida reports 191 flights with 6,836 passengers have flown into Florida airports from Haiti since January 13 . The state 's Department of Children and Families has provided services to 2,731 Americans returning from Haiti , including 1,611 on Tuesday alone . 12:19 p.m. -- A funeral is scheduled Wednesday afternoon for Molly Hightower , a 22-year-old from Port Orchard , Washington , who was killed when the earthquake struck a school for disabled children in Petionville where she was volunteering for the charity NPH -LRB- Friends of the Orphan -RRB- . Fellow volunteer Ryan Kloos of Phoenix , Arizona , also was killed . 12:07 p.m. -- On Wednesday afternoon , Mercy Corps will distribute nutrient-rich biscuits to nearly 5,000 injured earthquake survivors -- many of them children -- and their families at General Hospital , Port-au-Prince 's largest hospital . 12:01 p.m. -- The hospital ship USNS Comfort , which saw duty in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast in 2005 and the 2001 terror attacks in New York , arrived Wednesday morning in the waters off Port-au-Prince . U.S. helicopters will ferry patients aboard , bringing relief to overloaded hospitals and clinics . 11:51 a.m. -- Ena Zizi , a woman in her 70s who was rescued from rubble near Port-au-Prince 's ruined cathedral on Tuesday , is reported to be in stable condition in the care of doctors aboard the USS Bataan . Watch and read about her rescue . 10:38 a.m. -- Missionary Troy Livesay in Port-au-Prince tweeted : `` We have seen little to no violence.It is hppng in isolated areas/incidents . Even now there is less violence/crime here than major US cities . '' 10:33 a.m. -- CNN iReporter Juliano Puzo used his laptop 's webcam to shoot video of the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake . Watch -LRB- Warning : Video includes some profanity in English -RRB- . Share your earthquake stories . 10:21 a.m. -- As of Monday , more than $ 210 million in donations had been raised for earthquake relief , according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy , a newspaper covering nonprofit organizations . The estimate is based on a survey of 25 charities contributing the largest amounts of money to Haiti . How you can help . 10:16 a.m. -- An engaged couple in Minnesota donated $ 2,500 -- a quarter of their wedding budget -- to an agency providing medical care in Haiti . Watch . 9:02 a.m. -- Louis Belanger , media officer for the relief agency Oxfam , sent a message via Twitter : `` Ppl quite edgy after aftershock , especially Haitian staff . Still , we are starting distribution in 5 sites today in Haiti . '' 7:30 a.m. -- Wednesday morning 's aftershock sent patients at a hospital near Haiti 's airport in Port-au-Prince into loud prayers for forgiveness and protection , a nurse said . iReport.com : Looking for loved ones . 6:03 a.m. -- A strong magnitude 6.1 aftershock struck Haiti . Its epicenter was 36 miles west-southwest of Port-au-Prince , the United States Geological Survey said . 4:17 a.m. -- The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort is due to arrive off Haiti at midmorning Wednesday , carrying nearly 550 doctors , nurses , and other medical personnel . The ship will have six operating rooms available and can house up to 1,000 patients . Follow daily developments : . January 12 . January 13 . Thursday . Friday . Saturday . Sunday . Monday . Tuesday .
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Watch Anderson Cooper live from Haiti at 10 p.m. ET tonight . Read Twitter feeds to stay up to date on the latest in Haiti . Read CNN.com 's complete special coverage of the Haiti earthquake . iReport : Looking for loved ones .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This is a story about a girl and her tree -- a tree that helped keep hope alive , even as the world closed in on her . Three times in Anne Frank 's widely read diary , the young Holocaust victim wrote about a tree . She could see it from the attic window of the secret annex where her family hid for two years , before being betrayed . `` From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree , on whose branches little raindrops shine , appearing like silver , and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind , '' she wrote on February 23 , 1944 . `` As long as this exists , and it certainly always will , I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow , whatever the circumstances may be . '' The tree that reminded Frank of the promise of life still looms high above the courtyard behind the Anne Frank House , now a museum in Amsterdam , Netherlands , that just marked its 50th anniversary . But at about 170 years of age , Anne Frank 's tree is dying . The spring before her family and the others hiding with them were captured , the girl focused on the tree 's budding life -- and her own . `` Our chestnut tree is already quite greenish and you can even see little blooms here and there , '' she wrote on April 18 , 1944 . Two days earlier , she 'd recorded her first kiss . Frank died of typhus in Bergen-Belsen just weeks before the Nazi concentration camp was liberated in 1945 . But her name , story and message live on through her diary and , also , through her ailing tree . The tree that keeps giving . The tree has been sick for 10 years ; a fungus has left two-thirds of it hollow , said Anne Frank House spokeswoman Annemarie Bekker . A battle began in late 2007 between city officials who wanted to chop it down and activists who insisted it stay . But a court injunction , a second-opinion analysis and a committee mobilization later , it still stands , barely alive and supported by steel . About five years ago , the museum began collecting chestnuts from the tree to grow seedlings , so that pieces of the original tree could take root and flourish elsewhere . The tree is a horse chestnut , which is often called a buckeye tree in the United States and a conker tree in the United Kingdom . Its saplings have been distributed to international parks and schools named for Anne Frank . One will be planted later this year at Yad Vashem , Israel 's official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem . Through a project and contest launched last year by the Anne Frank Center USA , a New York-based educational nonprofit working with the museum in Amsterdam , 11 sites in the United States will see Frank 's tree blossom . They range from the White House and various museums and memorials to a high school that changed U.S. history . A handful of winning applications were driven by youth inspired by Frank , who would be 80 if she 'd survived , and her diary . One girl in Boston , Massachusetts,12-year-old Aliyah Finkel , felt an immediate connection to the writer , so much so that she chose to have her bat mitzvah -- the coming of age ceremony for Jewish girls -- in the synagogue Frank 's family attended in Amsterdam before they went into hiding . `` It was n't just a diary written by some person , it was written by a 13-year-old girl , '' Finkel said . `` I was interested in the story of her life . She had so much hope . There are some parts -LSB- of the diary -RSB- that are really sad , but it 's more inspiring . '' With the help of her family , and contacts they have with local officials , Finkel 's inspired push will bring a tree to Boston Common and lessons about tolerance to the city 's public schools . Down South , a public school in Arkansas , the only in the nation to become a national historic site , will also see an Anne Frank tree bloom . Little Rock Central High School senior John Allen Riggins , 17 , heard about the contest last summer while listening to National Public Radio . His school was racially integrated in 1957 by the `` Little Rock Nine , '' a development that proved a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights movement . An avid follower of history and politics , Riggins saw parallels between Anne Frank 's legacy and that of the Arkansas students . `` From all across the world , in different time periods and different social struggles , young people have been caught up in history and these social tensions have come down upon them , '' Riggins said . `` Anne Frank was 14 when she was hiding , and the youngest of the nine was 14 . '' For Elaine Leeder , it was in many ways her father 's youth , and by extension her own , that made her reach out for a part of the tree . The dean of social sciences at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park , California , Leeder is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor . Her father lost his mother , sister and brother when they were taken to a pit outside their Lithuanian village and gunned down with about 2,000 other Jews . `` The shades were always drawn in my house . We were afraid of neighbors , '' she said , describing the legacy she carried . `` I became a genocide scholar over the years because of my personal story . '' The sapling she competed for will be nurtured in the university 's Holocaust & Genocide Memorial Grove , where genocides across time are remembered . Beside it will be a sign quoting Frank : `` How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world . '' Much of what his daughter wrote came as a surprise to Otto Frank , the family 's sole survivor . He retrieved the diary and eventually published it after World War II . More than 30 million copies have been sold . In a speech he gave in 1968 , according to the Anne Frank House , he spoke of the reactions he had upon first reading his daughter 's words . `` How could I have suspected that it meant so much to Anne to see a patch of blue sky , to observe the gulls during their flight and how important the chestnut tree was to her , as I recall that she never took an interest in nature , '' he said . `` But she longed for it during that time when she felt like a caged bird . '' It turns out the saplings selected for sites in the United States are caged themselves . When they arrived in the country in December , the young trees were seized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture . Because of sicknesses ravaging horse chestnuts in Europe , the trees will remain in quarantine for three years . The tree Frank secretly admired through an attic window will be gone in five to 15 years , Anne Frank House officials say . But by the time it disappears , pieces of it will be growing strong , reaching for blue skies and welcoming birds across the globe -- a living legacy to a girl who understood what life could promise .
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While in hiding , Holocaust victim Anne Frank wrote in her diary about a tree . The tree gave her hope about life , but now it is dying outside the secret annex . The tree 's meaning will live on through distributed saplings grown from its chestnuts . Eleven sites in U.S. win saplings but will have to wait three years due to quarantine .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The whistle-blower website WikiLeaks on Wednesday posted what it said was an internal CIA report into the perception that the United States exports terrorism , but one U.S. official said it does not divulge spectacular developments . The three-page document , dated February 2 , 2010 , asks , `` What If Foreigners See the United States as an ` Exporter of Terrorism ? ' '' `` These sorts of analytic products -- clearly identified as coming from the agency 's ` Red Cell ' -- are designed to simply provoke thought and present different points of view , '' said CIA spokesman George Little . A U.S. intelligence official said , `` it 's always disturbing when classified information is inappropriately disclosed . '' However the official added , `` this is not a blockbuster paper . '' The document , promised by the group in a Twitter message on Tuesday , is labeled `` secret , '' the lowest level of classification . The website set off a firestorm recently when it posted some 76,000 U.S. documents related to the war in Afghanistan . The group has said it has another 15,000 documents , which it plans to release soon . The U.S. Defense Department has demanded WikiLeaks return all documents belonging to the Pentagon and delete any records of them . Officials in Afghanistan have also criticized the leak . The founder and editor of the website , Julian Assange , was arrested in absentia last week in Sweden on charges of rape , but the warrant was revoked less than a day later by Chief Prosecutor Eva Finne . Assange told the Arabic-language television network Al-Jazeera on Sunday the accusations are `` clearly a smear campaign . '' `` The only question is , who was involved ? '' he asked , declining to say who he thinks is behind the effort . Separately on Tuesday , the attorney for the alleged victims told CNN rumors that the Pentagon or CIA was somehow involved in the sex crime accusations against Assange are `` complete nonsense . '' U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates also has criticized the organization 's last leak of documents saying it would have a significant negative impact on troops and allies , revealing techniques and procedures . Assange has defended the leak by saying it can help shape the public 's understanding of the war . He said the material was of no operational significance and that WikiLeaks tried to ensure the material did not put innocent people at risk . Assange reportedly has spent his life developing the tech skills needed to set up WikiLeaks . When he was a teenager in Melbourne , Australia , he belonged to a hacker collective called the International Subversives , according to the magazine Mother Jones . He eventually pleaded guilty to multiple counts of breaking into Australian government and commercial websites to test their security gaps , but was released on bond for `` good behavior , '' the magazine said . As WikiLeaks has grown and published increasingly high-profile items , Assange has found himself the target of what he says are many legal attacks . CNN 's Per Nyberg contributed to this report .
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NEW : Official says it 's not a `` blockbuster paper '' WikiLeaks posts what it says is an internal CIA report . The document is labeled secret .
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JACKSONVILLE , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's possible that a pregnant Marine missing since December 14 may have left willingly , perhaps after being upset by a phone call , documents released Thursday by Onslow County authorities show . Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach last spoke to family members in the Dayton , Ohio , area on December 14 . Those records were bolstered by comments made by the county sheriff who pleaded for 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach , who is eight months pregnant , to come home . The young woman 's mother , Mary Lauterbach , told authorities that her daughter has a history of being a `` compulsive liar , '' a police report states . Mary Lauterbach described having a `` firm conversation '' with Maria Lauterbach about her unborn baby , telling her she should give the baby up for adoption because she is unable to care for it . Watch police face unanswered questions '' `` Ms. Maria Lauterbach was telling Mary Lauterbach everything was fine , but Mary Lauterbach had a sense that the statements were not accurate , '' the report said . Lauterbach last spoke to family members in the Dayton , Ohio , area on December 14 . They reported her missing on December 19 after being unable to contact her . Documents attached to a search warrant in the case cite the Marine 's mother as saying Lauterbach had been the victim of a sexual assault by a superior officer . Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said Thursday his office had not talked to the person accused in that case and referred any other comment to the Marine Corps . Officials at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , where Lauterbach is based , have not commented on the assault allegations . Earlier Thursday , Brown pleaded with Lauterbach to come forward and get help . `` Regardless of the circumstances , this has got to stop , '' Brown told reporters . `` You ca n't run from those things in life . '' While he would not say definitively that authorities believe Lauterbach is alive , Brown said he is leaning toward a positive outcome . `` You pray that she 's alive , '' he said . Mary Lauterbach said her daughter claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a senior officer , but the military investigation had `` gone sour , '' according to the Onslow County reports . When police consulted with the military on the allegations , the military reported that the case was open , but `` it was difficult , due to inconsistencies provided by Maria Lauterbach , the reported victim . '' Military investigators also `` confirmed the history of compulsive lying , '' the report said , and added that Lauterbach was facing a possible discharge from the Marine Corps and was under personal and professional stress . A Marine Corps Times story Thursday , citing unnamed sources , said Lauterbach may have fled her post after she withdrew the sexual assault allegations because she feared being charged with making a false statement . The newspaper said the allegations were lodged with Marine Corps officials last year and later withdrawn . The Marine Corps is bringing Lauterbach 's roommate , Sgt. Daniel Robert Durham , back to North Carolina from a training deployment in California to answer questions . Watch sheriff say why he 'll talk with roommate '' The Onslow County report said that Durham told police that he had made his home available to Lauterbach `` out of sympathy for her situation '' and that the two had shared the home for only a short period of time . Durham said he noticed nothing unusual in Lauterbach 's behavior before she disappeared , but said `` she had been upset by a phone call from her stepmother . '' A few items of Lauterbach 's were missing , he said -- her car , some cosmetics and clothing -- that led him to believe she may have left willingly . However , Durham told police that Lauterbach was confined to bed most of the time because of her pregnancy and that she `` was in no shape for extended outings , '' according to the reports . Brown told reporters Thursday that Durham is a close friend who may be the last person known to have talked with Lauterbach before her disappearance . Mary Lauterbach told the Dayton Daily News on Wednesday that she last spoke to her daughter on December 14 in what she called `` a very normal conversation . '' The mother told CNN affiliate WDTN that later that day , she got a phone call from her daughter 's roommate saying Maria had left their house . After that , calls she made to her daughter 's cell phone went unanswered , Mary Lauterbach told the Dayton newspaper . Brown said Maria Lauterbach may have been due to give birth January 8 . The police reports , however , said she was due on February 14 , and did not show up for a prenatal medical appointment on December 28 . Lauterbach 's cell phone was found on a roadside near Camp Lejeune on December 20 . Her car was found Monday in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant , Brown said , and had apparently been there since December 15 . The car was processed , he said , but nothing of value was found . Investigators have said that a withdrawal from Lauterbach 's bank account was made on December 14 and there was `` suspicious activity '' on the account 10 days later . Police reports said Lauterbach 's ATM card was used at a Marine Federal Credit Union by a man who attempted to cover the surveillance camera with a rag while he withdrew money from her account . A search warrant released with the other documents Thursday seeks Western Union records , saying authorities have reason to believe Lauterbach may be receiving financial support through money transfers . `` Call mom !!! You know the number , '' says a Facebook page established to help find Lauterbach . `` All of us love you and we miss you . Please come home ! '' Lauterbach is a personnel clerk assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 27 , 2nd Marine Logistics Group , II Marine Expeditionary Force , the Marine Corps said . She joined the service on June 6 , 2006 . E-mail to a friend .
