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ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In our constant battle of the bulge , a new weapon is gaining in popularity . Mineral body wraps are supposed to help you lose weight , but doctors are skeptical . The basic concept is simple : loss by bondage , or body wraps . Around for decades , body wraps were first made popular by Hollywood stars but have since become available to lesser-known mortals . These wraps come in a host of styles ; from minerals to mud , from moving to motionless . Their aim : better bodies . Their claim : less of you when you 're done . `` We do mineral body wraps that take off inches and we guarantee people will lose 6 to 20 inches on the first wrap or the next one is free , '' says Julie Tracey , co-owner of Atlanta 's Suddenly Slimmer salon . But Dr. Erica Brownfield , associate professor of medicine at Emory , is skeptical , at best . `` These results are going to be temporary and there is no scientific data to support what they 're claiming is actually going on , '' she said . In the land of wraps , measurements are key . You wear very little clothing for the body wrap -- a small top matched with a small bottom . These are preferably made from breathable fabric without buttons or zippers , which could get in the way and cause chafing or pinching . The next step is all about the numbers . The wrapper puts measuring tape around various parts of your body and draws marks in black -- sort of `` slash marks the spot . '' Typically , between a dozen and 20 spots are measured . And it 's the sum total of these spots that will tell you how many inches you 've lost when the treatment is over . Most providers will guarantee some inches lost from your first wrap but say you need a series of visits if you want to reduce by as much as , say , a clothing size , Tracey says . Health for Her : What 's it like to get a wrap ? '' And priced at $ 50 to $ 100 , a treatment like this is not a cheap quick fix . But how do they work ? The treatment `` draws out metabolic waste and impurities from the body that lets water flow through better , '' Tracey says . `` Retained water dilutes the metabolic waste and those go between the fat cells and spread things apart . '' `` With the compression of the bandages , because you are wrapped up real tight , we push those fat cells back together and that is what changes the shape . '' Aside from inches gone , body wraps claim to help with issues such as cellulite , skin tone and body shaping . Tracey , whose company has done almost 8,000 wraps , says the treatments also help with stretch marks , wrinkles and lines . But Brownfield and others in the medical field are n't quite buying it . `` Their claims say they are squeezing the fat cells closer together , '' Brownfield says , '' but I think it 's very important for people to realize that they 're not losing fat cells . '' `` Those fat cells , once you decompress them and take those wraps off , they 're going to go back to their usual shape and size . '' Brownfield is also concerned that , in some cases , these wraps could be a health hazard . `` Actually , depending on which wrap you use they can be harmful , they can dehydrate the body , '' she says , which can be dangerous for some people . She also cautions people to make sure they know what type of minerals and solutions are being used in the procedure . Allergic reactions are one concern , but also any type of open wound , contagious disease or rash might make a body wrap a bad idea . And finally , if you have any medical concerns , talk to a doctor before deciding if wrapping up is your best bet for shaping up .
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Salons claim body wraps , which are gaining popularity , help you lose inches . Many kinds of materials are available for the treatment , which costs $ 50 to $ 100 . It could cause dehydration or allergic reactions , Dr. Erica Brownfield says . There is no scientific data to support the claims of body wraps , she says .
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CNN -- Getting enough rest should be as simple as just shutting your eyes . The alpha pod , designed for napping , includes . a heated , vibrating bed and a CD player . But according to a recent study done by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , a branch of the National Institutes of Health , it 's really not that easy . Their research has found that 40 million Americans suffer yearly from chronic sleep disorders , and an additional 20 million complain of occasional sleeping problems . For some of us , it just means dark circles under our eyes and a desperate need for triple-caffeinated products . But the reality is that over the long haul , trouble with sleep can cause bigger problems . `` There are studies out there which would suggest that people who sleep less over long periods of time are at much higher risks of car accidents , and also some medical disorders like high blood pressure , potentially heart or stroke disease , '' said Dr. David Schulman , director of the Emory Sleep Clinic Laboratory in Atlanta , Georgia . And that means fewer than the seven to eight hours most people need daily to get the proper amount of rest . So what is the solution to all this restlessness ? For some people , the answer might be to just buy some . Yes , sleep has now joined the ranks of those products we at one time thought we would never have to pay for , like water . Years ago , the thought of paying money for a bottle of something you could get for free from the tap would have had people laughing . Now we can add sleep , or , more accurately , napping . Spas across the country have now added this new nap therapy to their offerings , so along with facials , waxing and massages , you can now grab some Z 's for about a dollar a minute . Susan Vanyo , founder of the Rejuvenate Spa in Atlanta , describes what her spa offers to those who need extra shut-eye : . `` We have two types of nap pods , '' she says . `` They are called the energy pod and the alpha pod . The alpha pod has more of a spa-experience feel to it . '' The pods release aromas and have a heated , vibrating bed , a CD player and headphones . `` Everything outside just goes away , '' she says . The energy pod reclines , and has headphones with music piped in . `` You get a different sensation , '' Vanyo says . Watch people try out the pods '' This napping therapy , while not taking the country by storm , has found some happy clients willing to pay for sleep . For Autumn Watson , whose full-time job becomes more challenging after a night where her young son does n't sleep , a nap is worth every penny . `` To have a designated place to be able to come and take a nap and relax away from the office , and not being afraid somebody 's going walk in on you , is nice , '' she says . `` And you get on the ball quicker , after the nap , instead of feeling like you 're exhausted . '' And for Tremaine Perry , who works close to the spa , it took a bit of time to embrace this latest trend . `` Initially , I was skeptical . You 're paying for something that you can do at home for free , but it was n't until I actually tried it and realized the difference '' between going through a full day needing rest and coming in , taking a quick break and going back to work . So it seems there is some truth to the phrase `` power nap . '' Schulman , the sleep expert , says , `` For people who are chronically sleep-deprived , there is evidence that as little as 15 to 30 minutes of napping during the day can improve performance for two to four hours after the nap . '' But while a nap might refresh , Schulman cautions , it 's not going to make up for a long-term sleep deficit . So if you 're getting by on five or six hours a night , `` it 's ridiculous to assume that a 15 - to 20-minute nap during the day , even if it 's every day , is going to compensate for a two-hour deficit each night . '' And finally there are other ways to recharge that do n't cost money , including meditation , a walk outside , a hit of caffeine or even just getting up and walking away from your desk . But Schulman says that while all of these are good options , none of them work quite as well as a 20-minute nap . So maybe that dollar-a-minute price for some rest is actually money well spent .
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Research : 40 million Americans suffer yearly from chronic sleep disorders . Rejuvenate Spa in Atlanta , Georgia , charges clients for nap therapy . Expert : 15 to 30 minutes of napping can improve performance that day . Still , short nap not going to make up for a long-term sleep deficit , expert says .
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Fort Lauderdale , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dayana and Moise smile as they shovel chips , with a mix of sand , into their mouths on a beach in Fort Lauderdale , Florida . They dig in the sand and run from the waves . The Haehre family looks like any other family on vacation , but this unplanned trip to Florida was where their brood grew from two children to four . Mindy and Oyvind Haehre started the process to adopt siblings Dayana , now 7 years old , and Moise , 5 , from a Haitian orphanage in 2008 . The adoption was to be completed next month when the family expected to move the children from a Port-au-Prince , Haiti , orphanage to their home in Loveland , Colorado . But that orphanage partially collapsed in last week 's devastating earthquake . All 25 children there survived , but they had to move out onto the street . Search lists of the missing and the found . Mindy Haehre said her family was lucky ; the good news about her children traveled quickly . `` We knew they were safe , '' she said , `` but still when your kids are in danger nothing can be good enough unless you are with them . '' The Haehres heard that Dayana and Moise might be among a small group of Haitian children whose adoptions were set that the U.S. military would fly to Florida . So they packed up their other two children , Silje and Jakob , and caught a flight to Fort Lauderdale . On Sunday as they checked into their hotel , the phone rang . It was the call they were hoping for . Their children were indeed among the small group of children from the orphanage being evacuated to the United States . The flight was heading for an airport in central Florida . The Haehres jumped in their rental car and drove about four hours north . `` We said their names and they looked over and their eyes got big and they got big smiles and they came over and hugged us and kissed us and just kept smiling , '' Mindy Haehre said . Big brother Jakob admitted he did n't enjoy the drive but said : `` I was pretty excited . It was really fun to know that I can bring them home . '' Dayana and Moise were already familiar with their new family . They had met in Haiti several times while the adoption process was slowly moving along . If there were any signs of trauma after the children 's ordeal , the Haehres said they did not see them . Watch how the children had been living outside . `` Within probably 10 minutes all four kids were running around the customs area of the airport , playing and being noisy and acting like kids , '' Mindy Haehre said . And being kids was exactly how they appeared on the beach in Fort Lauderdale . Splashing , laughing and playing with language being no barrier for the four Haehre children .
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Brother and sister flown from Haiti to join their adoptive family in Florida . Orphanage housing Dayana and Moise had partially collapsed in earthquake . Big smiles , hugs when they finally joined their family for good , mom says .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian champions Inter Milan recorded their fifth straight win under new coach Leonardo , defeating Cesena 3-2 at the San Siro despite the visitors coming back from 2-0 down . Samuel Eto'o gave the home side a 14th-minute lead when firing in his 24th goal of the season . And , within a minute , Inter had doubled their advantage when Goran Pandev set up Diego Milito to tap home from just six yards out . But Cesena refused to lie down and scored twice within six minutes in a frantic opening 45 minutes . First , Erjon Bogdani was given far too much space to turn and shoot home low into the corner of the net in the 23rd minute . Then , just six minutes later , Cesena remarkably drew level when former Inter midfielder Luis Suarez played the ball over the home defence for Emanuele Giaccherini to volley home . But the first-half scoring was still not over -- and Romanian defender Christian Chivu put the home side ahead once again on the stroke of half time when he burst into the box to head home Maicon 's cross . That was the end of the scoring , but not the chances , and Eto'o should have added his second of the game after the break but somehow managed to hit the crossbar from just eight yards out . And any chance Cesena had of getting back into the game was finally extinguished when Giaccherini was sent off for a second bookable offence . The result moves Inter up to fourth place in the Serie A table , six points behind leaders and rivals AC Milan but with a game in hand . Meanwhile , Roma are through to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup after beating rivals Lazio 2-1 in a match marred by crowd trouble . Roma took the lead eight minutes after the break when Marco Borriello scored from the penalty spot after Stephan Lichsteiner 's handball in the area . Lazio levelled just four minutes later when Hernanes also scored from the spot after Mauro Zarate had been fouled in the area . However , Simplicio scored the winning goal 13 minutes from the end , firing home with a well-struck right-foot shot . Police made four arrests before and after the match after trouble between rival fans which resulted in a teenage Lazio fan being taken to hospital with a knife wound to his leg . Sampdoria have also reached the quarterfinals after defeating Udinese on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time . The Genoa-based side scored all their five spot-kicks while Argentine striker German Denis missed his penalty as Udinese went out 5-4 .
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Italian champions Inter Milan record their fifth straight win under new coach Leonardo . Inter defeat Cesena 3-2 to move up to fourth place in Serie A , six points behind AC Milan . Roma and Sampdoria are both through to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Tunisia adjusts to a new government , Selma Beji is cautiously optimistic about the future -- and freedoms -- of her fellow Tunisians . A Tunisian native who is pursuing a master 's degree in the United States , Beji said she was amazed that demonstrations -- driven largely by young adults and social media -- have led to such an uprising , which some people call the `` Jasmine Revolution . '' `` We were like , this is going to die off , '' said Beji , whose family lives in the northern suburbs of Tunis . But `` Facebook was the drive of this revolution . Everybody was on Facebook ... If these protests started five years ago , they would have died . '' President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 's departure followed weeks of protests over what Tunisians said were poor living conditions , high unemployment , government corruption and repression . Al Kallel , a Tunisian native living in California , and a group of Tunisian friends held up signs at Facebook 's headquarters in Palo Alto , California , on Saturday to `` thank Facebook for enabling our nation -LRB- both inside and outside the country -RRB- to freely share their opinion online , bridging our way to democracy . '' Kallel said when he lived in Tunisia , residents did n't have access to Facebook . `` You ca n't pass info around without being censored , '' Kallel told CNN 's iReport . The Tunisian unrest were sparked by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate in December . The man set himself on fire in front of a government building in the town of Sidi Bouzid after police confiscated his fruit cart , saying he was selling without a permit , according to Amnesty International . He died January 4 from his injuries . The event tore the lid off what appears to have been long-simmering fury at Ben Ali and his associates . Tunisians accuse the ruling circle of rampant corruption and nepotism . After a month of largely leaderless popular protests against the government , Ben Ali fled the country on Friday , and Fouad Mebazaa , the speaker of parliament , was sworn in the following day as interim president , and new elections are due within 60 days . The instability could be an omen of the future since Tunisia has been far from the only Arab nation with a long-time president and a young , underemployed population . Beji said some of her friends in Tunisia who have college degrees are unemployed . `` I 'm very optimistic about -LRB- employment -RRB- after this , '' she said . `` I think more investors are going to start coming into the country . The country has a lot of potential . '' Already , filters on websites such as YouTube -- put in place under Ben Ali -- were dropped , and internet speed picked up considerably -- a development that followed the new government 's vow to ease restrictions on freedoms . Beji said she hopes the next president will support freedoms for Tunisians -- especially after what regular citizens showed what they are capable of . `` I think the next president is going to be scared . The revolution happened with no arms , no guns , no nothing -- just people on the streets , '' she said . `` I think the next president would be a little worried if he did n't give us freedom of any kind . ''
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`` Facebook was the drive of this revolution , '' Selma Beji said . Tunisia , like other Arab lands , has young , underemployed population . Beji says `` the country has a lot of potential ''
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Bogota , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jorge Elias Benjumea proudly inspects his plantain field . The 46-year-old father of three says he 's not only happy his crops are doing well , but also , for the first time in years , he can tell the world that what he 's growing is legal . Benjumea , a resident of the Colombian province of Meta ; used to grow coca , the plant from which cocaine is produced . `` Everything is different now , more peaceful . I go to bed at night with no worries , '' Benjumea says . He used to make $ 2,800 a month growing coca . Now he makes about $ 840 with plantains . On the flip side , he does n't have to deal with guerrillas or drug traffickers anymore . The Colombian government has greatly increased its military presence in the area , improving security and giving farmers an alternative to growing coca . Bolivia hopes for buzz with coca campaign . Benjumea says his peace of mind and the safety of his family are priceless . `` Coca is a plant that can make you a lot of money , but also gives you a lot of headaches , '' he says . He 's part of a new wave of Colombian farmers growing alternative crops in a region called La Macarena . This region was known for decades as a stronghold of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , the guerrilla group commonly called FARC . La Macarena used to be not only a recruiting and training hub for guerrillas , but also a major coca production center and a key transit route for illegal armed groups . In a community called Albania , farmers grow and process sugar cane . Not far from there , in El Pinalito , also in the province of Meta , another group is venturing into fish farming . Last year they sold 1.5 metric tons of a fish known regionally as cachama . The United States has provided more than $ 7 billion in the past 10 years to help Colombia fight drug trafficking . Most of the money has been used to help Colombia strengthen its military with equipment , training and intelligence . But another portion , recently rising , has been used to provide assistance to farmers interested in developing alternative crops like cacao -LRB- from which chocolate is made -RRB- , plantains , yucca and papaya . Colombian National Security Adviser Sergio Jaramillo said government partnerships with the farmers in Meta have been very successful , but he emphasized that none of this would have been possible without a military presence to improve security . `` You need to stabilize those drug-producing areas . That 's what we 're doing here , and there 's no better investment for prosperity in a country like Colombia than supporting the integrated approach of security and social development , '' Jaramillo said . During a three-day visit to Colombia , U.S. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske visited several communities that are developing alternative crops and met with President Juan Manuel Santos , a key U.S. ally in Latin America . `` We have to continue to be supportive of Colombia in a whole host of ways , -LRB- and -RRB- none of this was possible without safety and security first , '' Kerlikowske said . According to U.S. government figures , cocaine production in the South American country fell from 700 metric tons in 2001 to 270 in 2009 , a 61 percent decrease . Going into alternative crops has n't been easy for local farmers . At the fish farm in El Pinalito , the locals say at the beginning they only saw `` failures . '' But after getting specialized training and equipment from the government , production began to increase considerably . At the sugar cane processing plant in the Albania community , farmers say they received financial support to buy machinery , which `` made all the difference . ''
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Some Colombian farmers take huge drop in income for more safety , peace . National security adviser : `` You need to stabilize those drug-producing areas '' U.S. estimates : Cocaine production in Colombia fell 61 % between 2001 and 2009 . Government helped alternative enterprises start up .
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ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan will hold parliamentary elections Monday , with political parties competing for 272 seats in the National Assembly . Election posters jostle for space on a street in Rawalpindi ahead of Pakistan 's elections on Monday . The elections were due to take place in December of last year but were postponed after the assassination of Pakistan People 's Party chairman , Benazir Bhutto . In 2008 , 49 political parties applied for poll symbols with the Election Commission . Outlined below are the main contenders : . PPP . The assassination of leader Benazir Bhutto looms large over the PPP , which had been banking on the charismatic leader to rally supporters to its cause and shake off the charges of corruption that have dogged the party since Bhutto fled prosecution after two terms as prime minister . The fortunes of the party , launched in 1967 by her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto , remains in the hands of her family , with son Bilwal installed as chairman . Founded on promises of `` egalitarian democracy , '' the PPP flirted with socialist principles in its early days , gaining a mass popularity that continues to ensure it is among Pakistan 's largest political parties . While the PPP has lost touch with its socialist roots , it remains popular among Pakistan 's oppressed and underprivileged , particularly in the southern province of Sindh , from where the Bhutto family hails . PML-N . The PML-N is the largest faction of the Pakistan Muslim League and is led by Nawaz Sharif , who has re-emerged as a political player in Pakistan in the past few months after returning from Saudi Arabia where he was exiled after being ousted from power in a 1999 coup led by Pervez Musharraf . The centrist conservative party was in power twice in the 90s , with both terms ending amid damaging allegations of corruption , despite campaigning on an anti-graft platform . Sharif 's 1997 victory was the largest mandate every recorded in Pakistan , but was immediately called into question by his opponent Bhutto . The term ended in chaos as . PML-N under Sharif received a huge public mandate in 1997 and formed a government with two-thirds majority . Though his rule was credited with economic growth it was cut short when complaints of corruption and an attempt to replace the head of the military backfired when newly-installed army chief Musharraf led a successful coup , forcing him into exile to avoid corruption convictions . Permitted by Musharraf to return to Pakistan last year , Sharif is now banking the PML-N 's fortunes on a platform of renewing the country 's top judiciary -- removed by Musharraf during a state of emergency . PML-Q . Formed under guidance from Musharraf in 2001 , the PML-Q was originally a splinter faction of the Pakistan Muslim League , which was able to attract enough dissidents from the PML-N to cobble together an alliance and form a government in 2002 . The largely center-conservative party has seen its power base dented through its association with Musharraf as polls show the president 's falling popularity in the face of the resurgent PPP and PML-N . MMA . Formed after Musharraf allied himself to the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition in the wake of the September 11 , 2001 attack on New York and Washington , the MMA is a coalition of six Islamic parties that emerged as a powerful challenger to the president . Opponents have decried the MMA , or Muttahida Majlis Amal 's goal of establishing a theocracy in Pakistan , and its attempts to impose hardline sharia law in the impoverished areas where it exerts greatest control . The resolutely anti-American alliance , dominated by JI -LRB- Jamaat I Islami -RRB- and JUI-F -LRB- Jamiat Ulema Islam -RRB- saw success in the 2002 elections in the North West Frontier and Balochistan provinces and went on to form a provincial government in the NWFP and a coalition government in Balochistan . Its prospects are likely to be hampered by a dispute within the alliance over whether to boycott the parliamentary elections . MQM . The MQM stands for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement , a party formed to protect the rights of the Urdu-speaking immigrants from India after Partition . Led by Altaf Hussain from his self-imposed exile in the UK , the party has been supportive of Musharraf 's policies and formed part of the PML-Q alliance . Frequently facing allegations of involvement in terrorist activities , the party 's recent efforts to extend its support base to other provinces have yielded little success . ANP . The Awami National Party is a nationalist leftist party based in the North West Frontier province that and enjoys widespread popularity with ethnic Pakhtuns . The ANP did not enjoy much success in 2002 but has renewed hopes as the MMA 's following fades in the Frontier . PTI . Pakistan Tehrik I Insaf is headed by the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan . Vitriolic in his criticism of Musharraf 's policies , Khan has failed to capitalize on his popularity as a sportsman , seeing his party take just one seat in the 2002 elections . PTI has said it will boycott the 2008 elections . E-mail to a friend .
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Pakistan will hold parliamentary elections Monday . Political parties competing for 272 seats in the National Assembly . 49 political parties have applied for poll symbols with the Election Commission .
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CHILLICOTHE , Ohio -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain are well aware of what 's at stake in Ohio . Mike Milburn , left , and Dan DeGarmo are skeptical about what both candidates bring to the table . No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio , a state that has received more visits from the candidates and their running mates this year than any other . Inside the bellwether state is the bellwether town of Chillicothe , a town that often mirrors the state 's election results . Voters there are divided . With less than a month to go until the election , it 's concerns about the financial markets and the economy that dominate the airwaves at the town 's radio station . `` The only other people that 've experienced something like what we 're experiencing now are our grandparents or our great-grandparents , '' host Dan Ramey said on his radio show on WBEX-AM . At Carl 's Townhouse , the outlook among the breakfast crowd was gloomy . `` I think that the money they just passed in Congress is just postponing what 's going to happen in the future , which I think is going to be another Depression , '' said resident Mike Milburn . Milburn said he lives paycheck to paycheck to support his four kids . For Dan DeGarmo , it 's the same -- his fourth child is due soon . `` I do n't see how either of those candidates offer any solid solutions that give Americans comfort , '' he said . Watch more on Ohio 's bellwether town '' Both men are registered Republicans . Milburn said he might not vote at all , while DeGarmo said he plans to vote for McCain . Jeff Ragland , a cement worker , said he 's voting for Obama . `` I feel like he 's more for the people that are people like me , '' he said . People like Theresa Hall , an undecided Independent , are the targets of both candidates as they enter into the final weeks of campaigning . `` It seems like when you watch them , they 're pretty much just at each other . He says this , he says that , '' Hall said . Along Chillicothe 's Main Street , buildings in need of repair provide reminders that this once booming industrial town has seen better days . Obama 's troops are trying to make inroads among the population of 22,000 that went for George Bush in the past two elections , and team McCain is working to keep the county red . Right now , people say the town is divided -- and so are the predictions . `` This community seems to just be enough Republican to help -LSB- McCain -RSB- out , '' WBEX 's Ramey said , adding that his gut feeling is that will be the case this year . DeGarmo , however , disagreed . `` Honestly , I think Obama is going to win , '' he said . Weighing sentiments like those is one way to get a pulse on how this town might vote in November . But in one indication of the town 's importance , McCain has already visited , and Obama is scheduled to stop by on Friday .
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Chillicothe , population 22,000 , is considered a bellwether town in Ohio . Voters at local restaurant are skeptical about the upcoming election . The town voted for George Bush in the past two elections . John McCain has visited Chillicothe ; Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Friday .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Alaska judge warned Gov. Sarah Palin 's family against trying to get her then-brother-in-law fired , according to court records . Investigators want to know if Sarah Palin tried to use her position improperly to get her former brother-in-law fired . That warning came long before the controversy over her dismissal of the brother-in-law 's boss , the state 's public safety commissioner , records show . Palin , the Republican nominee for vice president , is battling allegations she and her advisers pressured Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan to fire her sister 's husband , State Trooper Mike Wooten . Palin 's sister , Molly McCann , and Wooten were in the process of getting a divorce when the judge hearing the couple 's case said McCann 's family appeared to be putting Wooten 's job at risk at a time when he would be required to pay child support . `` It appears for the world that Ms. McCann and her family have decided to take after the guy 's livelihood , that whatever who did what to whom has overridden good judgment , '' Superior Court Judge John Suddock said during an October 2005 hearing . `` Aesop told us not to slay the goose that lays the golden egg . For whatever reason , people are trying to slay the goose here , and it tends to diminish his earning capacity . '' At the time , Palin was a private citizen and would not become governor until 2006 . In complaints filed with the state police , she and other relatives had accused Wooten of threatening her family during the divorce . Suddock was in the process of settling the couple 's property and child-support arrangements in the 2005 hearing . The judge said his decision might have been different had Wooten 's continued employment with the state police been more certain . `` The plaintiff 's table has created a situation where that is a very fragile outcome , '' he said . Wooten 's union representative testified that the trooper was the subject of a `` constant stream '' of complaints from his ex-wife 's family . `` If things do n't change , Mike 's career is in jeopardy , '' the union rep said . `` My advice to Mike was to find another job , '' said John Cyr , now executive director of the Public Safety Employees Association . `` I think he needs , career-wise , to look for work elsewhere . '' CNN obtained audio recordings of the hearing from the court clerk 's office in Anchorage , Alaska . Roberta Erwin , the attorney who represented McCann , declined comment on the case Wednesday , and other representatives of the governor did not immediately return phone calls . Wooten was suspended for five days in March 2006 , after state police commanders determined he had used a Taser on his 10-year-old stepson `` in a training capacity , '' drove his patrol car while drinking beer and illegally shot a moose using his wife 's hunting permit . In a February 2008 hearing over new custody issues , Wooten briefly complained that `` disparagement '' by his ex-wife 's family was continuing . Complaints about Wooten from Palin and her family have been under scrutiny since Gov. Palin 's July firing of Monegan , whose duties included management of the state police force . After his dismissal , Monegan said he was fired because he refused to succumb to pressure from the governor 's office to fire Wooten , and his allegations have led to an investigation by the state Legislature . Palin has denied any wrongdoing , saying the commissioner was removed because of disagreements over budget issues . Her attorneys have called Wooten a `` rogue trooper '' and said no one in the governor 's family knew of his suspension until after Monegan 's dismissal . Spokesmen for Sen. John McCain 's presidential campaign have said the legislative probe has become a `` political circus '' since McCain tapped Palin as his running mate in August . Palin originally pledged to cooperate with the investigation and disclosed that members of her administration had contacted state police officials nearly two dozen times to discuss Wooten . But last week , she asked the state personnel board to conduct its own probe , and a string of witnesses has failed to show up at scheduled depositions with the investigator hired by the Legislature . Last week , Cyr 's union filed its own complaint against Palin and top aides , accusing them of improperly attempting to use confidential information from Wooten 's personnel files against him . The McCain campaign says Wooten agreed to release his files during the divorce proceedings , and the information was in the public domain .
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NEW : Judge told Palin not to interfere with former brother-in-law 's job . Lawmakers are investigating why Alaska commissioner was fired . Gov. Palin , the Republican vice presidential nominee , denies wrongdoing .
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Editor 's note : Rep. Dave Camp is a Republican from the 4th district of Michigan and is his party 's ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee . Rep. Dave Camp said Americans pay too much for health care due to waste , lawsuits and fraud . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Americans want , deserve and demand health care reform . Wednesday , I and my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives are unveiling common sense health care reforms that focus on increasing the affordability , accessibility and availability of quality health care . Our plan will lower costs , make health care more convenient for patients and improve quality at a price our country can afford . Our chief concern is making health care affordable for all Americans . To do so , we believe in reforming before spending . The system now is so complex and unwieldy that billions of dollars are wasted every year . In fact , Americans pay more for their health care per person than anyone else in the world ; twice what the Canadians do and two-and-a-half times what the British spend . It makes no sense . To lower health care costs , we must 1 -RRB- weed out the rampant overspending in our current system that is driven by the twin forces of trial lawyers and fraudsters , 2 -RRB- modernize medical regulations that have n't been changed in decades , and 3 -RRB- make sure the government is helping every American get insurance , not just those who have health insurance through their job . Attacking the unnecessary costs in our current system starts with implementing comprehensive medical liability reform , so when doctors are in exam rooms they are thinking about their patients , not about ordering more tests in case somebody tries to sue later . This will reduce the practice of defensive medicine and save billions of dollars in wasted health care spending . We also must demand greater oversight and fraud prevention in Medicare and Medicaid -- the nation 's health care programs for the seniors , the poor and the disabled . Abuse is so rampant in these programs that the chief counsel to the Health and Human Services Inspector General said , `` building a Medicare fraud scam is far safer than dealing in crack or dealing in stolen cars , and it 's far more lucrative . '' Malpractice reform and fraud prevention are a good start , but just a start . We will build on those successes by accelerating the move toward an electronic record system , minimizing the numerous administrative requirements at doctor offices , hospitals and insurance companies . By doing so , we can tackle the mountain of repetitive and unnecessary paperwork that clogs our system , drives up costs and creates headaches for patients and doctors alike . It is also time to allow states , small businesses and other organizations to increase their purchasing power by banding together to offer health insurance at lower cost . A small business in Ohio might not be able to afford health insurance on its own , but when joining with dozens of other small employers in Michigan and Indiana , the pool gets bigger and the price gets lower . Even with these reforms , the cost of health care is still too high for many Americans . The federal government has a patchwork of subsidies for those buying health insurance that is full of inequities . While we are waiting for the cost of our plan to be determined by the Congressional Budget Office , we already know it would be cheaper than other alternatives being discussed . To help address the inequities , our plan gives Americans who purchase insurance on their own a tax deduction , treating them more like those who get insurance through a job or who are self-employed . And we create incentives for all Americans to save now for future and long-term health care needs by improving health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements and creating new tax benefits to offset the costs of long-term care premiums . Republicans also provide financial assistance through new refundable and advanceable tax credits to those who need it most : low - and modest-income Americans . And , especially in today 's economy where so many workers have been forced to retire early or have been laid off , we recognize that many Americans who have not yet hit retirement age often have an especially hard time finding affordable health insurance . Thus , we offer additional financial help to those ages 55 to 64 . We also recognize that many Americans with pre-existing conditions find insurance is either unaffordable or unavailable . Our plan addresses this by fostering innovative state reinsurance programs and improved high-risk pools , ensuring that high-risk individuals get affordable coverage . These and other measures will ensure every American , regardless of income , regardless of where they choose to live , regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illness , will have access to affordable , quality health care . Republicans stand ready to work with the president and our Democratic colleagues in Congress to improve the affordability , accessibility and availability of health care in this nation . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dave Camp .
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Rep. Dave Camp : Health care must be made available and affordable . He says fraud , lawsuits and waste drive up the cost of health care . Camp : Americans pay much more per person than other countries . He says tax incentives can help people pay for health care .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Concerned about her family 's finances , a university student in Australia cashed some long-forgotten lottery tickets this week -- hoping the money would help her parents . Have you ever won big after mislaying a lottery ticket ? Tell us -- click on Sound Off below . She discovered their worries are over . The university student won $ 10 million -LRB- A$ 13 million -RRB- -- and helped solve a lottery mystery that has made headlines in Western Australia for 10 months . `` People had been wondering for months , who is this mystery winner ? Do they know about this ticket ? '' said Jodi Eastman , spokeswoman for Lotterywest , the state lottery . `` We have a 12 month expiry on lottery tickets . And people thought it might end up expiring and go unclaimed . '' Have you ever won big on an old lottery ticket ? Sound Off below . It would have , too , had the student -- who is in her 30s and asked lottery officials to keep her anonymous -- not woken up earlier this week , suddenly remembering the bundle of lottery tickets collecting dust in a drawer . She did n't know that among them was a gift from her father , who had purchased a ticket to test the family 's luck when the Oz Lotto jackpot climbed to $ 39 -LRB- A$ 50 million -RRB- million last July . `` She said she thought , ` If I can win some money on these tickets , I can possibly help the family out , '' Eastman said . The first couple of tickets yielded small amounts -- $ 16 total . `` She was pretty excited , '' Eastman said . Then the woman had the clerk check the gift from her father . At first glance , she thought she 'd won $ 10,000 -LRB- A$ 13,000 -RRB- . No , the retail store clerk told her , it 's $ 10 million -LRB- A$ 13 million -RRB- . `` I checked the commas and decimal places and then I realized , '' the woman told Lotterywest . `` I always remember Mum telling me that if I won the Lotto , not to start jumping up and down in the shopping center , '' she added . Had she waited two more months , she would have missed the fortune . The woman told lottery officials she 's not planning a spending binge . `` The people close to me will be looked after and I might give some to research or a charity of some kind , '' she told Lotterywest . `` It 's nice to have this much to fulfill my dreams and the dreams of the people around me . '' The winning ticket cost $ 6.70 -LRB- A$ 8.70 -RRB- . The odds she beat : 1 in 45 million .
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Student finds old lottery ticket left to languish in drawer , wins $ 10 million . Unclaimed prize made headlines in Western Australia , win solves mystery . Ticket had been due to expire after 12 months , the winner claimed after 10 . Anonymous winner : `` It 's nice to have this much to fulfill my dreams ''
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tuesday 's State of the Union address will be watched closely not only for what is said , but also for who will there in person to hear it -- especially the black-robed members of the U.S. Supreme Court . At least one member of the bench , Justice Samuel Alito , has publicly stated he will not attend after the dramatic criticism leveled at a court ruling by President Barack Obama . One or more justices have attended the annual speech to Congress and the nation in recent decades . Court members are not required by law to be there , but custom has dictated their appearance , mostly for show . They are a key , if low-key , part of the pageantry , and are compelled to sit politely and stoically amid the often high-spirited partisan rhetoric and response of the event . There is no word yet from the high court on who will attend . Invitations are sent to each chamber , and the justices have individual discretion as to whether to go . When they do , they wear their traditional judicial robes , are escorted into the House chamber as a group and take prominent seats up front , joined by other officers of the court such as the marshal and clerk . Justices Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy have been regular attendees . Government sources say Justice Sonia Sotomayor , who joined the bench in 2009 , is expected to be there , and so is the court 's newest member , Justice Elena Kagan , on the job since August . Obama nominated both women . Democrats last year cheered the president when he dressed down high court conservatives in last January 's State of the Union address . Obama criticized the majority ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission , issued a week earlier , which removed legal barriers preventing corporations and unions from spending unlimited sums on federal elections . `` With all due deference to the separation of powers , '' Obama said , `` the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections . '' Alito , sitting just feet away in the audience , shook his head and mouthed words interpreted as `` not true . '' He had been a regular at previous addresses , but in October 2010 he told an audience in New York that he felt `` like the proverbial potted plant '' at such occasions and would not be attending in the near future . The 60-year-old justice also , with a smile , noted that his colleagues `` who are more disciplined refrain from manifesting any emotion or opinion whatsoever . '' Most of the intrigue over who will attend his year 's speech centers on Chief Justice John Roberts , who has labeled the political atmosphere at last year 's address `` very troubling . '' Roberts , who turns 56 next Thursday , said last March that partisan rhetoric and gestures aimed at the court left him questioning whether his colleagues should continue to attend . `` It does cause me to think whether or not it makes sense for us to be there '' he said . `` To the extent the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally , I 'm not sure why we 're there . '' White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs responded quickly with an indirect attack on Roberts , saying `` the only thing troubling '' was the Citizens United ruling itself . During the 2010 address , members of Congress sat just behind the justices , many applauding loudly when Obama made his remarks about the court 's election spending case . Sources close to Roberts have said he has grown increasingly `` frustrated '' at what he views as the growing partisanship aimed at the federal courts , particularly the Supreme Court . Both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden -- when they were senators -- voted against Roberts and Alito during court confirmation proceedings . Some justices have been regular no-shows at the State of the Union , including John Paul Stevens , who stepped down from the court last year . Roberts ' predecessor , Chief Justice William Rehnquist , also rarely appeared in person . Another more vocal no-go is Justice Antonin Scalia , who has compared the televised State of the Union to `` cheerleading sessions . '' `` I do n't know at what point that happened , but it has happened , and now you go and sit there like bumps on a log while applause lines cause one half of the Congress to leap up while -LSB- another line -RSB- causes the other half to leap up , '' he said last November . `` It is a juvenile spectacle . And I resent being called upon to give it dignity . '' Scalia , a generally verbose and animated jurist , said bluntly : `` You just sit there , looking stupid . '' Breyer , on the other hand , has crossed the street to attend every State of the Union but one since joining the court in 1994 . He missed President Bill Clinton 's last annual address in 2000 because of the flu . Many believe the justices have go to such events , that it 's just another unwanted chore of office . Not so , Breyer told CNN in 2005 . `` People attend if they wish to attend . I do wish to attend , so I go . ''
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President Obama condemned a Supreme Court ruling during last year 's speech . In the wake of that speech , Justice Samuel Alito has said he wo n't attend this year . Chief Justice John Roberts last year derided the `` pep rally '' atmosphere . Justice Stephen Breyer , however , said he enjoys attending and will again .
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Hong Kong -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some 290 kilograms -LRB- 639 pounds -RRB- of `` high-grade cocaine '' was discovered in a shipping container at a Hong Kong terminal , the government said in a statement Wednesday . The cocaine , worth some HK $ 260 million -LRB- U.S. $ 33 million -RRB- was found December 29 at the Kwai Chung Container Terminal , `` in a container arriving from South America and destined for the mainland , '' Hong Kong 's Information Services Department said . Hong Kong 's customs department has recently stepped up inspections of `` suspicious consignments from South America '' at the terminal , the statement said . Customs officers intercepted two containers that purportedly contained `` wood working products '' from a container vessel from Chile , officials said . `` Following inspection using the X-ray system and drug detector dogs , officers found a batch of cocaine in one of the containers , concealed inside 88 pieces of hollowed-out wood planks , '' the statement said . The investigation was ongoing , authorities said , and no arrests have yet been made . Hong Kong is working closely with Chinese and overseas drug enforcement agencies , said John Lee , head of Hong Kong Customs ' Drug Investigation Bureau , in the statement . It was the largest seizure of drugs ever for the customs department . However , Hong Kong police last April had a larger bust , which saw the seizure of 372 kilograms -LRB- 820 pounds -RRB- of cocaine with a value of HK $ 337 million , or U.S. $ 43.4 million . That seizure stemmed from a missing persons report that led to the discovery of the cocaine in a home . Eight people were arrested in that case , police said at the time . Drug trafficking is a serious offense , the Hong Kong government statement said , with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $ 5 million fine . CNN 's Roya Shadravan contributed to this report .