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Cops : Marine 's mother says daughter has history of being `` compulsive liar '' Documents raise possibility Marine left willingly . Missing Marine was assaulted by superior officer , mother told police . Maria Lauterbach , 20 , was eight months pregnant when she went missing .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Suspected killer Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean is most likely in Mexico , authorities said , and the prosecutor said he has agreed not to seek the death penalty if Laurean is arrested in that country . Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean , wanted for murder , may have fled to his native Mexico . Onslow County , North Carolina , District Attorney Dewey Hudson told CNN that he was shown `` strongly compelling evidence '' compiled by federal authorities that shows Laurean is in Mexico . Hudson said he has asked through the State Department that Laurean be arrested if he is found in Mexico . But , he said , he had `` no other option '' but to take the death penalty off the table if Laurean is found there . Mexico has a longstanding record of refusing to extradite suspects to the United States if they face a possible death sentence if convicted . `` I had to agree not to seek the death penalty , '' Hudson told CNN . `` My hands were tied if I wanted to bring him here to face murder charges . '' `` It was very frustrating and disappointing , '' Hudson added . Laurean has been charged with murder in the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach . Her charred remains were found January 11 in a fire pit in Laurean 's backyard . Investigators found the body after Laurean 's wife came forward with a note her husband had written saying he had buried Lauterbach , who was eight months pregnant , after she slit her own throat during an argument . Hudson said Laurean apparently entered his native Mexico only days after leaving behind that note . Hudson would not elaborate on the evidence suggesting Laurean is in Mexico , which he said he viewed Friday . The FBI would not comment on what evidence it might have that Laurean is across the border . `` We strongly suspect , but have not confirmed , he is in Mexico , '' FBI spokesman Newsom Summerlin . Summerlin said the FBI plans to circulate in Mexico either matchbooks or business cards with Laurean 's photo . The Marine 's wanted poster is on the FBI 's Most Wanted List with a $ 25,000 reward . Police believe Lauterbach was killed December 14 , the same day she bought a bus ticket for travel for the following day . But in the note provided to police by Laurean 's wife , the corporal claimed Lauterbach killed herself December 15 . Police said an autopsy revealed the pregnant Marine was killed by a blow to the head . Police said they are analyzing a possible murder weapon provided by an undisclosed witness . A spokesman told CNN it could several weeks to determine whether it was used to kill Lauterbach . Laurean 's wife told police about the note January 11 , a day after she said Laurean told her what allegedly happened and following a meeting with a lawyer . Police describe her as a cooperating witness . Lauterbach was scheduled to testify last month at a military hearing after accusing Laurean of raping her last spring . On Monday , the Onslow County sheriff 's office released new photographs of the fire pit in Lauren 's backyard taken just before Lauterbach 's body was discovered January 11 . Police said some neighbors reported seeing a group of Marines having a Christmas Day barbecue in Laurean 's backyard . Police also released photographs that show Laurean 's living room and garage with paint cans . Investigators said they found blood in more than one room of Laurean 's home , some of which was covered by fresh paint . The sheriff 's office said it has documented evidence Laurean bought paint , concrete blocks and a wheelbarrow at a home improvement store December 16 . In a store surveillance video , Laurean is seen walking into the store with another man , who has not been identified . Investigators are also awaiting the results of DNA paternity tests , which they said could take weeks , to tell whether Laurean was the father of Lauterbach 's unborn child . E-mail to a friend .
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D.A. takes death penalty off table if Marine suspect found in Mexico . Suspect likely in Mexico , which usually refuses to extradite if death penalty an issue . Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean is wanted for Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach 's killing . Investigators have `` compelling evidence '' Laurean is in his native Mexico .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gary Coleman 's parents grieve `` more and more '' every day since their son died four weeks ago , but they said they hold no anger toward the actor 's ex-wife over how she handled his death . Shannon Price , 24 , ordered doctors to end Coleman 's life support just a day after he fell into a coma , despite his living will 's direction that he be kept alive at least 15 days . Sue and Willie Coleman appeared on HLN 's `` The Joy Behar Show '' on Tuesday to talk about their son 's life and the controversy surrounding his sudden death . `` We 're not holding any animosity towards her because , like my wife said , she was young and inexperienced , '' Willie Coleman told Behar . Price , whom they never met , did not call Coleman 's parents after he suffered a brain hemorrhage from a fall in his home May 26 or before he was removed from life support two days later , the Colemans said . His parents said they felt like they were robbed of a chance to say a last goodbye to their son . `` I hurt more and more every day , '' Willie Coleman said . `` More and more . '' The Colemans spoke sadly about their estrangement from their son , who they adopted when he was four days old . The estrangement began when he became a legal adult . `` When Gary turned 18 years old , you know how you do a horse ? '' Willie said . `` We were put out to pasture . '' Willie Coleman said his son told him then that `` I just feel that you were holding me in prison . '' `` He wanted to be his own man , do things his own way , so we tried to encourage him the best we could , we tried to guide him as much as we could , but it was his life , '' Sue Coleman said . The Colemans , who had helped guide the child actor 's career to that point , left California and returned to the middle-class lives they had left behind in Chicago a decade earlier . `` Gary took on a whole new branch of individuals that wanted to manage his career and also manage his money , '' his father said . Although Gary Coleman sued his parents for mismanaging his money , resulting in a $ 1 million judgment for him in 1993 , there was always love between them , they said . Willie Coleman said he has a handful of letters from his son that offer him comfort . `` Every once and a while , I pull those letters out and read , '' he said . `` In each of those letters is ended with ` Hey , guys . I love you guys and I know you love me too . ' '' His father wants Coleman to be remembered by fans as `` the sweet little gentle boy that we raised . '' The parents are staying out of the bitter legal fight that is brewing over Coleman 's estate . A Provo , Utah , lawyer was named temporary special administrator to control the estate while a Utah judge decides a will dispute between ex-wife Shannon Price and former business associate Anna Gray .
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No one called parents before ending actor 's life support , they say . Dad : No anger toward Coleman 's ex-wife . Old letters give comfort to parents .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Omar Hammami is living proof that there is no one road to terrorism . U.S. officials believe the journey for Hammami -- one of 14 U.S.-born and naturalized citizens to be indicted last week on charges of conspiring with a Somali terrorist organization affiliated with al Qaeda -- took him from a small town in Alabama to a radical command role in Somalia . Hammami was a late convert to Islam , becoming passionate about his father 's faith during high school in Alabama . He was born in Daphne , a small town nestled in the Bible belt where Islam was not only uncommon , but rebuffed . His hijab and public prayer made Hammami a target for insults in the conservative community . He dropped out of the University of South Alabama in 2002 , moving to Toronto , Canada , and then to Cairo , Egypt , as he searched in vain for a setting where Islam was practiced as rigidly as he believed it should be . It is possible that Christof Putzel -- a correspondent for Current TV 's documentary series , `` Vanguard '' -- once brushed arms with Hammami . Putzel was finishing a story in Somalia in 2006 as Hammami entered the country to seek out al-Shabaab . Putzel later created a documentary that retraces Hammami 's steps from young American to `` American Jihadi . '' `` American Jihadi '' culminates in Somalia , where Hammami joined the ranks of al-Shabaab , or `` The Youth . '' Hammami is a top commander of al-Shabaab and the organization 's most successful recruiter , Putzel says . Since he appeared on the Al-Jazeera TV network and the YouTube website in 2007 , more than 30 young Muslims have disappeared from Hammami 's old stomping grounds in the U.S and Canada , only to reappear fighting with al-Shabaab . `` Omar Hammami is making jihad look like a camping trip with weapons . You do n't see the brutality of war . You see guys who look really cool , and they look like they are taking their religion really seriously , '' Putzel says . Although he alone is effective , Hammami is not the only American jihadi on the Internet . Born in New Mexico and wanted by the FBI , Anwar al-Awlaki has been using social media sites to spread his lectures to larger audiences . According to Putzel , these videos address Western youths in terms they understand , using both English and modern slang . `` What is pretty clear is that groups like al-Shabaab or al Qaeda are in a war for the hearts and minds of young Muslims in the U.S. . They are telling them that they 're not wanted here ... and that by living here , they 're a traitor , '' Putzel says . To Steve Hassan , this narrative is strikingly familiar . He is a cult counselor , mind-control expert and former follower of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his `` Moonies . '' It is Hassan 's belief that a terrorist organization is little more than a cult with a strong violent streak . `` There are totalitarian mind-control cults that use deception and manipulation to get people in , and then indoctrinate people with new identities -- which are dependent and obedient on their superiors -- that often cause a divorce from their past identities and refutation of family and friends , '' Hassan says . Drawing upon more than 30 years of personal and professional experience , Hassan says indoctrination is dependent upon timing and social influence , not personal weakness or an intrinsic character flaw . `` People from the outside looking in try to find all kinds of theories and justifications ... but speaking from the inside-out in terms of my own personal experience , I would have flown a plane into the World Trade Center if I had been ordered to . But I did not join a group to blow up people . I wanted to make the world a better place , and I wanted to make the world filled with God , '' Hassan says . It is that ideology in radical Islam that Nasser Weddady sees as the greatest draw for young Westerners . Weddady is the civil rights outreach director for the American Islamic Congress -- and a Muslim . `` This is not just some poor victim who , because he was unable to make it in life , became a terrorist . One of the allures of radical Islamist ideology is it gives a person a purpose for their life , an evil purpose I would say , but nonetheless , they are fighting for something , '' Weddady says . As a child growing up in Syria , Weddady 's first brush with terrorism occurred when he witnessed car bombs set off by Islamist extremists . He observed Islamist operatives recruiting in schools and says it was n't uncommon to walk past someone considered a terrorist by the U.S. Due to their Middle Eastern appearance , Weddady and a friend were falsely held by the FBI following the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . Racial profiling has compelled many Muslims to hide their roots and suppress their religion . According to Weddady , a lack of identity and leadership within the Muslim community has prompted some youths to combat the temperance that surrounds them . `` These young Muslims in America are looking for answers , are looking for ways to deal with that aspect of their identity , '' Weddady says . `` Some decide to erase it , some decide to explore it and express it . The problem is the message that is most available to them is not one you want them to hear . '' Steve Emerson is the founder of the Investigative Project on Terrorism , a research group that studies Islamic terrorism worldwide . He says governments are mistaken in `` reaching out to certain Islamist groups that still push the narrative that the U.S. is at war with Islam and that refuse to condemn Hamas or Hezbollah . '' `` The Islamist narrative is that there is a conspiracy against Islam , waged by the West and led by the United States , and this alleged ` conspiracy ' is to suppress Islam , '' Emerson says . `` Radical leaders will all say and repeat a litany of crimes against Muslims by the West , going as far back as the crusades in 1095 . Therefore , these Islamist terrorist acts are perceived to be defensive reactions to defend Islam . '' Emerson 's organization works closely with the FBI to share information and prevent future terrorist attacks . Robert Blitzer is the senior fellow at ICF International -- a global consulting firm -- and former chief of the domestic terrorism and counterterrorism planning section in the FBI . His work included investigating terrorists within the United States . `` We conducted investigations into terrorist activities based on what we were authorized to do , '' Blitzer says . `` We would ... determine what sort of group they might be affiliated , who they were in contact with in the United States or abroad and essentially what kind of activities they might be engaged in . That could be as simple as collecting money and sending it back to folks , or as complex as engaging in planning and conducting terrorist attacks . '' Blitzer says that since 9/11 , intelligence and law enforcement communities have been successful in averting terrorist attacks of that magnitude , but that is n't to say it will never happen again . `` The intelligence has to be right every time , but the terrorists only have to be right once to carry out a significant attack , '' Blitzer says . To carry out attacks , Emerson says , Islamist groups deliberately try to alienate Muslim populations from any loyalty to the host country , and thereby to have leverage over that country . `` If you look at the European continent , there 's been a lot of immigration by Indians and Latin Americans , '' Emerson says . `` They are not the ones who are carrying out terrorist attacks . There is something else going on in the Muslim communities . '' Ghaffar Hussein , head of the outreach and training unit for the Quilliam Foundation -- which calls itself the world 's first counterterrorism think tank -- says there are ways to prevent this alienation of Western Muslim youth . `` Western societies need to strengthen civic identity and make all members of society feel like they belong , '' Hussein says . `` They need to treat Muslims as citizens and not as homogeneous blocs or groups with monolithic interests . '' As a cult expert , Hassan suggests offering radicalized youth the same treatment he offers his clients . He says the universal way to free someone from a cult 's clutch is to dissipate their phobias that by leaving , they are betraying God or Allah . `` A lot of people get into these groups following a dream or following an ideal . If people can see that the dream is not going to be a part of this group movement , that would help somebody reevaluate , '' Hassan says . Weddady , meanwhile , says that while the support of the West is necessary , `` to a larger extent , this is a Muslim problem that only Muslims can solve . '' He says his moral compass ultimately led him down a path very different from some young Muslims in the world today . `` I am an outspoken critic of some of the most extreme and intolerant elements within Islamic society , but at the same time , I am proud of my Islamic heritage and Muslim culture . '' Weddady says . `` Those things are not in contradiction in my mind . The supreme irony of this story is that I ca n't be any more Muslim that I can be in America . If we Muslims were not living in a free society , we could not take a stand against extremism and reclaim our heritage . ''
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Omar Hammami is one of 14 U.S. citizens indicted last week on terrorism conspiracy charges . Hammami went from a small town in Alabama to a command role in Somalia . Terrorism experts say extremist groups are battling for the hearts and minds of young U.S. Muslims .
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Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The phrase `` normal is an allusion '' is written upside down on the front door . Colorful Harajuku Tutu skirts , a Japanese fashion staple , and salvaged denim fills the funky space inside the store called Fearless Weirdos . Mickey and Minnie Mouse cardigans hang from recycled hangers and umbrellas in the shapes of butterflies , kittens and pups . A loose-fitting minidress , designed like an apron that ties around the waist , is a Fearless Weirdos original . Owner Alva Glass says she chooses pieces that have great function and are diverse and interchangeable . She then complements them with edgy pieces . She describes her customers , who are usually in the 18-to - 35 age range , as `` youthful creatives '' who are looking for something different . `` I think that 's what drives people to come to the store . They see the outside -- the Japanese writing on the doors , the big , white eyeglass frames that represent having a clear vision of who you are , and the quotes that represent individuality like ` Why not ? ' and ` Because I am , ' '' Glass says . `` They want to know what 's inside , and when they do come in , they come back because they know we carry only a limited selection of original pieces . '' The shop carries mostly new pieces that Alva gets from wholesale retailers in Japan and showrooms throughout the U.S. . The store also has a small section of vintage blazers and accessories , along with a mixture of fabrics with solids and vibrant prints , organic pieces and simple tanks . Japanese street fashion has slowly gained popularity in the U.S. with the slimmer fit of clothing , fabrics with artistic sketches and the layering of pieces . Danika Goings walked into Fearless Weirdos with a smile as she headed towards the women 's collection . When asked what her favorite piece in the store was , she pointed to a two-toned , slim-fitting , cotton frock . `` I think I 've fallen in love with this dress ! '' she said . The outfit in the window is what caught her eye . `` It 's very original . You do n't see that everywhere , '' she said . The friendly people are what brought her back . Friendly is an understatement . Jessica Dascomb is tiny with short , black , stringy hair , and big , square , leopard-print eyeglasses . She sports a fedora hat , faded T-shirt and black skinny jeans . She displays an energy that 's bigger than her , despite the heat makes the small shop feel like a sauna . She exudes excitement about every piece in the store . `` There was a guy that came in today that bought a pink , short-sleeve button up , and I love that shirt so much ! I was sad to see it leave , but happy that he liked it and appreciated it . I really get attached to some things , '' Dascomb said . She 's a full-time employee and keeps shop while Glass is away . A mini-refrigerator stocks Japanese sodas and Japanese papers and magazines coat the countertops . `` We do have Japanese customers , and when they come , they really appreciate the store and they always buy , '' Glass says . One Japanese woman who purchased a bag was so delighted she asked to take a photograph with Glass . Other customers to come through include Atlanta 's own breakthrough artist B.o.B , who purchased a Varsity 's letterman jacket , and Stic.man of hip-hop duo Dead Prez . Glass first traveled to Japan as a stylist with a group of musicians . She visited Tokyo and Osaka -- cities where Japanese street fashion has a strong presence . Glass says she was captivated by the city 's energy and vibe . `` The people , the fashion , the street life , buildings and subways . The creative details they put into everything and the way they all flow together was so innovative , '' Glass says . For a girl , a typical Japanese outfit would consist of a fedora hat , layers , a handkerchief tank with a cardigan over it , plenty of accessories , distressed shorts and tights , flats or kitten heels , along with a big , colorful bag that is accessorized as much as she is , Glass says . It is a style that pairs pieces together that are not made to match . Glass ' mom gave her freedom as a child to wear what she liked and express herself creatively . `` My thing was nonmatching . I would take something off another garment to add detail , and if it came one way , I would make it into something else . I 'd add on bows , beads or any little applique , '' she says . Glass started working in retail at 15 . She studied for a degree in Fashion Design and Marketing at American University Intercontinental , spending the first half of her time in Atlanta , and the second half in London . She worked as a production assistant at Citron Clothing , a Los Angeles-based fashion retailer with locations across the United States and abroad , including South Africa . Glass also worked in design and merchandising at BCBG Max Azria .
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Japanese street fashion can be found in a boutique in Atlanta , Georgia . What can you buy ? Minnie Mouse cardigans mix with colorful tutus and salvaged denim . Owner Alva Glass likes to pair pieces together that are not made to match . Glass wants to appeal to `` youthful creatives '' who are looking for something different .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` It 's like building a Japanese garden at Pearl Harbor or a big swastika in Auschwitz . '' `` Eyeris '' is livid . He 's voiced his opinion , no holds barred , on several YouTube videos concerning the proposed construction of an Islamic cultural center a few blocks from ground zero in New York . His comments are blatantly anti-Islamic in nature and express a deep resentment toward the Muslim faith . In a comment posted on an online video advertisement in opposition to the Islamic center , Eyeris -- an online pseudonym -- calls for the bombing of all mosques in the Western world . In a comment on a different video , he calls for the annihilation of all Muslims . But he 'd only say this online . The 39-year-old relies on his cloak of anonymity to shield him from what he believes is the certain scorn he 'd face if he uttered these words in public . In fact , Eyeris is a pseudonym for his YouTube alias . He wears two layers of armor . `` I do n't think I would say this in open due to restrictions . I have a business and can not afford to speak freely in our days of freedom of speech . Haha , what a big joke actually , if you think about it , '' says Eyeris , in an e-mail from Belgium , where he currently resides . `` Political correctness is killing everything freedom stands for . '' As sites such as YouTube , Facebook and Twitter become increasingly popular , they are rapidly becoming havens for people who want to speak openly about race , politics and religion without damage to reputation . Anyone can fake a name and voice an opinion -- no matter how controversial -- without any threat to their reputation . That ability is one of the driving forces behind the prevalence of hate speech on the web , says Yaman Akdeniz , director of Istanbul , Turkey-based Cyber-Rights . org , a website that advocates online civil liberties . The controversy surrounding plans to build an Islamic center just a few blocks from the World Trade Center site has spawned aggressive and candid outpourings of online sentiment . Those outpourings are collectively making a case-in-point study of how the internet has spawned a wide-open , frequently anonymous forum for declarations that can easily be considered offensive or hateful by some . `` This is what has occurred in the case of the Islamic center -- a shift in society 's acceptability of openly expressing ethnic prejudice , '' says Dr. Osman Ali , a psychiatrist at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City . One Facebook group in opposition to the Islamic center has about 90,000 members . Even though the 13-story center is planned to include a pool , auditorium and prayer area , the group , like many of its counterparts , refers to the building simply as a mosque . The Facebook group , called `` No to the Mosque at Ground Zero '' , has become one of the largest opposition groups on the site . Charlotte Thompson -LRB- the only social mediate who let CNN use her name -RRB- joined because she is against the proposed cultural center . She points out that the group has `` shifted its focus from ` stop the Mosque being built ' to ` all Muslims are evil terrorists . ' '' Andrew Noyes , Facebook 's manager of public policy communications says the site does not knowingly allow anonymity and tries to respond to hate speech as quickly as possible . `` Facebook has always been based on a real-name culture . This leads to greater accountability and a safer and more trusted environment for our users . It 's a violation of our policies to use a fake name or operate under a false identity , '' he says . But where there are rules , there are rule benders and breakers , and some accounts that use pseudonyms . `` Regarding the broader issue of controversial content that may appear on the site , I wonder how the phone company would answer a question about preventing threatening phone calls ? And webmail providers about threatening e-mails ? '' adds Noyes . `` Just as none of those communications platforms can guarantee their tools wo n't be misused , neither can we . '' In an e-mail response , a YouTube spokesperson also references the site 's size when explaining the prevalence of hateful comments on uploaded videos . `` With 24 hours of video uploaded every minute to YouTube , it is not possible to prescreen content and operate at the scale we do . It would be like the telephone company prescreening every call before allowing it to be connected . '' Even though some choose to use their real identities , there are still a great number of anonymous comments on YouTube and Twitter , even on Facebook where some create alternate profiles from which they comment in controversial groups . These sites have become forums that cater to specific parts of the population -- those with strong opinions who want to maintain reputation . However , the thinking behind some of these anonymous comments could be more complex . Dr. Adam Brenner , director of adult psychiatry residency training at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas , Texas , believes the idea of `` reciprocal altruism '' may contribute to the prevalence of negative comments in this situation . `` We really are evolved for treating people well , but with the idea that we 'll get something in return . Everyone has had some experience of being hurt and that hurt leads to hostility . That triggers the response of wanting to protect one 's self , and making the other hurt in return is one way , '' says Brenner . For groups that monitor social media websites for hate speech , one of the main concerns is how accessible prejudiced comments are to kids . According to 2010 data gathered by Quantcast , a popular web analytics company , about 22 per cent of American YouTube and Facebook users are ages 3 to 17 . On YouTube , inappropriate and discriminatory comments are common . There are videos in which users ask others to stop spreading the hateful speech , and even Urban Dictionary , the popular , editable , pseudo-dictionary frequented by high school and college students , has a definition for the term `` YouTube Racist . '' On Facebook , many groups against the Islamic center are public , which means anyone can access them , even without a Facebook account . Ali says negative and unfounded comments posted about Islam and its followers can confuse children who are growing up in Muslim households . `` When -LSB- kids -RSB- see videos with blatant misinformation on the internet , they may not have the cognitive ability to determine the representative nature of those statements -LSB- and -RSB- they are not trained to challenge it , '' says Ali . Bill Nigut , the Anti-Defamation League 's Southeast regional director , says the same goes for any religion . `` These messages are directed at young people whose religious values have not yet taken root . It can cause them a lot of anxiety and ... it worries us , '' he says . Nigut says the ADL routinely sends messages to Facebook regarding anti-Semitic remarks . He references one instance where he received a complaint that a 12-year-old girl was called a `` dirty Jew '' on her Facebook page . Meanwhile Eyeris -- the YouTube user whose diatribes against the proposed Islamic center near ground zero now live online -- has a 13-year-old child . And despite the no-holds-barred comments that he 's made , he says he has just one wish . `` Peace to you and the whole world , man ! Because in the end , that 's all I want . ''
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Online anonymity allows internet users to express opinions without reservation . Experts say it 's also leading to more hateful sentiments expressed online . Case in point : The controversy surrounded proposed Islamic center near ground zero .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Senate Democrats claimed a major victory this weekend after voting to end debate on their version of the health care bill . The Senate is on track to hold a final vote on Christmas eve , but there 's still a long way to go before a bill is on President Obama 's desk . Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about what 's in the House and Senate health care bills and what 's next . Where does the health care debate stand ? The House passed its version of health care reform last month . The Senate , which follows different procedures than the House , is slated to vote on its version of the health care bill before Christmas . Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs a simple majority of 51 votes for final passage . Assuming the bill makes it through the Senate , a conference committee will then need to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions and merge them into one bill . Both chambers will then need to pass the revised bill before it is sent to the president 's desk . Read Dr. Sanjay Gupta 's take on the health care bill . Why does Obama want health care reform ? The president made health care reform his top domestic priority . He says overhauling the health care system is key to getting the economy back on track . The president says he wants to reform health care in order to slow the growth of costs for families , businesses and the government . He also wants to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care , regardless of their income or medical history . Who will be covered and how much will it cost ? The House plan is projected to guarantee coverage for 96 percent of Americans at a cost of more than $ 1 trillion over the next 10 years , according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office . The Senate plan is projected to cover 94 percent of Americans with an $ 871 billion price over the next 10 years , according to the CBO . How will this be paid for ? The House plan imposes a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on individuals with annual incomes over $ 500,000 , as well as families earning more than $ 1 million . The Senate plan increases the Medicare payroll tax on individuals earning more than $ 200,000 and couples earning more than $ 250,000 from the current 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent . The Senate bill also imposes a new tax on insurers that provide so-called `` Cadillac '' health plans valued at more than $ 8,500 for individuals and $ 23,000 for families . The 40 percent tax would be on the value of the plan . In addition , it imposes a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning salon treatments . Both bills call for cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid . Republicans say that those cuts will impair Medicare coverage , but Democrats say the savings will come from eliminating waste and fraud . The House and Senate bills also call for fees on medical device manufacturers . Do I have to buy health insurance ? The House and Senate bills both require individuals to buy health insurance . The House bill imposes a fine of up to 2.5 percent of a person 's income for noncompliance . The Senate plan imposes a noncompliance fine that starts at $ 95 in 2010 and escalates to $ 750 in 2016 . It also requires parents to provide health coverage for children up to age 18 . What if I ca n't afford coverage ? The House and Senate plans both include a hardship exemption for poorer Americans . Both bills subsidize insurance for a family of four making up to roughly $ 88,000 annually , or 400 percent of the federal poverty level . With subsidies , premiums for a family of four at 133 percent of poverty -LRB- $ 29,326.50 -RRB- would be a maximum of $ 440 under the House plan , while premiums for a family of four making the highest amount eligible would be a maximum of $ 10,584 . Under the Senate plan , with subsidies , premiums for a family of four at 133 percent of poverty would be a maximum of $ 821.14 , while premiums for a family making the highest amount eligible would be a maximum of $ 8,643.60 . I own a business . Do I have to provide coverage for my employees ? The House plan requires companies with a payroll of more than $ 500,000 to provide insurance or pay a penalty of up to 8 percent of their payroll . Under the Senate plan , starting in 2013 , companies with more than 50 employees would be required to pay a fee per worker if its employees rely on government subsidies to purchase coverage . What if I have a pre-existing condition ? Both the House plan and the Senate bill would eventually limit total out-of-pocket expenses and prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . Both plans also bar insurers from charging higher premiums based on a person 's gender or medical history . Insurers can only vary rates based on three things : age , geography and family make-up/size . What is a health insurance exchange ? `` Health insurance exchange '' refers to the marketplace of the health insurance options . Obama has defined the exchange as a `` one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits , cost and track records of a variety of plans -- including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest -- and choose what 's best for your family . '' The House bill creates a national health insurance exchange designed to make it easier for small businesses , self-employed and the unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage . The Senate bill creates state health insurance exchanges in all 50 states . What is a health care co-op ? Nonprofit health cooperatives , or `` co-ops , '' are being proposed as an option to compete with the private sector and as an alternative to a government-sponsored public health insurance option . Co-ops are owned and governed by the same people they insure . The House and Senate plans both establish `` co-ops '' and strip insurance companies of an antitrust exemption that has been in place since the end of World War II . What happened to the public option ? The House bill creates a public option , which is a government-funded , government-run health care option , similar to Medicare . The public option would be a part of an insurance exchange available to people without coverage or unable to afford private coverage . The Senate bill does not create a public option . Instead , it allows nonprofit private insurers to offer coverage with approval of Office of Personnel Management , which oversees the federal employees ' health plan . What will happen to Medicaid ? The House and Senate bills would both significantly expand Medicaid , the government-run health care plan for the poor . The House plan extends coverage to individuals earning up to 150 percent of the poverty line , or roughly $ 33,000 for a family of four . The Senate plan extends coverage to those earning up to 133 percent of the poverty level , or just over $ 29,000 for a family of four . Will abortion treatments be funded with federal dollars ? The House bill prohibits any health plan receiving federal subsidies from offering coverage for abortion . The Senate plan allows states to choose whether to ban abortion coverage in health plans offered in the insurance exchanges . Individuals purchasing plans through the exchanges would have to pay for abortion coverage out of their own funds . Will illegal immigrants be covered ? The House bill mandates insurance coverage for illegal immigrants and allows illegal immigrants to enroll in the public option and to buy private coverage in the national insurance exchange , but prohibits government subsidies for such private coverage . The Senate plan exempts illegal immigrants from the health coverage mandate , and prohibits illegal immigrants from participating in the insurance exchanges . CNN 's Tom Cohen , Kristi Keck and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report .
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Senate and House bills will need to be merged . House plan would create public option ; Senate plan would not . Both bills mandate coverage ; both include hardship exemption . Bills would prevent insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions .
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Phoenix , Arizona -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- By now , the entire country has gotten the message that Arizonans are angry and frustrated over illegal immigration . But , oddly enough , the anger and frustration is n't usually aimed at the illegal immigrants themselves . Many Arizonans would probably admit that , if they were unable to feed their families in their home country , they too might venture out in search of employment . And , if they were faced with waits of 10 to 15 years to enter another country legally , you can bet many of them would enter illegally . What really gets Arizonans fired up are three things : the feeling that they 're under siege by spillover violence from Mexican drug cartels , the concern that the U.S. government is n't doing enough to protect them , and indignation that people in other states are judging them for responding to a reality most of us ca n't imagine . That 's what you hear on talk radio and what you read in the letters section of local newspapers . And that 's also pretty much the view of Jay Heiler , a top-notch political and public affairs consultant and a familiar fixture in Arizona Republican circles . Heiler served as chief of staff to former Gov. Fife Symington in the 1990s and counsels Gov. Jan Brewer today . He 's a vocal defender of the state 's new immigration law , Senate Bill 1070 . What I wanted to know is whether that 's because he really believes in the measure or whether he 's just being a good soldier for the state GOP , given that just about every prominent Republican official in the state backs the law . As we met for what became a three-hour dinner in a Phoenix restaurant , I soon had my answer . Heiler began the conversation with a piece of advice . `` If you 're going to write about this issue with credibility , '' he said , `` you have to acknowledge the reality of the violence caused by the Mexican drug cartels and the inability of the Mexican government to contain it . '' Not this again . The new bogeyman of the immigration debate is the Mexican drug cartels . In fact , when you engage a supporter of SB 1070 , it 's hard to get them to talk about anything else . The cartels are their strong card ; why not play it ? One of the arguments floating about -- advanced by Brewer -- is that most illegal immigrants act as drug mules for the cartels . Too bad Brewer ca n't seem to find anyone to back that up . Arizona Sen. John McCain said he does n't believe that most illegal immigrants are used as drug mules . Neither does T.J. Bonner , head of the National Border Patrol Council , the labor union representing nearly 20,000 border patrol agents . Bonner said Brewer 's claims are `` clearly not the case '' and `` do n't comport with reality . '' Heiler is too smart to repeat wild claims . Instead , he stayed focused on public perception . He submits that most of the support for the measure -- polls show that about 55 percent of Arizonans back the law , down from 70 percent when Brewer signed it in April -- is coming from people who are sincerely afraid that Mexico is spinning out of control because of the drug war and that the chaos is spilling into Arizona in the form of kidnappings and other lawlessness . According to law enforcement authorities , in 2008 , nearly 400 kidnappings happened in Phoenix . But a prosecutor told me that most people do n't understand that many of these `` kidnappings '' are n't for ransom . Rather , they 're an extension of the human smuggling industry , in which rival coyotes raid each other 's `` drop houses '' and steal the cargo . That 's a serious crime , and yet it 's probably not what most people think about when they hear the word `` kidnapping . '' Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris , a vocal opponent of the immigration law , insists that he has the manpower to investigate each kidnapping . But , he warns , that could change if the portions of SB 1070 struck down by a federal judge come back to life like the mythical bird that shares the city 's name . If his officers have to make immigration enforcement their top priority , Harris said , other crimes will probably go unsolved . Then , the crime rate could soar . Right now , the crime rate in Phoenix is down . The Phoenix Police Department confirms it . `` Despite all the hype , '' spokesman Trent Crump told the Wall Street Journal , `` in every single reportable crime category , we 're significantly down . '' In the first quarter of 2010 , violent crime was down 17 percent in the city , while homicides were down 38 percent and robberies 27 percent , compared with the same time period in 2009 . The Federal Bureau of Investigation also confirms it . The number of violent crimes has fallen every year in Phoenix since 2006 , the FBI reports . It 's part of an overall trend in which , according to the bureau , crime rates are actually going down in cities that have large immigrant populations . It 's pretty obvious that cynical politicians -- all of whom happen to be Republicans -- are exaggerating the fear factor to cover up what they recognize as some of the more unseemly motives of SB 1070 supporters . Although Heiler does n't deny that some of the folks who have rallied around the law are motivated by anxiety over changing demographics , he would n't admit that this has anything to do with race and ethnicity . But is n't that obvious ? For the past two decades , there has been a loud chorus of worry about how Latino immigrants are changing Phoenix -- and , according to some , not for the better . Those feelings did n't just go away . And the people who hold them are almost certainly part of the pro-1070 brigade . Not everyone who wants to get rid of illegal immigrants does so because he or she sees a connection to the drug cartels . In fact , most people just want to preserve the America they grew up with . Besides , if they really want to put drug dealers out of business , the best way is to support Mexican President Felipe Calderon , who has declared war on these criminal syndicates and yet vehemently opposes the Arizona law . Instead , Republican candidates for office are running TV ads in Arizona criticizing Calderon for criticizing the law . That makes absolutely no sense , just as it makes no sense for Arizona to crack down on illegal immigrants in the hopes that it will somehow get rid of drug dealers . Unless , of course , the real objective all along has been something much sneakier : to use the fear of drug dealers to get rid of illegal immigrants . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. .