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`` High-grade cocaine '' is found in a shipping container . It arrived in Hong Kong from Chile . No arrests have been made , but the investigation is ongoing .
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Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The doors to the headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference civil rights group have been welded shut and padlocked , an escalation in a power struggle between two factions claiming leadership of the organization , the two sides said Tuesday . The doors were discovered shut Monday night . The Rev. Markel Hutchins , a recent aspirant to the organization 's presidency who claims to be on the board , said the doors were welded and padlocked to keep the current leadership out of the headquarters building . `` They refused to leave the building , and under the law you ca n't remove them forcibly , '' Hutchins told CNN affiliate WSB . `` So what we had to do was make certain we secured the building while no one was inside to protect the safety and security and the integrity of the organization . '' `` I am troubled by this conduct . It is the act of reckless individuals , '' SCLC Chairwoman Sylvia Tucker said in a statement released Tuesday . `` Hutchins has no right to be on SCLC property , '' Tucker said . `` His conduct of vandalizing and damaging SCLC property proves that Hutchins will do anything to try to control the SCLC . '' Tucker and her faction say that Hutchins has never been on the board of the SCLC or been a national officer for the organization . The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the co-founders of the SCLC , which was formed in 1957 to coordinate protest activities across the Southeast , the group 's website says . The organization has seen a power struggle dating back about a decade , said Ralph Luker , a retired professor who specialized in the civil rights movement and has been an observer of the SCLC . But the current crisis stems from accusations that former officers diverted SCLC funds into non-SCLC accounts , he said . Those charges remain under investigation . A former chairman and former treasurer were removed from the board , and those who backed them formed the faction that is quarrelling with the current leadership . Hutchins aligned himself with the faction backing the ousted leaders , Luker said . Hutchins ran for SCLC president last year but was defeated by Bernice King , Martin Luther King Jr. 's daughter . He was then appointed to the board by the faction led by the ousted chairman , a move that a judge has since ruled invalid . `` That essentially is what this is about : who effectively is going to control the organization , '' Luker said .
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Action comes amid power struggle between factions claiming leadership of SCLC . The Rev. Markel Hutchins : Doors secured to keep current leadership out of the building . Sylvia Tucker : Conduct `` is the act of reckless individuals '' Hutchins wants to lead SCLC , claims to be on board ; Tucker is SCLC chairwoman .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The interpretation of complex legal verbiage is the Supreme Court 's bailiwick , but sometimes the outcome of a case falls upon the meaning of single word . The magic word in an appeal argued Wednesday was `` personal , '' and whether it extends beyond humans to `` artificial '' entities like corporations . Telecom giant AT&T wants `` personal privacy '' protections applied to businesses , just as they have long been granted to individuals . At issue is whether corporate `` personhood '' extends to the Freedom of Information Act , which exempts the public release of government documents that invade personal privacy . The company wants material gathered by a federal agency during a consumer investigation to be kept secret . Several justices seemed deeply skeptical of the company 's claims for relief . Citing `` dozens and dozens '' of examples in a study of government bureaucracy , Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that `` overwhelmingly , ` personal ' is used to describe an individual , not an artificial being . '' `` Can you give me any examples in common usage where people would refer to the ` personal privacy ' of a corporation ? '' asked Justice Antonin Scalia . `` It 's a very strange phrase to me . '' But others on the bench were not willing to say personal privacy applies only to a single human being . The dispute began in 2004 when AT&T Inc. found out it may have overcharged the federal government for the E-Rate program , which provides affordable internet and telecom access for schools and libraries across the United States . The company voluntarily turned over documents to the Federal Communications Commission , the agency charged with investigating the matter . Months later , a trade group that included some of AT&T 's competitors filed a Freedom of Information request for all correspondence related to the E-Rate probe . The material included AT&T memos , e-mails , invoices and employee names . The company said the material was exempt from public release , since it was collected strictly for `` law enforcement purposes , '' according to court filings , and it argued that disclosure would cause an `` unwarranted invasion of personal privacy . '' The FCC ultimately rejected the claims , saying the personal privacy exemption applies only to individuals . A federal appeals court reversed , finding for the corporation , and prompting the government 's Supreme Court appeal . Wednesday 's hourlong oral arguments featured several justices offering various examples of the extent to which `` personal '' privacy could ever be applied to the corporate theory . `` For example , you could refer to personal jurisdiction over a corporation , could n't you ? '' Justice Samuel Alito asked the Justice Department 's lawyer , Anthony Yang . `` I suppose families have rights of personal privacy , do n't they ? '' added Chief Justice Roberts , extending the term beyond individuals . AT&T 's attorney , Geoffrey Klineberg , told the court the issue is one of fairness . `` All we are asking for and indeed all that Congress provided for is that the privacy interests be weighed against the public interest in disclosure . And what the FCC did here was to categorically exclude corporations from the protections '' under federal law . Ginsburg was unconvinced . `` How does the commission , unaided by AT&T , go through the papers and decide what would be embarrassing for an AT&T employee , as distinguished from the corporation ? '' Klineberg said e-mails could be exposed to public view showing corporate officers who `` may engage in a frank exchange about the competence and intelligence of a would-be regulator of the corporation . Or disparaging comments '' about a business competitor , something that should be protected under privacy laws . `` Why does that relate to the corporation 's privacy interest ? '' replied Scalia . `` Anything that would embarrass the corporation is a privacy interest ? '' The AT&T lawyer ran into further trouble when he tried to mince words -- suggesting that because `` person '' is defined to include a corporation in the relevant federal statute , the term `` personal '' also must apply . `` I tried to sit down and come up with other examples where the adjective was very different from the root noun , '' said John Roberts . `` It turns out it is not hard at all . You have craft and crafty . Totally different . Crafty does n't have much to do with craft . Squirrel , squirrely . Right ? I mean , you have a pastor and pastoral . Same root , totally different . So I do n't think there 's much to the argument that because ` person ' means one thing , ` personal ' has to be the same relation . '' Beyond interpreting the meaning of personal privacy , the court may also have to wrestle with defining or redefining `` corporate , '' either as an association of citizens with extended , shared rights , or as a state-chartered entity with its own separate , competing rights apart from those of its members . Such interpretation was key to the high court 's controversial campaign finance ruling a year ago , in which the conservative majority gave corporations greater power to spend freely in federal elections , overturning a federal law that had imposed strict limits . The court said corporations had to be treated as `` persons '' when it came to campaign spending , with the same power as individual donors . Now the dispute is whether corporations enjoy similar protections in the privacy context . Liberal groups have complained that the Roberts court has been overly friendly to businesses in recent rulings , at the expense of individual consumers . They want a blanket rule exempting corporations from personal privacy protections . `` Congress did not and could not imbue corporations with the dignity interests that FOIA protects when it shields living , breathing human beings from invasions of personal privacy , '' said Elizabeth Wydra , chief counsel of the Constitutional Accountability Center . `` A corporate charter can not blush or feel embarrassed by FOIA 's policy of transparency , '' A number of media organizations have also filed briefs in support of the Obama administration , saying the Freedom of Information Act has been a powerful tool to hold governments and corporations accountable . Coalitions of business groups , including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable , are backing AT&T . Justice Elena Kagan is not participating in the case because she had handled the appeal as the administration 's solicitor general before being nominated to the high court last year . The case is FCC v. AT&T Inc. -LRB- 09-1279 -RRB- . A ruling is expected in the next five months or so .
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The Supreme Court mulls whether a corporation has `` personal privacy '' AT&T says yes , as it tries to prevent release of documents gathered by a federal agency . Some justices seem skeptical as they hear oral arguments .
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WIXOM , Michigan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The lock on the gate is rusting , as are the ramps once used to drive shiny new Lincolns onto transport trucks . The giant sign that once carried the Ford logo is painted white , the factory is shuttered , and the jobs gone . Democrat Barack Obama polls well with Michigan 's independent voters . In Michigan , the evidence of economic strain is everywhere -- from the vacant Ford plant in Wixom , to the barren lot a short drive away in Pontiac that was once home to a GM truck assembly line , to the empty storefronts with `` For Lease '' signs in the windows . With an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent and an unpopular Republican president , the political climate should favor Democrats , especially in Michigan , where 1988 marks the last time the GOP carried the state in a presidential election . But the new CNN/Time Opinion Research Corp. battleground poll shows a virtual dead heat , with Barack Obama holding a statistically insignificant 49 percent to 45 percent lead over John McCain . One reason McCain is within striking distance is his support in the critical Detroit suburbs , which include Oakland County and neighboring Macomb County . Those communities are heavily shaped by the fortunes of the auto industry and are known in national politics as the home of the legendary Reagan Democrats . And more and more , they 're becoming known as places where independent voters swing close elections . See which states are toss-ups '' In the new poll , McCain leads 55 percent to 37 percent in the Detroit suburbs , while Obama has the edge , 47 percent to 42 percent , among voters who identify themselves as independents . Watch how the suburbs have become political battlegrounds '' Brent Colburn , communications director for Obama in Michigan , says Democratic organizing is in full swing . `` We are building efforts around all of them , '' Colburn said of the state 's diverse voting blocs , noting that key Obama targets include African-Americans , union members and students . Watch more on the battle for Michigan '' Oakland County GOP Chairman Dennis Cowan says Republican intensity has increased since McCain 's pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to share the ticket , after some initial disappointment among the many supporters of Michigan native Mitt Romney here . Because of Sen. Hillary Clinton 's support among blue-collar voters here , `` We did fear the Obama-Clinton ticket , '' Cowan tells CNN . Instead , in the GOP view , `` He -LSB- Obama -RSB- kind of made the safe choice for VP , and John McCain made a bold choice for VP , which has gotten everybody 's attention . '' Vote : Which state is the most important swing state ? Among those impressed with the Palin pick is Ray Gardella , who began his homebuilding business in the Detroit suburbs 35 years ago . Gardella was a McGovern Democrat in those days , but leans more Republican now . He says McCain and Palin `` are more in line with my values '' and says he is n't sold on Obama 's talk of change . `` He has talk , but we need a lot more than that , especially in the economy we have , '' Gardella said outside a home site in Bloomfield Hills . `` Certainly a strong candidate . An easy-to-listen-to candidate , but I do n't think he gives us the substance we need . '' Like many in his generation here , Gardella shrugs off Obama 's talk that McCain has been in Washington too long to change it . `` I think he is more of a man of action , '' Gardella said of the GOP nominee . `` He has been waiting for 30 years to become a man of action , and I think he wants to do that in the executive office . ''
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GOP has n't carried Michigan for 20 years . State 's unemployment rate is 8.5 percent . New poll shows Barack Obama , John McCain in tight race in state . McCain leads in Detroit suburbs ; Obama has edge among state 's independents .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 19-year-old American Muslim detained and questioned in Kuwait is suing the U.S. government , claiming it is refusing to let him fly home because he is on a `` no-fly '' list . Stuck in limbo between the country he calls home and the place he was visiting on what his lawyer describes as a journey of self-discovery , Gulet Mohamed of Alexandria , Virginia , has been trapped in Kuwait for nearly a month , according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Virginia . `` No-fly '' lists were set up to protect Americans against potential threats . They are designed to prevent terrorist suspects from boarding planes to and from the United States . But Mohamed 's lawyer , Gadeir Abbas , says in the lawsuit that the U.S. government is impeding his client 's basic right to return and live freely in the United States . Abbas is a staff attorney for the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations . At a hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria , Virginia , Judge Anthony J. Trenga told the government that it should make arrangements to allow Mohamed to return before the end of this week unless it could produce evidence against him . The lawsuit says Mohamed came to the United States from Somalia with his family when he was just 3 years old , grew up in Virginia and is now a naturalized citizen . In March of 2009 , Mohamed 's curiosity led him halfway around the world to visit relatives living overseas and to learn Arabic , according to the lawsuit . He started his journey in Sanaa , Yemen , but then moved to Somalia where he stayed with relatives for several months . By August he was on his way to Kuwait where an uncle took him in so he could continue his Arabic studies , the suit says . Mohamed followed proper travel procedures , according to the lawsuit , renewing his visitor 's visa twice during his stay in Kuwait . But when he went to Kuwait 's international airport last December to get another 90-day extension he waited several hours . The lawsuit says Mohamed wrote an e-mail to his brother in Virginia while he waited , saying the process was taking longer than usual . That was the last time anyone heard from him for a week , the suit says . According to the lawsuit , Mohamed says he was approached at the airport by two men who handcuffed and blindfolded him . They drove him to another location in an SUV . Mohamed claims he was beaten , tortured and interrogated over the next week . The lawsuit describes him being whipped , threatened with electrocution and questioned by captors who had private information about his family in the United States . They also questioned him about his relationship with Anwar al-Awlaki , an American-born Muslim cleric who has close ties to al Qaeda and who is believed to be in Yemen . Mohamed 's lawyer says he denies any link to al-Awlaki . Mohamed was transferred to a deportation facility in Kuwait on December 28 , the lawsuit says . He used a fellow detainee 's hidden cell phone and was able to contact his family and retain a CAIR attorney . According to the lawsuit , Kuwaiti officials have told Mohamed 's family they are holding him on behalf of the U.S. His lawyers say Kuwaiti officials have tried to deport Mohamed but were unable to do so because the United States had placed him on a `` no-fly '' list . A U.S. official confirmed to CNN that Mohamed is on a `` no-fly '' list , but would not explain why . Mohamed was visited twice by FBI agents while in detention , according to the suit . He claims the FBI agents physically intimidated him , threatened him with criminal charges and told him he would remain in detention indefinitely if he did n't speak to them . Mohamed refused to answer their questions without counsel , the lawsuit says . Mohamed 's lawyers told CNN that at the suggestion of Kuwaiti officials , his family recently bought a plane ticket for him to return to the United States . However , when the officials took him to the airport Sunday , he was not allowed onto the plane . Mohamad 's lawyers contend that the information that his interrogators had -- and the questions he was asked -- indicate it was the U.S. government who had him held and questioned . U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley denied Mohamed was being detained at the behest of the United States . Crowley told CNN Tuesday that the State Department has provided Mohamed with consular access and is committed to him having fair treatment . Crowley said the department has n't had access to Mohamed since December . CNN 's Laurie Ure contributed to this report .
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Gulet Mohamed , a naturalized U.S. citizen , is on a `` no-fly '' list and can not fly home . He says he was departing Kuwait after a visit when he was held and questioned . His interrogators knew details about his family in the United States , he says . Mohamed filed suit , claiming the U.S. is refusing to let him return home .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Riding through the streets of Moscow or flipping through channels of Russian TV , it 's difficult to escape messages from the country 's natural gas monopoly , Gazprom . Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits the central control room at the Gazprom HQ , Moscow , January . `` I 'm driving under a huge Gazprom sign right now , '' Yuri Pogorely , vice-president of Interfax , the Russian business news wire , said in a phone interview . Television ad campaigns have promoted the company as a `` national treasure '' and , more recently , the business that makes `` dreams come true . '' `` It can make someone think , why does a Russian monopoly need this kind of branding ? After all , there are other state-owned companies that do n't present themselves as a symbol of Russia , '' Pogorely said . `` But Gazprom is not just any company . '' If the Soviet Union promoted its interests through satellite states and military prowess , Russia today flexes its might on the global stage through its vast oil and natural gas fields . And no company exemplifies this more than Gazprom . `` By reputation , it is the largest and most powerful Russian company , '' said Lev Snykov , an analyst with VTB Capital in Moscow . Watch Gazprom chief Alexander Medvedev explain future strategy '' But its strong-arm tactics in contract negotiations with the Ukraine -- shutting off gas supplies three times in the past four years at the height of winter -- have European Union customers looking for alternatives to their reliance on Russian natural gas . The company has the world 's largest distribution system of gas , maintaining 97,560 miles -LRB- 157,000 kilometers -RRB- of pipelines that stretch , like Russia , from the Far East to Europe . The perennial conflict with the Ukraine -- through which much of the natural gas supply of Eastern Europe flows -- is of deep concern to nations such as Germany and Greece , which depend on Russia for up to 50 percent and 90 percent of their natural gas , respectively . Gazprom saw its market share in the European Union drop in the second half of 2008 . Gas exports from Russia to Europe dropped 33 percent in October alone , according VTB Capital . `` The Ukraine conflict may have served as a catalyst for European customers to become more averse to Russian gas imports , '' says a VTB report on the Ukraine crisis . The Russian economy , reliant on commodities , is suffering because of the fluctuating oil market , down from its record of nearly $ 150 a barrel to about $ 60 today . As a result , Gazprom saw profits fall 84 percent in the last quarter of 2008 , prompting the company to slash its dividend by 86 percent , to 11 cents a share . Russia has 20 percent of the world 's gas reserves , and is the single-largest producer of natural gas . Gazprom posted profits of $ 30.8 billion last year -- down from $ 40 billion the year before -- and its business alone accounts for 10 percent of Russia 's gross domestic product . So it 's no surprise that Gazprom is a pet project of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin . His replacement as president , Dmitry Medvedev , is a former chairman of the company . Putin 's `` interest in Gazprom is very deep . As a journalist who writes about energy issues , I 've seen him give very detailed information and knowledge about what 's happening with the company and company logistics , '' said Pogorely of Interfax . `` When you hear him speak , it 's like you 're not talking to the prime minister of Russia , but one of the top company managers . '' Alexander Medvedev , deputy chief executive officer of Gazprom Exports , deflects questions about the perception that Gazprom is a tool of Russian government and energy policy . Watch Medvedev explain Gazprom 's plans '' `` Nobody is challenging the view that Gazprom is a very special company , that we have a mixed capital structure , the majority of our shares are in the hands of the Russian government , '' he said . `` But the rest are in the hands of private shareholders , including private citizens all around the world . '' The company 's goal is to become an energy leader with a diversified portfolio around the world , he said . `` Like Alexander Ovechkin ... not everyone enjoys him , but he 's a leader , and we would like to perform as good as Ovechkin in hockey , '' he said , referring to the controversial Russian ice hockey star who was named Player of the Year this week by National Hockey League players . That sentiment echoes how Russians feel about Gazprom . A recent poll by the Public Opinion Foundation found one in five Russians under 26 would like to work for Gazprom . `` In rural areas , Gazprom is dramatically important for people because of our harsh winters , '' Pogorely said . `` Russians love someone big who sticks up for you . OK , sometimes they may not be very nice to you . But if he cares for you and makes your life better , that 's OK , '' Pogorely said . `` But if you 're doing business in Russia , Gazprom is the power you would n't mess with . ''
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Russia , single-largest natural gas producer , has 20 percent of global gas reserves . Gazprom business accounts for 10 percent of Russia 's gross domestic product . Gazprom disputes with Ukraine has seen European nations wary of the company . Russian president and prime minister show strong interest in the company .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a special report for CNN 's Eye on Russia week , Moscow Correspondent Matthew Chance travels across the vast country from the northern port of Murmansk in the Arctic to the southern city of Sochi on the Black Sea . Here Chance recalls some highlights from his epic journey . Matthew Chance undergoes cosmonaut training at Star City . Arctic Ambitions . MURMANSK -- What an incredible , surprising place to begin a journey . At latitudes where most other Arctic states maintain little more than a few isolated scientific outposts , Russia has an entire city of 300,000 . In fact , Murmansk is one of the friendlier , more pleasant cities I have ever visited in this country . The northern air is rich to breathe ; the strange Arctic light lends a magical glow to the landscape . And there 's a cafe culture ! We sipped cappuccinos in the Arctic Circle and made friends with locals who seemed genuinely pleased to be living in their frigid metropolis . You might think Murmansk is just a freezing monument to the Soviet Union 's grim determination to settle citizens across its sprawling territory at any cost . But today it 's as much a symbol of modern Russia 's Arctic ambitions : a strong foothold in a region believed to possess vast natural resources . In the global race for control of the Arctic , Murmansk is giving Russia a crucial head start . Beast from the East . ST. PETERSBURG -- For a day and a half , we trundled through the tundra on board the Arctic Express to St. Petersburg -- plenty of time to watch the white blankets of snow that covered the land gradually disappear . But we had come to Russia 's city of beauty to meet its beast . Nikolai Valuev stands an incredible 7 feet tall , is a heavyweight boxing champion of the world and a Russian sporting hero . He used to be known to U.S. boxing promoters as `` The Beast From The East '' -- but he did n't care much for the name . Now he prefers `` The Russian Giant '' which was absolutely fine with me . In fact , Valuev is disarmingly pleasant and soft-spoken . He told me he had to work hard on being extra nice simply to stop people from being frightened when meeting him . Now he concentrates on encouraging Russia 's youth to take up boxing . The country , he says , is a potential hotbed of future champions . Valuev has found fame outside the ring too , starring in several Russian movies and writing a book . He also writes poetry . Star City . MOSCOW -- If you 've got $ 30 million to spend , you might want to consider training to be a space tourist in Russia 's Star City . This is the country 's biggest cosmonaut training center and the next stop on our journey . Between 2010 and 2015 -- when NASA 's space shuttle ends its missions , and until the new generation of U.S. craft come online -- Russia will be the only country to have manned missions into space , including to the International Space Station . NASA is now sending all its astronauts here to train in the Soyuz capsule , the vehicle on which they will depend to carry them through their missions . And the training is vigorous . I know because someone , somehow , convinced me to sample it ! Ever been strapped in a centrifuge and subjected to the same G-force as a cosmonaut taking off in a Soyuz ? I have , and I did n't like it .
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Moscow Correspondent Matthew Chance travels across Russia by train . Chance 's journey begins in Murmansk in Arctic , ends in Sochi on Black Sea . Chance meets Russian boxer Nikolai Valuev , samples cosmonaut training .
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BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr rallied in Baghdad on Thursday to mark the sixth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein 's regime . Demonstrators burn an American flag at a rally in Baghdad , Iraq , on Thursday . They rallied at Firdous Square , where Hussein 's statue was pulled down on April 9 , 2003 , shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq . The protesters carried Iraqi flags , religious banners and posters for al-Sadr . They chanted religious songs . Hazem al-Araji , a senior aide to the radical Shiite cleric , called on the Iraqi government to release all Sadrist detainees inside U.S. and Iraqi prisons . Watch rally fill Baghdad streets '' `` Everyone shout out loud and let all those who live inside the Black Zone and Bush , the damned , hear our voices and release the Sadrist detainees immediately , '' al-Araji said . He also called on President Obama to support Iraqis and remove U.S. troops from Iraq . One protester called on the `` occupation '' to get out of Iraq and , at his urging , the crowd chanted `` down , down America . '' Al-Araji also called on the protesters to shout out `` No no America , No no Israel , Yes yes Iraq . '' Iraqi security forces closed off the surrounding streets and a number of the bridges during the rally , which al-Sadr announced on March 21 .
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Protesters shout anti-U.S. slogans , chant religious songs . Thousands of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr rally in historic square . Al-Sadr aide calls on Iraqi government to release all Sadrist detainees .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Donna Zovko will have to wait to travel to Falluja to see where her son died in one of the Iraq war 's most infamous attacks . Clockwise from upper left : Wesley Batalona , Mike Teague , Scott Helvenston , Jerry Zovko . `` My dream was to go for the fifth anniversary , and that did n't come true , '' Zovko said this week while visiting friends in Boston , Massachusetts . `` It 's not that I 'm afraid for me . But people with me on the trip would be in more danger . '' Tuesday marks five years since her son Jerry Zovko and three other civilian employees of the Blackwater private security firm were ambushed in Falluja on March 31 , 2004 . Gunmen attacked vehicles holding Zovko , Mike Teague , Wesley Batalona and Scott Helvenston and set the vehicles on fire . Shocking images beamed around the world showed Iraqis celebrating in front of charred bodies strung up on a bridge over the Euphrates River . The remains were dragged through the streets . Donna Zovko honors her son '' `` I did n't realize until way after the incident that he had been decapitated , '' said Helvenston 's mother , Katy Helvenston-Wettengel , from her Florida home . `` They cut his heart out . How can anybody be that hateful ? '' To identify his body , she said , investigators had to gather DNA samples from her son 's children . A half-decade after the notorious attack , memories of the gruesome images have faded somewhat from the public eye , as the United States plans to reduce troop numbers in Iraq and a wrongful death suit brought by the four families heads to court-ordered arbitration . The families accuse Blackwater of failing to prepare the men for their mission that day . A 2007 House oversight committee report concluded that Blackwater `` ignored multiple warnings about the dangers '' and failed to supply armored vehicles , machine guns , sufficient intelligence or even a map . Blackwater responded by saying the experienced military veterans on the team `` had all of the resources they needed '' and were victims of a `` well-planned ambush . '' In the days after the attack , Blackwater was largely silent beyond a statement that said , `` We grieve today for the loss of our colleagues and we pray for their families . '' But the families said they ran into a stone wall trying to get details of what happened in Falluja . `` For the next three months , they never returned my calls , '' Helvenston 's mother said . `` Our families were destroyed . We will never be the same . '' For Zovko , the suit is not about money or punishment . `` I want to hear the truth , '' she said . `` I want to know what my Jerry was doing before the mission . Why they did n't they have the maps ? I want to know who he spoke to last . '' What makes this anniversary different from past years , she said , was an encounter this month in Boston with an Iraqi who claimed that he was at the scene of the attack shortly after the massacre . He offered Zovko new alleged details of the attack , which she says brought her comfort . The Iraqi man , whom she would n't identify , told her that the attackers did not appear to be targeting the motorcade containing her son and his three comrades . `` We used to think maybe the attack was done on purpose , '' she said . The news made her feel like `` I was lifted into the air , '' she said . `` For me , it was good . I miss my Jerry more today than yesterday . '' The gruesome attack put the little-known North Carolina-based security company into the American lexicon and on the world stage . It also changed the course of the war . The House report called it a `` turning point in public opinion about the war , '' which led to the first major U.S. offensive in Falluja . The fighting lasted three weeks , killing 36 U.S. service members , about 200 insurgents and an estimated 600 Iraqi civilians , according to the report . In the ensuing years , Blackwater and other private security firms in Iraq received hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. government contracts . Tactics used by the private security firms sometimes created ill will among Iraqis and Blackwater in particular was criticized , even by some in the U.S. military , for its allegedly reckless use of deadly force . Erik Prince , Blackwater 's founder and former CEO , dismissed such allegations as `` baseless '' after his company was criticized by the Iraqi government for an incident in which its guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians and wounded others while protecting a U.S. State Department convoy in Baghdad on September 16 , 2007 . `` To the extent there was the loss of innocent life , let me be clear that I consider that tragic , '' Prince said , adding that the Blackwater team `` acted appropriately while operating in a very complex war zone '' that day . Five ex-Blackwater security guards pleaded not guilty in January to charges of voluntary manslaughter stemming from their involvement in the shootings . A sixth pleaded guilty to voluntary and attempted manslaughter . That same month , the Iraqi government refused to grant the firm an operating license , and the U.S. State Department announced that it will not renew its contract . In the two months since the exit of the Bush administration , Prince has stepped down as CEO and brought in a new leadership team . The company has changed its name to Xe , but Prince is still chairman . `` I think Blackwater 's been punished enough , '' Zovko said , `` but they will be punished more . It 's time our government makes some rules and regulations about what civilian contractors can do in their wars . '' This week , Xe released a brief statement to CNN about the Falluja killings , saying the `` sacrifices of these brave men have not been forgotten . On the five-year anniversary of their death , the company continues to mourn their loss . Our thoughts remain with their families and loved ones . '' Prince 's promise . Both mothers seem to be making a conscious effort to control their anger five years on . `` I refuse to hate , but if I were gon na hate anybody , it would be Blackwater and Erik Prince , '' Helvenston-Wettengel said . `` I want Blackwater exposed for who they are , and I want them out of business . '' Zovko said she relies on her Catholic faith to control her anger . In 2007 , Prince told CNN he would be willing to meet with Zovko , but 16 months later , no such meeting has taken place . `` He has n't honored his promise , but I believe he will , '' Zovko said . `` Sometimes I think he does n't have a heart , but he really does . '' Zovko said she wants to ask Prince , `` Where are my Jerry 's three suitcases with personal things that I have never received ? '' Also , she said Prince promised to invite Zovko to Blackwater 's headquarters in North Carolina to see memorial stones and trees that were planted honoring the victims . `` That has n't happened , '' Zovko said . Helvenston-Wettengel also said she 'd like to meet with Prince . `` I 'd like to look him in the eye , yeah . I 'd say , ` How can you live with yourself ? ' '' CNN sought a response from Prince about his promised meeting with Zovko . Company spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said Prince had tried to meet with Zovko in early 2008 but was unable to `` due to scheduling conflicts . '' Both mothers ' sons went to Iraq after careers in the U.S. military . Jerry Zovko , a former Army Ranger , had gone as a security contractor to train Iraqi soldiers . When that contract ended in late 2003 , he signed on with a different company , Blackwater , according to his mother . For Scott Helvenston , Iraq was just the final chapter of a colorful career for the former Navy SEAL , a life that included a job as a stuntman and consultant for Hollywood films . On the set of 1997 's `` G.I. Jane , '' shot in Jacksonville , Florida , Helvenston put Demi Moore through a rigorous training program , his mother said , even managing to grab a small role as an extra . A divorced father of two , Helvenston told his mother he would return from Iraq in two months , she said . `` He was going to go over there and make a bunch of money and come back and give it to his ex-wife , '' she said . Zovko and Helvenston-Wettengel have become close friends in the years since the tragedy , but on this anniversary , the two mothers will not be together to share their support and grief with each other . `` Traveling is getting to be troublesome for us both , '' said Zovko , who plans to remain near her home in Bratenahl , Ohio , to attend morning and evening masses at Cleveland 's St. Paul Croatian Church . Helvenston-Wettengel also said she plans to attend church Tuesday in her hometown of Leesburg , Florida . Legal setbacks . As for the families ' wrongful death lawsuit against Blackwater , a federal judge in 2007 ordered that the case be taken out of the courts to be decided by a three-member arbitration panel . Senior U.S. District Judge James Fox sent the case to arbitration based on Blackwater 's argument that the four victims had signed an agreement not to sue the company . A hearing is set for June 23 . In court , Blackwater had argued that it was immune to such a lawsuit because , as an extension of the military , it can not be held responsible for deaths in a war zone . At this point , Zovko said , both sides are losers . `` I lost my son , and Blackwater lost the dignity of the company they thought they were . '' Helvenston said she wants the whole thing to just end , but events keep dragging it out . `` They wo n't let me let it go . '' CNN 's Wayne Drash contributed to this report .
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It 's been five years since killings of four U.S. contractors in Falluja . Victim 's mom : `` I want Blackwater exposed and out of business '' Blackwater , renamed Xe , says it `` continues to mourn '' the loss of the four men . Another mom : Both sides are losers in Blackwater suit .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- United States captain Landon Donovan is poised for a January switch to Everton after the English Premier League club confirmed talks were underway about a loan move . The 27-year-old , who has won a record 120 international caps , will lead his country against England in their opening group game at the World Cup finals in South Africa next year . The versatile Los Angeles Galaxy forward is expected to join compatriot Tim Howard on Merseyside from January 2 if negotiations are successful , and remain at Goodison Park until mid-March . `` Landon is a player who -LSB- manager -RSB- David Moyes has identified as someone he would like to bring to the club , '' chief executive Robert Elstone told Everton 's official Web site . `` We are working to make that happen and hope we can reach agreement soon with all the appropriate parties . '' Donovan has previous experience in Europe , having gone to Bayer Leverkusen while a teenager . But he failed to make an impact at the German club and was loaned to U.S. Major League Soccer outfit San Jose Earthquakes before joining the Galaxy in 2005 . He spent a spell on loan at Bayern Munich at the start of this year , making six appearances , and then after a public falling-out with teammate David Beckham helped the galaxy reach the final of the MLS Cup . Donovan would join a growing list of American players in Britain , joining Howard and his fellow-goalkeepers Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan of Aston Villa , Fulham 's Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson , West Ham defender Jonathan Spector plus Maurice Edu and DaMarcus Beasley at Scottish club Rangers . Everton are struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League following a debilitating series of injuries to key players , but have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League .
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United States captain Landon Donovan is poised for a January switch to Everton . The English Premier League club confirms talks are underway about a loan move . The 27-year-old will lead his country in opening World Cup group match against England . He will join Everton on January 2 if talks are successful and stay until mid-March .
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London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On-form Wayne Rooney came off the bench to score the winner as Manchester United beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the English League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday . United manager Alex Ferguson opted to rest the England striker , preferring Michael Owen in attack alongside Dimitar Berbatov . Villa took the lead early on when James Milner converted a penalty after the pacey Gabriel Agbonlahor was pulled down in the box by Nemanja Vidic . Vidic was lucky not to receive a red card as he appeared to be the last defender . But United were back on level terms barely seven minutes later when Villa defender Richard Dunne lost the ball to Berbatov . Dunne 's attempt at recovering the situation succeeded only in diverting the ball to the on-rushing Owen . The former Liverpool and Real Madrid frontman slid the ball first time past Brad Friedel and into the net . Owen , who has struggled to claim a regular starting place in the United side , was forced off just before the interval with a hamstring injury . The stage was set for his replacement , Rooney . The 24 year-old did n't disappoint as he nodded in a cross from Antonio Valencia with only 16 minutes remaining . After the match , Ferguson told Sky Sports he decided to drop his match-winner for the game because of the number of key matches coming up for the club -- including the Champions League second leg tie against AC Milan . `` There are a lot of big games coming up now and that 's why we did n't play him today , but he 's had 45 , 50 minutes , '' he said . `` Michael Owen had a great first half , but unfortunately he got a hamstring injury and had to come off with that . Wayne comes on and scores the winning goal . With the form he 's in you expect that . '' In the English Premier League , Tottenham Hotspur beat Everton 2-1 to regain fourth spot from Manchester City , who shocked leaders Chelsea 4-2 on Saturday . First half goals from in-form Roman Pavlyuchenko and the influential Luka Modric put them in charge at White Hart Lane , but Ayegbeni Yakubu 's reply just after the break set up a tense second half . Liverpool stay a point behind in sixth place after a 2-1 home win over Blackburn with talismen Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres scoring . Keith Andrews drew Blackburn level from the spot but Spanish striker Torres grabbed a valuable winner as he continues his comeback from an injury layoff .
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James Milner penalty gave Aston Villa the lead at Wembley . Replacement Michael Owen leveled for United but then left pitch injured . Substitute Rooney headed the winner 16 minutes from the end . Tottenham and Liverpool win in English Premier League in battle for fourth spot .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been ruled out of his side 's La Liga clash with Sevilla on Sunday with an ankle injury . Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo will miss his side 's La Liga clash with Sevilla with an ankle injury . The 24-year-old Portugal international picked up the injury in Real 's 3-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League during the week having scored twice in the game . Ronaldo was keen to be involved in the clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium , but Pellegrini revealed the club 's medical staff have taken the decision to leave him out of the squad . `` The only issue was Cristiano Ronaldo 's ankle . He tried playing yesterday and today and everyone , including the medical staff , believes he is n't ready to play , '' Pellegrini told the club 's Web site . `` He trained on his own but was n't able to recover and will therefore not play tomorrow . `` Cristiano 's absence is significant , but we have a good squad and sufficient alternatives . '' The match will be the first competitive game Ronaldo has missed a since his arrival from Manchester United for $ 130 million having contributed nine goals in seven games so far this season . The injury is not thought to be serious and he should be involved in Portugal 's World Cup qualifying clash against Hungary next weekend . Pellegrini also left midfielders Lassana Diarra and Fernando Gago , striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and defender Alvaro Arbeloa out of the squad for the trip to Sevilla .
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Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo will miss his side 's clash with Sevilla . Ronaldo picked up an ankle injury against Marseille in the Champions League . The injury is not a serious one Ronaldo should be fit for Portugal next weekend .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods , who suffered minor injuries in a car accident Friday near his Florida home , is not only the greatest golfer the world has ever seen , he is a true sporting phenomenon and one of the most recognizable faces in the world . The 33-year-old was the highest-paid professional athlete in 2008 , reportedly earning an estimated $ 110 million from tournament winnings and endorsements . Although Woods has yet to pass Jack Nicklaus ' overall record of 18 Major tournament victories , he is currently on 14 Major wins , there is little doubt that the Florida native is one of the most iconic sportsmen that has ever lived . Woods , who was nicknamed Tiger by his father Earl , who befriended a Vietnamese soldier of the same name , was destined from an early age to become a golfing great . Before he could walk , the baby Woods -- aged just six months -- was already imitating his father 's swing , and at the age of two he famously appeared on the Bob Hope show to display his already considerable golfing skills . A year later , Woods played nine holes in a remarkable 48 shots and it was no surprise when in 1991 he became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Junior Championship at the age of 15 . More success quickly followed , defending his junior title before becoming the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship . In 1996 , Woods turned professional and signed a reported $ 25 million five-year sponsorship deal with Nike , before claiming his first major with an astonishing 12-stroke Masters victory a year later -- the tournament 's largest-ever winning margin . Three more Majors followed in 2000 , the U.S. Open , British Open and U.S. PGA , before winning his second Masters in 2001 to become the first player ever to hold all four Majors at the same time , dubbed the ` Tiger Slam ' . Success followed success through the decade with notable landmarks including breaking Byron Nelson 's record for 114 consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour while also passing the $ 40m career earnings mark in 2004 -- the year Woods married Swedish model Elin Nordegren . The death of father Earl in 2006 prompted Woods to take a nine-week lay-off from golf , following which he missed his first cut in 38 Majors at the U.S. Open . Woods became a father for the first time in 2007 , when Elin gave birth to daughter Sam Alexis but in 2008 recurring problems forced him to undergo a third operation on his left knee . However , he continues to dominate the world golfing scene and proved he has lost none of his brilliance earlier this month when winning the Australian Masters after being paid $ 3.3 million just to appear in the tournament .
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Tiger Woods is one of the most recognizable and iconic figures in the world . The American can lay claim to being the greatest golfer that has ever lived . The 33-year-old was the highest-paid sportsman in 2008 , reportedly earning $ 110 million .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 1 Tiger Woods marked his first appearance in Australia in 11 years with his first tournament victory on the continent on Sunday . The American bounced back from a disappointing showing on Saturday to cruise to victory by two shots at the Australian Masters despite being infuriated by an over-enthusiastic photographer at Kingston Heath in the state of Victoria . The 14-time major winner 's only dropped shot in his final-round four-under-par 68 came at the par-four 13th hole when he was snapped while in the middle of his approach shot . `` That got me right on my downswing , '' he shouted in dismay . But Woods , who was paid a reported $ 3 million to play in the event and was tied for the lead after 54 holes despite his 72 on Saturday , bounced back with his fifth birdie of the day at the 15th hole . `` I said yesterday I was thankful I was still in the tournament , but I kept myself in it and it allowed me to go out today and go for the chance to win , '' said Woods , who attracted unprecedented crowds of more than 25,000 . `` It was going to be tough today . I had to make some birdies early and I was able to do that and was able to keep it . '' Greg Chalmers , who had also shared the lead along with fellow Australian James Nitties , also birdied 15 and followed Woods ' lead by parring the last three holes to card 70 and finish second on 12-under 276 . Nitties finished fifth on 279 after carding four bogeys in his 73 , with France 's Francois Delamontagne -LRB- 69 -RRB- and American Jason Dufner -LRB- 70 -RRB- tied for third on 278 . Defending champion Rod Pampling carded a final-round 73 to finish tied for 14th on four-under . The Australasian Tour tournament is co-sanctioned with the European Tour .
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Tiger Woods marks his first appearance in Australia in 11 years with his first tournament win on the continent . World No. 1 triumphs by two shots at the Australian Masters after closing with 68 . American heads off Australian Greg Chalmers , who finishes with a two-under-par 70 . Woods and Chalmers had shared the lead going into final round along with James Nitties .
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Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Yad Vashem , Israel 's official Holocaust memorial , museum and research facility , has launched a YouTube channel in Farsi , the primary language of Iran . This is being added to the already existing channels in English , Hebrew , Arabic , Russian and Spanish . The Farsi YouTube channel contains a chronological description of the Holocaust , accompanied by video , photos , documents and artifacts . It also includes the `` Auschwitz Album , '' a multimedia presentation about the infamous Nazi death camp where more than 1 million Jews were murdered during World War II . Testimonies from Holocaust survivors are presented on the channel , several of whom attended the launching event held at Yad Vashem . The channel also features Holocaust historians speaking about contemporary anti-Semitism . `` Today , when there is so much disinformation and distortion easily available online , we provide an alternative to anyone who is interested in the truth , '' said Avner Shalev , chairman of Yad Vashem . Shalev affirmed to CNN that the Farsi channel is , in part , a countermeasure against the official Holocaust denial of the Iranian regime , `` and I do believe that there are those circles inside Iranian society , we know about them , who are making many efforts to get more information about the Holocaust . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has questioned , repeatedly and publicly , whether the Holocaust actually happened . He went as far as organizing a conference in Tehran on December 11 , 2006 , titled the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust . The attendees included individuals who propagate that the Holocaust was a fabrication . Ahmadinejad himself in a speech given in June 2009 referred to the murder of six million Jews as `` the great deception of the Holocaust . '' Ya'acov Handeli , a survivor of Auschwitz whose testimony is included on the YouTube channel said , `` Holocaust denial exists in many countries , and that is why it is important that people will see us , the Holocaust survivors , and listen to our testimony and learn about the events of the Holocaust also in Farsi . ''
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New channel contains a Holocaust chronology , with videos , photos , documents and artifacts . Yad Vashem chairman affirms the channel , in part , targets Iran 's official Holocaust denial . Holocaust survivor : `` It is important that people will ... learn about the events ... also in Farsi . ''
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama told his war council Wednesday that the U.S. troop commitment to Afghanistan is not open-ended , and he asked for revisions to options he previously received for sending more troops , a senior administration official told CNN . The war council -- made up of top Cabinet , Pentagon and administration officials -- met with Obama for the eighth time to discuss a request by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan for up to 40,000 more troops . The meeting lasted more than two hours , according to the senior administration official . `` The president and his team discussed the length of time that it would take to implement the options he 's been presented , '' the senior official said . `` The president believes that we need to make clear to the Afghan government that our commitment is not open-ended . After years of substantial investments by the American people , governance in Afghanistan must improve in a reasonable period of time to ensure a successful transition to our Afghan partner . '' In particular , Obama pushed for revisions in proposed plans for troop increases to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government , the official said . The president 's questions at the meeting could change how many troops eventually are sent to Afghanistan , as well as how long they would be there , according to the senior administration official . Before the meeting , Gen. David Petraeus , the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East , said the meeting would continue evaluating how best to carry out the mission in Afghanistan . Petraeus provided no specifics on options under consideration , but said the process is approaching completion . `` I think we are indeed nearing a decision on this very important topic , '' he said , emphasizing the need to focus on the mission of ensuring that Afghanistan `` does not once again become a sanctuary or safe haven for al Qaeda and the kind of transnational extremists that carried out the 9/11 attacks . '' Earlier , a senior administration official and a U.S. military official independently told CNN that one option presented to Obama calls for sending about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in addition to the 68,000 already committed to the country . The military official said the plan would send three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade of about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 troops ; and 4,000 to 5,000 support troops . The combat brigades would be brought in gradually , in three-month intervals , according to the military official . The troops would be spread across the country , mainly focusing in the south and southeast , where much of the fighting is , according to the official . The military official said the option has been a favorite at the Pentagon in recent weeks . That is only one option , the senior administration official emphasized . Three other options , the official said , would be `` different mixes , '' or `` different components of it . '' The senior administration official said Obama was expected to ask the war council meeting about cooperation the United States can expect from the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai , civilian support the United States is willing to offer , and support the United States can expect from other countries . On Wednesday night , The Washington Post and The New York Times reported that concerns have been raised recently by the U.S. Ambassador in Kabul about Karzai 's ability to rid his country 's government of corruption and mismanagement . All those factors could lead to `` further refinements '' or some `` greater elements being considered , '' the official said , adding : `` He 's got to fine-tune this , put it all together ... for what direction best advances our interests . '' Despite reports to the contrary , Obama has not decided the number of U.S. troops he will send to Afghanistan , White House officials said . Such reports are `` absolutely false , '' Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said . Anyone who suggests otherwise , `` does n't have , in all honesty , the slightest idea what they 're talking about . '' White House officials would not say whether Wednesday 's meeting with the war council would be Obama 's last with that group before deciding on Afghanistan . They said he would continue to discuss the war effort in smaller groups in coming days , including during his trip to Asia , which starts Thursday . Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee urged Obama in a letter sent Wednesday -- Veterans Day -- to agree to the request for additional troops by U.S. military leaders in Afghanistan . The letter , signed by 10 GOP committee members , said success in Afghanistan will require local leaders and citizens being able to govern and secure their own country without `` substantial '' international assistance . `` This wo n't be perfect or easy , but it will allow America 's fighting men and women to leave Afghanistan with honor , and it will enable Afghans to build a better , more peaceful future , '' the letter said . `` That is our goal , and we must stay in the fight until is is won . '' Republican leaders have criticized Obama for taking so long to decide on the troop request , but Petraeus said the process of analyzing the situation has been `` very useful . '' `` There has been a refinement of objectives ; there has been discussion of various courses of action , '' he said . `` There have been explanations and discussions about how the civilian component of this will complement what is done by the work of our military troops . All in all , I think it has been a very productive couple of months that we have spent on this . '' Also Wednesday , a new national poll showed Americans are split over whether Obama is taking too long to decide whether to send more U.S. troops to the war in Afghanistan . The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey also indicated that , by a narrow margin , Americans think the president should listen to the recommendations of the generals in charge of U.S. troops in Afghanistan . According to the survey , 49 percent of people questioned say the president is taking too long to decide whether to increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan ; 50 percent do not . `` There is a gender gap on this question , with most men saying Obama is taking too long and most women willing to give him more time , '' CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said . `` That 's due in part to the partisan differences between men and women , but gender differences on the use of military force , and maybe even differences in how the genders make important decisions , can also be contributing to the split . '' The poll indicates that 52 percent think Obama should listen to the generals , with 48 percent saying the president should take other matters into account as well . But a troop buildup remains unpopular , with a separate question indicating that a majority opposes sending more troops . Roughly one in five Americans opposes more troops , yet also thinks that Obama should pay attention to the U.S. military leaders in that country , Holland said . `` That suggests that a lot of people who do n't support a troop build-up are unaware of Gen. Stanley McChrystal 's request for a bigger U.S. military presence there , '' he said . `` And that , in turn , indicates that the military leaders in the field might provide Obama some political cover if he decides to increase troop strength there . '' The poll also suggests widespread agreement among Americans that Afghanistan will never have a stable democratic government , with only one in 10 people questioned saying that will occur within a year , and one-third saying it will ever happen . Overall , 56 percent of Americans oppose sending more troops , while 42 percent favor increasing troop strength . The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted October 30-November 1 , with 1,018 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the overall sample . CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser and Tom Cohen contributed to this story .
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Obama discusses options with war council Wednesday afternoon . One confirmed option calls for sending about 34,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan . Discussions include how Afghan President Hamid Karzai figures into strategy . Obama has not decided the number of U.S. troops he will send , White House officials say .
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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Flo Rida wants you to call him . Flo Rida 's latest single , `` Right Round , '' was No. 1 on Billboard 's pop chart for 10 weeks . In an attempt to reach his fan base on a more intimate level , the Floridian rapper has made his personal cell phone number public . `` If they can go out and buy my albums , I can at least make the sacrifice to holler at the few people who call , '' he says . `` A lot of times I 'm busy so they 'll get my voice mail . And if I can speak to them and I have time , I always text back . Because I think that 's very important . '' To prove that the number he shared on camera during our interview was the real deal , he showed CNN his iPhone . The device was on overdrive , constantly lighting up and vibrating with an influx of texts and calls . `` Yo this is your boy Flo Rida , '' he said to one caller . `` What 's your name ? What 's good ? '' But it was too much for the person on the other end -- he or she hung up before uttering a response . Watch Flo Rida take a call '' `` Most of them hang up , '' says Flo Rida -LRB- real name Tramar Dillard -RRB- . `` They do n't think it 's really me . '' So how many calls and texts does a top-selling , in-demand rap star actually respond to ? `` About 30 percent , '' he says . Flo Rida has been moving quickly these days . His single , `` Low , '' featuring T-Pain , broke digital sales records last year , selling 467,000 downloads in its first week . He 's also breaking his own records : His new single `` Right Round '' sold more than 636,000 downloads in the week after its release . It also hit No. 1 on Billboard 's Hot 100 pop chart . `` Right Round '' features singer Kesha and borrows an infectious sample from the Dead or Alive hit `` You Spin me Round -LRB- Like a Record -RRB- . '' It can be found on Flo Rida 's sophomore album , `` R.O.O.T.S. '' -LRB- Atlantic -RRB- , which dropped last week , only a year after the release of his debut album , `` Mail on Sunday . '' Flo Rida is also scheduled to be a guest on Wednesday night 's `` American Idol . '' Flo Rida talked to CNN about having to record music while on the road , keeping in tune with his international fans , and being a shy guy -LRB- yeah , right ! -RRB- . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : In `` Right Round '' you sample the '80s group Dead or Alive . Are you a fan of '80s music ? Or -LSB- do -RSB- you just like that song in particular ? Flo Rida : I grew up -LSB- with -RSB- seven sisters so I listened to all types of music . And Dead or Alive was one of the records in particular that I 've heard . But my A&R -LSB- man -RSB- Mike Caren actually brought it to my attention . Me putting out a sophomore album , I thought I 'd broaden my horizons , show people my growth , so I got in the studio with Dr. Luke , who 's the producer of the song , and we made history . CNN : Seven sisters ? Flo Rida : Yeah . I 'm the youngest . And I have a twin sister . I 'm a twin . CNN : What does `` R.O.O.T.S. '' stand for ? Flo Rida : Route of overcoming the struggle . CNN : What do you mean by `` struggle '' ? Flo Rida : I was definitely inspired by the fact that I had a chance to go to Africa recently , did the MTV Awards there . ... But going back to my neighborhood , you know , I had a lot of struggling , too , where it was a lot of drug dealing around me , killing . ... But my mom always instilled in me to keep the faith , dream big and that 's what I did . I was a great follower of my mom , very loyal and everything . And right now I 'm happy that the world looks at me as a great leader as far as me doing my music and coming with a positive approach . CNN : Your first hit song , `` Low , '' broke digital sales records . How did that change the pace of your career ? Flo Rida : We had to hurry up with the album and put it out because we definitely want to keep the attention on the fact that we have a No. 1 record , and let that follow into having a No. 1 album . I 'm definitely happy that on this album versus the last , there 's more substance so at the same time the fans get a feel of me ... where I come from , how I got the success as well as me being the life of the party . They can continue to have a smile on their faces around the world . Hit the dance floor , shake it off , put your hands in the air and ... the hot ladies have my head spinning right round so I definitely had to get that album out . CNN : It has barely been a year since you released your debut album , so you 're really striking while the iron 's hot . Are you putting this pressure on yourself or is it mainly coming from outside forces ? Flo Rida : The most pressure came from traveling . I actually found myself in hotel rooms in the bathroom , whether I was in Japan or in Sweden , recording records , trying to get an acoustic sound . I definitely worked hard ... it was just a challenge as far as time goes , with me doing two -- sometimes three -- shows a night for two weeks straight . I enjoy doing all the shows and performing , but at the same time all that work -- and trying to put out an album -- was definitely hectic . CNN : You 've worked hard to build up your overseas fan base . Why is having a global audience important to you ? Flo Rida : It 's very important ... the loyalty that they have overseas . You have a No. 1 record in almost 12 different countries : To me , that 's like having nine lives . Most people do n't even have an idea that you can really sell music overseas . I always love the fact that I can do things internationally . When I was going to school I took the approach that I wanted to take international business versus just taking business classes . So I always had that approach prior to me doing music . CNN : Are you surprised by how responsive the rest of the world is to American rap ? Flo Rida : Most definitely . Sometimes they do n't even know the language , and they can repeat a song . CNN : Some might say that your music is less rap and more good-time club jams . Would you agree with that ? Flo Rida : People can have their own thoughts of what they think it is . But for the most part I 'm happy that they know it 's music . CNN : What kind of feedback do you get when you have a hit record ? What do people tell you they like about it ? Flo Rida : At this moment everybody wants to be a rock star , so it has that vibe in it . The way I ride a beat definitely gets everybody 's attention . And in using a Dead or Alive sample intertwined with what 's going on here in the new millennium is definitely what catches everyone 's attention . CNN : What 's your dream collaboration ? Who would you really like to work with ? Flo Rida : Andre 3000 . I 've always been a fan of OutKast . Every time they drop an album they step it up a notch . And there 's a lot of diversity between Andre and Big Boi . CNN : What is the quirkiest thing about you ? Flo Rida : Most people see me on stage and they think that I 'm this crazy dude , but for the most part I 'm a little shy and laid back .
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Flo Rida enjoying popularity of single `` Right Round '' Rapper 's new album , `` R.O.O.T.S. , '' came out Tuesday . Flo Rida willing to give phone number to fans ; many call . Big inspiration : His mother .
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HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A magistrate in Zimbabwe ruled Friday that Tendai Biti , the secretary-general of the opposition party , must face trial on charges that include treason . Tendai Biti , a leading opposition figure , is facing treason charges after returning to Zimbabwe . Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe said the state had enough evidence to disclose an offense against Biti , a high-ranking member of the Movement for Democratic Change -LRB- MDC -RRB- . `` After a careful perusal of the submissions by both the state and defense , there is a reasonable suspicion that the accused -LSB- Biti -RSB- committed the offense , '' Guvamombe said to a full courtroom . As the magistrate read the ruling , Biti -- still wearing the red jacket he wore a day earlier -- remained motionless and only shook his head before prison guards whisked him away . Biti 's defense team has requested he be granted bail while he awaits trial . Acting Attorney General Bharat Patel was expected to decide on the request later Friday . Biti faces four charges including treason , which carries the death penalty . The treason charge , which the MDC said was `` trumped-up , '' stems from a document titled `` The Transitional Strategy '' that Biti is said to have written ahead of the March 29 election between President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai . Biti denies he wrote the document and his lawyers have described it as `` doctored . '' From the same document stem two other charges of causing dissatisfaction among the army and bringing the office of the president into disrepute . The fourth charge Biti faces is communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state by allegedly announcing that Tsvangirai had won the March presidential election by an outright majority . Results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission five weeks later indicated that while Tsvangirai had beaten Mugabe , he had failed to garner a majority . Watch Mugabe say he 'll fight to keep is party in power '' That outcome set up a runoff election , now scheduled for June 27 . Biti denies all the charges , which the MDC calls `` maliciously politically motivated . '' The party called for Biti 's immediate release . `` The regime wants to frustrate both the internal cohesion of the MDC and its election campaign , '' the party said in a statement Friday . `` The regime knows fully well that its time is up and is trying to postpone the inevitable -- its departure . `` Come the 27th of June we will finish this regime of thugs and warlords and usher -LSB- in -RSB- a new era of jobs , health care , education and general prosperity . '' African and international leaders have criticized Biti 's arrest and the treason charge , characterizing it as a ploy by supporters of Mugabe to intimidate the opposition party before the runoff . The MDC has claimed that Mugabe supporters have beat , kidnapped , arrested and killed supporters of their party . U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Mugabe on Thursday of sponsoring efforts to starve , beat and kill supporters of his opponent so he can win next week . Learn more about Zimbabwe '' `` Mugabe is increasing violence against -LSB- the -RSB- opposition , '' Rice said at the UN . `` President Mugabe has squandered the promise of the very nation that was hailed as the jewel of Africa . '' The MDC has accused supporters of Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party of beatings , torture , and killings , saying more than 70 MDC party members have been killed since the beginning of the three-month-long election process . Mugabe 's party denied any part in the deaths , saying MDC officials hurl such accusations frequently .
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Magistrate rules Tendai Biti must face trial on charges that include treason . Biti 's defense team requests he be granted bail while waiting for trial . U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice condemns violence in Zimbabwe .
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PITTSBURGH , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lined up next to Pittsburgh police officers protecting a downtown office building Thursday morning were officers who traveled a little farther to get to work . Police officers from Tucson , Arizona , left , talk with a Pittsburgh officer Thursday outside the G-20 summit . About 2,000 miles farther . Thirty-six officers from the Tucson , Arizona , Police Department are in Pittsburgh as part of the G-20 security force . They were asked to assist by Pittsburgh officials as part of a Department of Homeland Security rapid response team . Officers from departments in several cities , including Cleveland , Ohio ; Miami Metro Dade , Florida ; Baltimore , Maryland ; and Chicago , Illinois , were sworn in as part of the massive security effort , but Tucson wins the prize for the greatest distance traveled . Watch how Pittsburgh has prepared for protests '' `` There 's a standardization in training , '' Tucson Lt. Paul Sayre said . Departments brought in to assist have undergone similar preparations in techniques and crowd control . The Arizona officers were asked to come to Pittsburgh after taking part in the protection effort at the Republican National Convention in 2008 in St. Paul , Minnesota . The downtown Pittsburgh street on a morning with temperatures in the 50s was nothing like a typical day for the officers . `` It 's a different environment , '' Sayre said -- but the job was the same . `` We 're excited to be here . It 's a lot of fun . '' `` Our role is to support Pittsburgh , '' said Capt. Perry Tarrant , commanding the Tucson team . The additional help protecting downtown locations `` gives Pittsburgh the flexibility to send its officers where needed , '' Sayre said .
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Police officers from around country join G-20 security effort in Pittsburgh . Departments involved include Miami , Florida , and Baltimore , Maryland . Cops from Tucson , Arizona , find chilly temps a change , but say `` It 's a lot of fun ''
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ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In making `` Into the Wild , '' Emile Hirsch forded rivers in Alaska , coped with blazing desert heat and rode raging rapids in the American Southwest . Emile Hirsch has starred in `` The Girl Next Door , '' `` Lords of Dogtown '' and now `` Into the Wild . '' But ask him about a dangerous location he dealt with during the production of the Sean Penn film and he answers , `` South Dakota . '' South Dakota ? It seems that Hirsch had a couple close calls while shooting scenes on a farm in the other Sunshine State . At one point , while in a grain elevator set to handle 300-pound loads , Hirsch took out the pin holding the elevator in place . The platform rose with such speed that it `` launched me in the air and shot wood chips all over me '' when it hit the top , he recalled . `` Into the Wild , '' based on Jon Krakauer 's bestselling book , is the story of Chris McCandless , whose good-natured restlessness drove him in search of soul-searching adventure . Watch Hirsch talk about life on the road '' As he traveled through the West and Upper Plains on his way to Alaska , McCandless met farm workers , itinerant old hippies , a philosophical old man and a variety of other people , establishing short-lived relationships as he made his way along the road . At director Penn 's urging , the Los Angeles-raised Hirsch -LRB- `` The Girl Next Door , '' `` Lords of Dogtown '' -RRB- stayed true to McCandless ' spirit throughout filming , to the point of losing more than 40 pounds off his already slight , 5-foot-7-inch frame . `` That was part of the commitment of the role , '' he said . But the impact of the film went beyond that , the actor said in an interview at CNN Center . `` It 's presumptuous to say I am changed , '' he said , but added that the shock of going from `` civilization to the middle of nowhere '' had its effect . `` A lot of Hollywood seems pretty ridiculous -LSB- now -RSB- , '' he said . `` L.A. seems pretty goofy . '' Of course , that 's nothing like the shock of going from the wilds of Alaska to the green-screened studios of Berlin , Germany , where he just finished principal photography of next summer 's big-budget production of `` Speed Racer . '' `` There was a point where I was sitting in this green cockpit ... strapped in , getting rotated and spun around , '' he recalls , `` and I was thinking about this : I went from being in the mountains with a big grizzly bear to being strapped in ... I 'm not making it very easy on myself , am I , '' he recalled . He describes `` Speed Racer , '' a Wachowski brothers -LRB- `` The Matrix '' -RRB- film based on the 1960s cartoon as `` a really crazy , Andy Warhol-meets - ` Blade Runner ' kind of big colors , pop-art , really crazy special effects , very goofy movie . '' With `` Into the Wild '' now safely in Hirsch 's past , what he thinks about -- besides the outdoor travails -- was his work with several notable performers , including Catherine Keener , Hal Holbrook , William Hurt and Vince Vaughn . `` It was so much fun to go to all of these locations and work with different actors , '' he says . They did n't work with each other , he observes , but `` I had the experience of being with all of them . I kind of connected them . '' E-mail to a friend .
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Emile Hirsch stars in `` Into the Wild '' Hirsch traveled same path as film 's protagonist , through West up to Alaska . Hirsch recently finished principal filming for next summer 's `` Speed Racer ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Don Shows was a computer geek until he lost his job and took a road trip . JetBlue promises to refund some tickets purchased before a traveler is laid off from a job . While the 56-year-old from Dayton , Ohio , was away on his eight-day post-layoff adventure , he decided he really wanted to be a photojournalist . `` I ran into some interesting situations when I was out touring around the backcountry '' of the Midwest , he said . `` The road map is handy , but sometimes the road you 're looking for is not there . '' Stories like Shows ' are more common these days . The unemployment rate was at 7.6 percent in January , and , strange as it may seem , at least one travel company , an airline and a travel-bag maker are now catering to the layoff crowd -- both the recently let go and the future unemployed . For those who buy a plane ticket before they get the ax , JetBlue is offering to refund fares . The JetBlue Promise promotion is good for customers laid off on or after February 17 and applies to ticket purchases made between February 1 and June 1 . The program is designed to appeal to people who have n't been downsized but worry they might be , said Alison Croyle , a spokeswoman for the airline . `` It 's something that we felt would provide an advantage to customers who otherwise might be too stressed to book future travel plans , '' she said . Then there 's the already-laid-off demographic . On some packages , Intrepid Travel is giving a 15 percent discount to people who 've recently been let go . The deal , with the tongue-in-cheek title , `` Laid off ? How about taking off ? '' has gotten a few dozen takers in the two months it 's been offered , said Leslie Cohen , spokeswoman for the travel company . Cohen said the discount is designed to give people a chance to clear their heads during a tough transition . Some of the deals start at less than $ 1,000 , she said . The company is `` not suggesting you use your life savings , '' she said . `` It 's really just a chance to catch your breath and see something else and come back in a little bit of a different frame of mind . '' For those looking to hit the skies on the job hunt rather than escape it , SkyRoll , maker of a $ 149.99 garment bag , says it 's giving a discount . `` If you recently lost your job and need to travel for an interview , we will take 50 percent off the price of a SkyRoll to help you arrive looking your best , '' the company says on its Web site . To get the discount , SkyRoll requires customers to e-mail the company a layoff notice . Travel discounts like the one from Intrepid may be great for unemployed people who have hefty savings accounts or large severance packages , but the program also could prey on the unemployed , said Madeline Hughes , who runs a consulting and outplacement group in Denver , Colorado . The cost of a big trip `` could be lunch money for somebody for the next six months , '' she said . Hughes tells her clients who are laid off they need to come up with a career plan -- and quickly -- because the job market is so competitive . If a person truly has a thick enough checkbook to afford a post-layoff vacation , Hughes said she would tell the person to send out plenty of resumes before hitting the beach . `` If you really do want to get away , then at least get somewhat of a plan so when you 're on vacation you 're not fretting about what you 're going to do when you get back , '' she said . `` People ca n't relax if they 're afraid and they do n't have a plan and they 're sort of panicked . '' Daphne Domingo , a life coach in Seattle , Washington , said people who 've been laid off should take vacations so they have time to reassess their lives -- but they should gauge the scope of their travel on their savings account . `` Be a tourist in your own town '' if you do n't have the money to travel , she said . `` That way , you can save money on accommodations . '' Domingo and Hughes said all job seekers should weigh their situations individually . Jonathan Hagelstein , a 32-year-old from New York , plans to use Intrepid 's package to travel to Africa and Europe for nearly a month . This is the second major trip he 's taken since being laid off from a finance job in June . But Hagelstein says he 's a `` compulsive saver '' and wants to make use of the free time while he has it . `` Time is something that you can never get back . You can always earn more money , '' he said . `` I 'm not getting any younger . ... This is an opportunity -- I feel -- of a lifetime . '' With each trip , he hopes the job market will be better when he returns . He said he has no leads on a job . Shows -- the man from Ohio , who first shared his story on iReport.com , CNN 's user-submitted content site -- took off on a road trip as a way to reanalyze his life . See Shows ' story on iReport.com . He said he had n't taken a substantial trip during the decade or so he worked in information technologies at LexisNexis , a database and information company . So he saw the layoff partly as a gift of free time . Shows said he has a stable enough income since he is also a retired police officer . But he said his car trip was relatively cheap . The adventure took him to six states and cost less than $ 1,000 , he said . Plus , it helped him reconnect with his passion . `` If I could do anything I wanted to do in life , it would be to take the camera out and go out to talk to people and get stories , '' he said . Shows said he plans to take photojournalism classes at a local community college this spring .
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Travel companies and an airline are catering to the layoff crowd . JetBlue will refund some tickets if you get laid off after you purchase them . Intrepid travel offers a 15 percent discount for people recently laid off . Consultant : Trip costs `` could be lunch money '' for the unemployed .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A few dozen protesters picketed the restaurants of acclaimed chef Thomas Keller last weekend , over his use of an ingredient that has become a lightning rod in the culinary world -- foie gras . Chefs like Anthony Bourdain sing its praises , calling foie gras `` one of the 10 most important flavors in gastronomy . '' `` It 's one of the best foods in the world for a couple of reasons , and I think it 's because it has this very unique trait which is that it is on one side , extremely rich , but on the other , extremely delicate , '' Ariane Daguin , the CEO and founder of D'Artagan , a gourmet food company that started 25 years ago supplying Americans with foie gras . French for `` fat liver , '' this delicacy comes from ducks and geese that are fed massive amounts of food in the last weeks of their life . Foie gras is used in terrines and mousses , and by more adventurous chefs , shaved cold to add a creamy fat element to restaurant dishes . The force-feeding process , called gavage , causes the animals liver to expand up to 10 times its size . Anti-foie gras activists call the process cruel . Producers insist it does n't hurt the fowl . `` We are the easiest target in the world for a couple of reasons , one our accent , it 's called foie gras , it 's a French word , '' Daguin tells CNN . `` Two it 's an organ . It 's easy to say that we do n't need a meat organ to survive or to live . Three , it 's expensive , so it 's ` elitist , ' and four , it 's so easy for somebody just to take a look at the photo of the funnel inside the esophagus and to say ` Oh my god , if it were me , it would hurt . ' Well , you are not a duck , so it is not you , you know ? But it 's so easy to empathize with the duck . '' Foie gras has been produced by farmers since the days of ancient Egypt , when farmers discovered that the waterfowl 's liver expanded in the days leading up to the bird 's planned migration . The liver , in the center of the bird 's body , stores fat the bird traditionally uses on long migratory flights . Only three farms in the United States produce foie gras . D'Artagnan gets its foie gras from Hudson Valley Foie Gras , two hours north of New York City , which produces about 375,000 pounds of the delicacy a year . Each foie gras sells for between $ 70 to $ 100 per lobe . At Hudson Valley , ducks are raised to 12 weeks before they begin the gavage process in pens 4-feet by 6-feet with 11 ducks in each enclosure , according to Marcus Henley , the farm 's operations manager . Over 21 days the ducks are fed three times a day by a worker who uses a tube to fill the bird 's esophagus with grain . At the beginning , each bird gets about 3 ounces of food , which increases to 10 ounces by the end of the program , Henley said , noting that the esophagus can hold up to a liter of volume . Each duck will yield a liver that weighs about 1.5 pounds . The rest of the bird is processed for its meat , remaining organs , bones and feathers . It 's this feeding process that anti-foie gras protesters target with photos of the feeding tubes and banners that read `` How much cruelty can you swallow ? '' `` The idea that you can produce the products that we produce -- that are a delicacy -- by mistreating animals is just completely , it 's inconceivable , '' Henley says . `` It 's not how farming is done . '' Veterinarians say the bird lacks a gag reflex and their esophagus is lined with collagen , which makes it insensitive to pain . The bird breathes through a hole on the tongue . Still , protesters call the process a travesty . `` The whole point of the production method is to create this diseased liver , which is unlike any other form of animal agriculture where you 're not just growing animals to be eating , but you 're also torturing the animal to grossly enlarge its organs for consumption , '' Bryan Pease , an attorney and chairman of the board of the Animal Protection and Rescue League , said . Foie gras producers argue against use of the word `` diseased . '' `` When we force-feed ducks and geese and we stop the force-feeding , the liver recesses to normal , '' Daguin says . `` So we do not induce a sickness , we just use the natural propensity to expand the liver . '' Those opposing the production of foie gras have succeeded in getting California to adopt a law that will make it illegal to serve or produce in 2012 . A ban on the ingredient in Chicago , adopted in 2006 , was overturned by the City Council 22 months later . `` The key will be both banning the sale and getting restaurants to just remove it voluntarily and not sell it , '' Pease said . `` They 'll always be able to find a place to produce that is going to make it be legal . They 'll just go to a country with no laws , like China . The key is either for consumers to stop eating it or for restaurants to stop selling it . '' Pease says his group has hired staff in New York to begin to target Manhattan restaurants to have them remove foie gras from the menu or face protests . But foie gras producers say they 're being targeted by people whose ultimate goal is a meat-free world . `` There can not be an agreement because for vegetarian activists , no farm is a good farm , '' Daguin says . `` They do n't want us to eat meat period . So eventually , if they were to succeed , once somebody is out of the picture , the next one will be the chicken farm down the road . There is no ` good ' farm for activists . '' Still , there may be middle ground . Chef Dan Barber , inspired by the work of a Spanish foie gras producer , Eduardo Sousa , has begun experimenting with `` ethical foie gras , '' harvested from geese allowed to roam Stone Barns Center in Pocantico Hills , New York. , foraging for food , according to their natural feeding cycles . Daguin says that even those without an interest in the delicacy should pay attention to this fight . `` What they should be interested in is making sure that the farming practices in the world are sound , '' she said . `` That they are not destructive -- to me that 's the most important thing . ''
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Fois gras is liver from a force-fed duck or goose and is considered a delicacy . Animal rights groups call pouring grain down tube in fowl 's esophagus is cruel . Veterinarians : Bird lacks gag reflex , esophagus is insensitive to pain . Ariane Daguin : Complaints are ploy by activists to turn everyone into vegetarians .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you think this is the year George Clooney will finally settle down , do n't hold your breath . In an interview airing on Friday 's `` Piers Morgan Tonight , '' he told both Morgan and his own father that his one marriage , to actress Talia Balsam that ended in 1993 , was enough . Morgan pointed out that George 's father , Nick , who appeared on the show with him , had `` one of the great marriages . '' Nick Clooney has been married to his wife , Nina -- George 's mother -- for more than 50 years . Morgan asked whether , as a parent , Nick was `` yearning for the moment '' his son would walk down the aisle . Nick Clooney turned to his son and said , `` I want you to think about that . I want you to think about -- we 've been married -- Nina and I 've been married 51 years . '' `` I hate to blow your whole news story , '' said the younger Clooney , `` but I was married , so I gave it a shot . '' Clooney said the `` shot '' he gave marriage ought to have `` proven how good I was at it . '' Clooney also said his dad taught him that he has an inherent responsibility to share his luck and good fortune with others . Clooney said his father urged him `` to help look out for people that are less fortunate than you and to challenge people that are in power . '' Clooney also said his career luck came late and pointed out that his acting successes came relatively late . `` I did eight television series before `` ER '' hit and if we did n't get a Thursday night at 10 o'clock time slot , you know , I would n't have the career that I have . '' When Morgan asked Clooney if he was considering following in the footsteps of other Hollywood A-listers who ventured into the political arena , the actor dashed any hopes of a President George Clooney : `` Honestly , my job is as good as they get . '' `` I think that I am best suited as an advocate for issues , '' said Clooney . `` And I look to people who are far smarter and far better at this than I am to lead . '' His primary issue now is the situation in Sudan . Earlier this month , Clooney continued his ongoing humanitarian efforts to shed light on deadly violence in the troubled border area of Abyei . Clooney was a firsthand witness to the voting process that will most likely lead to independence for Southern Sudan . Clooney also told Morgan he contracted malaria while in Sudan , but said he 's no longer infected with the disease , and even made light of the situation , saying , `` Even with malaria , it 's just good fun . '' Clooney , who has been infected with malaria twice , joked , `` I guess the mosquito in Juba looked at me and thought I was the bar . '' When Morgan asked whether Clooney gets angry when people say he 's wasting his time in Sudan and that his charity work is for `` self-aggrandizing reasons , '' Clooney told Morgan , `` I do n't need to be more famous . '' `` I 've got all the attention I need , '' Clooney continued , `` and I 'm just trying to use that attention on other people . '' Watch Piers Morgan Tonight weeknights 9 p.m. ET . For the latest from Piers Morgan click here .
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George Clooney credits his dad for teaching him to be generous with his good fortune . He says if not for `` ER 's '' 10 p.m. time slot , `` I would n't have the career that I have '' Clooney contacted malaria on a humanitarian trip to Sudan in early January . Watch the full George Clooney interview on `` Piers Morgan Tonight , '' 9pm ET .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's fair to say David Beckham may be seeing more green off the football pitch than he does on it . Reason to smile : David Beckham is the highest-earning footballer in the world , according to Forbes . Despite a difficult and expensive period negotiating an extended release from his LA Galaxy club -- Beckham has been named as the world 's highest-earning footballer by Forbes magazine . The magazine has ranked the top 20 top-paid footballers in the world -- a list that includes many of today 's top players and some ageing heroes who are still rolling in cash . The 33-year-old Beckham , currently on loan with Italian club AC Milan as part of an extended deal from LA Galaxy , earned an estimated $ 46 million last year , according to Forbes . It calculates that the Briton has earned $ 95m in the past two years -- $ 66m of which has come from endorsement contracts . Although his long-running deal with Pepsi ended in December last year , his currently resurgent career is likely to provide a boost for the coming few seasons . Behind Beckham in the Forbes list is his Brazilian AC Milan team-mate , Ronaldinho , who earned an estimated $ 33m in 2008 . Rounding out the top five places are -LRB- respectively -RRB- ; Thierry Henry , Kaka and last year 's FIFA World Player of the Year , Cristiano Ronaldo . See our gallery of the top twenty highest-paid footballers in the world , according to Forbes '' Ronaldo 's earnings of $ 21 million came primarily from his Manchester United wages -LRB- $ 12m -RRB- , while endorsements from companies such as Nike and Coca-Cola made up the remaining $ 9m . The Portugal player 's namesake -- Brazilian Ronaldo -- is still on the list at number 12 , having earned $ 15m despite being sidelined for much of the year with a serious knee injury and returning to his homeland to play club football . Partner in the Sports Business group at Deloitte , Dan Jones , told CNN that only a `` tiny percentage '' of footballers earned more from product endorsements than they do from their player wages . `` It 's only the very , very top . For the vast majority of footballers , the wages they earn from their clubs will be their greatest source of income . '' Jones said Beckham 's continuing popularity beyond the world of football in both the U.S. and in Europe would likely ensure he remains around the top of the rich list for a few years to come . `` He is now a grand icon that in some sense transcends what he does on the football field , '' Jones said . However , Jones added he was impressed with the way Beckham had made strong efforts to reinstate his image as being primarily a footballer over the last 18 months . What do you think of the top earners ? Are there players that deserve to be earning more than these 20 ? Share your thoughts in the Sound Off box below .