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Ruben Navarrette : Arizonans upset about drug violence , government 's inaction . Defenders say law helps fight drug violence , he says , but crime down in Phoenix . Governor said most illegals used as drug mules , he says , which is untrue . Navarrette says scare tactics used to justify bias against ethnicity , fear of change .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former U.S. Marine Cesar Laurean was convicted in North Carolina on Monday of first degree murder in the 2007 death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach , who was eight months pregnant when she died . An autopsy showed that Lauterbach , 20 , died of blunt force trauma to the head . Police unearthed her charred body from beneath a barbecue pit in Laurean 's backyard in January 2008 . She had disappeared the month before . Laurean , who was dressed in black slacks and wore a white shirt and black tie , did not show any emotion as the judge read his sentence of life in prison without parole . He either said or mouthed something to someone in the audience of the courtroom before he was led out in handcuffs , video showed . Laurean and Lauterbach were stationed together at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . `` I truly believe that Maria was the perfect victim . Because of her credibility problems , our pleas for help -LSB- after her disappearance -RSB- were rejected or discounted by everyone , '' Mary Lauterbach , the victim 's mother , said after the verdict was read , CNN affiliate WRAL reported . North Carolina prosecutors alleged Laurean killed Lauterbach on December 14 and used her ATM card 10 days later before fleeing to Mexico . Laurean was arrested there in April 2008 . He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico . Before her death , Lauterbach told the Marines that Laurean had raped her . Laurean denied it , and disappeared just a few weeks before a scheduled rape hearing at Camp LeJeune . WRAL reported Lauterbach later recanted the allegation of rape . The DNA of Lauterbach 's unborn child did not match that of Laurean , according to law enforcement personnel . Onslow County Chief Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee said in his closing argument that Laurean needed to kill Lauterbach to salvage his military career , WRAL reported . `` I can get rid of my problem , '' Lee said to explain what Laurean might have been thinking , reported WRAL . Authorities found Lauterbach 's body after Laurean 's wife , Christina , produced a note her husband had written claiming the 20-year-old woman slit her own throat during an argument , according to officials . Although a gaping 4-inch wound was found on the left side of Lauterbach 's neck , autopsy results indicated that the wound itself would not have been fatal and may have occurred after death . `` It is a just result , but still a tragedy with no winners , '' Merle Wilberding , a lawyer who represented the Lauterbach family , wrote in an e-mail to CNN after the verdict . Laurean 's lawyer said his client would appeal the decision . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
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NEW : Victim 's mother says her daughter was the `` perfect victim '' The former U.S. Marine was sentenced to life in prison without parole . He was convicted Monday in the death of a female Marine who was pregnant . The lawyer for Cesar Laurean says the case will be appealed .
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Seoul , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A frenzy of diplomatic activity was underway around the tense Korean peninsula Thursday , with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reportedly traveling through China , former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visiting Pyongyang , and the Chinese envoy to six-party denuclearization talks landing in Seoul . `` We detected Kim Jong-il 's train heading towards China , over the border , at midnight Wednesday , '' a source at South Korea 's presidential office said . `` We assume that Kim is aboard the train , and are trying to find out his destination and the purpose of his visit . '' As is common with the secretive state , the visit was unannounced and no agenda has been released . China 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to questions regarding Kim Jong-il 's visit . The North Korean Embassy in Beijing said it had no information regarding the visit . The alleged movement is taking place amid speculation that the ailing Kim , 68 , who is believed to have suffered a stroke two years ago , is preparing to officially announce his son , Kim Jong-eun , as his successor . Meanwhile , Carter arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday on a humanitarian mission to negotiate the release of U.S. citizen Aijilon Gomes , believed to be a Christian activist , who is currently imprisoned in the country after entering it illegally in January . Carter was greeted by Kim Gye-gwan , North Korea 's chief negotiator at the six-party nuclear talks , and has also met the country 's titular head of state , Kim Jong-nam , according to Seoul 's Yonhap News agency , quoting North Korean media . There have been hopes of some breakthrough in tense Pyongyang-Washington relations with Carter 's visit . Carter 's 1994 talks with the late Kim Il-sung , Kim Jong-il 's father , paved the way for the `` Agreed Framework '' the same year , an agreement designed to reign in Pyongyang 's nuclear ambitions . Also on Thursday in Seoul , Wu Dawei , vice foreign minister and special representative on Korean Peninsular affairs of China , was in Seoul for talks with Wi Sung-lac . The two men are their country 's respective envoys in the currently stalled six-party talks that aim to denuclearize the Korean peninsula . These events come amid intense speculation surrounding North Korea 's leadership , given that the state will be holding only its third-ever Workers Party Congress in September . `` The last Congress was in 1966 , an enormously important year in North Korean ideology , as that was when their cultural revolution started , when the personality cult went up a huge notch , '' said Brian Myers , a North Korea propaganda expert and author of The Cleanest Race . `` If that is anything to go by , this congress has to be something big . '' Experts do not , however , expect Kim to place his son before the Beijing leadership , and suggested that a China trip is more likely to be economically motivated . North Korea is facing sanctions pressure following a string of nuclear tests , missile launches and , most recently , the sinking of a South Korean warship in March -- which Seoul accuses Pyongyang of carrying out -- meaning Kim could be going cap-in-hand . `` Kim Jong-il , I think , would be looking primarily for expressions of economic support and political support , '' added Mike Chinoy , author of Meltdown : The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis . `` He needs Chinese help to keep his economy afloat and the Chinese remain North Korea 's best friend '' But if Kim is , indeed , in China , hopes of an easing in Washington-Pyongyang tensions are lowered . `` Carter is in to get Gomes out , not to try and restart something , '' said Kim Byung-ki , a security expert at Seoul 's Korea University . `` If Kim Jong-iI is not there , Carter will not be able to meet the top leader , ask questions , interact and get the atmospherics ; he can meet Kim Gye-gwan and Kim Jong-nam , but they are not the center of power . '' With Carter being greeted by Kim Gye-gwan in Pyongyang , and with Wu visiting Seoul , there may be a desire by Pyongyang and/or Beijing to restart stalled denuclearization talks . `` As we understand , Ambassador Wu visited North Korea recently , so I think he will explain what he heard in North Korea and deliver the Chinese view on the resumption of the six-party talks , '' said a Seoul Foreign Ministry official . While the 1994 `` Agreed Framework '' fell apart soon after the George W. Bush administration accused Pyongyang of a secret atomic arms program in 2002 , Beijing has invested considerable credibility in sponsoring the six-party talks , designed to denuclearize the Korean peninsula . But the talks , which started in 2003 , have made little progress : North Korea has undertaken two nuclear tests and talks themselves have been in abeyance since 2007 . China has railed against U.S. and South Korean naval exercises held in the eastern Pacific following the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in March , perhaps explaining why Beijing wishes for a resumption of dialogue at this time . `` I think Beijing would like to contain any further escalation of military exercises generated as a result of the Cheonan incident , '' said Korea University 's Kim . `` It is not in their interest to have a further tightening of the U.S.-Korea-Japan alliance . '' South Korea , however , may be less willing to resume talks , given the talks ' history , and given current public anger over the Cheonan , in which 46 sailors died . `` People I speak to in South Korea say they are not in the mood to return to the table unless there is some kind of apology for the sinking of the Cheonan and some clear signs of a serious implementation of denuclearization commitments , '' said Dan Pinkston , of the International Crisis Group 's Seoul office . `` If you are Beijing , how can you demonstrate that North Korea is going to return to the table to bargain in good faith ? '' CNN 's Jo Ling Kent contributed to this story .
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Kim Jong-il may be in China . Jimmy Carter is in Pyongyang . Chinese diplomat is in Seoul .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Cumberland River in Nashville , Tennessee , is predicted to be at flood stage overnight Friday , and flood levels should begin to fall after daylight , according to the National Weather Service . Flood warnings have been issued along the river . Flash flood warnings were in effect Thursday for parts of middle Tennessee after heavy rain battered the state overnight . The rain has subsided in and around Nashville , but more is in the forecast for the end of the week , the National Weather Service said . Heavy rain in parts of the state this week caused rivers and creeks to crest , and sent flood waters into the streets . Dozens of roads were closed and some schools in middle Tennessee were closed or starting late Thursday , the Macon County -LRB- Tennessee -RRB- Times reported . Some areas , like the town of Red Boiling Springs , were pounded with as much as eight inches of rain in a 12-hour stretch Wednesday . Flood waters rushed into the town causing officials to close the entire downtown , police told CNN-affiliate WKRN . `` There were so many places that were dangerous to attempt to cross , '' said Jacob Jordan , an officer with the Red Boiling Springs Police Department . `` I have no idea where the road was . This was all one big body of water . '' The rain comes as some Tennessee residents were still recovering from the devastating floods that hit the area in May . Dozens of people died in those floods . The federal government declared 42 counties disaster areas and the flooding was blamed for more than $ 1.5 billion in property damage in the Nashville area .
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Heavy rain pounded middle Tennessee overnight . The National Weather Service issues flash flood warnings and flood warnings near the Cumberland River . Floods come as some residents are still recovering from devastating May floods .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty-three miners trapped 2,300 feet -LRB- 701 meters -RRB- below ground in Chile are depending on food , medicine and supplies being dropped to them through a 4-inch-wide tube . What comes out of that tube will have to sustain the men both physically and mentally for a long time -- perhaps four months , experts say -- while a shaft wide enough to pull a man through is drilled . The miners already have been trapped for 18 days , since a rockslide inside the San Esteban gold and copper mine cut off their exit route . A probe retrieved a note from the miners Sunday saying all were alive and well in a cramped , 530-square-foot -LRB- 50-square-meter -RRB- shelter . They survived by sharing tiny portions of canned fish stored in the shelter room . `` Medics now are beginning to put down glucose water through a tube , first starting off with liquids and rehydrating salts , then in the coming days will put more solid food down , '' CNN 's Karl Penhaul reported Tuesday morning from the scene near the town of Copiapo in northern Chile . `` But psychologists say really it is the mental health that 's the real thing , '' Penhaul added . Forced confinement for months in a small , dark , hot space with many other people will pose intense psychological and emotional challenges . The men will have to help one another , Penhaul said . `` They have to make sure on a day when somebody is feeling down , depressed , that the others keep him there to cheer him up , '' he said . Davitt McAteer , former director of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration , said the situation is challenging on a number of levels , but the Chilean government seems to be doing everything right . `` It 's difficult . It 's the size of a studio apartment , and it 's dark . Well , now there will be some lights put in , but the conditions were very , very difficult , '' he said Tuesday morning . `` You have to deal with bodily functions , and you 've got to deal with that kind of question . Then you 've got to deal with the psychological impact . `` Now , I think the fact that they 've made it these 18 days is very , very positive . But the euphoria of making contact with the surface is going to last a couple days , and then it 's going to be a long slog . '' McAteer noted that with current technology , there 's no reason the trapped miners have to be isolated from their families and society during their confinement . `` These miners are resilient people , but I think also it 's a new era , '' he said . `` And I see no reason why you could n't pass cell phones down to them , or computers , tethered down to them . So , we 're in a new day . And something will need to be done to divert their attention . ... How do you come up with things for them to do and arrange things so that they can get their attention diverted from just sitting there waiting ? '' Added Penhaul : `` The families on the surface will also play a role as well , establishing communication with their family members to tell them to keep strong , but above all , to stay patient . They could be down there until Christmas . '' CNN 's Karl Penhaul , Jim Kavanagh and the CNN Wire contributed to this report .
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33 Chilean miners have been stuck inside mine for 18 days . Rescue could take as long as four months , experts say . Isolation , cramped conditions could lead to psychological problems . Cell phones , small computers could be sent down to miners , expert says .
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Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators were trying to determine Wednesday what caused China 's first fatal passenger plane crash in almost six years . A Henan Airlines flight with 96 people on board overshot a runway and crashed Tuesday night in the Yichun area of northern China , state media said . The plane broke into two pieces and burst into flames . On Wednesday , the government downgraded the death toll from the crash from 43 to 42 after a body that was torn apart was discovered to have been counted twice , according to the state-run Xinhua news agency . Fifty-four people survived . Five children injured in the crash were in critical condition , said Xinhua , citing doctors in Harbin , the capital of Heilongjiang province , where they had been transferred . Another 10 people were severely injured , it said . `` The coming 48 hours are the dangerous period , '' said Wang Yongchen , deputy head of the No. 1 Hospital affiliated with Harbin Medical University . Four of the children suffered heavy respiratory tract burns , said Wang . The investigators ' initial focus was to find the flight data recorder -- commonly known as the `` black box '' -- that might yield clues as to what caused the Brazilian-made Embraer 190 jet to crash land in heavy fog on a patch of grass about 1.5 kilometers -LRB- 0.9 miles -RRB- from the runway . The black box was found on the ground Wednesday morning , Xinhua said . Some passengers were thrown from the plane upon impact , according Xinhua , which cited the head of the publicity department of the Yichun city committee of the Communist Party of China . Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang led a team of transportation , health , work safety and security officials to Yichun after the crash , state media said . Two survivors told local television that the plane shook violently before it crashed and that thick smoke entered the cabin soon after impact . They said passengers were unable to open emergency exits after the wreck ; survivors escaped through cracks in the fuselage . The plane was carrying 91 passengers , including five children , and five crew members when it crashed at 9:36 p.m. -LRB- 9:36 a.m. ET -RRB- , according to Xinhua , which cited a source with the Civil Aviation Administration of China . The Henan Airlines flight had taken off from Harbin on the 360-kilometer -LRB- 225-mile -RRB- flight to Lindu Airport , about 9 kilometers -LRB- 5.6 miles -RRB- from downtown Yichun , a city of about 1 million residents near the Russian border , Xinhua said . A Yichun vice-mayor told Xinhua that most of those taken to hospitals did not have life-threatening injuries . China 's last fatal passenger airline accident occurred in November 2004 , when a China Eastern commuter jet took off in frigid Inner Mongolia without de-icing and crashed shortly afterward into a nearby park , killing 55 people . CNN 's Steven Jiang contributed to this report .
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NEW : 5 children in critical condition . The death toll is down from 43 to 42 . 54 people survive China 's first crash in six years . Survivors cite violent shaking prior to impact .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With only 71,000 private sector jobs created in July , the latest employment report tells the story of a slow and agonizing recovery . But if you look beneath the surface of recent government data , you can see the developing outline of the next powerful expansion . The leader ? The broad digital communications sector -- everything from telecom infrastructure to content providers to applications developers . Communications is one of the few areas where people are consuming more since the recession started , and key communications industries have continued to add jobs despite the downturn . All of which suggests that Washington policymakers should do everything they can to hitch a ride on the communications sector and find ways to stoke the jobs and spending engine a little bit . But proposals to regulate internet activity now before the Federal Communications Commission would do the opposite . What 's needed from regulators now is some creativity and humility -- in the form of `` countercyclical regulatory policy . '' This gives innovators a bit of breathing space at the start of an economic recovery , but sets the stage to tighten regulations later on if excesses develop . This approach does not mean regulators can go to sleep nor does it mean they can raise the flag of laissez-faire . What 's needed is the nuanced judgment of sentries posted at a tense border spot . With watchful eyes , regulators must practice thoughtful restraint that allows space for job leaders to innovate and hire , while remaining ready to aggressively confront violations of law or abuses of consumer rights if they take place . The communications sector is one of the few bright lights in an otherwise dismal economic picture . Facebook just reported its 500 millionth member ; Droids are flying out of stores ; and the iPad is the latest `` must have '' in technology . To enjoy the new toys , Americans are paying for more powerful mobile connections , too . The powerful pull of the new technology shows up in statistics from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Since the recession began in the fourth quarter of 2007 , real personal consumption has dropped in big categories of spending , such as motor vehicles , furniture , clothing , eating out and recreation services . There are only two major exceptions to this pattern of big cutbacks . For one , real consumption has risen in some health , education and social services -- all areas that receive a lot of government funding . But operating without big government subsidies , the communications sector has shown equally impressive gains . Real consumption of cell phone services , adjusted for price changes , is up 12.6 percent since the end of 2007 . Purchases of internet service , adjusted for price changes , have risen by 5.1 percent , and personal purchases of telephone equipment , adjusted for price changes , are up more than 25 percent . At the same time , key communications-related industries have managed to keep adding jobs . Jobs at internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portals -- think Google and Yahoo -- are up 16 percent since the recession started in December 2007 . Employment in the `` custom computer programming '' industry -- think website and apps development -- took a hit in the first half of 2009 , but since then has bounced back strong . The same is true for jobs in wireless telecom , which bottomed out in July 2009 and have been on a slow upward trend since then . This strength signals that the broad communications sector can help drive recovery , because businesses that hire during a recession usually carry that strength into the subsequent upswing . If history is any guide , these job leaders may grow at least twice as fast as the rest of the economy during the next expansion . That brings us to regulators and government policy . Policymakers should follow the principle of `` do no harm '' when dealing with communications , one of the few sectors showing vibrant growth . That means the FCC should avoid the temptation to add rules , even with good intentions . In particular , the FCC is considering bringing broadband under the same common carrier rules that govern older phone networks . This tightening of the regulatory regime would be part of a move toward net neutrality , a policy that would impose rules on broadband providers and govern the services and products they could offer . The debate over net neutrality is heated , and there are strong arguments on both sides . But whether or not you think that such a move is a good idea , such regulations are unlikely to boost investment or employment in the telecom industry , at a time when we need all the capital spending and jobs that we can get . For that reason , I suggest a two-year pause in new broadband regulation , keeping the current balance among the different players , which seems to be generating growth . At the same time , the knowledge that the regulator remains on duty , ready to intervene , would provide an essential check . Such a countercyclical approach requires regulatory discipline and wisdom . Yes , we know from recent experience that regulators can be too lax . But there 's an important difference between deliberate restraint by a regulator who remains alert for the right moment to step back in and a regulator who has gone to sleep . For now , getting more Americans working is more important than imposing too much regulation on growing sectors . Let 's help the job leaders soar . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Michael Mandel .