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David Beckham is the highest-paid footballer according to Forbes . Forbes magazine has released a list of the top 20 highest paid players . World Player of the Year for 2008 , Cristiano Ronaldo , is fifth on the list . Are there any players missing who you think deserve to be paid more ?
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LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Nigerian militant group tangling with government forces in the country 's southern oil-producing region declared `` an all-out war '' Friday after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians . Militants from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta have declared war on Nigerian troops . The military , meanwhile , pressed ahead against the fighters , wresting control of a hijacked tanker and capturing a militant stronghold . The developments are the latest in the escalating hostilities between the government and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , which demands that more of the country 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . In e-mail messages to reporters , the militant group said it sank six army gunboats , destroyed three others and captured three in the restive Niger Delta region . `` Many soldiers have been killed , and the military has made a hasty retreat , '' said the group , which is calling on `` men of fighting age to enlist '' in its battle against government forces . Also , the group said , it had captured personnel from a Nigerian warship deployed from Liberia to help the military and was `` in the process '' of torching the vessel . `` We have some casualties on our side , obviously , '' a militant spokesman said . `` Obviously , the battle is more serious as night comes . '' Col. Rabe Abubakar , spokesman for the Nigerian military 's joint task force , confirmed exchanges of fire between government forces and militants and reported the seizure of a militant camp , saying one soldier was wounded and the militants `` suffered a lot of casualties . '' The troops are conducting cordon-and-search operations designed to nab militants in their suspected hideouts along the southern region 's creeks . Abubakar said that the military conducted a successful `` rescue '' mission of a recently hijacked oil condensate tanker , and that the captain and the crew , some foreign , were safe . The militant group said Nigerian troops fired stray bullets that killed a Filipino `` hostage '' on the ship in Delta state , but the Nigerian military could n't confirm the killing of a `` foreign hostage . '' The violence , which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking , has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria . The militant group said Friday the country 's armed forces conducted `` indiscriminate aerial bombardment on the defenseless civilians in the Gbaramatu area of Delta state . '' It said the strikes were punishment `` for the humiliating defeat '' of the army in raids on two militant camps Wednesday . `` Casualties are mostly women , children and the elderly who could not get away quickly into the bush or high sea , '' the militant group said . It also repeated its `` directive '' for oil companies in the region to `` evacuate by the deadline of midnight today and cease oil production until further notice . '' The military made reference to the directive , saying it is responding to attacks on troops , hijackings of vessels and threats to innocent people , such as the `` expatriates who were given ultimatum to leave the region by the militants . '' It characterized the various claims by the militants as `` propaganda . '' `` We are not at war with any individuals or groups in the region , '' Abubakar said . `` Ours is to protect lives and property and also to rid the region of criminals who hide under the guise of struggle agenda to perpetrate crime . '' CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report .
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NEW : Military takes control of hijacked tanker , captures militant stronghold . Nigerian militants declared `` an all-out war '' on government troops . Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claims success against army . It says the military has attacked innocent civilians .
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LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigeria 's military has rescued 18 hostages held by militants in its oil-rich Niger Delta region , a military spokesman said Monday . File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters . The first group -- nine Filipinos and five Nigerians -- were released on Saturday , while four Ukrainians were released on Sunday , according to Col. Rabe Abubakar , spokesman for the Nigerian military 's joint task force . Nigeria 's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week , its first major operation against the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , an armed militant group that demands a better distribution of the country 's oil wealth . Both the Nigerian military and the militants have said the ongoing fighting has resulted in a high number of casualties . As many as 1,000 have been killed , according to Victor Burubo , a spokesman for the Ijaw National Council which represents the region 's largest ethnic group . However , aid groups and journalists have been unable to verify that figure . `` We want the international community to know that we are getting rid of criminals and terrorists in our communities so foreigners who come here to work and invest are safe , '' Abubakar said . Four villages near the militants ' camps have been destroyed in the fighting , Burubo said . However , the military spokesman stressed that Nigerian forces are not targeting civilians , blaming such attacks on the militants . `` We are not attacking villages -- just -LRB- militant -RRB- camps , '' Abubakar said . On Friday , MEND declared `` an all-out war '' on the government after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians . It is not the first declaration of war by MEND , which demands that more of Nigeria 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those the militants consider corrupt politicians . The militant group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks . At that time , MEND destroyed several oil facilities , forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day , or 40 percent . The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria , Africa 's largest producer . MEND has threatened to blockade oil vessels , and has warned oil companies in the region to leave and `` cease oil production until further notice . '' The militant group said Friday the country 's armed forces conducted `` indiscriminate aerial bombardment on the defenseless civilians in the Gbaramatu area of Delta state . '' It said the strikes were punishment `` for the humiliating defeat '' of the army in raids on two militant camps Wednesday . `` Casualties are mostly women , children and the elderly who could not get away quickly into the bush or high sea , '' the militant group said . The military says it is responding to the militants ' attacks on troops , hijackings of vessels , and threats to innocents , such as the `` expatriates who were given ultimatum to leave the region by the militants . '' It characterized the various claims by the militants as `` propaganda . '' `` We are not at war with any individuals or groups in the region , '' Abubakar said . `` Ours is to protect lives and property and also to rid the region of criminals who hide under the guise of struggle agenda to perpetrate crime . '' CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report .
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9 Filipinos and 5 Nigerians released Saturday , 4 Ukrainians released Sunday . Nigeria 's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week . Operation against militants demanding better distribution of country 's oil wealth . Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared `` all-out war ''
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ANTIOCH , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Phillip Garrido and his wife , Nancy , will face 29 felony counts after being accused of kidnapping Jaycee Lee Dugard when she was 11 and keeping her in their backyard since 1991 , the district attorney of El Dorado County , California , said Friday . Phillip Garrido , a registered sex offender , was arraigned in California on Friday . The Garridos are each facing charges of kidnapping someone under 14 years of age , kidnapping for sexual purposes , forcible rape and forcible lewd acts on a child . The maximum penalty for both defendants would be life imprisonment . Authorities are looking into Garrido 's possible connection to other crimes . Hear interview with Garrido '' A search warrant was issued for Garrido 's home in connection with killings that occurred in the 1990s , a spokesman for the Contra Costa Sheriff 's Department said Friday . Pittsburg , California , police obtained the search warrant , said the spokesman , Jimmy Lee . Earlier Friday , a California sheriff also admitted that his organization `` missed an opportunity '' nearly three years ago to find Dugard . Someone called 911 on November 30 , 2006 , to say that a woman and young children were living in tents in the backyard of Phillip Garrido , said Sheriff Warren E. Rupf of Contra Costa County , California , on Friday . `` This is not an acceptable outcome , '' he said . Watch Rupf talk about the ` missed opportunity ' '' The responding sheriff 's deputy spoke with Garrido , a registered sex offender , in the front yard of his house . `` None of us , particularly law enforcement , should believe a word that one of these animals utters , '' Rupf said when asked about the lessons learned from the missed opportunity . `` If there 's a sophistication -LSB- about sex offenders -RSB- in any regard , it 's in misrepresenting who they are and what motivates them . `` We took things he said obviously at face value and did not properly brand him . '' Rupf also said that `` to the best of his knowledge , '' the deputy did n't know that Garrido was a sex offender . The deputy determined that no crime had been committed even though he did not enter or ask to enter the backyard , the sheriff said . `` We should have been more inquisitive , more curious , and turned over a rock or two , '' the sheriff said . `` We missed an opportunity to bring earlier closure to this situation . '' Dugard lived for 18 years in a shed and other outbuildings behind her abductor 's house , where she gave birth to two girls whom he fathered ; the girls are now 11 and 15 , police said . CNN policy is not to publish the names of victims when there are allegations of sexual assault . In this case , Dugard has been the subject of a 20-year public search and her image and name have been widely disseminated , making protection of her identity virtually impossible . Dugard was kidnapped in 1991 as her stepfather watched , helpless , in front of her house in South Lake Tahoe , California . Learn about some missing children who have been found alive '' Investigators arrested Garrido on charges of kidnapping and abusing her after police discovered Dugard on Wednesday . `` The last 18 years have been rough , but the last two days have been pretty good , '' her stepfather , Carl Probyn , told CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Friday . Watch Probyn describe getting the news '' Phillip Garrido , 58 , and 54-year-old Nancy Garrido were arraigned Friday in Placerville Superior Court in Placerville , California . They pleaded not guilty Friday . During their time living in Garrido 's backyard , Dugard and her two children apparently rarely ventured out of their compound , investigators said . Dugard `` was in good health , but living in a backyard for the past 18 years does take its toll , '' El Dorado County Undersheriff Fred Kollar said . He described her as `` relatively cooperative , relatively forthcoming '' in discussions with detectives . She was `` in relatively good condition , '' neither obviously abused nor malnourished , he added . `` There are no known attempts by her to outreach to anybody . '' The children did n't go to school or to the doctor 's office . Now they and their mother are being thrust into a strange new world . On Friday , Dugard began the long process of reuniting with her family . Watch about recovering from captivity '' Terry Probyn , who is separated from Carl , spoke with her daughter Thursday and learned that she had two daughters of her own , he said . Carl Probyn said he expects Dugard and her two children to come back to Southern California , since `` that 's where we all live . '' Garrido apparently maintained a blog in which he claimed to control sound with his mind . The blog now has numerous profanity-laced responses from people outraged over his alleged actions . In a rambling telephone interview from jail , Garrido told CNN affiliate KCRA of Sacramento that he was relieved at being caught . `` I feel much better now , '' he said . `` This is a process that needed to take place . '' The investigation went years without apparent progress until Tuesday , when Garrido showed up on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley with his two daughters and tried to get permission to hand out literature and speak , Kollar said . He did not know the subject of either the literature or the planned talk . Police officers `` thought the interaction between the older male and the two young females was rather suspicious , '' so they confronted them and performed a background check on him , Kollar said . That check revealed that Garrido was on federal parole for a 1971 conviction for rape and kidnapping , for which he had served time in the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth , Kansas . The two female police officers contacted Garrido 's parole officer , who requested that he appear Wednesday at the parole office . Watch police talk about why they arrested Garrido '' Garrido did just that , accompanied by his wife `` and a female named Allissa , '' Kollar said . The presence of Allissa and the two children surprised the parole officer , who had never seen them during visits to Garrido 's house , Kollar said . `` Ultimately , Allissa was identified as Dugard , '' Kollar said . Scott Kernan , undersecretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation , said Garrido admitted having abducted Dugard . Dugard 's presence behind Garrido 's home since apparently went unnoticed in the neighborhood , where homes on one-fourth to one-half-acre lots typically sell for less than $ 200,000 , said Kathy Russo , whose father has lived two houses away from the Garridos for 33 years . Watch aerial view of backyard compound '' `` My dad said he never saw a young woman , '' Russo said , adding that her 94-year-old father considered Garrido to be a `` kind of strange , reclusive , kind of an angry kind of guy . '' She said the one-story house 's backyard was obscured by trees and ringed by a wooden fence . In his jailhouse interview , Garrido told KCRA that he could not go into detail about why he chose to abduct Dugard . `` I have n't talked to a lawyer yet , so I ca n't do that , '' he said . But Garrido said he had `` completely turned my life around '' in the past several years . `` You 're going to find the most powerful story coming from the witness , from the victim , '' he promised . `` If you take this a step at a time , you 're going to fall over backward , and in the end , you 're going to find the most powerful , heartwarming story . '' He added , `` Wait till you hear the story of what took place at this house . You 're going to be absolutely impressed . It 's a disgusting thing that took place with me in the beginning , but I turned my life completely around . '' Describing his two daughters , he said , `` Those two girls slept in my arms every single night from birth ; I never kissed them . '' In a later comment , he said that , from the time the youngest was born , `` everything turned around . '' CNN 's Taylor Gandossy , Tom Watkins , Stan Wilson and Mallory Simon contributed to this report .
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NEW : Sex offender , wife plead not guilty at arraignment . Authorities have search warrant for Garrido home relating to 1990 killings . Victim reportedly kept in isolation in backyard with children fathered by captor . Police : Phillip Garrido admitted abducting victim when she was 11 .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Freed Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi thanked friends and family Tuesday for their support during her ordeal in an Iranian prison , and said she plans to spend the next few days relaxing . Roxana Saberi smiles ouside her home in Tehran , Iran , on Tuesday . `` I am , of course , very happy to be free and to be with my parents again , '' a smiling Saberi , 32 , told reporters . Saberi , who was dressed in a black tunic and a blue headscarf , said she was only now learning of a global support campaign on her behalf . `` I want to thank all the people all over the world , who , whether they knew me or not , helped me and my family during this period , '' she said . `` I do n't have any specific plans for the moment . I just want to be with my parents and my friends and to relax . '' Reza Saberi , her father , said they plan to leave Iran soon . Saberi was convicted last month on espionage charges in a one-day trial that was closed to the public . She was sentenced to eight years in prison after being accused of spying for the United States . A judge changed Saberi 's sentence during an appeal hearing Monday . The court agreed with her lawyers that , because Iran is not at war with the United States , Saberi can not be punished for cooperating with agents of a hostile nation , according to Saberi 's spokesman , Abdolsamad Khorramshahi . Her sentence was changed to a two-year jail term , suspended for five years , Iran 's state-run news agency IRNA reported . Saberi was detained in January after initially being accused of buying a bottle of wine and working as a journalist without proper accreditation , according to the Committee to Protect Journalists , an advocacy group . She was soon charged with espionage . Saberi went on a hunger strike while imprisoned , but her father said she has since put on some weight .
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Father of Roxana Saberi says they plan to leave Iran soon . Saberi , 32 , was convicted last month on espionage charges . Her sentence was changed to a two-year jail term , suspended for five years . She has lived in Iran since 2003 , reporting for international news organizations .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It could be argued when Tony Blair left the office of Prime Minister in June , his parting from the public stage was mourned by few but chief among those mourners were Britain 's satirists . The characteristics of the Blair government with its emphasis on spin and sound bites created a wealth of material for top British satirist Craig Brown . Dubbed `` the wittiest writer in Britain today , '' by comedian Stephen Fry , Brown 's new book The Tony Years celebrates a decade of satire that Brown thought would never end . He writes : `` For years , he seemed so permanent ; it was hard to imagine that Tony Blair would one day become a forgotten figure , like Harold Wilson or Sir Anthony Eden . He seemed more ubiquitous than Mrs. Thatcher in her prime . Perhaps this was because she was so unique -LRB- or so peculiar , according to one 's taste -RRB- while Tony was an archetype , a familiar figure from all our pasts : the eager boy with his hand in the air throughout double maths ; the well-spoken estate agent ; the energetic youth leader , full of exciting new ways to cross a river . '' Brown has been satirizing British politicians and celebrities for almost 30 years in a variety of publications from The Spectator to the Guardian . He writes regular satirical columns in both the Daily Telegraph and Private Eye where targets are as disparate as feminist Germaine Greer , ` glamour model ' and author Jordon and playwright Harold Pinter . While Brown 's writing is consistently witty , clever and often laugh out loud funny , Brown himself is softly spoken and self deprecating . `` I 'm not actually funny in real life , '' he says . `` Usually people can do one of the two -LRB- write with humor or speak with humor -RRB- there are hardly any people who can do both like Stephen Fry . '' Occasionally Brown will perform his work before an audience , which he enjoys -LRB- `` I rather like reading my parodies out . There nothing like having an audience laughing '' -RRB- but the life of a satirical writer is often one that 's quite isolated from his audience . Instead he is quite happy working from his home in the country and keeping a low profile . He admits to only visiting the offices of employer , The Daily Telegraph twice -LRB- `` I never know quite what to do with myself in an office '' -RRB- and spending a large part of the day in his pajamas . He even shy 's away from calling himself a satirist -- a term he thinks has become loaded : `` I used to think of myself as a satirist but satirists are people who really want to be politicians . Satire is an unfunny form of humor and it has an agenda that works against the comedy . Satirists think they can change the world , and that 's an illusion . '' Part of success as a satirists -LRB- or humorists as some like to be called -RRB- is to capture the not just the personality they are satirizing but the zeitgeist of the times . For Brown part of the zeitgeist of the Blair years are CCTV , ASBOs , binge drinking , the acceleration of the cult of celebrity but most of all spin : `` Publicity was all : privacy dwindled . '' The thirst for spin extended to unlikely quarters observes Brown : `` I could n't believe it when the Freemasons appointed a PR -- even a secret society wants to raise the profile . Peculiar but also funny . '' `` As for Blair -- there were things about him that were very funny . There was the spin which John Major had n't developed and that 's always funny -- its also funny parodying conference speeches . They are always parodied baby-talk , lower than banal -- those were funny with Blair . '' Brown parodies New Labour 's conference speak in The Tony Years as sounding like this : `` I believe in Britain . Great ! A country with a great history . Great ! ... I want a Britain that we can all feel part of . I want a Britain in which what I want for my own children I want for yours - but only after I have got it for mine . '' Brown 's inclination towards satire started young . A pupil at Eton , he coped with being away from home at a young age by mimicking teachers . `` I was at a boarding school since I was 7 and I had a tape recorder : all the people you are terrified of you can reduce . We did their voices and dramatizations . English prep schools when you 're very young and you are threatened by these very gothic figures ; it 's -LRB- mimicking -RRB- a way of reducing people . '' Over the years his parodies have hit the mark , sometimes a bit too closely . One target , Germaine Greer `` was very touchy when I first met her -LRB- but -RRB- angry people are always funny to parody . '' He says the journalists he has parodied `` are more touchy than politicians . Politicians are aware they are being hated from the moment they are elected . '' But Brown does n't feel guilty about upsetting his targets . News reporting has the capacity to inflict greater wounds , says Brown . `` Other forms of journalism are more hurtful . The raw materials of journalism can hurt people a lot more . The act of printing is the original hurt and the gags come later . I used to worry if the targets liked or disliked them -- now it does n't matter . Now it does n't matter if they like it or not . '' Brown admires satirists that reduce things `` to the essence of itself . '' He 's keeping an eye on new Prime Minister Gordon Brown , who will present different challenges from Blair : `` I think Gordon Brown has an anger in him . Everyone says how awkward and controlling he is -- it will surface soon . '' And the satire wo n't be too far behind . The Tony Years by Craig Brown -LRB- Random House -RRB- RRP # 7.99 E-mail to a friend .
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Craig Brown is releasing a book of his satire during the Blair years . Brown writes columns for the Daily Telegraph and Private Eye . He works from his home in the country and feels uncomfortable in offices . New book covers CCTV , ABSOs , binge drinking , celebrities , and dwindling privacy .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the lights went down in the theater the low murmur built to a thunderous ovation as the odd-looking man in the crumpled suit and bowler hat took to the stage . Tom Waits in Paris on the European leg of his tour . The excitement that greeted the eccentric American singer songwriter Tom Waits ' appearance in Edinburgh last month may come as a surprise to the many , who have never heard of him . The 58-year-old has stayed for most of his four-decade career on the edge of the music mainstream . This is despite a showering of critical acclaim and a host of high-profile fans including the movie star Scarlett Johansson , who recently recorded an album of Waits covers . Waits ' position on the periphery of pop music -LRB- he admits that the 60s scene largely passed him by -RRB- , may be because he belongs to a bigger historical tradition -- that of the singer-storyteller that has its origin in folk music . His music comes from a different place from most artists . A laconic , bar room philosopher with a wry sense of humor , Waits is an avowed fan of the Beat generation writer Jack Kerouac and the author and poet Charles Bukowski . Many of his songs are stories containing a cast of characters from America 's underbelly : the drunks and disenfranchised , the lost souls hiding out from life in seedy night spots . It is the same world that Kerouac chronicled in his writings , including his most famous work `` On the Road , '' which describes a journey across America in the late fifties . Waits , who is notoriously interview-shy , acknowledged his debt to the author in a promotional interview to accompany the release of his 1974 album `` The Heart of Saturday Night . '' He said the record was a search for the `` center of Saturday night , '' a quest he said that Kerouac himself had `` relentlessly chased from one end of this country to the other , and I 've attempted to scoop up a few diamonds of this magic that I see . '' Waits ' place in the folk tradition is something he has acknowledged , consciously or otherwise , in his music . In 1990 , he wrote the music and lyrics for `` The Black Rider : The Casting of the Magic Bullets , '' a theatrical collaboration with the American writer William Burroughs based on a German folktale . Like all great writers , Waits is a conscientious observer of people and their strange foibles . Born in Pomona , CA . he moved to Los Angeles in the late sixties to pursue his music career , finding work as a doorman at an LA nightspot . It was at this time that he honed his skills as a storyteller , eavesdropping on the lives of others . `` I was picking up people 's conversations in all-night coffee shops - ambulance drivers , cabdrivers , street sweepers , '' he said in an interview with The New Yorker . `` I did research there as an evening curator , and I started writing gingerly . I thought at some point I 'd like to forge it all into something meaningful , and give it dignity . '' The results of this labor are songs like `` Frank 's Wild Years , '' a hilarious and sinister tale of a man -- Frank -- trapped in suburbia with a wife and pet dog that has a skin disease . The song is spoken in a lounge room style over a soft jazz accompaniment , and like much of Waits ' work it drips irony : `` They had a thoroughly modern kitchen / Self-cleaning oven -LRB- the whole bit -RRB- / Frank drove a little sedan / They were so happy . '' In a 1983 promotional interview published by his then record company Island , Waits credits a short story by Bukowski with giving him some of the inspiration for the song . `` Bukowski had a story that essentially was saying that it 's the little things that drive men mad , '' Waits said . `` It 's not World War II . It 's the broken shoe lace when there is no time left that sends men completely out of their minds . `` I think there is a little bit of Frank in everybody . '' In the song , Frank eventually runs amok , setting fire to the family home and blazing a trail up the Hollywood freeway because , as Waits quips in the pay-off `` he never could stand that dog . '' This taste for the absurd carried into his recent live show with the set for the `` Glitter and Doom '' tour decked in a bizarre array of old speaker cones . Waits took to the stage dressed in a Chaplinesque suit , delivering his set from a slightly raised platform that gave up a cloud of dust each time he bashed his feet into it . In spite of the entreaties from the crowd he kept quiet between songs at first . Eventually after a few numbers he broke his silence . `` This is a lopsided love song , '' he rasped , introducing the next track . `` By that I mean the person doing it is lopsided , not the song itself . '' Lopsided or not , it 's an authentic voice we could surely do with hearing more from .
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Singer songwriter Tom Waits has won critical acclaim for his music . His strange tales of the seedy side of America have attracted a cult following . The actress Scarlett Johansson is a fan and recorded a recent tribute album . Waits counts U.S. writers Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski as influences .
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KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A meeting between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan was canceled Friday when bad weather prevented Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari from traveling to the Afghan capital , Kabul . Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari -LRB- pictured -RRB- has met Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai before . An official in Pakistan 's Foreign Office said the meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and top government officials will be rescheduled for the near future . The visit was to have taken place amid ongoing warfare and tension along the Afghan-Pakistan border and was to have focused on the nations cooperating in the fight against terror . Some of the Taliban militants conducting attacks in Afghanistan have been based in Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province and nearby tribal regions . The group 's resurgence has prompted U.S. commanders and the incoming Barack Obama administration to put more of a focus on confronting militants along the volatile border . In the past , Afghan and Pakistani leaders have blamed the other for the security problems in the region . Zardari was to have been accompanied on the trip by the governor of North West Frontier Province , as well as his foreign minister and adviser on internal affairs . The two presidents also planned to discuss the expansion of bilateral relations and trade . Both men have met before , when Karzai visited Pakistan in September to attend Zardari 's swearing-in ceremony .
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Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari due to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai . Visit to have taken place amid ongoing tension along Afghan-Pakistan border . Taliban militants attacking Afghanistan from Pakistan 's North West Province . Both countries have previously blamed each other for the security problems .
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HAVANA , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man named Ernesto pressed an old-fashioned radio to his ear , listening to a baseball game roughly 5,000 miles away . Ernesto listens to the Baseball World Cup gold medal game by radio in Havana . The U.S. beat Cuba 10-5 . `` Oh , it 's already over , '' he groaned , listening to the staccato play-by-play of Sunday 's Baseball World Cup championship . In the gold-medal game , played in Nettuno , Italy , team USA defeated Cuba , 10-5 , to wrap up the World Cup played this year throughout Europe . In the winning country , that news likely was overshadowed in most places by Major League Baseball , professional football , or dozens of other sports stories that developed on Sunday . But in Cuba , where baseball is as much a source of national pride as it is a game , the Baseball World Cup was big news . Reverberations of that last out in Italy could be felt as far away as Havana 's central park , where a daily gaggle of baseball fans often provide for the country 's liveliest debate . `` The American pitching was strong , '' said Ernesto , still listening to the crackle and pop of his radio . `` But Cuban batters were not as good , '' he added . For the widely anticipated match-up , Havana residents holed up in their homes Sunday afternoon to watch their national team take on their northern neighbor on TV . Those without televisions huddled around a small radio in the capital 's central park , appearing to hang on every broadcasted pitch . `` Strike three ! '' the radio sputtered as another Cuban batter was retired by U.S. starter Cory Luebke , who tallied seven strike-outs in four-and-a-third innings . He prompted a near-unison groan among the group . The United States , led by Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Lucas May , scored early and often as May put the Americans ahead with a second inning three-run home run . The Cubans refused to go quietly , rallying in the fourth inning and scoring two runs on three singles . A two-run blast by Cuban first baseman Ariel Borrero in the sixth inning tied the game at 4-4 before a salvo of U.S. hits in the seventh drove in six runs , enough to secure the American win . For team USA , the contest capped a 14-game winning streak that began after a first-round loss to Venezuela . Sunday 's win is only the fourth U.S. championship in World Cup competition , with Americans having previously earned gold in 1973 , 1974 and 2007 . For the Cubans , whose teams have brought home gold in 25 of the last 30 Baseball World Cup championships their country has played in , it was time to start looking ahead in quintessential baseball philosophy . `` They won it this year , but we will win it the next , '' said one Havana resident who declined to give his name . Long a baseball powerhouse , Cuba has never finished out of the top three in World Cup competition , according to International Baseball Federation spokesman Jake Fehling . But million-dollar contracts in professional baseball often have lured away top Cuban prospects and depleted national team talent , pulling star athletes such as Orlando `` El Duque '' Hernandez and Jose Contreras away from state salaries at home . Cuban pitcher Ardoldis Chapman , who defected in July during a national trip to the Netherlands , is the latest example of top Cuban players seeking the bigger payoffs of major-league salaries . Chapman , a lefty who reportedly throws over 100 mph , has sparked rumors of a potential bidding war among top major-league franchises . Residents in Havana 's central park , however , were unwilling Sunday to say more than a few words about the loss of star talent . `` If they leave , they leave , '' Ernesto said , still clinging to his radio . Players come and go , but in Cuba , baseball -- and baseball talk -- is one steadying constant . And in Havana 's central park , the talk of Sunday 's game -- the talk of baseball -- buzzed on , long after the last pitch was thrown .
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Havana residents flock to radios , TV to watch Baseball World Cup title game . U.S. beats Cuba 10-5 ; game garnered more concentrated attention in Cuba . Cuba consistently a baseball powerhouse despite stars ' defections .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world 's top-ranked women 's tennis players , Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva , have crashed out of the Australian Open warm-up event in Sydney in their opening matches . After receiving a bye in the first round , Danish top seed Wozniacki won just six games as her Slovakian opponent Dominika Cibulkova cruised to a straight-sets 6-3 6-3 win on Tuesday . Russian second seed Zvonareva -- winner of last week 's Hong Kong Classic exhibition event -- put up more of a fight in her first match against Italy 's Flavia Pennetta , but eventually succumbed 7-5 7-5 to the world number 24 . The results are a blow to both players ' preparations for the Australian Open , the first grand slam of this year beginning in Melbourne on January 17 . Poland-born Wozniacki had won her last nine sets against Cibulkova , but the world number 32 made a quick start , breaking serve in the opening game before taking the first set . After trailing 2-3 in the second , she took four straight games to secure her first win over Wozniacki , who is attempting to cement her place as the world 's best player with her first grand slam victory in 2011 . She lost in the fourth round in Melbourne last year . `` At the start of the new season you need to get into match play . I did n't feel I was playing great tennis out there , '' the 20-year-old Wozniacki told the official WTA Tour website . `` Now I just need to get some training matches , head to Melbourne and get ready for the Australian Open . Last year I had the same start , so hopefully slow start , good finish . '' Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist Zvonareva could now drop a place in the rankings next week after her defeat by former top-10 player Pennetta . Belgian third seed Kim Clijsters , who booked her place in the quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over the Czech Republic 's Barbora Zahlavova Strycova , would replace Zvonareva as world number two if she progresses further in the tournament . The triple U.S. Open champion next faces seventh seed Victoria Azarenka , following the Belarusian 's 7-5 6-3 triumph over Israel 's Shahar Peer . In the other women 's second-round matches completed on Tuesday , China 's Li Na battled past French qualifier Virginie Razzano 6-4 1-6 6-4 . The eighth seed set up a third-round meeting with Russia 's former world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova , who upset home favorite and fourth seed Sam Stosur in three sets . In the men 's draw , past Sydney finalist and former top-20 player Juan Ignacio Chela recorded his first win at the event in eight years beating Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in three sets . The Argentine 's next opponent will be France 's Richard Gasquet after the fifth seed claimed a late-night straight sets victory over Australia 's Matthew Ebden . In other completed first round matches , number seven seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain beat home favorite Chris Guccione . And Italy 's Potito Starace and Andreas Seppi defeated Julien Benneteau of France Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan respectively . On Monday , former world number five Juan Martin Del Potro returned to winning ways with a first-round win . The Argentine overcame Spanish sixth seed Feliciano Lopez in three tie break sets to book a second round tie with Germany 's Florian Mayer . At the ATP event in Auckland , New Zealand on Tuesday , Argentine former world number three David Nalbandian beat Italy 's Fabio Fognini in straight sets to get his 2011 campaign off to a winning start . The 29-year-old 2001 Wimbledon finalist will face Phillip Petzschner in the second round after the German knocked out Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker .
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Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva lose in second round at Sydney International . Top two seeds beaten by Dominika Cibulkova and Flavia Pennetta respectively . Kim Clijsters is highest-ranked player left in draw ; could overtake Zvonareva as No. 2 . Winning starts for Argentina 's David Nalbandian and Juan Martin Del Potro .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 19th-century artwork by French artist Edgar Degas will be handed back to the French government Friday -- nearly four decades after it was stolen . The painting , `` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' -LRB- `` Laundry Women with Toothache , '' -RRB- was taken in 1973 from the Malraux Museum in Le Havre , in Normandy , France , the U.S. District Attorney in Eastern New York said . It had been on loan from the French government , which considers the painting a national treasure . The piece did not resurface until October this year when it appeared in a catalog from the auction house Sotheby 's , it said . The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the French government will take part in a repatriation ceremony at 1 p.m. at the French ambassador 's residence in Washington D.C. to return the painting . U.S. customs officials , working with authorities from INTERPOL , said the painting was consigned to French art collector Ronald Grelsamer . Grelsamer said his father gave him the painting as a gift , but was unaware that it was stolen , the statement said . Sotheby 's said they had nothing indicating that the painting was stolen , saying it did not appear in any of its lost art databases , said company spokeswoman Diana Phillips . The auction house had a longstanding relationship with Grelsamer without incident , she added . `` Sotheby 's is happy to have been able to be involved in this discovery , and we are pleased that this painting will be returned to the government of France , '' Phillips said . The U.S. District Attorney office says that Greslamer intends to seek compensation for the painting . `` The return of this masterpiece to the French government reflects our commitment to ensure the return of stolen artwork and cultural patrimony , '' it said in a written statement . The 6.25-inch-by-8 .5 - inch piece -- painted between 1870 and 1872 -- has an estimated value of $ 350,000 to $ 450,000 , the statement said , quoting the company catalogue . The painting reflects a break from the academic focus of Degas ' early years when he dedicated himself to the `` search for the essence of modern life , '' said Sotheby 's spokeswoman Lauren Gioai . `` The 1870s gave rise to some of Degas most celebrated works , '' she said .
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19th-century painting will be returned to France almost four decades after it was stolen . `` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' was taken in 1973 from the Malraux Museum . The painting did not resurface until October when it surfaced on Sotheby 's catalog .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Issam Al-Chalabi worked as Iraqi oil minister from March of 1987 to October 1990 . He left Iraq shortly after the invasion by Saddam Hussein of Kuwait in August 1990 and retired from government service in 1991 . Since then he has been working as a consultant in Amman , Jordan . John Defterios caught up with Mr Chalabi at the Oil and Money Conference in London this week to ask him about what 's driving surging oil prices , the future of the Iraq Oil Industry , and tensions in the region . Issam Al-Chalabi : None of us had expected that # 93 would be reached so quickly . There had been some speculation that maybe $ 100 is achievable but I think it has happened too fast within the past few weeks . It is related to so many factors , so many elements and so many reasons . You can not just say that it is a result of the value of the dollar . Definitely it is one hell of a factor because the value of the dollar has depreciated compared with six major currencies in the world . John Defterios : But let 's take a look first at demand here . Some economists are scaling down their expectations for growth in the U.S. and in Europe . Is the demand outside of the G8 strong enough to underpin the prices that we see today ? IC : Yes of course , everybody now is talking about the increasing quantities and demand from China and India . China will certainly consume as much oil as the United States , maybe in 2020 . The same thing with India . The rate of growth is increasing tremendously . And there is going to be a strong demand in general , maybe not as much from Europe and the G8 countries , but definitely from the new giants . JD : What is your biggest concern politically in the region right now ? We 're talking about tensions between Turkey and Northern Iraq and the Kurdish region . And you say there is not a lot of production coming out of that area , but the tensions could overspill into Iran . What 's the potential down for here ? IC : I do n't think that the tension between Turkey and the Kurds will have much influence on the price of oil . But Iran , with the question of the nuclear file and the possibility of the U.S. taking military action against Iran , that is a possibility . Why ? Because you have about 18 to 20 million barrels a day that are being exported through the Gulf . And whether Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz or they retaliate by attacking some oil installations in the region , then you have 18 or 20 million barrels a day off the market . If this happens , do n't be surprised if you reach $ 150 or even $ 200 . JD : In Iraq right now , they 're talking about a national oil law . That 's in draft form . Will that actually be the subject that breaks Iraq apart ? IC : Oil certainly could be one major element . If the politicians who are running the country now go ahead and try to divide the oil wealth among various regions as they had drafted in the revenue-sharing law , then I would say that is going to lead to the break up of the country . JD : Meanwhile we have different regions like the Kurdish region signing contracts with U.S. and European oil companies for production agreements . Will these contracts be recognized in the next year as valid ? IC : They started , or in fact they never stopped , negotiations with a number of companies . So within the last four or five weeks , they have signed five different contracts . One of them is American , and that 's the one that made the news , and that is Hunt Oil . And all these contracts , according to the central government , are illegal . This is because they have not been done with the blessing of the central government . E-mail to a friend .
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Issam Chalabi was Iraqi Oil Minister between 1987 and 1990 . Future demand for oil , he says , will be spurred by growth in India and China . Tension between Turkey and Kurds will not have impact on oil prices , he adds . But if U.S. takes military action against Iran , oil prices could surge .
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Baghdad -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former President George H.W. Bush is getting his old foreign policy team back together on the 20th anniversary of the Gulf War . The reunion is being held on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station , where the Bush presidential library is located . A roundtable discussion by the Bush team is expected to include the 41st president , former vice presidents Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney , who was secretary of the defense at the time , and former secretaries of state James Baker and Colin Powell , who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Iraq invaded on August 1990 , declaring Kuwait its 19th province . The United States led a counter-offensive starting January 16 , 1991 . The United Nations lifted Saddam-era sanctions against Iraq in December , a largely symbolic step toward Iraq regaining full sovereignty and its status in the international community . More than 1,000 people -- or their remains -- are still missing , including Iraqis , Kuwaitis and others . Iraq is also continuing to pay off its war reparations to its neighbor . Baghdad says it has paid about $ 30 billion to date and still has to pay more than $ 20 billion more . The money is deducted from Iraq 's main income , oil revenues .
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George H.W. Bush gathers war cabinet at Texas A&M . Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 , and the U.S. led a counteroffensive in January 1991 . Baghdad continues to pay reparations to its neighbor . About 1,000 people who disappeared have never been found .