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Michael Mandel : Even in recession , people spending more on digital communications . Policy should stoke jobs and spending engine of communications , Mandel writes . He says FCC regulations under consideration could slow growth . Need regulatory policy that allows growth but could clamp down if needed , he says .
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Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defense Minister Ehud Barak testified Tuesday that he bears full responsibility for the actions of Israeli soldiers in the mid-sea interception of a humanitarian aid flotilla that left nine people dead in May . He defended the action and said Israel went to great diplomatic lengths to stop the flotilla heading to the Palestinian territory of Gaza , and when that did n't work , it considered the implications of the use of force and weighed the possibility of simply letting the flotilla through . In the end , Israel made the right decision , Barak said in his two-hour testimony before an Israeli commission looking into the incident . Israeli navy commandos intercepted the flotilla at sea and stormed the largest vessel , the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara . `` We regret any loss of life , but without the courage and skill of the commandos we would have lost more lives , '' Barak said . The Israeli navy commando fought with activists on the ship , leaving one Turkish-American and eight Turkish activists dead and sparking an international outcry . The incident left a wide-ranging military and diplomatic alliance between the Jewish state and Turkey , its powerful regional ally , badly shaken . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that a separate U.N. inquiry , launched Tuesday , would help mend the strained relations . Ban met with members of the U.N. panel , which is chaired by New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer and includes representatives from Israel and Turkey . But Israel has already said that it will not participate in the U.N. inquiry if the panel asks to question soldiers . `` Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarifies that Israel will not cooperate and will not participate in any panel that will demand to interrogate IDF soldiers , '' said government spokesman Nir Hefetz . Netanyahu said Israel operated within international law when it stopped the flotilla and raided the Mavi Marmara on May 31 . `` I 'm convinced that at the end of your investigation , it will be clear that the state of Israel ... operated in accordance with international law and that ... soldiers on the Marmara showed great courage in fulfilling their mission and acting in self-defense against real-life dangers , '' Netanyahu said Monday , the opening day of the Israeli probe . Israel has maintained its troops used force on the activists only after they were attacked by those on board . Soldiers were attacked with knives , metal poles and other objects , Israeli officials have said . But passengers on board the boat insist they were fired upon without provocation . The ships were carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza , organizers said . The Palestinian territory has been blockaded by Israel since its takeover by the Islamic movement Hamas in 2007 . `` For the past two months , I have engaged in intensive consultation with the leaders of Israel and Turkey on the setting-up of a panel of inquiry on the flotilla incident , '' Ban said in a statement . `` This is an unprecedented development . I thank the leaders of the two countries with whom I have engaged in last-minute consultations over the weekend , for their spirit of compromise and forward-looking cooperation . '' CNN 's Paula Hancocks contributed to this report .
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Ehud Barak : Many options were discussed , including letting the flotilla through . Israel will not participate if the panel wants to question soldiers . The United Nations launches an investigation into the Gaza flotilla incident . Nine people aboard the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara died in the raid .
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Las Vegas , Nevada -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The debate over distracted drivers ramped up a notch on Thursday as Ford Motor Co. announced technology to let computers read their Twitter feeds to them while behind the wheel . The company has not formally announced technology to let drivers post tweets verbally from behind the wheel , but such an announcement likely will come in the next 12 to 18 months , Doug VanDagens , Ford 's global director of connected services , told CNN in an interview after the company 's keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show here . VanDagens said people read Twitter feeds and send text messages while they 're driving anyway , and that the automaker is trying to make those activities safer for drivers . `` We take what people do -- they talk on the phone , they fumble with mp3 players , they look at maps . We take these activities and make them safer , '' he said . Safety groups have criticized car companies and technology makers for putting touch-screen devices that surf the Internet in cars . The U.S. is in a distracted driving crisis , and , in general , the more technology electronics makers put into cars , the less drivers are able to pay attention to the road , said Christie Hype , a spokeswoman for AAA , the motor safety group . `` The more things that are going on in a vehicle , the more things can distract a driver , '' she said . `` You only have so much attention to give , and we really want everyone to keep their attention on the roadway for safety reasons . '' More study of the tweeting by voice while driving would need to take place to make an absolute determination as to what effect Ford 's announcement will have on distracted driving , she said . Ford 's system , which will be installed in some cars later this year , does not let drivers surf the Internet visually while driving . A Wi-Fi hot spot in the new cars generate will let drivers browse the Web when their cars are parked , VanDagens said . The technologies will first show up in Edge and Focus model cars . Not all models will be upgraded in 2010 , but new lines of these cars will be equipped with the media-center technology , which features an 8-inch screen in the center of the dash and a media hookup under the armrest . A company representative would not comment on whether the technology will increase the price of Ford cars . Ford 's announcement also highlights the growing popularity and importance of mobile phone applications . Instead of downloading Twitter feeds through the car , Ford works with drivers ' mobile phones , pulling data from a number of apps , which are produced by other companies . The Twitter-reading function works with a Twitter mobile app called Open Beak . The car company also announced partnership with Pandora 's mobile app , which streams music , and Stitcher , an application for online news .
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Ford says new technology will first show up in Edge and Focus model cars . Ford official says tweeting from behind the wheel expected in a year . Ford also includes Pandora music , Stitcher online news partnerships . Company says they are just taking what people already do `` and make them safer ''
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Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The judge in the Lindsay Lohan case will issue an order Wednesday morning concerning the actress ' stay in rehab , a court official said . Lohan entered a court-ordered substance abuse rehabilitation program at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on August 2 , following a 13-day stint in a Los Angeles county jail for a probation violation . Judge Marsha Revel , who ordered Lohan to spend 90 days in rehab , was replaced by Judge Eldon Fox earlier this month . Judge Fox , who has met behind closed doors with Lohan 's lawyer and the prosecutor , will hold a hearing in his Beverly Hills courtroom Wednesday morning , a court spokesman said . Fox is expected to issue a new order concerning Lohan during the hearing , the spokesman said . Revel ordered the jail time and rehab after she ruled that Lohan violated her probation from a 2007 drunk driving case .
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Judge Fox will hold a hearing for Lohan Wednesday morning . Lohan 's lawyer and the prosecutor met privately with the judge last week . The actress entered rehab on August 2 , 2010 . The previous judge ordered 90 days of rehab .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Patriarch Bartholomew is the living embodiment of one of the world 's oldest institutions -- the Greek Orthodox Church in Constantinople . But he could be the last to hold the title in what is modern-day Istanbul , in secular but Muslim majority Turkey . CNN 's `` World 's Untold Stories '' examines the dwindling Greek Orthodox community in Turkey and how they are faring . There has been a patriarch in Constantinople for 14 centuries , ever since it was the capital of Byzantium and the Eastern Roman Empire , ruling over the Eastern Mediterranean and much of the Middle East . To this day , Orthodox Christians around the world recite prayers to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew , the `` first among equals . '' Some describe him as the equivalent of the `` pope '' for the world 's Orthodox Christians . But Bartholomew , who is now 70 , may become the last in a line of some 270 bishops in Constantinople . The Turkish government refuses to recognize Bartholomew 's title as `` Ecumenical Patriarch . '' Twenty-five years ago , the Turkish government shut the seminary where Greek Orthodox clergy traditionally trained . Greeks who do not hold Turkish passports are barred from becoming clerics . Instead of being the spiritual leader of his faith , Bartholomew has become a symbol of the dwindling community of ethnic Greeks still living in modern-day Istanbul . There are only around 2,000 ethnic Greeks left in Istanbul . The last members of this community are gradually dying out , but they cling tenaciously to the churches and schools their ancestors built in what was once the capital of a Greek empire . `` World 's Untold Stories '' showcases the best of CNN journalism covering powerful tales that are always captivating with compelling characters at the center . Recent episodes have covered the `` Train of Death '' ride through Mexico to the U.S. , tracking down key figures from Cambodia 's Khmer Rouge regime , anti-Roma discrimination in Europe and extreme Christians in the United States .
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Patriarch Bartholomew is head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Constantinople . The title goes back 14 centuries but he could be the last . Turkey closed the seminary 25 years ago and now only 2,000 Orthodox Greeks live in Istanbul . Bartholomew has become a symbol of the dwindling community .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal judge sentenced children 's author K.P. Bath to six years in prison Thursday for possessing child pornography . Investigators found a large collection of pornographic photographs and video clips in the Portland , Oregon , home of the author of `` The Secret of Castle Cant '' and `` Escape from Castle Cant , '' according to a statement federal prosecutors released Thursday . `` Many of the videos graphically depicted the sexual abuse of very young children , '' the statement from the U.S. Attorney 's Office in Oregon said . Bath , 51 , pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing child pornography . `` It is shocking that a children 's author would contribute to the trauma these kids endure -- both physical and emotional trauma from the sexual abuse itself , and psychological trauma from knowing that images of that abuse are circulating on the Internet , '' U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton said in a statement . Bath 's collection included images depicting sadistic conduct , rape , sodomy and bestiality , prosecutors said . Prosecutors also allege that an investigation revealed that Bath had traded images of child pornography with at least two different collectors in Washington and Ohio . Those collectors were prosecuted , but charges against Bath for allegedly transporting , distributing and receiving child pornography were dropped as part of a plea agreement , the U.S. Attorney 's Office said . Bath volunteered at the Beverly Cleary Children 's Library in Portland and worked at The Asian Reporter newspaper , according to a 2004 University of Alabama news release describing an alumni reading series . Bath had a master 's degree from the university and had worked as a field hand , factory laborer , musician , editor and teacher , the news release said . CNN 's Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report .
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Federal judge sentences author K.P. Bath . Investigators found large collection of pornographic photos and videos in his home . Many videos `` graphically depicted '' sexual abuse of young children , prosecutors say . Bath wrote `` The Secret of Castle Cant '' and `` Escape from Castle Cant ''
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man in his 60s attempted an armed robbery in New York City and fled to Maryland , where he allegedly robbed two hotels at gunpoint , led police on a short chase and died when his car left the road and crashed , authorities said Friday . The man was identified as a 63-year-old career criminal named Arthur Williams , CNN affiliate WABC reported . New York police said Williams tried to rob Sarar , an upscale clothing store on Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan , Saturday evening while carrying a cane and wearing a nasal tube connected to an oxygen tank . The suspect fired three shots before fleeing the scene , police said . Early Sunday morning , Maryland State Police were alerted to an armed robbery in Hancock , Maryland , and a second about an hour later in Clear Spring , Maryland . A state trooper on DUI patrol was following a suspected drunken driver when dispatchers broadcast a description of the vehicle driven by the suspected robber . The description matched the vehicle he was following , so he attempted to pull the driver over . The chase lasted about 2 1/2 miles and reached a top speed of 120 mph , police said , ending when Williams 's car went off the road and hit several fixed objects and a parked car . He was pronounced dead at the scene . The New York incident was recorded by a store surveillance camera , according to an advisory issued earlier Friday by the New York Police Department , which was seeking the public 's assistance in the hunt for the would-be robber . Williams initially appeared to be shopping for clothing after entering the store , according to police . Sol Tezcan , the store manager said the man did not rouse suspicion and calmly asked for a pair of pants to match his jacket . Tezcan said that when he turned around looking for pants , the man pulled a gun from his waistband and demanded money from a nearby customer . The gunman fired one shot , missing the customer , who was fleeing the store . Tezcan said Williams then turned the gun on him , asking , `` You want one ? '' He fired two shots in Tezcan 's direction as he ran toward the back of the store , the manager said . `` I was not nervous , '' Tezcan said . `` It happened in three seconds . '' Williams fled the scene in a black Cadillac CTS with Alabama license plates , the same car Maryland state police later encountered , according to police . CNN 's Chris Kokenes contributed to this report .
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NEW : Armed robbery failed in upscale New York clothing store . NEW : Alleged robber fled south , robbing two hotels in Maryland . NEW : Suspected drunken driver turned out to be NYC robbery suspect . NEW : Fatal chase lasted 2 1/2 miles , reaching speeds of 120 mph .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The former Agriculture Department employee at the center of a political firestorm said Friday that President Barack Obama did n't literally say he was `` sorry '' when they spoke Thursday , but `` by simply calling me , '' she believed he was apologizing . Shirley Sherrod -- forced to resign from her job based on incomplete and misleading reports about a speech she gave in March -- also told CNN 's `` American Morning '' that the department official who asked for her resignation was only a `` messenger . '' And later Friday , she had a `` very emotional '' reunion with the white Georgia couple she referenced about in her now-famous speech . As for the White House , Sherrod told CNN that it had had been trying to reach her since Wednesday night . `` My phone was full , could n't take any more messages . Finally , I was on the way to the airport in an attempt to get home when I checked my messages and had received one from the White House saying the president was trying to get in touch with me and give them a call , '' she said . `` I did that , and I had the conversation with him , and , you know , I feel good about that . '' Asked whether she was able to enlighten him about her work , she said they did n't have time to get into that . `` But toward the end of the conversation , I told him I 'd love to have him come to South Georgia , '' she said , adding that she would `` take him around and show him some things . '' `` I could definitely bring the point home , '' said Sherrod , who lives in Georgia . She said he did n't precisely say he was sorry . `` I really did n't want to hear the president of the United States say ` I 'm sorry ' to Shirley Sherrod , '' she said . `` I felt he was saying that in his talk just by simply calling me . I felt it was , in a way , saying ` I 'm sorry ' because he did n't have to do it . '' The Sherrod controversy began after conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted a portion of the speech in which Sherrod spoke of not offering her full help to a white farmer . The original post indicated that the incident Sherrod mentioned occurred when she worked for the Agriculture Department , and news outlets quickly picked up on the story . However , the incident took place decades before she joined the department , and her speech in its unedited form made the point that people should move beyond race . In addition , the white farmer whom Sherrod mentioned has told reporters that Sherrod helped him save his farm . Nevertheless , Sherrod was swiftly fired after government officials heard only the portion of the speech . When the full version of the speech was heard , she received apologies from the White House , the agriculture secretary and the NAACP , which criticized the edited remarks . On `` American Morning '' on Friday , Sherrod was asked about the `` ability '' of Obama , American 's first black president , to discuss and deal with racial issues . `` I guess because he 's a black president , for some reason , they felt you ca n't talk about issues that affect just black people , '' she said . She said she believes that `` the administration feels too that if they highlight issues of black people ... the country would perceive -LRB- it -RRB- as something negative . I know they probably have to struggle with that . But I think they 're wrong . I think they could do more to advance unity if they could promote a discussion from that level . '' Sherrod was also asked about Cheryl Cook , the Agriculture Department official who phoned Sherrod and asked for her resignation . `` I know Cheryl Cook , and I know , had she been given the opportunity to make a decision her on her own , we would n't be sitting here talking about this . So she was the messenger . I really truly do believe it was not her message , '' she said . `` Cheryl is a great person . I definitely want to see her be able to continue the work she was doing at USDA . So I would hope that this attention on her would not cause them to do the same thing they did to me : boot her out . '' Sherrod has received an apology for her firing from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack . Although she has n't received an apology from Breitbart , Sherrod said she is not sure she 's ready for that kind of a chat just yet . `` He would really need to come and sit down with me and look me in the eye so that we could see if we could find a place -- I 'm not saying I would n't forgive him , but we would need to see if we could find a place for that to happen . `` I do n't see it at this point . He has n't been willing . He has n't tried to apologize to me for anything he 's caused me to go through , '' she said . Breitbart 's website included corrections Wednesday on two blog entries that included the video footage from Sherrod 's speech . `` Correction : While Ms. Sherrod made the remarks captured in the first video featured in this post while she held a federally appointed position , the story she tells refers to actions she took before she held that federal position , '' said a notice added to one of the postings on Breitbart 's biggovernment.com site . A shorter version appeared on another posting of the Sherrod video footage . The corrections did not mention the edited nature of the video he posted Monday or the full context . Breitbart told CNN 's `` Anderson Cooper : 360 '' on Thursday that he saw no reason to apologize : `` What would warrant an apology ? ... I 'm not the one who threw her under the bus . '' Sherrod had said that she was offered some type of civil rights position in the department 's Office of Outreach and that she was expecting to receive something official in an e-mail from the department . On Friday , she did not address that issue or say she would accept the position . The edited Sherrod video initially brought condemnation from the NAACP , which later retracted its statement and apologized to Sherrod after the context became clear . Also , the farmer and his wife Sherrod was discussing , Roger and Eloise Spooner , came forward Tuesday , saying that they credited Sherrod with helping them save their farm and that she did not discriminate against them . On Friday , Sherrod and the Spooners held a reunion at a restaurant in the Colquitt , Georgia , area . A CNN Special Investigations Unit witnessed the get-together . CNN 's Don Lemon , who saw the reunion , said it was `` very emotional . '' `` The interesting thing is watching them look at each other in the eye and talk to each other . There were no tears but only big smiles . It seemed very authentic , '' he said . Lemon asked the couple whether they 'd ever have to help save her as she saved them . `` Never in a million years , '' Roger Spooner said . The NAACP , which initially called Sherrod 's statements `` shameful , '' said in a statement Tuesday that it was `` snookered by Fox News '' and Breitbart . Breitbart 's post was picked up by the Fox News website . On Monday , Fox News hosts Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity played the edited clip on their programs . O'Reilly , who had called for Sherrod 's immediate resignation , apologized for his statements Wednesday . Also Wednesday , Fox News anchor Shepard Smith sharply criticized Breitbart 's website as well as his network 's own coverage of the story .
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NEW : Sherrod , white family at center of drama are reunited in Georgia . Sherrod says President Obama did n't say `` sorry , '' but she feels `` good '' about the phone call . She says the official who asked for her resignation was simply a `` messenger '' Sherrod says she asked Obama to come to South Georgia .
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San Diego , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Launching a show at San Diego Comic-Con can be a risky business , but sometimes it pays off . `` Lost , '' `` Heroes '' and `` Glee '' all went on to spectacular first seasons after panels at Comic-Con . AMC 's `` The Walking Dead '' seems like it might benefit the most from Comic-Con , with an audience that already knows the show 's title from the comic book on which it 's based . An extremely creepy display promoting the series , with two bloody bodies and words scrawled on a wall in blood , greeted many Con-goers on the floor . This is the network 's way of letting fans know that they do n't intend to hold back on the violence and gore . It 's just one example of how this year , more than ever , the networks are hoping to build buzz around their new shows , as well as keep or grow the audience for established ones . To do that , they try to give the fans what they want . `` I think fans want to meet the cast and creators , and they want a bit of inside information , '' said Lisa Gregorian , chief marketing officer of Warner Bros. . Television -LRB- which is owned by Time Warner , owner of CNN -RRB- . `` All fans are looking for a unique , fun experience with the shows they love . '' Warner certainly made its presence known , with free bags promoting many of their shows handed out to fans as they registered . USA Network , SyFy and Showtime were also ubiquitous . Shows such as `` Eureka '' and `` Burn Notice '' were being promoted in a variety of ways outside the convention , including a takeover of a nearby restaurant . Showtime plastered ads all over buses in San Diego . Inside , it held a panel for four of its shows , including `` Dexter , '' which is extremely popular at Comic-Con . One thing that ca n't miss at Comic-Con is free food , and Fox served up free burgers and soda on behalf of the upcoming animated series `` Bob 's Burgers . '' Then there 's the low-key approach ; of course , low-key at Comic-Con means driving through town with a bullhorn . HBO did this to promote the return of `` Eastbound and Down . '' `` No Ordinary Family , '' about a family given superhero powers , gave attendees the chance to `` lift '' a car themselves . Stars Julie Benz and Michael Chiklis showed the pilot as well , and Benz talked to the media about this change in tone after the extremely dark `` Dexter . '' `` For me , it 's just the perfect marriage of genres , and I 'm ready to explore more of the lighter side , '' she said . Chiklis , with his background as The Thing in the `` Fantastic Four '' movies , was asked about playing another superhero . `` I just think it 's a huge genre , there 's so much room to grow . Just look at Comic-Con , it 's like Vegas , '' he said . `` I 'm happy to do a show that blends genres . '' Of course , there are shows that are already perennial favorites at the convention , such as `` True Blood , '' which had ads plastered all over the convention center . And there 's `` Chuck , '' which once again wowed the fans with the fictional band from the show , Jeffster , doing a music video of Lady Gaga 's `` Bad Romance . '' The crowd also cheered at the announcement that Linda Hamilton would be playing Chuck 's mother . Stars Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez were in rare form talking to the media . They riffed on the power of the internet to keep `` Chuck '' on the air and the upcoming season . Levi said that much of what was said at the panel was a surprise to him . '' ` Old Spice Guy ' as a guest star ? News to me , '' he said . Nicole Richie who guest-starred in season one , will also reprise her character . Now that Chuck 's best friend , sister and brother-in-law are in on his spy secrets , what about Jeffster ? `` I kind of like that we kind of operate around the spy world , inadvertent , '' said Vik Sahay , who plays the Lester half of the duo . `` I 'd like to see more of us accidentally helping out . '' One show with something to prove was NBC 's `` The Event , '' which showed the pilot to an audience that came away seeming fairly impressed . Of course , even the meaning of the show 's title still remains a mystery . The producers and cast were n't able to provide many more clues , aside from what was presented in the pilot , which involves -LRB- spoiler alert ! -RRB- some mysterious detainees trying to win their freedom and a shocking ending . `` That moment at the end , I was like , ` what the heck was going on ? ' '' said actor Ian Anthony Dale . `` I just wanted the chance to read for it , and it was a dream come true . '' The mystery continues to build around the show , but the biggest mystery of all may be whether this show , like the other new offerings for the season , will catch on . If so , they can look forward to a triumphant return like `` Chuck '' and `` True Blood . ''
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`` Lost , '' `` Heroes , '' `` Glee '' all went on to spectacular first seasons after panels at Comic-Con . Fox serves up free burgers , soda on behalf of upcoming animated series `` Bob 's Burgers '' NBC 's `` The Event '' debuts to audience that came away seeming fairly impressed .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A fully functional submarine built for the primary purpose of transporting massive amounts of cocaine has been seized by Ecuadorean authorities with the help of U.S. drug enforcement agents . A drug-trafficking organization built the sea-worthy vessel that is now being held near the border of Ecuador and Colombia , and one individual has been taken into custody , authorities said . The investigation into the group and the submarine , which was seized Friday , is ongoing . `` This is the first seizure of a clandestinely constructed fully operational submarine built to facilitate trans-oceanic drug trafficking , '' the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a statement . The vessel utilized twin screws and was diesel electric-powered , the agency said . It was about 30 meters -LRB- 98 feet -RRB- long and nearly 3 meters -LRB- nine feet -RRB- high from the deck plates to the ceiling . It has a periscope and an air-conditioning system . `` Traffickers historically employed slow-moving fishing boats , sail boats , pleasure craft go-fasts , '' said Jay Bergman , Andean regional director for the agency . `` The advent of the narco-submarine presents new detection challenges for maritime interdiction forces . The submarine 's nautical range , payload capacity and quantum leap in stealth have raised the stakes for the counter-drug forces and the national security community alike . '' The submarine was constructed in a `` remote jungle environment in an effort to elude law enforcement or military interdiction , '' the agency said . Acting on intelligence , Ecuadorean authorities were able to seize the vessel for before its maiden voyage , the statement said . CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report .
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Submarine being held near Ecuador-Colombia border . Authorities : Vessel was built to `` facilitate trans-oceanic drug trafficking '' Sub is about 30 meters long , has periscope and air conditioning . Agents seized sub before its maiden voyage .
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Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of two American service members who were abducted in Afghanistan on Friday has been killed , provincial government officials said Sunday . Den Mohammad Darwish , the spokesman for the governor of Logar province , said he learned from locals that the American was killed . He said the body was found in the Patanak Mountains of Charkh district . He also said the vehicle the men were driving was located Sunday . A Taliban spokesman confirmed that the killed American died in a firefight and the other is being held by the group . Another official , Samar Gul Rashid -- who is the governor of the Charkh district in Logar province -- also confirmed the killing , saying he learned about it through Afghan intelligence officials . In releasing a statement Sunday , the Navy confirmed that the two missing service members are sailors . `` The thoughts and prayers of our entire Navy go out to the missing sailors serving in Afghanistan and their families , '' said Adm. Gary Roughead , chief of U.S. naval operations , in the statement . `` We have been closely following the situation from the outset . These sailors represent two of several thousand sailors serving on the ground in Afghanistan in support of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan . `` Forces on the ground in Afghanistan are doing everything they can to locate and safely return our missing shipmates , '' Roughead said . Rashid said the second sailor , who was also abducted , is wounded and still missing . Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the two Americans were driving in a civilian vehicle in the village of Dasht , in Charkh district . The Taliban wanted to take both men alive , but the firefight broke out , killing one of the Americans , Mujahid said . The other is alive and being held in a safe location , he said . There were no immediate demands from the Taliban for the return of the Americans because the group was still deliberating what its demands would be , Mujahid said . A U.S. military official confirmed that a $ 20,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the return of the two sailors . Posters were being distributed in the region . Adm. Mike Mullen told reporters earlier Sunday that he could not give out any information . But he did call it an `` unusual circumstance '' to have two individuals leave the base and drive over an hour away in a non-military vehicle . The two went missing after leaving their compound in the Afghan capital of Kabul , NATO said . An Afghan intelligence source told CNN that the two were abducted in Logar province , south of Kabul . The development comes as five U.S. soldiers were killed in bombings in southern Afghanistan on Saturday . CNN 's Atia Abawi and Barbara Starr contributed to this report .
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NEW : Two U.S. sailors missing , Navy confirms . Afghan official says body of killed service member has been found . U.S. military officials say the two went missing in Kabul . Afghan official says he learned of the death from locals .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chris Ferguson remembers being 9 years old , watching astronaut Neil Armstrong take man 's first steps on the moon on July 20 , 1969 . Like thousands in his American generation , Ferguson dreamed in his childhood of becoming an astronaut . `` I was very interested in the space program , '' Ferguson . `` It was something that gripped the world , something that all of the world was talking about . '' And unlike all but a very , very few in his generation , he realized his childhood goal . iReport : What did you want to be when you grew up . As an American astronaut , he has logged a total of 28 days in space to date . After receiving his master 's degree in aeronautical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School , Ferguson flew for the U.S. Navy as a pilot , officer and instructor . But his ambitions stretched far beyond the clouds . Ferguson said he tried not to get his hopes too high , and he persistently turned in his forms when NASA accepted astronaut applications . The first three times Ferguson applied , he did n't make the cut . On the fourth try , he was selected as a member of the NASA Astronaut Class of 1999 , and he now holds the title of deputy chief of NASA 's Astronaut Office . But with no set plans of launching astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil after the final trip to the International Space Station slated for February 2011 , Ferguson and others in the space world are anxious . In addition to fretting about funding and jobs , they wonder if the government is losing an initiative that engages the next generation of engineers and mathematicians . `` If we are n't doing things that inspire them , we 'll suffer from the creative standpoint , '' he said . Teresa Gomez , assistant manager for NASA 's Astronaut Selection Office , said that most applicants who make it to the interview rounds have been grooming themselves their entire lives for the job . In past years , candidates said it was the first lunar landing that sparked their interest in space . More recently , astronaut hopefuls said it was the first shuttle landing they saw that hooked them on aeronautics , Gomez said . Many number-crunchers and rocket builders in the space exploration field also say they were space junkies in their younger years . `` It appeared as pure magic to see something so massive lift off the Earth , '' said Brad Toellner , an aerospace engineer major who has been working at NASA as a part of its Cooperative Education Program for the past four years . `` It seemed so different from everyday life . '' NASA and the commercial space community are waiting to hear the hard federal funding numbers to determine if , when and how American astronauts can go back into space . President Barack Obama 's NASA proposal currently being scrutinized by Congress focuses on researching propulsion for deep space and asteroid landings . It scraps the Constellation Project , which was launched six years ago with the aim of sending humans to Mars and back to the moon . The proposal would also halt NASA shuttle launches to the International Space Station . Instead , federal funds would be used to help send U.S. commercial shuttles to the station . Clark Moody , who remembers watching NASA videos with his dad in the 1980s , is a graduate student in aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University . He worries that NASA 's other feats could be lost on the general public without the highly visible human spaceflight endeavors . `` When most people think of NASA , they think of NASA spaceflight and do n't know 99 percent of what -LRB- else -RRB- it does , '' Moody said . `` That 's what gets people really excited when they 're younger . '' Others think there are cheaper ways to inspire young scientists than with NASA manned space missions . `` What are we trying to do here ? '' asked Roger Launius , the senior curator of the Smithsonian 's National Air and Space Museum . `` If we 're trying to inspire kids , is this the way to do it , at $ 20 billion a year ? '' he questioned , referring to the cost of sending humans to the moon . He said NASA 's Mars Exploration Rovers -- active twin robots that were launched in 2003 to research the planet 's water history -- should also grab young people 's interest . Robert Cort , the acting deputy manager of White Sands Test Facility in southern New Mexico , said he and others reach out to elementary and middle school children in the area to tell them that with hard work , they can be a part of the local space program efforts . The facility conducts safety tests for NASA , but most children say they want to be flying , not testing . He 's also worried that the manned spaceflight hiatus could damper children 's interest in NASA . Cort said many students tell him they 'll be astronauts when they grow up . In return , he said , he tells them , `` Hey , that 's great , and if you do , we 'll work to protect you , '' so as not to give them false hope . The odds have historically been against those whose ambitions are out of this world . Since 1978 , only .6 percent of astronaut applicants have been hired , according to NASA statistics . Launius said there 's potential for humans to travel farther with NASA 's new vision , including turning shuttles over to commercial organizations . `` I 'm not anxious , '' he said , `` I 'm curious as to where it 'll go . '' He said he 's hopeful that commercial space entities will be successful and progress human space travel more efficiently than NASA 's past vision . Many others involved in aerospace , while holding their breath as Congress holds the American space program in limbo , are excited about the prospects of more people having the chance to travel into space -- including NASA 's chief deputy astronaut . Ferguson and most other astronauts paid for their shuttle tickets with post-graduate degrees and years in the military . But , if commercial organizations take over NASA 's suborbital shuttle missions , the next generation 's astronauts might purchase their ticket as they would a bus or plane ticket . For his entire life , Ferguson said , he had imagined watching a sunrise from space . He finally had the chance as pilot of the STS-115 shuttle mission to the International Space Station in 2006 . Watching the sun light up the underside of Earth , staining the ocean blue and the land green , was what he called a `` gee-whiz moment . '' `` Space should n't just be reserved for those who 've taken 10 years learning how to work a rocket , '' Ferguson said . Instead , as the space program evolves , it could be reserved for those willing to put a couple hundred thousand dollars down as soon as the next decade , according to John Gedmark , executive director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation .
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Astronaut Chris Ferguson says human spaceflight inspired him when he was younger . There are no set plans for human spaceflight within Obama 's NASA revamp . Ferguson and others in aerospace worry what will inspire children . Many hope commercial spaceflight will change the game for manned missions .