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Cairo , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Egyptians allegedly tried to set themselves on fire but security guards stopped them from carrying out the acts , an Egyptian Interior Ministry official confirmed to CNN Wednesday . The incidents occurred in Cairo Tuesday , and both men were arrested on suspicion of trying to burn themselves . Sayed Ali Sayed , a 65-year-old retired accountant , was stopped outside the Egyptian parliament building by guards who found him carrying gas canisters , said the official , who wants to remain anonymous because he 's not authorized to speak to the media . Sayed 's motives are not known . Mohamed Ashour Mohamed , a 53-year-old former EgyptAir employee , attempted to set himself ablaze in protest to being fired three years ago . The man said a court order to give him his job back was never enforced , the official said . The men 's attempts are the latest in a series of self-immolation incidents that began last month in restive Tunisia , when Mohamed Bouazizi , a 26-year-old unemployed college graduate , set himself on fire after police took away his fruit cart . Since then , more such incidents are being reported from other countries such as Egypt , Algeria and Mauritania -- where other people are turning to self-immolation , some for apparent social and personal reasons . In an incident Monday night , Ahmed Hashem Sayed , a 25-year-old unemployed construction worker in Alexandria , Egypt , slashed his wrists , set himself on fire , and died of his injuries , the Egyptian Interior Ministry official said . Two others in Egypt were injured in self-immolation attempts , one on Tuesday and the other on Monday . News reports from Mauritania say a man set himself on fire Monday in front of the presidential palace . In Algeria , security officials said Sunday that three people set themselves on fire . Riots and demonstrations have erupted in Algeria in recent weeks due to the rising cost of food , unemployment and housing issues .
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Both incidents occurred Tuesday in Cairo . There have been similar actions in North Africa . The string of incidents started in Tunisia .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Venezuelan government initiated a new charge against a private television broadcaster and said that 29 additional radio stations would soon be closed , the latest move in what critics call a crackdown on freedom of expression . Demonstrators hold up a picture of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at a pro-Chavez rally on Saturday . The Saturday announcement by Minister of Public Works and Housing Diosdado Cabello , who oversees the state telecommunications regulator , came at a counter-rally to marches protesting the hardline tactics of President Hugo Chavez . Friday 's marches against Chavez were in part to protest the government 's closure of 32 radio stations and two television broadcasters last month . The government said the stations were shut down for violations relating to their broadcast licenses . Critics say the president was clamping down on critical press . `` There are 29 -LSB- radio stations -RSB- that will be off the air shortly , '' Cabello said at Saturday 's pro-Chavez rally . Cabello also announced a new legal complaint against television broadcaster Globovision as a sanction for allegedly calling for a coup against Chavez during its coverage of Friday 's rallies . Globovision carried text messages from viewers on a ticker on the bottom of the screen during the anti-Chavez protests that called for an overthrow of the government , Cabello said . `` If you call for a coup , if you call for assassination , assume your responsibility , '' he said . The government has already initiated a number of charges against Globovision . The station , known for being critical of Chavez , is being investigated for breaking a law on `` social responsibility '' on some programs on certain dates . The station violated a statute that makes it illegal to utilize telecommunication channels to further criminal acts , the government alleges . Venezuelan authorities had also opened an investigation into whether Globovision broke the law May 4 when it reported about an earthquake before an official report had been issued on the matter . Two other investigations had previously been launched against the station . The relationship between privately-owned media in Venezuela and the leftist Chavez have never been rosy . Chavez has accused private television stations of supporting his brief ouster in 2002 , and the president was a driving force behind denying a license renewal in 2007 to one broadcaster he said cooperated with the opposition .
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Venezuela says 29 more radio stations to be closed ; 32 already shut down . Minister also announces new charges against TV station critical of president . Critics say President Hugo Chavez ' government is trying to silence press criticism . Announcements come at pro-Chavez rally , countering anti-Chavez rallies on Friday .
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RITTMAN , Ohio -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Donna Zovko walks to her son 's grave . Tears stream down her face and she begins trembling amid a steady rain . She kisses her right hand and with it strokes her boy 's headstone . Donna Zovko stands next to her son 's headstone . A wreath with 36 roses marks Jerry Zovko 's birthday . Three and a half years ago , she watched on TV as the bodies of her oldest son , Jerry Zovko , and three of his Blackwater colleagues were dragged through the streets of the Iraqi city of Falluja , burned and mutilated . As horrifying as the pictures are , Donna Zovko -- a Catholic -- finds comfort in an image of her son 's body before the mobs got to him . His eyes were closed , his mouth open , as if he were calling God `` to take his soul . '' `` I just hope that he was referring to the Holy Mother or calling God to help him , '' she says , just steps from where her son is buried . Watch remembering `` my Jerry '' '' Donna Zovko also hopes that she will get some answers as to how -- and why -- her son died . Blackwater officials have not been forthcoming , she says . After seeing Donna Zovko 's story on CNN , Blackwater Chairman Erik Prince said of her : `` I would be willing to meet with her without media present , out of fear of it becoming a media circus . '' Donna Zovko would welcome such a meeting . `` I would like that . It would be one of my prayers answered . Maybe he 'll tell me the truth , '' she says . Then , she adds : `` Why does it have to be 44 months before they tell us anything ? '' Watch a mom 's message to Erik Prince : `` Tell the truth '' '' Two weeks ago , on October 26 , Donna Zovko was at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery to celebrate her son 's birthday . A wreath adorned with 36 white roses -- 32 for his years alive and four for the birthdays he 's missed -- stood next to the grave . Three yellow roses sat next to the headstone with a hand-written note : `` Happy Birthday Jerry . '' `` I miss him more today than yesterday . But I love being here , '' his mother said . Jerry Zovko , a former Army Ranger , had gone to Iraq as a security contractor to train Iraqi soldiers . When that contract ended in late 2003 , he signed on with a different company , Blackwater , according to his mother . On the mission in Falluja , he and his comrades Scott Helvenston , Mike Teague and Wesley Batalona were killed when they were ambushed in their two vehicles as they escorted three empty flatbed trucks . It was the death of Zovko and his comrades that led to the first major U.S. offensive in Falluja , lasting three weeks , and killing 36 U.S. servicemen . Donna Zovko , a Croatian immigrant whose original name is Danica , told CNN.com that Blackwater chief Prince paid a personal visit to her to inform her of her son 's death . He also attended the funeral , and the company held a memorial service for her son and the other slain guards . After that ceremony , she said , she and her family were taken to a private room where they pressed for more details about the events surrounding her son 's death . She said she did n't get answers . A congressional committee had a similar complaint about Blackwater not being forthcoming . In late September , the House Oversight Committee released a report on the deaths of Zovko and his three colleagues , saying Blackwater had `` delayed and impeded '' its investigation of the killings . `` Blackwater agreed to the Falluja mission before its contract officially began , ignored multiple warnings about the risks involved and did not provide its team with adequate equipment , intelligence or directions , '' the report said . `` Mistake apparently compounded mistake . '' Blackwater has taken issue with the House report . The incident in Falluja `` was a tragedy in which no one -- but the terrorists -- are to blame , '' the company said in a recent statement . Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said Donna Zovko is `` a grieving mother , understandably so , and our thoughts remain with her and her entire family . '' Watch Donna Zovko 's quest '' Today , Blackwater 's Prince added this : `` I was communicating with her all the way up until the time the lawsuit was filed . '' The Zovko family disputes that claim . The company , which provides security across the globe , has come under intense scrutiny since its employees were accused of killing 17 Iraqi civilians and wounding 27 others on September 16 of this year in a hail of gunfire in Baghdad . Donna Zovko and the three other families who lost their relatives in the Falluja ambush have sued Blackwater , alleging the company failed to provide their loved ones with adequate gear , weaponry and support . Blackwater has denied the allegations and argued the men agreed to assume the risks of working in a war zone . As for those who murdered her son , Donna Zovko said : `` It 's not mine to judge and I do n't want to judge them . But it would be nice to know what happened to those people that celebrated the deaths of my son , Mike , Wes and Scotty . It would be nice to know if they had to answer to anyone besides God . '' One day , she hopes to visit that site on Highway 10 in Falluja where the killings occurred to build a monument to those who died . `` They can knock it down and I 'll just build it back up , '' she said . This mother -- who arrived in the United States when she was 15 , three years to the day before her son was born -- then walked over to Jerry 's grave and said the Lord 's Prayer . `` I 'll see you Sunday , '' she said , rubbing the headstone . She met Pope John Paul II in August 2004 after her son was killed and he told her `` God has accepted Jerry 's soul '' -- comforting words that still give her peace . Watch why she would `` give back '' pope meeting '' `` It was a big gift for me to see the Holy Father and to meet the Holy Father , but for the truth of my Jerry 's death , I 'd give it back , '' she said , choking back tears . `` I 'd say , ` No , I want Blackwater to tell me everything . ' '' Later that day , the tight-knit family gathered at a Croatian community center for dinner . Afterward , Jerry Zovko 's brother , Tommy , watched his mom and dad walk through the darkness to their car as rain poured down . `` We try to live a normal life , '' he said . `` But it 's anything but normal . '' E-mail to a friend .
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Mom says she 'd trade meeting the pope to meet with Blackwater 's chairman . NEW : After seeing CNN report , Erik Prince says he 'd be willing to meet with her . NEW : Donna Zovko responds : `` I would like that '' Jerry Zovko was one of four Blackwater guards mutilated on March 31 , 2004 .
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BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraq 's parliament has passed a $ 58.8 billion budget for 2009 after cutting $ 3.2 billion from government spending because of weak oil prices , a Iraqi lawmaker said . The Iraqi presidential council , including Iraqi President Jalal Talabani , still must approve the spending plan . The three-member Iraqi presidential council , including Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and his two deputies , still needs to approve the spending plan . The budget , adopted Thursday , was calculated based on $ 50 a barrel , said Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman . Crude oil currently is trading around $ 44 a barrel , and Iraq 's oil-dominated economy has taken a beating due to the world financial downturn . According to the Iraqi parliament Web site , Iraq still would expect to run up a deficit in 2009 of about $ 15 billion . The original budget proposals made in July totaled $ 79 billion . As a part of the trimming of government spending , Othman said that the Iraqi parliament voted to reduce the salaries of key officials by 20 percent . Those affected include members of the presidential council , including the speaker of the parliament and his two deputies , the Iraqi president and his two vice presidents , the prime minister and his two deputies and the chairman of the judiciary council and his two deputies . The Iraqi parliament also voted to cut lawmakers ' own salaries by 10 percent . The 10 percent cut also will affect other high-ranking government officials . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report .
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Iraqi lawmakers reportedly OK $ 58.8 billion budget for 2009 . Weak oil prices force $ 3.2 billion cut in spending , Kurdish lawmaker says . Three-member Iraqi presidential council still must approve the plan . Oil-dominated economy takes a beating due to global financial downturn .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian teenager Federico Macheda enjoyed a remarkable debut to English football as he curled home an injury-time winner that sent Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 home win over Aston Villa . Macheda receives a hug from manager Sir Alex Ferguson after scoring Manchester United 's last-gasp winner . It seemed United would have to settle for a point after Cristiano Ronaldo 's double had only proved enough to keep United level against a Villa side that thoroughly deserved a lead provided by John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor . But 17-year-old substitute Macheda , a former member of the Lazio academy who arrived at Old Trafford in 2007 , was to have the last word . Who is Federico Macheda ? At exactly the same moment as Yossi Benayoun struck for Liverpool at Fulham on Saturday , Macheda turned onto Ryan Giggs ' low pass before unleashing a stunning shot that curled past Brad Friedel and sent Old Trafford into ecstasy . United , missing a host of players including Rio Ferdinand , Nemanja Vidic , Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes , started poorly against an out-of-form Villa side who had gone eight matches without victory . However , a stunning piece of skill from Cristiano Ronaldo gave them a 14th - minute lead . James Milner and Friedel got themselves into a muddle , forcing the Villa keeper to handle a back pass . The resulting free-kick saw Ryan Giggs brush the ball to Ronaldo , who sent a fierce shot over the wall and into the roof of Friedel 's net in a flash . Villa were not to be denied and they drew level when Gareth Barry wriggled his way into space by the touchline and Carew crept between Gary Neville and John O'Shea to steer a deft header into the bottom corner of the net . The visitors then took a deserved lead on the hour mark when Ronaldo gifted possession to Stiliyan Petrov , who swept upfield unopposed . He found Carew , whose perfect cross was headed home by Agbonlahor . The goal stung United into life and they levelled with 13 minutes remaining when Michael Carrick exchanged first-time passes with Giggs on the edge of the Villa box , before presenting Ronaldo with a lay-off . The world player of the year did not have a lot to aim at but he found the one small gap Friedel was unable to cover . A draw would have been a fair result , but United poured forward and in the third minute of five added on minutes at the end of the match , Macheda delivered the killer blow to leave the defending champions a point clear of Liverpool at the top with a game in hand . Meanwhile , in the day 's other match , Everton moved to within one point of Villa in sixth position after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Wigan , courtesy of a double from on-loan Manchester City striker Jo .
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Federico Macheda scores an injury-time winner as Manchester defeat Villa 3-2 . The win lifts champions above Liverpool to top of Premier League by one point . Everton consolidate sixth place in table after a comfortable 4-0 win over Wigan .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Jonas Brothers have canceled a planned concert in Monterrey , Mexico , they announced Thursday , following an outbreak of drug-related violence there . The pop trio said they were saddened not to be going through with the show , scheduled for October 21 . `` While they wish to apologize to everyone who planned to attend the concert , this difficult decision was made out of their great affection and concern for their loyal fans in the region , '' their management said in a statement . The Disney-backed boy band will go ahead with concerts in Guadalajara on October 23 and Mexico City the following day , the statement said . Monterrey tickets can be exchanged for tickets to those concerts or refunded at the place of purchase . Moneterrey has seen a wave of violence as rival drug gangs battle each other and the police . There have been at least three grenade attacks this month . One was thrown at a police station on October 10 , wounding four police officers . Fourteen people , including eight children , were injured when a grenade was thrown in a public square in front of a city hall on October 3 , the state-run Notimex news agency reported , citing local officials . At least three grenades were thrown in the vicinity of the U.S. consulate in Monterrey late on October 1 , a consulate employee told CNN the next morning . The consulate does not appear to have been the target . A local newspaper reported that a guard at a local courthouse was injured by shrapnel in that incident . Monterrey is one of Mexico 's leading business centers . It is the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon , which has witnessed much violence as rival drug cartels fight with each other over lucrative smuggling routes and with the federal authorities .
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Monterrey , Mexico , has seen at least three grenade attacks this month . Rival drug gangs are battling each other and the police . The boy band said the `` difficult decision was made out of their great affection and concern for fans ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Longtime film critic Roger Ebert , who lost much of his jaw to thyroid cancer , will show off his new face -- thanks to a prosthesis -- when his PBS show debuts this weekend . The creators of the prosthesis `` did a pretty wonderful damn job , '' Ebert wrote in his online blog , which provided a few photos . `` I like my new prosthesis and know from observation their work was painstaking and done with love and care . '' The process of crafting the silicone prosthesis and matching it to his face and features took about two years , Ebert said . The effort was led by Dr. David J. Reisberg . Since the cancer , Chicago-based Ebert , 68 , has been unable to speak or eat conventionally . He has used various text-to-speech technologies to provide a voice . According to `` Entertainment Tonight , '' the Chicago Sun-Times critic is producing and will appear in brief segments in his new show `` Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies , '' which launches on PBS stations nationwide . `` I will wear the prosthesis on the new television show , '' Ebert wrote in a Wednesday evening post entitled `` Leading with my chin . '' `` That 's not to fool anyone , because my appearance is widely known , '' said Ebert , who appeared with the late Gene Siskel on a movie review show for more than 20 years . `` It will be used in a medium shot of me working in my office , and will be a pleasant reminder of the person I was for 64 years . '' Ebert wrote he initially assumed he would wear the prosthesis all the time when he leaves the house . But his thoughts have changed , in part because people know what he looks like beneath the feature . `` And something else has happened since that day in the hospital : I accept the way I look . Lord knows I paid the dues . ''
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Longtime film critic lost part of jaw to cancer . Two-year transformation features facial prosthesis . A new PBS show debuts this weekend .
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Mexico City -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mexican singer who is accused of raping a teen is scheduled to testify Saturday , state media reported . Pop star Kalimba will testify in a private hearing before a judge in the state of Quintana Roo , the state-run Notimex news agency reported . Prosecutors allege he raped a 17-year-old girl in a hotel there in December . His attorney , Rodrigo Cejudo , told Notimex that the singer is calm and confident because he is innocent . On Thursday , the singer , whose full name is Kalimba Marichal Ibar , was deported from the United States to Mexico after an immigration violation in El Paso , Texas , U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Ramiro Cordero said . The 28-year-old singer is a former member of the group OV7 , and also was the voice of Simba in a Spanish version of Disney 's `` The Lion King . '' He is in custody in a prison in Chetumal , Mexico , Notimex said .
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The state-run Notimex news agency says Kalimba will testify in a private hearing Saturday . He is accused of raping a teen in a hotel in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo . His attorney says Kalimba is calm and confident because he is innocent .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cristiano Ronaldo has escaped punishment over the car smash earlier this year that saw his Ferrari written off . Ronaldo 's Ferrari was a complete write-off after his accident on the way to training . The Manchester United star , who is set to move to Real Madrid for a world record fee , demolished the front of his high-performance sports car after he hit a roadside barrier in a tunnel on a freeway in the north-west of England city . No other vehicle was involved and Ronaldo escaped injury . He spoke to police officers at the scene and was also later interviewed as well as giving a written statement . A Greater Manchester Police spokesman told Press Association Tuesday . `` No further action will be taken against the driver of a Ferrari 599 GTB , which collided with a wall on the A538 Wilmslow Road on Thursday , January 8 . `` No-one was injured and no other vehicles were involved in the incident . '' It was reported that the Portuguese star had only owned the top-of-the-range sports car for just a few days before the accident . The impact of the crash saw one of the Ferrari 's wheels come off and end up 200 meters away , with skid marks on the road clearly prominent . The FIFA World Player of the Year walked away from the smash and was given a lift to training that morning by then Manchester United teammate Edwin van der Sar who had been driving along the same stretch of road behind him . Dutchman Van de Sar also provided a statement to police about the incident . Real Madrid and Manchester United confirmed last week that they had reached a deal to send Ronaldo to the Bernabeu , but it has still to be officially sealed .
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Manchester police will not take action over Cristiano Ronaldo car crash . Ronaldo wrote off his Ferrari as he drove to training on January 8 . No other vehicles were involved and Ronaldo escaped injury .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The international governing body for athletics urged caution Friday after reports that the world-champion South African runner Caster Semenya has both male and female organs . The front cover of You magazine shows Semenya after a recent makeover . The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and The Sun newspaper in Britain reported that gender tests ordered by the International Association of Athletics Federations -LRB- IAAF -RRB- show the 18-year-old is a hermaphrodite . Neither paper named the source of their information . IAAF spokesman Nick Davies would not discuss the findings with CNN . `` I simply have n't seen the results , '' Davies said . `` We have received the results from Germany , but they now need to be examined by a group of experts and we will not be in a position to speak to the athlete about them for at least a few weeks . `` After that , depending on the results , we will meet privately with the athlete to discuss further action . '' Has Semenya been treated fairly ? The IAAF issued a statement , saying no decision on the case will be announced until the experts can look at the results . A final decision regarding the case is not expected before the IAAF Council meets in late November in Monaco , the IAAF said . Davies also said the news reports should be treated with caution . The newspapers said extensive physical examinations of Semenya show she has no ovaries , but rather has internal testes , which are producing large amounts of testosterone . What is intersexuality ? Semenya won the women 's 800-meters gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last month . She crushed her rivals by streaking away to secure victory in 1 minute , 55.45 seconds -- the best women 's time in the world this year . Defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya took the silver and Jennifer Meadows of Britain claimed bronze . The IAAF said it was seeking tests on Semenya 's gender even before that race . Davies said questions about her were first raised after her astonishing displays at the African junior championships in July , with her masculine build and surprising performance fueling the rumors . South Africans reacted angrily to Friday 's reports , with one newspaper headline declaring `` outrage . '' Sport and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said he was `` shocked and disgusted '' at the treatment that Semenya has received from the media , the IAAF , and the world . `` She may be a hermaphrodite , but so what ? She is still a girl , '' Stofile told a news conference in Pretoria . Even if Semenya has an unfortunate `` proportion of hormones , '' he said , she is still `` a young girl enjoying growing up . '' Stofile said he believes the teenager 's human rights have been violated and that she was not given a chance to understand what the gender testing was all about . South Africa will fight back if Semenya is excluded from further competition , Stofile said , adding , `` It will be a third world war . '' All indications were Friday that , at the very least , Semenya may be able to keep the gold medal she won in Berlin . `` Our legal advice is that , if she proves to have an advantage because of the male hormones , then it will be extremely difficult to strip the medal off her , since she has not cheated , '' Davies told CNN . Semenya 's countrymen -- including her father and the South Africa team manager -- have maintained that Semenya is a female . Thousands of supporters crammed the airport in Johannesburg when she returned from Berlin last month . And this week , the athlete appeared on the cover of a South African magazine wearing makeup , jewelry and a glamorous dress . Under IAAF rules , any time there is suspicion about an athlete 's gender , the athlete can be asked to attend a medical evaluation before a panel consisting of a gynecologist , an endocrinologist , a psychologist , an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender issues . There are chromosome tests and scans of the athlete 's body , Davies has said . He called gender verification -- which is generally required only for female athletes -- `` an extremely complex procedure . '' The process of gender verification has undergone big changes since it was first introduced for international competition in the 1960s , the IAAF said . The first mechanism involved `` rather crude and perhaps humiliating physical examinations , '' which soon gave way to mouth swabs to collect chromosomes , the IAAF said . There were too many uncertainties regarding the mouth swabs , so the IAAF abandoned them in 1991 and the International Olympic Committee discontinued them in 2000 , the IAAF said . A proper test has yet to be found , the IAAF said , and the current round of tests is considered a good interim solution .
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South African Sports Minister `` shocked and disgusted '' at Semenya treatment . Sydney Morning Herald reports tests have revealed athlete 's internal testes . South Africa team manager maintains Semenya is female . Semenya won the 800-meters gold at the World Athletics Championships .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bayern Munich returned to the top of the Bundesliga for the first time since May 2008 with a 2-0 victory at home to Hoffenheim on Friday night in the first match after the German winter break . Louis van Gaal 's team climbed a point above halfway leaders Bayer Leverkusen , who host Mainz on Saturday . Third-placed Schalke can also move above Bayern with victory at home to second-bottom Nuremberg on Sunday . Van Gaal was again without the services of playmaker Franck Ribery , who is expected to return from injury in the trip to Werder Bremen next weekend , but the club insisted before the match that all efforts will be made to keep the France star , a reported target of Real Madrid and Chelsea . But Dutch forward Arjen Robben was fit to start as 21-time league champions Bayern continued the form that saw them win six consecutive matches at the end of last year , while captain Mark Van Bommel returned from suspension in front of a capacity 69,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena . Argentina defender Martin Demichelis opened the scoring in the 35th minute , with the center-back stabbing home from close range after Hoffenheim 's Josip Simunic headed a cross from Bastian Schweinsteiger into his path . Germany striker Miroslav Klose came off the bench to replace the injured Ivica Olic and score his first league goal in nine months . With four minutes of regulation time remaining , he guided a speculative shot from Van Bommel into the net after the midfielder was set up by Robben . Mario Gomez , who started up front with Olic , had a miserable match as he hit the post in stoppage time to add to four earlier misses . Hoffenheim , who topped the table 12 months ago before an alarming slump in form that saw them miss out on a place in Europe , were left in seventh place with 25 points from 18 matches -- 11 adrift of Bayern .
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Bayern Munich return to the top of Bundesliga table for first time since May 2008 . Louis Van Gaal 's team win 2-0 at home Hoffenheim in first match after winter break . Martin Demichelis scores opener in 35th minute and Miroslav Klose adds late second . Hoffenheim were left in seventh place with 25 points from 18 matches , 11 adrift of Bayern .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian champions Inter Milan have handed a new three-year contract to veteran defender Marco Materazzi . Marco Materazzi now seems set to end his playing career with Inter Milan . The 35-year-old World Cup winner 's existing deal had been due to run out at the end of next summer , but he is now set to stay at the San Siro until 2012 . A statement on the Inter Web site read : '' FC Internazionale and Marco Materazzi announce the agreement for an extension which will bind the player to the club until 30 June 2012 . '' The center-back has made almost 250 appearances for the Nerazzurri since joining Inter in 2001 , winning four Serie A titles . However , last season he was restricted to just 15 outings under new manager Jose Mourinho . `` I 'll be Inter for life , '' he wrote on his official Web site , Goal.com reported on Thursday . `` And it 's not just a figure of speech . I could not have been more satisfied before leaving for my holidays -- I have extended my contract with Inter until 2012 , hence until the end of my career . `` That 's what I have always desired , since I am an Inter fan as much as I am one of their players . `` I will quit football wearing this shirt , and now I only want to try and win as much as we can both in Italy and in Europe . We 'll see each other on July 10 for the start of the new season . I will be fired up . '' Materazzi is still best known for his antics in the 2006 World Cup final , when his comments to Zinedine Zidane led to the France playmaker being sent off for a vicious headbutt in his farewell international which ended with the Italians being crowned world champions . Meanwhile , Inter have also completed the signing of Genoa midfielder Thiago Motta on a four-year contract . The 26-year-old , who resurrected his career last season after moving from Barcelona , has finalized a deal that was agreed earlier in the summer and also saw Argentine striker Diego Milito move to the San Siro on Tuesday . Inter confirmed that midfielder Francesco Bolzoni , defender Leonardo Bonucci and striker Riccardo Meggiorini will join the Grifoni on a permanent basis in an overall package including the five players worth a reported $ 42 million .
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Marco Materazzi handed new three-year contract by Italian champions . The 35-year-old defender now tied to Inter Milan until the summer of 2012 . The center-back 's existing deal was due to expire in a year 's time . Inter complete signing of Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta from Genoa .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bordeaux clinched the French league title with a 1-0 win over Caen on a dramatic final day of the season . Bordeaux 's fans celebrate their first French league title in 10 years . Laurent Blanc 's men were ending Lyon 's seven-year hold on the domestic championship and winning Bordeaux 's first title in 10 years . A goal from Yoan Gouffran early in the second half secured their 11th straight win and their second trophy of the season having won the French League Cup in April . The defeat saw Caen drop to the second flight and kept Bordeaux three points clear of second-placed Marseille who won 4-0 at home to Rennes to keep up the pressure to the last . Senegal international striker Mamadou Niang scored twice with Ivory Coast star Bakari Kone also on target , but it was not enough . Lyon closed their season with a 0-0 draw at Toulouse and their third place finish secures a place in the qualifying round for the Champions League . Once mighty Nantes also went down despite a 2-1 win over Auxerre , but St.Etienne stayed up with a 4-0 win over Valenciennes . In the Spanish Primera Liga , Atletico Madrid thrashed Almeria 3-0 to clinch a spot in the Champions League next season . Diego Forlan all but sealed the honor of finishing top scorer in the league with the opener for Atletico , his 32nd of the season , by rounding off the scoring for Atletico . Sergio Aguero , reportedly a target for Premier League Chelsea , gave them a 19th-minute lead with Raul Garcia scoring the second . The win draws Atletico level on points with third placed Sevilla , who close their season , but staying two points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal , 3-2 winners over Real Mallorca in their final match . European champions Barcelona , who had already clinched the Spanish title , finished their season with a 1-1 draw at Deportivo La Coruna . Rodolfo Bodipo put Depo ahead in the first half with Samuel Eto'o equalizing with a minute left . It leaves Barcelona with a record tally of 87 points from 38 points , well clear of arch-rivals and deposed champions Real Madrid . Besiktas won the Turkish league title with a 2-1 win over Denizlispor as nearest rivals Sivasspor lost 2-1 to last year 's champions Galatasaray . It was the 11th championship for Besiktas , but first since 2003 . They also won the Turkish Cup .
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Bordeaux beat relegated Caen 1-0 to clinch the French league title . Marseille finish runners-up despite 4-0 home win over Rennes . Atletico Madrid clinch Champions League spot from Primera Liga . Besiktas claim Turkish league title with 2-1 win over Denizlispor .
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CNN -- Lionel Messi is universally recognized as being one of football 's greatest current players and the Argentine , who does not turn 22 until June , will have a captive world-wide audience watching his every move when he dons the famous red and blue Barcelona shirt for Wednesday 's Champions League final against Manchester United . Lionel Messi has finished second in FIFA 's World Player of the Year award two years in a row . Messi burst onto the world stage in 2003 when he made his debut , as a raw 16-year-old , in a friendly against Portuguese side Porto -- and since then he has become the natural heir-apparent to Argentine legend Diego Maradona . Born in Rosario , Argentina , in 1987 , a year after Maradona almost single-handidly won the World Cup for his country in Mexico , Messi 's talent was obvious at a very early age . He joined Argentine club Newell 's Old Boys aged just eight , where he stayed until he joined Barcelona 's under-14 squad in 2000 . With Barcelona he has already won three league championships , two Spanish Super cups , the Copa del Rey and the Champions League . On the international stage he has won the Under-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005 , while being voted player of tournament and making his mark as the tournament 's leading goalscorer . He made his debut for the senior team aged 18 and played a leading role in the side that won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games . According to Forbes magazine , Messi was football 's sixth-richest earner in 2008 . Of his $ 18 million income , only a relatively small $ 7m came from endorsements . Maradona , now coach of the Argentine national side , has described Messi as `` beautiful to watch , '' adding `` he has something different to any other player in the world . '' Messi has scored eight times in this year 's Champions League and is odds-on to become the competition 's leading scorer -- and a winning goal in Rome on Wednesday will add the icing on the cake in what has been a superb season for both Messi and Barca . Messi 's outstanding performances during the 2007/2008 season earned him second place in voting for European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year honors , both times being beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo . However , if he helps Barcelona add the Champions League to their La Lia and Copa del Rey crowns this season , he is likely to go one better when this year 's awards are handed out .
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Lionel Messi has already helped Barca to the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles . 21-year-old the top scorer in this season 's Champions League with eight goals . Messi seen as the natural heir-apparent to Argentine legend Diego Maradona .
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CNN -- Fleet-footed winger Cristiano Ronaldo is Manchester United 's most deadly weapon and officially the best footballer in the world . Manchester United 's Cristiano Ronaldo is the current FIFA World Player of the Year . Born in 1985 on the Portuguese island of Madeira , the 23-year-old cut his teeth with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon , where his amazing skill and dribbling ability alerted a host of top European clubs . However , it was Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson who nipped in before his rivals to sign Ronaldo for a reported fee of $ 19 million in 2003 . With Manchester United he has won three Premier League titles , two Football League Cups , the FA Cup , the World Club Championship , and the Champions League . After a phenomenal 2007/2008 season , in which he scored 42 goals for Manchester United in all competitions , he was voted FIFA and FIFPro World Player of the Year and European Player of the Year . That season his 31 Premier League goals won him the Golden Shoe award , making him officially Europe 's most prolific goal scorer , and he was also the leading scorer in the Champions League , with eight goals . He capped a remarkable campaign by scoring the opening goal , before also netting from the penalty spot , as United beat Chelsea in a dramatic Champions League final in Moscow . Tall , elegant and powerful , Ronaldo is as good in the air as he is with the ball at his feet , as he proved with his header against Chelsea in last year 's final . He also possesses a remarkable and unique free-kick technique , managing to bend and swerve the ball to devastating effect , notably with the goal that effectively ended Arsenal 's challenge in the semifinals of this year 's Champions League . Apart from his success at Old Trafford , Ronaldo is a regular figure for his national side , making his full international debut in 2003 and going on to represent Portugal at the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008 finals . However , despite his god-given talent , Ronaldo still gets criticized in Portugal for allegedly failing to replicate his United form in a Portugal shirt . According to Forbes , Ronaldo was football 's fifth biggest earner in 2008 . Of his $ 21 million income , $ 12m was in salary and incentives from Manchester United and another $ 9 million came from endorsements with global brands like of Nike and Coca-Cola .
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Ronaldo Voted FIFA World Player of the Year and European Player of Year . He has also represented Portugal at the both World and European finals . Ronaldo was signed by Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 . 23-year-old scored 42 goals in all competitions for his club in 2007/8 season .
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-LRB- CareerBuilder.com -RRB- -- Co-workers are always a great topic of conversation . You never run out of things to say when it comes to talking about the different types of people you work with , what you love , what you hate and how you deal with it all . We thought we 'd do a little research into some of the best co-workers out there . Not just the different personality types , but real people , who do real good things . What we found found is that many workers out there are generous , kind people who put their colleagues ' lives before their own without hesitation . Here are 5 of the most heroic co-workers people encountered this year . The heroes . 1 . Co-worker helps to save a fellow employee 's life . Claude Marlowe , a diabetic , went to work one morning like any other day . When he went to shake a colleague 's hand , he had a heart attack and dropped dead -- literally . That 's when Debi Coffman and another co-worker , Larry Garrett , realized that this was n't a diabetic episode ; Marlowe had no pulse . The two performed CPR and chest compressions and revived Marlowe three times before emergency crews arrived . He suffered five heart attacks and was brain dead for at least two hours . He would not be alive had his co-workers not known what to do . -LRB- Nascar.com -RRB- . 2 . Chandler worker helps colleague get new artificial leg . For 30 years , Gregory Lewis , a retail maintenance worker , walked with the same prosthetic device on his left leg . As the years wore on , so did his artificial leg . One day , he lifted his foot off the ground to get into his car , and the artificial leg fell off . Lewis had no health insurance and did n't have money for a new prosthesis , which cost more than $ 10,000 . Daniel Anderson , a code enforcement officer who moonlights as a Dillard 's security guard , knew about his co-worker 's struggle , and was determined to help . Thanks to friends and family , Anderson raised $ 1,000 and earned the rest of the money with the help of Dillard 's and a local prosthetic company to buy Lewis a new leg . -LRB- The Arizona Republic -RRB- . 3 . Houston transit worker helps fallen woman on Metro tracks . When Eliot Swainson , a Houston Transit Authority employee , was volunteering for the Metro in Washington , D.C. , he did n't expect to come home a hero . But that 's just what Swainson became when he directed a woman who had fallen on the tracks to safety . Swainson was giving directions to other passengers when Metro patrons began yelling that someone had fallen on the tracks . He and another person unsuccessfully tried to remove the woman from the tracks . Swainson was left with one option : direct the woman to safety while the train passed overhead . He told the woman to stay as close to the edge of the track as possible , under the overhang next to the tracks to avoid getting hit . After the train passed , they cut power to the tracks and got the woman to safety . -LRB- dcist.com / -RRB- . 4 . Hair stylist saves coworker . Carol Morgan , a 68-year-old hair stylist , helped resuscitate co-worker who suffered sudden cardiac arrest . Sue Flood , 64 , had just finished eating lunch and was washing her dishes in the sink when she collapsed . As another colleague screamed for help , Morgan ran to Flood , who had no pulse . She immediately began chest compressions and CPR . When emergency crews arrived , Flood had just started to breathe and have some movement . Morgan says that she has known CPR for 15 to 20 years but never had to use it until that day . -LRB- Pryor Daily Times -RRB- . 5 . Hero died saving co-worker . Earl Ramersad was a supervisor at Delta Glass , a Canadian company , for more than 10 years . He died a hero when he pushed a co-worker out of harm 's way by absorbing the full impact of glass panes that fell while workers were off-loading it from a container . Colleagues said Ramersad went to help his crew when the accident happened and ended up saving someone 's life instead . -LRB- Trinidad & Tobago Express -RRB- . & 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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Just about everyone can complain about at least one coworker . But Debi Coffman and Larry Garrett gave coworker CPR and saved his life . A security guard helps raise money to pay for prosthetic leg for coworker . Earl Ramersad died after he pushed coworker out of way of glass panes .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The apocalyptic tales of nature 's impending demise are as well worn as they are numerous . Dr. Joseph Adelegan has pioneered new energy sources , including using cow waste to create cooking gas . But while our leaders wrangle over quotas for greenhouse emissions over banquets at lavish summits , there are remarkable individuals who are doing their small bit to prevent our planet from peril . Take Nigerian civil engineer , Dr Joseph Adelegan for instance . He firmly believes that the world 's future fuel demands can be met through renewable energy . And he is using increasingly innovative methods to achieve these results . Three years ago Adelegan won plaudits for his `` Cows to Kilowatts '' project , which used effluents and waste products from abattoirs to produce cooking gas . The project was a winner of the prestigious 2005 Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development -LRB- SEED -RRB- International Awards . It is still going strong and being used to provide cooking fuel for nearly 6000 homes in Ibadan , southern Nigeria . Adelegan tells CNN there are now plans to roll it out across most of Africa , including Zimbabwe , Kenya and Egypt . This time he 's back with another groundbreaking idea to use waste from the cassava plant , a staple food of Nigeria , to generate electricity . His project `` Power to the Poor : Off-Grid Lighting from Cassava Waste in Nigeria , '' was awarded a $ 250,000 grant in May from the World Bank after being named one of the best projects in Africa . According to Adelegan , Nigeria produces over 20 percent of the world 's output of cassava , it is a $ 5 billion industry and provides the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food . However , waste from cassava refining is a major public health problem in Nigeria , causing water pollution and emitting noxious greenhouse gases . Through innovative biogas technology , zero emission bioreactors at specially constructed plants treat the cassava waste and produce biogas which drives microturbines for low cost , safe and reliable off-grid efficient lighting to thousands of rural homes . Using this method , Adelegan says he hopes to generate 200kw daily , which will provide basic electricity for more than 2000 households initially . He told CNN : `` There will be four lighting points in their homes . We 're thinking in terms of basic lighting , they will be able to use their TV , cassette player , that sort of thing , but it will not be able to power a refrigerator . `` These people currently rely on kerosene lamps that are very bad for emissions and pollution . We also plan to provide them with low wattage lamps that use just 5kw to bring down usage . '' Through his not-for-profit organization -- Global Network for Environment and Economic Development Research -RRB- -- Adelegan has achieved the impressive feat of galvanizing the notoriously bureaucratic Nigerian government into action . He told CNN that the governor of Kwara State , in northern Nigeria has donated a plot of land for the launch of the project , scheduled to start next month . The scheme will cost $ 310,000 and will become profitable in little over three years , Adelegan says . `` This can never replace fossil fuels because of the huge demand we have for them , but we can help to reduce greenhouse emissions by creating alternative sources of energy , '' he said . The Ice Man Cometh . In the furthest reaches of northern India , glaciers once stretched far down the mountains , now they are all but gone as global warming takes its devastating toll . Hardworking but impoverished farmers in the Ladakh region have watched as their sole source of fresh water slowly melts away . But one man is taking matters into his own hands . Enter Chewang Norphel , a softly-spoken but sprightly 72-year-old has created artificial glaciers and managed to generate water and greenery in this barren landscape . Perched high up in the remote cold deserts of the Himalayas , Norphel has mastered the art of harvesting water by using just a few hundred meters of iron pipes and stone embankments . `` Fifty to sixty years ago , we used to have huge glaciers here , the retired civil engineer , told CNN . `` They have been reduced now because of global warming and now they are on high peaks . '' The idea of the ` artificial glacier ' was born after he noticed that taps were left running in winter to stop the water from freezing in the pipes . The water then flowed into the drains surrounding the taps and froze . `` And it then occurred to me : ` why not try and make artificial glaciers in the winter ? ' So that local farmers get a real headstart when they need it most , '' Norphel says . The result was a device which traps the waters which melt down the high mountains by turning them into chunks of ice . The largest artificial glacier Norphel has built so far is near the village of Phuktsey . About 1,000 feet -LRB- 300 meters -RRB- long , 150 feet -LRB- 45 meters -RRB- wide , and four feet -LRB- 1 meter -RRB- deep , it supplies irrigation water to the entire village of around 700 people . For Norphel , there are several advantages of an artificial glacier over a natural one . Firstly , it is closer to the village and at a comparatively lower altitude . Natural glaciers , on the other hand , are located way up in the mountains and they melt slowly in summer , releasing water to the villages quite late . Now engineers from other mountainous regions in India and Afghanistan have visited to learn his methods . One artificial glacier costs just $ 7,000 , compared to $ 34,000 for a dam . Only local materials are needed , and the villagers themselves can build and maintain them . For his efforts , Norphel has been awarded the Far Eastern Economic Review 's 1999 Gold Asian Innovation Award , twelve years after he created the first one . However , he is frustrated at the lack of investment and funding to help modernize the design . `` The funding is not sufficient , '' he said . `` We are getting very little amounts and we need a lot more . I hope to get more as this year I want to make two or three more glaciers , with a new design to improve the efficiency . '' In 1996 , one year after he had retired , Norphel joined the Leh Nutrition Project , a non-governmental organization , as project manager for watershed development . `` Watershed development is the only solution for Ladakh 's rural economy . Otherwise , you will have rural folk flocking the city in search of jobs . And there are not many to go around , '' he says . Do you have other examples of how people are using innovative ways to create renewable energy sources ? Share your views and experiences in our sound-off box below .