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Arlington , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On a blistering hot July morning , Debbie Higgins arrived at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the memory of her son , Marine Lance Cpl. James Higgins Jr. , who was killed in Iraq on July 27 , 2006 . `` Mama Higgins , '' as she is known to members of her son 's unit , was not alone . Hundreds of Gold Star families -- whose loved ones were killed while serving their country -- on Saturday joined members of the support organization Families United at the cemetery 's Tomb of the Unknowns to pay tribute . The service was part of a weekend of remembrance for relatives of U.S. military personnel killed while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan . More than 2,000 families were expected to attend the events . With hands over their hearts or raised to their foreheads in salute , family members watched and listened as a wreath was laid on the tomb and a single trumpet played `` Taps . '' After the ceremony , a motorcade made its way through the cemetery grounds to Section 60 , the part of Arlington where many of the fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are buried . Family members placed small painted stones , flags and flowers on the gravesites . Some left photos or notes ; others simply sat quietly at their loved ones ' headstones . `` To lose a child changes your entire life , '' Higgins said . `` It 's my son 's wish that keeps me going . '' That wish was for a memorial to those killed in ongoing conflicts , something the Marine mentioned to his mother during one of their final phone conversations . `` It will be the National Fallen Heroes Memorial , and it will be from first killed after Vietnam until the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom , '' Higgins said . `` We 're going to remember them all . '' The memorial is privately funded and will be located on Route 15 , just north of Frederick , Maryland . But Higgins has also made her own personal tribute to her son : a motorcycle , painted with his image , which carries the symbol and motto of the U.S. Marine Corps : Semper Fidelis -- Always Faithful . The seat of the motorcycle is made from the door of the Hummer in which Higgins ' son was fatally wounded during his last tour in Iraq just a week before he was scheduled to come home . On Saturday , Higgins ' motorcycle led the motorcade of families through the cemetery , from the Tomb of the Unknowns to the graves of their own fallen soldiers . She said she is proud that her motorcycle is an inspiration to others and that she can continue to honor the life of her son . `` He was so proud , and he loved his country , '' Higgins said . `` He loved the United States and the American flag and everything that it represents . ''
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Families who lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan gather to pay tribute . The weekend of remembrance was organized by Families United . Debbie Higgins ' son James was killed in Iraq four years ago . Higgins is working to honor her son 's wish for a National Fallen Heroes Memorial .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 200 structures have been destroyed and 1,100 damaged after a dam on an eastern Iowa lake failed , unleashing a torrent of floodwaters , a spokesman for the governor said Sunday . The Lake Delhi dam , about 45 miles north of Cedar Rapids , failed Saturday as a result of `` massive rain -- a very unusually high amount this season , '' according to Jim Flansburg , communications director for Gov. Chet Culver . It was unclear how many of the structures impacted by the ensuing floodwaters were residential homes , Flansburg said . Culver planned to tour the affected areas Sunday afternoon , helping set sandbags out to stave off the rising Maquoketa River . Culver told CNN Saturday that nearly 10 inches of rain had recently fallen in a 12-hour period in the area and was `` too much water for the dam to hold . '' The roads on either side of the dam -- which were part of the cement dam 's containment measures -- apparently gave out as a result of the rainfall , Flansburg said . Video on Saturday showed massive amounts of water violently gushing from the pool behind the dam into the Maquoketa below . Nearby homes and buildings were under water up to their eaves . No injuries were reported .
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It 's unclear how many of the affected structures are residential homes . The Lake Delhi dam failed Saturday as a result of heavy rainfall in the region . Iowa Gov. Chet Culver will tour the affected region Sunday . No injuries were reported in the flooding .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott moved their only televised election debate so they would n't clash with the finale of `` MasterChef Australia '' Sunday -- but their switch forced Kylie Minogue to change her schedule . The politicians did n't want to go up against the cooking showdown , Australia 's most popular program , so they started their debate an hour earlier than tradition dictates . That should have put them up against `` Dancing With the Stars , '' where Kylie was scheduled to make a guest appearance , Australia 's Daily Telegraph reported . The Australian pop star is making her first round of appearances on television Down Under in a decade . Channel 7 , the network that shows `` Dancing with the Stars , '' is known for its news coverage , so they had little choice but to cover the debate , the channel 's head of programming told the Daily Telegraph . `` We did n't really have any option -- we 're the number one for news and we have to cover the election debate live . It was a very short discussion , '' said the channel 's head of programming , Tim Worner . That pushed Kylie 's `` Dancing with the Stars '' show back an hour -- putting it into competition with `` MasterChef . '' MasterChef attracted nearly 3 million viewers in last week 's episode , Australian Associated Press reported . About 1.3 million people watched `` Dancing with the Stars '' last week , according to Worner . Gillard last week called an election for August 21 . She ousted Kevin Rudd as leader of Australia 's Labor Party , and prime minister , in June . Gillard was Rudd 's deputy prime minister , but Labor Party members of Parliament voted her into the top job as Rudd 's public approval declined . Conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott was quick to condemn Gillard 's government when she called the election . `` The prime minister wants to move forward because the recent past is so littered with her own failures , '' he said . Gillard , a 48-year-old lawyer , said when she became prime minister that she was aware the move made her the nation 's first woman in that position , `` and maybe the first redhead . '' But , she said at the time , `` I did n't set out to crash my head on any glass ceilings ; I set out to keep my feet on the floor . '' Since taking over , she has established a sizable lead in public approval polls over opposition leader Abbott . A Herald/Nielsen poll released just before the election was called said 56 percent of those surveyed preferred Gillard as prime minister , while only 35 percent supported Abbott . CNN 's John Raedler contributed to this report .
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Contenders for top job reschedule their debate for `` MasterChef Australia '' Another channel is forced to change the time of `` Dancing with the Stars '' featuring Minogue . The cooking program is the most popular TV show in the country . Labor PM Julia Gillard called the election after becoming prime minister last month .
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From the Gulf Coast -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I love animals and I love the outdoors . The Gulf of Mexico and the coastline that surrounds it is a special place to me and millions of other Americans . Right now there are more than 40,000 people working to save it in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster . They 're trying to plug the well , save the wildlife and clean up the oil . Seeing the oil and the action up close is one thing . Getting your hands dirty and feeling the enormity of the job is another . I now understand what it takes . Of course , the big difference between me and them is they do it every day . All day . Sometimes all night . Without complaint . These are the heroes doing their part to save the Gulf of Mexico . When the spill happened I assumed all you needed was a few skimmers to surround the slick and suck up the oil . How naïve I am . One thing I 've learned reporting in this oil disaster : Nothing is as easy as it seems it should be . My embed on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Elm showed me the dirty , slippery and agonizingly slow process of skimming weathered Gulf sweet crude . It 's a nasty business . Searching for , rescuing , rehabilitating and releasing oiled wildlife is also a process that requires agility , patience and , most of all , a gentle touch . My embed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had me based on a barge in the middle of the marsh . I followed fellow animal lovers on a hunt for oiled wildlife . The rescued birds were brought to the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Buras , Louisiana , where they 're cleaned , given medical care and nursed back to health . I got to hand feed a sick baby pelican -- an emotional moment words ca n't describe -- followed by transporting rehabilitated birds to Texas , where we released them into an oil-free wildlife refuge . Another emotion-filled spiritual rush . Cleaning the beach seems easy . Well , it 's not -- especially in 100-degree blazing sun and relentless humidity . I took the required hazmat training course and suited up for a full day of tar ball pickin ' fun . OK , it was n't really fun -- but it made decent TV . `` Rescue '' wraps up on the lighter side with an appreciation for the guys working the beach dressed in rubber and Tyvek . I had the opportunity to go shoulder-to-shoulder with the men and women out here getting it done , and it 's an experience I 'll never forget . I hope you 'll join me on the journey and tune in to `` Rescue : Saving the Gulf . '' -LSB- Fellow CNNers Tracy Sabo , John Murgatroyd , Kevin Myers , Dominic Swann and Beth English worked behind the camera and sweated it out with smiles every step of the way . Good times . -RSB- .
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CNN 's Rob Marciano gives a behind-the-scenes look at his reporting for a CNN special . He spent time on a U.S. Coast Guard cutter as oil was skimmed from the Gulf . Marciano followed fellow animal lovers on a hunt for oiled wildlife , releasing rescued birds . Watch `` Rescue : Saving the Gulf '' Saturday & Sunday night at 8 ET on CNN .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Floodwaters covering the Chicago area were receding Sunday , as damages surfaced and communities began the clean-up process . Ten towns in Cook County have declared their communities as disaster areas , said Dave Ramos , executive director for Cook County Emergency Management . Friday night 's heavy rains hit Westchester and Melrose Park the hardest , filling some Cook County basements with up to four feet of water , Ramos said . He said he will recommend to the county 's president that all of Cook be declared a disaster area Monday . Of the 50,000 ComEd customers who were without electricity Saturday morning , 3,000 remained without power Sunday , said Laura Micheli , a spokeswoman for the utility . `` There is still a lot of flooding obviously , '' Micheli said . `` In some areas they need to wait for water to recede before they 're able to restore power . '' The outages started at about 6 p.m. -LRB- 7 p.m. ET -RRB- Friday night . There are no reports of missing people , fatalities or injuries to the Cook County 911 center , Ramos said . The National Weather Service predicted pleasant weather Sunday , but flood warnings remained for areas on the nearby Fox and Des Plaines rivers . The area has n't had any storms since late Saturday morning , Micheli said .
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10 towns in Cook County have declared their communities disaster areas . 3,000 ComEd customers remain without power . The National Weather Service predicted pleasant weather , but flood warnings remain .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- International outcry -- and the pleas of a devoted son -- seem to have saved an Iranian woman from being stoned to death for adultery . But while Sakineh Mohammedie Ashitani has been granted a reprieve , she is not the only woman sentenced to be stoned for adultery in Iran . There have been at least six sentences carried out since 2006 , says Ann Harrison , an Iran expert at Amnesty International in London . Adultery is the only crime that carries such a penalty in Iranian law , she said . Only a handful of countries have laws calling for stoning , and Iran is the only one that carries out executions that way , Amnesty International records suggest . That is because Islam does n't really want the punishment to be carried out , says Ziba Mir-Hosseini , an Iranian-born campaigner against the practice . `` Stoning is not a Quranic punishment , it is Islamic jurisprudence . It happened later , '' says Mir-Hosseini , an expert on Iranian family law at London 's School of Oriental and African Studies . `` The punishment for any kind of sexual relations -LRB- outside of marriage -RRB- in the Quran is 100 lashes , '' she says . Stoning is based on sayings from the Prophet Mohammed , known collectively as the hadith , says Mohammed Ali Musawi , a research fellow at the Quilliam Foundation , which describes itself as an `` anti-extremist think tank . '' Under the letter of Islamic law , it 's nearly impossible to prove adultery , he says . `` How you prove adultery or fornication is to have four male witnesses -- or two women for every male equivalent -- all of them known to be upright , with no questions about their moral character , who witnessed the actual act of intercourse between the male and the female , '' he says . `` Basically , in normal life , this is next to impossible , to have four people testify that in the same place , at the same time , they saw the act of penetration , '' he argues . False testimony can itself be punished with whipping , he says , because `` it is such a severe sin . '' `` As you can imagine , if people were following these laws as they are stated , there would be next to no stonings , '' he says . Even if someone confesses to serious sexual impropriety , they should be sent away three times to reconsider their confessions , he says , and only punished if they have admitted it four times , he adds . But Iranian law is different , Mir-Hosseini says . `` In the case of this woman and other cases , the standard is ` the judge 's knowledge , ' '' she says -- in other words , whether the judges believe adultery has been committed . She sees stoning as a way of putting pressure on women , she says , particularly in provincial areas . `` So far there have been no sentences of stoning in Tehran , only in the provinces . It happens when the judge has a grudge against the woman , '' she argues , although she notes that only the Iranian Ministry of Justice has full records of how many stonings there have been , and where . Men , too , can be stoned for adultery in Iran , she says . The practice was banned under the secularizing Iranian shahs of the early 20th century , she says , then reinstated after the Islamic revolution of 1979 . `` After the revolution , one of the first things the clerics wanted to do was put aside the 1920 secular legal code , '' which was based on French law , she explains . `` In 1982 , the parliament called for Islamic punishments , '' she says . There was some resistance from senior clerics , but the founder of the revolution , Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , intervened to get it passed . Stoning remained law in the updated 1992 penal code , she says , but in the first draft of a 2007 revision , it was n't there . `` After the intervention of -LRB- hard-line President Mahmoud -RRB- Ahmadinejad , it was restored , '' she says . That new legal code has not yet been approved , she says . It 's not clear who will win the battle over the code working its way through the system now , she says , but it does include a potentially face-saving way to keep stoning on the books without having to carry it out . `` There is a provision that , in cases where stoning causes harm to Islam , it can be substituted with other punishments , '' she says . She thinks it 's no accident that people are being stoned these days , amid political unrest in Iran . `` It has become a political matter , '' she contends . `` Whenever there is a dispute between traditionalists and reformers in the judiciary , '' stonings increase . `` Stoning is one of those issues that has really -LRB- been problematic -RRB- for the Islamic republic because it is not accepted by society , including the judiciary , '' she claims . But there continue to be stonings , she says , because `` like anywhere else , you have hardliners . You have radicals . ''
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Adultery is only crime that carries penalty of stoning in Iran . Under letter of Islamic law , it 's nearly impossible to prove adultery , researcher says . Only handful of nations have laws calling for stoning . It was banned under the secularized shahs of Iran .
|
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|
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When faced with bullies at school , one 11-year-old girl decided not to fight back with her fists . Instead , she sought help from a higher source : She wrote to President Barack Obama . To her surprise , the president replied to the letter personally . `` My mom , she taught me violence never solves the problem , '' Zianey Stokes of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , said Friday . `` At my school , we 're not supposed to hit no other child , and I did n't want to do that , because I 'm not a violent person . '' In her letter , Stokes described the bullying she saw and experienced at school . `` They would torment me . They would take my lunch and call me names and talk about my family members . ... They talked about my clothes and how I look , '' she said . In his reply , Obama said he was glad she wrote to share her story . `` Your letter demonstrates a desire to change the culture of your classroom as well as your community . `` Bullying , whether in person or online ... is never OK . All of us must recognize that our shared experience and our unique differences are what make this nation so special , '' the letter reads . `` You deserve a safe and enjoyable classroom and together we will strive to make it a reality . '' When she discovered the letter in her mailbox , Stokes was `` excited , and I was happy , and I wanted to cry . '' The president 's letter inspired her to start an anti-bullying club at her school , she said , and she wants to found an organization called No Kids Should Be Bullied . `` I would like to thank him for writing me back , '' she said , adding that things have gotten much better with the bullies at school . `` They 're just really trying to be my friend , '' she said . And as for her future , Stokes has that figured out , too . `` I 'm becoming a writer ... or the president of the United States . ''
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11-year-old Zianey Stokes writes president about bullies at school . Mother `` taught me violence never solves the problem , '' she says . President wrote back that `` bullying ... is never OK '' Philadelphia girl was inspired to start anti-bullying club at school .