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Individuals around the world are devising innovative ways to save the planet . Joseph Adelegan has created fuels using cow waste and cassava plant . Chewang Norphel is known as the `` Ice Man '' after creating artificial glaciers .
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Bangkok , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected protesters ' demands Monday that he call an early election and dissolve parliament , saying on national television that he would listen to the protesters but would not be forced to accede to their demands . The rejection came after another largely peaceful day of demonstration during which thousands of red-shirted protesters called for a blood bath of sorts -- organizing a blood drive and threatening to spatter hundreds of liters of donated blood over government buildings and the prime minister 's residence . Abhisit spent much of Monday morning holed up in a safe house in a military compound , which was surrounded by protesters . He left by helicopter in order to survey the situation , after which the protesters left the site . The protests , which were expected to continue Tuesday , have hurt the economy . The nation 's tourism minister estimated the demonstrations might have resulted in a 20 percent drop in tourists . The impact on Chinese visitors appears to have been greater , with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce reporting a 50 percent cancellation rate . `` Red shirts '' rally in Bangkok : Share your photos . The protesters , who are trying to bring down the prime minister 's administration , announced the blood drive an hour after Abhisit ignored a demand by the `` red shirts '' -- named for their clothing -- to dissolve parliament by noon Monday . Nattawut Saikua -- one of the leaders of the anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship -- said the protesters will collect 1,000 liters -LRB- 1 million cubic centimeters -RRB- of blood Tuesday and then throw it on the grounds of the Government House , which houses ministerial offices . If Abhisit still refuses to dissolve parliament , the demonstrators said , they will collect another 1,000 liters of blood the next day and splash it on the headquarters of the ruling party . The next day , they will collect 1,000 more liters and target the prime minister 's residence , the demonstrators said . The anti-government demonstrations began Friday . By Sunday , tens of thousands of protesters had poured into the center of Bangkok . The rallies have been largely peaceful . Abhisit said Monday that his government will not use force to quell the demonstrations . Army Col. Sansern Kaewkumnerd said a number of grenades were tossed from a side street into the 11th Infantry headquarters , where the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order is coordinating the government response to the protests . Two soldiers were hurt , the colonel said . The protesters are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 . Thaksin was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full term and remains hugely popular . He fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated . The protesters say Abhisit was not democratically elected and have demanded that he call new elections . About 50,000 security forces were mobilized ahead of the protests and additional soldiers were guarding Abhisit . Since Thaksin 's ouster , Thailand has endured widespread political unrest that has pitted Thaksin loyalists against Abhisit supporters . Two people were killed and at least 135 wounded in riots in April 2009 when protesters clashed with demonstrators supporting the government . CNN 's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report .
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PM Abhisit Vejjajiva says he will listen to protesters but not accede to their demands . Protesters say they will collect 1,000 liters of blood Tuesday to throw at Government House . Two soldiers were injured when grenades were tossed into the 11th Infantry Headquarters . The protesters are supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Detroit police have arrested a man suspected to be the rapist who `` terrorized '' women on the city 's Northeast side , the police chief said Monday . Raynard Coleman , 31 , was taken into custody without incident last Wednesday , after DNA evidence tied him to six of seven assaults that have taken place in the city since January 1 , Chief Ralph Godbee said . Police believe the suspect targeted the females , ages 17 to 33 , as they waited at or were walking near bus stops . The victims were taken to nearby vacant buildings and assaulted , according to the chief . Detroit police set up a 24-hour operational command post , which was manned by a specialized joint task force , to receive tips about the attacks , Godbee said . Tips also came in on Facebook , he said . The police chief credited teamwork from people in the community and the combined efforts of local , state and federal law enforcement agencies for helping in the search for the rapist . `` Every person in this department , community , outside of the community , they were extremely engaged in this process , '' the chief said . `` There is no person in the Detroit metro area that this did n't touch . '' Godbee also recognized the victims for coming forth to report the crimes . Without their descriptions , he said , police would not have been able to release a composite sketch to the public . The charges against Coleman , who has no history of sexual crimes , include kidnapping , aggravated assault , criminal sexual conduct , armed robbery and felony with a firearm , according to Jerry Dorsey IV , with the Wayne County prosecutor 's office . If convicted , Coleman could be sentenced to life in prison , Dorsey said .
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Raynard Coleman , 31 , is accused in six assaults in Detroit , the police chief says . Coleman targeted females waiting at or walking near bus stops , Chief Ralph Godbee says . Charges against Coleman include kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct , official says .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In most places , when 16 people are gunned down , the local media reports the incident without missing a beat . But when the massacre described above happened last weekend in Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , the editors of the city 's largest daily newspaper had to have a long discussion before deciding to cover and investigate the story . As drug cartel violence continues unabated throughout Mexico , journalists find themselves walking a thin line between covering the story and becoming part of it . Already this year , three journalists have been killed in Mexico , reaffirming the country 's place as one of the most dangerous in the world for journalists . The drug violence `` generates fear , even if you do n't like to admit it , '' Pedro Torres , deputy editor of El Diario de Juarez told CNN . Drug cartels have targeted reporters and editors who report on their activities , something that gives editors pause before reporting on incidents likely linked to the cartels . After discussion , the Juarez newspaper decided to investigate the gruesome slayings that happened over the weekend , but are aware of what that means . `` We are always trying to investigate , but when you get too deep you draw a reaction , '' Torres said , referring to threats from drug traffickers . `` In this case , we are trying to dig as deep as possible . '' However , if the paper 's efforts are met with `` reactions , '' they will have to back down , he said . It is a form of self-censorship that many media outlets in Mexico have accepted out of concern for the safety of their staffs . Sometimes , cartel members will call the newspaper to try to get reporters to not write about certain incidents ; other times they push for certain stories to be included . `` There 's pressure from all sides , '' Torres said . In January , a crime reporter for the Zocalo newspaper in Saltillo , Mexico -- Valentin Valdes Espinosa -- was kidnapped . He was found dead shortly after , his body showing signs of torture and with several bullet wounds . . According to the Committee to Protect Journalists , Valdes Espinosa was found with a message that read : `` This is going to happen to those who do n't understand . The message is for everyone . '' Less than two weeks later , authorities in the state of Sinaloa found the body of another journalist who was kidnapped in December . Jose Luis Romero 's body also showed signs of torture , CPJ reported . The most recent victim was Jorge Ochoa Martinez , a Mexican editor and publisher of two papers in the western state of Guerrero who died last week after being shot in the face , according to local media . The state attorney general 's office told CNN Wednesday that there were two leads in the investigation , but that authorities were not ready to talk about them publicly yet . `` Obviously , for this year , it 's already an alarming figure , '' Anthony Mills , press freedom manager for the International Press Institute in Vienna , Austria , told CNN . `` There appears to be no end in sight . '' `` Although journalists continue bravely to do their jobs , the fact of the matter is that the systematic killing of journalists is going to have an effect on the job that journalists do , '' Mills added . Compounding the problem , Mills said , is either the inability or unwillingness of Mexican authorities to investigate violence against journalists . The Juarez paper had a reporter killed in 2008 . Federal and local authorities visited the newspaper office and vowed to bring the killers to justice , `` but in the end , nothing happens , '' Torres said . The case of the Juarez reporter , Armando Rodriguez , remains unsolved . Agustin Lozano , editor-in-chief of El Bravo newspaper in Matamoros , Mexico , across the border from Brownsville , Texas , said excessive caution has become the norm for reporting crime . `` I do n't want heroes here at my newspaper because it could be dangerous , '' Lozano told CNN . `` We are reporters , we are not police . '' Matamoros has not seen as much violence as other border cities , but it is the home of the Gulf cartel . Out of an abundance of caution , Lozano 's newspaper reports only on incidents that the police department gives news conferences or press releases about . Lozano said journalists are just the messengers who are getting caught in the middle of a conflict that is international in scope . Mexico , as a transport country for drugs , and the United States , as a consumer of drugs , have to work together to resolve the trafficking problem before journalists and others can be safe , he said . In the meantime , `` there is no security , no guarantees . '' Despite the challenges and dangerous environment , Torres , the editor in Juarez , remains hopeful . `` Our goal is to return to doing the type of journalism we were doing two years ago , '' before the violence there escalated , he said .
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Three Mexican journalists have been killed so far in 2010 . Says one editor : Drug violence `` generates fear , even if you do n't like to admit it '' News groups must be cautious when investigating slayings linked to drug cartels . Journalists say cartels pressure them to drop some stories , cover others .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For years , retired Air Force Col. John Leech has had no desire to return to the Pentagon . Retired Col. John Leech narrowly escaped death at the Pentagon on September 11 , 2001 . Leech narrowly escaped death September 11 , 2001 , when a hijacked American Airlines jetliner hit the building . He will attend Thursday 's dedication of the Pentagon memorial honoring the 184 people killed in the terror attack . In an earlier visit to the memorial , Leech left a note for his friend Navy Capt. Jack Punches : `` Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation . '' Leech could barely contain his sadness recently as he watched a Department of Defense videotape showing the burned interior of the area in the building where he was that fateful morning . `` Wow . My God . ... It makes you weak in the knees to see these pictures , '' Leech said . Leech , 54 , recently took CNN into an office not far from the conference room where he was that morning . He has avoided touring the building since the attack but finally decided he was ready to `` re-engage '' with the past . In 2001 , Leech was working as a Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office . He worked primarily out of the White House but attended meetings at the Pentagon every Tuesday and Thursday morning . Watch as he returns to the crash site '' As he walked the now-renovated halls where he spent the morning of September 11 , he recalled the horror of the day . The shock , he said , was indescribable . `` It hit with such force . I had never experienced anything like it in my life . It rattled you right down to the bone , '' Leech said . Flight 77 slammed into the west wall of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. ET . Among the 184 people killed in the building and on the plane were a 3-year-old girl and a 71-year-old retired Navy captain , the youngest and oldest victims , who were both passengers on Flight 77 . A closer look at the new Pentagon memorial '' Several people were killed or severely burned not far from where Leech took cover . He remembers people screaming , `` bloodcurdling screams . '' `` I was so lucky . ... It was almost like we were in a protective cocoon , '' Leech recalled . `` I mean , I inhaled a lot of jet fuel vapors , and I got dusted up , but that was the extent of my injuries . '' The married father of a 26-year-old woman remembers snaking his way outside the burning building , where in a stupor he noticed a comb that appeared to belong to a small child . `` A little girl 's comb that was untouched . It was not scorched ; it did n't have smut on it , '' Leech remembered . `` It was a pristine red comb sitting off the side , and next to it was a tattered suitcase , and I can remember looking at that and thinking , who did that belong to ? What little girl did that belong to ? '' Leech served 28 years in the military and now works for the Department of Homeland Security but hopes to return one day to the Defense Department . Seven years after that horrible day , Leech visited the chapel at the new Pentagon Memorial , a two-acre park , which opens to the public Thursday . It was built at the spot where Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon and will be open 24 hours a day , seven days a week . Thumbing through a condolence book in the chapel , he found the friend whom he was with that day , Navy Capt. Jack Punches . He wrote , `` Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation -- John Leech . '' `` I 've avoided ... anything to do with 9/11 , so it feels good to be here , '' he said . `` I mean , a lot happened that day . A lot of good people died . A lot of very good people . '' CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this story .
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Retired Col. John Leech narrowly escaped death on September 11 , 2001 . Pentagon survivor recalls shock , terror of that terrible morning . Fleeing for safety , he saw a little girl 's red comb untouched near a tattered suitcase . Watch 9/11 memorials in New York and Washington on CNN.com Live .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- How does a man from an unassuming Dutch village go to being loved in South Korea , adored in Australia , revered in Russia and admired in England ? Guus Hiddink , the Russia and Chelsea coach , has had much to smile about in his 22-year managerial career . By being an exceptional football manager , for one . Enjoying success around the world -- at different levels with different players in different cultures -- has made Guus Hiddink one of the most admired bosses around . Born in rural Varsseveld , near the German border , in 1946 , Hiddink 's early years were unremarkable . While playing semi-professional football , he spent 10 years as a gym teacher at a school for children with learning difficulties . Most of his playing days were in the midfield of De Graafschap , a smallish club with no history of winning silverware . He later spent two years playing in America before returning to retire at De Graafschap . Watch CNN 's exclusive interview with Hiddink '' Little , then , to suggest that here was a man who would achieve so much in his later career . But great players seldom become great managers . His first steps in that direction came at De Graafschap , Holland , where he was assistant manager before moving to the same role at Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven . See key moments from Hiddink 's career '' By 1987 , at the age of 40 , he was in charge of PSV and led them to their 1988 European Cup win , a feat unthinkable today . He almost reached the final again in 2005 during his second spell in Eindhoven . Hiddink 's keeper at PSV , Hans van Breukelen , revealed some of the manager 's methods . `` He 's very interested in people and immediately tries to create a family environment , '' he told Britain 's Sun newspaper . `` I can vividly remember him smoking and having a cup of coffee with his players . I do n't know if he still smokes , but he was a chain smoker at PSV . '' Hiddink 's resume includes stints in other high-pressure jobs such as Fenerbahce , Valencia and Real Madrid , but it 's on the international scene where his shrewd tactical mind , organizational skills and motivational prowess grabbed attention . Semifinalists with Holland at the 1998 World Cup , he took over South Korea in 2001 and led the co-hosts of the 2002 World Cup to the last four . No Asian country had ever gone as far in a World Cup before and he left the job a national hero . He agreed to coach another underdog in the shape of Australia in 2005 and led them to the 2006 World Cup . There , the Socceroos had eventual winners Italy rattled for much of their second-round match before succumbing to a late , controversial penalty . Hiddink took Russia to Euro 2008 , where they were beaten by Spain at the semifinal stage . Naturally his hometown Varsseveld wanted to capitalize on Hiddink 's huge global popularity . The `` Guuseum '' was built in his honor , which for a time was particularly popular with South Koreans on a pilgrimage to see from where their idol hailed . Chelsea were in the doldrums when he arrived on a short-term deal in January as a favor to his comrade , Roman Abramovich , the club 's billionaire owner . And the Hiddink magic has worked again , giving the Blues direction to a season that was drifting under previous boss Luiz Felipe Scolari . But the straight-speaking Dutchman is loyal to the project he has in charge of the Russian national side and insists he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season regardless . Sure of himself but free of ego , Hiddink knows what he wants . And , as he 's repeatedly proved , he knows how to get it too .
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Born in 1946 , Hiddink has become one of the best managers in the world . Dutchman has enjoyed huge success at club and international level . He 's currently coach of Russia and is in charge of Chelsea until end of May .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The debate about using technology to help referees has been re-ignited following a number of controversial decisions in the Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona . The Hawk-Eye system is already widely used in tennis and has transformed the game . Sepp Blatter , president of FIFA , the game 's governing body , has consistently opposed the use of in-game video replays , but goal-line technology , to determine if the ball has crossed the goal line , has received more support . The Hawk-Eye system is extensively used in tennis , using cameras to calculate the trajectory of the ball . The system then uses the trajectory data to determine exactly where the ball has hit the ground , making it invaluable for marginal line calls . Using similar technology , Hawk-Eye Innovations , based in England , has developed a football system to determine if a goal has been scored . It again uses cameras to track the ball and computers to calculate its position . If the system detects that the ball has crossed the goal line a central computer transmits a signal to the referee via either a watch or earpiece . The system was tested at Premier League football club Fulham in 2006 and then at Reading 's training ground in 2007 . It was backed by the British Football Association and funded by the Premier League . Another goal-line technology , a microchipped football , was developed by Adidas and German firm Cairos Technologies . A microchip built into the football detects a magnetic field generated by underground cables in the penalty area . Like the Hawk-Eye system it uses a computer to send a signal to the referee 's watch when a goal is scored . The system was tested at the World Under-17 Championships in 2005 and the 2007 World Club Championship in Tokyo . The International Football Association Board -LRB- IFAB -RRB- , which decides the laws of the game , discusses new rules at an annual general meeting consisting of four representatives from FIFA and one each from England , Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales . Explaining the IFAB 's decision , Blatter said the microchipped ball had failed in one of the seven World Club Championship matches because of interference to the signal sent to the referee and that it would be difficult to implement the chip technology in the many types of football used around the world . He added that it was not possible to ensure that the Hawk-Eye system worked in a crowded goalmouth , where players might block the cameras ' view of the ball . `` FIFA are of the opinion that the systems are very costly , would not add anything to the game and would harm the position of the referee , '' the UK 's Press Association reported at the time . Do you think goal-line technology should be used ? Share your thoughts in the Sound Off box below . But Hawk-Eye managing director Paul Hawkins told CNN that he believes FIFA has decided that it does n't want technology in football . `` I saw FIFA last week and told them that we can provide a system if they want it , but it 's very clear they do n't want the system , '' he said . Hawkins said his company can not develop the technology any further without more testing in real stadiums , but that kind of testing requires FIFA 's consent . The idea that football 's governing bodies are opposed to more technology in football has been supported by statements from the sport 's governing bodies . In March 2009 , Blatter said in a statement : `` The IFAB believes that football is a game for human beings and , as such , we should improve the standard of refereeing - and not turn to technology . '' Michel Platini , President of UEFA , European Football 's governing body , has expressed similar views . Instead of pursuing goal-line technology , the IFAB chose to trial the idea of having two extra match officials , one behind each goal . A FIFA spokesman told CNN that while the use of goal-line technology has n't been ruled out forever , even after recent refereeing controversies , the IFAB 's current position is to continue to experiment with extra officials . The IFAB 's decision means there will be no goal-line technology used in the Champions League final on 27 May , which means there is the potential for more refereeing disputes . `` Maybe there will be a controversial goal in the Champions League final and maybe the discussion over the technology will begin again , '' Oliver Braun , marketing and communications director at Cairos Technologies told CNN . Hawkins agrees that it will take a controversial goal-line incident in a big FIFA match to get the IFAB to change their position , saying it took a series of contentious calls at the 2004 US Open for tennis authorities to seriously consider using the Hawk-Eye system . If that is the case , there will be some football fans hoping for plenty of goal-line drama come May 27 .
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Debate over whether technology should be used to help referees . FIFA is opposed to video replays but has considered goal-line technology . Hawk-Eye system and microchipped footballs were rejected by IFAB . Some feel it will take a big-match controversy to re-open the debate .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Togo 's national football team are on their way home , two days after a deadly attack on their team bus at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola . Television pictures of the squad and officials leaving their hotel in Cabinda were aired on Eurosport and showed a number of leading players , including captain Emmanuel Adebayor arriving at the airport for the flight home . Earlier , Togolese Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo told the west African country 's news agency that the team `` must return '' after the ambush by gunmen left an assistant coach and the squad 's communication officer dead . At least seven others were injured in the attack which occurred Friday in the enclave of Cabinda near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo . They included goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale who is in intensive care , a government spokesman told the news agency . `` We understand the wishes of the players ... but it would be irresponsible of the authorities in Togo let them continue , '' said Houngo , who has declared a three-day period of mourning following the attack . Togo 's players , who had initally indicated a desire to withdraw from the tournament , decided Saturday night that they wanted to participate after all , striker Thomas Dossevi told CNN . The team were due to play their first game against Ghana in Cabinda on Monday . Dossevi said the players were disappointed with the government 's decision to pull the team from the tournament , but they understood it , because Angola 's government had yet to provide the team with extra security . The team wanted to play Monday 's game , he said , but wanted a change of venue . If organizers were able to change the location of the game , then the team would push to play , he said . However , if there is no change of venue , the team , despite wanting to play , will respect the government 's decision and leave the country , Dossevi added . Quoted by the national news agency , Dossevi said the players wanted to play to honor the dead . `` We want to show our colors , our values and that we are men , '' he said . Speaking on Saturday , goalkeeper Kossi Agassa said it felt as if the players had `` gone to war ... It 's deplorable for Africa . I do n't know what other countries will decide , but it 's hard . Too hard for us footballers . '' In a meeting Saturday , Angolan Prime Minister Antonio Paulo Cassoma assured African football officials that security would be beefed up for the tournament . Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou traveled to Cabinda on Saturday to meet Togo 's squad as well as those from Ghana , Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso who are also based in the region , according to the CAF Web site . `` You came here to play football but unfortunately two of your brothers were killed , '' Hayatou told the players . `` It is left to you to decide to stay in a competition synonym of fraternity , brotherhood , friendship and solidarity . `` And in case you decide to leave the competition , we will definitely understand your decision and it will be accepted . It is a difficult choice , individual choice and also collective choice , you are the only one can decide . '' An armed wing of a separatist group -- the Forces for Liberation of the State of Cabinda -LRB- FLEC -RRB- -- claimed responsibility for the attack and has threatened to strike again . CNN could not verify the claim independently . Angola , which was wracked by civil war for nearly three decades , brokered a peace deal in 2006 with separatists seeking an independent republic of Cabinda . Dossevi , who plays for French club Nantes , said armed rebels with AK-47s opened fire on the team bus . `` We had just passed the border and a couple of minutes later we were attacked from both sides , '' he said . `` We hid below the seats -- we had police protection in front and behind but we were attacked from both sides . As soon as I heard the bullets I went to the floor . ... The attack lasted for 10-15 minutes , '' Dossevi said . Angolan officials -- trying to assuage security fears that could dampen the war-torn nation 's sporting aspirations -- vowed to heighten security , particularly in Cabinda . `` We vehemently condemn the ignoble action , lament the loss of lives , and we reiterate our commitment to guarantee security , '' a government statement said , pledging that the Africa Cup of Nations would be `` a great sporting event and a manifestation of friendship and solidarity among the African people . '' Hosts Angola played to a dramatic 4-4 with Mali as the competition began in the capital Luanda later on Sunday . The tournament -- one of the world 's biggest -- is Angola 's first major sporting event since a 2002 peace deal brought the southern African country 's decades-old civil war to an end . It also marks the beginning of a year in the spotlight for African football , with South Africa set to become the continent 's first country to host the FIFA World Cup in June . FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Saturday he had faith that Africa would meet the challenge of organizing one of the world 's most watched sporting events . `` My thoughts , and those of everyone at FIFA , go out to the victims of this terrible tragedy , and to their families and loved ones , '' Blatter wrote in a letter to Hayatou . `` This awful event can not dispel the fact that Africa has written some of the greatest chapters in the history of world football ... I have faith in Africa , and it is with this faith that together we will organize world football 's showcase event in 2010 . ''
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NEW : Togo national football team on their way home from Africa Cup of Nations . Togo 's players ordered back by their government despite indicating they wanted to stay . Team bus was shot at by rebel fighters on way to tournament in Angola . Assistant coach , communications officer killed in the attack .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hosts Angola were denied victory by an incredible Mali comeback to force a 4-4 draw in the opening match of the troubled Africa Cup of Nations in Luanda on Sunday . Angola appeared headed for an emphatic victory when they led 4-0 with only 16 minutes remaining before Mali produced one of the most remarkable recoveries in the history of the competitive football . Barcelona 's Seydou Keita with a double , a brilliant Frederic Kanoute header and finally , deep into injury time , the equalizer from substitute Mustapha Yatabare completed the great escape . The dramatic match went ahead against the tragic backdrop of the murderous machine gun attack on the Togo team bus in Cabinda on Friday , which left two dead and several injured . Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos issued a rallying call in his speech to mark the official opening of the competition , which was attended by several heads of state , including South Africa 's Jakob Zuma whose country hosts the World Cup finals later this year . `` Despite the terrorist attack , Cabinda will remain a hosting city , '' he said . `` There is no need to be afraid . '' After the speeches and fireworks , Angola proceeded to do their country proud with a dominant first half perfomance against a desperately disappointing Mali side , who were one of the pre-tournament favorites . Flavio Armado put them two ahead by the break with headed goals in the 36th and 42nd minutes . Mali pressed hard at the start of the second half with their captain Mahamadou Diarra denied by a point-blank save , but their efforts were undermined when they conceded a 65th minute penalty which Gilberto converted at the second attempt . Gilberto was then brought down by Keita to concede another soft penalty and Manucho slotted home the fourth to send the home fans in the 11th of November stadium wild with delight . Their appeared little danger when Keita scrambled the ball home in the 79th minute from a corner and alarm bells were still to ring when Sevilla striker Kanoute at last showed his quality with an 88th-minute second goal . But Keita struck a third on the stroke of nomal time and with Angola 's defense in total disarray it was left to Yatabare to make a name for himself with the leveler .
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Hosts Angola and Mali draw 4-4 in opening match of 27th Africa Cup of Nations . Mali trailed 4-0 with 16 minutes left until mounting an incredible comeback . Seydou Keita with a double , Frederic Kanoute and Mustapha Yatabare score Mali goals . Flavio Armado with a double and penalties from Gilberto and Manucho put Angola in command .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Malawi stunned Algeria 3-0 at a near-deserted November 11 stadium in Luanda as the unpredictable start to the African Nations Cup continued . Algeria began the Group A match as clear favorites , but were 2-0 down by half-time thanks to goals from Russel Mwafulirwa and Elvis Kafoteka . Dave Banda added a third after 49 minutes to end any thoughts of an Algeria comeback . Sunday 's 4-4 draw between hosts Angola and Mali did not appear to have captured the public 's imagination as the players kicked off in front of rows and rows of empty seats . An early angled strike from Abdelkader Ghezzal was saved by Malawi goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi after five minutes . Ghezzal had another chance moments later but could not find the target . After eight minutes , Russel found a yard in the Algeria box but headed wide under pressure from Madjid Bougherra . Malawi surprised their opponents in the 17th minute when they took the lead in somewhat fortuitous fashion . Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi attempted to clear a long ball but only succeeded in smashing the ball straight into the advancing Essau Kanyenda . The ball broke to Russel , who hammered home . Rafik Saifi had a great chance to level after 24 minutes when he was played through by Karim Ziani 's ball over the top but he sent a lobbed effort over the bar . And 10 minutes before the break it was 2-0 as Kafoteka rose highest to head home Hellings Mwakasungula 's cross following a short corner . Algeria 's day got even worse four minutes after the break . Chaouchi flapped at a cross and the ball fell to Russel . His shot hit the post and an attempted clearance from Bougherra broke to Banda , who finally smashed the ball home . Meanwhile , in the day 's other match , tournament favourites Ivory Coast were held to a 0-0 draw by a stubborn Burkina Faso in their opening Group B match at the Estadio do Cabinda . Vahid Halilhodzic 's team dominated possession but could not find the cutting edge to break down a determined Burkinabe defence despite a frontline of Didier Drogba , Bakari Kone and Gervinho . Chelsea striker Drogba had an early shout for a penalty after a sliding challenge from Paul Koulibaly , but the appeals were rejected . Arsenal 's Emmanuel Eboue looked to be caught in the area by Mamadou Tall after 20 minutes but again the referee was unmoved . Eboue then burst through down the right only to fire across goal and Siaka Tiene blasted over from a tight angle following Drogba 's cross from the right . Chelsea 's Salomon Kalou and Portsmouth 's Aruna Dindane were introduced off the bench by Ivory Coast in the second half . Drogba was cynically brought down by Mohamed Koffi on the edge of the box 17 minutes from time but the free-kick came to nothing . The Chelsea frontman did test Diakite in the 85th minute but the Burkinabe goalkeeper was equal to his snap-shot from a tight angle as the Ivorians ' frustration continued .
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Malawi stunned Algeria 3-0 at a near-deserted November 11 stadium in Africa Nations Cup Group A match . Russel Mwafulirwa , Elvis Kafoteka and Dave Banda score the goals that give Malawi shock victory . Tournament favorites Ivory Coast are held to a 0-0 draw by Burkina Faso in Group B match .
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MUSOMA , Tanzania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lizzie Cameron is in Musoma , Tanzania working with the Musoma Engineering Project . Claire 's 10th birthday : `` I taught them how to play pin the tail on the donkey , although we replaced a donkey with a zebra , and I baked Claire a birthday banana cake . '' The Musoma Engineering Project is the only charity of its kind in the region and aims to provide teaching and support for local disabled children and teenagers . With the project Lizzie will be helping the teachers teach skills like woodworking , leatherwork and dressmaking . Follow her experiences in her blogs and video diaries . November 14 , 2007 When I signed up to work at the Musoma Engineering Project I was given the option of living in my own house or with a local family . I was really unsure of which to choose but decided to live with Dennis and his family . I made this decision because I thought it would be good to experience how a Tanzanian family live and I also hoped that Dennis would take me under his wing , so to speak , and look out for me if I got into any trouble or encountered any problems . After being here for two months I have no doubt that I made the right decision . I really have been made to feel like part of the family and welcomed into their home as if it were my own . What I 've found really interesting is seeing the daily routines and how they differ to back home . Simple activities like cooking , cleaning , shopping , etc. are all performed quite differently to the Western world . I had anticipated that the food would be different , but if anything I 've been pleasantly surprised by what is on offer here . One thing I like is that you really know where your food has come from . If you want to eat chicken , you point to the one you want then kill it and pluck it yourself . If you want fish , a local fisherman will drop off his daily catch at your house . Nothing is processed , artificial or vacuum packet . If I was living on my own I would have been surviving on fruit and veg for a year , as I had no idea how to gut a fish or skin a chicken . The girls have also taught me how to make chapattis and other traditional Tanzanian dishes . I had n't thought about how I would wash my clothes for example . I did n't think they would have washing machines , but I had n't really thought it through . So every Sunday I fill my basin up with water , some soap and get scrubbing . The family laugh at my attempts , it must be obvious I 'm not used to such hard work . This Sunday was Claire 's 10th birthday party so I got to join in the celebrations . She had about 20 of her friends around at the house , all of whom were dressed immaculately in beautiful dresses and suits . There were n't any expensive presents or entertainment like you 'd get back home but the kids seemed to have just as good a time . I taught them how to play pin the tail on the donkey , although we replaced a donkey with a zebra , and I baked Claire a birthday banana cake . People open their homes to visitors anytime of the day too . Often when I return home the living room will be full of the neighbors . Anyone is welcome to stay , even if a bed is not available , they just share one . I really am glad I decided to live with a family here . E-mail to a friend .
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Lizzie chose to live with Dennis Maina and his family in Musoma . The family has given her an insight into everyday life in the country . She has learned how to pluck a chicken , gut a fish and handwash clothes . At Dennis 's daughter 's 10th birthday party , Lizzie teaches new games and bakes a cake .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN Hero Amy Stokes uses the internet to connect South African teens affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty with volunteer mentors from around the world . Stokes is the founder of Infinite Family and spoke with CNN about the importance of her group 's efforts in South Africa -- where nearly two million children have been orphaned by AIDS . Below are excerpts from that interview . CNN : How does HIV/AIDS affect a South African child ? Amy Stokes : They will talk about being very happy as children and growing up with two parents until they were grade school level . And then they 'll lose one of their parents . They will move where they can be in a community that helps support them and then they 'll lose the other parent . Then they 're moved into a home where it 's an auntie running the house -- and they 'll lose that aunt . And then they go to live with the gogo -- or a grandmother -- and before long , they 're living with 10 other children in the same 20 square foot space . That gogo is spending all of her time just trying to feed everybody , much less being able to help them prepare for their future . CNN : How widespread is the problem ? Stokes : Many of these communities have lost up to 40 percent of the young adults -LSB- from HIV/AIDS -RSB- . So the children ... do n't learn the survival skills that they would have learned tagging along with an adult -- watching an adult as they work , or do grocery shopping , or cooking or any of the life skills that they need . These children are losing , not only love and nurturing , but ... the education of having a parent attend to them . CNN : What 's the biggest challenge these kids face ? Stokes : They lack access to everything that would teach them what is needed to be successful . There 's no technology ; there are no computers . The kids walk into our computer labs having never touched a mouse or a keyboard before . However , they are the most hopeful children you will ever meet . They are resilient , resourceful ; they are joyful ; they are very ambitious . CNN : What change do you see in them as they interact with their mentors ? If you reach out to them they will grab that lifeline and work so hard to make your investment of time and talent worth your while . They know that they are in a situation they would like to change -- their lot in life , their future -- but they struggle very hard until someone helps show them the way . What Infinite Family does is we expand their village to include the entire world . When they get connected with their mentors , the mentors make sure that no one is ever truly alone . Want to get involved ? Check out the Infinite Family website at http://www.infinitefamily.org and see how to help .
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CNN Hero Amy Stokes founded a non-profit to help children orphaned by AIDS . She says the kids are resilient but just lack the equipment they need to succeed . Mentors from around the world make sure the kids are never truly alone .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Joshua Macabuag is a 23 year-old recent graduate of the University of Oxford 's Pembroke College . Josh , as he prefers to be called , studied civil engineering and achieved some of the highest marks in his class . `` Josh is a very brilliant chap , '' remarked one of his professors . Josh got interested in relief and development work during his second year at school and has already spent one summer abroad in Japan , where he worked with Japan Railways . He loves to travel and perhaps it 's his wanderlust that 's motivated him to take the next year off and travel to Jozini , South Africa . But it wo n't be an easy year . Jozini is a small town in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal Province on the main route to Mozambique . It is one of the most impoverished areas of South Africa , but is also surrounded by a massive dam , game preserves and two majestic mountain ranges . Josh , who speaks some Spanish and has taught himself Japanese , will now focus on learning some Zulu . He 's teamed up with the charity Engineers Without Borders , and plans to put his education to use and get some practical experience in the field . Josh will be working on a new sports complex in Jozini , a facility that will double as an educational facility for local youths . The idea is to replace a dilapidated , existing facility with a new one that will be self-sustaining and provide the community with a way of generating income as well as prepare area kids for a career . There probably wo n't be much free time for squash and the martial arts that Josh normally enjoys , but it 's certain new talents will emerge over the next year during Josh 's time abroad . E-mail to a friend .
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Joshua Macabuag will report on his experiences in Jozini , South Africa . He will work with the charity Engineers Without Borders . With EWB he will help build a new sports complex for the town .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manchester City manager Robert Mancini has confirmed that the English Premier League side are in negotiations with two Brazilian clubs over a loan move for Robinho . The 26-year-old playmaker joined City from Real Madrid for $ 52 million in September 2008 but has not settled in Manchester and is being linked with Santos and Sao Paulo . Mancini confirmed that Brazil international is in his squad for City 's English League Cup match against Manchester United , but that a deal could be done to help the player move back to his homeland . `` It is possible that something could happen , '' Mancini told reporters on the eve of the semifinal second leg clash at Old Trafford . `` This kind of thing does happen . I know in Italy there were instances when clubs paid a lot of money for a fantastic player but afterwards he needed to play at another club . `` Negotiations are happening but for now he is part of my squad . I have five or six strikers to choose from , which makes it difficult for him and me . `` The World Cup in June is a big problem for him . He wants to play for the national team . I understand that but I must decide what is best for the team . '' City have also let Slovakian winger Vladimir Weiss join Bolton on loan for the rest of the season while Wanderers boss Owen Coyle has also brought former Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden to the club . Elsewhere , West Ham are set to sign South Africa international Benni McCarthy after agreeing an undisclosed fee with Blackburn Rovers . Manchester United have completed a deal to sign Fulham defender Chris Smalling , although the player will remain at Craven Cottage until the end of the season and join Alex Ferguson 's side for the start of the 2010/11 campaign . Aston Villa have sold midfielder Craig Gardner to city rivals Birmingham for $ 4.8 million while Wigan are put the final details on a deal to bring in Villarreal forward Marco Ruben . Everton unveiled the signing of Philippe Senderos on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season while Celtic have confirmed the signing of striker Morten Rasmussen from Brondby .