|
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|
Munyonyo , Uganda -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heads of 35 African nations observed two minutes of silence Sunday to honor more than 70 people killed in terrorist bomb blasts in Uganda earlier this month as the African Union summit opened . `` Our condolences go to the people of Uganda for the tragic loss of lives following that tragic incident , '' said Bingu Wa Mutharika , AU chairman and Malawian president . `` Terrorism has no place in Africa ; it has no place in the developing world , '' he said . `` Let us all condemn these acts . '' The summit , which formally opened Sunday following a week of conferences , is being held at a resort hotel in Munyonyo , about 12 kilometers south of the Ugandan capital of Kampala on the shore of Lake Victoria . On July 11 , three bombs at two sites in Kampala killed 74 people and injured more than 80 . Many of the victims had gathered to watch the World Cup finals . The Al-Shabaab militant group , which is currently battling the weak transitional government in war-torn Somalia , claimed responsibility for the bombings , saying they were in retaliation for Uganda 's contribution of troops for peacekeeping operations in Somalia . About 6,000 Ugandan and Burundian troops were deployed for the peacekeeping mission more than two years ago in the Horn of Africa nation , which has been at war for more than a decade . Mutharika , in his remarks , stopped short of making any commitment toward AU peacekeeping missions in Somali and the Darfur region of Sudan . However , AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping said on Friday that Guinea and Djibouti have battalions of soldiers ready to be be deployed to Somalia . Forty-three heads of state have said they will attend the Summit . Thirty-five had arrived by Sunday , including Libya 's Moammar Gadhafi and Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan . `` While people were enjoying the World Cup , Uganda was having the dark side of it , '' Jonathan told the conference . `` Nigeria condemns that terrorist attack on innocent people in totality and we stand in solidarity with Uganda . '' While the theme of the three-day summit is maternal , infant and child health , the subject has been overshadowed by the Ugandan attacks , the deteriorating security situation in Somalia and the attacks by Al-Shabaab . `` We find the terrorist bomb attacks in Kampala despicable , '' Ping told attendees Friday . `` We welcome the pledges of other countries in providing the troops to Somalia , including from Djibouti , which already has a battalion ready . '' Ping said he has been discussing the issue throughout the week with various African authorities and by the end of the summit , he expects more nations to pledge troops to Somalia peacekeeping efforts . The attacks are cause for Africa to change its stance on terrorism , Adris Piebalgs , European Union commissioner for development , told reporters at the summit . `` The recent bombings in Kampala have changed things greatly . We have just witnessed AU leadership during the opening of the summit today paying more attention on terrorism coming -LRB- from -RRB- Somalia , '' Piebalgs said . `` We are seeing real commitment , with more countries contributing to the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia . '' The EU will continue its support of the mission , he said , and urges more African nations to get involved and `` deal with the problem . '' U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder also spoke at the summit , saying the United States `` recognizes that ending the threat of al-Shabaab to the world will take more than just law enforcement . That is why we are working closely with the AU to support the African Union 's mission in Somalia ... we pledge to maintain our support . '' The United States also recognizes that ending the threat of al-Shabaab to the world will take more than just law enforcement . That is why we are working closely with the AU to support the African Union 's Mission in Somalia . The United States applauds the heroic contributions that are being made on a daily basis by Ugandan and Burundian troops , and we pledge to maintain our support for the AU and the AU Mission in Somalia . Some 20 people have been arrested in connection with the Kampala blasts , Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni told the summit , and have been giving investigators `` useful '' information about terrorist operations . `` The organizers of these attacks have been arrested . Their interrogations are yielding useful information , '' Museveni said . `` I have great contempt for the authors of terrorism , '' he told the summit . '' ... They attack innocent people . I recommend -LRB- to -RRB- the AU leaders not to accept this terrorist arrogance . '' Museveni told the summit the mandate of the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia should be changed , with troops able to beyond Mogadishu and hunt Al-Shabaab and other militant groups . Piebalgs said he would support a wider mandate for the mission from the United Nations Security Council , and urged AU leadership to seek it . Somali insurgents reportedly killed two Ugandan peacekeepers this week in attacks on AU and government military positions in Somalia 's battered capital , Mogadishu . `` How can these people dare attack the AU flag ? '' Museveni said . `` These terrorists can be and should be defeated . Let us act in concert and sweep them out of Africa . Let them go back to Asia and the Middle East where they came from . ''
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African leaders offer their condolences for the Uganda bombings . Guinea and Djibouti have pledged to offer troops for Somalia peacekeeping mission . A three-day African Union summit got underway Sunday after days of conferences .
|
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amid heightened tensions with North Korea , the United States and South Korea on Sunday began joint military exercises , according to a spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea . The military exercise , dubbed Invincible Spirit , is scheduled to run through Wednesday and demonstrate the alliance 's resolve . In addition to the 8,000 personnel involved , military officials say , it will include 20 ships and submarines and about 200 aircraft . The U.S. Defense Department said the drills are in response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and are intended to send a strong message to Pyongyang to stop `` provocative and warlike acts . '' North Korea criticized the exercises , which began at 6:30 a.m. -LRB- 5:30 p.m. ET -RRB- . `` The U.S. provocations amount to trespassing on the off-limits fixed by the DPRK and it , therefore , feels no need to remain bounded to the off-limits drawn by the U.S. , '' the state-run Korean Central News Agency quoted a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman as saying . Why are the two Koreas so hostile ? It continued , `` It is the mode of the DPRK 's counteraction to react to sword brandishing in kind . The DPRK is prepared for both dialogue and war . It will remain unfazed by military threat and sanctions . '' The carrier USS George Washington and South Korean carrier Dokdo will lead the naval aspects of Invincible Spirit on the eastern coast of South Korea , said U.S. Army Col. Jonathan Withington of USFK . North Korea on Saturday heightened its threats against the military exercises after talks over the sinking of the Cheonan . North Korea `` will legitimately counter with -LSB- its -RSB- powerful nuclear deterrence the largest-ever nuclear war exercises to be staged by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces , '' KCNA reported . Two U.S. military officials told CNN there was no sign of significant troop movement in North Korea . Meanwhile Friday , in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas , officers from the North sat down for talks about the Cheonan incident with their counterparts in the U.S.-led United Nations Command . During the almost two-hour meeting in the international truce town of Panmunjom , the U.N. Command reminded the North Koreans of the Security Council 's condemnation this month of the Cheonan attack . The Security Council did not mention North Korea by name but condemned the attack strongly , called for `` full adherence '' to the armistice agreement that halted fighting in the Korean War in 1953 and encouraged `` the settlement of outstanding issues on the Korean peninsula by peaceful means . '' An international inquiry found North Korea culpable for the March attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors . But North Korea denies a role in the incident , which elevated tension between the two enemies . North Korea demanded again Friday that it be allowed to conduct its own investigation of the Cheonan 's sinking and said the upcoming war games are being conducted under false pretext . `` The U.S. forces side would be seriously mistaken if it calculates it can browbeat -LSB- North Korea -RSB- through large-scale war exercises , '' KCNA said . `` It should immediately stop the -LSB- anti-North Korean -RSB- nuclear war racket . '' At the ASEAN meeting , nation after nation expressed deep regrets and offered condolences to the South Koreans . The United States has accused North Korea of aggressive behavior and imposed new sanctions Wednesday . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated U.S. support for South Korea on Friday . `` Here in Asia , an isolated and belligerent North Korea has embarked on a campaign of provocative , dangerous behavior , '' she said in Hanoi , Vietnam . Later , after a repatriation ceremony for the remains of three soldiers who died in the Vietnam War , Clinton said the door remains open for dialogue if North Korea commits to abandoning its nuclear weapons program . `` We would love for them to have the same opportunities that the people of South Korea have been able to enjoy for the last 60 years , '' Clinton said . `` So , it is distressing when North Korea continues its threats and causes so much anxiety among its neighbors and the larger region . '' CNN 's Barbara Starr and Eve Bower contributed to this report .
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South Korea , U.S. begin joint exercises . The exercises are scheduled to run through Wednesday . North Korea says it will demonstrate its might . Aircraft carriers , destroyers , aircraft are participating in joint drills .
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[[63, 137], [189, 210], [240, 319], [63, 137]]
|
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An infected flash drive put in a U.S. military laptop in 2008 set off the most significant cyberattack ever against the military and brought a turning point in cyberdefense strategy , a top defense official wrote in an article published Wednesday . Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III , in an article titled `` Defending a New Domain '' posted on Foreign Affairs magazine 's web site , said the `` previously classified incident was the most significant breach of U.S. military computers ever . '' According to Lynn , the attack served as `` an important wake-up call '' that led to a new Pentagon counterattack strategy dubbed Operation Buckshot . `` An enormous amount of foundational work remains , but the U.S. government has begun putting in place various initiatives to defend the United States in the digital age , '' Lynn 's article said . The attack started with the infected laptop at a U.S. base in the Middle East , according to Lynn . `` The flash drive 's malicious computer code , placed there by a foreign intelligence agency , uploaded itself onto a network run by the U.S. Central Command , '' his article said . `` That code spread undetected on both classified and unclassified systems , establishing what amounted to a digital beachhead , from which data could be transferred to servers under foreign control . '' He continued : `` It was a network administrator 's worst fear : a rogue program operating silently , poised to deliver operational plans into the hands of an unknown adversary . '' Lynn 's article provided no details on specific files lost or stolen in the attack , which he called one of countless attempts to intrude into U.S. military networks . Others also have succeeded , he said , with adversaries acquiring `` thousands of files from U.S. networks and from the networks of U.S. allies and industry partners , including weapons blueprints , operational plans , and surveillance data . '' In response , he wrote , the Pentagon has built layered defenses around military networks and launched the new U.S. Cyber Command to `` integrate cyberdefense operations across the military . '' `` The Pentagon is now working with the Department of Homeland Security to protect government networks and critical infrastructure and with the United States ' closest allies to expand these defenses internationally , '' Lynn wrote .
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Top defense official details previously classified cyberattack . Infected flash drive in laptop infiltrated Defense Department systems . U.S. Cyber Command , other steps are part of the response .
|
[[30, 91]]
|
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The disabled young son of UK opposition leader David Cameron has died . David Cameron leaves the family home after the death of his 6-year-old son on February 25 . Ivan Cameron , six , passed away early Wednesday , the UK 's Press Association reported a Conservative Party spokesman as saying . `` It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son Ivan , '' the spokesman said according to the agency . The spokesman said that Ivan , who suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy , was taken ill overnight and died at St Mary 's Hospital , Paddington , central London early Wednesday morning . `` David and Samantha would ask that their privacy is respected at this terribly difficult time , '' the spokesman added . Meanwhile , the queen sent a private message of sympathy to the Camerons , Buckingham Palace said . Prime minister Gordon Brown said the `` thoughts and prayers of the whole country '' would be with the Conservative leader and his family , The Guardian newspaper reported , while prime minister 's question time -- which offers Cameron a weekly opportunity to grill Brown in parliament -- was cancelled at Brown 's suggestion . The prime minister , together with other senior British politicians , instead offered their condolences in the parliament chamber . `` I know that the whole house will want to express their sorrow at the death of Ivan Cameron , '' Brown told lawmakers , according to The Guardian . `` He brought joy to all those around him . Every child is precious and irreplaceable . The death of a child is an unbearable sorrow no parents should have to endure . '' Brown and his wife Sarah lost their first child , Jennifer Jane , in 2001 after she was born prematurely and died 10 days later . They have two sons , John and Fraser , who suffers from cystic fibrosis .
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UK media : Young son of opposition leader David Cameron has died . Ivan Cameron , six , passed away early Wednesday , Conservative Party says . Ivan Cameron suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy . British PM Gordon Brown offered his condolences in parliament .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The last thing 18-year-old Mohamed Kamara from Sierra Leone expected was to be honored by the New York Yankees , but there he was , tossing out the first pitch at a Yankees-Detroit Tigers game last week . Kamara survived one of Africa 's most brutal civil wars , nearly losing his life in his homeland . The Yankees celebrated Kamara 's survival and community spirit here , where he has lived since coming from Sierra Leone , with the team 's annual Project HOPE program . HOPE -LRB- Helping Others Persevere & Excel -RRB- recognizes people who have overcome their own personal challenges and who now inspire others by changing the community they live in . `` Today is going to be your day , where you 're going to hang out with us on this Hope Week and we 're going to make this day about you , because you make every day about everybody else , '' said Brian Chashman , general manager of the Yankees , as Kamara was being honored . Hanging out was an understatement , even by Yankee standards . Kamara got the shock of life when he walked into a room at the New York Stock Exchange and was greeted by Yankee brass and players , including star lefthander C.C. Sabathia along with Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson . He toured the trading floor and was awarded an internship for next year by the stock exchange . He did n't know it then , but his surprise itinerary would next include a chat with Mayor Michael Bloomberg , a visit to the United Nations to meet the ambassador from Sierre Leone and to stand on the rostrum of the General Assembly , plus that trip to Yankee Stadium to throw out the first pitch at the Yankee-Tigers contest Wednesday night . Kamara earned his special honors . He was forced to become the sole provider for his family at the age of 9 . With his mother suddenly ill and an absentee father , Kamara took care of his four younger siblings . When a shaky ceasefire began in Sierre Leone , Mohamed came to the U.S. a few years ago to live with an aunt and uncle in the Bronx and to pursue his hope that he could create a better life for himself and his family . He attended high school , starting without any English skills , and ended up graduating in the top quarter of his class . A high school mentor helped him get a job as a golf caddy , and he commutes by train for almost five hours a day to and from New Jersey for that job . Seventy percent of what he earns is sent back to his family . '' -LRB- I -RRB- get up every day at four o'clock in the morning to go to work . It was hard for me , but you know , I was determined to do it because I have a family to take care of and that was my main focus , '' Kamara said . He went on to earn a partial scholarship to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island , where he plans to major in business . Kamara recognizes the problems created by Wall Street but is not deterred ; rather , he believes he has a role to play in its recovery . `` You know , it takes someone to fix it up , so hopefully one day I will be that person , '' Kamara said . Derek Jeter , captain of the Yankees , who met Kamara at the U.N. , described him as `` a remarkable young man . He 's come over to this country , goes to school , works to support his family , now he 's headed off to college . We could n't be more proud of him . '' After his U.N. tour , Kamara said he hoped one day to return to Sierre Leone to help improve things there . `` We 're inspired by the younger generations , moving like this , and trying to rebrandish the country of Sierra Leone , '' said Ambassador Shekou Touray . . Kamara 's friends also are inspired by the selflessness of his actions -- so inspired , they compare him to a president they greatly respect . `` One time he was standing for class president and people came out with , ` Mobama , Mobama ! ' We used to call him that , '' said Owusu Mensah , Kamara 's closest friend .
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Mohamed Kamara began taking care of his family in Sierra Leone when he was 9 . He came to the U.S. and carved a unique path to success . Last week , the New York Yankees and others in the city honored the 18-year-old .
|
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|
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Searchers looking for the airplane that slammed into the side of a tree-covered Alaskan mountainside earlier this month could n't detect an emergency locator signal after the impact damaged the craft 's transmitter , according to a federal report released on Wednesday . The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report about the August 9 accident that killed five people , including former Sen.Ted Stevens , R-Alaska , and injured four others . `` No emergency locator transmitter -LRB- ELT -RRB- signal was detected during the aerial search , '' the report said , `` Examination of the wreckage revealed that the ELT had separated from its mounting bracket during impact , and the antenna cable was found separated from the ELT . '' Weather conditions at the time of the accident were `` not known , '' the report said , but Alaska Air National Guard rescuers were hampered by poor weather and terrain -- slogging for hours through rain , fog and wind to reach the rugged mountainside in southwestern Alaska . The closest weather reporting station , at Dillingham Airport , about 18 miles south of the accident site , reported light rain and mist in cloudy and overcast conditions , with winds gusting to more than 26 mph just 10 minutes after the accident took place . `` At the time of the accident , marginal visual meteorological conditions were reported at the Dillingham Airport , '' the report said . The four survivors included Willy Phillips Jr. , 13 . His father , former Stevens staffer Bill Phillips Sr. , was among the five people killed in the crash . The other survivors were former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe and his 19-year-old son , Kevin , and Jim Moorhard of Alexandria , Virginia . Along with Stevens , 86 , and Bill Phillips , the others who died were pilot Terry Smith , 62 , of Eagle River , Alaska ; Dana Tindall , 48 , of Anchorage , Alaska ; and Corey Tindall , 16 , of Anchorage , Alaska . Autopsies on the five victims found the deaths were the result of blunt force trauma , injuries consistent with this type of crash , state officials said . The report said the de Havilland DHC-3T Otter -- a single-engine , turbine-powered , amphibious float-equipped craft -- `` sustained substantial damage '' when it crashed about 10 miles northeast of Aleknagik about 2:45 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time . it said the airplane was registered to and operated by General Communication Corporation in Anchorage and the flight `` originated from a GCI-owned remote fishing lodge on the southwest shoreline of Lake Nerka '' about 2:30 p.m. . It was headed to a `` remote sport fishing camp on the banks of the Nushagak River , located about 52 miles southeast of the lodge . '' No flight plan had been filed . A GCI representative said the pilot telephoned people at the camp to say the plane would arrive there , but a couple of hours later the plane had not arrived . `` The GCI lodge manager then initiated a phone and radio search to see if the airplane had diverted to Dillingham , Alaska or if it was en route back to the GCI lodge . Unable to locate the airplane , GCI lodge personnel initiated an aerial search along the pilot 's anticipated route , '' the report said . Volunteers flying planes and helicopters joined in the search . About 8:05 p.m. , air searchers spotted the wreckage `` along the anticipated flight route , about 900 feet above mean sea level in the Muklung Hills , in steep , heavily wooded terrain , about 19 miles southeast of the GCI lodge . '' Searchers reached the accident site by helicopter and `` confirmed that the pilot and four passengers died at the scene , and four passengers sustained serious injuries . '' More rescue crew members were prevented from reaching the site at the time by `` poor weather and dark night conditions '' But the next morning , Coast Guard and Air National Guard helicopters evacuated everyone from the site .
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Report on August 9 crash says searchers detected no locator signal . A former senator died in the crash near Dillingham , Alaska . Nearest weather station reported gusts , rain , mist . The plane crashed in rugged Alaskan terrain en route to fishing camp .
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