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Manchester City manager Robert Mancini has confirmed that the club are in talks with two Brazilian clubs over a loan move for Robinho . Robinho has not settled in Manchester and is being linked with a move to either Santos or Sao Paulo . West Ham are set to sign South Africa international Benni McCarthy after agreeing an undisclosed fee with Blackburn Rovers . Manchester United have completed a deal to sign Fulham defender Chris Smalling at the end of the season .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chelsea remain top of the English Premier League , despite suffering a shock 2-1 defeat at Everton on a Wednesday night filled with high drama . Louis Saha scored twice for Everton , and the French striker also missed a penalty , as David Moyes ' side claimed some compensation for their defeat by the London side in last summer 's FA Cup final . Chelsea took a 16th-minute lead when Florent Malouda ran onto Didier Drogba 's flick to fire past goalkeeper Tim Howard . But Everton levelled 17 minutes later when Saha gave marker John Terry the slip before heading home Landon Donovan 's corner . Saha then had a great chance to give Everton the lead on the stroke of half-time after Donovan was fouled by Ricardo Carvalho in the area . However , his spot-kick lacked power and direction and was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Petr Cech . But Saha was eventually to win the game fror Everton with Terry again at fault . The former England captain failed to deal with a long cross-field ball , allowing Saha to control the pass in an instant before striking home a 75th minute winner . Manchester United would have gone top of the table with a win at Aston Villa , but the defending champions drew 1-1 after playing most of the match with 10 men following the dismissal of Portuguese winger Nani . In a dress rehearsal for the League Cup final later this month , Carlos Cuellar headed home Stewart Downing 's cross to give Villa a 19th-minute lead . But United levelled soon after when Ryan Giggs ' pull-back was put through his own net by defender James Collins . Nani was then sent off for a 28th-minute two-footed lunge on Stilyan Petrov , incurring a three-match ban which will see him miss the Wembley showpiece . United held on for a battling draw with a superb second-half rearguard performance , and the result means they like just a point behind Chelsea with 12 matches still remaining . Arsenal remain third in the table , but are now just six points behind Chelsea and five behind United , are a hard-fought 1-0 home win over fourth-paced Liverpool . Abou Diaby headed home Tomas Rosicky 's cross with 18 minutes remaining , to end a barren run for the Gunners after successive defeats against both Chelsea and Manchester United . Tottenham 's Champions League hopes took a a severe knock after they were beaten 1-0 at struggling Wolves -- who have now beaten the London side both home and away . David Jones side-footed home a Matt Jarvis cross to give Wolves a vital three points that moves them out of the relegation zone . Meanwhile , Hull lie just one place above the drop zone after they were beaten 1-0 at Blackburn . The home side scored the only goal in the 16th minute when goalkeeper Boaz Myhill diverted Martin Olsson 's cross into his own net . The visitors ended the match with 10 men after George Boateng was sent off for an elbow on Morten Gamst Pedersen . West Ham also moved out of the drop zone with a superb 2-0 home win over in-form Birmingham . A superb Alessandro Diamanti free-kick and a second from Carlton Cole proved enough for the Hammers , giving new owners David Sullivan and David Gold victory against the club they used to own .
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Chelsea remain top of the English Premier League , despite suffering a 2-1 defeat at Everton . Louis Saha scores both goals and also misses a penalty for the home side . Manchester United ate a point behind after they draw 1-1 at Aston Villa with 10 men .
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KHARTOUM , Sudan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fighting resumed Tuesday in a disputed oil-rich town in Sudan , threatening to reignite a calamitous civil war which ended three years ago . Fresh fighting in Sudan over an oil-rich town has raised fears civil war could again erupt . Fresh fighting in Sudan over an oil-rich town has raised fears civil war could again erupt . UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon deplored the fighting between the Sudanese military and troops with the Sudan People 's Liberation Army . The SPLA fought a rebellion against the government for more than 20 years until both sides signed a peace deal in 2005 . The deal 's Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended a north-south civil war that killed about 2 million people and displaced more than 4 million others . An impasse over the boundaries of the town of Abyei is a major reason the peace agreement has not been fully implemented . Fighting erupted in Abyei on May 13 . It resumed Tuesday despite a cease-fire and has `` resulted in the destruction '' of the town `` and the displacement of between 30,000 and 50,000 people , '' the secretary general said in a statement . Do n't Miss Sudanese opposition leader arrested Sudan cuts ties with Chad after attack Darfur rebels advance on Sudan capital , their leader says `` If the situation is not urgently addressed , the achievements thus far of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement could be placed at serious risk , '' he said . The civil war in Sudan , which started in 1983 , pitted a northern government dominated by Arab Muslims against black Christians and animists in southern Sudan . That conflict was not directly related to ongoing violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan . Human rights groups and United Nations say the Sudanese military armed and trained Arab militias in Darfur after a rebellion erupted in 2003 . They say the military and militias have engaged in widespread killing , rape and forced displacements in Darfur as they battle about rebels who have splintered into roughly a dozen groups . One of those groups staged a daring attack this month near the Sudanese capital , Khartoum . The government said it quashed the attack . Nearly 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in Darfur in the last five years , the UN says .
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Fighting in disputed oil-rich Sudan town raises fears of return to civil war . Up to 50,000 people displaced by latest outbreak of fighting . Despite cease-fire agreement Abyei has been destroyed and deal is at risk .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World-record signing Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his debut as Real Madrid kicked off the Spanish football season with a shaky 3-2 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday night . Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after paying off a small chunk of his record transfer fee with a goal on his Real debut . Real 's new generation of `` Galacticos '' were preceded onto the pitch by the world 's fastest man Usain Bolt , with the Jamaican sprint star dribbling a ball to the delight of a packed Bernabeu crowd . Coach Manuel Pellegrini fielded seven new signings against a team who stunned Real 2-1 on the opening day last season to foreshadow a season of massive upheaval for the underachieving capital club . The first goal took just 26 minutes in coming as $ 92 million signing Kaka fed the ball to $ 50 million capture Karim Benzema , whose shot rebounded off the post and fell welcomingly to Real captain Raul to score . Ronaldo , who cost $ 130 million when he left Manchester United , then rose highest to meet a free-kick from $ 50 million midfielder Xavi Alonso but headed over the bar . Deportivo stunned the home crowd in the 30th minute when former Real striker Riki was allowed a free header to equalize in the type of defensive lapse that typified Madrid 's performances last season . But while Pellegrini has obvious problems to sort out at the back , where he fielded debutants Ezequiel Garay and Raul Albiol in the absence of the suspended Pepe , he has volumes of attacking resources at the other end of the pitch . His team took the lead again in the 34th minute through Ronaldo , who coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after Raul went down under goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia 's challenge following a clever pass from midfielder Lassana Diarra . However , Real could not hold onto the lead , with veteran Juan Carlos Valeron firing a leveler from the edge of the area just 43 seconds into the second half following a cross by Andres Guardado . Valeron should have made it 3-2 with an even easier chance 12 minutes later , but he sidefooted another pass from Guardado wide of the Real goal . Real continued to pile forward in numbers , peppering the Deportivo goal , but it was the unexpected figure of Diarra who netted the eventual winner in the 60th minute with a low drive from outside the box . Benzema should have doubled the lead soon after following a mistake by Aranzubia , but saw his chip over the keeper rebound off the bar . The Frenchman made way for last season 's top scorer Higuain in the 72nd minute , with the Argentine lucky to avoid being booked for a blatant dive in the penalty area . Real 's rivals Barcelona start the defense of their title on Monday at home to Sporting Gijon , having already won a trophy this season by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in the European Super Cup on Friday .
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World-record signing Cristiano Ronaldo scores on his debut for Real Madrid . Real kick off the Spanish football season with a 3-2 win at home to Deportivo . Raul scores opening goal and Ronaldo 's first-half penalty makes it 2-1 . Juan Carlos Valeron levels for visitors before Lassana Diarra 's 60th-minute winner .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brooke Astor 's son got one to three years in prison Monday for scheming to bilk millions of dollars from the late philanthropist 's estate . Anthony Marshall , 85 , had been found guilty of 14 of the 15 counts against him . Marshall was convicted in October of the most serious charges -- first-degree grand larceny and scheming to defraud . He faced a minimum of one to three years , or as much as eight to 25 years in state prison . Marshall 's wife , Charlene , sobbed after hearing the sentence as supporters hugged her . One of the most serious convictions involved Marshall giving himself a $ 1 million-a-year raise for handling his mother 's affairs , said Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann . Marshall 's former attorney , Francis Morrissey , was also convicted of five counts relating to the case , including forgery and scheming to defraud Astor . Seidemann on Monday recommended a sentence of 1.5 to 4.5 years in prison . He objected to bail pending appeal but told the judge he had no problem with Marshall staying out of prison until the first of the year . He asked for restitution of $ 12.3 million . Defense attorneys argued Monday for the lowest sentence of one to three years in state prison and asked that the judge not impose restitution . The defense team raised concerns about Marshall 's health and indicated that it will appeal the verdict . In a brief statement to the court before the sentence was announced , Marshall only said , `` I have nothing to add to what my attorneys have said . '' The judge ruled that Marshall must surrender on January 19 . Assuming he goes to prison , Marshall can apply for parole after eight months . Or he may apply for immediate parole for medical reasons under a new provision called medical parole . The judge also gave Marshall 's co-defendant , attorney Francis Morrissey , the same sentence of one to three years in prison . Morrissey was convicted of four felonies and a misdemeanor , including forgery and scheming to defraud Astor . Like Marshall , Morrissey 's sentence will not begin until January 19 . Astor 's grandson , Philip Marshall , declined to comment after the sentencing . He was concerned about his grandmother 's care in her final years , which the younger Marshall 's attorney deemed `` elder abuse , '' that eventually led to his father 's indictment . Marshall was convicted October 8 of 13 felonies and one misdemeanor . The felony of grand larceny in the first degree carried a sentence of one to three years . The other counts will run concurrently . During the trial , Marshall was portrayed as a cold , calculating man who spent the last years of his socialite and megaphilanthropist mother 's life stealing her fortune to line his pockets . `` These defendants , two morally depraved individuals , preyed on a physically and mentally ill 101-year-old woman to steal millions of dollars -- dollars that she had intended to go to help the lives of ordinary New Yorkers , '' Seidemann said , echoing his closing argument to the jury . The sentence came after a six-month trial that featured as witnesses a `` Who 's Who '' of New York 's social elite , including Henry Kissinger , Graydon Carter , Barbara Walters , Vartan Gregorian and Annette de la Renta . The trial was a tabloid feeding frenzy , fostering headlines such as `` Bad heir day , '' `` Mrs. Astor 's disaster '' and `` DA 's kick in the Astor . '' During trial testimony , Marshall 's attorneys called no character witnesses to come to his defense . But before sentencing for the crimes , friends and celebrities who knew Marshall well wrote letters to the court trying to show what they believe was his true character . Marshall was a loyal , churchgoing man , a Purple Heart recipient wounded in Iwo Jima during World War II and a son who tried mightily but could never live up to the high ideals of his socialite mother , according to letters friends submitted to the court . Whoopi Goldberg told a judge in her letter that she met Marshall and his wife 10 years ago when Goldberg moved into a building on the Upper East Side . Her interactions with Marshall , she wrote , gave her an insight into his relationship with his mother , and in turn taught her about how fame can affect family dynamics . `` I also understand what it must be like for my own daughter to be around my fame , '' she wrote . `` I am not comparing myself to Mrs. Astor , but I 've seen how you can be dismissed as not being good enough , or hip enough , and seeing it happen to Tony made me make sure that it did n't happen to my own daughter . '' NBC 's `` Today '' show weatherman , Al Roker , also came to Marshall 's defense , having met him at his church 10 years ago . He argued Marshall had suffered enough , paying a price greater than any sentence a judge could hand down -- seeing his son turn on him during the trial and being portrayed in a negative light each day . `` Given his advanced age and deteriorating health , justice may be better served by turning a compassionate eye towards this good son , father and patriot and finding it in your heart not to add ` prisoner ' to Anthony Marshall 's otherwise unblemished resume , '' Roker wrote in his letter to the court . Goldberg , too , wrote she believed `` breaking this man '' by putting him in prison was not the right punishment . `` Please do n't put him in jail , '' she wrote at the end of her letter . `` It would only amount to an unnecessary cruelty that would serve no real purpose . Has n't Tony been through enough ? '' CNN 's Jessica Ravitz contributed to this report .
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Anthony Marshall sentenced Monday to one to three years in prison . Marshall was convicted of bilking mom Brooke Astor of money before her death . He faced a minimum one to three years , or as much as eight to 25 years in state prison . Whoopi Goldberg , Al Roker among those who asked for a compassionate sentence .
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Editor 's note : The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE , an independent media company and website based in Brooklyn , New York . VBS.TV is Vice 's broadband television network . The reports , which are produced solely by VICE , reflect a transparent approach to journalism , where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process . We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers . Brooklyn , New York -LRB- VBS.TV -RRB- -- Dennis Chamberland does n't just want to live underwater : he wants anyone to join him . And he 's determined to make that a reality within a decade . Chamberland joined NASA as a bioengineer in the mid '80s , just as the manned space program was starting to thunder forward . But rather than looking up to the stars , he began looking down - deep down . As a developer of the agency 's Advanced Space Life Support Systems , which monitors the safety for all off-planet habitation pursuits , Chamberland soon became a lead proponent of research on an idea being floated by NASA at the time : using the sea as a testbed for space exploration . Before long , this homegrown explorer would become one of the country 's leading proponents of undersea habitation , and an advocate for what he calls the `` space-ocean analog . '' An aquanaut and Mission Commander on seven NASA underwater missions , Chamberland has also pursued landmark research in bioengineering and become a prolific writer of science books and sci-fi novels . But it was his work for NASA that resulted in his harvesting of the first agricultural crop in a manned habitat on the sea floor , and led to his designing and construction of the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station , a two man undersea habitat off Key Largo . The little permanent submarine has been visited by a range of curious futurist explorers , including James Cameron and TV producer Rod Roddenberry , Jr. . See the rest of The Aquatic Life of Dennis Chamberland at VBS.TV . Chamberland 's next goal , he explains in this episode of Motherboard : colonizing the sea . To move humans to an underwater `` Aquatica , '' as he calls the habitable regions of the ocean , he launched the Atlantica Expeditions , which are attempting to build the first underwater settlement for permanent human colonization . This is n't a glossy sci-architectural lark or a toe-dip . Starting with the premise that nearly three quarters of our planet 's largest biome have long remained invisible - and are increasingly endangered - the Atlantica project seeks `` a human colony whose primary purpose it is to monitor and protect this most essential of all the earth 's biomes . Soon , beneath the sea , families will live and work . Children will go to school . A new generation of children will be born there - the first citizens of a new ocean civilization whose most important purpose will be to continuously monitor and protect the global ocean environment . '' Set to commence by next year , the first expedition will be initiated by the submersion of the Leviathan , a small underwater habitat that can house up to four people . He 's not only certain that the colonization of the ocean floor is imminent ; he 's making it happen .
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Dennis Chamberland aspires to make undersea human habitation a reality . Joined NASA as a bioengineer in the mid '80s . Explorer became one of the country 's leading proponents of undersea habitation .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Padraig Harrington has accepted his punishment after being disqualified from the Abu Dhabi Championship for an incident during Thursday 's opening round of the European Tour golf event . Television replays showed that the three-time major winner inadvertently moved his ball with his hand on the green at the seventh hole , but did not sign for the required two-stroke penalty . The Irishman went on to card a seven-under-par 65 which left him one shot off the lead , but he did not tee off for Friday 's second round after officials noticed his infringement . `` I was aware I hit the ball picking up my coin . I looked down at the time and was pretty sure it had just oscillated and had not moved , so I continued on , '' the world No. 26 told the European Tour website . `` In slow motion it 's pretty clear the ball has moved three dimples forward and it 's come back maybe a dimple and a half . At the end of the day that 's good enough , but I would n't have done anything differently yesterday -- there was nothing I could do about it at that moment in time . '' The European Tour 's senior referee Andy McFee explained that Harrington was disqualified after signing for an incorrect score . `` It 's a minute movement , but it 's a movement and he never replaced it , so he should have included a two-stroke penalty . Because he signed for a score lower than actually taken , the penalty is disqualification , '' McFee said . Harrington , who has not won on the European Tour since his second British Open victory and subsequent U.S. PGA Championship triumph in 2008 , said he had no quarrels with the officials . `` The one thing all golfers love about their sport is the fact that we can stand up and say , ` We have the best rules , we are the fairest , we call them on ourselves . ' `` I think in this situation and other situations like that , with the new technology , maybe going forward , that the penalties can be changed . But the actual rulings have to stay where they are . '' Meanwhile , defending champion Martin Kaymer claimed a three-shot lead on Friday after shooting 65 to move up to 12-under 132 at the halfway stage . The 2010 Race To Dubai winner -- also the 2008 victor in Abu Dhabi -- carded a flawless seven-birdie second round , five of them coming in his first seven holes . The German , playing his first tournament of 2011 , will replace Tiger Woods as world No. 2 if he finishes in the top seven . First-round leader Charl Schwartzel was second after a 71 , as the South African dropped three shots in five holes in the middle of his front nine and made two more bogeys after the turn before finishing with a birdie . In-form Schwartzel holds early Abu Dhabi lead . That left last weekend 's Joburg Open winner a shot clear of U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell , who countered three bogeys with five birdies in his 70 . World No. 12 Rory McIlroy was tied for seventh on 138 after a 67 , while former European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was another shot back in a group of eight after a 69 . World No. 4 Phil Mickelson -LRB- 70 -RRB- was tied for 25th on 141 along with South Africa 's two-time major winner Retief Goosen -LRB- 71 -RRB- . World No. 8 Paul Casey , the winner here in 2007 and 2009 , was tied for 50th after a 70 , while top-ranked fellow Englishman Lee Westwood may also scrape into the weekend rounds after a 75 left him tied for 62nd on 144 -- a shot inside the projected cut . Westwood suffered two double-bogeys on his front nine , but bounced back with birdies at two of his last three holes . Last year 's runner-up Ian Poulter and British Open Louis Oosthuizen were both set to miss out on 145 . Meanwhile , Venezuelan rookie Jhonattan Vegas claimed a share of the lead at the PGA Tour 's Bob Hope Classic after shooting five-under 67 in California on Thursday . The 26-year-old carded eight birdies but closed with his third bogey at the PGA West 's Nicklaus Course in La Quinta . The first man from his country to play on the main U.S. circuit , he had been second overnight following his 64 at the Palmer Course . American Boo Weekley carded 66 at the Nicklaus Course to join him on 13-under 131 , with fellow Americans Charles Howell -LRB- 66 -RRB- and Chris Crouch -LRB- 65 -RRB- tied for third another shot back . The five-round charity event is played over four courses with a mix of professional and amateur players .
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Padraig Harrington disqualified from Abu Dhabi Championship after rule infringement . Irishman moved the ball with his hand but did not sign for two-stroke penalty . Defending champion Martin Kaymer claims halfway lead at European Tour event . Venezuelan rookie Jhonattan Vegas shares halfway lead at PGA Tour 's Bob Hope Classic .
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NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Waiting in line is part of life in post-storm New Orleans , especially when it comes to health care . `` There are no great options for the people that we see in this clinic , '' says Dr. Ravi Vadlamudi . Nearly every day , people stand in front of Common Ground Health Clinic in the Algiers neighborhood . Patients come from all around the city to get free health care in this former corner grocery store with barred windows . They come early , wait eagerly in line , sometimes swapping stories of where they were during Hurricane Katrina . Two years later , people still talk about Katrina . It 's the greeting , the icebreaker , the common bond . Where were you ? Where did you work before it hit ? Where did you evacuate to ? Quickly , conversation turns to the painfully slow rebuilding of the city : violent crime , lack of schools ; a shortage in housing , access to doctors . Sitting in the makeshift waiting room , patients chat with each other and the clinic workers , often shaking their heads in disapproval or disbelief . `` It 's so tough in this city . We ca n't get back on our feet . '' `` We 've thought about leaving , but we do n't know where to go or how to get there . '' `` I 'm glad we found out about this place . Maybe we can finally get some help . '' Before the storm , the uninsured turned to the famed Charity Hospital . Housed in a mammoth art-deco building , it provided reliable medical care for the poorest inhabitants of the city . The storm floods engulfed the first few floors of Charity and the doors were shut for good . Only three of the city 's seven hospitals have reopened . Only one of those reopened facilities operates at full pre-storm capacity . A mere fraction of the doctors have returned to the city . Dr. Ravi Vadlamudi is one of them . He 's the medical director of Common Ground . Everyone here calls him Dr. Ravi . `` Our clinic is a tiny Band-Aid to a small piece of a huge problem , '' he says . It 's hard to believe that there was ever a time when Dr. Ravi felt unneeded in New Orleans . As the storm approached two years ago , he sought refuge in his home state of Michigan , with his young daughter , Anjali , and his wife , who is also a physician . In the immediate aftermath of Katrina , he returned to the city as quickly as he could . Within days , he cleaned up their apartment and reopened the doors of his private family medicine practice at Tulane in the East Bank area of New Orleans . His office sat virtually empty . Back then , like many New Orleanians , he wondered , `` Would anybody ever come back ? Is our life over here ? '' But soon he crossed over to the West Bank . He waded through the chaos by joining a team of street medics , community activists and volunteers providing care to whoever came , whenever they needed it . At first , it was a tent , providing emergency services in a city without any emergency rooms . Today , it 's a full-service health clinic serving about 200 patients a week , with four full-time staffers and a good number of volunteers . Two years later , it is a cornerstone of health care in this city . Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta report on New Orleans ' looming mental health crisis '' `` There are no great options for the people that we see in this clinic , '' says Dr. Ravi , who spends two days with Common Ground and maintains his private practice for the rest of the week . `` When people think about a free care clinic they think about poor lazy people and that 's a complete misperception . Most of our patients have one job , if not two jobs -- they just do n't have insurance . '' A huge multi-layered problem is the best way to sum up health care in New Orleans . A recent study published by the American Medical Association found a 47 percent increase in the death rate in 2006 . `` Our study showed an excess mortality , meaning these are people that would not have died , had it not been for Katrina , '' said Dr. Kevin Stephens , who is director of the New Orleans Health Department and the study author . Stephens was forced to use newspaper obituaries for the study because state vital statistics were unavailable to him at the time . He maintains that the death rate in New Orleans is still elevated . But Dr. Fred Cerise , the secretary of Louisiana Health and Hospitals , disagrees on the exact rate of the increase and says there is no sustained elevation in the death rate . But doctors on the front lines , like Vadlamudi , say an elevated mortality rate is n't surprising , `` People end up in the hospital sicker and end up dying probably more often . In addition , I think that without the health-care resources , people get fed up , they do n't wait in the lines . '' From fewer doctors , sicker patients , scarce health services to violent crime , it 's hard not to think about death in this city . `` I 'd run out of fingers and toes if I tried to count how many close friends or patients have been murdered , attacked , jumped , shot at or left for dead , '' says Dr. Ravi . He and his wife are expecting their second child soon . He says his biggest concerns are good schools and the threat of violent crime . Dr. Ravi says they make the choice to stay in New Orleans every single day . Some days , the choice to stay is easier as he sees progress with the clinic and his patients . Other days are more difficult -- such as the one last January when he learned of the brutal murder of his colleague 's wife . `` I worry about -LSB- crime and violence -RSB- in my heart . We 're staying and we 're committed to this community , but it weighs on my mind every single day whether I may wait one day too long . '' E-mail to a friend . A. Chris Gajilan is a senior producer with CNN Medical News .
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Access to health care is still a big problem in New Orleans . Three of the city 's seven hospitals have reopened . Only one hospital operates at full pre-storm capacity . A fraction of the city 's doctors have returned since the storm .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Czech President Vaclav Klaus signed the European Union 's Lisbon Treaty Tuesday , he announced on his Web site , paving the way for major changes to the way the 27-nation bloc is run . The Czech Constitutional court ruled hours earlier that the treaty did not conflict with the country 's constitution , a government spokesman said . `` I respect the decision of the Constitutional Court , '' Klaus said in a written statement , though he added he `` disagreed '' with it and said the court 's analysis was `` not neutral . '' However , he concluded , `` I signed the Lisbon Treaty at 3 p.m. -LRB- 1400 GMT -RRB- . '' The Czech Republic was the last EU nation left to approve the treaty , which could effectively give the EU a president and a foreign minister . Klaus 's signature means the treaty -- which would replace the EU constitution and aims to streamline the workings of the European Union -- could come into force as early as December 1 . The Czech Parliament 's two chambers voted in favor of the treaty earlier this year . But in late September , 17 Czech senators asked the country 's Constitutional Court to examine whether some further parts of the treaty were compatible with the country 's constitution . The court ruled Tuesday that they pose no conflict . Klaus agreed Friday to ratify the document if the court approved , after winning an exemption ensuring it would not allow ethnic Germans forced out of the country after World War II to reclaim their former lands . `` I consider this to be the best possible result and intend to raise no other objections to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty , '' Klaus said Thursday after gaining the exemption . Voters in two countries had rejected the EU constitution in 2005 . The Lisbon Treaty , in addition to streamlining EU decision-making and creating an EU council president and foreign minister , would introduce rotating representatives for member countries in the EU Commission , the union 's executive branch , and would change the voting weights of countries on certain issues . Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt , whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency , said he welcomed the Czech court 's decision . `` We are now very close to full ratification . '' Reinfeldt said . `` Together with a signature in the Czech Republic , the presidency will continue the completion of Lisbon Treaty preparations . '' The Czech Republic is n't the only EU country to demand an exemption before ratifying the treaty . Poland recently won an opt-out over social issues including gay marriage ; Britain won assurances that EU law would not prevail over its own legal system . The treaty would also give national parliaments veto power over some proposed changes to EU policy . All member states have to ratify the treaty before it can be adopted . Irish voters approved the treaty last month after previously rejecting it . The European Union had assured Ireland that the treaty would not affect the country 's anti-abortion laws or its neutrality and that Ireland would keep a European commissioner .
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Czech President Vaclav Klaus signs EU 's Lisbon Treaty , paving way for major changes to way 27-nation bloc is run . Czech court removed the last political hurdle to treaty 's full ratification . The Lisbon Treaty is meant to replace the EU constitution , which voters rejected in 2005 . All member states have to ratify the treaty before it can be adopted .
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-LRB- This Old House -RRB- -- A tide of foreclosed properties has been sweeping into the beleaguered housing market , bringing down property values , dislocating families , and sending municipal governments scrambling to manage the crisis . But some buyers see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the gloomy headlines ; they are buying up foreclosed properties at ultra-low prices . Real estate agent John Lynch of Keller Williams Greater Cleveland West says he has interested buyers calling from all over the country , and as far away as Israel . Some are buying in bulk . `` One investor I am working with right now wants to buy 200 houses all under 10K . '' Would-be homeowners are not excluded from the bonanza . Despite economic fears and the struggling housing market , Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire of McMullan Realty in Cleveland says this may be an ideal time to think about the dream of first-time home ownership . She tells the story of a friend who waded into the foreclosure market and came out ahead . `` My girlfriend bought a house last summer . It has two baths , a two-car garage , and two fireplaces . She loves it . Her house is $ 350 a month , with taxes and insurance . She 's in her late 40 's and had been a renter all these years . '' Those are the high notes , but these agents tell other stories , too . There 's the one about a far-away buyer who learned he owned a bunch of vacant lots , instead of houses . `` It 's not for the faint of heart , '' says Lynch . Lynch has seen the same house at foreclosure auctions more than once . `` That hurts us all , '' says Lynch . A check-in with real estate professionals , home inspectors , and federal housing officials offers these words to the wise on buying a foreclosed property . • Budget carefully . Agent Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire says do n't let a small price tag lure you into a quick deal . Be sure to ask yourself a number of questions : Do you have the money for the extensive repairs these houses often need ? `` Do you have a crew . If you plan to rehab and then rent , can you afford the house if you do n't find a tenant ? If you do your homework , there 's little risk , '' says Perkins-Stoudermire . • See the house for yourself . `` You ca n't buy them sight unseen , '' says Bill Richardson , president of the American Society of Home Inspectors -LRB- ASHI -RRB- . `` If you 're an investor from Chicago and you 're buying in Tucson , you 'll need someone to evaluate the house in person . '' This Old House : What to expect from a home inspection . • Look at the neighborhood . Your homework should include evaluating the neighborhood . You may not be able to recoup the cost of the repairs if the value of the house is depressed by widespread foreclosures or high crime in the area . Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire says she also encourages buyers to study the neighborhood 's appeal at all hours , including at night . This Old House : How to identify a promising neighborhood . • How long has the house been empty ? The longer the vacancy the more damage there is , in most cases . Bill Richardson , of ASHI , says if a house has n't been `` moth-balled '' carefully , a long list of ailments set in . `` The plumbing seals dry out , sewer gases back up , and bugs that are in the sewer get a chance to get into the house . That 's true for the sinks , toilets , and washer drains , '' says Richardson . • Was it winterized ? Do n't turn on the utilities until you know the condition of the pipes . If the pipes cracked during a cold spell , water will leak into the walls , and mold could take hold when you turn the water back on . This Old House : Dealing with mold . • Look at the landscaping . ASHI 's Bill Richardson warns , `` If the house has been neglected , untrimmed trees , vines and bushes contribute to the deterioration of the house . '' Vines crawl into the windows , and tree seedlings send roots down into the foundation . `` It does n't take very big trees to mess up pavers , and dead branches crash into the house , '' says Richardson . • Contract for a private inspection . Banks generally require a home inspection when lending money for a mortgage . But even if you 're paying completely out of pocket for an ultra-cheap find , all the pros say it 's crucial to get an up-to-date inspection . Richardson says previous inspections `` are only a snapshot in time , '' and conditions change dramatically . `` There 's no caretaker on these properties . I 've looked at quite a few , '' says Richardson . `` We 've seen vandalism . We 've seen previous owners steal cabinets and fixtures . Copper piping has been stolen . '' In some cases an inspection will prevent further damage . For example , if inspectors determine the pipes are cracked , repairs can be done in advance . Richardson said inspectors charge $ 300 to $ 500 . • Consider a HUD house . The Department of Housing and Urban Development is currently holding approximately 39,000 houses whose previous owners held mortgages insured by the federal government . HUD houses go to market about six months after foreclosure . Local governments get the first option to buy . After that , buyers who pledge to live in the house have the first opportunity to offer a bid . If the house is still on the market after a period of about 10 days , the listing is opened to investors . Owner occupants end up with about half of HUD 's properties , according to HUD officials . A fraction of the total foreclosure market , HUD 's inventory is concentrated in Georgia , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio , and other states where the mortgage crisis has been especially severe . But if one of these houses suits your fancy , HUD spokesman LeMar Wooley says the feds offer a few advantages . `` You will know the fair price of the property '' because HUD updates its appraisals regularly . It offers a `` property condition report '' too , though that report is not updated . Wooley is thus among the chorus of experts urging buyers to pay for their own home inspection before closing the deal . If HUD appreciates the value of a good inspector , inspectors likewise say HUD houses are better protected . `` The feds often take the steps to winterize the houses . They put anti-freeze in the traps , and drain the pipes . When HUD 's involved it 's a little bit better , '' says ASHI president Bill Richardson . • Do n't expect to profit from a quick sale . Investors who buy intending to do as little as possible to a house , hoping to resell for a profit when the market turns around , may find little profit and a lot of headache . Some cities are cracking down on neglectful property owners , charging penalties that increase over time , and unmaintained homes lose value quickly . But real estate pros and housing officials report that , overall , investors are a welcome and all-too-scarce resource , and most are fixing up the houses they buy for rent or resell . What 's more , investors and new owner-occupants might get the satisfaction of helping to turn a hard-hit neighborhood around . Get 2 Free Trial Issues . COPYRIGHT © 2009 THIS OLD HOUSE VENTURES , INC. .
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Consumers looking to get a bargain on a foreclosed home need to be careful . Buyers should inspect the house and the neighborhood before buying . Budget carefully for unexpected repairs . HUD homes are carefully priced and include property condition report .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis lost her legal bid Wednesday to clarify Britain 's laws on assisted suicide . Debbie Purdy and her husband Omar Puente pictured outside London 's High Court . Debbie Purdy , 45 , had launched a High Court challenge to determine whether her husband would face prosecution if he helped her end her life before her conditioned worsened . Purdy told reporters she was `` disappointed and surprised '' that the judges refused to interpret the 1961 Suicide Act , which says assisting someone in a suicide is a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison . Purdy , speaking from a wheelchair beside her husband Omar Puente , said she would appeal . She has said she wants the option of assisted suicide if her pain one day becomes unbearable . Her case asked the judges to tell her at what point her husband would be breaking the law if she committed suicide with his help . `` I 'm not prepared for Omar to break the law , '' she said . `` How can we make sure that we act within the law without potential prison sentences if they wo n't tell us under what circumstances they would prosecute ? '' The suicide act says only that anyone who `` aids , abets , counsels or procures the suicide of another , or an attempt by another to commit suicide , shall be liable '' to be jailed for as long as 14 years . `` What does this actually mean , and how is the discretion to prosecute actually exercised ? '' said Melissa Milner , a spokeswoman for Dignity in Dying , a charity that has worked on Purdy 's case . `` Does it mean booking tickets ? Getting medical records ? Pushing somebody 's wheelchair on a plane ? Do these matters amount to a criminal offense ? '' Dignity in Dying campaigns to give terminally ill patients the option of an assisted death so they `` would not be forced to contemplate dying before they are ready , '' according to the group 's Web site . Wednesday 's ruling comes amid a similar high-profile case in Britain . Dan James , 23 , died in an assisted suicide in September , 18 months after he became paralyzed in a rugby training session . He had traveled with his parents to Switzerland -- where assisted suicide is legal under some circumstances -- where he took his life . British prosecutors are considering charges against his parents , who are now back in Britain . Purdy , who lives in the northern English city of Bradford with her husband , was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple Sclerosis in 1995 , when she was 31 . She is still able to do normal activities like cooking , cleaning and shopping , but she knows her physical condition is rapidly deteriorating . If her case is not resolved , Purdy said she may decide to go alone to Switzerland and commit suicide while she is still able to on her own . She said she would prefer making that journey much later , only once her condition deteriorates , so she can die with her husband by her side . `` I 'll have to make a decision , '' she said . `` I 'm not prepared for Omar to face potential jail , because if they wo n't tell us in advance -LRB- that -RRB- he can do X , Y , and Z without risk of prosecution , I ca n't risk that . ''
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Multiple sclerosis sufferer fails in legal bid to clarify UK assisted suicide law . Debbie Purdy `` disappointed and surprised '' by judges refusal to interpret law . 45-year-old wanted to know at what point her husband would be breaking law .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- First , it was babies in bars . Now , children in fine-dining restaurants are feeding a raging debate . The argument is fueled by new efforts of some Michelin-starred New York restaurants like L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Café Boulud to cater to the under-3-year-old crowd . Not every patron of expensive restaurants desires to share a formal dining experience with young children who may be more interested in playing with their food than savoring it . Some are upset at the parents of the young diners , but others believe that even adults do n't always behave in ways that allow customers to enjoy peaceful dining . More than 100 people -- mostly against the idea of tots at upper-echelon restaurants -- posted their heated comments in response to Shivani Vora 's recent New York Times piece , `` Fine Dining Where Strollers Do n't Invite Sneers . '' `` People who force their toddlers on others in enclosed public spaces like fine restaurants -LRB- and airplanes -RRB- are even more selfish than those who insist on talking on cell phones in such places , '' one Times reader said . `` If you object to ` howls ' -LRB- based on your ridiculous presumption that all children inevitably howl -RRB- , let 's start by excluding all the adults who are yelling into their cell phones , are drunk and/or obnoxious , etc. '' another commenter said . `` I 'm with the majority -- thanks for this list , because now we know which high-end restaurants we will never set foot in , '' another said . World 's 50 best restaurants list . That 's certainly the customers ' standpoint , but what about those manning the stoves and host stands ? Many chefs and restaurateurs with families are teaching their own children to be good restaurant citizens and are making accommodations for kids in their establishments . Marc Murphy , chef and judge on the Food Network 's `` Chopped '' series , created children 's menus at all three of his New York City restaurants so his two children , ages 3 and 5 , have dining options on their nights out . At Landmarc , adult diners can enjoy Murphy 's foie gras terrine or roasted marrow bones while their booster-seated offspring have the option of ordering orecchiette -LRB- a type of pasta -RRB- , grilled lamb chops , peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches or petit filet mignon . Michael Anthony , executive chef of Michelin-starred Gramercy Tavern and a father of three -LRB- including a newborn -RRB- , is even more accommodating . Chef Colicchio : Do n't fear fine dining . `` When my own children are in the restaurant , I 've sent them soufflé crackers with what looks like little frogs ' tongues . I 've sent out a beet dressed as a mouse , '' Anthony told CNN . Anthony also works with a New York public school , P.S. 41 , offering lessons in table manners to first-graders . There are also hands-on cooking activities , a tour and lunch at his restaurant , as well as visits to the Greenmarket , an open-air farmers market -- all experiences geared toward establishing a fundamental understanding of where food comes from . `` They 're very impressionable and starting to form their opinions about food . We want to impress upon the kids that food is fun , '' Anthony said of the program . Teachers in the program particularly focus on younger diners developing a `` restaurant voice , '' teaching children that restaurants are a busy place and that certain manners differ from when one is out playing tag in the park . This notion is especially poignant at Gramercy Tavern -- which Anthony will admit is a fine dining establishment -- as there wo n't be stroller valet any time soon . `` It 's not a restaurant adapted to children ; it 's a group of people who are warm and welcoming , '' Anthony said . The haute tots are , after all , children -- with an average attention span of three to five minutes per calendar year of their age . Anthony says he has invited particularly antsy adolescents back into the kitchen to focus their attention after they have created a disturbance . `` As with any performance , practicing before a big event , such as going out to a restaurant , is a good idea , '' advises Sue Fox in `` Etiquette for Dummies '' in a chapter on Tips for Children and Teens . `` I know of people who dress their kids up , sit them down at the family dining room table and hand out homemade menus to practice eating out . ''
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Some patrons at fine restaurants are not pleased with sharing space with disruptive children . Debate is raging after a New York Times article . Gramercy Tavern chef Michael Anthony works with local school . Children visit restaurant , learn about manners and farmers markets .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American tourists heading to Mexico 's Baja California state in the future can expect more police protection from a new task force , according to Mexican authorities . Mexican officials want to make sure the tourist traffic continues to flow into Tijuana . Officials from the Baja California cities of Tijuana , Ensenada and Rosarito gathered earlier this week to announce the creation of the task force , which will be made up of bilingual officers and which will be designed primarily to serve Americans . The initial plan , according to Ensenada Secretary of Public Safety Cesar Santiesteban , is to create a force that patrols a 50-mile tourist corridor from Tijuana through Las Playas Rosarito to Ensenada in Baja California , which is Mexico 's northernmost and westernmost state . There were no immediate details as to when the task force would go into operation or how many officers would be in the unit . City officials in San Diego , California , said the city 's police force would extend help in ways that Mexican officials deemed necessary in getting the task force up and running , including training the officers . `` We 've always prided ourselves in our working relationship with our friends to the south , '' San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders , said . `` When you look at it , we 're really one community . '' For a region whose reputation has been tarnished by ongoing drug-fueled violence , plans for task force could n't come soon enough . Policing the drug war has proven complicated for Mexican authorities , including the military , and also hindered the tourism industry in Mexico . American travelers , who represented 80 percent of the country 's booming $ 13 billion travel industry last year , are a critical part of Mexico 's economy . In 2008 , more than 18 million Americans visited the country , according to the Mexico Tourism Board . In some areas , hotels and local businesses are struggling to recover from low visitor numbers , according to the Mexico Tourism Board . Tijuana Mayor Jorge Ramos said tourism in Baja California in the past two years has remained steady , and the task force was set up to create a stronger police presence for tourists . `` We 're here on this side of the border to invite you to our city and to -LSB- show you -RSB- we 're making a lot of things ... better , and to make some progress in our city , '' Ramos said in a news conference in San Diego Monday .
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Task force will be made up of bilingual officers ; primarily will serve Americans . Initial plan is to create a force that patrols a 50-mile tourist corridor of Baja . Region 's reputation has been tarnished by ongoing , drug-fueled violence . $ 13 billion travel industry is critical part of Mexico 's economy .
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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pilot who landed a crippled US Airways jetliner on the Hudson River thought there would have been `` catastrophic consequences '' if he tried to make it to a nearby airport , a National Transportation Safety Board official said Saturday night . US Airways Flight 1549 remained in the icy Hudson River on Saturday . Instead , pilot Pilot C.B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger decided to ditch the plane in the Hudson River close to vessels moving about the water `` to improve chances of recovery , '' NTSB board member Kitty Higgins said . It was the first time the public heard comments from Sullenberger and first officer Jeffrey B. Skiles describing Thursday 's emergency landing . Skiles was flying US Airways Flight 1549 , bound for Charlotte , North Carolina , when he noticed a flock of birds less than 90 seconds after the plane had taken off from New York 's LaGuardia International Airport , Higgins said . In an instant , the plane was rocked by loud thuds and both engines went out , Higgins said . Watch the plane hit the water '' `` He commented on the formation , and he said the next thing he knew , the windscreen was filled with birds . There was no time to take evasive action , '' Higgins said . Sullenberger took control of the aircraft while Skiles began complicated procedures to try to restart the engines , Higgins said . Sullenberger thought the plane was moving `` too low , too slow '' to risk returning to LaGuardia through the maze of buildings . Nor did Sullenberger think the powerless aircraft could make it over the densely populated New Jersey area to Teterboro , Higgins said . `` There could be catastrophic consequences if we did n't make it , '' she quoted Sullenberger as saying . Watch CNN 's Lisa Sylvester report on the pilots '' City officials , passengers and aviation experts have lauded Sullenberger and the flight crew for their handling of the landing and also praised first responders who acted quickly to minimize passengers ' injuries in below-freezing temperatures . All 155 people on board the plane survived . `` These are both very experienced pilots . They knew what they had to do , '' Higgins said . Neither Sullenberger nor Skiles attended the news conference . Earlier in the day , the NTSB revealed the content of communications between the cockpit and controllers at LaGuardia in the brief period during which the incident unfolded . `` This is cactus 1549 , hit birds , we lost thrust in both engines , '' Sullenberger told controllers at approximately 3:27 p.m. Thursday . `` We 're turning back towards LaGuardia . '' Controllers immediately began preparations to clear a runway for an emergency landing , but less than a minute later , Sullenberger reported that the aircraft would n't make it , Higgins said . The last communication from the plane to controllers , Higgins said , was the pilot saying , `` We 're gon na be in the Hudson . '' Watch a former pilot tell how to water-land a plane '' Higgins also quoted two of the flight 's attendants , who were in jump seats at the front of the aircraft when they heard a loud thud shortly after takeoff . `` It was a sound that neither one of them had ever heard before , '' Higgins said . `` They said all the engine noise ceased . They described it as complete silence , like a library . '' Efforts to raise the jetliner from the river proved successful late Saturday , as cranes lifted it clear of the water about 11:30 p.m. ET following several hours of work by crews in frigid conditions . Video from the scene showed the right side of the aircraft with the engine intact but its covering mangled . It was not clear visually whether the damage was from an in-flight incident or from the landing impact . Investigators planned to tow the plane on a barge to an undisclosed location for their examination . Watch water wash over the plane '' Searchers using sonar think they have found the left engine on the river bottom . Divers will try to confirm the finding , Higgins said . Watch workers begin the retrieval process '' The flight data and cockpit voice recorders -- both crucial to determining exactly what happened Thursday -- remained on the aircraft , which was still largely submerged in the Hudson River but was secured to moorings . Strong currents and cold water thwarted divers ' efforts to retrieve the recorders from the tail section of the jetliner , Higgins said . Also Saturday , authorities released audio and transcripts of two 911 calls from people who said they saw that the plane was in trouble . Listen to callers report plane in the river '' One caller said he saw the plane descend and reported hearing a loud noise shortly after the aircraft took off . `` Oh , my God ! It was a big plane , I heard a big boom just now . We looked up , and the plane came straight over us , and it was turning . Oh , my God ! '' a man calling from the Bronx told a 911 operator at 3:29 p.m. , three minutes after the plane left LaGuardia . Minutes later , at 3:33 p.m. , a woman called 911 and reported seeing the plane in the water . `` A plane has just crashed into the Hudson River , '' she told an operator . `` A US Air big DC-9 or -10 has crashed into the Hudson River . ... Oh , my gosh ! '' CNN 's Mike Brooks , Jeanne Meserve , Richard Davis and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report .
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NEW : Crews hoist US Airways Flight 1549 from icy Hudson River . Pilot said aircraft was flying `` too low , too slow '' to risk returning to airport . Plane in air less than 90 seconds when collision occurred . One engine in river , one still attached , investigators say .
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ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Civilians continued to flee Pakistan 's northwest in droves Monday as government troops prepared to engage Taliban militants in the crisis-hit Swat Valley . Thousands of displaced Pakistani civilians have flooded refugee camps . More than 360,000 Pakistanis have fled their homes since May 2 , the United Nations has reported . `` Obviously more people are on the move , '' said Ariane Rummery , a spokeswoman for the U.N. human rights commissioner . `` Not everyone is registered . '' Thousands of vehicles fled Swat Valley on Sunday , where up to 15,000 Pakistani troops are preparing to move against approximately 5,000 Taliban militants , a regional official said . In neighboring areas , Pakistan 's military is continuing an offensive against the Taliban along its western border with Afghanistan , a military statement released Sunday said . Watch the latest on the conflict '' The military has been releasing regular reports saying it has killed Taliban militants in the region , but it has produced little evidence of the successes it claims . Journalists have not been permitted to observe the offensive and the army has not shown bodies of the militants it says it has killed . Curfews have been imposed in the conflict zone , but are relaxed periodically to allow civilians to travel . It is not unusual now to see rickshaws and cargo trucks filled with fleeing civilians , rolling down Pakistan 's main east-west highway . Vehicles are not allowed back into the region , which has led to a shortage for those trying to leave . Meanwhile , at least 25 boys stranded at the Khpal Kor Foundation orphanage in Swat Valley had to flee the district capital , Mingora , on foot Sunday , according to director Mohammed Ali . He said local government officials told him there were no vehicles to evacuate the children . The 175-kilometer -LRB- 110-mile -RRB- journey from Mingora to the western city of Peshawar normally takes about three hours by car . The boys walked for several hours , but had to spend the night in a madrassa -- a religious school -- outside of Mingora , because authorities had re-established the curfew . Camps for the displaced have sprouted up throughout the country 's northwest , with hospitals and humanitarian groups struggling to keep pace . In other developments , a suicide car bomber attacked a Pakistani paramilitary checkpoint outside Peshawar on Monday , killing a Frontier Corps soldier and three civilians , said Ali Sher Khan , a Corps spokesman . Troops fired on the suspicious vehicle as it approached , according to Khan .
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U.N. : More than 360,000 Pakistanis have fled their homes since May 2 . 15,000 Pakistani troops preparing to move against militants in Swat Valley . Tens of thousands of civilians have fled as the military campaign intensifies . Pakistan continuing offensive against Taliban along border with Afghanistan .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man walks around the side of a building , footsteps falling in time to the heartbeat of a driving pop soundtrack , pulls out a pistol and guns down another man . Tony Servillo as arch-manipulator and seven time Italian Prime Minister , Guilio Andreotti , in Paolo Sorrentino 's `` Il Divo . '' A montage of grisly murders follows , all with the same infectious pop song pounding in the background . It 's edge-of-the-seat stuff and it 's only the opening sequence of gifted Italian director Paolo Sorrentino 's biopic of Italian politician Giulio Andreotti , `` Il Divo . '' Sorrentino 's film chronicles the career of probably the most important and controversial politico in Italy 's recent history . But , more than that , it pins Andreotti to the specimen board and dissects his character without mercy . The film caught the eye of the judges at Cannes Film Festival last year where it picked up the Jury Prize . Predictably , Andreotti did n't react well to the film . `` He was very angry , '' recalls Sorrentino . Now 91 years-old , Andreotti has been Prime Minister of Italy seven times . His Christian Democrat Party was the leading force in Italian politics as a one-party system for four decades . The rules of the game were shattered in the early 1990s by `` Tangentopoli '' or Bribesville -- a corruption scandal that laid bare some of the government 's unsavory practices , ruining careers and resulting in the suicides of some leading politicians . Andreotti himself was implicated in illegal activities , including connections to the Mafia , but was finally acquitted of all charges . Today , he is a senator for life . Something of the man 's influence in all spheres of Italian public life becomes clear when Sorrentino -- who says he is not a political director , `` only in this case '' -- explains how hard he found it to fund the film . `` In Italy nobody wanted to finance the film because everybody was scared , '' Sorrentino told CNN . `` He has been a very powerful man for many years . '' Sorrentino managed eventually to secure funding from a private source . `` It is not easy for Italian companies to put money in this project , so we did it with the private money of very courageous individuals , '' he said . Sorrentino picks up the Andreotti story at the beginning of the 1990s , just prior to his implication in the scandal , as he is about to assume power for the seventh time . A good deal of `` Il Divo 's '' success lies in a stunning portrayal of Andreotti by Naples-born actor Toni Servillo , who is a veteran of three of Sorrentino 's other films including 2006 's `` The Consequences of Love . '' Servillo 's Andreotti is a stiff , impassive tortoise of a man . With a hunched back , skinny sloping shoulders and strange drooping ears , Andreotti appears physically frail . He is beset by headaches -- indeed , the opening scene of the film shows him with a head full of acupuncture needles trying to get rid of one -- a taste of the mix of drama and humor that informs the rest of the film . But where the body is weak the will is strong and in Andreotti 's wit and cunning intelligence -- `` I know I 'm an average man , but looking around I do n't see any giants '' -- there is a sense of a man who can and will do anything to stay in power . `` I have always wanted to make a film about Andreotti , '' says Sorrentino . `` He is so psychologically complex that everyone has been intrigued by him over the years . `` It 's a political film but at the same time a film about a complex character from a psychological point of view . '' For a long time , though , Sorrentino was convinced that the vast amounts of literature written about the man could never be distilled into a structure that would work on film -- `` It made my head spin , '' he remembers . While Sorrentino almost had too much material to mine while researching Andreotti 's public life , it was impossible to get access to details of his home life . Sorrentino had to go on instinct and imagine life behind the scenes for the great man . Something that made aspects of Andreotti 's response to the film very puzzling . `` He told everything was false , a lie , about his public life and at the same time he said the film was very precise about his private life , '' recalls Sorrentino . `` But all the public things in the film are documented . It 's on record that the events took place . `` The trials , the letters , the diary of Aldo Moro , the Prime Minister who was kidnapped by the Red Brigade and held in captivity for 55 days . -LRB- Andreotti was Prime Minister at the time and decided not to negotiate with the terrorists and they killed him . -RRB- . `` And about the private life I invented everything . '' One of the most surprising things about the 39-year-old director 's film is the soundtrack . Full of rock , pop , electronica -- `` Nux Vomica '' by The Veils an indie band from New Zealand and `` Toop Toop '' by French electro artists Cassius -- mixed in with classical music like Vivaldi and Sibelius . It 's incongruous but it delivers a hefty emotional punch . `` The idea was to make a rock opera about a man very far from rock , '' says Sorrentino . `` I did n't want to do a traditional biopic . ''
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Paolo Sorrentino 's `` Il Divo '' chronicles the career of Italian politician Guilio Andreotti . Seven time Prime Minister was implicated in 1990s political corruption scandal . Film is a psychological study of man who has fascinated Italy for years . Sorrentino found it hard to fund the film because people were scared of Andreotti .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The remains of an Oregon teenager missing for more than 25 years were recently identified by authorities , and police are looking into whether she might have been a victim of Gary Ridgway , known as the `` Green River Killer . '' Police believe Ridgway could be responsible for the death of Angela Marie Girdner because her body was found within a mile of the remains of two other women that Ridgway admitted killing , the county sheriff 's office said . Those bodies were found in Washington County , Oregon , near Portland . The bodies of Ridgway 's other 46 victims were found in the Seattle , Washington , area . The most prolific known serial killer in U.S. history , Ridgway is serving 48 consecutive life sentences . He has denied involvement in Girdner 's death , as well as that of Tammie Liles , whose remains were found near Girdner 's . Girdner was 16 when she was reported missing by her parents in May 1983 , authorities said . She was a straight-A student at her Catholic high school `` until she met the wrong people , '' they said . Girdner rode a bus from her home in Portland to Beaverton to school , and her parents believe she met people on the bus line `` who turned her life upside down with drugs and eventually prostitution . '' The last time Girdner 's parents heard from her was in July 1983 , police said : `` She called and told her mother that she was OK , but did not say where she was at that time . '' Girdner was killed sometime between that phone call and early 1985 . Her skeletal remains were found April 22 , 1985 , in a wooded area of Tualatin , Oregon . It was one of two bodies found by people walking in the area . The bodies , however , were unidentified for years . `` Both bodies were badly decomposed and there were only traces of clothing discovered with them , '' the sheriff 's statement said . The other body was identified in 1998 as being that of Liles , who was last seen in June 1983 working as a prostitute in the Seattle area . She was reported missing by her family in March 1988 , and her body was identified using dental records . In June 1985 , two months after the remains of Girdner and Liles were found , two other sets of skeletal remains were found within a mile of where theirs were . `` Detectives recognized the similarities with the Seattle area 's Green River killings that were predominant in the news at the time , '' the sheriff 's statement said . They contacted the Green River Task Force at the King County , Washington , Sheriff 's Office , and the bodies were eventually identified as those of Shirley Shirell and Denise Bush . Both women were known Seattle prostitutes , authorities said , and both had been reported missing . Girdner 's remains were sent to the Oregon State Medical Examiner 's Office , which sent them to the King County Medical Examiner 's Office in Seattle for possible identification . King County could not identify the remains , so they were sent back to Oregon . `` Unfortunately , somewhere in the transfer process they were misplaced , '' the Washington County Sheriff 's Office said . `` Earlier this year , Angela 's remains resurfaced at the Clackamas County -LSB- Oregon -RSB- Medical Examiner 's Office . '' After realizing the bones did not belong to a Clackamas County case , authorities sent them back to the state medical examiner , who notified Washington County of the unidentified bones . Sheriff 's detectives asked the medical examiner 's office to compare the remains once again with dental records of missing people in the area . `` Based on the investigation conducted over the years , Angela 's remains were compared to the dental records her dentist had submitted in 1985 , '' in October , authorities said . `` They matched . '' Ridgway , now 60 , was arrested in 2001 in King County for the murders of five women . He later admitted he was the `` Green River Killer '' and pleaded guilty to murdering 48 women , including Shirell and Bush . `` Ridgway claimed that he killed -LSB- Shirell and Bush -RSB- in King County and later transported the bodies to Oregon , '' Washington County authorities said . `` Shirley , Denise and Tammie were all reported missing from the Seattle area . Angela was reported missing from the Portland area , and detectives have not received any information that she was in the Seattle area prior to her death . '' But , the statement said , `` because of the close proximity of Tammie 's and Angela 's remains to the remains of Shirley and Denise , the locations where their bodies were disposed of and the time frame for the murders , detectives believe that Gary Ridgway is responsible for their deaths . '' Ridgway 's plea agreement in Washington state would not preclude his prosecution in Oregon , Washington County sheriff 's Sgt. David Thompson told CNN . Although Ridgway has denied responsibility , detectives are reviewing the cases and re-examining evidence collected over the years , police said . Anyone with information about either Girdner or Liles during 1983 , 1984 and 1985 is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff 's Office . The Green River case takes its name from a river south of Seattle where Ridgway began dumping his victims in 1982 . Most of the women were prostitutes . Ridgway has said he targeted prostitutes `` because I thought I could kill as many as I wanted without getting caught . '' He said he killed because he hated prostitutes and did n't want to pay them for sex , and claimed he killed so many women he had a hard time keeping them straight .
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Teenager 's misplaced remains are identified more than 20 years after her death . Angela Marie Girdner was found near the remains of two women linked to Gary Ridgway . Ridgway , known as `` Green River Killer , '' admitted 48 slayings but denied killing Girdner .
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EL PASO , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sitting in high school , math and history lessons never captured Danny Santos ' imagination . The drug-fueled streets of the Texas-Mexico border provided his education , and he was an excellent student . Danny Santos , 21 , works two part-time jobs and still does n't make as much as he did as a drug mule . Santos says he became one of the thousands of American and Mexican teenagers recruited into the dangerous world of drug smuggling . `` I did n't care . I had no conscience , '' Santos said at a boxing gym in El Paso , Texas . `` You 're young , and you 're naïve , and you think it 's easy . '' Santos ' journey into the underworld of teenage drug smuggling offers a glimpse into how drug cartels lure teenagers into doing their dirty work . US . Customs and Border Protection officials in El Paso and San Diego report that in recent months , they 've seen a rise in the number of juvenile drug smugglers getting busted at border checkpoints . They 're often called mules . These teenagers are usually hired only to smuggle drug loads across the border . It 's a short drive or walk that offers quick cash but can carry serious consequences . Watch how teens get drugs across the border '' Drug cartels `` just need someone who can legitimately cross the border , '' said Bill Molaski , the El Paso Port Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection . As an American , Santos could freely cross the El Paso-Juarez border and not raise suspicion . At age 15 , Santos says , he met `` a guy '' at a party who introduced him to drug kingpins in Ciudad Juarez , Mexico . `` You start off as a driver , '' Santos said . `` People feel like they can trust you , then you move up to something bigger . '' Two weeks later , he got a $ 4,000 job offer to drive his first load of marijuana across a bridge into El Paso . It was the beginning of a four-year smuggling career . `` I ca n't say I was n't nervous , '' Santos said . `` You kind of project yourself into another time of happiness or joy . ... You just have to forget you have something illegal in the car . '' In all , Santos says , he earned $ 50,000 making about 20 mule runs , driving right through heavily guarded border checkpoints . Santos , who is now 21 , says he was arrested once but spent only a few days in jail . He said charges were dropped . Because he was younger than 18 when he was arrested , and juvenile cases are sealed , CNN could not confirm his story through court records . Young smugglers do n't fit a stereotype . Several sources said that both American and Mexican teens are lured into the work . Teenage boys and girls alike are involved . Many smugglers come from middle-class families . `` There 's a lot of money in the trade , a lot of inducement for a lot of young people to get involved , '' El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez said . His office is responsible for prosecuting juvenile smugglers . Federal and state authorities say drug cartels recruit young smugglers from schools . Depending on the size of the drug load that 's being smuggled , a kid can be paid a couple hundred dollars up to $ 5,000 . Mexican officials say cartels have placed classified advertisements in Mexican newspapers with cryptic messages offering young people a job with good salary and benefits . A phone number is included in the ad . The officials say a cartel member sets up a meeting to determine whether the kid is up to the job . But Rodriguez offers a chilling reason why teenagers should avoid the lure of easy money . `` We had a kid here who lost a load and had some of his toes chopped off , '' Rodriguez said . Santos says he got out of the smuggling business two years ago . Now he spends every day training at a boxing gym in El Paso . Boxing and smuggling can both be vicious worlds , but at least boxing is legal . However , it 's a slow climb to the top of the boxing world . He 's chasing the golden dreams of boxing championships and hoping to make more money boxing than he did smuggling . Santos is working two part-time jobs , and he says it takes him two months to earn the money that he used to make in one day of drug smuggling . He spent almost all the money he made smuggling . But he has no regrets . `` The peace of mind is good , '' Santos said after a bruising workout . `` I sleep good , eat good . I feel better now . ''
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Danny Santos , 21 , says he made $ 50,000 in four years as a drug mule . Santos smuggled drugs across U.S. border from Juarez , Mexico . He was arrested once , as a juvenile , but said charges were dropped . Santos now works two part-time jobs as trains as a boxer .
|
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Argentina star Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Atletico Madrid 5-2 in the Camp Nou to maintain their perfect start to the Spanish league season . Messi put Atletico to the sword with two goals in the Camp Nou . Messi celebrated his lucrative contract extension at Barca , sealed on Friday , with a superb display against a flagging Atletico who have made a poor start to the season . New signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Barcelona ahead in the second minute , just after Thierry Henry had hit the post in a frenetic opening . Messi then got in the scoring act , rounding goalkeeper Roberto Jiminez after being played through by midfielder Xavi . Daniel Alves scored the third for the reigning European and Spanish champions with a powerful free kick on the half hour mark . Ibrahimovic , who is finding his feet after a slow pre-season campaign , then found Messi who charged past a static Atletico defense before finding Seydou Keita for a tap-in on 41 minutes . To complete an exciting first half , Sergio Aguero pulled one back for the visitors after a mistake by Sergio Busquets . Atletico gained respectability after half-time as Diego Forlan scored six minutes from time , but Messi rubbed it in with the fifth during injury time . In other action on Saturday , Real Mallorca briefly went top before Barcelona won the late kick off , beating promoted Tenerife 4-0 . Mario Saurez , Artiz Aduriz , Julio Alvarez and a late Pierre Webo penalty gave Mallorca three points as they matched their best ever start to a Primera Liga season with two wins and a draw . Espanyol moved off the bottom with their first victory of the season with a 3-2 away win at Deportivo la Coruna , while Alvaro Negredo scored his first goal for Sevilla who beat Osasuna 2-0 . In Sunday 's action , big-spending Real Madrid will bid to equal Barcelona 's three wins form three games when they tackle lowly Xerez .
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Lionel Messi scores twice as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 5-2 . Barca have opened Spanish Primera Liga season with three straight wins . Real Mallorca maintain fine start with 4-0 thrashing of promoted Tenerife .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Voters this year may be more anxious than angry . Just 35 percent think the country 's on the right track , according to exit polls Tuesday night , to 62 percent who think things are heading in the wrong direction . Voters are n't quite as pessimistic as they were just two years ago , when those numbers were 21 and 74 percent -- but they 're unhappier than they were back in 2006 , when 41 percent felt the nation was on the right track , to 55 percent who said they were headed in the wrong direction . The economy was n't just the most important issue to voters this year -- with unemployment hovering around 9.6 percent , it was roughly twice as important to them as the other top issues of concern combined . Sixty-two percent of voters named the economy as their most important issue this year . Health care ranked a distant second , at 19 percent , with illegal immigration and Afghanistan trailing at 8 and 7 percent . With the exception of the 3 percent of voters who said the economy 's doing just fine , most of those polled -- on either end of the political spectrum -- think the economy 's ailing . But who 's to blame ? Thirty-five percent of voters in early exit polls say Wall Street 's the villain . The next name on the list : former President Bush -- 29 percent point their fingers in his direction . President Obama follows , at 24 percent . They may not blame him for the state of the economy , but just 45 of voters in early exit poll results are happy with Obama 's performance , while 54 percent disapprove . That 's the same territory President Clinton 's numbers were in back in 1994 exit polls , when 44 percent of voters approved of the job he was doing , while 52 percent were unhappy . Back in 2006 , the same numbers for President Bush were 43 and 57 percent . The rest of the federal government is n't off the hook -- voters in both parties are upset with how activist the government 's been : 4 in 5 Republicans say it 's doing too much . And 2 in 3 Democrats say it is n't doing enough . Sixty-one percent of Democrats say the new health care law needs to be expanded . And 82 percent of Republicans say it should be repealed . Today 's result is all about who showed up ... and who did n't . Independents made up about a third of the electorate today -- and they broke big for Republicans . Democrats are barely holding on to their advantage among women -- but men have turned Republican by a wide margin . -LRB- In Florida , they broke big for Senate candidate Marco Rubio , giving him half the independent vote in a three-way race . -RRB- . Two-thirds of Hispanic voters , 6 in 10 young voters and the overwhelming share of black voters backed Democrats . There just are n't as many of them as there were last cycle , as a percentage of the total vote : The percentage of youth voters dropped by half in early exit polls , from 18 to 9 . The black vote also edged down by at least a fifth . Midterm voters tend to be older than voters in general . But this year 's midterm voters were n't just older than the voters who show up when the White House is up for grabs . They 're older than a typical midterm voter . In fact : Seniors have n't made up this big a share of voters since 1994 . Twenty-four percent of those who cast ballots this year were over the age of 65 -- and their support for Democrats has plummeted . Back in ' 94 , 48 percent of voters over age 65 backed Democratic candidates . In 2006 and ' 08 , 49 percent supported the party . This year , that number sank to 39 percent . And older voters -- who are n't fans of the health care bill -- have discovered a new-found fondness for the GOP : the Republican Party 's share of the senior vote soared from 48 percent last cycle to 58 percent this year . How much credit should the Tea Party take for tonight 's GOP gains ? Exit polls paint a mixed picture . Forty-five percent of independent voters expressed support for the movement , which is 4 for 6 in Senate races so far tonight , with two still too close to call . The older you are , the polls suggest , the more likely you are to back the Tea Party -- and tonight was a senior moment . Forty-seven percent of those 60 and older back the Tea Party ; the number for 18-29-year-olds was more than 20 points lower . On the other hand : A majority of voters -LRB- 56 percent -RRB- said the Tea Party was n't a factor in their vote tonight . The percentage that said they wanted to send a message in favor of the movement -LRB- 23 percent -RRB- was just a few points higher than those who said they were trying to strike a blow against it -LRB- 18 percent -RRB- . Republicans are on track for the biggest House pickup by any major party since 1948 -- a historic win . Voters clearly are n't too happy with the Democratic Party . But exit polls suggest they are n't terribly thrilled with the GOP either . Democrats have a 10-point favorability gap : 43 percent of voters have a positive opinion of the party , while 53 percent are n't thrilled . The Republican Party also gets a thumbs-down from 53 percent of the nation 's voters , with just 41 percent saying they 're happy with the party . Compare that with 1994 and 2006 , when voters had a net positive view of the incoming party . The numbers suggest Tuesday night may signal a rejection of the Democratic Party -- but something less than an embrace of the GOP .
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Mood of voters improves from two years ago . Unemployment is the biggest concern . Voters blame Wall Street , Bush and Obama for economy .
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[[1154, 1236]]
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LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kenny Morrison soaked in life from his beachfront home . A top chef at a trendy L.A. restaurant , he served dinner to the Hollywood stars , including A-listers . Kenny Morrison got hooked on painkillers after getting dental work in 2003 . `` I lost everything , '' he says . But within a couple years , he lost it all . He got hooked on pain medication after some dental work . His fix was codeine , Vicodin and OxyContin -- all prescription medications -- to help him get through the day . At one point , he even had a tooth removed unnecessarily so he could get a prescription for pain medicines . `` At the height , I was taking probably 20 , 25 a day , '' he says . `` It got to the point where I lost the wife , the house , and I was living in a bad part of L.A. in my truck . And I went from taking a couple of codeine all the way to taking OxyContin . '' Morrison did n't buy his drugs on a street corner or get them from a dope dealer . He got them mostly from dentists he had never met . He says he 'd scroll through the phone book calling dentist after dentist until one would prescribe him pain medication . `` I kind of found out on my own that a dentist will prescribe you painkillers over the phone , instead of a doctor who you would most likely have to go in and see , '' he says . Watch addicts turn to dentists '' Dr. Jay Grossman , a dentist in the Los Angeles area , says he routinely gets calls from people seeking painkillers . `` The moment somebody hangs up the phone on me , I know that they 're literally going down the book . They 're calling the next one in the Yellow Pages , hoping that someone will write them a prescription , '' he says . `` If you 're an addict , one of your resources would certainly be a dentist . '' Grossman sits on a disciplinary committee for the California Dental Association . He says the calls typically come at the end of the day . The user describes pain in his mouth and insists on medication fast . Red flags go up and Grossman says he begins asking a series of questions to `` put it back in their ballpark . '' When he asks how many pills they need , sometimes the answer is : `` Forty or 50 should do just fine , '' Grossman says . He tries to set up an appointment for the next day , so he can see the patient in person . Most times , they hang up after he grills them . `` I do n't think doctors of any sort -- whether it 's a dental professional or one of my medical colleagues -- should be doling out prescriptions in that quantity , like M&M s. That 's not what it 's there for , '' he says . `` I would like to think the vast majority of my colleagues are doing the honest , ethical and moral thing . '' According to the Drug Enforcement Administration , nearly 7 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs , more than the number who are abusing cocaine , heroin , hallucinogens and ecstasy combined . The number of painkiller addicts has nearly doubled from 2000 , when 3.8 million Americans were hooked , the DEA says . The misuse of painkillers represents three-fourths of the overall problem of prescription drug abuse . The DEA says addicts get the drugs from `` doctor shopping , '' online pharmacies and other Internet sources , theft from pharmacies and , yes , traditional drug dealers . `` All DEA registered practitioners and dentists registered with DEA must adhere to state laws and regulations as well as federal laws and regulations when dispensing or prescribing a controlled substance , '' says DEA special agent Gary Boggs . But the DEA says only one in every 10,000 doctors loses his or her controlled substance registration each year as a result of DEA investigations into improper prescribing . James Stillwell , the executive director of Impact Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Pasadena , California , says he believes it 's much more prevalent than authorities realize . He says dentists , doctors and veterinarians all become targets of addicts . `` It 's an easy way to get your hands on an opiate-based drug , a painkiller , for recreational use , '' Stillwell says . `` If you have an addict that wants to get high , ... he 's going to find ways and means to do that . '' There 's another troubling aspect of addicts on painkillers prescribed by doctors , he says . These addicts do n't think they have a problem because they have prescriptions in their hands . `` It helps you legitimize it -- not just in terms of family and loved ones , but what your head is saying to you , '' Stillwell says . `` It 's a way to elude the stigma of being a drug addict . '' Grossman says the DEA has done a good job in the last 12-18 months of cracking down on dentists who may be over-prescribing pain medicines . According to the DEA , 38 states have enacted legislation to create a database for physicians and pharmacists to prevent abusers from obtaining multiple prescriptions . Grossman says the DEA notifies dentists and questions them when their prescriptions for painkillers reach high numbers . `` They 're actually following up , '' he says . But he says for a dentist to come before his local disciplinary board , the board first needs to be notified that a dentist may be acting out of line -- and a drug abuser typically is n't going to turn them in . Grossman believes the issue has come under scrutiny in the last year because `` of the celebrities that have been passing away due to drug overdose . '' Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith had each taken a lethal combination of prescription drugs . He said dentists , doctors and pharmacies constantly need to be on alert for people trying to use medical professionals as their drug dealers . `` Just writing a prescription for the pain is not the answer , '' Grossman says . `` There 's a moral and ethical code that we have to follow . '' As for Morrison , he says he has been clean for a year after going through Impact 's program . He 's now the head chef at the treatment facility that saved his life . It has been five years since his life fell apart . He 's trying to repair his relationship with his daughter and his ex-wife . He wants others to avoid the painful painkiller path he took . `` My body craved it , and I lost everything -- everything , '' Morrison says . `` It 's hard to understand how big of a problem this is . My message is it 's a disease and it needs to be addressed . '' CNN 's Traci Tamura contributed to this report .
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Kenny Morrison learned he could get pain pills from dentists without seeing them . He was taking as many as 25 pain pills a day , but has since gone clean . DEA says 7 million Americans are hooked on pain pills , a trend that 's skyrocketing . Dentist says , `` Just writing a prescription for the pain is not the answer ''
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HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Political corruption in Zimbabwe threatens efforts to save millions of people from malaria in the southern African country , according to aid agency officials . HIV-positive 13-year-old orphan Evans Mahlangu , left , and his brother Edmond , 8 , had to jump Zimbabwe 's border with Mozambique to get anti-retroviral drugs . The Global Fund to Fight AIDS , Tuberculosis and Malaria has demanded that Zimbabwe 's government return $ 7.3 million placed in the country 's reserve bank to pay for the distribution medicine that can cure malaria , according to the group 's spokesman . A senior western diplomat in Zimbabwe told CNN he believes the money was taken by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe 's government to fund political activities . He accused reserve bank governor Gideon Gono of involvement . `` This could put millions of people in Zimbabwe at risk of malaria in the current malaria season , '' said John Linden , spokesman for the group which is a leading international financing institution for those diseases . Linden said his group has given Zimbabwe until Thursday to repay the money or else no more aid will be sent to the country . `` At this stage we do not have confidence in the reserve bank 's ability to release the money when needed , so we have demanded that all the money be released immediately , '' Linden said . The money was intended to train thousands of health workers to distribute the malaria cure , medicine that is already available but sits on shelves . CNN 's Kim Norgaard in Johannesburg , South Africa contributed to this report .
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Corruption in Zimbabwe threatens efforts to tackle malaria , aid officials say . Group demands that Zimbabwe 's government return $ 7.3 million of donor money . Western diplomat says money was taken by President Mugabe 's government .
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1960 Maradona is born . Maradona -LRB- L -RRB- and Kusturica -LRB- R -RRB- arrive at the screening of ` Maradona ' , Cannes International Film Festival 2008 . 1971 Scouted age 11 for the junior team of Argentinos Juniors . 1976 Makes his professional debut aged 15 . 1977 Makes his full international debut for Argentina aged just 16 . 1979 Scores first international goal and wins the junior World Cup . 1981 Transfers to Boca Juniors for $ 1.96 m. 1982 Plays his first World Cup for Argentina , scoring twice , but also getting sent off . Afterwards he is transferred to Barcelona FC for a then world record $ 9.81 m. 1983 Wins the Spanish Cup with Barcelona . 1984 Transfers from Barcelona to Serie A Napoli for another record fee of $ 13.54 m. 1986 Captains Argentina to World Cup Victory , scoring two goals against England on the way , the first , the infamous `` Hand of God '' and the second an incredible 50 meter run voted `` Goal of the Century '' in a 2002 FIFA poll . 1987 Helps Napoli to their first Italian title . 1990 Hit by paternity suit after World Cup final defeat by West Germany . 1991 Fails a drugs test and is banned for 15 months . Leaves Italy in disgrace . 1992 Makes his comeback at Sevilla in Spain . 1993 Heads back to Argentina with Newell 's Old Boys after disagreement with Sevilla . 1994 Sent home after failing drugs test at the World Cup in the U.S.A. 1996 Books into a clinic for drug addiction . 1997 Announces retirement from football aged 37 after failing another drugs test . 2000 Collapses with heart problems . 2002 Moves to Cuba to try and combat drug addiction . 2004 Rushed to hospital after another collapse . 2005 Maradona hosts his own talk show , interviewing Pele on the opening night . 2008 Emir Kusturica 's documentary `` Maradona '' is shown at the Cannes Film festival .
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Maradona was scouted for Argentinos Juniors when aged 11 . Captained his country to World Cup victory in 1986 . Has battled with drug addiction and health issues in recent years . `` Maradona '' documentary shown at Cannes Film Festival , May 2008 .
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[[159, 222], [1739, 1775], [1777, 1827]]
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